I have NO time Why you ask?

Seriously….and I do mean seriously…I have no time! This is the time of year that I feel like we are driving or sitting at all times. All our boys are in Basketball. Cassie decided this year that she was opting out of it as she really just likes Volleyball. Jason and Josh are both on the JV team. I love that they are on the same team and get to play Basketball together. Jackson being a Senior is on the Varsity team.

Have a small school there is only one Gym for the High school. Well that means that Varsity gets it before school from 6-8am, the Girls get it after school from 4-6 and then the JV boys get it from 6-8. No problem right? Well actually its chaos for us haha. That means Jackson drives himself to school. Then an hour later we are driving the rest of the kids to school. Then he drives them all home but an hour later I am driving the younger boys back to the school for 6pm practice. No big deal right? Well it takes us 50 minutes just to get to the school. Haha! I tell you….they better love us.

We are spending more time in the car than anything now a days. The good part about that though is we get a lot of one on one time to talk to the kids about their days or what’s been going on. Basketball season has just started and I am already thinking when the end of it is haha!

I love watching the kids play. I love that they are active and want to play. Most of all I love that all the kids play on the same day. Again because it’s a small school the girls and boys play on the same night no matter if its JV or Varsity. It leads for long nights but they are so worth it.

These are the days of never ending laundry even though you feel like you don’t see the kids that much. These are the days of eating at 430pm just so you can eat as a family which is very important to us. These are the days of a lot of KLOVE music in the car (I will know all the songs by the end of the season). These are the days……..

These are the days we will look back on and think how we ever did it with four kids. How did we manage their schedules with school, sports and family time? I am thankful and blessed for these days!

So as I sit here taking a break from laundry. Waiting on one child to come home and the other three have fallen fast asleep well before their bedtime of 930, I sit here in silence thinking about how fast life goes by. I can’t believe I think this is so chaotic and hectic and in just 4 short years all of the kids will be out of the house. I have to treasure these moments. Why? Because…these are the days!

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Tis the Season! FREE Gift Card!

I am having a $50 dollar Amazon or Starbucks giveaway! Yes you heard me right! Tis the season to give away free stuff and also because I am wanting to bless someone before Christmas Day!


Now how am I going to choose between all of you? I thought why not choose someone who wants to watch something kind of funny.


As you know I do swaps with other countries. I tried this stuff called Vegemite and it was well lets say....scary for an American ha! I tried a lot of lovely Australian foods but at the end of the video you see my true reaction of Vegemite. I was SOOOO SCARED to try it!


So to be entered into the drawing all you have to do is go to this link:


https://youtu.be/JqL1mia3hD4


which is my Vegemite You Tube Video. Its not spam or some weird virus its just me eating food and you seeing how crazy some of it is.


So go to that link. Subscribe and comment on the video. In one week I will be selecting someone who subscribed and commented for this 50 dollar gift card! AMAZON people!!! AMAZON or starbucks. I mean can you even think of all the starbucks you can have with 50 dollars? I can even send them in 10 dollar increments so you can put them in stockings if you want.


I just want to say thank you for being a subscriber and find a good way to see who wants this gift card. I am so excited! Are you? Share with your friends too.....


It being Christmas season I just might give away a bonus gift card! To the one who shared this the most:) I think that is a great idea!


Remember:
Go to my Video. Watch it even lol. The end is funny! I promise link again: https://youtu.be/JqL1mia3hD4
Subscribe to my You tube Channel
Comment on the Video (that is how I will know who to put in drawing)
Have a Blessed Day!

Saving Angel who is not so Angelic (pics)

Am I the only one who puts a cow in the back of her car and drives home? Isnt this a normal thing to do haha!

So I got the phone call! The one phone call that I always know I want to say yes to. My friend called and said "We have a three week old Calf that doesn't have a mom anymore". I said YES and she hadn't even finished her sentence. Since I am 2 months post op from surgery however I had to go through a little more than normal to get the calf. Instead of my normal YES meaning something I had to get approval from the hubby and a text from him to her making sure it was him saying yes haha!


Normally its not a problem. I am known as Farmer Rae. If you have an animal that does not have a mother for one reason or another....CALL ME! All of our cows have been bottle fed and didn't have moms. Some moms died, some kicked them off etc. I called my husband up as he was helping someone put in a water heater, asked him if it was ok and he just laughed as if he could ever say no!


So the next morning we went to get the Calf. My good friend Lesley named her this time. I always have other people (mainly my nieces and nephews) name my bummer calves, lambs, goats etc. Lesley named her Angel. What a cute name as its the Christmas season.


Angel however is nothing but an angel! She is spunky!!! You know she is spunky when the first text I get from my friend who gave her to use was "How many times did you get kicked today". Angel is the size of a newborn. When they were loading up cows she had no mom. I am so thankful that they gave me the call. She is actually 3 weeks old but soooo tiny! She was eating grass which is amazing since she is just a baby. I think that's what kept her alive.


It took 3 times of trying at different hours to just get her to put the bottle in her mouth. I didn't want to scare her as she is already jumpy enough. At one point she jumped into her water bowl and got stuck. I had to try and lift her out. I tell yah! Spunky! We had to put in a different water bowl. I mean good gracious.


Its snowing pretty bad outside so we have her inside in part of a barn where the chickens  and goat are. I don't want her freezing to death as she doesn't have mom. Plus it helps her to get use to us and come for the bottle.


The sixth time is a charm? That is when she finally figured out the bottle. I just kept trying to be patient and hold it in her mouth over and over. She was chewing on the nipple like it was hay. Then all the sudden 15 minutes of doing this again she latched on. Then it was ON! Her eyes got bigger and she drank with gutso! She drank down the whole bottle and then head butted me for extra uhmph to tell me how good it was.

Yes I am wearing PJ pants still ha!

Angel will be an angel one day. Even her look she looks kind of mad at the world. She is a sweetheart though. I am so blessed to have her. Once she is bigger she is going to love to hang out with all our other bottle fed calves. Thankfully those ones have been weaned

since Fall. Angel and I will be spending a lot of time together having four feedings a day to start. Just wait till I get lambs...they are coming soon too. Its going to be a busy winter for me with my animals! And I love it!!


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The Nutcracker and my GREAT Christmas Idea!!

When I look back on my childhood the one thing I remember about the Holiday season is going to the Nutcracker. I still think I could be graceful and a ballerina. Trouble is I am too accident prone and lets be real...I would be feeling pretty bad for the guy who had to lift me! Ha!

About 5 months ago Mil and I went to Dancing with the Stars. After the show my eyes got so big when I saw a poster saying the Moscow Ballet was coming to the City. Uhm!! The MOSCOW BALLET!!!! I didn't even care what they were going to do at first but then when my heart started to slow down I saw it was the Nutcracker. Someone...STAT...I need some heart medicine or something!

I knew at that moment that I was going. Ryan however didn't know, or MIL for that fact. I researched prices and seats. I knew the kids wouldn't be with us for Thanksgiving so it would be just Ryan and I or Mil, Ryan and I. I talked to Ryan and as usual he said ok if it was something I really wanted. Its kind of spendy at 65 dollars a ticket. Its worth it though. The ballet so beautiful. So Graceful. So Amazing.

I am sure not everyone feels the same way as me on the ballet. You have to kind of snow the story. The sets were really cool and the dancing amazing. I just kept thinking of when I was a child and I would watch The Nutcracker when we lived in Germany. When we left I knew I wanted to be a ballerina. I remember my mother touching my back to scoot me out the door because I was trying to dance down the aisle. I miss my mom. Going to the Nutcracker made me think of her and put a smile on my face. I am thankful I had parents who really took us to places, had us try new things, and tried to give us culture. That is not that easy to do now a days but I try to do the same with my children. Its important......open your eyes to new things. Go and SEE things. Have great memories or even so-so memories haha! I mean everything you go to you might not LOVE! You will still have the memory of it. I am sure Ryan didn't LOVE the Ballet. He enjoyed going and see something new though. Take a chance! Get out there.....go DO something:)

This Christmas I have set up the 5 days before Christmas. I want each day before Christmas to be something WE are doing as a FAMILY. We have already bought tickets to enjoy an event with the family. I cant tell you what yet as the kids might see this. We have three events planned and then one day we are going to go bowling as a family. The kids really wanted to do that and its been a long time. I cant wait till Christmas break.

Do they have presents under the tree? Yep...! Will they probably get everything off their list from us and all their family members? Probably! Will they remember that though in 20 years...doubtful. We will however remember going places as a family, seeing things and being all together to open those presents. This year I plan on making a big Christmas dinner of Turkey and Ham. Its going to be a family event as each child is going to help with the meal and a dish. Those are good memories.

As usual I start talking about one thing and go to another. Like I said in my disclaimer of my blog however. This is Everyday Rae Rae....you get what you get:)

The Nutcracker was amazing. I am so thankful that my husband and MIL went with me. Its a memory that I have tucked away now along with the memory of my mom pushing me along as I am dancing down the aisle. I will remember looking over at the end of the Ballet to my husband and MIL and they had a subtle smile on their face. All dressed up and trying something new. Love them! Love they always go along with my antics. I am truly blessed.

Just as I am so blessed and thankful for my mother and father who ALWAYS made us try new things. Traveled with us and opened our eyes to more than just our little town. Thank you! You raised us well! Love you!

Subscribe to this blog by putting in your email up above. You will get an email every time I write a blog. You can also subscribe by Google+ or Bloglovin. Thank you for all of you who have subscribed. I cant see who is subscribing but I thank you all! Share with your friends. Check out our lives from kids to animals to ranch life to travels to Cushings. You name it....it ends up here. Live and Raw.

Freezing Feeding Frenzy! (PICS)

Jack and Leroy

California you think as great weather. Not this California ha! Ok so its Northern Cali that can be full of weird weather from sun to rain to snow to sun to rain to snow again. Today it happened to snow almost 8 inches. My animals were not ready for that but thankfully we were.

Its FREEZING outside. So doing our daily chores of feeding felt a little more like a FRENZY this time. All my babies were happy to see it. We checked their water to make sure not frozen. Pulled out the heating elements for their water so it doesn't freeze. They all have shelter to go to and lots of feed.

Our rescue bottle fed RJ

Minnie our Cow we bottle fed since birth

Jack in front and Leroy in back

It does amaze me though that they don't go into their shelter more. I mean if I was a horse or a cow I would be under that thing in a minute. But NOOOOOOO they think its more fun to be in the snow under a tree or something. What do they think they are? Animals? These are my babies....get under the cover ppl! :)

Suzy Q our bottle fed goat

Suzy Q

It was a long day. We moved some of the animals to different pens to be closer to one another. I happen to like being on the quad with my husband moving our calves closer to the horses. Just makes it easier to feed when its FREEZING outside. Its kind of romantic too I think. You know....freezing but making something better by putting heating lamps for the chickens or our goat Suzy Q. Making sure the horses and cows are doing okay and have everything they need. I love my animals. I would be upset if anything happened to them.

Fatty our Rescue Horse

Our Dogs thought the snow was the coolest thing ever. They have their own 15 by 20 room that is heated with a million dog beds that is attached to our house. Used to be our game room but with the weather like this it has become the dogs room. They love the snow. I keep telling them to go back into their room but they go out the doggy door and just have a grand ol time! As you can see.

Ninja...Jacksons Dog

Sebastian going crazy in the snow. Had to Warm up Cassies Dog

Maggie is Jasons Dog. She is a Rescue Whippet

Sassy is the youngest of the bunch. MILs Dog

Our oldest and very loved Princess Sierra

Can you see my dog Molly trying to be incognito

All in all it was a beautiful day! A busy day with snow as my husband had to plow at the ranches but a good day! We always wanted a white Christmas.....who knew it would be a White Thanksgiving.

Nope I don't wear make up in the snow

Ryan giving extra apple snacks

One of the barns

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Black Friday Shopping ! SALES!!!

Sales! Coupons! More Sales!!!! Oh My!!

As most of you know I have a lot of friends in other countries who do not have Black Friday Shopping. Its something they have only heard of from Americans. I decided to write a blog about it. As I am on the fence about Black Friday Shopping.

Am I going to do it this year? Yes. Have I done it the last couple years. No. For us (Ryan and I) it depends on if we have the kids or not that year for Thanksgiving. If we do we have a big family Thanksgiving and spend all that family time with them. We don't go Black Friday shopping as we don't have the kids for Christmas that year. However if we don't have them for Thanksgiving that means they are here with us on Christmas and THAT is the year we go shopping.

When you have four teenagers you can get a lot off of the items they want. Having four teenagers is pretty expensive and their tastes have gotten more expensive during the year. They know we have a budget for each of  them so they stick to that budget. We get them extras because who wants to already know everything they are getting? Not me!

Black Friday Shopping really depends more on where you are at. You can get things say 50-70 percent off. There are coupons galore. Don't expect that you will just go out and be able to get all of those things though. Its best to have a list of must haves and go to get those items. We aren't getting a TV for the kids but its a good example. If normally you cant afford a 50 in tv for your family because say its 500 dollars, on Black Friday it might be 150 dollars so that is worth standing in line for an hour for. Seriously....a 350 dollar savings. You can then spend that in other ways like Christmas decorations, winter clothes or fun events like going to visit family with that money. Its all in how you look at it.

Usually we are Cyber Monday people. Monday comes around and we are doing the deals online with free shipping. You don't have to leave the comforts of your own home. They have the same great deals, minus the crowds. You don't even have to get out of your pjs.

This year though since we are in the city for Thanksgiving and not going to our family house as everyone is 6 hours away or more, we are having dinner at a restaurant. I know!!!! I know!!! It sounds bad right? Since we don't have the kids though and the next day we are going to the Moscow Ballet The Nutcracker in the city we decided to just get a hotel, eat out and have some fun shopping.

So get ready, get set, and GO! I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving with your family. If you go Black Friday shopping I hope that its a fun event for you. Make it fun. Get some Starbucks, put a smile on your face and remember.....its not really about the item you are trying to get. If you get it...BONUS SAVINGS. If you don't....its not the end of the world! Its just a thing:) Make memories....even if its shopping with your family. Ryan and I have some really funny moments of Black Friday shopping that are stored in our brain. Have a good time!

And latestly remember......YEAH go decorate your house.....Christmas is coming! (without kids here I went crazy and decorated two trees for them already! I am so bad!).

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BV Championship Game

Before Thanksgiving Break there is this one Friday that is so important to the Collins family. At least it has been for the last two years. Our sons have made it to the Division Championships in High School Football.

Last year it was Jackson and Joshua who were at the Championships. It was pouring down rain and I thought for sure everyone would end up with Bronchitis. Joshua was just a Freshman and Jackson a Junior. We play 8 man here, usually Seniors are doing the playing. It’s the whole team though that is winning or losing. You can see it from the sidelines….even if you are covered by some weird poncho thing to keep from being soaked.

This year was a very special year. Jackson is a Senior which makes this his year for football. Jason this year is playing as a Freshman. Freshman don’t get a lot of playtime but they are learning as they are in a Varsity team. I was excited to see my boys playing. They were going against the same people that we went to Championships and won last year too. It was an amazing game! This time it was a nice day! Thank God!

Watching the team play and cheering them on was amazing. The thing I kept thinking about though besides this is Jacks last game is how many people from our family drove up to root on the boys. Family is everything. Will they remember that game…..yes of course. Will they remember more that their family was there rooting them on….even more so!

Josh, Kelly, me with Mariah, Jason, Jackson, Cassie, MIL, Ryan

Boys with their Mom Theresa

Boys with Ryan

I was so proud of Jackson and Jason. They had their Grandma Sally cheering them on (MIL), their Aunt Kelly and cousin Mariah, then there was us (Ryan and I and their siblings Cassie and Joshua) and of course their mother was there too! That is a lot of people loving on them! We drove the shortest amount which was 2 hours. Everyone else came from 4plus hours away to see this event.

Aunt Kelly, Cassie, Me, Mariah, Ryan and Sally (MIL)

 

Cassie playing with her cousin Mariah

I am proud of the Cardinal team. They may not have won this year but they won in the hearts of Big Valley. They did a great job playing and I am so very proud of them all.

Jackson #15

Jackson looks MAD lol

Here are some highlights of my son playing and some good old fashioned family picturesJ

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