Our Aweful Beautiful Life

To know this school year has come and gone is actually quite weird. It's going to go on record as the fastest school year yet, and I have fears that the years to come will only go faster. My babies aren't babies anymore, and we are officially living in their world of sports and activities and play dates and social schedules. (And don't tell them, but I secretly love it. I do. I love seeing them interact with their friends. I love encouraging them to be nothing more than a good teammate. I love overhearing their conversations with their friends and most of all, I love when they do something that has FINALLY clicked with them. Being kind. Paying a compliment. Going out of their way to help a friend. They are finally getting it and I am loving every minute.) Let's be real - this year had it's challenges. Colton's teacher was TRYING several times this year. I cried some. I got pissed off some. I got my feelings hurt some. I fought against you Colton. I fought FOR ...

Emmalyn, today, at age 6.98 (nearly 7...but who's counting) you declared you knew what song you were playing at your wedding. Such confidence, my sweet girl. I just pray that you find a cowboy, because um, I'm fairly confident he won't be the only one showing up with a little dirt on his boots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCxbgqyC2Wg "Dirt On My Boots" -- Jon Pardi Been up since the crack of dawn Just trying to get paid Been hotter than a hundred suns I can't find no shade Just two more rows and I'm good to go Yeah, I'm shutting this tractor down Gimme half an hour for a shave and a shower And I'll be outside your house Might have a little dirt on my boots But I'm taking you uptown tonight Might have a little mud on my wheels But they're gonna shine with you up inside Gonna hit the club, gonna cut a rug Burn it up like neon lights Might have a little dirt on my boots But we're gonna dance the dust right off ...

I should have known it wasn't going to be a normal day. I should have known being early to get out the door on a Wednesday was odd. I should have known that something big was coming. But alas, I have three kids and ADD, so basically we just jumped in the car, and were riding the high. About half way down our little stretch of drive, I peered over to the pasture, just to take a quick glance for new babies. Jason typically asked that we take a look since he leaves before it's light out. Sure enough, I see a sweet new baby calf standing in the middle of the lot. The kids are excited and since we were ahead of schedule, we pulled in to peek at new baby & momma. I should mention here that it had been in the 70's for like a solid week, but this particular morning it was in the low 30's, and COLD. We walked out, and as we got closer one of the all black cows was checking out the calf, but none too close. When we came around the corner, she bolted. I panned the lot, and s...

So, we're cattle people now. For how long...we'll see, but for now...we're cattle people. And we're kind of enjoying it. There's a LOT to learn and a lot of work involved, but our kids...they thrive in it, and perhaps that is what makes 4-H and all those $$$ worth it. Colton's been doing a great job working with his calves, Candy & Rizzo. We've all fallen in love. At least with Rizzo...Candy's coming around. But he had yet to show them...in a ring...with other cows....at a show. So, we went along with Bell's and Hall's to the Huntington Open Show. First off, we have to say THANK YOU to them for taking us under their wings, and welcoming us to their party. We had a great weekend. Secondly, Hayden and Carson were so good to Colton and Emmalyn alike. Great kids, great mentors. We went up Friday evening, and had a few rookie mistakes....you know, like leaving our registration papers to show as a purebred at home, and lining the bottom of th...

So, we've officially been parents for 9 years now, which is kind of mindblowing, because I feel like Colton was a baby yesterday, but apparently that's not the case. They don't lie when they say time doesn't slow down. Through the years, it's been fun to look back at each kids "Favorite Things".....I mostly just want to jot some notes here, so that someday when they're adults I can remind them of these silly fetishes that were SO IMPORTANT in their younger years. These are the joys (and headaches) of parenting, right? Colton:  -- Imagination Movers -- you loved this show and I loved watching you dance to the theme song! I will always blame the love of this show on your dis-interest in animation too. Because it was a show with real people as the characters, you found little interest in animated movies but loved real people movies -- The Blindside being an early favorite at age 4.... -- Dusty Jeans - you wanted nothing to do with new looking j...

I was a totally AWESOME parent, before I had kids. I mean that...I had visions of how things would go, how in control I would be, how organized I'd keep our little brood. How they'd always go to bed on time, after I read them just one more night time story. How they'd grow up slowly and would aspire to show pigs in 4-H, play football, volleyball, baseball,  be farmers, and eventually, of course, State FFA Officers. Because, duh. We were their parents, and SURELY these children would adore us the way we adore and admire our parents and would want to be just like us, right? Surely they would listen to our every word, and do what we asked, the first time we asked and pick up after themselves and use awesome manners and be the absolutely joy of our lives, right? Except, I forgot one little minuscule detail, maybe two. One being, I probably didn't really adore/admire/want to be just like my parents....until I had kids of my own. And two...I didn't yet have kids. Now...

Emmalyn -- you never cease to amaze us with your outgoing nature. You have a slew of little girlfriends that you speak of, and we enjoy watching you interact. You also like to mimic your momma-- and we're finding out the twinning days are kind of fun!   2017 Cheer Camp Emmalyn -- I have to recall this story here, because if not, I know we will quickly forget. On the night of your Cheer Clinic, Grandma & Grandpa had come by early to hang out pre-game and I'd braided your hair. We shipped you off with your group once we got there, and found our seats up top in the gym. When your group was called out, I searched, and searched, and searched for you. Grandma couldn't find you either, and I was just CERTAIN you'd gone to the bathroom at the worst possible time. Here we were, there to watch you and you'd missed your show. It was laughable. It was like "Where's Waldo...all these girls, but no Emmalyn".....  Then they started t...