A Country Girl's Wedding Registry

A date has made this marriage thing official and I am pretty darn excited to get the rest of my life started as Mrs. Purfeerst.  ahhhhhh....that sounds weird huh?

Just a random side note, I am going from a perfectly pronounceable last name to a guaranteed screw-up every time...that will be fun.

In light of the upcoming nuptials, I decided to do a little weekly blog entry called "A Country Girl's Wedding Registry."  Throughout the posts, I guarentee you there will be some ridiculous expensive gifts and some perfectly logical ones and I promise they won't often be found at Target.

However, we can all dream big and maybe it will give all of you some ideas for your own selves.  It's okay to splurge now and again! :)

So, drum roll please.... :)

The first item on the dream registry is a good one.

My friend crystal.cattle has featured Farmsigns.com on her blog a few times and as soon as I looked into it, I fell in love.

 I can just see a sign like this hanging outside of our house.  Of course, ours would need to have a black cow on it and read "Pufeerst Farms" "since 1866" on it and preferably be a bit more green, but those are just details!

The point of the matter is that this would be an amazing gift! :)

Check out their Facebook page for more information!  I bet a sign like this would look great in your front yard!

A Walk Down Cows, Corn & Country Girls' Memory Lane

In little over 10 months, I will be married. :)

It makes me smile even typing it.  I am excited to do more wedding planning and I am even more excited to get a start on forever; there are so many possibilities.:)

As you can probably tell, I am pretty optimistic right now, but just for giggles, I want to take you back to a time when I wasn't so positive about the vast unknown ahead me...and none to certain about the ring on my left hand.

It seems forever ago, but that's because it was.  So just for you folks, I take you back the second blog ever--and maybe my favorite blog yet-- The Last Girl Standing.

The Farmer's Healthy Diet

I convinced Mark that we needed to go on a wedding diet, but if anyone knows me, they know I don't diet.

It's almost like I physically can't.  I see the chip dip and my mouth starts salivating and I am not even kidding you, I often wake up in the middle of the night craving chocolate, which usually results in oreos and milk at 3 a.m.  I know it's not a great lifestyle, but I honestly have no willpower.  Maybe one day, when I really become the chunky monkey that Mark so affectionately calls me when he sees me chow down on chips and a Mountain Dew, I will finally get some resistance.  Until then, I will try to eat only 3 oreos instead of four.

However, I have been feeling pretty good about my diet lately and I am not even kidding you I saw some real cheekbones in my face for the first time in a long time!  Want to know my secret?  I have been eating a healthy farmer's diet.
 
A few weeks back, my dear eye doctor told me caffeine was probably a major cause of my dry eyes and optical migraines.  Most of the liquid I consumed in a day was either pop or coffee and I wasn't even close to drinking six glasses of water.  Simply put, it was dehydrating me. However, up to that point I hadn't really cared, and even more of a problem, I don't really like water.  That same wise doctor then explained to me that milk and juices counted as a "water" and well, I was set.  You see I like milk and I happily started chugging glasses of it to make me better. Currently, I probably drink 5 glasses a day, or course sneaking in some chocolate milk now and again.  While I understand that milk has some 120 calories per serving, I also know it has plenty of essential vitamins and nutrients and I figure I am at least  getting some bang for my buck (or calories in this case). At least, I am getting some Vitamen C with milk and unfortunately I can't say the same for Mountain Dew.

I have had the same attitude with beef lately.  Now understand, I have and will always enjoy a hearty burger or steak, but it's just reality that the average college girl doesn't cook up a pound of beef every day or even every week.  In fact, if you look back on posts from my crazy fall I was basically living on BWW's HBQ boneless wings and fries. 

After living at home for over a month, I can honestly say my body loves me for reverting back to my beloved beef.  I eat a serving of beef nearly once a day and I feel so much more energetic and focused.  I have always had a problem with iron deficiency and I am confident the protein, zinc and iron in beef are reviving me.

It's refreshing to not be concerned with salads or calories and instead be proud of my weekly diet because it was filled with plenty of beef and dairy, among other things. It not only makes me feel good and look better, but I know I am supporting my industry and putting something in my body that is giving me something back.  I like this diet...and that's saying something because I don't usually like diets. :)

11/05/11

We are getting married! 

And we have a date!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Food for Thought

I hope you have watched this video, however, I bet some of you have not.  

If you haven't, it's worth your time...why?  Bcause it is important to know where your food comes from.

If you have, I encourage you to watch it again.  In fact, I dare you to memorize just one stat and share it today. 

Farmers will need to produce more food in the next 50 years, than the last 10,000 combined.


It's a lofty job, but I think we are up for the challenge. :)

Thank Goodness for Holidays

I am happily celebrating MLK day at home, thank goodness for holidays.  And in honor of Mr. King, I am playing catch up.

I am trying to catch up on work stuff (we are in production and I have an article to write), trying to catch up on laundry (the muddy yards left their imprint on my jeans) and catch up on life in general.

Life in general means cleaning, wedding planning, life planning, crafting and exercise.  I am certain I will get it all done.

What I don’t get done, I have four nights to do this week and then next weekend I am bound and determined to have some fun.  I figure if I am going to live in this area, I have to develop a life in this area…and it better start now.   

So what do you do for fun?  Any suggestions on a good play, restaurant, comedy club or concert to attend?  And does anyone want to join us?

“We should all start to live before we get too old.  Fear is stupid.  So are regrets.” -Marilyn Monroe

Time to start living!  Happy Monday!

Super Bowl of Cattle Shows

The title may seem a little overdramatic, but in my mind, it's perfectly fitting.

I am lucky enough to have another short work week, because today I am heading to Denver!  The National Western Stock Show is in full gear and the Purfeerst family (plus me) is heading west to watch their bred heifer show in the junior and open show.  We definitely have hopes for Annabelle, but I myself am just ready to relax and see some good cattle.  Denver is the best of the best because not only are the most competitive breds from across the country there, but next year's up and coming show string make their first big appearance as well.  For a cattle nerd like me, it's heaven.

And then top it all off with all of the great people, the huge shopping center, the warm weather and the family I get to travel with and needless to say, I am pretty excited.  For me, a cattle show is really the best time to get motivated about being in this industry, and trust me I am learning pretty fast at BEEF that their is plenty to be proud of.  Plus, there will be judging going on at the same time and I have plenty of friends working in the yards so I am hoping to catch up with some old friends!

So, maybe I will see you at Denver?  Let me know if you are going and if not, watch my blog...I will have lots of updates when I get home!  I am also working for BEEF while I am out there, so check out our website for some more video posts, too.

Wedding Planning

The wedding is on my mind. 

In fact, lately it is all I have been thinking about.  Why?  I need to pick a date!

I am quickly learning that it is nearly worthless to plan anything else without that little detail.  However, Mark and I are stuck.  We have no clue when to have it...should it be in August, November or January?  Should we do it on the farm, in FBO or in Hastings?  How many people should we have?  Who should we get to be our photographer?  What kind of food should we have?  The list goes on and on and on.  Most people have the whole thing planned by now and indecisive Mark and Jamie can't even pick a date.

I just want to scream. 

On a positive note, I have decided I am having chair covers. :)

However, after spending the day at the wedding fair, I know there is much more to decide than that...and hopefully it starts with a date, or at least a month.  And hopefully that gets picked soooooon. 

Feel free to cast your vote.  Fun farm wedding in August, gorgeous smaller fall wedding or big winter wedding?  I have no preference any more, I make a new decision every day and change it the next.  One day, I will get married...just at this rate, not any time soon!  Wish me luck!

Lauging Out Loud

If for some odd reason I ever questioned if I was ready to settle down, this weekend fixed that.

Mark James Purfeerst is the one for me.

Why?

He makes me laugh out loud. 

And this isn't your typical laugh out loud that I am talking about.  No, it's not one of those fake laughs we have all perfected or the three letters that have replaced "i have nothing else to say" in our cyber conversations--Mark Purfeerst literally makes me roll on the floor laughing.

It's the best exercise and an even better therapy. :)

An honest to god laugh out loud is so refreshing...and in fact, I hope you get to enjoy one tomorrow.  If nothing even slightly makes you giggle...give me a call and I will tell you about Mark's bat story.  I promised I wouldn't spread it on my blog, but I never promised I wouldn't share it over the phone.  Or even better, how about you share your roll on the floor with laughter stories with me; I love comments!

Watch for some new stuff next week, I feel like I have to amp up this thing with some agvocacy and I have just the uplifting story to share.  And remember, it's Thursday night...which means tomorrow is Friday!  You can do it...just one more day (or at least that's what I tell myself)! :)