Our First Snow Day

Today was an awesome day!  Mr. M and I loaded the weanling's onto the trailer.  In the pouring rain!  Then off to town we went.  And then when we got home it was show calf work.  I truly think that we could have washed them outside it was raining so much.  Any way I have changed my clothes more times than I would care to mention today.  Then Mr. M was off to work.  And Little Man had a basketball game.  It will be his last game for this season.  He is having his right foot surgery next week.  Ugghh..  The best ending to the day.  The babes and I got done with chores in the barn, and they played in the fresh wet snow.  And it was after 7:00 and it was dark.  They were playing by the light of the security light.  It was the most precious thing to watch.  All bundled playing in the snow, dogs running around them, smiling and giggling! Totally awesome..  Happy Tuesday.

Times A Flying By

It seems like instead of slowing down, time is speeding up.  It seemed like weeks ago till Thanksgivning.  Now we have gotten past that and are planning for Christmas and New Years.  We start the month of with a cattle show.  It's the first show of the new season.  And a little heartbreaking the youngest of our babes and the Dawson kids wil start showing.  She's super excited.  And we are excited too, it just seemed like yesterday it was just the big boys.  Now we have the four to fret and cheer on.  Then there's the birthdays.  The oldest nephew turns 17, the second oldest turns 15 and our baby girl turns 9.  So before we know it we will have two boys driving.  And then there's Christmas and New Years.
Thankfully I have taken lots of pictures to help freeze some of it.  And with all the yucky weather there's lot of cuddle time with the babes.  And with several show calves in the barn, there's lots of quality time in the barn.  That's my favorite time of day.  When we are rinsing, blowing and feeding the show calves.  Sometimes I just stop and look around me and soak it all in.  Have a wonderful and safe week ahead..

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday with family and friends.  I have so many things that I am thankful for.  I don't feel comfortable making a list.  I have a bad habit of forgetting many things lately and I'm afraid I would forget something important! But I would like to say, I have had many changes in my life in the last year.  I have an amazing husband who has been by side through the good, bad and ugly with me.  Two wonderful kids that make me smile, cry and very proud to say I'm a mommy.  I have some of the greatest friends a girl could ask for, and you girls know who you are.  I have great family that makes me crazy, happy and feel loved all at the same time.  And I have the best job in the world.  I get to stay home and take care of husband, kids, farm and livestock every day.  Life is wonderful.  And I am so thankful for all the sacrifices that our military make so that I can live this wonderful life.  Have a blessed weekend! The Dawson's...

What Im Loving Wednesday

the bond our son has with his heifer. the responsibility and confidence showing has given him.

our girl who loves with all her heart and knows no stranger and sees the good in everyone.

the best husband, father and friend that I could have ever asked for.

raising our family, cattle and crops on a farm.

my little brother, his beautiful wife and the wonderful babes.

for a MIL that treats me like a daughter, yet doesnt try and replace my mom.
and a FIL that would do anything for you and being such great granparents to our babes.

North American Livestock Show

The last two weeks the North American has been going on.  It's in Louisville, Kentucky.  I went down the first weekend and worked two days.  Then our family went down for the following weekend so our Little Man and his heifer could show.  Then I went back for three more days to work.  Now the show is over.  And it was a great show.  We only showed in the junior show and not the open show.  We went with an open mind.  This is Little Mans second year showing cattle.  And he and Miss Lily have bonded and made a wonderful friendship.  They have done well this year.  So went to this large show just thinking that standing in the top 4 for the first time would be cool.  Well, they won their class and then came back and won their Division!  So exciting and surprising.  I did get a few photos, but I was caught up in the moment of watching and crying.  So not many pictures were taken.  What a wonderful ending to the show year.  Now Miss Lily is out to pasture.  She will calve in march around Little Mans birthday.  Then she will become a donor. 

Little Man playing with new tractors.

Poor girl getting weighed in front of everyone.

Showing the first round. Poor guy was the youngest and smallest kid in class.

He was chatting with her right before he was picked Division winner.

A friend took this for me. She had to take it from the side...but thats okay.

We are still here...

I have to apologize to your Blogger family.  I have been away doing many things and so I have not blogged.  Last weekend we went to Louisville, Kentucky.  Our Little Man showed his heifer Lily at the North American.  He did very well. We were super excited and surprised.  I will share the results and what photos I have.  There are not many, because I was in the moment.  OOPS! 
Then Sunday was new show heifer work.  And many outside things that we wanted to get done.  On Monday Mr. M and I had a great day.  The vet came at 7:30 am to work the cows.  We pregnancy checked, tagged, deliced and vaccinated 25 cows/heifers.  Then we worked the 10 calves we had here.  Vaccinating, castrating, delicing and dehorning one.  We got everything done in under 2 hours.  And we were super happy about that.  Then Mr. M treated me to lunch and then back to get some show heifer and sale steer work done.  If I haven't said it before, I'm so glad he's back home to help me. 
And then I have been back at NAILE helping my friends at Cowpokes.  I just got home this evening.  So I will get back to blogging and sharing some of our life in photos with all of you.  I have been keeping up with everyone through facebook and blog.  Take care! 

Veterans Day Thank You

Friday was Veterans Day.  It's a special day that has a lot of meaning for different people.  I would like to say that the each and every person has a choice fo how that choose to live due to the sacrifices that our military make each and every day.  Without them making the choice to join some form of service we not have a one of the freedoms we have.  So THANK YOU from the bottoms of our hearts.



Mr. Ms dad PD



Our Friend Kevin at a reenactment with his wife.

A few of our family and friends who have served. Roy Mayberry, John Byers, Matt Byers,  Aaron Jackson, Alicia Jackson, Clint Steele, Dawn Cassidy, Hannah Lukens, Dan Hunt, Justin Chapman, Adam Wetzel, Steve Gilbreath and Kenny Weir. If we have forgotten anyone we apologize.

Jungle Jims

Yesterday the MIL and SIL went on an adventure for the day.  We went to Jungle Jims near Cincinnati, Ohio.  We are planning Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and we wanted some inspiration.  So after the babes were off to school we met up and off we went.  If you have never been to this store I highly recommend it.  Go early, plan to stay late.  It is a full days adventure.  The  place is huge.  They have a map to help you navigate when you walk in the front doors.  And there is every kind fruit, vegetable, liquor, cheese and ethnicity there.  You can look it up on the Internet.  Or better yet just go! Here are a few pictures I took with my phone because my MIL said she wouldn't walk around with me if I took my camera! lol... Happy Wednesday to everyone.





a small portion of the meats department




i think these huge cheese wheels are neat looking.




and look whose cheese I found there too!




fun cheddar cheese





part of the humidor.




the expensive wines.




yummy!




i wouldn't eat these but they are interesting.




duck heads and chicken feet are very popular.  not for me...




a full calf's head.




a full pigs head.



i love this label!




i almost got this just because of the label.




creme brulee is my favorite, but they didn't have a non-alcoholic version.




this just cracked me up!




so many desserts to choose from.  such torture.




my little miss may need these for her birthday party!



North American International Livestock Exposition..

A really big show is the NAILE.  It has every kind of animal.  A huge shopping mall.  And is a great getaway for a few days to watch a few shows.  I spent the weekend there.  I love going.  I get to see and talk to so many people. Next weekend for the first time our Little Man is showing.  I am nervous and excited all at the same time.  But I can't wait to go and make the wonderful memories we always seem to make when we go to a show.  If you want a great show to go to I highly recommend this one. And if there on Saturday.  Look for a very cute Little Man and his Simmental heifer in the show ring... Have a great day!

the gobblers

We are officially into November.  Beans are harvested.  Corn is underway.  The colors around us are amazing.  It's awesome being outside and not being miserably hot. And with this time of year is the start of the holiday season.  Halloween is over.  We have a good amount of candy to much on for a while. I have been good and not eaten a thing.  Mr. M and the babes are making a good dent in it. The next big event is North American International Livestock Exposition.  It's the largest livestock show in the United States.  And then Thanksgiving.  We have been raising turkeys for several people.  We got them in May and they were only 3 days old.  So tiny that they fit in the palm of my hand.  They came to us in a box.   Now I can barely pick them up.  And they will all have to be put in the trailer to be taken to be butchered.  I love hearing them in the barn talking.  But their time is almost over.  They will sacrifice so that many people can have a wonderful meal with their families.  I hope you all have had a great Thursday!




the little buggars when we first go them.




this is just at a few weeks.




we have four toms.   they are beautiful when they strut.




and we have four white turkeys.. 3 hens and 1 tom




i think they are so interesting looking.




this is one of the hens.. they are much smaller than the toms.



Our Goblins!

We started a new tradition a few years ago.  On Halloween the babes get dressed up and we head to my brother's.  He lives in town so there is a lot of candy to be picked up.  We only have 3 other houses on our short road.  And we get to hand with the family.  It was a little chilly but we had some fun as usual.  And after the little Goblins tricked we has pizza and candy sorting!  Have a wonderful day!



Little Miss - Cleo Cutie




Little Man- Army Man ( he didnt want his pictures taken)




Mr. C - Wolverine




Miss K - Honey Bee