Meet The Madrigals

First of all, I love this opportunity to brag about my wonderful husband. He’s quiet most of the time but sometimes I catch him talking to complete strangers like they were the best of friends. My husband cares. He cares about his kids and his home and he cares about me. He also cares about people and the world on a level that I’ve never experienced in anyone else. I might be biased but I think if more men were just like my husband this world would be a much better place.

Keller is our handsome five year old. He loves to draw pictures, write different letters of the alphabet, and invent things. He’s very athletic and can climb trees and fences and do some crazy tricks on the trampoline. Keller loves adventure and is always talking about being an explorer some day with his brothers. He loves people and won’t hesitate to talk about the good qualities he sees in people.

Karl is our (almost) 4 year old. He is such a giving person, I never know what he will find to gift to someone who has made him happy (I’ve been very surprised at times). Karl loves his brothers and is a wonderful bridge between the oldest and youngest. Karl also is very athleticand has the highest energy I think I’ve ever seen in a kid. Thankfully he has plenty of space to run wild and free. He knows no stranger and and doesn’t hesitate to tell people they are his friends. He loves God and he loves his country.

Kohen, our two year old, loves his older brothers and worships the ground they walk on. His life revolves around watching what they are doing and making sure he doesn’t get left out of their shenanigans. Kohen also loves to help in the kitchen, he loads and unloads the dishwasher and always makes sure I don’t forget the soap. He’s also becoming quite the chef, and I learned not to leave him unattended with a cube of butter and a frying pan. He loves his mom and dad and most of all his father in heaven.

Then there’s just me. I love being a wife, love my kiddos, love my country, and love Jesus.

Buckaroo Blessings: The Waddingtons

Curt and Destinae Waddington met when they were 14 at rodeo bible camp in Cambridge Idaho. Curt was a real buckaroo kid, and Destinae’s mom knew right away that they were made for eachother. Destinae just saw Curt as a freckled faced, red head kid trying to make moves on her. He teased that she was putting her saddle on backwards, and offered to clean her horse’s hooves. Curt says he had to clean the hooves for the girl to keep her from getting her head kicked in. When Destinae’s family moved onto the ranch that Curt’s family was managing he kept pursuing her for a few years, without much luck. Until Destinae changed her mind, and pursued Curt and she double hocked him!

Destinae grew up all over Oregon, and as a teen traveled the state and the country following rodeo, with her parents who were the chaplains for the Oregon State High School Rodeo Association.

Curt grew up in the Pacific Northwest, following his family around the logging circuit, and cowboying in between logging camps. In his preteen years his family settled on a ranch they managed, in the Weiser Idaho area. The ranch that Destinae’s family eventually moved to also, and where he was mentored by two of the greats…Raymond Jayro, and Merlin Rupp.

In 1997 Curt and Destinae finally tied the knot, and later that year welcomed their first kid Curtis Jr. into their family. Over the next 20 plus years, they welcomed with happiness 8 more children, the latest sibling is 4 month old Charlie. Raising nine children in the cowboy lifestyle has always been seen as a blessing to the Waddingtons. A lifestyle where they have learned to work hard along side their parents. All the kids are homeschooled and have had the flexibility to go riding, help at brandings, and do what ever other chores need to be done around the ranch. The kids have an appreciation for hard work, and have a built in responsibility for animals and the land. Destinae says she is thankful for the solitude, and that they use their locations to shelter the kids from things in this world, they’d rather not expose their small kiddos to. With homeschooling, the Waddington’s biggest challenge is getting the small kids to settle into their book work, when they’d much rather be out and about on the ranch.

Not coming from a big family herself, Destinae says she loves always having someone. There is plenty of love to go around whether it’s from a phone call from a grown up kid, or a newborn to snuggle. Curt and Destinae have done an amazing job raising their children in a lifestyle that is quickly getting forgotten about in the American culture. They have a deep faith in God, and a beautiful love for their family. Now residing in and managing a ranch near Susanville California this buckaroo family is only growing stronger.

“I love every age and stage and the absolute joy and even drama sometimes they give me. God has blessed me so incredibly and I am so very grateful everyday that He chose me to get to walk this journey and carry and care for these babies and raise them up for Him. My heart and hands and life are very full and I love every bit of it!! – Destinae Waddington

The Waddington family: Curtis Jr. (23) Destinae, Charlie (4 months) Cuincey (5), Natalie (19), Clancy (10), Margaret (2), Millie (7), Abby (21), Curt, Cody (17)

Big brother teaches little brother a good loop.

A little cowboy making a wish.

Big Sister riding with little sister

Fun and laughter

Enjoying a day at the lake.

Taking the reigns.

The small buckaroos watching and learning and waiting for their day.

Welcoming a new brother.
Feeding a friend a treat.

Rearing The Next Generation: The Carpenters

Kids in the house coloring, painting, dancing and learning to cook dinner. Rainbow colored tutus and cowboy boots. Kids out on a horse, feeding chickens, or bottle feeding a calf. To the Carpenter family this is life and this is what they love.

Leah Carpenter, is a ranch wife and a ranch mom. Growing up on ranches herself, Leah’s role on the ranch comes natural to her.  For generations her family has lovingly, worked the land and raised livestock in ranches throughout California.

As a teenager  Leah attended Surprise Valley High School in Cedarville CA. She enjoyed being in FFA and she was the 2006 Modoc Beef Princess. When Leah graduated from
Surprise Valley High School in 2008, she left California and attended Laramie Community College, and University of Wyoming studying business and finance, she also ran for Wyoming State Beef Ambassador and was the second runner up.

There in Wyoming Leah started dating a cowboy she met through a mutual friend; Pat Carpenter.  Pat grew up on ranches all over Montana and Wyoming since his dad cowboyed in that area. He attended Big Horn High School. From there he went to Sheridan College for three years studying agriculture. Pat did college rodeo – saddle bronc for three years and went to CNFR in 2008.

In 2013 Pat and Leah moved to the Bare Ranch in Eagleville California, home to Leah and a new work place for Pat. After they got married on the Bare Ranch in 2015 and Leah finished college they decided to stay in California, and be more involved with the family business and continue to cultivate their knowledge in agriculture. 

Pat and Leah have a passion for ranching and especially ranching in a holistic and regenerative management setting. They believe it’s important that they are raising their children to know where their food comes from and how they can make a difference in the world through agriculture.  The Carpenters care deeply about the environment, and believe they can make an impact by taking care of and improving a small part of it to pass on to future generations.

Pat and Leah now have two adorable little girls, and most days they are playing with dolls, dancing like ballerinas, or running around exploring the outdoors, but on some days the girls are also out riding with with their dad, checking on cattle learning about ranching. Pat says taking the kids with him slows him down a little bit, but that’s a good thing… For Leah, ranching and having small children can be isolating sometimes. Although she doesn’t ranch from the back of a horse as much these days, Leah is still very involved in the process of raising cattle, and she is extraordinarily good at her job. Whether it’s meeting cattle trucks early in the morning, driving a tractor with a baby on her back, baking sourdough bread, or making a hearty meal for a work crew she gets the job done well.

The Carpenters moved to Knott Creek Ranch in Denio Nevada in early 2020, where they can both learn more from a different place and different practices. They enjoy working for a good company who cares and appreciate their employees. They are also thankful to be isolated from some of the world’s problems. At the end of the day it’s important to have clean air, clean water and good beef.

“I like the lifestyle, I like taking care of the land and animals. I’ve always wanted to do this, nothing else. I’ve had fun doing other things and other work but I never felt like it mattered.” – Pat CarpenterWedding day June 27 2015

Pat helping at a friend’s branding
(Photo by Debra Cockrell) Stella CarpenterLeah with Stella and Abigail Stella with a bottle calf.
Stella loves all her animals and giving them names. Stella, riding with her dadStella and Abigail all ready to go feedPat, Stella, and Abigail

But You Don’t Even Own a Cow

A few years ago, I jumped into something, ( like I do a lot of things) not knowing a thing about it. I joined the Cattlewomen.

A few weeks after my first meeting, the president of the Modoc County Cattlewomen called me and asked if I would be willing to serve on the board of directors. I accepted, thinking that there was probably no better way to learn more about the cattle women, and the cattle industry.

I was not disappointed.  I found a new aspect to the journey of the steak on my plate, and an insight to my rancher friend’s lives, that I believe all Americans should see. I found out that people in agriculture need advocates. And that is what the Cattle women are about.

No, I’m not a cattle rancher (although I’m always down to help with cattle work), and no I don’t even own a cow.

Despite my lack of cows, I decided to be involved as much as I possibly could with the Cattle women, and I appointed  myself to be the best advocate I could be for the people who work hard to raise good beef.
I took a Beef advocacy class, I went to as many meetings as I could, I read blogs and watched vlogs made by cattle ranchers. I found a passion for writing about the agriculture lifestyle, after years of writers block. In 2019 I won the Cowbell Of The Year award, and even though I wanted this award someday, it completely shocked me that they chose me so soon. It made me want to work even harder to advocate for the American cattle ranchers.

So while our beef producers are busy doing what they do best, I will continue to learn about their work, and fight for them to continue to live the life they love.

I will always be a cattle woman, because to me the name means advocate. Plus being part of a group of women who work hard, but also know how to have fun is fundamental in my existence.  These women know how to be a community, they know how to serve. Meetings are spent talking about and planning events for the local children and how they can help raise awareness in Agriculture. It could be serving a healthy lunch at the school, or selling tri tip sandwiches so they can give scholarships to local students but it’s always about community.

Every time I share a dinner and a glass of wine with the cattle women, I walk away with more knowledge, more compassion, and encouragement. I know I will always feel at home in a cattle woman meeting.
(Me and my little sister, Beatrice Kellington, helping make lunch at the Surprise Valley High School.)

(Keller and Karl enjoying the Kid’s Rodeo stick horse race, put on by the Modoc County Cattle Women at the Modoc County Fair.)

(On our way to the dinner where I unknowingly was going to recieve an award! He’s been my biggest supporter.)

(My beautiful cow bell )

Let Me Be.

Let me be in a place where strangers gather in the shadows of the mountains and break bread.
Let me be in a place where friends share a handshake, a laugh, a beer.
Let me be in a place where the roads are not meant only for automobiles, but also for cattle and 4H lambs.
Let me be in a place where the earth is studied, used, and blessed.
Let me be in a place where time goes just a little bit slower than the rest of the world.
Let me be in a place where youngsters are free to learn while playing with natural resources.
Let me be in a place where people have servant hearts and servant hands.
Let me be in place where families are proud of their generational roots.
Let me be in a place where old ones die, and new are born and life is celebrated.
Let me be in a place where folks are used to counting their blessings, because they curse so much when working cows.
Let me be in a place where a fellow will stop what he’s doing and give you a wave of his hand as you drive by.
Let me be in a place where cows and hay are the topics of most conversations.
Let me be in a place where kids know how to respect. Respect their elders, their roots, their land.
Let me be in a place where water dances over rocks and cowboys dance on wooden floors.
Let me be in a place where life is lived differently and life is lived well.
Let me be in a place where there is thankfulness shared and the souls of men are at peace.
Where I am. Let me be.

Social Media Fast!

So last week, if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you may have noticed I went MIA. That’s because I decided to see what my life would be like with out social media. A one week social media fast.

Honestly it was a bit stressful since I use Facebook to run my business, but it was also peace to my mind. There was no advertisements, making me think I NEEDED stuff, I really don’t need. There was no politics. There was no debates and opinions. There was just me,living life with my family and close friends, without unnecessary drama (for the most part).

The one thing that hit me the hardest, was how much time I had! I had time to get my house clean, and read, and relax! I even shampooed my living room rug! My kids are growing up so fast and I realized that I don’t have the time to enjoy them as much as I should, because I get sucked into life on Facebook…..BAD! I mean, we had time to build a blanket fort that took up half my living room for two whole days!

We did crazy, weird fun things like dress up poor Rascal in Karl’s pajamas.

We ate a lot of bread and butter

Sometimes we don’t realize how beautiful life is, because we have our heads stuck in a bucket, to get that last little bit of tasty alfalfa dust. 

It was nice that winter finally came, and we had time to enjoy taking the kids sledding on Luigi’s homemade duck tape sled.

I love catching moments of my kids playing together and bonding over ings like wooden chairs and the movie Cars. They are the sweetest thing in my life and I cannot, will not afford to miss out on watching them, because of social media. I do get addicted to Facebook, I admit that, and this past week has shown me what kind of impact it has on my life and my family’s life. So here’s to skipping out and living a REAL life, better.

Year Twenty Five

I went to check the calender yesterday to see how many weeks I had left of being twenty five. I had five days.

My whole life, I always believed that if I had to be one age forever, it would be twenty five. At twenty five I would be past that stereo typical twenty one year old, my insurance rates would be lowered, and I wouldn’t be thirty. So I decided that when I turned 25 I was going to enjoy every second of that year. It was going to be a fun, successful, memory filled year. So here are a few highlights of my exciting year…

Mouse’s cupcakes. These are my very favorite cupcakes, I have ever tasted. My dear Mr. Madrigal surprised me with a box of these delicious,  fat makers, for my birthday. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. Maybe I’ll  get some again this year! I can dream right?

March 4th. After 18 hrs of labor, I gave birth to Karl Luis Madrigal. This 6lb 4oz perfect baby boy. Keller got his first haircut this year, broke this mama’s heart to cut his baby curls off. But thankfully his hair grows back fast. Still, he wasn’t very happy about it.

Keller helped me plant a big garden, while we learned all about good microbes and where they are found. 

In June I attended my first Plexus Convention! It was fun. It was inspiring. It was life changing. I was challenged in so many ways to grow as a person, that will benefit the people I help.  I cannot wait to attend again this year!

Karl got to meet his Great Grandma Judy and we got to visit my grandma’s Piece Makers group. This group gets together every Tuesday to make quilts for people who have cancer. They have quite the operation going on, with everyone having a special job to do. I’ve personally seen how these quilts bless families going through a difficult time.

Karl got to meet his Great Grandma Rosemary.

In July we had another reason to indulge in some Mouse’s cupcakes…to celebrate Luigi’s sister and her husband and their 10 year wedding anniversary!

Most of our family enjoyed a weekend at our family cabin on Clear Lake.

Keller enjoyed a pie baked by Great Auntie Sara 

We all enjoyed our time at our county fair. Keller was obviously there for the cotton candy.  County fairs are important for communities and children. We love supporting the Modoc County Fair.

We had fun in our fair parade. SMILE for health and happiness!

We took a beautiful and relaxing trip to the ocean. Karl ate a lot of sand.

December 1st, marked two years since I became a mom, a mom to this beautiful, smart, independent little boy. Keller John Madrigal.

December 15th the boys got a new little girl cousin. Oakley Jane Kellington

Christmas Day was filled with love and memories. I loved celebrating my favorite holiday with my little family.  In January we got another little girl cousin Wednesday Myers

Keller and Karl got to help feed lambs and Untie Bea’ s work

 I loved this year. I’m so thankful for all the beautiful, memories we have made. I’m so blessed to be part of the family, and community that I am part of.  Twenty five is a beautiful age, and I would have no problem staying this age forever, but gotta move on.

 

Daddy Feeds Cows (and other boring adventures)

This is the day we have not been looking forward to, since Saturday morning at 1am. Daddy is going back on the road. We have spent the last two days enjoying our family time, braving the icy, snowy mountain roads, and eating to many cupcakes at cousin Oakley’s shower. We have sung together (we ALMOST know the ABC’s) and we went out to breakfast together,  and we went and held the new baby cousin, Wednesday Venellope. We Madrigals love being together. So this morning when we had to wave goodbye to daddy, and there was much wailing going on, I explained that daddy is going to take all that hay to feed the cows. That made the tears go away. Because who doesn’t love cows? And who doesn’t love daddy? Nobody in this family that’s for certain.  And daddy feeding cows is the best thing a two year old could want. Believe, me, I know I’ve been told at least 50 times today, that daddy’s feeding cows.

Now would probably be a great time (after mentioning that I had to many cupcakes this weekend) that I have decided to do a HALF Tough Mudder race in October.  By the looks of things, (well more by the feel of things) that will hopefully be enough time to train. Guys, honestly I am weak. No, really I am! My upper body strength…doesnt exist. So this race seems very challenging to me, and when I made the decision to do it, my palms got sweaty. It was weird. The positive side, is that I’m super excited, and I’m having a ton of fun practicing on becoming a physically strong woman. 

Gut Health. You knew this subject would eventually find it’s way into my blog right? This morning I was dealing with a very sad little boy, which made a frustrated mommy, and an upset little brother. Since I believe that diet has almost everything to do with our bodies, I decided that after naps both boys were going to eat yogurt, with chia seeds and sweetened with raw honey. Something that has probiotics, antioxidants, and omega 3s, fatty essential acids. This is a snack that feeds the gut and the brain at the same time. Our boys brains need essential fatty acids. It helps their emotions immensely.  I always can tell when Keller has had more carbs, than healthy fats, he will be sad and grumpy and confused. Once he has eaten something fatty, he is a smart, happy little boy. Guts and brains, Guts and brains. What we people eat had so much to do with our behaviors. Bon appetite!

Also this weekend, I was happy to discover that after 16 days of treating Karl’s eczema it is pretty much all cleared up. I have worked hard on giving him a cleaner diet (he misses his graham crackers) and been consistently putting Plexus Body Cream (aka black cream) on the rash.  BEFORE

AFTER  (happy mom!)

Now time to rest, I have a big chore list for tomorrow, and I’m planning on getting everything checked off. Until next time friends! (Hopefully we won’t be so boring)

-Mrs Madrigal

A Special Kind of Boring Day

0530 Simply put, a horrible time to wake up. Karl has finally decided it’s time to sleep peacefully, the house has finally warmed up perfectly,  and my body has finally found the most amazing comfortable position. BUT I must get up and stumble around, trying not to wake the sleeping children, and get ready for a fabulous day at the cafe.

0645 Almost to work, and I get a call that our niece is trying to make an appearance earth side! Yes, I will pick up Khai for preschool at noon, both of our nephews will stay with us until their parents come home with a baby!

0800 – 1100 Work is slow and other than serving a few regulars (love when I serve people, I call friends) and writing an agenda for a work meeting,  it’s very uneventful.

1200 Umm how is it already noon? It’s lunch time, and I have to run and pick up the kids from school!  I agreed to pick up another friend’s kid while picking up my nephew. Thankfully I live in the best small town ever, and everything is just a few minutes away.  I got back to work in no time and this time I have a little helper in tow.

1500 I just got news that our niece has arrived! Little Wednesday Vanellope Myers. 6lbs 7oz. Her brothers are anxiously waiting to see her, and we are all excited to meet her.

1600 Time to close! Clean up. Get the books reconciled. And go home! Oh the car needs gas and I have nothing planned for dinner, and I have extra kids tonight! Once again I’m thankful for the best small town ever, within minutes I have a full tank of gas, dinner, and share the news of the new family member with friends.

1900 Three boys in the tub, (I’m drenched) and hubby calls saying he probably won’t be home until Friday. I am sad. His first run on the truck has turned out to be quite eventful. His first couple of hours on the road and the back hay trailer hit the soft shoulder and flipped over. It then hit a power pole and caught on fire. Luigi wasn’t legal to drive yet, so he was not driving. He and his boss were both ok but of course, shook up. Things can get dangerous, fast while hauling hay, and I’m so Thankful that it was not worse. Now he got his drug test done, and all the necessary paperwork, so he can drive, and has been on the coast hauling hay for the dairy that they make hay for.

1930 Karl is walking across the living room! He has been taking steps from one person to another, with lots of coaxing, but just now I looked up and he’s walking on his own! My baby is growing up so fast, every mile stone is so bitter sweet. Nothing could have prepared me for the pains I get in my heart regarding my children, and yet I would never trade it for the world. Right now I am listening to my boys, playing and giggling with their cousins, and it makes my heart so happy. Who could want anything more than this?

2030 Every kid is in bed, the goat is in his house, and there’s a fire in the stove. Every absent parent has been called, and told good night and told “I love you”. Keller added in after saying “night night” ten times, that we need orange juice for breakfast. He always hears Luigi call on his way home and ask if I need anything from the store.  He doesn’t realize daddy isn’t on his way home. Time for me to jump in bed and read. I love this crazy boring life.

Until next time.

-Mrs. Madrigal

Splish Splash Is It Really a Bath?

It’s Saturday night bath time and I am sitting on the toilet seat wondering why I even bother with floor towels. Our bath times are always filled with lots of splashing, and I mean A LOT. If you showed up at my house right now, you would probably ask me why I never mentioned our pet whale. Well that’s because honestly, we don’t have one, but I know, I’m still trying to convince myself. You see Keller and Karl are in competition to see who can get the most little plastic boats filled with water and dumped onto the bathroom floor. I’m sorry no, we do not have a whale.

Bath time is also a time to drink as much nasty bath water as they possibly can. Sucking water out of a wash cloth they just used to scrub their body, must be delicious, either that or I really am a bad mom and I don’t give them enough water during the day. They are REALLY thirsty guys!

During bath time you will hear these phrases over and over: Sit down. Don’t pour water on his head. Sit down. Keep the water inside the tub. Stop Keller! Sit down. Settle down. Sit down. You got me all wet! Sit down. Mom, I caught a fish! Karl, sit down!

One thing you won’t hear, but I am pretty sure they are thinking it because actions speak louder than words… “Mom, we thought we heard you say you like baths too”.

Ok gotta go get my mop! I need to get these guys to bed so I can have my bath time with my Epsom salts and glass of wine. Happy Saturday night!