Embrace

I went to the behind the chutes tour this year for the CFD festivities. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning all about the different rides the cowboys make with these bulls and horses. I will completely admit that I'm a really bad listener during tours. I'm mainly there for pictures, and looking, and discovering. Taking in the way the sun is hitting the horses. 

In the past few days I've had a couple people express to me how much they would adore having a horse. It makes me a little sad in a way. I always had horses. My mom was one of those girls who dreamed of having horses her whole life. Her dad would never let her have her own, despite living on a cattle working farm. When my parents married, that was the first thing my dad bought her. A palomino horse named Comanche. He was beautiful. He lived until I was in elementary school. I on the other hand... don't mind horses, but they have the upper hand in the relationship, and to be honest, I've always been a little afraid of them. At least riding.  I've never been one of those girls to dream of having a pony. As I get older though, I'm trying to embrace the country life a little bit more. Trying. 

Since my pregnancy I've not been able to listen to country music much, lost my loving feeling for it. However, I still love this one.

Song: Ponies, Michael Johnson

So Different But So Alike

One has blue eyes.
One has brown eyes.
One is a little bit pale.
One is a little bit tan.
They were born on different days.
And they are twins!!!

SO CUTE! And their parents... they were so happy to be parents. Very calm and relaxed with them. What a beautiful family!

Song: California Brown and Blue, Denison Witmer

Under the Stars

So, yesterday was an amazingly full day for my little one. He spent the morning at the pancake breakfast with his daddy, then the airshow with his uncle and then the midway with all of us and then as promised, I slept in the backyard with him with popcorn and story telling and giggles far into the night. I wrestled the tent but finally got it up and left the rain cover off so we could see the stars. It was a perfect evening to sleep outside and surprisingly I slept like a LOG!

And the great thing about sleeping in your own back yard. There are plug in and cell phone service. (He was telling his grandma all about his fun filled day here!)

Today... the chutes tour! You can get the CFD schedule here if you want to come join the fun!

Song: Starry Eyed Surprise, Paul Oakfield

About Those Cowboys

I've never really been a "cowboy person." I don't own boots. I don't own what is considered to be a good hat. My jeans don't sport the wrangler label. I'm more of a preppy, bohemian, urbany kind of person. My brother calls me a yuppy...and my son is following in my footsteps. But I live amongst the cowboys and live in a state where being one is a way of life, not just a look. I come from a family where I knew why cowboy boots and hats were important. My parents have always had horses.

So, this week, during the week of celebrating everything cowboy. The week of the largest outdoor rodeo in world, which is just blocks from where I live.... I give in a little.

My little one, amid all the brimmed hats, wanted one. So we got him one. When we got home he put on his cowboy boots that were given to us and are still 4 sizes too big. He announced "Look at me!!! I'm rough and tough like Grandpa Buck!!" (Yes, he has a grandpa Buck, who is also Uncle Buck to many of my cousins!)

The green foliage in this... my pumpkins or squash or whatever it is that we planted there!!

I always buy sarsaparilla on Cheyenne Day for us all. Just a little tradition I made up a few years ago. Though I couldn't find the real thing this year and had to get Stewarts. It was just as good.

I don't think my baby will be a real cowboy anytime soon.... he asked if he could go ride his dinosaur directly after this.


Song: Should've Been a Cowboy, Toby Keith

The Midway

I have bitter-sweet memories of the carnival growing up. I was always the kid who had severe motion sickness and would have to have the operator stop the ride for me to get off or run away directly after it was over.

I also have memories of great friends, a unforgettable first date, twinkling lights, sweet smells, loud noises, bright colors and late nights.

So, when I head to the midway with my favorite little man, I take Dramamine, ride all the rides, even though my head spins and split a corn dog with him...because it makes him happy and I know that one day, he will not want to go with me anymore.

He got to spend the afternoon with his best pals. Yes they are girls.

Song: Shantytown Carnival, Jehro

I decided long ago that I wasn't going to be a wedding photographer. But that doesn't keep me from shooting the occasional engagement photos. Which I never tire of. I never tire of seeing two people in love. Excited and nervous about the future. All the newness of it.


I don't often have the boys who I'm shooting point out an area of interest. This one did and it turned out perfect!!!

Song: Love is the Answer( Reggae Remix), Weezer

Girls of Summer

I always wanted long flowing hair when I was kid. I didn't have it. My hair was kept in a bob for most of my little girl days. I had an uncle who use to tell me that tall girls were not meant to have short hair. That was the summer I started letting my hair grow out, I have only since cut it off twice.

These two little sweet girls have the most beautiful hair. I just love it!!!

But I have to wonder sometimes... it must be, as a mother, really hard to keep up with! I think it would be worth it!

Song: Summertime Girls, Y&T

"I" scream, you scream.

So I didn't make any ground rules for the whole cooking through the alphabet project, so I decided to move into other languages for our food. Number one: because "I" is a really hard letter and it was a little difficult to find a main dish and I didn't have a whole lot of time to prepare. Number two: We have A HUGE garden full of fresh lettuce and things that needed to be eaten.

So out we went to pick our dinner. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, chives, basil, onions.
I also added some kalamata olives and feta. For the sauce (thanks to my friends who served me this on cucumbers and tomatoes) I just mixed olive oil and lemon juice with a little bit of salt and pepper. It was fantastic!!!

We also had Italian Sodas. One of my favorite drinks from my childhood. Only mine were Kiwi and Coconut instead of Vanilla (my baby is a vanilla king!)

Italian Soda:

Club Soda

Whipping Cream

Flavoring

You can use each of these with your tastes in mind. Some people like them quite a bit more sweet than I do.

We also had Strawberry Ice Cream (Homemade!!!!) which was fantastic!!!

Song: Your Love is Better Than Ice Cream, Sarah Mclachlan

H

So the day we cooked "H" food...our hearts weren't into it as much as they should have been. But we tried. We had a few extra people over and hadn't really prepared... so we made "Help Yourself Hoagies" and Hash Browns and had honeydew melon. Nothing too exciting. Just a simple summertime lunch. Which simple summertime lunches are exactly what we need sometimes!!!

Song: Parry Gripp, Hoagie in the Sky

G

If you are just joining... my baby and I are cooking through the alphabet this summer. Me cooking mostly. Him practicing his writing as we cook.

Last week I had a hard time planning my meals....or at least the ones I had planned, didn't come out as planned.

Regardless, for the letter "G" meal we had
Gingered Pepper Steak Over Rice (which I didn't fall in love with... very salty)
Garlic Bread (the super duper cheesy kind which was eaten before I could get a photo)
Green Bean Casserole (which the recipe can be found on the side of a french onion can... I just add cheese)
and Granola over Yogurt.

But not just any granola... Peanut Butter Crack Granola. I say that because it's pretty addicting. Every single person that tasted it LOVED IT!!!

I found in over at PW Tasty Kitchen. I urge people to check that site out. I love it.

And here is the recipe for the Granola! Perfect thing for the little ones to help with. Seriously Easy

Ingredients:
3 cups Old Fashioned Oats
½ cups Chunky Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
½ cups Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Honey

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350.
In a big mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients together, except the honey. The peanut butter and sugar will clump together – just break up the clumps with a spoon. I always leave a few, though – they taste amazing. Not all of the oats will look like they have any peanut butter flavor, but trust me, once it’s done baking you’ll have some heavenly PB granola. ( I also added about 3/4 cup of peanut butter chips to mine) YUM!!!
Spread out the mixture onto a cookie sheet and bake for up to twenty minutes. After the first ten minutes, toss the granola so it bakes evenly. Drizzle the honey on top of the mixture at this time (I just eyeball the amount of honey), then put back in the oven for the remaining 10 minutes. Make sure to let the granola cool completely before storing in the fridge. (I didn't store my in the fridge)

Song: Crunchy Granola Suite, Neil Diamond

Giggler

Besides my own... he's the only baby I've cried over the day I met him. I was sooooo happy to meet him. And now he's getting bigger.
He giggles at himself.
He laughs at himself.
He's goofy.
I love him.

And her... my Little Miss Sunshine I've been in love with her since the day I met her. And so has my son. Though now they are more like brother and sister. They fight. They make up. Very sibling-ish.

Song: Your My Best Friend, Queen