Tonight I got to spend time with the most amazing little girl. She snuggled tightly against me and I got to remember what it was like to hold a baby. She is now 3 1/2 weeks old and it just seems unimaginable that she is already advancing toward the one month mark. 

It seems so long ago when I held my babies fresh from the hospital. So tiny and they seemed so breakable. I was so in awe of who they would become and what they would look like. Better yet would I do a good job, was I capable of doing a job as well as my own mom. 

All the insecurities surrounded me. Then they grew. Each day it seemed milestones were reached. They learned as I learned. We became no longer a lady with a new baby, but a family. Dependent on each other. We rely on the unity of working as a team for reassurance during dark times, encouragement during times of doubt, and even recognition of goals reached and jobs well done. This signifies to me that it has truly worked. We have made mistakes but we have done a pretty darn good job with these two slippery babies we brought home so many years ago. 

As I watched my friend tonight I noticed the changes. She is well into transitioning into being a mommy. Calm and relaxed she new the noises and  she understood the grunts.  It’s amazing how moms become moms. Is it not?

The days will count by So quickly, Quicker than we would like, but ticks by it will. I can’t wait to see this little girl grow but I hate to see how fast it will happen. I’m sure my mom felt the same and her mom before her. 

   
   

it has been over a year since I have been able to get away to shop at the Brown Sheep company store. They are only about 2 1/2 hours away, so relatively speaking they are pretty close. 

I so enjoy that store. You get inside and just too many choices. It’s amazing.

I was able to go once while we were in Gering selling our yearlings and then the other day I took my good friend Mandy down for her birthday. I mean who doesn’t love yarn. 

If you are ever near Mitchell, Nebraska and have time. Stop by their stores  you won’t regret it. Well your bank account might, but your yarn stash will become happier. 

On Facebook today, someone shared a poem that was pretty good. It made a lot of sense to my life. It actually was pretty true to the way I live my life. The more I thought of the poem, the deeper the thoughts took me. 

Here is the poem. I apologize to the author, it was not cited and I have no idea. It is not mine and I take no credit, except for my own rambling. 

  
Now before I get down and deep, let me just say that my house can not be featured on an episode of Hoarders or How Clean is Your House! There is a complete difference between messy and disgusting. I’m just throwing that out there for you. 

I have come to the conclusion that I enjoy life. I enjoy memories. I enjoy my kids! And I enjoy the whole mess that comes with kids, a husband, and life.  How can one truly allow life to be lived if the constant concern in the front of our mind is I must vacuum or all the toys need to be put away immediately. Now let me say there are times when it must be done. But to truly live, don’t we have to overlook the mess to see the memories. When our kids want us to color with them. Do you choose dishes or do you hop down on the floor and color that picture of Dora?  

I feel that too often we are caught up in the desire to have everything just so. Everything in its place. However, does it truly matter?  

When we are old and approaching the end of our earthly life, will you honestly be thinking about how glad you were to have that spotless house? Will you be overjoyed and feel your life was complete because all the toys were always put away by evening?  Will your children share their childhood with others and talk about how clean your house was and how great it was to always have parents who spend all day everyday making sure cars, homes, and rooms were immaculate?  

My guess is no! We want memories of how we colored with our babies. We want memories of going for walks and seeing pretty rocks. We want our kids to remember the great life we showed them. 

It is never too late to change our outlook! Let the dishes go. Let the room stay messy for a day and play with your kids. Sit down an watch a movie with your family instead of listening from another room as you tidy or clean. Trust me you will remember that a whole lot more than you will remember which load of laundry you did. 

As someone once said. There will come a time when you will wish you had dishes to wash that your loved ones ate on. There will come a time when you wish you were stepping over toys. It will all be gone one day. What memories will you make? Trust me Let It Go! 

It  Was more fun than I thought. More to come. 

 should be an owl. 

May and June are the busiest times on the ranch as far as cattle work goes. It seems we are always on the go branding, moving cows, fixing fence, AI’ing, or preparing for all of those things. July begins to slow down a bit and I am ready for a little time. 

I recently met my mom and dad in a wonderful place in Iowa to take back over possession of my children. Yep, that’s right I turn them over to my parents every year.  You see I am from East Tennessee and moved to Wyoming in 1995. Well after having kids. It was assumed that they would get to spend an incredible amount of time in the summer with my parents and family. So every summer they go for three weeks. Sometimes we fly back and forth, and sometimes I drive. This year mom and dad decided they would meet me halfway. 

While in Iowa City, we stopped of course at a local yarn store. It was fabulous the lady was so helpful. I found this lovely scarf made of cotton blend. It came with a free pattern, so I snatched it up. I can’t wait to see it finished.  

 
They also had a pattern for these lovely slippers called Mukluks. I am on the edge of my seat waiting to finish this scarf, just so I can start the slippers. 
Enjoy the 4th. Celebrate our Freedom. 

Mom and daughter. They have the best time together.

I love this pattern. Definitely on the future to make list.

My son has entered the county fair in cooking. He is dead set on entering a pound cake. It can contain no cream cheese.

 

Anyone have an award winning recipe they would like to share? I’m desperate he has to enter it on the 18th of July and I am running out of time to find a recipe and to taste test one.

All help will be taken!!