Holy cow!!!!

Yesterday I cooked my FIRST EVER Thanksgiving meal all by myself....My Dad and his family came over, and I thought that I was going to be SOOOOOOO prepared. I mean, after all, I had a list! Oh, yes...a list. A pretty little list with times that everything needed to be started, pulled out of the oven, uncovered, etc.....I was going to be SO organized that everything flowed perfectly. There were going to be no "Thanksgiving emergencies" for me. I had this whipped.....Until it got time to start cooking! :) All of the sudden, everything went crazy. My pretty little list ended up with scribbles all over it....and a few tears. I went from calm and prepared in my cute little apron to a limping (I dropped a can on my big toe), scurrying idiot in a matter of seconds. (Which my Mom assures me is normal.)....I think she's just trying to make me feel better! Not only did I drop a can on my toe, but I also burned the back of my wrist on the oven.....

BUT......It turned out really good! :) All of the craziness, bruises and blisters were completely worth it! Hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!

Craziness....

Life has been crazy around here lately.....We started calving on Oct. 28th. This is my favorite time of the year (definitely NOT because of the weather) because of the babies...I can't wait to check cows every morning to see if we're going to have anyone calve that day. I love the every aspect of it....I love the newborns, of course. I mean is there anything cuter?! I love watching the mamas be so protective and watching nature take it's course. I love watching the babies play on an early cool morning when they are feeling really good. They buck and kick and aggravate each other (and their mamas). It's been a nice break from all of the rest of the craziness that's been going on lately. We've had some problems on the bus that happened to Kyle that I've had to go to the school over....MAJOR problems that I'm still really pissed about, but I'm giving the school first chance, and I could possibly even have to get the law involved :( Katie's been working on her science fair project, but we turned that in this morning :) I hope that she does well....She has worked her BUTT off on that project. Korey has been to the doctor because of a stomach issue and he's been on medicine the past week and a half...If the meds don't clear it up, we may have to go to a GI specialist :( Not to mention that my "extended" family situation is not the best right now, so I'm wondering how the holidays are going to be.....When it rains, it pours, I suppose....."That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger", right?!?! Surely there's a light at the end of the tunnel soon. If I don't post after this, you'll know that everything got the best of me ;)

THE best thing EVER!!!! :)

My grandmother's banana pudding....

So good!!!!

My grandmother made the BEST homemade banana pudding EVER!!! When we were kids and we went to their house on Sundays after church, it was everyone's favorite....SO rich!!! My mom wanted to know how she made it, so she asked for the recipe but there was one problem. My grandmother didn't measure anything....It was just a pinch of this and a dab of that....So my mom had to watch her make it and guess on measurements. My grandmother has since passed away, and now I'm "heir" to the banana pudding recipe. It is seriously SO good. I entered it into a contest once and won.....After I got my "prize" and my picture taken, I had a gentleman approach me that had helped judge. He wanted the recipe. I told him that it was a family secret...Sorry.....Then he offered me MONEY!!! (I still turned him down.) I will pass it on to my daughter....It's tradition.

This particular banana pudding above is earmarked for a gentleman that works with my husband. I send them to work with Terry every so often, and I guess it's been a big hit. They are working together this week, and Terry came home two days ago and said, "He'll buy everything you need if you'll just make it for him." I had everything but Nilla wafers, so he contributed those. :) Hope he enjoys it!

This weekend's pics

Kyle and Katie went to a roping school this weekend put on by the church. They had a blast. They learned alot of good tips and listened better to the instructors than they do to me....After all, I'm just "Mom"...what do I know, right?! ;) Everyone seemed to think that the kiddos had been bitten by the "roping bug"....Lord, I hope not!!! That's an expensive hobby! :)

This is Kyle headed down the arena after the calf. I don't have a pic of Katie on horseback....I had to run to the house to starch Terry's clothes and make his breakfast and lunch, and I pulled back in right after she had gotten off her horse :( But one of my buddies got a pic for me, so I'll post it as soon as she sends it.

Kyle doing some ground work....

Katie trying it out....

I love that they learned alot, and I really love that they were around super people while doing it!!!! The people's home and arena that we were at are two of the sweetest, most genuine people that I have ever met. It's nice to find that when you move somewhere.

Roping schools and Craft shows

The kiddos went to a roping school today....Hopefully they listened better there than they do when I'm trying to teach them....Korey couldn't go because he was with his Dad, but Kyle and Katie seemed to enjoy it. They came home completely tuckered out....when you're not used to it, swinging a loop for 4 hours will kick your butt! :) Hopefully they will be able to raise their arm in the morning....They go back tomorrow afternoon after church....I'm going to stay and take pictures tomorrow. I wanted them to get at least one day down without their Mom embarrassing them! ;)

While they were there I went to a craft show looking for ideas for Christmas. I really want to do handmade gifts this year.....partly because of the way that the economy is and partly because I've really been trying to "get back to the basics" here lately, and I would really like to be more self-sufficient in everything. I have the crafty gene....my Mom is amazing with anything that she attempts....hopefully I have a little of the same! ;) We'll see soon. I'll post pics when it gets closer to Christmas of my creations!

I started with good intentions....

Ever have one of those days where you really start out with great intentions, but then they get lost somewhere in the course of the day? Today was one of those days for me....I woke up bright & early (as usual for a Mom of 3, right?), and after I got the kiddos off to school, I went and checked the cows...Everyone was present and accounted for, and no one calved last night. Then I checked the oil, etc. in the tractor, and checked one of the gear boxes on the shredder that is leaking a little bit....Then decided that I'd go get groceries and then start shredding.....THERE was my mistake! I knew better....I drive to the closest Sam's to grocery shop because it's cheaper in bulk. After shopping for groceries, driving home and unloading them, it was noon.....So, I decided that I should go ahead and get my husband's "lunch" started (he's working nights this week), so I put on a pot of chili.....Then I thought about a bread recipe that I've been wanting to make....and some desserts that I wanted to make....So I ended up spending all afternoon in the kitchen either baking or looking up recipes. I was productive because between mixing, etc. I was washing clothes or picking up the house, but it's still not what I wanted to do today, so I'm disappointed. However, since I've gotten the house cleaned up and all of my baking done, tomorrow I can stay on the shredder all day.....I'm definitely looking forward to it.

One man's trash....

is another man's treasure! I've heard that all of my life...

and now we've expierenced it! The Servis Flex 15 below was my

grandfather's. It's been used (but not kept up) by people

in the family since his death. We went and picked

it up yesterday with my Mom's blessing. (Thanks, MOM!!!!)

Yesterday after we brought it home...It was parked in a pasture with weeds all around it...

The deck has rusted through in spots...

Last "before" pic...

Today after spending about $60 bucks and a whole day's worth of labor, my sweetheart of a hubby is SHREDDING with Pop's shredder!!!!

He shredded until nearly dark, and everything's fine!!!! We still have some work to do on it...having a bit of a problem finding parts....but we'll get there!!!! I'm so proud!!!!!