After Christmas....

The best part of Christmas of 2010 was our neice Tia.  This was the first time we have spent time with her and she is super cute and fun!  It is fun to have a baby around again.  Naps, giggles, tears and laughs.  Things only a baby can do and never do wrong!

Grandpa and David take a rest before the presents start.  I would tell you they were sleeping but they were being naughty.  It ended with a construction book.  David got Grandpa to read him one after all.

See...just plain naugty!

Santa makes a yearly visit to our house.  This year he has on what appears to be fogged up glasses.  The kids never have let on that they know who he is (even though they have known him since birth).  Kate, Vic, (Lewis) Ally, Amanda, Emmy, and David Martin.

Kids and school

Isn't he cute...???? Oh yeah, David is sure a cute kid...until it is time to get ready for Kindergarten.  He turns into the ugly green monster.  Ever since the snow, he has to wear his bibs so he can climb the "great" mountain at the playground.  I have been to the playground and there is a small pile of ice on one corner.  I suppose to a five year old, it is mount everest and he conquers it everyday!  I am not sure if every mom knows that socks cause lumps in your boots and the bibs have to come down over the boots without making a lump in your jeans, but I am sure every mom has their "getting dressed" moments.  I suppose some would really like their kid to care they have lumps in their socks!  But mine is picky and by the time he leaves I am looking for something besides creamer to pour in my coffee! 

Christmas is here and it is time to be happy.  Stressed means happy.  Making sure we all have the same amount of gifts, something we like...  We told the kids we are toning down on the amount they get.  No one needs that many gifts.  We spread the word to the Grandparents too.  I am hopeful but we will wait and see.  I spent many a years over indulging the kids.  It is easy to do when they are little.  BUT as they grow big things get smaller and way more expensive.  My fifth grader is sure she needs a cell phone and my sixth grader wants a horse.  I think in the end they both cost as much as the other.  And each would spend as much time on them!

Now my 4 kids share the upstairs and there is 3 bedrooms.  The 7 year old Emmy and the five year old David shared a room.  There was much dancing going on when Emmy learned David was moving out!  Here is his new room downstairs.  Remember he is picky?? He even organized it all himself.  Right down to what drawer had what clothes in it. 

Well I have to go fix lunch for the Rancher / Construction man.  He will be in pretty soon!

Welcome to the "ranching way of life"!  I have been reading and keeping in touch thru email, facebook, ect... sometimes in my quiet time which i think is between the kids getting on the bus and the bottom of my coffee cup.  I thought it might be fun to share some of my "crazy thoughts" with my friends.  And some pictures of some of the things Montana kids do for fun.  (or work) depending on when you ask!

These are the "cow"girls. The love to ride their horses.  Emmy Lou rides Dan and he isn't young!  We think he may be 25 but no one is quite sure.  Ally rides Tony and he is a bit younger and has a mind of his own.  She has to take some time to make him mind.  But they work well when it comes to moving the cows (or running for the alfalfa).



This is Amanda.  She is kind and loving especially to anything younger than her.  Babies are her cup of tea. These two critters know her soft touch and are just waiting...they know she will share!



How about adding on? Building a suite? Making a mud room?  I told my husband I wanted to enclose the front porch.  Sure he said "go ahead".  That was all I needed.  So I "went ahead".   I had remodeled rooms and painted plenty around here.  Our house was Grandma's house.  This year it turns 90 years old.  A lot of fun history here!  So I started with a floor and a roof.  From there I started framing.  You know porches slope...Craig would come thru and say "is it square".   YA THINK?  HELL No it isn't square. So I would tear some out and start again.  It began to take shape.  Some phone calls to dad and some pictures sent and...it all started to flow.

2 months...and I have a room framed in some insulation on under the floor (ohhh spiders under the porch!) insulation in the walls and up goes my wood.  Did I mention the windows are square?  Yeah, they are!  One super expensive front door which I had to give a kidney for.  And finally...

 The boys are lounging in my room.  WORK?  Hmmm  2 months later, if you look thru the windows, you will notice I started with a nice green background and ended with a very white snowy look!  A foot in the yard to be exact.  It has taken from August to December.  But the final result is in, a mud room and porch and a great place to watch TV for 4 kids!  Yeah there is some trim work to be done...but so far so good!

Before I head off to bed...you know they say that 9 hours of sleep will give you 5 extra years.  That is 5 more years I can get even with the kids.   So I will be headed off to bed.  I need to leave the picture of the 4 kids moving the last of the sheep.  This poor ewe and lamb decided to be the last of the 600 head to get to the corrals.  As I am taking the pics, I am shouting "lay off kids..she is just slow!"  Kinda like me at ten oclock.  I am just a bit slow.  But when you are 12, 10, 7 and 5 and all you want to do is ride fast on your motorcycle, it is torture following the old ewe to the barn.  I suspect it is just another lesson in life, everyone gets old.  Cut them some slack and lay off a bit.  That old ewe has been to the corrals many a times and she knows someday it will be her last trip.  No need to hurry it along any.