HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE!!

Today is the Birthday of my beautiful friend Brooke. She gets to spend the day pampering herself with her mom (who is in town visiting). I am so very grateful to have you as a friend and that we live close and get to enjoy each others company and lives. I love our lunches, dinners and gossipy emails!! I hope that you have a WONDERFUL day Brooke. You deserve it!!

I think spring might be close...

These guys are our neighbors. Sunday morning was the first day that we saw baby out playing. Definitely a sign of spring. Woo Hoo. Can't wait to see the baby deer soon!!
This is my attempt to keep Kitty and Fisher from digging and hanging out in my strawberry bed. G let them do it until I told him that strawberries are supposed to come back every year. Not sure of ours have a fighting chance but I can still hope right?

While I put the tiny cedar fence around my strawberries G worked on setting things up in the shop. He bought a welder on Friday and a metal chop saw the weekend before. Just a few more toys and he will be ready to put out some serious furniture!! I can't wait and neither can he!!

Sunday was beautiful so we spent to day enjoying the ranch. We fixed fence, moved cows back to where they were supposed to be, worked on clearing the fields of gross little animals.........

...................and welded stuff. This is my very FIRST time welding. I am pretty much a pro by now......right.

Sunday evening we headed into town to attend Brooke and Peters Pray for Spring Party. I was a great time had by all. I didn't bring my camera but maybe Brooke will post some pics!!! Thanks Brook and Peter for such a fun evening and great ending to a great weekend!

Introduction to Addictive Behaviors

This is the first course that I have to take. Addiction Theory: Introduction to Addictive Behaviors. I spent the entire week in a grant writing training in Bozeman. It was really in depth and I am now scheming on how I can manage to fund a project for G and have us both stay at home to work. But until then..................I am scrambling to get applications filled out, 'official' transcripts mailed to the right people and my old job in working order so that someone can come and fill it. I am getting excited for this change. I love new challenges and can't wait to start. The last person in my office to get their LAC gave me the first text to start reading. So it looks like that will be my life again for awhile. School. But school with no classes, no professors, and no timeline. I can do each class as fast or as slow as I please.

On another note....I went into the ditch yesterday on East River Road going into town in the morning (don't worry, I got out fine) and then had to drive all the way to Bozeman for the last day of grant training. Spring.................are you listening????

New Job

I just accepted a new position at SWCDP this morning. I will be starting an internship to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor. Tell you more about it later. Wish me luck. I'm kind of nervous!

Ahhhhhh, Spring.

The ground is still covered in snow up here. We got 10 inches on Tuesday. But underneath the grass is green!! Woo Hoo! Grifs' brother is flying in this afternoon. Our weekend will be filled with dinner at Pine Creek, quiet dinners at home, and.............floating. I told G that I couldn't wait to get on the river Saturday to feel the sun and start on my tan. He laughed and told me to be ready for goose bumps the whole day, that it wouldn't be that warm. But I am willing to settle for a face tan. I just want a little glimpse of the sun. I am excited for Tommy (Gs' bro) to get here. I have never met him. So I better get off of the Internet and get to cleaning up the house.

Happy Friday

This is a VERY happy Friday for me. I just got word from G that the new raft will indeed be ordered TODAY!! Brooke, are you as excited as I am?? I can not wait to have the ability to go floating anytime that we want to. This news brings me MUCH joy.

A Woman Should Have....

I have read this poem before but it was in my inbox this morning from a friend and co-worker Laurie Bishop. She, in my opinion does a wonderful job at work and at home and embodies much of what I strive for. As I read through this poem this Friday morning it was somehow framed differently for me this time around and I really thought about every part of it and where I feel I am right now in this moment in time. I am happy, and incredibly lucky to be surrounded by some really amazing women. So thank you to my mom, my sis, my family and my wonderful friends near and far. I love you all more than words can ever say.

'MAYA ANGELOU'S'
BEST POEM EVER



A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age. ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems and a recipe for a meal that will make her
guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ...
how to fall in love without losing herself.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but its over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year...


Thank you for the joy that knowing you has given to my life...

Sweet Boyz.

I watched my cousin Alisha's boys for her yesterday afternoon. I love hanging out with them. 11 year old Cobe had to leave soon after I got there to go to baseball practice so it was just 6 year old Ivan and Wynn who will turn 2 in June. We went for a walk and visited my bro on our way back because they live less than 1 block from each other.

Wynn and I have matching boots!!! How cool are we. He loves his boots just as much as I love mine and likes to point out that we match. When I got to his house he had put them on the wrong feet so we had to switch them around and put some socks on before we went for a walk.


When we got home we went upstairs and played. Wynn made me wear this black plastic helmet thing. Nice huh?

Ivan loves to call Aunt Ruby so he called her from my phone and then was going to hang up when she didn't answer. He said that he doesn't like to leave messages but I made him anyway so that she would know what was going on. She called me about an hour later and told me that he does that just about every day. Then he wanted to play a game where he calls my voicemail and trys to figure out my password. I told him that was not a great game.

I LOVE THESE BOYZ!!

I need something.....

Oh, that's right. I need some color on my skin. Preferably something other than the see through that I am sporting right now.

Beautiful Ladies

Sorry boys, had to crop you two out.

That is a nice noise

This is what G always says when any age child is embarrassing its parents in a public place. It is sort of funny and sort of not at all. He says he would feel differently if it were his own child, but would he really? He also says if it were his own child they would not be making that 'nice noise'. Right. Anyway, I just thought of this because there is a crying infant down the hallway at my office right now. Yup, people bring their children to appts at the treatment center. I guess I understand that they probably have now where else to take them but come on....are you really getting what you should be out of therapy if you are tending to a screaming infant? I think not.

poor kitty

We noticed this morning that kitty has an injury on his front left paw/leg. G said that it just looks like matted blood and fur and kitty didn't seem bothered by it at all but I am still sitting here thinking about it. I am sure that he will be fine. I guess that is what happens when you are such a little bad ass kitty. I just wonder what really happened. Did he just cut it on something? Did he get into it with some other animal? Or is just the remains of something that he killed yesterday? I wish that I had a kitty cam so that I knew what he did all day. I am sure it would be great entertainment. Hope your leg feel better today kitty.

Really

So I went ahead and got my studded tires taken off and switched to my summer tires last weekend. Because driving on the dry pavement ruins the studs over time so I needed to get it done. And what did I wake up to this morning??? Go ahead, guess. 6 inches of snow. Lovely. Don't get me wrong here. I love living in Montana and I love the snow. Right up until April 1st. I am now officially OVER IT. Mr. SUN, where are you hiding. You are a key element to life in MT. Without you gracing us with your presence in the end of March we begin to go crazy. So help us all out here. We miss you.

Last Night

This Morning

deflated

I sometimes forget that just about anyone can put things on the Internet and make whatever claims they want. I got a recipe for Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies from the Internet yesterday and couldn't wait to surprise G with something special when he got home from working late for the 50 billionth time in the last month. I have to admit that I am pretty damn good at baking, cooking and following recipes when necessary so either the person who posted that recipe is from another planet or meant to call her cookies thin wafers. The first rounds they were coming out thinner than the chocolate chips which were by the way the minis (because I LOVE everything mini, especially M&Ms and chocolate chips) so very thin.

So I had to start improvising. I added over 1/2 cup of flour to get them to even think about holding their shape and rising a little. Ridiculous. They did start to look better towards the end and of course even the wafers still tasted good. Since G will pretty much eat anything he was still happy to come home to treats. LESSON: If recipe from the Internet seems to have strange ingredient proportions; trust your instinct.....Or settle for wafers rather than cookies.

Spring things

THE GARDENTHE DUCK HOUSE

This year I had to pretty much choose between a garden and ducks. Because to have either we are up against quite a bit of work on what exists for functionality. The garden fence is too short and the deer ate our ENTIRE garden last year. Even the roses. So we have to extend the fence so that it is about 8 feet tall if we want to give our veggis a fighting chance. My duckies were killed last year by a fox (I think) because after they got a couple of months old they were impossible to get back into the duck house at night or when we would leave.....so I left them out and that turned out to be a real bad idea. In order for us to give duckies a safe home we would have to build an enclosed cage off of the back of the duck house so that they could go outside whenever they want without the chance of being someones dinner. I am going to miss having duckies this year but not as much as I missed last years duckies when they disappeared. I really LOVE having a garden so.....................garden this year and duckies next.

G spent yesterday afternoon resurfacing the workbench in the garage. The garage is old and leans slightly so to be sure that he has a level and clean surface to work on he re did it. We are going to put the rock polisher out there when it is consistently above freezing at night so it has to be perfectly level. G also wants to start building his collection of tool so that he wan work on designing/building furniture in his spare (hahaha) time so having a functional shop is essential. Looks good to me. Great job!!

And...................Kitty has taken up gardening. He has been helping us get the beds ready for planting. I hope he is careful not to rip up the strawberries planted in there.

LBG

Thank god a new/old restaurant has re-opened in Livingston. The Livingston Bar & Grill (LBG) re-opened last Friday night. The Bar and Grill has been around since I was a little girl and has gone through many changes and owners. I remember going there when I was 4-5 years old and hanging out there visiting my Aunt Lori who was living with us for awhile and worked there during the lunch shift. I LOVED the broccoli cheese soup. The booth seats are gone from the back room and they no longer serve my fav soup but I have to say that we left we a very good taste in our mouths. Grif and I met Brooke, Peter, Jeannette and Lee for a great evening of drinks and food. We had a lot of fun and I didn't miss the soup one bit. I had the best Buffalo ribeye EVER! I cleaned my plate which is very unlike me to do. G couldn't believe that there was nothing left when he went to finish my food as he always does once he is done with his. I can't wait to go back and try everything else there. For those of you who do not live here.....when it comes to a good meal out we don't have all that many choices. So I am very excited to add LBG to the list.

THE LADIES
THE MEN

Dinner with friends

I just love getting together with old friends and catching up over a nice dinner and some yummy drinks. Especially when one of those friends is in town visiting. Miss you Betsi and thanks for always making time when you are home to get together. Hope you had a safe trip back to Denver.

New Toys

Fun new toys that I have gotten for myself this week.

New LG Chocolate phone in blue ice. You are right Brooke. It is strange to get used to but will do. I got a bunch of stuff so that i could just put music onto this phone to replace my ipod but II never got it to work. Apparently Itunes is not compatible with it. After I started actually reading how to do it the Q&A said that music purchased from Itunes would not work. Which is most of my music. So if anyone doesn't use Itunes and has a Chocolate and wants to put music onto it let me know cuz I have the hook up.

After my failed attempt at using my new phone as a music player I realized that I would just have to buy myself a new Ipod. So I did. I am trying the 8g nano. Not as much memory as my old one but very cute and light. Perfect for working out.

VOTE FOR In Search of the Commons

Got this from a friend who works at Park County Environmental Council. They deserve this so please take the time to vote and help them out!!

Please vote for our project! We are one of the 20 finalists out of nearly 5,000 applications for a Case Foundation grant of $25,000. Please go to the website specified below and vote for In Search of the Commons- if we make it to the final four, we’ll be awarded the $25,000 to complete important community-building work in Park County.

http://miyo.casefoundation.org/vote/

Awwwwwe

First of all. Thank you to all of my friends and family for all of the wonderful birthday wishes. To clear up any confusion my real bday was yesterday, March 31st. But I do like to soak in all of the birthday time I can and often celebrate the week/weekend surrounding my bday as well. This year I have to admit that by the time yesterday came I was feeling a bit bday'ed out.

Grif brought home tons of flowers Friday night cuz ' I had to have flowers for my bday weekend' and then brought me more yesterday at lunchtime. He is very sweet. We went to dinner at the 2nd Street Bistro Friday night. Spent Saturday doing ranch stuff and he bought himself a .22 pistol to keep in the tractor so we shot that. It is semi-auto and lots of fun. Sunday we met friends Brooke, Peter (after their long adventure), Suzie and Will for breakfast and spent the rest of the day just hanging out. I didn't have to work yesterday. SWCDP gives everyone their bdays off from work as one of our paid holidays witch is nice but no one else gets the day off so there isn't a lot to do. I spent the day painting the trim in the living room. G kept asking me why I was painting on my bday. But a day off is a day off and I am not at the ranch alone all day to get things like that done so I felt like I needed to do it. Which made him get into gear and put the blinds up also.

We went to dinner in Bozeman at Daves Sushi..............mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Very Yummy!!