Country Girl Living

Flower Pots

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 22 May 2010 19:18:00 +0000

So in my journeys of blog hoping and reading about all the pretty flowers everyone is planting, I came across this blog. What an adorable idea. Since my dogs have takin over my flower bed I decided I wanted something different. I was finally able to get them all done and put together on Thursday night with the help of my hubby.

My girls birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:42:00 +0000

My oldest cowgirl turned 12 yesterday! I can' believe how the time flys. It seems like yesterday she was an only child. I do have to say that I am rather proud of her she is maturing into a nice young lady. About a month ago she went to state TSA (Technology Students Association), it was held about 2 and half hours north of where we live. She was gone for 3 day. Se had never gone on a trip with out a family member with her, so I was nervous about sending her off. She had projects in digital photography, graphic design, and she had built a CO2 car to compete with. Of course she had a wonderful time and did quite well by her self, sniff, sniff. SHe managed to place 3rd in digital photography and 1st in the Co2 car. Having the 1st place automatic sends her to Nationals in Baltimore Maryland. She will be gone for 9 days. I am going to have a hard time then too. But, I am so proud and excited for her. It will be a great learning experience.

So here are a few pictures from a recent photoshoot I did with her and some friends. They are not the greatest but, we are going back to do another one soon. We have some more ideas for props and some other cool locations!!!

For the kids birthdays we always try to let them pick where they want to eat and then they have a party on the weekend. She picked the Genghi's grill for her dinner location. It is a Mongolian stir fry. We had a great time at dinner with family then managed to run to the mall for a few minutes to do a little shopping!

New Baby!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:02:00 +0000

Okay so no not me but, my mare. We left her out with our roan stud last year, I wasn't to sure about the whole thing but Cowboy was all for it. She has slowly been getting bigger and bigger. Well I was out on Friday and noticed she was starting to bag up just a little but, really figured we had a little more time. Then on Saturday the weather her was horrible and I sat in a class all day for one of the classes I am taking. So, by the time I got home Sat late afternoon I can right in the house and relaxed. Cowboy went out to feed and I stayed in as he said he didn't need any help. So Sunday I get up at the crack of dawn and head back to my boring class for an all day lab. Promptly I get a text early in the morning that says " Sugar is having her baby". WHAT? I text him back wanting to know details and such but the reply I got was something like we are going to breakfast and what time does Alco open. Alco is our little Wal-mart in the next town over. Are you serious? I go about blowing his phone up with texts, I can't believe that he just left my mare in labor. He tells me nature will take it's course. I understand that but, didn't you want to watch and what if something would have gone wrong? No, he didn't want to watch and nothing was going to go wrong, he just wanted to eat his breakfast. So, once he gets home he finally sends me a picture.

I am blowing up his phone again asking boy or girl? Remember I am in a class that is why I am texting. He finally sends back that it is a boy.

Well that stinks I am stuck in class for the day and I have a new baby to play with and love on at home.

I finally get home around 3 or 4 in the afternoon and get to run out to see him. I didn't even stop at the house I already had my camera with me so I drove right out to the pens and hurried along. What was funny was when I got there my SIL and Cowboy are standing out at the fence, momma and baby were over in the ban. I thought to myself I wonder why they are out here and not in there seeing the baby. I get out of the burban and she says to me I haven' gone in yet to see him, I wanted to wait and let you see him first. How sweet was that!

So here are a few of my photos, I am still editing more.

Oh I just love him!

Where have I been.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:50:00 +0000

So about 2 weeks ago I was browsing along on the internet minding my own business when I get a pop up window. This particular pop up said that it was a anti virus software warning me that I had viruses. I knew right away that it was virus. It was not my virus protection that I had on my computer as I currently had Nortons. So I clicked out of it quickly ran a scan with Nortons. Nortons found one virus and removed it. Done deal or so I thought. About 30 minutes later the same pop up window showed up. I again clicked out of it and ran a scan. Nortons found another virus and removed it. This time I noticed on my desktop there was an icon for the fake antivirus software. I then went to my control panel to try and uninstall the software. About that time is when my computer kicked me out and restarted. Once it restarted I then had just a black screen with my white mouse cursor. I quickly started researching from my phone, which is real fun let me tell you. The pop up window that I had been getting was for " Internet Security 2010". It was a scam to get people who don't realize it is a scam to put in there credit card information. People think that they are paying for an upgraded full version of this so called antivirus program. Here is the kicker, I thought that by clicking out of it I was doing the right thing. This virus I am told is smart. Anytime you click on any part of your screen once the pop up window has appeared it gives the virus permission to worm its way into your registries and updates. So Nortons did find the initial worm but the rest was hiding laying dormant in the updates. Once your computer does one of it automatic updates the virus is put back to life. I found out that if this pop up window comes up that you need to hold down the power button on your computer and turn it off. Turn it back on and then run your antivirus software to get rid of the initial worm since you turned it off you never gave the virus permission to invade your computer. I will say that the pop up window does look legit and I can see how people who don't know anything about viruses can get pulled in.

Here is what one of the pop up windows that it may give you looks like

SO I have been reinstalling my operating system, all my programs and finding the rest of my stuff. I was very good about backing up, certain things I have on dvds, others I have saved on my external hard drive and I also have an online back up account. The online back up account is awesome cause it automatically back up every so many hours so, I think the only thing I "lost" is a few pictures that I had uploaded 30 minutes before all the mess.
My hopes with the long post is that it might help someone else from all the headache that I have had to deal with. I think things are almost back to normal on the computer so I should be back to posting now.

Technical Difficulties...

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:56:00 +0000

Okay I am having technical difficulties with my computer right now. I am hoping to be back up and running at 100% by Saturday. I will let everyone know of the mess, I have stumbled onto when I get back up and running.

New Layout

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:44:00 +0000

Sorry I am currently working on a new layout for this blog so I hope to be back up and posting as soon as I get it done!

Wordless Wednesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:53:00 +0000

Rodeo Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:21:00 +0000

Little Cowboy "LC" is participating in a winter series rodeo this year. He seems to be doing better than he did in the summer series but, we just need to get him a solid rodeo horse. This series he has competed on a couple different horses and none seem to be working out for him. It's frustrating for him and us. He is always in good spirits even when things don't go his way. Here are just a few of the pictures from this last weekend.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

In a funk...

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:17:00 +0000

Okay so I know that I have been missing for a long while now. Not sure if anyone even reads this silly thing. I will admit it I have been in a funk. This last year has been probably the hardest year of my life. I think everyday how I would change it if I could go back in time. See some of you know cause you keep up with my SIL who is an awesome blogger unlike me. I was suppose to have a baby girl on October the 17th of last year but back in May I started having problems. I was put on bed rest where I stayed until June 19th when we lost our baby girl. I was 24 weeks along. Hearing the words that we have lost the baby is gut wrenching to say the least. Then to have to deliver your daughter that you never get to hear laugh or cry. I think everyday about her and wonder which one of the other kids she would have been like or would she have been completely different. I struggle with her loss everyday. I know where she is at and that she is waiting on me to get there. I was told tonight that God is good and in complete control and I truly believe in that.

So, part of my New Year's resolution is to get out of my funk. But since I have had a few health problems come up after the first of the year my resolution is being put to the test. My problems aren't major and they will get better with time. So hopefully soon you will start seeing more of me here.
I have started a photoblog that I am trying to post on everyday. It's a challenge to get out and use my camera more and to learn some more about photography. So, I hope to catch up with you all soon.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:51:00 +0000

Almost Wordless Wednesday!

I say almost cause I need to tell you the story behind this photo. When we go up to check the pasture of some of our horses I almost always take pictures. This day they were at the front of the pasture and we had to drive past them to get to the gate. I rolled down my window and turned around in my seat and hung out the window to try and get some pictures of them running down the fence line. Yes, I know that it isn’t a great photo. But when, I got home and started looking through my pictures I noticed something. Anyone see anything out of the ordinary in this photo?

If you look closely down the dirt road you will notice a small “baby” deer standing down there watching. We had just driven up that road and didn’t see it. But, I managed to get it in several of my pictures like this that I took.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:17:00 +0000

The time has come to say good-bye to them.

We have 2 fillies that we have had for sale for a little while now. We had a few interested people but, no buyers. So Cowboy has been watching the sales and finally one has come up that he is interested in taking them to. So last night we drove up to the pasture to load the two up. The six that are in this pasture are always excited to see us. We honk and they come a running. Last night was no different even with the truck ad trailer sitting in the pasture.

The one in the front, the buckskin is one that is one of the two that is going to the sale. The other of the two is this black fily. I do love her but she just doesn't fit in to what we want our horse to be. She is more aggressive than we like so she needs to go. We get the trailer opened up and the buckskin jumps in first thing so we hurry up and close the middle gate behind her. She was the one that we thought would be a pain to load. Lately she has not wanted to be caught. Then the black filly, Winter, came right up and stiffed the trailer out. I thought this is going to be easy cause she acted like she was going to just jump right in. Well that wasn't the case. We go about our routine. When we come up to check the horses we always bring some grain for a treat for them. Left the trailer open and while they are eating their feed the "three stooges" decided that they were going to get in the trailer. Mind you these three are not one of the ones that we are needing in the trailer. Then they decided that it was time to get out. I guess they started to get a little nervous. Once the stooges got out of the trailer we were finally able to get inter in the trailer on on our way we go.

Wordless Wednesday!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:45:00 +0000

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:14:00 +0000

I decided to finally enter on one of the weekly challenges over at i heart faces. This weeks challenge was back to school. Here is my little cowboy walking the youngest cowgirl to her first day of preschool. He is such a sweet brother. I can't believe summer is already over.

Wordless Wednesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:43:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:41:00 +0000

Nice Things.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Does anyone else ever feel like between the kids and hubby that you can't have anything nice. Well that is usually the way it is around here except it is usually the kids that are tearing apart my things. I know that they are just "things" but, when you work hard to have nice "thing" it gets irritating. So of course this weekend was no different other that it was a true accident. Saturday we got up mid morning did chores and our usual weekend routine.
Well hubby decides to start weed eating around the house and I am on the other side doing something. I hear him yelling at Little cowboy and the youngest cowgirl to not touch anything and to get back. I come around the front of the house to see my nice glass screen door shattering. The big door is open and the kids are on the inside. So I run around to the garage door and come inside and gently shut the big door. The thought of all that glass in the house was awful.

Okay so you can see right where the rock hit it.

The shattered glass was pretty looking. We just let it crackle and hubby decided that the easiest thing to do it let gravity take its course. First the middle started to buckle and bow a little bit.

Then the glass started to slowly fall. I didn't get any shots of the whole big mess cause it was probably an hour or two later that the whole thing finally came out. Then we had the BIG mess to clean up!

Missing!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:25:00 +0000

I know that I have been missing for a long while. I have had to deal with the loss of someone I never got to meet. I am not ready to talk about it here but, I will let you all in soon. I promise. I am going to get back to regularly posting. Other than our loss it has been a good summer. The kids and I have enjoyed the fact that I have been off work since the first of June. Here are just a few pics that I have recently taken and I will start posting more of the happening of the summer soon.

Country life.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:35:00 +0000

Hubby has been out of town since Wednesday night which means kids and I are on our own. We get to eat whatever we want for dinner, watch whatever we want and be as noisy as we choice to be. It also means that we get to take care of all the animals and the daily chores here. I don't mind at all, hubby deserves some time away once in a while.
The children wanted to spend the night with grandma and papa on Thursday cause they didn't have school on Friday. So, I drove them to the half way point to drop the off with gma and papa, stopped and got me Chinese food, and headed for home. When I got here there was a possum playing dead in the side yard. Except his eyes were open, every other time I have seen them like that their eyes are closed. So, I worried that it might be rabid or something called hubby and got told not to worry about it, it would be gone in the morning like usual. OK, so off on the normal routine. Got up Friday morning and leave for work now the thing is in the front yard. Again I ignore it and go to work. Get home from work, yep still there. Call hubby again to inquire how long they can play dead? I am told that if it is still there it isn't playing any more. I asked him to please drive the 13 hours home and take care of it. He laughs and says little cowboy will be home later and he can handle it. Well by the time I got the kids picked up Friday night and headed for home it was dark and late. On Sat morning Little cowboy gets up and I ask him to do a huge favor for me. Thinking that he would just go get the shovel and haul it off. I should have known better. He just puts gloves on and out he goes, pjs and all.

He is such my little lifesaver. And no I an not that big of a baby that I can't haul off the stuff my self. I just don't like possums cause what if it really wasn't dead. I know what a great mom I am huh??

Wordless Wednesday- New boots!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 02:07:00 +0000

Dragons

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:39:00 +0000

I have a bad problem of holding in all of my frustrations, anger, and disappointments. I don't speak my mind at all. I avoid confrontations at all cost. I am a bottler, it all builds up until I can't take it anymore then I explode. Kinda like a dragon, except I end up bringing up something that might have bothered me 6 months ago and people don't seem to get what is really bothering me at the time. I have always been that way, I can't help it. I would love to tell people when they tick me off and at that moment not worry that they will be upset with me. I know there is always a time and a place for it. But, just once I would like to tell someone that you have hurt me at the moment it happens and not just bottle it up.

My oldest is a dragon like me, as much as I don't want her to be she is. I can't help it, I have tried to get her to tell someone when they have upset or hurt her feeling but she won't. I have a feeling that something in her life is about to change that she isn't going to like. I am not sure how to handle it. It is going to affect her whole summer.

That being said what do you do when you know someone is going to do something that is going to upset on of your children? I don't mean just by telling them "No you can't do that" but, something that is going to really upset them. What do you do when someone makes a promise to them that they have no intention to keep, especially when it is a close family member?

I hate the Kansas wind.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:03:00 +0000

The wonderful Kansas wind was horrific today. That is really an understatement. It started this morning and is still going strong. Not only are my eyes full of dirt, but I was almost blown away this morning. I went to pick up the youngest cowgirl from a sleepover and she was actually blown down. I thought it was a little funny but her on the other hand didn't think so.
We decided it was a lost cause to do anything productive outside today so, we were in playing the Wii and watching movies. When our horse boarder came to the door to tell my hubby that the door to his building was about to be blown off. When he and I get out there yep it is off it's hinges and about to fall down. The only thing we could do at the time was to help it all the way to the ground. We didn't want it to blow over at the wrong time and someone get hurt.

We also have a new skylight in the same building that we now have only one door too. The problem is I wonder who is going to climb up there to fix the damage.

Then there is the loafing shed that already took a beating last weekend from the heavy snow. The roof was partially caved in from the weight of the snow sitting on it. We had closed the gate so the horses coulnd't get in there and get hurt. The wind today finished the roof off.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

New Adventures.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:21:00 +0000

A lot has been happening here. My sister-in-law and I are taking on a new adventure. I can't spill the beans just yet about the happening. Don't worry I will be sure to update just as soon as I can and won't keep you waiting too long. I promise. Just know that it is pretty and I am dying to blab my big secret.

Sorry!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:23:00 +0000

Okay, I know that I have been gone for a little while. We hve just been busy with horses, chores, and life in general. So for tonight you get a few pics of what we have been up too.

Weather...

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:01:00 +0000

I am not very creative on the titles of my post I know. But that is a lacking department here, sorry. Anyways the last 4 days has been beautiful her. Yesterday it was 60 degrees here. I have hurried home every night, changed clothes and been on the back of a horse till sundown. It has been wonderful. Today well it is 30 degrees here right now. I hung outside long enough to get everyone fed and watered and ran for the house. I look like an Eskimo when it is this cold. Seriously all you can see is a small bit of my face, only cause it is helpful to see when you feed otherwise they would be covered too. I did manage to get a few pictures taken this week. Not alot and there are none of me. YAHHHH! I hate to have my picture taken.
These are just updated pictures of little cowgirls black eye this is day 3. It never looked as bad as I really expected it to. Thank goodness.

Then we have my handsome cowboy who apparently didn't like it when I called him my stable boy. But, at the time it kinda fit. I told him I needed for him to go saddle my horse so I could change and he did it.

Last for today is my oldest leading our 2 year old stud "Jack" around. Jack is just starting his whole training process. Here he has only been saddled twice and is doing awesome with it.

Hope everyone has a good weekend. Maybe with it being cold I might get some housework done. Don't hold your breath on it though.

A day in the life of my youngest.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:23:00 +0000

On Sunday we head to the rodeo about 30 minutes from home. Plan on being there all day as it is a youth rodeo and they take all day. Everyone that knows my youngest cowgirl knows that she is a clutz. There are days that I watch her fall down 3 or 4 times while walking. She should have been named Grace.
So, of coarse we get there and my kids and my niece take off to go play. Oldest comes back a little while later and she is dragging the youngest with her. She says that the youngest has ripped her pants.

She somehow caught them on a nail. Doesn't surprise me. Which at this point in her life not a lot surprises me.
So we watch the majority of the rodeo and then here comes the oldest again. Except this time the youngest is following nicely and crying. Again not a surprise. By the time she reaches me the oldest tells me that she has ran into a pipe fencing that was sticking out. It was already black and blue. She is lucky she didn't break her nose.

We ice it and tell her it will be okay. By the time we get home it has started to swell and I image waking up in the morning to find half of her face black and blue and swollen. I think she lucked out cause it was a little swollen and a little more black but, not as bad I as I expected.

A day in her life is never dull on the plus side I won a silent auction at the rodeo. I got cowgirl 5 new long sleeve button downs for cheap. When I showed her I got them for her that made things all better. See she is my girl shopping makes everything better.