It's Here!

Right as the storm is arriving.

This is about 7:00 p.m.

We don't very often get a blizzard warning, especially in November, but this year is different. It looked like maybe it wasn't coming but by about 4:00 p.m. it was here. It came in sideways and swirled around. The snow blew up against every window in the house. We were just hoping we didn't lose electricity because we haven't had a fire in the fireplace for twenty years and it wouldn't be a good time to test out our old chimney. It was over by about 10:00 p.m. and dumped about six inches on us.

The next couple of days, it got down to -10 degrees at night. Talk about add insult to injury. That was not too fun. We had a calf born on Thanksgiving morning. It was 8 degrees and there was a foot of snow where he landed. Bryan and I happened to be there and waited for him to arrive. We scooped him up and put him on a pile of hay and let mama do the rest. When we came back to check on him around 4:00 he was up nursing and looking good. We put him in the pick-up and hauled him to the calving shed for the night. He loved the straw and burrowed down into it immediately. The cow was a little more trouble to get in, but we got her.

Thankful

I am thankful that our power didn't go out during the storm last night.
I am thankful that I didn't get stuck while we were feeding the cows.
I am thankful that the girls made it safely to piano lessons.
I am thankful that the snow-blower started on my first pull (Bryan tried last night and it wouldn't start).
I am thankful that I don't have to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving and that we get to enjoy dinner with the White family tomorrow!

We Are Ready!

Sierra is ready for Jackson to return.
Chelsie is ready!

His snowboard is even ready!

And yes, I did get his bedroom ready!

Blizzard Warning

We have a blizzard warning for our valley today and into tomorrow. We decided to drive the cows from behind Big Al's house to Charlie's. They will be easier to feed there and there are some trees for cover. It has been a few years since we have had a storm warning like this. I hope that it isn't as bad as they are predicting. These pictures don't show how windy it is except for my horses mane blowing. It was a short ride but it was a miserable one!

Thankful

I am thankful that we got the cattle moved behind Big Al's house this morning before the storm.
I am thankful that I didn't freeze to death doing it!
I am thankful that Bryan and I didn't get stuck up the canyon on one of his "drives" to look for a cow spootted on Saturday. We were pushing two feet of snow with our truck--crazy!
I am thankful that I have only seven more sleeps before Jackson is home.
I am thankful I have been able to sleep--I'm not good when I don't sleep.

Thankful

I am thankful that I have only eight days until Jackson returns home.
I am thankful that crossfit is opened Thanksgiving day!
I am thankful that it snowed enough that I can stay home from the ranch to get a few things done at home.
I am thankful for the best husband that I ever could be blessed with.
I am thankful for two beautiful daughters who are also my best friends.
Did I mention I'm thankful that Jackson is coming home?

MC State Football

The Olympic Fountain at the Gateway
Teesha and Savanna

Sierra and Nicole

Shandee, Amy, Krecia

I took Sierra and four of her friends and Savanna and Teesha to Salt Lake to watch MC play in the state 4A football playoffs. I happily dropped Sierra and her friends off at the stadium and took Savanna and Teesha and went to dinner and then shopping at the Gateway--what better way to keep everyone happy?! It turned out terrific. The younger girls and I had a blast shopping and playing in the fountain and the older girls loved watching the game. We went to pick Sierra up when there were two minutes left in the game. They wanted to watch the end because it was such a close game. One of the local tv stations had a tv screen set up near the parking lot and so they stood around it and watched the first over-time and then the second over-time and I sat in the car so I could make our get away before all the traffic. It worked perfectly. Oh ya, MC got beat by one point!

Loading at Bailey's

Allan, the gate guy and Bryan on the phone.

We gathered all the cows in Mendon and shipped the spring calves to Colorado. We worried that it would be too muddy to get the truck and trailers in and out because it had rained at home during the night, but it hadn't hardly rained there so we were fine. The old corrals helpd up one more year!

Allan came along to help us and run the gate. He is getting to be a regular cowboy. (hee hee)

Hi Dad!

Today was an unusual day. Sierra came home at noon- a full hour and a half earlier than usual. She is a highly organized and scheduled person and she likes it that way.
She wanted to do "something" which means she doesn't know what exactly she wanted to do and what ideas she had were completely out of the question (climb Mt. Everest). I have very few days that are quiet and alone at home, so on the rare occasion that I do get one, I have a hard time changing what I am doing to accomodate even a bored daughter because I, like her, am also sheduled and somewhat organized.
While she went to get Savanna from school, Bryan came in, which is the unusual part of the day, since he has been gone about 14 hours a day lately, and he was quietly reading the paper in the kitchen when she walked in still asking me what she could do now.
She looked at Bryan and asked why he was home and then Savanna walked in and ask the same question. He replied that he did live there and it was his house, to which they reminded him that he had been mostly gone the last little while.
It is good to know that they miss him and are glad to see him, even if it is a surprise!

Happy Birthday, Jackson!

My son is 21.

I don't know if I am ready for that.

He was such a cute, fat baby.

He gave me more heartache in his first month of life than the entire 20 years and 11 months since--thankfully.

I keep getting these letters from him--at least I think it is him--his spelling hasn't changed but the words have, and the man he has become is an amazing person that I can hardly wait the 20--no 19 days- he has before he returns, with honor, to his old home and his old parents, and older looking sisters, and to his puppy dog that has been waiting for 2 long years to kiss his face and get hair all over his dark suit.

Winter Wonderland Quilt

I have been working on this project for a year now.

It has embroidery, which I love, and some quilting which I am learning to get better at. It is a pattern by Crab Apple Hill and it was done in red, but I just couldn't see making snowmen in red when blue is much more fitting! It turned our darling and I can't wait to get it quilted. I have since decided to add a 4 1/2 inch white border to it and bind it in the blue poka dots that frame the embroidered center.

Happy Anniversary!

Before and After

It was even very simple to install--except the part of removing the old head. I had to call our sweet neighbor for reinforcement and correct tools before I said bad words.

I am not very good at surprising Bryan, nor am I very good at getting something that he really likes either.

I took a chance at a new shower head for our 23rd anniversary--I installed it and everything (he doesn't enjoy anything about installation either).

After enjoying the one at Jenny's house I decided it would be wonderful to have one like it. I am not one for standing in the shower and just letting the water run over my head, but Bryan does. He also enjoys HOT water for so long that when he gets out his skin is all red!

Halloween

We were slow-pokes and didn't make it to Grandma's house on time to be in the "family" Halloween picture so these are the best we can do this year.

Sierra is a pirate and Savanna a witch. I dug out the old clown costume and went to have puffed rice balls at Marj's. They are one of my favorite Marj treats along with date swirls. I have tried to convince her, in vain, to skip making fruit cake and just make more date swirls!

Sunrise

I am not much of a photographer and I was driving when I took this picture, but, this sunrise was gorgeous. It was a few days before day-light-savings ended and the colors were amazing. It was about 7:30 a.m.

3 Witches

I had planned to get a picture of these 3 witches earlier, but I didn't so here they are. They are made of scrap boards we found laying around. The hair is tumble weed and the eyes are pennies that we painted orange. Their noses are bent nails also painted orange. It was a great project that the girls and I had a blast making!