The Ashtabula Heart Walk!

Our family is walking in the Ashtabula Heart Walk on Sunday, October 3rd! We are raising money for an organization that is near and dear to our hearts, The American Heart Association!

Our son was born with a heart defect and had open heart surgery when he was 2 days old! The congenital heart defect he had was called Transposition of the Great Arteries. His aorta and pulmonary arteries were reversed. His surgery was performed by Dr. Mee at the Cleveland Clinic. Cody has had no problems since his surgery. He is now a healthy active teenager! He plays soccer, swims, rides his bike, runs around and is able to enjoy life to its fullest! We are thankful for all the research the Heart Association has been able to get done! For this reason, we are raising money again by walking in the Ashtabula Heart Walk! If you would like to help out with a donation, you can click the link on the side to go to Cody's heart walk page!

Harbor High School Class of 1985!

Beside Lake Erie's water blue

stands dear old Harbor High.

Her friendliness, her spirit true,

her fame will never die.

Harbor, dear Harbor High,

thy name we love.

Send forth thy guiding light,

reflected from above.

Purple and Gold shall be

colors of royalty.

We pledge our loyalty,

Harbor, to thee.

It's been 25 years since the Class of 1985 graduated from dear ol' Harbor High in Ashtabula, Ohio! We are trying to get in contact with members of our class for an informal last minute class reunion! We are planning to get together the last weekend of July 2010! If you know anyone from that class, please spread the word! We do not have contact information for very many people!

For this I am grateful...

For this I am grateful...

• two beautiful children
• a wonderful husband that puts his family first
• Grandma Cusano - she taught me so many things as I was growing up
• living in the country away from all the material things
• wonderful friends that share the same values
• the sound of spring peepers
• a fireplace to light on a cold, blustery winter day
• a yard filled with daffodils in the spring
• a family that loves to camp and enjoy nature
• being able to give my time to help others
• 4-H
• being able to be myself around my friends and they still love me
• 4 seasons: spring, summer, fall & winter

Jackpot Steer Show!

Our kids recently participated in the Ashtabula Cattlemen's Jackpot Steer/Heifer Show at the Ashtabula Co Fairgrounds! It was a great experience for them! They have been working hard with their steers this winter! There were alot of kids there from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York! It was alot of hard work but the experience is all worth it!

Here is Cody showing Jack, his registered Maine. He placed 4th in his first class and he placed 3rd in his second class. I did not care how he placed, I was just glad he handled his steer so well! And that his steer cooperated!!

Here is Tori with her Maine Cross named Tank. He was a little antsy in the ring, but she was able to handle him!

We make it a family project! Bart is helping groom the steers.


Here I am blowing the barn dust off Jack before he has to go back into the show ring!

Bart & Cody stand with Jack! This is just before ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! Keep reading!

All went well! Then after taking this picture, I turn around and out of the barn comes running a steer---no halter, no neck rope, nothing to grab onto! HOLY CRAP!! I look....IT IS MY DAUGHTER'S STEER!! Talk about having a heart attack! There were enough people to help keep him contained in one area of the gravel lot. He came up to smell Jack but before we could catch him, he took off again! We got the other end of a barn closed off and were able to corral him into the barn! At least we would have him somewhat contained! We then got him cornered enough to where I could throw a rope around his neck...but let me tell you...he is strong! He pulled me right along with him! I hollered out to a friend that was helping us and from what people tell me after the fact, he drug us both! Everything happened so fast, I couldn't even tell you the whole story! We got him into a corner and then someone came over and got a halter on him! Thank you to anyone who helped us and happens to be reading this! Our hearts were all pounding by the time we caught him! I think about it now and laugh!! But to see Tori & Scott come running out of the barn and the looks on their faces! I wish I had given someone my camera through the commotion! So how did it happen? They were trying switch his rope halter and show halter and he slipped out in the process! Things like that happen! I have never had a run away steer. I do have to tell you my April Fools joke though! On April Fool's, I stood at the kitchen window and then started screaming to Bart and the kids that the steers were loose! They were so mad at me when they came into the kitchen and I started laughing! Now after our little excitement at the Jackpot show, I know that feeling that they got when I started screaming! I guess I will never play that joke again...because it came back to bite me in the butt!

Well, we are getting hit with another major snowstorm here in Northeast Ohio. Schools are closed. Roads are horrible due to all the blowing drifting snow! My husband said that even the snow plow was in the ditch this morning when he went to work! My fingers are crossed, hoping that springtime hurries up and gets here!

In the meantime, I have been busy working on some new punchneedle patterns that I hope to have available soon! I started using Valdani threads and I just love them! Check out my punchneedle blog (link to the left) next week. I hope to have a few of my new patterns posted!

The kids have been busy getting ready for the Ohio Beef Expo in March. They have been grooming their steers and walking them to get them ready. According to the Farmers Alamanac, the weather is supposed to be yuk! We'll see!

Not much else is new around here. 4-H is getting into full swing. Ashtabula County 4-H week is coming up the beginning of March. We have lots planned! We will be hosting a locker decorating contest at our elementary school. We will also have a 4-H assembly. Our county 4-H committee is hosting an ice cream social for the public to attend and learn more about 4-H & Extension! It will be a week of green!

Well-hope everyone stays safe out there! Keep warm! Until next time...

Is winter over yet?

First of all, WOW! It has been forever since I updated my blog! I must apologize! The holidays were wonderful but crazy! And also, I must admit, I spend more time on facebook anymore than I do on my blog!

So when is this winter weather going to end? I know, I know...it is only mid-February! It seems like it has been winter forever! Well here in Northeastern Ohio we get to deal with that wonderful thing called LAKE EFFECT SNOW! The first weekend in January we were blessed with 40" of LAKE EFFECT SNOW! As a matter of fact, the kids lucked out and got an extra day of Christmas vacation because of the fluffy white stuff! I must say that during that snow storm I was LOVIN' IT! I kept saying, "MORE SNOW MORE SNOW!" Funny how by mid- February that all changes! Now I am hopin' for daffodil weather! Anyway, I will try to be better about updating you all on my life!

First~ a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman! If you haven't heard of her, ya gotta check out her blog! She is awesome! She has published a cookbook that is to die for! I must say a HUGE thank you to Beth over at Olde Tyme Marketplace for getting my her cookbook for Christmas! I have made so many things in it! Ya gotta try her meatloaf! It has become a weekly staple at our house! And her pot roast...YUM! Ya just gotta get her cookbook. Not only does it have great recipes and awesome pics but it has great stories too!

Well, here are some pics of our winter weather here in Northeastern Ohio for you to enjoy!

Here is bald eagle we saw out in our field on New Year's Mornin'!! It was soooo cool! That was the best pic I could get because that was the start of our snow storm! Big fluffy flakes were falling! Anyway, he was gorgeous! He must have stood waist high!

So glad we do not have calves this year! Both kids are taking steers for 4-H. So we have 3 steers out in the barn! I love calves, but trudging out in the snow to bottle feed the newborns...ughh!

Our back patio full of snow! Anyone care to come over and have a cold one? LOL!

We were happy to see the sun!

Snowin' & Blowin'