Ruined for Life

This past week was a busy week for us.  It started out by attending Farm Fair on Tuesday.  We spent the day looking at livestock, watching a horse show and sale, walking around and looking at different booths at the trade show, and finally, attending the stock dog finals and Ranch Rodeo finals.  The ranch rodeo was something we'd never been to before, but have wanted to go for a few years.  We were sitting in the second row (yay!), so we were very up close and personal to watch the penning, wild cow milking, team doctoring and branding, as well as other events that many cowboys do every day on a ranch. 

 While we were at Farm Fair, we ran into a lady whom we've known for years, and she asked if we wanted tickets to attend the CFR....in her box....for 3 different performances. Umm, yes please!!

 So our kids got to attend the Canadian Finals Rodeo for 2 of those performances, and we adults went to one alone. It was great fun, and they loved the box which included pizza for them, snacks, drinks, popcorn, a private bathroom and even a visit from the rodeo mascot, Bull Jangles.


 We were very blessed by the generosity of this wonderful woman!!

 It was a great experience for all of us, but unfortunately, they are ruined for life. They said they wanted to go every year in the box, instead of "with everyone else"!  I must admit, I've got to agree with them!

Oh, For the Love....

Here's our new favorite footwear.....

All the Girls are now riding, which is great (but pricey!!). The teacher they originally had when they started riding is no longer at the barn where we ride, so guess who's teaching them now? You guessed it....mother dearest! I must admit, it's not my first choice, but for now, it'll do. I must say, I am thankful for the years of lessons and training that I had (thanks, Mom & Dad), so that I can pass some of it on to them. We are currently looking for a new trainer for them, but for now, this works....and is lots cheaper!!  One of the problems is that they are undecided (and probably slightly uneducated) about what they want to be doing...they want to do it all....jumping, barrel racing, cutting, reining.... anything and everything!

Ellie Mae has declared that she wants to be a trick rider, so every time we're at the barn, she practices her tricks....

Being a part of the barn that the Girls are riding at has also afforded us some other great opportunities.  We got to help this fall with haying (I think we helped stack about 7000 bales...a whole barn full), I got to go and help groom at a warmblood sale for a weekend....it's been a great experience for all of us.  And you want to know what the Girls LOVE doing when they go to the barn?  Help...with anything...feeding, cleaning out stalls, cleaning tack....anything!  I'm sure that once the novelty wears off they won't be quite so eager, but until then, we're taking full advantage of slave labor...!

Abby's 9!

This little lady turned 9 the other day.  Halloween, actually.  9!!  I can hardly believe it!  It doesn't seem so long ago that she was forced into this world...with a room full of doctor's and specialists.  This little lady is a miracle!  She was only supposed to be 3 lbs. when she was born (according to an ultrasound that was done the week before she was born), but she came out weighing a whopping 4 lbs. 10 oz.  The doctors didn't know if she would be breathing on her own, but she was.  After only a day in the incubator, she was taken out, and after 10 days in the hospital, she came home.  Screaming.  For 4 months.  Every.  Single.  Day.  It was purgatory!  However, after she outgrew that (thank the Lord!!), she has been a joyful, cheerful, sensitive girl.  And oh, how I love her! 

When Hannah turned 9, I cried and cried.  Because I thought, "Her time at home is half over!  In another 9 years, she'll be in university, living her life...."  

When Abby turned 9, I cried and cried. Because I thought, "Her time at home is half over! In another 9 years, she'll be in university, living her life...."

And although it is my job as a mother to prepare these daughters to go and live their life, I must admit, I feel a bit panicked about the whole thing.... Am I doing well by them?  Am I really preparing them to live their lives?  WHAT am I going to do when they are gone?! 

And I find myself panicking.... the time is going by SO quickly.  If I could just make it slow down a little bit.  Does everyone feel this way?  Because I sure don't remember this feeling before I had kids....

Anyhow, enough of this....I'll just go and lay in a fetal position on my bed and cry if I continue down this road any further this morning....

So, here's my birthday girl.  Abigail Grace.  Who is now 9.

Busy

You know how sometimes, you ask someone how they are doing, and they reply, "Busy!".  I cannot stand that reply!  I think, "Busy is a choice!"  This, however, has been my reply for the last little while.  And I detest it!

However, there's not much I can do about it.  It is, unfortunately, our lives right now.  So, I am trying my best to retain my sanity, enjoy this season of life, and pour myself into the commitments that we've made.

Even this post....I started it over a week ago, and today is the first chance that I've had to come back to it.  We've had company, conferences, work stuff, kid stuff, a birthday to celebrate....anyone with kids knows the drill.  And it's...busy.  But good. 

So, although I enjoy this blogging thing, it's not my first priority (I know, crazy, right?!), so when I can get to it, I will.  I am hoping it will become a bit more regular again, but we'll see!

Anyhow, hope you are all doing well....and hopefully not to be too "busy"!

What I’m Thankful For

Here’s what I’m most thankful for today….a family, who loves each other, the Lord, and having a good time together!

Breakfast in Bed

The day after we arrived home from Montana, everyone slept in pretty late, since we'd been partying the nights away.  Ellie Mae was the last one to get up, and she came down at about 10:30 am!  I love Girls who sleep!!  Anyhow, while she was eating breakfast, she announced to us that she had been up for a while, and was waiting to be served breakfast in bed.  Hmmm....High maintenance, maybe?  Since it was too late for breakfast in bed that morning because she was already eating, her sisters told her that the next morning they would bring her breakfast, and she should stay in her bed.  (Note to self:  that would be a great way to make all of them stay in their beds indefinitely!)  Sure enough, true to their word, the next morning, the little princess was served breakfast....in bed.  I must admit, it was pretty fun watching her experience this for the first time.  Her sisters thought of everything - even a spill proof cup for her milk, to be poured into her cereal!  What great sisters....!

After the Girls brought her breakfast, they all left, and I stayed to hang out with my baby for a little bit while she ate.  After all, it's no fun to have breakfast in bed with no one to share it with!

A Big Day

Today's a big day here.  A first, that's for sure.  Wanna hear it? 

Ok.  Well.....we got 10 eggs today.  Yup!  10!  We've been getting 5 consistently now for a while, so we knew that at least one of the "chicks" was laying.  But today, we got 10!  I was pretty excited!

And one of our crazy chickens keeps going missing, and then turning up.  We'll count 12 for a few days, and then, we'll count 13!  And don't say that I can't count....because I probably count four times just to make sure that I'm not miscounting.... so one of my little ladies is having a chicken adventure, that's for sure!

I am happy to report that the Girls (the chicken girls, that is) are doing well....they're (mostly) still alive, and doing well.  It'll be interesting to see how they do over the winter, but today?  Today, I got 10 eggs!

UPDATE:  I just went to tuck the (chicken) Girls into bed and there were 2 MORE eggs!!  That makes a full dozen, friends!  We're in the money now! :-)