Days to Look Back Upon

While the weather has been cooling

the afternoons are still warm

and pleasant

Our grass is green and

we've been home more 

Our animals have been turned out to graze

on the delicious grasses 

and clovers found on our lawn.

All of our animals have their place here

but 

the sheep seemed to have found

a special place

in the 

hearts of 

our girls.

I am grateful for the opportunity

we have been given

to raise our children in the country.

To have sheep

and chickens

and geese

and ponies

and kitties.

To have space and fresh

(albeit dusty prairie)

air.

We spent 5 hours this morning 

riding.

The girls just saddled up

(I mean I saddled them up)

and they took off.

Ellie rode around and around and

around

the yard.

In and out of trees

over sticks

through the garden.

Lucy worked on a barrel pattern

and pole bending in the corral.

Even little Penny

rode completely

by herself for a few laps.

We came in 

hungry

tired

but 

so

very

happy.

I think we've found our happiest place on Earth.

First days

So I am a little late posting back to school pictures

but

late is better than never

sorta.

The girls 

and by girls I mean Lucy

was really excited to start school.

She is like that.

She'll probably skip off to university

and then around the globe

and

look back and wave

but 

that's about it.

Ellie on the other hand

will live next door to us

Ellie did love back to school shopping

and true to her nature

she bought everything in the same colour theme

  

Lucy however

did not.

I wonder what she will look like everyday.

First day of school outfits...

fridays and sundays

Today is Dusty's Friday.

Normally we try

{try being the key word above}

to get the house neat and tidy

and something yummy to eat in the oven

but

It is my Sunday

and when Sundays and Fridays collide

the house is rarely tidy

or smells delightful

and alas

this Sunday is no different.

Instead we visited with my parents

and played together

all good things

but 

he won't come home to a clean house

or cookies

but instead

4 girls will probably be passed out

in their beds

getting ready for Monday...

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

So we go through food phases.

Enchiladas is one that's been around for a while

but it hasn't been until lately that

the kids have really liked them.

You can adjust this recipe to your tastes.

I prefer really hot enchiladas

Ellie likes hers super mild.

This is a little spicier than mild but Ellie will eat them

so that pretty much makes them safe for anyone.

but I have made them even milder and

with no vegetables for the pickier eaters.

like I said,

adjust.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Tortillas (like 10)

3 chicken breasts

1 container of sour cream (big container)

1 package of shredded cheese (or about 2-3 cups of grated cheese)

salsa (optional)

tomatoes (optional)

corn (optional)

beans (I either use re-fried or black or optional)

Taco sauce (I usually just make my own since it's like 5 bucks for a tiny jar)

Cook chicken

chop chicken

put chicken in bowl with 1/2- 3/4's of sour cream

add in salsa 1/2 cup- 1 cup 

(this all depends on how many other ingredients you are putting in and how hot you want them to taste)

Add in half the cheese

Add in chopped veggies and beans 

(unless using re-fried then I just smear some on the tortilla)

Mix the bowl

Put a heaping tablespoon of mixture in each tortilla and roll them up

put them in a pan lined with parchment paper

(because I don't love scrubbing pans)

make all of them.

Now pour/spoon taco sauce over them

**If you are making taco sauce get a bowl.

Add 1 can of condensed tomato soup

add 2-3 tablespoons of salsa

add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning

add a tablespoon of chili powder

add 2 tablespoon of garlic powder

stir

taste

add anything else

(this is where I add franks or cayenne pepper)

spoon over enchiladas

sprinkle remainder of  cheese

bake for 1 hour

at 350.

Dusty's Family

We took some family pictures

of Dusty's family.

Here are some of them.

MAN-ipulation

This was going to be a funny post

but 

I sense that my delay in writing this post

will now turn this into a vent

but

I will try to maintain 

some sense of decorum

even though

it is 430...

(breathe.... smile... think happy thoughts)

MAN-ipulation

- When (particularly during hunting season) a MAN trys to use women's logic to get what he wants....

example:

"I should really go get the trailer so that we can go camping like you wanted"

means:

"I would like to disappear for the day and 

not feel guilty that 

you are home taking care of everything 

while I go and find a good spot 

to go hunting for opening day"

and I am saying this

with no 

bitterness 

at 

all.

Harvest Haze

There is a thick cloud of dust

hanging over everything

it's hotter than Hades 

There is the promise of rain

I don't know if it will come.

The heat has made the trees tired

the kids grumpy

the garden droop

the horses are irritated

the sheep have disappeared under the trees

the hens are lounging by the watering buckets

and I had to find a place to nap.

The nights are cooling off

Fall is coming

but right now

in the midst of harvest

we are stuck in the haze

of dust

sweat

and heat.

A dog.... er.... Sheeps day

it is hot

which is usually fine with me

but

I am not at the lake

and

it was one of "those" days.

Millions of things to do

and no energy

and grumpy

and it wasn't just me

Luckily for me

it looks as though we might get a storm.

phew

Ellie is outside as I type this

getting chickens in the coop

and dogs in the barn

Penny is outside

mostly because that's what she does

but

she is supposed to be picking up toys

likely not going to happen.

Back

We have been home for a week or so

More so than a week

It's been nice to have my stuff

my bed...

PENNY'S bed....

It's been nice to see all the animals

With Lucy outa commission

Ellie has had to take over riding duties

much to her initial dismay

but it's been going rather well.

I had been planning on putting the girls

in riding lessons this fall

but

my expectations have gotten in the way

After doing some investigating

I will either have to 

1) pay an arm and a leg (more like two legs) to get them into lessons that are amazing

or

2) sacrifice quality horsemanship skills and still pay a fair amount.

It is important to me that the girls develop proper technical riding skills.

So

I decided to do my own lessons.

I had started before we moved

but

I got intimidated living around people

who have crazy horse skills.

but

I am outa options

because

I am opinionated

and maybe

the whole lesson thing

will change my opinionated attitude

but

so far so good.

My project this week has been putting together a little book.

A beginners "guide" to riding.

It has all the skills for basic horsemanship in it

with some games

etc.

Ellie and Lucy are already dying to play with it

so that's probably a good sign.

Anyways.

I start this week with other people's children....

The ponies are preparing themselves

they know something is askew since

I have been out every night with them

(some of them have begun to hate me)

(maybe it will make them love the kids more)

Old Habits are hard to Break

The first part of summer was vastly different than previous summers

but

as August came in

we got back into some of our old habits.

Lucy was the exception

what was supposed to take 4 weeks 

has turned into

7

so she coloured

and did stickers

and read books,

I hope that she doesn't feel like she

missed out on too much.

 Ellie and Penny in the water

Penny had a slow start 

but now I put her in a life jacket as soon as her eyes open!

Ellie started swimming WITHOUT

her life jacket.

A HUGE accomplishment for 

a daughter

who holds dearly

to any of her safety attachments.

the supervisors.

and my little fish.

Who just might be into synchronised swimming...

Besides stickers she did make it on her quad a few times.

thank goodness for dad's.

and this is where he spent most of his holidays.

cleaning the boat...

from the children to the dogs

he had a full time hobby.