Workin' Calves

It happens every winter.  I've always enjoyed watching.  I'm obviously no help.  Truthfully, I'm probably in the way.  It's not always pretty and sometimes the words you hear are not very...shall I say...appropriate.  Occasionally, someone is hurt.  Occasionally, a fence is jumped.  Usually there are snacks...this year, donuts and pop.  I don't know what it is, I just love being there when Dad has the vet come work calves.  I have always loved being a 'farm-girl.'  I love that my Dad lets me 'pretend' like I know what I'm doing or talking about.  I clearly don't.  I love the smell of cow manure.  I love to watch the steam rise from the backs of cattle on cold mornings.  I love having 'farm-boots.' I am proud to be a Farmer's Daughter.  I honestly want nothing more in life than to be a mother and farm-wife.  I would be perfectly content helping Ryan farm and raise cattle just like my Grandma Mary helped Grandpa Harold for years and years...However, I love living in town.  I have to see people.  I need to see people or I go a little crazy. But, I love spending time out at the farm.

 

Preparing the chute.

They have no idea what is in store for them...they just think my Dad is being nice giving them an extra snack this cold winter afternoon.

Dad and Ryan were the sorters.  This is a perfect job for you if you like having your feet stepped on by 600 pound animals, or if you like being pinned between gates and the 600 pound animals.

Dig was getting tired and DD made sure I took her to watch after school.

 Uncle Shawn does most of the work.  He gives injections and applies the Pour-On. Dr. Steckleburg does the 'underneath' stuff! 

 Someone's not too happy...He's getting "banded," (a nice way of castrating, use your imagination what gets banded) ear tags if they are being kept, Green Tagged meaning they were properly vaccinated and can be sold at a sale barn, Pour-On for bugs, Wormer and implanted with hormones under the skin of the ear...I'm probably forgetting something, but I think Dad will be pretty proud I caught as much as I did! 

Us Balvanzes can always find something to celebrate and a reason to go out to eat.  So the next night we Luikens headed to Conrad to eat at That Place with Shawn and Kelly and Mom and  Dad to celebrate the completion of Workin' Calves!

More from Lane

Another quick post, but more cuteness I don't want to forget...

From Lane Ryan:

*  "Hey!  Let's shut the lights off and play BEDNIGHT basketball!"  or "I'm staying up 'til BEDNIGHT!"  (midnight)

*While wathing basketball with Daddy, "Mom! Guess who's playing?  The GUITAR-Heels!" (Uncle Shawn plays the guitar and the kids have enjoyed watching him play Guitar Hero as well.)

* During a library story-time Lane learned about the Guatemala Worry Dolls, little stick doll figures that the kids in Guatemala tell their worries and fears to.  Each child made there own out of pipe cleaners, wrapped them in yarn and made paper faces.  After school that day, Lane helped his sister make one and told her all about the "GUACAMOLE Worry dolls!"  That's now what both kids call them! 

Confession

So how many blogs do you read that start with pictures of bathrooms?! =)  Ok....  Have you heard the ad on tv about the 'Roll-Poll?'  They want you to vote which way you prefer the toilet paper to roll.  Hello?...am I the only one who thinks there is ONLY one way to correctly do it?  OVER.  The paper has to roll over itself, not rub against the wall.  Eww.  I have a secret to share, which will no longer be a secret and people will probably test me...but,  I have been known to switch the roll to be the way I like it.  Sad, I know.  Don't take it personally, it's like second nature to me.  I don't even think about it.  I just see it's on wrong differently than I do it and I change it.  Pathetic, I know.  It never crosses my mind that maybe the person intended it to be that way.  Nope.  I just figure, "oh, they must have been in a hurry and didn't pay attention to how they put it up."  Weird, I know.  Maybe it's time for me to control my OCD my urge to change the roll...or maybe everyone could just do it right the first time!  ha!

Quickies...

Time keeps getting away from me and I'm slacking at this blogging stuff! I thought I'd throw you a little bone until I have time to post some updates, they are listed on a sticky note inside my computer, just staring at me every stinking time I open the thing.  I do have a few excuses...my laptop was 'in the shop' having some viruses removed and Windows 7 installed, I've been working on my Dad's farm books & 1099s, and...um helllooo....I have a 5 and a 4 year old...enough said!  :) 

So here are a couple sweet things I want to remember right now... Drue's (and mine and Ryan's) best friends told us tonight they are moving.  We're bummed.  But, we know we'll still see them, just have to be a little more organized in our visits.  Drue cried the entire way home from dance.  We'll definitely be making the most out of the next few months so that the kids get their fills of eachother!  On the contrary, DD was told in school last week that there is going to be a new girl start kindergarten tomorrow.  All weekend she has been reminding us, "Tuesday I get to meet my new friend Maggie!"  I think it is so cute that she is going into this as if they are already friends, a good way to look at it, I believe!  We have no details on this mysterious newcomer, we don't know where she's from, her last name, why they moved, what color of hair she has... all we DO know is...She has a new friend waiting for her in Mrs. Hildreth's class tomorrow. 

Lane had the time of his life yesterday as we hopped on a charter bus with my mom and Drue and saw the Lion King at the Civic Center.  How awesome!  I'll blog more about it later and post some pictures, but he was in total amazement.  He just stared.  No smiles, no frowns, just s.t.a.r.e.d.  Then we got home and he put the Lion King sing-along video we have on and 'acted out' the scenes he remembered.  We have a very creative/ musical little guy on our hands... thankyouverymuch.

 He also has some really cute sayings or pronounciations....Here are the latest.

*  "I love spuh-gary-us!"  "Do you like spuh-gary-us?"  "We have spuh-gary-us in our garden!"  Do you get it???  He's saying ASPARAGUS!  Actually, DD says it this way, too.  So funny!

*  After I made breakfast sandwiches one morning, "Mom!  I love Comedian Bacon!! I like Comedian Bacon plain, I like Comedian Bacon on pizza...I just love Comedian Bacon!"  Our little guy is quite the "Canadian" if you know what I mean!...  :)

Well, hopefully, that will get you by a few days while I finish up some things on my never-ending 'To-Do List' I really love blogging and I'm anxious to get back at it!

 

Wordless Wednesday