F is for Fart

Wiley is in Smart Start Academy preschool.  He goes two days per week.  Abby also spent three years at Smart Start, preschool through kindergarten.  Mrs. Harrison is the owner who opened it over 30 years ago.  She is the most patient, fun, motivated and amazing teacher for those little minds.  She absolutely believes that kids are little sponges and can learn anything in the early years.  In addition to teaching kids the preschool basics of numbers, letters, reading, math, etc., she teaches them manners, about caring and respect.  She is kind but strict.

Mrs. Harrison has been the topic of many of Philleo household discussion over the years.  It usually goes something like this:  "We have to get her to stop saying that before Mrs. Harrison hears it."  or "I bet Mrs. Harrison would love that."  We are constantly monitoring the kids to keep up with the Harrison standard.  I think she is what has kept our crazy family in line.

Plotting their next move.  Watch out Mrs. Harrison!

Wiley has been working on letter sounds.  Each week Smart Start introduces a new letter and they learn how to write it and how to sound it out.  Last night Wiley informed us "F is for fffart", sounding it out perfectly.  I'm pretty sure that's not the example Mrs. Harrison used.  But, to Smart Start's credit, he was right.  We're not stupid here, we just lack some class at times.

In the beginning, we were sure we had Mrs. Harrison fooled.  Just sure she thought we were the perfect family.  But it seems that with every teacher's conference, we become more aware that she isn't in the dark about us.  It seems that Abby explained to her that the pocket on the front of her t-shirt was "her Copenhagen pocket".  Nice! 

I did make one nice save on the way in the door one cold winter morning though.  As I was getting Abby out of her carseat, I noticed that she was fumbling with something in her coat pocket.  It was full of beer caps!  Over the weekend, JD taught her how to give beer cap tatoos by pressing them into her arm.  Very classy!  "Umm, I'll keep the caps, I'm not sure Mrs. Harrison likes tatoos." 

Wiley had three of his friends lined up, I'm told, teaching them to say "son-of-a-bitch".  Its a hard word so he would pronounce it and then ask them to say it back to him.  That is all JD's fault!  They both got in trouble for that one.

I would like to publicly say that I am sorry to all of the parents with children in our kid's classes. 

The good new is, despite all of our redneck parenting skills, our kids are really good kids.  Abby gets all As and Wiley is learning so much everyday at preschool.  They are polite and respectful...and a ton of fun!

The Wink

...and this is how we always get good service at restaurants...

A few weeks ago Wiley learned to wink.  It was cute then...since that time, he has added a little cluck (see him doing it in the photo above, with the side of his mouth).

Last weekend I was out of town and JD took him down the road to the diner for burgers for lunch.  After they finished, the waitress asked Wiley if he'd like an ice cream cone.  The wink and cluck was his response.  We went there again for lunch over this past weekend and had better service than anyone in the place.

He loves sleeping in this tent.  He thanked me with his new signature wink and cluck.

Wiley's teachers all rave about what a cutie he is each time I pick him up, such a serious little cowboy.  He has also taken to winking at them. 

What's most funny about it is that he has perfect timing.  He knows just when to do it.  When he's thankful, wants to get someone's attention or GET OUT OF TROUBLE.  I think we may be in for it with this one!

Swamp People

We watched Swamp People for the first time Sunday night.  Its like a car wreck, its terrible but you can't help but see what happens next.  They were hunting alligators... 

They don't exactly inspire my confidence in their skills.

 
Now I'm no stranger to danger.  My dad was a logger and suicide racer.  My husband rode bulls and now welds in a gas plant.  I rode race horses.  Anyway these Swamp People really walk on the wild side and in some cases, for no reason. 

Once the hunters latch onto an alligator, they drag it up next to the boat, inches from their face and then shoot it with a rifle. Immediately, they drag it into the boat, skipping, in my mind, one very important step.  MAKING SURE ITS DEAD!

Question #1:  Why a rifle?  Is there some hunting regulation forbidding the use of a pistol?

Question #2:  Why do they only shoot the alligator once?  Do they get less money if the gator has two holes in its head?

I kept yelling at the TV, hoping someone in Louisiana could hear me.  "Make sure its dead!"  And then, not to my surprise, after lugging one of the critters overboard, they found it flopping and chomping at their feet.  "Well duh!"  Ok, now they're in the situation I kept playing out in my head.  Do you shoot it again, also putting a hole in your transportation?  Transportation that will take you home and out of obviously alligator infested waters?  Or do you try to get it back in the water before you take another shot?  They shot it in the boat and then never addressed the hole situation.

Question #3:  Are people who are crazy enough to hunt gators with a rifle and flop sometimes still lively beasts into the boat, smart enough to line the bottom of the boat with some sort of bullet proof material?

Bruce

I want to watch again next week but I'm not sure I need the stress.  I was thinking that maybe the History Channel could get another sponsor for the show, like maybe Remington or Winchester.  They could provide additional bullets!  Just trying to save lives here, or fingers at least.

She's Leaving Me

Abby got her ears pierced yesterday.

We had been asking her if she wanted to get them pierced for years.  "No.  It will hurt."  Abby is a really active kid and things happen to her on a daily basis that hurt more than getting your ears pierced.  Horses step on her feet, she wipes out doing a dismount for goat tying, she wrecks her bike, etc.  I guess inflicting pain on purpose would be too much.

Anyway, last Thursday night, she said that the next time we go to town, she wanted to have it done, and to surprise her dad.  So Sunday morning we went grocery shopping at Wal-Mart and also got her ears pierced.

They are so cute!  She loves them too!  I always tell people I think she's ready to move out and live on her own.  She is such an easy kid.  She is learning to cook.  She can clean.  She knows how to do all of the chores.  She is starting to saddle her own horse.  Saturday afternoon she drove the flatbed and for the first time, I could enjoy the drive and not feel certain death was coming at any second.  And now she has her ears pierced.  She's leaving me tomorrow, I just know it!

My little goofball.

All-Girl Adventure

This statue sits just outside the indoor arena.

This past weekend Abby and I went on an all-girl adventure.  I participated in a Sandy Collier clinic at Wagonhound Land & Livestock.  While there, we both decided that if for some reason our house was swept up in a tornado, brush fire or flood, we could probably settle on living at Wagonhound...at least until our new house was built.

Attention to every detail, even the mailboxes.

So while I was busy riding in the clinic, Abby had time to take some great shots of the ranch.  These are all her photos.

Their red angus herd.

We stayed in a bunkhouse that was more like a home.  We shared it with other clinic participants but had our own room.  We cooked our meals in the mess hall.

Clinic participants.

I've been to a handful of clinics in the past and I'm always happy to come away learning just one or two things each time.  If you can improve just one or two skills, then the clinic was a success, I think.  I was able to improve my spins and stops and also learned that I need to remain seated while pursuing my cow down the fence.  I guess the horse racer/barrel racer in me had never considered this before and no one has ever told me to sit down.  It took her a couple of reinforcing, "What are you doing? SIT DOWN!" yells for me to catch on.  Sandy is a tough cookie and I couldn't have enjoyed her more.  She is the first woman clinician I have ever been to.  I was excited to have someone shoot it to me straight.  The men clinicians sometimes seem to pat you on the head and tell you everything looks great.  If it looked great, I wouldn't be here!

Lou & I working in the round pen.

Now that we're home, Abby and I can begin working on a plan for how we can just blend in at the Wagonhound.  It's huge, I'm sure they wouldn't even notice a couple of extras and their horses.  We could help out, it must take an army to keep that place in shape anyway.  I bet Abby could live in that cute, little mailbox and I think I'll just pitch a tent in that indoor arena.

Lou & I circling a cow.

Morning Chores

Every morning between 7:00 and 8:00 I head out to do the chores.  Sometimes I have help...often more than I need.  There's help and there's good help.  JD says, "one boy is good help, two boys are no help at all".  I'm not sure what three boys and one over-aggressive cow-eating girl is??  Oh, yes I am...chaos, usually.

One boy.  Good help.

So off we go, graining first.  The horses can see us go up to the shed to get the grain and begin waiting patiently for their meal....or not so patiently.

This is Lady.  "What's the holdup?"

Lady is 34 years young, she has outgrown patience.  And manners.

This is Lou. 

Lou is my horse, he is five, and perfect, and the bestest horse in the whole world.  Just look at that sweet face!  He is working on his manners...ground manners good...still chews with his mouth open though.  Typical kindergartner.

Notice the food falling out of his mouth, sheesh.

Enter boy two into the equation.  He's ten.  He smells like horse turds...and cow turds.  He's missing most of his front teeth, casualties of chore time.  It's tough out west.  Meet Zeke.

Zeke on the job.

As boy two enters, things can get interesting really quick.  Zeke is getting older and has never been particularly ambitious so chore time is his favorite time to guard/herd/torment the livestock.  They're distracted when they're eating.  Its the perfect time for the cheap-shot, ankle biter to make his move.  He likes to wait until you're standing next to them when he bites, so they can wheel and run you over.  He's so helpful.

Even though Zeke isn't much help at chore time.  We love him.  He's a good babysitter.

Mater, the third boy.

As the third boy enters...the first boy leaves.  Its cold, the wind is blowing and the toys are calling.  JD was right, more boys, less help.

And because the boys and I weren't getting the chores done fast enough, the cow-eating girl enters the scene.

Bailey sizing up her prey.

Bailey is stealthy, usually I don't even know she's out there with me.  The cows are behind the loafing shed so she can stir everything up in hiding while I'm on the other side. 

This is how I know she's been there.  Cows huddled up, away from the feeder.

 

"What?  I've been waiting here for you the whole time."

"They can't even see me here."

 

"Oops, she caught me."

It's cold this morning, so I finish up and get back inside to find the first boy.   Chore time would be a lot of work if I didn't have all of this help every morning.  Thanks boys...and girl.

Modern Family

This is just a quick post... a public service announcement...a commercial for ABC.

Cameron & Mitchell

If you are not already watching Modern Family on Wednesday nights, you're probably feeling empty, like your life is lacking meaning, a sense of purpose, direction...and humor.  Anyway, watch it!

I love lighthearted comedies and this is the best I've seen in a long time.  Cameron is my favorite character, so watch for him.

Jay, Alex & Gloria

Everyday Good Times

I often catch myself whining about the daily chores of life.  I have to feed in the freezing cold or blowing wind.  I have to clean this disaster of a mud filled, dog hair laden house.  The weeds in the garden are out of control.  My pickup is filled with cheetos, chicken nuggets and more mud.  I need to make a trip to Wal-Mart and brave the first of the month crowd....and then as the complaining words leave my mouth...I want to kick my own butt. 

I am a stay at home mom with the most wonderful family.  My kids are absolutely hilarious and I thought I'd share some of our everyday pictures.  We are not at any event or special occasion, just snapshots of what every day looks like around here. 

I see where the mud is coming from now.

 

 

 

I am fortunate to be able to raise my own kids or screw them up or traumatize them.  We have a good time each day playing together, reading books, doing chores and watching cartoons.  They teach me so much more than I could ever begin to think that I am teaching them.  They are so kind and forgiving and muddy...sorry for complaining again but they are...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Abby is so fun to watch progress in her riding.

Getting better...

Abby and I were laughing the other day about how they were playing Justin Beiber during the school assembly and all of the kids were singing along to the music.   She's heard of him of course but that's about it.  She isn't in love with his hair or his songs and I think that's great.  I did apologize to her for our old fogey music and asked if we make her uncool even though everyone who meets her thinks she the coolest kid they've ever talked with, and asked if she would like to have one of his CDs.  She said no.  Thank God.  She is, however, becoming a real competitor at our weekend name that tune game.  We go for drives in one of our old pickups and play the ipod and see who can name the singer the quickest.  She can always recognize Alabama, AC/DC, The Black Crowes, Dolly Parten, Trace Adkins and Elvis along with about a hundred others.  So proud! 

Team Philleo, minus the photographer

We are also lucky to have JD home with us for three days each weekend.  Abby also enjoys a four day week at school so we get to spend much more family time together than I think most families do.  Without family living nearby, its just the four of us hanging out most of the time and its wonderful.  JD takes the time on the weekends to let the kids help.  He teaches them and watches them learn about the everyday tasks that he does around our home.  Both kids can drive the skidsteer and Abby drove our 1972 Chevy for the first time by herself over the summer.

Fun on Bo.

Today is the perfect example of how I am spoiled by my husband who works so hard so the kids and I can have days like this:  After doing Ab's hair and getting her off to school, I will make Wiley breakfast, do the chores,  help Wiley with some school worksheets and then head into town to take him to preschool.  While he's there I am getting my nails done and then riding our horses at the equine college.  After our preschool and college I will come home and do the nightly chores and then its off to Abby's school to her science fair.  As soon as JD gets home, he's offered to take us out to dinner.  Its rough, I know, but I'll try not to complain.

Abby welded this all by herself.