Dr Seus Day

I was going through my photos organizing and deleting them.   I saw this and thought for a minute what is this picture all about.   When I remembered I decided I better hurry and blog about it or I would totally forget and eventually it would get tossed with the rest of the photos that have lost their memory.   

This was my children's choice of costume for Dr Seuss day!  In the past we have has some great costumes but this year Dr Seuss day was pretty normal at our house.   When, I asked Kaci she wanted to be Sally. ? who is Sally but sure enough there is a Dr Seuss Character named Sally and she is stressed like Kaci.    Jake said, on Horton Hears a Who, he tells you to be yourself so that's what I'm doing!"   How could I argue with that I just wish I would have made a sign for him to wear that quoted that.  I suppose even if I would have made the sign he probably wouldn't have wore it. 

 

This time of year!

This time of year is usually full of branding and babies.   Because, a lot of things have changed in the last 2 years our opportunities in branding and helping have been limited.   Somehow Dan still managed to get him and the boys in on some spring time fun.   He has been working at the boys ranch down the street from us.  They had 3 bull calves that needed doctored and castrated.   The baby lambs tail needed docked and the older sheep needed caring for.   We recruited Rhett Nielson   to help us.  Zeak and Rhett roped and stretched the calves.   Dan and I doctored them.   Jake kept the other calves away then he caught the baby goat and helped hold it for Dan.   All of the boys roped the sheep.  Kaci was the women behind the the fence with the camera.   She was excited to participate from a distance.  This little experience was a far cry from our traditional 3 day branding experience.  Yet, it was keeping a tradition and a lifestyle alive for us.   I am grateful that Heavenly Father has blessed us to teach our kids how to work and to serve in this way.   I am grateful for these tender moments we have to spend time together learning, laughing, and loving.
 

Spirit Award

Kaci received the Dream Reach Succeed Award.   This award was given to her by her teacher for not being afraid to try new things.  Always willing to do what she is asked even if it is hard!

Love

Christmas  came and went with out any family photos which resulted in no Christmas cards.  Valentines was soon approaching and so one night while I lay in bed stressing about what I could do that was an original and showed our personality I came across a baby photo where they used the tiny little feet as the v in Love.   Cha Ching, the lights came on and this was the result of my vision.   I am grateful that Zeak was willing to participate since he is growing up so fast.  

This is what our card said:
We just wanted to send a little Love  this
Valentines and let you know we think of you
often.!  With all of our busy lives we don’t get
to spend as much time with everyone as we
would like.  This doens’t change how blessed we
are to know you and have you in our lives. Hope
You feel of our love this Holiday and Always!

Ups and Downs

Yesterday was full of many downs and a few ups.   Lets start with the ups  Zeak made the buzz club.  He was so excited and so I took and and some buddies to lunch.   I did take them to Wendy's and made them order from the dollar menu.   They didn't care they were just happy to get away from the school and have lunch somewhere different.    He is getting ready for State Wrestling and went to watch the High School Wrestlers in Mt Pleasant.   He talked to one of the Ashworth twins who wants him to come back next year and wrestle Junior High again.   He was pretty excited. 

The Second UP was the temperature.   For the past 4 weeks it has not been above freezing and most days not even above 0 degrees.   That is too Cold for this Cowgirl.   Today it got to 27 and by early morning it was in the thirties.   So grateful and hope they just keep going UP!

Jake had a rough day his favorite Rooster ever April Fools had a stroke and we had to put him down.   Jake hatched him in the incubator almost 4 years ago and has loved him!  Unlike the other roosters we have had he has been kind and a buddy to Jake.   For two day Jake has had him in the the kitchen and garage trying to keep him warm and help him get better.   He even ate dinner with us Monday Night.   Yesterday after school he came in with tears in his eyes and said.   Mom I think it's time Dad just needs to put him down.  We had a good cry and talked about how he has lost some of his best friends this past few months.   Late last night when he went out to check on the rest of his animals and turn off the lights he fell on the ice and put 3 large cuts on his knee.   When I got him all bandaged up he said mom this has been a crappy day. 

Kaci had her first experience with girl troubles.   I knew it would come sooner than late and am surprised it took this long.  I just happened to be there and it really bothered me the effect it had on her teacher and then how the other moms handled it.   I have come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is just let your kids work things out as long as they can.   There are times when you have to step in as a parent but for the most part they need to learn how to deal with their peers.   There is going to be a lot of trial and error but if they do it they learn from it.  If I am always stepping in they just learn to rely on me. 

The last down of the day was me.   I was headed downstairs to change laundry and have family prayer.   I got to the bottom stair and my feet went out from under me.   Flash backs of breaking my pelvis went running through my head.   The intense sharp pain in my left butt cheek had me thinking the worst.   The reaction on my kids faces and sound of them screaming for Dan didn't help.  I laid there for several minutes trying to decide if I was good or not.  I finally decided nothing was broken we had prayer I went straight for the Advil and to bed.  I did set my alarm for 4:30 am with every intention of txt Mollie and going back to bed.  I did txt Mollie but then couldn't go back to bed so I txt her again and we went.  I wasn't able to give it my all this morning but decided that something was better than laying there.

So today I am glad for the Ups and that I am Up and not down today. 

Happy New Year

Well here it is the 7th of January good thing I didn't make any New Years Resolutions about blogging everyday or any other crazy resolution I couldn't keep.  

For New Years Kaci took her new Art Kit and her and I created this 2013 page.   She said, "mom wouldn't it be cool if every year we start with something like this for the title page in all my art books?"  I agree it would be cool and I love her enthusiasm for art and the new year.  I wish I shared her same enthusiasm.  I have a hard time letting go of the Holidays and what they bring into my life.  Therefor I go into a little depression and have a hard time taking down my Christmas.   This year one by one my strand of lights on my tree started going out right after Christmas so Saturday I took that as a sign and removed all the Christmas decorations from my house.   Jake is definitely my kid and put up quite the protest.   That night as him and I were listening to Dan read the scriptures he looked up at me and said I guess its nice to have are normal house back isn't mom.    So here is to having our normal house back.   The new year has come with the unbearable cold and chill of January.   Yet my heart is full of peace and love for the things our family can learn and the opportunities that await us throughout 2013.

Best suprise of 2013

New Years day we slept in.    The kids came in to see what the new years baby brought them and there were a few sad faces.   There was a trap thrower, box of clay pigeons, and some shot gun shells.   We ate breakfast, watched the tail end of Rose Parade, and then drove up to the Nielson's to shoot trap with them.    Jake and Kaci were pretty unsure at first but loved it.    The kids talked Lex into sledding in the field.  The fresh powder made them cold pretty fast.  We had a pretty low key day and decided to try and get to bed early so that the kids would be well rested to return to school.   I was cooking dinner and my phone rang.   Kaci answered it and I heard Ange on the other line.   She asked Kaci what we were doing and told her to drop everything and come to her house right now it was an emergency.   Dan was already in his pajamas and not to thrilled about going anywhere.  I told the kids to hurry and get ready because there was a surprise and Ange's house they wouldn't want to miss.   They had all kinds of guesses.   My guess was the correct guess.   I knew that Grandma was there.    Ange said they were going to be selfish and not share her with anyone because she was only there for 24 hours.   So glad they changed their mind and shared her with us.   It was the perfect start to the New Year.   We had a long visit and it was so hard to say good bye but we are learning that it isn't forever just until next time.