30

Kurt always talks about remember how simple life used to be and usually this always refers to our three-time-a-day milking schedule. Birthdays however also remind me of how simple life used to be. Today at 30-years-old it doesn't feel nor do I think like I did when I was 20 that 30 was old. By the time I was a few years into my 20s I realized it wasn't old and you get the picture. It's just a lovely number, a new decade, another year to reach more milestones. To be four-years-old again? Hmmm maybe because back then my mom took care of the cake! : )

Decorating...If You Can Call It That

I have a little artist who likes to create different masterpieces at school, home, and anywhere in between. My fridge fills up fast and I have to switch out each artist original periodically to showcase the budding talent that my DNA created.

In our farmhouse, that my husband grew up in and lived his entire life there is a second flooor. The upstairs if you will. It has four total rooms. One of the rooms was used as a toy room when my husband was pretending to farm (he even pretended to milk the cows). When we moved in, the upstairs was where everyone took their unwanted materials and deposited them in any of the rooms. I should say by the time I moved in the "toy room" only had a pile in the corner and Kurt's old toys. Back to my artist...I decided to turn the toy room into an actual happy, functional toy room. It would be even happier if I had the patience to put some primer and paint over the lovely dark panelling but we'll save that for another time. I hung up a poster that was from a play my daughter was in last year. She won the right to bring it home out of the other cast members. This was headed for the recycling but I thought it would add a little something, something to the area.

This works for me!

I went to Hobby Lobby. Do you have Hobby Lobbys? Oh they are wonderful! I bought some thin, nylon string which I secured to the wall with pushpins (or thumbtacks, maybe they are the same thing?). I tied a knot in the end for the pin to go through and then strung a double line across the wall. Then I did another line a little lower. I figured small/shorter projects could go up on the top line and vice-versa on the lower line. Then I hung the lovely art creations up with clothes pins. I know it looks like all of our space is already filled up but that is not the case. The wall that mirrors the play poster wall is a full wall which has an empty line running the entire length of the wall. Notice the old pinball machine circa late 70s early 80s. It still works because the budding artist occasionally plays inbetween sessions.

The County Fair

Here is the low-key face-to-face "judging" for Coverbuds. Mac made a poster of the heifer she brought to the fair and the heifers family-kind of like a family tree of all of our Red and White Holsteins. This lady was a great person to have for Cloverbuds who were a little on the shy side. Mac also made a set of four coasters with her weaving loom.

Snow-Red resting comfortable at the fair.

Isabella mid-chewing her cud.

Mac bringing Snow-Red in for the winter calf class. I held the end of the halter which next year she will be all by herself when she shows in the junior show. Snow-Red did give her a little bit of trouble but all in all it went alright.




I apologize my camera takes crappy pics and this was far away but atleast Mac was looking at the camera. Here we are standing second in a class of four.

Since we placed second we got to go out for the picking of junior champion. The calf that placed ahead of us was chosen as Honorabe Mention.

This is the kids and calves showmanship competition. It's not too hard core but since it was Mac's last year doing this I wanted to see her do well. We borrowed a calf from our friends who showed this March calf in the junior show. Her name is Jewel and Maclayne really enjoyed leading her around the ring.

Hooray! She place second which meant she got a stuffed cow. I was probably more happy than she was because I'm not sure if she realized how she did. The last two years she has finished towards the top but not close enough to get the stuffed cow.

Can't wait until next years fair and hopefully we will have a March calf that she can show because it sure was a nice size for her.

Problems Uploading Pictures

Anyone else having this frustrating problem??? I would like to post about our County fair but the pictures make the post. You know what I mean?! I'll try back later.

Menu Plan Monday August 9

It's rather warm and sticky here. Tomorrow it's suppose to more humid and the heat is suppose to be higher as well. Thank goodness for air conditioning and showers. Because after each milking I usually take a shower to wash off the glow that my skin shines with from climbing in between 1600 pound cows. It's a beautiful thing-the shower and air conditioner. With the heat and humidity, I'm trying to use the oven sparingly. I am limited in my menu planning because I haven't been to the grocery store in two plus weeks. I'm out of eggs, bread, hamburger, you get the idea. I am heading to the store tomorrow morning hopefully I won't melt between here and there.

Monday- Hot beef sandwiches, sweet corn, green beans, and potato chips used the Crockpot Beef Roast recipe which I only used pickle juice to make it and made an awesome gravy here is the quick recipe:

In a separate saucepan over medium heat whisk 1 cup of drippings and a tablespoon of horseradish mustard together, then whisk in a brown gravy mix when bubbly add in 1 cup of cold water and stir constantly until boiling, then let simmer on low for a minute until thick...it was the perfect amount for the 2-3 pound roast I used.

Tuesday-Sweet and sour chicken, brown rice and green beans

Wednesday- French toast, bacon, and orange juice

Thursday- Pork chops, fried potatoes, cucumber salad, and regular lettuce salad

Friday- Sweet corn roast (which is so dang tasty!!!) and they will have burgers, brats, salads, and desserts galore. This is a thank you party the local snowmobile club puts on for the landowners that allow trails to go through their land. They also give us a gift certificate which is not necessary! Now that I've been to the sweet corn roast that is all I need!