Groceries

It was grocery shopping day today.
It is low on the list of favorite things to do. What I really dislike about it is hauling the groceries up all 17 steps to the kitchen. UGH!

My family will be so excited!

We have food again. Grapes, fresh pineapple, yogurt, granola bars, string cheese, Cheetos, and my favorite--Grasshopper cookies!
I haven't figured out why my family believes that if they can't reach into the cupboard and grab something immediately, then that means we have NO FOOD!

It just means they have to be a little more creative and use a little effort in your quest for food. They have to actually put a little bit of effort into making what they want.

You know, killer hard stuff like opening a can or jar or perhaps putting something in the microwave or blender.

I love this one too--Nothing sounds good to them until you make something either for you or for them and then they want it. Not just a bite of it -no, they want the whole thing! This is when I make something that I've been begging them to try. Honey always accuses me of trying to trick them. I am so good.

Sweetheart's Dance

Recently, we were the host family for a bunch of giggling 16 year olds. I'm sure I never giggled as much as they did. (haha-ok so I did)
They were so fun to listen to and laugh with.

They came one day for the "Day Date" and made french toast for each other. They sat at the above table (only not set so pretty) for two and a half hours laughing at each other and watching clips on youtube.

The next day they all returned to have a dinner of tri-tip, dutch-oven potatoes, and corn. It was a progressive dinner so appetizers and dessert were at other lucky mom's houses.

The elder son was too embarrassed to bring his friends to our house but now most of Si Si's party's end up at our house. It is fun to have them. It helps me be thankful that I have finally reached the stage in my life that I am comfortable in my own skin and happy to be living my life!

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Her hair looked so cute! Thanks Aunt Kelly for the help.
Yes, our tub and sink really are blue. Old houses-what can I say.

Elder

I am so amazed that he attempted to even try to bake a cake! What a goofy kid!

Do you love the sign on the window or what?

He only had to stay here for a week or two. I love the little heater in between the mattresses.

The note on the plate says it all! "I cooked food. "

When he was at home, he would pay his sisters to cook for him. I tried to get him to learn a few basics but to no avail--or at least I thought so. Maybe he was listening after all! Actually, I think that one of his comps could cook and was sick of eating the cold cereal I would occasionally send. I can't believe he'll be home in November.

Moving hay and cattle

The boys are moving some cows through the river bottoms to a new spot to be fed.

Get your "eagle" eyes on and see if you can see the baldy in the tree. (center of the picture) I love to look down and see it perched there. They hang around until about April and then they leave and don't come back until December or January. I have ridden my horse right under the eagle and he just watches me. Today, I wasn't a horseback so my picture is poor.

This is how we move our hay around. Honey is in the tactor today. I know you all are surprised that he is the driver but he actually does a pretty good job in there!

The bale on the truck weighs 1500 ro 1700 lbs. We load what we need to feed each place the cows are at. Some places take 3 bales of hay others just 1.

The toughest part of the feeding for me, is the balancing on the back of the truck. The places we feed, especially this time of year, are rough. (due mostly to the "poopcicles") It is a challenge for me to feed fast enough. I am lucky that I only feed when there is a good chance of getting stuck and there is nothing worse than getting stuck and having to have someone else dig me out!

Bana is helping Alma feed his twin calf.

A twin is usually a blessing in disguise. It gets old feeding the twin on the bottle, and twins are typically smaller than a single birth. But, if you have another calf in your herd die then you have a calf that you can graft onto the cow!

Grafting is an amazing trick.

If you have a weak stomach don't read any further.

First, you skin the dead calf making sure to keep the tail attached, to not get holes in the hide, and not getting too much meat on the hide either. (it makes it stinky)

Next you tie the hide on the live calf-- good and tight.

After that you rub a little Orphan nomo on the calf's head and tail. This stuff smells a little like black licorice and coffee. It tricks the cow into thinking it is her calf. The cow will begin to smell the new calf and to lick it all over and then the calf gets hungry and knows where to get it's next meal.

And voila, you have love!

We usually lock the pair in a small stall for a couple of days until we're sure it is love (the hide still gets stinky!) then we turn them out with the herd. It is truly amazing.

Presidents day

I don't know what you did for your presidents day, but this is what we did! It was so cool!

I was the belayer, or the person who didn't climb but held the rope so the other 2 could climb safely. It was rough on my hands to hold the rope and keep pulling it, but not as rough as it was on the girls hands and forearms holding onto those little plastic bumps.

It brought a perfect teaching opportunity for all of us about not making the trip through life alone:

The girls could have climbed a little ways without hurting themselves if they fell, but it was safer and easier to have me holding the rope and pulling when they needed to rest or when it got hard. It would be impossible for them to go to the top without help.

I found a thought in the Ensign from Jorge F. Zeballos that summed up what we learned:

"Let us with faith, enthusiasm, dedication, responsibility, and love do all that is within our reach, and we will be doing all that is possible to achieve the impossible-that is, to achieve what for the human mind is impossible but with the divine intervention of our loving Father and the infinite sacrifice brought about by our Savior becomes the greatest gift, for the most glorious of realities, to live forever with God and with our families."

Can't wait to try it again. Maybe this time I'll go up!

Alpha

When I'm home in the winter, Chelsie is right by my side or under my feet. She waits by the bathroom door, sits under the table or by the computer when I'm there, and is in the way when I'm fixing dinner.

I used to tell everyone that she minds better than the kids but she isn't too good at clean-up.

She follows SiSi when I'm not home, but she will never follow Honey. When we take her on a walk she will not leave my side, unless of course there is a cat, then she can't help herself!

Once, my friend and I were walking her and an old guy pulled along side of us and said that we weren't too bad for looks but that dog was a beaut'! I'm not sure if we should have been offended but we got a good laugh about it anyway!

We have the greatest old barn! It is an old Pea-Viner which was a building used to take the vines off of the peas when they used to grow a lot of peas.

We stack hay in it now.

The worst part right now is that the ladder is a little wobbly. The real worst part is that the hired men

(not me this time)

have to stack hay in it by hand in the summer.

It is the least favorite job.

Feeding out of it isn't bad at all.

We just send the hay toppling down into the bunk.

Manna from heaven!

Cell phones!

I have never been known to be the sharpest knife in the drawer.

I am not always happy about that, but I have come to accept this, especially when it is blatantly shown.

Take yesterday.

Alma and I branded 18 steers and so when I came home I was super stinky so I drop everything into the washer and head for the shower. About an hour later, after the washer had stopped running, I went looking for my phone to make a call to one of the people in my contact list, and only in my contact list, I knew immediately where it was and ran squealing to the washer.

The girls thought I had lost it! (they were right, of course)

The nice people at the phone store said to try putting the soggy phone in a bowl of rice. It may dry it out enough to get my contact list back--maybe! They sent me home with the lovely silver model--no cool colors!

Aaaaaa! So I am sorry to everyone that I have lost and that I have to ask you again for your private information.

I promise I will be better!

Honey would still like to velcro my phone to my forehead, maybe that isn't a bad idea after all! (knowing me, I'd forget it were there like I do my sunglasses)

Delicious!

Our favorite--Cinnamon Rolls

This is what is left after we get a hold of it!

Breakfast coffee cake, sorry, no after picture--we ate it too fast!

Soon to be spaghetti sauce

When I started taking pictures and talking about things I like to do, cooking delicious things for my family is high on the list.

I don't enjoy grocery shopping,

I don't enjoy the clean-up so much,

But, I do enjoy putting delicious ingredients together to make something that we all love!

My favorite? Bread, of course. (Thanks, for making it homemade all the time, Mom)

I would post a recipie but I am not good at following one so most things don't turn out the same time after time. That way, dinner is always an adventure!

Ridin'

Have you ever wondered what it was like to ride a horse?
Well here you go.
Just relax and climb on your favorite rocking chair.
Now as you rock, shift your weight from one cheek to the other. Isn't that great?!
Now, take a deep breath and enjoy that sweet smell of dirt and sweat (not yours) and sage.
Unless, of course, it's winter and all you can smell is just horse, oh ya, and the inversion.
One daughter humors me and comes riding with us when we drive the cattle. She gave me an example how most people feel about riding all day:
"Mom, you know how you used to run but don't any more because it was just a little fun but mostly uncomfortable?"
"Yes" I said, wondering where this was going.
"Well," she said, "that is how horse riding is for me."
"Oh, well, thanks for being mostly uncomfortable but having a little fun then." I said.
And I thought I was a cool mom letting her come and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and spending time with me.
Guess not.
Guess I'll go out and ride, again.

Darling D. A.

Can you believe this girl? She is just finishing up her year as a Dairy Ambassador.(dairy darling for those of you that remember that) She had a blast!
I admit, at first I was not too excited about all the princess stuff,
but we had a great time and the other girls were so great and it was fun to see her shine. We have been dress shopping,
driven a float for parades,
thrown more candy than I ever thought we should,
prepared presentations about the dairy industry (I know, it doesn't have a lot to do with our side of the cattle business, but c'mon it is still agriculture),
go to college basketball games,
and now get things ready for try-outs for this year. It has been a blast!

Road Trip

My pictures ended up backwards so you get the road trip in reverse! These are the pens at the Idaho Falls Auction. It is a very old place and quite run down. I still think it looks cool to see the pens full of cattle after the sale.
They sell on Wednesday. There weren't very many head there this week, maybe only about 250 head.
I dropped Honey off at the sale and headed to the mall to see what kind of adventures were there. I picked up a nice ski coat for Si Si and some great mittons for Banna. It took us about 2 1/2 hours to get home and I drove this part.
He thinks I am a crazy driver. I think it takes talent to be a good passenger!

The best part of going to Riverton is that we get to stay in Jackson Hole! We didn't get into town until after dark Tuesday night, and when we left the next morning it was too foggy to see the Tetons. But, when we were headed over Teton Pass, this is what Jackson looked like above the clouds! It was so cool! This is looking to the south east of Jackson.

This is how Honey spent most of the drive time.

This is the ring in the Riverton Auction. It is a nice one with a scale built into it. Above the actioneer's block a computer tells:

what the cattle weigh,(Bryan was guessing within 5 pounds)

what the current bid is, (in case you can't understand the auctioneer's song)

and how many head are in the ring (for people like me who can't count cows to save my life).

Honey and I headed to Riverton, Wyoming on Tuesday morning. I try to go with him on this excurtion at least once a year.

It is grueling for me to sit in the truck for that long but he is worth it!

This picture is at Atlantic City. It is on top of South Pass. Those poor pioneers! It was 2 degrees and 9:00 a.m. this day.

Thanks, I needed that!

See all that nasty fog and inversion? We left that all behind and headed for higher ground where it was sunny and warm!

I am smiling with my eyes. We are at the mouth of 3 mile

Our outhouse all covered with snow!

When my sister-in-law invited me to go with her and Big Al on the snowmobiles I was so excited I couldn't help but do the happy dance all through the house!
I haven't been for 15 years or so.
It was a frightful foggy day at home and it was only about 5 degrees outside. So I changed some minor apppointments and I was outta there! I got to ride Fred's sled--thanks Fred!--all by myself.
I have never been to the cabin in the winter and it was beautiful. The sun was bright so the snow was all sparkly and powdery which is so much fun to ride in! We went over into section 12 and looked into Liberty and the North Fork and stood by a pile of rocks I never knew exsisted-mostly because it is a long ride on a horse to get there and that is usually my mode of transportation. We had a quick lunch of cheese and crackers and then headed to the Pearce Ponds and down the main canyon road. It was fabulous--and then I didn't lean quite enough to make the uphill curve.
The worst part of snowmobiling is telling Big Al that you are stuck! Thankfully, Di was behind me and went to tell him for me--Thanks Di! It was an easy fix for Big Al so he had me get on his sled and he rode my sled out of the trees.
That is when I really got stuck!
On Big Al's big sled. How embarrassing!
After a few minutes of digging we were out and on our way again. Whew!
It was an amazing and spirit lifting day. Thanks Big Al and Di--I needed that!