Trying to save.........in order to spend

Trying to find ways to save money is key in this day in time......especially when you have a family and a business to run.  I am thankful that I have a farmer who is able to do his own maintenance work in order to save us some money.  This week on the farm the shop gets full and the smell of GREASE and OIL fills the air.  Tractors start making their way to the main shop for a tune up and oil change.  The farmer has to check all equipment, cleaning air filters and changing oil for the work ahead this year.  Scott is very particular too as far as the looks of everything we own.  Not just a bath for each piece but a wax job each year to freshen the look as well!!

In return, with money saved..................money is spent!!  Two girls, and two years apart in age requires not one new bike but two!!  Now for the quality time they can spend riding circles around the shop and parking lot while their daddy works!!

Loving the sound of the Jake Brake...........

Life on the farm is never finished and never DULL!!  This time of the year many might think there is nothing to do, but others know that is not true.  Being a tobacco farmer, starting in March Scott goes to the roads TRUCKING.  Yes it is still hard to process that my husband drives a semi...............yes a HUGE SEMI at that.  But a relief it has been that we don't have to hire a driver and we save money, but on the other hand it is a huge and can be a dangerous piece of equipment if not careful. 
Driving the roads hauling slabs is a pass time these days getting our supplies back in stock.  He trucks about an hour and a half one way then sits about 30 to 45 minutes waiting at the saw mill to be loaded.  So about a 4 hour long and boring trip to get our 2013 tobacco crop ready and stocked for firing barns.

A beautiful Semi parked after a trip to the saw mill.

And in between trips and after long hauls this same man jumps on the tractor and pushes up sawdust that has been hauled to the farm and unloaded in stock piles for our 2013 firing process.  Notice in all these pictures safety is ALWAYS key!!! Wearing your seat belt at ALL times and having the Roll-Bar up and in the appropriate position is a must when working on large equipment.

Our favorite picture of the day is passing my farmer on the road.............and listening to the girls squeal with excitement when he sounds the loud horn.  As for me, another prayer goes up for safety on the roads.........for my inner squeal sounds when I hear the Jake brake sounds past the house knowing he is home again safely...................just another day in the life of a farmers wife!

Spring Flowers.........bring "cow" showers

One of the best games we get to experience on the farm is hunting for baby calves.  Each spring, 9 months after we turn our bull in to the herd we start marking calenders for calving season.  Usually we (meaning mostly Scott during winter months) stroll thru the cattle farm once daily.  This daily procedure is to check to make sure all cows are healthy, have enough feed/hay, and the farm looks secure.  Normal process is just a drive thru the farm checking fences and counting heads.  But come February/March the trips usually end up in 2 a days when the mommas milk bag become large and swollen.  It is amazing how the body like ours can change with in hours.  Sunday afternoon we took a family drive to count and talk to the herd.  The girls like mooing to those that like to talk and feeding from their hands the friendly ones.

And in most cases like this picture they are easy to find and count.  This time of the year too with the trees still naked it is easier to view all parts of the farm.  So Sunday afternoon was a normal visit......all were accounted for.  But hours later, the next morning for us............the first calf of 2013 hit the ground.
Scott checked the farm early like normal, and when we he came home later than normal we knew he had found an egg!!!  As Easter approaches, this hunt of calves not eggs reminds me of my girls frantically searching Easter morning for the eggs the Easter bunny had left. He none the less does the same when he enters the gate on his search but not for eggs.

Monday morning Scott was 1 cow short and to his surprise, off in the woods a momma licked her newborn calf clean!  The hunt had begun............but not was he off by 1 cow, he was off by 2.  On the way out he counted again and found another new calf waddling alongside his momma in the distance.

When he came home, we knew there must be news.  Not by his lateness but his pant-less body................Sayler and I both guessed he must have been wrestling new babies and tagging their ears.  Yes, muddy poopy pants stay in the garage not my house!!

Below is the picture the girls took as they got to go to the farm after school and meet the new babies.

The search reminds me of Gods search for us!!  Doesn't matter where we try to hide he will find us, clean us and stand by our side as we stand to walk!! Another example of the gift God has given, NEW LIFE!!!    Just another day in the life of a farmers wife................