Showing posts with label Blog Hop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Hop. Show all posts

5/3/13

A to Z Challenge in Retrospect

This was the first year I've participated in the A to Z Challenge. I honestly thought I was crazy for signing up. But not only did I enjoy myself, it wasn't as hard to pull off as I thought.


I couldn't have made it without scheduling my posts. That helped immensely, although there where a few days when the scheduled posts ran out and I needed to actually take a minute to set up the rest of the month. Over all, I spend very little time at the computer.

Coming up with the posts was the fun part. The theme made it easy and my kids liked brainstorming ideas with me. Having the posts more image related helped. But now and then I told a story, like in my Owl post.

My most popular post seems to be the Cubs. And thus far we haven't seen them this year. That's a good thing. I hope they are more leery of us now that they are older. I have, however, seen three grizzly bears in the past week! But it was much farther away, off the Guest Ranch.

A darn big Grizzly Bear, looking right at me! 

He was pretty far away though.
My daughter took this shot of me. She's so awesome. 

Sorry… back to this post…

Will I do it again? You bet! And now that I know I will, I've got a year to plan!
Do I recommend it to other bloggers? Absolutely!

And the perks are even better! I've so enjoyed seeing how others have approached the challenge. I've visited many fabulous writers and will continue to. Many of the blogs on the list were not the kind of blogs who hang in the same Memes as I usually do. So the link up aspect of this challenge introduced me to these wonderful people whom I wouldn't have found on my own.

And I want to thank everyone who popped in on me! I have enjoyed every one of your comments!

Thanks for coming 'round!



4/15/13

M is for Monday ~ Oh Man, Not Again!

And since its a Monday, and I'm feeling it. After a week and weekend of Darling Adventure Man being on a business trip, and our first track meet with me single Mommy-ing it. (I could never be a military wife!) Yeah, it's Monday.

So I thought I would join Linda Roy over at Mod Mom Beyond IndieDom and her "I hate Monday's Blog Hop!" I need the support group today!

Hello, My name is Kristen
I hate Mondays.

Hop over and join her too. Plus, she's doing a rocking job on the A to Z Challenge. (I'm sorry Linda, I really didn't mean for the bad pun! Hahaha) I've been following her blog for a while and she is such a great writer. It's well worth the stop!

Click HERE to head over,
I'm really code illiterate and couldn't figure it out!  
So go, have a Monday. Deal with it. Monday is only 1/7 of your life after all! 
Maybe I'll just go back to bed!


3/13/13

One Talented Cowboy ~ Hand Carved Rifles


This is our dear friend. He and my husband have been friends since they were 19. The we in the Missionary Training Center getting ready to head out for a two year volunteer mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The Cowboy had never spent so much time indoors in his life and he wasn't sure he could make it. Adventure Man wrote a letter to his mom and asked her to send him a very special care package. He said he needed leather, beads and any other things that could be worked with your hands. Adventure Man got The Cowboy to start making stuff and it probably saved his mission. 

They were sent to the Okinawa Islands in Japan. At one point in my husband's mission he was on a small island for over a year and he had The Cowboy as a companion for a total of 11 months on their mission. Most missionaries will have the same companion for just a few months. But 11? That's unheard of! 

The Cowboy is very artistic. He hand carved this rifle and his wife is eager to see if they can sell it and more. If you are interested in purchasing one, please leave me a comment below and I will get you some contact information. 


Thursday Favorite Things

11/3/12

Sunday Potluck ~ Blog Hop



Welcome to the Sunday Potluck! I'm your host, Ranch Mama.
I'm a Mama who blogs about my crazy life living on a guest ranch in Montana.
I love boots.
I hate to go barefoot.
I'm a Giants fan.
I love to take pictures.
Please come and look around!
Feel free to link up your blog and if you're new around here, let us know! 


Sunday Potluck is a chance to link up your blog, visit other blogs and make new friends!
Have FUN! 



A Word From The Management:
(Order, Order!)

1. Follow me, please! 
2. Link your blog's main page, not a specific post.
3. Visit as many new blogs as you can and leave some comment love. 
Let people know if you are a new follower!
4. Be nice! We are all in the Blog World for our own reasons! But we all want support, "If you can't say something nice, don't." Be constructive! Thanks!
5. Post the badge on your blog! 

citygirlgoneranchmama


10/20/12

Sunday Potluck ~ I'm Starting it up!


OK folks! I've been wanting to have a blog hop party for a while and I'm actually going to attempted it! (Yikes)  

Here's the idea, now and then, at church they announce that they will be having a potluck and if everyone could please bring a main dish AND a side dish OR a dessert. 

Easy enough, right? 

Well, as you can imagine, the menu will vary immensely from potluck to potluck! Sometimes there is a ton of jello salads and other times there are what seem like a hundred brownies. But every time is a lot of fun, yummy food and great visiting. 

So, no, you don't have to go to church. 
You don't have to bring a dish, recipe or even pictures of food. Remember, this is NOT a cooking blog. However, if you ARE a cooking blog, you are still welcome. 

Everyone is welcome!


I want this Sunday Potluck to be a chance to just link up your blog, visit other blogs and make new friends! If you follow along with my Ramblings then you know I link up lots of my posts with lots of other blogs, and I have met some pretty awesome bloggers. So I would love for my followers and your followers to get a chance to meet each other. 
And have FUN! 


A Word From The Management:
(Order, Order!)

1. Follow me, please, it helps me keep track! 
2. Link your blog's main page, not a specific post.
3. Visit as many new blogs as you can and leave some comment love. 
Let people know if you are a new follower!
4. Be nice! We are all in the Blog World for our own reasons! But we all want support, "If you can't say something nice, don't." Be constructive! Thanks!
5. Post the badge on your blog! 
(It took me ages to figure out how to make the darn thing! LOL)

Lastly, this is a Monthly Blog Hope and will happen the first Sunday of each Month. So our first link up will be November 4th. If you plan on linking up, please add the badge to your blog side bar so we can get the word out! 
See You There!


citygirlgoneranchmama



10/15/12

Talking about Myself... Again! With MMI Link Up.

Welcome to my little world, where it's all about me! Well, and them. But mostly me. Feel free to look around. Today I'm linking up with The Me, Myself, And I link up! So I'm answering a few questions. Enjoy! 

• What is your favorite season? Explain.

This is such a hard one for me. I love every season, and just as the one I'm in is ending, I start getting all excited for the next. The only thing that has hindered this ability has been living up here on the mountain where the summers are very short and not as hot as I like. We had a week of 95 degree weather and I was in heaven. But I went to Big Town one of those days and it was like a ghost town. I parked right in front of the downtown store I went to and the parking lot at Walmart was creepy it was so empty! Apparently that was too hot for most Montanans! Can you imagine what would happen if we got some Sacramento weather up here?? Bahaha! 


Autumn at the ranch 
I love fall and winter too, but I just don't get enough heat in the summer to really wish for the cold. That doesn't stop me from enjoying them! 

• Talk about a moment that changed your life?


I think I have lots of moments like this. Our lives are full of cross roads that, if taken, could change everything. 

The one that stands out right now though, is when I met my husband, Adventure Man. At the time I felt that he was way out of my league. I also know that he was what I wanted. OR at least someone like that. Meeting him helped me look at myself and be the kind of person I thought someone like that would want. I didn't change for him but I got my act together. Well, I tried to. I also took a good look at the kind of men I had been dating and frankly, none of them ever stood a chance. 

I didn't know for sure that he was the one. But I felt a spark, and I did tell my mom that he was who I would marry (two years before we even started dating). 

I think that's what makes a great couple, when they make the other want to be better. It wasn't until much later that I realized that it was I who was out of his league. And I remind him of that daily! 

• If you could be any Crayola crayon color, what would you be and why?

I love turquoise. The color of a tropical ocean. I also love orange, purple, and lavender. Like a sunset. 
sunset in my back yard

Oh, and navy. I love navy! I don't think I could choose just one color. That's what I like best about a new box of crayons. The variety! Life would be so boring. 
10th anniversary trip to Tahiti 

But OK, I guess if I have to pick, for the sake of the link up, I would be turquoise. I love the stone, and the color. Yep, turquoise.   

• Describe yourself as a superhero: Superpower? Name? Sidekick?

My son once asked me, "Mom, what's your superpower?" I was taken aback and said, "The power to… uh…" He jumped in and said, "The Power to make Sandwiches!" This was not a question. This was a fact! This, from a kid who would eat a peanut butter sandwich 6 times a day if I let him. 

I am Super Sub Woman. Yeah, I've got a side kick, She's Bunny the Bomb. She makes messes wherever she goes! And her big brother, Bear-Man, is aspiring to be a member of the Green Lantern Force when he grows up. 


Bear-Man at age 3 
(No really, if you ask him what he wants to be when he grows up, he will say, Green Lantern. But he really likes Flash too. And Batman. But everyone likes Batman.)

• If you had all the money in the world and could only shop at 3 stores, where would you shop?

I'm assuming you aren't referring to Grocery stores here? I'm guessing this is for clothes? With that in mind, I would have to say, and I hope this isn't cheating, The Gap Brand stores, The Abercrombie and Fitch Brand stores and REI (I gotta get my Gear on!). These stores have their own lines of stores, Gap has Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta. A&F has Hollister, Abercrombie Kids and Gilly Hicks. That would cover my shopping needs for everyone in my family! The only problem with this line up is that there are no ranch stores in here. So where would we get our mucking boots and coveralls!? 

Thanks so much for stopping by and reading all the way to the end! Good for you! Now click on the link below and check out some other fun blogs! And if you want to play along, write up your Q&As and add yourself to the link up! Do it, do it! 

10/12/12

Our Orange Aspen

We have a section of aspen trees in the grove just to the south of our field that have orange trees in it. Not orange trees as in the fruit, but aspen trees that turn orange instead of yellow, in the fall. The grove has some of the oldest trees in our area. I have heard, however that orange aspens are a sign of illness. I have no idea where I heard this from. I guess I need to do some homework! 



Adventure Man wanted to take some pictures of them before they blow away. It's very windy up here on this mountain and a good wind storm will strip the fall color in one night. Leaving behind the stark, gray winter forest that makes me think of a Witch's forest.


Adventure Man wanted to take some pictures of them before they blow away. It's very windy up here on this mountain and a good wind storm will strip the fall color in one night. Leaving behind the stark, gray winter forest that makes me think of a Witch's forest.

The view of our house and the guest ranch from the trees.
All these pictures where taken by Adventure Man

 I want to share with you the beautiful color with Sarah 
for Orange You Glad It's Friday at Hood Photo Blog. 
Enjoy! 

OrangeFridayBadge

10/2/12

Let's Get To Know Everyone, Shall We?

This month, for Mrs. Monologues' Blog Star Link Up, I thought I would let you read about the people I spend my time writing about.

(I know this is crazy! I love to talk about myself! What AM I thinking?)

So here are the dear ones in my life:

There is Bunny




















And Bear




















Then Bean


And Lulu



And of course, we can't forget Adventure Man 




















Now if you missed my other link ups, you can find out more about me here, and here, and maybe here.




















Have a wonderful October all you wonderful blog world friends! Thanks so much for stopping by! I so enjoy getting to know you all! So leave a comment and then I will know who to go check out! 




Mrs. Monologues









9/17/12

Me, Myself and I ~ I Know You're Just Dying to Hear This Stuff!

It's that Tuesday where I link up with a ton of other blogs and feel crazy because I never get to read all the blogs I want to! There are so many of you out there that are just great and I want to read you all! But I will read all I can! So...


Welcome, enjoy, come and stay awhile. 
Hang your hat, pull up a stool, have a cup'a hot... whatever. Here we go!

1) When you're feeling down, what do you do to pick yourself up?
Give a little whistle! Sing a happy song. Ok, really, a good workout is the best fix for a not so sunny day. Whip that butt! 

2)  If you had to live in a different time period which would you prefer?
I love the 1940's. The women were strong, hard working, and beautiful. People knew how to work hard and do without. 
The war came to an end, the boys came home, 
And the shoes were amazing! 
Luckily for me, fashion repeats it's self! 
December 1947 add Image Source 

3)  What is the most creative Halloween costume you've ever worn?
You know who the Joker's Girlfriend is? 
Harley Quinn. 
She is by far, my favorite Batman villain!   
Work Halloween Party 2009 

4)  Five weird things about you we wouldn't know without being told?


• I'm a total superhero freak.
• People think I'm the stepmom. All my kids are blond! 
• I love this time of year but am not looking forward to winter… well maybe a little. (Sweaters and boots do make me happy!)
• I tamed a squirrel when I was a kid. She would eat nuts out of my hand, but wouldn't let anyone touch her. She was still wild. She would climb the screen door and beg. She would also pee into the kitchen. Your Welcome, Mom! 
• Tomorrow is my one year anniversary of my first blog post! Yay me! (Thanks for a great year!)


5)  What would you tell your 16-year-old self?
~ I love you! ~ 

Don't worry, you're doing just fine. 
Your future is better than you could ever imagine! 
Enjoy the ride! 
And you know that Cat Stevens song you love, Father and Son? Someday you really will relate more to the Father. 
I know! Right? 

~~~~~~~~~~
Let me know you came by so I can go see you! 
Thanks for stop'n in! 

9/4/12

Making a Splash at the Blog Star Link Up

Can you believe how fast August went? Really I'm not sure I even know what happened in August. I have a vague memory of getting kids down to town for summer school. Swimming lessons. Dentist appointments. And I think we had company too. But what I really know is that I'm really tired. Why am I so tired?

But really, it was a lot of fun and I'm really glad it's September. And that means it's time for Mrs. Monologues Blog Star Link-up! Yeah!!!

*********

Ok, so the idea is to tell all you wonderful blogger's who are visiting for the very first time something about myself. You can see what I wrote about last month here. But this month I want to tell you that I scuba dive, and I love to take pictures of people in scuba and snorkel masks! Goggles will work too!





Not only is a good mask great for underwater viewing but it can also bring sexy back! And they aren't always used in the pool or the big blue either! Sometimes they are just for clown'n around!




Thanks for stopping by! And if you enjoyed yourself, feel free to stick around! Become one of my dear Kin Folk and Follow along! Oh, and be sure to go check out some other awesome blogs!

Happy Diving! 
Mrs. Monologues



8/20/12

August ~ Me Myself and I ~ Link Up

Kermit the Frog
It's MMI time again, people! You get to learn more random crap about me! Read it, and learn something!

1) What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

I know I should say, "Start our own business. Our dream would be to have our own place!" But really this is what I would do… 
Learn to play the banjo and the ukulele.

Oh, and learn to do tricks with a bull whip.
Not anything kinky, just for fun, like in the rodeo or something... You know...

Kelly Brook as Indiana Jones 
photo credit: Google
2) If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?

I'd go visit everyone in my family and take my kids on a few fab vacations.

3) If a front page news article was written on you, what would the headline be?

There's A Stranger On The Mountain,
and She's Telling All Our Secrets.
or
Crazy Mama of Four Didn't Kill Her Kids Today And Instead Baked Some Awesome Cookies!

4) What is your biggest pet peeve?

When my kids ignore me.
Am I really that annoying when I say "Set The Table" 12 times? I'm hungry!
Oh, and when they take my comb out of the shower. I have curly hair.
That is the only place I can comb my hair!
A Room with a View
photo credit: google
It's just not nice to be naked and dripping with conditioner and looking for a stink'n comb!

5) What is your favorite 
chick flick movie?

Hands Down, "A Room With a View"
with Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands.
It's just delicious!

~~~~~~

Now head on over to the hop, pick up the button and let everyone know more about you!


Thanks for coming 'round! xo



8/18/12

Sunday Afternoon With My Darlings

I've been wanting to take some photos of my kids and last Sunday afternoon was the perfect opportunity. We all headed out to play after lunch and the kids still had most of their Sunday attire on. 
Not all of my kids participated, but 3/4's isn't bad! 

Here are some of my favorites! 

 Bean. 
She was standing at the edge of the world, 
taking it all in with her artist's eye. 
She turned to me and I started snapping. 

 Bear. 
Having a moment of fun on the pogo swing.

Bunny. 
Into everything and always on her way. 
She was escaping the deck and off to the swings. 
She's not big enough to swing solo, 
but she sure thought she was cool when I sat her on it by her big self! 

I've used the Nikon D70, but I must confess, I do not know what I'm doing!

Ni Hao Yall