Centerpiece

Oh my goodness I have SO patted myself on the back for the creation of this centerpiece for our Christmas Day celebration.  Forgive me if I seem to be bragging, but honestly, I am.

Our dining table extends to 10 feet long and I wanted something to completely fill the space...well, leave a little room for eating.  I was checking in on Donna at Funky Junk during a mind-numbing blog surf and found her centerpiece.  It was perfect!  I changed the theme a bit for my vision.  Check it out!

 Obviously, I went with the baking thing.  I had a few of these things but a stop at one of my favorite antique stores filled in the gaps.  By the way... this "favorite antique store" of mine sent me an actual "thank you for the business this year" Christmas card.  Can you guess who opened it before I got to it?  That's right.  It was Mike.  Now can you imagine what may have been running through his head when he figured out who it was from?  Trouble right here in River City.  Actually, he just laughed because someone ratted me out about my shopping adventures.

I had to give the owner some grief about letting my husband in on my shopping habits.  I warned Mr. Shop Owner Man that he had better keep our antique/junk dealing relationship on the down low or he may never see me again.  He of course realized that was on empty threat but smiled and gave me 20% off my purchase.  I guess I'll go back. 

Most of the greenery is real.  Just went out and snipped off some branches from the shelter-belt.  Don't really know why I haven't done that before.  Real stuff gets thrown away and you don't have to STORE it!  Brilliant!  It smells good too.

I set the whole thing up on a muslin table runner.  It really cannot be moved with ease.  If I would have planned better I would have set up a little wooden number of some kind to assemble everything on top of...next year.

The cookbook page was added later.  It was a sign.  I was cleaning out a bunch of books and the page fell on the floor.  Check out the recipes.  {A bit blurry - sorry}  If that doesn't say Christmas, I don't know what does!

Becky

Poinsettias

Merry Twelve Days of Christmas.  I feel like I'm kinda back to my normal self.  As Mike said last night..."Do you feel free from the bonds of St. Nicholas?"  Getting there.  Does anyone else freak out, stress out, worry yourself sick, etc. about not disappointing your kids for Christmas and making sure everything is fair??!!  IT. HAS. CONSUMED. ME.  Things have to change next year.  {I say that every year.}

On a more relaxed note, I'd like to share a couple of my Christmas decorations over the next few days.  Hope you're not all tired of the season yet.  If so, maybe wait to read this week's stuff until next year.

My husband buys me poinsettias at the local farm store every year in December.  This year they were absolutely beautiful.  Obviously, one or two could not, would not be enough.  SO I bought a few more and here's where I put them...

 Old Bread Box

Old Not-Really-Copper Boiler

Old Cooler

Finally, an Old Locker Basket.

{Extra photo of the tree in the entry...because I heart it}

Simple. 
Elegant.
 Not too expensive
{no guilt when you throw em out with the trash}.
 Lasts the entire season.
{if you wan them to}

Becky

Freezer Paper

Just in case you don't know of the perfect union between freezer paper and the Cricut...

Cut out the desired shape, number, character on your Cricut {make sure to put the shiny side DOWN on the mat}.  Have your 6 year-old "weed" the parts you want to paint.

Iron the freezer paper to the fabric shiny side down.  I usually use a medium setting on my iron...depends on the fabric.

Have the continually talking 6 year-old paint inside the stencil.  I just use acrylic paints unless we're doing t-shirts.  Then we use fabric paint so that we can wash the finished project.

Stand up and smile.

Allow to dry.

Peal off the stencil and admire.

This is a great kid project.

They could be used for just about anything. 

These two are going to be pillows in the Little Red House...

maybe they will be finished by this Christmas.

Feeling behind in my Christmas duties...anyone else?

Becky

Technologically Advanced

To all of those out there trying to find the perfect gift for your "techie", I give you the

OVERHEAD PROJECTOR!

I have been yearning for one of these for a very long time.  Truth be told, probably since first grade.  How this would have made playing school SO. MUCH. BETTER.

Just a mere $25 bought me this beauty from a recent stop at my local Restore.  These Restore places are amazing, I tell ya.

Look what the children did with it.  First they circled like a bunch of sniffing dogs.  Then they touched it.  Then I showed them what it could do.  Then the creativity started flowing.

First up - the eldest. 

 ('cuz that's how we oldest kids roll... backa the line...we know it's a problem.)

Here's his contribution.

I'm not proud.

Notice the "d" is backwards?

Who's the dork?

#2 had to retaliate...

What she wrote is not suitable for my audience to see. 

I didn't even know she knew how to spell those things.

I'm not proud.

#3's chance...

Now we're all dorks.

When she was done the last line read, "I am the goodest."

Really, they do go to school.

Notice her evil smirk.

Notice her sisters' disgust.

See there...it doesn't always take the latest in the tech world to make kids happy.  Try something simple.  My kids thought it was the "newest thing".  Then again, THEY are simple.  They had a blast insulting each other with a dry erase marker for about an hour or so. 

Happy Christmas shopping.

Becky

Weight Schmeight

 Before I begin:

My apologies for addressing this ugly subject, but I had to use these great cow pictures.

Onward:

If you know that by the end of the holiday season you are going to feel a bit wide through the middle like this old gal...

Check out this chick's blog to help you mind your intake.

Roni's Weigh

and her food blog...

Green Lite Bites

She's inspirational and REAL!!

Keep the Chex Mix and Divinity binging to a minimum so that we can maintain our svelte bikini beach bodies.

My goal from November 1 to January 1 is to not be consumed by social eating extravaganzas.  I can do this!  I CAN weigh the same on January 1 as I did on November 1. 

Who's with me?

Let's start exercising BEFORE Jan. 1st.  That way we don't look quite so cliche at the gym in Jan.

Or we could make cookie dough and watch Christmas Vacation while eating every last wonderful spoonful.

What's it gonna be?

I'm still on the fence-

Becky

Bales

Harvest is done and now comes everything that has to be done before winter sets in.  Mike baled cornstalks until 10:30 last night.  Now we have to bring the bales home.

Hauling bales with a pick-up and two rail trailers really isn't a tough job.  However, in some situations it can be treacherous.  These possibilities of danger are amplified when performing job responsibilities with a two-year old in the backseat. 

{She did her own hair.  "No, me do it!"}

Let me preface today’s story by letting everyone know that #5 has been diligently trying to master the art of putting on her own mittens.  Now you’re up to speed for the rest of the story.

This is the first year we’ve farmed this particular piece of ground.  Therefore, the first time I’ve hauled bales from there to the feedlot.  When Mike asked if I could help, I said “sure”! (maybe not that willingly, but it looks good on paper)  Then I drove over there.  I forgot about “the big hill.”  It’s tough enough to pull 12 BIG bales of stalks up the hill, but having them push you DOWN the hill is another story.  I'm totally being a girl here.

Before the journey even begins, I can play in my mind the exact happenings if something went terribly wrong on my way back to the feedlot from the field: a cornstalk bale carnage, if you will.  Bales everywhere, me afraid to call the farmer, rail trailers bent all to hell, two-year old screaming, myself crying, farmer shows up, MORE crying …  Get the picture?

This grade may not look like a big deal to some of you; but to a forty-something flatlander farmwife it’s as intimidating as the giant slalom is to a twenty-something mountain-raised Olympic skier.  Seriously.

Clearly, I’m nice and relaxed when I get to the field.  I did have a little down time before the farmer and his pay loader showed up.  I perused the latest issue of Vintage Victorian (or something like that) to calm my nerves.

We’re loaded.  Good to go.  Time to scoot.

 I tootle along through the first two miles singing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and approach the crest of THE BIG HILL with caution.  I brake steadily and wind down to a nice kinda Dodge Ram kinda crawl. 

As we begin our descent to the valley below, number 5 says, “Fum in der.”  Let me translate:  “Thumb in there!”  She’s found some mittens and was able to get her thumb in the right spot all by herself.  She’s proud and I wasn’t listening.  She knew I wasn’t listening…

“Fum In Der!”

“Okay, sweetheart.”

“FUM IN DER!”

“I know, I see.” 

(I really didn’t – my eyes were fixed on my course.)

“FUM IN DER!!!!!!!”

…no response from me…still trying to drive and stay married.

Due to my lack of attention, she starts screaming.  I’m almost crying.  I do my best to ignore her.

 I reach the bottom; the sweet, sweet bottom of the hill.

She picks up her pretend “Cars” phone.  Sobbing,, quietly, deep breaths, (you can picture it) she says, “Daddy, come git me.”

I couldn’t have been happier that Daddy didn’t have to “come git us”.

Navy Seals should train with a two-year old in their backpack.

Becky

Harvest

A few random end of the season farming thoughts...

Corn harvest is winding down.  A good feeling for our guys. I'm listening to the trucks roar by our house as they try to get a field done late into the night.  They work so hard to keep this "well-oiled machine" operating at maximum efficiency.  I tell Mike from time to time that I sure couldn't do what they do ...together...as brothers...as sons...as uncles...as nephews.  Their father is so proud.  I'm grateful for their efforts.  We lead a darn good life.  Exhausting at times but darn good. 

It's been a great year.  Almost perfect growing and harvesting conditions. 

I only had my camera with me a couple days during bean harvest.  These pics were taken about a month ago.  The colors, oh, the colors!

Supper in the field.

Lasagna - can you tell?

Talking over what they might do next, who they will ride with, how they'll do it different when they "get big", and "Hey, you gonna eat that cookie?"

Wonder what she's thinking about. 

So long harvest.  So long fall.  Time to keep things safe and warm 'til spring comes again.

Winter IS coming. I've been in denial.

  Maybe this weekend I'll put my patio furniture away.

Becky

Halloween Recap

Happy day after Halloween.  The farmers are working late to get corn harvest wrapped up before the possible rain/snow reaches us later in the week.  So instead of eating my way through the candy BUCKET; I thought I'd share some photos of our Hallows Eve activities.

First on the must-do list:

Carve the pumpkins!

This year I raced home a little early and gutted all 5 of them before the kids got home.  Some extra work for me but more efficient in the long run.  I'd also like to add that we didn't get the pumpkins planted until June this year due to the wet spring.  This led to SMALL pumpkins.  Worked out great for the "pumpkin gutter" - the littler the pumpkin, the easier to gut!  All these years of motherhood and I just NOW figured that out.  Usually, I persuade the kids to pick out the biggest ones they can find.  Then make the child carry the 40# pumpkin to the house.  They can be such whiners.

Daughter #1 is an expert when it comes to organization and efficiency...

...need I say more?

Second on the must-do list:

Take the traditional photo of each kid with their pumpkin in their chosen holiday attire.

Wait...who's this creepy old guy?

It's number 1. (aka Uncle Fester) 

#2 - funky witch...very nice symmetrical "holes", #2.  How DOES she do it?

#3 - our resident pissed-off angel.  She's not having the time of her life.  Aunt T made her wishes come true with the costume but she drew the short straw when it came time to choose pumpkins.  This is a forced smile.

#4 - the bull rider. Equipped with a cowbell donated by his cousin.  Those of you who remember him last year...this is totally different from being "just a cowboy".  (wink, wink)

#5 - the duck.  She's only a duck because mother guilt set in and I (Nana helped) HAD to make her a costume .  I'd made all the other kids a costume once in their lives...(and the dialog goes on from there in my tiny little guilt ridden mind)

Third on the list:

The family picture.

Dad's a bull fighter, for obvious reasons and I'm a knight. I love saying this part..."My mom made my costume." Seriously, she did, I swear. Actually she made it for my niece who wore it in a horse show. The horse has matching garb - I chose not to ride the horse through the streets of town. People might talk.

Fourth on the list:

Picture for the Christmas Card

"Funny face" pictures are my favorite!

Only one fun-sized bag of Skittles was harmed during the making of this post. 

Becky

Overscheduled.

So... I have completely over scheduled myself for the last week in October.  It's no one's fault but my own.  I AM NOT A VICTIM! {She says with resounding strength!}  Instead of pulling up my boot straps and fulfilling my obligations, I chose to spend a bit of precious time on Facebook.  Honestly, I may spend 20 minutes a month on Facebook.  Is that bad?  Some would say yes.  But I {with resounding strength} say "NO".  It's okay to be different.  Really, it is.

During my 15 minutes of down time, I checked on my dear friend Lucy.  She just so happens to be my dear sister-in-law.  She's brilliant and has an incredible sense of humor.  {and, no, I'm not just writing that because she's reading this!}  Lucy posted this link:

http://www.grist.org/living/2011-06-28-the-medium-chill

You have got to read this entire post.  I think most of us can relate.  The comments about hoarding kind of slapped me in the face.  That's ok... the truth hurts.  But this guy is SPOT ON with the whole social group thing.  Now you're curious, aren't you?

Check it out!

Have a great non-keep-up-with-the-Jones' kinda day!

Becky

p.s. Thanks, Lucy. I needed that!

Farmer

My farmer...

"Out Standing In His Field"

I couldn't resist. 

 I think he just called me a dork.

Becky

Turkey Tree

I'm always looking for an excuse to decorate a "Christmas" tree.  During a recent mind numbing blog hopping hour or two I came across Sugar Pie Farmhouse.  She goes to incredible lengths for her fall decor.  Her "Save Your Fork" tree inspired me to do the same.

My tree is the top of a full size white tree that I bought "real cheap, Clark" from a floral shop.  It had been stored in the sun over the summer and turned the perfect ivory color...well, perfect for me...not so perfect for the shop owner.

We used the Cricut to cut out the tags and hung them with twine.  We pasted a few copies of old Thanksgiving postcards on to some of the tags.

The best part is the old tarnished silverware.  The forks and knives are tied on with scraps of muslin.

Lucky number 7.

Gotta love a turkey.  God giggled when he made these guys.

Found the box in the barn.  Sprayed it with a bleach and water combo.  Rinsed it with water and watched the yuk wash away.  No scrubbing needed.

I was inspired by Beyond the Screen Door when I made the table runner.  It's burlap with a fu-fu ruffle on both ends.

Sidebar:  Shortly after I took these photos the tree crashed to the ground.  I was mad.  It laid there for 2 days.  Then I said to myself, "Aunt Ruthie wouldn't leave her tree on the floor." 

I put on my big girl boots and reassembled the darn thing. 

Enjoying Fall-

Becky

Weaning

The cows came home...literally. 

 Mike brought all the pairs (the cows and their calves) home from their summer pastures this last week in anticipation of weaning.  

These old girls haven't had grain all summer.  It can get pretty rough at the feed bunk. 

The big white butt belongs to one of the bulls.  When his lady friends arrived back on the scene, he refused to stay where he's supposed to stay.  We gave up and he got his way.

"Has anyone seen my mom?"

I love #44.  Her white face makes me smile.  Isn't she pretty?

{Mike doesn't share the same love for her that I do.}

These wee ones look like they're hiding behind their mamas' skirts. 

Sweet babies.

It hasn't rained for many days and freshly weaned calves don't do well with dust.

We'll wait a few more days before we separate them from their mamas.

But eventually, the time will come and

with a few months and a whole lotta corn these little darlings ...

...will become something like this...

"I feel fat today.  I'm having a fat day.  Do I look fat to you?  I only had some corn for breakfast.  Then last night I had some corn for supper.  Oh yeah, and then for lunch yesterday - yup, corn again.  I can't help myself.  I feel so bloated."

Have you had your beef today?  I know it's hard when they're lookin' right at ya!

The farmer and the farmer's wife.

Becky