This is me trying to enjoy the little things in the midst of craptastic weather.

I am trying my hardest to enjoy small things as March enters with a big, fat, snowy roar.
I gave myself a little pep talk......ummmm....OK....I told myself to snap the F$%^ out of my funk and open my eyes up to all that is wonderful and sparkly and unicorn-ish and rainbow-y.
Then I ate a few {hundred} animal crackers because I am so addicted to them.

So, lets enjoy the small things, shall we?
Like animal crackers.
They are small and cute and oh so effing yummy.

I also enjoy watching Jersey the dog run outside in the snow.
It's snowy and -20 something, but he is completely happy running and jumping and burying his face in the powdery stuff I hate so much.

Less carbs make me feel better.

I think I have finally figured out that carbs and my body do not get along.

Bread makes me feel crappy.

Breadless sandwiches are deelish.

Less dairy.

Less carbs.

No soda.

No processed crap.

Give me a pat on the back for making this huge lifestyle change.

Jared Leto.

Hes kinda small....and pretty.

And he thanks his mom in his Oscar acceptance speech.

Thumbs up for pretty boys who love their Mama.

One of my perfect children is trying out for the school basketball team.

The same child who screamed at day camp, skating lessons, swimming lessons, babysitting, first day of school.

The same child who has anxiety months before any event or special occasion.

If he makes the team, I will certainly do the ugly cry.

And I will probably hug the coach and love him forever for giving my kid the self esteem he needs to love himself as much as I do.

Today I went to the dentist.

I had no cavities.

No tumours on my sinuses or jaw.

No bone wear.

No gum disease.

And I didn't gag while getting xrays.

Yay, me!

Spring is soon.

Amen, hallelujah.

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I am a parenting failure and Cindy is horny.

Sometimes I don't enjoy this whole parenting thing.
Sometimes I remember my life before children, when I could come home from work, eat dinner in front of the TV, watch my shows and go to bed without being responsible for anyone but myself.
It seems so easy now, even though I thought my life was stressful at the time.

This weekend one of my {headstrong, speakbeforethinkingwithoutanyconcernforfeelings} informed me that all of his friends' Moms bake homemade stuff whenever he is there for a play date.  He always gets to eat banana bread or something yummy for dessert when visiting.  He also let me know that his friend's Moms are "always happy" and "in a good mood".

That's not all.

Apparently every other family does fun stuff every single weekend and our family never does any fun stuff and he doesn't think that is fair.  He thinks that every weekend our family of 5 needs to head north to go skiing, or go bowling, or tubing, or to the movies, or rock climbing, or to a hotel.

Basically he thinks money flies out of our asses.
And he has forgotten that we took him to Disney world two months ago and are taking him to Great Wolf Lodge in a few weeks.

I think he was trying to make me feel bad, and, in all honesty, I did for 0.3 seconds.  Not because he was right, but because he doesn't appreciate a damn thing we do for him.
He doesn't realize that my life is lived for him.
He doesn't realize that everything I do is to create the best life for him.
He doesn't remember the {many} times I bake banana bread, muffins, cupcakes, brownies and other treats because I know he loves them.
He doesn't think of the many times I rub his tummy because it is sore....
the times we have dance parties in the living room....
the times I AM in a good mood.
He cant appreciate all that he has because he is too busy thinking of everything he doesn't have.
My solution to this?
My first thought was eating myself into a chocolate coma so I could escape all of my "I am failing as a parent" feelings, but, eventually I would wake up.
Then I thought I could make him get a job so he could do all of those fun things that cost money, but, he is still too young.
So instead I am officially going on a baking and "good mood" strike.
And I am cancelling our trip to Great Wolf Lodge.

OK, not really, because I want to go.
I just have to figure out how to stay in a bad mood while there.
I need a group hug {and hard liquor} because this parenting thing is just a big wad of suckage right now.

In totally unrelated news, Cindy the pony is in heat and harassing Ike the gelding.
She's basically twerking in his face until he tries to mount her.
Then she kicks him.



And how was your weekend?  

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Tidbits. Mostly me whining, but sometimes it is necessary.

* Yesterday was a PA Day. My kids fought all day.
* They also wanted me to watch them bounce balls, ride scooters, draw, colour,  buy them expensive shoes, dance, exercise and go sledding when all I wanted to do was go to bed.
* I am in the midst of the winter blues.
* Jersey the dog was a bad boy. We have to make some difficult decisions.
* I miss my Daddy.
* I sliced my finger with a knife the other day.
* And then again yesterday.
* A new cat or two has showed up in our barn. We think one might be Blackie who went missing over a year ago.
* And the other one looks like the baby daddy to the many kittens birthed in our barn.
* I purchased Project Life stuff so I can start a new beginning in how I "scrapbook" our memories.
* I think my happy pills need to be increased.
* Lets have a group hug. Tell me everything is going to be OK.


This a Duke the horse.
He enjoys rolling in the snow.
And eating.
And smelling Cindy the girl horse's bum.

My Future Might Involve Living in the Woods without Electricity.........

It never fails.
Every year when the rush of the holiday season ends, I end up in a funk.
Funk=winter depression
This winter depression involves lack of energy and motivation, alot of munching on leftover treats and the need to sleep alot and live in my fat pants.

But then once in awhile {which isn't very often this winter}, we get a beautiful winter day and I thank God I am alive to live in it.
Because its pretty and fresh.
And Ike and Duke are big and beautiful....
...and eager to pull children around on their sleighs.




Sometimes I have to remind myself that not everyone can bring out the horses and sleigh and spend an hour or two doing something many would pay big bucks for.

Sometimes I have to remind my children how lucky they are when they complain about cleaning the barn.

But I never have to remind my hubby.


This is the life he was made for.

Actually, I am pretty sure if he could live the life that Charles Ingalls lived, he would do it in a second.

....and Jersey the dog would be right there beside him.

Animals are therapeutic.........ok.....not ALL animals.

Today when I woke up before the sun, there was frost on the ground....on the leaves still hanging on for dear life and on my flowers that were unbelievably still blooming.

This makes me sad.
For those peeps that don't know me, I will let you in on a secret.
I hate winter.
I hate cold.
I hate snow.
I hate wearing socks.

Dear Husband's Work.
Instead of offering him a position in Fort McMurray, Alberta, maybe you could relocate to Texas and then transfer him down there.
Just a thought.
From His Wife Who Hates Cold Weather

Because I was sad, I walked out to visit the horses, hoping they would somehow cheer me up.
Animals are therapeutic, ya know?
I completed a ginormous research project on that subject in college which totally proved it.
But that was before Jersey the dog and Cindy the pony.They are a few of the many reasons I need therapy.

Anyways, while outside (where I could see my own breath), I kissed and loved Ike and Duke.
OK,  just Ike, because he and I have a special bond.
A bond so tight that I can call him Ikey Wikey and even kiss his lips.
A bond so tight that I can get him to pose for photos.
I mean, look at this. He is totally posing.

Duke continued to eat.
And Cindy, um...is  snob.

Cindy the pony is that girl in high school who you really wanted to be friends with.
All you wanted was to hang out with her for abit so she could find out that you really are a cool person.
Cindy is that girl who all the boys follow around.

She is the girl who hangs out in the coolest hallway of the school and everyone goes to her because they want to be included in "her group".

She is the girl who turned her head the other way and pranced away with a little hair sway and butt wiggle.

God, I hated high school. Linking up with a few babes todayMadgeRural Journal   

Dont tell my husband about this post.

I used to be a Veterinary Assistant.
I assisted during appointments, surgeries and even travelled to nearby farms for equine appointments.
I was never comfortable around horses.
Especially when holding the legs of a wound up, injured thoroughbred.

I remember standing there in my scrubs, holding on to the horse while we tried to get xrays, thinking that I didn't get paid enough for this.
I didn't get paid enough.
People who clean up poo, look at poo under a microscope and assist during sick equine stuff do not get paid enough.
Unless they are a veterinarian.

Anyways, the point of this story was to tell you that I love my horses.
I never really enjoyed the smaller horses because I found them to be strung out and very unpredictable.
But that could be because I was in scrubs standing beside the guy sticking them with needles.

Sooooooooooo.......... Percheron horses are my one and only equine breed of choice.
It's a good thing, because we have two.

Why, you ask?
I will tell you why.

Reason number 1
Their even temperament and good manners. Percheron's are known as gentle giants and Ike and Duke have proven to me that it is true.


Reason number 2
They keep the coyotes away. I mean, look at the size of their feet.


Reason number 3
Disney uses them. If they are good enough for the Disney parks, then they are more than good enough for our little 5 acre farm.

Reason number 4
They are gorgeous.
Their big heads, perfect ears, abundant manes, muscular body and dinner plate-sized hooves are...ummm....gorgeous.


Reason number 5
They have personality.
Ike likes to knock over fences and break out of his stall. Duke likes to eat while Ike chases cats. Duke likes to eat while Ike chews on the eavestrough. And Duke likes to eat while Ike rolls around in the mud.


Percheron horses are da best.
But I still wont clean up their poo.

This is me being all light and fluffy.

I was going to get all mushy and emotional in this post, discussing grief, love and moving forward.
But then I thought I would discuss Ike and Duke's bathtime.
Because that is all my sanity can handle right now.

Sometimes it is better to be all light and fluffy instead of all deep and...ummm.....profound.

Yeah.
Uh huh.

So......Ike and Duke enjoy rolling in the mud.
90% of the time they look like this.

And then once in awhile we spend some family time cleaning them up.
Some families have movie night or game night to enjoy some quality moments together.
Us?
We bathe horses.
I mean, c'mon.....look how happy my kid looks.......
Let me rephrase that.
Husband and the boy children bathe the horses.
I take photos.
And the girl child plays in the sandbox.

Nothing makes me happier than having clean children and clean, nice smelling horses.
Their shiny coats and shampoo smelling manes gives me more satisfaction than I should admit.
And, because I know their cleanliness will last approximately 11.2 seconds, I take pictures to document the moment.
Pictures of Ike drinking the water because it makes me giggle.
I enjoy giggling.
Remember?
Light and fluffy instead of deep and profound.
That's me.

Pictures of oldest child taking them for a walk to the end of the driveway.




And pictures of husband taking them for a run.


Animals are therapeutic.
And taking pictures of them running with your husband wearing green boots is even more therapeutic.