Walkin Throught the Last Two Weeks in Pictures

Well, the fever bug decided to stay with us this morning, so Tink's party is moving to her "real" birthday, Tuesday after school.  Still working on the logistics of it all, but I think it will come together.  Meanwhile, I thought I would take this extra time to catch you up on the pictures of our world these past few days.

 Wrapping up Bear's birthday on her real birth day.  She loves her Macaw webkinz!

The newest member of our family, Master MAW, at his baptism.  

Doesn't Tall Guy make a great godfather?

 MAW himself!

 I'm sure they are plotting all the things they are going 

to do on the farm when  he gets bigger!

 Adding the long hairs to the mix

 One of Mom's floral arrangements in a vase I have always loved!

My masterpiece, Gr, Phyllis' dressing in her pan we always use at Thanksgiving!

The Turkey

Mom, Dad, and Aunt Sue working on dishes.

Amanda, my niece, and Tink

Isaiah sleeping off his turkey

 Thanksgiving Round 2: Kat and the cousins

 Above, the three amigas

Below, the beginning of the big cut.

Ta  Da!  I thought I would be fine with the girls getting their hair cut, but it is a whole different look.  Our babies are growing up! 

I don't know how I missed it through the lens, but I can tell by looking at Tink's eyes that she isn't feeling well.  Poor kiddo,she is taking the postponement of her party pretty well.

We are taking the rest of today to do just that, rest.  PJ day for everyone but Tall Guy!   He thinks there are some things the cows just don't need to see! ;-) 

Hope you all are having a family day today.  Some times it is good just to stay at home, and let the world chase its own tale for a day or so!

Walking....Still

Random thoughts tonight:

Please think good thoughts for Tink.  Tomorrow is her first friend birthday party here, and she was not feeling so good today.  Hopefully the rest, big doses of Vitamin C, and some meds will have her awake, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning.

The girls wanted their hair cut, so I made the appointment for today.  Bear kept saying, "Shorter!"  Tink listened, gaining courage with every snip.  Stay tuned for pictures.  I had a little tear in my eye, but we were proud of Daddy for not totally breaking down when he saw the results.  Of course, they are adorable, and we did prepare him, but there will not be any bouncy pony tails in our house for a while.

If I see one more Thanksgiving food, I might scream!  Unless it is pumpkin pie.  I never turn down pumpkin pie!

I miss blogging every day, but somehow my hours in the day seem to have been shorted the past few weeks!

Today is NOT a good day for Purdue Boilermaker sportsfans!  UGH!

I haven't made anything for Tink's party yet.  Waiting to see how she wakes up, but I am starting to fret about that decision.

There is no Urgent Care open on our side of town on Thanksgiving evening.  Had to cross the the big water to find help for Tall Guy.  He's doing much better now.  NO it was not my cooking! (or anyone else's!)

I love my 91 year old Aunt Sue!  So glad she joined us for Thanksgiving!  It was almost like having my G. Phyllis with us.  We lost her ten years ago this week, and I miss her every day. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is kind of scary!

Need a little Christmas..... right this very minute.....candles in the window...

Oh Holy Night is my favorite Christmas carol.... I think.....

Time to go to bed so I can get a jump start on tomorrow.

Miss you all!

Walking and Talking Turkey with a Couple of Real Farmwives of America!

It's the big countdown to Thanksgiving, and what better way to bring it in than to tell you about my friend Katie in Iowa.  No she is not a turkey, but she and her husband raise turkeys, A LOT OF TURKEYS!  Katie is also a teacher, loves scrapbooking, adores her big guy, her little guy, and the one on the way, and is an all-around great bloggy friend who just happens to also be one of The Real Farmwives of America. At the beginning of this week, she guest posted on another Real Farmwives of America blog, 3 Kids and Lots of Pigs.
You can click on that link to read her entire post, pictures included!

Here is a look at how turkeys get their start at her farm:

"Twenty thousand (20,000) male baby turkeys (poults) come to us when they are 1 day old.  We unload them into a big, toasty, 90 degree barn called the “brooder.”  They live there until they are about 5 weeks old.  Inside the barn, there are automated feeders and waterers, which are triggered by the turkeys, so they have unlimited access to these.  The temperature in the barn is controlled by a thermostat, and there are vents that open and close automatically to help adjust it if needed.  The turkeys are not in cages – instead they are on sawdust bedding from a local sawmill.  For the first two weeks, chores take a few hours each morning, because of the supplemental feeders and waterers that we fill by hand.  We also chore the poults at night, but this is usually a quick walk through to make sure all equipment is running smoothly and that the turkeys seem comfortable."

Learn more about Katie at On the Banks of Squaw Creek.

Speaking of Real Farmwives of America (RFOA for the rest of this blog and those to come!), we are on Facebook!  Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/The-Real-Farmwives-of-America-and-Friends/166501263374187

Please come on over, and be our friend!  Pictures are going up, and posts are being organized, but go ahead and "friend" us now so you won't miss any of the fun.  A few of us missed the first photo shoot, but we will be there soon.  We will also be there to chime in on ag topics, swap recipes, and chat about our crazy, never boring lives on the farm or working with those who farm.

And now I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!  As you gather together around an variety of tables, please ask God to bless those who prepared and grew the food on your table.  We are all so blessed to have such a wealth of food to choose from in this country; God bless the farmers and ranchers for all the care they give to their crops, ground, and livestock.  God bless you and your family, and may you have safe travels this weekend.

Walking with a Longhorn on Facebook!

I have to share!  It's TOOOOOOO FUNNNY!  I'm trying to catch up on my Facebook news tonight after a REALLY LONG WEEKEND, and I see the following post from my bloggy buddy Lauren over at FourRansoms:  Here's the entire thread of our conversation:

• Lauren Merek Ransom

  Anyone know someone who is missing a Longhorn? HA. One showed up in our pasture and is now hanging out with the rest of our girls...kinda funny seeing it out there.

  
  

  • 
    

    Landra 'Brown' Dimmich likes this.
  • • Staci Rice Too funny!
      

      3 hours ago
    • Sheeda Golian Hahaahahha!! Omg this is hilarious!! Baahah! I'm loling!
      

      3 hours ago ·
      

      Lana Lyons Wallpe Only in Benton County! Too funny! Steve says to call Tim Barrett to see if he might know where it's supposed to be.
      

      16 minutes ago ·
    • Lauren Merek Ransom Yea...we believe it is his...just can't get ahold of him!
      

      10 minutes ago ·
      

      Lana Lyons Wallpe Steve said he would call him on his cell right now to see if it is his. Ask and ye shall receive!
      

      4 minutes ago ·
    • Lauren Merek Ransom Yea. If you want!
      

      3 minutes ago ·
      

      Lana Lyons Wallpe Steve is giving Tim Scott's cell # as I am typing this! Sounds like it's his Wooo! The power of Facebook!
      

      2 minutes ago ·
    • Lana Lyons Wallpe I am soooo blogging about this right now!
      

      a few seconds ago ·

      Lauren Merek Ransom Haha! They are talking right now! Problem solved!! Thanks. 

      2 minutes ago

Walking,...well... Sitting for a While at the Computer!

Hello!  I really did survive the birthday hoopla, but life is going 156 mph. right now.  I wanted to stop for a minute and show you some of what I have been up to the last two days.  It really is time to start thinking about Christmas presents, so with the lull in birthday action, I sat down today and made an 8 x 8 scrapbook on my Creative Memories StoryBook 3.0 program.  First I edited all my pics, all 161, in my CM editing and digital storage program, Memory Manager 3.0.  I think I have mentioned this, but I do not post or print any pictures until they have gone through this program for tweaking.

What is really great about these two CM programs is that they talk to each other, so when I am done editing, I can send the pictures right over to the scrapbook program to use.  Want to see what it all looks like?

Ta da!  Now then, do not worry yourself if you don't hear from me until next week.  This is a crazy weekend starting tomorrow with an all-day noodle making session at school for a money maker, then a meeting/gathering in a town across the time zone border.  Sat. morning is the packing of noodles, then Trivia Night at school, then down to the BIG TOWN, Indy, for our little nephew's baptism.  Can't wait to see what my blood pressure will be like on Monday when I have my dr. apt.!  Tuesday, Miss Laura and I might finish the office, then the downstairs will be officially de-cluttered.  Watch out upstairs!  You are next!  Time to run around here and maintain what we have already accomplished!

Hugs to all!

Walking around the Birthday Party, Part 1

Woo Hoo!  We did it!  The little ones came and went, and everyone had a good time.  WHEW!   I have to say, after all the hoop-la, entertaining twelve 5-6 year-olds for two hours was not as bad as I thought!

Here is how we set up for the party Saturday night.  I have to admit that I called in my dear friend Laura to help me figure it all out.  This girl not only de-clutters, she decorates!  LOVE HER!  She said as she left Friday to give her a call if I needed help, and I took her up on it.  I'm such a visual person, and if I don't "see" how something should be, I get a little lost.

 The girls had fuzzy boas and a string of pearls for their

tea party fun.  Our two boys went Indiana Jones-style.

Hey!  I would let him to my tea party any time!

 Of course we had to have food!  I'll share the recipe for the 

colorful crunchy dish on the left very soon!

 And there were games.  The object to this game was to pass the Hula-hoop down the line 

without using any hands.  Well..... at least trying not to use any hands!

 Next the kids were put in to two groups with the same kind of props.

They had to create a story based on all their "things."  We had some 

very talented story tellers!

 My niece and nephew-in-law, Amanda and Arik, just increased the special

place we have for them in our hearts by coming to help celebrate the day AND

be my assistants whenever I called.  LOVE YOU GUYS!

 The Birthday girl herself!

 Little Bear with her Godmother and my very special cousin, Nancy!

 After the eats, we played a little game of charades.  Note to parents, the 

prompt of "sitting on a rocking chair" is hilarious!  (very much bathroom humor!)

 The little craft everyone made.  Just picked up the pictures from 

good ol' Wal-Mart today, trimmed them up, and put them in for 

Hannah to pass out with Thank You notes on Wednesday.!

-

 This is Hannah's masterpiece after playing with the colorizing

tool on my Memory Manager 3!  Creative Memories, You ROCK!

And now?  The garage is back to the way it was, I have lots of fruit left over (yeah us!), and a little girl who is sooooo looking forward to her birthday tomorrow.  She is sitting with her sister and Daddy in his chair talking about how she should be awakened tomorrow morning for her birthday.  Too funny.

In two more weeks, we get to do it all over again for Tink!  Hmmmm.....Think I will borrow from Miss Scarlet and "think about it tomorrow!"

Nighty-night!

Walking in Our "New" House

DANG!  I thought this was already posted last night!  The party went VERY well, but let's look at this post for a little bit while I work on editing pictures from today.  I'm a little tuckered out!

Here is a quick look back at the chaos we have been living in for a while:

 READY FOR THE 

BIG

REVEAL

?

 TA DA!!!!!!!

My mom made the cute pumpkins!  Want to know a very good thing?  Not only are these rooms, and the kitchen clean, but everything behind closed doors is ORGANIZED AND DE-CLUTTERED!

WOOO!  THANK YOU MISS LAURA!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I DID HELP, BUT SHE IS A GREAT COACH AND PAL TO WORK ALONG SIDE WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE BIG DECISIONS.

How does my upstairs look you ask?  Well............. After we tackle my side of the office, we will head upstairs and get it ship shape.

The table decorations are all stuff I had squirreled away from BC times,  before cat and children.  Hopefully all three are now grown up enough to not break anything.

Time to go bake cupcakes for Little Bear's Big Day tomorrow.  Stay tuned for more pics of the festivities!