Stephen Burrito

 Stephen's brothers helped him wrap up in a blanket one morning before prayers.

 Kiara was worried about him.

 She said she wanted to hug him because he was her "best friend".

She's a sweetheart!

Expecting More Snow

We are expecting a little more snow tomorrow night.  

I think we have enough snow, but the kids would love to have a bit more I'm sure. 

 The big tractor plowed these wind breaks.  

I think we have enough snow.

That pile is almost as tall as the three bale stack to the west of it. 

I think we have enough snow.

 This pile is in the yard.  It is taller than the van.

I think we have enough snow.

 Brech, Gianna, and Cormac don't think we have enough snow.

King of the Snow Mountain

Brech's Day

 Today Brech got up earlier than normal and went chorin' with his dad.

He's reminded me multiple times today that he had already been up for a long time, that he had been outside most of the morning, and that he had toast for breakfast.  I just love his enthusiasm!!

They Came With the Place

When we lived in Fargo the kids wanted to get a cat.  The neighbors had a cat that would sometimes come sit on our deck when we were eating supper.  I told the kids we could get a cat when we moved either to the country or to a place that we weren't moving from in awhile.  It was going to be hard enough moving our stuff, eight kids, one fish, and one dog.  We really didn't need to add a cat to the mix.  Some adventures are best left to other people, braver people.

Wouldn't you know - the ranch came well-stocked with cats.

They all have names.  Some I know...some I don't.  

I think Darren knows them all.

Count with me....

 one, two on top

three, four on bottom

 five, six, seven, eight, nine.....

Five is Red.

He's nice.  

He likes to have conversations with us.  I think he thinks he's human.

Nine is a newer cat that has recently been living here.

There is a lighter orange-colored cat that is missing from the pictures.  

 and finally ten and eleven.

Counting the missing cat - that makes twelve.

Anyone who knows me knows I am not a cat lover.

I am not a cat hater either.  I am just picky about the cats I like.

These are the four friendly cats.  They would just as soon live inside.

Darren was in shock because I was sitting on bucket with a cat in my lap and the other three trying to climb up.  That doesn't happen.  I fed them.  We are friends now.

My 2017 Goals

My 2017 goals are summits I'm trying to reach.  If I don't reach them this year - then I can consider my effort as training for the next big climb.  Some of them are silly and some are serious.  Some are almost unreachable and others I've already crossed off.  I just might post updates every once in awhile on how my 2017 goals are going.

(I'm going to try to type them out exactly as I wrote them. I used different colored pens and made it pretty.  Here it goes!)

2017 Goals
rely on God
T-Tapp
drink more water (I've kind of done this.  More importantly - already reduced my pop intake.)
LAUGH more
finish Bestgen DVDs (on the schedule for next week)
read out loud more (almost finished with our current read aloud - need inspiration for the next)
cook more with the girls
Spend more time outdoors
Learn something new (currently learning about raising chickens and doing an herbal course)
play less online games
focus on relationships
write more letters
sew, sew, sew
pray two chaplets
do knee exercises
grow something new
play tourist in the Black Hills
become more active in the community
go for one walk by myself every week - summer
visit Fargo 💗
have a sister's day before June (working on this)
Color once a week
Watch Doctor Who (I wanted to watch the last Christmas special. Finished it last week.)
Read for myself more
name one calf after a Doctor Who character (hummm, what name? what name?)
invite neighbors for supper (one has come, invited another)
SUPPORT Darren
L♡VE more
YELL less
HUG daily
FORGIVE quickly
SMILE more
SLEEP regular-like (loftist goal on the page!!)
BREATHE deeply