In Like a Lion-Out Like a Freakin' Psycho Maniac!

So what is up with the snow!?!?! Maybe I should have paid more attention to the newscasts, but I was caught completely off guard! Summer is right around the corner, right?

I think we may all be over the "Dreaded Gombu"! It has spread like wildfire through our homes. At least we haven't had the stomach flu stuff! That would have been so much worse!!!

We are really looking forward to April around here. We would love to see some nice weather and we promise not to take it for granted!!!
-Bruce and I will be celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary on the 2nd. It is amazing that we have been married for so long and I look forward to many more years with him.
-We are excited to have kidding season finished. We only have 4-5 more does to freshen and when the babies are all on the buckets, life is grand!!!
-We will also be cutting our family of dogs in half. I am sad about that, but glad that there will be less for me to feel guilty about.
-We will also find out more about Seth's situation and will hopefully have a date for his surgery so we can plan our lives.
-I am going to turn into a slave driver! We are going to clean out every nook and cranny in our home and get ready for Kyler to come home.

We are so blessed to have our health to do all the things that we need to do, and our family and friends to share all the things that we want to do. Life is Good!!!!!

Collin Is 1/4 Century Old!

Happy Birthday Collin!!! It is so amazing to realize that 25 "short" years ago at 8:01pm, they laid our sweet little baby boy in our arms. He was so beautiful and we were so sure that all the days from then on would be rosy and bright. Well...life isn't always rosy, but we have been so blessed to have Collin in our family. He has such a strong spirit and always keeps things hoppin' in our home. We enjoy his vibrant personality and the zest that he brings into every conversation. We are so proud of him!!! Love ya babe!!!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Remembering Kelli

Our sweet old lady Kelli left us last night at 10:08pm. As I felt her heart stop beating, my mind was flooded with wonderful memories. She was born just 3 feet away from where she passed, in May of 1996. We hoped that we would have her for more than 12 years but she had a great life. She will be greatly missed by our family.

She was the best dog! We were sad when the breeder took her as pick of the litter. She spent a couple of years in the show ring and was returned to us because "her eyes are too round and her ears are too far apart!" We thought she was beautiful!!! She would let the babies crawl all over her and pull her hair and would just wait patiently until they learned to pet nicely. I'm not sure how we will know when Seth's bus pulls up or where we should park in our driveway. She has been deaf for a year but could hear the bus and our cars from a block away. She loved to herd the kids on the trampoline and chase the boys around the house. Just last fall she would bark until Collin or Mason would race her around the house. They were sad to find out that they could win because she was getting slower. She was our official greeter and would almost smile as she introduced our guests. We would always have to explain why she was soaking wet and covered in leaves. She loved to play in the creek and absolutely loved the snow. She would lay in the snow for hours just rubbing her face in it, and would take complete advantage of that last little pile in the in spring. She added so much joy to our family. Just this morning Timery told me that Miette was talking to Kelli. Maybe she stopped by for a visit before heading to that wonderful doggy park in Heaven. I hope they have snow there!

P.S. 112 Days, 14 Hours, 6 minutes and 21 Seconds

Could It Be?

Grass!!! Is there any chance that there might be hope of Spring after all? I found a little spot of grass in our pathway to the barn and it might persuade me to believe in Spring again!!! Honestly, I try not to be a pessimist but the evidence was impossible to ignore for a gal like me. There may be a time when Spring decides that it is just too much work!!! Now that I have witnessed a sign that Summer may come again. I will try to carry on with renewed dreams of warmer days, sitting on the terrace and listening to the creek, and all the finer things in life.
P.S. 115 Days, 12 Hours, 52 Minutes and 33 Seconds

Friendly Chatter-Volume One

Life is Crazy!!!! Just when you think you have a plan, everything is thrown back up in the air and could fall anywhere. I suppose this is what keeps life interesting but sometimes just sitting back and enjoying the view, could be a fresh change.

So many things have happened in our family this last week or so. Timery started her job at the university, which she loves! She has met so many people and just loves the atmosphere up there. Michael starts his new job on monday and he is very optimistic about that. He will be a salesman of sorts and account manager, which will be very different from what he has been doing. He will still take jobs with his graphic design business, so he will stay plenty busy. We have been able to enjoy Miette and Elliott here while Timery is working. It has been so much fun hanging out with them and so busy! Miette is starting to potty train and that has been kindof crazy but she is getting it! We all do eventually, don't we? Elliott is pulling herself up to the couch and anything else that is stationary. She is a crazy woman!!!
Mason bought a car that will start every morning and the windows even roll all the way up in this one. He got a cute little Ford Focus of the hatchback, standard variety. This is his first experience with a standard and he has had a great time buzzing around, showing off his "ride"! We are so happy for him and we think he made a great choice.
Collin is still working very hard to get himself in school. He has an appt. on monday at Stevens Heneger to see about getting his nursing degree from there. I really hope that goes well for him so he can follow his dream.
Kyler loves his new area and is doing so well. There has only been one area that he really didn't like too much but he always makes the best of it and we are so proud of him!
Mike and Wendy are doing great! Mike's new job is much better than they thought it would be. The only downside is that Mike works graveyard, which is really only a half-life at best. The kids are going stir crazy and are so ready for green grass!!! They are happy and healthy and all is well at the Baldwin residence.
Bruce and I have been milking and taking care of baby goats. It is really hard to pull myself out of bed at 5am, which will turn to 4:30 when more does freshen, but it comes with the territory. I have realized though that we are very over-extended and even though the dogs have been great for us and have seen us through Mason's high school years, a couple of weddings and a couple of missions, it is time that we cut back and find good homes for most of them. I love them all but there really isn't enough time in a day for us to give them all the attention they deserve. Also, Bruce and I are working on the "change your stars" plan. I believe we have found a valid and productive idea, and we are going to go for it!

P.S. 118 days, 15 hours, 22 minutes and 17 seconds.