What we've been up to

Shane bought another horse last week.  Her name is Dixie and she is also a Tennessee Walker like one of our other horses, Sonny.  She is beautiful!   She is quite spooked by everything around here: birds, rabbits, shadows.  Maybe she'll get used to those things soon.  Shane and Mallory took a quick ride yesterday afternoon. 

 

Baseball season is here!  Dillon's team has been practicing a lot to get ready for opening day.  It looks like it is going to be another busy baseball year.  Some of the other players have younger siblings, so it's a good thing for Mallory this year.  She has all sorts of friends to play with during his game.  She isn't too interested in sitting for too long to watch a game. 

 

Spring not only brought us 70 kids (goats) but it also has been bringing us calves too.  Mallory and I tagged along with Shane while he tagged the new calves ears. I get nervous everytime he does this.  Those momma cows don't play around when you mess with their babies.  They will let out a call to the whole herd, and you better watch out.  You can get taken down pretty easy.  Shane does it so calmly.  I think I would fall out as soon as Mrs. Cow blows at me while shaking her head.  Yep, I don't think this is  a  job I will ever do.  Sorry honey, this is all you!

Stay calm, and all will be ok (fingers crossed)

Hope everyone has a great day!

Trampoline fun

The kids were jumping on the trampoline yesterday, and I decided to take some pictures of them.  I mean, I'm always taking photos of our farm animals for our farm website....Why not take pictures of our children!!!  They, of course, loved to do many tricks for me to take photos of.  So I chose one for each of them to show. 

Dillon doing the "spin around"

I think this is a karate move
(she's going to kill me one day for this!)

My favorite. 

Have a great day everyone!  We are totally enjoying Spring Break!

Mississippi Mud

With all of the rain we received for 2 days, my children had the opportunity to have some real fun.  A puddle formed where we had our pool in the backyard last summer.  The pool had killed all of the grass, leaving nothing but dirt.  Good ole'  Mississippi dirt mixed with tons of rainwater = Mississippi Mud. 

This is what I found when I looked out my kitchen window......They were having a blast, so I couldn't bring myself to fuss about Dillon's school uniform getting covered in mud.  They were giggling and laughing so much, it made me laugh.  Who knew mud could be so fun? 

 I mean, just look at that!  Who doesn't just want to dive in and play with that?  Nothing like a little Mississippi Mud to bring 2 siblings together ;)

I also wanted to share another thing that I relate to Mississippi.  I cooked pink-eye purple-hull peas last night for supper.  Thank goodness my grandmother (Scooter) taught me how to cook!  I took about 3 TBSP of bacon drippings and chopped onions and simmered until the onions were starting to caramelize.  Can't you just smell it?

Then I put my peas (what I put up last summer) added water, salt, and pepper in the  pot with the onions and bacon drippings.  Pair that with some buttermilk cornbread and you have a meal!  Of course I had to make macaroni and cheese too.  We also had sweet potatoes baked with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar!  Yummy!

Sorry no pictures of the cornbread and cooked peas.  A pack of hungry wolves ran in and cleaned up all of the supper on the table. 

Spring Cleaning

I have been busy doing my spring cleaning.  You know, that kind of cleaning where you get down on your hands and knees and REALLY clean.  Okay, so some of you may clean that way all of the time, but I have to admit I don't deep clean on an everyday basis, maybe not even on a weekly basis.  Did I just say that?  Now that doesn't mean that my house is filthy, but I don't  get down and scrub the baseboards often, and I couldn't tell you the last time I cleaned my oven!  I can't believe I just admitted to that.  Just trying to keep it real!  So here's to Spring and to Spring Cleaning!

She was compensated!

Mallory had to help me out all day yesterday due to my back.  She helped me unload the dishwasher, reload the dishwasher, get clothes out of the dryer and put in a basket.  On top of all of that, she also helped me by picking the baby goats (kids) and put them in the bucket to be weighed.  She was a tremendous help to me!  I couldn't have done it without her. 

Since Mallory went above and beyond her few "chores" I decided she deserved to be compensated.  I told her she had the option of a prize that I had stored in my closet (it was a future birthday or Christmas present) OR she could get money.  She chose the prize in the closet, not knowing what it would be.  I don't think it was too shabby though.  It made one little girl quite happy.  See for yourself.

My little Pony
Mommy and baby in convertible

By the way, my back is getting much better.  Thank goodness for anti-inflammatories.  When completely well, I will be working on some back strengthening exercises.  I definitely don't want this to happen again!

My aching back

Yesterday while checking for newborn baby goats in the pasture, I found myself in a predicament!  I was down at the bottom of a steep hill with a doe and her 2 kids, bending over, and did something to my back.  I could barely stand up straight, nor could I pick up my feet to make the effort to walk back up that hill.  So I shuffled my feet like a little old person back up the hill. By the way, if you are a little old person that shuffles your feet, I am in no way making fun or judging you!  Just stating the facts of how I proceeded up the hill.  After a long journey to get to the house, I landed on the couch and didn't move.  Poor Shane had to come home after work and make rounds to check on any new kids that had to have their ears tagged.  Of course, 14 kids had been born since the time I had been out there.  I think they did it on purpose! 

So here I am after heating pad, ice packs, and 800mg Ibuprofen; I am going to attempt to get some things done today.  I will need Mallory's help for the bending over stuff, poor child.  I had to have help to get out of bed (thanks honey!) and to put on my socks and shoes this morning.  It's a shame; 30 years old and I start falling apart! 

Oh and by the way,  Happy Birthday to the most wonderful man in the world!  I love you!!!  And don't try to run away from me when I have the camera....I will get your picture, you know! 

#1 Hubby