OBD!!!

OBD - Oh Breaking Dawn, are you ever going to be here??? I think I'll re-read the book after my friend Tracy sent me this picture. It's not from the "movie" but I can imagine some beach scenes now.....

Back to BootCamp

Fall is here and I am getting back into our routines since school started. Our weekly practices now include 2 hours Basketball. Homework luckily hasn't been so bad but heard 4th and 5th grade is a whole new ballgame. Our dinners have been on the fly lately so eating healthy is not working out for me. I try to get my good healthy meal in for lunch and totally bomb with my dinner choice (Sonic and Taco Villa).

I got a bright idea that I would get back to my BootCamp routine this week as we have mostly been doing the 5k workout the past few months. Cardio is great but the muscle and fitness challenge was missed, WELL UNTIL THIS MORNING.

My Morning Recap: I woke up this morning with a little soreness in some muscles I haven’t used in a while.

Then, reality hits, I raise to get out of bed and have a flashback of SUMO something I hope to never see again….

It hurts to squat to the sitting position, once I have finally made it to my chair,

I find “relief” and hope I don’t have to get up anytime soon…

Fun, Food & Rides

It's Fair Time!

We couldn't help but spend Sat night out with family and friends at the Fair for some Fun, Food & Rides. I couldn't hardly wait to get my annual cheese on a stick and giant corn dog..to then finish the ride home with a funnel cake! Brooke started making the "vomit" face about half way through the Pirate Ship Ride...she's the top right hanging on for dear life as Cayla and Ashtyn can't get enough.

Surf's Up or should I say down...Blaine had so much fun this year because he was tall enough to ride most of the rides. These were just a few of his favorites!

Before I Eat

Brooke's Grasshopper Pie

Brooke's third grade teacher, Mrs. Brown, has extra books in her room she allows the kids to checkout - and Brooke came home with a cookbook. The teacher joked with her that she needed to bake her a pie and that is exactly what Brooke picked out to make. Today, she delivered a special piece to Mrs. Brown.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ou.) package of cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 (8 ou.) tub whipped topping, thawed

1 cup chopped Keebler Fudge Shop Grasshopper Cookies
3-4 drops of green food coloring

1 Chocolate Pie Crust

DIRECTIONS:
Mix Cream Cheese and Sugar with an electric mixer until well blended.

Fold in whipped cream

Add chopped cookies (we placed cookies in a small Ziploc bag and chopped in small pieces using a measuring cup)Add your chopped cookies and food coloring, lightly stir until blended.

Spoon into Pie Crust.

Chill for 3 hours or overnight.

Big Boy Bike

What good is it to have a bike and no where to ride....we picked up Blaine's bike that we were keeping at Sharon's and brought it out to Carl's (where we have the horses turned out). This gave Blaine a chance to ride all day! He was so excited when Dad took off his training wheels and proud to have a big boy bike!

Goodbye Summer, Hello School Year!

Even though summer at the pool has been fun, we are ready for Fall and Football! Our house is about to be underway as we made final preps with the builder yesterday to get our Appraisal started and get to go from there. I think we'll be taping off where the house will be this weekend so I am really really excited for this YEAR at Bushland! We had a great morning and just a quick little 20 min drive to the school was really nice. It gave us a chance to visit and prepare for our day. Bushland held a Pep Rally this morning for grades 1 - 8th in the Middle School Football Field. The Mascot "BLACKHAWK" was so funny and danced to Miley Cyrus with the Cheerleaders....Get your hands up and bobbing your head like ya....whatever...we all were singing along!

Big Boy started Pre-K at Bushland Elementary today. He loves his teacher and already made a few friends that will also join him in his after school care with Jennifer Albracht. We are so fortunate to have had the referrals and already have met some wonderful friends!

Here's Brooke and her new teacher, Mrs. Brown. We love love love her and were so excited that one of her friends, Claire McCown, was also in the same class this year! The girls ran Track together this summer and became good friends. They will start Volleyball next Monday and Brooke is ready to start! Go BUSHLAND!

TEXAS

Growing up, I remember camping out at Palo Duro Canyon with Nanny and Cousins and go see the Play Texas! We took the kids last night with Courtney and her boys along with Grammy. We had a good time. The show is a lot different then I remember it but all in all, it's still a beautiful place and great dancing!

I know my kids will be glad to get back in a normal house, it's amazing how not having a yard to play in or place to ride bikes is missed! Blaine has all this extra energy and it's ready to be released in WIDE OPEN SPACES.... He bounced around like crazy but he pretty much sat through the whole show until he finally fell asleep in my arms around 10:30. By the time we dropped Sharon off and headed home, it was midnight before getting in to bed! I think the camping out and seeing the show as a kid - I was just glad to stay up late! Now, I can't get in bed early enough....funny how things change!

Twenty - Four

Life with Blaine is never dull... After telling him the story of the Three Bears and Goldilocks, he wondered why Dora didn't arrive on the rainbow with Boots? Guess he must have remembered an old episode of Dora he saw years ago but he told me he liked my version better. After "story time" (getting back in the grove and reading a story to him every night) we took Miley to the Dog Park!

He kept showing me how he pulls on her leash to "stop her" and telling me that I was not doing it correctly. I asked him how old he was to be bossing me around? After he told me he was "Four" I let him know that was too little in the britches to be bossy. He said well, how old are you, TWENTY-FOUR? I smiled and had to kiss him.....

New Ride

Today I meet my new truck and it's been one heck of a ride already. I wanted to go back with a Toyota Tundra but the nice White Sporty truck with the Lonestar Edition sold 3 days after I found it. Jeff and I went last weekend and met them again only to find out the Red Truck I wanted, was already sold! So, I decided to take up Kameron's advice and visit with a friend of his at XIT Dodge. He was able to find the exact truck I described with a few additions Jeff added for me (Tow package, Tires, etc).... it was sitting in Lubbock at another dealership. So, David (with XIT and I have yet to meet - gives me crap every time we talk) traded another truck for me and it should arrive around 3:30 today. It's the new Rugged Brown Pearl with Tan interior. A little sparkly like me...I am so excited that I can now pull the horse trailer w/o having to borrow Jeff's monster of a truck.

By the way, Insurance didn't total my Tundra. Thanks to Kameron I was able to sale it as is and take the insurance money after paying it off and get in a 2010 for 1/2 the cost. Thanks Kameron! I'll post pics on FB later!

Summer Lov'N

It has been a hot then wet then hot then wet summer but we've loved every minute of it! We've had a few lake trips as the kids always love to camp with Daddy in his "home away from home" travel trailer. I met up with my dear and sweet friend, Shara, that lives in Grandbury and love how our friendship continues as if we've never been apart...there will never be another one like her in this world!

Spent some time with Josh & Lorie around the 4th with some fun times and just love my little nieces!

We are finished with our house plans and getting ready to break ground...be on the look out for "Under Construction" posts once it gets started! I am going to love it when our barn is finished in a few months and talk is, we may just hide out there until our house is finished beginning of next year!

Brooke is officially off to Tahlequah, OK to stay at War Eagle Camp for a white water adventure trip!

Here's some fun pictures to share!

Any "Lambert" is a "Friend" of mine....

Texas native, Miranda Lambert, is coming to Amarillo tonight and we've had our tickets in hand for several months now! We are so excited to be taking Brooke to her very first concert...."Lambert" Style....decked out in our dresses. cowgirl boots and BLING BLING!

Miranda had her first #1 hit when Brooke was just three years old and was the first song she sang along w/ on the radio!

New Crockpot Recipe

I'm posting a new Crockpot Recipe we tried over the weekend. Our good friends, Chris & Misty put in hard wood floors at their house so I took over dinner while Jeff and Chris went to work. Misty painted her front door black, looks awesome... and the kids jumped on the trampoline for hours!

I also hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Weekend. Jeff and I were both off on Friday and he was busy helping a friend move and his mom put up a new Basketball goal! It was a hit with the kids...we played "horse" about 3 times! Grammy has game too and Brooke loved every minute of it!

With a fun and busy weekend, this recipe was easy & delicious!
Crockpot Mexican Chicken Tacos
1 can Mexi Corn, drained
1 can regular Corn, drained
1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
Jar of your favorite Salsa (I used Picante Thick & Chunky)
4 to 5 Frozen Chicken Breast
Cream Cheese
Rosa's Fresh Flour Tortillas

Take Frozen Chicken Breast from freezer to Crockpot (do not thaw)
Add canned (drained) ingredients and stir. Cover with lid and cook on High for 4 to 5hours until chicken is cooked. Add Cream Cheese and cook for another 10 minutes until melted. The chicken will be very tender so you can take a fork and shred it while stirring the cream cheese.

Serve with tortillas, cheese, guacamole and fresh Cilantro.

Jeff was very proud of Blaine's Roping and Goat Ribbon Race. He came in first in this event!

Goat Ribbon Event from Jana Henry on Vimeo.

Jr Range Riders Rodeo

We are excited to participate in this year's Jr Range Riders Rodeo, our first! They have Poles, Barrells, Break-away roping and Goat Tying. We will attempt the goat tying but we have not practiced in over a year. This is the one event Brooke will "allow" Henry to participate:
1) he's lazy and she wants to go fast....fast...fast... - and -
2) Brooke can jump off him and he'll stand there until she's done and can climb back on

The rodoe is on Sunday at 2:00. Buckles go to the highest points in each age group and then prizes for 1-3. Blaine will be participating too...I will run him around each event on Henry. He is very excited!

Have a great week!

Bushland Bound

We discovered higher than expected cost with our 20 acres in Canyon. Just to bring electricity down the road 1/4 mile was over the top ($7 grand). So we opted out of that!

We just put a contract on 10 acres in Bushland off Quail Springs in Outpost Ranches. We are excited to be one of 4 homes on this street that are 10 acres each and our neighbor to the south has a barn and horses too. We are close to the end of the cul-de-sac, which will be great for kids riding their bikes...not that I expect much of that from Brooke.

Diamond, Henry & Paizley "Blaze" will be excited to see some land and get away from "stall" life at Range Riders. It's been a blessing to have that as an option this winter but they are spoiled rotten and feeling way too FRISKY! We almost had a "HENRY" Rodeo when he decided to dang near jump the fence because he thought I was leaving him in the round pen! Spoiled I tell you, Henry is just a pet and if you ever want to get rid of apples, come on out and watch him eat one in a single bite!

What a week!

It's been a crazy busy week already but really happy to report that Jeff is coming home for a Safety Meeting on Friday and will be off all weekend. They ended up working last Saturday so they'll have this weekend off and work all next weekend. I'll be glad when weekends are over! Brooke has lots of Rodeo opportunities coming up so we'll get ready to practice! This Friday is Open Arena at Range Riders if anyone wants to come out and watch!




Here's a picture of the land we're hoping to get! It's 4 miles South of Canyon by the New High School off the Old Buffalo Lake Road (FM 283). It's paved and the other road that leads to the Junior High is also paved road so we really like the area. The land is 1/4 mile off FM 283 and on a caliche road (like sand/rock based) and just glad it's not MUD!

A few Mesquite Trees...and already fenced!

This weekend will be focused on the house plans and land and playtime next weekend! Lots of fun birthdays next weekend! My beautiful nephew Cash will be turning 2 and the little Campbell "McAdorable" is turning ONE!

"Love is in the Air. My Heart, My Story" Contest by Amarillo National Bank!

It’s so great of ANB to do this and be the HEART of Amarillo! Check out their Valentine's Contest at www.anb.com.

What a great family that's held ANB together all these 100 so years. They put a HUGE HEART in the center of downtown last year and took family pictures for people last Valentine's Day. This year, they are having a contest...so creative! Doubt I make it but it got me thinking...what's my Love Story… I guess you can say it was more of a Love Connection!

My mother divorced after 10 or so years of marriage to Jim (2 of those years they were separated) we moved to Amarillo my senior year. My cousin, Jeremy, introduced me to Jeff one night! I never had a steady boyfriend before and was so timid at first…we became friends that fell in love and after 4 years of dating, we became one! My Nanny would always joke w/ me because if we were ever in a room together we had to be touching….hands, feet or I’d be sitting in his lap…..it was just comfortable being around him.

What I loved most about our connection is we were both ready to be in love and it was forever with us. We both grew up without our Dads (his dad passed away from Cancer when he was 3) and we were both raised by our Mom’s …it’s because of our Mom’s…that we are both in love today. The pastor that married us was the same man that married his Mom & Dad…35 years ago. His name was Strauss and later married his brother. That’s a connection that is deep inside us.

Love to us is about family, working hard, laughing and having fun and it’s forever!
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! What's your love story?

There's a new "donut" in town!

Well, nothing says "GOOD MORNING" like a Donut and good cup of caffeine! Before the new year, we started going to this new Donut and Bakery. They are not your "typical" donut either....lots of variety so if you like your "DONUT STOP" daily donut....don't come here....you won't be able to handle it! Ha!

Jeff's favorite is the Jalapeno Kolache w/ cheese wrapped in a homemade Croissant....yeah...this can be w/ or w/o Jalapeno too!

Brooke and I love the Glazed Potato Cake donut....so moist you won't believe your taste buds. We think of this as our "healthy" donut..if there is such a thing! My 2nd choice would have to be the sourdough blueberry donut..I can't even eat a Donut Stop Blueberry donut now....

Blaine's favorite is the strawberry glazed donuts...ooh la la.

Valentine Special - Strawberry Cake, Heart Cupcakes or my choice....Heart Shaped Strawberry Glazed Donuts!