posted by ~ ann

A couple of weeks ago my two oldest sons were treated to a healthy dose of ranching reality.  Our friends/neighbors needed the boys’ help moving their mother cows home from their fall pasture to the home place in order to have them home for calving.  The weather had been pretty iffy and the guys made an educated guess as to the best day for the cattle drive according the weatherman (I use that term loosely).

Well, the morning dawned fair and cool…but went south quickly.  By the time our friends arrived with truck and trailer to pick up the boys, cold drizzle had set in.  The boys felt confident (despite my mother-henning to the contrary) that they were adequately clothed for the 10 mile cattle drive.

They went on their merry way and the little ones and I settled in by the wood stove to enjoy the fact that WE wouldn’t be worrying about the weather or our attire from were we would be spending the morning.  We were anxious to see the boys and the cows, as they would be trailing down the highway right in front of our house.  As the morning wore on the weather continued to deteriorate.  The clouds hung lower and lower, the rain increased and the wind began to pick up to a little-less-than-gale-force pitch.  Boy, were we beginning to feel for those cowboys….we knew they must be soaked and near frozen by now.

We proceeded to have lunch, then began to take turns looking out the window, up the highway, trying, straining, hoping to catch a first glimpse of a large herd of soggy black cows, accompanied by four equally soggy cowboys and a handful of soggy cow dogs.  We didn’t have long to wait.  FINALLY, we spotted them!  As anticipated, the cows, cowboys and dogs were definitely worse for the wear.

Thankfully they were on the homestretch….the neighbors live only a quarter mile beyond us.  We continued to man our posts at the windows as they passed by and turned the cows into the home pasture.  I ran outside to quickly snap a couple of photos after they had passed.  It just didn’t seem right to run out there, all dry and comfortable and take pictures of the somewhat miserable state of the aforementioned cowboys, cattle and dogs.

By the time the boys made it home they were both on the verge of …….well, you can just imagine.  They put their gear and horses away and went straight to the house for hot showers and tacos.  I hung around outside to chat with our friends about the day.  They are seasoned ranchers, excellent cowboys and caring humans, not to mention great friends.  They expressed gratitude for the help, as well as compassion for the boys.  We all agreed that the experience was good for the boys, bringing them one step closer to manhood, by persevering through the adversity of the weather and the challenging terrain they had to navigate.  We also agreed that we were all grateful for the adversities faced in our youth, as it helped us to face challenges in our adult lives.  Although my mother-heart went out to my boys, I know that what they faced that day was good for them, beneficial to their transition from boyhood to manhood and a reinforcement of what God’s word teaches on the subject.

All in all, it was an opportunity for them to learn, serve, grow and dig a little deeper into the character that experiences like these are developing in them.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:3-5

by Charlotte

We’ve been studying Genesis Chapter 3 (the fall of man) in church on Wednesday nights.  It hasn’t been really fun for me.  In fact, I am beginning to see why I had such a beautiful time of rest; because this isn’t going to be easy.  It is going to be a little painful, I do believe.

Let me back up and explain.

Eve:  There she is minding her own business and this snake comes up to her and strikes up a conversation.  First mistake, she doesn’t walk away.  Then the snake convinces her that God is holding out on her.  Second mistake, doubting God’s love and wisdom.  Then, of her own free will (the snake didn’t make her do it), she disobeys God.  The big mistake.  The one that brought her death and curses.  But the story doesn’t end there, unfortunately.  No, when God asks her what she has done, she doesn’t own her sin.  She tries to put it off on someone else – the serpent; it was the snake’s fault, “he made me do it.”

At this point it is easy for me to point a finger at Eve.  “Eve, Eve, why didn’t you just fall down at God’s feet and beg for mercy?”  I can understand why she talked to the snake.  I’ve talked to enough snakes in my own life to know I am just as sinful as Eve was in this area.  I can understand doubting God.  I am guilty of that as well.  I can understand eating the fruit.  Seems I do it on a daily basis.  But why not just confess?  “I don’t know, why not just confess, Charlotte?”

Okay that hurts a little bit.

This realization that I don’t own my sin has hit me in the heart and it hurts my pride – quite a bit.  For example, I’m yelling at the kids to get in the car because we are going to be late.  It is the kids fault because they are dwadling.  “Ummm…no.”  I am called to be self controlled.  And not only am I called to be self controlled, I am given the ability to be self controlled because it is a fruit of the Spirit of God.  But if those kids would just hurry when I need them to hurry … no.  I need to own my sin regardless of what the kids do, I am called to be self controlled regardless of what my circumstances are.

See what I mean?  Owning your sin is painful.  Knowing that I sin is the first step, taking responsibility for that sin is a lot harder for me.  We all sin.  That is a fact.  But it would be nice to be able to qualify sin and tell myself that it isn’t as big of a sin because it was somehow forced upon me.   Typed out like that, it really seems silly . . . and it is.  It is silly to think that I am somehow forced to sin instead of given the ability (by God) to rise above it.  That I willingly choose, not only to sin, but to deny responsibility for that sin.

Dang it, Eve.  I am your daughter after all.

posted by ~ ann

This recipe came off the bag of toffee chips.  I did make a couple of  alterations to the original recipe…I substituted Butter-flavored Crisco for the butter, reduced the brown sugar by 1/2 cup and used old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats.

 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/3 cups (8-oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS ‘O BRICKLE  Toffee Bits

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheet.  Beat butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended.  Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until well blended.  Stir in oats and toffee bits.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack.

Yield:  About 4 dozen cookies

posted by Chelsea

I came across this picture the other day…

and loved it so much I made it my screensaver.

I just can’t believe how much the girls are already growing up…

… and I felt the need to tell you this morning :-)

by Charlotte

I am mulling around the idea of doing something with my kitchen.  It won’t be anything big because I am on a strict budget, but I want it to be grand.

(Source:)

Here’s the thing; my style is not in style or even really a style.  It is not country.  Or even French Country.  It is not farmhouse, but close.  It is not Italian which used to be quite big, but is fading out fast.  It is what I’m going to call ranch house.  It has a little bit of Bonanza, a little bit of Lonesome Dove, a little bit of Under the Tuscan Sun, a little bit of McClintock, a little bit of Legends of the Fall, and a little bit of me.  (Okay, Under the Tuscan Sun doesn’t have a ranch in it, not even once, but I love the feel of the house in that movie.)   And because my style isn’t a style, I am having a really hard time getting ideas for what I want.  I’ve checked out the above movies and the kitchens are all dark and completely wood.  I love wood, but I don’t want a dark kitchen.  The farmhouse style has wood, but it is painted white.  I think white is beautiful, but white and my household are at odds with one another at all times.

(I could not find the source for this photo.  It said it was uploaded by the user and it was first pinned by Alaina Kaczmarski)

I am inspired though.  I am inspired to try to forge my way through uncharted waters and find out what my kitchen will look like.  I am inspired by Traci at Beneath My Heart, who took the bull – or rather the kitchen – by the horns and turned it into something beautiful when it really wasn’t anthing special.  I am inspired to think beyond the usual and come up with something  grand.

(Source:  This  is Traci’s new kitchen and the budget breakdown post.)

I thought I would share some of the photos I’ve found on pinterest that have gotten me started thinking along different lines than just what colors I want to paint what I already have.  Don’t get me wrong.  I have to work with what I already have, I’m just going to be a little more brave (hopefully) in what I do with it.

I love the feel of the kitchen below.  I don’t want my kitchen to be exactly like it, but something about it speaks to me.

I love wood floors.  I love everything about them.  Unfortunately I don’t have them and probably won’t get them.  But a girl can dream, right?

(Source:)

For the first time in my decorating career (ha), I’m thinking about details such as this spice rack

(Source: Homemade Happy)

and the brackets for these shelves.

(Source: WDWS Design Trends)

That’s all I’ve got for now.  If I ever get brave enough to do something – you all will be the first to see it.  :)

posted by Chelsea

There’s an interesting phenomenon occuring in our horse herd.  Our biggest, strongest, nearly youngest horse, Rose…

… has somehow managed to find herself on the bottom of the pecking order amongst our other horses.

I understand Blue Boots eating by himself…

… he’s little and meak and weak- I mean, in comparison to the rest of the crew.

BUT Rose?!  She can out work, out pull, out walk, out run, plain ol’ out do any other horse on our place.  And yet, she lets these guys….

… push her around.  She has to sneak in…

for a bite to eat, and if one the of other’s come over she practically runs out of their way.

When I throw hay to the herd, I say “Rose?! Seriously?! You’re going to let Pard…

intimidate you?!  He’s old! And gimpy!  While it’s polite to let the old guy eat- you really shouldn’t RUN out of his way like that!”

Rose doesn’t listen to me.

I’m not sure how to get through to her.

posted by Chelsea

This last weekend we had our first calf– a month early thanks to a fence-jumping bull.  I wanted to show you the cuteness, but his mom wasn’t too thrilled about me capturing the cuteness. So, sorry for the rear-end shot….

… but it was the best I could do :-)

We have a few more weeks before the rest of the cows start calving, but I enjoyed the preview and I hope you did too ;-)

posted by Donna

Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Do you remember this childhood rhyme?  It was often taught as a bedtime prayer.  Many of you young moms have established bedtime routines.  I like that.  I wish all children had them.  And I wish all routines included cuddling and talking about the day, successes, failures, favorite thing, least favorite thing, and reading a book.  And finally, prayers.  Including the Almighty in the recap of a busy day, asking Him to be with you and your loved ones.

Psalm 4:4 says: “Be angry and do not sin; on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still.”

So you see, you can tell your children our Heavenly Father thinks of everything, even what’s best for us at bedtime.

Christmas Eve 2011

Please feel free, CC readers, to post your favorite bedtime routines to share with others.

by Charlotte

I told you about my light spray painting frenzy here, but I haven’t mentioned my chandeliers too much. 

The house came with two of these beauties.

One had eight arms and the other had five.

I sold them – or rather my mom sold them for me way back in September.  I went without any light in the dining room until November when I hosted Thanksgiving.  I put up an ugly one from the entry way just so I would have light.

I put this one from Lowe’s in the entry way.

In the mean time I searched for a light that I liked in my price range.  This week I found this. . .

- for less than I sold the other beauty. 

Yay for patience.  :)

By Charlotte

This is my wee lad.

He turns three today.

His birthday brings back many emotions, but mostly gratitude.

You see, three years ago today I was laying on the operating table after an emergency C-section listening for a baby’s cry.  The cry wasn’t coming.  I could hear a lot of commotion from the table where they had taken my boy, but I couldn’t hear a sound from him.  I prayed, “Please, God, let this cup pass from me.  But not my will.  Your will be done.”  I prayed this over and over.  Hoping that I would soon hear a baby’s cry, but knowing that if I didn’t the Lord would walk me through my grief. 

Finally, the cry came and soon the nurses brought my big boy (over 10 pounds) to me.  I looked at him and thought, “That is the ugliest baby I have ever seen, but I love him and I thank God for giving him to me.”  (By the time we took the above photo the swelling had gone down some in his face and he was much more handsome than when I first saw him.)

Happy Birthday, wee lad.