Happy New Years....

we have been getting snow, and the calves are enjoying playing it.
the cows are heavy with calves that should start arriving the first of February.

our old man is struggling more with the cold.
we are hoping that he can make it through the winter.
one more summer with him would be nice.

kimber is adjusting well to being our only fur baby in the house.
she is spoiled rotten. 

Mr. Duff is still has silly as ever.
who would think a concrete pillow would be comfortable.
he is settling down a little more, now that he's getting past the puppy stage.

Possum, well she is Possum.
  Always into something, always tring to herd something.
She keeps us on our toes, too much!

Our babies are growing like weeds!
They are doing more and more around the house and farm.
We are having lots of together time and they are loving their time in the snow!

Our Little Mister is such a little man.
He is all about tinkering, building and history.

Our Little Lady is coming into her own.
She is a personality, dancing around, doing crafts and loves being in the barn.

The year is coming to an end.  It seems like it just started no too long ago.

I'm ready for what the new year has to bring.

May you all have a safe and enjoyable New Year's.

I hope that the new year brings love, happiness and many adventures.

The Dawson's

Happy 10 Little Miss....

Today our Baby Girl turns 10!

She has reached the double digits.

10 yrs ago Mr. M and I got up around 4 am and he went to work and my FIL picked me up.

I know your thinking, what he went to work!  Yes, we knew that it would be a little before her arrival.

So he went to work to feed the animals then came to the hospital.

My momma and SIL Melissa met us at the hospital.

The nurses got me all comfy and started the drugs for inducing labor around 6 am.

Then Mr. M and both our families welcomed a beautiful blond haired, blue eyed, 8lb baby girl around 4.

The fun part is that she is the first girl in umpteen years in the family.

she is super silly!
and she makes us all laugh, a lot....

she has her own sense of style.
which i love about her....

she love to tinker.
and has a wonderful imagination.

she is very outgoing and not afraid to try new things.

Our beautiful baby girl, the light of our lives.

Happy Birthday Little Miss!
You make us very proud to call you our girl.
May you always blaze your own path.
Be fiercely strong in you opinions and beliefs.
And we pray that all your dreams come true.





Peace, Love and Good Tidings....

Merry Christmas to Everyone.

We are celebrating with family today.  As I'm sure many of you are.

We have so many in our thoughts today as we come together.

We miss those that have left us and went to watch over us.

Those that are not with us today but are celebrating with others.

We are thinking of those that have lost loved ones this year.

And those that have struggled in their lives from all that is happening in the world.

We as a family are very blessed.  We have amazing family and friends.

And Mr. M has a wonderful job that provides above and beyond all we need.

We have a wonderful life raising our family on our farm raising cattle and crops.

We wish each and everyone of you a wonderful holiday full of love and blessings.

And we would like those that we do business with be it on the farm or through photography.

We love meeting each and everyone of you and making new friendships.

And I love being able to capture memories for you to cherish.

Merry Christmas,  Dawson Cattle Company Family!

Making Memories for others....

My good friend Amber I both love photography.

So we try and help each other out.

I take her camera and take photos for her and then she takes my camera and takes ours.

That way we can edit them how we want.  And then print them however.

Here are a few of the photos I took for her and she used them for Christmas cards.

I love how they turned out!



Then last week I got with the Bever's.

They are beautiful, happy gals.

Their mister was at work, so hopefully in the spring we can do the whole family.

It was getting chilly when we did them, but I really love how they turned out.

And momma was really happy that I talked her into being in them too.

And this is my best friend Denise and her hubby.

 I love taking their pictures because Kev always say he's not going to smile.

And he smiled in almost every one.  And then our Hank came in.

He loves Denise as much as he does me!

So I just laughed and took the pictures and they love them.

I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that asks me to take their pictures.

I love hanging with everyone and making a memory that you can have forever.

Welcome to my office....

Every morning the alarm goes off before 5.  And every morning we roll out. 

 There's so much to do every day.  We come downstairs to the wonderful smell of coffee. 

 And while Mr. M gets ready for work I let Kimber outside.  Then pack his lunch. 

Then he's out the door.  All the while it's dark and cold outside. 

 I enjoy a little coffee and some news before I head out to feed the heifers.. 

 And when I step out of the garage, this is my office.  A dark barn lot.  But I love it.

  I get to wear sweatshirts, jeans and boots everyday!

And I have these three shadows that tag along for the chores to be done.

  Because there is always a cat to chase or a cow to be barked at.



And the heifers are impatient when it's time to get fed.

So usually the cats get fed, then I weigh and feed the girls and life is good for them.

Then it's back to the house to wake the monkeys for school.



After I get home from taking the monkeys to school, it's back to the barn.

I check on the heifers and the then the mommas.

And the mommas are easy to keep happy.

As long as Mr. M keeps plenty of hay out, they are good!

I love my office.  It's cold and not what some like.

But I like it and the girls don't care what I look like as long as they get their feed.

Have a great day!

In Honor of those affected....

There is grief, sadness, questions, anger and so many emotions that come from the events of yesterday.

We need to pray for everyone involved. 

 The shooter, his family, the teachers and students.  Their family, friends and neighbors. 

 The police, EMT, doctors, nurses and the government officials. 

 People need to be shown kindness, love, understanding and forgiveness. 

 We may never know the reason why, but God has a plan. 

And I am truly saddened for everyone.

  I believe we need to show those affected kindness, respect and about all love.  

Spinning Clock....

It's December already!

It's amazing how fast this year has flown by.  How fast paced life becomes.

Our Little Man had his last basketball game last night.

We decided to go for pizza after, and I asked him "So what's next?"

He just looked at me.  And then he said Christmas and showing cattle.

Mr. M and I spoke of how we are too busy most of the time.

This week alone it seems like we are trying to do 100 things at time.

I am doing some finishing touches on decorating the house.

I need to finish Christmas shopping, which is a chore when you have no idea what to get!

Mr. M and the babies will be home for two weeks with me for the end of the year.

Our Baby Girl is leaving the single digits, with her birthday the day after Christmas.

One of our nephews turns 16 on Thursday.

The oldest turns 18 at the end of the month and was just accepted to Black Hawk.

And then before you know it we will be celebrating a new year.

I would like for things to slow down a LOT.

I don't enjoy my babies growing so quickly.

I don't like the fact that our family dynamic changes so much.

My people around me grumble at all the photos that I take, but one day they will enjoy them.

So for our part we try and embrace every single minute.

To do as much as a family.  And with our friends.

To embrace the good things in life and let go of the bad.

Life's way to short.  Live in the moment.

Winter IS coming....

I know the weather is unusually warm for Indiana. 

 But as you all know that can change in a blink of an eye. 

 And the fact that it is December and in the middle to high 40's is just crazy. 

All the beautiful fall colors have gone.

  We have brown, dead looking grass and woods now.

And I was so looking forward to a beautiful white winter.

Instead we have been getting rain on and off.

And with the drought this past summer that isn't an all bad thing.

But I'm over the puddles, dirty clothes and the poor cows being muddy and wet.

Not to mention what it is doing to our hay stash.

So bring on the fluffy white stuff!

We are starting to get things ready for it.

Because it is Indiana and who knows what could happen overnight.

We love that it's fun to play in the snow, and it makes it feel like Christmas.

Not to mention we need to get rid of some the bugs, mold and other junk hibernating in the ground.

I know you think I'm crazy, but I truly like some snow here and there.

Plus our Baby Girl has a birthday this month and she would like snow for her birthday.

Have a great day!

Friends or Foe...

The new cattle show season has started.  And I don't know if it's me or just those around me, but there is a lot of mud slinging going on.  I know there always is.  Everyone thinks there calf is the best and want that sought after blue ribbon and of course that purple banner.  But there is a lot of things that people are doing and saying that is truly a sad testament as to what the show cattle business is becoming.

People are spending ridiculous amount of money on calves just to beat the farm down the road.

And for what?  A steer that you are going to feed for a year and then put on a trailer to be butchered.

A heifer that you are going to make so fat that when it comes time to breed her that she won't cycle.

And for what a ribbon that cost .98 cents or a banner that costs $15.00

I understand that some of you have ten year members and you want them to have their best year.

But when you treat your family and friends like the enemy.  What are you really accomplishing?

And as far as those people that are supposed to be your friends until there is a deal to be made.

Well, you see their true colors when it all comes down to writing that check.

My husband and I have had many conversations about all of this.  And we agree and disagree .

Our goal is to have quality heifers for the show ring.  And when that year is over they have to be the cow they were born to be.  They need to be able to breed, calve, milk and have a good disposition.  And if they can't do that then they have no place here.  Because once they leave the show ring and are put in a pasture the other cows don't care how many ribbons they won or how great they looked clipped out.

Don't get me wrong, I love when our heifers surprise us and do better than what we thought they would do.  But what I love most is spending time with my husband and kids being with cattle.  I love seeing all of our "show cattle family" that we don't always get to see.  I love that we take a weaned calf that is scared to death and make it our child's best friend in a years time.  That our children learn how to feed and care for a living creature.  And how they are bred and why we breed them certain ways.  That sometimes no matter all their hard work that even if they don't get that blue ribbon.  That we are proud of their accomplishments and that we worked as a family. And that this animal they have bonded with, can walk better than most dogs. And will one day be a cow in our herd that will produce a foundation of cattle for our farm. 

 A farm that one day will belong to them.

I've always said how much I love showing cattle.  And I truly do.  But if our children told us they didn't want to anymore, I would be fine with that too.  I love picking out cattle for our herd. Wether that be from cattle we raise or at a sale.  Getting them from that weaned staged to breedable age, then deciding how to breed them.  And the best part is calving them! And seeing those heifers becoming cows with calves on their sides.  There is nothing better that going to the barn and seeing a calf all wet and wobbly. Or successfully helping bring a calf into the world.

So next time your mad because a judge had a different opinion than you that day.

Or your writing that check to out do the farm down the road.

Remember this is an animal that one day will not be so pretty and have a job to do.

Will she be able to be that show calf you want and then one day be the cow she's supposed to be.

Will you back stab your friends just it the name of selling cattle?

Or just to walk out of the barn with that inexpensive ribbon or banner?

Or will you be an example of what a true cattlemen is?



Hunting Season....

My two favorite men headed to the woods to hunt..

This is the buck they shot on the trail cam a few days earlier.


We are a family of hunters.  Our children take safe shooters in 4-H.
And Mark is great about letting the kids be a part of every aspect of hunting.
They help set up the blind and tree stands.
They check the trail cam frequently to see who or what has been hanging out in the woods.
And they really do well sitting in the blind being quiet and watching.
Both children have their own firearm  and Little Man got a bow last year.
The deer are never wasted.  We make sausage and jerky out of them.
It's nice to have a change from the beef, pork, chicken, turkey and fish we have in the freezer.

Real beef cattle dishes....

I have taken several photos of friends lately.

But I can't share because they need to share first.

I have several things that have happened over the summer that i need to  post about.

So I will start doing that soon to catch you all up.

But for now I will share something I can.

I have been searching for dishes.

I wanted what I wanted and it has been a long search.

But now they are ordered and I cant wait to use them.

the new dishes!
i just love that they are regular cattle.
not cartoons or dairy.
we are beef people!

cute juice glasses.

this pattern is from a retired set.
and this pattern is what started my new search.
but i love the design so i ordered them.

i havent ordered these yet.
i am still on the fence about them.

this platter is awesome.
i may not use it much.

and the serving bowl.

and lastly the spoon rest...


I know it seems silly to be so excited about dishes.
But I have looked for almost a year to find the ones I like.
Usually they are cartoon cows or dairy cows.
These grabbed me because they are real beef cattle!
I did decide I wouldn't get them till I sold all of my Henn dishes that I had.
I sold them yesterday and it will pay for these beauties!
Thank you to everyone who loved the Henn and helped me get the dishes I have wanted for so long!