Christmas Photo Outtakes

We attempted to make our Christmas card picture this morning. Of course we didn't do it the last two weekends when the weather was perfect. We waited till it was windy.

We took the dogs out for a walk, in hopes to get some of their pent up energy out. Then we figured we'd give it a go. Enjoy the outtakes!

I guess I was taking up too much of the bench. Pepper could only get her nose poked out.

So many paws flyin' around, I had a wardrobe malfunction!

I promise I didn't break down crying! Really!

Diesel and Foxy fightin' under the bench.

Resuming their fight in my lap.

Diesel decided he had enough. He ran behind the tripod and laid down!

Amazingly all the dogs did pretty well. I think we did manage to get a good picture. You'll have to wait for that one though!

God and Dog

Do I Smell Like Alpo?

I'm really startin' to wonder. I had the day off today due to the holiday. I planned on spending the day cleaning around the house. Mid-morning the dogs started barking. I look out the door and what do I see....a stray dog!

It looked like the one that came by a few weeks ago. I went out and took her picture. Sent it to the husband and asked if it was the same dog. He called me back and said it was. He asked if I sent out the word that I would be home today cause she just happen to show up! Whatever!

She went out to the barn so I followed. She looked as though she was scavenging for food. I poured her a bowl and she acted like she hadn't ate in days.

The husband was actually disappointed when she disappeared last time. He kinda liked her. Thought she acted like she would work cattle. So he told me to let her be.

I turned the other kiddos out.

They all smelled and ran about. Lucky Dog even had to give an okay.

The most trouble I had was with Diesel. He did NOT like her jumping up on me. He growled and bit at her. She does good to sit and let me pet her. But she really feeds off the others and gets hyper.

If she does stay, we will have to find the money to get her spayed. Not gonna increase the dog population.

**Update on Lucky Dog...He is the happiest dog. Have you ever seen a dog smile? He seems to smile every day. Slowly but surely gettin' over his timidness. Loves to be petted and rubbed. I'm so happy he found us.**

Calf Lockdown

You ever seen a calf pen-itentiary?! HAHA! I crack myself up sometimes.

I'm sure they feel as though they are in baby jail.

Poor things just want their mommas. Crying all the time.

They can keep filin' appeals but I know the warden. He's a hard a$$, they're stuck like chuck until they serve their time. No good time credit given here.

Whatcha Think?

So I am doing that arts and crafts show early December. I thought I needed to take more than just my prints. Been doing some experimenting on different projects. I came up with this....

It's a magnet. Measures around 4x5.

Then a great blogger friend suggested I make lil pictures. So I made some minis.

They measure around 2x3. That way if someone can't afford a large print, maybe they will buy a mini-one?

So what do ya think? Would you buy this stuff? Price range from $5-$10.

Welcome to Our World...

our very loud world!

We tried gatherin' cows and calves today. It was goin' slicker en snot this morning. Everything went into the pen right off the bat. Ran to get a spare trailer. Loaded some of the calves in the first trailer. Then decided we needed to get some of the cows outta the way. Loaded a few on the back of trailer number one.

Then pulled trailer number two up. Put more cows on the front of it. Then tried getting the rest of the calves. Well, that's when it got a little "western"! When it's just me and the husband, we can't be in all the spots needed. So a black bull calf decided he was part gazelle and jumped the panel. Out he went. No way to get him back.

We weren't gonna worry 'bout it though. Continued working on gettin' the others loaded. But then it came to Mad Dog (I named him that because of the way he stares me down all the time). You remember him....

I swear he hates me. He realized he no longer wanted to be in the pen. As I was on the outside of the pen, he runs full on straight towards me and BUSTS thru the panels! Holy Moly!

We managed to get everything else loaded. Took one trailer load home. Went back with the mommas to the two renegades. Found the black bull. Got dark before we found Mad Dog. Hopin' after we left, he finally came out from hiding.

Picked up the last load of cattle and headed home. Made it twelve miles from the house and had a blow out! GAH! Nothing worse than trying to change a tire on a trailer load of cattle in the dark. We did have a guy stop and shine his headlights on us to help. We so appreciated him.

Managed to make it home and unload with no issues. Thank goodness!

A Long Day

I was in my office yesterday afternoon doing normal work stuff when my coworker walked up and said there was a shooting. Shootings don't usually mean a whole lot to me personally, but this time I was sittin' in my office at Fort Hood.

Safety procedures were taken and we were locked down. I knew I had to call the husband before it hit the media. I finally reached him and told him what was going on and that I was okay. Tried to keep him from worryin'.

Then Rent-a-Husband tried calling me. The cell phone service was very bad by that time and I couldn't respond to him. He was in Vegas for the PBR finals and heard about it.

Called my mom. She said she had just heard the news on the radio. She said she looked at her co-worker and said my daughter is there.

Tried to reassure everyone that I was safe. The husband was gettin' inundated with calls from family and friends that heard the news. As well as callin' family to let them know I was okay.

We were finally allowed to leave base around 7pm. The traffic to get out was horrible. While sittin' in line to leave, I saw the local PD leaving. SWAT team hangin' off the side of the van. Then as I approached the gate, soldiers armed with rifles were checking cars. Very eerie sight.

I managed to get home around 10pm. So happy to be home. The husband finally got home around 1am from work. I could see the relief on his face when he saw me. Poor guy was so worried. I think the whole situation was much worse for him than me.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their loved ones. Please keep them in yours.

I Can Do the Work of Four Men

The husband sent one of your not so great buckin' yearling bulls to a neighbor. He needed a bull for his heifers and we needed one less mouth to feed. It worked out well for both of us.

Yesterday, the neighbor was to bring Bruiser back. When I got home from work, he still wasn't here. I let the dogs out and walked out to the mailbox. Of course, when I got to the end of the drive, I heard the truck and trailer heading this way. I managed to wrangle all five dogs back up the drive and into the yard by the time he was pulling off the road.

Much to my surprise, another truck followed the neighbor in. So I walk out to the load alley and waited for him to back the trailer up. Four guys get out. I head to open the gate to the alley and one runs up and says "Ma'am, let me get that gate for ya." First of all, he reeks of alcohol. I could smell him a mile away. Secondly, I don't need some man to open my gate. I nicely say no, I can handle it and open the gate.

As I'm waiting, they start asking about where Bruiser needs to go, do they need to open/close any more gates, yada, yada, yada. I tell them everything is ready, just run him off the trailer. Well, then they decide I'm not in a safe place. Not that I don't work these bulls all the time or anything. I tell them I'm fine...RUN HIM OFF THE TRAILER!

They finally realize I'm not moving and open the trailer. Bruiser runs down the alley and stops. I stand there, knowing he will go on around because Death Wish is in a pen nearby. Bruiser will run to him. The alcohol laden guy stands at the end of the alley "shushing" him. Bruiser pays him no nevermind. He finally walks away. I stand in the pen watching him when the guy says "I don't know what got into him. He was calm at our place."

Hmmm. I'd say he was calm right now. But what do I know. I closed the gate and walked out. All four guys loaded themselves up and left. Still don't know why it took four guys to bring him. I went into the barn and got a some cubes. Called Bruiser up to the fence and fed him by hand. He's a wild beast, I tell ya!

Wordless Wednesday

Thought this was appropriate for my entry...

An Award Made Just For Lil Ol Me!

I usually don't post awards. Mainly because I can't decide on who to give them to so I just don't do them at all. But this time I made an exception. Why you ask? Because this lovely lady(who tells it like it is) at Life in 3 Dee made the award specifically for me! Can you believe that!

Here are the rules: You must post this on your site, linking it back to the blogger who gave it to you. Then pass it on to someone you feel is worthy of it (not the blogger you received it from). The award may be added to your sidebar if you like but it's not a requirement.

So I am sending my award to......

Drum roll please....

Mommy in Spurs

If you haven't stopped over and read about Lil Mama and her husband, you have been missin' some FUNNY stuff! Talk about LOL! She is a hoot. I promise you'll leave with a smile!