A little of this and a little of that

I have a goal to have home grown carrots to eat during the winter months... I also have a goal of wasting as little as possible during the whole process.
During the week we (Brittany and I) scrubbed, cut the tops off, peeled, blanched, cooled and vacuum sealed. And we totally kicked butt in our "wasting as little as possible"! Our bunnies will have carrot greens to feast on for a few days... they were all washed and packaged and placed in the downstairs fridge to be distributed to our furry friends! All of the peelings and some of the carrot tops were put in the food processor and chopped up for our chickens and ducks to feast on! They LOVED it!!! Sooo... very little actually went to the compost! Which isnt a waste! That will all help next years garden grow!

Tomorrow I hope to be able to get to the 4 dozen ears of sweet corn that need husked, scrubbed, blanched and frozen.

I have also started my first batch of pickles of the season. It is a 7 day process...and I will be making a few batches of them this year. They seemed to be the ones everyone enjoyed the most.

For some reason I decided to rip out my herb garden. It was looking a little "sad". The soil wasnt the best and my herbs were just not thriving the way they did in previous years. I wish I would have done it at the beginning of the season... but, better late than never. I had Stacy shovel the dirt out.. after I pulled all of the existing herbs and weeds. Once we had the tub emptied some, we filled in with 2 5 gallon buckets of rabbit poop... then filled in with the dirt. I redid my herb arrangement and reseeded. Now... hoping for the best.

I managed to get Courtney to go to the Anime Class at the Art Assoc of Harrisburg!! I kind of tricked her... but she had a GREAT time and is currently on a mission to get this weeks assignment done! I am super proud of her... and I cant wait to see how she does in the weeks to come.
All three of the kids picked classes there for the fall session.

I am looking forward to week 3 of the parenting class I am taking! I like that the instructor has us really taking a look at ourselves. It has brought to light that I do too much for and with my kids. My life revolves around my family and home. I am constantly taking care of their needs and wants... that my own get forgotten about. Time to make some changes in that department.

My garden is still in full swing... and I am about sick of the daily battle with weeds! LOL They grow 100 times faster than anything else! I fertilized and reseeded the carrot bed with more red beets. The pumpkins are taking over and I broke down and cut some of it off... hoping for the best with that, not sure if I will kill the whole vines or not. I just didnt want it to strangle out my tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Time will tell.

Let's see...
I have another busy week ahead of me. Errands... appointments... meetings... and a list of things here at home that need done.
I started getting things ready for the up coming school year. I wanted to get a jump on our spelling flash card and all of our vocabulary lists. Those are the things I tend to let slide because I am either tired or I run out of time. NOT THIS YEAR!! Stacy and I also started our supply shopping! Let's hope I can stay ahead of things this year!

Stacy and I let Brittany go to an under 21 party last nite... we also did the dropping off and picking up... ALL THE WAY IN POTTSVILLE!! We took advantage of the visit and hit up some old cemeteries while we were there. We also tested out the new tripod I got for my camera! LOVE IT!!
After spending some time at the Art Assoc... I have decided to take a stab at some different types of art! Stay tuned for updates!! LOL

OK... I guess that wraps up my update for now. My allergies are killing me... and I just want to go to bed. I didnt eat anything remotely good for me today... and I am really feeling it. BLAH!

Over flowing...

I havent blogged lately. I have been so busy with so many things, and I always feel like I am playing "catch up" lately.

My garden is doing great... and I have been spending a bunch of time daily tending to it and watering it. I find that time... is MY time and I usually am able to clear my head while I am out there. And really, it is the only peace I have lately.
I have started my "canning season"! Blueberry jam and Raspberry jam are both DONE... and YUMMY!! I am pulling cucumbers off the vine now... so next will be pickles! I am going to invest in new crocks for the ones that need to age for days at a time. I wanted to make that investment last year... and it just never happened.

As I posted on FB... Izzy was snatched up by a cat. It utterly broke my heart. Since, I had another hatch... "Ozzy". And we are on our way to some good human/duck bonding! Ozzy def has a different personality... but still likes to follow me around, and I am hoping soon he will be helping with the bug population in my garden.
The ducks up in the coop are now enjoying a bigger pond... with filter!! Stacy put that in a few weeks ago... and they seem VERY pleased with it. They enjoy sticking their heads under the pipe where the water comes out of the filter and back into the pond... I guess that is their version of a shower...LOL!
They are also laying on another bunch of eggs. Two big black snakes scared them out of the first nest... so they just decided to start over. Cant say I blame them! I am pretty sure we did get both black snakes... and they wont be returning.

It is hard to believe that the summer is half over!! I am already starting to get my school plans together for next year. The kids curriculum has already been delivered!!
The kids and I have been faithful with our weekly library trips!! I am pounding out a novel every week! This is HUGE for me... I am making sure I at least take that little bit of time for myself... to escape into a book! (I guess my garden isnt my only "me" time)

Oh... Stacy and I also got into taking the kids "Ghost Hunting"... we LOVE these family adventures!!! We gear up with our video recorder... and head out to local cemeteries once the sun goes down! It is so great to see what the kid's imaginations can "hear" or "see" while we are out there... and just how creeped out we can get ourselves! Sometimes I really wonder!!

I dont think ANYONE realizes or understand what it is like to raise a special needs child.
It is FAR from easy!!!
I am really upset over today's Domestic Relations conference with Courtney's sperm donor!!! I think he is such a waste of oxygen.
It really hurts me to see just how much he does not care about his own child. Courtney (and my other kiddos) are my world. I go without so much... just so they can have extra things that will enrich their lives. And to see him try so hard to get out of the piddly amount he is ordered to pay... UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Right now... I am fighting tooth and nail to get Courtney added therapies. The mental health side of things views Courtney as an "adult"... but the Autism side of things dont recognize her as an adult until age 21. So we sit in limbo until her 21st BDay...??? Does the sperm donor, or his FB stalking family know, realize or care about any of that?!?!? HELL NO!!! They just want a way to not put $200 towards her care every month... all while I am trying so hard to come up with extra money to get her involved in different activities, that we just cant afford right now! And, in addition... I bet I put more than $200 in gas in my car a month to get Courtney to all of her therapy appointments and "group" meetings!!! I do not have any type of personal life outside of what I do for my kids... but of course, no one realizes that! Sperm donor wants to sit and try like hell to make me look like a bad mother... with LIES!!! Which just creates more work for me... and I seriously just dont have the time for it.
It is absolutely heart breaking!!

UGH. My plate is overflowing!! And I am just so sick and tired of ppl making life even harder for me!
It is so sad that we dont have a supportive family... But I am so very thankful for the supportive friends we are blessed with!

Switching back... LOL

Ok, I have decided to go back to using my original blogging site. I dont like change and this one is just far easier for me to use.

Anyway...

It has been quite awhile since I have blogged last!! So much has been going on, I am not even sure where to start.

Courtney is back home... which has been a big adjustment for all of us. And I am determined to make sure we dont go down the same path as before!!

June is our busy vacation month!
We have already spent 3 weekends straight camping. We got a pop up camper...which is AWESOME!!! It is so much easier on my back!! Plus the A/C is really nice... although we have only really been using the fan feature, and we have already used the heat!! LOL

There was a HUGE confrontation with my asshole "mother" about 2 weeks ago... when Courtney called me expressing that my mom was keeping her isolated from me and she wanted to come home. Of course... she showed her true colors and hopped on Courtney getting SSI and bullied her way onto Courtney's bank account. All things I wont relive here again. The bottom line is, once again, she is dead to me and I will be just fine if I never have to see or hear from her again.
During that confrontation... she said some pretty awful things to Brittany... and I am sure it will take some time for Britt to heal from those things.

Today is the first day that I wasnt on some sort of "schedule" to get ready for or unpack from camping!!
I still have the laundry to get caught up on... and some cleaning around the house to get caught up on... BUT, I decided to take some time to catch up with my "BFF" and then spend the afternoon at the library with the kids! I signed everyone up for the summer reading program and I am hoping this will get their heads out of the electronics!
Next week I think we will check out some "How To" books for some craft or another! Then we can spend some time working on that next week!

Stacy managed to get the pool up and running!! Yesterday and today hasnt really been warm enough for them to enjoy it...but they have tried!! LOL!!!
It is suppose to hit some high temps this week... I know they will be happy in the pool then.

Thursday is the first of a few foot surgeries for Courtney. Of course I am worried about that. But, we will manage through it. No camping trips planned for the next 2 weekends... so we will be home starting the healing process... AND I plan on having Stacy get our porch on!!!!! I am sick and tired of NOT having a damn porch now... it has been over a year!!!!
The trouble is... the man hates asking for help! So I have simplified it. NO root cellar or coal bin... just a porch. Now, lets see how it goes.

We have 2 of our 3 agreed upon camping weekends in July already booked. Soooo.... this porch project needs to get DONE! LOL

This coming weekend is my shop weekend! I really do LOVE my shop weekends! I like seeing all of my faithful clients... and getting to know new ones!

Let's see--
OH... the garden!! This years garden is KICKING BUTT!! I have soooo many raspberries this year... it is my best year yet!
I also have everything finally planted in my "3 sisters" bed. I am really excited to see how it all turns out. I have been really keeping up with weeds so far this year. I try to get out there every day we are home. And I stress about losing raspberries when I am not home to pick them...LOL!
I havent decided if I am going to make raspberry jam, or raspberry wine this year. But I am getting quite the stock pile in the freezer waiting for me to decided! Maybe I will get lucky and end up with enough to do both.

Izzy duck is getting really big! She thinks she owns the world! Her tail feathers are starting to come in... I am sooo excited to see what she ends up looking like. Right now she is solid yellow... no black or chocolate markings. I have a few more eggs in the incubator now... I have to build our flock a bit.

Saturday nite Stacy and I took Brittany ghost hunting!! HILARIOUS!! We have it on video too. OMG... it was sooooo fun. We visited some local cemeteries... late at nite. She insists she saw a ghostly shadow... and boy I was waiting for her to pee her pants!!
We are such strange parents... but we all had fun! AND... added bonus... it didnt traumatize her to the point she needed to crawl into bed with us! ;-)

We signed Nathan up for a summer math program. Offered through CCA. I am hoping we can work on building his math skills... since he has some trouble sometimes.
AND.... BOTH NATHAN AND BRITTANY MADE HONOR ROLL FOR THE LAST SEMESTER!!! I AM SOOOO PROUD OF THEM BOTH!!!

I am also pretty proud of all of my kids for remembering Stacy on Father's Day!
Josh sent him a text early in the day and the other 3 had me drop them off at Walmart where they shopped for Stacy on their own! They picked our a really nice watch for him... since his broke about a week or so ago. They did good!

I guess that about sums things up around here. I am sure I forgot a bunch of stuff... but, I hope not to go as long between blogs from now on.
Time to get my supper started... Stacy is on his way home from his first day back at work after vacation!

"HP" update

Here is what I have so far!!! Subject to change!!! This is my first draft.

My personal commandments:

1. Always be AMY!!

2. Say what I mean... Mean what I say.

3. Act exactly how I want to feel.

4. Be more flexible.

5. I am in control of my life.

6. Find fun everywhere I can!!

7. Speak with confidence... no matter what, or who.

8. Take time for "me"... and relax.

9. Dont take it personally.

10. Make time for excercise and always eat healthy.

Happiness Project

I have decided to begin my own "Happiness Project".

I will spend the next few months setting up my goals and my own personal commandments. Setting my goals into action. Committing to resolutions and sticking with them. Finding insperations and the secrets to adulthood!!
I am actually pretty excited about this!!

I have come to realize that ther are still so many things that I want to experience and accomplish. And well, it isnt just going to happen sitting back and waiting!!

My first big step is committing to my diet. I have been doing good with the calories side of things... and I will admit, "My Fitness Pal" and my "pals" on there have been great!! Since starting less than a week ago... I am down a pound.
Now... to make sure I do the excercise side of things! I am signing up for my belly dancing classes! I am soooo excited about that. I am sure I will make an ass out of myself... but I dont care. I will imbrace my jiggly, foolish self and have a good time with it!

So keep checking out my blogs for my "HP Updates"!! I will be finalizing my personal commandments in the upcoming days and sharing them!

Now, I dont want ppl to misunderstand what is happening here. My first and most important personal commandment is "To always be Amy"
So if ppl are reading and hoping that this in some way was going to change who I am... WRONG!!! ;-)

OK... that is really all I have time for tonite. I have to go and get animals in for the nite and rotate eggs and all those other nite time "procedures" I have...LOL

More on this later!

HOT!

I can not believe how hot it got yesterday!!! WOW!!

Things have been hectic, as usual, around here. We surely wouldnt have it any other way... LOL

Stacy spent the weekend putting down our new hardwood bedroom floor! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!! Of course, it made the ugly wall paper look even worse... so Britt and I ripped it down! :-) Yesterday, while down in Harrisburg for PSSA tests... I ran to Home Depot and had paint mixed. I opted for the master bedroom color I had in my old house... I really liked that green. I also picked a nice trim color that should really accent the floor!

I am even more irritated over my mother lately. Having to see her around every turn SUCKS!!! Plus knowing she is trying to leach off my grandparents makes me want to PUKE! GET A JOB ALREADY! Ah, wont even go there.

Courtney has been up to her usual self lately... It has been "painful" around here in regards to her... to say the least. I am not sure what is going to happen with her as the year comes to the end... but I do know I cant continue like this for much longer.
I have to focus more attention on Nathan lately. His ADD and learning disabilities have been taking alot of energy... from me. I started putting together his lessons... and printing everything on blue paper. The blue paper has really helped... and I am noticing blue letters on white paper dont make much of a difference. Such a learning process for ME! LOL!!
I just want him to succeed... even if I have to give up hours on my weekends to put together his week of courses and work. Small price to pay in the big picture!
Now to find a better way to do vocabulary... but I think I dug up some ideas. Will give it a try once I have some time to sort it out.

Stacy and I have been going back and forth lately about our future goals and how to obtain them. This is going to get interesting! LOL!! But, in the end... I KNOW we will be where we want to be! :-)
I am sure it will piss some ppl off in the process... but I dont really care.

We are still hatching duckling!! Filling orders as they pop out! LOL!!
I think more privacy fence is in our future! The neighbors are still having issues staying out of OUR space... even tho we made damn sure we dont touch THEIR space!! Unbelievable that a 6 ft privacy fence isnt enough to keep the crazy out!!! I will be updating the look of our fence sometime in the near future. ;-) I want to fence in the upper yard next... so I know my ducks and bunnies are safe. I just dont trust them... plus they have weird rodents living in their falling down garage up there!

Oh... more things have been added to CL!!
The extra bronco seats we have will FINALLY find a new home!! I want to clear shit out of here!

OK... I guess that sums up life around here.

I am ready for a little bit of rain... all of the wild fires we have been having are sad and scary!! Plus it will be motivation to get some things done IN the house!!

Another home school day in the books

(I started this alot earlier today... Just never got it finished or posted)

We finally finished up the school day. We had a lot on the schedule today... so it took a bit longer than usual. PLUS, Nathan visited Grandma Sarah... and his Dad says candy at Grandma Sarah's is a-ok...GRRR!!! I guess he forgets what Nathan is like on artificial colors!!!! Lucky me... day from hell!

Seriously, no one could ever understand all I go through with these kids. Constantly researching and reading up on things to do and try... to help in some way.

Printing his work on blue pages or in blue ink seems to be helping a lot! Now the problem is getting him to use the blue 'filter' when he has to read out of his text books.
I am also having an issue with out side interferences. Today he insisted on wrapping a blanket around him while doing his work... NEVER again. He just couldnt focus on his work... the blanket was too much of a distraction. So we had a 10 minute ordeal when I told him to go put on socks and a sweat shirt!!
Tomorrow I will make sure he is dressed in a way that is comfy for him temp wise, before he even starts his school day.
It is seriously hard for me to remember ALL of these little bits and pieces of things from day to day.

I cant complain too much... Nathan had a SUPER day yesterday!!! Just wish we could have more days like that.

Courtney's day wasnt that great tho. I picked her up and took her over to the CMU for the Jeremy Project meeting. She is still fighting it every step of the way. But she knows she does not have an option... just wish she would put on a happy face and suck it up! LOL... I guess I ask for too much!!!

After her goal meeting... as I was leaving... I had the unfortunate 'pleasure' of seeing my 'mother'... BLAH BLAH BLAH... Again... I HATE that she is living up here!!!!! And this county is not nearly big enough for the both of us!!!
That is all I am going to say about that topic.

My head is NOT happy with all of the ham intake this week. I am about sick of the migraine!!! It sucks... because I really do love ham... it just doesnt like me one damn bit. Easter is probably about the only time I make ham all year... and boy, I make sure to hit every recipe possible with the left overs! LOL!

Sprocket managed to "steal" my cups that I started my corn in!!! Dirt all over... cups out in the dog yard! He is soooo bad... it is a good thing he is cute!

We should have ducks hatching sometime this week into next week!! I have the broader box all cleaned out and set up... waiting for them!
I also found the "sock diaper" diagram to try with which ever duck will be chosen for our house duck! Hoping my allergies will allow it.

Ok... time to get this day over with!! I need some cuddle time.

Back to "the grind"

Here we are... Easter break is now officially OVER and we are back to school and day to day chores and chaos!
It has been a fairly quiet morning so far. Nathan and Brittany are both hard at work on their lessons and I am taking a moment to blog! LOL!

Yesterday was an eventful day. I listed a bunch of things on CL and FB yard sales. I managed to get the old bathroom vanity sold... and waiting for pick up. If they dont get here soon... I will be moving on to the next person on the list!

We moved the chicks up to the coop yesterday too. We ended up losing 2 since getting them... hoping that will be all we lose!! They really seemed to like the 'freedom' of the coop, compaired to the brooder box! I have the heat lamp up there with them for now.

HoBo climbed on the patio table yesterday and got ahold of Nathan's gum!! Sugar free, of course...which means TOXIC to dogs!! I swear, that dog is going to drive me crazy!!!!
We spent 45 minutes making sure he threw it all back up... what a fun time that was. Although, Nathan was adorable... trying to "talk" HoBo threw it!!! LOL!!!! He LOVES that dog.

I went and spent some time at the old house yesterday. Pulled weeds, raked leaves, planted some pretty flowers. I want to get some paint on the interior walls yet... and fix the 2 broken windows.
I spoke to the realtor yesterday... we some how need to figure out how to take a loss on that house just to 'unload' it. Time to get creative, I guess.
Once that house is gone... we can move foward on other goals!!! :-D I just want to be able to sit back and enjoy more time with my family... and doing things we all love to do! Property up north is so close... I can taste it!!!

I got some signs out yesterday. Time to take the shop up a notch. I think we are in a better place with schooling that I can give up a little more time to my shop!! Already the phone is ringing...which is so exciting!!! 2 little signs made an impact!! I really didnt think it would.
Now to figure out what other day I will devote to the shop. Hmmmmmm....

Today I will be making my ham and green beans! And clearing our some more clutter that has found its way to the corner of our dining room!! BLAH... clutter!!!

I was really shocked that EVERYONE finally got the hint about our thoughts and feelings on CANDY and our kids!!! I am sooooo thankful!!! It sucks being the bad guy and taking the shit and throwing it away. My kids just cant have it. The dyes and preservatives just arent healthy and have a negative affect on them. It isnt fair to them to give them stuff that makes them feel like shit! No brainer... really!!

Ok... time to move on with my day. I have been fighting the war on flies... and I think I am finally getting somewhere...LOL

Hope everyone enjoys the sunny day... while it lasts. We REALLY need the rain!!! I cant believe all of the mountain fires in the area lately!

My Birthday!

Yesterday was an absolutely AMAZING day!!!
I was a bit depressed to start out. The last think I wanted was another birthday! I have so many things I have yet to accomplish... and obviously, time isnt standing still.

Anyway...
Thanks to my awesome kids and hubby... it turned out to be one of my best birthdays yet!!

We packed up the truck and headed up to Sullivan County!! GPS in hand!
It is still a sad sight up that way... since all of the flooding. Some people have made their way back and are rebuilding... some are not, as you can see by all of the torn apart homes and buildings... wrapped with yellow caution tape. So unbelievable how hard they were hit.
We started off with a cemetary cache... our favorite!! Beautiful views from that one. Then we headed UP the mountain... OFF ROAD!! Yes, I LOVE my truck!!!! We ended up on the top of a mountain for cache #2... and finding away around a fence to get to it. LOL!! While we were up there, we decided to pull out our kites!!!! OMG... My kite is sooooo awesome!!!! I had so much fun!!!! My grandfather use to take me kite flying when I was a little girl... he would have been proud had he seen me yesterday...lol!
Once we had enough of that... we headed to cache #3 which was by a lake! There we had our first injurty of the day... that award goes to Nathaniel! He took a nice little slide down a big kill... just ended up with skinned up hands, he was lucky. We did find the cache... which was no where close to being where the clue stated... but it was soooo much fun finding it!!!
Then we decided to take a lunch/dinner break, since it was close to 2. FORKSVILLE GENERAL STORE!!!! I LOVE IT THERE!!! We totally recommend the 'Dirty Jersey Fries'! And shame on us for taking my truck through the covered bridge... we were cutting the weight limit kinda close. Oh, while we were there... I got new stickers for the truck and the car!! :-)
We went after a few other caches after eating... 2 we didnt find, and one we did. And we managed to set up the camera for a nice family shot.
I think we WILL be making another trip to find the Ogres and Trolls cache... but I am thinking that one got washed away in the flooding.
Our trip home landed us at a DQ... and looking at a HUGE full moon!!!

I am sore as hell today... LOL!!! I cant believe how sore my arms are from flying the kite!!!! WOW!!! I knew we were flying in some strong, gusty winds... but holy moly!!!

So, here I am today... reflecting on how much I LOVE my kids and hubby... and truck. How lucky I am to have what I have in my life... And it would appear that I have accomplished a whole hell of alot in my 36 yrs of life!!!

Stacy and I are strongly thinking about our next steps... where the next chapter will take us...
And we are all pretty excited about it!!! :-D

A moment of silence!

Ahhh... do you hear that??? No?!? Well, that is because there is NOTHING to hear at the moment!!! ;-)
The dogs are all laying down... napping. Stacy left with the kids. He and Courtney have hair appts, and after they are heading to the store.
This means I can enjoy some quiet time!!

We are all caught up on school work... and ready to enjoy a few days off for Easter break!
I have been taking full advantage of the awesome weather... and hanging out laundry every day. Today we stopped to get wood to make my new clothes props... my others are SHOT!
I really wanted to get started on clearing out some clutter we have sitting around... just havent gotten to it yet.

The stress level around here has been through the roof lately. I will be sooooo glad when Courtney graduates!!! Geez... you would think it was MY senior year.
I have my mind pretty set on shipping her off to college!! We have talked it over... and found a good program for her. And it will be another one of those "sink or swim" type experiences for her. She will have to put 100% effort into it... and do all that is expected. They will not baby her like the high school does.
I am just so ready to be done with this crap.

I got my hands on some lavendar/white, silver/white, and blue/white Ancona duck eggs!!! I got them in the incubator now! I am pretty excited to see what we end up with, when they hatch. I can guarentee I wont be buying from these ppl again... almost half of my eggs ended up cracked in shipping! They were not packaged well AT ALL!!! I order eggs and have them shipped all the time... this is the first time I have ever gotten a bunch with so much damage. They better hope to God that when I candle them in a week... I have baby ducks growing!!!!!!!
I also switched my 'first to hatch' group of eggs over to my hatching incubator. Yes, it is a bit early for that... but I needed the room in my other incubator!! LOL!
I am to the limit so far this year! So far it appears I will have ALL of them hatching... but, we still have to get through the actual hatching... and we usually lose some then.

We took the kids kite flying again the other day. It was so much fun!! No ticks this time...LOL!! They all got nice, new kites for Easter... yes, I gave them out early. I really have to get caught up on getting pics put on line.

Stacy, Josh and Nathan finished splitting wood yesterday. We are already all ready for next winter! WOW... this is a first!!! I am so proud. Our coal bin is mostly full too... so we are set!

I looked out in the field today... I think it is time to get the kids out picking Dandelions for our next batch of wine. I am determined to make jelly this year too!! THe kids arent real thrilled about picking... but too bad. I swear... they are just too darn spoiled!! Everyone got new hair styles... which wasnt cheap... Soooo... they can get their butts out and pick some weeds for us!!! LOL

Tomorrow is my Birthday. I guess we are going to do some hiking and geocaching. I am up for whatever adventure Stacy comes up with. I just want to be out... enjoying the sun... and not worrying about a damn thing that is going on at our house!!!

I guess I better use this quiet time wisely, and start on next weeks lesson plannning!
And I have to go out and chase our chicks to bring them in. I let them out in the yard during the day... since it has been so nice, and just bring them in over nite when it gets cold. I am hoping to soon get them up in the coop.
It is so unbelievable how far ahead we are this year... since it has been so nice! ALL of my garden plants have sprouted... even my pea bushes are coming up already! I am feeling rather accomplished on the garden end of things.

Well... I hope everyone has an awesome Easter weekend!!

All about me!!! (LOL)

I have the house to myself today... well, at least part of the day. On the rare occasions that this happens, I tend to trick myself into thinking that I will have a day all to ME! But, in reality... it NEVER turns out that way!!!

The only thing for myself I have done so far today... after waking up before the sun to take care of animals... I went back to bed for 2 hours.
And for some reason that didnt turn out real good!!! I got back up to 3 chicks running around my house... they escaped the broader!! Amaruq destroyed my shop "catch all" basket and the roll of paper towels and everything else I had in it. Sakari threw up in her crate. And I remembered that I forgot to submit one of Nathan's portfolios... because we were having an internet issue!!!

So, see... just the thought and the small action of doing something for myself turns out horrible BAD!!! I have been punished! LOL

I decided that I will spend my afternoon doing laundry... and working on this weeks school plan. I have a few new ideas to try with helping Nathan with his school work!! I am pretty excited, and hopeful... especially after somethign I saw at the skatery with him yesterday!! :-)

I also want to figure out our Easter weekend plans. Friday is my birthday... and Stacy & the kids all have off. I want to take a road trip.
I am thinking it is really time to start thinking about the next chapter in our lives. Even if we have a few loose ends that need tied up before we can actually take steps... I want to start putting the thought into things. And planning the actions!
Courtney should be graduating this year. And the other 2 will be continuing in CCA. So we can end up ANYWHERE in PA... and we dont have to worry about crappy school districts or the kids changing school!
I am so ready to be FAR away from the insanity and stupid that plagues us around here! No more power trips or power struggles... no more guilt trips or blackmail!!! When will ppl learn that I always win, and guilt and tears mean nothing to me??
Anyway... I think my birthday would be a perfect day to start thinking of "what next"... I am surely not getting any younger!!! LOL

I am ironing out our Easter plans too. Stacy has to work on Sunday... so, I will have to work around that little detail. No biggy... since no matter what, our day will be spent doing our own traditional things. And we will be adding something new on Friday nite!! ;-)

We have been doing a pretty good job and doing ACTIVE things together as a family!! And, with that... I am down 3 more lbs in the past week!! GOOO ME!!!
It is so much easier to be active when I am doing it with my family! LOL!! I really thought the bike riding was gonna kill me... BUT, it was a GREAT time!! It didnt really bother my back much... but we did keep it on a mostly smooth surface. And the tennis was AWESOME!!! I think I laughed lbs off!!!! LOL!! I do hope we can get a good hike in this week... I miss our adventures in hiking! Maybe I can locate some good caches to hunt... hmmmm...

Other than that... things are going as usual around here. Our new kites are on their way... cant wait to get to play with them!!
Courtney over came a big obstacle yesterday with skating!!! I am so proud of her... and thankful for Stacy's patience with her! Of course I had to be the bad guy for awhile... but as usual, it paid off in the end! AND... she decided it was time for her to get a pair of skates of her own!!! I thought I was momentarily sent over to some sort of twilight zone... but Stacy and Mrs M. assured me it was all very real and happening!!!
I will also be taking up a great opportunity that Mr & Mrs M offered to me!! ;-)

I havent had time to sit down lately and finish the baby blanket I am working on. Honestly, I dont think I have spent much time at all in our living room! I am always sooooo freakin busy!! I started to wear a pedometer... I have a goal of 5000 steps per day... I have been hitting it!!! It is especially easy when I walk "my loop" during the day... LOL! Hopefully that killer hill bill begin to get easier...LOL!

I was really hoping to be able to spend some time on my butt today... crocheting... but, not gonna happen. Oh well... I am pretty sure I still have some time to get it done.

I guess that is really all that is going on in my world... or at least all that is worth mentioning right now.

Hope we all get to enjoy some sun today!!!

End of the 3rd marking period... already!

Time sure does fly when you are having fun!! I cant believe we have one more marking period left of the school year... and (hopefully) Courtney has only one more marking period of school... EVER!! Oh wow... 2 adult children!!! Makes me almost sick! LOL Goodness... my birthday is right around the corner too...EWE!

Yesterday was a pretty rough day. Poor planning on my part. But I managed to get through it.
I have decided with the 4th marking period there will be some changes in how we do things. Nathan has been struggling a bit and I think if tweek things a bit, he will function better.

The vet finally called about HoBo's lyme's disease. Poor guy has full blown lyme's... and we started a 28 day course of antibiotics. Keeping our fingers crossed that is all he will need. They will wait 6 months to redo the blood work to check. For the next 28 days... twice a day... HoBo will get a spoonful of peanut butter to help the medicine go down! LOL!! Spoiled boy!!! I guess he deserves a little bit of spoiling.

Last nite we went out for another game of tennis. ALL of the kids seem to enjoy it. Nathan has his usual grumpy times, and I am really having to crack down on those situations. He ruins his own fun... then tries to drag everyone else down with him... NOT gonna happen!!

We have a shitload of Ancona eggs in the incubator!! They are all doing well! Going to have to set up the 2nd incubator soon... for when they all start to hatch. Sooo exciting!! :-)

I guess that sums things up for now. Have to get back to work... Nathan is working on his Science test and I have chicken soup to make for dinner tonite! Then to do some more clutter control... too much crap sitting around!

Awesome weekend!

I really need to find a better time to blog!

We had an amazing weekend this weekend. And we still managed to get some yard work accomplished!!

Friday I decided we would eat over a fire... so hot dogs and smores it was!! Sooo much fun!!! Once we were done eating we headed to the tennis courts!! Britt and I kicked butt!!! Even with a fractured spine... I still got it!! LOL!! The evening ended with Icee's, of course.
Saturday I woke up sore... but didnt let it stop me. The kids had their skating lessons... Stacy and I ran some errands. After their lessons we did some work around the house and Stacy, Nathan and I went back for the evening skating session! I really pushed my luck!! There was a kid that fell in front of us... needless to say I was done skating after that ordeal and almost needed to be carried to the car!! OUCH!!!
I really thought Sunday was going to be spent on my butt... WRONG!! I sucked it up (and pulled out the good pain pills)... we went to fly some kites... but the wind wasnt really cooperative. We made the best of it...and got A LOT of laughs...and TICKS in the process! After that we headed back to the tennis courts. We were all shocked at Courtney's tennis skill... AND she was giving everyone else pointers!!! Once the pain meds started to wear off... I was pretty much done for the day! It was a blast tho!!
Once we got home... I took on some seed starting... rabbitry time...and repotted some inside plant while the boys mowed.
After dinner we all hopped in the hot tub for a bit. My hubby thought it would be a good idea to take his phone in with him!! NOT!!! So, now he has no working cell phone! I told him I will gladly give him mine... and I plan on getting a new one! :-) Although... I really just want us both to do away with the smart phones and go back to basic talk and text phones. Time will tell.
I came up with a great plan to come up with the $$$ needed for new phones--- Starting to sell off all the extra bronco parts sitting in our garage and lean-to!! We have like 3 sets of back seats up there... One set I plan on keeping for the back of the Yota... but the other 2 can GO. We have a set of front seats too... which matches one of the back bench seats! There are all kinds of other parts sitting around... and I think it is time for some spring cleaning!!! ESPECIALLY if he ever wants to make room for the Escort... (we have an entire escort interior sitting in our garage too! lol)

It is time to let some of this shit go! We are all "grown ups" now... time to start acting like it. There is just too many other more important things to spend time on... like our FAMILY!
I dont know if we will ever make it back to another mud bog. But I do hope that we will make it to some trail rides. The Yota has been a joint effort for Stacy and me since we got together. I have no intentions of giving up on it yet. Even though it is now a home for ALL of the stray cats in our village... YUCK!!!
BUT... it is time to sit down and pick and choice our other projects. There is no way we will ever have enough time to make them ALL happen. Stacy gave up on ever having a restored Bronco... thank goodness!! Especially if he wants to keep his motorcycle AND the escort... AND all of the NEW toys he has acquired over the past 5 yrs!! TIME TO GROW UP... and who better to push him then ME!!! ;-)
Oh yes... I am sure this will be topic for some therapy sessions!!! LOL Poor guy will need some extra therapy!

Oh well... I guess that is all I have for now. I am in super spring cleaning mode!! Now if my back and fybro would just cooperate I may get A LOT done and out of here... and Stacy will be non the wiser since he has NO cell phone and cant access the internet!! (Insert evil grin here!!) LMBO

Hope everyone stays warm over the next few winter days!!! Get out there and cover those plants!!!

We had 3 chickens and our 3 'odd' ducks in the side yard all weekend... taking care of any bugs! They seem to like it here... but I think since it is suppose to get cold again, they will all need to head back up to their coops today.

Our duck eggs are incubating rather nicely! We will be splitting the Ancona coop to accomodate our "surprise" arrivals later in spring! I got pretty lucky on Friday... but I am not ready to share the info yet... cant count our ducks before they hatch!!! LOL!

Nathan and Brittany are still doing GREAT in school!! And we are still working through some issues with Courtney. I am soooooo glad we ALL had an awesome weekend tho... it was exactly what we needed

This week

This week has been full of PSSA's... cleaning the old house... and an extra day spent with my hubby!!

Yesterday we took a road trip for a really yummy late lunch! We didnt make it to FRX... but that is ok. The weather was just too iffy.
After that... we went and spent some time at the old house cleaning up crap. 6 contractor bags full of garbage later... we have the main floor almost completely clean!
Tomorrow Josh and my grandmother are coming up to help clean... the kitchen will be first on the list!
I totally appreciate all of the bags of garbage left on the deck... they were there for awhile!! All kinds of nasty shit flew and crawled out of it!!! Added bonus was the nasty used cat litter bag that something ate threw! Have I mentioned I hate my "mother"...?!?!
The lovely thought of her still being up in this area makes me sick! I came up here to get the hell away from her... now I have to wonder if I will run into her somewhere. That wont be pretty!
Let me just say... that whatever the trash men didnt take of the shit she left behind... she will find it out next to her van in the coming days!!!

Nathan and Britt managed to make it threw PSSA's this week! Today is our first day back to our regular school routine. It isnt sitting too good with Nathan.
I have been overwhelmed with teaher emails and things to catch up on. We had to redo our schedule since we just missed 3 days of class time. Hopefully once lunch is here and gone, we will have some sort of 'normal' going on again.
I think Nathan needs an early bed time tonite... he seems awfully whiny and tired.

HoBo tested positive for Lyme Disease. I had him tested when I took him to be neutered. CHHHAAAAA-CHING!!! It could have been worse-- heartworm. But still not something we really planned on. It does make the aches and pains he whined about make sense, tho. Poor thing... not taken care of AT ALL!!
Well, his life sure has turned around! I know one 10 yr old lil boy who LOVES him more than HoBo could EVER imagine!! They seem to love eachother... because HoBo was really lost without him the past few days... he seemed soooo depressed! (and I am sure it had nothing to do with his surgery...lol)

I will be starting all of our garden seeds today... if we ever make it through school work.
Stacy and I were out pulling some weeds around the pond yesterday. Goodness, I can not wait until our root cellar and new porch are on!! Then I can have a nice looking house again! Anyway, we started on the pond area. I plan one pulling out a bunch of those moon flowers as they start to come up this year! Those things end up sooooo big and take over!
I am hoping we can get our first load of mulch some time next week. I am NOT playing the weed game this year!!! I may even mulch some of our garden beds this year.
Stacy is chomping at the bit for homemade salsa! I guess I didnt make enough last year...lol.

Duck eggs are "cooking" nicely. Should be ready to be candled in the next few days.

Ohhhh.... this morning we got up to a field of about 20 wild turkeys!! Brittany, my turkey hunter, was soooo excited!!! Britt and Nathan went out and "stalked" them for awhile... got some good pics in the process!!

Ok... I guess that is my update for now.
Let's hope for more sunny skies!!

A full week of "spring"...??

I have been LOVING this spring weather!!
Laundry drying out on the line... digging in the dirt... windows wide open... Chicks chirping in our brooder box... Bunnies are able to spend more time out in the grass!!

My seed order came today... guess what I will be doing this weekend?!? I already have my little green house space ready to go. Time to get some garden plant started!!! :-)

Today we will also be putting some Ancona Duck eggs in the incubator! They are all laying like crazy now! The spoiled things help themselves out of the coop and walk over to the creek, then go and snack in the field... then back to the coop area to lay eggs they go. It is like Easter up there... always a good time hunting their eggs!

I can only hope we dont end up with 10 inches of snow next week!!! LOL!!!
It really seems too good to be true tho. I want to put things in the garden... but I am just afraid we will get hit with some nastiness. UGH!

Sprocket has been doing good "warming up" to the agility equipment! I am proud of his fearless attitude...he will do anything for a treat! LOL

Nathan and Brittany have been doing GREAT in school! I am very proud of both of them!
Courtney has been doing her fair share of causing trouble. She is threatening to drop out of school DAILY... causing a huge rucus at school. Stacy and I are standing firm on if she quits, she cant live here anymore. I am just so done playing these games with her. I dont care that she is 18... or if she was 21 or 25 or 30. MY HOUSE, MY RULES!!! She is 18 now... if she doesnt like it, she knows where to find the doors! I can not keep up the CONSTANT, DAILY fighting. It is affecting the other 2 kids... and ME!

Life in my shop has been GREAT!
I got my shop order the other day. Converting ALL of my client files into "cards" to make accessing them much easier. Also plan on starting to use the software I got... but never took the time to figure out...lol
All of the new clipper blades I got DO NOT fit my iVac properly. But, I have had this trouble with my first order of blades with it too. I personally am not a huge fan of the iVac.... So, today I switched back to the original clippers I got in school. They are just much more comfortable in my hands... and I have never had any issues with them (knock on wood). I am liking my new choice of clipper blades!!

I think we are finally getting a good, solid school schedule going! And a 'system' that seems to be working for everyone! I am very lucky that I am able to work from home... and teach my kids at the same time!!

Dinner tonite is gonna be chicken on the grill!! YUMMY!

I guess that is all I have for right now. I have to go take care of animals. Stacy should be home any minute... it is his 'short' day! Hoping to have a weekend full of great weather to enjoy together. Maybe I will brave a motorcycle ride! :-)

Been so busy!

I really dont think anyone can understand or appreciate ALL that I do in a day!!! Sometimes I feel as though I dont even have time to breath. It is a major task remembering or having time to do my hair... and most of the time I shower half asleep!!!

Homeschooling the kids takes a huge chunk of my time... and running my shop! I am finally getting a good schedule going in my shop... but of course with Spring coming, things will have to change to accomodate new training classes! Maybe some day I will learn to leave well enough alone... but I LOVE what I do and I cant help but to expand!!

In addition to those 2 big things...
I have our animals to take care of. Daily chores around the house... laundry, dinner, cleaning etc. Then of course I have a hobby or 2 I want to follow up with.

That doesnt include kid activities... and the daily high school drama with Courtney!

Some days I dont know if I am coming or going.... or up from down!!!

The kids are progressing well through their school work. Mostly A's!!! I am super proud of them!!! They spend an average of 6.5 hours a week on skates. We have come up with a better system of "earning" their extra's (electronics and cell phones)by making sure daily chores are done before they are allowed to pick them up from MY keeping!

We ordered our garden seeds for this year! I already have my 'green house' space readied up!! New chicks have made a home in the side kitchen for now... growing!!
Last weekend both the chicken coop and the rabbitry got a complete spring cleaning!!

My CRX is making progress too!!! I am soooo happy about that!!! New shocks and struts put on... new tires and alignment... found a back seat for it...
Next is an interior redo and an exterior paint job! I got to drive it around a bit last nite... LOVE IT!!!! I think Josh has a "fan club" from when he drove it... Stacy had some guy flip him off while driving it, for no reason. NICE, JOSH... THANK YOU!!!

Stacy fixed his bronco over the weekend too... again... lol. I think that thing is road worthy.

Our bathroom is just about complete... new toilet, and sink... installed! Floor is done and looking GREAT! Now just to finish up some patch work on the walls... where we took out the old vanity. Can not wait until it is done!!! So far we are all LOVING it!!!

Let's see... today--
Today is just another hectic, crazy day. Nathan and I have already worked through 3 math lessons. We are taking a break so I can blog and then get my laundry hung outside. I am really hoping the sun decides to come out!!!
Other than catching up on household chores... I have animals to take care of... and I am hoping find and decide on my paint job today!
I really do have THE BEST hubby... 90% of the time!!! LOL!!

Ok... that is all I have time for... gotta get some other things done that I am expected to do around here! If I dont do it... it doesnt get done!!

I hope every one is enjoying this beautiful weather as much as we are!!!

Headache Hell

I guess I am one of the unlucky ones that cant hide from life the moment a migraine rears it's ugly face!

I woke up fighting one of those annoying little headaches... that blow up into a full blown migraine by 3!
Needless to say, it sucks!!

I managed to get both kids through their school work, groomed a dog, went and picked up Courtney from school, took them all for icees... then, once Stacy got home and I got attitude when I asked him to make dinner because I couldnt even see straight, I got to lay down for a whopping whole 20 minutes... while Stacy pounded away in the bathroom and kept coming in and out of our bedroom looking for tools!

Ah, yes... my lovely life.

I think the whole headache thing started with having to pay bills. My favorite task... NOT!
The tension begins when we are on a 'spending freeze' because of the bullshit with my mother. Got to love paying a mortgage on a house for her to sit on her ass and watch unlimited cable TV channels. And I am sure she is cranking the electric heat... because what the hell does she care if we can afford to sent the kids to their extra activities...?!?! She is on her ass... planning her next 'major' health crisis... While we are trying to figure out how to pay the fines because of her bullshit!
Yes, this makes me quite hateful!!!
I love how she tells me I have never done anything to help her when it is my ass keeping a roof over her freakin head! And it is MY kids... her grandkids that ultimately pay the price because all of the "extras" are the first to go.
I think it is safe to say that I hate her. I think she is the most selfish thing to walk the planet. I cant believe she would put us through all of this, cost us a shit load of money... all to keep her ass on a couch and out of a workplace!!! And to think I was actually trying to help her!!! What the hell was I thinking!?!?
On top of paying bills I get the added bonus of a migraine. Hmmm.... and my mother tries to tell me I have no idea what a migraine is about. RIGHT!!!
Only, I dont have someone to watch my kids and take care of my household "duties"! Like she ever even had a household to take care of. Nope. And I am the clueless one.
Goodness... I live every day with some sort of pain... I have been blessed with Fibromyalgia... LUCKY ME!!! I have to SUCK IT UP... maybe some other certain ppl should give that a try.

Yes, I am super pissy.

Hopefully... once I am done doing my husbands work laundry and cleaning up from dinner... I will be able to find a dark, quiet spot to curl up and sleep... in hopes I wake up feeling better so I cant do it all over again tomorrow!

But ya know what...
I did have a few wonderful moments in our new bathroom with the kids!!! Nathan was hiding in the sink box. Brittany reached in a handle hole and poked him. Nathan stuck his hand out of the other handle and asked me to hold his hand because he was scared. I laughed so hard I thought my head was going to explode!!! I soooooooooo LOVE my kids!!! They make every day worth living even the most painful of ones!

Ohhhh....
Another awesome moment today--- Nathan "taking science to the kitchen" in a fun "chemical reaction" experiment!!! Oh yes.... baking soda and vinegar!!! LOL!!! I LOVE that thoughtful and excited expression he gets on his face!!

AND....
Walking into my shop to see Nathan all curled up with HoBo the beagle! I am so glad my son has compassion for animals in need!

PLUS.....
Our bathroom make over is about complete. Toilet is installed... not just any toilet, but a taller toilet so when I am having bad back days... going to the bathroom will be a bit easier! :-) Ohhhh the little things in life.

I am a very blessed lady. I thank God every day for putting me right where he did!! I know that there are times when I want to throw in the towel... or I think things just arent very fair. But, in the big picture... things really arent that bad!

Things with my mother... just another bump in the road. She will eventually, one way or another, be out of that house. And we will eventually sell that house.
THEN, things will be even better... and we can move on to writing the next chapter in our lives... and doing it a whole hell of alot less stressed!

Tomorrow-
Grocery list and grocery shopping... after a fun filled day of school with my kids!!! (We are learning all the ins and outs of decimals in math!!)
Maybe I will look at and compare grain mills some more... even though I cant buy one just yet. LOL!

Motoring right along...

We are continuing down our path around here. We were really enjoying the nice spring tease weather we were having!!
Our spring flowers are starting to pop up all over! :-)

I am extremely proud of my how well my kiddos are doing in school. Nathan seems to be grasping everything fairly well... We do have some extra work to put into long division... but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I am so glad I am able to give them the extra attention to make this option work for us.

We found a beagle last week. It had been running Gratz for awhile. He had a bunch of ppl concerned... and it was a team effort on getting him 'caught'! LOL!
Anyway... he has some minor issues and I am hoping to get him into a good rescue that can do some work with him.

Stacy has been hard at work on our upstairs bathroom!!! Tile floor is laid and looking good!!!! We broke down and bought a new sink... not a vanity. We are going with a pedastel sink. I have some ideas on how I want to decorate... and cant wait to get to that point!

I also have to get around to ordering this year's garden seeds!!! Ugh... I keep putting it off... I am about to run out of time!!

We did end up evicting my mother. I wont get into it much more than that... since it is a serious legal matter for us right now.

Well, that is all I have time for. Nathan just got done with his St Patty's Day art work... now to get some PSSA prep work done before I have to go pick up Courtney from tutoring!

BRAGGING RIGHTS!!!!

OK... I know it isnt the end of the week yet.... but I took a sneak peek at the kids grades!!!

I am sooooooooooo proud!!!

Nathaniel-
Lang Arts- B
Math- A
Science- A-
Social Studies- A+

Brittany-
Art A-
Health B+
Lang Arts A
Science A-
Social Studies B
Pre Algebra... she has some assignments to turn in yet

The good, the bad and the ugly...

Day to day life around here has been going pretty good. Still on our 'diet'... still baking our bread, and everything else I can... still homeschooling Nathan and Britt...
We have run into some bumps in the road... but we have made adjustments and continue on our path.

I got to spend a nice afternoon this week with Josh. We started pulling apart my CRX to get the new suspension on... so I can start to drive it more... since gas prices are through the damn roof!!
It has turned out to be a bit harder than anticipated. Everything is such a process!! But it is ok... it gave me "quality time" with Josh! :-)

Nathan is well on the road to recovery too!! This has me soooo happy!!! I was scared to death! No fever for a few days now... lymph nodes still slightly enlarged, but no pain. Dr said it could take up to a month for them to get back to "normal".

My little dogs fell ill this week... ended up spending a very expensive day in the animal hospital... needing all kinds of blood work and such. Turns out Ellie has some kind of sugar dropping problem AND some weird liver stuff going on. (The whole reason for the hosp visit was we suspect they got into something... possible laundry detergent or fabric softener and it made them sick... All the precaution tests they ran showed these other issues!)
Anyway... they are on a 'special' diet now too! And they get fed more often during the day. They will be plump lil dogs soon! LOL

This weekend our bathroom floor is getting put in!!! Woooo Hoooo!!!! I can NOT wait!!! One more project to be checked off the "started but never finished" list!

Ohhh Ohhhh Ohhh--
A dear friend of mine is pregnant!! I am sooo excited... I will be an Auntie Amy again!! ;-) I was checking out ultrasound pics... my money is on a boy!! I plan on running out and buying my yarn this weekend to get started on his/her baby blanket!!! I guess I will just have to go with 'baby colors' since they decided to let the sex be a surprise on it's birthday! LOL (Believe me... I tried real hard to persuade otherwise! LMAO!!)

Uhhh.... now to touch on this shit with my mother. She managed to screw us. I knew it would happen. I KNEW IT! She is so hell bent on getting her free money that we are now being fined! Oh so perfect. We have 7 days to clear her out of the house to avoid the fines. BUT... of course my bitch ass mother wont care about that... we will have to evict her, which will cost us more money and take 30 days. Sooo... 30+ days of fines will be coming with that.
I can not believe I stepped up to help her out. I told her NOT to come up here if she didnt plan on getting a job! She assured me she would get a job. LIES!!! She only cares about herself.
It isnt like she was ever a real mother to me. My grandparents raised me. While my mother was out partying on the weekends... and recovering from her headaches during the week. Ask anyone who knows me... who did they see me with 95% of the time... they will tell you my grandparents!! I dont feel like I owe her my own life happiness... because I really just dont.
I stepped up when no one else wanted to deal with her... and I am sorry I did. Because now I have to pull money out of my ass that could be spent on MY kids... whom I enjoy doing things with and making sure they experience so much more than I ever did.
So yes... as awful as it may sound...
The woman is dead to me.
Stacy and I will be going to the judge on Friday to start the eviction process. Then, once she is gone... I dont EVER want to see or hear from her again. I am done.
I have so much hate and anger... that it just isnt healthy. I will find a way to "let it go"... and I will focus on all of the postive friendships and relationships that I do have.

OK... time to get school stuff ready for tomorrow. Today was pretty stressful and didnt go at all as planned.
Tomorrow WILL be better!

Hmmm... I am thinking pizza for dinner tonite, since my day was a disaster!

IT WORKS

I finally got my blogger to work!! It was being weird for days... and I couldnt get it to post anything!
But today it appears to be working!! Woooo Hoooo!!!

Anyway...

I LOVE that we decided to go back to homeschooling the kids!!! Today started off a little stressful with some computer problems... but once we worked out the kinks... it turned out to be a GREAT day!!
Nathan being sick has been rough. But, with this whole 'scare' I am super determined to make the best of every single second!!
We managed to get all of Nathan's lessons done today... in between his naps. We also took Gunner out for some fetch. I let the Brittany and Nathan man the camera.

Nathan got some GREAT action shots of Brittany!! He loves to take pictures. He got tired kinda quick... but before he went to lay in the truck... Brittany manged to get an action shot of him too!!!

This is one of the MANY reasons I LOVE homeschooling the kids!!! Another is... we have soooo much fun learning things together during the day!!! :-)

Another "OH MY GOODNESS" moment today---
My 2nd 'baby' turned 18 today!!! Cant even believe it!! I now have 2 'adult' children!! HOLY COW!!!! We will be celebrating this weekend... she plans on having a friend over.

Again... I am soooo truly blessed!!!

Tomorrow we plan on getting a full day of lessons in... with some spare time to enjoy the sunny weather! Stacy has a short day tomorrow too.

I think he and I will finalize our garden bed plans for this coming year... and get my seed order in. I want to get some 'cold weather' seeds in the ground awhile!
I am soooo ready for spring. Seeing the crocus popping up all over is making me pretty excited!

Oh... side note...
I just check Nathan before sending up to bed. Fever is still pretty high (the Dr said that is a good thing... his body is finally starting to work to kick the infections butt!!) And his lymph nodes actually seem to be a bit smaller!!!! THANK YOU, GOD!!! There isnt a huge change... just slight... but I will take it!!! :-D Maybe a good nites sleep with help... I know his napping today seemed to help him "pep up" for a short amount of time!

Ok... well now I will allow myself to breath a small sign of relief. I was sooooo scared!!!

Well... time to get myself ready for bed too. 4am comes awfully early!
I hope everyone had a super day!! We sure did!!! :-)

LOVE

I can't express enough how thankful I am... and how much I love and enjoy where I am in life!

My blogger isn't working properly right now... so this will be short and sweet, since I'm blogging from my phone...lol!

Homeschooling going well.  We are working out the kinks... and setting a workable schedule.

Nathan is pretty sick right now... but I'm not going to get into that.

There was a showing at our other house yesterday... hoping more are to come and we can unload that!

We are back to ZERO doubt... other than the mortgages and our cars!!  I LOVE that feeling!!

I guess that about sums up todays short and sweet update!

Hope everyone takes the time to enjoy these beautiful days!

Ch-Ch-Changes...

Goodness... we have been making such HUGE changes around here. We have been busy, busy!!

Nathan and Brittany are both withdrawn from UDA... although we are still going rounds with the school district about what extra curricular activities that they are allowed to do. We are opting out of the trumpet for Nathan.
But both have been signed up for skating lessons. Our family as a whole has been doing alot more skating lately. It is something we ALL LOVE to do... and for whatever reason, we got away from it. Stacy and I are getting back on track with a bunch of things... QUALITY time together (as a family) being one of them.

We have started our lessons for school today... and we will be logging some more before we go skating tomorrow.

Our bathroom is on its way to being done. Paint is all on... floor is next. Hoping to get to that next weekend!! I am loving the way it is turning out... and I am pretty sure I want to paint our vanity cabinet.

Of course we are still following our diet. Things got a bit crazy over Valentine's day... which was expected. I HATE that holidays are based on crappy foods!!!

Spent some extra time in the rabbitry today. Had everyone out to hop around and play today. The ground is finally less swampy up there!!
We also had Britt's duck out to "swim" in our creek. She was a happy duck!!

I even took advantage of the beautiful day and raked leaves out of the little flower bed on top of the sand mound!! I cant believe there are flowers sprouting already!!!
I really need to get out and pull some of last years dead stuff out around the pond!

I guess that is a quick update of things going on around here! Hopefully I will have some more time this week to blog...but I am not counting on it.

Britt's BDay weekend

Time has sure been flying by! And I really just have been too busy to sit and blog lately.

Last week "illness" swept through the house. Nathan and Britt were both down sick. And I had a day or 2 that I just wasnt feeling the best. Thank God it is gone and out of here!!!! I spent most of the week disinfecting and re-disinfecting our entire house... and keeping up with the laundry!

Last week we also decided to go back to homeschooling Nathan and Brittany. For many, various reasons. When I had them both to the pediatrician... we did some talking... and health wise, it just seems like a good idea too. I swear... there is something in those schools that just keeps those 2 fighting one thing after another.
I already started all of the paperwork... and am trying to work out the details of still having Nathan participate in the districts music and band programs.

This weekend was Brittany's 14th BDay!! She had 5 of her friends over for games, ping pong, skating, hot tubbing and camping out in my shop! They were all a GREAT bunch of girls... and I really learned alot ... Including what the elephant said to the naked man!! ("It's cute, but can you pick up peanuts with it!" LMBO) Ugh boy... they grow up so fast!! I have also found that girls are just gross!! That is all I will say about that! LOL
Stacy and I really enjoyed getting out on skates again. Even with it being a HUGE risk for me to do (because of my broken back)... I REALLY miss my roller derby days!!! It was fun doing the slow skates with my hubby too! ;-)
I think that is something we really need to fit in on a more regular basis!!!

I didnt get near enough sleep last nite. I am def too old for that crap!! Plus, we had to get up early and pull Josh's car out of the ditch he ended up in... because of the snow, crappy road conditions and a plow. The boy was really lucky to have no damage... and we were able to pull it out without rolling it!!! Let me tell you... if he would have slid another inch... he would have been on his roof! I am hoping the next time I tell him to just ride with us... he takes my advice!!!

Today Stac and I went up to the hang glider spot to take some pics. Couldnt stay too long... it was FREEZING with that wind that rolls up through there! But it was fun!!! My truck does GREAT in the deep snow!!

All in all it was a fun weekend. Everyone in my house is exhausted... and starting to get cranky and whiny!

Stacy painted the upstairs bathroom today... so I have to clear out the downstairs one so everyone can shower. I am really hoping to have my own butt in bed by 8 tonite... but I still have to finish tomorrow's bread. So we shall see how long that takes me. I am pretty sure I have myself good time wise. Fingers crossed!

Tomorrow--Courtney has her second detention for last weeks unacceptable behavior. And Stacy and I have a late appt with our therapist. I dont like those late appt... I am never very happy when I am not home to put the kids to bed... even tho they are getting older now. Let me tell you... it really hit me yesterday just how fast my kids are growing up!
Other than that... this week will be another busy one!

OK... time to get moving on our evening routine!
Hope everyone had as awesome of a weekend as we did!!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

P.S.
Dear God,
Thank you for getting all of the kids healthy rather quickly... and keeping the germs from spreading to the rest of the house! AND... for keeping us ALL safe while traveling in the nasty weather last night!!
Amen!!

Too long

Wow... It really has been a bit since I made the time to sit and blog!! It doesnt help that some of the keys on my laptop stick... making typing out anything a pain in the butt! LOL

Same stuff going on around here.

There is a "For Sale" sign on the house finally. Of course, playing on our luck, our realtor suddenly has a brain tumor... so things with our house got a bit behind! It seems to be back on track now... fingers crossed for a quick sale! We just need out from under that place!!! So many other ENJOYABLE things to put our time and money into!

Still going strong with our all natural diet! Still baking our bread... yesterday I even made our own croutons!! After I spent the day in my shop.

We had another 'incident' with certain family members trying to get in our business. Had to take some more 'serious' measures to ensure our privacy... which we are completely entitled to!!

Oh... we got our taxes done!! It was a 2 day ordeal... but it is over now. Starting a business causes alot of confusion!! LOL!

I guess it is time to start thinking about the garden for this year!!! LOVE doing this!!! This year my garden paths will be saying good bye to the grass... and hello to some sort of stone. That will keeps things a bit more managable. I also want to come up with solution for my herb tub... it is not level and drives me crazy! lol

I am hoping our ducks and chickens start laying again soon. I am thinking we will let some of the hens sit on their eggs... and see what happens. Same with our Ancona ducks.

Well,
that is about all I have time for. I have to be out of here to pick Stacy up after work... we have another Couple session. And I have a boat load of things to get done before I leave!!
-Finish Stac's work laundry
-Do our checkbook
-Pay bills
-Do Nathan's laundry
-Groom 2 dogs
-Clean up the kitchen (never ending)
-Clean bathrooms
-Go around getting rid of things that wont get missed... since it IS trash nite! LOL

Hopefully there wont be any school calls... !!

Enjoy your day!!

Let me take a moment...

I am in the middle of tearing down and cleaning my shop. But, I needed a break... so here I am!
Figured I would get some updates out there!!

First...
I have a TON of egg cartons... if anyone needs them!! PLEASE... TAKE THEM!!! LOL!!! I hate to throw them away... I know come spring I will be scrounging all over to find some... but, right now, I have more then I can store... so I am hoping someone else could use them!

Second...
I am in need of old, used and unwanted t-shirts!! I want to try a new craft project... but I need anywhere from 15 to 20 t-shirts. Color, condition, size do not matter!! If anyone can help me out with that... I would appreciate it!!

Third...
I made some of my Miracle Salve!! I have half pint jars for $8! This stuff is amazing!! It is made from all natural ingredients... coconut oil, and other essential oils! It will heal dry, cracked hands over nite!!! I have also used it on dog paws... works wonders!
I also have some home made watermelon lip balm for sale... $2!

Forth...
As everyone probably knows... Josh blew up the cavalier. We are selling it for $500, if anyone is interested. New tires, new brakes, new clutch kit in the box ready to be installed... just needs a motor!

OK...
I guess that about sums it all up. I have a full day scheduled in my shop tomorrow! :-) And another busy week ahead of me.

I went and bought 50lbs of wheat... going to start grinding my own flour!!! Wish me luck!

OK... back to tearing down my shop... and putting it all back together!!

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!!!

Productive day

Today was a pretty productive day!!

I was in my shop in the morning.
In the afternoon I made my laundry detergant... and mixed up a batch of my Miracle Salve!! I made a Coconut oil base this time around... which has a bit of a different consistancy... but I think in the long run it will be better... even more healing properties!!
I also tried to make lip balm! Watermelon! It is awesome!! I am loving it!!!

Brittany is VERY happy that Aunt Jen came to the rescue for her skin issues!! She has had almost instant relief with the stuff Jen sent over!! AND... I will be making Britt an appt with her "witch dr"!! ANYTHING to avoid those nasty cystic acne meds!!!! We will get through this!! Another reason I am so thankful for having my awesome pal, Jen!! She sure did jump on researching with me... and asking questions to ppl she knows... to get Britt some relief! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

Stacy is off tomorrow... and I am hoping we can unload Josh's car! Fingers crossed!

Saturday I have a full day scheduled in my shop. :-)

Ok... that is the short and sweet version... I have to get my kids moving on our bedtime routine!
I will blog more when I have more time.
Have a good nite, everyone!

Moving right along...

Here we are... coming to the end of January already!
I have managed to stick with our diet really well... and I am baking every single one of the loaves of bread my family eats. Grocery shopping is still a bit difficult...as I am learning what is "safe" for my family to eat...but I am sure in time that will all become second nature. I am proud of myself so far!

Since I am making such progress on our goals... I feel I can step it up a notch on one of my personal goals... losing weight! I have managed to lose and keep off only 4lbs, since Jan 1st... now to get my butt moving more!!!
So... starting in February... I will put in at least 15 minutes every day on my elliptical! Yes, I know...I am starting off slow. You have no idea how that damn machine KILLS my knees!!! So, I have to start out with a time amount I can handle... I am setting myself up for SUCCESS!!!! :-)

Today...
Gotta get my roast in the crock pot.
My morning will be spent in my shop :-)
Then a quick bite to eat for lunch... before I head off to do our grocery shopping!
Once that is all done and put away... preparing the rest of dinner... waiting for my hubby to get home from work... then off to tow Josh's blown up car back here to pull the stereo out. Once that car is unloaded we will officially be DONE dealing with ANY and ALL of Josh's car drama! He will be on his own. I hope that he learned some sort of lessons with his first 2 cars!!

OK... one last rant before I head off to get some work done around here...
I understand that Joe Paterno passing is a sad thing. BUT... the media is saturated with this stuff now!! Holy Cow!!! He was a football coach... granted, a damn good one... BUT, it isnt like he saved the world!!!! We have all kinds of important ppl calling and offering up sympathy... hell, even the president and all kinds of politicians and important ppl!
Now... does that president himself call the wives of soldiers who arent coming home from this bullshit war, alive... to offer his sympathy?!?!? Hmmmm....
What about them men and women who are killed every day... selflessly risking their lives to save other ppl... ppl they dont even know...?!?! Hmmmmm....
THOSE people are HEROS!! Not a football legend.

Seriously... this makes me wonder what the hell is going on in the minds of ppl these days.
Yes, it is a sad time Yes, Joe Paterno did quite a bit for Penn State and some important charities... I get that.

What I dont get is how our society can push aside a wife who lost her husband...who was a VOLUTEER fireman and was killed pulling a family out of a burning building. (OR... he was a cop that just helped chase down a gang member that was shootig ppl left and right... and got killed in the process) It happens all of the time. You hear or read the story once in the local papers... then nothing. No follow up on how that wife must feel... or how she may be struggling to support her children...

OK... I am done ranting... I am sure I will get shit for my thoughts on this one... but, they are MY thoughts!

Enjoy your day, everyone... I hope it is a sunny one!!!

Today's list...

On today's list of things to-do:
-make grocery list
-get all of my soap making and lotion making supplies out
-create a dinner sticking to our diet
-groom 2 dogs
-Pay bills
-find dining room table and remove Xmas table cover and place settings
-decide on a format for my new ideas for the shop... and for home
-ruin Josh's day by calling and informing him we will be taking what is left of the car he blew up (and still owes us for) to try to make up some of the money we lost. He is now on his own for transportation...since this could have bee completely avoided.
-call my mom and make sure there is progress being made at that house... so that it can be shown, if the opportunity presents.
-By then... it will be time for the evening routine.

PERFECT!

Another crazy busy day around here! And let me tell you... that 2 hour delay really screwed up my morning!!! All for NOTHING!!!
Have a good one!!! :-)

WONDERFUL!

Ok... last nite didnt go anywhere close to as planned... BUT, we were exactly where we needed to be!!

I made my hubby an amazing steak dinner...we watched a movie that made me cry... and we cuddled up with the house to ourselves!

Yesterday turned out to be a long, strenuous day. Soooo... the down time last nite was awesome!

Today...
Hubby is working. Then going to peak at Josh's mess (He blew his car up).
I have the day to MYSELF! I have some things I need to get done... and some changes I want to make in our side kitchen. I have to get ready for my soap making adventure this week... AND, my "Magic Handcream" making!! I think I have almost tweeked my recipe to perfection!!! Fingers crossed! I will def be sharing!!!

I think a nice relaxing soak in my jetted tub will also be in order today!

And if Sprocket tries to eat one more dish rag... Grrrr... I may scream! LOL!!

Stay warm everyone!! ;-)

Busy Day... Busy Day!!

Today has been crazy busy... imagine that. I feel as though, lately, I dont even have time to breath!

My day started out with a trip for coal for Mom and Josh's... then it seemed to take forever to get home because we were stuck behind a plow. Once home I made my hubby a bacon & egg sandwich... while he plowed. Then I put in some shop time. After that... over to unload the coal... load up the couch and crap on the porch over there. Had to make a hay run... then home to burn the crap from the porch. Now I am starting a steak dinner for my hubby before we set off on our hot date!! :-)
I am exhausted... and my back hurts. AND... Stacy has to work tomorrow... which has me bummed.

Stacy and I did have plenty of time to talk about our future goals and plans today... while traveling 10 mph behind the plow...LOL!
I am sooo excited!!!
I also am excited for the shop ideas I have! Cant wait to put them into action in the up coming month. I am not ready to share them yet... we know how this goes... there are others out there (my stalkers) who like my ideas soooo much they jump right on using them. Rest assured... I WILL share them, so they can be used by others... Just not yet!! ;-) Ppl amuse me!!

There should be a "For Sale" sign going up on our other house today yet. I just sooo want to be rid of that nitemare. I just cant deal with ALL I have going on in my own house and with the shop... to deal with a second house. It is just weighing us down... I want to be able to move forward in life.

I guess that is all I have for now... Have to go cook and do a load of laundry. I will probably pass out before we get to where we are going tonite!

Dear Stalkers (My own personal fan club):

You poor spineless creatures... DUH... You know how I know you are talking to/about me... because you are responding to me! Now... having common sense... that is what leads me to KNOW you are referring to ME!! I am referring to YOU... because YOU are referring to ME! See how that works. THAT... AND... the fact that you stalk my blogs and use my thoughts word for word in your psychotic rants!!! Again... DUH!!! Boy... some ppl are NOT the brightest bulbs on the strand!! LMAO!!
Please... continue to stalk away... I am soo very flattered!! Unfortunately, for you, you will only ever find out what I put out there! Soooo... dont get too excited about what you read... there is soooo much more to me, that you will never catch a glimpse of! :-)

OK... on to enjoy the company of my awesome hubby... and soon our awesome friends!

Drama BE GONE!

I need to go out and do some sort of drama repelling dance in the sun!!
But... I have put an end to as much of the stalking and bullshit as I possibly can.
I have added to our blocked list... and I have reported the crazies!!

Now... I know I cant keep the nut jobs from reading my blog... But hell, if that is what they want to spend their time doing. I am FLATTERED!!! :-)
I am feel so special that I am what they want to put their energy into!

Anyway...
I just want it to be known...
That anything I have to say or I even think... I will gladly share with anyone. Please... come to my home... stick your foot in my door! I guarantee you will get a whole different reaction from me. I dont scare easily... My life was quite a bit different that those "townies" had from this area! LMAO!! My thoughts and feelings have always been... BRING IT! You know where I am... you know how to find me... Anytime!

As for "THE TRUTH"... NOTHING I have ever said was a lie. Plain and simple. I speak nothing but the truth. And, I can back everything up.

-I am not the one using other ppls accounts to stalk you... that is what YOU are doing to us!
-I am not the one who couldnt "man up" and call to notify me of your presence in our peronal business... Nope... had to hear that from other family memebers!! But, rest assured we were NOT allowing you in our business!
-I am not the one hiding behind a screen and using FB as a battle zone.
-I am not the one with a criminal record and a shitty set of priorities.
-And last... I am NOT the only one to feel this way... just the only one with the balls to express it! Please... you think your pot smelling ass showing up at get togethers didnt get a few "interesting" words from those present?!?! LMAO Seems to be you are the only one fooled!! DUH!

So... as of right now... I am done with this bullshit and drama. Until you want to approach me AT AN APPROPRIATE time (obviously, Christmas at another family members home wasnt it... DUH) to discuss it WOMAN TO WOMAN!

Please... feel free to follow my blogs... but you have been blocked from my FB. See how much we are enjoying our lives... how far we are getting... take some notes...
Maybe... just maybe some day you will see the light... and make the changes you need to make... get some medication or something!

Bottom line... in my world... the same last name doesnt mean a damn thing... it those ppl that are worth putting the time and effort in... THAT is family!

AGAIN.... THANK GOD I have the awesome husband I have... who has the same thoughts as I do!!
I cant wait until Saturday evening... when we are enjoying time with our FAMILY OF FRIENDS... who are uplifting to us... dont push drama or ex's our way... and like us exactly the way we are!!

OK... lunch break is over... gotta get back to work!!

It's the weekend!!

Here we are... we made it to another Friday!! And... we have a little bit of white stuff outside... with more on the way!!

This weekend will be a busy one for me... once again! Have I mentioned I LOVE what I do?!?! Well, I DO!!!
I am soo very thankful for the things that happened that led up to me making a decision to go to grooming school! AND... finding an awesome instructor!!

I figured I had better get this blog done early... before the craziness starts... and I just dont have the time!

Anyway,
I have a SUPER HOT date Saturday night... which includes an evening out with some wonderful people! I am so excited!!! I am really looking forward to great company and great laughs!!!

Yesterday we managed to get my E Lop buck put out in the big hutch. I am sure he will enjoy some time with some added hopping space. I have my E Lop doe inside... hoping their are baby bunnies in her future... that will be ready just in time for Easter!!

I am now trying to decide if more chickens will be in our future. Hmmmm...

OHHH.... Stacy and I listed the other house with a realtor again!!! I REALLY hope it gets sold. It will be a HUGE weight lifted from me... us! I just cant manage our house, our kids living at home, my business and all that goes along with the daily drama of that other house. SIMPLIFYING!!!
Plus, Stacy and I are working on some goals... which will eventually lead us to a bigger place with acreage!! My hubby wants some draft horses!! He so amazes me sometimes! He went from fearing horses just a few short years ago (glad he realized it was the idiots who took him out on the horse that planted him on his ass on the ground... and NOT the horse! Boy, that took some work and explaining!!). Anyway... he went from fearing horses... to wanting some of the biggest horses there are out there!!! LOL!!!
He wants Belgians... I would love to have some Percherons... BUT... Appaloosa's will always have my heart... since that is what I started on as a little kid!
Oh well... that is all things in the future... and we have some time and some progress to make before we get to that point.

I guess that is really all I have time for... have to push Nathan along...

Oh... I wanted to add that I DO NOT add ppl as FB friends unless I KNOW them. So the ppl that keep sending me requests, and keep getting denied...DUH... you can stop now!! So sad when ppl need to use other ppl to stalk me on FB!!! That is like us deleting certain ppl just to have them jump on their siblings FB account to see what we are doing!!! LMAO!!! Now THAT is the true meaning of STALKING!! Oh well... once again... I am completely flattered... "Love me or hate me... it is still an obsession"!!!
YES... it is strangly interesting knowing that I have that much power over ppl!! GOOOOO ME!!!
LMAO!!!

Anyway... I hope everyone enjoys their weekend half as much as I will!!
:-)

Daily Dose...

OK... I had my daily dose of entertainment this morning. I swear... I am not sure why there are ppl out there soooo interested in what I have going on... or what I do... BUT, hey... if their lives are that sad and lonely... more power to them!! Please, observe away!! Maybe they will learn something!!

Stacy and I are still going strong with our Couples Counseling!! I have to laugh... because everything that other ppl see as a problem with me... Is exactly what attrated my hubby to me!!! LMBO!!
It may appear to the outside world that I am just a loud mouth dictator... but it came to light yesterday that I am actually the puppet on the string. I do everything that Stacy doesnt want to be bothered with!! He WANTS me to take charge... He WANTS me to draw those invisible lines... SO HE DOESNT HAVE TO!!! Stacy never looks like the bad guy...I do! LOL!!
Oh well... I am ok with it. As long as the end result is something we both have previously agreed on... and he and I are the ones happy... I dont care how we get to that point! I will be the big mouth, "ABRASIVE" one!

For example...
We recently found that a distant "family" member had access to our personal info. He was not happy about it just as much as I was not happy about it. (Since he, too, is living that persons mental issues of delusion and stalking etc). I got put in charge of dealing with the issue. Why? Because Stacy doesnt want to have to deal with the fall out from others. So, I made the phone calls... I had our situation investigated... and I got the end result HE and I BOTH wanted! He came home from work... I gave him the run down... he said..."GOOD, glad that is taken care of!"

Hmmm... which brings to light... there are TWO sides to EVERY story. Just because I dont care to sell everyone mine... doesnt mean the other story ppl are hearing is accurate!! I just dont give enough of a crap about it to waste my energy! ;-)

I am so happy Stacy and I are on the same page and track to setting limits and boundaries with ppl. And hopefully with some encouragement and help... HE will find and USE his own voice, instead of counting on mine!

Oh well...
Today is MY DAY OFF!!!
Granted I still have a ton of things to do around the house... it will be my first day in 10 days that I can just focus on things around the house with NO shop appts. I am still so shocked at how fast things really picked up for me! I am LOVING it!!

So... on my day off I plan on accomplishing-- the mountain of LAUNDRY... making more healthy snacks for the kids... baking some bread (Have to bake and freeze a couple more loaves, especially if the kids want to go to HBG this weekend)... I have some shop paperwork to get in order... some general cleaning... a few phone calls to make regarding Courtney's future...and I hope to find some time to curl up with my current book and just relax for a bit!!
Oh, I guess I have to figure out and make dinner in there somewhere too...lol!

Well... That is all I have time for. I have to get Nathan packed up and on the bus!
I hope everyone enjoys their sunny, fridged day!! ;-)

Down time...

I am sooo looking forward to some down time tomorrow. I have been going non stop for 10 days straight!! There is always something between shop hours and being a Mom and wife!! Today I have a bunch of errands to run... I have an appt, then Stacy and I both have an appt together, then just Stacy has an appt! We will be all over today!! LOL

Stacy and I have been doing some talking about getting to where we want to be... in life. And, apparently we need to make some more changes! It wont be easy... but things need to move in a more positive, freeing direction... and right now we dont have that. Which is making life a bit hard.
At least we have similiar goals... and know what needs done to get where we want to be. So, it is a start. Now to just put words into actions!!

Yesterday was another awesome day in my shop! I am soooo very pleased with how things are taking off!! I LOVE what I do!! My 2012 goal of having 3 full days by the end of the year shouldnt be hard at all... if things keep up the way they are!! I enjoy welcoming new clients... and seeing my faithful repeat ones! New friendship around every corner!!

We are still hard at work on our real food diet! Doing VERY well, I might add!! Starting to branch out a bit more... trying new things... It has become really fun!! I still average making a loaf of bread a day. AND, the kids like the different "fruit" breads I have been whipping up for breakfasts and evening snacks! JUICES seems to be the only thing that is really "missed" by the kids... so tomorrow I will see what I can do to find some new options.

Other than that... things are moving along as usual.
I think I have almost mastered painting my own finger nails... yea, sounds funny I know. LOL! BUT... since I never really had or kept them long... this was a real challenge for me!

Oh... Sprocket got DE-Mohawked yesterday!! Back to being a regular OES for now. I am hoping he cooperates with letting his coat grow out until spring. It is sooo soft... and I was thinking about spinning it!!! I guess we shall see how he does with my brilliant idea... LMAO!

I guess that is all we have going on here right now... For now anyway. Just more simplifying and downsizing... and getting things to a more managable place.

Ohhhh... I think I see the sun trying to make a visit... must go enjoy it!!!! Until next time!!

Last week in reveiw...

Again... I have been super busy!!

I had some full days in my shop over the past week! I had one equipmemt failure... turned out to be operator error... LOL! But, managed to switch a few things around and made it through.
I will be using my new IVAC system with the next appt I have. I am pretty excited to try it out... see how I like it.

Stacy and I took my Mom and the kids to the Farm Show on Thursday. We were pretty disappointed in the lack of animals. But we had fun. We enjoyed watching all of the Draft Horses!! I KNOW that horses are in our future!!! Just have to get some things organized and taken care of in our lives... then we can better work toward that goal. A lot of tough decisions... UGH!

Let's see...
Kids had a flood make up day on Friday. Sunday we went hiking...even tho it was 17degrees! We had a blast tho... especially Nathan!!! There was SNOW... so he got to roll around and play in it, even tho it was just a dusting. I really am liking our weekly hikes!! On the way down the mountain we ran into some trouble... half of the road was washed away. Stacy wanted to try to get my truck through... I objected!

Kids were home today for the Holiday... I put everyone to work cleaning up around the house. I have chicken cooking in the crock pot... making bread... Oh, I made Blueberry muffins for the kids to snack on this week. Tomorrow I have to make more granola bars.

Nathan was MISERABLE yesterday... turns out he found some Kool-Aid!! Stacy took it and hid it!!! I guess I am not the only one that firmly believes in our new diet...LOL!

I guess that about sums things up.
We are suppose to get some nasty weather tonite... Not snow... just ICE! YUCKY!!!

Well, I guess I have used up my computer time for now...lol. Until next time.