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Raising Boys in the Country
Eighteen years ago we moved out to this somewhat, mostly completely private spot of land to raise our family. We’ve had our times. One hundred twenty-two sticks of dynamite had to be used for the building site and rocky land does not make for a good septic system. Being off-grid you have to learn the proper set-up for alternate energy, and when your well goes dry you have to be prepared to drill in a new location. Life here in the sticks can be challenging sometimes. {real-life cowboys} But If we had to choose again, we would choose where we are. We’re spoiled now. If we had a neighbor within…
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My {Un}Ordinary Life – Living with a Trapper and Other Characters
Sometimes my life seems really odd compared to those of my friends. Take for instance the other night. I retire for the evening at about 9 p.m. I am having a good rest until at some unknown hour an obnoxious smell invades my subconscious. But still I continue to sleep lightly. My husband then comes to bed and I am awakened. “What is that smell?” I ask. “Seth came home,” was the reply. Now that sounds really bad. As if that reply answered why there was an odious odor. You will be glad to know that there was more of an explanation coming. “He caught a skunk in one of…
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Keeping Track of Family Activities
My favorite tool for keeping track of what’s happening in our family has to be our Year At-A-Glance calendar. My mom keeps me supplied in calendars every year (they get a lot of freebies) but last year dad sent me two. Then we received a free year at a glance calendar in the mail. So I had the questionably brilliant idea of using all 3 so I could see which one I preferred. So I did. And hands down, it was the year at a glance calendar. It’s a big calendar, measuring 24″x36″ but it displays all 12 months on the one page and each day has plenty of room to…
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Planning for the Year Ahead and Reflecting on 2013
December 31 – the last day of 2013. I know for me it seemed to f–l–y and oftentimes when things go by too fast it causes me to forget things that I really should remember. Then there’s the side of me that likes fresh beginnings and January 1 just kind of fits in there good like that. 🙂 So that is why I made an “End of Year Thoughts and Plans” mini journal. The second page is mainly for you to reflect on the past year and the first page is to help you plan for 2014. This year was the first time that I’ve incorporated my family into something…
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13 Favorites of 2013
Today I want to look back on my posts of 2013. Here are 13 highlights that happened here at the ranch this year. The year started off with a bang when Zachary became engaged. My first child to get married! Audrey had a Hello Kitty party and I had so much fun planning all the theme decorations using my new Silhouette. I tried a new experiment of planting spinach and lettuce in the winter time. It was a complete success and one I would like to do each year. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it planted early enough this year, so in February, I hope to plant seed. Another first for…