Thursday, February 23, 2012

My Eleven-Year-Old!

Eleven years ago today, at about this time, I was being prepped for surgery...a cesearean-section.
I had gained 65 pounds during this pregnancy and was more than ready to hold my precious girl!

Our middle child was born weighing 7 lbs 7 oz..

                                                                                         Our Smiley-girl!

From the beginning, we could tell she was a happy child, full of joy and quick to smile!
As she grew it was evident that she loved animals and was drawn to them.

                                                                The pirahnna-dog being gentled by my 3 yr old.

My sweet girl has always been fun-loving and quick to put a smile on our faces!


From an early age, and due to the tutoring of her Grammy, she's learned to sew and cook.

                                                                        At five, she was sewing with Grammy. 

She's learned to ride and competes in 4H horse shows.

 And this past year she achieved a goal that she had worked very hard towards, First Year Outstanding 4H'er.

She seems to be following in her dad's footsteps and hopes to be a veterinarian one day.


                                                                          Strawberry getting an injection.

With her tenacity and take-the-bull-by-the-horns attitude towards life she could very well achieve this particular goal also!
                         Happy Birthday, Precious Girl!!!


Blessings, Julie

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

An Early Spring???

Small Green Bee on Clover Flower

We have had a mild winter thus far.
There was snowfall but it was brief and temperatures were unusually warm again in just a couple of days.
In contrast to this past summer when temperatures soared and the animals suffered and some died due to the heat, this winter of mild temps has been welcomed. Of course, this being Oklahoma, the weather can take a turn for the worst without nary a moment's notice.
But for now, while I'm taxiing kids here, there, and everywhere it's nice that I'm not nervous about icy roads or whether-or-not one of the sweet cherubs has forgotten their coat.
Walking in the woods, back by the lake last week, the children and I spotted many signs of spring creeping in early. Up here at the house, the tulips that I put in last fall are pushing up through the ground as well as the other early-flowering plants.
Before we know it spring will be here in all her glory!

Indian Paintbrush

Pasture Wildflowers

Spring here means tornado weather, in other words scanning the clouds for rotation within wall clouds, cleaning out the cellar, baseball practices and games, and bucket-calves arriving.
It means yelling at the kids to take their shoes off before coming into the house due to the increased trips to the barn to take care of new calves.

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The smell of milk replacement permeates the house and the presence of large feeding bottles begging to be washed constantly causes irritation to all those trying to get to the kitchen sink.
This past Sunday I made a trip to town for groceries and stopped by one of the local farm supply stores. They already had their chicks, ducks, and guineas for sale. Wonderfully, I walked around the large tubs lit up bright yellow by their individual heat lamps and peered in at all the sweet, fluffy cuteness.
Peep, peep, peep, peep...as the little fluffy tushes scurried about or huddled sleepily together.
I told myself, "Resist and the devil, will flee," or in my case the temptation to call my husband and plead that we could put just a few in the schoolroom for just a few weeks and then kick them out to the coop.
But who was I kidding, winter is not over, and this is Oklahoma after all.
Besides, the large rubber feeding tub I've used in the past for the small ones was currently out in the calf pen being used by the five bovine behemoth's and their offspring.
There were strikes against me from all sides, I was hemmed in, and there was no getting around it.
No farm supply chicks this late winter/spring!
But I have a plan.

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Remember Mr. Incredible...the incredibly mean rooster that my husband killed last summer? Well, the one sole survivor of the chick crop from last summer lives on. That's right, Mr Incredible has a son, and he's the spittin' image of his cantankerous dad. And rather fittingly his name is, Dash.
Dash and his harem will supply me with a fresh crop of chickens, I just know it...or I think so anyway.
We will see, we will see.
Counting my chickens before they hatch,
& looking forward to Spring,
Julie

Bantam Baby

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A Compulsive Need to Share

These past few months have been but a blur!
It seems that since the end of summer our family has been catapulted forward at an alarming speed!!!
And this "old mama" is resisting every chance I get.
I'm not a go-with-the-flow type person. I am an extreme type-A personality that needs lotsa routine and stay-at-home time and I've been robbed I tell ya...ROBBED!
First of all let's get something straight. I'm shy or maybe introverted may be a better word...really.
I was talking with a fellow 4H mom at a meeting this past January and confessed this. She started laughing and looked at me incredulously and said, "Julie, I refuse to believe that!" I gasped at her doubting words and replied, "Really, I am! It's just that I'm very opinionated and feel strongly compelled to speak my mind!"  With all sincerity, I then added, "I hate to draw attention to myself!" She responded by proceeding to giggle uncontrollably and shaking her head back-and-forth.
I couldn't believe it!
She obviously was not taking me seriously!!!

And to add insult to injury the 4H leader, who by-the-way is half my age, turned and "shhhhed!!!" me.
Okay, okay, so there were children giving demonstration speeches and people trying to listen but you gotta understand I felt very misunderstood!

So after the meeting, while visiting a bit more with friends, and speaking with the 4H leader regarding some upcoming events, I tattled on my friend. That's right, I told our trusty, young 4H leader (ok, ok,...I confess she isn't as young as half my age) that it was my friend's fault for the disruption because I had been trying to convince her that I was shy and didn't like attention.
To which the TY 4H leader started laughing and walked off...while my friend snickered and muttered, "Shy,...yeah, right."
I have no idea why I just shared that with you???

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Happy Valentine's Day!
Shy, Reserved, & in denial, Julie

Monday, February 6, 2012

U.S. Civil War Re-enactment: Battle of Round Mountain 2012

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Two years ago our family participated in an event held annually in Yale, Oklahoma at Jim Thorpe park.

The Battle Of Round Mountain Civil War Re-enactment




The actual re-enactment of the battle takes place Saturday and Sunday afternoon while the Friday before is open for school-aged kids to come tour the encampment.

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Saturday night there is a ball with authentic U.S. Civil War era-style music.

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After several dances, my hoop broke.

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If you'd like more information on this fun and educational event, go here.

Also, if you have the time and would like to read a little bit more about our experience, I blogged about it here at my old blog.

I hope your week has gotten off to a great start...I'm cleaning house to prepare for a geography co-op.
And it feels a bit like one step forward and two back!

Blessings, Julie