Vacation Pics ;-) Part 1

This is a vacation post, it will have a ton of pics and not much writing.  Hope it is enjoyable anyway!
We left on a Tuesday afternoon, it was a bit cool and a BIT windy!  We rode a motorcycle. . .

These are my bags, this is all the room I was allowed for 4 days worth!!!  It makes you take a look at what you *really* need and what might just be fun to have.  Like more than one pair of shoes.  Um, no I only took the pair on my feet.  Oh well and a pair of flip flops for around the room after shower and such.
After a little over a 2 hour ride we were getting sore, thankfully we made it to Eufaula!  We found a little Mexican place and had some supper and then went and checked in our B&B.

This is the view from our deck at THIS awesome place!  Lake Eufaula Bed and Breakfast. . .

This is the view on the beach.  See how big the waves are, this is a lake, there is only big waves when the wind blows and it was BLOWING!

Pondering ;-)

The owner said this tree fell over the winter so her and her husband made these cute benches!  I was impressed!

The view of the back of the house.

Our room.

The awesome jetted tub!  It also has a great view of the water!

 Loved it, well, after I figured out how to get hot water!  It was so relaxing!

Day 2 we didn't do much at all!  Had a yummy breakfast, pumpkin pancakes and eggs, then crashed for a little longer after breakfast, went for a short ride and a trip to Braums in the afternoon and then to supper at a friends house.

 Took a walk along the beach the 2nd day, found a few shells. . .

 Seen some clear water. . .

 Found more shells. . .

Watched a lovely sun set at a new friends out where we had a yummy supper!  (Thanks Kim!)

Well, it's not letting me post all the pics so I guess I'll try another blog, sorry, looks like this will be a 2 or 3 part posting. . .

Holster Options I

IWB (Inside Waist Band) Carry about the one to two o'clock position.  Carrying here is, right now, my favorite way to carry.  I put the gun on every morning before I leave the house and never have to worry about being uncomfortable.  I drive 45 miles one way to work and it is never uncomfy, I do book work sitting at a desk, work the retail floor, clean, put up freight, I feel like I am constantly bending over, kneeling, moving all around, and it is never uncomfy.  I do not buy pants a size larger, I can carry this way and not feel like my jeans are too tight, (well except when I eat too much and they'd probably be too tight even without the gun).  Now, body type.  I am not skinny and I have a pretty good size chest.  Some say my boobs hold my shirts out so I don't have to worry about printing but that's not true.  I can wear shirts that are fitted and my belt buckle sticks out more than my firearm!  Dark colors and prints do help break up that you are carrying.  The only thing I've changed since I started carrying this way is I've added a belt to my every day accessories.  It helps hold my pants up!

 (Please ignore my silly faces, my photographer husband was being silly, you should see the first ones!)

(The reason I took pics with 2 outfits is so that you can see that you do not have to wear a cover garment.  I hardly ever do, the only reason I added the tucked in shirt and jacket is because it was the only thing I had to wear to church that my cool necklace would go with!  I am not a shirt tucker in er so I don't have to worry about covering. . .)

This is my everyday carry.  S&W Bodyguard 38 revolver in a Looper Leather Slimline holster.
Here are a few reasons I like it:
1 - I don't have to wear an undershirt
2 - After wearing it awhile it conforms to the gun you are carrying, so my laser is not a problem
3 - It's light and sweat is not a problem
4 - The clip is very strong
5 - It's made in the greatest state in the country!  OKLAHOMA!!!!

(Yeah, I stole the pic from their web site but I'm sure they're ok with that since I'm promoting it.  ;-) )

I use to wear a Tagua Gun Leather with the same firearm. . . This is a decent holster, it also conforms to the gun after a while and it worked until I found the Looper Leather.  It does not have as strong a clip, it gets a little worn out and it does require wearing an undershirt.  Oh and it is not made in the great state of OKLAHOMA or the great USofA for that matter.

Staying Aware

I've been seeing some discussions over on facebook on some of the pages I follow about being aware of your surroundings and decided to put my two cents in.  Unfortunately my two cents turned into a whole blog so I'm posting it here on my blog and will attach it to my SassyShooters.com facebook page.

First - Cell Phones.  While cell phones can be great things they can also be harmful things.  I've seen that studies have shown "bad guys" are looking for targets that are oblivious to what's going on around them.  And cell phones will for sure make you oblivious.  You're checking facebook, texting hubby to see what he wants for supper, checking your email, or playing words with friends, and that makes you completely unaware of what's going on around you.  That makes you a "target".  So, my suggestion is put the phone in your pocket and pay attention.  I know it makes you feel kinda weird being cautious and looking around watching for "predators", but it also makes you less likely to be a "target".  If you have to use your phone, use speed dial and do the old caveman thing and talk to the person you need to communicate with, but keep your eyes up and pay attention while you do.

I guess you're wondering what I mean by "target".  I'm talking a victim of a violent crime.  Someone who the bad guy wants to rape, mug, or murder, and I'm pretty sure I don't know ANYONE who wants anything like that to happen to them.  I know I don't.  And through all of this I am not, Praise the Lord, speaking from experience.  I'm sure that is not something I want to deal with and will do my best to keep it from happening.
Anyway, back to  being aware. . .

Second - Parking Lots.  Parking lots are scarey for me, always have been.  I especially HATE parking garages, they are all closed in and get me all turned around.  I try to avoid them whenever possible.  Thankfully in rural Oklahoma we don't have many of those unless you go to the big city to a hospital or the likes and, again, thankfully I don't have to do that often at all!  Here's what I do in a parking lot, like wal-mart or the grocery store.  I try to always park with my driver door next to a shopping cart return thingy, I am almost always alone so I don't have to worry about a passenger.  The reason I do that is so that when I get in and out of my car I don't have to worry about someone pulling up next to my driver door and "pulling me outta the car" or "grabbing me before I get in".  While I am loading my purchases I try to stay aware of my surroundings and load as quickly as possible.  As soon as I get in the car, paranoid me, normally locks the door.  When the shopping cart thing is not an option I have to make due with an end parking spot and paying attention.

Third - Leaving a building.  When I leave work I walk out of the building and around a corner to a side street where my car is.  I've caught myself here lately not paying attention, off in my own world thinking about where I'm headed and the tasks I need to be doing.  Bad Missy!  I had a friend walk around the corner right into and yell BOO and scared the baegebies out of me because I wasn't paying attention, he easily could have been a bad guy and hauled me off! So, when you walk out of a building pay attention to what's going on around you!  Keep your head up! (again don't be messin with your phone).

Forth - What are you carrying?  And I don't mean gun wise, I mean bag wise.  Do you have your hands so full that if you needed to get to your firearm you would have to take extra seconds getting rid of stuff to do it?  Extra seconds could make a huge difference in what happens.  Extra seconds puts the "predator" within arms reach instead of 10 ft away.  So, what do you do?  Well, when I get out of my car at work I normally have a large computer bag, a large purse, and misc. other stuff.  I try to carry them in away that I can still get to my firearm with my strong hand quickly!  I need to take time and practice this but haven't yet.  (shame on me).  When carrying shopping bags if you can't use a cart (that gives you another tool to use to protect yourself and since you parked next to the shopping cart return thingy it makes it easy to put up!) then make sure you carry only what you are comfortable carrying and don't loop them over the arm of your gun hand.  If they are in the palm you can drop them faster than if they are looped over your arm.  I know you can carry so much more that way but is it safe?

These are things that have just come to light for me and I know there is a lot more to add to it and it may not be perfect for everyone but it's my two cents and not the law.  ;-)

Stay aware and I pray you never have to deal with any incident that would put you in danger!

M~

Vacation I

So far our vacation has been great!  Weather could be a little warmer/less windy but that's ok, we're still enjoying it!  Thank you Lord for no crazyness this week!  Looking forward to 3 more days of nothing but relaxing, that doesn't happen often for us!

25 yards - M&P 9mm - 40 rounds.  Horrible just horrible!  :(  What am I doing wrong??????

Honored. . .

Today I got the honor of helping put a few boxes together for our soldiers.  There was only 7 boxes but they were names submitted from people in our church, which makes them special.  Some of the soldiers even attend our church when they are home and some of them will hopefully attend when they are back in the great state of Oklahoma.  It was eye opening packing the boxes with things the church members donated, some of the items I never would have thought of and were great ideas!  Like 3 in one laundry soap.  I guess a lot of the soldiers have to wash their own uniforms and provide their own soap, the 3 in was is individually packaged and had softener in it also.  Kinda cool.  There was one lady among the soldiers so we made sure she got the smelly good stuff and and things that were more "girly".  There was Ralphs beef jerky sticks which I was told was good for when the soldiers are out in the field and only have MREs to eat, the jerky keeps and doesn't get mashed and doesn't take up a lot of room and doesn't weigh a lot.  There was little things you pour in your drinks to make them flavored, they are individual and lite weight.  We put in zip lock bags so they could keep sand out of their things.  And the list goes on.  OH, we also put in a bunch of letters/drawings the kids did last Wednesday night and a letter from Pastor Larry.  I think the soldiers will get a kick out of those!
I appreciate Jacquie getting the project together and letting me be a part of it! 

 We had toiletries and we had snack foods!!!

 We packed the boxes as full as we could!

And put letters on top!!!

Remember to pray for our guys and gals over seas and in the military stationed across the US.  These people are the reason we live in a free country!  THANKS SOLDIERS AND GOD BLESS Y'ALL AND KEEP Y'ALL SAFE!!!!!!!!!!

Potato Soup

Because it's raining and the weather is cool. . . . I just had a giant bowl of yummy potato soup!  Sorry there are no pics, I had to eat it, it was calling to me, "don't wait eat the soup."  So, that's why there are no pics of the potato soup.
But here's how you make it. . .

5 slices of bacon, diced
1 medium purple onion, diced
6 medium potatoes, diced
1/2 pkg cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 cup sour cream
Milk
Salt/Pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan cook the bacon, do not discard the grease, toss your onion and potatoes in the bacon/bacon grease.  Add enough water to cover the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender.  Pour the water off and added the cream cheese (you can add more if you want), butter (you can add more if you want), sour cream, and enough milk to cover potatoes, oh and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low until everything is melted and hot. 

Put a few crackers crunched up in the bottom of your bowl, a bunch of shredded cheese, and top it with a couple scoops of potato soup, then a few sprinkles of shredded cheese on top for looks. 

Then put the spoon in the soup and eat up!!!!!!!


THANK YOU LORD FOR THE RAIN WE APPRECIATE IT GREATLY AND PRAISE YOU FOR IT!

WE HAVE STUFF GROWING IN OUR AQUAPONITCS BED!!!!!!!!!!!  Yeah, I'm a little excited, it's actually working!

This is a horrible picture.  Maybe this weekend I'll get some better ones of the whole system.  It really is kinda cool!

Love and blessings today!  PRAYING IT RAINS ALL OUR WEEKEND PLANS OUT!!!!!!!!!!

M~

Saturday morning J and I got up early to head to Wetumka to a fish farm to pick up some tilapia for his aquapontics tank.  Got about 50 of them.  They are currently housed in our sunroom in a big tank.  When I have a chance and it is all up and running I'll take pics of it.  It's pretty cool, if it all works right we will have fresh vegies all winter long and eventually fresh fish to eat! 

After we got back we had to fix a water gap. . .

 We had some cows and calves get out the other evening so we had to get it fixed!

 J didn't have much trouble getting under it and he's over 6' tall, so that tells you how big of a gap it was and how easy the cows could get out!

 We used a cattle panel to get it covered up!  Temporary but worked for the time being!

 Such strong hands. . .

 The girls had to watch!

 This is the "real" fence between our place and the neighbors, it's about 10 foot off the ground and doing no good.  One of these days we're going to have to get a dozer out to clean some stuff up so we can get fences where they go.

 You seen the girls above, they went out to help us.  Trigger only made hit half way before he had to lay in the sun and take a nap!

 Massive bull.  I love how he looks and how big he is! 

 Look at his ears!  They are red inside!  I though that was humorous, the bull above is his daddy so I guess it makes since he has a bit of red on him.

 Aaawwww the little puppy.  Long story I won't share all of but he's one of ten pups left from a litter.  Today he's 4 weeks old.  J just decided last night we might keep him as a stud dog and get rid of his momma.  So, now I have to name him.  I've never had trouble naming animals but I'm having a bit of trouble with this one.  I think it's because I thought we were going to sell him and have tried to keep my heart unattached.  Now, unless J changes his mind, which I don't think he will, I can get attached and name him!

 He's starting to get very playful!

 Naked ladies or spider lilies or whatever you want to call them.  I was given a bunch of bulbs or whatever they are by J's grandma a few years ago and ended up not having time to plant them properly so I scratched the ground back and threw them in a spot that isn't very noticeable. . . J and I were out shooting yesterday and I noticed they were bloomed!  Nice surprise!

 For all the activeness he has, he also has a lot of sleep time! 

Venison backstrap!  We were given a bit of meat a while back and I finally fixed it.  I forgot how yummy fried venison is!
And that's it for our Saturday off.  . . .Nice ride to church this morning and a nice relaxing day today with my wonderful husband!  Getting geared up for another busy week.