Chore Buddy

The end of January always marks the beginning of calving season for the Hillman herd. This year is no exception. Calves were tagged and sorted on Friday and here it is Tuesday, and we're already tagging another 25 calves. I enjoy being able to get out and help tag. It reminds me of all the early mornings doing chores with my dad. I have myself a little chore buddy. Hudson rides in the tractor with Grandpa while they feed. He helps us round the cows up on the 4 wheeler and today he went with me to help tag.
As soon as tractors, cows, or ruff-ruffs are mentioned or heard, he heads for his boots. It will be nice when it's warm enough to send him outside without boots, coats, overalls, and mittens. I think we both will enjoy warmer weather and the freedom of not being in the house all the time.

Feel The Love

Just sharing my latest Valentines goodies with you. Eye Candy. I made the mailbox out of chipboard, packing tape, and hot glue. I found the take out boxes at JoAnns and decorated them up with AdornIt's stuff. Valentine's decor makes me happy. The colors are so fun and refreshing after the long, cold winter.

Mo' Please

Hudson loves cereal. It doesn't matter what kind; Honey Combs, Raisin Bran, Honey Bunches of Oats, oatmeal- you name it, he'll eat it. He won't even eat his yogurt without granola in it. I guess it's a good thing he doesn't mind cold cereal or yogurt because he's been getting it an awful lot lately. I keep thinking one of these days I'll feel like cooking, but then again, why cook when you can throw your kid a carton or yogurt and call it lunch?

Ag Expo

Every year I look forward to getting out of the house and going to the Holt Arena for the Ag Expo. It's a great place to stock up on pens, notepads, and candy. Nik and I ditched the men and pushed the boys around in their strollers. Never before have I felt out of place, but it seemed like all of the other expo-going males looked at us a little strange. Who cares, I'm a farmer too. After Chod finished presenting at the Potato School, he came and took my company away. Hudson loved pretending to drive all of the tractors. After wandering around for several hours, Brent quit talking and we were finally able to go home. I don't know if it was much different than previous years, but my pregnancy yuck seemed to have put a damper on the whole experience.

Early Morning Visitors

Hudson woke up early, so Brent brought him to bed. After a few minutes of lying there, he had had enough and crawled over Brent and baled out. Just a few minutes later, he brought in his tractor and ripper and put them on our bed. After a few more trips, he crawled back in bed with us and started hooking everything together. Once his train of equipment was assembled, he started driving it toward me. At first his advance was subtle and then I realized I was being pushed out of bed. I wasn't too happy about being kicked out of bed by a John Deere and 22 month old operator.

Movie Star

Grandma sent these purple, glittery glasses of Tameka's home with Hudson. He loves to wear them around. Most of the time he has them on upside down, because the nose piece is lower so they stay off his chubby cheeks a little bit more. I can't look at him with them on without busting out into a smile. Sorry the picture isn't the best, but hope it brings a smile to your face too.

If You Stay Away Too Long

When I don't post for awhile, nothing seems blog worthy anymore. The story lately has been keeping warm. Today all the schools were closed in the valley because of the extremely cold temperatures (-33 wind chill.) It's quite extreme considering 3 days ago it was 40 F.
I woke up this morning at 5:00 am - don't ask me why. So I waited to hear our pellet stove kick on. Nothing, so I waited for a few more minutes. Still nothing. My face was the only thing exposed to the elements, as rest of my body was nice and cozy beneath our electric blanket. I felt my nose, it was cold. I figured something must be up with the stove, so I went to investigate. I started to panic when I couldn't get it to work. Our house was only 55 and dropping rapidly. I called for Brent and went to get the owners manual.
Two hours later, after tearing the entire thing apart, it decided to work. Well, I don't think it was so much it's decision, but God forcing it to in order to answer my prayers. After the adventure I've learned a thing or two. First, I had to face my fear. I always thought we were vulnerable if the thing decided not to work- even more so with sub zero temperatures. I was reminded that I have a very persistent husband who doesn't quit. Not a trait I always enjoy when it comes to him being home for dinner, but a good trait nonetheless. I learned that I am looking forward to our new house that has several heating sources, so we have options. Lastly, I was reminded of our Heavenly Father's tender mercies and that He answers prayers.

Night Rider

My dad had an old cow that he named NightRider. She was a brangus holstein cross and completely black. I was reminded of her as I was driving home from Nikkala's on Friday night.
Ahead of me, off the side of Highway 91, I saw a reflector flicker. As I approached I saw that it was a young kid, pedaling his bike into the wind, carrying a grocery bag, and wearing a black coat. Not the safest predicament for nighttime travel. "He's going to get killed, " I thought and drove to the first corner. I turned around and headed for the mysterious Night Rider. I rolled down my window and asked if he needed a ride or to use my cell phone. "That would be great," he said pushing his bike across the road towards my car. He had been riding into the wind and must have been frozen.
After a few questions I learned that he was on his way to his friends house on Rich Lane. We tried the best we could to stash his bike in the trunk and he hopped into the passenger side. "I figured it was going to take me 45-50 minutes, but I didn't account for the wind," he explained. We drove around for awhile trying to find his friends house. After making a couple of phone calls he was able to navigate me to where his friend was waiting outside. I dropped him off and told him to call his Mom right away and let her know he made it safely.
On the drive home I had a million questions and thoughts of how I should have handled the situation better. I did get his name, Brandon Collins- a 6th grader. And I did try phoning his mom, but she was apparently out of gas on the freeway with no cell phone. The only contact I made with his family was his 13 year old sister. Oh well, I tried doing the right thing. I was just glad to have gotten him off the side of the busy road and out of the cold. He would have been awhile since it was over 5 miles and he didn't even know where his friend lived.

Welcome 2007

For the new year, I decided to pull out all the stops to make this one of my most riveting posts yet. (This might be old news for some of you.) Some exciting changes await our family this year. First of all, we have had the opportunity to purchase a new home. It came as a bit of a surprise since we weren't actively looking. One day our next door neighbor called and offered us his home. We decided that they don't come any closer and it was a good opportunity for us. We hope to close on it February 1st and then the work will begin. It needs a good deal of love and attention, but I'm excited about the possibilities.
I guess a larger home is appropriate since we have a new baby on the way! We are excited for the new addition. As with Hudson, I have been deathly ill. Okay, that might be exaggerating, but this all day sickness has kept on the couch for a few days. We were hoping to keep it a secret a little longer, but I can't fake it for long around family so we had to spill the beans during Christmas. I figured the whole world might as well know by now. Hopefully I'll be feeling better in time to start the renovating on our new house. We're looking at another August baby- who plans these things anyway? We're just hoping for a healthy baby and will deal with it's arrival whenever. The ultrasound is little more than proof that I've been to the doctor and it's official since the baby is so tiny.
I don't know if it qualifies as best post ever, but it's news I was excited to share and docuent.

Merry Tractor. . .I mean Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We went to Burley Christmas Eve. There was a lot of snow which made it fun. After our nice Christmas dinner, we made the rounds visiting Grandma Wilkins at the Warren House and Grandpa Parish and Park View Care Center. Once home we waited for the Stephens to arrive. Hudson and I cut out early and went to bed. It's a good thing, because I still have a hard time sleeping Christmas Eve- the anticipation nearly kills me. After waking up every hour, 7:00 finally rolled around (the "legal" time for getting up at the Parish house.) We had to call up the troops, but present opening soon got under way.
Santa had left Hudson's John Deere Big Scoop unwrapped, so he really didn't even need to open anything. He spent the entire day playing on or with that tractor. He got another tractor and between the two, we shouldn't have bothered with any other gifts. Hopefully he'll learn that it is manly to share your tractors.