The Essary Family Daily News

UCA Cheer Camp 2008

2008-07-22T12:53:00.004-06:00

One of my childhood/teenage dreams was to be a cheerleader. My preteen best friend was a cheerleader and she taught me all of her cheers; we would practice all day long in the yard. But I was either too involved in other activities or at one school it was something we just couldn't afford at the time or there was no way I could get to and from practices and games. By the time I had my own vehicle, I had to work to keep it full of gas and insurance, not to mention the payment. So my dream was never fulfilled.

The dream never left me, and as soon as I could I signed Shelby and Ch'ree up for cheering on our school's elementary squad. A couple years later I found myself being the sponsor for that squad. And now I'm going on my 5th year in that role. Cheering with the girls in the stands is probably the closest I will get to being a cheerleader without actually having to don those skirts. Which, I'll admit, probably wouldn't look as good on me now as it would have in high school when I was a size 1. LOL!

This year our school's varsity coach cleared it with our principle to allow willing 6th grade cheerleaders be on our junior high squad (which only consisted of 3 members before). The condition is that they only cheer at home games. We did some fundraising and got to go to cheer camp. The varsity squad had so many girls make that squad that it was going to take two coach/sponsors to take them to their camp in Artesia, which happened to be the same days as the UCA cheer camp here in Portales. So I got to go to cheer camp with the junior high squad held at Eastern New Mexico University's Greyhound Arena.

We had so much fun and I think we learned alot. There were 13 squads there, most of them Varsity squads from around New Mexico. Here they were learning some sideline cheers.

The camp lasted three days. We not only learned sidelines and cheers, but alot about stunting, two dances (Extreme Routine and HipHop), jumps, etc. Here was our private coaching lesson with UCA coach Tyrell.

We came so far in our stunting during camp. When we got there a thigh stand was about as difficult as we could do. By the end of the third day we could do a half extension (shown above) and working on a full extension (same as above but the base girls holding the top girl ABOVE their heads). We learned several other stunts in between those, too. Like going from a handstand to a shoulder straddle (I'll have to get some pictures of that one).

Here was UCA coach Kimmie doing a motion class (learning how to really stick those movements and what they are called).

Kimmie also helped us a bit on our stunting.

Shelby was the only girl in our group brave enough to try out for AllStars. Winners would get to participate in parades in Houston (9th grade and younger) or London (10th and older). Shelby, being the youngest at the entire camp, didn't make allstars, but I was so pround of her for trying out (the girls on her right were Clovis Varsity cheerleaders).

"Bring it on in, bring it on in, bring it on in...HEY, BRING. IT. ON. IN!!" This is what they would chat when it was time for the UCA instructors to talk to everyone. Cheer camp is very peppy. LOL!

By the last day we could really stick our half. Oh, and to get the girl down we learned to toss her up a little and catch her in what's called a cradle.

Group cheer last day of camp.

We won most improved squad (the Spirit Stick on the right shows that). I was so proud of these kids. They worked hard for three days from 9-4. They were real troopers, and have bruises to show it. The girl on top of the stunts from the few tumbles she took, the "road rash" girls on the bottom of the stunts from the top girl standing on their shoulders. The boy for putting up with us girls (it's our first year having a boy cheerleader).

Air Traffic

2008-07-11T17:44:00.004-06:00

We don't get much traffic around here. Last week Jeff saw a pickup with a trailer load of junk, so he called it into the sheriff's office for illegal dumping (which it was). Occasionally we see a horse trailer go by with some folks working cattle a few miles from here. Very rarely we get someone who is lost. And even a Jehoviah's Witness or two. Sometimes a feed salesman or a bolt salesman. The UPS guy knows us by name,

but he is a rare visitor, too, since we just don't get many packages.

No, most of our traffic comes from the skies. Like this cropduster.

That's one of our neighbors, Dink. He was spraying some stuff to kill the mesquite bushes growing so thick in the pasture by the house. Too bad they were the only green thing out there! LOL!

Made some pretty close passes, but it made the excitement for our day.

We get alot of air traffic from the local bombing range (go ahead Katie, laugh it up! Your cousin not only tries to FARM in the DESERT, but lives close to the Melrose Bombing range). I forget what these ones are called, and I grabbed the camera to late to get a good side picture of them. They are the ones with two rotors on top. Dad or Buck: what are they?

A C-130 went by the other day, too. But the camera was no where in site for me to grab. I sure don't mind being by the bombing range. The occasional sound barrier breaking kinda got my heart pumping as I searched the house to see if a lone car crashed through or if a heavy piece of furniture fell over. And I enjoy listening to the machine gun fire or the bombs they are practicing with. As long as they don't start any more fires. LOL! But seriously, Jeff and I are proud of everyone who is in or was in the military and what they have done for our country. They can come bomb our backyard anytime!

4th of July, 2008

2008-07-05T10:29:00.006-06:00

Our village hasn't done anything for 4th of July since...well, since I've been around here! Jeff said he remembers when he was little someone used to do something. So this year, the fire department and the Lion's club decided to do something. A community event centered around food, fireworks, and good ol' American country music!

First the food had to be cooked. The fare was simple: hamburgers, hot dogs and chips. Served with iced tea and lemonade.

Followed by some homemade ice cream. This ice cream maker should make enough for this crowd.

Some good ol' family fun and games on the track, too. Drew is ready for the stick horse race, while my niece Gracie is getting some last minute tips from her mother, Amanda.

And their off!! Chance (middle boy in red) was ready to go! My nephew, Brantley, was too (2nd on the left). Unfortunately, Chance went down in the middle of the race, injured with skinned knees. He made a trip with daddy to the waiting ambulance to get cleaned up and said, "Daddy, please no needles. Ok?"

The girls had their turn, too. Ch'ree on the far left, Shelby on the far right.

It didn't end there! Even the big boys got a turn. Jeff, right in the middle. I think the high schoolers were having fun, even if they won't admit it.

Other races like the sack race, a dunking booth, and egg toss, went on until sunset.

Break here. I didn't have a chance to take any pictures of the fireworks because Drew, aka Hodini, kept trying to escape my sights. He loved the fireworks, just felt he needed to find another seat to view them. That seat being away from me. So, I held onto him and not the camera. But the fireworks were awesome. Some said they were better than the one in town the night before (Portales had to do their show a day early due to some problems with the pyrotechnic company being understaffed. We tried to make it to see them on Thursday, but was detained by a vanful of senior citizens that had run out of gas on the highway. Jeff, being the good sam that he is, stopped to help them out. We pulled up to the house we were crashing to watch the fireworks just as the last one was lit. Oh, well). Jeff and I spent all week pouring over all the songs on our iTunes library to pick the perfect ones to dance to. We tried to get just the right amount of songs from several decades. A little Bob Wills and Johnny Cash and a couple other old artists, a bit of 70's, 80's, 90's and the latest to keep everyone happy. Even a bit of the new hip hopped version of Cotton Eyed Joe and the Cha Cha Slide for the teens. There was much Alan Jackson, because you can't go wrong with him. He's traditional enough for the older folk, but new enough for the younger ones. The playlist we narrowed it down to would have took 7 hours to get through, so we didn't get to hear it all. Maybe next time.

There's Jeff working the playlist. Not sure if he was actually working on songs, or playing Spider Solataire. LOL!

Even Drew got in on the dancing! I think he's the cutest thing with his boots and wranglers on, but what happened to his shirt?

40 Years of wedded bliss for Don and Linda (Jeff's parents)

Ch'ree stealing a dance with Granddaddy

I know Jeff's mother took many pictures with her camera, and if I had some of those, I might be in one or two. But I don't, so you won't see me. haha!! Maybe if she sends me one or two, I MAY post them.

If I had to take a guess, about 150 people came for the festivities. I don't think Floyd has that many people, so a few probably came from town that had ties to the community (family or school). It was alot of fun, at least for our family. We didn't come home til 1am. Hopefully next year we can do it again!

Happy 4th of July!!

2008-07-04T07:32:00.002-06:00

Today will be a busy day as we enjoy the birthday of our nation.

To celebrate the event, our volunteer fire department and Lion's club (both of which Jeff is a member of) have planned what I hope will be a great annual tradition.

At 5, the fire department will be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers the community. At 6, there will be games and home made ice cream under the big tree behind the school. Also games (I glimpsed a dunking booth last night, heard tales of tug o war and three legged race, not sure what else there will be). 9pm on the football field there will be fireworks. And after that, Jeff has rigged up a playlist on his laptop and is going to hook it all up to some amps or speakers or something and having a dance in the fire station.

It's going to be a fun evening! I hope everyone out there reading this has an equally enjoyable one and remembering what this holiday is all about.

Photos, 6-27-08

2008-06-26T08:00:00.003-06:00

We took the kids swimming the other day. No, not to the city pool in town, not to a friend in the neighborhood that has a pool (HA!!). Nope, we just took them down to one of our brand new stock tanks!! It's not too deep, but big enough for many kids. It's not going to get torn up by wind or dogs with sharp toenails. And if you don't mind the bottom being a bit rough from concrete, it's just right. Jeff's sister and her family were here for the weekend, so we had those two kids in there as well. Drew wasn't into the water. He was actually in another pickup off camera having fun honking the horn and hitting other buttons.

They appear to be having a good time.

You may have noticed a few dark clouds in the picture of the stock tank. Well, we got a little rain out of that. When I say a little, I mean about .10 inch. Very little. But made some neat pictures. Like this double rainbow south of us.

Or this of the rain coming off the roof. Here in the southwest, we don't need raingutters, it doesn't rain enough for them! But I thought the picture was kinda neat.

Drew is SO BIG! He loves to wear his new boots with shorts. And hey, at least my grass is green (I've also watered it alot this year. Benefits of having a well instead of city water with bans and restrictions on such things).

This is the scariest picture of them all. My laundry room. With no less than 5 loads of laundry. This should keep me busy most of the day. Washing, drying, folding, and maybe some ironing. Doing laundry with my washing machine requires a bit more supervision than most. The valve on the cold side sometimes doesn't shut off. So if I don't keep an eye on things, the result is a flood in the laundry room. So, I have to hang out, cut off the water from the wall if it doesn't shut off, then come back around in about 20 minutes to turn it back on again for the rinse cycle, repeat. And I have forgotten about it. Alot. Which results in ANOTHER load of laundry of the towels I used to clean up the flooded mess.

Happy 9th Birthday, Ch'ree!!

2008-06-23T09:41:00.008-06:00

My baby girl is 9 today! Seems like just the other day she was born (drug free, I might add, thanks to a nurse who, even though I was 9 days overdue, didn't believe me that I was in labor!). The next day she was airlifted via helicopter to UMC in Lubbock because she was spitting up blood and spent the next few days in NICU. She looked huge next to all the preemies in there, weighing in at 8lb 4oz. Luckily it was just some acid reflux and after a couple weeks of Tagament there were no more problems.

She has grown up so much! Such a girly girl, she loves sports and is pretty smart too. But don't have a TV on anywhere near her, she just zones out. LOL!

Newborn, June 23rd 1999

One year, 2000

Age 2, 2001

Age 3, 2002

Preschool, 2003

Kindergarten, 2004

2005, 1st grade

Cheering, 2006

Spring 2006

8 years old, 3rd grade 2007

June, 2008

Cute puppies, a rant, and a Meme

2008-06-19T14:16:00.005-06:00

First the rant:

Some town people think it's perfectly acceptable to dump unwanted puppies on country folk. I guess because it looks like we have tons of room for them to run around and we have nothing better to do, right?

If you have a dog and don't WANT puppies and there is a chance that this dog could get knocked up or knock up some other dog, spay or neuter them. The country is not a place to dump your dogs. If we had a need for mass quantities of dogs, or any dog at all, we will go get one ourself, you don't need to choose for us. Take some responsibility for your pets, please.

Dogs that get dumped end up running in packs if not adopted by a loving family. Then they go wild. And wild dogs attack other dogs, or calves, or horses, or people. And can carry rabies.

My mother-in-law was the target of puppy dumping the other day. And while these chocolate lab mutts are cute as can be, we don't need more dogs. Tex is quite enough dog for our family. We don't need them to start running around chasing calves. Now it appears I'm responsible for finding homes for these darling puppies. She and I have both tried all week to find homes for these two, to no avail. I stopped by her house to take them to town for her to the pound.

And I apologize for those that I have called or visited the past two days trying to find a good home for these innocent pups. They didn't ask for this, neither did I. But please forgive me Julie and Buck and Rossi and anyone else I have pestered. LOL!

But on the way, the girls had to hold them and fell in love. And while I still have no intentions of keeping them, I just couldn't take them to the pound.

So, I brought them home. My good friend Lisa down at KSEL (the country station in town) said she will try to mention them on the air and we will try to find a good home for them.

I put them in this pen so that Tex wouldn't maul them to death. He's never been around another dog since he left his own litter mates. I wasn't sure how he would react. He barked and sniffed them abit while the fence stood between them. And so far I think he may be ok. I may try to put them in the yard in a bit where they will have more room and shade. Tex can also come and go as he pleases, since he can jump the yard fence (but the pen fence is too tall for him at 6 feet).

All I ask for is a good home for these puppies. They are cute as a button. They are free. Very friendly and loving.

And now the Meme. Buck posted his workspace, who was tagged by someone else, etc. So, here is mine.

It was stipulated that you couldn't clean it up first. Oh, dear. Well, there is the McDonald's Quarter pounder and coke I had for lunch. Under the box for the burger are phone books and farm journals that came in this weeks mail. There are McDs toys from the kids' happy meals today (Thursday is $1.69 happy meals!!), a Power Ranger 4-wheeler, cup-o-pens and pencils, some other various things I have printed, stapler, a set of allen wrenches from fixing the treadmill the other day, some Bath and Body Works Wild Honeysuckle lotion, the 2006 tax returns (?!), school catalog from ENMU and my degree plan, creative memories picture/paper cropper (what do you mean you can't see all that? It's just buried a little bit). On top of the printer are some CD-ROMS and my mother's day present from Ch'ree. Under the printer are some stackable organizers that look like chaos but I know what's them all. And mail. Yes it's a mess. Maybe today I'll clean it up some (uh, I'll shove everything I can in a drawer).

Hey, 5 people use this desk and computer. I'm not the only one who messes it up!!

Kids and computers

2008-06-18T13:15:00.003-06:00

I don't want to hear about how old people can't figure out how to use a computer.

Yesterday my 2 year old went to my desk, hit the on button on the CPU, then waited for the log-on screen to appear. Most of the profiles are not password protected (just mine). He managed to click on one of the profiles, then started up one of his games. There was no help from me, I wasn't even in the room. But I heard him starting it and watched from afar to see what he would do. The boy just moves that mouse around and clicks on what he wants like he was born to do it.

He is 2 for cryin' out loud!!

My 5 year old loves to turn on iTunes and search thru the 2102 songs I have on there and find the ONE he wants to hear. His favorite is Metallica's 2x4. He clicks it, hits repeat, and has the most interesting dance moves to it. He's not moshing, I'm not sure what he is doing. But he seems to love Metallica (at least one song). He will also belt out Taylor Swift songs, but usually changes some of the words around to poopoo and butthead, stinkyhead, things of that nature.

He also will get online to Disneychannel.com and surf around on Power Ranger games or stuff like that. The boy KNOWS what he is doing. He can't read yet but he KNOWS! It's the darndest thing.

And of course the girls do all sorts of things on the computer. They will type up a story on Wordpad or something, then attach it to an email and send it to their grandparents. They keep in touch with friends via email. I wasn't even talking on the PHONE at that age and they have email. LOL!

The Weather

2008-06-11T16:49:00.002-06:00

It's hot out there, folks. And windy. We are enjoying the day parked under the air conditioning. I'm thankful for central air, that's for sure! I'd hate to have an evap unit or even just a window unit.

Drive By Post, 6-3-08

2008-06-03T16:16:00.003-06:00

There hasn't really been anything of noteworthy significance to post about, so here's a few things that have been going on:

It's hot. I show 102 today. And it's breezy. So it feels like a hairdryer if you walk outside
I killed a rattlesnake in the backyard the other day. I had just got done mowing the lawn and was grabbing the sprinkler when I saw him getting a drink from the hydrant by the back door. By the time I got a hoe he had hidden in some bushes. It took me about 15 minutes but I finally got him dragged (drug?) out and killed him. Per my father-in-laws orders, I chopped his head off and buried it seperate from the rest of the body. Strange thing was, he never rattled, even though I clearly saw 5 rattles on his tail.
Jeff has had hell with a plow the past few days. One day a hydrolic hose broke. Another day he had two blowouts, another yesterday. Today he decided to just get all new tires. So between the two of us, we got them all changed out. I say the two of us. I had to take some of the tires to Clovis because no one in Portales or Melrose had the right size for three of them.
I have learned 7 chords on my guitar: A, Am, C, D, E, Em, G. I can play alot of good ol' country songs, lots of George Strait and Alan Jackson. However, B and F continue to be a challenge. I need a few more fingers before I can get those down.
Diesel is up to $4.69
And it's hot outside.
If anyone in the Portales area reads this, I have a tip for you: don't go to Walmart or Lowes for anything relating to plants. Go to the Garden Source out on 70. The guy there is most helpful and they have plants that no one else has (I bought blackberries, strawberries, a peach tree and apple tree today). They also have decorative items like windchimes and tons of other things. I could spend a fortune in there if I had one.
It's hot out there. It's so hot the weeds are wilting.
Today was our election day. I hope everyone has used their right to VOTE in this year's primaries and will again in the general election.
Jeff is working on his 80 hours of clinicals for his EMT-Intermediate license. But I think he is having too much fun hanging out with the Portales Fire Department. They play basketball and watch movies all day between runs.
We saw Indiana Jones over the Memorial Day Weekend. It was good, but I think the first three were better. But still good.
I miss my Atlanta Braves baseball games. I have boycotted TBS for dropping the Braves. I'm sure my not watching their stupid reruns and original series will really hurt them.
Have I mentioned how hot it is outside?
Also for any Portales area readers. Morning of June 28th, Velero gas pumps (in front of the library). Floyd Cheerleaders are having a car wash to raise money for cheer camp expenses. Come out and support us!

Well, that's about it. Not enough of any one item for it's own post, but plenty for a drive by!

May activities, 2008

2008-05-24T10:07:00.004-06:00

We had Shelby's Birthday Party. She requested Cheesecake for her cake and Stuffed Shells for dinner. We had nearly 20 of our friends and family over, and between myself, my SIL Amanda and a friend Karen, we killed many a margarita that night. We later broke out the musical instruments, Amanda and I on our guitars, while Jeff played bass and Don on the fiddle. We are becoming quite the musical family.

Last Monday was Chance's Preschool Tea. The 2nd year preschoolers always wind the Maypole. Chance is so ready for Kindergarden!

Shelby and Ch'ree both had awards assemblies. I missed Shelby's because I was on Chance's field trip to the Clovis Zoo. But she received 7 awards, including A/B honor roll for each of her subjects and perfect attendance.

Ch'ree cleaned up as well. She was almost the only one in her class on A honor roll, but one of her grades slipped down to a B. I give her an A for effort, though. She received 6 awards (missed Perfect Attendance by one day when she was sick). With her is her best friend, Mercedes. (Buck, this is Consuelo's daughter. C. was sitting in front of me at the assembly and asked me where these nerdy kids came from).

And mom, these pictures were taken with my NEW lens! Not bad, eh?

And we have had wind the past few days. Here are the poor cows trudging along in a sand storm.

I went out to feed with Jeff one day. I think this is the cutest calf out of the bunch this year.

Hey, somebody help me get this cactus off my chin, please!

This baby caught my eye, too! He's so new, his umbilical stump hasn't fallen off yet!

Tex was on the prowl for rabbits. I though this was a cool picture because we were bouncing around in the feed truck when I took it, and it wasn't a smooth trip. I think it shows what a decent camera can do. I have a Nikon D50 and I absolutely LOVE it! The rains have finally helped our grass and it's starting to green up, as well as the mesquite.

Shelby turns 11!!!

2008-05-10T08:07:00.006-06:00

Happy Birthday, my brown eyed baby girl!!!

Case IH Red

2008-05-07T12:40:00.000-06:00

We don't drive John Deeres on our place, so we really aren't "John Deere Green". But we are Case IH Red! And Heston Red. And Versitile red/orange. And Crustbuster grey? And Lord only knows what other colors of implements we have. Actually, I think we do have an old set of John Deere wheat drills that we don't use anymore.

And I was just having more fun with Photoshop here. My stepfather learning to drive a tractor here.

Introductions

2008-05-04T09:42:00.005-06:00

I realize that since I moved to blog format that everything I had on the old website is gone. I know, I've said this before. So periodically, I try to post things that were up on the old site.

One thing that I should do is introduce my family to all of you.

This is Shelby. She is our 1997 model. Eight pounds, 8 ozs. Twenty-four hours of labor, 3 of which was pushing (TMI?). Our firstborn, the oldest, the bossy one. She is in 5th grade (which is middle school at our small rural school). Most of the time she gets along with her younger sister and she and our youngest adore each other. But she and Chance just clash. All the time. It's mostly his fault. Anyway, Shelby LOVES to read, she started reading before she started Kindergarten (her teacher said she was the first student she ever had that started the year reading!). She has read every single Harry Potter book (after me, of course). She also enjoys horses, reading, listening to music, reading, Hannah Montana (and all things that have to do with Miley Cyrus), writing stories, reading, singing (and she is pretty good!). She does not enjoy watching Chance and cleaning her room. She cheers and plays basketball. As she is entering the world of tweens, she is adding talking on the phone and emailing friends to her list of things to do. Her foot is one size smaller than mine and I catch her in my closet drooling over my shoes and boots that she plans on wearing next year. Girl, you better stay away from my Ariat Fat Babies!!!

This is Ch'ree. She is our 1999 model. Eight lbs, 4oz. 12 hours of labor, 10 minutes of pushing with NO DRUGS! She spent a few days in Lubbocks NICU because she decided to spit up blood. I think she just wanted the helicopter ride to Lubbock to make her daddy jealous. Ended up she just had some acid reflux. She is the drama queen. She can cry at the drop of a hat if she needs to. She thinks it will get her out of whatever task I have assigned her. It doesn't work. She and Chance DO get along. Drew not so much (his preference, not hers). She also enjoys reading and writing stories. Except she likes to start many books and finish few. She also likes pretty things, she is kinda a frilly girl. She cheers and plays basketball (both girls have also dabbed around into soccer and baseball. They both enjoyed soccer. I didn't enjoy two different teams with all different times of practices and games in town). She can also stare at a TV and tune the entire world out around her. At any given time. She may not even like what's on or know what it is, she is mesmorized by the glowing box (Dad, does that sound familiar?). Like her sister, she also enjoys music. I think she is the most low maintenance of all the kids, though.

This is Chance. Our 2002 model. Nine lbs, 9ozs. Six hours of labor with an epidural, which after the last birth experience, I demanded as soon as I walked into the hospital. Even though he is three years younger than Ch'ree, he is the same size as she is (except she wears slim clothes and he regular). He's a tough boy. He shows his tough side to his sisters all day long. But when he is at school, he is the most compassionate kid there. He seldom gets in trouble at school (home is quite another matter). He can play the PS2 like there is no tomorrow (I have to work hard to beat him at many games). His biggest enjoyment is to get under Shelby's skin. He is on the verge of getting reading down. He talks about underwear alot. He likes to wear nothing but his underwear, alot. He wants to be in the middle of everything. He loves Power Rangers and Spiderman, and now rides a bike with NO training wheels. He also loves riding his 4-wheeler. He has a cousin who is 6 days younger than him. They are the same size, both blonde, both blue eyed, and when they get together, we call them Nitro and Glycerine.

And Drew is the baby. Our 2005 model, he was nine lbs, 3 ozs, 12 hours of labor. And the epidural guy did a WONDERFUL job with this one. After Drew was born, I was ready for more! Totally painless experience. He idolizes his big brother and Shelby. He loves Thomas the Train, Power Rangers and anything with dogs (currently Scooby Doo is a fav). He shuns underwear, prefers diapers (much to my dismay, as I want him potty trained). He loves apple juice, cartoons, his dog Tex, and the horses. He's quite fond of his daddy and mommy, and never have I seen a child that HAS to be snuggled as much as he. Like his mommy, he feels he must have shoes on his feet as soon as he wakes up and doesn't take them off til he hits the sack. And he hates hitting the sack. He would stay up all day and night if given the chance.

And this is Jeff and myself.

Jeff is 6'4". He's a 1973 model who was born and raised right here in Floyd. He farms and ranches, is on the volunteer fire department (and is almost done getting his EMS-Intermediate license. Watch out, he can put an IV in you!), the Lion's club, and on the school board. He works hard farming 1,300 acres and ranching another 1,200. He has put up with me and my Irish temper for nearly 15 years (13 1/2 wedded). He enjoys playing some old country tunes on his bass guitar, watching various Star Trek shows, wrestling with the kids, and pranks (his favorite is a remote controlled fart machine).

And me. Y'all know me. I'm a 1974 model troublemaker from Georgia who somehow found herself in New Mexico. I may not have been born a country girl, but I sure wanted the part all my life and now I have it. I love animals, especially my dog and the horses. I love being a farm wife. I've always been a tomboy, I grew up playing softball and on the swimteam and joining the neighborhood boys playing football and seeing if I can land on both wheels after jumping a ramp on my bike at the bottom of the hill (I didn't, it was a hard landing). I enjoy yardwork and gardening, I just wish I had a green thumb for it. I fear wasps. I'm learning guitar, I claim to be a scrapbooker and quilter (but haven't had the opportunity to do either in a long time). And recently I have found I love photography. I'm working on the basics of exposure right now with my digital SLR (a Nikon D50). I coach the elementary girls cheerleading squad (and no, I was never a cheerleader in school, but I wanted to real bad), and have coached the kids' baseball teams before. I love the Atlanta Braves, but haven't watched a game all year since TBS took my Braves away from me. I used to love to read books, but can't find the time for it anymore. Hmmm, maybe if I quit reading blogs....

We are a pretty close family. My life revolves around the kids and their activities, and around Jeff and what he needs me to do on any given day (get parts, rode machinery, get lunch, etc). I may go days without adult conversation. My MIL, FIL and SIL are my best friends, next to my husband. For fun we like to go camping (in the 5th wheel of course. I may be country, but I like my modern conviences) or just visit with family.

And now you know everything more than you probably ever wanted to know about us.

Playing with Photoshop

2008-05-03T10:29:00.003-06:00

It usually takes me a while to decide what to spend money and gift cards I get for Birthdays and Christmases. But this week I finally spent the combined checks from last October and December.

First, I bought a new lens for my camera. It's a 55-200mm Nikon zoom lens with VR (Vibration reduction). It's supposed to be REALLY neat. It doesn't get here til Wednesday, but I'll let you know how it goes!

Second, I bought a photo editing program. Not Photoshop CS2 or whatever it is. That puppy costs about $600!! No, I got Photoshop Elements 6.0. And this morning I had a bit of fun with it.

You know how when you get pictures done somewhere and they are always doing some fun things to make you want to spend an arm and a leg? Like selective coloring, when you can pick one color or something to stand out in a black and white photo? Well, here are my attempts at it:

What do you think? I wouldn't do it all the time, but I think it's kinda cool for the right photo.

Tampoline!

2008-04-30T14:39:00.002-06:00

With Shelby's 11th birthday approaching in the next couple weeks and Ch'ree's not far behind that, Jeff (never one to keep or wait around for a surprise) decided while he was in town to get the girls an early birthday present.

A trampoline.

Now Mom, I know you said you don't think they are safe, but it's pretty big and lots of padding. And it will help them with their cheerleading stunts. Ok? Feel better now?

Here is the crew putting it together. Drew especially wanted to help. There were a few little glitches (one of which is Jeff not reading the instructions in the right order, then not listening to me when my common sense told ME how to do it, and I backed it up with the correct order in the instructions). But, he is a man and who needs stinkin' instructions? Not him!

Eventually it was all put together. Drew isn't quite sure what to do. So he just likes to sit there and let everyone else bounce, therefore bouncing him in the air.

Ch'ree's got the jumping down, though!

And wow, Shelby! Look at that toetouch!!

Chance likes to get in everyone's way. Especially Shelby's. What else is new?

Drew needed a break from all the bouncing, so he decided to sit on the brown drought stricken grass that I can't water til my well is fixed and pick his nose.

And his toes.

"Here mom, want some boogers and toe jam?"

And yes, I have been jumping on it, too. It's really alot of fun and a good aerobic workout. Which is exactly what I need to lose these last few pounds.

2008-04-28T11:44:00.004-06:00

About a year ago, I heard about 101 in 1001. What it is: listing 101 things you want to accomplish, and you need to do it in 1001 days. Well, I had fun creating a spreadsheet for it, then I finally came up with 101 things to get done. Which was actually kinda hard to do. I have some piddly things on there (which still aren't done, so I guess they aren't so piddly), and some lofty goals as well. And as the year has gone on, I've actually added more than 101 things as I think of them.

As of today, I have accomplished 22 goals (not so good when you consider I've had a year to do them!).

Item 53: File away 2006 stuff (done May 9th, 2007)--whoohoo, I filed stuff. LOL! I actually have even done 2007 already too.

Item 37: Read Paula Deen Memoirs (done May, 2007)--A fun book. And I was desperate to find things for my 101 things to do, so I added a couple books to read. I love Paula Deen, she has such wonderful recipes that expand my waistline. I hate Paula Deen, because she has such wonderful recipes that expand my waistline. LOL! Her life has been very interesting, full of heartbreak and full of triumph. And it just goes to show you that even if you have nothing you can accomplish anything!

Item 88: Take my children to the ocean (done July 2007)--Last summer we went to Mustang Island (on the other side of Corpus Christi. We stayed in a campground right on the beach and could walk down to the water whenever we felt like it. We also went to San Antonio and saw The Alamo, Sea World, and the RiverWalk. It was HOT down there!!

Item 38: Read new Harry Potter book (done July 2007)--Picked it up on the way to San Antonio, the day it went on sale. Shelby and I had to fight over it, but we both got it read before we returned home.

Item 4: Pay off blue pickup (done August 2007)--Feels good to have that truck paid off! It was my first brand new right off the lot vehicle, and my dreamtruck (F-250 4door with the 7.3 Powerstroke, 4x4, leatherseats. Love that truck!)

Item 70: Sell camper (done June 2007)--this was on the list because we had just bought an '05 5th wheel, but still needed to sell our old '84. Sold it on Ebay to a really nice older couple from Louisianna. They drove out here to get it and brought a box full of Marti Gras beads for the kids.

Item 54: File current stuff (done September 2007)--I had alot of filing that needed to be done at the time. I try to stay a bit more on top of it now. LOL!

Item 96: Catch up all Quicken accounts (done september 2007)--Again, I was behind on bookkeeping.

Item 39: Give away 10 books--Got 'em boxed up, just haven't done anything with them. We have tons of books around here and not enough bookselves.

Item 66: Get a good Victoria Secrets bra! (done September 2007)--blush, blush. Yeah, this was something on my list. Got it done, thanks. Let's not mention it again.

Item 77: Have wisdom teeth pulled (done October 2007)--Got one pulled, bringing me up to 2 total. It was hurting and had chipped. Dr. Thompson fixed me right up. Didn't even feel it, really (dramatic change from when I had my first one pulled 10 years before. That dentist was a jerk and called me a crybaby. Wonder why I was so scared to have another one done?)

Item 69: Fix Tex’s pen (done October 2007, mostly done by Don)--Tex, my German Shephard, didn't like his pen. He would dig out of it. He didn't like to stay in the yard either, he would jump out of it. When Tex decided it would be fun to herd up the neighbors goats one day and she tried to shoot him (the only time he had ever run off anywhere), my father-in-law hooked the pen up to the electric fence box. He has since learned not to try to escape the fence. Actually, he only goes in it now if I'm going to work the horses (oooh, one time then).

Item 98: Get an iPod (Done October 19th, 2007 for birthday!)--I got an Ipod Nano! It's green and so cool! Jeff gave it to me for my birthday.

Item 18: Have family pictures done in 2007 (done, twice!)--We had this done in September 2007 for the church directory, then again at Sears because they are a heck of a lot cheaper than Olan Mills (who did the directory)

Item 75: Tree skirt for Holly and Jesse (December 2007)--I made a quilted Christmas tree skirt for my stepbrother and his wife for Christmas. It has a log cabin and a moose and pine tree on each side of it, it's a Debbie Mumm pattern. They live in Maine and I thought it fit them perfect.

Item 92: Build Barn at Ranch (done, December 2007)--Whoohoo, Jeff finally got his barn!

Item 97: Get a flatscreen computer monitor (done, Christmas 2007)--My Christmas present from Jeff.

Item 12: Remodel garage to music room/Jeff’s office (DONE, February 2008)--Ya'll saw this in progress.

Item 42: Set up store on website (decided not to do one)--Well, I thought I was going to make really cute personalized baby blankets and burb clothes and sell them online. Didn't work out too well. But, if anyone wants to buy one, let me know and I'll make 'em!

Item 56: Clean office good (February 08, completely moved office to garage)--relocating took care of this problem.

Item 11: Get kitchen remodeled (done March 08)--ya'll saw this in progress too.

Item 45: New light for front porch--it's bought, but not installed. Oh Jeeeeffffff...

Hopefully I'll get some more items posted before my 1001 days are up!!

Ridin' the horses

2008-04-20T18:01:00.003-06:00

I've always been passionate about horses. Always loved to go riding, or just brush and look at them. My first ride I was probably 3 or 4. It was in someone's house. Not sure why. Hope that little pony didn't make a mess. When my daddy took me to San Diego to visit some family, someone took me riding then. I remember when I was about 6 years old and my grandmother took my cousin to a riding stable that rented out rides. And I wanted to go SO BAD. But, I was forced to wait in the car (because I was having a huge temper tantrum). I was dusty and dirty and remembered wiping my dirty tears on the white bed sheet that Grandma used to protect the upholestry in the car. I didn't get a ride that time, but later that summer after I had calmed down, I did. I collected Bryer model horses, watched dang near every horse movie and read many a horse book (Black Stallions, Misty, Black Beauty, etc). I love horses.

When my father and stepmother first started getting their horses, it was one of the highlights of weekend and summer visits, just to brush them. I taught myself how to french braid on their tails, and enjoyed just clipping them with the electric clippers and brushing their manes and tails. I didn't even mind cleaning their stalls that much (really, Dad, I didn't. Some of my fondest memories are cleaning stalls and listening to the radio).

My father gave me my horse that I still have now. He was one of the first horses whose parents he owned and bred. His name is Dude, and I've had him since I was about 13. Everyone calls him a circus animal, and rightly so. He has a "spirited" streak in him. But he is my baby. I remember when he would be asleep in his stall and I would quietly walk in and lay down with him. He had a way of letting us know if he was out of water in his stall. First he would tear the 5-gallon bucket off the wall and stick it on his head. Then he would run it up and down the slats of his stall making a huge racket. When he would hear us enter the barn, he would then toss his head so that the bucket would fly over the walls of the stall and into the hallway so we could see that it was him out of water.

His spirited side wasn't always so cute. There was an incident with my father and the manure pile that Dude dragged him through. And the time when he tossed me into a fence. I think one time my dad threatened to shoot him with his .38 Special. LOL! He also used to have symptoms of colic about every 6 weeks or so and we would spend hours day and night walking him around praying he would be ok. Oddly enough, once I dragged his butt to New Mexico back in 1995, only one such attack occured.

Today for the first time in about 10 years, the kids and I talked Jeff into letting us ride the horses. It's always been a fear to let the kids ride. After all, why would they need to? We gather our cows with 4-wheelers and a feed truck. Jeff has no intention of letting them rodeo or show them. Then there was the local little 3 year old boy whose horse got spooked by a rope and drug him to death a few years ago.

Mundy is my father-in-law's horse. He's old. He's so old, he's been fitted for armor. He's so old, he's been shot with arrows before. He's so old, Coronado rode him into battle. He's so old...well, you get the picture. Really, he's about 28 years old. He had an accident shortly before Jeff and I were married (13 years ago) and messed up his hind feet. He's enjoyed a retired life out to pasture since.

Being that old and half crippled, Jeff finally decided that he would be gentle enough for his precious children. So we caught him, brushed him and saddled him up. Then Jeff led them around (just in case. Not taking any chances here).

Chance and Ch'ree had a turn

Then just Ch'ree. Mundy kinda has a mind of his own. He runs in two speeds: slow and stop. Here he had decided to stop. Dude was also nickering back in the pens. They weren't too sure of what was going on.

Then Shelby got a turn.

Shelby and Drew together

Drew and Chance. Drew has discovered that he LOVES horses!

After Mundy had his turn, I decided to try out Dude. We had a bit of trouble catching him. When you haven't had a halter on in years, guess you really don't want to get caught. But we finally did. First I brushed him, then lunged him a bit on a line. Then I wondered if I remembered how to saddle a horse. I had a little trouble with straps. Dude and I were raised riding English (he's a Tennessee Walking Horse, not a Quarter Horse like everything else around here), and the hardware and buckles are a bit different than our Western gear, but Jeff set me straight. Dude didn't object too bad with the bit, and I lunged him some more. Finally, I decided to just get on him and see what happened.

Had this been Dude 10 years ago, I'm sure he would have bucked or spun (in fact, I think that's what he did do last time he was ridden, 10 years ago). But I guess age must have mellowed him, and we just walked around for a bit. I even got him to trot a little, but that's it. It was nice just to be on a horse again. It's sad that he is about 22 years old, think of all the years of riding I've missed (doing silly things like birthing and caring for children).

And for a reward, they got a nice big bale of alfalfa. This is Mundy. And he has ALWAYS been this skinny. No matter if he has been wormed and on grain and unlimited supply of good hay (all of the above we have done). He's just a skinny horse. Dude has the exact same treatment and he's kinda fat. Go figure.

"Alfalfa? Alfalfa!! Why do THEY get alfalfa and all we get are cubes and unlimited pasture and haygrazer. We want ALFALFA!!!!" Look at the dust they are stirring up! No, they didn't get any alfalfa. Guess they are mad at us now.

"Where is my alfalfa?"

Cheerleaders

2008-04-16T17:19:00.005-06:00

Earlier this month, our school's varsity cheer squad went to Albuquerque to compete in the State Spirit Competition. And this year they came away with the 1st place trophy!

We decided to surprise them as they came home that night by meeting them at the county line with almost all the village's fire trucks and the ambulance, lights on, sirens wailing, and gave them an escort to the school, where many parents and students were also waiting for their arrival. It was pretty cool to have a 1st place trophy at the school again. There have only been 2 in the last 10 years, and this is the 1st for cheering at our school (though we have had 2 second places before).

Sidelines during a boys basketball game.

Taking a breather after halftime
Timeout cheer
One thing that makes these girls so special is that over half of them are also basketball players. On game nights, those 5 have to go out and give there all for their game first (most of them are starters, too, not benchwarmers. One, a freshman, consistantly scores the most points as well. On Varsity. That same girl is also the only girl on the Varsity baseball team. She got a grand slam a couple weeks ago. These girls aren't wimps), then they have 20 minutes to clean up, change into their cheer uniforms, and come cheer the boy's game. See the girl with the leg brace on the right? She was hit by a TRUCK 2 years ago (before she moved here). In fact, points were deducted during their routines at State for the brace. And we STILL won!! Most of these girls are also in FFA (Future Farmers of America). The State FFA contest was held in Las Cruces the same week as the State Cheer competition. So some of these girls had to go to Cruces first, do their judging, then get their hineys up to Albuquerque for the cheer competition. Whew!!

What's really good is that none of these girls are going anywhere. No seniors, one junior. The rest are all 9th and 10th graders. There were 7 other schools in our division (1A).

And while we are on the subject of cheerleaders. These are the older half (4th and 5th grade) of the elementary squad that I coach. Well, some of them. There are about 12 girls, but I was focusing in on Shelby (cheerleader in the middle).

And here is the younger squad I coach (preschool-3rd grade). Ch'ree is in the back row, on the right.

Congratulations on winning State, Broncos!!!

Elida Tournament, 2008

2008-04-13T08:25:00.004-06:00

Last weekend was the Little Dribbler Tourney in Elida, NM. This is our school's first year doing Little Dribblers. Some of the kids have played on city leagues for years, and many have never played at all.

Shelby doesn't get to play a whole lot. She is on a 5th-6th grade team, and her being a) a 5th grader, b) it being her first year playing and c) 12 girls on the team, 4 of which are 6th graders, she doesn't get alot of playing time. But I did catch a couple of shots that she was in the game.

Getting the rebound!

Here she is hustling.

And here on the bench. LOL!

Ch'ree gets a bit more playing time on her team. It's a 3rd-4th grade team. But there are only 7 kids on the team: 2 4th graders, 3 3rd graders (including Ch'ree), a 1st grader and a 2nd grader.

Ch'ree holding onto the ball.

Hey, I got the ball!! Now, who can I pass it to?

She actually dribbled, too.

Drew had a good time in the concession stand. Here is Terminator Drew, checking out the brackets with his nachos and my sunglasses. He'll be back.

The Waldrip Visit, Spring 2008

2008-04-13T07:42:00.004-06:00

Recently my mother, Judy, came for a visit with my stepfather (Wayne) and grandmother (Gram) in tow. They got to stay for 6 days, but of course it wasn't long enough. There just isn't enough time, plus it was a super busy week in our lives. The Floyd Jamboree was that week (which was part of the reason they came), and we also had a Little Dribbler tourney in Dora for the girls. And it was Spring Break (thank goodness, because my mom probably would have barely saw the kids if they had been in school that week!).

One thing Wayne wanted to do while he was here was to learn how to drive a tractor and plow. Of course, there is more to plowing than just jumping in the tractor and going, especially when it's the first time for the season for the tractors to get out. There was servicing, changing the oil, fixing various little things that were wrong from the previous year, welding stuff back together, cutting with the cutting torch, and other manly stuff with tools. Wayne got to see alot of this side of farming. Plowing was the break from all the fixing! LOL!

Jeff's not used to having a "hand" while he's plowing, so it involved some fixing up an additional plow. Now that he has that done, I guess he's going to expect me and Drew out there on this tractor.

Smile for the camera, Wayne!

Jeff got the bigger tractor, of course.

The visit also was an opportune time to catch some blackmail photos of Wayne. Like this gem of liberal Wayne unsuspectingly drinking out of Jeff's Rush Limbaugh coffee mug.

Or Wayne dipping a ritz cracker into a 5 pound tub of Sunland crunchy peanutbutter that he and Jeff had bought out at the peanut mill on Hwy. 70. Well, it was voted by Better Homes and Gardens as the best peanut butter last year, guess he had to try it out.

But we had a great time with them. Did some shopping for the girls, drank a few margaritas, watched a couple of movies, saw more than enough little kids playing basketball, and the Jamboree. And ate more than enough, too. LOL!