I need a new tooth fairy, please!

So we may have the world's worst tooth-fairy ---- EVER.

Seriously - I'm not lying, even a little bit. I mean really bad here!

So the Little Princess loses a tooth a few months ago. It was the weekend. And our "tooth-fairy" does not routinely keep cash on hand.

Little Princess wakes up in tears because the "tooth-fairy" did not show up. OH CRAP!

So The Cowboy tells her the "Tooth-fairy" was out late, maybe he'll come tonight.

The next morning same story, can you believe it, the "tooth-fairy" did not show up again! Really, how sorry of a "tooth-fairy" can you be?? This time The Cowboy told her "The Tooth-fairy doesn't work on weekend." And she bought it. So bright and early Monday morning "The Tooth-fairy" finally arrived.

About a month later.......The Princess losses yet another tooth. I mean really, how is a "tooth-fairy" to keep up? This time it is the middle of the week.

The next morning, cries and tears of despair come from the Pepito-pink room about how "The Tooth-fairy" did not come again!

OH!NO! Not again!

The Cowboy tells her, "The Tooth-fairy does not work on weekdays."

"But you told me she doesn't work on weekends!" she wails.

To this he replies, "Well that was during day-light savings time."

I Think I Love You

I love very few horses. I like most, I even really like some.

But this one........

Oh my! I LOVE this one!!!!
His name is Peso. And I just LOVE him!

My girl does too!

And I think he likes her too.

He doesn't mind her 'grooming' him, not one bit.

I think he enjoys it.

She shares her food with him - you know important horse type food like peanut butter crackers and animals cookies. Oh, of course not the horse ones though that would be cannibalism or something.

Wait - don't stop he says! I'll give you a kiss --- please just don't leave!
Oh Peso! I just love you!

Just call me Martha

OK - not as in the book writing, TV show doing, magazine owning, prison time spending, no not that one. Yeah, as much as I'd love the idea of being like that, I know no way, no how is that going to happen, I mean a girl has to sleep at some time.

No, the Martha I speak of is of the Martha and Mary type - see Luke 10.

Yes, when things need to get done I tend to turn into Martha.

Yes, yes I do - I don't want too - but I do. But I think I might be Martha on Steroids.

Yeah - it's that bad!

When we have a family get together or something - I tend to go a little on the side of, weelll, overboard.

There I said it - Isn't admitting you have a problem and very big and important step?

The Cowboy's Mom and Aunt were coming for Thanksgiving. And what do I do......I go into a baking, cooking and cleaning frenzy. I just can't help myself - I know I do it but I just can't seem to stop - I may need some intervention or something?!

So I go grocery shopping......the day before Thanksgiving......seriously?? What is wrong with me?? I know better!! Help me, I know not what I do!

Anyway I go ahead and make not one, not two but 3 homemade pies - Oh yes I did -- OK OK so I did cheat a little bit ---gasp ----I used.......oh it is sooooo hard to say.......I used a pre-made pie crust -----SHOCK, GASP, FAINT........I know, I know I was so ASHAMED!! But then I ummm, pre-tasted the pie -----heaven is all I have to say about that!!

Also on the menu --- homemade mashed potatoes, homemade dressing, a corn and wild rice dish, green bean casserole, gravy, and crescent rolls (I was planning on making homemade rolls but since crescent rolls were on sale and I had a coupon I had to get them). The Cowboy's Mom and Aunt brought the meat.

So basically we had enough food for a small army --- But OH MY --- IT WAS GOOD!!! HEAVEN!

And we had a really good time too! After I realized I was being Martha on Steroids - I chilled out! The Cowboy asks every time 'Why do you do this to yourself?'

Honestly - I'm not sure? But it's Thanksgiving -- and you can get all the pre-made, pre-cooked, not nearly as good tasting stuff every other day of the year! AND it was good! And hey -- with all the left-overs I get out of cooking for the next few days!!

The Horse and His Boy

Every boy should have a horse - at least I'm convinced.

Not every boy does - but I'm sure at some point every boy dreams of being a cowboy.

My boy doesn't have to dream. He is a Cowboy.

I love that my kids are being raised in the country. I send them out to play, they can roam, and explore and just be kids. They can create and imagine on their own. They can entertain themselves.

I could not even imagine my life any other way.

COLD

My toes are numb.

I think I've lost feeling in them.

I'm not a fan.

Give me spring. Give me fall. Even summer - with a swimming pool.

A chill - I'm OK with, a light jacket and we are good.

But when it comes to freezing temperatures - NO WAY.

I wonder ever year if I will survive?

I don't like the cold!

My kids - run around with very little clothing - HOW? and mostly WHY??

I need more coffee - and a maid!

Hey did I mention ------ IT'S COLD!!!!!!

I saw Him Standing there

It was family fun night.

I did not want to go. Just one more thing on the to-do list. It was mandatory.

My school has a family fun night every other month. Last year I managed to get out of it - play ignorance or something, this year -nope, not happening - no way, no how. Not only is it mandatory for me as a teacher bu my two older kids are now students there. Double whammy - no way, no how am I getting out of this - now or forever. OK maybe at the end of the year or forever, whichever comes first.

It was craft night - WOO HOO - sure, whatever. I needed reinforcements - I needed The Cowboy the corral the kids - ALL 3 of them, while I maned my table - the one where we made some cheesy foam stockings.

It turns out - the kids stayed together, going from table to table completely happy and continent! Cowboy Jr. did his own thing while The Princess kept up with Little Bit. Little Bit was right at home. Almost literally, we spend enough time there and she has warmed up to every teacher and runs and hugs most of them.

This left The Cowboy with no duties, besides visiting with friends - I think he was pleasantly surprised.

I'm busy helping kids with tacky glue - wishing for a wet wipe or something besides my jeans on which to wipe my hands and then I look up..........

To gaze upon him holding a baby. OH MY- my heart skipped a beat. Be still my heart! My Cowboy is holding a baby.

What is it about seeing a big strong man just holding a baby that just, just gets you like that? I catch his eye and say 'I want another one.'

He rolls his eyes and gives the baby back, knowing I mean it but also knowing it could never happen and probably thinking I'd lost my mind.

I blame the tacky glue, or the baby but mostly The Cowboy.

The Cowboy Took Me For a Ride

I thought it was just a quick ride with him to the feed room. It was time to feed the horses after all, the kids were all playing outside and you could see the storm front heading our way.

I was sitting at the picnic table looking at a magazine. He rides up and says "Hop on." So I hop on to the back of the new paint we call 'Cash'. Now I don't really ride horses. If the truth be told - I love the idea of it, it sounds so fun but I'm not all that comfortable sitting up there and I really have no idea what I'm doing.

This time I was riding along - holding on - sitting on the back. No problem I thought. Have you ever sat on the back of a horse, behind the saddle, right above the horses hips? Hmmm - it may be the bounciest place to sit, the most out of control feeling place to ride. But I sat there, told my self to sit back and enjoy the ride - despite the sweaty horse hind-end I sat upon.

Ride was a little bit farther than the feed room. We rode through the clear-cut to the creek bottom pasture 'just to see if the new cows were still there'.

It is funny that living way out in the middle of nowhere you'd think I'd be used to seeing all kinds of wildlife. But this ride was a special treat for me. Sure I see a deer or a rabbit - from my car or way far out in the pasture. But up close and personal, not so much. We rode up on an armadillo - I'm not sure I've seen a live armadillo, they are usually on the side of the road. We saw a coyote and a wild hog. These I do see, but not this close, just maybe 50 feet awayfrom me.

I loved it, the peace, the quiet, the beauty. Just The Cowboy and me, and the horse and the dog chasing off all the wildlife. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

By the time we got back it was quickly getting dark, the wind was blowing and starting to rain - back in just the nick of time.