Doggie Duds

T-bone is a good sport.

He's patient with 9 year old girls who love to play dress-up.

He sucks up every ounce of his integrity.

He is such a good dog.

R & R

I've taken a little hiatis to do this...........................

a little R & R........................................................

a little fun with the fam.........................................

 

.... and now, I'm drowing in laundry!  I'm sitting on metal bleachers again!  Back to reality!  

Youth Turkey Season

Ryan and the hubs went out in the woods on the first morning of turkey youth season.  

This is what they came home with......

A 22 pounder! 

As far as dead turkeys go, it was a beauty!  

I was proud of my men.

Proud that they do this together.

Proud that they WANT to do this together.

Taking photographs of their plunder is a little tradition.  

You know, so our future generations do not doubt the manliness of their heritage.

In 40 years we will have robots shoot our game for us.  So, this is proof that we did it the old fashioned way.  

You know, with scopes, high powered shotguns, replica turkeys, etc..  Roughin' it, of course!

Good job Rhino!

Good job Dad!

Good job Mr. Dead Turkey!

Ian's Confirmation

Last Sunday, Ian joined our church.  After 13 weeks of classes, a weekend confirmation trip and several after church lunches...... he was confirmed.  

I am proud of him, I am proud of his peers.  I have watched them all grow up.  They went to pre-school together, shared recesses and sporting events.  Rick and I have taught them in Sunday School and I have sat with them in youth groups and mission trips.  It's hard to not be proud, right?

This is our youth pastor, Kendra.  She teasingly calls the 7th grade boys, puppies.  If you have ever been around 7th grade boys, you will probably understand her reasoning.  This picture is a prime example!!!

Congratulations Ian Michael!  Congratulations Brett Matthew (on the left), Lane Christopher (in the green and blue) and Kyle Hadley Marion (in the white)!

My Ian Michael,

I love you because............

I can count on you to do what I ask.  You are very responsible.

You are strong as an ox.

You love dogs.

You are bashful.  Really, really bashful!

Your laugh is infectious!  It's impossible to not laugh along with you.

Once you start laughing, it's really hard for you to stop.

You do not pick up snakes, lizards, baby mice or spiders.  As a matter of fact, the further you are from them, the better.  

You are smart as a whip!!!  You read at LEAST one novel a week.  

You thank Dad or I for something at least once every day.  You almost never forget to thank us!  That does not go un-noticed sweetheart.  I cannot tell you how much that means to me.

You tower over all your classmates (and your mother).

You not only LOOK like your Dad, your mannerisms mirror him also.  It is sometimes frightening how much of a clone you are to him.

I love you and I'm so, so proud of you.

The above photos were taken at Ian's very first track meet.  He placed 2nd over all in 7th grade boys shot.  Congrats EEE!

RIP Cocoa..... (finally)

Last Winter Gracie's bunny Cocoa, went to heaven.  She tried to ecsape the less than well-built pen that I made, and......... well........... she didn't escape.  Luckily, big brother was the one to make the discovery and we were able to tell Gracie in a "gentle" way.  That doesn't mean she didn't take it pretty hard.  She still keeps Cocoa's water bowl on her bedroom dresser.  She still talks about Cocoa.  

I am thankful that we still have Cookie the bunny.  However, I must confess..... I've now dread the death of Cook every since.  

This, my friends, will be the last bunny on Rocky Ridge Farm for the following reasons.

#1. My daughter loves having bunnies, but doesn't really like feeding them.

#2. I'm the mean mommy who makes her feed them.

#3. Bunnies do not have long lives.

#4. My little Miss Em. doesn't deal well with sad things (see #3).

#5. I do not deal well when Miss Em. is sad.

So..... this is our little story.....

Cocoa died during one of the coldest periods of Winter 2011.  The ground was froze.  It was BITTER cold.  

We could not bury Cocoa.  

So, I put him/her (We will never truly know the sex of either bunny because 

#1. we are bunny idiots and 

#2. even if the bunnies were boys, Gracie would still insist they are girls.  

Boys were NOT AN OPTION!!) in a large rubber tub.

So, last weekend was especially nice outside.   Gracie gently reminds her mother (that would be me) that we STILL HAVE NOT BURIED COCOA!  

Lord have mercy!

Gracie wanted Cookie to be present at the service.  We locked up the dogs, placed a collar around Cookie's neck and tied her leash to a nearby post.  

So, I dug a hole and buried the bunny.  I need not tell you that this bunny had went to bunny heaven at least THREE MONTHS ago.  It wasn't pretty!  Blah, I'm gagging as I write this.

Cookie was unmoved by the whole situation.  She thought that this seemed like a perfect opportunity to grab some fresh greens.  But nonetheless, she was there, and that is what mattered.

 After Cocoa was placed in the ground, Gracie and I decided that we would say a few words.  I told the story about how Cocoa came to live with us.  It would have been a nice story, except I kept calling Cocoa, Cookie.  Gracie was getting irritated and I felt terrible that I couldn't get my brain to recall the right name.  The more I tried to remember Cocoa's name, the more I failed.  It was not my finest moment.  By the time I was done speaking, I couldn't remember my own name.  

I did redeem myself by letting Gracie pick out a memorial stone to place on the grave.  

Guilt usually produces deep pockets.

I've already begun preparing Gracie for when Cookie leaves us.  As I mentioned above, bunnies do not live long.  Cookie is in bunny years, a very old lady.  

This is somewhat off the subject, but....... isn't Cookie attractive for an old lady?  I must say that she has pickled well!