Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Good Morning!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate my readers.  Boy were my blogging mentors right, a giveaway is the best way to get followers!  Thanks to my Mom, who has provided me with the great Stampin Up! prizes, I have gotten 140% more followers.  Now, I know that when you start out with only ten, it's not too hard to expand, but 140%!!!
So, this is a reminder post of the giveaway.  You only have until  11:59 MST tomorrow to sign up for the giveaway by becoming a follower of this blog.  Extra entries can be earned by leaving a comment on what you like about this blog or you can also blog about it yourself and leave me the link.  That's a chance for three entries for two prizes, and since this is a growing blog, you don't have all that many competitors!
I will let the winners know as soon as I draw the names, if I have not heard from them to claim their prize within 48 hours (noon Saturday) then I will draw another name.  I'm sure that will not be the case, as everyone loves a good prize, let alone some great stamping stuff.
BTW, I got a comment from an anonymous person at 8:07pm last night and I can't add your name into the sweepstakes without knowing who you are- I don't want to miss anyone.  Also, if you are already a follower and would like to be included in this sweepstakes, just leave me a comment here or the original post about this great giveaway!
Wow! I think this might be the shortest post I have ever done!  But, again, I want to tell you how much my followers mean to me.  Not only is it great to hear the feedback, but you are all helping me get my writing career off the ground!  It has really been wonderful to hear from so many nice people that have similar interests to mine, especially since I am learning about how Eco-aware so many people are!  Keep up the good work people!!!
PS: The picture is one I got from my Mom's website, it does not represent the prizes.  Sorry, my camera is not working, maybe Santa will bring me a new one!
PPS:  I will use a random number generator to determine the winners!
Make a miracle today!

Thanking Our Soldiers

Good Morning!  My friend sent me this video this morning through Facebook.  I had other things planned to write about today, but this trumped it.  As you probably know by now, Tom and I are hard core patriotic, and support our country no matter what.  Although we are very unsettled (to say the least) about many of the things that are going on in this country right now, it is important to remember those who gave us the right to complain; and to me to have this blog where I can practice my freedom of speech.

Recently when I was in Iowa, my cousin had a cool plaque that said "The Home of the free, because of the brave", I think this may be my new favorite saying.  You see, here in the mountains we have a very strange mix of folks; many of them have moved here to get away from "civilization".  Many, many of them are our veterans who no longer can live in "mainstream society". So, this hits close to home for multiple reasons.

Many members of my family have been in the military (mostly Army, but a proud Marine as well-thanks Joe!) and some of them have seen war and some have not, but they were all in at times when they consciously chose to put their lives on the line for this country.  To be honest, with as opinionated and patriotic as I am, I don't think I could "suffer through" like our soldiers do; and for that matter I don't know many people who could, or would.  It really takes a special kind of person.
My concern is how many special people this country can use up and then set aside before we get ourselves in real trouble.  I say this from second hand experience.  We have a neighbor who was a medic in Desert Storm and has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder terribly.  It takes him months to even get into see a Dr. to see if he is even eligible for certain benefits.  It has taken many months from that original appointment to start receiving the benefits he needs to survive and to not lose his home.
Another friend of ours was an explosives expert in Vietnam and had to really fight for his benefits as well.  He had an entire ranch built around helping fellow veterans and lost the place to foreclosure.  So, not only did it put him on the run (he took off on his horse when they came to close the place down!), but put many other veterans out of their home and jobs as well.
Whether it is during their active duty or after, when things are really settling in that we need to support our troops.  At the very least they deserve a hand shake and a thank you.

Metaphysical Monday

Good morning!  I hope you all enjoyed your weekend, it is bitterly cold here in Bailey, CO.  I have been thinking a lot lately about my motivations for this weekly series and for trying to expand my spirituality at this time in my life.  I have decided at this point in time, I am not too much in control of the spiritual road in which I have chosen to take.  Not to say that I am at all unhappy with this path, just a little stumped every now and then.
In one of my earliest MM posts I talked about the sudden onset of a noticeable difference in my sixth sense after a dream I had.  My dreams have always been a source of extra sensory information, and often times very scary.  Then, I had some strange coincidences (which by the way, I really don't believe in) with an astrologer who really shed light on many facets of my life.
Which all led to my reading as many books as I could possibly find on this subject, our extra sensory capabilities as humans.  It's kind of interesting, the more I read, the more questions I wonder about.  Many of the books that I have read (I'd be happy to share a reading list if anyone is interested) are written from the vantage point of that specific medium or psychic or philosopher, etc.; so you get to know the person's story a bit.
In almost all of the books I have read the authors talk about "sensory input overload" in their day to day lives.  Bright light, loud noises and crowds are a huge problem for many of them.  A feeling of being different than others throughout life is commonly noted.  It is almost as if I am reading about myself; it is very reassuring that I am not crazy in thinking that there is more for me to do.
You know, that sounds very egotistical, like I have a higher calling than most; and I really don't mean it that way or even feel that way.  It is more a feeling of expectation and that I may not be living up to my full potential.  If I was given extra senses, what for?  And how do I use them to be a positive, beneficial part of society?
I think I am getting closer to the answers; I would love to work in a healing capacity and help people deal with awkward times in their lives (sort of like what I'm going through-ha!).  I hope it will all come together a little more clearly when I am able to spend time on preparing Judy Jeute's Soul Center, "a networking haven for those who like to do things differently" for its Grand Opening in the spring.  I am listening and learning, but the hardest lesson is to be patient for the next lesson that is given to me.

Royal Ranch Royalty

Good Morning!  I hope you are all having a great weekend with Christmas (and yes, you will proudly see the word Christmas in this blog) spirit in the air!  My opinion on this PC "Holiday" craze set aside, I have more important things to discuss today!  Once again today's royalty is very deserving of her title; I am proud to introduce Baby; yes, we know it's not too original, but we didn't name her!
Baby was left here by a previous renter; who obviously turned out to be a bad man.  The renter and his girlfriend had taken her in during a snow storm when she was pregnant and hungry.  That seems to be the extent of the kindness that they would give the cat.  They continued to allow her to have two more litters after we had already taken in two of her kittens (Harry and Gary, our orange tabby's).  I helped them get her fixed and got her shots done so that she could finally regain her strength from her ordeal of surviving in the wild.
Thankfully, Baby only lived with him (his girlfriend came and went) for a year or so before we had to evict him.  A couple of days after he left, he called back to ask us if he could come and get his two cats,; we of course said yes.  The next day Baby was still here.  The jerk called later that day to let us know that he had also left his tarantula in a cage on the front porch.  Now I'm no spider expert, but I know that they are not supposed to live outside in Colorado in November.  Despite my fear of spiders I got the darn thing back to health and quickly found it a new home.
Baby has taken a little longer to recover from her time with that mean man.  She finally started letting Tom get near her after a couple of months, and is still very leery of anything that moves too quickly, but gets better every day.  I've got to tell you though, Baby is one of the meanest cats I have ever come across when it comes to other cats.  She obviously does not remember her sons, as she will violently protect her turf against any and all of our house cats.  Which makes her love of our other barn cat, Shade, that much more ironic.  Shade was Royalty earlier in this series; he is a very special cat that truly has healing abilities when it comes to my various rescues, including Baby.  I call them boyfriend and girlfriend even though they are both fixed and entirely platonic of course!
Make a miracle today!

Puppy Poem

Well, I don't have much to say,

So I think I'll write a poem today.

Not about llamas or chickens or sheep,

I know, I feel like a real creep!

This one has got to be about the new puppy,

Who is as innocent as a guppy.

She is the love of my life,

Having been through so much strife.

She is so very sick,

That she is as thin as a stick.

She is costing us a ton of cash,

But, I would do it again in a flash.

Although we love her dearly,

I am so tired I can't think clearly.

I think if I have to clean up anymore poop,

I just might fly the coop!

The Christmas Tree Debate

Good Morning!  Many years ago, we had a live Christmas tree that we had taken out of the house on New Year's Eve.  We had taken great care of the tree while it was in the house, so I didn't think it was all that dry.  That evening at a neighbors bonfire my husband casually tossed our tree onto the fire.  It immediately shot flames about 20 feet in the air!  We all jumped back in surprise, we thought we were going to start a forest fire; we all just stood there in awe for a few seconds.  I couldn't believe that this fire hazard had just been in my living room that very same day.
Needless to say, I bought an artificial tree that year when they were on sale!  It is a very cute tree, that is pre-lit, but after many years of cats climbing it and being weighed down with what seems like hundreds of adorable school made ornaments, the tree is looking a little worse for the wear.  So, this year I am considering a live tree again.  I really miss the smell, not the mess of the pine needles though.  I thought I'd do some research to see which is the most environmentally friendly choice to help me make my decision.
I was a little surprised to find out that real trees win out on this one.  Artificial trees are made with plastic and can not be recycled, so they are looking at many lifetimes in the landfill.  The majority of fake trees are shipped from China (oh, you know how I hate that!) which makes their carbon footprint quite high in just getting into our living rooms.  Even if a tree has to come from a tree farm a couple of states away, it is a much smaller carbon footprint than from across a few oceans.
Another pleasant surprise that I found at one of my favorite websites, Earth911.com, was how beneficial Christmas tree farming is to Americans.  Here is an excerpt from their article:
A single farmed tree absorbs more than 1 ton of CO2 throughout its lifetime. With more than 350 million real Christmas tress growing in U.S. tree farms alone, you can imagine the yearly amount of carbon sequestering associated with the trees. Additionally, each acre of trees produces enough oxygen for the daily needs of 18 people.

In order to ensure a healthy supply of Christmas trees each year, growers must use sustainable farming techniques. For each tree harvested, one to three seedlings are planted the following spring, ensuring a healthy supply of trees.


According to the NCTA, the Christmas tree industry employs more than 100,000 Americans, an important economic consideration in the real versus artificial debate.


Obviously, the Christmas tree that is the easiest on Mother Earth is the tree that you plant when you are done with it.  Even if you are unable to replant it yourself, many municipalities will take them as a donation to beutify your town.  If this is not an option for you due to frozen grounds, space limitations, and you do not have a municipality to donate to, think about taking a family trip to the nearest National Forest cutting area and cut a tree for yourself.  You are helping maintain the forest, and you've had a great family outing in the process.

No matter where you get your live tree, make sure to recycle it.  Check with your city and see if they have a recycling center, and they will turn it into beneficial mulch and either give it back to its citizens or use it themselves.  Another great idea is to find a farm with animals that will enjoy the treat, my llamas look forward to Christmas all year long!

Make a miracle today!

Guilt Free Parenting; Is it really possible?

Good Morning. My Mom once told me that once you become a parent, there is always something you feel guilty about. That has become one of the best pieces of information that she has passed down to me. We all strive to be better parents and want the very best for our children and their children. With that feeling of wanting everything perfect for our kids always comes a sense of not meeting up to our own silly expectations, which leads to feeling guilty.

There are thousands of books out there telling us the "right" way to raise our children, many of them quite successful. But, many of them are not entirely realistic either, even difficult to implant or enforce in many circumstances, and way too tough for my liking. I am more in touch with the "Candyass Parenting Group"!


Yes, that's right I said it. It's no surprise, my husband tells me that all the time! I am a Candyass when it comes to my kids, no other way around it. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a huge believer in discipline and respect; I am mostly talking about making my kids work and do chores. I am still making 2 out of 3 of their beds, and have never really asked for help with the house and such. In my opinion, kids are only kids for a very short time and have many years ahead of work and chores. Why not let them enjoy being kids?

So, now that the kids are getting older, it is time to start feeling guilty that I have been too soft on them, and that they will not be prepared for the "real world". Will my theory of teaching them how to be hardworkers simply by example sink in? What about respect of family and home; will they really get it if I don't drill it into their brains? In the last few days I have learned that the answer is emphatically YES!

When we were in Iowa for Thanksgiving we were there to visit my Great Aunt Jaris among a few generations below her. My kids have not seen Aunt Jaris in a very long time, but understand that she is a very important part of our family. I was so happy at the dinner to be able to help her with her plate and such while the others ran around doing kitchen duty. When it was time to get Aunt Jaris her pie, my son Nathan was standing nearby and piped up "I got it, Mom" and proceeded to take Jaris' order. The adults had to hide our giggles when he came back with pumpkin pie that he had carefully spread the whipped cream on like frosting. He proudly handed it to Aunt Jaris and sat down to visit with her; all of my kids had a nice visit with her throughout our trip. It was so nice that she really got to know them as individuals.


The next day I got to spend the entire day with Aunt Jaris. She couldn't quit talking about how she enjoyed my kids and that she would always remember the adorable piece of pie. In her own words, they weren't bothered by the fact that she was "old and crippled", they were just proud to have spent time with a woman who knows so much about our family and its history.

As you know, this trip ended in us bringing home a new puppy as well. Of course, the puppy got sick (this is a whole entire post in itself), so my days have been absolutely crazy. Yesterday I had to take the pup to the vet, get her home and medicated and situated before I ran off to be Santa's Elf at the elementary school Gift Shop (what a cool thing this is!). From there I ran to my Advisory Council meeting, picked up my recyclable while I was there; with the evening winding up with Nate's basketball game. Needless to say, the kids knew I was tired.


I had asked my oldest son, Thomas, to come right home after school to resume care of the sick puppy. I was nervous about leaving too many instructions at once so I concentrated my note to Iowa's care and simply asked him to toss the llamas their hay and lock up the chickens before dark. Marcel, my lead llama who is spoiled rotten, had other plans in mind; he simply could not believe that the kid did not know to give him his grain. Marcel stared Thomas down while he was up at the barn, and then paced the fence while staring at him through the windows when he came back to the house.

When I got home from the game, Tom couldn't wait to tell me the story. Thomas had finally given in and called him on his cell phone to ask what was wrong with Marcel. Tom told him where to get the grain and to just give it to him by the fence. Paco, our sheep, decided that he wanted some too, so Thomas stood down there scaring the sheep away while Marcel ate his dinner. Later Thomas told me that every time he had turned to come home, Paco would come ripping down to where Marcel was eating!

The mental picture of my teenage son down there guarding the llama's food had me laughing so hard I was in tears. The fact that he had recognized that something was not right on the ranch made my heart swell with pride. He had done all of this after he had followed my puppy instructions to a T, and had even cleaned out her crate before I had gotten home.

The point in all of this rambling is that my family has really stepped up lately. Even if I am a Candyass in my parenting ways. Leading by example has worn off on my kids, they understand how hard Tom and I work to keep this ranch running smoothly. I have also learned that somehow they have absorbed my love of family and the great history it has at hand for anyone interested in listening.

Kids are smart; they know that we are doing the best we can. If I can go to bed at night knowing that my family is happy, healthy and secure, I am the most content woman on earth. Now I just have to learn to let go of second guessing myself, and that guilt is a waste of my time; I'd much rather spend my time enjoying them!

Make a miracle today!