Peer Pressure

I have spent my morning commenting on all my friends blogs. I have noticed that a few of them were suffering from a "quiet" summer in blog land, and were not feeling the love. I now feel compelled as I lurk through my blogs to think up nice, funny, connecting things to say. So if I haven't commented on your blog and I know you IRL (in real life) that's blog talk, yall, please forgive me... I have a very busy life.. I get my kids up in the morning send them to music camp, pack Ethan off with his dad, and I get to spend 6 glorious hours of silence. I have surfed the internet, couponed, listened to talk radio, sat and talked on the phone through 2 cups of coffee without making sign language threats to my kids. It just has me wondering is this what back to school means to most moms?

I think we are missing something ladies....

Ok, enough chit chat, I must go pour my 2nd cup of coffee and call OBM to harass her.

And I wondered How I had become the crazy chicken lady who stockpiles tampons and toothpaste?

And now you know, it's genetic.

Dad is covering all bases, swine flu, alien abduction, and a nagging wife??

Daily Life

I love the bullet format so much I just may post a little more regularly.

* Ethan is playing with a shovel in the cat's food bowl as I am typing. And weirdly I am cool with that. Last week I was talking to Caryn while cooking dinner and I lost power to everything in the kitchen. Shocked I walked out to the garage to see Ethan on a stool flicking off all my breakers! So the kitty bowl is really no biggie..the litter box on the other hand....


*We had a full day of school, we are on the tail end of the civil war going into reconstruction. We just finished "Behind Rebel Lines" and "Shades of Gray" These were both favorites, we didn't want to put them down. Liv is ging to start 5 in a row this week. I used it with Maddy her kindergarten year and forgot about it until Julie mentioned it. Well since Liv is just hanging out doing random K stuff I thought we would add it for the summer. She will start Sonlight Core 1 in the fall when Maddy starts core 6.

* Ethan just said dammit when Mike hung up from talking to him. I said what?? He said the phones not working dammit... (apply soap to mouth, rinse, and repeat). Ethan- "Daddy says dammit." Me- I will wash his mouth out when he gets home, too...

* I have felt yucky for the last 2 days, kinda queasy and tired. Hope I am not getting the stomach bug.

* We went to the new park in Umatilla yesterday. It is like Disney in the middle of the boondocks. And can I just say that this will soon be known as heat stroke park in another month. There is NO shade anywhere. They built the park in the middle of the prairie, which is good for keeping track of little ones, but not good for 90 degree florida sun. So I think this will be a evening, and maybe the winter time park for us. It definitely was neat. Although park day is not really fun for me at this moment. I can't sit and chat because Ethan is on the move! Is it totally selfish to leave your kids at home so you can go to the park and socialize???

* My sis is coming home tomorrow.

* I am trying to decide if I am going to freak out over the swine flu. I have a whole pantry of rice, so I should be okay. I just don't feel like freaking out right now...Rhonda overheard a Walmart employee saying (in a southern accent) "Yeah that flu is the bird flu,the swine flu, and the human flu all put together" I am glad there is no misinformation going around! I would hate to catch this birdswinehuman flu, that would surely kill you!

* ok I need to start dinner, maybe we will have pop tarts.

Lets Chat too!

I loved Tiff's post on "Let's Chat" and the bullet style, so I am going to be cool just like her!

* I have 5 minutes before NCIS so this will be super quick!

* I have 5 new chickens happily, and illegally housed in their million dollar Mcmansion, or what I like to call "my summer vacation". Code enforcement may drive me to become an activist, so if you see me on the corner with a save the chicken billboard don't laugh! I never thought in a million years I would ever be the crazy chicken lady who homeschools and stockpiles tampons & toothpaste!

* I am full force schooling again, and to get my spring fix, I have been schooling outside (notice my tan?) Maddy is stressing me with math right now... I caught her adding from the wrong column...........arghhhh.. On a lighter side, I wasn't busy enough so I added swim team back into our schedule. It meets daily at 4:30-5:45 (you know that magical hour when everyone is tired, whiny, and wants dinner)

* My garden is rocking, I had my first ripe cherry tomato today, and squash for dinner last night.

* I am going to be an aunt to a little boy, named Cayden, or Cade for short. Lyns is coming home to visit this weekend and celebrate my mom's birthday.

* My parents have sold the lake house in Alabama, so no summer at the lake. But really we needed to be home doing school anyways.

* Amelia graduates in less than a month~~woo-hoo! And I am hoping to convince her to come and stay with me and go to Lake-Sumter next year.

* I am thinking about a new raised flower bed in part shade to grow lettuce through the summer.

* I wish Mike would finish my compost bin, then build my new raised bed, then seed the yard for grass, then put up privacy fence on the coop side of the yard, and then drive to Belleview to get my red chicken. But alas it is Nascar season!!

* Shake-n-bake (that's for you Sarah-B)

* well this post is getting lame, and I have a mountain of laundry and 3 weeks of coupons to clip, so goodnight!

The Chicken Coop (5 Days of FUN)

I have eat, breathed and dreamed about this chicken coop for the last 5 days. I have an awesome farmers tan, dirty man hands, and way more construction knowledge than I ever wanted. But my coop is done!! The ladies spent their first night in it and I found them on their roost this morning all huddled together. In fact only half the roost was utilized. A sure sign that there is room for a red chicken or two? hmmmm?

It's A Hard Knock Life For Us!

Darn I was hoping for a pic of Ethan in his underwear!

A day that will go down in history...

It has been a cold, cozy day where you want to stay curled up on the couch in front of the fire. Since we woke up this morning we have watched Inauguration coverage. The kids don't realize the importance at their age, but one day, I hope they can look back on this picture and remember where they were when America swore in their first African American president.

Each generation will have events that they remember where they were when..this or ..that happened. We will remember 911 and where we were, when the Challenger exploded, my mom remembers President Kennedy's assassination. And now something joyful to be able to relay first hand about our nations history. I hope everybody is enjoying this little piece of history. I love to see all the different branches of government and parties come together in unity for this event.

Weeks In Review

Well I have neglected posting too much due to my fascination with facebook. I think I'm over it now, I am returning to my bloggity, blog. As for this site I often wonder how it comes across to a complete stranger, or to people who really do not know me. Do they think I am a straight laced, jumper wearing homeschooler? Quilting, soap making, bread baking, what does that say to you??

I guess I am pondering this because the audience of my blog may change a little. Family that I have not spoken to in many years may run across this site and I wonder what impression they will walk away with.

As for the last few weeks, I have spent them completely organizing the house, garage, and planning for this school semester. I love when Christmas is over, and everything gets back to normal. It feels almost like the start of school, fresh and new.

We will have to go through the summer with schooling since we took off almost all of last semester. I am really okay with that. It's so hot here in the summer that you really rather be inside than doing anything else. It is spring and winter that I find tough to stay focused and inside. We are just getting ready to delve into Civil War history, and we are supposed to be going to Williamsburg & Gettysburg the end of February.

Ethan is going through an attached stage. He adores Mike, and wants to be with him ALL the time. Which I am enjoying at the moment ;) He stands at the door if Mike leaves and cries, and cries. Mike had to stay with him in Sunday school last week.
Really it is so sweet to see him trail after Mike. I mean if you were a little boy Mike would be "THE MAN". Pulling trailers, big trucks, tractors and a junk yard, that's where it's at for a 3 year old boy. I think he will be rebuilding motors by his 5th birthday.

I made 2 loaves of soap for Ethan. One was an olive oil & coconut bar, and the other had olive, grapeseed, avocado, oils and shea butter. These should help with his eczema. I have really enjoyed soaping, but really how many bars does one family need? I think I have enough for all of 2009..


I found some cute sundress patterns, but don't really feel motivated to sew them in this frigid weather. The high today is like 62. Sundresses, hot cocoa, and fire places don't go together. I am definitely ready for some spring weather, but then I will want to neglect our school and be outside the whole time...

Maddy & Liv's birthdays are this next week. Maddy will be 11, and Liv will be 6. Disney is offering free tickets on your birthday, so Liv and I are going on Monday. Maddy and Mike are going on Thursday. Good thing we have friends who work at Disney ;) Maddy says she wants a sleepover, but since we had a big sleepover last weekend, I am not inclined to repeat it so soon. In fact wasn't it enough to get to go to Disney when we were kids???

I know this post is rambling, but nothing too interesting has happened here lately other than the premiere of 24 last week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE 24, and Jack Bauer!! Copy That!!


Okay I am done............

I Love Days Like Today

I plan on sitting in front of the fire and reading with the kids. You cant see from this picture, but our kitty is curled up in the chair.

Guess who this was? Oww my ovaries are screamin' ' I think she was a newborn in this pic ;)

Todays Agenda

Yes I will look just like this, makeup, smiles, stockings, and heels.
My sweet young child will help with laundry...
Still smiling...

Ooh, yummy things coming from my kitchen...

Ok, really this will be me at the end of the day! But my house will be spic and span, Christmas packed up, and toys organized! We are starting school on Monday!

It's do or die time!

I might just die......

Waiting On Lyns

While waiting for my sister to come in late, late last night we had some time on our hands.

So while I was cleaning up from dinner, Ethan took a bottle of ketchup and fingerpainted over my WHOLE couch.

I am sure you heard my shreiks, those of you who live locally.

(there are no pictures, I was beyond documenting for blogging purposes)

So he had a come to Jesus meeting with the wooden spoon and off to bed...

8:15

Finish my 10th load of laundry, which now includes scrubbing a slipcover.

9:00

Convince Liv to let me pull her 2 front teeth that were hanging by a thread. There was some hysteria and bribing involved to get the second one pulled.

10:00

Bake a gazillion chocolate chip cookies to put in the gingerbread cookie jar

11:00

Clean the dining room, run the dishwasher

11:30

finish drying the slipcover, and reassemble the couch.

11:45

Dye my hair

12:15

Freak out while I blowdry it. Maddy swears I dont look like a goth momma. I am going with the Twilight look for the holidays. Hold on I need to go paint my fingernails black.

1:00

Realized my grandmother was right, "nothing good happens after midnight ";)

1:30

Lyns shows up, fed Lola a chocolate chip cookie, kissed her and sent her on to mom's house.

1:50

IN BED!!!!!!!!!!!!

5:00

Oooops, the tooth fairy came..............

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, why must it end in bleeding?

The Christmas Tree Farm

Last weekend we all loaded up for our annual trip to Santa's Christmas Tree Farm. Before we had even parked, Liv was asking for money to ride the pony. Let me just tell you Santa's farm is an event unto itself, and a $$ maker. Resigned that we were going to spend a small fortune on a dead tree, I was not thrilled to give Santa anymore of my $$. Well the pouting ensued, and I had to remind her of proper behavior, and ask her if we needed to visit the porta-potty, if ya know what I mean ;) Well amazingly smiles returned and we went off to search for a pre-cut tree.



And Mike found it. Grab and bag was his motto. 19.99, perfect... Let's Go!



Well he knew better than that, we have been married for 13 years.

Yes, I reiterated free activities, so Ethan shook that feed machine to get every loose pellet out to feed the goats. Pathetic, I tell you!

How about we go out and chop down a tree this year? We haven't done that since 1998, I tell you we have been coming to Santa's tree farm for a long time. We could probably work here.I'm pretty sure I've helped buy a few tractors, or the porta potty.
So we grab a pole, and a saw, to which Maddy said, Liv's going to hurt someone with that, let me carry it!

Ethan carried the pole. You know that's why we had so many kids, right! Mike and I don't want to have to chop down the tree and carry the saw!

Here we are at the scene of the attack, Maddy swinging the saw, Liv walking behind her, and BAM!

Blood & Tears at the Happiest Place on Earth

A little revenge

So, after carrying Liv with her leg half sawed off (you saw the pic, right!) from the back 40 to the porta potty area, Mike and I decided maybe the 19.99 tree didn't look too bad! Yeah you know there would have to be arterial spray coming from that knee for me say yes to a tree smaller than me, right???

But we did find a nice 8 footer, that we didn't have to take out a second mortgage for. So load em up!!

Ok, now I know I said I didn't buy the little tree, but this is the upstairs "kids" tree purchased by their grandparents...

This is our tree, see Maddy has to climb the windowsill to reach the top.

And Ethan like a good Momma's boy proudly held up the Jeff Gordon ornament, I don't know what happen the the Tony Stewart ornament, Mike . I think I may use this pic for our Christmas card, ok honey?

THE END

Christmas outside lights are next!

Happy Thanksgiving