Late Christmas Update

Happy Holidays from The Russell's! :)

Time is flying by, Jared only has a few days left before he has to go back to the Base. But we are having a great time and eating lots of his favorite foods! Tonight will be grilled (it's homegrown) T-Bones and Ribeyes with baked 'taters since the weather is decent! :) Last night was Lasagna, spaghetti was one night.....the days have been running together!

Kyle is at the school today, he and others on the Speech Team are cramming last-minute learning their speeches. (Procrastination is their middle names.....HA)

The "boys" went target practising yesterday while I was at work. They are passing lots of time playing Black Ops (some XBox Military game....I just watch!)

We had an excellent Christmas at Pat's sisters' house. Good to see lots of the family since I (and Jared) missed the Thanksgiving get-together!

The weather is supposed to be nice (40's/daytime) for the next few days. Might get snow on Friday, but the temps will go back to "normal"--highs in the upper 20's if we're lucky. Come on Spring!! ;-)

That's the "quick update/news" for now!

Mid-week Update

Jared trying to fix Kyle's coat collar. Kyle is being goofy, as usual!

Having one truck for 4 people to use.....interesting to say the least! So Pat and Jared finally got the clutch fixed on my truck. So now there's two trucks for 4 people to use! Woo hoo! I'd say the "kids" are using them much more than the adults....imagine that!

Kyle's last day of school was Wednesday also, and he had to work at Pizza Hut that evening. Jared went there to eat, with a bunch (herd?? ha) of girls. I was teasing him about it, and he says: "Mom, I've been with guys for 7 months, give me a break!"

Every time we go somewhere (even the grocery store) someone he knows sees and talks to him and I go on about my business, then have to go back thru the store to find him when I'm done and ready to check out! Even the checkout lanes can get chatty, I think he knows more people than I do! (I'm a "get what I need and leave" type of person.....) :)

Kyle got his girlfriend a really nice present, told him she must be special! ;-)

Kyle is second from the left, and his girlfriend is on the far right, OK, well half of her! (The one with the long reddish hair!) :)

I was totally wowed, not once, but twice at work Wednesday. See, I'd made some sweet n' hot pepper relish one summer for a gal, and she brought me in a tray full of yummy homemade treats! SCORE! Then a Roberts Milk truck driver that stops a few times a week brought me a Trans Siberian Orchestra CD! I had forgot we'd even talked about "what we want for Christmas" last week! (In my defense, I see/talk to 300+ people in 6 hours each day......ah, maybe I'm just gettin' old!) I was honored and totally blown away by their acts of kindness....and felt special!

Quick Update

Jared made it home--Yipeeee!! Here is he and Kyle outside the school after Kyle's Christmas Concert Sunday. And at Runza afterwards.....I think Kyle was bored! (He was texting on his phone!)

I'll update more later in the week with more photos! :)

Happy Birthday Jared!!

Yay! The last time I have to wear the black beret n now I get 2 rock the maroon one :D
Maroon is my favorite new color! :D
The new one is shaved and formed, it just needs the patch put on it. And today he turns 19....time flies!!
Also from Jared: Yay! Actual bed and furniture! (First time in how many months?!)

He also got his orders--I woke up at 6:30 Friday morning to the phone ringing, Jared telling me they were all packed and waiting on the grass for "the buses" to arrive--my heart sank for him. Instead of early Christmas leave: Surprize! Sure, y'all are going on a bus trip--but on one nicely provided by the Army to Ft. Bragg!
So Friday they left Ft. Benning (Georgia) and arrived at Ft. Bragg (North Carolina).
He left his crutches behind because he didn't have room for them. Earlier in the week he had tests done and it showed fractures in both legs and knees. He admitted the crutches weren't helping, just hurting his armpits! I told him he needs some real (raw) milk to help heal his bones....so he is wanting me to help him find some nearby. :) (He can drink a gallon a day, he loves the stuff!)
So now we wait until they all have their paperwork done to see when he gets to come home. Can't be soon enough for this Mama! ;-)

Kyle finished up his community service needed for a school-to-career class this weekend, and also worked. He and a friend squeezed in studying for Spanish in there somewhere....I think in between video games!! HA
He almost hit a deer last week, and is looking forward to Christmas break. It'll be interesting to see him and Jared together--Kyle's used to having his TV, etc to himself! HA

Patrick has been running around taking care of stuff, and cleaning (my hero!). He has helped the neighbors unthaw their pipes and do odds and ends for them as well.
Me? I've been battling the bitter cold and working extra, filling in as needed. I haven't had time to even think about shopping or getting anything Christmas-y ready! (Don't even ask about shopping or cards.....!!) HA

November and December Days

A coal train rumbles by on this frosty Sunday morning while the girls eat their hay breakfast.

(Sometimes the dates at the top correspond with the day[s] I start working on my blog. I tend to forget that this probably says Saturday, yet I posted it on Sunday. I started working on my Thanksgiving week one early in the week, but finished and posted it it late in the week. That's why the dates don't always correspond with what I write!) FYI :)

Another week has gone by already! I have been working more, so the time is flying it seems!
Cold, then a bit warmer, and then cold and the wind came along (again). That's what gets me--the wind! Argh! (I know, I know, winter is just getting started......HA)

It seems Kyle has been running late every morning this week. (OK, worse than normal!) ;-) Between school, his activities, and work, I think he's doing too much.....but what do I know--I'm just a mom! HA

I have to revise what I'd previously wrote......instead of Alaska, it looks like Jared will be headed to Ft. Bragg in North Carolina. He doesn't have his "official" paper(s) yet......time will tell when they make up their mind! (They check online for orders, and online orders keep changing.)

Patrick is coming down with "the crud". I had to stop and get him some more Gypsy Cold Care tea, and some juice after work Saturday....I'm not sure how the peanut clusters ended up in my basket.....HA. But they were good! :) :) :)

I get 3-4 eggs a day on average. Here I thought my Buff Orphington hen was laying the BIG dark brown egg, but I guess not. I'm still getting one, even tho she is gone. Not sure which hen is laying it! I did notice the eggs seem to be getting larger. I'd say they are extra large....amazing and awesome!!

Dolly was in heat Friday/Saturday. Saturday morning I watched her and Anna butting heats and being squirrely from the (nice warm) :) kitchen for awhile. Needless to say, I watched my back when doing chores. I don't need a 900+ pound cow mounting me.....yikes!

Normally Dolly isn't like that, but she did try once last year. I've been wary ever since then when she's in heat. Better safe than sorry! Amazing what hormones can do to an otherwise normally tame cow!

Oh, and a 450+ pound freaked out 8-month old heifer isn't going to care if you're in the way and they are scared. I moved a piece of tin from the (future) stanchion area when Anna was eating--big mistake. (I admit I'm far too complacent--I'm used to bomb-proof Dolly!)

Anna did make sure she didn't plow me over, but maybe that's just because I still had the "scary-monster-piece-of-tin", too. HA I don't think she appreciated me laughing at her, either......Dolly didn't bat an eye the whole time, she just kept eating her chow.

Knowing Dolly she was thinking: "Good, now I can eat HER food, too!!" Of course, she tried.....that cow has a one-track mind.....and no, I'm not sharing my peanut clusters with her!! ;-)