The Luck of the Irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I love this holiday, not as much as Christmas, but it's fun! I'm 50 percent Irish (my mom is the leprechaun :)) so we always look forward to a reason to celebrate our heritage. This year was much, much calmer than last year. Last year, we had a big family reunion/90th Birthday party for my great Uncle Ralph, the Happy Birthday video is a must-watch if you haven't seen it!
With the holiday falling on a Monday, it was a pretty low key day. I did however get to wear my Irish Guinness jersey, its once a year outing! And made chocolate-dipped pretzels with shamrock sprinkles-- which were a hit at work.

Luckily, I'll continue wearing green. For sure this week and if all goes well over the next couple weeks too. Not because of my Irish heritage but to cheer on the Spartans in March Madness. Before Thursday I'll have my bracket filled out and be ready to cheer on the green & white! What's your method to a winning bracket? I'm taking advice:)
N.Starr

Year in Review

Another year is over. Where do the days, weeks and months go? For me, 2013 flew. But I think that's the sign of a good year. Here are my 12 highlights of 2013.

January: What better way to start the year than in the Mile High City for the National Western?! Love the people, cattle and atmosphere. Only a few more weeks and we'll be back in Denver for the 2014 NWSS.
February: My godson, Isaac, said my name. And I've answered to "Cole" or "NA-Cole" ever since.

 Looking forward to spoiling another niece or nephew in February 2014.



March: I got a taste of my true Irish heritage when my GREAT Aunt Sally from Virginia came home for St. Patrick's Day. We also celebrated Aunt Sally and Uncle Ralph's birthdays (88 and 90). I captured a YouTube worthy video of the Hurley birthday song.
April: The ground thawed and we saw green grass. Thank GOD.
May: A trip to Kansas City for Cinco de Mayo and watching the Kentucky Derby in the Power & Light District. Which meant one thing... drinking mint juleps out of margarita glasses. KC for the Derby? It was cheaper and we got to visit my sister.

June: Was able to cross off New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine from states I've visited. Had a blast at Logan and Marissa's wedding in New Hampshire and I've decided to save up for a vacation home in Maine. (You'll find there was a wedding theme in 2013:))

Even took a family photo which was the Starr Christmas card.
Never have we gotten that taken care of so early! Clean up pretty good don't we!?

July: To Kansas City again, this time for the Hereford Junior National and conveniently another trip to the Power & Light District. 
August: A college/cattle friend's wedding in Indiana. So happy we were there to celebrate with Cody & Lindsay and get to see so many of my favorite people in one spot!

September: A sad month as Grandma Starr passed away. But we're so lucky to have had her in our lives for so long. Good memories that will be cherish forever.
October: Christa & Aaron's wedding, a 2013 highlight! So blessed I was able to stand next to Christa on her big day. Plus seeing so many high school friends brought back sweet memories.

The class of 2006. We haven't changed a bit!

November: A quick trip to Louisville for the NAILE to help celebrate my college professor and family friend be inducted into Saddle and Sirloin portrait hanging.
December: Here we are. Another year closing and excited to see what 2014 brings.

First up in 2014 is cheering on the Spartans in the Rose Bowl!

Cheers to a prosperous year.

N.Starr

Honoring lifetime accomplishments

A delayed post that has been on my list of things to do for weeks, a month to be exact! About a month ago, my parents and I hopped in the car and drove about 8 hours down to Louisville for the NAILE. Driving time was about 18 hours and we were there for less then 24, just a typical weekend for the Starr Family, really. But what we went down for we wouldn't have missed for anything. My professor at Michigan State and most importantly a family cattle friend, was inducted to the Saddle & Sirloin portrait gallery. Dr. Hawkins is one heck of guy that has impacted the lives of not only cattle breeders but students. He has a heck of a list of accomplishments that would be put any FFA Proficiency application or 4-H Record Book to shame. What was cool is that my family and I knew him well long before I made the decision to be a Spartan. Now how many of your professors were your parents friends with? It's rare, but just proves the type of people the cattle industry is blessed to have. I feel blessed to be called one of Dr. Hawkin's former students. I have good memories of sitting in his classroom listening him speak on beef management and livestock merchandise. But the memories I will cherish forever are talking about the calves being sold in the Fall Fest Sale, who I bred my last MSU show heifer to and doing Hawkin's chores while he and his wife, Kathleen were away. It's not very often that you can connect with one of your professors on such a personal level and still share a common bond after graduation.
Last summer, I was fortunate enough to be a part of group that shared how Dr. Hawkins impacted our lives and careers. I'll let the video do the rest of the talking.


Thank you Dr. Hawkins! Look forward to picking up where we left off at the next cattle event! GO GREEN!

N.Starr

InstaLife

Hard to believe we're already breezing through April, where did March go? I want to relive St. Patty's Day and Easter because A) who doesn't love celebrating their Irish heritage and B) Easter candy is the best. Yes, it trumps Christmas candy (however not my Dad's chocolates).
So I thought I'd share with you a few of the highlights captured through Instagram. If you're on it, follow me @starrnicole
Here we go...

We kicked off the month with a trip to Lancaster, WI to sell one of our bulls. Pretty sure that he went to a good home and even better was we go our money! It was a busy, but entertaining weekend with my nephew Isaac. I learned that I'm in no way shape or form ready to be a parent that takes kids to cattle events. How do people my age do it? By Sunday I was exhausted, my back was killing me and I was in desperate need of a bottle of wine.

My GREAT Aunt Sally from Virgina was home for a whole week. We had a huge get together and celebrated these two younging's birthdays, it was a wild bash. Aunt Sally turned 88 and Uncle Ralph hit 90.

 Continuing on with the green... the Spartans. They had a good run at it, but bummed to see them lose to Duke. I filled out a bracket but didn't put any money down. Wishin' I would have now, I have Louisville and Syracuse going to the Championship, with Louisville winning. Guess I'll know if I was right after the final four this weekend.

March brought lots of cow watching. We have a few cute little Hereford babies on the ground. We are so ready for the snow to melt. It's a tundra! Can't complain too much, we need the moisture.

I had Isaac for a whole weekend. To myself. The weekend before Easter. So what does the world's best Aunt do? Take him to see the Easter bunny. As you can see there's no reason to stand in the long lines at the mall to sit on Santa or the Easter bunny's lap. He was less than impressed and never even make eye contact. I'm sure he'll appreciate this photo someday.

And lastly, my Easter bunny rocks! She brought me wine to-go in a screw off! LOVE it. And sipping my first glass now.

N.Starr

The Purchase

Bombshell to Young Professional
Going back a few years to age sixteen, just started my junior year of high school on the volleyball team. Life was good. I remember this like it was yesterday.... my called called me to ask where I was (in the basement working on a paper), "oh good" he said. Huh, that's strange, but whatever. Later he came down and asked me to go out to the garage. Thinking this odd, I did. And to much to my surprise when I pressed the garage door opener and the door start going up I was a shiny (new-to-me) red Grand Prix GT (sporty) with a sunroof! A feel most teenage girls can just dream of. Jumping up and down screaming and thanking my parents, I jumped in to test out my new ride. Who knew that car would get to know each other so well! In high school it was lots of trips into town for practices, friends houses and watergirl-ing at Varsity football games. I remember driving it for the first time to Michigan State, my home for 4+ years. Lots of trips into campus, the beef barn, bull pen, Leos, the Whiskey Barrel and multiple road trips to god knows where. Oh the places (and the places we shouldn't have) been in this country! If only it had a built in video player to relive the memories!
Luckily it survived two years of my professional life, when I decided it was time to put the bombshell car to rest and purchase something for the young professional. This is the end of an era, almost (but not quite) the end of my youth.

Oh the place we've been...

Good times were had, but looking forward to new memories in the Chrysler 200. That bit of Michigan still in me, totally hooked me when I heard the Clint Eastwood commercial for Chrysler, I love his voice!

 

Oh the places we'll go!

N.Starr

Birthday Wish: A step back to Spartan life

The older I get the more I realize that material things don't matter and won't make a person happy. While I was excited to receive the new Pioneer Woman Cookbook and it's exciting to dream about a Vera Bradley bag, it's  the milestones and memories that have shaped your life that really make a person happy. 

My final birthday wish is to go back in time for one week. If I could, I head back to the Spartan college life at the Purebred Beef Center. Some days in a heart beat, I'd trade in my salary paying job and smartphone for the hourly pay and dinky touchscreen phone I had two years ago. My days at the PBB were literally (so far) the best days of my life, filled with memories I'll always cherish! Whether it be getting cattle ready for Fall Fest, sorting cows or being on the hill at the National Western Stock Show. Going to class was something we did between work shifts. While we worked hard, I think I laughed just as hard at all our funny comments and practical jokes. 

During those four years I acquired a second family. A second grandma, a second dad and the big brother I never had. The Purebred Beef Center was my home and it always hold all my college memories. On days like this when I'm antsy at my desk, I would give anything to load up Birdie and head out to the pasture in the pickup truck drive through the cows.   

As a kid growing up I dreamed of going to MSU and working at the Beef Barn and wondered what it would be like to travel with the university to the shows. I'm blessed to say I was able to experience it, take advantage of it and all it had to offer. It was everything and more I ever dreamed up! 

Thanks MSU Purebred Beef Barn for the memories, friends, good show heifers and purple banners.

 

Back to the ole' stompin grounds

Proud to be a Spartan

To continue on with the March Maddness of road tripping, first a sisters weekend in Boilermaker territory, then off to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the Chi-Rish Fest and lastly back to Michigan State University (aka my ole' stomping grounds) for the MSU Block & Bridle Recognition Banquet. Block & Bridle is a livestock club for college students; throughout the year the B&B members organize livestock shows, share agriculture's story with other students at the university and attend conferences to learn about the industry. As a member I made several contacts and learned how to become a spokesperson for the livestock industry. The recognition banquet recognizes students for their outstanding success within the club, the past and upcoming livestock & meat evaluation teams and honors a special individual who has played a role in the livestock industry and who has positively influenced Michigan State University. This years honoree was Ken Guens, the Purebred Beef Center Faculty Coordinator. To me, Ken was more then just the faculty coordinator while I worked at the PBB; he became a great mentor, role model and second dad to me. Fortunately, I also became good friends with his daughter, Christina and even got to hang out with his wife Deb. To this day (not aging myself or anything, I've only been out of school two years) Ken and I are pretty close; emailing, phone calls or catching up at cattle shows. He was there everytime we did well at a show with Miley, my favorite MSU cow! Our annual "tradition" is decorating for the Fall Fest cattle sale, remember our professional cattle sale decorating (we may even go into business together)!
I wouldn't have missed hearing Ken's talk for anything, as he inspired students and explained how he got to where he is today. And even better... we hit up the Whisky Barrel, one of our (even Ken's) favorite bars. Great to catch up with some of my best pals! My cattle/college friends are the best; whenever we get together it's just like old times! Hopefully we'll get in a summer reunion! Sorry no pictures, we were all to busy taking, drinking beer and having fun!

Ken & I proudly posing in front of the sale ring! Remember these fancy pumpkins?  

N.Starr

A Spartan and Irish Heritage

Officially bleeding green

I love my Spartans and I'm proud of my Irish heritage. And wearing green allows me to show both, now that's wardrobe consolation at its' best!! This will be a green weekend, tonight cheering on my Spartans as begin playing on the NCAA tournament (excited for March Madness) and tomorrow my ultimate Irish plans begin with heading south for the Chicago St. Patrick's Day festivities, I really hope I see the green river. This is going to be a roadtripin' month!
Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend to all! And a Happy Birthday to my GREAT Aunt Sally!

May you all find a pot of gold for good luck!

N.Starr