Oh so sassy

My baby sister, Jamey, has a mind of her own. She’s a sassy girl who knows exactly what she wants.

On Friday, I came home convinced that I wanted to take a picture of Jamey out in the snow in a church dress. Jamey, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly a willing participant. When I asked her to pose for me her first worlds were, “There is no way I’m going out there in a dress- period.”

I’m no push over though and continued to try to convince her- “It’s not that cold out there.” I could just imagine my cute, little sister smiling sweetly in the snow. They would be precious pictures!

“It’s 29 degrees.” She’s a stubborn kid and smart too.

“Oh, don’t be a baby. It’ll be so cute.” Don’t judge me- it was for art.

Somewhere along the way, my mother decided that she liked the idea and finally forced Jamey to put on a dress. Colby carried her out in the snow, helping to keep her from getting soaking wet.

That’s when Jamey’s stubborn streak came out again. “It’s cold. I’m not going to smile. I want to go inside.”

I almost thought the perfect picture wasn’t going to happen, but my Colby then told her to throw a snowball at me. Her face immediately changed and a smile creeped onto her face.

They weren’t the sweet, darling pictures I imagined, but they did perfectly capture the personality of my baby sister. She’s a sassy little kid, but I completely adore her.

Welcome to the Frozen Tundra

We were blessed by a perfect blizzard yesterday.

I say it was perfect because the wind stayed under control. Our electricity didn’t even blink, the cows all stayed in their pastures, and the wheat fields were covered with eight inches of precious snow.

It was amazing- mostly because I got to take a hot shower this morning. I love electricity.

This morning, I rode around with Colby. We checked cows and cruised around the country.

I think I’m going to make a wonderful farm wife. I like to cook, I like the outdoors, but mostly because I love spending time with my man. We can be doing absolutely nothing and have a great time.

At the same time, I recognize that men and women are totally different. Before the storm I made sure to stock up on the essential supplies- chili ingredients, milk, bread and Oreos. Colby, on the other hand, had a much shorter grocery list- beer and beef jerky.

Thank God that I’m the one in charge of grocery shopping around here!

What is on your cold weather shopping list? Please tell me you need more than just beer and beef jerky!

The post you’ve all been waiting for…

On the morning of January 4, I was woken by a sleepy voice murmuring in my ear: “Happy 13th month anniversary, baby.” I was surprised that Colby had remembered the date. We had been on vacation for a full week, and my days were beginning to run together.

It was our first full day at Lake Tahoe. I was excited, like a young child who had been given too much sugar on Christmas. I wanted to get out and explore. We drove up the mountain, planning our day. At one point, Colby casually mentioned, “I want to ride up the gondola at Heavenly.” I nodded, agreeing with him. Soon we were walking down the beach at Tahoe, taking tons of pictures.

I first realized that something was up when Colby suddenly demanded, “I want to ride the gondola right now.” Colby is not a demanding person. The fact that Colby was behaving so decisive was a giant red flag to me. Would this be the big day?

The ride up Heavenly Ski Resort was beautiful. Like everything else we had experienced on the trip, I was just amazed about how gorgeous the scenery was. I didn’t want to blink and miss something.

Half way up the mountain, they let us off at an observation deck.

From the observation deck, the view got even prettier.

Inside, I was getting nervous. I knew that Colby had talked to my parents weeks before and had already bought a ring. I just had no idea when he would ask.

Was he preparing himself?

We continued up the mountain, stopping at the top where groups of skiers were gathering for their lunch. Colby grinned, “I think we should get someone to take our picture up here.”

I looked around, hoping to see another couple with a camera. Unfortunately, we were surrounded by skiers who looked like they were all very busy. I didn’t want to bother anyone and said, “We can just ask Rita to take our picture together later.”

I turned, snapping one more picture of our surroundings before focusing my attention back on Colby.

“Well, I actually brought you up here for a reason.” Colby dropped to his knee, right there in the snow. “I would like to ask you to marry me.”

Honestly, I have no idea what I said next. The happiness of it all just overwhelmed me. I’m pretty sure I said yes though, because I’m wearing a shiny engagement ring now.

My engagement ring is perfect. Weeks before, Colby and I had visited a jewelry store. The ladies inside had helped me pick out three different rings that I really liked. Of course, they were three very different styles.

I left and Colby then decided on this ring by himself. He combined two of the styles I had liked, finding the absolute perfect ring. I seriously love everything about it.

The entire day was really like my very own fairytale.

Lake Tahoe

Two weeks ago, I started telling the story of Colby and I’s epic road trip. It’s been slow going, but I’m finally about to tell the really exciting parts.

Colby’s Aunt Rita lives in a small town near Lake Tahoe. Colby had mentioned that he wanted to go visit her months ago, but I didn’t really know much about the area. I knew it was a giant lake in the mountains, but I had no idea how beautiful it would be.

I am so glad that I experienced the majesty that is Lake Tahoe.

I believe Lake Tahoe is one of the prettiest places on Earth… Seriously, there were moments when the splendor of my surroundings took my breath away.

Have you ever been somewhere that you didn’t seem real? Everything at Tahoe was so gorgeous that I felt like I was living in a dream world.

I would highly recommend putting the lake on you “to visit” list. You will not be disappointed.

The water of Lake Tahoe is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It was crystal clear and extremely peaceful. Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States with a maximum debt of 1,645 ft. That’s really deep.

We spent much of our time in Tahoe walking around, just enjoying the scenery. I took hundreds of pictures. (The pictures in this post have not been edited at all. The water really was this blue.)

We were one week into our road trip, and I was having an absolute blast. Colby and I were on a great adventure. Our days were filled with beauty, laugher, and fun but the best part of the entire trip was still to come.

Colby had been planning something special for the entire trip…

(P.S.- Remember how I mentioned that our area is in desperate need of moisture? The weather report is currently calling for 8-12 of snow inches tomorrow. If I disappear off the map, it’s probably because I’m without electricity and internet. Don’t worry about me though; we have a fireplace, a big pot of chili, and lots of water.)

I’m signed up for Amber Alerts on my cell phone… Have you?

On Monday morning, I woke up to discover that there was an Amber Alert issued for my area. I’ve been signed up to receive wireless Amber Alerts for almost a year and this was only the second time for this to ever happen.

Eight year old Aja Jotson has not been since since her mother was found dead in Geronimo, Oklahoma. It is believed that her step-father killed her mother and took off with the little girl.

Now take a moment and imagine what you would do if you were that little girl’s family. Not only are they morning the death of her mother, but they are now on a desperate search for Aja, who may be with a killer. Imagine the pain and fear they are experiencing.

Someone out there has seen Aja and her captor, but they haven’t realized it yet. Wireless Amber Alerts is a great tool to alert the public off kidnappings and help spread the word of missing children. What if you saw the little girl on your way home from work today and didn’t realize it? What if you were the person to call police and help reunite this little girl with her grieving family?

If you haven’t already, please sign up to receive wireless Amber Alerts today. They are completely free, even if you do not have a text message plan, and you may be the link that helps bring a missing child home.

Winter on the Farm

Between December and March, activity on the farm slows down considerably. While work doesn’t stop completely, it is much more relaxed and Colby is almost always home by dark.

This is a very welcome change for me. During harvest, Colby is gone from seven in the morning until at least midnight. If I want to see him, I better go jump on a combine. The man knows how to work! In the winter, Colby spends most of his time getting financial information straightened out, but it also a time to pick up on odd jobs around the farm that have been put off during the busy season.

Lately, Colby has spent a lot of time getting the irrigation sprinklers running. The farm is located in one of the areas that was hit hardest by the Dust Bowl. While the rest of Oklahoma has received huge amounts of rain and snow this winter, the panhandle is drying out. Because of the cold temperatures, the sprinklers have been shut off since about November. Last week, the forecast called for high’s in the 50’s so the work began to get the sprinklers up and running.

In late August, winter wheat was planted. Wheat is one of those weird crops that actually thrives during the winter, soaking up the moisture and surviving the bitter cold. In early spring, the wheat really grows and will be harvested in early June. Because our wheat hasn’t gotten the moisture that it needs, it was essential that the sprinklers get up and running while temperatures stay over freezing.

If a sprinkler was an employee, they would be the grumpy old ladies who call in sick at the tiniest discomfort. After sitting still for two months, the sprinklers are every more temperamental. Dirt and rust gather, clogging up the entire system. Colby was given the job of cleaning these clogs. He was literally playing in the sprinklers in January!

And that’s why it’s better to be the girl who takes pictures. I don’t want to get soaked to the bone in 40 degree weather. No way!

What is your least favorite part of your job?

Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.

My baby sister, Jamey was Scarlett last Halloween. Have I ever mentioned that my very favorite book in the entire world is Gone With the Wind? Well, it is. I love that book. (And I’ve read many books. Read it. I promise you’ll love it.)

If I ever get pregnant with boy-girl twins, I just might have to name them Scarlett and Rhett. Do you think Colby would go for that?

Tranquility

Honestly, one of my favorite things about living in the Oklahoma panhandle is the amazing sunsets that I get to witness most nights. After living in the big city for several years, I cherish these beautiful moments even more.

Last Sunday, I spent several hours on the farm helping Colby get the sprinklers running. (By helping, I mean watching and taking pictures, obviously.) We worked until dark and I got to witness the amazingness that is a beautiful sunset. I forget about my worries- homework, wedding planning, and upcoming exams- and instead marvel at the world that is around me.

“The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.”
– James Allen.

“This is moral perfection: to live each day as though it were the last; to be tranquil, sincere, yet not indifferent to one’s fate.”
– Marcus Aurelius

Life on the farm may busy and insane, but at the end of the day, I’m glad for every little second- especially the moments of tranquility and peace. These are the times that I want to remember forever. What moments do you treasure in your life?

Tiny Toes

This morning, I watched my new nephew for a few hours. I’m not going to lie- he kept me busy. I’m not very good at multitasking while holding a newborn. It’s 10:47 AM and I’m still in my pajamas and haven’t achieved anything yet.

But look at those tiny toes. Can we precious?

Captain Joe

Meet Joe, one of the cats that live on the farm. According to Colby, Joe is almost twenty years old. While I think that might be a slight exaggeration, I do believe that Joe has personality to boot.

Something about the scarred up ear and the smug look on his face just screams “Ahoy! A sailin’ I will go… Where’s my grog?!” Can’t you just imagine Joe commanding a large ship of bustling pirates?

Why yes, I know nothing about that last bit made any sense… but my head works in strange ways and there is nothing wrong with having a little imagination.

But he is one pretty boy- just like Orlando Bloom- and we all know he’s real a pirate.