1st Anniversary Photos

I love covered bridges. Our engagement photo was taken at the Hannah bridge. We decided to go back there for 1st Anniversary photos. This might just turn into a tradition. :) 

Thanks for taking these, Echo!

A bridal shower and baby shower

A couple weeks ago I planned and held a bridal shower for my sister, Erin, and a surprise baby shower for my sister-in-law, Sherra. Only had a few days to prepare so it was a bit crazy but a lot of fun. 

I had gotten some new cake pans from Michaels and used the petal shaped one for Erin's. And, a side note, that IH coffee mug was a funny gift from Erin and and her fiance, Bradley, since they know I like JD. At least coffee still tastes the same in it. haha. 

 I came across this "cookie in a jar" idea online ( Cowgirl Cookies) and there was even a link to print out those cute labels and baking directions.

  Candy molds for the baby shower cake. I'm so excited that a Bulk Barn opened up in Yorkton as they have a great cake decorating section with pans, coloured discs, molds, and many other cake related supplies.

Viva paper towels work completely amazing for smoothing out the butter cream. 

 Done! And thankfully it survived the 1 1/2 hour trip down to the seed farm where we had the party. :)

 The baby shower cake table. 

:)

Diaper cakes. Erin had fun putting them together.

My cute niece. Love the headband! :)

 Graham making his amazing stuffed mushrooms.

 Erin's cake and gift table

You can't go wrong with chocolate, right?!

Erin, Sherra, and Emily helped get this spread ready.

 I used a heart shaped cookie cutter for the butter.

We played a few games. 

 Sherra (baby shower) and Erin (bridal shower).

 Say "Awwwww" :) I'll have four nieces when Sherra has her baby!

 Opening gifts

And another cute niece. :)

 Erin

Sherra had lots of help opening her gifts. :)

Merry Christmas!

Hope you have all been enjoying a wonderful holiday season! I love Christmas - the joy of giving, celebrating Jesus' birth, the lights, the music/carols...and just the warmth of the season. My day didn't end up going quite as planned but it was still nice. I was heading up to church and stopped in to check my neighbour's coal boiler as we've been having water pressure issues with it. This time someone had left the water on so the pressure was too high. I ended up keeping an eye on it for the rest of the morning/early afternoon until the pressure stabilized in the range where we've been trying to keep it. Around 2:30 I was able to make it up to Verena's where I had been invited to have Christmas dinner with her and her family. It was an enjoyable afternoon/evening with delicious food and great fellowship. We were also able to give their new telescope a try. And to make the day even better I got a Bernie Brown travel coffee mug (yes, Verena knows me too well! ;) ) filled with chocolates. My friends are the best! :) I have so much to be thankful for!

How was your Christmas? Favourite moments and memories?

The Last Thing You Do - High Valley

This group has become one of my favourites. Love the country style and their songs actually have substance and good messages. They have an interesting background/history and are from Alberta! :) You can read more about them here: High Valley Music

Today's Inspiring Words. lol.

What every cat should know. haha!

Hunting Season

#26

I thought #26 deserved her own post seeing she was my favourite cow at the dairy. :) She had a unique personality that ranged from sweet to go-jump-in-a-lake to sweet to make-my-day to sweet to snotty to sweet again. We nicknamed her Garfield which fit her aptly.

Trying to photograph animals is a skill in itself. lol. Either they are walking away or have their nose on the camera lens. As you can see from the tag, she is from Outside whose progeny is known for good milk production.

First cow in the parlour. Cows settle into their own routines even in the parlour and you'd begin to notice certain cows coming in at certain times and/or places.

This number (in kg) was lower since it was the evening milking.

I couldn't get her to stand straight so had to settle for this one.

Her trademark tuft of hair and neckband with a curved end that always stuck up in the air.

I was probably trying to get her attention here and she was playing deaf.

Adios!

Dairy Pics

After our last bird cycle was shipped and barns were cleaned, I took a quick trip back home to Alberta. I hadn't been back since moving to Saskatchewan seven months earlier. It was fun to be back and visit with family again, especially my sister, Erin. :)

While back I worked three shifts ( a double and an afternoon) at the dairy with Erin. I loved being around the cows again since I had worked there for over a year before moving so it was all very familiar to me. The cows have so much more personality than chickens! New parlour equipment had been installed about a month before finishing there and it was almost disappointing to leave because the new system worked so much better and smoother than the old one. Nothing like losing air and having about 30 seconds to stop milk from draining from the jars into the milk line where it would then flood the two end jars and start spewing milk out everywhere. Hey, I gained a variety of experience there. :) Anyways, off that rabbit trail... According to Erin, I kept up with the milking in the parlour so obviously hadn't lost my milking touch. :)

The only downside was getting up just before 4 AM for the morning shift. I was reminded of how that time always came too early, regardless of the time you went to bed.

#92 Franz had just pulled her calf before we arrived. She is a Blitz cow which you can tell from her coat pattern.

High Group

#57 was a heifer that had just freshened before I left.

#48 I believe this cow could have made a nun swear when she freshened. No, don't worry, I didn't swear. lol! Ooohh, she could ruin a whole milking. Even as a second calver she is sensitive and can be miserable in the parlour.

This cow was also miserable when she first freshened. You wanted her to come in at the start so you could just get her milked and out of your sight and mind. haha. :P She has actually quieted down a lot and doesn't declare war when in the parlour anymore.

#20 A sweet heifer. Yes, cows can be sweet. If you don't agree, work around them for a while and you'll understand exactly what I mean. I remember this heifer when she was just a calf. It was fun to come back and see she had calved and was with the other big cows in the high group.

Low group

Milk Room

Parlour

Erin milking

Calf Barn

#40 Nicknamed Fuzz or Fuzzy Face. One of my favourite cows with a friendly personality. Erin and I were labeled responsible for turning several cows into pets. :) After getting milked she'd sometimes come back and stand at the end of the return alley and not let any cows get by.

#67 a.k.a The Freight Train which obviously describes her size.

Another Blitz. :)

#7 One of the cows with the most dairy characteristics.