Shipping

Well this week was absolutely manic. We gathered all of our cows and calves, shipped our calves, preg checked, and moved the cows to the other side of the ranch. Luckily we had LOTS of help. I was not able to get pictures of everybody due to whether conditions, but a big thank you to all those who came and helped us. We really appreciate all of the support.

The week started off for me really last week. I made a meal plan and got all of the groceries in Socorro. We sure went through the food. I cooked for 11-16 people Mon through Sat. I was very tired of cooking by the end of the week. I cooked turkey, pork roast, beef roast, a ham, smothered burritos, red chili, green chili, different potato dishes, salads, several different desserts, and frozen rolls(I didn't have the energy for homemade rolls). I did a lot of overnight cooking in Nelda's big cooker. Nelda and Tawana helped me by bringing desserts, beans, chili casserole, and extra paper plates throughout the week. I also cooked big breakfasts every morning. I bought several cases of pops, but it turned out so cold that the crew really just wanted to stand by a warm fire and drink coffee or hot chocolate.

On Sunday Ace went to Albuquerque and picked up friends of ours from England, Martin and Amy Collins. We met them when we were living in Reading. They decided to come and help us work cattle this week. Ace made sure to have a few old western films ready from Netflix. They brought us all gifts from England which was very kind. I know that was a special effort. Thank you Louis.

Martin and Amy getting ready to go and weather the storm. Amy told me she would kill me if I posted this picture. Good thing she will be in England by the time she reads it. I told her just to tell everyone she looks plump because Americans eat to much. Everybody would understand.

Denim and Blazen taking a break off their horses. It was nice on Monday, so we were able to ride. Good thing we did ride that day because the rest of the week was freezing.

Denim and Blazen waiting at the Seeps Well for the cattle herd to get there. They got whips and tried to go "fishing" in the mud. Shocker-we didn't catch anything, but did have a good time.

This is pretty much what the rest of the week looked like. It was too cold for the kids to ride, but that didn't stop everyone else. Martin took some good pictures or I wouldn't have much of this part to post. The cattle had to be brought in no matter the whether. Brrrrrr.

The kids and I made it out one day to make a snowman. The snow was powdery and didn't pack well, which is why we have such a small snowman. Denim was singing "frosty the snowman" and getting ready for Christmas. Blazen had to wear Denim's old purple snowsuit because I wasn't quite ready for snow.

The kids wanted to sled. I couldn't find our sled, so I found an old piece of plastic and drug them down the hill. They had lots of fun until their pregnant mom gave out.

Amy riding in the snow. I put this picture in because she got lost one of the days. I think it was a bit scary for her. Her horse would have made it back for her, but she wasn't lost for long, so it was all right.
Ace, Amy, Martin.

Blazen, Sassy, and Denim. The day we shipped I was getting cabin fever and just had to get out. I bundled up the kids. Granny was there to help. We took the guys out hot chocolate and coffee. Jerry made everybody a fire on the ground.

Ace weighing his calves before he ships them.

Royal Hopper came and helped us all week. He is working the gate.
Ace loading his calves on the truck with a smile.

Blazen having fun in the little Blizzard because he gets to whip the cows from the outside of the fence as they are running down the alley.
Nate working the alley.

Royal, Wallace, Blazen, Ace, and Jerry getting warm.

The guys would come in and try to dry their boots by the fire.

On Friday we preg-checked everything. The preg-checker doing his duty. Denim was totally interested. He told her that he had eyes on the tips of his fingers and could see the baby calves. That's a nice way to put it. I asked him if he needed to preg-check me to see if I had one in there. He said, "No, way, you would kick me."

Saturday we got to ride again. Ike came out with his dad. Auntie and Granny helped us. I made a big mistake and slapped Denim's horse, Smurf, on the butt because he kept trying to turn back. He trotted ahead until Denim could pull him up. I was soooo scared and mad at myself for being an idiot. I need to be more cautious with my kids on the horses. They can so easily get scared and hurt.
Ike, Denim, and Blazen climbing a big mound of dirt.

Even though we were still working on Halloween, we were able to dress up and go to Datil to the Halloween carnival. Ace came as well and did the family thing. Amy went with us as a witch, but I didn't get a picture. Auntie, as Cruella Devile, Denim and Blazen as dalmatians, and Ike as a superhero. Ike told me he was going to keep the puppies safe. Auntie has wanted to do this theme for a year now. We finally got to do it. The only problem is that Auntie has a really hard time pulling the mean Cruella face.

Since we were doing the theme, I dressed as Horace (the fat one) off of 101 Dalmatians. The carnival was fun, the kids ate way to much candy. Ike and Blazen both won cakes in the cake walk. Ike ate all the frosting off his cake. They got prizes, hands painted, and balloons. Ike and Denim went through the haunted house with granny. It scared Ike to death. It scared Denim, but she was fascinated and I took her through once more. We really don't trick or treat here (not many homes to go to) so the carnival is a nice thing to have for the kids.

Well this week only happens once a year, so I guess it is time now to take a breather. Haaaaa!!!

Busy October

This week we were very busy with miscellaneous things and getting ready to ship our first load of cattle on Saturday. Besides riding, Ace burned dead wood up by the lodge, laser leveled an area for the feed bins, and welded more on the corrals. I stayed busy helping with the outside work, cooking, canning apples, cleaning the lodge, and being mommy.

Grandma sent the kids licorice and pictures of the First Presidency and the 12 apostles in the mail. While we were in Toquerville, she taught them a song to remember the apostles names. It goes in order with the pictures and you sing it to the Jed Clampet hillbilly toon. Denim LOVED it, and can nearly name all of the apostles now. It goes like this:

Thomas S. Monson is the prophet you know, Henry B. Eyring is the next below, Dieter F. Uchtorf is the third you see, and that makes up the First Presidency. Boyd K. Packer taught seminary, L. Tom Perry is six foot three, Russel M. Nelson operated on folks, a Supreme Court Justice was Dallin H. Oaks. M. Russel Ballard sold cars we know, Richard G. Scott made submarines go, a jet fighter pilot was Robert D, Hales, Jeffery R. Holland graduated from Yales. David A. Bednar changed the Ricks to the Y, Quentin L. Cook is a cache valley guy, D. Todd Christopherson's an attorney, Neil L. Anderson worked on a dairy. Now you know the 12 and the First Presidency.

Lately Denim has just loved getting into the dental floss, I think it is the minty taste. We were feeding the chickens and she asked, "Hey mom do want any dental floss." "Um, sure", I said. She didn't have any pockets in her pants, so she pulled the floss out of her panties, then said, "I found this really good spot to put it, here you go."

Denim, Blazen and me. Helping Ace gather.

Ace looking for his other riders and cattle coming.
Just before the kids had their little bunch to the windmill, Ace told Denim,"Ok, Denim, it's all up to you to get these cows in now, I'm leaving." Denim got way serious and started kicking her horse like crazy. She turned back around to Blazen and said,"Come on Blazen, we got to get these cows in, Dad's COUNTIN ON US!!"

Granny playing in the sand with the kids, while we wait at the windmill for the other riders to bring their herd. She is always so willing to get down and play. Blazen is acting like a merman.

Just finished moving cows for the day. Sitting on the fence with Papa.

Granny playing dress up with Denim. Granny told Denim the story of Cleopatra. Denim asked why Cleopata wanted to get bit by a snake all week. WHY? WHY?WHY?
Denim putting thread through a button hole. She is very precise with her fingers. She went into the laundry room and did this all on her own. Later on in the week she made her own necklace out of beads, and she wore it to church.

Denims creation. She told me it was good for the door, because then we would hear it jingle when the door opened.
Blazen and Denim in Denim's little jeep. They are driving around while I got some housework done and Ace was laser leveling. They got pretty cold fast, and came in to sit by the fire.


On Wednesday the kids and I took a meal to our friend who just lost her husband to cancer. His funeral was on Friday. The church members all brought potluck food for a meal afterward also.

Thursday I had and ultrasound in Socorro. Ace worked EXTRA hard all week so he could go with me. It really meant a lot since he is so busy. Ace guessed right. IT'S A GIRL!! Nelda watched the kids for the day. It was nice to have a little bit of time with Ace. We considered it a date, and he took me out to eat. We told the kids that night in person. They were very excited. Denim wants to dress the baby in doll clothes. Blazen wants to be the BIG brother and protect his little sister from the coyotes. They wrapped some contraption as a gift for the new baby.

Saturday we shipped. Ike was able to come out with his dad and help. The three little buckaroos getting ready to help. Me, Blazen, Granny, Ike, and Denim helping push cows. Auntie helped us too, she is taking the picture.

Blazen Trails. All smiles after the ride. Auntie helping Ike, Denim, and Blazen whip the cows to get them on the trucks. Papa went and rounded up three little whips so the kids could help.

Uncle Will helping load the trucks. He is a great hand. We are so grateful he is willing to take off work to come help us. The work is done for the day. The last of the cattle being loaded.

Other events:
We had enrichment night on Tuesday. We have a sister that is in the nursing home, Alzheimer section. They told us that people with Alzheimers sometimes are anxious because they don't really know where they are, and it helps them to hold something. We got them soft lap blankets and sewed a little pocket on each one. We then put a little stuffed animal in each pocket. We will go and see our friend sometime soon and give her and others like her these blankets. It was a fun experience for me, we sewed up a storm.

Funny Denim story:
Denim and Blazen were playing. They were copying each other's laugh. I left the room and a few minutes later Denim ran in totally distraught. "Mom, Blazen kicked me on purpose, then laughed about it." Me, "Well maybe it was an accident." "No mom it wasn't, because he laughed an EVIL laugh, like this, Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha."

Blazen fell off the top of the slide at the park. He was ok, but it was quite a scare. We all just prayed and thanked the Lord above that he was not hurt. There are just little miracles that happen everyday. I am glad that I received one this week.

Home Sweet Home

We made it home to Pie Town.

It really does feel good to be home after such a long trip. The kids were very excited to just run around, and have their little life back. Ace really missed us, he just wanted to spend time with us. The kids stayed and worked with Ace on Monday while I went to the doctor. They got to visit their granny, which they were totally excited about. I decided to go into the doctor; I had welts all up and down my arms and legs. Turns out to be pregnancy related allergies. I have to be on allergy medicines for the rest of my pregnancy. On Tuesday I got everything unpacked, cleaned up, and the laundry started. WOW!! When you have been gone for two weeks, it turns out to be like a month worth of catch up work. At the end of the day I told Ace, "Well I guess I have returned to slavery." It sure felt like that for a couple of days, but eventually I got caught up. I was able to enjoy being home. I enjoyed my children, the nice fall sunshine, and watching my husband work.

Ace wrestling with Denim and Blazen. The kids just love playing with dad. He is so good with them. They love beating him up and playing bulls. Girls and boys play so different. When they play bulls, Denim wants to be the sweet little baby bull, Blazen just wants to fight and butt heads.

Granny bought the kids pumpkins. She is always thinking about her grandbabies. They were very excited to carve them. Ace helped them carve the pumpkins while I made dinner on Monday. We called it our FHE. Denim said, "My pumkin is so scary that it will scare the coyotes away, Blazen's will make them laugh." Can you guess which one is hers?

Denim and Blazen helping me in the kitchen. Nelda Rae bought me red and green chili while I was gone because the chili season is almost out. She and Tawana put up my green for me (that is very time consuming and VERY kind of them since I use it all through the year). The kids and I are just putting up my red. We froze half of it, and canned the other half.

Blazen was really attached to his dad this week. He wanted to go and work every day with Ace. Ace is so patient, he took Blazen as much as he could. Blazen loves the four-wheeler.
Ace worked on his equipment from Idaho this week. One is a potato piler, the other a grain elevator. We are going to use them to elevate our hay cubes into a 20ft high storage bin. These pieces of equipment are huge. I just wish I would have taken the picture with Ace standing beside them.

My nephew, Ike, was able to come over one day and play. The kids had so much fun playing. They missed their cousin. It was really nice to have him over. They played outside in the dirt all day; when it started getting dark, we set up a dance party on the porch. Ike is really a little man. He loves working and being outside.
It really feels like fall. I was enjoying the nice whether outside and noticed that the leaves on my tree were starting to turn yellow.

Blazen, helping me make sandwiches for lunch. He got hungry and grabbed the cheese. He also knows how to get himself a drink. No glass needed.

Denim, playing with Sassy, our puppy. She is also making some creation with a bucket of mud. I think she was pretending to cook food. She later asked for salt and pepper. It is amazing what a bucket of mud and a shovel can do for a kid.

Ace welded on the pipe fence in the corrals a lot this week. He is getting everything ready to work cows and ship. The rain in September even brought a little greenery to the corrals.

*Funny Denim Story: After church Denim was dancing around the room in her pretty dress, thinking she was about the most beautiful thing in the world (I can't disagree). I said, "Wow Denim, are you a princess?" She stopped and thought for a while, then putting her hand on her chest, she said, "I am in my heart."

*Funny Blazen Story: Blazen is getting good at going potty BY HIMSELF, heaven forbid that I help him. I was getting ready in the morning and he was going potty next to me. He got very excited and said, "Mommy, wook(look), my pee pee goes up and down." I about died laughing. It is a morning thing with all men I guess.

The whole week for me was not just bliss, I had my ups and down like everyone does, but at the end of it all I decided; life is good and it is definitely worth living when you have people to love!!!