P.S.

I made it! I went all month with out having a single chip! Not counting a few cheese doodles. I think I'll have Doritos for breakfast tomorrow! ;)

Everything takes longer to do...

with all this snow! It takes twice as long to turnout the horses, because I first have to trudge down there with the hay. Then back up and then up and down 5 more times (I take some in pairs to make it faster). The path down is getting better but it is still much harder when there is any snow let alone two feet of snow! So by the time I get everyone out I am already tired! Then add on, the dumpster is full, the stalls are trashed since the horses have been in a lot this week and the just getting the shavings is an extra chore because the are stored up by the house and there is no clear path to them. I was at least able to get the tractor up the driveway (although it is not yet fully clear)and park it on the road and then I trudged through the snow (again) to get 8 huge bags of bedding. So needless to say it took me an extra hour to finish today. Oh an Emily got me up around 6am today and I was up until about midnight (like every other night these last couple weeks) watching the Olympics!

Emily went out in the snow for the first time today, now that there are areas where she can actually walk. She had fun with Tyler in the huge mounds of snow down by the barn (I'll get some pictures tomorrow). Tyler is counting the days until his birthday and party with a Christmas bead calender! It's the first thing he does most mornings. He is also celebrating his birthday at school on Tuesday and he is very excited about that. He wants to give all the kids in his class a lollipop or a pencil or something because some kids have done that in the past for their birthdays. My birthday is in the summer so I never had the birthday at school experience, I guess it is fun!

Still trying to dig out...

the snow is overwhelming! Curt has us almost all dug out he just has to finish around the barn. He probably would have finished it today but he has a sore throat/headache and a cough, so he is not feeling great. The kids still have a cough but they are getting better not worse. Today was a tiring day! just trying to get all the horses out was major job. I had to trudge through knee deep snow down hill carrying a shovel and dragging a hay net behind I had to dig out around the gates to be able to close them when the horses were out. I only put the two young horses out down below, I figured they could run around and mat down some of the snow, so that tomorrow I could get the older horses out there. I didn't want to make the old timers struggle in the deep snow, especially up and down the hill. And I'll tell you, just getting the hay out and the two horses out was enough to exhaust me! I wished I had snowshoes! Oh and I got the second horse out and I realised I forgot to shovel out his gate and here I was already tired, no shovel (I had brought it back up to the barn) and a young horse eager to get out! So I decided to just let him go and I kicked the snow with my boots and pulled and pushed the gate enough to get it shut but that was tiring too! The young horses were very excited to run and play in the deep snow, I think they will sleep good tonight! I did get all the other horses out for a couple hours in a small paddock right off the barn. Tomorrow will be tougher, the dumpster is really full and I'll have to trudge through the snow to the old manure pile, Curt has to work and I really should get all the horses out all day, there is no good reason not to, except I'll be dead on my feet when I'm done!!!

P.S. Mulch was around all day and back to normal, I don't know what spooked her yesterday!

I feel like I live in Vermont or Colorado!

The snow is unbelievable! We knew we were getting a lot of snow yesterday, but it didn't seem terrible when we went to bed. However, when we got up this morning it was at least 2 feet! And still snowing! It snowed off and on all day, too. But first thing this morning when our little stray cat, Mulch (who has a little outdoor house on a shelf) was a bit surprised by the snow. she must have slept right through it! When she tried to get down from her shelf she went completely under the snow! I cleared a little spot by the door so she could come in the house for breakfast while i cleared a little snow for her. But after she ate she got spooked and took off in the deep snow up into the woods! I tried to go after her but she wanted to get away from me, so i went back in. And mind you the snow was about mid thigh on me but she was able to stay a bit on top and not sink to the bottom. I think just the jump down sent her deep! So poor little Mulch stayed in the woods all day! Around 1 or 2 I finally saw her again and I tried to go after her again but again she just ran deeper in the woods. So I figured I had to let her come back on her own and thankfully she did finally when it got dark. I happened to see cat prints in the fresh snow by the green house door and then I took a flash light an saw her peek out of her house! I would have had trouble sleeping thinking of her in the woods in the deep snow!

Tyler went out several times today, he could barely walk in the unshoveled snow! Emily didn't even ask to go out I think she knew there would be no way she'd make it! She was very good today though and even helped me by getting things for me and helping me make the pizza for dinner. She also help Curt pick out his clothes again and also told him his socks didn't match! Curt was getting a little frustrated with all the snow. The tractor kept getting stuck and we are running out of places to put it! Oh and to top it all off he's getting a bad cold/sore throat! So I did the barn this afternoon for him and when I came in Emily had a long story to tell me and I quote, "Tyler wouldn't let me do some thing and I cried then I dried my tears then I found Bob then I dried my tears...."

Snowicane

Thats what m friends on Facebook are calling the coming snow storm. Sounds bad, I wonder if it will live up to the hype. Emil passed out on the couch, much to Tyler's delight, because that means he gets to play with his moon sand again. I also let him stay up later, most likely he won't be going to school tomorrow. We stayed home on Tuesday too even though school was open, the roads didn't look great here and I'm glad we didn't go. It only got worse and a friend had a terrible time getting home from school with her kids. She stopped at her inlaws to try and wait it out and didn't get home until 7:30 at night from a 3:00 pick up!! So even if it doesn't look bad in the morning we'll have to take a look at the radar before we decide, because by all reports it's supposed to be bad!
Now back to the Olympics, did you see the Canadian figure skater whose Mother passed away a couple days ago? Heartbreaking to watch her! I glad she did well, I hope she gets a medal.

This sounds like a yucky week...

it looks like rain and/or snow every day and the kids are both getting a cough. Not really runny or stuffed up noses but a cough. I just hope the roads stay clear so Tyler can have school. He was playing teacher to Emily and he wrote down, his name (but forgot the L)and her name, which I've seen him do alot (well, he doesn't usually forget the L) but he also wrote "MoM" and "BoB" on his own. And Emily can sometimes recognize his name and her own.
I have been catching up on shows I've wanted to watch Online, and I have the Olympics on as well. I want to see who wins, however I can't really get into the Ice Dancing. I really like the Alpine Skiing n Speed Skating (especially short track), Oh and the Snowboarding! I like having some one to root for. It reminds me of when I worked as a show jumping groom, it was exciting when your horse was doing well. And I have to say watching a Grand Prix is not nearly as fun when you don't have a horse in it.

"I'm tired...and my elbow hurts!"

Well not the elbow part, that is a line from the movie "UP" (which I highly recommend to kids and adults!) Today was a bit of a long day, barn work, church, mall then more barn work then dinner and now it's almost my favorite time of day...Bedtime!! Curt had and even longer day, he started yesterday and had to work all day, all night and all day again without any sleep! He did get a nap once he got home this afternoon at least. I got my days mixed up today too. A friend told me about a tack auction and for some reason I thought it was next weekend, but it was TODAY and I missed it! Oh well, maybe next time.
The kids had a nice time at church today, Aunt Edith was their junior church teacher and Kaitlyn and Kirsten were the helpers, Oh and Emily's boyfriend, Garrett was there too! Did I tell you she already has a wedding dress picked out? Just ask her and she'll show you. :)

Tyler having some fun around the farm
Curt wanted me to put these pictures up to give Cindy heart failure! LOL!

P.S. I've made Emily practice saying "Sorry" all day!

Well Emily should sleep good tonight!

Not only did she walk up the hill 5 or 6 times to ride the sled down (because she normally wants me to carry her), but she just had a MAJOR meltdown!!!! She thought it would be funny to spit a mouth full of milk in Curt's face while he was laying down on the couch talking on the phone. So she was put in the corner and told to say she was sorry. Well she was flat out refusing to apologize! She cried and screamed for a good 45 minutes and I tried everything, from threatening to take all her dresses away to putting her to bed (which finally worked) and she finally said a mumbled sorry! She is sooo stubborn!! At least she didn't throw up. I'm actually surprised she didn't just cry herself to sleep! Well she should sleep good anyway!

Pretty quiet day...

we didn't do much today. Curt did the barn and the kids and I went to the early church service. Then not much else really, the kids were playing a most of the day, while Curt and I were watching Olympics and Daytona. Both were exciting, silver for the USA in Nordic Combined (never really watched before but the USA never medaled in it before and it was a tight race at the end) then Dale jr nearly did it at Daytona! I hope he keeps it up, I like to see him do well since he got pushed out of his late Father's racing team. Oh and Short track Speed Skating last night was good too! That gets crazy! Looking forward to watching more!
Emily did request the "Tattoo" dress again, but I told her it wasn't for church and she picked a black skirt and red shirt instead. (Good for Valentines Day anyway) Tomorrow we go for an early playdate with Nicky the dog! And then maybe more snow??? Of course Curt is supposed to work the day it is supposed to snow!! We'll have to wait and see.

Emily and her "Tattoo" dress

So when I ask Emily what she wants to wear today she tells me her "Tattoo" dress. I was like what??? Then she said her pink Tattoo dress, and I knew what she meant, her pink "tutu" dress! (See the pictures from earlier posts where she is wearing it) LOL! Well I had to steer her away from it for today because we had errands to run and it is getting a little to small for her, it kind of rides up her belly! So she picked her jean flowered jumper instead, a sensable choice! Oh and by the way, she also likes to pick out Curt's clothes for him!
Well I didn't make it to the end of the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics last night. I was very tired and I don't know why, I didn't even do a lick of barn work yesterday or cook dinner. (To my in-laws, thanks again for the chinese take out!)Oh well, I saw the highlights on the Today Show this morning!

Around this time of year I start getting the itch to work with and ride the horses! I guess it's the "want what you can't have"! I know by fall I am ready to stop riding and working the young horses, because it is very time consuming. I'm hoping to have a second rider handy this year, keep your finger crossed the young horses behave so I don't have second thoughts. Bree (boarder 4yr old) should be leaving late spring/early summer for further training. I just get them started undersaddle and then they leave for the advance stuff. So I'll just have Spencer to work after he leaves, which is fine with me, I don't really have the time right now or the energy for breaking in young horses and Spencer needs more put into him so one day the kids can ride him. Well Spring is right around the corner, right??

"Survivor" is back!!

I used to be an avid fan of "Survivor" from the first season on, but the last few seasons, I lost interest. Also it was hard to watch it when it comes on at 8pm because I might get to see a few minutes and then I have bedtime for the kids. So any show at 8pm is difficult for me. I watched a tiny bit last season because I kept hearing about Russell and had to see what was happening. Then when I heard the next one was going to be all stars, I had to tune it! Well, I saw a tiny bit last night and then watched the full episode this morning, WOW! I am hooked again! I love Colby, Rupert, and Boston Rob (even if he is a villain!) All I can say is thank goodness for the Internet, so I can watch when I want! Looking forward to "the Amazing Race" as well, which again, I had lost interest, but since Jeff and Jordan from "Big Brother" are going to be on I have to watch!! Add "Lost" to my list and I am getting overwhelmed with shows to watch! Wait!! The Winter Olympics are starting too!!! UGH! Too much TV!!!! Meanwhile back on the farm, Curt still has a little bit of snow to clear around the barn, but we are in good shape. The neighbor (Edwards) is getting rid of some fallen trees for us. They fell a while ago, and weren't really in the way but they were eyesores, and way to expensive to have professonially removed. Edwards is selling firewood so he gets to make money off it and we get rid of it for free. I am looking forward to the spring and not seeing those fallen trees anymore!

We got snow.

And it is still snowing, when will it stop? So naturally Curt's flight got cancelled and so he and his fellow driver, rented a car to drive back to NJ. So far they haven't had any bad weather driving back but the last time I talked to him they were in the Carolina's so the snowy areas are yet to come. I hope the roads will be okay as they get farther north. The kids did pretty well being snowed in, Cindy got them out for a little while, well Emily didn't last long! Tyler came down to the barn at the end the morning work and then the second time with Cindy and Emily. And he still had energy to burn! I know he'll be dying to get out there tomorrow, so far I know his school has a delay opening but I hope he has school because he is supposed to have his class Valentine's Day party. This year he signed all his cards himself!

Nine days and counting...

since I've had a Dorito!!! UGH! The worst part is the kids love to eat them!!! So will there be snow this time? I hope not so maybe Curt can actually fly home tomorrow night. So far he has had flurries and now rain but we haven't had anything yet. If we don't get the snow I can at least get the kids out of the house and if we do have snow, I will get Tyler out there to shovel! LOL! He loves to do it and it helps burn off some energy!! If only Emily wanted to shovel!!! But she doesn't get as hyper as he does but she will fight falling asleep if she doesn't do enough during the day. I am always ready for bedtime! Sometimes the nights are too short and the days too long! One day I'll look back and wish they were little again right?!?!

Now snow for us...

but I seem to have a lot of southern friends who got buried! Usually we are the ones to get it! It was very cold and windy today though, and I couldn't even leave the horses out all day. We brought them in around 1pm, the old guys were glad to come in but the young two were fresh and could have stayed out!!! And I don't mean Tyler and Emily! Ty and Em got outside twice with me to do the barn (bring the horses in and then to feed in the afternoon), I just get them all bundled up in snow gear to keep them warm, because they need to get out of the house. Emily had to get out of her fancy outfit (see picture below) and into PANTS! She was fine but was fighting me about the snowpants, but I won. Then the minute we came in from feeding she wanted her dress back on but was refusing to wash her hands so I had to threaten to take her dress off! That worked. My sister thinks we should try bribing her to use the potty with the offer of new dresses!


P.S. Cindy there is Tyler in the backround ;)

UGH!

Emily finally stopped crying after nearly 1/2 an hour of nonstop crying! Why you ask? Because Bob scratched her, for the millionth time and no worse the ever before, so I have no idea. She's just lucky to be among the living, I was ready to throttle her! On the up side, she didn't throw up! It's really hard to have any sympathy when she acts like that. The poor cat puts up with so much, sometimes he is very good natured and puts up with more then he should. Case in point:

I think Cheese Doodle count...

I can't stop myself so they are going on the do not eat list for this month...after today! My kids are in the Christmas spirit on Groundhog Day, they are watching "the Polar Express"! What can I say, they are always in the mood for Christmas! So six more weeks of winter, does that really surprise anyone?? Oh! Tonight is "LOST"!! But I'll be lucky to watch the new episode from the start, I'll probably miss some of it waiting for the kids to go to sleep. Curt is on the road again, so I hope it doesn't snow too much tonight both for me and for him. I don't want to have to shovel and I don't want him driving in any bad weather. Well all in all it was a quiet day, I know it's not quite over yet but I hope it stays that way!

Day one of my "Chip Fast"!

Cheese doodles don't count right. ;) I did good all day on my diet but then we went to Friendly's! Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Tyler went with Curt to get a work truck this afternoon, he loves going to work with Daddy! Emily stayed with me and went food shopping so it was a pretty quiet day. Domino is 100% back to normal, thank the Lord! I was surprised to see him make such a turn around, especially at his age. I dread the day something happens to my own horses or cats, I can't even think about family!!!!! Curt heads to Florida tomorrow for his second to last trip, actually its his last round trip (until they start coming home) his last trip down he flies back. He is really looking forward to being done for a while, but he also has more airport work and some painting he can do at Emil's farm for the winter. And before you know it he'll have to start bringing horses back and then the spring shows will be starting! It never ends! I certainly don't miss all that packing, unpacking and setting up and tearing down not to mention the crazy horse show hours! I have several friends that still do it and I don't know how they do it! It makes me tired just to think about it!!