Saturday, December 28, 2013

Animal Crackers - Is it Goldilocks in our hay?














Howdy -



Well hope you all had a blessed Christmas with family and friends. We did here. This week though we had some concern here and Hubby was really getting a bit nervous about our hay barn.
You see for the last week or so he has been finding rounded out "beds" in our hay barn. And that doesn't usually mean a good thing. As varmits can leave some really bad things in hay that can really harm the animals. So Hubby is really careful with the quality of our hay and making sure that it is "secure"and clean for our kids. Well when he found the hollowed out bed like imprints in the hay barn he was getting worried and was pulling  out the traps to relocate what ever was coming in the barn at night to sleep. (Remember the opossum that we drove miles away to relocate on a river a few months back... LOL)

Well the other morning he went out to feed and I get a text message from him just after he reached the barn. It was this photo with a message "We are safe... and aren't they adorable"


Nally and Moxie have claimed the hay barn for nice, warm soft beds at night. Hubby tried to snap a photo of them before they got up, but they got excited to see him and sat up and stretched knowing it was now breakfast time. The girls are finally settling down a little bit and aren't looking constantly for Niner. Moxie still barks at night for him, but I think they too have come to the realization that he is not longer here. We miss him so. And the Girls are getting even more spoiling and hugs and kisses from us as we want them to know we love them and don't want them going off with any strangers!

Haven't shown off the chickens in a while. The girls are still all doing great, and still giving us their normal numbers of eggs. They Wyandotte's still have their red bare rear ends... I was going to snap a photo for you but they asked for only front shots this time... and I totally understand their embarrassment. 

Caught Little Bit here shaking out and puffing up her feathers. And you might still be able to tell that she has no tail feathers just a few sprigs sticking up... Wish I could get them to leave their tails alone.

This one cracked me up - it is from last week...


The goats were making sure I wasn't feeding any treats... if I was it might be worth getting out of their warm hut... and at that point I wasn't so they just popped around the edge and gave me a few baaa's then popped back in and cuddled up again. They don't like the cold.

Snapped a sweet one of Juliet. She is the standard among all the miniature girls. Girl is going through her teen age lanky stage... bony rear end, long ears and long legs.

 And we love her totally ... LOL She looks just like her brother Ted E. Bear. Especially when he was young. I cant' tell you how many times I have looked out into the pasture and seen her among the girls and my heart jumps a beat thinking that the Big Guy has gotten in with the girls. LOL

Little light on photos this week. Sorry we have had just nasty weather here the past couple of days. Everyone is muddy and wet and just yucky. Sun finally came out late yesterday afternoon, and we were out working in the barn. It wasn't until after the sun set and it was dark that I realized that it was Friday evening and needed photos for today... holidays really do mess up the days of the week don't they?

I am still having a hard time getting use to the idea that there are only a few more days in this year. It flew by!! Seems the older we get the faster they do right? All though right now I wouldn't mind winter to move on and things warm up and Spring get here. I love Spring here on the farm, and this spring we will have a few baby donkeys!!!! Oh my I am so excited!!

Have a wonderful weekend -
HUGS and




Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us!

Ho Ho Ho Howdy!!

I wanted to jump online and post our Christmas Photo for all of you - Each year I do some sort of photo for the front of our Christmas Card - after so many years it gets difficult to do something "different". This year I was really happy with how it turned out....

So from all of us here at DonkeySmiles Animal Crackers -


There are twenty of our "kids" in this old antique photo I found online. Everyone wanted to be a part of the card this year but only so many can fit. But we all...

Wish you a - Merry Christmas from our home to yours -
HUGS and-

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Animal Crackers - Enjoying breakfast

Howdy -

Are we all ready for Christmas? Not here... I have still 3 presents to get - no clue what I am getting either. I want something really perfect you know? And I can't find the right things. I hate that... Sigh I am sure we will find presents this weekend. Guess we sort of have to huh? LOL

The animals have been happy with their presents. We got in some fresh hay - With the freezes they are now needing more provided food. Darn it. Was really great having so much wonderful coastal hay for them to graze. So many years of droughts we haven't had that for awhile, but this year the right rain and the right times and we have had lots of happy grazing here. But it is gone now.. and they think they are being spoiled with being fed again.. LOL

The boys were loving it for breakfast -


Standing in it but enjoying it... Never had understood why they kick it all out then stand in it. Doesn't matter if it is in racks or not, they pull it out and kick it around.

Now Me.... I would like to have my breakfast in bed, or wait Chachi has his as his bed, and eats laying down... now he is SMART! LOL


Now Peso was talking to me while eating..


I need to video this boy talking one day. Big Maco Man... with the highest pitch voice you can imagine on a goat! LOL Cracks me up! He is a handsome Buck isn't he? Shame he stinks so bad we can't touch him. Pee ewe! 

Now this is a gorgeous face! Shame I can't breed her anymore. She was so damaged from last year, and in reality mentally is messed her up too. But she is a great pet and sometimes she is very sweet. I swear sometimes she is smiling. 



Those eyes just melt you don't they?

Here is another funny one.... I made Oatmeal/cranberry cookies for Hubby last week. The goats LOVE Oatmeal cookies. So if there any left over that are stale, we love to share with the goats. Only about 1/2 of them actually love them. A couple eat them just because they think they are suppose to. But as you can tell from this photograph, Lucy... she was in a big hurry to get to the fence and get her fair share! Other than her tail being on fire I don't think she runs that fast for anything!!


Was out doing some loving on the three donkeys in our front pen. Rico is one of our rescue donkeys. We didn't need him. He was a gelding. But I felt so sorry for him when we saw him years ago that we bought him just to give him a better life. He was not in a good pen, not fed regularly, the children of the family were using him in their games of cowboy and indians and shooting water guns at him. Worse part... the harness that had been put on him when sold at 5 months old... was still on him at a year old. It had literally grown on to his face. Was horrible. So we brought him home took forever to work the harness off and healed up, and now he is a buddy to Miguel and Fancy Pants. Still a bit skittish but he will come to us - his favorite thing is to dance when getting scratched on his chest.


The faster you scratch the more he moves is head from side to side and dances. I love it. We try and sing some stupid song to the tempo of his dancing. LOL Love this guy and all though he is "useless" He is ours and loved.

Hubby snapped a great one of Gato early yesterday morning.


 I believe I have shown you Gato in "her" bed in the past. But it is just so cute I am showing it again. This is a very old folding doll bed that was suppose to be for sale in our antique booths. But Gato found it and she adores it so how could I sell it now? It has been buried in the living room for a while. And yesterday I worked sorting out stock and cleaning and realized that it was lost in all the junk... so I unburied it and put it out for her - she found it and was very happy. Cute huh? We won't tell her what that bed is worth though... heck she is worth it.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend - No card challenges this coming week but I will pop on to share a few things -

Hugs and -

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

High Hopes Challenge - Anything High Hopes!

Howdy -

Today is time for the High Hopes Challenge - last one for the year. And so it is an easy one to handle.... Anything High Hopes! For me I went for cold.

You see this past weekend we did a small town market days. An OUTDOOR show. Sunday's weather was beautiful... but Saturday - well it was MISERABLE! Cold and the wind was blowing 20-30 MPH. Ever try to sit under a tent with a booth filled with antiques bundled up like that kid from the Movie "A Christmas Story" and looking a blimp with layers of clothing on. Then the wind kicks up and you are trying to move fast hold on to the tent and not have anything fall over an break. Yea.. I was pretty comical. By the time the show ended that evening... 12 hours out in the cold wind had done me in! So when I sat down to work on my card after the show the first image that popped out at me was the penguin sitting on a block of ice. That is how I felt... LOL

Here is my cold card -


So my images are  - Just Chillin' - Cool Claude - and the sentiment Cold Outside.  I colored with my Copics (colors below) and then the ice and snow have stickles to give them that icy bling. My papers are from My Minds Eye Found Christmas collection. I used white and red card stock for matting. A sheer ribbon and bow. Then 6 red buttons. I love this color combo -

Inside the card -

and the copics used -


Was a fun card and I was trilled to make it.... inside heater on and an extra small electric heater on my feet... finally I can feel them again! LOL

Now you pop over to the High Hopes Challenge Blog and see all the DT cards. Then join us! ANYTHING High Hopes!!

Have a wonderful weekend. We are going to see some old friends for lunch today and then get some hay for the kids... maybe finish up Christmas shopping. We are doing many bought presents this year, except for the children. Taking Hubby today, that may not be the smartest thing for a little youth shopping as he gets a bit lost in toy stores.. LOL

I wanted to also say thank you for all the wonderful comments and well wishes for our missing fur baby Niner. We still have no idea where he is, and still find ourselves looking constantly for him.  He had to have been stolen and I can only pray that he has a nice home inside and is happy and taken care of..... Thank you again for being such wonderful support for us.

Have a great day -
HUGS and

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Animal Crackers - Missing Niner

Howdy -

This week has been a very worrying and sad week here. Last weekend we left the house for 1 1/2 hours and when we returned, Niner was missing.



The three outside dogs, Niner, and his sisters Nally and Moxie, were playing with each other just like the always are. They ran and followed us to our front gate. Normally they would have run back to the house as soon as we would drive away. That is how it has been for the years since we adopted them from our neighbor. When we returned home just 90 minutes later the girls were laying at the gate as if they were waiting for us. But we soon realized that they were waiting for Niner. We searched until dark. Was up the next morning at sunrise and 27 degrees, and Hubby went out and starting searching more. Talked to all our neighbors and also located the workman that were working across our pasture. They all remember seeing him playing, but no one knows anything about where he went. 


The only thing we can come up with is that someone that came down our road saw how friendly and funny he is and decided that they wanted him, coaxed him out of our fence and took him.


 We hope and pray that he if was stolen, he has a good home and is loved. But I still keep looking and calling for him. As do his sisters... poor girls have been looking for him all week. The girls are more skittish with strangers and would not go up to someone. Niner knows no strangers and was happy and friendly with anyone.


I am still holding out as much hope as I can that he will be found and return home. But after a week... Hubby and I have just been sick all week. It is always hard to loose one of our babies. When one of our kids get sick or dies it just guts us both. But this one has been really hard to deal with... we don't know what happened or where he is. We miss him horribly...

One evening after Hubby had been out walking the pastures and fields looking for Niner he came back in at dark and laid back in his recliner to rest a bit. Libbie has learned a new trick this week, something she has not done before. She has come find that all though she is only 10 inches tall, she can jump! And jump high enough to get in her Daddy's lap and cuddle in the evenings with him. That is a place that Gato has claimed until now as her private place.... Now she has to share...


They were all resting and it was too cute to not snap a photograph.  - Now he may not be happy when he sees it here.. but it is really a cute photo... I HAD to share it right?

Later that night we put a movie on and I climbed into my recliner. Covered with a quilt and my feet up trying to relax. Then Gato decided that my quilt and my legs looked more comfortable to her....

She crashed big time and soon my legs went numb.


Didn't dare want to disturb her though... again just too cute. Lucky I had my phone next to me to snap a photo :0)

Sorry this weeks post isn't all fun and happy... the whole week was all about Niner and after thinking about it I have shared everything else here at Animal Crackers - you guys are part of the Animal Crackers family so we (Hubby and I) decided that sharing good and bad sometimes is life. You have been here for us with all our kids - births, lives, and deaths. Missing is a new one for us... but I know you guys will say prayers and think good thought for  this one here as well.

Where ever you are Niner... We Love you and miss you!

HUGS and -

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

High Hopes Challenge - A little Metal

Howdy -

Today is the High Hopes Challenge - and the challenge today had me digging through my stash of junk, oops I mean quality crafting items. I knew I had some of those old Metal adhesive bands from Making Memories. Back to my scrapbooking days... and after destroying a few drawers of stuff and digging through boxes I found them! Love when I remember something from way back in my stash and actually find it and use it!

Here is my card for the challenge - Add a little Metal -

I just love the image "Sweet Savior" - it is just too precious.  I colored with my copics (colors below) And then I added a Marvy Snow Marker to the lamb. I ran out.. I guess I will need to ask Santa for a new one huh? I then added stickles to the star.

My papers are from Graphic 45 - and then that metal band. Now when I put it all together I realized that the metal band is silver and didn't look so great with it.... so I used a Copic and colored it!! Not bad if I do say so myself. :0) Not perfect, but not bad. LOL

Here is the lamb and shiny star close up -


The inside is left over papers and then I used the High Hopes Sentiment "Celebrate the Magic of Christmas" - 

Copics used -

I do hope you will pop over to the High Hopes Challenge and then join us for a chance to win some new HH stamps for yourself!

This morning I think we will try and run a couple of errands.. finished up my Christmas Cards yesterday - really tried to do something different this year with our family photo card. Hope people like it :0) I will post a copy here on Christmas -

Have a great day -
HUGS and


Saturday, December 7, 2013

Animal Crackers- Donkey Hugs

Howdy -

Running a bit late this Saturday. My mind has just been not on the days of the week sorry... got up this morning thinking it was Friday then realized when the news was not on that it was Saturday. Oops... sorry.

I did work ahead for today though. I got some great photo earlier in the week for today -

This was my favorite  -


In case you have never had the opportunity - Donkey Hugs are the best. Juliet loves to nuzzle and give hugs. It is one of the first things that the babies are taught... nuzzling faces and Donkey hugs. This is now the background on my phone... Love this photo

This makes me happy too...


Our skittish boy Flavio is just begging for attention. Now he still isn't pushy and lets us rub all over him. But he is letting us pet his nose and head and is actually asking for attention now... sometimes....

One of our beautiful girls -


Now she isn't exactly clean... LOL This girl when she was little was always bright white with her dark brown and black spots. (the black ones are faded out by the sun right now) But with her longer winter fur and a few really good dirt baths.. she isn't so bright white right now. Those dirt baths really feel good you know. No I don't understand them either, but they do love a good roll in the dirt.

Here is one little girl that does not show her dirt until you pat her.. then she looks like smoke signals are coming off of her.



Leticia is just so sweet and little and really a good looking girl. 

Speaking of good looking... 



 Now so much in this photo I guess... but a little later he was stunning for that few minutes after he was brushed. Then he went out and rolled in the grass... maybe I should try it they all do seem to love it don't they? All three inside doggies had baths  - Autie was first and he was standing in the kitchen waiting for the girls to be done with there baths so they could have their cookies for being good. We give it to Chica despite the fact that she is a nightmare to bathe. She becomes a limp rag and lays over on you and will not stand for nothing.

Hope the weather is nice where you are. Bit cold here in Texas this morning. Woke up to the 20's here today. And I know that isn't cold for most of you.. but here in Texas that is COLD! Especially for wimps like me. LOL

Have a wonderful weekend -
HUGS and-

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Whimsy Stamps 24 days of Christmas

Howdy -

I am back for a second post today for my part of Whimsy Stamps 24 Days of Christmas Event!! (High Hopes Challenge post is below - )



Welcome to Day 3 of the 24 Days of Christmas Event which is sponsored by Denise Lynn, the owner at Whimsy Stamps, to thank all of you who have supported Whimsy throughout the year. There are prizes galore--a grand prize and random prizes throughout the 24 fun days! So be sure to participate as much as you can!!!!

You will be given a secret letter at the Whimsy Blog day. When you have collected all 24 letters, you will need to unscramble to make a 4 word phrase! Then you will email your answer to whimsystampscontests@gmail.com  in order to be eligible for entry into the draw for the GRAND PRIZE!!

And for some more excitement, there are SPOT PRIZES hidden throughout the event--either here or on the DT members' blogs. So be sure to leave comments EVERYWHERE every day to be in for lots of chances to win!!!!

So Follow the Whimsy Blog and Comment and collect those Letters! 



Now I wanted to show you something a little different ... Just in case you missed these in the latest release from Whimsy Digital Stamps -



These are "Christmas Tags' from StampArt Designs by Kathryne.  Ok, now these are just adorable! And let me tell you ... they are for sale right now for only $1.00!!!  My thinking is that this is a great deal compared to buying tags over and over and over. And How much fun would these be to have a project with the kids and let them do some coloring for the presents this year? I love them and think they are just to perfect.

I colored mine up while watching TV the other night.  Now I will admit I didn't spend a huge amount of time on each one. But I made quite a few for all my gifts :0)   Now I won't be running out to pick up more tags! I have lots all ready to go!

Colored with copics and then went back and added stickles to them. Cuz I just love bling on my presents. Just in case there is no bling inside you know...


So this isn't an elaborate card or Christmas gift.. but yet a needed item for everyone and a fun item! Pull out the markers - the crayons - the colored pencils and gather around a table with the family. Discuss things... Like what we are asking Santa for this year. :0)

Make sure to watch the Whimsy Stamps Blog and have fun!!!
HUGS and


High Hopes Challenge - Santa Claus is Coming to Town!!!

Howdy -

Today I will have two post - This one for High Hopes and then later a Special Whimsy Stamps Post - :0)

The Challenge from High Hopes today is really gonna put you in the Christmas spirit! "Here Comes Santa Claus!" so I put that together in my little brain with the song I heard the day I made the card...  of "Leaving on a Jet Plane"... and that got me to this  -


My brain works in funny ways sometimes, but hey it is still working! - I stamped out the High Hopes image "Flyin' High Santa" Colored it out... then I cheated just a tiny bit and made a couple of color copies of it so I could cut out layers. Sorry... short on time I didn't think I could color up that many. I cut out one, and then popped it onto the copy with a wobble thingie... looks sort of like a plastic spring it is sticky on both sides and once stuck down the image wiggles all over! I love it! Need to find out where to get more! LOL

I also stamped out the sentiment "Santa Claus is coming to town!" then put it in my copy machine and blew it up really big! Now a really smart person would have copied it onto red paper.. but no I copied it onto white then colored it red. duh.

Then some Gold stickles for some dots to look a little like brads.


So wish you could see it wiggling here!!!

Here is the inside. I had and extra santa from my copies... hated to waste it so I cut it into a circle and used it inside.


Totally forgot about the Copic colors this time. Sorry was a crazy evening, and Hubby had the TV tuned to a Rush concert so I was pretty much jamming around my craft room and wasn't paying too much attention to what I should have been doing. Oops.

Now you must pop over to the High Hopes Challenge Blog and see all the DT's Santa cards and then join us for some Ho Ho Ho fun!!!

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Animal Crackers - This is a Guinea not a Turkey.. whew...

Howdy -

Well we had our quota of Turkey, Ham, Stuffing and all the extras.. then more than our quota of pumpkin pie, pecan pie, banana cream pie, and chocolate pecan pie... yea we had a lot of pies...

The guineas were thankful that they are not turkeys.. cuz nothing was safe from the big meal.


But now we are going to go back to watching what we eat.. not just inhaling and watching everything in sight get eaten.  Well once the left overs are gone then we will get back to healthy... LOL

Came home from dinner one night earlier in the week to find a Alex standing out between all the pens crying and looking so lost. He must have been rubbing down the fence line and rolled out. We found just a small area stretched out.


Thank goodness the coyotes or dogs hadn't found him before we got home. After some bribing with some feed we got him back into his safe pen, then fixed the fence.

Love repairing fences in the dark when it is 35 degrees!

 Yesterday afternoon it was absolutely gorgeous outside here - the sun came out and it warmed up. Everyone was really enjoying the sun.... Ramon was rubbing his head on the fence and asking for some attention -


He is a sweetie and yes he got some personal attention and head scratches as soon as I snapped his photo...

Sam was watching everyone out in the sun - you can tell it has been a while since they have seen the sun as she was squinting.


Off in the distance our big guy was out enjoying grazing in the sun. The three big donkeys favorite place to graze in the afternoons... under their big oak tree.


It is so nice of them to let us live with them here isn't it? They do own the land and us you know? We are wrapped around their little... ok big hooves.

So now we are off to have breakfast with an old friend. Then later today I am going to help my High School BFF with her family photo for their Christmas cards. I need to get onto that myself as a matter of fact. hmmmmm

Have a great day -
HUGS and