wow, nothing to Say

I've been gone.

Kansas City Royal - Went well

2 more calf sales - Market is really wierd!

Custom Cows sent home - Good RIDDANCE!

went to Dentist yesterday. very. bad. deal.

Addicts! We're All Addicts

Yup! I admit it, I have a problem! I'm back on the "Sauce". No, people, I'm not an Alcoholic. I'm a DrPepperAholic! I'm seriously addicted to it, AGAIN. You see, I've given up this wonderful juice, 3 times, easily.

Yup, 3 children, 3 separate periods without Dr. Pepper. Each time, as soon as I discovered I was pregnant, I happily (well maybe not with a smile on my face) gave up my habit. At one point late in Squeak's Pregnancy, I was getting a checkup, & my Midwife asked if I still drank any pop. My pre-schooler answered, "Yes, but Daddy always drinks all of it after she gets only two drinks". Yup, he HELPED me not drink my Dr Pepper.

And now, (NO I'M Not Pregnant!) just over a year after my Squeaky one was born, I'm up to at least 3 cans a day, with more, much more if we go out to eat. Crap! Not good! I wake up and I NEED a DrPepper. I'm upset and I NEED a Dr Pepper. Huff! That's it! I'm quitting AGAIN!

While I'm at it, I'm OUTING some other people I know that are Addicts.

The cows are addicted..............to the premium ALFALFA. They will MOOO, and MOOO, and Beller and SCREAM at you until you feed them. BTW, these are the "pets" in the barn who have "special" babies. Wether they are Great babies, or sick babies, they are special mamas. So, we give in, and feed them a little Alfalfa so we can talk without the screaming. But, they are being weaned! No more Alfalfa for you! You will eat regular hay outside the barn. And you will like it! Or, you will at least tolerate it untill the grass is really green.

Oh, and can you see Duke (the horse in the back). He's addicted too! That's why he's in a separate pen, cause he will chase the cows, to get to the good stuff!

And 7-Up! He's addicted too! He has started screaming if he doesn't get enough Hay. Asking 7-up if he needs more alfalfa, is like asking a crack addict if he needs another hit (or whatever you call it).

Chilli is addicted to....The couch! And Snuggling the girls! Wait, he's supposed to be an AGGRESSIVE, Protective MEAN cow-dog! He is, but he loves to roll & snuggle on his back with the girls too. This is a picture of Lola, but you get the idea, girls playing and rolling around with ...GASP! CowDogs. Huh, I tell ya, we need to get these dogs to remember their place. Working Cows!

Uh, oh! Nevermind. Cause Chilli & Rosie sleep in the bed WITH ME! I can't have cold toes, so ..... they get to stay. And I love to watch the girls & Squeak play with the dogs!!

And Squeak! He's addicted to his BINKI! EEEK! Really addicted! When he was a BABY (can you hear me whining?) he would not take a binki (I din't give him one at first because I was nursing). In January, (when he was over a year old) he found one at the bottom of the toybox. And he hasn't let it go since then! Uh, Oh Well. I think I'll let him keep it for a while. He's just too cute to deny.

And, I KNOW!!! He needs a haircut! But, he's my BABY (enough with the whining!)

We're all addicts! What are you addicted to???

Work on the Ranch

This is me. You can see me now. I don't like pictures, but I put this one up because you NEVER know what will happen when you work on the Ranch.

I have been twittering TONS lately. If you read my tweets or FOLLOW ME, you'll get real time updates on whats going on around the ranch.

So, now the story, because NO, that's not mud on my chin, it is a series of scabs and bruises.

After a quiet day Saturday, while Honey worked in town, we hopped in the dodge & went out to check cows. No new calves, but @#@$% there is Little Red in the pond! We saw her calf walking around scared, and managed to get him roped & tied down in the back of the truck.

We get over to the pond, and she is just beyond a drop off of 20 feet. We only had a rope in the truck, so we tied a knot in the end & hooked it up to the hitch.

Yes, you can see where this is going. As we were trying to get her out of the mud, THE ROPE BROKE. I had my back turned to the truck & my arm over my head, & I GOT LUCKY. The rope only hit my chin, not my neck, or my eye, or anything worse.

Instantly, my whole face swelled, inside and out. Only a little bit of blood from the rope burn. But MASSIVE swelling.

We left the cow, went to the house, I grabbed some Advil, Honey grabbed the tow strap & a chain, & we went back out. Honey hooked up the chain & strap & I drove the truck this time (couldn't hardly move from the pain, but I was NOT going to let that cow stay stuck). We hauled her up the hill & gave her a little grain. She was doing pretty good & hadn't been stuck that long, because she tried to stand right away. We didn't let her stand, but made sure that no other cows ate her grain. We (I mean Honey, cause I couldn't see 'cause it hurt SO much) put the calf in the trailer for the night & gave him a bottle of milk replacer). We got the kids in the house & fed them (sorry, I didn't get to put Mama P's fish in the oven). As soon as honey had it all under control, I took a pain pill & a fresh ice pack and went to bed.

Now, almost 2 days later, this picture is what my face looks like. The swelling is down dramatically, but it still looks like I have a huge dip in my mouth (I don't).

I have a post brewing in my head about how we judge people by their appearances. We hauled some hay on Sunday (I drove a truck & slept, he loaded & took care of the kids); and I paid for fuel twice. At each station they gawked & wouldn't look me in the eye. I think they thought that Honey had hit me, or I was deformed or something. We really need to think about all of the thoughts about others we have. Because that person can read ALL of them on our faces.

Another Rancher saw me this AM & from across the gas station asked me if "I had been working this morning, cause I had some mud on my chin", as he was talking he was walking closer, and realised it wasn't mud. His expression "said" OUCH! He realised it wasn't mud, & said "wow, what happened?" At least he asked, and didn't just stare!

I can't believe it didn't knock me out cold, and I am SOOOO thankful that I am healthy. I don't know how people who are in cronic pain handle it!! I know it will get better, and it already has, but enough about me.

I HOPE YOU HAD A BLESSED EASTER DAY! He is Risen, and we REJOICE!!

Why I am WIERD

Yup, I admit it I am WIERD with a capital W.
Why? Well there are tons of reasons, so I will give you a little list.

1 - I will do anything for my kids
When J. was in preschool age, we enrolled her in a Lutheran preschool 30 min from the house (because I couldn't stand our local preschool, headstart) So, in order to get her to school on time at 8 am, I had to get up at 3 am to load my pigs at 4am, and get the drive finished to be in the right town and my pigs unloaded by 7:30 and get J to school by 8.
Yup, I will work my a$$ of for my kids and will go WAY out of my way to have them benefit and grow to be great people. That is why I will also be Home/UnSchooling them next year. I have also let them pick out their clothes since they were 2. This is also sometimes very embarassing, but they learn to match, and be themselves, not a clone of a model in the clothing store. That and A.Cowgirl wore pink from the time she was 2 until last year. We are talking some form of pink every day, and sometimes (alot of the time) pink, from head to foot.

2 - I love to WORK outside.
I mean it! From head to toe dirt, sweaty, mud encrusted outside workout is my kind of exercise. I like to get work done, and I like to work (of course) with the horses and cows.

3 - I do NOT believe in the "D" word (d.i.v.o.r.c.e)
The important part is that my husband doesn't either. We don't believe in the word and don't say it.
With that said, I do have 3 reasons (from Dr.Laura) why I would believe in or recommend it (after tons of work and prayer). Adultery, Addiction, or Abuse. In my view, all three of things have totally removed all trust and broken the covenant with God. Honey and I, have vowed to work through anything and everything to make our marriage work. We also believe that seeing their parents working through any issues that may arrise will strenghten them and lead our children to also have successfull marriages.

4-I like getting dirty - (see number 2) But, I used to be a prissy, dolled up, hair curled out to there, Rodeo Queen. (I have to find a picture, so we can all laugh at my 90's "Queenie" Hair.)

5- I am not a very good "homemaker"
I don't decorate, I'm apprehensive to put a hole in the wall, and I generally just do the basics of clean kids, clean place to make food, and clean clothes.
I do like to bake, just not very often. But when I do, lookout cause there will be tons of sweets for weeks to come.

6- I did not grow up on a "real" farm or ranch.
I grew up on a 19 acre homestead with horses. I still have the first pony (he is 14.1 &1/2 hands) we ever owned. Mom & Dad purchased him for me when I was in 5th grade (I was about 10, I think & Kenneth is now 25).
I bought my first "Show Horse" when I was a Sophmore in High School. I showed him in everything, but I really loved showing in Trail Classes. We didn't have shows with cattle classes around us, and Trail provided the most detailed maneuvers that did not require an expensive, great moving horse (that kind of $ was not an option for me). I traveled with a lady that was great at Trail and was her groom and hired girl. I loved it! I went to Congress, Paint, Palimino, Buckskin and Quarter Horse World Shows. She won all of them except the QH World title at one time or another when I was traveling with her. I learned a ton from her and people around the shows. And I got to ride some amazing horses, not all were just Trail horses.

I feel very lucky to now live on a Ranch because "now my horses have a purpose". And I feel very lucky to give this opportunity to our children. And I can't imagine my life without horses and Cattle.

7-I am a KLUTZ!
I mean, I am truly un-coordinated. I can't throw a ball, catch one, or run with any coordination or speed.
The only place I am coordinated and somewhat athletic is on the back of a horse.

Have you ever heard this blonde joke?

What do you call a Blonde in a Mall?......................................A Pinball

Yup, that's me. Imagine the IA State Fair. Showday in a crowded indoor (airconditioned) resturant (The indoor Campbells in the Cattle Building).
I walk in, bump into someone "OOPS, I'm Sorry". Then I back up and bump into someone else! "OOPS!, I'm Sorry". We wait in line a while and I get my tray, start walking BUMP, "OOPS!, I'm Sorry!" (Whew, my drink wasn't filled yet, so I didn't spill it). Sit down at our table, and then get up to fill that drink BUMP, "OOPS!! I'm SORRRY!".

Fill my drink, and trying to be really careful, I slowly walk to our booth, looking both ways and being VERY cautious. I sit down, and reach for a napkin, AND DUMP MY DRINK in my Dad's lap!! "OOOPS!!! I'm SORRY!!!" Seriously, I bumped into 9 people within the 20 min that we were inside! And, I spilled my drink on my Dad!

We like to joke in our house, that we don't worry about the kids spilling milk, 'cause Momma always spills it first!

Also, never ask a Blonde what time it is when she has a full cup. Yes, you guessed it, I will always look and thus spill my drink!


Well, I think that's enough WIERD-NESS for now, but I know there are wierd-er things about me... I let you know when I think of another (or 7 more)

WOW - Last week, and Eating Cookies

Well, we've had a long week, and if you read my sidebar, you'll see that I've been sick. But, I'm better now. The Jaegermeister did the trick. What, you ask?? Well, an old cowboy remedy for a cold is Jaegermeister (it's a black licorice liquor, like 90 proof). At the first feeling of a cold, take a shot or 2 of Jaeger (at bedtime, instead of Nyquil) and you'll sleep like a baby and wake up feeling great! Seriously, I gag at the taste, but IT WORKS! I took some (3/4 a shot) Thursday night when Beau came in the house, and within a half hour my plugged up head (that wanted to explode) was relaxed, and within 1 hour, I could blow my nose. I slept the entire night, and woke up able to function on Friday. Today, I have no sign of a cold at all! AHHH! I don't like the sinus drainage, plugged head, sore throat feeling.





Tuesday, I was able to go to the semi-Annual garage sale for the Des Moines Cloth Diapering group. FUN! I didn't find any snap diapers to fit Squeak, but I enjoy getting together with other like-minded moms! And, we talked about the current legislation in Iowa regarding legalizing Midwives. If you have any interest, I would definately urge you to check out the Friends Of Iowa Midwives blog. They have all the details there, and anything you could do to show your support would be great! I strongly believe that everyone should have ANY birthing option available, and with the support of a Certified Midwife.





And, after the group, I stopped by a new retail store for the natural Mom, Little Padded Seats. They just opened their retail store in Valley Junction, but they've been on-line for quite a while. I found some of THE cutest snap diapers for Squeak! That way, this summer, he can't take his diaper off during nap, and do his stuff all over his crib. Shopping therapy, after monday's frustrating day!





BTW, I have a good blog in draft about Tuesday morning's activities on the ranch. Will be posted soon!





Thursday, I hauled pigs. Friday I hauled pigs, & delivered some eggs to Kim! I love it when I get to stop and visit. And she doesn't even kick me out for being piggy stinky! : )

Saturday, well what can I say except temporary INSANITY! It rained Friday night (1 inch) so we couldn't do much work. And then we went crazy! Honey and I took the girls to Kids Fest. Yup, nutz! Imagine 1000 kids and their parents. Kids all hopped up on candy that they pass out at every booth, blow up slides and obstacle courses, and did I mention the crying, screaming BRATS? HUH? I usually don't tolerate other people's kids very well. Let me correct that, I don't tolerate bad parenting very well. And Honey? He doesn't at all! We say that he is "allergic to people". And he is HIGHLY allergic to brats and lazy parents! But we survived. And the kids had fun. Squeak had fun with Grandma at her house, teaching the puppy how to pee on command by pulling her tail! Yikes!

Well, we did have one crying episode. (So here's your laugh for the day.)



So, we are at the end of 2 hours of Kids Fest, standing in line to spin a wheel and see if they win a small prize. We had just gotten a cup of cookies. [Back up a second in time, at the last booth, J was having a problem saying Thank You, and I told her that she would give "it" back if she didn't say Thank You right away.]

Honey gives A. a cookie, I get one, and J gets one. Guess who didn't say Thank You before she took a bite? Yup, J didn't. So, I take her cookie and feed it to Daddy. She starts crying. I explain that she didn't say Thank You. She nods understandment, and slows down to a sniff. Honey, asks her if she would like a cookie, she says yes and takes one. And THEN TAKES A BITE. HUFF! I take the cookie, and eat it. She is now back in HUGE tears and sobs! "Well", I say, "you didn't say Thank You again". She cries for a minute and Honey once again asks her if she would like a cookie (there are now only 2 left). She takes one, (both Honey and I are silently praying "please say Thank You", I don't want to eat another one of your cookies) then, she looks at us and says "Thank You" (hiccup, tear, sob, bite). Thank GOD! We wanted her to learn, but we did not buy the cookies for us! But lessons must be taught (and the cookies are good, so it didn't kill our tastebuds to eat one or three) even if it does break your heart.

Then, a woman walks over to us and says "What are you doing to make that little girl cry?" Huh? I turn around and see that it is a wonderful woman I haven't seen for about 5 years, and she has a smile on her face. Cause she knows I wouldn't really want to make my child cry. But, she had been watching the whole thing from the side, and found it amusing (I would too if it wasn't my child, and it is funny today)! And, she needed an opening line to talk with us (cause she forgot my name, I remembered her first name 4 hours later).

Don't you love being a mom? I do, tears and all!

BTW, we are still eating cookies, because the GIRL SCOUT COOKIES are in! YUM!!

Red Neck Mommy is HILARIOUS

This is the type of thing that happens to me (not really, but maybe)

RedNeck Mommy had me literally falling over laughing, and trying to shut my laptop fromthe girl's eyes.

Have fun Laughing!!

A gate and my chin

Yup, Shanen is a Klutz!



My darn chin always gets in the way. I’ll have to tell you about the bicycle accident later. Right now I’m sporting a big black and purple bruised chin. Two days ago in the morning, I’m sitting in my chair reading blogs and watching Squeak play. The night before we trailed the cows back out to pasture and the calves had quit bawling. Then from the south I see a cow go by, and then, the pups were trailing her. These are the now 6 month old pups out of Chilli and Rosie.



I quickly scooped up Squeak, and asked J to sing to him while he was in his crib. I turned Hannah Montana on the iPod radio, and ran out the door, with the real dogs following me. Apparently, I didn’t need to run. The pups put her away. Yup, we hadn’t put the cows in that pen but 2 times, and as I came out the door I watched Lola turn her for Big Dog and they worked together to put her right down the hay pile. I ran for nothing. Huff, Huff, Puff, Puff. I “Stayed” the dogs, and snuck down the fence and opened the gate. I brought the dogs on slow and walked her down the fence line and right into the pen.

Wow! The instinct that is bred into the dogs is AMAZING! They have been following along for about 2 months when we’ve moved cows across the road, and when we moved them into different pens, but as of yet, they haven’t shown anything other than basic interest in herding. They sure surprised me, and impressed me too!



Just goes to show you what good breeding does for an animal. We have 3 more pups bred back the same way that are looking for good working homes.

Why God says it's not nice to scare your wife.

Here is the other small story I promised you from our cattle moving on Sunday.

Everytime we hauled a load of cows home, I was running to get the gate. Not a big deal except the gate is about 100 yards from the front of the truck when it is backed up to the corral.

Everything was going well and we were on our 2nd or 3rd trip. We'd loaded the trailer with pretty big cows and the bull this trip, so we were pretty heavy. Beau was shutting the trailer gate and I went up ahead to get the pasture gate. Apparently, Beau was faster this time, and I was getting slower.

I could hear the Dodge (diesel) behind me and I thought I was walking to the left of his path. I didn't get out of the way and didn't look behind me.

Beau came RIGHT up behind me and honked the horn!! I jumped! Well, jumped is an understatement! I jumped in the air and my hands went out and my heart was in my throat. I got out of the way and sat down to slow down my heart.

Beau had to stop the truck, because he was laughing so hard!!

I finally got up and hopped on the running board of the truck, to ride to the gate. Then it happened... He couldn't get the truck going. He was stuck!!!! I laughed and told Beau that God says it's not nice to scare your wife.

We moved the white truck in front and hooked up a tow strap. It broke. We retied it and It broke again. I laughed and told Beau that God says it's really not nice to scare your wife.

We didn't have a chain with us, so we checked on our loaded cattle and then went to the house to get a chain. We got back to the pasture and hooked up the white truck and pulled. The chain broke! I laughed and told Beau that God says it's really, really not nice to scare your wife.

We looked at the cows on our load and decided that they were mostly tame (read this as "pets") cows and we could unload them and get them back in easily. We unloaded the back two gates and off the cows went.

I then hopped in the dodge and rocked it a little and was able to back up to the corral again. And we were in luck! The tame cows had made a loop and were back in the corral eating a bucket of corn we had left in there. Hot Digity!! We loaded them back up and off we went.

But, I did remind Beau that "God says it is really, really not nice to scare your wife!!"

We were almost to the house again, and I could laugh with him and say it nice while I was laughing. Because it had to be funny, me jumping out of my skin with my arms and legs flailing in the air!

But it still isn't nice to scare your wife, even if she scares easily and is quite hillarious when she gets scared.

By the way, as I am writing this I have tears running down my face and I am laughing at myself.
But, It still isn't nice to scare your wife! Believe me, God told Beau it isn't.
: )) Shanen

Home on the Hilltop

Well, Yesterday sure was a long day!! But we moved 'em! The cows all circled the Jeep well and then followed me over one hill. Beau and Branden were on horses and helped move the stragglers along. They followed me down the hill and chased me thru the creek.

Then it happened!!! The Jeep Quit!! You see something "popped" when I put it in 4 Low (Four wheel drive, Low Gear) The creek is pretty deep and the bank out of it is very steep. I made it up part of the hill, and the cows are circling and beginning to stop and wander. UH OH!!!

So, I got out, grabbed a feed bag and took off running! I had to run, or get mobbed by a bunch of hungry cows that just want my feed! Did I mention the HILL???!!! This hill is very steep, probably a 45degree incline. I had to RUN 75 yards UP!!! But halfway up I couldn't, my lungs were on FIRE!! The cold air and this out of shape body did not get along. And remember, we are in a part of the pasture that is not grazed, so it is 2 ft deep tangled grass.

I finally made it to the top!!! Then I had to open the gate, before the cows got there...... Barbed wire gates and I do NOT get along. But my wonderful husband had just a twisted wire for me to open. YEAH!!!!

The cows were right on my tail and they went to the hilltop to talk with the other group already there. Beau and Branden went back down for one slowpoke. (We let her go slow, she is 14 and has had a great calf every year) WE did it with no problems!!

Then we did have to get the Jeep to the top of the hill and leave it there for another day!

Hope you enjoy my little RanchLife stories and yes, it is ok to laugh at this little girl enjoyin life on the Ranch.

I'll have the story of the afternoon's activities later, hopefully with some pictures.