Monday, September 30, 2013

Inspiration Monday

“There are man-eating sharks in every ocean but we still swim. Every second somewhere in the world lightning strikes but we still play in the rain. Poisonous snakes can be found in 49 of the 50 states but we still go looking for adventure. A car can crash. A house can crumble but we still drive and love coming home. Because I think deep down we know all the bad things that can happen in life, they can’t stop us from making our lives good.
 
Have a Happy Monday :)

Friday, September 27, 2013

Five Minute Friday- True

I know I haven't done one of these in a while and to be honest you probably won't see another one for a while. But I felt this was a good topic and there's a lot on my mind right now. One perk of this weekend is that I get to go to the Justin Boots Championship Rodeo in Omaha, Nebraska. You get to see the top 12 cowboys/cowgirls in the world compete for some extra cash before the NFR. Hopefully i'll have lots of pictures to share from the event!



Here is the prompt:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.
2. Link back to her website and invite others to join in.
3. Be generous and leave an encouraging comment for the person who linked up before you. That’s the best part about this community.

This weeks topic is : True

On this blog you have gotten to see the true me. Most of which has been happy but sometimes sad. Well right now the true me is tired and a little stressed out. I tell you what nursing school is not all it's cracked up to be. I am busy!! I haven't had a single day in the past I don't know how long that I didn't have a single thing to do or place to go. I go to school Monday-Thursday and then work Friday-Sunday. I don't get enough sleep and lately i've just been so tired and wore out that If I had the opportunity to sleep in once I might not wake up!!! Don't get me wrong I knew that it would be challenging but I don't know how I will survive 10 more months of this!!! One thing though that has really helped me get through this is that I've started attending midweek worship services and weekly bible study at a Methoidst student center on campus. It really has helped me forget what's going on for a couple of hours and just focus on worshiping the Lord. I know that all of this schooling will be worth it in the end but boy the end seems so far away!! Sorry for all the complaining but this is the true me right now and probably for the next 10 months like it or not. I hope you all had a better week than I did and have a great weekend and I will try to be more uplifting another time.


PS I've decided if this whole nursing thing doesn't work out I'm going to open a bakery and sell pies, cupcakes, cookies, and muffins :)

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

When PETA Came to Town

Below is an article about when PETA came to town. I didn't have the chance to go but there was a pretty good article in our local paper so I thought I'd share. Let's just say they didn't go over to well in our community.
___________________________________________________________________________________
 
PETA on campus to preach no-meat gospel

Maryville Daily Forum Volume 103, Number 184  
9/19/13

By: Tony Brown

The People for the ethical treatment of Animals arrived on the Northwest Missouri State University campus Wednesday morning, setting up shop in a large tent designed to look like a barn and erecting signs bearing photographs of cute farm animals and slogans like “Pigs are smarter than your children.”

Photo Credit: Tony Brown
Alana Wagly, a PETA intern from Florida, passed out pamphlets, vegetarian cookbooks and samples of soy jerky Wednesday to students on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University.

 
Staffed by a cadre of stylish slender looking 20-somethings, the day-long display was intended to spread the word about the social, moral, and physical benefits of adopting meatless and dairy-free lifestyle.

The exhibit was brought to campus by a local student organization Northwest Advocates for Animal Awareness.

Still, it was an odd message to encounter at a college situated in the heart of cattle country whose R.T. Wright Laboratory Farm prides itself on a prize-winning beef herd, top-of-the-line market lambs and a farrow-to-finish swine operation.

PETA’s Stephanie Maddox, however, refused to offer up any controversial stance with regard to an organization that farmers and stock producers usually regard, at best, with distrust and, at worst, open scorn.

Maddox, who at age 23 has been a vegetarian for ten years, sidestepped all questions smelling of politics with a request that such matters be referred to PETA’s public affairs office.

She was more than happy; however, to share information about how people can eliminate meat from their diet, even in a town like Maryville that savors its beef.

Stores like Hy-Vee and Wal-Mart, she said, are offering a wider variety of meatless products these days, everything from soy-based “chicken” patties and hot dogs to protein staples like lentils and black beans.

Still, in a meat-loving culture she admits that going vegetarian –let alone vegan, the word for people who eschew all animal-based foods, including fish, milk, and eggs—is a challenge.

“it can be difficult if you don’t know where to look, she said.

Which was one of the main purposes of the PETA display, where passerby got to choose from a section of charts, DVD’s and stickers, most offering tips on how to avoid the consumption of beef, swine, fish, and fowl.

Food samples included animal product-free cookies and meatless “jerky” soaked in soy sauce.

But if Maddox and her crew had instructions from PETA headquarters to steer clear of controversy, displays inside the tent made the message clear. Killing animals for food is inhumane and quite possibly immoral.

To anyone who has spent time on a farm, or even at a county fair, the exhibits looked harmless enough, even a little hokey.

But dim lighting, dire words, and elegiac music from a documentary produced by ex-Beatle and vegetarian Paul McCartney appeared designed to make a swine gestation crate—a contraption that keeps a sow from killing her young—appears ominous.

Northwest students were invited to lie down inside the crate so they could experience the discomfort and fear, according to PETA, that such devices cause. Another display consisted of a two-foot-square wire cage stuffed with a half-dozen fake chickens.

Some of the college kids wandering through the tent had the look of true believers, or at least wannabees. Others most defiantly did not.

Clint Bornemeier, an agronomy major from Elwood, NE, and Joe Hegeman, an animal science major from Savannah both grew up on family farms. The two young men—Bornemeier proudly wore an FFA t-shirt—were clearly skeptical about both the display’s and PETA’s claims regarding the inherent cruelty of commercial livestock operations.

“It’s frustrating,” Hegeman said. “I think it’s just that some people aren’t informed about agriculture. As an Industry, we need to do more to project our image and tell our side of the story.”

Hegeman admitted there is a debate within the Ag community itself with regard to the merits of “factory farming” and large-scale confined animal operations. But he said accusing farmers of cruelty simply because they produce meat for human consumption is misguided.

“Our goal is for the animals to be as healthy and as productive as possible,” he said “not to harm or mistreat them.”

Monday, September 23, 2013

Inspiration Monday

 So last week was a rough one with my classes and life. We had a test on Monday, quiz on Tuesday, a test and a quiz on Wednesday, I started going to lab on Thursday where we were there from 8 am- 3 pm,  and had a test due for an online class. Then I worked both jobs Friday, worked at a wedding reception Saturday night and at the nursing home and worked at the pizza place on Sunday!! WOW!! I can't believe I survived it! I did well on most of my quizes and tests but it's alot of different material to be studying at once! At times we all felt very overwhelmed but we got through it.

I picked this quote today because it goes along rather well with my week. Even though I didn't think I could get through the week I kept reminding myself that if I really wanted to become a nurse I needed to learn all of this stuff and go to school. I have to keep reminding myself that when there are times where I want to quit. IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT IN THE END!!! So what ever your doing in life or what ever goal or dream you are persuing remember why you started when you feel like giving up. Because at one point you had that spark and passion for it. Remember that feeling and DON'T QUIT!!


HAPPY MONDAY!!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Inspiaration Monday

Ok so I love quotes and little sayings and everyone needs some positive inspiration on Monday to get their week of on a good note. So i'm going to try and do a new weekly feature. I hope you like it and I hope it inspires you to have a great and amazing week!




I love this philosiphy on life. I for as long as I can remember i've had a strong urge to travel and explore new places. I think that this is just the Lord telling me that he has better things for me in other places and that I will learn vauble things along the way. I also think that by going on adventures to  new places you either find something amazing or treasure what you left back at home. You can never forget your roots and where you came from. I hope you all take adventures and find that place where you belong. Have a great Monday and week!!



Saturday, September 14, 2013

My Take on Fall

So I've noticed several people talking about their favorite things about fall in a blog post. It is probably my favorite season for several reasons and I'll share them with you all!



The Weather: Yesterday we had an absolutely beautiful day. It was cool in the morning and didn't get to warm all day. I love the brisk mornings that aren't miserably cold but just a little kick to wake you up. It also really entices a person to be outside more.



FOOTBALL!!! For many years I've been an avid football fan. We use to have season tickets to our hometown college and I've loved the game for as long as I can remember. I like college football the best. I'm kind of a team jumper but some teams I cheer for are: Mizzou (of course), Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (our local college), LSU (have to have a team in there that does well), and then who ever plays against Nebraska :) The story with why I dislike Nebraska is that once long ago in elementary school I made a bet with one of my teachers about a Mizzou, Nebraska game and I lost. I bet Mizzou would win but they didn't. SO for losing the bet I had to wear a Nebraska shirt to school one day. Worst day of my life :) It's just the simple rivalry with them being so close and I've had several teachers over the years who have rooted for them.


Halloween!! I kind of love Halloween. I love the colors the most for some odd reason. The lime green, purple, orange, and blacks all together. Just tickles my fancy!! Halloween was always fun with us since we live in a college town you got to go trick or treating to the dorms and the college kids gave the best and most candy of all time!! It's just a magical holiday! Some of the things I dressed up as over the year were Cowboy (several times), Indian, cheerleader (please don't hold it against me), Trent Green (old chiefs QB), hillbilly, doctor, a puzzle piece, witch (several times), and matching dairy cows with my sister LOL.



Nature. The fall is such an amazing time when the leaves change to the beautiful warm colors, the corn is drying and ready for harvest and the deer are moving around. I love going out in the woods and watch the deer move. Where we live is along a creek with timber surrounding us on 3 sides. We have a herd about every year moves up and down it almost every night. We always get a glimpse of a big buck or two. I'm excited to have my nice camera now to take pictures of the beautiful scenery and I can't wait to share with you the beauty from my neck of the woods.

How heavenly would this be! Beautiful scenery, cool weather, a blanket, a cup of coffee, and a great book. DREAM SPOT!!!

Food: When I think of fall I think of warm comfort foods. During the fall we have both Thanksgiving and our churches Lord's Acre. Both feature turkey, mashed potatoes and noodles, homemade pies, and salads. Can't get any better than that! Other favorite foods include soups, candy corn, hot chocolate, popcorn balls, anything pumpkin.



Tuesday, September 10, 2013

If you Died Tomorrow?

Ok so this is kind of a weird post but it relates to something that I did in my Geriatrics class. Our assignment was to write an obituary for ourselves. Some of my classmates were posting on FB that this was kind of a weird thing, which it is, but it really gets you thinking about your life. I first sat down and started writing one as if I were to die tomorrow and with honest materials about where my life has gone so far. I was basing mine of of an obituary of a woman who's funeral we just attended. She was an amazing woman who was very active in the church and the community. I was looking at her's and then looking at mine and realized that if I were to die tomorrow I really wouldn't have that great of a life story! I've done quite a bit and have been pretty active in my community but not to the extent that I would be happy with. I know that i'm not even 20 yet but still once you put your whole life story on to paper it kind of makes you realize that maybe you could have done more.

So I then decided to enhance my story some by extending my age to 96 and adding my life story to the obituary. I figured i'd share it with you all becasue it is kind of funny and I can only hope that it comes true!! I know now that when the day does come I want to be happy and satisfied with what i've accomplished wtih my life. I hope you also think about it and live your life so that when you die you to can be happy and have one heck of a story.

Erin Colleen Mullins, 96, of Chugwater, Wyoming passed away on Wednesday, October 10th, 2089 at the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming. She was born in Maryville, Missouri on September, 17th, 1993. She attended elementary school at Horace Mann Labratory school in Maryville, MO. Later she attended West Nodaway R-1 School for junior/senior high. Her first jobs included working at Junction Pizza in and as a CNA at Nodaway Nursing Home in. She attended college at North Central Missouri College where she earned her LPN and RN degrees.

After college she moved to Fairbanks, Alaska where she worked at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. In 2017 she moved to Chugwater, Wyoming. She married her loving husband that same year. They were blessed with 4 wonderful boys, Billy, Johnny, Skip, and Fred. While living in Wyoming she worked at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center where she worked with kids who had diabetes. She and her husband also owned a 1,000 acre ranch outside of Chugwater where they raised horses, beef cattle and bucking bulls. Erin had many bulls buck in the NFR and PBR World Finals as well as many rodeos across the country.

She spent her retirement years producing rodeos and hauling her bulls across the country. She and her husband both enjoyed traveling and traveled all 50 states in their Airstream travel trailer. Other hobbies included baking, beekeeping, attending rodeos, golfing, and watching college football and basketball. She was an active member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Celebration of life will be on Saturday, October 13th, 2089. She is survived by her husband, 4 children, 25 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren.
 
 
Hope you don't think I'm to crazy but hey it was a homework assignment. I promise I will have more fun and happy posts in the future :)

Monday, September 2, 2013

Labor Day

Today for Labor Day I spent it with some good friends of mine who are practically family. We spent the day shooting stuff. Yep that's what a bunch of Missouri rednecks do to have fun :) We did mostly trap shooting but some of the boys broke out the pistols. I have gotten to trap shoot a few time and have become pretty good but still miss several. On the other hand I have never shot a pistol so since I had the chance I took it. I wasn't that great shooting it but hey I'll learn. Between about 10 of us we shot about 600 clay pigeons or blue rock. I don't know how many cases of shells we went through but we had a big box full of empty ones. For most of the shooting we stood in line of the thrower and could see where it was heading but towards the end we moved up about 50 feet so that the thrower was throwing the pigeons above us and we had no idea where it they were going. That kind of switched it up and made it interesting. We actually did pretty good shooting that way. The people running the thrower even tried to move it around which really threw us off. We had a nice lunch outside and just enjoyed this beautiful day. I got a pretty good tan and a whopper of a bruise on my arm and a sore shoulder. Here are some pictures I took.

Wes

Jake


Stuart- Love this shot because I got the empty cartridge coming out.  

Donnie

Me

Me again- you can see the smoke coming out of my gun. 

Elizabeth

Jake and Kristin

I love this shot It turned out really unique 

Just a small portion of the shells. 

So this thrower is automatic and has a petal that u push. Well the battery that came with it wasn't charged. So what do we do hook it strait up to a truck :) Redneck ingenuity. 

This is Bob and if you can't tell he has one good arm and an arm cut off right above the elbow. He is a master trapper, hunter, and fisherman and very handy with a gun!! He's pretty awesome! 

Joe

This is Charlie. He did pretty good while we shot but spent most of the time in the house or under the trucks. 




Cool picture of one of Bobs tractors over looking the lake in their pasture. 


This is an old building on their property that's really neat. I got some of my senior pictures taken in front of it.