Friday, December 28, 2012

Family Tradition

For many years now, I've said that it isn't Christmas with our family until someone cries.  It's been me.  It's been a sister.  It's been ma.  It's been more than one of us!  It's always a surprise as to who it will be.  

A few years ago, I started it and there was a chain reaction.  I mean popping bubble wrap leads to things being thrown, which leads to a cast iron skillet landing on my foot.  Leading to me laughing so hard I cry and then somehow that turns into me crying over JDB, whom had passed a few months prior.  Naturally, this is a chain reaction and tears start flowing all over the room.  

There was no alcohol involved.  Promise.  Ha!

This year we were all gathered in the living room opening presents.  MS was opening her last one.  It was a quilt I made her.  Cue: tears.  I start laughing asking why she's crying.  (Apparently that is what I do when I cause people to cry-- ask them why they are crying!!)  She loved it.  I told her it was terrible, but she didn't listen.  I told her to use it for her photographs for babies.  She said no, she's saving it for her first.  I already told her I'd make him one once I know what I'm doing!!  

And that's when I knew it was Christmas!! 

I didn't take a picture of it, so I'll have to see if I can get one from her to put on here.  There was more tears later, again, no alcohol involved.  Ever.  ;) 

And so we put another Christmas story in the books!!  Hope you all carried on your family traditions as well!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Merry Christmas

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and were able to spend it with your family And friends!

DJ had to work Christmas eve. Once he got home we went to his brother's place for supper with his family. Christmas morning we loaded up the boys and headed to my parents' house for Christmas with my family. A lot of fun was had and more than enough food was consumed! We ended the night by watching Dumb and Dumber after a bowl of soup!

Today we went and met an old friend of mine whom is visiting over the holidays. We were able to meet her son for the first time. He was so well behaved and everyone in the restaurant loved him!! Such a happy baby.

Please remember those serving for us, wherever they may be, whom are unable to spend the holiday season with their loved ones. Send a quick shout out to them to brighten their day!!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Stormy

Well it's going to be a white Christmas for us this year. Wednesday evening and Thursday morning we got snow! In the form of a blizzard. We even had thunder snow! DJ and I had a snow day on Thursday and I got another one on Friday. Started my Christmas vacation out a couple days earlier!! MS thought it wasn't fair since she still had to go in. Turns out they got about a quarter of the snow we did! I think they decided we got around 13 inches. I don't know how they tell since it was blowing almost 50 mph at times so our yard goes from practically bare to a couple foot high drifts! Yesterday turned out to be pretty nice and the sun was shining so I decided to load up the dogs and go for a ride. We rode around the farm for a bit before the sun started to go down and it got chilly. I love busting drifts in horseback. I giggle so much it's a miracle I stay on! Here's a couple pictures of the snow! Ignore my finger, it was bright out and I was just pointing and shooting by guess!





Monday, December 17, 2012

Christmas

Ahh Ive been super busy lately and haven't taken the time to write!  Hopefully after the holidays things will calm down again.  I am done Christmas shopping-- this may be the earliest that's ever happened before!  Usually I'm still looking on Dec. 24! 

I have a presentation I need to get together for tomorrow, so this isn't much of a post.  Sorry.

More to come.  Soon?

Monday, December 10, 2012

ER

DJ got Thanksgiving off so he had to work the following Saturday.  I had to run in and do the weekend chores at work and then pretty much had a lazy day.  I decided to run to town because there was an awesome deal at the fabric store.  It was a pretty nice day out so the dogs were outside.

I got back from the store and they weren't there to meet me-- odd.  So I decided to go see if I could find them.  There are four houses in the family all within a mile of each other and sometimes they like to go visit-- go ahead and tell me how terrible this is that we let our farm dogs run around...  just wait!

I pulled out of the driveway without stopping to unload the car (I had also stopped to grab some eggs, bread, milk, butter, and beer...).  I headed towards the creek and I saw UC lying in the grass.  Hmm... okay.  As I slowed down he sat up and looked at me.  I pulled over and rolled the window down yelling at him.  He didn't come.  That's strange.  I got out and went around the car and he started walking up to me, but then turned back around so I followed him.  He took me down to the creek where I found JW.

A muddy, muddy, muddy JW just lying in the mud.  He was stuck in a trap, not even fighting, he just looked at  me like, "help me, mom" so I jumped in the creek and tried to get him out.  Between all the mud, UC trying to be right there seeing if his buddy was okay, and not being familiar with traps, I soon decided that I wasn't going to be able to get him out of it.  I was able to pull the whole thing out of the creek.  It was a struggle to get him and the trap and me up the bank.  UC was trying to help, but was more in the way than anything, we somehow got the trap stuck to his collar-- found that out when I tried putting JW in the car!!  I got them unhooked and both of them (still muddy messes) loaded into the car.  I called DJ's brother but didn't get an answer.  I then called his mom and asked if his dad was around and if he could help me.

I arrived at their place and his dad was able to get the trap off JW after fiddling with it a bit.  I wrapped him up in a blanket and held him while applying pressure to his back foot to slow the bleeding down.  I was sitting in the passenger seat and UC was in the back seat leaning through and trying to clean him up.  He was so worried.  DJ pulled in about then.  We got UC out of the car (much to his disliking) and DJ's parents took him home.  He was less than thrilled with the idea of leaving his little brother.  We headed to the emergency vet hospital and got him in right away.  They cleaned him up and decided to take x-rays to see what everything looked like.  I was sure his back leg was broken, as it took the brunt of the beating!! 

After awhile the doctor came in and said nothing was broken but the trap had gone through toe of his little toes so we had to give him pain meds, antibiotics, and anti-inflamatory pills.  They had given him a shot for pain so he wasn't limping when we went home, just very tired.

UC was quite glad to see his lil brother when we got home, however JW was a little crabby and just wanted to drink/eat/sleep.  So we gave him his pills with supper and put him to bed.

He was sore the next few days and wasn't himself.  He laid in bed except to go outside.  About a week later he was more himself so I let him outside for a bit.  When I let them back in, he was limping.  I took that as a sign that he wasn't quite ready to go back to his normal routine, so he stayed inside most the time, but would still run around in there.  He still limps if he is on it for too long and goes up and down stairs on three legs.  Also when UC steps on one of his bad feet he will yelp and favor it, but usually forgets about it after four seconds.  I think he would go out and play more, but he is not a fan of the cool temps we've been having so he usually goes out to do his business and runs back to the door! 

FYI: the trap was set illegally, so yes, you can say we're bad pet owners for letting them run around, but the trap shouldn't have been set there in the first place.  We have also installed an underground fence now, so hopefully they will learn their boundaries quickly.  (I'm sure I'm a bad parent for using a shock system-- but I've been shocked and I learned quickly!!)   Now go ahead and judge me :)

Monday, December 3, 2012

Bowling

That's right-- We're going bowling!!  :)

Maybe I can talk DJ into road tripping!! Sounds fun to me!