Making the Most of My Time

A few posts ago, I showed ya'll the ponchos I was making for the granddaughters. Well, I have been putting my time to use and I got another set made. This is my set. I brought plenty of projects out here to do to keep me busy. I'm going to make some things and then I have some hemming and projects to do. I'll keep you updated and show you. This sure does help pass the time on rainy days, and I don't feel like going out any where. Also, it saves me money. Every time I go out to run errands, I wind up seeing things I want and then I buy them. I bought a little wrist wallet and a blouse the other day. This is not going to help our kitchen renovation budget that's for sure. So, it's better for me to just stay busy. 😂

I wanted to be up front and honest with the hotel manager and let her know I had an air fryer and  instant pot in the room. She doesn't have a problem with it. As long as I don't leave the room while they are on and running. I feel so much better knowing I have her permission. I made dear hubbys favorite. Sloppy Joe pies. I use Pillsbury Flaky Layer biscuits (again, his favorite). The instant pot is great for using like a frying pan on the saute' mode. Then I popped them into the air fryer. 

 

This morning I made a grilled cheese in the air fryer. 

Dallas, Company has a few Facebook group pages that we follow and they post pictures frequently. We have been able to spot him in a few pictures and I get so excited to see him. However, I can't post any on any social media or blog platform right now due to security reasons. Just know it makes this mommas heart glad. We have been sending him letters frequently. I know he is so busy and so tired sometimes, so I'm not worried or upset if it takes him a while to write back. 

I put up two new videos on my YouTube channel. One is making my homemade cinnamon rolls:How I Make My Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

and Planning Your Garden

Well, it is another rainy day here, and we have been getting tons of rain back home. It has rained for 4 days on and off with a few thunderstorms on and off. I guess God is getting the ground ready for people to start putting in those gardens. I cannot wait until March 13th when the time changes. 

Looks like it's a messy bun, comfy pant wearing kind of day. 

Recovering and Hotel Living

 Boy, I am slowly recovering from Covid. I can have good days and bad days. It's the recovering that takes the longest I think. I am so thankful that some people can have it and have light symptoms and can recover quickly. As soon as I got the all clear from the dr that I was not contagious anymore, I got to see my little buddies. I went down to Dakotas house and he cooked for me and Brylee and I got to read some bedtime stories, pray with my little buddies and tuck them into bed. It was a good night. 

With Dallas gone to Basic Training, Brylee came to help me clean Dallas room and help pack up some things he wanted packed up. Well, really, I paid her. I knew she was missing him already and needed to get her mind off things but at the same time be close to him. This was the perfect solution. I was in her shoes at one time when Dear hubby went off to USMC Boot Camp. There was no way I was going to let her do this for free.  His room was a mess. This gave me some time to spend with her too. I took her out to eat one night and I had a chance to give her some advice from one military girlfriend (then) to another. She stayed with me for a few days. It was really nice to hear her talk of their plans. Reminded me of me and dear hubby when we were this exact same age with our whole lives ahead of us. It was refreshing.

Dear hubby had to already leave to the next job. So, as Dallas was not at home, and I'm still recovering, hubby is getting worried about me. Also, we are suppose to be having kitchen renovation done. So, now is the perfect time. So, as I am trying to recover, I slowly started packing up our kitchen. Brylee also helped me with this. Some days were better than others. Some days I had energy, but used it so quick and got alot done, then some days minimal energy and got bare minimum done.  I am not a procrastinator. If I know I've got something to do, I put my nose to the grindstone and get it done. I guess, just because I still felt so fatigued some day, I just dreaded it and became a procrastinator. Finally, the day came that I got it all done. Then the next day, I started packing all my things. The next day, I was time for me to leave. I fought fatigue the whole way there. Dear hubby was so worried about me the whole time. I finally made it to where he was. 

These pics show the set up in our room. Why, yes that is a sewing nook. Since we are going to be here for a while, I have got to have something to do. My serger and sewing machine have their own carrying cases and they travel nicely. The clear tub consists of book and my Bible to read. The black tub underneath the table is my project box. It is sewing projects I am going to get completed and some patterns I am going to retrace adnd make some projects. 

Dear hubby always takes his own linens everywhere. No need to explain why there. We even bring our own mattress topper just like the one we have at home because it is  pain t sleep on different mattresses all the time. No pun intended. It will mess your back up in a heartbeat. Our own pillows too. 

This little sink comes in handy when I need to wash some small dishes and the tub will wash all our bigger stuff like our instant pot liner. I even bought some cleaner and a spray bottle too. I don't like them cleaning when I am in the room. I like cleaning our own room like I clean my house  so  I know its clean. That' just me. 

This is our coffee station, dining area, and computer area. 

I put up another table to extend our kitchen area. I brought an instant pot and an air fryer. We have a refrigerator and a microwave. Under the table is a tub with all our essentials. Next week, I will start meal planning and cooking our suppers. This week , dear hubby just wanted me to recooperate and he picks us up whatever we want to eat when he gets off work. 

This is our new farm caps that Brylees mom made for us. Next is some shirts. 

I have joined a few Facebook groups of Dallas company in hopes of catching a few glimpses of him in pics or gathering info. We have sent a few letters already but he is so busy that he hasn't had a chance to write us. It's ok with me because he has waited for this all his life. On an app we have to use for mailing, they have weekly updates.  This week has been Army History, Code Of Conduct,  Rules and Regulations. Then they moved on to Basic Medic Skills and Basic Combat Training. This is right up his alley because all his martial arts training will come back to him and this will be his favorite part. lol 

All this mom can do is pray every day. 

Dear hubby is fixing to get off work and bring our dinner. So it is my time to give him all my attention. lol.

What A Roller Coaster

 Boy, it has been a roller coaster ride the past few weeks and honestly, at one time I wanted off, even if it meant jumping. More on that in a bit. Let's get caught up. I started working on a project for the girls that I meant to do last year and never got around to it. I started making their carseat ponchos. These things are so easy for buckling them up and them staying warm all while no danger of being strapped in over the poncho. The new law now for carsear safety is do not buckle them in with their coats on. So this remedies that. The back of the poncho goes lifted over the back of the car seat, while you reach underneath the front and buckle them in and close the front back up. Viola! They stay warm. If they should get too warm, they can easily slip it off their heads and lay in the seat beside them. I've got one made now 5 more to go. I'm making Daddy, Mommy and me a set each. 

I found several videos on YouTube and pieced areas of each video I liked together and got started. 

The girls other grandmother has stepped up to the plate and is now watching the girls for Dakota when it is his week. I am beyond thankful and happy and relieved about this. They are having so much fun. And yes, that is their little Uncle Finn in the pic with them. 

We have had this project going on for some time now. I will go ahead and tell you because it is still going to take a while to get it finished. Dakota has been wanting a cattle farm since he was a little boy. Well, so has dad. So, they went in together and started our 4D Farm Cattle Co. Inc.  We have bought our first few calves but they are being homed at a friends pasture until we can get this pasture all fenced in and ready. Dear Hubbys momma told him a long time ago he could use that pasture for anything he wanted. Dakota is doing alot of the work, simply because he is just enjoying it. I can't wait to  see our little calves running around over there. 

This is one of Dallas' high school friends that he graduated with and joined the USMC. They were suppose to have gone at the same time, but thats ok. He came to see us after his 10 day leave after graduation from boot camp. We are so proud of him.

We had a little family night with Dallas for his bday. 

Dear hubby informed me before he had to leave out again that we were going to be doing a kitchen renovation going as soon as I got the kitchen all packed up. So I started working on that too along with my packing to leave too. 

A few days after that I started coming down with something and was not feeling really well. Then all the sudden something hit me and hit me hard. I got bed ridden for a couple days until I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to force myself to go to an emergency walk in after hr clinic. Low and behold I tested positive for Covid.  ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME. I had dodged it for so long. Oh well, it finally caught me and let me tell you I would not wish this stuff on any body. I was so sick dear hubby or Dallas was going to get it. I literally was bed ridden for a week and a half. The body aches was atrocious, the fever and chills never ending, nausea unbearable, my skin literally hurt to touch it, and the worse part, the cough. I have literally coughed so much that my chest and ribs actually are sore. Dallas took care of me all this time, because dad already had to leave me behind and go to work. I lost my taste and smell too. 

The time came for me to have to get Dallas to the recruiting office for his ship out date. I had to force myself to do that too and fight fatigue while doing it. I could not let Dallas know it was a bad as it was because I did not want him going off worried about me. He needed to focus on himself because now its all about him and his new adventure in life. I put my big girl panties on, although I wanted to jerk them suckers clean off. This is the part of the roller coaster I wanted to jump off on. I got him to the office and we said our goodbyes and surprisingly I did not cry. I think its because I'm just so happy for him finally being able to live his dream. 

But this is what my Momma eyes and heart saw:

After having to wait at the airport for 3 and a half hours his plane finally left and he had a change over in GA. He grabbed a little bite to eat because he said he was starving. He text me this from the plane:

After a 6 hr long flight he finally landed in MO and an officer met him there and picked him up to which they still had a 3 hr drive to the base. They made it there in the wee hrs of the morning. He sent me this: 

He's got alot to learn but I have no doubt he will be great. They will be quarantined for 5 days and then start processing in. He will send us a letter with his address so we can start writing him. 

As soon as I dropped him off on that morning, I got my tooshie right to my dr this time. I wasn't playing around with this stuff anymore. They gave me some steroids to help get me mobile and clear up some of this inflammation in my chest, and they did chest xrays to make sure I wasn't setting up pneumonia. They gave me an antibiotic to fight off any infection I might be having or getting from this cough or sinus'. A strong cough syrup and an inhaler to help open up my passage ways for the shortness of breath. This morning I am happy to report that 3 times in the night I woke up drenched in sweat and had to change clothes and put towels on the bed to lie on until I could strip the sheets and wash them. I hope and pray I sweated that demon out. I woke up and was actually looking forward to getting out of bed and was finally able too. My appetite and smell has come back and I am able to eat solid food. I have been living off broth and jello. It was all I could hold down. I managed to get showered and start doing a few little things. Now as time and energy will allow I'm going to finish getting the kitchen packed up and my packing done so as soon as I walk out this door, our construction guy can come and do his thing and start gutting out our kitchen. We are so excited. We have waited on this for so long. 

Well, its time for me to end this post. I am so thankful to be up and about today. And as far as asking me have I been vaccinated or am I going to be vaccinated, the answer is still no. I will not debate it either because this is my choice. I will say this, I am not against vaccines or immunizations. They have all helped save lives from serious illnesses. I get the flu shot every year. My thing with the vaccine is this. It has not been tested long enough and I am not happy with the fact that some people have died after getting it, or still wound up in the hospital with this dreaded thing even after being vaccinated. When more research is done and the success rate is much higher, I might consider it in the future. So that is my conviction at this moment. 

I hope everyone has a lovely day. 

Happy Birthday To My Second Born

You know that song,  Bad To The Bone? Well, I think they wrote it just for this guy. He is a cross between Chuck Norris and Johnny Cash. 🥋🎵

 His personality consists of, stubbornness,  hard headed, truthful (even if it hurts your feelings), a good debater (he can argue with a brick wall), independent (wants to do things his way), flies by the seat of his pants and on the wings of my prayers kind of guy, logical (he can talk about anything from politics to religion, to guns and ammo), however, I need to find a box of common sense on sale( he just lives in the moment, there is no telling what hes gonna do next), private, tough exterior(no bullying him). But at the same time, honest (even if it lands him in trouble,  he cowboys up and takes his punishment),🤠,loyal(you got a friend in him), sensitiv🦄, soft interior (he wouldn't want you to know that)🥀 determined(more like stubborn and hard headed),  moody ( he could have been a girl), 👸 witty(no telling what hes liable to say),goofy 🤡(only I get his dry sense of humor sometimes), and has a protective instinct (Silence! He will kill you!) and an "I got this"   or "I'll figure it out" mentality (usually after 10000s of times), I did not get gray hair from being a Gmaw. If ever a kid has made me step up my game on parenting, it's this guy. Phew! 🤦‍♀️  

These are all good qualities that gets him into a little trouble right now,  but someday, out in the real world  he will do great. 

Seasons and change has come into his life at times to where he's had to improvise, overcome and adapt. He will have the hang of this when he goes into the USMC one day just like dad. 🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷

Maybe someday he will finish unfinished business. 🥋🥊

I always prayed that God would use my boys and they would have a great testimony, but didn't know how much my patience would be tested and that I'd hit my knees in prayer more. This one has made me laugh,😂😂😂 made me cry,😭😭😭 made me scream, 😤😡😱made me want to pull my hair out, pray the hardest, 🙏🙏🙏and longest soooooo....his testimony better be GREAT.  

But you know what I like most about this guy? HE'S MINE!!!!!!  He is just like me and my mini me. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have on my team or have my back. 

Son, always do the RIGHT thing, always trust God to lead and guide you. I want you to dream big, but at the same time play it smart and safe. 

I hope you have a very Happy birthday 🎂🎂🎉🎉

We love you very much and never forget that.  We just want the best for you and for you  to grow into a respectable man full of honor,  dignity and integrity.  Always do your best even if you don't  know why you're doing it. 

We love you son. HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Another Good Day

 Today was another good day with my girls. 

Unicorn 🦄 School is now in session.  Practicing cutting.

We've made bracelets, and now just a little tracing and colori✏️🖌🖍

A little Home Ec....letting them make their own mini pizzas out of bagels into the air fryer.

We read books before nap time like we always do and they said their prayers. These girls are learning more about praying and how to pray. If you've never heard a child pray 🙏,  you need to.

Caroline was whining and restless during nap and it woke me up. I went ahead and got up and had my 2nd cup of coffee. She proceeded to get up after me. We were being very quiet as not to wake Atleigh. A little later I noticed Caroline running fever. Atleigh woke up and came in the living room with us.  Caroline began to whine again and hold her ear. She has been battling a Doble ear infection for over a month. Has been through two different rounds of antibiotics.  I am afraid they have not gotten all of it and it is coming back. I call mommy to see if she wanted me to take her to a clinic with walk ins since we are closer. She said ok.  After much aggravation we had to come back home. Sometimes it just takes Unkie Dallas to make a child all better. He holds her and comforts her while I put drops into Caroline's ears and a warm compress. Also to his lovely assistant, Brylee for warming up the compress and letting a long legged 4 yr old jump on her to keep her happy. 😀  Aggravated that a clinic turns a child away half an hr before they close and this child is standing there running fever. To say I'm upset is a very big understatement.  I'm p...o......fuhfuh......🔥🔥 as Peanut would say

Thanks to Dallas for cooking supper every night this week so far. 😋

Daddy came to pick them up. If Caroline is still hurting in her ears, mommy will take her to the dr. 

They will be with their other grandmother for the next few days.  They will get to spend a night with us over the weekend.  

Right now, this Gmaw is tired and going to bed. 

Good Day With My Girls Today

 I got up early this morning to have my coffee and read my devotions and have my prayer time before the girls got here. 

Breakfast got a thumbs up but it always does because it is their favorite. 

Sometimes you just have to play cowgirls and horses 🐎 😉

It's rough driving cattle....cowboys gotta rest.

Atleigh shared her crown with me this morning.

So....I was reading this to the girls today before nap. I asked Caroline should I read it again and she plainly said, "NOPE!"  🤦‍♀️🙄 We have alot of work to do.

After nap we rode the Ranger and went in front of the deer cameras and waved. They automatically go to dear hubbies phone on an app. He saw us waving at him. They get the biggest kick out of that. 

Even though deer season is over for us, we still sat in our deer stand to look for deer. 

We came in and ate and then daddy came to pick them up. 

Tomorrow is another day. 

Enjoying My Time With Dallas

 I think it is sinking in to Dallas that he is fixing to be away from home and family for a while. See previous post. He has hung out with me more and talked to me more. We have been watching a movie every  night. He has even taken over the cooking. Which I am really enjoying.  

The girls have enjoyed going to some rodeos the past few weeks. They love rodeos as much as their Daddy does. 

I get  to have my little  buddies for a few days this week. We are going to have so much fun. 

Well, I have to get up early so I can be at my best for my girls. C yall later

Im Falling Behind

 Hello everyone. I have been so busy here lately making videos for our channel that I have fogot to post. 

Last week we had the girls everyday.  We got to spend alot of time together. Sometimes you just have to shave with an audience. 

We made pizzas one night. I mostly let her do all the work. 

I made a video just for fun with the girl making our own noodles for Mac and cheese to put on YouTube.  They had a ball. So did I and it got a thumbs up. They were delicious. 

Uncle Dallas playing horse with the girls. 

Sometimes you just have to carry the Princesses.  Lol. Our weather has been crazy.  

Caroline: "I'm not your best friend." Laughs. " Yes, you're my best friend, I just aggravating you Gmaw!" I swear this kid is just like her Poppie, Daddy and Uncle Dallas. 🤦‍♀️

I have had this week to myself. I have had to do alot of computer clean up. I had 4 yrs worth of pics and home videos I needed to get onto dvds. 

Do ya'll remember when I said sometimes God closes doors that is just not meant for you to go through but yet he opens another door? Well, it happened. The Marines door got closed and only God knows but he opened another one for Dallas. He is bound and determined to serve. He will be leaving in a couple of weeks for Basic Training with the United States Army 🇺🇸. We can't wait to see the things he accomplishes. 

I have to tell yall a story. It's ironic how things happened to Dallas (see previous post). The same thing happened to David Dixon . When David was a Sr. in high school, Nanny signed for him to go into the delayed entry program then after he graduated would head to Basic Training with the Army. Well, the day he left to board a plane, they lost his paper work. That door got closed. But God opened another door. So, a year later, three weeks after we started dating, he came in and said, "I'm joining the Marines!" And off he went. Both were headed one way, but God took them another. Now, I will have one of each.

I spent one day making homemade cinnamon rolls and recorded a video for YouTube. The next day, I make lasagna noodles using my Kitchen Aid attachment. I turned around and made home made lasagna and recorded it for YouTube.  Ya'll our channel is growing.  I never thought anyone would be interested in what I had to say. You can check us out at Keeper of the Home at 4D Farms.

It's time to get back to some blog work now and update our blog looks. Kind of like a fresh start

 

Couldn't Break The Tie

 Well, I went back hunting the next day. Dear Hubby let me do it all by myself. All the group started coming back out and the buck I wanted came out and was at the top of the hill by the road. As soon as the camera got his pic dear hubby told me to be looking. Well, I was. He never came down my path. I could not shoot up that way due to houses being  across the street. Not safe at all. They all finally crossed the road onto other property. Dagnabbit. Oh well,  we have enough to give us some deer sausage, jerky, and some other things too. Dear hubby has worked on that for two days.  Doesn't he look good in an apron....

The girls are here with me this week. We are back to having fun. 

Yesterday,  I got the girls on breakfast duty. Biscuits, deer sausage and eggs. They did a good job. Full bellies.

This morning was Waffle duty. I snuck in bananas and oats. They never knew what hit them. 😅😅😅 I double recipes and batch cook. Then I put in the freezer and when they want waffles, I just pull them out, heat them up and viola, healthy instant breakfast. Cooking from scratch is not expensive and it is healthier. 

These little sinks have been life savers. 

One wants to help in the kitchen the other wants to do the outside work with the tractors and horses. Unicorn princess and Muddy girl. ❤❤😅😅

I'm trying to get all our Christmas stuff taken down and put back in storage. 

We rode the Ranger yesterday and we love riding by all the deer camera and the pics going directly to Poppies phone. We just wave 👋 😅😅 

Dakota got off work and came and ate supper with us. And some things never change in my living room. 

I'm trying to spend as much time with them as I can before we leave on the next job again. 

Tomorrow is another day. 😊 

Trying To Break The Tie

 Boy,  I woke up this morning and couldn't hardly walk.  I felt like I bench pressed weights all day and I am so sore. I want be climbing his stand again. 🙄

I'm trying to brave the elements and break the tie. Really, I'm just testing out new hunting gear and clothes. Dear hubby has worked hard trying to find me the warmest clothes he could find and ways to stay warm so I can hunt during the last part of the season. I don't do freezing cold. 😩 🥶 During the winter, I just about hibernate.  If I could take this little heater with me every where I went in the winter, I'd be great. May take it to church with me. 😅😅😅😊

Had a pretty exciting time. 6 does and a buck came out. They all spread out in my view. Dear hubby text me and said there was the buck I was looking for behind our house which is further away and out of view. So, I get out of my blind and made my way up to the back of the house. I met another buck coming my direction down a gully and had to freeze in my tracks. Mind you it's now 26 degrees outside. He was looking straight at me. He turned and was going up the ravine and I started walking up the hill. Low and behold there was another group of does and another buck behind the house. I was keeping my eye on the other buck and ran right up on this group. I crunched in some snow and spooked everything off. I headed back down to my blind because dear hubby knew I was upset and was going to push them back down my way. I told him if he could get a better shot then take it. 

I got back in my blind and got comfortable again.  I heard a shot.  Waited. Text dear hubby to see if it was him.  It was. He shot but missed because his hands were hurting from the cold. He never misses. He didn't have on any gloves. He just threw on a Hoodie and binoculars and came out of the house.  Then he grabbed his gun. 

When he saw he missed, he went back in the house. He didn't want to disturb anything again. A few minutes later all the does started coming back out. I was waiting to see if the buck would come back out behind them, he never did. Legal shooting time had ended so I came out of my blind and headed back inside. 

The good news is, my clothes kept me pretty warm, but if it had not been for me little heater,  I couldn't have stayed out there that long.  

Maybe tomorrow since it's the last day.  We will see.