Monday, April 30, 2012
Multnomah Falls- This time we hiked
Just a few pics from the beautiful Multnomah Falls. It is a paved trail most of the way and if the sun is out, which it was it = GORGEOUS! It is a huge tourist area and we probably heard 5 different languages on our way up the hill. The waterfalls there are huge and keep things cooled off pretty well.
What are your favorite things about hikes?
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
Red Velvet Sheet Cake
Made my first ever cake that wasn't a disaster. It was also my first ever red velvet cake. I made it for a Relief Society activity, which is also my new calling: Relief Society Activity Committee. It was quite the thrill when it all came out of the pan in one piece. I got the idea from the Pioneer Woman blog.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
Cars
We bought our first car together a couple of weeks ago. Meet the new (to us) blue Ford taurus. It has black leather interior and only 37,000 miles. We got a great deal on it and are very excited to have it for all of the road trips we take to visit our families. It has big shoes to fill.
The red Chevrolet blazer was practically part of the family. A guy Justin works with bought it from us for his teenage daughter to drive. I have to admit I was slightly sad to see it go. It never once led me stranded and we traveled many miles (100,000) together.
Can't wait to take the taurus on a road trip.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Distracting
I should be reading... but I don't want to go distract myself that way right now. Distracting from what? The thought of Justin being gone. His new job has required more travel then we are used to. It is fine, I just have to not let my thoughts about burglers and crazies get the better of me when the sun goes down. All will be well in the morning. Off to try reading. Good night.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
Saturday, April 21, 2012
No Job....
These last 8 weeks are the first time in a very long time that I have been without employment. It has been strange, frustrating, fun, hard and just what I needed for the time being. The first week we were here I was relaxed and happy with where we were at in life. My husband just got a job of his dreams and we had a whole new adventure before us.
As the second week rolled around I anxiously awaited the arrival of our internet package so I could begin the job hunt. Once the internet did arrive, it was overwhelming how many jobs there are to choose from. Most of the jobs I wasn't even interested in. Praying and hoping that one would appear out of thin air, I continued to browse Craigs List and the Oregon Employment Department site daily.
I then got the idea to just start subbing. They make pretty good money in Oregon and I could do that for the rest of the school year. I called the school district, they directed me another state office where I was informed they only hire subs in June and July for the following school year. Also, if I want to get signed up to sub I am going to have to get an Oregon teaching license which is a small fee of about $200. Wait a second, I want to make money- not spend it. Well, check that one off my list for now.
Continue praying and hoping, and even applied for a few jobs here or there. No response, nothing. Had the feeling to wait for the Oregon FFA State Convention. Went to it and had a fabulous time! Did some networking and made some connections for two possible job opportunities. As soon as I returned home I pursued more information about them. Both ended up being dead ends for now.
Questions keep coming here and there, "So do you work? What do you do with your time? Aren't you going crazy just being at home? Or telling people what my degree was in their response is, not many jobs like that around here."
This is where I started to get really angry and scared. What if I never find a job? What if I am never able to have kids? Great, I will just be a person who has no future and no ambition.(Crazy thoughts that aren't true, but that is what I was thinking).
You know that quote by President Monson, "Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.” Over the past couple of weeks I have implemented that on multiple days. Finally, through scripture study, prayers, encouragement and wisdom of others, and because of my dear sweet husband, I have come to realize my worth does not come from my work. My worth comes because I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who has blessed me with specific atrributes and abilities.He knows where I am at right now and knows who he needs to be. Be patient and trust Him.
I am still hunting for a job, but am finding so much joy in being able to serve my husband, my family, and those around me. Being able to learn about things I am interested in and being able to index names and cook and sew and build my abilities to present myself as a skilled person with many abilities to employers.
My prayers have changed from, "Please help me to find a job," to rather, "Please bless me with the abilities I need to be able to find a job." I can say my back has been strengthened to endure this little challenge in life and my hope has increased.
There has been days that I have wondered why I got my degree in Agricultural Education? I have felt recently that the word agriculture can be a turn off to many outside of the agriculture profession. However, I know that I made the right decision while in college. I was taught by the best and while my education is in agriculture, my work skills reach far beyond that industry.
I have a friend in my ward who has helped me network with some people in her company. I am hoping all goes well with this application, but if not I know I will still be ok and to keep pressing forward with hope and joy in my life right now.
I truley am so blessed in my life and this little discomfort is so much easier to go through than what so many around me are experiencing right now. There is much joy in the journey, but sometimes I believe it is a journey just to find it, but always well worth it if we will put forth the effort.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
As the second week rolled around I anxiously awaited the arrival of our internet package so I could begin the job hunt. Once the internet did arrive, it was overwhelming how many jobs there are to choose from. Most of the jobs I wasn't even interested in. Praying and hoping that one would appear out of thin air, I continued to browse Craigs List and the Oregon Employment Department site daily.
I then got the idea to just start subbing. They make pretty good money in Oregon and I could do that for the rest of the school year. I called the school district, they directed me another state office where I was informed they only hire subs in June and July for the following school year. Also, if I want to get signed up to sub I am going to have to get an Oregon teaching license which is a small fee of about $200. Wait a second, I want to make money- not spend it. Well, check that one off my list for now.
Continue praying and hoping, and even applied for a few jobs here or there. No response, nothing. Had the feeling to wait for the Oregon FFA State Convention. Went to it and had a fabulous time! Did some networking and made some connections for two possible job opportunities. As soon as I returned home I pursued more information about them. Both ended up being dead ends for now.
Questions keep coming here and there, "So do you work? What do you do with your time? Aren't you going crazy just being at home? Or telling people what my degree was in their response is, not many jobs like that around here."
This is where I started to get really angry and scared. What if I never find a job? What if I am never able to have kids? Great, I will just be a person who has no future and no ambition.(Crazy thoughts that aren't true, but that is what I was thinking).
You know that quote by President Monson, "Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.” Over the past couple of weeks I have implemented that on multiple days. Finally, through scripture study, prayers, encouragement and wisdom of others, and because of my dear sweet husband, I have come to realize my worth does not come from my work. My worth comes because I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who has blessed me with specific atrributes and abilities.He knows where I am at right now and knows who he needs to be. Be patient and trust Him.
I am still hunting for a job, but am finding so much joy in being able to serve my husband, my family, and those around me. Being able to learn about things I am interested in and being able to index names and cook and sew and build my abilities to present myself as a skilled person with many abilities to employers.
My prayers have changed from, "Please help me to find a job," to rather, "Please bless me with the abilities I need to be able to find a job." I can say my back has been strengthened to endure this little challenge in life and my hope has increased.
There has been days that I have wondered why I got my degree in Agricultural Education? I have felt recently that the word agriculture can be a turn off to many outside of the agriculture profession. However, I know that I made the right decision while in college. I was taught by the best and while my education is in agriculture, my work skills reach far beyond that industry.
I have a friend in my ward who has helped me network with some people in her company. I am hoping all goes well with this application, but if not I know I will still be ok and to keep pressing forward with hope and joy in my life right now.
I truley am so blessed in my life and this little discomfort is so much easier to go through than what so many around me are experiencing right now. There is much joy in the journey, but sometimes I believe it is a journey just to find it, but always well worth it if we will put forth the effort.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
Thursday, April 19, 2012
First Hike
Last weekend was our first weekend in a very long time where we have had absolutely no other responsibilities requesting our time. Knowing this we decided to go for a hike. We have never been on a hike together and now I am hoping we go on them often. It was very relaxing to be in the quiet of nature with my favorite person.
The trees here are huge! You can see from us standing next to them just how big they are. It was rather funny because alot of what Justin talked about while hiking was how he would like to try and cut one down. He admired them, but the logger in him really wanted to see just what fine work he could do with his chain saw.
We didn't see anyone else on the hike, which was surprising because the weather was beautiful. This summer, we may even attempt an overnight hike. Yikes! If you ever come to visit us, we promise we will take you on a hike.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
The Animals
When we first moved up here, my very good friend's parents asked us to take care of their animals while they went on a trip to visit their kids and relatives for two weeks. I quickly responded that it would be no problem and we would be happy to do it.
Like planned we began taking care of
Sydney the Horse
Max the Bull
Ingrid and Kierstin the Heifers
and the Dandruff Cat on March 31.
The first couple of days were uneventful and went relatively smooth. Then, on Tuesday April 3 it all began. Justin was getting home very late that night from work because he had been out at the coast working with a logging operation. I went out around 6 p.m. to start doing chores.
I started getting the feed ready and figured that Max the bull and his hungry tummy (or 4 tummies:) would make his way to the barn. When he didn't come I went out there to shake some feed at him. He still didn't come. The only thing on his mind was the 'ladies' (Ingrid and Kierstin) and how he was going to get with them.
I should back up a step. Max and the heifers cannot be in the same pen because, well we all know what happens. They both also have the same daddy (not a good thing for registered cattle to do) and the heifers are still too young to be bred. However Max loves the heifers, and Sydney the horse loves Max the bull. This means we had to get Max locked in his stall before Sydney would go in her stall, and then we could move the heifers up from their pasture to their stall. (Co-dependency not a healthy thing.)
I called my friend to ask what the trick was to getting Max to come up and eat. Her and her mom are only like 5'2 so I thought, "Surely I can do this if they can."
Her advice, take a show stick out there and hit him on the head and get behind him and push him up to the barn. "He thinks he is tough, but he really isn't," were her parting words.
I entered the pasture with all the confidence in the world and my show stick. As I approach Max in the middle of the pasture close to NO fences (aka escape routes) he looks at me. I proceed towards him and for maybe a split second have a regret. I begin the process of hitting him on the head and trying to get behind him. His response dropping his head and proceeding to try to charge me. This escalated for probably 30 seconds and I was getting REALLY scared. The thougth occured to me as the horse graciously ate grass and watched near by, "What a great place for Justin to find me when he gets home, dead in the pasture." (sarcasm)
Finally, something scared him and he took off in the other direction and I quickly sprinted to the closest gate. I then called my friend back and she said he was fine in the pasture and just let him come up when he is ready to. (she also chuckled at me a little bit)
Max didn't come in until 8:30 a.m. the next morning to eat. Which meant neither did the horse and neither did the heifers. Thanks Max, your a butt.
From that point forward for the next 11 days or so remaining, Max was a challenge. Actually he even progressively got worse in his behavior. Everyone who works with cattle says that bulls like to test the limits. I don't know what to do correct them when they outweigh me by 1,500 lbs?
When our friends returned I asked the wife if she had any problems with him. She laughed and said, "Well, he threw his head at Brad in the stall the first night we were back, so he hit him on the head with a shovel. No more problems after that."
Why didn't anybody tell me all it took was a shovel?
Sydney the horse also experienced an abscess in her back right hoof, which meant a few different visits from the horse vet. (She was a huge help!)Syd had a great personality though and was the most consistent with her behavior of all of the large animals.
The dandruff cat was rather fat and my theory is she was depresesd. She laid around in her cat bed all day long except for when we were on the deck to pet her. I mostly only touched her when I had my gloves on.
As for the heifers, they were pretty good, except for one time, one did try to charge me. Still not sure about that one.
It was a great experience, I learned alot and I would probably even maybe do it again.
P.S. For all those of you who haven't been around cattle alot, it is ok to hit them on the head with large things. They have very hard heads and it doesn't hurt them.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
Like planned we began taking care of
Sydney the Horse
Max the Bull
Ingrid and Kierstin the Heifers
and the Dandruff Cat on March 31.
The first couple of days were uneventful and went relatively smooth. Then, on Tuesday April 3 it all began. Justin was getting home very late that night from work because he had been out at the coast working with a logging operation. I went out around 6 p.m. to start doing chores.
I started getting the feed ready and figured that Max the bull and his hungry tummy (or 4 tummies:) would make his way to the barn. When he didn't come I went out there to shake some feed at him. He still didn't come. The only thing on his mind was the 'ladies' (Ingrid and Kierstin) and how he was going to get with them.
I should back up a step. Max and the heifers cannot be in the same pen because, well we all know what happens. They both also have the same daddy (not a good thing for registered cattle to do) and the heifers are still too young to be bred. However Max loves the heifers, and Sydney the horse loves Max the bull. This means we had to get Max locked in his stall before Sydney would go in her stall, and then we could move the heifers up from their pasture to their stall. (Co-dependency not a healthy thing.)
I called my friend to ask what the trick was to getting Max to come up and eat. Her and her mom are only like 5'2 so I thought, "Surely I can do this if they can."
Her advice, take a show stick out there and hit him on the head and get behind him and push him up to the barn. "He thinks he is tough, but he really isn't," were her parting words.
I entered the pasture with all the confidence in the world and my show stick. As I approach Max in the middle of the pasture close to NO fences (aka escape routes) he looks at me. I proceed towards him and for maybe a split second have a regret. I begin the process of hitting him on the head and trying to get behind him. His response dropping his head and proceeding to try to charge me. This escalated for probably 30 seconds and I was getting REALLY scared. The thougth occured to me as the horse graciously ate grass and watched near by, "What a great place for Justin to find me when he gets home, dead in the pasture." (sarcasm)
Finally, something scared him and he took off in the other direction and I quickly sprinted to the closest gate. I then called my friend back and she said he was fine in the pasture and just let him come up when he is ready to. (she also chuckled at me a little bit)
Max didn't come in until 8:30 a.m. the next morning to eat. Which meant neither did the horse and neither did the heifers. Thanks Max, your a butt.
From that point forward for the next 11 days or so remaining, Max was a challenge. Actually he even progressively got worse in his behavior. Everyone who works with cattle says that bulls like to test the limits. I don't know what to do correct them when they outweigh me by 1,500 lbs?
When our friends returned I asked the wife if she had any problems with him. She laughed and said, "Well, he threw his head at Brad in the stall the first night we were back, so he hit him on the head with a shovel. No more problems after that."
Why didn't anybody tell me all it took was a shovel?
Sydney the horse also experienced an abscess in her back right hoof, which meant a few different visits from the horse vet. (She was a huge help!)Syd had a great personality though and was the most consistent with her behavior of all of the large animals.
The dandruff cat was rather fat and my theory is she was depresesd. She laid around in her cat bed all day long except for when we were on the deck to pet her. I mostly only touched her when I had my gloves on.
As for the heifers, they were pretty good, except for one time, one did try to charge me. Still not sure about that one.
It was a great experience, I learned alot and I would probably even maybe do it again.
P.S. For all those of you who haven't been around cattle alot, it is ok to hit them on the head with large things. They have very hard heads and it doesn't hurt them.
Justin and Ruth Blazzard
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