Our Babies of 2014

We have new calves this years.  They are so cute and playful.  Mel plans on keeping the heifers and selling the bulls.

Our Frequent Visitor

A roadrunner has been staying around our house for the past several months.  The movement and antics of the roadrunner is quite entertaining.  Hopefully, he considers this his home and will continue to help with insect control.

Proud of the Horseman

The Oklahoma Stock Horse Association banquet for 2013 was held at the Sam Noble Foundation in Ardmore.  

I am so proud of our horseman - he didn't begin competition until April and he won Novice All Around 6th place!  Wow!  What a great job he and Buttercup did!!

He received a gift card to Dennards as his prize.  Now we will go shopping!

The invitation

The handsome horseman

His prize

A funny story:  We did some shopping in Ardmore before the banquet.  While Mel was waiting for me outside the store,  man came up to him told him he looked like J.R Ewing.  We enjoyed a good laugh!

Then and Now

46 years ago these 2 handsome brothers hauled hay. 

Look at the strength of these guys!

Fast forward to now

Wow!  Look, they can still do it!

Oops, could they be lifting up only 1 bale TOGETHER???

Whew! They had me worried at first!

No doubt whatsoever that each one can still lift his own bale of hay!!!

Mel and John still are able to accomplish the task!  Maybe I should not add "with ease"???

Even after that exertion, stacking the hay in the barn is easy for them to do!

(They did highly encourage the picture taker to hurry while taking the picture!)

Strange, Strange Weather

Our weather has been quite strange.  The temperatures go from fairly warm ( storms with lightning and thunder) to a drastic drop with wind chill factors at or close to 0 degrees with high temperatures for the day in the 20's.  Brrrrr!!  (Maybe I need to add Brrrr! again!).
Next, we have experienced dense and freezing fog.  Now, the strong winds (with gusts 30 to 40 mph) are back which means threats of wildfires with the dry vegetation.

As most Oklahomans say, "Only in Oklahoma!"

2014

A New Year!  Wow!  It's hard to believe that another year is beginning.
The best and only thing to do is stated in Proverbs 3: 5 - 6 and then Jeremiah 29: 11:  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" because we know that I (God) know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  I do believe that "Faith" is the huge factor in this!
Since we are not in control of most things, we must allow our faith to "kick-in" and "step up!" (Easier said than done sometimes???)

New Year's Eve

Mel and I enjoyed a quiet New Year's Eve with snack items and a movie.  We did not make it until midnight; but, 2014 came in without us watching.
We greeted the New Year at 4:00 the next morning.

Jacob's "Earmuffs"

Jacob received new head phones for Christmas.  Grammy called them "earmuffs".  That became our joke with Jake.

Christmas Day

Christmas morning the grandkids had surprises in their stockings and a small gift to open.
Later, we prepared breakfast foods and enjoyed breakfast with the King side of the family -   Margaret, Joe and Jerry.  Grammy came up and ate with us.  She enjoyed visiting with everyone.

Christmas Eve

For 42 years now we have had Christmas Eve with Grammy and the Bradford side of the family.
We enjoyed various meat salads, dips, chips and a lot of sweet goodies.
After having lost a family member such a short time ago, it was different, but life does go on.

Preparations

To pass the time before the "Get-Together" we played Pin the nose on the Snowman.

Making Ornaments

The girls made salt dough ornaments with the grandkids' fingerprint on them.

What a neat idea!

Christmas Bingo was another game we played.

Time to eat!

Grammy with her Christmas gifts

Jett passed the envelopes to each person.

Grammy with her new pretty decorative cane 

Amberlea had found a pink cane decorated with roses for her.  Pink is Grammy's favorite color.

Pictures of Kids, Grands and Greats

A fun time together!