Another Happy Birthday!!!!

I want to wish my oldest angel a very Happy Sweet 16!!! It's hard to believe that tiny little baby is already 16 years old, but what a blessing she has become through the years. She has grown into a lovely, young woman that has a heart for The Lord and desires to serve Him where He leads her. I am enjoying my time with her as she shares her heart, her frustrations not only with "things" or events but with herself. As much as she blesses me and so many others, she is also still so very humble and willing to look at her faults and try to make changes. What I would have given to be like that when I was 16 - in fact, I'm not sure I'm like that at 40!!

Our time has gone by too quickly, and I know in my heart that the rest of her time in my home will go much faster than I want it to. However, what a joy it is to know that this young lady is preparing herself more and more every day for the service He has for her.

I love you, Dear daughter!!!!

Happy Birthday!!

OK. Way too long since last blog. Now have something really wonderful to blog about.



Today is Joshua's 11th Birthday!!! WOW!! How did I get children this old already? Time is going by too, too quickly for this mother who is having more fun than any person should be allowed to. You will see my handsome little man is showing off his 11 pt. buck he was blessed to shoot his very first hunt. He actually missed a 6 pt. buck an hour earlier and was very bummed and ready to go home. They looked in one more pasture and came up on several large bucks. He and Daddy both shot 11 pt bucks, but Joshua's was the biggest (and he's very quick to point that out, too). We are going to enjoy some venison BBQ tonight to celebrate his birthday. What a deal. Have everyone celebrating your birth while you know that it was your effort that is providing the meal. I can't think of anything that would make him feel more masculine than that.

More pictures

I couldn't get Sarah's birthday picture to download, so here is a picture of the birthday girl, Sarah. She is modeling her Regency tea gown she made for the Cotton Extravaganza (and took first place at County (brag, brag)).

Here is Rebecca modeling her outfit she made for the Cotton Fiesta. She won at County and Distric and will be competing at the State Fair in September.


I can't leave off this picture of my two Knights. These dashing young men caught the eye of a photographer at the County Fair. He was very kind to send us a copy of this photo. I must confess I think these are the four loveliest blessings in the world - that's my opinion, and I'm going to stick to it.

Happy Anniversary

The most important post that should have been made a week ago is a huge big I LOVE YOU to my dear hubby of 20 years!!! Hard to believe he's put up with me all these years, but he has and deserves a medal. I wish I could tell you they have been 20 years of bliss, but some of you would know that was a lie. I will say that we received a gift from our children that made those years of working through difficulties worth it. Our children gave us a piece of paper. This piece of paper was a Marriage renewal that John and I signed as well as "the four witnesses that know us better than anyone else" - our children. They also shared with us how much they appreciate our working on our relationship and giving them a home where they know they are loved. WOW!! Again, there were tears everywhere - including John (mine were a given). I can honestly say that after 20 years, I would still go back and marry him all over again - struggles and all, and I look forward to the next 20, 30, 40 and beyond years of marriage!!

I love you, John, and I dedicate this song to you!!

IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN

We’re not as young as we used to be
But baby I don’t mind
'Cause growing old with you is gonna be
Full of life and good times.

And if I had it to do all over again I’d do it with you
I wouldn't want to miss a thing that we’ve been through
Baby nothing can compare with the good love that we’ve shared
And if I had to do it all over again I’d do it with you.

Looking back on life I can’t complain
It ain’t been easy but don’t you know
We still had sunshine even when it rained
And we’ve shared a love few have known.

And if I had it to do all over again I’d do it with you
I wouldn't want to miss a thing that we’ve been through
Baby nothing can compare with the good love that we’ve shared
And if I had to do it all over again I’d do it with you.

And if I had it to do all over again I’d do it with you
I wouldn't want to miss a thing that we’ve been through
Baby nothing can compare with the good love that we’ve shared
And if I had to do it all over again I’d do it with you...

Belated birthdays

As many of you have emailed and reminded me, I have been very delinquent in my blogging. Let me take a quick moment in the midst of my chaotic world to at least catch up on my birthdays. Caleb is now the big 6!! Way to go my little energetic, bundle of encouragement. It's hard to believe that 6 years ago we all wondered if he would even survive let alone whether he'd have any disabilities. Looking at him now, I just have to laugh at all the worry.

Next, we need to welcome Sarah as a new Youth (she doesn't want to be called a teenager). She turned 13 a few weeks ago, and we were blessed to celebrate with the Heckendorn traditional 13 year old evening (I can only whisper this as I don't want the boys to find out what we do until they turn 13). Let's suffice it to say that the evening is filled with blessing and welcoming our newest young lady. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner in a very special place, shared lots of encouraing words, and shed tears all around (yes, even Daddy.) It was just wonderful.

No regrets...

My dad was visiting a while back and commented that this life was not what he thought I'd be living. He then asked me if I was happy I had chosen this path instead of the "my dreams" path. It was so easy to say yes. I can honestly say that I don't regret giving up the things I did at all. I wanted to "be somebody". You know - play at Carnegie Hall, be an actress, write a novel - be somebody "important". Well, I do get to play at the J-C Ranch, do the voices for numerous characters in novels, and write lots of lists and assignments. Maybe a bit different from MY dreams of long ago. The best thing is, I am SOMEBODY. I am IMPORTANT!! My face will never grace the cover of People magazine, but my portrait has been drawn by all four of my children. In fact, it usually is drawn with beautiful hair, a huge smile, a tiny waist (thank you for that boost), and at least one child in my arms. I don't think they would have chosen that pose for People. I have received the best reviews from my critics when I read a book out loud and give each character their own "sound". I might add, too, that my critics typically bless me with hugs and kisses as well. Not sure John would have appreciated that from the "important" critics in the other arenas. As to Carnegie Hall, I don't want to take the time I would need to in order to be that good anymore. I would miss out on too many precious moments snuggling with these sweet angels God has blessed us with.

I find it so interesting to talk with so many other moms that say the same thing. Those dreams of long ago seem so undesirable compared to these little people in our lives. That's not to say that we can't keep dreaming and shoot for those things later in life. I know I still want to write a book, I even have it started, but it just has taken a different direction than what I would have written about 20 years ago. I still consider the possibility of acting - for all of my grandchildren one day. I have even toyed around with the idea of putting some really great literature on CD. We love that and can't ever seem to find enough for these long NM trips. As to playing in Carnegie Hall, well, my wrists just can't take it anymore. Instead, I'll just humm along with children and enjoy their concerts. Much less practice time that way.

Whatever the future holds, as long as we can take where we are right now and be contented, we can move forward without regrets. It's the regrets that hold us back, not the lack of dreams. Life might not be everything we imagined, but maybe we just never imagined the life we're leading could be this good!

More rain .....

God continues to bless us!!! Sunday evening we received an inch of rain. I know that's not a lot for you wet weather folks, but you know what that means to NM!! John and the boys were actually out checking cows, tanks, and stalking rabbits when it began. They had made it to the barn just before it really hit hard. They didn't care, though, and the boys begged Dad to let them run around in it. He did. :):)

The girls were inside finishing up some dresses for a contest this week. I'll post pictures after the contest. They were also delayed in their sewing because they joined the boys in the rain. As the storm was subsiding, we were blessed with not one, but two full rainbows. The children were ready to load up and get that pot of gold as it was obviously right in the middle of the Mesa pasture. Dad did not consent to this hunt at 8:30 pm, so maybe next time.

What an Awesome God we serve......

IT RAINED!!!!!! Last night about 11pm, John and I were blessed to still be up talking, and we heard the pitter patter of rain drops. We both went outside and just took it in. The lightning was glorious, the air smelled so intoxicating, and I as I stood there with the man I love looking out at the rain nourishing this dry land, I could not help but start singing "God will take of you". He does. We have been praying for rain for months and months (years, actually), and we have no sold any of our cattle as an act of faith. Yes, they are skinny, but they are still really doing well. We are amazed that we can still go out in the pastures in the late afternoon and see them lieing down chewing their cud (a good sign that they are getting enough to sustain themselves). John had just mentioned a few days ago that if we didn't have moisture by the end of June, we would have to pull the yearlings off. Let's keep in mind that we just don't get rain in June. It hits hard in July, but not in June. Well, once again, God provided. In about 1/2 an hour we received 2/10 of an inch!!! That may not seem like much to some folks, but when you haven't seen more than an inch in 10 months, that is a huge gift in water. We stood there a bit longer, and John started singing "Our God is an Awesome God". We both sang it at the top of our lungs. I'm surprised we didn't wake the children up! :)

This morning, everything just looks cleaner. I don't know what it is about that rain, but it just feels that way. The sky is a gorgeous blue, and in no time at all, this wonderful New Mexico grass will start to pop up. The cows will begin to lose that burned look, the calves will start filling out, and once again, we will wonder why we ever doubted.

Great news if you're a male Heckendorn....

After waiting and talking and waiting and discussing and waiting........we finally found out yesterday that John drew for an elk hunt in September. Joshua is beside himself with excitement. He has been anxious since May when John applied for the hunt, so I thought we might have a respite from the hunting discussions. Not to be. Now, he is already planning what Momma needs to make for him - all in camo colors of course. :) It will be a bow hunt which means chances will be a bit slimmer of actually bagging an elk. John has explained that, but it has dampened the excitement one bit. This hunt is a cow or bull, but John has already told Joshua that he will only kill a bull. That is fine with him as he plans on breaking all hunting records for the largest elk, and then we will proudly mount the head over the fireplace. Not sure how that will fit, but I suppose we can solve that issue later. In a lot of ways, I hope they get an elk. One, I would like some sausage from the elk. Better for you than pork, but tastes better than deer. Second, John is really hoping that Joshua sees that hunting isn't all fun. Yes, it provides food for the family, but it is a lot of work. Mostly, though, we want him to fully realize that an animal dies when you hunt. That sounds funny, but I am so shocked and amazed at how many young people do not fully understand where that burger or those chicken nuggets come from. They don't realize what it takes to get that milk or those eggs to the store. As far as they're concerned, that food simply comes from the market. When we have friends over, their children are amazed that we can get milk from a cow, but they're even more amazed that we drink it (this is especially shocking if they have seen the calf enjoying a bit of momma before we milk her). Our children have talked about butchering so and so, only to find out their young friends have no idea that we would really kill that four legged critter in the corrals. One friend asked them why we don't just go to the store instead. My children said it's the same thing and explained the beef market plan of America to them. I shouldn't be surprised, though. The first time we fed corn on the cob to our children, one of them asked how they get the corn on there. John realized that we hadn't done a very good job explaining all those veggies we eat (I never can get the corn to produce in the garden, so I take full responsibility).

I suppose it's just a sign of the times. We have become such a specialized nation with each of us only doing that one thing that we're good at - mortgages, teaching, music, banking, business, engineering, etc, that we have forgotten so much of what takes place each day in other sectors. I'm just as guilty. That is why I do hope that Joshua can get a bigger picture on this hunting trip. It will be fun. We'll enjoy the meat, but I pray that he sees things a big differently after September and can keep things in perspective. Just one of the many things in life to learn.

What we learn from our children.....

OK. I must confess that God blessed me with children only to teach me a lesson. How frustrating it is to see all of my irritating habits present themselves in one or all of my children. Arrrgghh!! I know that I must give God a chuckle when I yell at my children, "Why are you YELLING!!!!" Many a times I've looked up and knew the answer to my question - they learned it somewhere. Now, I'd like to think they learned it from John, but that only delays the inevitable. OK. I take responsibility.

Lately, though, I am beginning to see someone else have an influence on my children's behavior and how they view things. Our Lord. I am constantly amazed how He speaks to them in such a different way than He does to me. In fact, I love it when they share what He has taught them because it usually makes so much sense to me - better than anything I could have thought up. For example..........

We have been reading our daily Proverb together before we start our book lessons, and as we try to read the Proverb chapter that corresponds to the day of the month, we've just started at the beginning of Proverbs again. As we were discussing the first two chapters over a couple of days, we talked about how God was clearly showing us our choice of following Him, gaining wisdom, turning away from sin or walking head long into the darkness. I'm focusing on the ways that God shows us to stay focused on Him, and my children are following along and adding their thoughts here and there. As I also try to do, I pointed out at the end that no matter how far away we turn from Him, we can always repent and He will be waiting to forgive us. Caleb then picked up this piece of paper he had been messing with and showed us what repent "looks" like - he had taken that paper and shaped it like a J so that when you laid it on its back, he said repent is when you zoom back to God! Yeah! He gets it! I'm satisfied and ready to pray when Sarah pipes in that she thinks about it like a dog going after a porcupine. That dog knows what will happen, but he chases that porcupine and gets sprayed with quills. Joshua added that the quills they get sprayed with aren't the ones you see, though. The quills that we see aren't really very bad at all. Then, once you're in the middle of the fun with that porcupine, the tiny quills with barbs like velcro are released, and these are the ones that really stick and hurt! Isn't that just like sin -it never looks that bad and you have no idea the pain it will cause until it's too late. Rebecca then chimed in and reminded us that the dog's master is always ready to pull those quills out and love the dog - just like God is willing to love and care for us as the wounds from our sins slowly heal.

I have to tell you I cried. Once again, God used those blessings of mine to teach me a lesson. How many times have I chased that "porcupine", found myself full of "quills", tucked my tail, and came whining back to God. I can't say, though, that I've always viewed God as the loving, willing Master that was ready to gently help me begin the healing process. Maybe I don't see Him that way because I'm not that way? As much as I'd like to think I'm loving and merciful, I find myself too many times focusing on the consequences of the sin and hoping the lesson was learned rather than focusing on the forgiving aspect. Ouch. I think that was a quill. I do thank God for these children, and I pray that He never stops teaching me through them.

In the meantime, I have some quills that need to be removed.......

Are all addictions bad??

Rebecca made the comment not too long ago that she thinks we are addicted to endorphines. She pointed out that we always end our meals somehow laughing hysterically over things (jokes, stories, comments, songs, poems, whatever we can think of). So, she felt that just like some people seem to want a cigarette after dinner, our family seems to want endorphines.

Sure enough. We have watched our behavior, and she is correct - we end up laughing over something after dinner (and sometimes even after breakfast and lunch!!). It might start out with something mild - maybe telling stories from when they were children or a joke John heard. Then, we have noticed that it progresses to bigger things. Eventually, somebody's giggle box gets turned over, we are all laughing like crazy (some of us barely able to stay in their chairs - and it's not who you think it is), and we all enjoy a good high on endorphines. Why do we do this? We just don't know. We have to wonder if Rebecca is right - maybe we are addicted to that high.

This evening was no different from any other. We had been working very hard cleaning and painting the building where we gather for worship. We dragged ourselves in after chores, hungrily attacked our burritos, and before we knew it........we were chasing our addiction. I decided to share with you these verses that we spontaneously wrote tonight. It is sung to the tune of "One dark night, when we were all in bed"; the song with the old cow kicking over the lantern. We started out singing that song in various tones, keys, and silly dialects. It ended with these words:

One dark night
When Momma lost her head
All the rest of us were headed off to bed,
Because we just couldn’t stand one more of her old jokes,
They just weren’t funny,
Even though she thought so.
Boo, Boo, Boo


One dark night
When Momma lost her head,
All the rest of us were headed off to bed,
We tried to go to sleep but she was way too loud,
She just kept snorting
in her own little world.
Snort, Snort, Snort!

Pretty silly, but we sure enjoyed that high afterwards!

I must confess, if we were going to choose to be addicted to anything, I would choose being addicted to these moments with my family. One day when John and I are just too old to care whether or not we even put our teeth in or get dressed, we will sit there in our rocking chairs and get tickled thinking of these "endorphine" moments. We are constantly told and may even find that we are now the ones telling new parents "enjoy them while you can" or "they grow up so quickly". I've always tried to figure out how to make these times slow down. Much to our frustration, though, we just can't. However, we can store up these treasured "endorphine" moments and just keep hitting "rewind" in our memory banks over and over and over again. Maybe they do go too quickly, but we can play them in slow motion as many times as we like. So I say, addictions are good - as long as we are addicted to our families!

Homeschool blog has a huge giveaway...

Sorry. We aren't giving away any beef (other than the beef we give away when you come join us for dinner ). However, Spunky is. If you aren't familiar with this homeschool blog, you need to visit them sometime. Lots of encouragement and inspiration. Here's what you do to be entered in their contest (where they are giving away a Benz Microscope (worth $259) and an Apologia Biology book set (worth $89). You must post this sentence on your blog or in an email. Better yet, look at this sentence, visit Sparky, find the complete rules.

"Spunky is giving away a Benz Microscope and Apologia Biology Set this week. Click Here to get the details."

For those of you that know me will realize that I have no idea how to do hyperlinks, yet, so I am just giving you their links below. I'll get there one of these days....

Here are the links to those sites:
Spunky - www.spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com
Benz Microscope - www.benzmicroscope.com
Apologia Science - www.highschoolscience.com

Thank you Sparky!!!

What a fiasco!

I really wish you could have been in the barn this morning or at least had a hidden camera somewhere.......

We have been leaving Princess outside in the corrals, bringing the two calves inside at night, and penning them up in one of the inside stalls. We decided it was warmer for them, and they can't sneak under the fence and get milk before we get out there in the morning. This has been working quite nicely for us except that Princess can't focus on eating and letting us milk while those two calves are begging for breakfast. We decided this morning we would bring Princess in, put her in the stanchion, take the calves outside, and then milking would be a breeze. Right? Well, we came to the barn this morning, and Princess was standing at the door with her nose to the window (it is a fancy barn). We opened the door, and she walked right in. Piece of cake. Rebecca grabbed her halter and pulled Princess right into position. Great! Then, we realized we were out of the feed we needed for her. We had more at the house, but in the nick of time we discovered a stash, and put some in the bucket. Then, we went to take the calves outside. What was I thinking? Obviously nothing because as soon as we opened their pen, they wanted to head right to Mom and nurse. I do think they appreciated the fact that we had her tied up in position for them. :) We tried to head them off but that barn is not really set up for herding calves - they won and began nursing. That then left us with no choice but to try and grab the calves and pull them to the barn. Rebecca, Sarah, and Joshua did everything they could to pull, tug, push, prod, drag those calves away from Mom - to no avail. They may look small, but they are VERY strong! Sarah finally grabbed Rose Creamy Lily (what a big name for such a little calf). She had a firm grip on RCL's ears and was pulling with all her might. Joshua had managed to grab one of Heartbelle's back legs, and he and I managed to drag her outside. Sarah pulled while Rebecca pushed, and they got RCL out right behind us. We all ran back into the barn and shut the door. Dust was stirred up everywhere, I'm having a hard time breathing (I really am allergic to that alfalfa), and Princess turns her head, looks at us, and mooooos!

On the brighter side, we did manage to finally let the dust settle and milked about 1 gallon. We have discovered that we work well with one person on each side. As we get faster (and build up some forearm muscles) we will be able to milk with only one person. We grabbed our milk can, took Princess out to eager babies, and came back to the house - exhausted, dusty, and splotched with manure only to discover that we left the milk in the barn. :)

The arrival of Princess

We did it!! Today we just took on the responsiblity and blessing of a milk cow. Princess has arrived with her little week old heifer calf. Along with providing milk for our family she will also be giving milk to her calf as well as Caleb's calf Heartbelle. In case I failed to mention it, Heartbelle is Caleb's calf that he has been praying for since Christmas. She was a twin with a bull calf, and as the heifer is infertile 95% of the time, we took the heifer so the mama would raise the bull (John says cows can't count so they won't raise twins - they forget where they left the other one. :)). So God provided a calf for Caleb without taking a cow from us (which is how we typically end up with a doggie calf). Now, he can show a heifer in the fair while sisters and brother show their yearling heifers. Boy did I digress........I believe I was stating that Princess would be caring for her calf, Caleb's calf, and our family. We are all excited. Rebecca says she is very slow, and she worried that Princess was not going to appreciate that. Dad and Joshua will be milking tomorrow (and the next several days) as everyone else practices for a bit toward the end until we can pick up speed. We didn't anticipate her arrival at our home, so we still need to buy some jars for the milk as well as some milk filters and a stainless steel bucket. Phew. Joshua was hardly able to contain himself tonight as he really, really wanted a glass of "real" milk before going to bed. Dad is making everyone wait until it's chilled so everyone has voted to just have cereal in the morning. Mom will be dreaming of cream and butter and yogurt and ice cream and cheese and WHAT AM I THINKING??? We'll be doing good to get the milk strained and possibly some yogurt or butter every now and then. Whatever we do end up with, we will thoroughly enjoy it. Lisa, I'll save some and let you enjoy when you come in September. In fact, we'll have to plan a milking chart so all the children can have a whack at it. :):)

Never mind

That's kind of creepy. There it is again. I have no idea what I pushed or banged or pulled. I'm glad it's working though. That reminds me of spaghetti sauce......I made the best, out of this world spaghetti sauce back in 1989. It was from scratch, simmered all day, and my dear hubbie thought it was spectacular. Well, I never did write down what I put in it (which is how I often cook), and I haven't been able to duplicate it since. :):) Oh, well, we're coming up on 20 years of marriage, so he must have forgiven me.

Technologically challenged

People are talented and gifted in different ways - I just don't happen to be one of those talented and gifted in the computer world. Somehow, and I just don't know how, I have deleted the "comments" part of the blog. If any of you know how to correct that, please feel free to help me. I must say, though, that I have at least moved beyond my fear of "breaking" the computer if I were to push buttons or click on this or that. I have clicked, pushed, pulled, (and even banged) everything I can think of. This is a job for someone mightier and more talented. Since there is no comment section, just email me at home. Thank you!!!

Wonderful trip

We made a fast and furious trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma, for our final bull sale. We were blessed to sell all of the bulls! Thank you, Lord. God has been very good to us yet another year. We have just a few more here at the house, so if you hear of anyone in need of a bull (not some bull), let us know. :)

While we were in Stillwater, we experienced that part of the US that often just gets made fun of in movies and tv. These folks were just down to earth, very hospitable, and as welcoming as they could be to bunch of rednecks from NM. Before the bullsale, there was even a prayer given! I guess the ACLU hasn't heard about that, yet, or I'm sure they'd be sueing. I just couldn't help but think about the lives some of these people lead. Many of the men had weathered skin and hands that were starting to show the beginnings of arthritis. Most of the women had laugh lines and wrinkles along with wonderful displays of grey hair. High fashion just didn't seem to fit in here - besides, who had time to dye their hair or do their nails with chores and calving? There were overalls, worn jeans, coats that were durable and very unfashionable, and lots of boots and shoes with scuff marks galore. So many of them walked proudly even though you could guess at the hardships they had suffered through droughts, tornadoes, low cattle prices, or other circumstances out of their control. However, there was always a gentleman to open a door or gate while he tipped his hat as well as a wife that gladly joined you in a bit of conversation. I know that there are a lot of jokes made at the expense of these "common" folks, but what a sad place this country would be without those hardworking people. Having experienced this lifestyle now for a few years, my hat goes off to those people who have done it all their lives and many generations before. They truly are the backbone of this nation, and I am becoming more and more proud of that redneck I'm developing. :):)

Still a boy thing.....

OK. I'd like to add to the boy vs girl issue. Normally on Saturday mornings I enjoy watching several sewing/quilting shows. I decided a few weeks ago to start taping them and watching them throughout the week instead. However, our television was on to watch the news to get a weather report (normal NM weather - dry and windy :)). Joshua wanted to flip to the quilt show for me, but he was distracted by another show. He then plopped onto the couch and enjoyed watching 30 minutes of a hunting show. The two gentlemen shot a 16 point bull elk with a bow. Yup. One more area where there is a difference in my household. :):)

The tool catalogue is still in use.

Boys vs Girls

Raising girls has been fairly easy because I understand them. I can handle the hormones. I've been there. I thoroughly enjoy sitting and discussing our "Maiden" Bible study as we sip tea. We are discussing issues I'm familiar with. I love going to the fabric shop and dreaming of dresses, skirts, shirts, and quilts. What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. I love to giggle with my young maidens about some forgotten ingredient that should not have been left out. Done that, too. So, yes, I find raising these lovely young ladies of mine quite simple. I just have to remember what it was like to be their age (and some days I'm not sure I've even outgrown those days. :))

Raising boys is a different story. I do not understand the thrill of jumping off the top bunk while trying to slam the ceiling - especially after bruising every inch of my shins. I do not see any excitement in climbing to the top of the 30 foot feeder in order to discover just how many miles away you can see things. I have never been able to understand what is so fascinating about the various ways you can make noises with the body. Then, to top it off, my son asks if he may read in bed for a while. Why certainly. What mother would not love to hear her son ask to read for a bit before dozing off to dream. I know what my young maidens would want to read - Nancy Drew, Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott. What does this young knight take to bed with him? The master catalog from that all "powerful" company - Northern Tool & Equipment.

No. I do not understand boys.

I finally was able to get the pictures to load...

YEAH!! It worked. You'll also notice the lovely shield and sword that our dashingly brave Knight has accessorized with. Those are handcrafted Sir Joshua of Cattleton originals. No battle axe, yet, but it's in the works. :) Enjoy!

Pictures.....

I tried posting these with the above post, but to no avail. I hope they go through this time.......if not, use your imagination!! Ok. I've tried for several minutes now. Any help will be greatly appreciated. My luck with this blogging is about to run out.

I'm Back.......I think??????

Hello Everyone!
I am sorry that I've been gone so long. First, it was just life. Then, I haven't been able to post to my blog page. I've tried for weeks to get some help, and I just gave up today. I decided to check for a different address and see if I could things to work. We'll see how it goes.

So, we have been busy, busy, busy with bull sales and cattle. Lots of babies running all over the ground. John is very glad to have the help of the Herd, especially Joshua. With football season just ending, he still has the tackle bug. As far as he's concerned, a 75 lb. calf is easy prey for his football talents. John says he can tackle them pretty good, then Dad can get them weighed and check them over. So far so good. Our bulls are selling well, and for that we are praising The Lord! He just continues to bless us beyond our wildest dreams. We are still praying for moisture. You west coast folks are being hogs with all that rain. :) You'd gladly send some our way, I'm sure, and we'd be thrilled to take it. It's been over 150 days since we've had any moisture. We did have one dusting of snow, but when it melted, the ground wasn't even wet. I am beginning to have a new respect for those pioneers, especially during the dustbowl. I know I am tired of the dirt and wind, but I at least can get away and run to town or to see a friend. Those women had no choice but to stay here and endure it with an occasional trip to "town" every few months - if they were lucky. What great women they were. We think we're pretty sophisticated and progressive. However, those ladies not only knew how to work hard and endure such hardships, but when you read so many of their biographies or journals, I hear such a sense of contentment. That's the hard thing for most of us to realize - contentment right where we are. WOW!! I just admire those women so much.

I am hoping to be able to post a couple of pictures of the boys with their Knight costumes (for Lisa!). I must tell a story to go with it. Joshua slept in his for nearly a week until I finally demanded he change into something else. A few weeks ago, Sir Joshua the Courageous and Sir Caleb the Courageous (not very original, but that's what they want to be called) were busy in the front yard. Sir Joshua found a great stick (an old axe handle) that he is certain would make a great battle axe handle. I was in the house and kept hearing this LOUD thumping noise. I looked out the window just in time to witness the courageous efforts of Sir Joshua as he took down a trash barrel that was almost as tall as he was!!! He attacked, and the barrel fell down. He set it up, and Sir Caleb stepped up for some action. He ran across the yard, giving a loud battle yell, hit the barrel, and fell back on his rump. The barrel was left standing, unscathed. I just left to laugh a bit and finish my dishes. About 10 minutes later Sir Joshua came in. I asked how the battle went with the trash barrels. He looked at me with all seriousness and responded, "Mom, when those barrels saw me coming, they trembled with fear!" He left me to conquer some other unknown enemy. Don't worry about me. I am safely protected at my house!! :)

Old stuff.......

Sunday, September 25, 2005
OK. I finally did it!!
I finally broke down and set up a blog page. I feel so........technologically "with it". My cousins will be proud, and my brother will just be amazed! (I won't admit to how many times I had to click the help button while setting this up, though. :) )

I have no idea what wise thoughts, if any, will flow onto this blog page, but I can assure you, there will be many things for you to laugh at. Does that surprise any of you?

I will begin by telling you that we hosted a wonderful Fall potluck for our home school group yesterday. It was a wonderful time with over 75 people roaming all over the place. That wasn't the amazing thing, though. We have enjoyed several months with very few flies around the house. In fact, I have used my fly swatter so rarely, that it had dust on it! (It was dust from sitting around doing nothing and not your daily dust of the west, either.) As we walked up to the house after saying goodnight to the last family, we were greeted by a black mass of flies on the porch. We had none until the lemonade started flowing, so we have concluded that lemonade attracts flies. Not sure how scientific that statement is, but we stand by it for the time being.

I think we'll move into the barn for a few days and open up lemonade stands there to see if we can entice them away from the house.

I must also tell you this afternoon I looked out the window to see one of our herd bulls running through the pasture. I couldn't imagine what got his blood boiling. Then, I realized that the "heifers" have been moved to the pasture just north of his. Ahhhhh, there is nothing like looking out your window and seeing romance in the air. Now, I just hope I wake up tomorrow and see the fence still standing.
posted by Prairie Momma @ 9:50 PM


Wednesday, September 28, 2005
I love mornings like this......
It is just wonderful to wake up to the rain drizzling outside. Maybe that's something only a "desert" person can say, but I just love to wake up to grey, cloudy, wet mornings. The air just smells better, and for some reason, it just refreshes you. I am becoming a true rancher's wife, though, in that I've noticed that no matter how much rain we get or when we get it, I say things like, "I wish it had come sooner." "I wish there was more." "Too bad it's getting too cold for the grass to grow." I used to just appreciate the rain, now I find myself talking like a pessimist....... So, this morning, I'm just going to be grateful for whatever amount God blesses us with. "You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance when it was weary." Psalm 68:9

I have to tell you a crazy incident at our house. I was folding clothes in my bedroom the other day when Caleb comes in very matter of factly and tells me we need more toilet paper. I told him there was a new roll in the bathroom and to use that. He firmly told me, "We need ANOTHER roll." Thinking that maybe the other roll had been knocked off the counter or dropped in the trash or something, I told him to just get a new one out of the cabinet. He turns to walk out the door, and over his shoulder he tells me, "Thank you. The other one is on fire." WHAT!! I went running down the hall and just as he says, the roll is on fire. Apparently, it was a bit toooooo close to the candle that Joshua insisted be lit because it "stunk" in there. I doused the roll in the sink and had to just laugh. Most people would have let you know about the fire first, but I guess Caleb thought a new roll of tp was more important. I love the sign that says "A mother of boys works from SON up to SON down." It is toooooo true around here. As if that isn't enough to keep my heart pumping, I find out yesterday that you can climb one of our trees and actually jump to the roof of the house. Well, maybe they can, but I'm not going to try, and as per Daddy's orders, they better not try again, either. From SON up to SON down - it is so true.
posted by Prairie Momma @ 8:35 AM 5 comments


Thursday, September 29, 2005
It's still comin' down
As of 6:30 this morning, we have had 1.75 inches!!!! OK. The rancher in me is coming out again, "This is nice, but we are supposed to be shipping cattle this weekend." Now, the nature lover in me is thinking "If this keeps up throughout the winter, we are going to have the best flowers next year!"

Thank you, Lord!!!
posted by Prairie Momma @ 9:06 AM 3 comments

Sunday, October 23, 2005
Wonderful weekend
We just returned from a wonderful weekend in Glorieta, NM. We attended a Leader's Retreat for our state home school organization, and our children enjoyed some Bible stories and discovered new friendships. It is always nice to leave a weekend encouraged and refreshed; eager to continue with this chosen lifestyle. I call home schooling a lifestyle because we don't just school at home. It has truly become a way of life for this crazy bunch at our home. It is nice to hear words of encouragement as we go against the flow of society. Of course, as much as I love those words of encouragement, I can honestly say even without them, we wouldn't choose any other life for our brood. We have discovered so many blessings we never imagined we'd have when we started 10 years ago. So, maybe I should say we spent a weekend getting our tank topped off.

We are also finished with the steers for the year. All the extra cattle have been shipped to their new homes (who knows where), and we now only have our 110 momma cows and 80 calves to care for. We are hoping for some mild weather for at least a little while so that we won't need to start feeding until mid-December. Rebecca, Sarah, and Joshua are already eyeing which heifers they are considering for the fair next year. The girls are busy with some sewing projects and quilt classes. Joshua and Caleb are deep into books and plans for catapults, trebuchets, and any other contraption that will hurl some object larger than a pea across the yard. YIKES! I think I like the girls' sewing projects better. We are calling it science here, and who knows what wonderful lessons will be learned. I just hope we don't have to learn any glass repair along the way.

In a couple of weeks, my third child will enter the double digit ages. I can't believe it. I want to cry - not for the sorrow or dread of the teen years, but I cry because these wonderful years are just going by too quickly. I wish I had rotten kids sometimes because it would make it easier to see them grow up. God has blessed us far beyond our wildest dreams, and we have felt so honored and privileged to be the parents of these young people. I must admit, I wish they were not as daring and prone to injuries, but the fun memories are even worth those few moments. Going back to my first thoughts today, we did make the right choice, and we are reaping the benefits of our lifestyle. I will just learn to cherish these moments, store them as precious memories, and anticipate the Plans Our Creator has for these gifts He's loaned us for a time.
posted by Prairie Momma @ 3:08 PM 2 comments


Wednesday, November 02, 2005
We're going to Tahoe!!
John won a trip to South Lake Tahoe, and he invited me to go with him. I have no idea where in the world that is, but any weekend away with my honey will be great no matter where we end up. Anyone have any suggestions or info, please let us know. Otherwise, we shall look like a bunch of rednecks enjoying ourselves.

Speaking of rednecks......I love watching the quilt/sewing shows on our local PBS station on Saturday mornings. I usually end up watching it by myself or with Joshua (yes, he is the one that will sit and watch with me). On one particular show this last Saturday, the hostesses sons were guests to show how to convert a plain country table into a sewing table. They used masking tape to make some of their markings on, and then used some other "Heckendorn" style items to make this table, and Joshua looked at me with surprise and admiration and said, "Mom!! They're rednecks like we are!" I just had to laugh as I couldn't decide I was glad my son thinks rednecks are wonderful or if I should start to pity his wife........I'll take the first one for now. Of course, I know he's a redneck when he gets excited about the different colored duck tape they now have available. It will coordinate with almost any decor if you shop carefully. :):)
posted by Prairie Momma @ 10:39 PM 7 comments


Monday, November 07, 2005
Big day at our house

(Joshua with his heifer, Joy. Ladies, he's already starting a herd!!)

Today, my little man turns 10. He naturally wanted monkey bread for his breakfast in bed. Some things may never change no matter how old he gets. I'm glad. After he finished, we just snuggled and remembered that wonderful day 10 years ago. I know this is one thing that my children will never outgrow. They love to hear the story of their births. I think it re-establishes in their hearts and minds just how special they are to us. I've been reading articles lately that have talked about the importance of celebrations - big and small. I believe God wanted us to celebrate so that we do remember all of His provisions and blessings in our lives. I know it works for us.
posted by Prairie Momma @ 10:52 AM 4 comments



Monday, November 28, 2005
It's beginning to feel a lot like winter....
WOW! We were just commenting the other day about how warm it has been. The boys were outside playing football in long sleeve shirts (no jackets) Thanksgiving Day, but as of Sunday morning, we are freeeeezing! Our wood stove has been running non-stop since late Saturday night. That doesn't sound like such a big deal except that we are primarily using our wood stove to heat the house, so the back bedroom (the room we share with the boys) is soooo cold. One thing about it, the boys do not toss and turn and throw their covers off - neither do I for that matter. Right now as I type, it is 21 degrees F outside (actually 10 degrees with the wind chill factor). So much for the sunny southwest. However, it does put everyone in the holiday spirit around here. Even John ordered an extra bale of hay for the horses last night - and I am sure they said thank you.

Speaking of the barn, Joshua has found a Cooper's hawk in our barn. For those of you that know of his love for birds, this was a great thrill for him. In fact, he has gladly gone out to feed, even in this chilling weather, in hopes of seeing it again. He's certain the hawk is there feeding on the doves in the barn. This sighting sent him to his bird books (yes, that word should be plural), and he has informed us of all the details of Cooper's hawks as well as others. He is now trying to figure out how he can catch it and keep it as a pet. Hmmmmmmm I keep telling John we need to start watching more TV so that he doesn't have time to be creative. :)
For those of you wondering about our catapult - well, they ran into some technical difficulties. Mainly, they broke the throwing arm the first time out. The head of the project (Joshua) how now hired a consultant (Dad). They are looking into the matter and trying to find a way to correct the matter. We'll keep you apprised of any new details as they become known to us.

As I head out to finish the last three days of school before our winter break begins, I pray that each of you will find the time these next few weeks to just enjoy a nice cup of tea, someone to snuggle with, and a quiet moment to remember the gift of Christ this season.
posted by Prairie Momma @ 9:04 AM 3 comments