Lovin' Life

4th of July - Canadian, TX

2011-07-25T15:47:00.005-05:00

For the first time in several years Ben and I got to spend the 4th together. He announces a rodeo in Canadian, TX and so TyAnn and I joined him this year. It was a great time. Canadian is a very cute and very clean town. We got to watch the parade, shop at all of the vendors set up and of course enjoy the rodeo. Ben did a great job as usual and on Monday they even flew him in on a helicopter for the opening of the rodeo. We also went swimming at the city pool and went down by the river. All in all it was a great way to spend the 4th.

Ben in his Zebra chinks and TyAnn in her Zebra Pants! :)

The Fam!

The Swimmers

More Swimming...

Wore out from swimming...

Ben on the rodeo float in the parade

The grand opening of the rodeo with Ben landing in a helicoptor!

Happy 4th of July!!

TyAnn's First Big Trip!

2011-07-21T16:12:00.006-05:00

Every year Ben and I go out to Reno to work the Reno Rodeo Invitational Team Roping or as its known by the Perry roping. This year was no exception EXCEPT it was TyAnn's first big trip and she handled it like a pro. Security at the airports was no problem to her and hanging out at a team roping was A okay! I am so lucky to have such a great daughter!!!

TyAnn's First Flight

We had a blast at Reno, my dad and brother Jade came out and met us. I taught Jade a little of my black jack skills and well my dad got to babysit one of his favorite granddaughters. One quick funny story. As he was waiting on Jade and I the security gaurd came on told him he had to leave the casino floor because TyAnn was too young. My dad looked at him and asked him if he really thought she would pull the slot lever but then carried her on out. So TyAnn you were just 2 months old when you got kicked out of your first casino - LOL!

Jade and My Dad enjoying a little BFI action!

TyAnn enjoying a little BFI action - LOL!

The World's best babysitter - Grandpa!

Getting ready for the PDL!

After an exciting BFI and Perry roping, Ben, TyAnn and I flew to SLC to then drive up to Rock Springs for my dad's USTRC roping. Lex, Lisa and their kids were there along with Pete, Pam and Andee. Andee was selling her puppies and sold three while she was there. The whole family had a blast as we got a motel with an indoor pool. TyAnn went on her first swim and absolutely loved the water. Tess and Brady were big hits too as they both had no fear of the water. It was a fun filled weekend and Ben and I were both sad to leave. Having TyAnn has made it even more fun to hang out with the fam!!

Tess & TyAnn Hanging Out at the Roping

What swimmers we are - LOL!

Uncle Pete

Time Flies...

2011-05-23T16:34:00.002-05:00

So I now understand what my parents meant when they would say "you are just growing up too fast". That is exactly what I am saying about my daughter. She is now 5 weeks old and growing like a weed. I told Ben today that by next week I was going to have to pack up her newborn clothes because they would be too small. How sad my tiny little girl is growing up...

But how exciting as well... She is constantly changing every day and it is so fun to watch her become more and more aware of her surroundings. She is now learning to make all sorts of sounds and she has figured out how much fun it is to wave her arms and kick her legs.

She has had an exciting 5 weeks from going to PBR, College rodeo, and two team ropings she is broke in. She has had her diaper changed on a bleacher bench and in the back seat of a truck so I figure she is ready to go!! She must realize that her mom and dad live very busy and on the go lives because so far it hasn't bothered her. Here are some pictures of all of her trips...:)

Sleeping through the college rodeo in her Wranglers

Her Dad protecting her from the bull riders at the PBR - LOL!

Just hanging out in the announcers stand at the Sweetest Loop

Ben checking up on her while he takes a break

She is either learning to be an announcer or has already learned to tune her Dad out...LOL

TyAnn Has ARRIVED!!

2011-05-09T19:16:00.003-05:00

Well as most of you know our daughter TyAnn Lea Clements arrived on April 17, 2011 at 2:22 pm. She was 7 lbs 13 oz. and 21 inches long with beautiful blue eyes (which look like they will stay blue) and brown hair. She is beautiful!!

It was quite the journey getting TyAnn here. My Aunt Kristie and Uncle Jim along with Lex, Lisa and their two kids, Tess and Brady were coming to help me with TyAnn. They all were flying and so they booked their tickets to get here April 16 - which was my due date and we were just crossing our fingers that TyAnn would be here by then. Well on Friday, April 15, my doctor said that I hadn't even begun to dialate and he wouldn't start me until the next Wed. I was staring at having all of this company to help with a baby and there would be no baby. So everyone put a smile on their face and we talked my dad and Jade into driving down early to come hang out with everyone.

Well lo and behold Ben and I headed to the hospital Sunday morning at 1:00 AM. I guess my water had slowly broke earlier and so because of that the doctors decided to start me. We called my dad and told him to not take his time in driving down here and finally she arrived at 2:22 pm. It was quite funny I think she waited for my dad to get here since he had only been to Stephenville for about an hour before she arrived.

It was such an amazing experience to see our daughter for the first time. How she fit in there is beyond me...LOL! It only took a few seconds and she had her dad wrapped around her little finger.

Ben and TyAnn Catching up on some much needed sleep at the hospital

The doctors decided to keep her and I in the hospital for an extra day and so finally Tuesday afternoon we got released and headed home to a houseful of family. Between all of my family coming and Ben's family was here from Odessa we had a houseful. I think that first day home TyAnn was never put down from the time she got up to the time we put her down for bedtime, she just passed from person to person.

Grandpa Bill and Aunt Kristie

Grandpa Bill and Tess

I can't begin to express what she means to me. Everyone had said you won't know love til you have a child and I believe it is just something you have to experience for yourself. Ben and I's world has totally changed for the better. We now have our own family and it is an awesome feeling. We love you TyAnn Lea Clements!

Have a little patience.....

2011-04-14T11:48:00.003-05:00

I have been told many times that patience is a virtue and well it is one I definetely do not have. All my life I have struggled with patience. From my mom telling me to have patience to my husband telling me the same thing - you would think I would finally achieve some. NOT! Now my daughter is telling me to have some patience and she will arrive. I don't think there is anything worse than waiting for a baby to come. Every twinge, every cramp you wonder is this it?? and well in my case nope. I realize I still have 2 days til my due date but dang I am ready for her to make her grand entrance. The room is ready, the bags are packed and family is just about on their way so hurry TyAnn......hurry up - you don't want to be late for your big day and your mom is running out of patience! :)

Wow - It's Been A Long Time

2011-04-06T19:25:00.007-05:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I have blogged. My mom always loved reading my blogs but I just got too busy and well you know how it goes...excuses, excuses. Actually my good friend Steph has given me the inspiration to start blogging again. It is a great way to do a journal of our family events and also keep everyone that lives away from us posted on what our little family is up too.

There has been alot go on in my life since I blogged last and I don't think I am even going to try and catch up. Between finding out I am expecting our first child to my mom and grandma passing away and then selling my part of my business and getting ready to be a mom - there is just too much. There has been alot of sadness and grief in my family lately but the silver lining to a very gray cloud has been the excitement of preparing for TyAnn Lea Clements arrival!! Everyone from my awesome aunts and cousins to Ben's family and all of our friends can't wait for her to show her face. As I write this I am currently 10 days away from my due date and I am trying to be patient.

So I thought I would post a few pictures from my preggo journey and hopefully this will kick off my new determination to keep up my blog!

Grandma Helen's 95th BDay party - 5 weeks along and no clue I was preggo except that dang Diet Coke in the morning sure upset my stomache :)

Last Ride at Anshutz - 13 weeks

Christmas Party - 23 wks getting a little bigger bump

26 wks

Utah Baby Shower - 30 wks along - Tess and I

35 weeks and counting

I am now 10 days away from my due date and I am counting down everyday. Luckily I feel pretty good and my list of stuff to get done before TyAnn arrives just seems to get longer. I will try and post more pics of her room ect and of course when she arrives.

It is nice to finally be back and a part of the blogging world - hopefully I will do much better!

My Husband - The Announcer!

2009-10-10T19:33:00.006-05:00

As you all know my husband Ben is a team roping and rodeo announcer! That is how we met - he announcing and me as a secretary at the USTRC Finals. I am quite proud of all of his accomplishments. He has announced numerous rodeos including pro rodeos, ammys and college rodeos. He also has announced the USTRC finals for many years.

Now announcing a team roping can be quite boring and even though he does his best to make it exciting - it is what it is - a team roping. But on the other hand I hope sometime you get to see him in action at a rodeo! He does an amazing job! I know this is pretty much a bragging blog but most of you that read this probably will never get to see him in action so I wanted to post a few pictures and a video of his "famous" dancing!! I hope you enjoy and just know I brag because I am So Proud of him!

Relaxing in Alpine

2009-10-07T15:00:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I got the chance to go with Ben and his sister Brandi down to Alpine, TX. They were announcing and doing the music for the college rodeo (Sul Ross State University) and I tagged along for the ride. I had gone down there last year and absolutely loved it.

It is on the edge of the Big Bend National Park and someday I want to go on down through there. This is the only place in Texas where I have found somewhat mountains. No they are not the Rockies but they are better than the "bumps" of Stephenville. I forget how much I miss the mountains until I wake up and see the sun rise over them or watch a sunset with the mountains in the distance.

We spent 2 1/2 days down there. Along with the rodeo and just hanging out we also went and watched the Marfa lights. They are pretty neat and sure make me wonder about the whole alien theory. Noone can explain them and they are almost hypnotic to watch. If you ever get a chance to go down there make sure you check them out - they are worth the stop!

The town of Alpine is like Park City only stuck in the middle of nowhere. It is a charming town full of interesting shops. Brandi and I did a little window shopping. The only thing strange about down there is the amount of border patrol vehicles. I guess I just never get close to the border to see them that often but in Alpine they were everywhere. It is such a different way of life when you get down there with the border problems and that part I am really not very comfortable with.

Here are a couple of scenery photos. I hope you enjoy and if you are looking for an interesting place to visit put Alpine, Tx on your map! I would highly recommend it!!!

And the winners are....K Bar!!!

2009-10-02T16:28:00.005-05:00

Yes it is that time of year again for the Odessa Ranch Rodeo. As usual Ben entered the KBar Ranch with his dad, Dane Driver, Drew Forte and Ethan Cory. They had a great time and won it again for the second year in a row!! Below are some of the pics - I was the filmer and so I didn't have as much time to take still pics but these turned out alright.

Oh by the way check out the shirts - that is courtesy of late nights trying to figure out iron transfers! You wouldn't think it would be hard to use iron on transfers on black shirts but believe me! I spent three days or should I say nights trying to get them to work. After finally figuring them out we took the shirts to the cleaners and they faded so they had that "vintage" look but they worked!!!

Ben carrying the American Flag

Drew, Ethan and Bob checking out the competition

Ben getting ready to go rope a goat!

Ben helping flank a horse

The Winners (l to r Ethan Cory, Dane Driver, Jordan Driver, Drew Forte, Bob Clements and Ben Clements)

I am proud of my husband!

Visit to Utah

2009-09-26T11:14:00.003-05:00

I know it has been forever since I updated my blog. I have the usual excuse of being busy and I have just put it off. My mom finally said when are you going to update your blog - I keep checking and there is never anything new on it. Well that kind of lit my fire and so here goes. The summer was a busy one and so instead of trying to catch up on everything I thought I would write a little about my trip to Utah in Sept.

I was lucky enough to be able to go home to Utah for a couple of weeks in Sept and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. As usual my mom and I had a list of projects to do. So I was busy painting for her, riding my horse with Carolee and visiting with friends!

We painted Jade's room - hung window molding and pretty much gave his room a facelift. I wish I had pics but it turned out pretty cute. As with everytime I visit there just doesn't seem to be enough time to get everything done!

I also got my mare Barbie Doll in. She has been turned out for about 3 years and I keep craving to run some barrels in Texas so I decided to try her. I just want to thank Carolee for all of her help with Barb. We rode together everyday we could and Barb was working great when I left. I sent her back to Texas and I am excited to start running barrels again.

I also was able to go to dinner one night with Laurel, Steph and Saundra. Steph is having twins and so we had to get a pic together. I think she looks great in this pic because she was due at any time. Needless to say she has now had her twins - Teague and Taya! Congrats to Steph and Coby - I am so excited for you guys to start your family.

Of course I have to post a pic of my favorite niece. She loves to wear everyone's shoes around and so here she is in my moms Sunday shoes. Check out those blue eyes!!! She has her Grandpa's eyes!

For all of you that I was able to see - it was great to catch up and those of you I missed - hopefully I will see you next time because you know me I can only take Texas for a couple of months before I am ready to head back to Utah for a few days and catch up with my family and friends and breath that sweet mountain air!!!

Before I end this I have to tell you that the trip back to Texas was horrible!!! We took off from SLC on time but since there has been monsoon weather in Texas they closed DFW and we had to land at Wichita Falls and hang out there for about 5 hours until they reopened DFW! It was a long ride home! For the first week of being back to Texas it did nothing but rain - if you can believe this we measured over 12 1/2 inches of rain in one week!! Now that is crazy! Everything is so green now because either the grass is green or the mold is green hard to tell the difference sometimes! LOL

I will try to be a little better on blogging so stay tuned and I will post more in a few days!!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T14:58:00.002-05:00

Well I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July! We are truly blessed to live in such a great nation and have the freedoms that we have. I was going through my pics, trying to find one to post that fit the holiday and the best I could come up with is one Lex took at Yankee stadium when he was in New York. I mean come on what's more American than the New York Yankees.

These pics were taken a couple of years ago when Lisa was pregnant with Tess!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!

Charlee's Antics

2009-06-12T16:39:00.007-05:00

I wanted to post a few pics of Ben and I and our dog Charlee. She has been so fun to have. She just keeps growing - every time I look at her I swear she grows 2 more inches. Ben's mom Melinda says she has size Large paws but we love her anyway. Every morning she is Ben's companion to go feed and although her and the goats still don't love each other, they are starting to feel mutual respect. This might be because she is almost big enough to look them straight in the eye.

She continually makes us laugh. Last weekend we bought her a pool because it has started to get pretty hot. Well you should see her jump in! It's like a polar bear doing a belly flop. There is no fear. I tried to sneak and take a couple of pics so you could enjoy.

This spring I always plant flowers and since this spring we put in an actual garden I couldn't wait to fill the flower beds around our house with various flowers. Well I forgot I have a puppy and what a Digger Dog she is. So needless to say I gave up on most of the flowers and my dog has a great time digging holes. Hopefully by next year she will have outgrown this phase!

Now isn't that the face of a little angel...more like trouble. I will keep you posted on more of Charlee's stories - I am sure she will just keep on entertaining us!

Destination - Destin, Florida

2009-06-09T15:35:00.006-05:00

Well it was that time of year again and Ben and I were off to the Florida Panhandle Championships (Team Roping) in Marianna. Again this year we went a couple of days early to enjoy the beach and just hang out. We had a great time.

Ben - On the phone as usual...

We flew in early Wed. morning to Pensacola and then headed down the beach to our favorite place - Destin Beach and the Holiday Inn. This is our favorite hotel there - it has beach access along with a great pool, sauna's, hot tubs ect. As soon as we got there we put on our bathing suits and headed down to the guy that rents the beach umbrellas and chairs and claimed our spot on the white sandy beach. It was so nice to just chill - we basically swam in the ocean, took a nap, read a book and swam some more! It was AWESOME! That night we went to a restaurant a friend suggested - AJ's! It was great! Ben of course had fried shrimp and I had some kind of amazing white fish stuffed with crab - yes I could have foundered on it!

Enjoying the Umbrella Chairs!

AJ's - What a place!

Look close and you can see the dolphin fin - no it isn't a shark!

As some of you know since you got our text messages - outside the restaurant was a air brush tatoo place and so we decided to see how we would look with tats - I don't think they are me but it was fun to see and they were gone by Thurs night.

My Tat!

The next day we hit the beach again and then that afternoon headed to Marianna. We stopped by our favorite place in Panama City - Sharky's for a little salad and to watch the sun set. The same singer was there from last year and he was still fun to listen to.

On to the roping - we finally made it to Marianna late Thurs night and enjoyed working with Jeff and Gwen Motes and family for the Florida Panhandle Classic. It was a great roping - Ben even roped a little but didn't end up getting anything done. Sunday afternoon rolled around and the roping was over so we headed back to Destin Beach for one last swim before flying out the next morning.

Ben Soaking up the last of the Sun and Sand before we head home!

All in all it was a great trip - Ben and I definetly have plans for someday having a condo on Destin Beach (if we ever hit the lottery :)). Thanks so much for everyone taking care of our animals we appreciate it so much! It was a much needed mini-vacation!

Memorial Day

2009-06-07T13:32:00.003-05:00

I wanted to post the rest of my trip to Utah. On Saturday my Grandma Helen, my dad, mom and I loaded up the flowers to go decorate the graves. I never go up to the Randolph cemetary so it was nice to see the headstones. We also ran into several people that I hadn't seen in awhile. If you can believe it the wind even wasn't blowing that bad.

After we finished in Randolph we dropped my dad off at the house and my grandma, my mom and I went on to Woodruff to decorate my great grandpa and grandma cornia's graves. After we did that we drove around the town and my mom showed my grandma and I where everyone lives. There are several new homes that have been built in Woodruff that neither of us had seen so we really enjoyed the tour.

Even though it is sad to decorate the graves of those we have lost - it was a great day spending time with my parents and my grandma. It was one of those days that I will always remember - so thanks family!

He Made It!

2009-06-02T11:24:00.004-05:00

Well I know it is a little bit after graduation but I have been busy. I was able to go home for a few days and watch my baby brother graduate high school. It was so fun to be able to see everyone. I was so proud of him and what he has accomplished. He looked so studly in his black cap and gown. Here are a few pics of the big day!

My proud parents!

Jade and Grandma Helen

Jade and Tess

Jade and I

Chelsey, Jade and Amy

Jade and Oliver

Doing the Walk!

Getting a Congrats Hug from Pete

He Did It!

Rich High Graduating Class of 2009

Way to go Jader - Ben and I are so proud of you and I am so glad I was able to come home for your graduation. Hope you enjoy these pics. Remember Always Keep Reaching for the Stars and Your Dreams Will Come True!

Wow! It's been a year!

2009-05-11T17:23:00.007-05:00

Well yesterday was our one year wedding anniversary! It is crazy that it has only been a year but it also seems like it was just yesterday! Looking back it has been a great year for Ben and I. He is a great guy and a wonderful husband! I couldn't ask for better. I thought since it is our one year anniversary I will post some of our wedding pictures for everyone to see. I really didn't have a blog started when we got married so I never really posted any pics. Here are some from the Texas wedding. Hope you enjoy!

Me and my bridesmaids (from top to bottom) Stephanie Jones, Laurel Oakeson, me, Carolee Rex and Brandi Clements

The Groomsmen (left to right) Lex Cornia, Al Martinez, Ben Clements, Coy Irwin, and Jade Cornia

Saying I do!

The Vows

We did it!

Me and my Dad!

Ben and I

The Cake!

Our First Dance...

Throwing the bouqet.

The trucks - What a MESS!

Thanks Ben for a wonderful and happy year and I look forward to many, many more!

The Best Mexican Casserole!

2009-05-05T17:14:00.003-05:00

Everyone seems to post recipes on their blog so I decided to join in the fun. My mother-in-law, Melinda, gave me this recipe (Thanks Melinda!) and it is absolutely awesome but not for those of you dieting (for some reason I have never found a diet that uses Velvetta Cheese). If you love casseroles and you love Mexican food this is the recipe for you. I even took it to Utah and tried it out for my family and they loved it.

Sharon Casserole
(Melinda Clements)

2 lbs Hamburger Meat
1 Can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 Cans of Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce—small cans (I think they are 10 oz cans)
1 Small Can of Diced Green Chilies (4 oz.—you can get hot or mild depending on how hot spicy you want)
Velvetta Cheese (Cheese can be added to taste—I use about a half package of Velvetta-sometimes more—the more cheese the more creamy and juicy.
6 0r 8 Yellow Corn Tortillas
½ Cup Diced Onions (This can be added or left out—Your preference)

Brown Hamburger Meat. Add seasonings such as salt and pepper to taste before cooking. Drain the grease.

While the Hamburger Meat is browning---Put Cream of Mushroom soup, Diced Chilies and one can of water in a bowl. I usually pour in the soup, clean the can with the water, and add the chilies. Heat this in the microwave for about two minutes or until it is hot but not boiling. It can also be heated on the stove if you don’t want to use the microwave. Just heat it on the stove until it begins to simmer, stirring occasionally.

After the meat is cooked and drained add one can of enchilada sauce and let it simmer for just enough time to warm the enchilada sauce. Your mushroom soup and chilies should be warmed by this time also.

In a deep dish casserole bowl (My bowl is glass--8 inch deep and about 6 or 8 inches across and you will need a lid) put a layer of meat on the bottom, pour a little of the mushroom soup mixture, then some grated velvetta cheese, then a corn tortilla, next add meat mixture, soup mixture, cheese and corn tortilla—layer this repeatedly until you run out of ingredients. On the very top put more cheese and then pour the other small can of enchilada sauce over the cheese so it will filter down into the mixture as it cooks.

Cover with a lid and put in the oven. If you want to eat soon put the oven on about 350 degrees and let it cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly but not burned. It usually takes about twenty minutes but check it periodically. If it is going to be a couple of hours before you eat put the oven on 200 degrees and let hit heat slowly. If you are in a big hurry you can put it in the microwave and heat it until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips, ranch style beans and or pinto beans with jalapenos, salad with lettuce, tomatoes, hot sauce, etc.

This is a great recipe and you should try it sometime. It is extremely easy and you can't screw it up - I promise!!

Kindergarten Rodeo in Coahoma

2009-04-21T11:22:00.005-05:00

Well I am making myself take the time to update this. It has been a couple of weeks and so much has happened. My dog, Charlee, just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I looked at her last night and told Ben that she is no longer a little puppy but a teenager. It is scary! LOL!

I wanted to blog about a different kind of rodeo we went to a couple of weeks back - The Kindergarten Rodeo in Coahoma, TX. This is the neatest little rodeo I have ever been to. My husband and sister-in-law, Brandi, have announced and done music for it for several years. In fact when I first met Ben he told me about it and said it is his favorite event to announce.

For the last 31 years the teachers in Coahoma have taken their kindergartners and put on this rodeo. They have bronc riding, barrel racing, pole bending, team roping, square dancing, a band, flag racing and of course my favorite - bull riding and it is all done on STICK Horses! Yes I said stick horses. It is the coolest thing ever! They have a little chute complete with pick-up men, clowns and a barrel man. The clown, Clem McSpadden comes and also the fiddle player Jody Nix and Miss Rodeo Texas.

Not only does this rodeo take alot of organization (hats off to the teachers) but it also takes alot of creativity. These little kids are all decked out in their hats and boots and they participate like little soldiers. It is so fun to watch. You would think it would be one big circus but it isn't. Below are a bunch of pics so you can get the idea! If I was a kindergarten teacher I would definitely want to try something like this - it is a great spectator function and much better than any play I have been too - granted I am a huge rodeo fan!

Posting of the Colors

Grand Entry

Waiting to Participate

Barrel Racing

Team Roping

My Favorite - The clowns!

The Barrelman

The bull riding - if you look close you can see the bulls head on the stick rather than a stick horse

As you can tell it was a blast! I was sceptical about going to it but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and can't wait to see next years production!

Our new roof!

2009-04-11T20:55:00.004-05:00

Well as I blogged earlier we had quite the hail storm a few weeks ago. So we ended up needing a new roof on our house amongst other things. I thought I would show everyone our new white tin roof. You would think it would be louder but we put it on top of the shingles and so we now have more insulation and it is quite quiet when it rains. It also saves us a bunch on house insurance so it will be worth it. I didn't know if I would like it but I love it. It gave our house the much need facelife - although now we need to repaint the eaves...it never seems to end!

Before the hail.

Our new roof!

We also built a storage room and small shop!

Charlee & Me - the latest Clement's Addition

2009-04-06T16:36:00.004-05:00

I have exciting news to tell - Ben and I now are parents of a beautiful fluffy puppy! Her name is Charlee Grace (Grace meaning she trips over her own feet:) and she is a Great Pyreenese. She is adorable but can be a holy terror and she has us wrapped around her little (well big) paw! Even Ben is in love!

A couple of weeks ago we were in Monroe, LA at a roping and friends of ours, Charlie and Teresa Armstrong were there with a couple of pups. They were taking one to a family there and still had a little girl to give away. Well I immediately fell in love on Friday but figured that Ben probably wouldn't go for it so I didn't say much. On Sunday as we were packing up to my surprise he looked over and asked what I thought about a puppy well I didn't need to think about as I jumped for the chance to have a dog again. (Lizzie my other dog lives with my parents because her and Ben really don't get along...) I guess that Great Pyreenese are great goat guarding dogs and so he figured we need to get one to guard our goats - go figure it always revolves around those goats. So as it turns out home we headed with our new puppy - Charlee Grace.

Just getting her at Monroe - 6 weeks old

She is absolutely adorable and full of her own little personality. She can be pretty stubborn and it drives Ben nuts but it is pretty funny to watch him tryout his discipline skills - me I pretty much just give in - go figure....

Ben & Charlee Hanging Out

Here are a bunch of pictures of her - she has nearly doubled in size in the last two weeks and I guess that they are supposed to get about 100 lbs so she should be a good guard dog!

Charlee's First Bath - Hmmm should I say drowned rat?

Learning to Lead - Not sure who is leading who...

Quite the scary looking guard dog! LOL!

Charlie and her HOPE to be goat friend Claudia (my bottle baby)

Rebels State Basketball - #3 Rocks!

2009-03-24T16:20:00.005-05:00

I know this is a little late to post about the Rebels state basketball tourny but I have been busy and so here it is. I was able to go to Utah for Jade's state basketball tournament the first of March and what a fun trip. It was great watching him play and my dad coach! I have always been one of his biggest fans and he made me so proud. Even though the Rebels didn't end up taking state it was a great weekend and they were a fun team to watch. Rather than write about each day here are a bunch of pics from the trip!

The week started off with the end of season banquet where the seniors spoke. It was a great dinner and fun for all of the parents, coaches and players to get together!

The next day we all loaded up and headed to Richfield to support our team. One great thing about a small town and school is the support for the teams. There were a ton of Rich Rebel fans in Richfield even some Rich fans from Arizona and Idaho - Joe, John and Ken Kennedy - thanks for coming!

We even got our car decked out!

Jades "biggest, littlest" fan!! Watch out girls she lays claim to her Uncle!

The Cornia cousins getting instructions from Coach Brown.

Jade getting introduced.

My big, little bro - what a stud!

Nothing better than pizza and basketball or so my mom, Lisa and Tess think!

This is how Tess spent her time in between games!

All in all it was a great weekend spent with the fam watching b-ball. We all wish that it could have turned out that Jade got a championship ring but oh well - he still played great and was fun to watch. So Jade if you read this just know that your sister has loved watching you play basketball through the years and I am so proud of you for what you have accomplished. You are A+ in my book!

Go Rebels!!

2009-02-27T13:45:00.002-06:00

I just want to take a minute and wish the Rich Rebels along with my dad and Jader good luck next week and the state tournament. I am sure that you guys will do great. I can't wait to come visit and cheer you on.

So GOOD LUCK REBELS!! Take State!!

Texas Hail Damage

2009-02-19T11:59:00.003-06:00

So I am quite the blogger today but I finally had time to catch up on this and so here is one more post....

Last week we had quite the storm. I have been through many storms now in Texas and believe me you have never seen a rain/hail storm until you have seen one in Tx. It was sunny out Tuesday night and they were predicting a big storm to come through but I really wanted to see that movie "He is just not that into you" so I talked Ben into going to the movies and we left my truck at home. (Needless to say the movie wasn't worth the damage.)

About halfway through the movie we kept hearing all of this thunder but I thought it was just coming from the movie because of course it was raining on the screen. Ben finally looked at me and said I am going to go check it out. He was gone for a few minutes and I started to get worried - tornadoes are somewhat of a common thing and we were under a tornado watch...I begin to envision one coming through the movie theater so out I go. Well as I get outside I look out and dimesize hail is just pouring down. It was unbelievable. Well it was too late to do much about it so we went back in and finished the movie.

When it was over we went back to his truck and inspected for damage but found none (lucky him!). Then I started thinking about my truck at home. I haven't had it back very long from the wreck it was in. Well we got home and needless to say we had golfball size hail at our house and my truck hood was covered with dents. My windshield was broke and my bug guard was broke as well. The vent on my trailer was shattered and I was pretty much disgusted. I am just thankful that my truck is drivable. You will have to look close in the pics but believe me it is full of dents and a cracked windshield!

So I am now in the process of getting more estimates and will never leave my truck out again if they are calling for severe storms. I learned a pretty hard lesson. Hopefully one of these days I can post pics of a truck that is not damaged...I keep crossing my fingers. Such is life in Texas I guess.

Birthday Roses

2009-02-19T09:26:00.004-06:00

I know I am late in blogging but I just wanted to show everyone the beautiful roses my husband gave me for my birthday - along with a Wii-fit, which kicks my butt. Anyway I just thought these roses bloomed out so pretty and I thoroughly enjoyed them so thanks Ben - what a great husband!!

So I guess I now fully belong to the dirty thirty club - not sure if I am too thrilled about that but it is better than the over-the-hill fifty club....

A whole new world

2009-02-06T16:01:00.005-06:00

Wow - Ben and I have been on the go lately! Between Perry GA, Waco Tx, Kinder LA and Jacksonville FL, life has been very hectic. I love our life and love to travel with Ben but home sweet home looks better and better. The one great thing about our life is getting to travel all across the country. There are so many cool places that I have been able to see just because they have a roping there. I know that it is an awesome opportunity and I try and take advantage of it when I can. Now for those of you that have traveled some you know the differences in the different parts of the country. California is always on high speed where the south just basically operates slower.

Well I was able to visit one part of the country that is definetly unique and that is the bayou's of Louisianna. We went to a roping in Kinder, LA a couple weeks ago and I will tell you what that is a completely different world down there. We were able to drive there because it is only about 8 hrs from Stephenville and the closer we got the stranger we got. I really think that is somwhere someone could just dissappear to and never be found again. In some ways it was very erie and in other ways it was pretty cool.

The town that we were at had an Indian casino there and so that is where the roping was held. It was a pretty neat place. They had the usual hotel rooms above the casino but then in the back they had a whole mini town made up of "Chalet's" (actually they were FEMA housing units but Chalet sounds better). Ben and I stayed in our own little Chalet complete with bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room. It was a fun experience and I really enjoyed it. Every night we went out to a little restuarant that sold fried shrimp, crawfish and alligator and it was delicious.

The Restuarant - best fried shrimp ever!!

The Row of "Chalet's"

We love our Chalet!! (except for the small water heater!)

Ben hanging out in our living room!

Missing KAT

2009-01-27T10:00:00.004-06:00

I know that most of you that read this blog won't see our kitty but for those of you that might I am putting out a search for our cat. She showed up at our house the night that we got home from the Waco roping and we fell in love with her. Ben even let her sleep with us. She was a great cat and we had her for about 5 days and then she just left. We have looked everywhere and even went around and asked our neighbors. We can't find her so I am putting out a countrywide APB for our kitty her name of course is KAT. Here is a picture of her and if you see her please let us know!! I am missing my kitten. She was great to take naps with because she would just curl up at your feet and keep them warm.

Check out her pointed bobcat ears!!

Night in Atlanta's Airport...

2009-01-08T09:27:00.003-06:00

Well I was going to post about christmas and I still plan on posting but I have to tell everyone about my trip to Georgia last weekend. It was quite the experience.

New Year's day Ferron (another USTRC announcer) and I left for Perry, Ga to work a roping for Jeff Motes. To get to Perry you have to fly to Atlanta and I was a little nervous about that. Last year I went there with Ben and Judy but they are expert travelors and took care of everything. The only problem is the roping ends on Sunday and you have to book it back to Atlanta to make the last flight out to Dallas. Well last year we made it by the skin of our teeth, so Ferron and I knew that this year we would have to hussle back to Atlanta but we thought we could make it.

We were not so lucky. We missed the bag check in by about 3 minutes. Well we have a ton of computers and bags to check so we were stranded. This just started off our night. So we went to take the rental car back - got lost at the airport and finally made it to the rental car return. We returned the car and took a shuttle back to the airport to decide what to do because now we had to spend the night in Atlanta. As we got off the shuttle bus I left my new christmas coat on the bus to never see it again. (Later I called the rental car company and they said they hadn't had it turned in, someone in Atlanta has a really cute new orange fluffy coat). Well we looked at each other and pretty much said oh shit... what are we going to do. In Atlanta's airport before you go through security there are a bunch of little restaurants and shops so we thought as we figured out what to do we would grab a bite to eat. Ferron got on the phone checking hotel prices and I got on the phone to Ben to find out what to do. As it turns out if you miss the last flight they will not put you on a flight in the morning without a change fee and price difference. We were going to have to spend an extra $300 a person to get back to Dallas. So much for making any money this weekend. I turned to Ferron and said you know we should just stay at the airport tonight since the earliest flight out is at 6:00 am rather than spending $80 on a room. He thought that was a good idea...

So we found a couple of cushy (well cushy for an airport) chairs and preceded to camp out. What an experience! The airport acts as sort of a shelter for the homeless at night and you wouldn't believe the kind of people we saw. It was a night of sleeping with one eye open. We did meet a very interesting man from Honduras that was headed to New York. So between the three of us we kept an eye out on our bags and tried to get some sleep. Now the American terminal reopens at 4:00 am and so when 3:45 rolled around Ferron and I looked at each other and said let's get out of here so we headed to check in for our flight to Texas.

Ben had booked us new tickets on the 6:10 flight out that morning. We went to the check in and they told us that there were some fees to be taken care of. We looked at each other and said how much more money was this trip going to cost us. As the lady tried to check us in she said for some reason we weren't booked on the flight but she would see what she could do. We told her our story and she was trying to get us to be able to fly stand by (that doesnt' cost anything). As we pleaded our case she asked us if we had checked in the night before and we both said yes - Ferron then pulled out his boarding pass from the night before and she looked at us and said because you have proof you checked in I won't charge you any change fee and you can fly standby. We were both so relieved. Ferron saved the day!! We headed through security and on to the plane. We were first and second on the standby list and we able to get on the plane. Yeah!!

It didn't end up costing us anything pretty much because we spent the night at the airport rather than getting a room we were at the check in counter much earlier, made the first of the standby list and made it on the plane. Thank heavens to small miracles. It didn't end up costing us anything but my lost coat!! So I guess some things just happen for reasons you don't know til you look back. I never want to spend the night at the Atlanta airport again but I am so glad that it saved me $300. It was probably worth it that night.

As I look back on that night I learned several things. One always check in for your flight and two things usually happen for a reason and three it is possible to sleep with one eye open!

The Newest Kid

2008-12-21T21:05:00.003-06:00

Well if you have been following my blog this past summer you probably read the one about our goats. Although I am not a huge fan of grown goats I have to show you pictures of our latest kid. Even I have to admit that goat babbies - they are called kids - are so cute. They rival puppies. This little kid was born last night, thank heavens, because we are starting another cold snap today. We haven't named her yet but I wanted to show everyone the pictures because she is pretty cute!

On another note - I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Christmas Baking Time!

2008-12-18T10:30:00.004-06:00

Well I don't have any pics to post but I did want to write about my baking experience. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned to Ben that I thought I would bake some poppyseed bread and some carmels and take them to our neighbors - He thought it was a great idea and immediately began forming a list. Well the list got longer and longer and needless to say I am still baking. So I decided that I would make my family's world famous poppyseed bread (I won a blue ribbon with it at the Utah State fair in 4-H), homemade carmels and red and green butter cookies. Well yesterday I rolled up my sleeves and started my project. After throwing out one batch of carmels and having my husband tell me the red and green cookies taste like cardboard I am down to poppyseed bread and well thank heavens my 4-H skills didn't fail me there and it turned out great!

I think for years I have taken for granted my mom baking for Christmas time. I didn't realize how much work and time was involved but I am faithfully carrying out the tradition. These recipes were passed down to me from my mom and hopefully I can pass them down to my kids as well.

I love Christmas and presents and the whole Santa thing but I the older I get the more I love the Christmas traditions. So here is to Ben and I and carrying on our families traditions along with making our own traditions as well.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and for those of you that received some baked goods from us - beware of the red and green cookies because even I admit they taste a little like cardboard!

Thanksgiving - Hawaiin Style

2008-12-10T16:07:00.007-06:00

As usual I am late on catching up my blog but oh well I did want to write about our Thanksgiving.

Ben and I got to go to Maui for Thanksgiving this year. Ben usually goes over and works the USTRC roping there for our friend Peter Baldwin and this year I was able to go with him. We went a couple of days early and so we did a little of the tourist thing. It was a great trip. Thanks so much to Peter and his family - they let us eat Turkey dinner with them and yes even in Hawaii they have turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing ect. for Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful meal and we really enjoyed his family!

Dinner Fri. night with Peter Baldwin, Myron Duarte, Dick and Julie Foreman

The roping was at Piioholo ranch (Peter's ranch) and what a beautiful place. He took us for a tour and there are some pics below. It is amazing to see cows on the hill and the ocean below - how lucky can a person get!

You can see Peter's pastures, some of his cows and the ocean - What an amazing view!

We went down to the ocean a couple of nights and it was so beautiful. We were on the north side of the island and so the waves were pretty high - at least to me. My only complaint about the whole vacation was I could of spent more time on the beach but I never seem to get enough time at the beach. There is something so relaxing about sitting on the sand, listening to the waves and soaking up some sun!

We were on our way to dinner and stopped at this beach - needless to say I went to dinner with wet shorts...

I thought this was a great pic of Ben!

I was trying to body surf but all I seemed to do was end up with a suit full of sand!

Probably the highlight of the trip was getting to go on the Piiholo zip line. They are putting a zip line in on Peter's ranch across a beautiful deep gorge and so a bunch of us got to go! It was so much fun and if you are ever in Maui you need to go on that zip line!

Peter and Ben on the Zip line landing called the Tree House.

Ben and I getting ready to Zip line. Aren't we all geared up! LOL

Look close you can see Clay and Bobbi Tryan going down the zip line.

Well besides doing all of the tourist stuff we also got to rope. Ben has been wanting to win a Hawaiin buckle for a long time now and he finally got it done. He and Alex Shulman were the Gold Plus champs and he is sporting a new buckle - yeah for Ben. I also roped but didn't get anything done.

All in all it was a great way to spend Thanksgiving!

Oh no - My Truck!

2008-12-04T09:12:00.003-06:00

Well I have finally had the time to sit down and write about my poor truck. Although it has been a little over a week ago, I still wanted to write about it. I was headed early Sunday morning down to the Lonestar to work a roping (probably going to fast) and drove off of our county road. Well there isn't much shoulder to our road and so through the trees I went. I swerved just in time to get it back on the road before hitting solidly into a tree trunk but my back end fish tailed and the pics below show the proof. I am so sad - I know that it can be fixed and it is in the shop right now but I still feel bad. I immediately called Ben and what a great husband he is. He didn't once scold me for being stupid and not paying attention rather he was just worried that I was alright. Which I am! Thank heavens.

I am so thankful that I am okay and my wreck wasn't worse than it was. It could have been pretty bad. Oh and one more thing - thanks Ben for not getting after me about this....

Update #2

2008-11-21T13:00:00.002-06:00

Well I am just a little leary of doing another update on my dad because after posting the last one he went into shock and was life flighted down to LDS hospital but here goes. For those of you that know he has been in the hospital for the last several days but finally got released Wed. night. I flew up to Utah to be with my family last Saturday but I have returned now and I think things are going good. It was a scary time for the Cornia family and it makes me appreciate my wonderful family so much. My dad's health has returned to normal although he is still hobbling around from the hip surgery. He suffered kidney and liver problems along with a clot in his lungs and a mild heartattack. We are very blessed and I truly believe in miracles because last week we didn't know if he was going to survive and this week he is driving my mom crazy. Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. We really appreciate it. So Happy Birthday to my dad since today he turns well anyway it is his birthday and we are so thankful that he is around to celebrate it with us!

Update...

2008-11-12T14:54:00.002-06:00

Well just a quick update. My dad is doing great (well a little quizy in the stomache because of the pain meds but other than that - good). His surgery went just fine and pretty soon we will just call him the bionic man as he races us around the ranch. My mom has stayed down with him at the hospital (they are releasing him today). It is usually her in the hospital bed and us visiting her so I am sure it is a welcome change to be the visitor this time. Most of his therapy revolves around walking so I guess he can get some use out that walker that my mom conned him into buying. Good present dad - guess you finally get some return on it. Ha Ha!

Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers that came his direction. We really appreciate it.

My Dad!

2008-11-10T14:55:00.003-06:00

My dad is the most awesome person I know! He is the greatest dad ever and I love him very much. He goes in for hip replacement surgery tomorrow morning and so he had been on my mind for the last few days. I know the surgery will go just fine and before we know it he will be back wanting to foot race us! So good luck Dad I know it will go just fine! I can't wait til you can finally be ibruprophen free!Good luck dad and don't forget to do your therapy - Ha Ha!

Tess's Birthday, USTRC Finals ect..

2008-11-04T13:50:00.005-06:00

Well I am trying to keep my blog updated but it seems that everytime I turn around I get behind so here is the latest. It was Tess's one year old birthday Oct 22 and yes I am wishing her a belated Happy Birthday. She is the cutest little thing I have ever seen and I am so glad that she could come join our family - she is a blessing to everyone. While I was in Utah we had an early birthday party for her so here are some pics. She loved her presents and I can't wait til Christmas because she will be so much fun by then. She says woof for the dogs and go for the Rebels when they play football!! What a cutie!

On to the next note - Ben and I just got back from the USTRC finals and thank heavens they are over with. For those of you that don't know he had an appendicitis attack while we were there and ended up having his appendix taken out there in OKC! It was crazy but he is doing much better and if it had to happen at least we were in a sizable city and not in some small town in timbucktoo! I want to say thank you to everyone that has asked about him and a special thanks to Paul Freed and Jerry Jensen for giving Ben a blessing before his surgery. It meant so much to me!

Congrats to Doug Sorenson and Merrill Staheli from Utah they won the Century and filled their pockets. I always like the finals because you see so many people there and can catch up with everyone. I worked the Challenge pen this year and believe me it was a Challenge but I survived so YEAH! So another year is done for the USTRC and they can look back on it and be proud - it was a great year for team roping!

Well for those of you that read this today don't forget to go out and vote! It is quite the election and to be honest I will be glad to just have it over with - I am so sick of all of the campain crap. So tomorrow we will wake up with a new president. I am sure that this election year will go down in history and it is exciting to be a part of it.

Well that's it for now! I will post more later but that pretty much catches everyone up for the last couple of weeks - Oh and one last thing - GO REBELS! I will be cheering you on from Texas on Saturday!

Anshutz - Brrr Cold!

2008-10-25T17:43:00.005-05:00

Well for those of you that do not know I was able to go home for a week and help my uncle and my dad gather cows. We have run our cows for years up above Evanston in the Uinta Mountains at a place called Anchutz! It is beautiful there and I have told myself that if I ever win the lottery that will be the first place I will buy. I had a great time - worked my butt off but still had a great time.

Now for those of you that are reading this and are from Texas you probably don't know how to get cows in in the snow and still stay warm but it is all about layering and with my mom's help I think I wore an average of about 5 layers each day (tank top, underarmour shirt, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, down vest and then of course the carhart coat). You should see me try to get on my horse but luckily I was able to ride my dad's horses and they are all stump trained (which means they will stand right by a stump so you can get on it and then get on your horse). Now I know that to most people this attribute of a horse really wouldn't really increase the value of the horse but to me and my short legs it means alot! So thank you dad for letting me borrow your horses - I really appreciate it.

I loved riding with my uncle Pete and my dad everyday but I have to tell you that my uncle is notorious for thinking he sees a cow and then we ride for about an hour and finally finding out it was either a bush or a moose. On a place that is over 90,000 acres you can ride awhile just looking for a few cows. We were lucky and it snowed the first weekend and so most of the cows were waiting at the gate ready to go home but we did have to do some riding to look (which is the best part). So after years of listening to my uncle about a cow over there a few miles away I brought some binoculars and that seemed to solve the situation!

All in all it was a great week and I hope I can come back next year with my husband to ride because I know he would love it.

Ranch Rodeo - Go K Bar Team

2008-10-11T20:39:00.007-05:00

I know I have been horrible about keeping up with my blog - life just seems to be so busy but I did want to write about the ranch rodeo we went to in Sept. It was alot of fun and I got some pretty good pics!

I don't know how many of you have ever been to a ranch rodeo. I hadn't until I moved to Texas but they take them pretty serious around here. My husband has a yearly tradition of entering the one held in conjunction with the Permian Basin County Fair (yes I got my yearly intake of fair food - gotta luv it). Now this is a big deal and when I say big deal - I mean he prepares for weeks in advance even to the point of borrowing a fancy cutting horse to ensure his team's victory. His team has won it I don't know how many years and so there is alot of pride and ego on the line.

His team is made up of his dad and a few of his friends. There are five members on the team and they all compete in a list of different events from cutting and sorting to branding, bronc riding, trailer loading and wait don't forget the goat roping. Let's just say that the first year I went out to watch while we were dating I learned alot. My husband is a pretty easy going guy but when the ranch rodeo weekend is here - his competitive edge comes out and he is going for the kill and taking no prisoners. Well anyway it was a great weekend and yes the K Bar team did it again - They are the CHAMPS! So congrats to you guys - you did awesome and I was so proud of you and thank heavens it is over for another year!

The Fans

The K Bar Team

Trailer Loading

Branding

Ben and Dane planning strategy

Rescue Race

Sorting

Ranch Bronc Riding

My husband - The Pickup Man

I don't know which one's more tired - Raven or Ben

The Winners!

(L to R - Bob Clements, Ben Clements, Dave Driver, JW Todd, Drew Leeton)

Just the way it is....

2008-09-12T10:05:00.009-05:00

As some of you know, my husband is the editor of the Superlooper magazine. This is a magazine of the USTRC (team roping). Well he wrote the following for his September editorial column (Just the way it is...) and I was so impressed with it that I wanted to post it on my blog. It has taken off like wild fire and he has had lots of interesting comments about it. I hope you enjoy it and come election time don't forget to VOTE.

Just the way it is...

September 2008
By Ben Clements

As everyone knows, this is an election year and we are facing some extreme changes and lots of uncertainty in our country. I have avoided talking about the election and politics all together, but I think it is time to discuss the issue, because there are a lot of concerns out there.

I heard a quote the other day and it undoubtedly applies to this time in our lives. "We are voting as if our lives and futures depend upon it. Not because we fear someone is going to come out and kill us, but because we fear that if we don't get this right, our children and their children will not enjoy the privileges this generation has enjoyed as Americans—the economic opportunity, the prosperity, the education, all of those elements that have characterized our existence and our flourishing. After Florida in 2000, everybody knows that every vote absolutely counts."

Wow, what a quote. This is very true and something we need to pay attention to. It is true that every vote does count and it is critical as Americans that we vote. It is important, however, to vote for the best candidate. I am not exactly thrilled about the options out there. I cannot believe with all the Americans in the world these are the best alternatives, but that is a mute point since Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain are the choices we have at hand.

Barack Obama is quite a guy, but not the man to be the President of the United States of America. Anyone who is not proud enough of his country's flag that he takes it off his plane does not need to be the President of that country. Anyone who does not believe in the "Pledge of Allegiance" does not need to be the President of the United States of America. Anyone who puts down the Bible and what the United States of America stands for does not need to be the President of the United States. This nation was founded on the Bible and has survived for more than 230 years as "One nation under God," Who does Barack Obama think he is that he can totally transform the greatest nation in the world?

Obama is a great public speaker and a very convincing public figure, but if you really listen to what he is saying and if you pay close attention to what he stands for you will realize, as an American, he is a fraud. A man like that is not someone we need as the President of the United States of America. In a speech, in 2006, he openly put down the Bible when he bashed the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. He also spoke out against the story of the Sermon on the Mount. Whether you are a devout Christian or not you have head of the "Ten Commandments." And I would probably guess most of us feel the "Ten Commandments" are a pretty good code of ethics to live by. The "Ten Commandments" come from the book of Deuteronomy in the Bible.

As for the Sermon on the Mount – It is a commentary on the "Ten Commandments," The Sermon also contains "The Lords Prayer" and Jesus' interpretation of "The Golden Rule." All of this doctrine is what America was founded on and what America symbolizes. "The Golden Rule" says to treat others as you want to be treated. That my friends, is American and a good standard to live by, and one that our past generations held true to and our future children need to aspire to.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus also said, "I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."

You might think I am picking on Obama because of his race. There are plenty of African Americans out there who could serve this country well as President. Unfortunately, such figures as Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice are not candidates. The color of ones skin has nothing to do with being a good President. Morals, values, and being a true American is what counts when it comes to being President of the United States of America. Barack Obama does not fit this description at all. His allegiance and loyalty are lacking when it comes to serving this nation. His lack of experience is well documented.

That leaves Senator John McCain. Now this guy is by no means perfect. He is kind of crazy and he is old. He has a history of having a bad temper, but so do a lot of people I know. Senator McCain knows what it is to serve his country as a soldier. He served America to the point of almost losing his life in a POW camp. His son serves in Afghanistan as we speak. He knows what it is to salute the flag and he respects his country. He was willing to die for it. He has values – American values! He believes in right and wrong and he will put his hand on the Bible to swear in when he becomes President. He is American to the core and he will lead this country to the best of his God-given ability. He is not perfect and he might not be the best man in the world for the job, but of the two choices, he is the only clear option for President of the United States of America. If we are talking about experience and credibility, McCain certainly has the advantage.

I do not care if you are a Republican or a Democrat, you should always vote for the best person for the job. Don't vote for someone just because they belong to one party or the other. Vote because they will be the better option. Vote because the future of the United States of America depends on it. Vote because you are an American with American values and standards. Vote because every vote does count and vote because we have the freedom and right to do so. Vote because you belong to the greatest nation in the world and vote because you live in a country, which was founded on the fact that we are, "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Vote because you care and that my friends is just the way it is………….

Becoming a Texan...

2008-09-09T19:42:00.004-05:00

Well I did it....I finally took the Utah plates off of my truck and attached Texas ones to it. I have to say that giving up my Ut. plates and changing my drivers license over to a Texas one have two of the hardest things I have done. (It has taken me three years and getting married to do it) Maybe I am crazy, it shouldn't be that big of deal but it is!!! (No offense to those of you that are Texans) I think it has something to do with the fact that for the many years I have dated Ben (on and off, of course) I always distinguished myself as the "Utah Girl." Even after I moved here I was known as the girl from Utah. Now to some of you it might be a detriment but to me it made a statement!! I am proud of my heritage and those pioneers that braved the way to "This is the place" and even though Texas is a great place it will never take the place of UTAH!!! So on to the next chapter of my life as a Texan but just so you know - I will always be a UTAH GIRL at heart!!

So long Utah Plates....

Move over Texas drivers and get ready for a little Utah driving....

Kennedy Reunion

2008-09-05T11:30:00.008-05:00

Some of you already know that I spent last month in Utah visiting my family. It was a great visit and one I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a very busy month and I am sure I will end up posting a few blogs about it. From my family's USTRC roping in Vernal to barrel racing with my friends in Pocatello it was a fun filled month. Before I begin on some of the month's activities I just want to thank my wonderful husband for being so good about me being gone. I missed him tons and he was such a good sport about it.

Well to start the month off my family put on our annual USTRC roping. It was a good roping and although I didn't win anything my brother Lex won his first saddle in the #8. So congrats to him!! I was so excited for him and hopefully he will be able to use his shootout at the finals in OKC in Oct. and I can cheer him on there.

The next weekend was the Joe and Lota Mae Kennedy reunion. This would be my grandma's family. Well we were the hosts for the reunion this year and it was a crazy two days. We put my aunt Kristy in charge and she did an awesome job. From the food to the entertainment it was a great time. I just wish my rubber ducky in the rubber ducky race would have won....I think the best part was listening to my grandma tell about getting married in England during WWII. It was an incredible story.

My grandma telling her story

My mom - the crafter!

3 on 3 tournament (the old men still showed the youngsters some moves)

My dad - Head of Security AKA "The Cook"

As you can tell from the pics we had a great time. It was fun to spend time and catch up with all of the relatives. I will write more on the rest of the trip to Utah later.

An Assault To Your Senses....

2008-07-27T14:01:00.003-05:00

Well here I am blogging again. I just wanted to fill everyone in on my trip to Ft. Worth yesterday. My friend Chandra and I decided to go shopping. She use to live in Ft. Worth and so I love to go with her because she knows the city. Well I figured we would do the usual western stores and such but she told me she wanted to go to the grocery store. Now Stephenville is small and sometimes you can't find exactly what you need but it isn't that small so I just kind of looked at her like she was crazy. I am not a big grocery store shopper in fact I pretty much hate it but I thought oh well here we go.

Well let me tell you this was the grocery store to beat all grocery stores. It was the most amazing place I have been and you know if I am writing about a grocery store in my blog it made a pretty big impression. It is called Central Market by HEB and is located on Hulon street (http://www.centralmarket.com/cm/index.jsp). I could spend hours in this place. If you have ever heard of it they have it.

The produce was amazing - there was every kind of fruit and vegetable you have ever heard of. I bought some freshly squeezed pineapple/orange juice - Minute Maid watch out!

Then we went to the meat part all I can say was WOW - there was the usual beef, chicken and pig but then just add fresh fish from every part of the world along with goat, lamb and every other edible creature out there. I tasted their sushi and it was amazing!

So on we go to the bread section. Now I am not a huge bread eater but this was amazing. (Almost sprung for the sourdough but remembered my diet) The cheese section had everything from feta and goat to then some. Let's just say Rachel Ray would be impressed.

Now I know that I am a small town girl but I have been to the city and I have never seen anything like this. Salt Lake City - you need a market like this!! Let's just put it this way I called Ben and told him next time we had some free time we needed to go grocery shopping in Ft. Worth. I know he thinks I am crazy but it is like going to the zoo only it's edible. So for all of you cooks out there (Steph I am thinking of you)- here is the place to shop!

The Goats Are OUT!!

2008-07-23T20:23:00.005-05:00

If you know anything about me, you know that I have never been around goats. They were pretty much banned from the Dee Cornia ranch (with the exception of Pete's but it was pretty much like a dog). This came from the excuses of "You don't want to be a goat tyer, you will just blow out your knees" and "they are just a pain, don't bother with them we are a cattle ranch so we show beef calves at the 4-H sale." Being the athlete (HA HA) that I was these excuses were just fine by me and so you now know I have little goat experience.

Now when I married my husband I didn't realize the love for goats that he has and believe me I never thought we would have a goat herd ourselves. But lo and behold we now have quite the herd. Goats are like mice once you get one they just seem to multiply. Now I have to give my husband credit the accquiring of our first nanny was an experience I will never forget (it wasn't through the typical sale barn). I would go into that story but it is for another time. As for the rest well let me just say that the sale barn calls us every week and lets us know that they have nannies because we are such good customers. We have sold two goats so far but it seems when we take one goat to the sale we just exchange it for 4 more (along with a check lol). I have to give my husband credit though - we went to the goat sale last week and sold one and didn't buy any, not for the lack of trying.

Well onto the rest of my story...about two weeks ago at the unheard of hour of 6:30 am I hear my husband shout out "Jodi get some shoes! The goats are out!" Well as I try to awake from my deep beauty slumber and stumble to find my shoes - I realize that this is not good. Although we own 8 nannies and a billy, only one is tame - if you call it that. As I slip on my flip flops visions of us running down our county road with ropes in our hands and goats scattering everywhere run through my head, and then I hear my husband say they are just in the backyard. So I walk to our sliding door and there is the goat herd complete with the watchout goat (never knew there was such a thing) standing on top of our tractor. (See below) Luckily they had only been out just a bit and our prized tomato and pepper plants were still in tact! So for all of you wondering the moral of the story - well there isn't one except that yes a goat can climb to the top of a red International tractor.

The Goat Watcher - Spot

Dolly & Spike

My Goat - Dolly!

Painting...What a job!

2008-07-22T13:09:00.005-05:00

I know it has been quite awhile since I have wrote but I have been very busy. From working ropings and rodeo's to painting some rooms in our house, life has seemed to be stuck on the fast forward button. The summer is flying by and I don't know where it has gone too!

I have been telling people about my painting projects and so I finally took some pics today to show everyone. The pics don't do the rooms justice but if you remember the moss green walls with bears, wolves and elk borders this is a big improvement. While Ben was gone last weekend I tackled the small room that I use and he liked it so much when he got home that he asked when I was going to do the other room. Here are some pics for you to see. Below is the my dresser that I gave a face lift to and painted it chocolate brown. You can also see the wall that I ragged. I was worried about the ragging but it turned out great. The lamp was actually brass with a green middle and so I painted it black and added my red shade that I had. I changed the bedding to brown and we bought a small desk to put in the corner so that my computer can actually have a place to reside rather than the kitchen table!!!

Here are some more pics of the other room. These walls were painted a desert rose with a border of horses and barns. The border wasn't too bad but the pink deseret rose was enough to make you puke! I used the same ragging technique and colors because I had paint left over from the other room.

All in all I thought both rooms turned out great and now we have two awesome guest rooms so I invite ya'll (texas term) to come visit!

What a week!!!

2008-07-01T16:58:00.002-05:00

Wow what a week it was...From Reno to Randolph to Rock Springs and finally back to Stephenville. I was so glad to finally come home and not have to haul anymore luggage. Ben and I took off last Monday for Reno. We both worked the Perry Di Loreto roping and I stayed and worked the Ladies only roping. We had a great time although (I am sure you have a hard time believing this) we didn't lay a dime on the tables. I love to play blackjack but we were so busy we really didn't have time. Oh well I figure I probably saved myself some money. Instead I bought the cutest levi jacket that has zebra stripped hide on it with red stars. I love it and although I shouldn't have splurged I did.

After Reno, Ben headed to Paso Robles for the USTRC regional finals roping and I headed to Utah to work the Rock Springs roping for my dad. Although the roping wasn't quite as big as we wanted it to be, we still had a great time being together as a family. Lex, Lisa and Tess are back from New York and so I was able to spend a little quality time with my neice. Plus my dad and my brothers and I were able to rope together and although we didn't do any good togther we still had a great time. Both my brothers were on fire - their sister just missed for them.. Next time Lex we will get them!

On to the quality time with my niece. I have to brag a bit since she is the first grandchild and the apple of my father's eye. She is so cute - she is now 8 months old and will laugh and smile! She absolutely loves animals and can't get enough of Lizzie and Jack (our two blue heeler dogs). It is so funny to watch her with them. She doesn't even cry when Lizzie gives her a big old kiss! She also loved the horses and steers and was completely content watching the roping from my dad's lap. She would follow each run down the arena like an avid team roping fan. Watch out Lex you have a cowgirl on your hands - I am already scoping out the barrel horses for her although I think we should start with a pink stick horse first!!!

Well Monday morning I finally flew home and met up with Ben. It is so nice to be home and see my husband again!! We are just recovering from the week and getting ready to start all over again - what a life!

I know everyone likes pictures and so I thought I would add some of my niece - as you can tell not only is she the apple of her grandpa's eye but her Aunt is in love with her as well!

Sun, Sand & the Beach...

2008-06-22T21:49:00.010-05:00

Since everyone has asked us what we are doing for a honeymoon, I thought I would write about our mini-honeymoon in Florida. We are planning on going on an extended one in December when it is cold and yucky here and our schedule slows down. Mexico is kind of the plan but as to where, we are not to sure. Anyway that is besides the point. We did however sneak away to Florida for a couple of days after the reception in Utah. Of course it was combined with working a roping but that didn't matter to us. We were ready for the sun, sand and water. We flew to Pensacola and then drove up the beach to Destin where we spent the night. We splurged on a really nice hotel that was right by the water and then we hit the beach. Below are a bunch of photos from our trip that I thought you might enjoy.

On our way!!

Ben, I swear he is a fish!

Enjoying the sun!

We found our dream beach house! Hmmm Maybe someday!

After we got done with the beach we drove inland to the roping at Marianna. We had a great time at the roping. We got done pretty early each day and so we heard there was a swimming hole at the Florida State Caverns. Well we were all about that and so off we went. The state park was beautiful and the forest was so green and pretty but the swimming hole wasn't so great! Check out the pics below!

I thought this pic was hilarious. It is the supposedly swimming hole - but you have to read the sign!

I didn't think it looked to inviting...

After the roping ended on Sunday we took off back to the beach. We made it to Destin in time to rent some jet ski's. We had a blast except when we tipped ove the jet ski but we did get a laugh over that. The water was so warm we didn't even mind. After we returned the jet ski's we headed back to Pensacola and had dinner along the beach. That next morning we flew back to Texas and back to work. It was a great mini-honeymoon! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as you can tell!

Headed to Jet Ski!

What a beautiful sunset!

HOT! HOT! HOT!

2008-06-17T16:13:00.006-05:00

Well it is now Tuesday and I still haven't wrote about the weekend so here goes.

Ben and I decided to go to Odessa for the weekend. He wanted to work cows and visit his dad for Father's day so on Friday afternoon we took off and headed westward bound for a weekend of fun in the sun :)

Well Sat. morning we got up and headed out to work cows. Now just remember that Odessa is in the desert and it is hot, hot, hot! Well we gathered cows, penned some and did other stuff all while this was going on the temperature rose to 103 degrees. Now for those use to the desert it wasn't bad but for this Rocky Mountain girl - it about did me in. I was longing for those days in the fall where it is snowing and you are still rounding up cows. I never thought I would say that but it was that HOT! Below is my husband - the cowboy!

That evening Bob (Ben's dad) wanted to go to Midland and watch the baseball game (Midland has a minor league team). So off we went to the baseball game with Ben's Grandmother, Great Aunt, Ben's Mom - Melinda and Bob. I have to say we had a great time. The game was good. We sat in the shade and there was a slight breeze so it wasn't near so hot. And to add to the fun there was a great fireworks show at the end of the game. Even Ben (who isn't a baseball fan) had a great time.

Ben and I at the ballgame!

The Clements Family at the game.

The Game!

Now on to Sunday! Well again we got up and went to gather some cows! It was hot actually 104 degrees and so I repeat - it was HOT! We were supposed to gather cows and move them from one pasture to another so with Ben and I on horses, Bob on a 4-wheeler and Brandi in the truck we start to proceed. For those of you unfamiliar with the desert and pastures in the desert they are huge and I mean like miles big so it takes awhile and they are full of brush and mesquite trees. Well now on to the story. As we gathered there were two calves that we just couldn't get so we got the rest of the herd put away and Bob and Ben and I went on 4-wheelers to find them. Well we found them, after driving madly through the brush I might add, holed up under a mesquite tree. Ben and I stayed on our 4-wheeler to keep an eye on them and Bob rushed to meet Brandi with horses. So here comes the best part. As Bob and Brandi race to catch one calf on horses, Ben and I take off for the other one on the 4-wheeler. Ben is driving at this point and my real concern is to just hang on. Well we get closer to the calf and I tell Ben to just rope it - so we stop and switch places. I am now in the drivers seat and Ben is trying to hang on and swing his rope! With my expert driving skills, dodging mesquite trees and brush, I get Ben close enough for a shot so I lean down, pin my ears and throttle in there just like a good ole calf horse should and Ben throws his loop - well all I have to say is Stran and Topper couldn't have done a better job then Ben, Jodi and the Yamaha! I just wish I had pics!

After finally getting all the cows put away - we decided to go cool off. They have this huge swimming hole that is so deep you can swim your horses in it. Yes I chickened out and didn't swim my horse but here is a couple of pics of Ben and Raven cooling off!

And so that was the end of our Father's Day weekend. We had a great time in the desert and I have finally cooled off some although it might take some Rocky Mountain air to really chill me out! LOL!

Gotta see it...

2008-06-12T12:20:00.003-05:00

Wow how the week fly's! So I have to tell everyone. Ben took me to Sex and the City last night and I loved it. It was a great movie so if you get a chance I highly suggest it. I laughed and yes I cried so any movie that gets me to do both I love! Sarah Jessica Parker was the best and it fit right along with the show so now if they could just do a Grey's Anatomy movie I would be in heaven! Well as long as Derrick and Meridith got together...LOL

Well as far as wedding pics go - I do have some posted on our wedding website so you will have to check them out. The url is http://www.jodiandben.com/. They are under the photo album tab. I will try and post some more here on my blog when I get a chance!

Well to end this blog I will end with a quote from Sex in the City. Hope you enjoy!
"Party and play in your 20's, regret your mistakes in your 30's and buy the drinks in your 40's"
And that about sums it up...Have a great weekend!

It's Sunday night and Ben is almost home!

2008-06-08T20:25:00.003-05:00

Well it is Sunday night and I have already done a better job with my blog than with myspace so I am giving myself a pat on the back. Ben is almost home from San Angelo - he has been gone all weekend to a roping. I am so excited to have him back. I have missed him so much. It is pretty lonely around here without my husband.

My friend Chandra dragged me to church today and every time I leave church I always wonder why I don't go more often. I have such a peaceful feeling after church and so again I will make the resolution to start going more often. It will help with a friend like Chandra giving me a little push. It is different going to church down here in Stephenville. All my life I grew up knowing which bench my family sat in, who had the noisy kids and if we would get out on time depending on who the speakers were. It is alot different down here, not bad just different. I don't know very many people, the ward is very small and if you can believe this there are translators to translate the talks to Spanish. Never seen that in good ole Randolph 1st ward.

Well I know I enjoy photos pictures in blogs so I am including a pictures of Ben and I at the Alamo. We went down to San Antonio for my birthday this year and had a blast. The riverwalk is amazing and the Alamo has such a feeling to it. If you ever get a chance to visit either of these two places I highly recommend them!

Ben and I at the Alamo!

The River Walk!!

What a horse...

2008-06-07T21:00:00.002-05:00

Well it is Saturday evening and I thought I would post a blog. Like other horse enthusiasts I watched the Belmont race this afternoon. It was quite the deal. Like the rest of America I was hoping to see a Triple Crown winner. Affirmed was the last winner and I was barely 4 months old. After watching the race, I feel so bad for Big Brown. He is quite the horse and what an achievement it could have been. Although sometimes I think we always think about what was lost and not on what was won. This is an extra ordinary horse. He just had a bad day, like all of us we can make excuses about his hoof, steroids, weather and everything else but all in all he just didn't have the bottom to finish that race. After the pace he as been at over the last five weeks I feel it is completely understandable. He was incredible to watch in the Preakness and the Derby and by no means should his trainers and owners hang their heads. They have accomplished so many things with this great horse and although he didn't win the Triple Crown he is still a winner in my book. He just looks like he needs a much needed rest... So hopefully in my lifetime there will be another Triple Crown winner and I can't wait til next year's Derby and another crop of colts - maybe the history maker will be in them.

Well on to other things. My friend Chandra and I went shopping today in Weatherford and we went to an awesome Western Furniture store. It was a great time! I just wish I had a bigger house and more money to buy everything I saw. So for those of you that come visit it is a place we definetly need to go - I plan to go back and maybe drag Ben there.

I know everyone that has read this blog is waiting for wedding pictures and believe me as soon as I get them loaded onto my computer they will be up for your viewing. So stay tuned and have a great Sat. evening!

Finally I am a blogger...

2008-06-05T22:40:00.000-05:00

Hello there... I have so much to write. I have gone through so many friends blogs and I have finally decided to start me a blog. I have a myspace page but it just isn't for me...so here I am! I hope everyone enjoys.

There has been so much happening in my life. I have now been a married woman for four weeks on Saturday. Wow I can't belive it. I love married life! I am so lucky to have such a great husband. I could go on and on about how much I love Ben but it would probably bore you. Although it took me thirty years to find and marry the man of my dreams I did it!! Yeah! and I couldn't be happier.

My wedding was wonderful. We got married May 10th in Hamilton, Tx at the Circle T Arena and it was beautiful. It was everything a girl could dream of and more. We also had a reception in Utah on May 26th and I couldn't believe how many people came. It was wonderful. We had a great time. Ben couldn't believe I knew all of the people that came through the line. It was so nice to see so many friends that I havn't seen in so long - Kim, Mindy, Tonya ect ect.

The picture is of Ben and I's first dance. Well I hope everyone enjoys my blog and I will try and keep it updated - hopefully I will do better with it than with myspace.