"Choose your love ~ Love your choice"

Calves to be branded

Summer brings on a whole new list of "to do's" at our house.  While we enjoy the new season, warm weather and the chance to be outside more, we also remember why we like winter to come back around as well.  Spring sprung and we branded the cows again, seriously one of our favorite times of the year.  This year we recruited the help of my cousin from Cali, it was super fun to have him experience all the cows and dirt, ropes and shots, branding irons and dry ice.  

Now that the FUN part is over we move on the other "farm livin'" items.  Watering, cutting, baling, fixing, raking, fixing, spending, fixing, driving, fixing, watering, fixing, did I mention fixing?  It seems to never end! We are running (co running some) over 200 acres this year, the hubs is working overtime at his job most weeks and I'm still keeping my "plate spinning" acts at full capacity.  The other day Hank and I met up in the garage (he was going to change water, I had come from changing another field) I smiled and said "is it winter yet?" he looked at me a little confused and asked "why?" I replied, "Cause I need a NAP!"  Yes this time of year it seems the peaceful slumbers of winter and hunkering down by the fire are missed dearly.  We are a lot like bears, we work and work all summer then hunker down for the winter.  There is still work in winter but much less.  I don't think I have fed my family dinner before 8pm (most days between 9 and 10pm) this summer!  My kitchen floor is a disaster and I swear I sweep 5 times a day.  There is more laundry to do, fuel to buy, sheep to walk, weeds to pull, flowers to water, lawn to mow.  Then we top it off with all the regular things we do and it seems like it's never going to end.  I was thinking about all of the "to do's" and feeling pretty overwhelmed.  The kids still have their activities to do like baseball and swimming lessons to add to the list.  We have jobs and church and checking cows on the mountain as well.  But....as I run Buckwheat to baseball and watch his batting get better and better and his love for the game improve, listen to Jo play the star spangled banner on the piano, watching Peanut count down the days until swim lessons, changing water with Bud (who by the way will be a licensed DRIVER soon!), chatting with Sue on the phone, picking up Hank at 1am from a field he's baling, and washing the dishes by hand cause the dishwasher gave it's last wash months ago....I can't help but think of the quote by President Monson, "Choose your love ~ Love your choice!"  

Bud, waiting for the cows

the lovely shot giver and the new chute closer (oh, and the alley pusher)

roping cows

Jo and the boss in the new Kubota 

I love EVERY busy, chaotic, nap needing, so hungry we could eat a horse at 10pm, filled day!  This is what WE CHOSE!  Our family chose to live this life, we chose each-other, we chose to work HARD and hardly play....(except it is our play).  We are addicted to our jobs for sure, but we don't' regret it, we don't hold a grudge, we thrive when we are working hard and getting in late.  Not only do I LOVE my choice in the man I chose to be my eternal companion, and the family we chose to have, I love the choice in what we decided to make of our life.  There is nothing as truly AMAZING as changing water at dusk with your almost 16 year old son and talking, laughing, watching the sun set.  The wheel lines on the horizon, the gorgeous valley we live in and the BEST family I could have imagined by my side.  I chose this, I love this!  It's not always easy, and often times we are so tired we can't see straight.  There are times when more things break than we care to name, and times when we've spent so much money on fuel, seed and farm stuff we aren't sure if it's worth it....But in the end it's our Happily Ever After, it's the Ying to our Yang, it's the best life we could imagine!  So as you rush around in the life you've made, remember the choice is yours....Choose your choice and love it...it's better that way!

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

In a effort to feed the family in a healthier fashion, we've been trying  a few different things.  We raise beef - we eat beef - we eat more beef- we sometimes feel like NOT eating beef!  Our beef is grass fed, very healthy and we know what goes in it so I never worry about store bought stuff and I am very grateful for that!  I don't remember the last time I bought beef related products at the grocery store.  But in an effort to not ALWAYS eat BEEF we are broadening our horizons and trying new things.  I haven't been a huge fan the the turkey burger, it's very bland and doesn't have a real strong flavor when cooked ,but this time we kicked it up a notch and it was FABULOUS! These Teriyaki Turkey Burgers are a must try!  They have graduated to our DO EAT list and we are trying more things with turkey burger.  They were super simple to make and the turkey when seasoned properly is really tasty!

Grilled Pineapple...YUM!

As you can see, I just grilled them up on our cast iron griddle right on the stove top.  I seasoned the turkey with garlic salt and pepper and I added a little bit of Italian bread crumbs as well. I grilled the pineapple first, then Patti-ed out the turkey burgers and grilled them up.  We topped them with teriyaki barbecue sauce, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, and of course the pineapple and devoured them!  EVERYONE loved them!  Seriously a must!  I can't wait to get the BBQ fired up this summer and make these with some corn on the cob. DELICIOUS, EASY and Healthy!  

What's your favorite thing to do with turkey burger?

The FIRST one ~ twenty

She was the first, yet I didn't watch her first step or stay up with her when she was a baby. No, our firsts were different.  Our firsts started at age 8 when she became my little buddy, greeting me eagerly on weekends we had together, letting me dress her and curl her hair.  She was the first little girl, she was the first one I stayed up late with, the first one I made an Easter dress for, she was the first one I waited up for when the dating began, the first one I sent to school, she was the first one I took prom dress shopping and car shopping, she was the first one I taught to drive, the first one that made me laugh and cry, she was the first one that I worried and wondered about, the first one to move in and move out, the first to make me proud as punch, the first to get a job, the first to have her own room, the first one in braces, the first birthday cake I ever made anyone, the first one to wear makeup, the first one that I learned from...the first one.  She still is, the first one!  I can't believe 12 years have come and gone.  20 seemed like a very distant thing when we were having all these firsts together. I'm crazy grateful for this FIRST ONE!  She makes me laugh, we've had some great moments, some sad ones, some crazy ones and some awesome ones.  Happy 20! To the FIRST ONE!  I love you.....to the moon and back (mostest)! 

20 years old!

Dresses and Dances

                           

Mexico

My Little Maid of Honor

Rodeo flag 

 

I didn't write it....but I LOVE IT! Life gave me the gift of YOU!

                             

7th grade

First deer 

Springtime on the Farm

It's the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!  I know they sing it at Christmas time but I think I should be able to sing it at other times of the year.  Like Fall because I LOVE Autumn, or SPRINGTIME because it's one of the BEST!  The ground is thawing the calves are being born and things start coming to life again.  I absolutely LOVE this time of year! This year we have had a good abundance of healthy calves.  In years past we've had times when it seems there were more that didn't make it than did.  Sometimes we've had sick ones and mothers that wouldn't cooperate.  This year however has been one of the BEST!  Thank Heavens!  Sick cows and one's that don't make it are just part of the circle of life on farms, but it's never fun.  I prefer healthy years like this one, myself. 

Feeding the cows

Ear Tagging calves

Can't forget Uncle CJ's Piggies

Cute Calves!

Doctoring Calves

I don't know that I ever really thought about being a farmer (or being married to one) when I "grew up" but it just so happens that the man I married got the farming itch about 3 years after we were married.  We knew we wanted wide open spaces, no neighborhoods, we wanted to listen to cows moo and wake up to the sound of sprinklers hitting the fence or the creek running in the back. Now those are just part of what we call life.  We work all summer and feed cows all winter.  We don't vacation much......okay maybe not really at all, but do we need to?  Who says that's what life is about?  It may be for some, but for us - this is what we do and what we love!  I have never been disappointed with the choice we made! (It also is a fabulous way for the kiddos to learn.  We've learned TONS through working together, doctoring cows, branding, spending time together, and being out in nature).  There's no better life!  "Farm livin' is the life for me!"  Stay tuned for the next debut of the famous annual "Cattle branding weekend". Famous as is in we do it every year, it makes me happy and is another one of the MOST WONDERFUL TIMES OF THE YEAR!  I saw a cute quote on Pinterest (duh, where else would I see it haha!) it said

  "Live your life like someone left the gate open!"  

So true!  The joy is in the journey.  Find something you love and live for it!  I LOVE THIS LIFE WE CHOOSE TO LIVE!!!

Do you love your life?  Tell me about it! I'd love to hear what makes your life FABULOUS!

Thanks for reading,

Paleontologists in the making!

These cute little munchkins love to discover things.  When we registered with Harmony this year we got COOL things in the mail...Like CHRISTMAS!  In one box was this Dinosaur Dig kit....and what better day to break it out then a MARCH day.  March tends to be warm one day and miserable the next...okay who am I kidding it's like that ALL SPRING where we live.  No guarantees it'll be nice til, oh I'd say late June then it's just too freakin' hot to do anything.  So you gotta enjoy the nice days and live up the yucky ones.  And that is just what we did.  These three are ALWAYS on me about SCIENCE! So we pulled this bad boy out and they all got cracking on it.  They even let their friends in on it, everyone taking a whack trying to see what bones they could discover.  Really Cool! and kept them mesmerized for hours!!!!

It's all in the preparation :)

Paleontologist's look out!

Oh SHE'S CUTE!

My THREE MUSKETEERS

Crafty Kids ~ Make it Monday

Baby M's Blankie!

Jo! Oh she is a funny gal!  She often thinks her mother is not crafty at all!! And finds the need to express herself in craftiness (which I don't usually crave that desire).  I can do crafts, like them, don't have room for them, don't feel the need to do them often.  But this child of mine finds great joy in it! I'm grateful she's a self learner cause she can do just about anything.  This is a little blankie she mad her baby cousin.  Jo picked out the fabric, embroidered the name, cut the ribbons, I helped her pin them and then she helped sew it together.  It was just perfect!  Baby M loves it and Jo couldn't be more pleased! It's just a little blanket so Baby M can take it in the car or it can easily fit in a diaper bag, etc.  The ribbons give it texture and the fun colors are great for learning babes.  Crafts may be something we venture into more often :)!

Elf on the WHAT?

Jingle the silly little Elf!

That famous new tradition of this little Jolly Elf that appears in homes (when Grandma's feel the urge to grace you with one's presence).  It's another of those things that I think is OVER the TOP but one magically came to our home in 2012.  It was a sad sight!  The poor little Jingle elf we have barely made any movement, staying in the same place for sometimes two weeks!!! The blame was placed on the weather and other various acts that were not related to WHY the elf wasn't moving.  THIS year however was much different!  Our Elf gained a great sense of belonging, we found him hanging from a ceiling fan in Buckwheat's underoo's, he was found trapped by army men and Ken doll's by the back door.  Now, remember this is a kind elf, ours doesn't get into mischief.....I don't see the point in making messes for the sake of telling the kids the elf can but they can't.  So,our Silly but well behaved Jingle had a personality that he seemed to be lacking the year before.  All this was due to a certain creative little genius I like to call "Santa's little helper" a.k.a Jo!  Now looks are deceiving, this little helper of mine is WISE beyond her years and is constantly reminding me of things, helping with homeschooling, cooking, chores and anything else, I'm certain her spirit is older than mine, (she just happens to be younger than me in age).  When Jo was waffling in her belief of the man in the big red coat I decided I'd rather make things positive instead of negative.  See, I believed!!!! I'm talking, I BELIEVED til I was 13 years old!!!  My grandpa lived in California and would drive 10 hours, dress up in his Big Red Coat, deliver a sack of GOODNESS (I actually have no idea what he brought but he had a sack and that's all that mattered) to our home while I watched with AMAZEMENT from the doorway of my parent's room WITH my parent's (might I add).  Then he would drive all the way back home, never visiting as "Grandpa" on that special day. SERIOUSLY FOLKS........ I BELIEVED!!! Santa was MAGICAL, Santa was TRUE and I had seen him for SEVERAL YEARS with my own two eyes and my parents standing by my side.  So when my little (much wiser than his years) baby brother broke the news to his 13 year old sister (mind you, he was 3!!!) I was devastated!  But believing is so much more than that ........Believing in the Good the, hope the light!  I STILL BELIEVE but it's just a little different now.  Well, I didn't want Jo to find out the hard way and be crushed or feel deceived because that's not what Christmas and the Spirit of Christmas is about!  I wanted her to be BELIEVING and to help and hope and have the Spirit of Christmas with her Always! So I let her read a letter on Pinterest that explains this whole thing as I see it!  The parents who wrote this letter were so Right!  Santa is more than just a person who brings toys.  This is what I wanted Jo to know and to get a taste of so she would still be excited for Christmas and the Magic and Hope and Love it brings.  After she read it she asked a lot of questions and I happily answered.  We talked about Jesus being the reason we have Hope and the Spirit of Christmas is about GIVING and the gift the Savior gave to us is the most important of them all! Santa gives and we give to keep the spirit of Christmas alive.  Then the topic of Jingle our little Elf came up.  We had found the PERFECT roll for her to play in making Christmas Magical!  JO IS THE BEST ELF ON THE SHELF mover of ALL TIME!  She brought happiness to her little brother and sister, the joy she found in moving him and having them find where Jingle was each morning was something I will always treasure!  I love the creative things she did with Jingle, the dedication she had to do it daily (it gets to be a little much after a while!) and the joy she found in the journey.  (I'm so glad she took over this roll!  If it would've been mine again I think Jingle would've magically disappeared LOL!) My wise girl all wrapped up in a beautiful little girl package, her vibrant spirit and love amaze me!  I'm so grateful for her! I'm so grateful for the help she is for the Spirit she brought this Christmas to our home and for the light she brings everyday, I'm truly blessed to be her mom!