Trip to Wyoming....

We had a great trip to Wyoming. We enjoyed getting to see lots of Family and Friends! I could go on and on telling you about the trip but you would get tired of reading.....so hopefully the pictures will give you a glimpse of what we enjoyed. I love to read all your comments so if you have a moment please leave one!

Here is a water lily on one of the live springs at Morris and Jeanie's.
Whoops...Clayton fell in the spring! Notice the wet leg?

Uncle Will took Wilfred and Clayton fishing. It was the highlight of the trip for Clayton. I was getting worried as it was getting really late and they weren't back yet. As it turns out Clayton didn't want to leave the lake and he begged to stay until morning. Will was only too happy to stay on the lake and make Clayton happy. Of course when they finally got the boat out of water and headed for home Clayton didn't last too long in the pickup. Here Lindsy is very worried about Clayton. Here it is almost midnight and they bring her brother in slumped over his car seat. I think Will has earned favorite uncle status in Clayton's book
The cows...Yes, it was raining!!!!!

The little waterfall.
Neat little flowers growing out of a rock.
The 'mountain goats' hiking ahead. I was lagging far behind because I kept stopping to take pictures.

Clayton, Grandpa, and Daddy behind the waterfall.

Sunday Morning of Chugwater. Little Cowboy.


Finally a Family picture...Of course Wilfred would have to have his hat jammed down on his head so you can't see his face....... Clayton's grin more that makes up for it.

The brothers.
Lindsy and Bop-ba. (She is quite a grandpa's girl for both Morris and my Dad.)
Getting taught to stick Aunt Crystal's hair sticks in the ground....Can't blame the kid she had help!
When we got home:

Korina's birthday lunch! The kids adore Korina if you can't already tell that.

The whole family pitched in to buy Korina a bike.
Back to work on the projects at home. Doesn't Daddy look proud of his little girl out digging in the dirt.
Egg update: They Hatched while we were gone. Only 2 of the 3 eggs made it and they flew out of the nest yesterday. I got a little sad when I watched them leave....The mother bird seemed overjoyed that her babies made it. I couldn't help but think of something that we humans call 'empty nest syndrome.' We mothers want to hold onto our babies as long as possible...and when they leave home it breaks our heart. (which my mom told me when I left.) When the birds finally leave their home the momma seems to be filled with joy that they have made it. I was thinking maybe I should take a note from mother nature. I need to do all my loving, caring, feeding, nurturing, and tending to my children while I can. That way when they do leave home I can be filled with joy that I have done my best and that they have made it! (I guess we will see when that time comes, I am sure someone will have to remind me of the momma bird!)

How We Keep Busy.....

UGH!!!! I CAN'T TAKE THIS HEAT! This has been a regular occurrence the last few days. Today it was even hotter but I didn't get a picture. To go along with this heat we have had a HOT, DRY wind. Like I said UGH! Lindsy got a new stroller last week. She loves it!!! She will just sit in it for hours and be happy.

Clayton riding Sassy on Saturday night.
He looks good up there doesn't he!?
I thought this was way too funny when I rounded the corner and saw him. Even little kids know how to read on the pot!

Memorial Day Weekend.....

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend....We did! We rode horses on Monday. Wilfred and I are both sore this morning. My mom bought a new horse on Monday. Her name is Lily. She is 2 months old. She is still going to stay with her momma until the end of July. She is APHA registered. I am going to show her at the N.M. State Fair in the halter class. She is very sweet and loving! Here she was bonding with Wilfred. On Saturday We went out to Bouton's Place. They had a windmill that was needing the head taken off of it. They also needed the water tower taken down. Where they live there was a HUGE fire. It burned several thousand acres of the national forest and some of Bouton's land. That same fire burned 59 homes in the area. Wilfred drove the crane down with Clayton, and Lindsy and I drove my car with a trailer. The plan was to use the crane on the windmill and water tower. Then go cut timbers from the burned parts of the land. I wish I could have captured the burn and the scar on film....there was just no way! It was amazing and very sobering. I am so sorry for the quality of the photos. Somehow my darling children got finger prints all over my lens.

The fire was so hot that even the rocks burned... some of the HUGE boulders cracked in half!

One tree burned nearly completely while the cluster of trees around it are still standing.
The kids had so much fun playing in the dirt!

Here is the crane Wilfred was using. He has recently been promoted to a 40 ton crane. This is it!

My crazy husband climbed the windmill tower and hung on while unbolting the head. Yes, it was very windy and I was very nervous!

The NASTY RAT and the Bird.....

This is the momma bird who has chosen our chicken coop to build her nest and lay her eggs. I am thinking she didn't do her research..after all it is ironic that she would lay her eggs in the place our birds lay theirs. I just don't think she realized that we don't let the chickens keep their eggs...I think I will let her keep hers! :)Her nest. The eggs, this isn't a great picture but it is the best I could do...after all I was reaching up on my tip-toes to stick my camera in there for a picture.
WARNING THE FOLLOWING PICTURE IS NASTY!
I came home this morning from taking my sister to the airport. I found the dogs had killed one of the turkeys and had scattered the other 3 around the yard. It is cold and windy today with rain and sleet. (2 days ago it was 90 degrees and today it was 37 degrees 2 hours ago.) I went out to gather up the turkeys and get them in the coop. I found 2 but couldn't find the last one. I heard it peeping...I finally thought to check behind the dog house. I came face to face with a RAT! I quickly checked the other side of the dog house and sure enough there was the turkey. I ran in the house and grabbed the pellet gun. I shot that stupid rat. Then I gathered the turkey up and took it to the others. I then had to go get the hoe and scrape the rat out from behind the dog house. This is a picture of it good and dead! (I wanted a picture for proof for Wilfred!) YUCK!

Say Cheese! ...

Lindsy loves to run around the yard. We always have to shut the front gate or she will take off. The picture is blurry but you can still see her grin!
A drink break. Playing outside in 90 degree heat is hard work! (I am not sure what is up with Clayton he would not smile...he would only squinch up his face.)

This is the backhoe Wilfred rented to bury Levi. I got to drive it some!
I had some help driving!

Sad day....

I don't have any pictures for today, but I did want to let everyone know that My 'older man' Levi passed away last night. He was 29 if not a bit older. We have had him since fall of 1999. He sure was sweet and I will miss him. I will try to dig up a photo of him and post it.

Cats....

I am not a fan of Cats but this video is way too funny to not share! Enjoy it.... http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=fq55ieixwd

Tuesday Morning...

Finally! After all my gripes about the weather here we had a BEAUTIFUL day! It started off Tuesday morning with FOG! Can you believe it, there was actually moisture in the air? I had a moment after Wilfred went to work and before the kids woke up. I spent it outside breathing deep, very deep. It smelled sooooooo good! Here is the chicken coop. This is one of the 3 planters on the front porch.
I scared all the birds away from the feeder on accident. Here are a few that didn't mind me too much. I just stood outside in my jammies taking in the beauty. I loved the sound of the birds singing their morning songs.
Here is our 'Raspberry Row" I know it isn't much to look at now but we have great hopes for these little sticks!
My phenomenal Aspen trees my hubby planted for me. I am so happy to see that they survived the wind and the transplanting.

The only downside to this is after one beautiful day the wind is howling again and the dust is blowing. I am glad I have these pictures to look at!

How Exciting!!!!!!

Sunday: We (Lindsy & then me) got sick last week. That same flu-ish crud that seems to be getting everyone else. (I'll spare you all the details) Anyhow Sunday I was needing out of the house, so Wilfred and I loaded the kids up and went and checked out our 'new' Walmart. While there we saw a great deal on a tent and sleeping bags. (We have been needing to get some for Chugwater anyway.) When we got home Wilfred decided to set it up in the Living Room to make sure that everything was how it should be. Our deprived children have never seen a tent before and boy were they excited! This is Lindsy checking out the tent she wasn't sure if it was really safe to go in or not. Ladies, I understand this picture captured my hubby's hiney quite well however, please just focus on Lindsy. :)
Here is Clayton in 'awe'!

He just had to try out his sleeping bag!!

Wilfred's Other Woman & The Snake....

This is the other Lady Wilfred has been spending so much time with. He asks me if I am jealous. I always respond with a "No, not really." and a smile. Her name is Sequoia. She was really my mom's but she has fallen deeply in love with my Husband. Their affair has become somewhat humorous to me. Sometimes after dinner Wilfred will say thanks for the meal and dash off to be with his other woman. Then he doesn't come home until well after dark. Part of me can't get too jealous since I have been spending more time with another man. I figure it is only fair. Levi is big and strong and loves the attention I give him. Maybe I will get a picture up of him soon. It figures that my Husband would go for a much younger woman and I would go for a much older man. Levi is even older than Wilfred. Wilfred and Sequoia got off to a bit of a rough start...his hiney might have been a little sore from hitting the ground. However he caught right back up with her and laid it out straight...more specifically he defined the terms of their relationship. Now when he goes to see her she will come running to him. She will stick her nose right under his arm and nicker contentedly. Yes, I must admit I've been bumped to second place in my husband's book. I really don't mind one bit! Yesterday a little before noon I got a phone call. It was my mom and the conversation went like this; me "Hello." mom "You a snake killer?" Me "No" Mom "oh, ok then." Me "Why? mom " Aunt Diana has a snake at her front door." me "does it have rattles?" mom "no" me"tell her I'm on my way" My aunt had just gotten home from getting groceries and pulled up to find this bullsnake warming himself up against the house near the front door. My aunt is terrified of snakes! The mere thought of a snake can send her into shock. So when she saw the snake she stayed in her car and called my mom hysterical. I was the closest person who could go to kill the snake. Any man was at least 30 minutes away. The kids and I hopped into the car and headed over. I grabbed a hoe from our garage. on my way there I called Wilfred and told him what I was up to and asked him for advice. I have never had to kill a snake before. He told me to whack it a million times and cut the head off. No problem right.... I hopped out of my car and went to town on the snake. (I first made sure it really didn't have any rattles) Their dog was going nuts! I finally got the hoe on to its head to cut it off and lo and behold I had grabbed the dullest tool in our garage! So I thought well I will just step on its head and put the stupid thing out of its misery. Just as I was about to get my shoe well centered over its head their dog grabbed it by its tail and started shaking it to death. I just stepped back and let the dog take care of the dirty work and then called him off. The snake didn't move. There was some blood coming out of it's mouth and I thought well it's dead for sure! So we stood around and talked for awhile. I grabbed up an empty planter and scooped the snake into it. It still hadn't moved a muscle. I put the planter with the snake in it in the trunk of the car. Then I loaded up the kids and headed for home. At this point some of you may have realized that I hadn't cut off the head. So you may be guessing what happened next. When I got home I backed the car in as I normally do. I was feeling pretty good as I had just taken care of a snake and I was excited for Wilfred to get home and see my kill. As I opened my door I looked down as the snake fell out onto my running board. At the same time Clayton had unbuckled and turned around in his seat to see the snake. He screamed "Mommy it's not in the trunk!" I was in shock the stupid snake had made its way out of the planter and up under 2 rows of seats and then the drivers seat to wrap it's self around my feet. I grabbed my phone and called Wilfred. I said if I wasn't hysterical before I am now. I told him where the snake was and what had happened. He started laughing and said, "I guess you missed the part about make sure you cut his head off." It was hissing but too weak to really strike. I leapt out the car and over it. I opened the trunk and grabbed the hoe. I went to town on the thing. This time I made sure to cut it's head off. I left the head, the body, and the blood on Wilfred's side of the drive pad. I told him it wasn't funny and he could deal with the rest when he got home. Needless to say I think I am now out of the snake business. I will just leave that to the men. It measured out exactly 4 feet long.