Saturday, April 18, 2009

Spring and Blogging Don't Mix

Yes. Everything's fine. Thank you for asking.
No. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Thank you for checking.

My only excuse for my lack of posting is that Spring has arrived and my computer time has been severely cut. Rest assured, once the mercury rises past the triple digit mark, I'll find refuge at the keyboard once again.

It's simply been too nice outside to linger indoors. Yes, we still have too many days where we are visited by the infamous New Mexico wind, but on those days, if we are home, the wind just sucks all the energy right out of you and you are suddenly rendered useless.

It's been a busy couple of weeks. DD and I made a trip to Lubbock this past Tuesday to...believe it or not...shop! Neither of us is a shopper, but we did enjoy the trip. DD seriously needed some clothes for upcoming events that required something other than her requisite boots and jeans and hat ensemble. So we took a deep breath and headed to the city and we even managed to fill the day with laughter. Spend any amount of time around the two of us and you're pretty much guaranteed we'll break out into chortles and guffaws at some point and time. Our hunt was successful and we even came home with 2 dresses as well as a number of other cute things. Needless to say, after leaving the lingerie department, we felt as if we had escaped from a war zone. I have to admit that we were utterly exhausted by the time we headed home. I was so tired that I even bypassed a trip to the fabulous quilt store. I simply could not muster up the energy to make even one more stop.

DD commented that she didn't know why I was tired since SHE was the one who wrestled with 347 thousand gazillion articles of clothing. And she really did wrestle with some of them. As she tried on a cute turquoise summer dress I heard cries of, "Help!... I'm stuck!... Mom!" I suddenly became incapacitated with laughter and wasn't much help to poor DD who wailed, "M-o-o-o-o-M! Stop laughing!"

And we won't bore you with the reason I spewed water all over the steering wheel as we drove home.

The good news is that we won't have to make another big trip like that for a very long time!

Let's see, what else? There really isn't anything earth shattering to report. DS is getting ready to attend Prom in another town. Being homeschooled, I didn't think we would be renting a tux any time soon, but rent one we did.

DD's social life keeps me on my toes. For years I was inundated with concerns from a myriad of people about how homeschooling was detrimental to a child's socialization skills. Chuckle. Giggle. Snicker. LOL! I'm not saying that isn't the case for some children, but I'm pretty sure we can cross that off the list for mine!

I'm itching to get my garden in. After the last snow/hard freeze, I've been hesitant, and it's not been easy to wait for May 1st. Patience may not be my thing.

The kids have been busy horseback. We've been gathering Corriente calves and I've been taking pictures of them for prospective buyers. Tomorrow we're sending some out after we get back from the trap/skeet range.

DH and DD are at the horse sale today. We're selling 6 mares. Oh, and the colts are starting to drop! One filly so far.

I've started to ride again. Haven't ridden in a long while and I have missed it. It felt so good to be back on a horse. DD and I thoroughly enjoyed an evening riding through a pasture last week. And yes, I was kind of sore the next morning.

I've also started walking again and I even bought some running shoes last month. I'm hoping to get back into shape. Yes, round is a shape, but that's not really what I was going for.

So, that about catches y'all up on the latest around here. May is already filling up fast. The kids will be competing in the State Shooting Sports Competition, we've got to make a fast and furious trip to San Antonio for my Mom's 70th birthday, and we'll be branding.

Maybe things will slow down in June.
Don't bet on it.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Spiced Apple Twists

I don't think I've shared a recipe so far this year! Shame on me because heaven knows I've certainly cooked enough around here! So here's a family favorite that just so happens to be on the menu today:




Spiced Apple Twists


1/4 C orange juice (I generally just pour some in the bottom of the pan - more than 1/4 c)
1 can crescent rolls
2 large, tart apples peeled and cut into 8ths
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp cinnamon or however much you like (I generally add more)
1/3 C sugar


*Pour orange juice into bottom of 9" pan sprayed with Pam. Unroll crescent roll dough. Separate into 8 triagnles. Cut each piece lengthwise to make 16 triangles. Place an apple slice at each end of triangle and wrap dough around apple. Arrange in pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with combined cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until golden in color. Serve warm over ice cream. Enjoy!


This will make you forget that the wind is blowing again. Yes, it is that good. Powerful stuff!


I double the recipe, use a 9x13 pan, scrunch the twists in there, and hope it lasts for 2 days, but don't bet on it!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Never a Dull Moment

Just a typical morning.

That should have been my first clue.

We don't do typical around here.

Katie and Steve are out fixing our chairs. The kids are tending to school. And me...well, I'm in the kitchen - where else would I be? The doors and windows are open. The wind is NOT blowing. The birds are singing. And DH comes in asking me for a piece of denim for an eye patch. Innocent enough although, through the years I've learned to answer his questions with a raised eyebrow.

This is mostly due to the fact that his question is generally, "can you come help me a minute?" Once that particular question is posed, I can pretty much count on being wisked away on some adventure that just might find me on the tail end of a wild bovine, or at the top of a windmill, or chest deep in a creek, or in any number of various, interesting situations. However, this time I was only a witness.

He brought in a steer this morning that has an eye infection. So I rustle up a piece that was slated to be a pot holder at some point and time. DD jumps up from her math and flies out the door at her Daddy's heels. Here's where I insert the part about how I love the flexibility that homeschooling affords us! Ranch lessons are a huge part of our curriculum and, understandibly so, enjoyed much more than studying algebraic equations.

Instinctively I grab my camera. It's just what I do. Then I saunter out to the pens where said steer decides he will not cooperate. He's in the chute, but he's NOT staying there. His horns are stuck and then instantaneaously, they are not and he slips out. So Grandpa, who is 72, grabs on to his head and they attempt to push said steer back into the chute.
Said steer is having nothing to do with that so they let him out. Grandpa is still hanging on and you hear, "Can you dog 'im?" Let me just say that there ain't no can't in Grandpa and I don't know how he did it, but
do it, he did. Go Grandpa! DD was standing in the way so this is only picture I snagged just as DH jumped on the back end. Then she settled into her designated spot:

See, algebra loses!



So that DH could commence to doctoring:

I told Grandpa that we needed him to do that again so I could get some pictures and he laughed, "No siree Missy!" Guess I missed my opportunity. Thankfully no one was hurt, but man, was that ever funny! I'm really glad we didn't have to call Granny and tell her to meet us at the hospital! I told Grandpa he'd earned the rest of the day off, but he doesn't know what that is so he's back out there making his rounds through the pastures.

Now the steer is sporting the newest in eyewear fashion. It's what all the 'in crowd' is wearing.

The steer doesn't seem to be any worse for wear, but Grandpa may be sporting a few aches and pains in the morning!
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