My Halloween Pumpkin

Every year on Halloween I get out Moose's pumpkin costume. 

When I get this costume out, he knows what is going to happen!  He gets all excited and can't wait until I  put it on him.    He knows that when he puts on his pumpkin, people are going to come to our house.   He loves it!

Tonight when I got his costume out, I came walking down the stairs, and when he saw me he came running and jumping up and down wanting me to put it on him! 

Is it sad when your dog wants to put on a costume?

Is it bad when your dog thinks hes a person?

If it is, oh well, I love him anyway!

Amy

Gyp Creek

This is another one of my favorite pictures!

This is a bridge that runs across the corner of one of our farms.  We actually call the farm Gyp Creek in honor of the creek this bridge crosses.  I have also taken some awesome pictures of this bridge in the spring when everything is green. I'll post them sometime.

Amy

Secretariat

This is the real Secretariat.

This is the Movie Secretariat!

Secretariat is a real horse.  He broke a world record in the racing world that has yet to be broke.  It is an incredible story!  I'm not going to tell you anymore about him because I want you to catch the movie.  If you haven't seen it; it's definately a must!  If you don't want to see the movie but want to know more about this amazing horse click here:Secretariat Legacy

Your Farm Friend

Amy

Trail Ride

Today we went on a trail ride.

Well, my today has actually turned into tomorrow. Which would mean that my today should be yesterday.

Anyway...

The trail ride was organized as benefit to help raise money for a friend. We rode in th red rock canyons north of Hinton It was a beautiful place and lots of fun!

My mom and dad came down and rode with us.

Alhough the weaher turned out chilly, we all survived.

They even fed us after it was all overwith.

Traumatic Exposure

This is a poem that was written by Joe Kreger, of Tonkawa Oklahoma.  I came across this today and felt like you all needed to read it!  I hope you enjoy!

Remember when you shucked your pants

to escape a horde of big red ants?

You’ll recall your problem did commence

along the road, out fixin’ fence.

You never looked or even thought

when a broken wire caused you to squat.

And little did you know that day

you’d be road kill on an ant highway.

While you were carefully splicing’ wire

a council met and did conspire.

The Ant War Council did decide

to launch attack on cowboy hide.

But, before they scaled your Blucher boots,

they issued a call for more recruits.

The warriors split, and off they went.

They came back leadin’ a regiment.

At least four hundred hostile ants

invaded the space within your pants.

A ticklin’ feelin’ spilled the beans

that you had company in your jeans.

Them little tickles turned to pain.

You squalled like a panther, gone insane.

you let out groans and breathy snorts

When they filtered through your boxer shorts.

You kicked your boots off in the ditch.

You began to buck and wheel and pitch.

There ain’t no words that quite explain

that burnin’ sting, that searin’ pain.

You peeled your jeans, but you weren’t through.

Them boxer drawers, they came off, too.

You brushed and slapped, a squashin’ ants,

shook out your drawers and Wrangler pants.

Then, mostly clad in your birthday suit,

you bent over to grab a boot.

As you looked back between your knees,

you saw a sight that made you freeze.

You couldn’t move, you were frozen still

as that black sedan came down the hill.

And, in your heart of hearts, you knowed

what they were viewin’ from the road.

And then the shock of your entire life

it was Pastor Smith and his lovely wife!

Well, they spun gravel, and off they sped.

You straightened up and raised your head.

There you stood, a wounded creature.

You never meant to moon your preacher!

Now, you take great care where you squat down

and you go to church in another town.

An Update

After the family reunion I spent the week getting ready for a local craft fair.  I spent every second I could getting ready.  I stayed up late and got up early.

Then after the craft fair, I spent the week catching up on my regular house work that I let go, so I could get ready for the craft fair.  My floors were dirty and LB was out of clothes!

Once I got caught up on my house work, I prepared for LB's birthday!  Yes, my wonderful husband is the Big 30.  We celebrated with a small gathering at our house.  I told LB I'd cook anything he wanted for his birthday dinner.  Can you guess what he asked for?  Yep!  You're right.  Fajitas!

Well, now, the house is clean, the laundry is caught up, and I'm on fall break!  Maybe things will slow down for a while.

Well, at least until Thanksgiving.

Amy

My Journey To Motherhood: Part 1 -1

If you have not read THIS POST please do so before continuing.

     "I'm not finding a heartbeat."

     This one single phrase, spoken only hours before, was still ringing in my ears as if I was hearing it for the first time. 

     Today was supposed to be marked as one of the most exciting days of my life; but instead the dream that I'd had of becoming a mother since I was a little girl was shattered with one simple phrase.

     That morning had been filled with excitement as LB and I, my husband of four years, had gotten up and prepared for the day.  Our appointment was at 10:00 and we were to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time.  For nine weeks now, I had been taking extra care with everything I had done and eaten.  I weighed everything with the possible effects it could have on my unborn child.  I had read everything I could find on pregnancy so that I could be one hundred percent prepared for everything that was to happen over the next nine months.  I wanted to do everything within my power to protect that baby; keep it safe.

     The hour and a half drive to the Dr.'s office seemed to only take half the time.  The conversation was light and cheerie filled with pauses, here and there, so we could sing along with the radio as our favorite songs were aired.  We were excited!  We had been preparing for a family for months, once it finally arrived we had been to excited to keep it a secret and by five weeks we were so near bursting that we told both families of the upcoming new addition.  And now both families were at home waiting.  Waiting to hear about the baby and see the first picture.

     The wait at the Dr.'s office was short.  LB sat in the small examination room as the chatty nurse conducted the dreadful weigh in and collectted a urine sample.  Then came the time for all those unavoidable pesky questions:  "When was the first day of your last menstral period?"  "Has anyone in your family ever had a miscarriage?"  "Does anyone in your family have a birthdefect?"  "Are you taking any kind of prenatal supplement?"  Once the nurse had collected my life story she handed it over to the Dr. so she could get down to the important stuff.

     "Well, Amy, you are in good health and I don't see anything in your health history that concerns me.  Let's do a pelvic exam and then I'll bring in the ultrasound machine."  Dr. Bishop said with shared excitement.  As Dr. Bishop left the room to get the ultrasound machine, LB moved to my other side so he could view the monitor.  My heart began to beat hard.  This was the moment.  The moment that we were going to get to see the heartbeat of the baby we had created.  The baby that I had cared for, thought about, planned for and protected for nine weeks.

     Dr. Bishop squeezed a generous helping of the cold ultrasound gel onto my pudgy belly. I waited anxiously to see the monitor as the Dr. moved the wand across my tummy.  Dr. Bishop studied the screen for a long time knitting her eyebrows together with a look of concern.  That's when she looked at us both and said:  "I'm not finding a heartbeat."

How To Open A Can

Opening a can can be a tricky thing.  I am here today to tell you the easiest way that I have found to open a can.

1.)  Get out the cans that need to be open and place them on the counter.

2.)  Choose the can opener that you'd like to use:  the kind that cut the can end or the kind that undo the edges.  It doesn't really matter.  I use the Pampered Chef can opener that unfolds the top so those are the directions I'll give you.

3.)  Place the can opener on the can and begin turning the handle.

4.)  Go around the can one time and then try to open the top. 

5.)  Place the can opener back on the can and go around again because it didn't work the first time.

6.)  Try to open the can.  Find out that it only worked on selected spots of the can lids.  Put the can opener back on the can and go around again.

7.)  Try to open the can again.  Get angry because again, it didn't work like it was supposed to.  Then force the lid of the can up like so:

Feel lucky because you got more than half the top to open.

8.)  Count how many cans you have left to open.

9.)  Go find your husband and tell him that if he doesn't come and open the rest of the cans he won't get supper tonight.

10.)  Smile because your husband loves you so much that he doesn't want you to pull your hair out or starve, so he stops welding and comes in and opens the other five cans for you!

Amy



Famly Reunion

OK, so I'm a little late on this, but two weekends ago, I went to my family reunion.  It's always nice to get to see everyone.  Sometimes, it's the only time a year we see each other.

I got to see two of my wonderful cousins:

And my sister and her kids:

And my other sister:

And several other  people that I didn't get any pictures of.  I don't know what I was thinking, I only took 13 pictures the whole day!  I've never done that before.  I usually have lots of pictures.  Well, I guess I'll have to try harder next year!

Amy

A Small Tip

Just for those of you who don't know; if your head comes in contact with your husband's knee it will cause a headache!

Fajita Recipe

When I started this blog, I never intended to blog about recipes. But, my wonderful husband told me the other day, that I should post my fajita recipe.  This recipe is his favorite.  I cook it at least twice a month.  So, on behalf of my husband; here is my fajitas.

Disclaimer:  Some of these pictures are yellow.  I have bad lighting in my kitchen after dark.  And it's hard to take pictures of yourself without a tripod.

The Ingredients:

You need steak.  Any kind of steak will work. The above is club steak, but round steak and tenderloin are my favorite to use in this recipe.  Usually figure one steak per person.

The Fajita Marinade:  oil (not pictured), red wind vinegar, sugar, oregano leaves, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

One yellow, red and green pepper. And one onion.

And butter.  Don't forget the butter!

There are 3 Steps to Making the Fajitas:

First:  Make the marinade.  The measurements I'm giving you are for a 2 serving size recipe.  You'll want a little juice left over when you're finished, so don't skimp on this. Sometimes I double it if my two steaks are big. If you're using 3 steaks, go ahead and double the measurements. 

1/4 C. Oil                    
1/4 C. Red Wine Viegar
1 t. Sugar
1 t. Oregano Leaves 
1 t. Chili Powder 
1/2 t. Garlic Powder  
1/2 t. Salt 
1/4 t. Pepper

Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

I like to make this very first so that all the ingredients have time to mix well with each other.

Second:  Cook the Vegetables. 

Melt a couple Tablespoons butter in a pan over medium-low heat.

Slice the peppers.

Add them to the melted butter and cover.

Do the same for the green pepper and...

The Red Peppers.

Add them to the skillet as you get them cut.

Add another tablespoon of butter and cover.

Slice the onion in half.  Put the other half back in the refridgerator.  You'll only need half. 

Slice it.

And add it to the skillet.

Now reduce the heat to the lowest and cover.  Stir it occasionally so that nothing will burn.  These should be nice and tender by the time the meat is cooked.  Yum!

Third:  Cook the meat.

In another skillet, over medium heat, add a few tablespoons of butter.  I like for my butter to become brown before I add the meat.

Cut all large veins of fat off your steaks.  Some of the marbling is ok.  You just want the large pieces out of the way for when you are cutting your steaks into fajita strips.

Cutting against the grain, cut your steaks intto 1/4 inch strips.

Sprinkle on some unseasoned meat tenderizor.

Add to the skillet of melted butter.

After a few minutes flip your steak. 

Once the meat juices run clear add your marinade.

Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.

*If you want, you can add your sauteed veggies to the mixture, but I don't like to do this.  Everyone can choose how much veggies they want on their tortillas this way.  Plus left overs reheat better with out the veggies mixed in.

Finally:

Set out the condiments and ring the dinnerbell, because...

It's ready to enjoy!

No More Black Boot

YaHoo!

Today I got to take off my boot! 

After 5 weeks I'll finally get to wear matching shoes.

I'm so excited!

Amy