Dare To Dream

When I was shopping yesterday, I found the coolest book! It's called, YOU CAN DO IT! by Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas. What I also love about the book is it was only $3.99 because I bought it at Ross. You've gotta love that store!

The inside cover of the book says this:

"When was the last time you dared to dream, learned something new, or did something just for you? What is on your want-to-do-list? Things you thought you'd do when you grew up or got settled, things you feel envious of other people for doing, or things you resolve to do , learn, or try every New Year's? Whether it's running a marathon, learning to sew, trekking in Nepal, or singing on stage, every now and then you look up from your bills and laundry and think, "One of these days..."

I've flipped through the book and it looks inspiring and fun! There are several things listed that I can mark off (building a web site, be your own boss, decorate a room...), several things that I want to do (run a marathon, trace my roots, learn a foreign language, go back to school to get my master's...) several things I never thought about doing (paint a picture, be a renaissance gal, learn to knit), and there are a few things that I probably wouldn't do (fly an airplane, skydive, and walk on fire)! But, all of these things have got me thinking and dreaming! I've always wanted to be a well-rounded person, but I never seem to find the time to learn all the things I want to. This book is just what I need to get me started in following my dreams.

The author's purpose was to boost women's self-esteem by helping them achieve their goals, realize their dreams, and embrace life's joys and challenges to the fullest!

I always tell my girls that they can do anything they set their minds to, and that they "can do all things through Christ who gives them strength!" Phil. 4:13 Lots of times, as moms, we try and give our kids great advice and encouragement, when at the same time we should be taking our own advice to heart! When our kids see us learning and doing new things, it will make them want to do the same thing! I encourage everyone who reads this blog to buy this book, or at least write your goals and dreams down in a journal and follow through with them. "Because wherever you are is the perfect place to begin!" Until next time...

**By the way, I learned how to find a picture (of the book) and copy it to my blog. The info was on page 127, where it talks about creating your own website! Yes, I should have known how to do that, but all this web stuff is new to me!

Rounding-Up

My girls had a softball game last night, and we didn't get to bed until midnight. Usually, if my girls go to sleep at midnight, they sleep a little bit later the next morning. Well, today was an exception. Their dad woke them up as the sun was coming up. They jumped out of bed and put their clothes on in a flash. There was no need to coax them to get their clothes on or to brush their hair. They did all of this in a matter of minutes and rushed out the door. What was the motivating factor? They get to help a local rancher round-up today. It's one of their favorite past-times. They get to go because they actually help the men! They've been doing this for several years and they are only 9, 11, and 12 years old! They'll probably come home with a slight sunburn, a few minor scratches, and great memories. Any chance they get to do things like this with their dad, they jump at the chance. Mark is an exceptional dad to our 3 girls. He's gentle yet firm; fun-loving yet strict... He balances his roles as a father very well, and I'm grateful for that.

Yesterday, when Mark told them they were going to round-up today, I said, "Oh great! What time are we leaving?" They just looked at me, laughed, and said, "Yeah, right!" They know their mom better than that! Yes, I have come a long way after living on a ranch for 12 years, but I haven't come that far! My horse's name is Wheeler, better known as the 4-Wheeler! I feel it's a much safer mode of transportation. Needless to say, they didn't get their horse riding skills from their mamma!

Over the years, I have eased into ranch and rural living. Let me explain... I no longer start convulsing when I see a millipede crawling across the road (I hate worms!)... I no longer run from a docile cow who's eating grass in a pasture... My heart no longer pounds out of my chest when I ride a horse...Spiders and scorpions are almost considered housepets...I allowed Mana and Kater-Bug to have a hamster...We have a little dog who comes inside our house and sometimes sleeps in our bed (as long as he's not on my side, I hate ticks and fleas)... I know how to drive a tractor...I know how to pull a trailer...I know how to saddle a horse. Of course, the list could go on and on, but I don't have all day! ha! Living out here has been a great experience for all of us. It's something I don't take for granted. Well, I guess that's all for now. I've got to fix a windmill, mend a fence, and break a few horses before the cowpokes get home! ha! Actually, I'm going shopping. It's my favorite past-time! Ssshhh! Don't let the others know!

Ranch House Organization

June 1st will mark our 12 year anniversary of living at the ranch. We live in a older home that was built in 1940. Needless to say, there's not a lot of closet space or storage. As you can imagine, we've accumulated lots of stuff over the years. Throughout the years, I have painted, decorated, organized, and re-organized our humble abode. I've bought books such as, Organizing From the Inside Out, and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organizing Your Life (I wasn't very fond of the title, but I thought if they could get an idiot to organize their home, maybe there was hope for me)! After years of organizing and re-organizing, organizing and re-organizing... I finally have come to the conclusion that we have way toooo much junk! Why put things in organized baskets, if you're never going to use those things? So, on Wednesday, I tackled Kater-Bug and Libby's room head-on! I knew it was going to get worse before it got better, and I was right! At one point, it looked like a bomb had gone off in their room. Every now and then frustration would try to creep up, but I kept thinking of the end result, a nice, clean, decluttered room! After 16 hours, 7 "big" trash bags, 4 stuffed animal bags, and 3 savers later, their room is decluttered!! It is so cleaned out, it echoes!! One of my girls even said, "Hey mom, it echoes in here." I love their clean room...clean room...clean room!

Have you ever noticed that when you put all your energy into one room of the house, (for several hours in a row) the other parts of the house start looking pretty bad. Well, I had a little remedy to that problem. My girls pitched in and helped me. Reluctantly, they folded and put away the loads of laundry I was washing. I told them this was going to be their permanent job if they kept putting clean clothes in the dirty clothes hamper! After hours of folding clothes, I think it might have made an impression! Kater-Bug also cleaned the kitchen. Wow! She knows how to detail a place. As I was walking through the kitchen, I thought it was funny when Libby wanted some food and Kater-Bug said, "Don't use a real plate, here's a paper plate. If you use a real one, you're going to have to wash it yourself!" Aaahhh...welcome to a mom's world. I'm hoping they had a "light-bulb" moment!

Why are we spending the first 2 weeks of summer vacation cleaning out and organizing? We are doing this so all 3 of the girls can have a room of their own. After 69 years, the huge room upstairs is finally going to be finished! Since Mana is the oldest, she gets the priviledge of living upstairs. Since her birthday is this summer, the room re-do is her 13th birthday present. Everyone is excited about it! Aaahhh...more space!

At the end of the summer, we will finally be able to lay Carmela to rest. I have 2 little words for Carmela, "Good riddance!" Who's Carmela? She's our 4th daughter, who came into our lives about 5 years ago. Her alias is "Sneaky Messy Chic!" She likes to go into rooms and make messes when no one is looking. I may ask, "Hey, who left the milk out?" And 3 voices will echoe, "I didn't...I didn't...I didn't..." I may ask, "Alright, who left all the toys out?" And I may get three responses like, "It wasn't me...I wasn't even playing in there...or I didn't do it!" Carmela strikes again! Over the years none of our children seemed to be responsible for the messes that were sometimes made. So, if it wasn't them, then who was it? We finally came to the conclusion that we must have a 4th daughter whose goal was to go to a room, make a mess, and then leave before anyone could see her. This girl was good at her job. At the end of the summer, when everyone has her own space, Carmela will be gone for good. Then, we'll be able to tell which girl had a little more Carmela in her than the others. F.Y.I. Carmela is a family joke and we all blame her for things from time to time! Well, I guess I have to go, another disorganized room is calling!

Near Deer Experience

I just drove home from my mom's house, and to get home I have to drive 17 miles down "Crazy Deer Road." I can't remember how many times I had to brake for deer tonight! One time I had to come to a complete stop because the crazy deer wouldn't move! It just gave me that "deer in the headlight" look. Oh well, I guess all the deer on our ranch road keep me driving the speed limit (at night, anyway)! Seeing all the deer tonight, reminded me of a near "deer" experience I had a few months ago (pardon the pun)!

It was a crisp fall morning, perfect weather for a jog, at the ranch. Being the cautious and sometimes fearful person that I am, I grabbed my cell phone and hollered for Popeye (our killer Chiahuahau) to accompany me on my morning run. After saying a quick prayer, I was on my way. "What are you afraid of?" You may ask. Well, there are a number of things that go through my mind as my Adidas are kicking up dust, and many of those things I'm not too fond of. Rustic ranchland, 5 miles from the Rio Grande, poses many threats, such as rattlesnakes, mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, skunks, an occasional mad bull, "illegals", and black bears (yes, one was spotted a few months ago)!

As I was jogging, and deep in thought, my senses went on alert when I heard something rustling in the bushes. Before I had time to wonder if it was a mountain lion, drug smuggler, or raging bull, a huge axis buck ran out in front of me! Being of the skiddish sort, I jumped to the right and it ran past me a few feet to my left (at full speed)! I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. If it would have ran into me, it could have done some serious damage! Now I have one more thing to add to my list of possible dangers when I go for a jog, and I never thought it would be a deer! The next time I see a huge axis buck, that up-close-and-personal, I hope it's mounted above my fireplace!

Although the mental picture of this incident is kind of comical, it's an evident display of God being my Almighty Protector! A few feet to the right, and I could have head-butted a deer with a huge rack! I've got to give all the credit to God for keeping me safe. When I was young, my mom was adimant that I learn Psalm 91. It's a prayer of protection. I say this scripture when I'm feeling like I need extra protection and it always gives me a sense of peace: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust..."

Livin' In The Good Old Days

I'm extremely blessed to have been brought up in a loving, Christian home and to have my own wonderful family now. I try not to take these things for granted and I thank God, often, about the life He's given me. I don't want to be the type of person who always looks back to how great it used to be or the type of person who can't wait to get to the next stage in life. I like living in the here and now and enjoying each chapter of my life. I loved it when my girls were babies and toddlers, but I don't sulk over them growing up because each stage has been filled with good times. I know that through each stage our relationships will change and grow and that's exciting to me. As my young family ages, I know we'll reminisce about the good old days, from time to time, but my goal for each of us is for each day to be a good old day! "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"