Apparently I should read my own blog more often

look at my sweet baby! Can't believe he'll be five this year.

"Poor Norman our cow didn't make it. I will never try bottle calves again that was a hard heart breaking ordeal. Though it did make some fun memories."-2009

As you can see this post was from 2009,  and my last round of bottle calves. Did you notice I said never again, which I must have forgotten or convinced myself it was not that bad (note to self the same thing happens a few years after childbirth as well glad I videotaped the last one.)

Well I went and got seven calves and we have two left I think they are going to make it though. I rememered this blog post as I had another calf sitting by my fireplace. It died too. It is so so weird how you do the same thing for everyone and some die and some live no matter what you do. I've had fun hanging out with my mom and feeding the calves with my boys. My friend Kerri and her oldest daughter Chloe came and helped me a lot. She is such a good friend. Always there for me. Well This Time I mean it never again!! 

maybe (= 

Harvest presents

I was digging in the freezer the other day and came across two bags of frozen green beans from last years harvest. Can I tell you how much they made my heart warm. It sounds dumb but for anyone who loves their fresh produce you know what I mean. I was so impressed with how wonderful they tasted. It was like opening up a bag summer.  A little heat, butter, salt and pepper m..m..m!
When everything is so plentiful in the summer and putting up one bag of beans seems silly.... I  will not be tempted to toss them to the goats . They will be going to the freezer as little presents to myself for the long cold gray winter blahs! The same goes with cherries and blackberries that you've eaten so many of you don't want to look at another one,  they are worth their weight in gold in winter so glad we take the time to freeze those little guys.

spring plans are under way

Spring has sprung in my heart and mind and   for the moment the weather is even playing along. There are bugs out even!!!!! The boys and I we're so happy.  Yesterday my mom came over and we made a pen for baby calves. We are hopefully going to go and get them today if enough have been born by then we want to get 6. We also made a great patio place where Hayden and I tore the chicken coop down. I'm very excited to keep working on that project.  I'll take pics  of the progress.   I'm so excited for my garden I think Stevan is going to try and make it bigger this year. I love this time of year. It only gets better....YAY!


project list

1. Get calves
2. expand garden
3. clean out aspargus patch/ herb garden/strawberries and raspberries
4. keep working on patio/firepit/bbq area
5. baby goats are due april/may

Daddy time

My boys are getting so big. I can't believe they are going to be 5,9 and 12 this year. WOW where did the time go? It's really interesting experiencing this next stage of parenthood. It's not anything like I imagined. Thankfully we have good kids but still even the best behaved child has moments. I thought the baby days were so busy and hard, and they were, but the older child years is even harder because you realize you can't save them from everything and they're going to make their own choices.  Stevan is such a good dad and partner in raising our kids. We've grown so much closer over the past two years. I'm so thankful for him.

While he was laid off this past month, Wesstin got to go on a lot of dad adventures. His favorite was hot chocolate, french fries and ketchup at Cold Mountain.

When you have babies around the house you feel as though your always at the beginning stage, and now that they're getting older I have to come to terms that we're hitting the middle stages of life now. That was hard to swallow but I think I'm okay with it. I'm really enjoying the time with Stevan and look forward to watching our kids grow up together. I'm so thankful to have a complete family. To have the history and memories with that person you love.  You can not replace that.

Looking forward to spring time. Done with this grayness. BLAH!!! Ready to be in the garden and planning camping trip, sitting in sunshine, opening all the windows ahhhhh I think I have horrible cabin fever.  Oh well before I know it will be winter again and a whole nother year will have whisked on by full of memories.

We will have baby goats this year sometime around the end of April beginning of May. I'm excited for that. Wess hasn't really experienced that being old enough to remember.  I think we will all have fun with the new life running around.

my brother Gus' visit

 My brother Gus was down to visit. We had a nice time with him. Went swimming walked around town, played games and had some nice meals. Most of all just spent time together. We got all of my pictures out one night it was really fun to go through them together. I forgot I had so many.  I need to get better about taking pictures and videos now. The day to day stuff is really interesting years down the road.

My brothers

me and my mom

Our Trip to WISCONSIN

 Surprise surprise we actually made it back to Wisconsin. It was so awesome and I'll never be able to thank my husband enough for getting us all back there. It was 26 hours of drive time one way THAT'S LONG!  But we really did enjoy the time as a family. It was so great to see everyone and let the kids meet their family.   Tons of pics coming up here I'm going to just put captions of who it is underneath.

One of my favorite cousins Andy playing basketball with Brendon.

My dad's neighbor Lee showing WEss how to fly a remote control helicopter. He is  such a nice man.   This was the day after Wess and Brendon had the dry heave championships (the flu) and we had to stay an extra day. Poor Hayden got to have the flu in the car.

My cousin Annie we had so much fun with her. I always have my whole life. She has such a great heart!

My cousins Jeremy and Annie It was really fun to get to know everyone as adults now.

Cousin Annie and Uncle Brian

Annie and her mom The Big Kat

Annie and her Wess the Mess

This is the barn at my mom's side of the family.

Aunt Becky on my dad's side

My Grandma Peterson (mom's side) and the boys.

the boys in grandpa's garage

Aunt Bonnie (dad's side)

driving to WI while driving was still fun

Such troopers

Getting wood ready for firepits

in my dad;s garage

the butte when we got home NEVER SO HAPPY TO SEE IT!!!!

Uncle Jon and Cousin Cindy and Rachel Jon's oldest daughter (dad's side)

Cousin Cindy

Rachel (Dick's wife) Dick and Cindy my cousins

Add caption

dad and his sister Gay

My dad's cousins  who brought us maple syrup

dad and my cousin Jermiah who the boys think is the coolest guy ever! ( I have to agree)

at uncle Joe's

Dad and his sister Lois

me and my dad

dad and Wess at Bonnies

my dad and his neighbor

I LOVE this pic of my dad

the view of my dad's front yard

My Grandma (mom's side)

Hayden and Caleb (Jon's son) they had so much fun together

My aunt Jackie (mom's side)  she was always and still is one of my closest Aunt's she is my mom's youngest sister.

the rocket they boys had so much fun with this

My aunt Jane my mom's oldest sister

Jeff Aunt Kathy's husband (dad's side

cousin Jeremy

Aunt Jody and her son andrew (Mom's side) I've always been close with her to. It was so nice to see everyone.

me and Jody

Uncle Joe (dad's bro) his son Jeremy, his kids Moose and Leesha, Kade's girlfriend their baby and Kade Joe's son

auntie Jody and wess

Lois and Joe (dad's bro and sis)

Uncle Joe, Stevan, Uncle lee (Lois husband) dad

Uncle Joe

Uncle Jon and wess with the flarp

Wess Kristen (Matt's oldest) Dakota (Jackies) Andrew (Jody's) Hunter, Dustin (Jakcies) Little Matt (Matts) Brendon and Parker(Jackies) Hayden all  my mom's side my cousins

The boys and the BIG KAT (dad's side)

Uncle Lee

Me and Aunt Lois

My cousin Matt and his wife Becky

Matt and Jackie (My mom's brother and sister)

Uncle matt, me and cousin Andrew

Me and ANDY!

Aunt Bonnie

Bonnie cindy and I having fun at Uncle Joes

Dad and his best friend Cheekoo, he's always been like an Uncle

cousin Dustin (Jackie's oldest)

Me and Jermiah

Me and Uncle Joe

cousins Ashley and kelly (dad's side)

Cheekoo's wife Kim

Uncle mike My Aunt linda's husband (dad's side)

Uncle Tom (dad's brother)

Jeremy's son Moose really nice kid

going home

Nebraska sunset

the boys and parker Jackie's youngest

my cousins kristen and dakota

The Schmidt's Dad's sister Lois husband Lee and their kids Bonnie and Jeremiah If we lived back there we would be with them alot! Such loving special people! Jeremiah took us out to the woods on the tractor and showed us the maple syrup process and took the big boys to the barn to  feed cows.  We had a wonderful meal and great memories. Wish they we're closer.

The little barn and shed at my mom's side family farm

sledding on boxes at Grandpa's Good memories

he was so proud of this snowball

cousin hunter Jackies

the Thurs  Ann and Andy Dick and Rachel Mike and Jackie their kids Taylor and Tony, and  Cindy

Utah

The Thurs again with My aunt Bonnie this time (dad's sister)

Trying to be as cool as Jeremiah scroll down you'll see what I mean

Yeah What did I tell you He's pretty cool (=

Wyoming sunrise

Wyoming on the way there

cousin Walter (Gay's son)

Lexi and Wess My cousin Matt's little girl they had so much fun together which was so cute because Matt and I we're always really close as kids.

I have to say I am so proud to come from such loving wonderful people! Miss you all everyday!