Birthdays

This year dusty and I did more for our birthdays than I think we ever have done! Most of it was last minute and it was our friends that swooped in and helped change things up. It was fun and simple and easy!
I got to go out to dinner at Brown's and Dusty and I ate dessert while waiting for Jared and Jasmine. It is always so easy to hang out with them! Jasmine tried a spicy tuna roll for the first time and it was hilarious, she was NOT a big fan. We split up and went home and we played a game with the kids. Stacey texted the next morning and asked us to go and ride. Dusty's been wanting to go so we packed up and headed over. The ponies all did great. We invited Tom and Stacey over for dinner and it was a good thing because we had so much food. This year Dusty wanted Steak Oscar, roasted mini potatoes, salad, garlic bread, AND strawberry cream cake PLUS we got to eat my delicious chocolate cake that Stacey made. I was also surprised but a couple friends who brought me gifts and it was such a sweet birthday!!!

Now that our birthdays are over though, there's not many excuses to eat a little healthier! hahaha

The Great will Fall

I knew eventually my streak would come to a close.

It started this morning with more aches than usual.

Then I got myself THE fever.

Now I found my dying spot- I am here for the duration.

Easter Bunny and More Important Things

This little picture pretty much sums up our Easter Bunny experience.

It is simple.

Exciting

but

we don't put too much fuss into it.

We spent Thursday colouring eggs

and 

that night we hid them.

Friday Morning

(after a Thursday memo down a local bunny hole)

That tricky rabbit came.

Everyone was thrilled with the hidden treats.

Andy spent the rest of the day packing around his ninja turtle bucket!

The girls flipped and flopped all over in their new footwear.

Friday afternoon was spent preparing our Easter meal.

we spend the evening eating foods that would of been prepared in old Jerusalem.

The kids love it.

Dusty and I love it.

Sometimes we invite people over

but

it was just us this year and it was perfect.

We then spent the evening going through a little Easter activity

that represented the last days of our Savior.

Saturday and Sunday have been quietly spent eating treats and listening to messages of 

Christ.

I am pretty sure as a kid I would of thought this was

"stupid" or "boring"

but

I look forward to this time with our kids

and

surprisingly

even when given opportunities to skip this

my kids choose not too.

This weekend fills me with gratitude for all the gifts I have been given.

I am so grateful to be a mother.

I never had an intense yearning to have children

but

as each of them have arrived

I feel more and more like this was always what I was meant to do

I am so grateful for my parents and sisters.

For the lessons I learnt in my childhood

and growing up on an acreage.

I am thankful for my Dad and his patience with us tagging along on hunting and fishing trips.

For the skills (sometimes forced) in cleaning animals
and
helping me understand what it takes to physically put food on a table
and where it comes from.

He taught me what honor means.

What integrity is.

I am grateful for my mother.

She taught me to never limit myself. What you can do if you work.

She gave me stories and taught me about my family and "roots".

She gave me expectations to live up to.

That is a gift without measure.

My sisters have let me learn what it is to love someone
even
when you don't agree with them.
They teach me about talents
I appreciate how beautiful a family is with differences.

I am grateful for Dusty.
I tell him everyday.
even when I am mad.

I am grateful for our house.
For our animals.
for every lesson
learnt every day.

I cannot measure my gratitude for God
for His Son.
For letting me live each day
For letting me make all my mistakes
For letting me learn all these things
For giving me a chance to hope
to believe
to know

I know that we all walk different paths.
I am grateful He is here with me on my path.

Dinner and a drive

Yesterday after church we loaded up and headed for my parents.

It was a lovely drive.

Gophers galore.

It feels like spring may be around the corner!

We went to celebrate my sisters birthday...

Which means delicious food.

I won't be eating steak for a while since I had to get out my bottom wisdom teeth today.

Did I mention how amazing it was???

After dinner we went outside and helped my dad get his bikes out.

Which is another sign of spring....

The kids love them.

Birthday Gift

We have had so much to do this January.

The start was a bit chilly and snowy

but

this week we've entered a 

heat wave!!

It's been so nice to watch the ice melt

and 

its been nice to actually get outside to do things!

I bought low bogs and that was a 

BIG

mistake. 

I have never had a problems with them in the

4 

years I have owned them

but

tonight doing chores the muck in the corrals is up over top of them.

YUCK!

Dusty and I were able to haul our horses in to the arena.

It was fun to take them and get to take a test run on my 

BIRTHDAY GIFT!!

 

The horse is old.

The saddle is new.

Lincoln was in need of some new duds.

I had to sell my old saddle

(which I loved)

but

Lincoln loves all the bling!

(and so do I)

Penny rode with us on Midnight

and

she (the horse) did awesome like always!

We were at a horse jumping show helping out

our local pony club.

The girls had fun running around the barns and arena

(mostly supervised by the spectators)

It's been a long time since I've run a concession out of a tack room!

It took me back to my 4-H days.

This week coming up is going to be fun.

I have been helping set up a goat tying clinic

(embracing my inner cowboy- haha yah right!!)

and then Ellie has a riding clinic.

 

Hard Headed

This posts title could read something like, "life's lessons" or "learning the hard way" or "I should of actually learned something from all of those dang discovery channel shows" but alas....

So it happened on a Wednesday.

It was a beautiful hot morning.

Finished teaching riding lessons...

I was expecting some petting zoo kids...

And I thought to myself

"What a perfect time to move all the sheep pens around."

I had three pens going at that moment.

1) teddy and Oreo (aka ram pen)

2) the ewes and lambs (no aka)

3) the barn pen with the newbies.

So I moved the ewes.

Fine.

Then I moved the new ewe in with the other ewes and lambs.

Fine.

Then I moved the new ram over to a pen by the other rams.

Fine.

I let them be.

They sniffed and walked up the fence line.

They ate.

I left and watered my garden.

Came back and thought.

"Humph, they seem fine"

So I put them in together.

They sniffed.

Oreo got bit high school so I kicked him out.

They big boys grazed.

I turned around. 

Walked out the gate and then heard the most sickening thud.

The girls were yelling.

The rams were in reverse to collide again.

And smack.

Blood flew everywhere.

The girls were now screaming.

I was running through all the possible options.

Smack.

I go back into the pen.

Smack. Crack.

The rams are covered in blood.

A bone is now sticking out of Teddy's face.

They back up again.

I pick up a tree and javelin it between them.

Pick up a halter and crack it across the new ones nose.

I pick up another tree and get teddy back on his side of the fence.

I get out of the pen.

And then I remember to breathe.

I call the vet.

Apparently "sheep people" aren't the same sorta breed as "horse people" because when I call about a horse- I get walked through a procedure.... A sheep bone out of a head..... I get... "It'll probably be fine-keep the flys out if it"

Ha

Anyways.

He is fine.

So the vet was right.

But 

At that moment...

All hopped up on adrenalin...

I was mad.

So I catch Oreo buy the horn

(He is kind of like a unicorn... Only way less beautiful)

And drag him to the barn.

Lock him in a horse stall.

Turn around to go get the new ram

And get half way across the yard

And see the stupid sheep out.

I am changing his name to Jackie Chan.

I catch him again.

Lock him in the tack room.

And go AGAIN across the yard.

I halter the very agitated 200lbs temper tantrum throwing 2' toddler/ram and "lead" it across the yard.

It is now like 40 degrees.

I then take Oreo who I am pretty sure would have ADHD and hyperactivity disorder out of my now absolutely trashed tack room and lead him by the horn across the yard.

After all this and moving the ewes back....

I laid on my lawn. I contemplated moving.

I contemplated sheep. Life.

Lesson 1)

When you think you have a brilliant idea.... Wait.... Let it sit for a while.... It will probably still be brilliant in 20 minutes and if it's not brilliant- it should give you enough time to not go through with it.

Lesson 2)

Never underestimate a male ego.

Lesson 3)

Life without animals would be so so so much easier 

But

Who really likes the easy way??

Har har Har har-dly funny

Today was a day for the books.

I was sick most of the night.

Woke up with a headache

(Boohoo- I know- )

Then

I went to go do chores.

I get the the hen 

(We have a hen with 3 chicks)

And yesterday I cleaned out her nest.

It was stinking up to high heavens

There were some dead chicks and cracked eggs.

It was nasty.

Anyways.

Cleaned it all up.

Removed all eggs.

So today there is an egg.

I pick it up.

It stinks.

But

She stinks.

I am not one to judge....

I totally get not having enough time to bathe 

And

I only have one baby!

So I get to the house and my kids are hungry.

I start the stove 

And put a pan on.

I turn around to wash eggs.

I forget about the pan.

The house starts smoking

I turn around

FIRE

like lots of it.

I set the egg down on the counter.

I grab the pan.

I hear a pop.

I get out faster.

I come back inside 

Then

It hits me

The most disgusting smell on the whole planet.

(I have smelled some pretty gross things)

It was the egg that popped.

It exploded EVERYWHERE.

Gross

Disgusting

Green egg

Yuck!

Now my house smells like rotten pickled egg.

Dusty thought this was funny

The whole thing.

I do not.

My kids do not.

My mom (who showed up just in time to help clean up) does not think this was funny.

I wish that pan would of burnt down the whole kitchen!

I will never get the smell out of my nose.

Mexico- full day #1

I am starting this adventure on the first full day in Mexico.

I am choosing to repress my memories of 

1) the really early morning

2) the REALLLLLLY long flight down

(even though Andy did pretty darn good on the plane)

3) the choas of the airport in Cancun

4) the smelly bus ride to the hotel

5) the arranging of rooms

6) my melt down 

7) late night Pacos Tacos....

So after a good sleep we were all in a much better place to begin our great adventure.

First things first- breakfast and then a short swim and a walking adventure.

This is Lucy and Penny headed back to our room after checking out the "private" pool. This was the first incounter with the lizzards. None of them were huge fans... shocking.

We then took a walk around the resort (Occidental). It was HUGE. They said it was about 40 acres and most of it was jungle. The different areas of the hotel were really spread out. We were staying in the royal club area and it had its own resteraunt and pool. It was gated and had a seperate "beach area". So we wanted to see what the rest of the place looked like.

We found ourselves at the main lobby and they had some macaws. The girls loved them. They were so so so noisy though!

On our way back to the RC we spotted this little creature scurrying across the path.

Apparently they are the equivilant to our racoons....

We spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and exploring.

The heat was a welcomed relief from the cold and the humidity was lovely.

This is just entering the hot season there and we were kind of worried we would be too hot but all of us were happy to trade our jackets and boots for sandles and shorts.

Heartbeat

I spent all day in bed.

I had two naps.

Penny curled up behind me

Contently watching cartoons

Andy snores softly in my arms

This time is heaven.

Priceless.

Soon he will be alert

Soon she will be off to school.

Too soon I will have no reason

To just be in bed

Unless I have the flu

And who wants that!

I remember putting Ellie and Lucy to bed

I remember thinking that they needed their bed

They would fall asleep to the lullabies their crib music boxes played

with penny and Andy they slept/sleep with me.

They were/are curled up beside me

Wrapped in my arms

And fell/fall asleep to the sound of my heartbeat.

My bed.

My world seems consumed by baby.

I have a world set up in my bed.

There are diapers and wipes at my bedside.

Bassinets and laundry hampers filled with items. 

My bed has turned into a nursing station with every pillow at my disposal.

Everyonce in a while I emerge to join my family at the dinner table or to visit with someone stopping in.

But mostly I am in my room.

The last time I did this my girls were 5 and 3. 

Maybe they forced me out of my room more.

Maybe they just hung out with me...

It's funny how quickly our brains forget those small details.

At 8 and 6 these girls are much much more help.

I am so grateful for them and their willingness to help and for their understanding of me needing to be somewhere else.

This week at home has been bliss. I could stay all day wrapped in my blankets on my bed cuddling my sweet baby. Listening to his heavy breathing while he sleeps. 

Birthday Gifts

Birthdays are never a huge deal around here.

But mines a big one this year

And about 1 in the morning I heard

The not so soft

Squeals 

Coming from the bassinet.

I had slept through two rounds of painkillers

And

My dietary choices were sneaking up on me

I felt awful.

Then from beside me I heard a grunt

A happy birthday grunt

And then a "isn't it great getting old"

Thanks dusty!

But besides the old age

There are a few pretty great things

About getting old for me.

Right now in my life I have

- 2 awesomely helpful girls because the older I get- the older they get (weird how that works)

- my next move is into a retirement home

- a settled marriage (no new growing pains)

- knowing that in this next decade or so I get to enjoy the goals accomplished in the last decade.

Today I am thankful for my birthday.

I am grateful I am home

I am blessed with 4 healthy children

A great husband

And the icing on the cake

It even snowed a little this morning!

Now hopefully I can get 1 or 2 naps in

Because this whole up all night thing

Isn't as easy as it once was...

Christmas eve Eve

Oh boy.

I actually think it might technically be Christmas eve....

You would think that THIS year 

I would of tried a little harder to have a relaxing 23rd of December.

It has not been.

I am behind

And

To top it allllllllllllllll off....

My feet have disappeared.

For real.

Gone.

Instead replaced with painful masses of fluid.

I always get swollen feet while in this "condition"

But

I was so hopeful this time.

It didn't hit until 38 weeks

But

It sure did come in swiftly

Just like

The 23rd of december.........