Spring has Sprung

Although it may not officially be spring just yet, it sure feels like it here in central Texas. Warmer weather, wind, and seasonal allergies due to all the trees blooming makes me think spring is here to stay. You never know what to expect with the weather here, but the forecasted highs range from 70-89 degrees over the next week. You can find me outside with my computer blogging, doing some sort of mom/wife administrative tasks, or just simply enjoying the sunshine and watching my babies play.

This past weekend we went to my husband’s family ranch to catch our cows. Now that we’ve moved, we’re two and a half hours from the ranch, so the cows only see us once a week. They have gotten a little more wild being on their own and away from daily socialization. This is not to say they weren’t already a bit on the wild side. I may not have shared this yet, but we started breeding bucking bulls. This adventure began when we were selling hay a few years ago to some neighbors, who happened to be related to long-time family friends of ours. Small world. After talking with them for a while we found out they breed bucking bulls. When my husband mentioned to them that he had to talk me out of buying my own bull in college, they had a business proposition for us. My husband signed us up and it’s been a rodeo ever since.

We always had cattle growing up, but bucking stock, including the cows, are wired a little differently. Let’s just say my husband had to be quick on his feet a time or two. When we rebuilt the perimeter fence at the house, we added an extra foot in height. However, our wild and smart herd knew something was up and wanted nothing to do with being penned. We took the loss and focused on trying to get them to eat cubes in the pens instead. Cows are more intelligent than people think and by the end of the weekend, they were going in the pens much easier. We have one cow that might be a potential penning problem, but we’re hoping she’ll come around. My husband and a friend will make another trip this weekend and hopefully they have better luck. Fingers crossed we can get them moved to our place before they calve. I always prefer to monitor the little ones and Brylee loves having her cows at home. We have also been blessed with more grass here than at the ranch. Let’s face it, they could use a little desensitization and socialization, too.

Returning home last Sunday with some extra daylight had us feeling ambitious. My husband picked up the materials to build me some raised garden beds on his way home. I’m sticking to that resolution, y’all! Once we got settled in, we got to work. My mom and her boyfriend brought some extra dirt he had for his backyard beds and helped us juggle kids and tools. We were able to finish two 3×6 foot beds and plan to finish the last 3×3 foot bed soon. We were able to fill the beds with the help from some friends and planted the vegetable plugs I purchased. I’m so excited and also nervous that I might kill everything. At the end of the day, it’s all a learning process, but I’m glad it was a project that involved family and friends. They will all be compensated for their work in vegetables, as long as the plugs survive this insane wind headed our way today.

The time change is an adjustment with two kids, but they are troopers. The three of us have been trying to slow down during the day and enjoy the little moments. I’m taking full advantage of every beautiful day and doing my best to occupy the kiddos outside until their nap times. Yesterday we brought out our Lovevery play sink, added in some water, dumped out our entire bucket of ice from the freezer and let the kids go to town. So many parents are worried about their kids getting dirty, but that’s why we have washing machines and showers. I let them have a blast just being kids and rinse them off with the water hose before they go inside. Rylan looked like a mud monster by the time my husband got home after splashing in the water and ice and then crawling in the yard. Nothing warms this mama’s heart more than watching her babies play outside together and get a little messy.

As you know, Brylee is our little bookworm. This girl loves to read and often requests repetitive readings which leads to memorization. Our little town does a storytime for preschool-aged kids on Wednesdays. We try our best to join and listen to a few books, followed by craft time. Brylee loved our trips to the library, so I signed us up for a library card. This has been such a fun activity for us to do together. Brylee can tell me what kind of books she wants and help me find them on the shelf. We fed her obsession and got dinosaur books for a few weeks, but since we started our garden, that is her new fascination. So, we found some picture books about gardening yesterday. Knowing that my girl loves to read, seeing her face light up over a new book, and listening to the questions she asks as we read makes me melt. I don’t even have the words to describe the feeling. I knew when I became a mom I didn’t want to have an iPad kid, but I never expected the opportunity to create such magical, inspirational moments with her. My only hope is that this never ends.

Daylight savings has been tough on the sleep schedule, but I will take it because it means more time in the evening with my family doing the things we love. We have more outdoor projects coming up, seeds to sow, baby plants to watch over, hay and calving season, birthday parties, and all the everyday to-do’s. The chaos continues, but during my favorite season, it all seems a bit more manageable. As the flowers start to bloom and the days grow longer, I look forward to more springtime fun and cherished moments with my family. What is your favorite part about spring or the time change?