March Madness

Wow! I can't believe that March has come and gone and now April is almost over. I need to get caught up!

March began with a lot of sale preparation and mommy duties. The MADNESS officially began the last week of March known around here as "sale week". 

As much work as it is...more fun is had! I really love the sale and hope that is is an event we can always look forward to. We couldn't do it all without great friends and family who always pitch-in and help us out! 

After hauling/setting up the tables and chairs for the meal, we managed to make a little bit of time for the kids to color Easter eggs. It was such beautiful weather that we were able to color them outside and avoid the mess inside. Hallelujah! I think the kids were excited about this too, but for a different reason. After boiling 5 dozen eggs, you can guess what the house smelled like.

When the little ones got bored, they headed to the trampoline.

Dakota snoozed while we worked and played!

 

By week end we had visitors! Papa, Grandma Jilly, Aunt JoAnn and Brady. We love visitors, especially these ones! 

SALE DAY - 3/30/2013
Vertical Edge Genetics "Bulls In Bancroft Production Sale"
The event we look forward to all year!

A good sale is not really a celebration; it's more a sense of relief. After all, you know you get one more year to do what you love!

There is nothing better than having good neighbors.
Good neighbors make a lot of things possible!

My sweet dad! He is very supportive of our family and business ventures. I find it very refreshing for our operation to be able to get an outside opinion from someone who understands what we're doing; a fresh perspective provides a lot of insight.

We always provide a meal to all the attendees. This year it consisted of smoked brisket, baked beans, potato salad and cookies. It was first-class! We fed over 300 people. The most since we started 3 years ago.

 

Ahhhh, it's breather time. With our sale successfully completed, we finally have time to slow down from a furious run, take a breath, and process a few thoughts from the past week or so. I am so thankful for this wonderful business that we engage in. Never doubt the resiliency or optimism of cattlemen. By nature, we look to the future with a realistic optimism, even if it is accompanied with a bit of trepidation.

Looking forward to next year!

Egg Hunt!

I thought it would be fun to do something for the kids after the sale and reward them for their good work and patience. 

Get ready...set...GO!

And they were off!

Happy kids!
The full baskets/bags didn't last long. Somehow we left out Jeremy, so we made the kids give back all their loot and we hid it all again! The kids thought we were joking at first. But hey...what kid doesn't like an egg hunt x 2?!

Easter Sunday!

Dakota's Blessing Day!

March 31, 2013

My first official day back to church in 7 weeks. I was a little worried how all 6 of us were going to get there on time it being Easter morning and all. I wasn't going to let the kids peek into the living room but Clay quickly changed my mind with his curiosity

Never to old for the Easter Bunny!

 

 

 

Church was amazing! I am so blessed that Dirk is a worthy priesthood holder and was able to bless our sweet baby girl. He did an incredible job and I personally thing it was the best blessing I have ever heard. (Two words I will always remember: peacemaker and teachable.)

Trying to take a family photo with the timer on our new camera.
Not bad for our first time!

 

After church we had a dinner for all in attendance. We utilized the tables and chairs from the sale in the breezeway of the arena. We also served leftovers from the day before. It turned out fabulous.

How blessed I feel to be part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is by far the most precious blessing in my life.

It was a fun day spending time with family, close to the ones we love, watching 'The Bible" on TV and it portrayed the death and resurrection of the Savior. I know he lives. I know that he walked this earth, performed miracles, loved those that hated, forgave those that harmed him. I know that he IS the Son of God and that because of him I too will live again, see his face, kneel at his feet and feel of his love eternal.

 

It was such a special day! I can not even begin to describe how truly grateful I am for my little family. Dakota has brought in so much more joy and love into our home than I ever thought possible. She has brought us so much closer together as a family and completes our little family even more.