Branding

     I guess I've hit that rebellious streak that eluded me in my teen years. Monday afternoon I finished my swim at school and decided I didn't feel like Physics class that day. So I didn't go. Then I found out branding was happening this weekend at Grandma's and my Dad had flown in. So there was no way I was missing out on that. The obvious thing to do was to skip school on Friday. And I did just that.

Kyla and I drove down those beautiful country roads to my grandma's ranch. A hot meal and good company were waiting for us. Early the next morning nestled in our beds Dad whispered in our room that kittens had been born the night before (I'm still a little disturbed that the odd cringe-like movements the cat made on my lap the night previous were contractions and the little wet spot on my jeans was amniotic fluid. But I try not to think about that too much) There were 5 kitties and they were darling as could be. We had a bit of a search and rescue mission for one when it decided to leave the nest (seriously after 1 day!) and found it's way through the cracks of Grandma's porch.

One day old kittens and a proud momma

In the evening all the cowboy hats pulled into the yard and all calves were ready to be branded. Although all my relatives on that side of the family are from country roots I definitely don't claim to be a country girl. I love it out here but I'm pretty sure I'm still a 'city slicker'. I remember my first branding and I ran away and cried. The smell stung my nose and I didn't like to think about it. This time I was actually useful! I shied away from the vaccination needle at first. But then I decided "Hey. I may be a city slicker, but by golly I am the most qualified medical person here!" (even though they still don't let me poke people with needles) So I jumped right in.

      One family friend kept asking when I was going to wrestle the calves. I thought he was kidding so I kept saying "I'll grab the next one". Until the last cow came and suddenly I was on the ground wrestling with its hind legs. I guess city girls aren't all useless!
  After the work was done we made our way back to the log house at the top of the hill for one of grandma's dinners. She made 4 1/2 dozen buns. They all got eaten. My Grandma is famous for them. We had a million different desserts that made everyone loosen another loop on their belts. People stayed to chat and catch up until the stars told them it was time for bed.

    The rest of the weekend my Daddy and I (Kyla too) went to the Didsbury car show. He just cannot get enough of those vintage cars. I'd like to keep a tally of how many he has been to. We stopped to chat with one of the owners and his wife (the most hilarious English lady I've met) "If women decided to get together and collect old washing machines and have meets to talk about them they'd think we were daft!"
I'm starting a club girls! Lets talk old washing machines!
I just can't get enough of those '50 belairs. One was for sale, but unfortunately $32, 000 just isn't in my budget right now.

Spent the weekend with vintage Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Ferraris.

    I spent some quality time wandering through memory lane. The old barn is coming down one day soon and I just feel like a part of what I know the world to be will be gone. That may sound a little melodramatic. But that barn has stood there for over a hundred years. I've played in it, fell asleep in it, spent hours looking for kittens, feeding horses, playing pretend, helping the hired hand. It houses many of my fond memories. And I wouldn't be surprised if I cry the day its torn down.

     Many a wondrous thing happened. I got my first burn of the summer. (and it's not a farmer's tan because I was on a ranch). Something about the first brown skin of the season is so exhilarating. Spent the day with my Grandma for mother's day. I watched 'Singing in the Rain' for the first time. Oh I loved it. And got some good quality time in with my old man. It's been 4 months since I've seen Pops.

So perhaps the weekend was a little bit on the rebellious side (I didn't even study much for my midterm today!) But if the consequences from this weekend were supposed to help me see the error of my ways, then it did no such thing.

Color Night and Graduation

Although I'm back in classes now, and my weekends are once again consumed by school work, moments of joy and happiness always seem to creep to my side for a moment of two.

This weekend was a wrap up of for institute classes (religious classes taken through our church). We had color night, which was fantastic. There are so many talented people out there! It was entertaining to watch musical acts mourning the loss of the 19 year old girls leaving on missions. Guys, your dating pool has just been significantly depleted. Or to see the most eligible bachelor/ettes have their first dance together to 'My Heart Will Go On' played on the kazoo, recorder and nose flute. Slide shows made by friends who had hacked someone's computer and stole their pictures.  

And today was institute graduation. I got my four year certificate of achievement, as well as Wade. Kyla got her advanced certificate II, and Levi got his mission call!! (Halifax, Nova Scotia!). Which obviously meant I dragged them all over to my house to get pictures. You never know, maybe someday I'll show my kids these pictures.

It was a great weekend. And I'll be working hard 5 days in anticipation of the next.

Easter

In the distance, just over the hill, you can see the mountains. Aren't they just calling to you?!

Easter. At Grandma's. With a car load of friends. Buckle up.

     Road trips make me happy. When I was a kid and my mom was going out to pick someone up or run a quick errand I would always go with her for the ride. Sometimes I'd wait outside in the parking lot while she ran into the store. I just really liked to go places in the car. So being crammed into the back seat of a car for 3 hours with friends and snacks was a grand old time! We played ridiculous games and made a million inside jokes.

     Arriving at grandma's was perfection. Insta-love. Driving into the foothills at sunset, the spring season nipping at your heels and having an entire long weekend span before you. Nothing better. After we'd unloaded at the house, and Levi exclaimed there was "a copious amount of wood!", we sat down to hot home made, Grandma home made, dinner. I laughed to see my friends eat heaven in bread form. Pretty sure it's the same recipe they used to make manna for Moses and the gang.

    Our first evening finished by making a fire, listening to the eerie song of wolves howling and star gazing until the full moon rose above the trees.

    Saturday was a week packed into a day. We ate croissant french toast and made apple pie that was delicious. We stood by the piano and sang easter songs that filled the house with music. Decorated eggs. The 'bush' was thoroughly explored hour after hour.

 We braved the creek and crossed it without falling through, climbed hills, crossed fields and braved steep rocky slopes. Upon our return to the house, because this is such a magical place, the Easter bunny had made a visit. Exhausted from our adventures we sunbathed and slept on the porch. The 'wildlife' came for a visit and the overly friendly cat and Zach were inseparable. Before bed we read the Easter story in the bible then played a game while drinking cider from our mugs with cattle on them.

Victory in crossing the creek without falling through

     Of course this kind of thing always comes to an end. But I guess we wouldn't appreciate it half as much if it didn't. We did so much and had a beautiful time together. Late night talks. Belly aching laughter. Living care free. So many wonderful memories were made and maybe some traditions. Definitely one of those 'glory days' stories my kids will get sick of hearing. But they'll just have to deal with it because I'm not going to stop talking about it any time soon.

And by chance we all packed the same shirt. 

My Weekend as a Domestic Goddess

    So the title might be a little bit deceiving. I probably haven't made it to Goddess status yet. But amongst my fellow students, who don't usually make more than 2 real meals a week (that's more than just me...right?), I've been doing pretty well for myself.

This weekend I made Cinnamon buns for the first time. They were stinking amazing. Pardon my humility.

Also fried chicken for the first time. And I didn't go out and buy a mix. I had to buy obscure spices (once again obscure to a student cook means anything more than salt, pepper and things I'd put in pasta) like dry mustard, celery salt and paprika. Then, like some sort of sorcerer mathematician (pretty much the same thing in my books), I had to mix them all together myself while halving the recipe. And I still had wayyy too much mix.

Finally, because Grandma sent me home with turkey, and I don't eat that stuff plain I made exorbitant amounts of turkey soup. Like there is another container that got cut off in that picture. Thankfully Grandma also outfitted me with a deep freeze.

Just A Spoonful Of Sugar

Seriously the inspirational messages on the Halls are my favorite!

How life's been looking for me lately.

More soon on my fantastic Easter!