Happy Holidays!

Okay, I know you’re not used to hearing from me.  I’ve been awfully silent these last few weeks.  But, I trust that you’ll welcome me back with open arms.  After all, I have pictures and cookies to share!!

And it is time for another Real Farmwives of America and Friends post!  (That’s me, in the back right.)

Our farm really doesn’t have much going on at this time of year.  We have a small beef cow-calf farm (30-40 adult cows), and our calving season usually starts in February and goes until April or so.  Right now, we just have a bunch of fat pregnant cows roaming around, eating hay and cracked corn, hanging out being pregnant.  (Don’t let them fool you though, they’re not just pregnant – they are also fat!)

As long as we check on them (which I can do from my kitchen window!) a few times a day and feed them in the evenings, they’re pretty happy!

Hubby Doc and I have always gotten a cut tree.  (Really, we’ve had two Christmases together now.  So always doesn’t go back that far.)  Last year we had a cut tree.  And we have each had our own cut trees for a few years before that.  Anyway.

We are lucky enough to live 3 miles away from a Christmas tree farm!  Country Barn Christmas Tree Farm is just up the road from us, and we are friends with the owners.  This year we decided to go with a dug tree.  As much as I love almost everything about “real” Christmas trees, it always seems like such a shame to just throw the tree on the burn pile in January.  We got a smaller tree than normal, since it has the large root ball, instead of just a short tree stand. 

My current point-and-shoot camera really doesn’t do well in low light.  But Christmas tree pictures with the flash really don’t do things justice!  (Though if you look in this one, Martin’s tail is in the bottom right.  Silly cat.)

Another cat, Pretzel, decided that she liked to sleep under the tree, on top of the root ball.  She’s naughty.  And she ran away from the tree before I could get a picture.

I also made cookies this year.  I always mean to, but I never quite get around to it.  This year I didn’t get around to it until the day after Christmas.  But, boy, did I get around to making cookies!

There was still a tray of cookies left in the oven when I took this picture!  I think I was trying to make up for all the “no cookie” years in one fell swoop.  I made SEVEN batches of cookies.  At four dozen a batch.  And I know I’m in good company here…  How many cookies did you make for Christmas this year?

We gave a lot away (you’re welcome, Uncle Dave!), and froze a bunch.  And we ate lots.  As I’m writing this post, actually.  Come visit our farm anytime!  I’ll get some homemade cookies out of the freezer for you!

So…  Weight Watchers starts back up again tomorrow…

Happy Holidays!

30 posts in 30 days

To go along with National Novel Writing Month in November, there was also a 30 Blog Posts in 30 Days challenge. 

I’m no novel writer, but I thought I would tackle the 30 Posts challenge. 

The goal was to at least get drafts of 30 posts written, not necessarily to have 30 posts published to the blog.

Regardless, I didn’t make it.  I got 11 done.  You’ve seen 10 of them.  And the 11th will be up this week.

They say that you will learn a lot about yourself by going through this exercise.  I certainly did.

I learned that I love to join challenges and projects like this.  I started off pretty well, writing four posts in the first week of November.  (But I can do math.  Four posts in 7 days will not get to 30 posts in 30 days.)

I also learned that if I don’t set up a plan, then I won’t reach the goal.  A goal without a plan is just a dream.  This was more of a dream for me, not so much an actual goal. 

I thought I might try this again in December.  Then I got hit with the reality stick.  With Christmas, and traveling, and family in town, there is no realistic way I am going to get 30 blog posts written in December. 

(Hey, this is a big deal for me!  I love to make long lists of things I think I’m going to accomplish, and then only get halfway through the list.)

However.  I will do this in January.  30 blog posts in January.  A few months late for the November challenge?  Yes.  So what.  I’m doing it anyway!

Anyone with me!