November 20, 2008

Santa's New Elves

Last year my dear friend Sue sent me an Elf Yourself video link of me and my Hen friends dancing as elves. It was so funny I watched it over and over just cracking up. Well, today she did it again. Only this time it was me, her two girls, their cat, and my dog. I couldn't stop laughing.

So I decided to create a little elf clan of my family. It's just so funny I had to share it with all of you.

Enjoy....and then do it for your own peeps!

November 16, 2008

The Man of the House


There is something I've always wanted but never really thought it was the right time. Well, this week I just took the plunge....and got a dog. So meet Aberdeen. He's already 16 weeks and came from an Angus breeder not far from home (Bill Schermer). I delivered some cattle for Dad on Monday and there he was just stealing my heart. I battled the decision all week and then finally told myself to just try it. So I picked him up early Friday morning. We've been hanging out all weekend and he's been doing just great. He even just stood there while I gave him a bath after our field trip to the farm today.

The biggest battle in the decision process...this is an every day commitment, are you willing to make that sacrifice? Ultimately, I said it was time. Yes there will definitely be times when I'm going to need to give up a little something in order to meet his needs...but that's part of getting older. I've been on my own for several years and could do anything, anytime...and I did. Moving home somewhat involved some thinking that I've lived for whatever I wanted the past several years and now it was time to put my family first. So maybe Aberdeen is somewhat of an extension of that. Sometimes it's just a little too easy to fall into the trap of having the world revolve around yourself.

November 13, 2008

Tag...You're It

So here's another post compliments to the prodding of SueBoo. (which I'm still working on finishing up the Pay It Forward deal she got me into) But this one is a little easier. The instructions are to post the fourth picture in the fourth folder of your pictures file; tell us about the picture; and tag a friend or two. So I'm just going to post it and consider anyone else that reads this 'tagged'.

So here's the 4th picture from the 4th folder in my "My Pictures" folder....

It's a group of random people...some that I met for the first time that night...who gathered at my house to go Christmas Caroling in the neighborhood. We had a blast...and had a great time putting smiles on people faces.

It's pretty ironic that this photo is the 4th of the 4th because where I am today connects very much to where I was on that day several years ago. I had recently moved to Athens and was slowing figuring out where the single 30 somethings fit into a college town. Lucky for me I had a great church which included a small group of girls for weekly bible study. And even though we loved hanging out together, we knew there were others just like us trying to find their place in this college town. So being the event planner that I am...I started conversations about fun things we could do that would bring people together and build relationships. So the first thing we did...host a fall social that included pumpkin carving! And since people had fun with that and figured out it was fun to be a kid again....I hosted Christmas Caroling...complete with plates of cookies for every house we visited. It was a blast and the following year we had about 20 people go out caroling.

So here I am a few years later, similar situation, different town. But this time instead of a college town, it's my hometown, a small rural town...a place that doesn't get new people to town very often. At first glance it seems that everyone within 10 years of my age is married with children. So I'm wrestling with trying to figure out how and where to get plugged in. Ironically, just this past week, I was thinking back to Athens and wondering if maybe I could host something to break the ice and help me get to know people. I was actually thinking....'what about hosting a cookie exchange or a Christmas caroling'. I guess this photo is maybe a sign that I should.

November 7, 2008

Things Change


It's hard to believe that over the last seven days...I raked leaves and mowed the yard in a short sleeve t-shirt, rode horses in short sleeves, went to the field with a sweatshirt and got too warm, and then today it's snowing! I know it won't last but it sure has been beautiful watching it come down and land on the evergreens. It just amazes me how quickly things can change.

A couple weeks ago when it got really cold I told Mom that I wasn't sure I'm quite ready for the cold and might consider being a shut in for the winter (that is if those high school kids would deliver Meals on Wheels to me). But after seeing the huge snowflakes so peacefully dropping down this morning, I think I'm ready. Of course there will be days when it's frigid and I'm stranded because the roads are too bad; but I also think about the days when the sun shines and reflects off the snow. I think about how little kids LOVE to play in the snow. I think about how big kids (that's us) love to play in the snow on snowmobiles and the like. I think about how the cows have these pieces of snow all over their face after a snow. I think about playing with my little niece outside. In fact I'm actually pretty excited to be back in Iowa where my winter will be filled with snow covered ground. There's just something magical about it.