Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Pretty Pre-op Toes

Say a little prayer for my daughter tomorrow, she's having sinus surgery at 8:00 am. In preparation, we had pedicures. I'm not sure if the ENT will notice, but hopefully some nurse will! These are her orange toes with yellow flowers.
My daughter's had breathing/allergy problems her whole life. Having her tonsils out helped at age 3, but the doctor says it's time to fix everything else. Her surgery will fix a deviated septum (the kids in her Bible Study group are kidding her that she's actually just having a nose job like Ashley Tisdale and saying it's for a deviated septum) and opening up some other obstructions.

My mom, sister and niece will be here tomorrow night. Nanny (my mom) said she's coming, "To rock that baby until she feels better." Yes, the 'baby' is 12. Doesn't matter, Nanny is good medicine no matter the age.

Remeber us in your prayers and go cook something, Thanksgiving is less than 48 hours away for goodness sakes!

Friday, November 21, 2008

We Have a Winner

My daughter started in her first junior high basketball game last night -- and they won. The Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs 42 - 9. She has now surpassed her mother's record of wins for junior high. Yes, for those of you who did not follow the Purple Pirates in the early '80s, we lost every ball game in 7th, 8th and 9th grade. Don't you know our parents enjoyed those three years of sporting events? Now wish us luck, we're off to the first 7th Grade Girls District Tournament this weekend. Hopefully the winning streak will continue. Go Wildcats!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

It's Officially Cold Season

Well, "the crud" has hit our household. Since Saturday someone in the family has had the sore throat, head full of concrete, please let me sleep 24 hours bug. It's not fun. Even less fun is being the mom with the crud. During the lucid moments between Nyquil doses you think of everything not getting done. I'm so blessed to have a wonderful husband who keeps everyone fed, clothed and on schedule. I really don't know how you single moms do it. For now I'm off to fix toast for my son, right after I Lysol-down this keyboard. Stay away from those cold germs and have a good week.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

I Was Just Trying to get a Little Work Done

Our Student Ministry is having a retreat this weekend, so my husband and daughter are off at camp. That leaves just me and the boy -- and it's college football day on ESPN, so the boy is set. Hand him a sandwich or bowl of ice cream every few hours and he's in heaven.

So I decided it would be a great time to vaccuum. I do not like cleaning the floors, so I always try to move quickly when the urge strikes! But, while maneuvering through I spied a small box under the guest bed. Not sure what was in it, I left my task at hand to investigate. It's pictures! A box full of pictures. I'm not sure why they were in the guest room...but I love pictures. And many of these were old: when Melinda and Myron lived in Florida, when my husband and I traveled before kids, when I cheered for 4th grade and my sister twirled baton for the 6th grade Purple Pirates. And there were several pictures of my dad, the Rancher.

Since he inspired the moniker of my blog, I thought he deserved a little attention. That's him, my dad, the Rancher. My sister had this photo shoot "set up" on the ranch. It turned out to be some of the last photos before his cancer returned.
Of course, he'd think this blog was another one of my goofy ideas. But that's okay -- this Rancher's Daughter is always full of goofy ideas. And lots of love for her daddy.
Now go be goofy and hug the stuffing out of someone you love.

Friday, November 14, 2008

It's a Love/Hate Relationship

In general, I love my digital camera. It's small, has a great zoom, has tons more settings than I'll ever actually use...and usually the pictures are great. But I hate the delay. You know what I mean? You push the button...not taking the picture yet/adjusting for the flash...still not taking the picture... now, now that the kids have moved - the shutter snaps open.It happened last weekend when I was the official photographer of my niece's first birthday soiree. She had her pink and blue tutu on and everything. And there it was...
the delay
the cutest shot opening her presents...delay


It's enough to make an aunt cry. Until you're scrolling through and see the shot of her typing on the old-fashioned blue typewriter.
And it's back to love for the digital camera, because we all get to say "ahh" right then while looking on the little screen.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wildcats in the House

You saw the movie (if like in our home, 47 times) you know the words from High School Musical...join me... "Wildcats everywhere, put your hands up in the air"
We're singing in celebration of my daughter making the basketball team. She's officially a 7th grade Wildcat. Whoo Hoo! I asked her if anyone has spontaneously broke out in song while praciting in the gym. She just gave me the face. (We've discussed this one before, the 'how can my mom be SO uncool' face.)
She is very excited about playing ball. We were much more excited about her playing ball before we were told she now has to be at school at 6:15 every morning for practice. How are you alert enough to dribble a basketball at 6:15?
Oh the joys of junior high.
Her first scrimmage is Thursday -- photos to follow!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Let's Hear It for the Boys


Before you wonder if I only take photos of my girl, here's one of the men in my life.

But to be honest, the photo ratio is much higher girl to boy!

The Price of Beauty

Isn't it neat the way blogs give a little "snapshot" into one's life? And around here, the life of a 12 year old girl offers endless blogging possibilities. Here is how my daughter begins her day. For those of you who don't know, she has terrible eyesight. Generally this isn't a problem, she just wears her glasses. But what do you do when you can't see and need to look glamorous? Apparently, you sit in the sink and put on your mascara.


I think I need to put a magnifying makeup mirror on her Christmas list. And clean the sink more often.

A Weekend of Celebration

What a fun weekend we had! Our family traveled to Dallas to party (of course that had a different meaning in college) but for this stage of life it meant dinner with the cousins Friday night, a baby shower Saturday morning and birthday celebrations Saturday afternoon.
Saturday morning I was able to see my beautiful friend Julie -- and her tiny bump of a belly, even though she's almost 8 months pregnant! I looked like that at 5 months, but I'm not bitter.
Julie is from Alaska, I'm from Oklahoma; we met three years ago while living in Virginia -- is this a great country or what? Since then: we worked together every day and became great friends, she fell in love with a law school student, I was the old bridesmaid at her wedding (seriously, the next oldest was like 26; I'm sure the groomsmen who walked with me had drawn the short straw), my husband graduated from seminary and accepted a job in Texas, one year later her husband graduated from law school and...wait for it...accepted a job in Texas. Now Julie's having a baby boy and I got to go to the shower! Is that a great God or what?
I was the only "non-family member" at the shower, Julie's husband is from the Dallas area and has lots of family. It was so wonderful showering her with gifts and love. And isn't it wonderful knowing a sweet baby will soon join us? And I get to love on him and watch him grow -- and give him back to mom and dad when he's poopie or cranky!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Compassion Bloggers

I have nothing to say about my mundane, marvelous life. I'm too overcome by gratitude. I've spent the last 20 minutes or so reading the updates from the "Compassion Bloggers". You can check them out at http://www.thebigmamablog.com/ or http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ for yourself. Compassion International has five or six bloggers in the Dominican Republic this week. What a powerful reminder of the blessings I take for granted...running water, an actual mattress, the ability to hear about God's love from a church placed on every corner. I'm thinking my next post will be one introducing you to the newest child our family is sponsoring! Until then, say a prayer of thanksgiving and show others the joy in your heart.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Nothing Unusual Ever Goes On Around Here

Last night I told my daughter I'd started a blog. "Why?", she asked in that 'how on earth could my mother be so crazy' tone only a 12 year old girl has. "We're so boring, what will you even put on it?"
I walked through the house thinking maybe she was right, we are pretty average. But, that's not the point of the blog...I enjoy writing, I enjoy reading what's happening in other 'average' lives; certainly I can find things to post.

Then I saw it, right there in the bathroom shower stall.
A hot pink Gilligan hat and a knitted stocking cap from Peru. Isn't that where you keep your hats? In the shower stall? I'm guessing it is somehow related to my minister husband and the dunk tank at the Halloween carnival -- but I don't know for certain; and I'll be interested to find out how long they remain there.
A little different, kind of strange, a bit weird --- yeah, I can see those fitting our family. But not boring, never boring.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Another Halloween Come and Gone

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween. Mine was a bit strange -- the kids didn't trick or treat; not even to one house! What kind of children am I raising?

My daughter went with her dad early to the church to finish setting up for the big carnival. She was Bat Girl -- in a homemade tutu. This is what my friend Susan dubbed as the "working that battitude" pose.


She spent the entire evening face painting. It wasn't her intention to be quite so "servant-hearted" -- it was that the other teenagers who signed up to face paint never showed! Oh the bad luck to be first on the schedule.

My son is the ball boy for an area high school team and he opted to attend the football game instead of the traditional Halloween festivities. But, the cheerleaders gave out candy -- that made up for it. Besides, fourth grade boys are a difficult group to "costume". Should they be a football player or hobo? Certainly made it easy on mom.

Now go enjoy a few dozen pieces of candy from your kid's treat bags on me -- consider it the share I didn't get to partake in this year!