The date is set!

I couldn't be happier. I never thought planning a major event like a wedding, much less my own, could be so thrilling.
Saturday, September 4th in Lincoln county, Colorado I will marry my best friend, Chad Taylor. I was able to reserve the reception location today, talk to a few people about music, get my bride's maids to say yes and I choose my color palate. I selected chocolate brown and green. The flower arrangements can be white and orange Gerbera daisies. I think it will look nice, casual, simple and be under budget! :) My daughter is going to walk me down the aisle. My father died ten years ago this February 9th. I'm excited to go through this process and just wanted to share it with you. If anyone knows a photog who will travel to Hugo, CO (East of here in Lincoln County), would you kindly send me the info?

I said YES!

I said yes to a question I had not really expected. Well, OK, I had an idea it was coming soon but didn't know it would be now. Boyfriend Chad asked me to marry him and gave me a ring on Christmas Eve! He presented me with a gift. I opened it and it was a photo frame...."uh, huh, I thought....so....". He then explained that we would need a photo of us to go in the frame...because I would be wearing his ring, then he pulled it from his pocket. yippee I jumped around like a teenage girl winning tickets to see Bryan Adams in concert with backstage passes. OK, I'm dating myself, I know. I jumped around the house so happy that I hurt my knee, and then my ankle.
I think we're doing it in September.

I guess we'll have to call him "Fiance Chad" now. Oh, and here's the story board of how it all went down in chronological order of course. A picture IS worth a thousand words.

Simple Christmas ...Please!

Look in the stores and while you're still donning your shorts and flip flops, you'll find Christmas trees. It's almost Christmas in July anymore.
The commercialization of the holidays is only getting worse. The season is bombarded with pressure to do more. Cards, parties, letters, photos, decorating....obligations galore.
I remember a Christmas when we waited until Christmas Eve to decorate the tree. We did so as a family. My Aunt popped corn we strung as garland and we brought out hand-made ornaments that had a history and a story. We did a tiny tree at her house and a big one with my mom.
Most importantly, there were memories. Everyone would tell a story of their favorite Christmas and would put an ornament on the tree. My mom would tell us again about her favorite ornament...it was a star wrapped in tin foil with a toilet paper roll on the back to secure it on the top. It didn't show and it didn't matter that our tree didn't have a Home and Garden Network color coordinated theme.
My other Aunt, Aunt Teenie, as we call her would prepare a big dinner....it's prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, cream cheese mashed potatoes and brandied flambe fruit for dessert. One year she nearly burned down the house with her elegant candles getting too close to a beautiful silk floral display. My cousin, Gordon, a retired Fire Chief, just watched in amazement with little excitement. That same Aunt, now a cookbook author, recounted that memory in her book.

So it's not what's on your tree, or under your tree it's what's in your heart. What do YOU remember about Christmas in your home? I hope they are happy memories.
Merry Christmas!

Hamster toy recall? solution offered

This past week there was another news story about another toy recall. It's a little toy hamster that is realistic...like a real animal! You can play with it and it jumps around in an interactive manner. Something about it is poisonous!
Funny, I was thinking our way of thinking has become a little well, ok, not poisionous but definately bent.
What is wrong with getting the child a real animal? A pet provides a child with responsiblity and committment. It teaches them to care for something. An animal is a wonderful companion for children and adults alike. Oh, it goes to the bathroom and makes a mess? I can almost hear my response comments now. Oh, if a child is too young they can't care of it. Ok, that's true, under the age of four, that is true. But most children are very capable of handling this responsibility after that age. My daughter has been in charge of morning animal duties now for two years and she's just six. She changes the rabbits hay and makes sure the water isn't frozen, and feeds him. She gives the dog his breakfast. She fills the cats bowls in the morning. I handle the PM Pet duties.
So before you consider buying some cheaply made, possibly soon-to-be recalled piece of plastic junk, consider making room in your heart and home for an animal that will bring you much joy in the years to come. There are numerous rescue agencies that have dozens upon dozens of furry creatures in need of a home! However, make sure you're willing to make the promise of caring for them for at least a dozen years.

Angry? Why?!

I read something interesting today. A large number of people under the age of 30 are angry. I thought it was a strong word to use. I don't feel like I can recall more than a few times in my life when I was "angry". Mad? Yes. Disappointed? Certainly! But "Angry" is a word my family didn't use much. For us, it always conjured up feelings of angst. If you were "angry", you were out of control because it meant that something had got the better part of you. When you hold onto anger, it only affects you...really. I mean there might be a few folks who receive the unpleasantness of your feelings at first, but in the end it's all on you. If you allow yourself to be angry you'll be the one carrying that burden around. Everyone else forgets it. After all, it's not their problem. Learn to understand the anger in your life, confront it and try to let it go. It will hurt YOU in the long run. I know...it sounds all new-age and everything but it works. Try it and e-mail me back with your success.
Now, I shouldn't tell you to "let it go" without telling you how I do it. Not sure this is the right way but it works for me. I try and have a "gratitude" moment everyday. When I feel fat or sausaged into my jeans, I realize that many much bigger women would love to be in my shoes. Speaking of shoes, when I feel clumsy and lanky because of my very tall height, I tell myself, many women would love to be taller. I usually can see over most heads in a crowd and turn heads sometimes and that's a true blessing. When I feel like I'm worried about paying my bills I think of the people who live in homeless camps who have nothing at all.
So getting back to my point on why I started this blog.....Angry? Really? Why?
Will you remember it a year from today?

Junior

Our family is dealing with a new kitten. awhhh he's so cute. Yep, he's that....awh he's so soft....yep, Oscar is a very soft little being but I had forgotten what sleepless nights feel like. It HAS been awhile since my little was waking me every two hours for the overnight feedings. Oscar is a little handful and frankly we're worried about the Christmas tree this year. He's probably going to climb it!

Reaction to the President's address to schools...

"what did the President say in his speech today", I asked my little girl, who is six and in the first grade.
"Uh, he said boys are stupid and sometimes girls are too and we're supposed NOT be stupid!" she replied happily.
"Are you sure that's what he said?" I inquired.....
She answers "well, no he also said to behave so your teacher doesn't pull a card and call your mom!" This is how they discipline in the schools now, they pull a card (this is probably like the adult version of probation) and when they have to pull a card three times, they lose time outside formerly known as recess.
Ok, well that's how the president's talk to the schools was heard through the ears of a six year old. I'm wondering what the older kids thought. I'll never know but sometimes I'm sure if we interpreted life like a six year old, it would seriously STRESS us much LESS.
After all, didn't someone once say all you really need to know what life you learn in kindergarten?

You're in trouble!

"You are SO in trouble" never gathered many an admiring...
..glance as it did from one country boy to another. Like when one goes into a bar to have a drink with his cousins and imagines that his girl will throw a fit. Well, I didn't but I did figure something out.
I made an astonishing discovery this weekend. Men and boys and guys and all creatures born of the male gender from the country LIKE to get into trouble with the women. It's like a rite of passage. They do something just bad enough and then talk about how much it's going to get them in trouble. The "oh, no, you're in for it", "you've had it", "boy, I'm glad I'm not YOU!" seem to be a call of bonding of sorts. It seems to turn into a contest. "Oh, yeah, well check this out....". The sheepish grins of proudness when they're called out on the behavior. The behavoir, by the way, isn't bad...they just think it is.


Now let's take a trip to the city, shall we. No member of the male gender raised in the city will ever try and purposefully get into trouble with his woman. Nope! Not going to happen. They will AVOID conflict at all costs. They will not talk about it, not think about it, not even imagine that it could happen. For it's uncomfortable to them to be in the doghouse. I tested this theory out today when I tossed out a scenerio for my city boy friends and co-workers. They looked almost green and ill when faced with the possibility of pissing off the old lady (as one of them affectionately called his). Another resembled a deer in the headlights look while another agreed he'd rather be a deer and jump in front of a car before making the woman mad.


Back to the country. It's like the whole "I gotta real BAD bull" thing....I'm guessing they live for the spunk, for the challenge. They want something hard to have and soft to hold. They appreciate what they have. But they will be the first to tell you, they actually like to be in a little trouble. It makes them feel like someone cares enough to pitch a little fit about them. So, ok, I get it. Country men love a little trouble. Not a whole lot. They probably appreciate the amount a fiesty redhead could dish out. That's why you'll hear the fiery REDHEAD mentioned more often in country music than any other genre.
So Travis Tritt wanted a little "T-R-O-U-B-L-E!" I think he knew exactly what he wanted.
He wanted to share a beer with a cousin in a bar owned by his ex-girlfriend and swap "you're in for it" stories.

Boy, You're in trouble! Nuff said!

Just another stormy day...

I noticed today how musical a storm can be. The curtains sway flapping against the wall as the winds pick up. You hear a rumble in the background. It begins very slowly. The rain comes down with a gentle drip drop, drip drop and starts to build...DRIP DROP DRIP DROP...whooosh Crackle, boom! I really missed these storms. It seems as though Colorado hasn't had the really big ones like the place in which I grew up....Oklahoma. I guess it's just how it's been for the last few years. This year has definately been wet and the storms have been gargantuan in size. As the storms moves out the showers disappear slowly...drip drop drip drop....the winds die down and fade away. It's the beginning, the middle, the climax and the end.

Recession Beach

If you are like many of us, you've decided to stay home this year. Despite some great travel deals to somewhere tropical, it's just NOT in the budget.
Hello.
That's me!
I spent the afternoon at what I like to call "Recession Beach", or uh, the backyard. The deck is my pretend sandy beach. I have a lounger there where I can lay back and close my eyes to relax. Except the slobbery ball that's dropped in my lap from a pooch who wants to play ball. Oh, there is an upside to that.....since we didn't travel somewhere this year we saved a bundle NOT having to board him at the Vets. We didn't have to pack. We didn't have to spend hours at the airport. We didn't have to do anything.
And well,
we didn't.
Welcome to Recession Beach!
Enjoy the peaceful oasis of your backyard.
It's nearly free.

Safe clicks!

Maybe it's the mom in me, the mom of a pretty, little six-year-old girl. I know she's growing up but I'm not sure she should do it too quickly. So when I got a telephone call I thought of her. Ok, I'll explain.

I got a call from a girlfriend of mine with a plea for help. She thought she should let her 10 year old girl keep a social networking account. I think it was My Space or something like that. Anyway, she said it seemed like a good idea at first. The girl pleaded with her mom "Please, Puh-leeeeeeease, ALL of my friends have on". My friend complied.
A few days later she received a call from one of her friends who said they noticed her ten year old's page stating she is 19!!! Wh-What?
This has clearly gotten a little out of control.
Kids not only have to worry about cyber bullies but sexual predators. It's easy to pose as another ten year old girl and create a profile. It's so simple to get someone to trust you on-line, after all it seems harmless enough.

My friend got the following response:

"It's not like these 'friends' can find me!"
I gave her the address to a helpful site. http://www.wiredsafety.org/youth.html
And I'm not sure that it's healthy to develop on line relationships with legitimate friends. We had to make friends face-to-face, call on the telephone or meet on the playground. It taught us how to interact with others.
Ok, I have a social networking account. But I learned how to make friends first. I'm afraid this new generation won't learn the importance of communication and how it works in our lives. I'm afraid of sexual predators. And I'm afraid that I might be reporting on this little girl. Or as a co-worker put it, "don't make me write about you".
So I said to my friend, if your daughter gets a 121 for some LIK and the person on the other end of the e-mail says LHSX, LEMENO. Cause it's waaaaay outta hand. BTW, by the way to understand what your daughter or son is saying or to translate what I just said, go to http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp.

RUN like you're chasin'!

Look at the picture above.

That's Taffy Taylor, a former rodeo star, and a formidable cow horse on the Nelson and Sandy Taylor ranch. She carried Chad's little sis Wendy on her back for many rodeos in Lincoln County, Colorado. Chad is walking her around some barrels and she's resisting the walk.

She'd much rather RUN!

If you translated her age to human years she'd be eligible for social security. She's in no way ready for the rocker.

Just like the 66 year old woman who competed in last night's Pike's Peak or Bust Rodeo. She came out in overdrive and finished with a score of 18.0...not the best time. There were certainly faster competitors in the sport of barrel racing. But she climbed on and gave it her all. Her horse thundered down the arena and leaned hard into the turns.

Just when most are slowing down, this woman is speeding up.

Fourth of July

If you ever really want to experience real fourth of July fun, get yourself to a town so small there's not even a stoplight.
I spent the holiday weekend with my Boyfriend Chad and his family in the small Lincoln County town of Karval. It's the kind of place where you can visit the local cafe or Calf-A as it's called in this rural farming and ranching community...come here and you'll find old men sitting around talking politics and cattle. You'll find couples who've been been married 40 years or better. And you'll find people who really know how to put on a great fourth of July celebration.
It started with a competition at the local arena...it's a rodeo type arena. There were contests for the kiddos in the morning. There was a goat roping event, barrel racing, and one that I really loved the father-daugher rider rescue. The dad rides his little girl down the arena to the end and drops her off where she waits. The dad returns to the gate where they start a timer, he rides down and bends down to pick her up where they race back together for the best time. Little future cowgirls decked out in pink boots, some with spurs, some with pigtails.
The little ones (under five) competed in an event where they ran to grab a ribbon off a goat's tail and raced back. There was also an event where they ran to put on their boots.
Later the adults competed in roping events all afternoon.
For dinner, everyone brought a dish for a pot luck in the park. Chad's brother Travis was one of the ranchers who donated the pig which was totally delicious BBQ!! There was apple pie, brownies and just about every kind of dessert you can imagine....watermelon of course too.
When everyone was good and full, fireworks lit up the night sky over the arena. As the show wrapped up, the band warmed up across the street in the fire station. It was basically a big garage where they moved out the truck so we all could dance. Dads danced with their daughters, who already knew how to two-step. The little boys danced with their moms. Everyone brought coolers with their beverage of choice, some people even brought their dogs who settled under the tables.
All of this was true small town America. I had a blast. I can't wait until next year. If you ever want to really have a good time....spend your evening in a small town. Notice how people can be so happy with so little. It was simple and yet simply amazing!

The smallest things often de-rail our best laid plans...

Things that bring you great joy will also bring you great pain. Not sure if Confucious say ...the Chinese Philosopher.

But today, I hurt.

I hurt from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

I hurt inside and out.

Yesterday, I got trapped or stuck maybe a better word to tone down the possible sensationalism there. We were going to ride to round up a few of Chad's father's cows. I could see it coming...well kinda. The horse in front of me, Corky, got tangled up in some hay bale twine and started to become agitated, then Whiskers the horse I was riding got tangled too. I honestly couldn't hear what was happening around me, and it seemed to go in slow-mo. Whiskers (the horse I was on and the one is the photo above) started going backward in a circle very fast. wheeeeeeeeeeeeee right? not so much. Then he eventually tripped and fell on top of me. My left leg was under this very large horse. I guess he couldva been a skinny horse and the pain would've been the same, probably doesn't matter at that point.

Anyway, my pride remains in critical condition this morning for now that it's over and nothing's broken there are only bruises... These bruises are mostly of my ego and pride. I felt bad, really I did but sometimes these things are unavoidable. In the small amount of time and the small area of space where we were the best of all possible things happened. For the OTHER option could've sent us both into a barbed wire fence. Double ouch, right?

I will probably be getting a few riding lessons after this. All in all while it was happening, I didn't feel scared at the time, it was AFTER I was a little well, more than nervous. Experience is a wonderful teacher.

I'll be back on a horse again soon. I'm sure of it.

40 percent off and a smack on the backside...

...or not! We might never get to that point.

"Please sweetie....Jaaaaaaaake, Dillion....be good boys while mommy shops""NO!"

I'm hearing this dialogue while shopping a common sale at a popular department store.This is the point where I woulda popped the kid on the backside. I don't tolerate disrespect, especially out of kids old enough to know better.Let's return to what's happening now...

"Pleeeeeeeeeease honey, for mommie.......pleeeeeeeease"

I think we know who's in charge now.

"NOooo, I don't hafta! I WANT IT! I want it, I want it! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

ahhhhh I carry Aleve or Advil in my purse for these moments.
I don't know who I'm more disgusted at...the kid for the behavior, or the parent for allowing the little monster to get control over her like this. These are the children who will grow up to have big problems or cause them for all of us.Ok, let's check back in:

"eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Puh!"

The oldest spits on his mother.
You know, the woman who bore him, endured endless nights of no sleep, who might have stretch marks to show for it, who gives up luxuries to make sure he's provided for.
That would've been all she wrote for me at that point....well actually much sooner than this.
Kids need discipline! Not because it makes our lives easier but it is necessary for them to feel secure. When you count that's one....ok, that's two (when we get to three IF we do, you're getting a spanking) it tells your children you'll do what you say you'll do. You're a woman, or man of your word. It's important because when you follow up each and every time the child begins to trust you. They trust you all the time. For instance, when you say "Mommy will be back to pick you up at 4" or "I love you!" they believe you and feel secure in your promises and love.You don't have to spank, some children respond to time-outs. If you have an only child don't expect this to work. Only children learn to play by themselves and aren't easily upset by the promise of sitting out alone. It depends on your child really what form you decide works the best.
But for God's sake make sure you do what you say you will. Kids can spot your empty promises and threats. They learn you can be manipulated and you will lose control.Like this...

"mommy wants you to quit it...stop it now.....ok, I'll buy the toy for you if you'll just be good!"

Game over!

Kid won! Did yours?