The Little Big sister

It was Penny's first St.Paddy's day at school. This morning we found out she doesn't own any green.....

But good thing her little brother does....

Life as an Adventurer

Our day (life) seemed a little more than chaotic than originally planned...

It was a pretty full day yesterday and Andy decided to single-handedly derail the plans. He got into the medicine cabinet and so we spent a good part of the day in emerg. He's no worse for wear today but hopefully his little stint in the er will deter him from any more of his antics today.

And now for some cuddles and paw patrol. (And I REALLY good justification to avoid laundry)

March Madness

This is part of one week of life in March.... Its been madness and with lambing approaching.... Forget basketball madness...

Spirit week (which I was TOTALLY unprepared for... As usual)

Vacation day...

Spring time Buggy rides with Rubee.... We actually caught more than one ride this week!

Ellie is part of a recorder group for her school and they wrapped up this week of festivals!

Ellie decided to enter a "cowboy challenge" competition... She loved it... Her pony loved it.... The above is a picture of the water element. 

She ended up winning first, second, and third.... $90.00

This little machine LOVED going to Ellie's competition. Lucy played all day with him in the dirt with his tractors and fed him french fries and ketchup chips!

Dusty and I were headed in two different directions this weekend. It was Penny's LAST day of hockey on Saturday and it was vs. the parents. The kids won (like there was any doubt). She got a pizza party and LOVED it. We didn't know if Dustu would make it. He was busy helping my uncle try to load a horse but he managed to get there and play the second period and party. Then he headed back to help load the horse. AND THEN.....

He made it back home to recieve this beauty! We got a steal of a deal on her and she's been so great so far. Her name is Bailey.

And of course, we have been dealing with this 4x/day with shots and drops.... Vet come back Tuesday....

That's the week! Now to get through 3 more!!

Those weeks

We are down three horses in our farm. One of our best horses, my horse that I had been getting ready for me to ride and show this summer got a displaced colon and we had to euthanize her. One of our old horses that we rescued died of old age and then we sold one (without trying to sell her.... )

The kids seems to be taking it in stride. Ellie (who is the most emotionally intune) has been overly helpful since I am the one taking it the hardest.

Most of the time around here dusty and the girls will take off for a ride but with babies and food... I don't get out as much as I would like BUT today I left Licy in charge of the sleeping Andy and Ellie and I took off. 

The only horse I have left here is my old mare. My 4-h comrade and my high school secret keeper. 

It's just what the doctor ordered. Muscle memory kicks in as soon as my butt his the saddle and it's like we've never had a break. 25 years old and she doesn't miss a hoof beat and she's still the fastest most up-beat horse on the place. I get her and she gets me and we can just go with no thought or care in the world. Dusty is going to have impossible shoes to fill when she too goes to the big field in the sky.

The second week

Most of "my" obligations fall on the second week of the month. It means that life is a bit hectic. Well this week we had the stomach flu cycle through. We have had such a healthy winter that I am not even going to complain that it's our turn BUT of course it happened the second week of the month! 

The weather has been so nice though that I have been able to air out the house and most of the things I am a part of I have lots of help so people have been able to step in and complete what needs to be done this week. 

I am sick today but earlier this week I got tigger outside and just do all things it's usually way to cold to do.

We got the ewes out of the barn for a bit and we got to chase ducks around the yard. We cleaned the tack and got the horse trailer cleaned out for the show on Monday! And hopefully the weather stays so that we can get everything clipped!

No rest for the crazies

It was wishful thinking. Penny's coach just phoned us with a last minute game- good news is that it's scheduled at the crack of dawn and that I will have just enough time to get the kids to riding club....

That's how I feel on the inside.

I keep telling myself "middle of march middle of march middle of march" haha but then I just remembered that's when soccer starts....

Making a dent

The first week of February is flying by. We had church, rodeo, hockey, piano, riding, activity days, and a birthday party. 

Thursdays are our day off. Which is needed.

Last week Lucy was sick. This week Ellie and Andy have taken the hit. Yesterday was brutal- I had a migraine and poor Andy was fevered and sick. But there's no time to be sick so we pushed through.

Tuesday was a good day. Ellie wasn't home so it was just Penny and Lucy that went riding with us. I made Lucy ride Ellie's pony. Lucy had a wreck a few weeks ago and has been a little nervous so we stuck her on Midnight. She did really well but she totally dislikes riding her so she begged to bring her horse next week! Win for mom!

Monday was nuts. Dusty headed to hockey with Penny and I took the other girls to rodeo. On the way there a deer ran into the side of our car. She tried to jump over us. I now have a nice dent on the roof of the car! Andy has a great time there.

He is always trying to ride the dummies.... Or feed them. 

Our weekend looks a little quieter. The kids are looking forward to some downtime! 

Everything and Nothing

Today was one of those days that there was nothing to do so a little bit of everything got done.
The kiddos had no school and Dusty is at work so I attempted to sleep in. Eventually I gave up and go up. We all ate in shifts all day. No meal. Some TV but only while folding laundry. Chores got half done- the first rooms on the list look great and as they went down the list their calibre also slipped!

I have been on and off of the computer all day. I have been desperately trying to catch up on scrapbooks. Sometimes I really wonder if it is worth the time but I keep telling myself in 20 short years as my kids become parents they will want to look through them and remember the foggy memories a bit more clearly.

As I have been looking through the photos I have been scrolling through the blog trying to get a refresh of my own memories. I am so grateful I never gave up on this even though there are years that are scarcely documented.

Today as I have been sitting here and children have been coming and going around me, I would catch a whiff of body shop smell. It made me stop and smile. I must of been about their age (that 10/11 year old age maybe a little older) and I would go to the mall and I would get smelly stuff. Lotions and soaps and my room would stink up like green apple and watermelon and I would have clothes and magazines everywhere. Life is changing in our house. We still have Andy to chase around but I now find myself saying things like, "less in more.... especially with perfume..." or "can you put that (insert any form of technology) down while I am talking to you" or "can you turn down your music".

I loved being young and listening to loud music and smelling of an array of scents and talking to my friends and having secrets and being busy but with nothing important.

Those are the thoughts of the day and  I might just go turn on some ace of base and spray room spray everywhere and dance around and pretend I am 12 again.

Sickies

Lucy got strep throat this week so has been off school all week. She's been marathoning 'Full House' and I think she's actually made it to season 2....

Baxter has also been feeling a little under the weather. He went in Monday to get Neutered. 

He's needed a bit of extra lovin' from the kiddos. 

He is 7 months old and a whooping 62lbs already. 

Baxter and Ellie at 3 months

The sickies hangin' out today.

Limes

Two years ago I got a like tree.

I kill everything green

But

Somehow I have managed to keep this finicky little tree alive. 

But today

(After it actually started growing some fruit)

Andy decided to farm it.

It has no fruit.

No flowers

Lost leaves

And pulled up the roots. 

But his tractors did their jobs- they are dirt covered and parked in a neat line ready for the next job..........