New Year

New Year!
Wow, it is so hard to believe that I am sitting here on the last day of 2012. It has been a very full and rewarding year. I ran in my first 5K race in February, and in October I came super close to my goal of a 10 minute mile! More on that goal in 2013.
Andy worked very hard over the summer to plant grass in our hay meadows; we look forward to reaping the full benefits of them this summer.
Andi Beth started Pre-K, and then Andi Beth quit Pre-K. It has been really great having her at home this fall. Well at home and at Nana’s, at BeBe’s and at Mattie’s. She has been quit the busy little bee, and it doesn’t look like she will be slowing down. She is working on writing her name and other things to be ready to start Kindergarten in Garrison in the fall. Wow, at least I have 8 whole months to get used to that idea.
Cooper turned a year old in March and we have had a year of firsts. First steps, first words, first haircut. He went from crawling to running. He has really grown this past year.
It has been a great year, and as I look back and at the things I set out to accomplish this year, I feel that I have done well. I can’t say that I have hit every single goal, but I have come close to most. I have things to work for in 2013.
I have a goal to be more organized and less scattered in 2013!!
Other goals I have
​To complete my 5 year old and 2 year old’s baby book…….I haven’t even started the two year olds!!
​To write more
​To take better pictures and edit them better
​Then there is that matter of a little extra weight and those few extra seconds on the 5K.
I am looking forward to 2013 and all the possibilities that it holds for us.

Parading in the Rain

The other day we had one of those fun rain showers. You know the kind, not raining to hard, no thunder or lightening. Just plain fun!!

Andi Beth had been begging to play in the rain, so this Saturday afternoon seemed perfect. She had been to milk the cow, so she had on rain boots and play clothes. I said why not. Then I went in and grabbed my camera and my umbrella and followed her.

We live on a dead end dirt road so this makes a great place to play, and the road was just wet enough to provide a place for her to run and slide.

There was a pretty big mud puddle that I pointed out to Andi Beth. So, of course, she took off for it.

I love to see her expressions as she plays!

I love the mud puddles for several reason. First when she was learning to talk Andi Beth called them “mud cuddles.” Also, last summer when we were in the drought, Andi Beth was very worried that there was no mud puddles. When it finally did start raining, she would be so excited, and would shout, “Mommy, Mommy there are mud puddles outside!”

 There was a country song some years back that had the line……”it is not raining on my parade, I am parading in the rain.” That is what we do here in the country……..Parade in the Rain and Jump in Mud Puddles

How to Milk Minty

About a year ago, while visiting our friends that own a dairy, Andi Beth started asking for a baby milk cow. Well as many of you probably don’t know, my hubby and his sister used to show dairy cows in high school. Guernsey dairy cows to be exact. So, when my then 3 year old started coming home and asking for a baby milk cow, at first we did what any good parents do. We said, “Sure sweetie, you can have a milk cow,” and just went on. We do have cows and we had been talking about getting a nurse cow for twins and such, but we just really were not in a hurry to get one. Well Andi Beth did what every good three year old does. She went and asked Papa for a milk cow, and Papa was more than happy to oblige. Now there was a long drawn out process of finding the milk cow and going to get the milk cow, but anyway we have a milk cow now. Andi Beth named her Minty, after a green My Little Pony.

Andi Beth has done very well at taking care of her milk cow, with the help of Papa, Mommy, and Daddy. She can tell you everything you have to do to milk her. We can milk her by hand or with a machine, but usually we let two are three calves nurse her. Right now she is raising an Angus heifer named Missy and a half Holstein steer calf named Calico. The following are pictures are of Andi Beth milking Minty. I also asked her to tell me step by step what you have to do.

First, you have to put Minty in the chute and pen the calves, and give Minty a little bit of feed while the calves nurse.  She needs someone to work the head gate on the chute and get the calves into the small pen.

Then you open the gate and let the calves come to Minty.

This is Missy nursing on her side, the calves are so used to this they go to the same side every day. If they don’t Andi Beth fusses at them until they do!

While the calves are nursing, you go get the rest of Minty’s feed ready. We buy feed in 1,000 pound totes, when they are full they are taller than Andi Beth.

She fills the bucket as full as she can, and then I help her finish filling it up.

I put water on the feed for her. Andi Beth can do this, but there is a lot less mess if I do it. Then she mixes it up with her hands. At some point she looked at me and said “This is fun!!” Then she wiped her hands on the front of her shirt. I had to laugh.

Andi Beth told me you have to go behind Minty and check to make sure the calves got all the milk. It is bad for Minty if they don’t get it all.

When the calves get all the milk, you use the cow stick to tell the calves they are done. You tap the calves on their front legs and the go back to their pen.

Then, you have to dump out your boots. My guess it she got feed in them.

It is really fun to go to the barn with Andi Beth. She really loves going to see Minty. Minty really loves Andi Beth, too. The only time Andi Beth gets upset with Minty is when she tries to rub on Andi Beth with her head; the problem with that is Minty’s head is nearly as big as Andi Beth’s whole body.