I know that Dally can hear me... she just chooses to ignore me and whatever consequences I give her. She could care less if I scream, spank, cry- it just blows right past her. I ALWAYS have to tell her to do something more than once or even twice! This is a typical Dally/Mommy interaction. Today, I told her to take the mail in the house and wash her hands. She heads for the puppy. I tell her to go in the house and put the mail on the table. Still walking away. I yell, "DALLY, go in the house and put the mail on the table." Am I on mute? I walk over to her, turn her toward the house and say, "Dally, can you hear me?" Do I need to box your ears to make you hear me???" She says, "No, you flip them"(with a smile). As I try not to laugh, I say, "Do I need to flip your ears?" The light goes on. "No," Dally says. "HECCCCCCKKK no!"

Prayers

Okay, Dally and I were saying her prayers the other night. It had been pretty hectic trying to get them in bed because we were leaving for Woodruff early the next morning. I was a little stressed hurrying the kids and Dally DOES NOT go to bed very well anyway. So... she is saying a great innocent prayer and just happens to slip in(in a sweet little voice), "Please bless that we can go swimming again and bless that Mom can get ate up by a shark." WHAT?!? So after the prayer, I asked her, "Dally why do you want me to get ate by a shark?" Then she told me that I am always being mean to her all the time. Who knew!

Don't fence me in

I have been feeding the cows lately as Earl has been hauling grain for the feed company. It is something that I really enjoy. Both herds that I feed are fairly close to town. Fixing fence is okay too. Getting the 40 head of heifers back in the field and fixing fence EVERY day isn't the greatest. Each morning, as we'd get close to the field, I'd think, "They won't be out today, I fixed the fence so well." Yeah right. They're out! Okay, the fences aren't great. In fact, they are pretty rotten. Turkey/sheep fences just aren't made to hold cows but you have to use what you have when you are just leasing the ground and make do. Anyway, I did take extra wire every morning "just in case" and I ended up using it all every day. On Friday night, I finally talked Earl into going down with me. We pounded posts, we wired, we braced. I thought I had it made. AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Saturday morning, they had flattened the fence with all of the t-posts laying bent to the ground. Of course, Earl was hauling cows for a friend. I got them in and fixed fence again. Yesterday, (Sunday) Earl put up the electric fence. YES!!!! He had Kalon "test" it. (It felt like when mom tickled his back and he got chills-could he grab it again?" So, I was still pretty apprehensive as I drove down there this morning with my full load of hay. I even took some extra wire. But....Miracle! They were still in. Give them a few hours to figure it out though...

Branding time

The best shot givers ever! The helped me soooo much.

This years branding was so GREAT! It was the least stressful branding for me that we've had. We had a lot of good help and the best part of all was that I got to spend time with my family. Lunch was simple. Nobody got hurt. Perfect weather. Just completely great!

Cash, Taytum, and Jared

Lauree can't NOT get a shot every year. She's definitely vaccinated yearly.

Hayes played all day!

This one's getting framed.

the Bear

Twix, Dad, Dally, and Angle Dust(4 years)

Melissa, Mom, and Chansy

Cool Cowgirl

Dad and Shane (who had a broken toe).

Kalon had a nap and when he woke up, they had already left to take the cows back down to the fields without him. He was heartbroken that he didn't get to ride!

The Stuart tongue...we all have it. It makes special appearances for cameras.

I LOVE this picture of Earl!

Cash(7m) and Chansy(8m) hanging out in the sheepcamp.

They must remember each other from heaven because they are best friends already!

Thanks Everyone!!!
We missed you Uncle Dick and Andreea.

More cowbell...uh, sheepbell!

My husband is a genius! Dally disappears regularly and we have to call out the search and rescue to find her. Yesterday, Earl was inspired and this was the result. Yes, she still went missing, but at least I knew right where to find her.

OH SHEEP!

Dally stole this lamb from it's mom and put it in with our bummer calves. She kept telling me that it "NEEDED" her.

Denalli, Dally, Kalon, and Julia

Earl's dad runs sheep and my kids love them! Me, I'm just happy to have any excuse to get out of the house. Every year, we use our semi to haul them to and from the desert and up and back off the mountain so we are definately involved. Grandpa Warren spent 2 days this week shearing and I knew right where the kids were. The feedyard is right out back so we have a good play pen. Right now, they have started lambing and we cannot keep Dally home.

Okay, I know that this is a weird complaint but here it is... I am so sick of smelling like calf milk. I feed the calves in the morning, wash and wash and wash my hands and the milk smell NEVER leaves. I shower, change my clothes, wash my hands again and again, and sure 'nuf, you guessed it still there. What is up with this. Does the powdered milk company want the calves to be able to smell me and "bond" to my milk smell permanently?!? I wash my hands very often. (I'm kind of germaphobic) and nothing works. Do the dishes...sniff-yup, still there. YUCK! YUCK! YUCK! Maybe it soaks into my fingernails and skin. Maybe it has a super glue component hidden somewhere in the powder. It does take a wire brush to get it off from the inside of the bottle sometimes. Maybe, I should just go out and let the calves try to suck off the smell out of my fingers. Wait a minute, I am actually thinking about having a gooey, slimey calf mouth surrounding my hands and fingers willingly? Yep, I've officially "lost it".

Chansy's 6 month pictures

This is her normal Chansy face. We love her cuteness!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW!