Thank You...

and to my son Jake, who will be leaving for his second tour, and his wife and daughters who will be waiting for his return...

The Farm...

If there's one thing that Elmer and I have in common, it's our love of animals. We've been seriously looking for property in our immediate area and so I continually dream about how wonderful it would be to have some livestock and use it to help children in some way. I would love to have some summer camps for children in the foster care system. I can't imagine not having a family...

So, I've been looking at animals, dreaming of what we'll get when we finally find that perfect place - and I know it will happen someday!

I'd love to find some American Saddlebred horses. My mom and dad bought me one when I was in high school. She was 22 when I got her and her name was Nellie. She was the most awesome horse with a gait called a singlefoot that was just like sitting in a rocking chair. Nellie looked just like this...


And miniature donkeys. Donkeys have such interesting personalities. Don't you think kids would love these?


Goats. Gotta love goats. I shall name the very first one Kate - after my sister who also loves goats...


We love chickens. We already have the chickens. We have about 20 but don't tell anyone - we're only supposed to have 3...


I've always wanted an Alpaca. Maybe 2...


Yep, someday we'll have the property and the animals. We'll put up the wall tents we've dreamed about having and we'll have kids. Lots of kids who would enjoy a week of fun and games.


I know it sounds corney, but it fills my heart with joy every time I think about it.

Do you have a dream?

My Blog Book...

I ordered and received my Blog Book! It's the first 2 years of my blog and it ended up costing $98. Ok, I know that's a lot, but I've never been able to keep a journal and I figured this would be as close as I'd get for my kids.

Here's the cover...


It even has a table of contents...


One of my favorite posts "8 houses". What would YOUR 8 houses be? (See that wall tent? Those of you who've been here a while know that's a dream of mine. I don't want to get my hopes up too high, but we may be making an offer on some property about a mile from here...)


It's been fun to see it in print. Well worth the money I spent...

Miss Allie...

Allie had a dance recital last night. Is this cute or what!










Of course, she was the best one out there...

2010 Hillbilly Gathering...

It's over for another year and we had such a great time! I have the most wonderful family and friends. Even though there were fewer people (we've decided April is better as yesterday was graduation for BSU, NNU, U of I and lots of graduation parties) we raised almost $5,000 for Casting for Recovery. The auction was a huge hit, people got some wonderful items, and we had a great time.

Dancing...



The "almost famous" frozen t-shirt game...


With several new techniques this year. Some tried sitting on them to warm them up, while my sister Kate decided she would steal the shirt closest to being opened. She tried stealing from 2 different people...


and at one point, she and the original owner of the t-shirt each had an arm in an armhole but I think the most sober of the two ended up...


the winner!


The new fishing game was fun...




DJ Dave - you were awesome!


Some visiting...


This is my friend Jaci from Portland. We hadn't seen eachother since second grade in Winnemucca, Nv. and found eachother about a year ago on Facebook. Jaci, thanks for traveling so far to come...






And we ended the evening with The Fire Kittens. You guys were so amazing to watch and we loved having you - I hope you'll consider coming back next year!



While my goal was $5,000, we ended up raising $4,601! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our donors, to my sister Linda for being a great MC, Kate - well, it just wouldn't be a party without you, Ceci and the CFR girls for all your help, my mom for everything you did, my husband and Tad for cooking a great pig and to all of you for coming and for helping to raise a darn decent amount for Casting for Recovery! Next year - even bigger and better.

Busy, Beautiful Week!

Wow, have I got a lot to do this week. Take mom to get the pin out of her foot today (yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!), attend a ceremony tonight to accept an award for the Peace Officers Memorial, round up more XL t-shirts for the frozen t-shirt game, decide whether to use the toilet plunger relay or the fish head game for the second, pick up all the food we need to prepare, round up all the donated items I haven't gotten yet, make up auction baskets, decide which items will be used as prizes, make up bid sheets, and help Adam clean his closet so he can actually put clothes in there (loooooooong overdue).

I'm so grateful that the temperature Saturday is supposed to be 75 - a beautiful day to cook a pig and have a party!

Now I've Done It, I've Killed My Neighbor's Horse...

Yesterday, my sister Kate posted about how she's found some horses that she and her daughter are riding. I grew up always having a horse and have missed it so much. Evidently, her post brought back some wonderful memories.

Last night I was riding my neighbors horse through the most beautiful green meadows. I was riding bareback and we were galloping in a way it was almost like floating. I could smell the meadow grass and feel the sun on my back. I thought how wonderful it was to be back on a horse again when suddenly ahead, I saw a ditch and wondered if the horse would jump it. On the other side of the ditch was a drop off with the same beautiful grass and at the bottom was the most wonderful grove of trees. As we got closer to the ditch, I could tell the horse was afraid to jump so somehow I brought my feet up to the horses withers and gave it a big shove. The motion propelled me off the horse but it worked, the horse jumped the ditch - and right off the drop off into the beautiful grove of trees. Dead.

Get up damn it! I didn't know you were afraid to jump a ditch, it was just a little ditch! A beautiful ditch with green grass.I finally found a horse to ride and it's dead.



Damn it Kate, thanks to you, I've killed my neighbors horse. I wonder if they'll let me ride the other one...

Arizona's Immigration Law...

I've been thinking a lot about Arizona's new immigration law and the ramifications on it's citizens. Now, I must tell you I love Sheriff Joe Arpaio. I know some people across our wonderful nation think he's too hard and his methods are inappropriate - but it's jail, not the Hilton!

I'm definitely not racist. No way, no how. I believe every LEGAL person in this country should have the same opportunities, the same pay (if they're equally qualified), and the same treatment regardless of the color of their skin, their sex, their religious beliefs or lack thereof, or their gender.

However, I've been hearing a lot on talk radio, on Facebook, the news, etc. about the Arizona Immigration law. My thoughts? Well, it's easy to be against it living in Idaho, or Oregon, or Pennsylvania. But if I think about living in Arizona where this is actually happening, I'd be SO for this law. How can we, living in Idaho where we don't have these horrible things happening directly to us, judge the citizens of Arizona who happen to have a city named "America's kidnap capital", and some of the most dangerous cities in the US? How can the police officers and Immigration officers in Arizona feel like they can ever be safe if the state doesn't start doing something drastic? Maybe it's not fair to the legal population of Hispanics in Arizona, but what are their choices?

Maybe they could just start popping anyone who steps foot over the border, but we're America and we're civilized. So, what are the options? I know this will be uncomfortable and inconvenient for those in Arizona who ARE legal, but this imposition on them will be well worth the inconvenience if they can slow the illegals into our country.

I was sad and disgusted to hear about the Sheriff's Deputy who was shot a week ago by illegals bringing marijuana into the state. Do we really want to expect these officers to stand by and do nothing more than they've been allowed to do (and which obviously isn't working) any longer? They HAVE to do something. If stopping and deporting every single illegal alien will help even some, then I'm for it. Maybe if they realize that they aren't going to be protected by laws that make it hard to find them, then maybe they'll stop coming. I personally don't really even think this law is enough, I'm not sure it going to make much of a difference. But the people of Arizona are sick and tired of being afraid and I, for one, certainly understand that.

We could stop some of this illegal immigration by not buying their drugs - but we know that's not going to happen. I'll bet you that 90% of the old hippies who are smoking those drugs are thinking this is a bad law. Well dumb ass, if you've got to smoke it, start growing your own so you're not supporting the people who are bringing it in illegally.

I know my opinion on this will horrify most of my family. But, you go Arizona. Do what you have to do. I have no right to judge you - I live in Idaho, known for it's potatoes not the kidnap capital of the nation, and don't have your problems...

Second Annual Hillbilly Gatherin'...

I've been checking the weather - every day. Hoping for good weather for the big event. Last year was so beautiful! This year however, we just haven't had a spring! Cold and wind, snow off and on. WTH?

But, the 10-day forecast says it should be 69! I'm hoping as the time gets closer that the forecast will get even better. I have a friend from second grade coming that I haven't seen in 45 years, one of my good friends from high school is coming from Nashville and they're both bringing their spouses that I've never met. I probably won't know 90% of the people who attend but that's what made it so much fun last year, making new friends!

We have some fun "hillbilly" games planned with great prizes, some great music (thanks Dave!) and I've always wanted to see the Fire Kittens perform. Yesterday we ordered a 200 lb. pig and I'm finalizing the menu. Some very generous people have donated some great things for the auction, we're making up some really fun baskets to bid on and we have some great prizes to give out. Can you tell, I'm just really getting excited! Still a lot of work to do but come hell or high water, I'll be ready.

Don't forget this is all for a wonderful organization - Casting for Recovery. Elmer and I don't keep any of the money and none of it goes to paid employees. Every dime we make will be spent on sending these wonderful Idaho women on this 3-day retreat in June. We'll be set up to take cash, checks, and credit cards!



Most of all though, we want you to come and have fun and honor the women in YOUR life who are living life with, or after, breast cancer. Don't forget to bring your own drinks and lawnchairs. See you all there!

The Cougar...

I was coming into Hidden Springs from the back way yesterday when I saw an Ada County Deputy and a few people standing down one of the paths looking up into the trees. Hmmmmmmmm. Last year it was a bear but I'm thinking there's probably a cougar treed. So, I ran home to get my camera and my son. Just as I was running in the door I get a call from my friend Casey saying she and her husband (who happens to be the same Game Warden that Adam did his ride along with about a month ago) were on their way up to possibly dart the cat. So, out the door we ran - without the camera.

So we sat, in tick infested grass listening to the Deputy ask people to take a few pictures and move off because we didn't want to scare the cat any further. But I was a Game Warden's daughter, waiting for my Game Warden friend to get there - so I pretended he wasn't talking to me. Pretty soon Matt and Casey and their 4-year-old (bait) daughter showed up and Casey and I sat in the tick infested grass until I decided I must have my camera so I ran back home.


After another Game Warden friend and 2 biologists arrived and after much discussion, they decided the cat was a very young one and mama was still probably near. Their only options were to dart it and take it to a zoo (booooo), destroy it (BOOOOOOOO!), or leave it alone and hope it would come down during the night and leave the area. They knew that if they tranquilized it and relocated it that it would most likely be killed by a larger male.





We had left earlier but Casey reported that the announcement was made to the crowd as to the options and that the that they had decided to leave the cat alone for the night and see if it would go away. Our wonderful Hidden Springs residents cheered! I was really happy to hear that and hope that this morning he/she has moved away.

It was an awesome way to spend 3 hours on a Sunday and I love the fact that we had the opportunity to see this beautiful animal.