clue?

Do you have a clue?

Pop & Belle stumped us with this gift...
we were ALL thinkin' pony

look at Dan finkin' hard..real hard...

BUT

they're for the reindeer

I mean, the goats:)

If you pull.... and tug.... and pull..... your goat far away from barn,

jump in the sled,

and let'er rip

where do those goats want to go?

Back to the barn........weeeee!

slacker

I've been slacking from my blogging responsiblities.

I have pictures...gobs of pictures I could post.

I first need to get them off my camera.

The first week of winter vacation we were scurrying around the house with the placing of the last festive decorations, baking goodies and preparing to host the big celebration.

This week....it's all about PLAY!

Monday, I picked up my precious niece.

Today was spent sledding, building tents, playing Nintendo ds, sledding some more, drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows, and making quesadillas.

Tomorrow we're hoping for more snow and plan to catch the new Alvin movie.

Maybe, just maybe, I'll get to the photos of our Davis Herd Christmas.

(that's even how we signed our gift tags)

You really do need to see pictures of the boys and their latest farm boy gadgets....

goat harnesses.

Yep,

tune back in to see Dexter & Dawson along with Bonnie & Hornie in action.

hip-hip hooray!

Woo-hoo!

YeAh!

Hip-Hip Hooray!

YaY!

Snow! Snow!

We got snow:)

smarty pants

I asked Dawson if he could count to 100?

He replied, Sure I can.

1, 2, skip a few, 99, 100.

Smarty pants!

What do you think....coal in his stocking?

Break

I had to take a break from my NOT so favorite job, cleaning!

I like clean things but don't like to clean.

Do you understand my daily battle?

Anyhoo...

I realized as I scrubbed away on my lil' home I had to break to tell you of the greatest gift I have ever gifted myself.

Yep, you read right. A gift for ME:)

Do you have any idea what it might be?

Come on...think hard!

I bought it a couple months ago.

Yep, you read right, again.

It's been that long, and I know you're going to put 2 & 2 together,

so I hate to admit that:(

Anyhoo...

the greatest gift is......

My new, easily removable toilet seat!

Yep, a toilet seat! hahaha!

With three (whoops 4) boys it is a must! You just give a small twist to the left to each little attachment piece, a little upward pull to the seat and wa-lah!

Now you have access to every part of that porcelain bowl that needs wiped down....

such a GrOsS job.

It would have been selfish of me not to share.

I do; however, apologize for blogging about toilet seats.

**Any mother of boys will understand, guaranteed!

SNOW!

SNOW! SNOW! WE WANT SNOW!!!

Today marks the first official day of the boys 2 week winter break. Crazy as it may seem we all want more SNOW!
SNOW! SNOW! WE WANT SNOW!!!

Yesterday, we were pleasantly surprised to see the snow flakes falling when we left church. It was beautiful:) However, we only received an inch, maybe 2?

SNOW! SNOW! WE WANT SNOW!!!

So, as we eagerly count down the days to the biggest birthday bash of the year *Jesus is the gift! we are also equally eagerly awaiting the predicted BIG snow storm.

SNOW! SNOW! WE WANT SNOW!!!

Rudolph

Dawson came home from school, Friday, looking like Rudolph. He doesn't really appreciate the new nickname but his red nose seems to remind everyone of Santa's most popular reindeer.

Picture doesn't show quite how pretty his nose really is. The story is that during recess Dawson was making his first attempt at jumping out of a swing. And......the extra forward momentum sent him straight onto his face.

Boys Boys Boys

Frosty Davis

The frigid temperatures don't seem to bother the boys.

Sunday afternoon they played outside until past dark. Every member of the Davis Herd was molded.

Meet the frosty Davis'....

With the recent spell of cold nights I do believe they may be permanent yard ornaments this winter.

Stay warm!

GOOD MORNING with an "I N G"

My kindergartner, Dawson, is absorbing all the new information his teacher is teaching him. The first part of the year they worked super hard on phonics and what sound each letter makes. Recently they've been studying blends like: th, ch sh...you get it:) Well, I awoke this morning to little bear in my bed. As I lay there a few extra minutes watching little bear sleep and saying my morning prayers, Dawson opened his eyes and in his brightest cheeriest morning voice said....

Good Morning, Mom! Ah! I hear an "ing" I N G mornING.

It was priceless...his expanding knowledge, his excitement with learning new things, his puppy blanket in hand, his rockstar bed head, and his cheerful morning voice!

So Good Morning ALL with an extra "ing"!

Anniversary

Dan and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary with friends in Hermann, MO. Honestly, the trip was somewhat of a fluke but we truly did enjoy ourselves. We visited 3 wineries and 1 microbrewery and loved the people, the stories, the views, the historic architect and our lil' cottage at the Hermann Hill Villages. Wine or no wine Hermann, MO is a place worth visiting. The Stone Hill Winery restaurant was highly recommended..we chose to eat there on our first night. All 4 of us non wine connoisseurs were sold on the trip when we realized we were dining in a huge old stable. It was simply amazing! I'm sure it was something in its day, too. Maybe even the highlight of my trip:) For those of you, like me, that want to throw on a bonnet and live back in the day(or think they wanna) this barn IS something to see! I should mention the food was also superb! So...wine drinker or not Hermann, MO is a treasure in the Midwest... a phenomenal little getaway close to home with history, small town charm, & quietness.

And Oh so relaxing....

Christmas list

Jaxson quickly wrote down his Christmas wish list this morning before school.

I love this...

"a mot can troll 4weller"

We're back...

We're back...and we ALL loved it!

I wanted to give a little insight to all who are wondering and then I'll try to blog about some of our happenings in my next entry, along with posting a few pics.

Although we didn't come home with new saddles, rope cans, titles or pay checks we came home thankful for the experience and a drive to practice, practice, practice. The boys competed against boys and girls large and small, 6-12 years old, riding ponies, horse-ponies and horses. The talent was extreme and the atmosphere was energizing. Dexter caught 2 calves our of 3 in the tie-down calf roping and 2 calves out of 3 in the breakaway. Jaxson caught 1 calf in the breakaway.

We couldn't have been more proud!

Be thankful everyday!

First,
I made it official and dropped my online classes....such disappointment I feel:(

Second,
The trailer is loaded and the Davis Herd is ready to head south for the next few days. The boys are competing in the Rising Stars Roping in Duncan, OK. We're all so excited to see old faces, make new friends and to share the overall experience.

Third,
I have my "black Friday" list ready and I'm prepared to sneak out of the Elite early early Friday a.m. before a creature is stirring.....YES, I'm after something specific! Problem being the roar of the cold diesel is bound to arouse a few from their slumberous state.

Fourth
Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. ~Edward Sandford Martin

Enjoy the holiday but try to be thankful everyday!

Contemplating

This week I've been contemplating the big question....should I get a job outside the home now that the boys are in school? Actually, I'm ahead of that thought...I went as far as to register for a couple of online classes...but Guess What!

This ole' PC I'm sitting at is an antique and doesn't have the mandatory software!

Soooo my dilemma tonight....

Should I attempt to update my antique PC with the newest software,

buy a new PC or drop out of school before I really get started:(

I'll keep you posted but I just HATE the words "drop out"...they spell failure!

hmmmm.....contemplating......

My easy going hubby says "whatever you want to do , J".

Dexter says, " why don't you just keep the job you got"?

Heck, could it be my sign that I am right where I'm suppose to be?

hmmmm.......contemplating.......

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Dawson and I whipped these delicious muffins up the other night to satisfy my chocolate craving. I stumbled upon this recipe last fall and loved them. They're definitely a family favorite!

Extra sweet when little hands help with the concoction!

Isn't he gonna steal hearts...What gal doesn't want a boy who can bake:)

Beat 4 eggs and add 2 c white sugar, 15 oz. can pumpkin, 1 c. oil and 1/2 c. water.Blend 3 c. flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp salt and slowly beat into ingredients above. Stir in 2 c. mini choc. chips and bake 18 min at 350*.

harvest

It's over! Yep, another fall harvest completed. As of Tuesday the Davis' were power washing the combine to park it back in storage until next year. I thought I'd plug in a few photos of the field work from last weekend. Wasn't it beautiful :)

Dawson switching rigs.

Ole' Mom climbed to the top of the grain bin to shoot this picture of the unload....it's a long ways up there!

CHOCOLATE

MAN, did I fall off today!

And now, the guilt is starting to set in....

Why?

Because I NEED CHOCOLATE!
I HAVE GOT TO HAVE CHOCOLATE!

I CAN'T EAT ENOUGH CHOCOLATE!
Maybe, just maybe, I'm deficient in something....like CHOCOLATE?

I said maybe...I know, a CHOCOLATE deficiency probably isn't possible.

BUT, are you sure? lol.
I've eaten umpteen tootsie rolls, milk duds, a Tootsie pop, anything & everything CHOCOLATE!
I'm trying to refrain from digging into the CHOCOLATE CHIPS.

The way I'm feeling a handful would NOT be enough! I'm feeling the urge to just dump those semi-sweet CHOCOLATE chips straight into my mouth, right from the bag!

Oh, I can taste them!

NOT good!

NOT good!

OH.. that's NOT good!

BEAUTIFUL

Today is beautiful.

I can tell.

Do you know how?

The sun is shining bright, and it was easy to jump out of bed.

Plus, the boys woke with smiles on their faces.

Amazingly too, they were pleasant to one another-NO GRIZZLIES!

Dan's finally enjoying the harvest.

The rain has stopped.

He sees progress, the crops are nearly out.

I plan to make time for funthings today.

Why?

Because today those are my priorities, is that wrong?

I'm looking forward to a weekend with friends

Celebrating

Love, laughter & living

Today is beautiful!

Enjoy!

crud update II

Had I known I would have more to report on the crud I would of held off on my earlier post today.

Anyhoo, after checking in with Dexter's pediatrician via the phone she decided it probably best to evaluate Dexter again concerning his cough and crackles.

After hearing crackles and blah blah blah (medical terminology for noises in his lungs) with her stethoscope she referred us to xray, just to see if "anything" was starting up and...

guess what?

It was..

pneumonia was present on the xray in the lower lobe of his left lung. So, if you wouldn't mind continuing to pray for Dexter it would be much appreciated. I do believe this will clear up with the antibiotics prescribed and the continued nebulizer treatments.

I feel as if Dexter and I are getting to be quite a good team for knowing when things just don't feel-sound right.

crud update

I think we're on the up! Dexter is still resting at home but growing vocally louder by the minute. He's still got a touch of a wet cough that we're treating with the nebulizer machine, but no fever! Hallaleuha!

Dawson went back to school yesterday. When he's home he finds great entertainment in pestering his brothers >:]

Pestering=Normal

This morning ; however, Jaxson had a melt-down while waiting for the bus. As tears streamed down his cheeks he claimed he just didn't feel good.

I'm not convinced that he is really sick but I am sure he's been exposed!

Time will tell...

Thanks to all for your faithful prayers!

Stay Healthy!

crud

CrUd...as in the boys have been confirmed to have the H1N1 crud. It's been a mind boggling last couple of weeks with Dawson and Dexter beginning their sickness Oct. 22-23.

Yes, one of the days was the scheduled day for school pictures :(

Then, this week, 5 days after our first go around with sick bugs I noticed Dexter starting to look frightful..peaked with dark circles under his eyes. So after battling fevers for another couple of days I decided it was in Dexter's best interest to pay a visit to his pediatrician. Was it lingering germs or a new bug? I feared he was in the beginning stages of pneumonia, which he seems to be quite susceptible too. THANK GOD! Dexter's lungs were clear-not even a wheeze:) But the high fever and other symptoms led the Dr. to do a rapid influenza A test. The accuracy of the test wasn't promising...it takes 15 min. to run & only catches 40% of the positives. Well, after 6 min. Dexter's test was leaning toward a big fat +! He was prescribed Tamiflu in hopes of limiting the duration and complications from the virus. Dawson wasn't swabbed for the bug but it should be assumed he's got the same infestation! I hate to speak too soon but at this time Jaxson seems to be able to roll in the germs and have an indestructible body armour-immune system.

Only time will tell....Stay Healthy!

Prayers greatly appreciated

good behavior

A week or so ago the Davis Herd boys made their way to Memphis, MO to eat at Keiths Cafe with Pop & Belle. On their return home the boys raced to be the first one through the door and into the house. They had BIG news!

Some lady had approached their table as she was making her way out of the restaurant and passed out $1.00 bills to each of them, for their good behavior. A huh! It was a memorable moment, I doubt they will ever forget. Grandma Belle even had her camera!

?Should I mention that had the lady been in the vehicle on the return travel home she may have wanted her dollars back...and then some?

That is what Mt. Dew and a little cloud nine mood will do to a fella.

Trick-or-Treat

Yesterday was like Christmas at the Davis'. I lost count of how many times I heard...

Mom, Can I get into my costume? Is it about time?

Reminded me of... Mom, Can we open presents today?

Finally....it WAS time and the boys were ready to fill their candy bags.(ugh!)

Can you guess who is who?

I tried to get them ALL to be chipmunks BUT the older boys were having NONE of that!
PaRtY PoOpErS!

Even Dewey got to partake of the festivities...Dan thought that was a lil' ridiculous :P

Arg! Pirate Dewey.

jack-o-laterns

Beings the boys had a day off from school we decided to get busy and carve jack-o-lanterns for the Halloween holiday. We nearly missed the big event...

As the boys slowy awoke this morning, I had them each go choose their favorite pumpkin from the fall decorations scattered outside around the house. It took a few attempts to find just the right one.

Have you ever scrapped the insides of a cold pumkin? It's hard on the fingers! I knew they needed to set inside for a bit and warm up. After lunch we got to work.

Below is a picture of the boys in action. This was the first year that I didn't have to assist too much. Well, except for the cleanup:) Why does that job ALWAYS get left for Mom?

Mom=clean up?

Oh well...

Happy Halloween!

horse towel

When Dexter was born, I spent entirely too much money on a hooded horse towel that I thought he HAD to have! Since, I've come up with my own pattern using a variety of plush towels in an array of colors from a common department store. I've enjoyed giving them as gifts and making them for others to give as gifts.

Soooo I was thinking?

"Chocolate" didn't photo shoot to well...

Do you know a little horse lover?

In need of a new bath towel?

Perhaps to be given as a Christmas gift?

Let me know.....I'd be glad to make one for you.

My boys have loved, loved, loved them!

lovin it

I'm lovin' it!

the sunny skies

the cool breeze

the temperature today

and the fall colors!

I'm lovin' it!

the men in the field

dexter a BIG part of the team

jaxsons responsibility for nightly chores

and dawson's free spirit to just be.

I'm lovin it!

crockpot suppers

pumpkin cobbler dessert

listening to dawson as he learns to read

and bedtime routine.

I'm lovin' it!

harvest

Do you know what time of year it is?

OR shall I say..what time of year it's suppose to be?

...rain, rain go away...

Harvest!

Dexter craves this time of year.
It's the only time of year he wakes up early in fear of being left behind.

I'm not real sure if it's the good lunches, driving the tractor, loading on the go, jammin' to his tunes of choice, talking on the c.b., occasionally missing school or part of the 3rd generational farming thing but he loves it!

I was pretty impressed with his lego creation the other night.

His attention to detail amazes me!

Moving corn head, spout and all.

I guess if he can't get into the field he's found a way to bring the field to him:)

moon: 2

Monday Davis Co. schools had no school.

I decided to take the boys on another adventure to the science center.

They love it there..and so do I:)

As I was reading about NASA's recent moon exploration..and why they wanted to bomb the moon...looking for water...I was stunned at the amount of water they were hoping to find!

2 Liters!

Only enough to fill a big ole' pop bottle!

G.I. JAXSON

I was startled tonight, as I was putting together some rolls to serve for breakfast in the morning, when I thought I saw something in the t.v. room out of the corner of my eye.

A quick glance to the right...nothing.

I resumed my duties of adding ingredients and felt that sense of being watched...

Another quick glance to the right...nothing.

As I poured the liquid syrup over the frozen rolls....

Quick! A look to the right!

AH HA!

Jaxson was flat backed against the wall with only his head twisted around the corner of the doorway.

SuPrIsE!

I knew exactly what he was up to...

"Can I get a quick drink, Mom?"

"Sure," I replied as I attempted to disguise the smile creeping across my face.

G.I. Jaxson was on a mission to capture his glass of water off of the kitchen table, that has been forbidden to go to his bedroom after numerous spills.

Kids....Gotta love 'em!

moon

Bomb the moon?

You've GOT to be kidding me!

At the supper table last night.......

"What will that do?"

"Could we live the rest of our nights in blackout?"

"Will it do some wacky thing to the way the EARTH spins on her axis?"

"Maybe it will change our weather?"

Students will have to relearn their Earth science facts:

"As of 2009, the extremely educated decided to bomb the moon thus destroying the Earth's one and only moon".

"I hope they've thought about this..."says Dan.

Bahahahahaha....that sent the whole table into laughter!

humbled

While away from home this past weekend, at yet another of Dan's rodeo finals, Dawson confirmed to us on Friday night that he had been passed a dose of sick germs.

BUMMER!

Sooooo, Saturday morning we stuffed 4 garbage sacs full of soiled laundry, hit Walmart for our laundering necessities, and asked a nice lady where the nearest laundry mat was located?

My thinking....

laundry mats are like pay phones...nearly obsolete...Wrong!

We spent 2 hours of our Saturday morning in 1 of the towns 3 laundry mats. Something I was dreading.

You know,

I walked in with a heavy foot thinking ugh! Sick kids in a camper, 4 hours from home, who's next?

Our things occupied 4 washing machines & 3 dryers. We washed all of our bedding, rolled around those portable laundry baskets, challenged our eyes with word searches while waiting, & watched the regulars.

It was a humbling experience I was glad to share with my boys.

It's amazing what GOD can teach us through our life experiences.

I left the laundry mat with a spring in my step, a smile on my face, fresh clean bedding and THANKFUL for having to spend a couple hours on a Saturday morning amongst strangers.

Who I'm sure will return this Saturday morning.....

One family specifically stood out. A mother and father with 3 daughters doing a weeks washing, I'm sure. The older girls, probably 8 and 11 years of age were responsible for all of the sorting and folding. The 3rd daughter was a young toddler running around in a soiled diaper, crying, whiny and wanting to go home. The mothers facial expression & body language spoke volumes to me.

wild and wacky

This week at Davis Co. Schools the students are celebrating homecoming.

Dexter's enjoying the new middle school activities.

Wednesday was"wild & wacky" day.

I do believe he nailed it on the head with his outfit.

What do you think?

tree monkeys

Are you enjoying the fall weather?

After church this past Sunday, and an outing to the deeply missed Diamond's pizza restaurant, the kiddos decided to enjoy the day exploring Mother nature.

They ventured through pastures on their ponies, went fishing, picked gourds, filled a cooler with acorns and climbed trees like tree monkeys.

I loved laying in the cool grass to shoot some photos.

Their smiling faces, the beautiful sun poking through the mystical trees, and peering up at the vask sky was refreshing!

The blonde tree monkey is my niece, Baylee. The city girl seems to really love the farm!

r e s p e c t

"...just a little bit"

Last night as I was cleaning up the supper table Dexter decided to pull up itunes and do a little jig to a new song he was introduced to in music class.

R E S P E C T.

Yep, the good ole' song by Aretha Franklin.

It was priceless!

My three, rough & tough cowboys shakin' their booty to a little R&B. And I mean shakin' it! You would have thought I had 3 girls the way those bums were moving.

I couldn't get to the camera fast enough! I did consider it but didn't want to miss the moment:)

gourds

Earlier this summer the boys stumbled upon a volunteer patch of gourds.

You know, from the old ones we pitched over the fence into the horse lot last year.

We actually have 4 little patches of volunteer gourds/pumpkins. We haven't quite figured out why the horses stay away from them? It's a mystery.

They not only didn't eat them for a snack but they didn't even trample through them?

FINALLY, the other evening, the boys got to pick their gourds.....

behind the chutes

This past weekend we were in Osceola for the IRCA finals. The little boys got to partake in the mutton bustin Friday night.

From the looks of the photos they feel 1o foot tall

and bullet proof!

That scares me.....for what might be to come...

eeeeks...lets hope NOT!

belly laugh

First I shall say that Jaxson is not equipped with lightening speed nor has he figured out the meaning of the word hurry. Last night he was the last man at the supper table as he literally ate his pizza crust in 100 bites. Yes, a nibble here and a nibble there.....

100 nibbles.

Then, at a turtles pace he made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

I sat patiently on the couch watching, waiting, watching.....he wanted tucked into bed when he was finished. Dan came came and joined me on the couch as WE then watched and waited for Jaxson to finish up. Knowing we were watching...he decided to humor us with a slam of the toothpaste drawer......with a thrust from his belly.

Yes, we belly laughed and he repeated the scene for us:)

KIDS.....Lets get to bed, Jaxson!

I know...unbelievable?

Jaxson was the only Davis whose teeth had been spared any

"boy damage".....UNTIL this weekend. A game of pool/poolside football took out nearly half of Jaxson's permanent front tooth.

I know..it's unbelievable! What would I blog about if my kids weren't knocking out teeth?

Yes, it could have been worse and we're very thankful it wasn't!

BUT.......SeRiOuSlY!
At this rate I'm starting to wonder if the Davis' boys will graduate high school with ANY real teeth?

Old News? More kids...

To some this will be old news....

I let the boys(this is including their Dad) head to the neighbors to purchase a couple more kids before they were hauled off to the sale barn. Our goat herd of 5 had dwindled to 4 and the boys were under the assumption they needed 1 or 2 more kids.

WELLLLLL

The boys returned with 15 wild, free range, not used to human, kids.

SUPRISE!!!! NOR were they accustomed to three cowboy crazed goat ropers.

Dawson suffered the consequences of the wild 15 when a kid literally tried to jump over him.

We all learned a goat can't quite jump a 6 year old.

The darn thing sent Dawson flying backwards and knocked out his 2 front teeth!

He pulled the bottom one!

...........another Davis' Herd adventure!

AND, I couldn't resist plugging in this picture from last fall.

Dawson's black eye from an 8 second goat ride.

WhAt to BlOg? wHaT tO bLoG?

Soooooooo I've taken a little time off from blogging.

My mind has been consumed with living and the unknown?

I've found great comfort in the serenity prayer:

God~

Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change

the Courage to change the things I can

and the Wisdom to know the difference

I'm also reading a book titled Slowing Down to the Speed of Life...common sense, really.

The present is the moment,

the past was a moment,

the future will be a new moment.

Today, stop and smell the roses....

LIVE!!!!

Write a note to someone special!

(My kids love finding a note from Mom-I tuck them in their lunch boxes..lay it on their pillow...)

Phone that person you've been meaning to.

Take an extra 5 minutes outside looking at the changes of Fall

Make supper special just because

Smile at everyone :)

boys and babysitter

I do believe we have the toughest babysitter in the world!

She never says NO to watching the boys:)

Sometimes I think she's CrAzy!

I can only assume they really do have alot of fun together:FiShY LiPs!

I do know that if my 3 rascals haven't been able to stay with Jackie for awhile, they start asking Dan & I......

"When are you guys going to go somewhere? Can we stay with Jackie?"

**WE LOVE YA JACKIE!**

official day

Okay, today is officially the day that ALL 3 boys go to school. Dawson has been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for his day.

We had it marked on the calender with a big circle...

it just didn't come soon enough in the week for him.

A BOY IS....

A BOY IS...

the Hope of the future

with a frog in its pocket.

by Alan Beck

"Leapin' lizards!" Mom agrees, "It's a BIG one, Jaxson! :-)"

4 minutes!

I do believe this middle school schedule is going to be good for Dexter.

Last night at the supper table Dan & I had to chuckle at his story of being late to study hall.

(his 2nd period/class)

He explains to us that he was informed he had 4 minutes between classes.

(locker, bathroom, water fountain...whatever... but 4 minutes)

Wellllll knowing Dex he meandered!

I can see the picture all to clearly: he's thinking WOW..i got 4 minutes! he let every kid go in front of him at the water fountain..waited patiently for all students around him to get in their locker....heck! he has 4 minutes! ;) Said "hi" to his brother that passed him in the hallway..half way to his classroom he had a thought.."I should of" so he went back to his locker..why not?..4 minutes! LOL:)

Dexter continues his story with..

"well when I got to class EVERYONE was already in there, yep! I was late-the last one! They all looked at me and the teacher said "have a seat"."

Dan & I laugh....he adds,

"it's a loooong ways down there"

We laugh harder!

As his mom I know his face was supporting the school color..so red nearly maroon when he walked in late :)

Thankfully; at this point, Dex is laughing with us....

Perhaps tomorrow he won't meander..and realize he only has 4 minutes!

Twas the night before....

A little rhyme fun.....

Twas the night before school was about to begin.
Alarm in the morning, this was causing no grins!

Supper was early, showers before dark.

Boys in their beds, to rise fresh as a lark.

Backpacks are ready, supplies in the bag.
New school clothes laid out, & new tennis shoes for tag.

What will the new year bring our way?

Great knowledge, new friends & sick germs some days.

Well, the big yellow bus has been hear and gone.
For the next 8 hours the chaos is non....

Happy Monday!!

Flying fists

Deep in the dark hours of the night Dawson still likes to climb into bed with mama & papa bear. Depending on how well I've been sleeping, & the time of night, my reaction to this can very. Sometimes he staggers back to his room sad or I'll let him fall asleep but pack him to his bed or he just stays snuggled in.

In that event my sleep is disrupted! Dawson sleeps with his feet pushed into mama-papa bears back, nearly lays on top of you or you're startled awake by the slap of a flying fist.

Last night; however, I smiled as I listened to Dawson's bedroom door open & heard the patter of his feet across the floor. He climbed up into bed right beside me, patting my leg.

I smiled at his touch because these moments, I realize, will soon come to end-QUICKLY.

For when school starts, and Dawson feels the exhaustion of everyday kindergarten, he'll be too sleepy to wake & nestle up to mama and papa bear-I'm sure of it!

So last night I cherished the closeness......and the flying fists:)

BIG checks!

Saturday night the boys won their first checks in the breakaway calf roping at the open rodeo in Farmington, IA.

You see, most of the time the kids are paid in cash for their win. So, to have a check made:

Pay to the Order of: Jaxson Davis 1st place Pay to the Order of: Dexter Davis 2nd place

was energizing!

It was thrilling, the boys loved it...I think they're hooked :)

Peachy

I love the taste of a juicy fresh peach. In fact, I love most things peach. So, when I saw the Dutchman had peaches on sale by the bushel, I new I had to have some.

Not 1 BUT 2 bushel=EeeeK!

My mind was swirling with all the goodies that could come from those wonderful peaches.

I'd start with canning peaches by the quart,

then perhaps can some peach pie filling and

finish with some chunky peach jam.

Not to dampen my peachy excitement but the knowledgeable neighbor lady(my mother-in-law) warned me...

"make sure they're good...you really need good peaches!"

Well....the peaches are good. They're just NOT PERFECT! To have beautiful canned peaches you need a firm, but not hard, ripe, but not mushy=PERFECT peach!

So...here I sit...still deep in peaches.

REMEMBERING that I chose this moment.

I reflect on how as the boys ate their supper I stood peeling peaches over the sink chanting

"I love peaches, we love peaches".

"Right? I love peaches? Let me think...hmmmm"

I now wait for yet another timer with the hope that I might have concocted & salvaged something edible from those must have not so perfect peaches.

We shall see?

Champion Dummy Ropers

Sunday we finished up the 2009 Wrangler Dummy Roping Series at the Clarke County Youth Rodeo in Osceola.Jaxson earned the Champion buckle in his age division.

Dawson earned the Reserve Champion title & buckle in his age group.

Of course, the season has been full of highs and lows.

We hope to teach the boys the enjoyment comes from doing something they love to do...regardless of winning or losing.

Sometimes hard to understand?

Whole Wheat Banana Chip Cookies

Sooooo....my blog is starting to contain a few recipes. My passion for eating keeps me in the kitchen :) I'll cook or bake with little preference. I just know I like to eat!! I'm sharing another new recipe..so far it has 3 thumbs up:)

1.5 c flour

1 c whole wheat flour(got mine at the Dutchman)

1c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2/3 c butter flavored shortening

2 eggs

1 c mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 c mini choc. chips

1/2 tsp salt

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Cut in shortening. Add eggs, banana, vanilla. Beat well. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 375* 12 minutes on a lightly greased pan.

I baked mine on parchment paper.

Jaxson's Birthday

August 7, 2009 has finally arrived and Jaxson is officially now 9 years old! He thinks it's so cool that he's a millennium baby...

"In 2009 I'm 9" he says.

The celebration started early with a birthday cake delivered by Aunt Pam last Friday...another cake on Sunday beings Grandpa Jack & Dexter would be MIA on the big day. I believe Grandma Belle & Jaxson have plans for one last cowboy cake to be shared at the Moravia Family Rodeo tomorrow.

I'm sure glad that the years don't come around as fast as the cakes do but .....Jaxson IS someone to CELEBRATE!

Pictures to be added later.......

camera battery is dead and scanner is fried:(

Dexter's World

First and foremost Dexter got to enter the breakaway calf roping at one of Dad's rodeos

last night in Burlington. He won the event with a 2.46 second run against about a dozen

ropers. It was super fun watching:) He won some pretty hefty cash for an 11 year old (which he spent today) and an extremely nice hay bag that crowns him the

2009 Burlington Breakaway Champion.

Second, Dexter obtained his locker combination for middle school this afternoon. It took a few

attempts for that darn thing to open but he eventually got it. He had to 2 hand it..right hand on the right hand turns...left hand for the left hand turn...haha I though that was funny.

FYI: boys DON"T decorate their lockers but the girls DO :S

Third, Dexter, Grandpa Jack & Uncle Ray are off on their annual CO trail riding trip.

Dexter's suitcase is packed along with his newly purchased digital camera.

THE HAYBAG and saddle are in the trailer. Beloved Popcan is ready to load up and

headem' west early tomorrow morning.

We know Dexter will have GREAT memories of his CO trip BUT .....

we're gonna miss him:(

August

It is officially now August 1 and summer as we know it is coming to an end. Dexter and Jaxson will be starting school in 23 days and Dawson will load up on the big yellow school bus with his brothers on August 26.....25 days until he begins his long awaited year of kindergarten.

I've NEVER seen a more excited child :)

Ridem' cowboy

We hit the trails yesterday with our annual trip to Shmick State Park. My family of 5, plus Pop, left in the a.m. with Grandma Belle bringing all the goodies a little later for our noon meal.

It was an exciting trip with a few Davis Adventures. I'm not so sure Dawson's pony, Tiger, isn't part mountain goat...he trudged through EVERYTHING! With no picture you won't quite grasp the true image but let me try....Dan was leading the "herd" and encountered a pretty steep, wet clay climb. His horse was sinking in terrible.....all you could hear was that suction sound of the horses legs pulling up from deep down in the wet clay. Dawson & Tiger were following hot on Dan's tail. I seriously thought the twosome were stuck when I saw Tiger sink to his belly & momentarily stall. When the rest of the "herd" made it around and to the top of the hill(Pop found a better route for the rest of us) we saw ole' Tiger had mud covering his nose, in his mouth, caked on his bit, in his stirrups and completely covering his underside.

The picture was priceless & the laughter was loud!

Go Tiger and Ridem' cowboy!

Zucchini Chip Snack Cake

Typical to this time of year, I'm always looking for recipes to use up my over abundance of zucchini. I made this cake yesterday and it tastes even better today(seriously, I ate an entire row!)

I thought I would share....the recipe, lol:)

1/2 c butter or margarine, softened

1-3/4 c sugar

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-1/2 c flour

2 T baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 c buttermilk

2 cups shredded peeled zucchini

2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in zucchini.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. bake at 350* for 45-50 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

FROG

Perhaps I'm the only one that doesn't know this?

A wise friend informed me of the meaning of the "FROG"S I have chosen as a background for the Davis Herd blog. I will honestly admit that I got rid of the flowers and chose the frogs because of their boyishness( I realize...not a real word) and because earlier this spring, specifically June, my backyard contained a cooler with multiple frogs :) F R O G; however, stands for Fully Rely On GOD! What an awesome reminder!

Now, every time I encounter one(or more) of those slimy, slick, leapin' frog creatures I'll be reminded to let go of the days stresses and Fully Rely On GOD!

10 things

10 Things I've learned the past week...

1. Hanging with the girls is good for the spirit

2. Laughter is an awesome ab workout

3. Cheap tents leak

4. MO roads exist in IA

5. ANYONE can ride a bicycle

6. Wearing Spandex for 7 days is NOT comfortable

7. An overloaded school bus can only go 45 mph(and that's on the down hill)

8. Port-a-potty business owners (ragbrai term: kybos) are getting creative. My favorite "Party Poopers" lol :)

9. I really do like riding my "lil' orange bike"

And........

10. 7 days is tooooo long to be gone from "my boys"

I'm off

Wish me luck! I'm off on my 4th ragbrai adventure tomorrow and looking forward to the challenge. I have some training miles....not the most I've ever had BUT as many as I'm going to get. Unfortunately; I travel with the 1000 mile club and they like to get in my head with all their, "how many miles do you have?" I've told them I'm throwing away my odometer :)

The week of ragbrai, for me, is a time to reconnect with the kid inside. It's time spent with silly girls, the big orange beast of a bus, my coleman sleeping bag, crisp fresh morning air, my little orange bicycle, curbside snacks, fun music, ice cold drinks, my natural beauty(NO makeup for a week! ) & overall "life is good" jolly people.

My home away from home...the SIC bus! (Southern Iowa Cyclists)

I'll be back in a week!

WARNING: my story might be different after 442 miles on a bike with 7 nights sleep in tent..lol)!

2.5 seconds...and NO picture!

Last Thursday we loaded up the trailer with 1 horse, 2 horse ponies, 2 ponies, 2 adults, 3 energetic boys & enough "stuff" to stay gone for a month. We were gone 4 days:) Dan competed in 2 rodeos and the boys finished out the weekend with 2 youth rodeos of their own. It was a fun 4 days....mud and all! Anyhoo, I'm proud to announce that Jaxson & Baldy recorded the fastest time of the Clarke County Youth Rodeo Sunday with a 2.5 seconds in the breakaway calf roping event! BoY, did that make for 2 proud cowboys(Jaxson & his Dad) and a handful of proud spectators (Mom, Pop, Belle & brothers)!

Shooooooot......No picture!

Up!

"UP!" The famous word you holler to the boat driver when trying to teach someone to water ski..usually comes after a few "down"s. BUT Dexter got up his first attempt...no lie! I sat bobbing in the water, in the middle of the cove, for a good 15 minutes as I watched Dexter ski away...He did awesome! I'm not sure how far he went but it was the length of the cove, a nice wide curve and until he ran into our own return boat waves. Way to go, Dex!

July 4th

We've had a busy 4th of July with many rodeos on the Davis schedule. Over the last 4 days we've been at hot rodeos, dry rodeos, wet rodeos & the coolest 4th of July rodeo I can remember! I must say this is the first time I remember wearing fleece in July AND wishing I had some gloves! CrAzY:) The rain did stop long enough for the boys to mount up and ride in the Ft. Bloomfield Rodeo Parade. Below are pictures of the boys headed out.

Dexter & Pocan

Jaxson & Baldy

Dawson & Tiger

As the fire works displayed overhead last night I was filled with a since of pride as I reflected on what it means to be an American! I'm SO lucky to be a USA gal!

back to 4? No 6!

June 24 is Dawson's birthday. I jokingly tried to convince him we could go backwards this year and he could be 4 again! Dawson was having NO part of that! "Mom, I've got to turn 6" he said.Note his 6 fingers!
For some reason it seems like I've reached a different stage with me growing sons. I guess, I have. Rather then think about time gone by I focus on the exciting new things that lie ahead...his excitement for kindergarten, moving up onto a bigger pony, casting his own fishing pole, swimming in deep water and a little more free time for Mom:)

We celebrated with a cake baked my me and decorated my Dawson, Pulaski ice cream delivered by Pop....a birthday wouldn't be the same without that!