Learning to Live!

If I say the word "OVERWHELMED", I think some of you reading this will feel me!

I think Mr Darby feels it too!

These last couple weeks have flown by and have been overwhelming. It has been filled with homeschooling, ranching, cleaning, and on, and on!

They have a writing research assignment I gave them, that they are less than enthusiastic about...can you say "kill me now"?

When they resist or fuss about my writing assignments, it drives me bananas. I wish they would just research and write! But then again, I have to remind myself not everyone sees writing as an easy thing. I loved essay and writing assignments because they came easily to me. When I say write a paragraph a day, you'd think I was asking them to climb Mt. Everest...really?

Thank God for our Math tutor giving me a break once a week!

Ranching, Ranching, Ranching!

 

We have been on baby watch since February 28th...she's still pregnant!

 

The gal we bought her from can't seem to remember when she artificially inseminated her...and so it goes.

So by our estimation, the earliest due date would be the 28th of February, and the latest being the 10th of March. Our vet said they can go over by as much as 10 days..so, we finally see signs we may be a couple days away from her foaling. The wait is killing me! I'm so excited and yet, at the same time, I'm SO OVER watching her teats for signs of waxing. Waxing, (which is colostrum leaking), usually means foaling will commence within 24-48 hours.

Then, we also artificially inseminated our last 3 heifers again. We will check them in another couple weeks to see if it took, and if the other 2 are still pregnant. This process as I've reiterated before, is a 4 step process from beginning to end. A tad tedious, but the benefits are great...babies this Fall!

Daisy always worried about her girls. Just so sweet!

 

We have been trimming trees and cut down dead ones. Regrading the road and planning for more road base...it got very muddy around here.

The boys and I have been anxiously waiting for the Spring fish crop to come in for restocking our pond. We bought fish from a local pond and fish shop to stock our pond with blue gill, catfish, and minnows. As you can see, it was raining like crazy. But rain or shine, we were going!

We can't wait to fish in the Fall, when they are grown.

 

We also went to the architect...I think I mentioned that in a previous post. Anyway, still waiting to hear back for the plans and any additional adjustments will be made over two more meetings. I'm going crazy waiting to hear something. We were supposed to hear back last week.

Have I mentioned I'm not good at patience?

Add to all of the previous: Researching for next years curriculum, and electives, additions to our ranch soon to be here (chickens, ducks and geese), preparing our other 2 mares for breeding, and regular ranch maintenance and organizing...oh and regular chores of cleaning and cooking...I need a break!

One of the studs we are considering breeding one of our mares to.

 

I see some of these moms, with more than 2 kids, tons of outside activities, and I really wonder how they do it? I barely have time for laundry and teaching. Teaching comes first, then house chores, which thank god the boys help with, and then all the ranch planning and upkeep. I'm still loving it all and not sick of it...But, because of my "want it done yesterday" personality, I have trouble giving myself a break.

So this last week we did Math, Science, and Writing, and then winged it the rest of the day. Preston also took the SAT yesterday at Austin College in Sherman.

Just for the practice and experience...don't panic...I'm not expecting my 8th grader to go to college just yet. I'm just glad Duke University supports giving gifted kids opportunities and ideas of how to keep them challenged.

The challenge this week, is for me to simmer down.

I have my Dad and step mom visiting soon from the Hawaiian islands. I have stuff I wanted to finish on my list before they came. I guess this may not happen. The idea of moving out here to the country, was to get all of us to stop and smell the roses...relax...enjoy life. Everyone else is there except me!

My theory is that most moms never get there. I think as Moms we are always working on "To-Do" lists. House To-Do's, Kid To-do's, Help Hubby get his To-Do's done etc., etc. etc.

I need to learn how to relax. My problem is I don't relax, I collapse.

Yesterday, I woke up on the sofa, with 2 dogs laying on me, and one side of my face numb from laying on it for so long. The plan was to sit and watch a show for 30 minutes. I guess after a VERY long week...I collapsed. Then, got back to laundry, cleaning, and cooking dinner.

But, in the end I took a stroll to the pond to take in the sunset last night. For a few minutes I relaxed.

So I guess the lesson is, if you collapse or relax for a few minutes watching a sunset, try to remember nobody's grave ever reads, "Here lies ...., and her closet was always organized and house always clean!"

We need to learn how to LIVE!

The happy light in this last, crazy, week, was a visit to see family and from family.

We visited my sister and my sweet niece and nephew "in town" while they were on their Spring Break. It was a blast!

A day of target shooting, picnicking, and antique shopping. It seriously was one of the best couple of days we've had in a long time.

Family always makes life sweeter!

I Hope You All Have a Great Week. Remember to Take Time to Relax & Learn to Live!

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Texas Snow 2015

snow

/sno/

noun

atmospheric water vapor frozen into ice crystals and falling in light white flakes or lying on the ground as a white layer

- Google.com definition

Oh How I Adore Snow!

It could be the memories of living in Colorado and Montana, my sister & friends, and my futile attempts at building igloos, snow tunnels, and even the perfect snowman. We always had fun trying, and it didn't matter if we could feel our toes, or fingers anymore, we always kept going.

There was always the promise of a warm fire, hot cocoa, or clean warm socks...funny what you remember!

Now I'm a Mom, and somehow that kid in me still enjoys all the above on a winter day.

Getting snow in Texas is a luxury. Ice is more like it. But this last week, we got both. The metroplex and beyond was is in various states of a stand still for almost a week.

Last week, we finally received beautiful powdery snow!

Here are a few pictures of our first snow at Thistle Hill Ranch!

 

Road to the back 40!

Mr. Darby

The boys gathering more firewood...

Poor Frozen Daisy

 

Thank you for letting me share my snowy week...here's to a gradual warm up...because I fear Texas 100* summers!

Have a Fabulous Week!

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Thistle Hill Ranch Going-On's Before the Big Snow!

Sandy...

 

Ummm, not that Sandy!

Sandy our mare...Although, I do sing Grease songs to her.

She's due anytime now. As you can see from her shadow, she's HUGE!

We had the ferrier come out to do all of the mares feet, including her. This was her first time, since we've owned her, that she had her feet done without a shot to relax her. She was a total FREAK! She would get, what I call crazy eyes, and kick. She almost kicked our horse vets arm out of her socket...sigh!

So we started giving her a combo tranquilizer that relaxed her enough to do her feet, but not too much, so she was cognizant of the whole experience. This way the ferrier could earn her trust and help her realize, we are just trying to help her.

Danny, our ferrier, is so fantastic that she finally feels safe and trusts him. It went SO well! She sat very still and lifted each foot without even a flinch. Sweet Momma!

A Mommy-to-be Spa Day!

We also had our heifers checked for pregnancy. Two of the 5 are pregnant! Round two is sometime in the next couple weeks, weather permitting, to try for the other 3 girls.

The vet gives them a sonogram. My boys got to see the little calves heart beats!

Then, we had to get the stalls cleaned out, and reworked for drainage. With Sandy due anytime, we needed to have the stalls VERY clean!

Can you say back breaking work? I am still hurting, and it's been almost a week...it could be I'm just getting old...either way...UGH!

This is after we got down a layer of road base raked in and then fresh sand.

Glen used the tractor for some, and the rest was raking, shoveling, shoveling, and raking! WOW! But after all of that the water finally goes where it is supposed to, and out of the stalls.

We put back all the dividers, put down fresh shavings, and there were 3 very happy mares!

Finally!

Here is a little tid bit from the house...

I found this great letter plaque at Hobby Lobby 60% off and had to have it. It reminded me of my typewriter letters. So above the desk it is!

So just about the time I get this house the way I want it, we will be building and moving into the new house....oh well! That's the fun of decorating, there's always something that needs to be decorated!

Have a Great Day & Happy Decorating!

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First Time Ranchers = Lot's of Firsts

Our lives have changed drastically in one year! There are so many firsts for us this year year.

 

1. Things You Never Thought You'd Text:

2. Things You Never Thought You'd Need to Learn:

How to use a tractor. Luckily I have my husband to teach me, and here he is spreading the new road base.

3. How to Breed Cattle and Horses & How to assist in calving and foaling:

We have had to read, ask questions, & take notes on what to expect with both our cattle and horses. This includes, vaccinations, physical changes, proper minerals and feed for breeding, etc. I knew it was a lot of work, but there is a lot more involved than I expected. It has all been an awesome learning experience, and every month that goes by I feel more and more confident. I know my husband Glen knows all of this, but relying on him to do everything is ridiculous. Whatever I can learn to do on my own, I'm learning it!

So hopefully we will have a lot of darling farm babies soon.

4. Making calls for the best road base prices and driveway slurrie

It is done, and what a difference it has made. Not just to drive on, but looks too!

We even had some leftover for the fire pit area. I can't wait for it to warm up enough to put the cushions back out.

5. Falling Stars

We have been so lucky! We have seen, (all of us combined), 5 falling stars. In the city, even where we were in the suburbs, the city lights were too bright to really see a lot of stars. Out here, we see so many stars, it's really a treat. Seeing the amount of stars we do here at night, is something normally we would only experience during vacations to the mountains.

Seeing falling stars... AMAZING! Just wish I had a picture to share.

6. A donkey as a pet...

She sure is a sweet thing, that loves her herd of heifers, & her humans!

7. Our 1st Snow/Ice Day at Thistle Hill Ranch!

Even though we homeschool, if Dad gets a snow day from work, we take one too!

Have a Great Week!

And Never Forget~

The day you run out of 1st's is the day you stop living!

 

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"Fifty Shades of Grammar" from Grammarly

Happy Valentine's Day!

It is no secret, that I LOVE books! I must confess, that I have not read "Fifty Shades of Grey".

I know...It's a cataclysmic FAIL!

It's hard to not hear how popular and wonderful this book is; but, between homeschooling and ranching, my free time to read my "for me" books, is very limited!

I love all genres of writing. I love reading the classics a lot! It is always interesting to me how much language has changed. This holds true for grammar as well.

Homeschooling my two boys, I have found myself second guessing my high school & college education in writing. I am constantly looking up what I think is grammatically incorrect, to verify that I'm right, or find out I was completely wrong. Not to mention, punctuation mistakes my children make in their writing, and making sure what I know, is still accurate. I think we all get complacent, and have bad habits.

Don't judge my punctuation and grammar now... I definitely have bad habits! I'm comma happy, among many other things.

So, it is always nice to have a "one stop shop" for learning in grammar. We love Grammarly and I sure like when Nikolas Baron writes to show me the latest and greatest at Grammarly.

I hope you enjoy the infographic from Grammarly, it really is interesting.

Be sure and check out Grammarly. They are a resource that is invaluable for our homeschool, and in my opinion, all writers.

ENJOY!

Hi Jennifer,

I hope this email finds you well! We've exchanged emails about Grammarly's content in the past, so I wanted to reach out to you with some new research that may be right up your alley.

Although it topped bestseller lists around the world, E. L. James’ erotic romance novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, was widely panned by critics for its poor use of language.

The Grammarly team reviewed the book for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and learned that -- although there were some mistakes -- the errors were in alignment with similar gaffes in celebrated romances. It seems that the language of love really is a language of its own!


Happy Valentine's Day!

Nick

Grammarly Grammar-Check

Have a Happy Valentine's Day & Happy Writing!

 

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