Things I'm Loving

I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I'm currently enjoying this Friday.

*It's Friday.  Enough said.

*  These bowls.  We got so many absolutely amazing wedding presents that I could never try to pick a favorite.  But if I had to pick what we use the most often, it might be these babies.  What's even better, they're cheap.  And, alas, I didn't even register for them.....someone smarter than me must have known they are awesome.

*  This kid.  I mean, seriously, how does Little Cowboy not crack you up in this hat with his gun.  This was his attire for Christmas Break.  Side note:  He's got his first basketball game on Saturday.  I'm dying to hear how this goes.  Perhaps we will do an "Ask Little Cowboy" about it.

* This song.  I heard it on the radio yesterday and rushed right to iTunes to get it purchased.  I absolutely love it!  Here's my favorite verse. "Here's to this place I've found, the love I've known, the earth and sky that I call home.  Here's to the things I need, bigger than me, and the moments I find myself right where I'm supposed to be."

* This  shirt.  Super Mom and ND Friend got me this for Christmas and it is hands down, no question, absolutely the most comfortable shirt on the planet.  I would wear it every minute of every day if I could.

* Not doing Project 333 anymore.  I waived the white flag.  Remember when I said I was going to wear only 33 items of clothing for three months?  Screw that.  I made myself last a month for good measure, but I hated it.  I felt blah and frumpy and just wanted to dress cute, dang it.  Plus, I got lots of adorable things for Christmas that I just had to wear.

*  The Christmas gifts we made.  Following Super Mom's lead from last year, we decided to make homemade vanilla for Christmas gifts this year.  It was really easy....you just put vanilla beans in vodka and let them soak for a month or two (shaking every week).  Then we put them into jars, labeled them, and off they went to their recipients!

Big Hat and a Little Horse

I'm not a mom, so I don't know anything about raising kids, but I feel pretty sure that if more of them were raised this way, the world would be a better place.

Oh, and I also think there is a special place in Heaven for horses like Katie Elder.

Funny Conversations with the Boys in My Life (Part IV)

Today some of the heat is going to be taken off of The Boy from Texas as I share a few quotes with two of the other boys in my life as well:  Little Cowboy and BFF.  I really don't know what I'd do without the wisdom from these three in my life.

BFF:  "I'm going to need you to post a few blogs better suited for those readers who do not have ovaries.  Not hating, I dig it.  This member of your readership is probably going to read it regardless, but maybe i'll get a few gender neutral posts.  Hell, I'll even brainstorm ideas and forward."

Little Cowboy (to me and The Boy from Texas):  How come you two don't sleep in the same bed?
Me:  Because he won't stinkin' marry me!
Little Cowboy:  *shakes his head*
The Boy from Texas:  Yet!  Yet!  Don't say it like that and make him mad!

Little Cowboy (at the sheep sale after he told people the lambs were all $1,000, cash only.):  Um, Tiff, this price thing we have going just isn't going over that well.

Little Cowboy:  Tiff, see that kid over there in the red shirt?
Me:  Yea, I see him.
Little Cowboy:  That's the kid who picks on me and my best friend at school.  You know, the one that put me in a headlock.
Me:  You want me to go tell him how it is and that he better not do that crap anymore?
Little Cowboy:  Um.....no.  I mean, yea, kinda.  But you probably better not.  Unless you want to.  But don't.

The Boy from Texas:  It's possible that I'm going to have to be the patient on in this relationship for the rest of our lives.
Me:  There is no doubt you are going to have to do that.  Have fun.

Gems from Little Cowboy

I know this is everyone's favorite thing on my blog.....quotes from Little Cowboy.  For those of you who are new, he's my 7 year old little nephew and pretty much the funniest kid on the planet.

He spent the weekend selling lambs and I mean he was in the middle of it all....showing them, shaking hands, talking to customers, whole deal.  Here we go.

*Little Cowboy, The Boy from Texas, and I are out bottle feeding a lamb on Friday night.*
Little Cowboy:  I'm going to name this lamb Tiffany because you're my favorite aunt.
Me:  Well thanks, buddy!
Little Cowboys:  The Boy from Texas, one day you can be my favorite uncle!
[Awkward silence.]

*Little Cowboy is describing some kid that was picking on him at school.*
Little Cowboy:  Well Little Brother (my brother) said that if he got me in a headlock again, I could just punch him in the nuts.
Me:  Well, you gotta do what you gotta do.
Little Cowboy:  And I could do it too, he's tall, so his nuts are about right here [punches out in front of him].



Little Cowboy:  I have a girlfriend in my class.
My mom:  A girlfriend?!
Little Cowboy.  Yea.  Well, I was playing hard to get.  Little Brother taught me that.



Little Cowboy to various buyers at the lamb sale who asked him how much a lamb cost:  That's $1,000.  Cash.  Only cash.


*After showing sheep pretty much non-stop for two days*
Little Cowboy:  We get to show MORE sheep?!?  YES!!

*At the sale, I wrote the ear tag numbers of the lambs on an index card and handed them to Little Cowboy who then handed them to the auctioneer.  I made a mistake and had to mark a few out.*
Little Cowboy to the Auctioneer:  Tiff did this.  I'm going to tell her not to let it happen again!

And lastly, I'll leave you with a picture of what sheep sale weekend did to the poor kid.  This was him on the way home.

Christmas and New Year

How is it that I managed to fail to blog about Christmas?  No idea.  I'll tell you this much, working for a university and getting 2 weeks off for Christmas?  Potentially the best present ever.  No lie, it was amazing!   Here's a little recap in pictures.

The traditional pre-church photos

By this point, my father was exhausted from so many pictures
and apparently needed to sit down.

This was Little Brother giving Little Cowboy the obligatory father's
"We have to do chores before we can open presents" speech.

The boys opening their toolboxes that my mom got for them.

 

Jenga Boom got pretty serious.

I wore my Tiffany's ring from Super Mom and ND Friend to bag check sheep.
Pretty sure that has never happened before....they should put me in an ad.

My mom comes out to ask if this dress looked okay for church.  Little Cowboy
responded, "Actually, you look just like the windows in the church."

At the airport, in line at the Mexican food restaurant, I randomly ran
into King of Capitol Hill!

I hung out with Little Cowboy and Katie Elder.

The Boy from Texas helped his nephew open presents.

Then Little Cowboy wore him out.

The Boy from Texas with his sisters and nephew.

Little Cowboy branded his first calf.

And we spent New Years Eve in the hot tub with our friend who has apparently
never been given a blog name (not sure that's possible) who shall now be called
Sweet Talker. 

 And I saved the best for last.  Since we went to Vegas for the NFR a few weeks earlier, The Boy from Texas and I agreed that we would only spend $30 on gifts for each other. 

So I, being a believer in keeping promises, stuck to that plan and tried to be creative.  I got him an NRA Christmas tree ornament to commemorate our first date at the NRA Banquet, which I really do need to blog about one day.  I also wrote him a box of "open when" letters.  I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was awesome.  You write like 10 cards for him to open at various times.  So for example, one was "open when you have just put me on an airplane" and another was "open when you are having a rough day."

 

 

And then it was time to open my present.  Out pops this baby.

 

 

Um.....SOMEONE cheated on the $30 limit.  He really didn't apologize much and I really didn't complain much.  According to TBFT, this is the only orange Dooney and Bourke bag you could buy in the Texas Panhandle.

 

The Boy from Texas  1.  Tiffany 0.

When Little Cowboy Met The Boy From Texas

“If someone's life is not enriched by their time with you, then you're not doing something right.”  ~ Osayi Osar-Emokpae

Be honest, how many of you got ridiculously excited when you read the title of this blog?

That's right kids, two of our favorite blog characters met in real life last week at Cousin Whitney's wedding.  Here are a couple of exchanges between Little Cowboy and The Boy from Texas.

Little Cowboy and the bride.

Little Cowboy to Cousin Gramps:  Did you know Tiff is dating The Boy From Texas?
Cousin Gramps:  Yes, I knew that.
Little Cowboy:  WELL NOBODY TOLD ME!!  *Stomps off with his arms crossed.*

Me and Little Cowboy hunting bad guys at the family gathering.

Little Cowboy to the Boy from Texas:  You're big enough to flank any of the calves we branded today.
The Boy From Texas:  You calling me fat?
Little Cowboy:  Nope.  I'm just saying you would have been the biggest one there.

Funny faces.

Me to The Boy from Texas:  Here, eat this cake, I can't eat anymore without getting fat.
Little Cowboy:  You calling him fat?
Me:  No, I didn't call him fat.
Little Cowboy:  Good.

Little Cowboy sitting with me and The Boy from Texas at
the wedding party table.

Little Cowboy to The Boy From Texas *Looking straight up at him with his hands on his hips.*:  If you're dating Tiff, I am not going to be your friend.

Little Cowboy to The Boy from Texas (about an hour later):  I'm sorry for that mean thing I said.  I didn't mean it.  We can still be friends.

More funny faces.

Little Cowboy to The Boy from Texas:  Tiff says I'm a better dancer than you.

Little Cowboy to me:  You can date The Boy From Texas.  So long as you don't get stinkin' married.

Me and The Boy from Texas (photo by Little Cowboy)

For those of you who feel bad for Little Cowboy, or who are worried that he might be heartbroken, don't worry.  This last comment will tell you how quickly he moved on.

Little Cowboy:  Tiff, I have a secret to tell you, but you can't tell anyone else.
Me: Okay, buddy.
Little Cowboy:  I have a crush on Haley.

The new crush.

Me, Little Cowboy, and his new crush

Aunt Tiff/Little Cowboy Day of Fun

“When he worked, he really worked. But when he played, he really PLAYED.” ~Dr. Seuss

Last week I checked off one of my favorite 30 by 30 List items when we had a Little Cowboy/Aunt Tiff Day of Fun.  I do not have the energy to keep up with a 6 year old.  I don't know how my brother and sister in law do it.  That little dude is non stop.  We had so much fun----toy car races, book reading, driving lessons, riding in the car with his head out the sunroof (we were not supposed to tell the moms about that one), fried pickle and tacos for lunch, playing t-ball, shopping for "horse stuff----you name it and we did it.  Here are a couple photos and my favorite quotes from the event.

(Upon seeing a police officer in the post office)
Little Cowboy: If you're here to arrest me, you're gonna have to deal with my lawyer.  {Yes, he seriously said it.  And yes, I'm seriously a lawyer.  Ha!}

Little Cowboy: When I get older, I'm gonna drink whiskey, fight people in bars, and chase wild women. {Moments like this make me glad I'm just the aunt and not the parent!}

Little Cowboy:  My arm hurts.
Me:  Why?
Little Cowboy:  I got shot today.
Me:  Who shot you?
Little Cowboy:  Dang Yankee.

We were doing math in the car, so I as asking him addition questions.
Me:  4 plus 2?
Little Cowboy:  *Sigh.*  6.  That one's lame.

Me:  What do you want to do today?
Little Cowboy:  Fix fence.  {Said no one else.  Ever in life.}

(After my mom told him I spent the day before working on my taxes)
Little Cowboy:  I want to stay a kid my whole life so I don't ever have to pay taxes.  {Me too, kid.  Me too!}

My mom's friend:  Do you have any guns?
Little Cowboy:  Nope.  And don't try to jip me for money because I don't have any of that either!

Little Cowboy was eating chicken strips, french fries, and gravy.  My dad stole a french fry, which was okay.  But when he got another one and dipped it in gravy, Little Cowboy was not impressed.  He smacked my dad's hand and knocked the chicken off the fork.  He doesn't share his gravy, apparently.  Except with my mom.  Since they are best buds.

Little Cowboy:  I hate Taylor Swift.  And Carrie Underwood doesn't eat meat.  I'd rather eat dirt than listen to Two Black Cadillacs.
Me:  Well what singer do you like?
Little Cowboy:  Miranda Lambert.
Me:  Why?
Little Cowboy:  Because she's a wild woman.

(After pitching a fit that I was running the OKC Half Marathon because I would die like the people in Boston)
Little Cowboy:  Fine.  I don't want you to run.  But if you're going to, I am going to help you.  Four laps around the house.  Go!

(During our driving lesson when he was driving on the wrong side of the road)
Me:  What are you, in England?  We drive on the right side of the road.  That means the driver is always in the middle.
Little Cowboy:  So the other side is the English side?
Me:  Yep.  In England they drive on the other side.
**Later on, after we turned around and were about to go again**
Me:  Okay, which side of the road do we go on?
Little Cowboy (pointing to the right):  This one.  This ain't England.  'MERICA!

Little Cowboy: You're 29. That's not so bad. But then you'll be 30. Which is pretty much 40. That's old.

My Dream Dinner Party List

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” ~ Edmund Lee 

I've been working on a Dream Dinner Party List for a while now.  This shouldn't surprise anyone.  You already know I love lists....bucket lists, 30 by 30 lists....you name it.  So I heard about this idea that you make a list of the 10 people who you would invite to your dream dinner party.  You know that I couldn't pass this one up.  Here they are, in random order.  I may have gone over the number limit.....whatever, it's my dream dinner party!

Cardinal Timothy Dolan.  This was the name that I revealed last week in a Friday Letter.  I love Cardinal Dolan.  ND Friend has met him in person, and when I think about what I would do if that happened, I honestly believe I would either faint or throw up on his shoes I would be so nervous and excited.  I absolutely love the way that he represents Christianity and Jesus and at the same time seems genuinely happy and funny and full of joy. 

My grandfathers.  Both of my grandfathers died before I was born.  But I can only imagine the kind of men that they must have been based on the children they raised--my parents, aunts and uncles. 

Both sets of grandparents on their wedding days

George Strait.  Pretty sure he's on the list of every girl who has ever ridden a horse or listened to country music.  I can only hope that he would be awesome enough to say, "Sure is good" just like he did on Pure Country, while eating a piece of bacon.  My life would be complete.

Bob Goff.  You guys have read before about how much I love this guy.  He's someone who is out there doing the good that needs to be done in the world.  He's crazy enough to believe that he can make a difference, and he does it.  I think he's the perfect dinner party guest.

Pope John Paul II.  My love for Pope John Paul II started when I was in high school "helping" one of the Hepburns with his book report on the Pope.   I remember being really upset and felling like I knew him when he passed away, and the amazing site that it was seeing his tomb at St. Peter's Bascilica in Rome. He just seemed to be so kind and caring and generous and such a great example of loving others.

Michael Jordan.  I know he's a has-been, but listen here, my 10 year old self will always love MJ and the rest of the Chicago Bulls.  He's a legend, and anyone who wants to try and and compare him wiht Kobe or LeBron can just jump in a lake.

Coach Gundy.  So I could ask him for a job.  Obviously.  Plus, he's super hot.  And he's a man.  He's 40.

 Gran and Mr. Franklin.  I was talking last week about how along with my parents, these two people had the biggest influence on my life.  I miss them every single day and think all the time about how I wish I could tell them one more thing or as them one more question.  Add to that that they were two of my favorite people in the entire world, and it is clear they were going to make the list.

Michael Phelps.   Yea yea, I know that he takes stupid pictures and apparently has a bit of a drug problem and I'm sure he's not much of a gentleman when it comes to his love life, but he's the most decorated Olympian ever. That gets you a seat at my party.

Mr. Right.  Apparently me finding this dude in real life is more complicated than I ever thought it would be, but if he showed up at my Dream Dinner Party, I would then be aware of his identity and could go track him down the next day!

Little Cowboy.  Because seriously, I think he's the funniest kid that has ever lived and the thought of seeing him go toe to toe with Bob Goff or Cardinal Dolan pretty much makes my day.

Now it's your turn.....who is on YOUR Dream Dinner Party List?