July Visitors

There is a saying here in Montana that we have 9 months of WINTER and 3 months of visitors...Actually, I think it is more like 10 months of WINTER and 2 months of visitors...For our family this July...we have had some delightful visitors...I already posted pictures of Bob Shepherd...After he left...we had the following:

Seth Holladay and his family

(L to R) Lily, Seth (holding Adam)

Rebekah and Sam

Kara and John

What is so sad is that I took lots of pictures of Seth and his family - the children feeding the steers...riding in the cart behind the tractor...

etc. and I accidentally DELETED ALL OF THEM!

I was so CRUSHED...

But, I managed to get a few pictures before they left...and I 

managed to capture this darling little face

of Adam Holladay

 Hyrum, also, had friends come to see him...

Scott Hansen, still living in Florida...

Lars Oveson - now living in Utah with his family

They went to the Jewel Basin - tucked in the Flathead National Forest

Managed to download some of the pictures

they took...

Hyrum

 Scott Hansen

 Lars Oveson

Summer is NOT over with, yet...

Tomorrow...Joanna Ebanks and her daughter, Stephanie

arrive to spend nearly a week with me...

(smile)

Rachel's Birthday Week

It all started with her birthday...

Then our vacation started. The Temple was our first stop...

Then we stayed a few days with Heather and Chris Zabriskie. There was a pool Sam couldn't wait to get into...

Next a few days at Great Granny's and her pool!

We wore them out pretty good.

And last but not least... Rachel got her very own sparkly red shoes... Thanks Aunt Becka!

The Grasshopper and Mrs. Ant

Garvin wanted me to post the following pictures...

What can I say...

except...

it must be a "team" effort...

One way of getting in my exercise...

I am "happy" just thinking about having

plenty of wood for the "winter"!

That stack is looking really good!

The Grasshopper and the Ant

Aesop's Fables
The Grasshopper and the Ants

In a field one summer's day a grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content.  A group of ants walked by, grunting as they struggled to carry plump kernels of corn.

"Where are you going with those heavy things?" asked the grasshopper.

Without stopping, the first ant replied, "To our ant hill.  This is the third kernel I've delivered today."

"Why not come and sing with me," teased the grasshopper, "instead of working so hard?" 

"We are helping to store food and "wood" for the winter," said the ant, "and think you should do the same." 

"Winter is far away and it is a glorious day to play," sang the grasshopper.

But the ants went on their way and continued their hard work.

The weather soon turned cold.  All the food (and wood) lying in the field was covered with a thick white blanket of snow that even the grasshopper could not dig through.  Soon the grasshopper found itself dying of hunger (and cold).

He staggered to the ants' hill and saw them handing out corn from the stores they had collected in the summer.  He begged them for something to eat.

"What!" cried the ants in surprise, "haven't you stored anything away for the winter?  What in the world were you doing all last summer?"

"I didn't have time to store any food (or wood)," complained the grasshopper; "I was so busy playing music that before I knew it the summer was gone."

The ants shook their heads in disgust, turned their backs on the grasshopper and went on with their work.

Don't forget -- there is a time for work and a time for play! 

And so it begins...getting prepared for WINTER...

Over 20,000 tons (Opps...28 tons)

We plan on being "warm" and "cozy"

this coming winter...

 

Let's Vote!

Do T-Bone and Sirloin live, or die?

According to my latest research a 1,200 lb. steer yields about 450 lbs. of "product". Since our steers will only be about 700 - 750 pounds they will yield much less. Should we grow them another year? That will result in an additional $300 - $500 worth of hay for the winter. Current total investment (variable costs only, not fixed or capital costs) is roughly $800.

1,200 lb. steer <> 700 lb. steer
Cuts Lbs. <> Lbs.
T-Bone 35 <> 13
Sirloin 30 <> 11
Round steak 50 <> 19
Rib & Rump Roast 50 <> 19
Chuck Roast 90 <> 34
Ground Beef & Stew Meat 125 <> 47
Soup Bones & Ribs 70 <> 27
TOTAL PRODUCT 450 <> 170
Price per pound $2.66 ($1200/450#) <> $4.71 ($800/170#)

It seems simple: grow them for another year as the marginal cost ($300 - $500 worth of hay) is less than the marginal benefit (additional 500# lowering the average cost per pound to $2.66). BUT the concern is whether my pasture will sustain now four cows (considering the purchase of Salt and Pepper). I doubt it. Now my feed costs will rise, but assuming total costs of $1,500 for 450# yields only $3.33 per lb.

So, do T-Bone and Sirloin live, or die?

Brother Bob Shepherd...

Bob thought he was going on VACATION when he came to see us here in MONTANA!...NOT!  He gets off the plane, and Garvin drives him directly to GIRLS CAMP...at Fish Creek in Glacier National Park...to "cook" the last meal Garvin agreed to cook for...(smile)

(Derek Toren - 1st Counselor in our Bishopric - got acquainted with Bob and heard LOTS of STORIES about Garvin...)

 OK...Garvin could have taken him to worse places...

Fish Creek - just behind our camp...

Friday - Garvin took Bob to this

incredible "museum" with...

let's just say...LOTS of STUFF

However, Bob REALLY REALLY

like this wooden TRUCK!

OK...so "Aliens"

have been to MONTANA, also

 

 Not certain what this is all about...

Anyway...WE LOVE YOU...BOB!

It ended far too soon!

Oh...I forgot...

Bob went on a "service - MOVING" situation on Saturday...

and then, endured

our "3-hour" church services on Sunday...

including Garvin teaching "Sunday school"...

Hey...He will never forget 

"this VACATION"...

(smile)

(smile)

Pregnancy Update!

This is me, imitating Annie as she walks and pushes the stroller! Oh, and this was taken yesterday at the zoo with Sarah's kids.

As you can see, Annie looks soo much better pregnant than I do! That is Annie at 29 weeks, so the picture is two weeks old by now. We normally take a picure every 4 weeks but since her 28th week was the 4th of July weekend, we just didn't get around to it with everyone visiting. I could have waited until next week when we take the picture, but then I would have forgotten to say anything at all!

Plus we had a Doctors appointment this past Monday. The babies are healthy and strong. Both are weighing in at around 3 lbs 10 oz (60th percentile for just 1 baby). Baby A (Madison) is currently breach and kicking Annie in the pelvic bone. Baby B (McKenzie) is how she should be and kicking Annie in the ribs now. The Doctor told Annie that if Baby A (Madison) doesn't turn around by the time she is due/in labor, then he will do a c-section.

Since we are now at 31 weeks, Annie has 6 more weeks until her due date, and 7 more weeks max that the Doctor will let her continue to carry the twins. Since there are no complications so far the Doc. said that he will continue to just let Annie carry on and has no plans for inducing her unless she makes it to her 38th week.

Oh, and if you didn't realize, we finally decided to stick with Madison and McKenzie (and not Elizabeth/McKenzie) because we thought it would be cool to do the M&M twin thing.

Well that is it for now. If there are any other updates between now and our next appointment in 3 weeks we'll be sure to post it!

Heiner Family Visit - Part 3

In case you didn't see this on Sarah's blog...I am reposting Part 3 of their visit to our Montana home...

Sarah's rendition of the "Leprechan Patch":

Family Vacation - Part 3 - Conclusion

Growing up with my dad, nothing was ever what it really was.

Sawdust was gold. Pipe scraps were rings. Waves on the beach were "bones crushers".  Or whatever would come to his mind in the moment. I can't tell how many of our dinners were some sort of "guts".

Do you believe in Leprechauns?

I'm pretty sure that my kids do now.

Upon discovering a nice, thick patch of clover, my dad hid a box in it. Saturday morning, he casually took my kids out to see the "Leprechaun patch".

But wait, what is that? Do you see that?

 

It's a... It's a... box!!

Whoops, the bottom fell out of because of the rain.

 But wait... what is that in the clover??

They're the Leprechaun's treasure keys!

Quick, hide them before the Leprechaun's come back and find their keys are gone!

And so for the rest of the day, my kids played and fought and hid and stole the keys from each other.

And Claira just laughed at them all.

Where did he get all these keys, you ask? Let's just say my dad has a tendency to collect odd things.

And now, I have keys scattered all over my house. I find them everywhere in everything.

I think that was secretly my dad's evil plan.

As was putting my hubby to work. But that's okay, hubby liked it, I know he did.

*sigh* He's just so sexy with a tool in his hand.

Later that evening, the big boys went out to play. Seriously, boys and their toys, what can you do.

Alayna wasn't quite sure what to make of all the racket though.

But she did rather enjoy the ear plugs.

I too, took a turn. Five wasted bullets later, I handed the gun back, not having hit a single target.

Wow, it was bad.

I'm almost embarrassed.


After church the next day, we loaded up and headed back home.

We had such fun on our little family vacation, and my parents were so great to play with us and keep us entertained. I'm so very glad we were able to go!

 

Even if my house is now infested with Leprechaun treasure keys.

Wait.... does this mean I can blame all the messes on the Leprechauns? After all, they're just trying to find their keys!

Right?

The End