Update on twins!

This is a short and sweet update on the twins.

They are still very cute and run all over the lot.  Fancy (Momma Cow) is doing remarkable and is such a great mom, she did come into good milk and bottle feeding has stopped.  Pokey  (the first twin)  looks like Fancy and is a little smaller than Pokey (2nd twin) who is the one with the really cool face and is a little thicker.  Other than that, they are all doing great and Boy 3 pets them everyday!

Today is a busy busy day.  It is even probably going to be fastfood for lunch or midday meal-YUCK!
2 soccer games, Down Country ipad workshop, Mass and dinner with Down Country. 

Have A Great Day:)

Twins before breakfast!

Living on a working cattle farm you have to learn the word FLEXIBLE or you would probably go crazy!

Yesterday morning, Sunday, I had this big breakfast planned, bacon, french toast and scrambled eggs.  Bacon was frying, french toast was on the griddle eggs were scrambling.  Then Boy 2 comes in and says dad needs help now!  I turned off eggs and went running along with Boy1.  Princess put the bacon and french toast in microwave.  Had to get a Shorthorn Plus Cow in to be checked and she was not wanting to go.  After a brief run in with a Hereford recip., Me and her eye to eye...I ran one way she went wrong way...Hubby not happy, but we did get the Shorthorn Plus in.  Hubby gets her in and puts halter on her, lead her in the working chute and guess what...1 leg and body, yep it is backwards, but with one leg behind her and another leg curled up under her.  Hubby decides, there possibly are two and he needs the vets help.

 Call vet, take cow out of chute, go inside to cold bacon, lukewarm french toast and warm mushy eggs.  We ate and pile everything in the sink, should have ran water in pan that cooked the eggs. 

We love our vets! Vets are doctors to animals, Boy 1 wants to be one, this momma is so happy about that, now if only one can be a plumber, a mechanic and an electrician we would be well rounded, off subject...., After about 45 minutes late we have twin girls, they were nose to nose inside the cow.  More unwanted news, cow has no milk, have to bottle the cuties for at least 24 hours every 4 hours.

Here is Hubby and the backwards sister!

 Hubby and the second sister!

 This is what the kids look like when dad yells, come now!

Thank You Lord for a beatiful day and 4 healthy kids and two healthy new calves and a momma cow that came into her milk sometime in the middle of the night!

So how was your Sunday?

Have A Great Day:)

Where have I been?

Between crazyness with school, home and heifers I have not had time lately to post anything.    I am sorry.  Yesterday was so crazy that I made supper at 9:53am, yes A.M.!  Thanks to the whole new USDA school lunch programs I can no longer on really busy nights, say oh you had a good filling lunch at school, we will have sandwiches for supper.  Nope- they have had sandwiches for lunch, I know as I make them, so I have to step up my supper game.  I love to cook and bake, but on practice nights we eat at 4:30pm and a snack when we get home.
 So here is a cookie recipe I made yesterday, if you like chocolate you will love this!

2 sticks butter- softened
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup White sugar
Beat together
add 2 eggs
Mix again
3/4 Cup Cocoa
1 tsp Baking Soda
Mix together
2 Cups Flour
Mix all
Add in a bag of Chocolate Chunks
Mix
I refrigerated for a few hours, went and got the kids and then drop by loaded spoon fulls onto baking sheet bake 350*  for 7-9 Minutes remove and cool on rack.
 They are gooey and oooey!!!

I totally have to brag on Hubby!  He is on the board of Down Country and his tooshy was all over the 10pm news on Monday night:)  Down Country raised enough money to give away 160 iPads to area special ed, therapists and teachers.  So proud of everyone. 

Off to Soccer Practice!

Have A Great Day:)

Cheese Soup!

I have an amazing cheese soup recipe.....somewhere!   By 10am this morning the wind was blowing out of the north, it was cloudy and yucky, I needed comfort food, what is better than cheese soup?  Well my recipe is m.i.a.  So I created my own, I would have taken a picture of it, but they ate ALL of it and told me it was the best ever!  So, if you need a cheese soup recipe, try this;

Melt 1/4 stick butter in sauce pan
Add a small chopped onion and cook until clear and tender.
To the butter mix, add 1/4 cup flour, stir until smooth.
Add 1 cup milk and 2 cups water ( next time, I am going to try chicken broth)
Stir until smooth

In a crockpot dump in a large bag of California Medly Veggies (which is broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
Pour mixture from saucepan onto veggies.

Chunk up velveeta type cheese, about 1/2 of it in small cubes.

About an hour before serving I added leftover homemade macaroni and cheese, about 2 cups full.

Place on low and let cook for 5 hours.

Stir occasionally.

I served it with homemade dinner rolls.


I was really looking forward to leftovers, but I am thrilled it was not a big flop!

It is now 50* degrees out and I have on the big fluffy socks and sweats, I did not complain about the 120* temps we had!

Have A Great Day:)

It is going to be a sad one!

 
The vet just left from pregnancy checking 4 cows.  Yes, we preg. checked on May 30, but with this long very hot summer we have been having some cows slip, or naturally abort unborn calves due to heat.  2 of the 4 were open.  Okay, fine! Here we have a three strikes your out rule and these two were recips. and it  was their 3rd strike.  The sad part is one is the first Angus calf that Hubby, Boy1 and I raised together.  To some of you it is Moon that will be going to the sale barn on Monday,  Moon is 9 years old.  I know this is a business, but it will be a little sad not to see Moon in the pasture anymore.

  So now off to get kiddos from school and then to the barn to rinse show heifers, it is kinda hot today, plus Boy 1 has been coming home rinsing, blowing and then does homework.  It has worked out great, as Boy 2 and Princess get their homework done then they go out. 

Taco Night tonight as Princess has dance class.


Have A Great Day:)

Worlds Apart!

Alrighty all my cow moms! I found another blog and guess what, she has 4 kids and cattle and a husband and lives all the way on the other side of the world, Australia!

A place Hubby and I would love to visit and I am reading about a couple who worked on cattle stations for a year in Australia, Bulldust in My Bra by a Hereford mom, Rebecca Long Chaney.  I can't figure out how to follow her blog, but here is the name cattle, kids & chaos.

I highly suggest you check it out!

Have A Great Day:)

9/11 Where were we?

Boy 1 sat next to this morning as the Today Show came on and asked was I still a baby when 9/11 happened?  I looked at him and said don't  you remember?  He stared at me, then I did the math and yes, he was only 18 months old and Princess was only 3 weeks old.  Of course he did not remember, I told him that he and I and Princess sat in front of the TV and watch the whole madness.  Boy 1 then shared that the 7th/8th grade Social Studies/History teacher was only going to talk and show about 9/11 in her class today.  Thank You Mrs. S, for reminding the kids at our school what happened on this day 11 years ago! 

It is really hard for me to believe it has been 11 years ago.  It is hard for be to believe that anyone, except for a few, from 5th grade down was not born before 9/11/01. 

So today as we are in the hussel and bussel of life with kids and hubby's, take the time and think, take the time and kiss those babies and tell them you love them.  If my memory is right 9/11/01 started out as a beautiful September morning, just like today and it all changed in a heart beat.

God Bless America!

Have A Great Day:)

Meaty Monday!

Our Meaty Monday favorite are amazing cheeseburgers.

This is them right before grilling!

Here is the beginning:

2lbs ground beef

Large handful of Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese

Large handful of Shredded Colby Jack Cheese

A dash of salt and pepper

Then quickly and carefully mix with hands until just blended then grab a handful of mixture and shape into patties, do not over think or over touch or they will fall apart on the grill. 

Put a thumb print in the middle of each one, it helps cook better.

Place in the fridge for 2-4 hours.

Start grill and let grill get warm.

Place burgers on grill cook about 4 minutes on each side.

DO NOT push down on burgers or you will lose all the wonderful and gooey juices!

Serve immediately.  I was going to take a picture of the final product, but they were gone, sorry!

Sometimes I also through in a small handful of bacon bits or chopped onion if I have them:)

Have A Great Day:)

Road Ass weekend!

What a title huh! We took the kids out of school early Friday to drive 4 hours to Albin Farms 2nd production sale and we had a blast!  We all got to hug on Cousin A.  Princess said Cousin A is her long lost sibling, which they way they all were acting, even Cousin A thinks they are long lost siblings.  The evening ended with a nice rain shower and awesome lighting show.  Since it was only 7pm and there just happened to be a Dairy Queen right across from our hotel, guess what we splurged on Blizzards!

Saturday was the sale and Cousin A had a great surprise as his girlfriend surprised him by flying in from Oklahoma.  It was great seeing her and boy 3 loves her so much.  He gives her hugs and kisses!  Princess is the happiest of all as we picked up her Optima from Mr. Albin, remember Optima went home with them from State Fair to be bred.  Princess missed Optima so much and rubbed all over her when we got home Saturday evening.

Sunday brought about another road trip, to Hubby's family's annual fish fry.  We left early enough to go to Hubby's grandparents where his grandmother had just finished making her homemade donuts.  If you have never had them they are wonderful, amazing, every great adjective I can think of.  And if you have had them, well after 16 years, this was my first time to have them warm and oh my gosh!!!  Still had one at room temperature a few hours later and still out of this world wonderful! We then went and looked at Shorthorns. 

So what did we do from Friday- Sunday, rode over 500 miles, ate a lot of food and looked at two different breeds of cattle. This was a wonderful weekend for us:)

Here is a picture of Cousin A and Girlfriend R from this summer.  We love them so much and had a great, but short, time with them this weekend!

Have A Great Day:)

Pictures of the last few weeks...see proof we really have been busy!

I know you have all seen Il. State Fair pictures, but today I was uploading pics and found this one of Boy1. Fitting his own heifer for the first time.  I love this picture!

Boy 2 and Boy 3 saying goodbye to the pigs.  It was a fun time with them and we can not wait for two more next spring!

Boy 3 riding on a mule at Ethan's Rodeo.  Boy 2 picked out which horse/mule they would ride, notice he gave his brother the bigger one!

Boy 2 riding his pick of the horse/mule, I guess he likes being closer to the ground!

The first day of school! Did I mention school starts 15 minutes earlier, notice Boy 2's face, I think he is still sleeping:)

Another Cousin got married!  I love my little buddy's face, he is so sweet and he winks at me, I give him chocolate for winking at me:)

Princess has turned 11! She is so sweet and mouthy, she gets that from her dad:)

And Boy 3 has been getting a LOT of naps in the van!

  Today, after almost 6 inches of rain the last 36 hours we tied heifers, needed a canoe to get to the showbarn, but it was all needed rain!  Washed the muddy heifers, blowed, fed, fed children and husband, Cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs and bacon.  Took naps, went back out worked with heifers, ate supper: Roast Beef, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans.  Now if that is not a Labor Day meal, I don't know what is!

Tomorrow: Cheeseburger recipe with pictures!

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

Have A Great Day:)