We took a quick trip to Emmett for the weekend to look at some cattle to purchase. We left Friday evening and stopped in Pocatello for the night. One of our favorite places to stay is the Hampton Inn; luckily we got there in time to enjoy the pool! The next morning we ventured out early after a great breakfast. We arrived in Emmett around 3ish. While Dirk went with the owner to look at the cattle we took a tour…the first right brought us to hundreds of sheep! We have never been around too many sheep so it was amusing to observe their mannerisms.
The girls were more entertained with me taking their picture and them posing than they were with the sheep…well honey at least that is one less animal they will want at the ranch!
We left the sheep and came upon their yearling cattle they were feeding in the feedlot. The cows were very interested the girls…and finally after enough sweet talking they had them eating grass out of their hands…it was cute and kept them entertained while we waited.
It was definitely one quick trip, but so worth the time spent with the ones we love!
Remembering to slow down and really appreciate what we have—not just the 300 mph times but the quiet times as well, the lulls, when you are able to think and relax and breathe. Being happy regardless!
I am truly blessed and am so grateful for the opportunities that we all get to enjoy each and every day. My girls have grown in ways that I never thought possible all the while developing relationships along the way and learning about responsibility and hard work.
Meet CuPcAkE!
The girls’ first official chore…and they love it! Cupcakes mother is a first time heifer named Super Baldy…well according to Jeslyn, she isn’t so super…she has been a terrible mother and refuses to have anything to do with cupcake…so the girls have taken on the task of being her mother and bottle feeding her, it has been fun to watch their mothering skills blossom.
How about those ear muffs! My dad cuts a portion of his calves ears off aka ear marking…we on the other hand in our market can’t afford to lose an ear. The revenue on a calf without an ear is on average $500-$1000 less. It really wasn’t that cold for that blanket and ear muffs, but the girls seemed worried so Dirk being the great dad he is humored them for a day and a night!
I wonder why they make them hot pink and green? Do you think maybe so you don’t forget to take them off? Not sure!
My girls are always up to something creative! Every once in awhile they complain about being bored, but it usually doesn’t take long for them to come up with something fun! Not long ago (shortly after moving) we were in this dreaded slump or at least I was, maybe it was a pregnancy thing, but my kids were watching way too much TV! I vowed to be better to make a difference and to challenge my girls to use their imaginations and I am proud to say in over a month they haven’t watched 1 full hour of television! WAHOO! I rarely remember watching TV when I was young; we were too busy having fun. It amazes me how much a center point the TV can become and how easy it is to fall into that bad habit of television! Life is too short to let it pass you by!
Our dog "JUKE" it was raining and Jauncee felt bad for him so she let him in for a spell, she was so entertained...he even let her dress him up!
Having some play dough fun!
The stache machine at the grocery store...this time they remembered their quarters! Poor little Jauncee bought some as well and put them on first thing and then tried to get then off...it was traumatic...my 5 year old experienced her first eyebrow wax!
Enjoying some playroom fun!
My 2 little gypsies!
I love my 2 girls, they are the best and I love them both so much! I can’t imagine life without them!
On a side note, I have soo much to post and can't believe how far behind one can get! I guess you could say we have had way too much fun! I have been in debate about how to post...one really long post or short but sweet individual posts. I guess I am going to opt for the later, but try to keep them in order of happenings!
We are having a baby...BOY! We couldn't be happier. I am 20 weeks today and feeling great most of the time! The only complaint....HeArTbUrn! It is awful but so worth it in the end. I feel truly blessed and am excited to bring this little guy into the world!
As Jauncee calls it, he has a dude...that makes him a boy!
The little guy was really active during the ultrasound, the tech had a hard time getting pictures of what he wanted...Oh no, hope that isn't a sign!
It’s amazing how fast time flies and how far behind one can get. I would like to say I have good excuses, but I really don’t. Last year I did so much better at posting…I am resolving to do better starting now!
We have been lucky enough to have had some beautiful sunny winter weather and have taken the opportunity to get out and enjoy it! The girls have been anxiously waiting for the snow to melt off of the road so they could get out their bikes and go for a ride! They rode and I walked spending most of the time trying to keep up, until the end when poor Jauncee’s little legs were so tired…she kept complaining about me not bringing the wagon! Next time, we will take the wagon! So, it was either walk…which she is a slow walker or keep pedaling! Every once in a while I would push her for a ways…but I am very ashamed to say that I am out of shape! I think we only went 2 miles…2 miles of fresh air and sun! I love days like these!
Later that day we had the opportunity to help Dirk feed, which I was so excited about and looking forward to…because I got to drive the team! It was to be my second time and the first, well, now I would say that I had beginners luck! It all worked out okay and I would do it again in a heartbeat! What’s the chance that next time all our horses will get out and run around causing the team to get all stirred up? Probably pretty good, beings that I am a poor gate opener who can’t get out of the way fast enough…actually in the way fast enough! Oh well, Dirk is so patient with all of us, he never gets too worked about anything. I love that quality about him! He truly is so amazing in every possible way!
Catching the horses!
Harnessing up, I can’t believe how fast Dirk did that…there are so many straps and buckles!
The girls waiting patiently!
Not the best picture...but we are loaded to the max and ready to start feeding. It's so amazing to me how 2 horses could actually pull all that weight really without any real struggle!
It really is such a cool experience...it kind of makes me feel so pioneer-ish...I was definitely born in the wrong era. I so could have done Little House on the Prairie!
Jeslyn even had driving lessons!
I struggled getting a picture of both of them looking...I was a little too close...and we were on the move...and if you are on the sleigh and it is moving...you better hold on, especially if you are me! Not sure how my husband does it...he feeds of course en route! He must have some awesome balance and then some! We finished right at sunset. What a blessing it was to all be together as a family and enjoy all the opportunities that life holds for us! Thanks sweetheart for giving us such a wonderful life!
The next day we were blessed with another fabulous sunny day…and of course we had to get out and enjoy it! We took the girls sledding in our backyard…technically our front yard! We hooked the sleigh to the back of the snowmobile and away we went with the girls in tow! Jauncee was kind of a boob and decided she did not like that at all…so the three of us rode the snowmobile and Jeslyn had a blast being pulled backwards in the sleigh! The mission was to find a hill we could all sleigh down! We were in luck…we found a perfect one! I think Jeslyn was the first to go down…the best part was that none of us had to walk back up, we always had a ride…kind of cheating…but so worth it!
We kept trying to talk Jauncee into going down with Jes...to no avail.
The sleigh hill! It was actually quite steep, one could get going pretty fast. So much fun!
After a little awhile Dirk had sledding fever and wanted to tackle a steep hill on his sled...he actually made it to the top and was standing on the ledge, but slow me didn't get my camera out fast enough to get a picture...but he was there. The amazing thing was watching him come down, he made me really nervous!
On the way home, Dirk decided he would ride out in the sleigh, I was kind of nervous driving...afraid I would run him into a sagebrush or two. He was a trooper and only ended up with a few big bruises (sorry honey)! He gave me the thumbs up and I am a summer/water/boating girl and thumbs up means faster! So of course I dumped him out on the road going faster than I should...I really felt bad, luckily it was nothing too serious!
We need more days like these!
The following weekend my parents came to visit...we had so much fun! So much fun in fact, that I didn’t even get any pictures! The first night we met them in Lava and ate Thai Food, it was very yummy! Our house right now is very tiny and unfortunately we really have no room for visitors! Unless of course you’re up to sleeping on an air mattress in the living room…which might not be too bad! I think my parents wanted to spend a little time together anyway so they stayed in Lava, which is only about 15 minutes away from our house. It is a small resort town, well known for its hot springs! The next morning they came out and we gave them a tour then we all went snowmobiling! It was so much fun and such a beautiful day!Later that afternoon we had to run the cattle through the chute for a quick vaccine boost…little did my parents know they would get stuck helping! But you guys were awesome and so much help! Mom – Terry was impressed! Of course you can’t come visit without going for a ride on the horse drawn sleigh! So we took a nice little ride and fed the cattle! Then of course it was dinner time! We went back to Lava and ate at a little restaurant where my parents were staying…can’t remember the name! It was sooooo good! I think it was probably the best prime rib I have ever had! Mmmm, can’t wait to go back! After dinner the men talked cattle and me, Jauncee and my mom enjoyed the band! The next morning we went to Sacrament Meeting and skipped out on the rest, my parents came over for one last feast! It was such a great weekend, I was sad to see them go! I love them so much, I am so blessed to have such great parents! I hope you guys come again soon!
The next bunch of pictures are totally random...most of them the girls took with their camera. I love seeing life through the eyes of a child!
This must be a reminder of all things that I still need to do...like hang pictures! That would be our first family picture together, taken last September.
Not sure what it is with kids and a camera...they love self portraits!
Not sure where this came from or which child took it, but I must say it is awesome!
The llamas! They are one strange animal. If you make them mad, they will spit on you! Yuk!
