Is it time for Bed yet?

I'm going to use Michael's famous and favorite Phrase.

"I'm telling you" what a day!

I started at 6am and I am not even finished yet but I think it's time for some Photo therapy!!!

I had to have one of the dogs and the horse over to the vets by 8am for their yearly teeth cleaning/floating, exams and vaccinations, we dropped them off for the day...Michael and I then went to the doughnut shop for breakfast, grabbed some doughnuts, Kalachi rolls and crescents...I then had to run back to the house to grab my library books, called the Electric Coop to see what was going on with the electricity down at the property...spent 20 minutes on the phone with them and then we ran to storytime at the library...ate lunch with some friends...Went and washed the truck because when it rained the other night it rained mud and I couldn't see out the windows...When we got home the phone company guy called and was coming to fix the house phone...It hadn't been working for 3 or 4 days and I never noticed, lol...that is how many phone calls I get!! I told him I had to leave by 3:30 to go back to the vet...He showed up at 3pm and was very long winded...We didn't leave the house until 3:45 so I had to haul a$$ to get there on time for Jakes 4pm appt. (he has skin allergies)...and pick up the other dog and horse...We got over to the vet and the clinic was teaming with clients...Have you ever been to a vet office with a 4 yr old, 2 dogs and a horse? Take my advice DON'T DO IT!! I was going in circles...

As I'm going into the exam room with Jake a lady that had just left comes in and asks who owns such and such a truck...I said I do! She said she just backed into my truck, UGH!! Double UGH!! I gave the vet Jake and went out to see the damages...None that I noticed...that is until we got home...Nice dent in the fender, GRRRRRRR...

In the mean time I'm telling the lady it was okay no damages, no big deal...I had to round Michael back up and went back into the vets clinic to help with Jake...Seems he has skin allergies but his hot spot wasn't to bad and he got a cortisone and antibiotic shot...he didn't like the antibiotic shot and yelped...can't say as I blame him...

The vet handed me a bag full of meds...Seems the other dog had an ear infection, another double ugh!! Paid the vet bill, we won't even discuss that....That was like a million UGHS!!

Got the trailer hooked up, kid and dogs rounded up and loaded in the truck and strapped down...walked 1/2 mile to go get the horse out of her pen...loaded her...and FINALLY we are back home, 1/2 tank of gas later ($3.09/gal)...The trailer is un-hooked but now I need to load it back up with all our outside equipment...and some how work my magic and come up with something for dinner...

So as I said earlier is it bedtime yet? LOL...as I have had enough and thank goodness days like this come around few and far between!!

So HOW was your day??

Fishing Sept16 2007 ~ Scrapbook layout

Sept. 16 2007

Michael with a few fish Momma caught.

Dirt ~ Scrapbook layout

~ Dirt ~

Michael investigating, with Daddy's help, our first Pile of Dirt on the property Sept. 8 2007. The first of many piles of dirt.

I'm back....And so are the Nature Photos!

I have a headache from h*ll...and couldn't concentrate enough to work on the scrapbook layout I am trying to do...So I grabbed the camera and went outside, the sun is out...The wind is still blowing but at times it calms a bit...So in between Gusts I snapped photos...I honestly didn't feel like looking the flowers up...most of the ones I didn't know what they were, were very tiny and close to the ground, so your guess is as good as mine...

The flower below and the close up of it's blossom (above) is a type of clover.

I looked this up but couldn't find it in my bug book...In this area they are known as blister beetles but I have no clue as to their real name at the moment. Possibly some type of wood boring beetle.

Well I think we know who this is? (grin)!

Most of you should know what the name of the flower is above...

Ahhh poor Julie try to take her afternoon nap and Momma bugging her...what beautiful lashes!

Okay so I took a photo of this earlier but had told you it hadn't bloomed...Well this one had a bloom on it...Texas thistle...or as I've heard certain people call it Bull thistle. Aren't the colors beautiful?

That is it for today! I hope you enjoyed this weeks Nature photos!

Todays Nature photos...

Yes it's Weds. again and here are a few nature shots...

I'll admit I cheated and took these yesterday and I am glad I did. The wind today is terrible and not a good day for taking photos outside! Maybe this evening if the wind dies down a bit I might try for some more photos.

Sow Thistle

Sow Thistle is an introduced species from Europe that has become a troublesome "weed". I read that in the book and laughed aren't all wildflowers troublesome weeds to some people? Fred and I are constantly discussing the fact that he needs to stop pulling up my wildflowers and he repeatedly tells me they are "WEEDS"!! Some of us just don't see the beauty in nature!

This isn't a wildflower but a variegated Bougainvillea that I bought last year. It is just starting to bud out and I love the patterns on the leaves.

That's it for now folks...I know Wow not to many today. It was raining yesterday when I took these photos so I didn't do to much walking. I did see some bluebonnets yesterday evening in a yard on the way to town but I'll wait for them to come up around here, as I don't want to get in trouble for trespassing!...Spring is in the air!

RocketShip ~ Scrapbook Layout

I had everything made for this layout but was having problems of where to place everything on the page...I kept re-arranging and studying it when Michael came and sat with me. I told him I was having problems and didn't know where to put everything. He started moving things around and then said "This is how you do it Momma". When he was done he put his arm around my shoulder and had that smug look on his face! I looked at the page and thought he DID IT!! LOL...Pretty bad when your 4 yr old son has to show you how it's done!! I think he did a GREAT job!

The journaling reads:

September 13, 2007
Michael with help from Trey turned a box into a spaceship.
The boys had a blast. Michael was strapped in and ready for BLAST off to the moon. Michael would count 1, 3, 9, 2, 5 and they would both yell Blast off…Trey would shake the box and spin Michael. Michael would then start yelling that he was on the Moon…which another words meant for Trey to stop….This went on and on, we laughed and laughed…Did you know there were MONSTERS on the Moon? That is what Michael was telling us!!…Then Trey told us a little story…Girls go to Jupiter to get more stupider, Boys go to Mars to get more candy bars…
(I recorded the video and it is in the envelope on a DVD)

Love Notes from Michael

I was sitting here working on a layout and Michael was handing me love notes...

The little green one says "I need kisses and Hugs"...The medium sized green one says "I need BIGGER kisses and hugs"....The long green one says "I need the BIGGESST and BEST kisses and Hugs"...now isn't that so sweet....

Well then he hands me the orange paper...

it says "Give me food RIGHT now or I am going to KICK your butt, I love you too!"

....LMAO....

How can you not adore him...he is such a TURD!!

Bayside Fishing ~ Scrapbook layout

Has there ever been a time when you have done a layout and just basically thrown everything on it...you were having fun until you realize "What have I done?"...lol...it's awful!! Well here is one of mine...I am really tired of doing fishing layouts and didn't want to do this one but I did and boy did I do it!! I'm sitting here laughing as I stare it!! I'm not starting over, it's done!! So now it's up to y'all...be honest....I really want to hear what you think? I think I should have left that zig-zag ribbon off of it, Ekkk!

The journaling reads:

August 25, 2007

For the past couple of years we have been doing a fishing tournament sponsored by Owen Oil Tools of Victoria Texas. This year we found a babysitter for Michael and brought Trey with us. To date we still haven’t caught a fish but we’ve had fun. The guys fishing and me fishing and taking photos. Trey was passing the time picking flowers and throwing them in the water. I was laughing as the flowers kept floating past me. I kept telling Trey that is so nice to send your Step Mom flowers, ha ha ha…I loved the photo I took of the sun rise and the bridge we were fishing near…I never get to many chances for a beautiful sun rise on the water as I am NOT an early riser.

I am now officially done with scrapbook layouts of August 2007, YEA!! Now to move on to Sept...and you guessed it more fishing layouts, lol....I need to stop fishing for awhile and catch up on these layouts!!

A scrapbook layout of Ebony ~ August 2007

This is one of the last photos I took of Ebony! She was a beautiful dog!

(Don't mind the terrible scan job)

The journaling reads:

Ebony
October 2002 ~ October 2007

Fred purchased Ebony for me in March of 2003. She belonged to a U.S. Service Man who was sent to Iraq to fight and his family could no longer keep her. She was approximately 5 months old, we were never told her true birth date. Her name was Dallas. We decided to change her name and my Mother came up with Ebony.
She was a good pup but needed work and discipline. I was 4 months pregnant with Michael and living in an A-frame cabin on 200 acres with no close neighbors and everyone thought it was a good idea if I had some protection. Ebony knew from day one she was my dog and she always stayed near me. She was my protector!
She pushed me out of the way one day when there was a rattlesnake in the barn. She survived a house falling on her during Hurricane Claudette. She had a tendency of being aggressive towards strangers. She hated cats and loved to chase Julie (horse). I loved her dearly but sometimes she was a bit more than I could handle and I didn’t trust her. After Michael was born and started playing outside I had to really keep an eye on Ebony. It finally reached a point where I had to make a decision. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in my life. Ebony was in her prime (5 yrs), but she still couldn’t be trusted. After having a mishap with Michael my mind was made up! I decided to put her down and after conversing with the Vet, she agreed with me. Ebony you were a great dog and I won’t forget you.
May you rest in peace sweet heart!

Calf Roping and Goliad Rodeo

The annual Golaid Rodeo, something I have been going to ever since Fred and I were married.

It's a tradition in our family. Fred wasn't able to make it this year and I was a bit hesitant on going but we had tickets so I went. I'm glad I did as I had fun and I think Michael did too. It's the first year that Michael really sat and paid attention to what was going on in the arena too.

The rodeo is in the evening and I knew after dark that I wouldn't be getting decent photos, not with my camera. I didn't want the hassle of taking the tripod and I do not have a monopod so I did the best I could before and after the sun set.

All during the day they had team calf roping going on in the arena. I was able to escape for a little bit and get some photos of the calf roping. I could have sat there all day and taken photos...sigh!

Team calf roping: One guy lasso's the head and the other guy heals with a rope around the back leg...it takes a good team to do this and a lot depends on the calf too...

I love seeing the little guys out there roping...this little guy just amazed me!

Here he is again headed back to try again...I would love for Michael to do this but alas he doesn't seem to have the desire...not like his mother would have had at that age...

Calf fighting the rope...

A bronc in the back pens.

Mutton Busting...Every year they have kids that weigh between 35 and 50 lbs do mutton busting. I asked Michael if he wanted to do it this year and he said No, maybe when I am bigger.

Watching the mutton busting...

Michael watching the bull riding...love this profile photo of him!

Our flag!

Rodeo Clown also known as the Bull fighter...one of my favorites to watch at the Rodeo!

I love this photo, the colors just popped out!

Bull riding...you can see the sun is setting and time for me to put my camera down for the day!

It was a long day but we had a lot of fun!

The Carnival at the Fair...

We spent 3 or more hours with the boys at the carnival. They had a blast as they all had arm bands and could ride as much as they wanted too...Wendy and Shauna were whipped by 3:30 and it was time to go...

Food...Mmmm

Is he tall enough? Look at that face he was so worried he wouldn't be able to ride on the big kid rides with his cousins...Last year he wasn't able too but this year he made the cut, YEA!!

Shauna and I decided to ride the Ferris wheel with the boys! A view of the carnival from the top of the Ferris Wheel.

A view of the Mission from the Ferris Wheel...it's frustrating at how much the electric lines and poles detract from the landscape...I was having a tough time because as most of you know you don't have much time to work with the camera while riding the Ferris Wheel and I was also trying to take photos with my cellphone to send to Fred as he was not able to come with us and he loves seeing Michael have fun...and poor Shauna was trying to duck out of my way as I was snapping photos too, lol...The boys were so tickled and having us ride with them and being up so high!

They were having so much fun and laughing! It really helped Michael having his older cousins with us as they showed him how it was done and that it was sooo much fun!!

They even had a dragon kiddie roller coaster, now how cool is that!

I think the slide was the big hit of the day. I have no recollection of how many times they rode it, too many to count. As soon as they got to the bottom right back up they would go to do it again. Michael was hesitant at first, slides have never been his favorite. But his cousin, Zack, helped him with his burlap sack and away they went. I was so glad Zack was there and he was so patient with Michael. Zack even said Michael wasn't to sure about the slide but once he showed him how he was okay.

I laugh every time I see this photo...Michael wanted to ride this ride but needed an adult to go with him. I am not much of a ride person, between my weak stomach and slipped disc, it's not always a good idea to get Momma to ride. So I handed Shauna the tickets and said here you go, ride with Michael...She was laughing as Michael kept squishing into her and trying his hardest to pull away from her...In the photo above you can see he isn't to sure about this but with Shauna beside him laughing Michael got the hang of it and after awhile started smiling and laughing...

The other boys were having fun...

I took Michael on the Carousel near the end of the day and love the smile on his face...he is exhausted, a bit sun burned but that smile says it all....He had a BLAST!!

Goliad Fair Parade

Here are a few of the parade photos. I was shocked as I always come to the Christmas parade but this is the first fair parade I've come too and it was HUGE. That is for a small town!

My father in law chose the viewing spot and it wasn't the greatest for photos as I was looking right into the sun while taking photos but some of them didn't turn out to bad...

Waiting for the Parade to start.


Shauna and Zeke were marching with the boy scouts.


Tractors...and there were a lot of tractors, trucks, motorcycles, go-karts....

Girls of the Rodeo. This years Rodeo theme was cancer survivors that is why most of the rodeo people were wearing pink!

Goliad High School marching band. Yep folks kind of small but Goliad is small town! They played well and were the only band in the parade...

The clowns....and just too cute and funny!

This float was from Victoria but I liked it as it had the six flags that have flown over Texas...Now lets see if I can name them....Spanish, French, Mexican, Republic of Texas, Texas state, and U.S.A...lol...not sure if I got those right or not...

This float was from Lockhart Texas...I liked how they had it set up to bad the girls and guys weren't dressed up a bit more...

The Kenedy bluebonnet float...very pretty with all the blue and the ladies in formals...I like how they set the floats up to look like the ladies capes extend down the back of the floats...

This just a sampling of the photos I took at the parade...there are more on my flickr site if you have access to it...

Thanks for looking...now on to the Fair and Carnival photos.