The tale of Birth and Cookies!

Sit right down. I would like to let you in on the tale of a sweet little calf, born one snowy day. I don't feel the need to narrate for you all, I will let "life" tell its own story. Hope you all don't think its too much, I am always fascinated by the birth of anything!

There you have it folks. Now that he is getting warmed up, back at the ranch the boy is hard at work...

...well, we just let him think he is working hard like everyone else. Paige, Terrie, and I spent the afternoon decorating these oh-so-lovely cookies. Just look at them really fast and go on, they are prettier that way!

New Addition

There is a new addition to our family, and no, it's not a baby! Many of you may think I'm nuts, I am! I guess I like to make things difficult for myself! We opened our home to a little (BIG) Golden Retriever puppy named Luke. I figured since I am home all the time, am responsible for cleaning two houses, keeping up with two family's laundry, chasing a monkey of a seventeen month old, entertaining an "in-a-week 4 year old," and taking pics here and there, I didn't have enough going on! :) I love to get new pets. It's probably a bad quality of mine, but I think it is quite entertaining. I told my mom, "the only thing that keeps me from getting more, is knowing that people would judge me!"

So far, Luke has been a wonderful dog. We still haven't heard him bark yet. I am hoping this is some sort of permanent birth defect! A non-barking dog would be priceless in my books! He is the most laid back, cool, and collected dog I have ever had. Maybe thats because I get myself into predicaments like owning min-pins and mastiffs!! Oh, good times.

Let me take you on a trip and fill you in on a funny mastiff story. I have always wanted a gigantic mastiff, still wouldn't mind one. I found a 2 year old in Ponca that some people were trying to give a better home. I talked Jared into trying it. We hauled this elephant home in my car, and couldn't quit laughing how he filled the back seat. We had him a week or two and realized the animal was ABSOLUTELY INFESTED with fleas. Not a few here and there, like millions. The room in the garage, where he stayed, had to be bombed numerous times and sprayed, and sprayed to finally get rid of them. Jared kept his muck boots in this room. He would come in after feeding, take his jeans off upstairs, and unleash the fleas all over the carpet. It took us a while to figure this out. I would be getting ready, look down at my legs and feet, and have fleas and bites all over me. Like I said, not one or two, more like 10 or 20. It was the most DISGUSTING thing. Like Indiana Jones stuff! Blagh. Gives me the creeps thinking about it! Anyway, we had this dog for a few weeks and this guy called wanting to know if he could take our dog for a week to breed with his female. I was all over getting a week without the flea monster. He came and picked him up, seemed nice enough to me. A week passed, two weeks passed, three weeks passed, four weeks passed, and now about three years have passed. Still have NEVER heard from that guy who stole my dog but I would like to send him a gift for unknowingly bailing me out of that disaster. I think its a little funny that now he has to deal with the flea factory. I am pretty sure God knew I couldn't handle that mess and sent an angel in disguise to steal my dog! I would also like to ask God to PLEASE make sure the guy never shows back up with the dog!

Luke is a much cleaner, sweeter boy! So far he loves Balen. Little worried about him outgrowing him, way too soon. He can already knock him down trying to get some loving. B has only cried a couple of times! Keep you updated if anything exciting happens!

Oh, and by the way, as far as I know, my house has been flee free for three years now!!!

Gray Baby

We had the cutest little gray and white calf last night. So used to black that I get excited when there is something different!

Daddy's Boy

Balen is beginning to LOVE animals! Every time he sees a cat, dog, or cow he wants to talk to them (which really comes out like growling). He got to go feed hay yesterday with Grandpa, Aunt Paige, and Dad. Then Jared and I took him back out to see the cows. The weather has been great the past few days. It is so nice to get outside with Balen.

Baby Love

Dear Blue "MUD" boots,

Dear Blue MUD boots, I accentuate the word MUD because this morning I discovered that mud was the one, and only, element you were created for. Bein's that I wasn't in mud this morning, just snow, my poor little piggies had to pay. They eventually thawed out and forgave you and in the end it was all worth it. Next time I guess I will try three pairs of socks.

It was too pretty out this morning to stay in the house. We dropped Balen off at the G-parents and hopped in the pick up with Paige.

This is the newest little baby who is trying to learn how to nurse. Both the baby and the cow are having problems so Paige is having to bottle feed.

The hydrant is frozen so they are lighting some hay on fire.

They let it sit around the hydrant and burn...

until water appears!

I told Jared and Paige that this was a new trick I had never seen before. Without skipping a beat, he so lovingly, I mean sarcastically, replied "uh..you've never done chores before." I can't help it that I have my own chores to do! Inside.

(And for the record, I have done chores before, just not in the snow.)

Kitty Kitty

I found these cute pictures on my computer this morning! They must have had some secret father/son/cat bonding time. I am still trying to figure out where I was when Daddy took him out to the barn???

Pearl Dog

This is our dog that doesn't stay, play, eat, sleep, or cause trouble here!?!

Apparently our house isn't as good as Mark and Terrie's! Paige took this today. Looks like they were getting a lot accomplished! Keep up the good work Pearl...just like me, always in the right place at the right time! Maybe that's just called "in the way"???

Killer Boots Man!

I dressed him up in his grandpa jeans and his boots that are 3 sizes too big just to be silly. This picture was too funny not to put on here. As you can see, we are getting a little hefty in the jowl area. Is there such thing as a triple chin?? He also likes to sport the homeless man hair style!

Here is Pearl Dog. She is checking out Balen's pants hiked up to his neck.

Okay, I think I am done making fun of my child now! It is all done in love! :)

Our Lil' Steer Jock

Firsts. We have had so many firsts around here lately. This is a very special first. Today Balen got to go out and check cows with Daddy for the first time. It makes me so proud to watch and almost a little emotional. I started thinking how these two are going to have hundreds or thousands of trips back out there over the years to come. It is so fun to watch Jared. This is what he has wanted for a long time, a little buddy to share his passion with. The weather is absolutely beautiful out, but a little bright, so we decided to put the shades to use! As you can see by this first picture, by the end he was having a hard time keeping them on. He is a funny little man, kind of resembles Ray Charles here!

Precious is the only word that describes this picture and these two guys. It makes me cry to stop and think about how blessed we are to finally have Balen in our family. This is one proud Daddy!

Balen's first calf

Babies are hitting the ground around the Grell Ponderosa! Calving season has officially began. Here are a few pictures of Balen's first little calf. He hasn't seen him yet but I know he will be proud. Daddy has already tried to sit his cow magazines on Balen's head saying "it's going to soak into his brain!" Poor kid doesn't stand a chance.

Sweet Addie

Baby Addie is leaving on a jet plane tomorrow. It's so sad. We decided quite a few months ago that her hair is just too much. She sheds worse than any animal I have ever seen. My mom put her online and was contacted this weekend by a lady who wants to buy her. It is actually a neat story. She is going to live with a cancer patient who sort of has a wish list, or a "bucket list." She wants to breed Cavaliers. Her friend also raises Cavaliers and is the one who found Addie. If something happens to the owner this friend said she will take care of the dog. It does make me feel good that she is going somewhere to be loved but it is very hard to get rid of her. I cried and cried last night before we dropped her off at my moms. She is so sweet and has been my buddy through the lonely difficult times of infertility. She gave me something to focus my attention on and became my baby. (Ok- I can't cry, I'm still sitting in the doctors office!) I am really going to miss her running around the house and keeping us company. She was an awesome dog except for all that stupid hair! Addie you will be missed. Ok- I really have to quit. I'm crying. How embarrassing! :)

It's a great day to be alive!

There were many accomplishments around here today. I went to the grocery store and cleaned house most of the day. Granny (my mom) came and worked on texturing Balen's ceiling and walls. Almost ready to paint! Jared did ALL kinds of things outside with Paige and his dad. We were both ready for bed about 6:00, then he drug me outside to take pictures of him and Paige working some cows. I didn't want to go because of the ginormous gnats, but he brought in a concoction of equal parts alcohol, baby oil, and vanilla. It worked great. Not one gnat even dared to land on me the whole time I was out there. Here are some pics of what he enjoys more than anything.