Merry Christmas!

    Merry Christmas eve everyone! This is probably one of my least favorite days of the year...It was one of my favorites as a child, but one of my least favorites as a parent. Probably because of all the running, cooking, etc. That has to be done. But this year it's not too bad. There is no travelling involved, because we went to Minnesota for Thanksgiving. The weather is GREAT here. And the new part of our house is very close to completion, so we aren't really sitting on top of each other!  It may seem like simple things to y'all; but to me, it means a lot. My husband's blood, sweat and tears are going into making this house a home; and he is doing his best to make it the home that I have always dreamed of. Complete with the rustic details that I want...
     THAT child is in his room cleaning, the NP child just finished washing lunch dishes, and the BABY is getting in the way...Perfect time of the year for our almost 2 year old to decide that she's going to potty train herself...Except that she can't get on the toilet on her own, so she has to ask for help to get up there. These precious memories are what will carry us through to the new year. 
     It has been such an amazing year for us! Remodeling our house, the NP child having such a great year on the rodeo and show circuits, THAT child starting kindergarten and just starting to come out of his shell, and the BABY growing and changing every day.  I would be hard-pressed to say what was my favorite memory of those! But with growth comes change. With change comes emotion. The NP child is retiring her 21 year old barrel pony, and has gotten a new horse to go on with. THAT child has decided to show a calf and a pig at the fair next year, along with his horse. The BABY is growing up so fast that it makes me sad...They should be little longer!
      With all the good/bad/ugly things that have touched my family this year, I am so thankful that the impact on us is small. We are fortunate to be in the very outer ring of all of the political mess that is going on. Hopefully our president elect can bring around some change...I fear for our country if not! With that, I am going to close with: Please pray for our country and it's leaders...Now and in the new year. 

Restless!

   It feels like I have been waiting for this all year, and now I don't know what to do with it. Down time. ONE weekend where I don't have anywhere to rush off to, anything to do...It's crazy! I love running with the kids. It makes me crazy and all that; but I love every minute of it. Rodeos, cattle shows, horse shows...It's all such wholesome fun for them! But I think the best part of it is that they have to work for it. They have to feed their horses and cattle, they have to halter break calves, bathe them, train their hair....I usually do the clipping for them; but most of it is their work and they get to reap the rewards of it. THAT child has decided that he's going to show a pig this year at the county fair....We are still trying to talk the BEAST into that one! 
     You would think that I would be excited not to be on the road all the time and being able to take it a little bit easy; but I really don't like it. I sat here and watched the NFR and did some online business...Now I'm watching a movie with the kids; but I'm still restless! I miss the bone-tired feeling of working young horses or getting dragged around by the 18 month old commercial heifer. I miss the frustration of trying to pack the truck and trailer with the BABY tagging along with me. I'm sure that this is just me getting used to the relaxed atmosphere and not the rush, rush, rush of rodeo and livestock show life; but it sucks right now! LOL!