Brothers

Spring is definitely in the air and we have been able to get outdoors a little more to enjoy it. I love seeing that each and everyday the very large puddles in our yard are getting smaller which hopefully means less mud soon!! Landen enjoys getting out when he can as well and he has found to enjoy his brother pulling him around the yard in the wagon.

Landen

Now that Landen is much more on the go now and desperately trying to walk even though it is always with the assistance of a laundry hamper, larger tractor, chairs.....he and Jaren play and seem to love each other's company. Where you find one, there will be the other.

Jaren trying to give Landen as many kisses as he could - Landen couldn't get away quick enough!

I had Landen in for his 1 year check-up last week and he weighed in at a whole whopping 18lbs 10.5 oz. His height is only 27 7/8 inches. We're still pretty compact. Small but mighty!!

Calving Time

Yesterday afternoon Landen and I decided to join Kevin & Jaren with the afternoon chores. With the days usually being so cold and windy Landen & I stay home while the other two go and check on the calves. Jaren has wanted us to come and see the calvies so badly so we bundled up and headed out to "help". This was the first time that Landen has really been around the cows and I soon found out that he wasn't that excited about it. He fussed quite a bit when the animals would get a little too close. He was much more content to sit on a quad with his Dad and fall asleep as we drove through the groups of cattle!

Landen was not quite to sure what to make of these little animals with 4 long legs and 2 big ears. He did not want to get too close and be left alone with his new furry friend. All he knows is Keesha and he'd much rather be by her side! I have a feeling this twin calf maybe felt the same about the blue marshmallow sitting next to him!

My boys! (and Coby - the "Great" cattle dog!!)

Checking on a set of twins in the barn.

Jaren decided to make friends with a sleeping 1 day old calf.

They both stayed there for the longest time just looking at each other until the calf decided to go back to sleep. He was in no hurry to go anywhere!

Landen and Jaren enjoying watching the calves tear around the corral. Landen happy that is it from a safe distance!

A little robust 2 day old calf

Jaren and the 1 day old calf

Last chance at trying to make snow angels - wasn't much snow left until we got a little dump in the early hours of this morning. Hopefully there is still more to come!

A New Addition

The litter of 7 puppies - don't know which one is ours yet. There are 4 males and 3 females. Aren't they the cutest things ever???
Pictured above - the father of the puppies, Clancy
Pictured above - Nova, the mother

Life in the Letniak household is soon to be a little livelier and busier in about 1 month. This morning we found out that a female Keeshond puppy was available to be adopted into our family. The litter is 5 weeks old right now so they will not be able to go until they are over 8 weeks of age. Hopefully by Easter this little ball of fluff will be getting acquainted with us!

We have been looking into getting another dog for the past couple of months as our Keesha is starting to get up there in years. She is 11 1/2 now and so we figured soon would be a good time to start training a puppy while we still have Keesha around to help us. Also I think Kevin wouldn't know what to do with me if we ever lost her so we decided that we wanted another one in our family. I am just sooooo happy that we are getting another Keeshond!

We look forward to all of you meeting this newest addition to our family. I know I sure can't wait!

...and the Celebration Continues!

For Landen we had a birthday party today. We invited a couple of kids over to have lunch with us and help us eat our cake that was made for the special birthday boy. My first solo attempt at making a cake that is supposed to look like something.......Jaren and I chose the Teddy Bear so I was up last night decorating the thing to try and make it look like a teddy bear. I think my mission was somewhat accomplished!! :)

The guest of honor!

It ended up being a "boy's only" party, we REALLY need some more girls in this part of the country!
Look at all the potential farmers!

A very tired and dirty boy coming in for some cake.

After lunch Kevin took the kids out on the gorgeous spring-like day and pulled them behind the quad on the sleds - it was a wonderful break for us moms as we tidied up the kitchen a bit before serving cake. Thanks Kevin!!!!

Cake time!!!

Now what??

Landen's Birthday Supper

Tonight I made a birthday supper for Landen and we had Grandpa and Grandma Letniak & Uncle Lawrence and Auntie Debbie join us to help us celebrate. Here is our very happy and cheeky 1 year old during supper

Landen closely observing the flame from the #1 candle on a piece of angel food birthday cake. He wasn't quite too sure what to make of the whole situation. He didn't even want to try the cake or ice cream!! Must have been too full! Maybe he'll want some on Sunday when we have another little celebration with some other kids.
I don't know what we would have done without Jaren there to "assist" Landen in opening up his presents! Jaren carefully explained what Landen could and couldn't do! Hmmmm, who's birthday is it?? :)

Mr. Landen walking around the coffee table trying desperately to reach the cameras. Always right at the fingertips!! But never close enough.

Studying a little shovel that he got as a present. That will be of great use this summer in the sandbox.

1 Year Old - Happy Birthday Baby!

It is so hard to believe that 1 year has gone by and exactly on this day last year we were getting acquainted with our second son Landen. He was born on this morning at 8:54am weighing only 5 lb 1.8 oz. What a little peanut! Now we have a vibrant, much heavier little boy tearing around the house and adding so much joy and excitement to all of our lives. We just can't imagine what life would have been like if he wasn't a part of it. What a blessing our children are to us. Tonight we will have a quieter family supper to celebrate and then on Sunday we are going to have some kids over to help us eat the cake I am going to attempt to make! I've posted some pictures to remind me just how little and precious this boy was from the minute he arrived.

Quality time with Mommy

Quality time with Daddy

Getting some precious zzzzzz's

Meeting Grandpa Letniak and his big brother the evening he was born - they came up after the bull sale to see Landen.

A few short hours after Landen was born

Landen arrived 4 weeks early and was very unexpected (he was actually due on April 11th). He was born on the morning of our annual bull sale - he had to make a grand entrance as well! Something else that didn't need to add to Kevin's stress for the day. But thankfully he arrived safely and had absolutely no complications (and Kev even made it in time for the sale!). What a good wife I am!! :)

Easter Surprise Package

Yesterday the boys got a surprise Easter package in the mail from Grandpa and Grandma Sparks. I know it is a little early but I thought they could have some fun opening the parcel which included play-doh eggs, M&M's, chocolate Easter bunnies and a few other fun things for the boys to enjoy. Good thing Grandpa and Grandma aren't here to peel the kids off the walls if they get into all of that sugar! :)

Thanks mom and dad, it made their day!! Especially since you were able to find a Bobcat just like Uncle Earl's!! That Grandma can find everything (as put by our Jaren!!!!)

Charolais Power Bull Sale

Today we had our annual Charolais Bull Sale - this year I could actually make it and wasn't in the hospital having our baby like last year!! Not that I'm complaining at where I was last year! We had quite the packed house today. The weather was once again fairly cold this morning but that didn't seem to keep people away thankfully. All-in-all it was a great sale but I am happy that that is over and done with for another year! Until next year!

Mr. Independant

Landen has come to the conclusion that he doesn't want to eat unless his food is coming from a "big people's" utensil and he also much prefers to be in control of that utensil himself!! I don't know where our children get their stubbornness and determination from?!?! :) I was really hoping that we would have at least one laid back kid - guess not!! So here are a few shots of his first attempt at controlling a fork with banana pieces on it. He did pretty good but kept getting mad when I'd take the fork away to reload it!

Open Wide!!

Pictures From Last Week's Blizzard

Here are some pictures that I took from inside our house at the blizzard last week before we lost our power for 17 hours. That was a day I was VERY thankful that I didn't have to leave the house.

Watching the trees get whipped around in the wind made me afraid that we were going to lose the top of them. We can't afford to lose any trees in this country!

This is the view from our dining room window

Keesha was probably wishing that she had her own bathroom inside the house. Needless to say her pee breaks were few and far between that day. She could hardly get back to the house after going out!

All the screens in the doors were packed with the swirling snow and there were times that you could barely see the building in the pictures here from our front windows. Not a very nice day last Thursday!!