Clever Cat

I am raising a clever cat. I have told you before that he is resilient too. His will is impressive. Scary for his mother, but impressive. If he wants it, he goes all out to get it.

This morning I was still sleeping when I heard fast pounding footsteps across the floor above me and then the front door slam (our bedrooms are in the basement). I got up to see that The Prairie Kid's door was open. I knew he was headed out to play in his sand box so I went back to my bed. A bit later I heard funny noises. I thought there was scratching on my door. But then I realized the noises had moved upstairs. I got up. What is my Clever Cat up to?

He had drug his heavy, big bear up the stairs to use as a stool to get to the...

...snack cabinet open...oops! the camera noise let him know I caught him!

Not so much a guilty look, more like "hey, I was trying to get into stuff and you ruined it!"
I did help him get his "snack" and let him know he could ask me for one next time.

As I am sitting here typing he is standing next to me looking at the pictures. He just said, "Mom, was that a bad idea? A good one or a bad one?" I am glad my resilient, willful Clever Cat is processing decision making. I am all about resiliency and will...used for a good purpose and headed in the right direction!

If It's Good Enough To Eat...

...Then It's Good Enough To Wear! This has been a philosophy of mine for a long time. I needed that as a comfortable way to deal with the sloppiness that I had eating (and still do cooking). I don't know at what point I outgrew wearing my food but I remember while I was pregnant with The Prairie Kid it came back in full force. What is it about pregnancy that crazy things like that happen? Are we so ravenously hungry that we are going too fast? Are we so "scatter brained" that we can't find our mouth? All I know is that most of my maternity clothes had stains on them right where my shelf-of-a-belly caught the food. Oh the days.
But now the little tiger that came out of my belly is enjoying his food. The Prairie Daddy got us started on making a s'more in the microwave. I let The Prairie Kid have one last night. I think there was enough left over on his hand and face that I could have had one too.

I am still so excited to have my camera back!

Back From The Back Pack

The Nephew got home today from his adventures. He had some good stories. I didn't dare hug him when he got back but I did release him to a long, hot shower! I think he was thrilled to see toothpaste, deodorant, soap, shampoo, and definitely milk again! Powdered milk just isn't the same.

He came back with a few blisters, chapped lips and this killer farmers tan too...

Two weeks ago his mom bought him a new baseball cap for the summer. It was in great, new shape when he left. Not the same story when he came home...

I am so proud of him for conquering the week like he did. He was rewarded as one of the two people that overcame the most on the trip. He had rave reviews from those that were with him and he definitely gets kudos for continuing to hike after puking more than once! Way to go!

Materially Complete

My camera came back today FIXED!!! Yippee!

Just thought I'd share. Now maybe we'll have some motivation for some posts!

Retirement Planning

I have a new saying. It is a revamp of the old expression "like waving candy in front of a kid." I guess I actually have three new versions but I will put it all together into one:

"It's like waving money, chap stick and gum in front of The Prairie Kid."

We were over at CWAM (Cowboys With A Mission, formerly Western Frontiers) on Monday. We were dropping off The Nephew for a backpacking trip. (He will be home this afternoon and I am so excited to find out how his week went!) Anyways, The Prairie Kid wandered over to my friend's home and he played there for a little while. The next day I found something in his pocket...


My friend happens to be Canadian and just got back from visiting her family two weeks ago. I haven't yet asked her where The Prairie Kid found this. It is funny but not so funny. I think when The Prairie Kid has to give it back and ask for forgiveness it might help ease the temptation next time to pocket some dough.

I guess my kid knows the value of money across the cultures...it doesn't even have to be familiar American money for him! Maybe this is the precursor to him having enough money to take care of The Prairie Daddy and me when we are old. : ) Or maybe he'll want to provide the money to send us traveling all over the world. Hey, it doesn't hurt to dream a little. A wise woman once told me "if you don't have your dreams then they can't come true." Many of the desires of my heart were my "dreams" and they have come true!

Hot Date

I haven't had much motivation to blog lately. I think it mostly has to do with the hay season keeping The Prairie Daddy so occupied that it is more of a struggle on the home front. We're doing well but it is definitely different. I have longed to spend some time with The Prairie Daddy, so finally yesterday I hired a sitter for a couple of hours and went out to sit in the swather. I know, I know, you're jealous of the fantastic date I had with my husband. There's just nothing like going back and forth and back and forth in a John Deere. Exciting and adventurous, eh?

I actually really like riding in or even driving the swather. We got a new one this year too! I have yet to drive it. I am hesitant to do so. I doubt that needs explanation.

Here is the view from my seat

And The Prairie Daddy was moving this side roll...a very long sprinkler. The rows of cut hay are called windrows.

And the back of The Prairie Mama's head as she watches

I am not sure how many more days of first cutting we have left but I am thinking I am ready for it to be over! Thankfully today I got to take The Prairie Kid swimming with friends and Monday night is GIRL'S NIGHT OUT!!! Woo hoo!

How Close Was That?

The Prairie Family has company! My nephew and oldest sister came to town on Tuesday. We have had fun playing already, even though the weather has been sketchy. The first day they were here The Nephew went fishing 3 times! : ) We all went to the reservoir next to our house the third time. If it wasn't windy out I think we would have had a campfire too. We still had fun though.

We didn't catch anything but the evening was beautiful and worth being outside and touching worms. : )

Yesterday we had an adventure to town and I got to go to a movie in the movie theater! This only happens 2-3 times a year for The Prairie Mama, so it is an exciting experience! (I am so laughing at the fact that I am actually writing this! We're easily pleased by the little things here on The Prairie.) My sister and I saw The Proposal...SO cute! And The Nephew saw another movie...um, don't remember what.

Today was The Big Adventure day. The most desired activity of their trip was The Prairie Daddy's offer to go up to Foster Reservoir. Foster is our reservoir (or at least the water in it is ours) up on Carter Mountain. It is a 45 minute drive on 4-wheelers and it is in the Shoshone National Forest. It is one of my favorite places to go...pristine, wild and gorgeous.

I checked the weather before we left and knew that there was a good chance the skies would change in a hurry while on the mountain. We took along a picnic lunch and headed out with plenty of rain gear (just in case).

This is what the skies looked like when we left. This is Carter Mountain. See where the rock face meets the tree line in the middle right of the mountain? That is where Foster Reservoir is!

Here is a view looking back down toward the ranch

Here is my oldest sister and her son

Here The Nephew and I are...and the back of The Prairie Daddy's head

Cool views...

The 4-wheeler fleet

The Prairie Family

And this is what started happening in the skies...

Foster Reservoir

Check out this storm cloud
We were all standing around, enjoying lunch and then all of the sudden some lightening struck and like surround sound the roaring thunder went from one direction all the way around us. It was crazy. We looked at each other and simultaneously agreed it was time to get off the mountain...fast.

As we were loading up I offered rain coats and everyone took me up on it. We bundled up and at this point it began to sprinkle. We got on the 4-wheelers and headed out. The pace was much quicker on the way out then on the way in. We stopped for a bit to let my nephew catch up. I was driving my sister and The Prairie Daddy was driving The Prairie Kid. Lightning struck about 1/3 of a mile away and my sister and I jumped and gasped like never before.

We switched me from driving my sister to driving my nephew just to make sure we were really keeping pace. He was cautiously making his way down but at this point the lightening was so close and surrounding us and we knew the downpour was quickly inevitable. It was crazy at times that we were not getting rained on but we were literally surrounded by storm in all directions.

Soon we weren't just surrounded...we were in it. It was an exhilarating trek down the mountain. There were places that we were sliding on the mud like we were on an ice rink! I felt like I was in a video game it was so fast, surreal and adventurous. When we hit paved road again I "floored it" and hit 50mph in no time at all.

When we got home we were all soaked on our pant legs and our adrenaline was soaring. It continued to rain for a long time after. We had so much fun going over the details of our trip. At one point my sister shared she about lost control of the 4-wheeler and started to tip. She stuck her foot out and caught herself and pushed herself onto all 4 wheels again. Whew! We just made some memories to last a lifetime!

On Tuesday when I drove to Billings to pick my family up we went shopping for a little while. I treated myself to something I've wanted for quite awhile. Even though Prairie Life can be hard, dirty work, who says you can't look cute at the same time? Well, I debated on whether to wear these on the trip this morning but when my sister needed a pair and I could let her use my black ones it made the decision for me. So, I definitely got these broke in this morning!