Weekend happenings..........

We started the weekend out with mom on the bobcat.   I wanted a new flower bed, rock walls of course.   So I found the rocks I wanted then we added dirt.  Here boys even grand son are spreading the dirt.  We added a few more rocks just to make it deeper before we quit.  I need to put wire mesh over it to "doggy proof" it.  Or doggy peafowl proof it.

See how much help the guy with the little shovel in his hand is being?  He really thinks he is dong as much as the big boys.   It won't be long until he is!  He turned three today!  (I am saving birthday pictures for mommy to post.)

MMMM DH BBQ ribs for lunch/supper/snack.... this weeks meals.   They are so good.   I was trying to get this young man to look at me. 

He thought that would require him turning loose of his rib.  That just wasn't going to happen! 

Finally I got him to look at me long enough to snap this picture!  He really is my grandson as he managed to clean his ribs as well as I do mine.  The dogs don't even like mine when I am done with them.  

 

I got to pay grandma and give second grandson his first rib.  

To say it was a hit is an understatement!  He did a great job of his first rib.  Taking it away was the hard part.  He finally gave it up without to much fight. 

I was sitting beside grand daughter.  I had been giving her bites, or licks off of my rib.  She has ONE tiny tooth so she wasn't doing much damage to it.   As I was eating she "snuck" one of the ate ones off my plate.  It was funny as her eyes were on mine as her hand reached over and got the rib.   I made sure it was not a choking hazard on that end and let her go with it.

Her mommy broke her heart when she took it away from her!  She had gnawed on it for a while then mommy was ready for her to get down.   She was NOT ready to give up her BBQ. 

It was a great day of family and food.  

Days of tears and fustration

Yesterday, D11 came in and said Freckles (dog that just had puppies) wasn't moving and there were flies.   Sure enough she was dead.  Why?   I think she had a pup hung in her.  I have been watching her close, but she acted fine.  In fact yesterday morning she was reminding one of the big puppies she was boss.   So I don't really know what was going on.  I picked up the three puppies to discover one was dead.   Just what I need is puppies to bottle.  They are taking a baby bottle well though.   Freckles was over 10.  DIL said son got her after they started talking on line, but way before the met in person.   I am just bummed.  I feel I should have done something, but even today don't know what.   I HATE loosing critters!  Especially long time critters.   That was the tears of the day.  

Frustration comes from children who choose to not do what they know they should.  I have had a running battle with girls and an alarm clock.   They sit it, we hear it and they sleep.   Finally I decided they could get up at 5 (when it goes off) for 7 straight days.   So they get up cut it off and go back to bed.   I explain that next time that happens they will do chores and sit all day.   They did have to test that.  They found it very long, boring and tiring.  I did get the kitchen extra clean that day as it was their day and they would rather clean than sit.    Amazingly they have been up with the alarm for 2 days after that.    Then T decided she would go poof instead of help me yesterday.  I was trying to do something on the computer, not even on the net.  One of those things that require concentration.  Grand daughter was playing in the floor.  T decided she didn't want to watch her so went and hid out in the bathroom.   So she got busted on that.   Then there is D8 who has never been taught self control.   He can do it, but sees no reason to.   I made him a card up that told him he was to SIT and do school, not getting up for any reason except to ask for help on a lesson or potty breaks.   If he didn't obey he would sit the rest of the day.   You guessed it, he had to test.  He spent the day yelling and screaming, "I DON"T WANT TO SIT".   We talk about self control.  We talk about choices.  I ignore him.   It makes for a LONG day, but so does him not doing school because he is popping up and down.   He can do the setting when he wants to.  It is a matter of him wanting too.   He is also doing this yelling at MN if my back is turned.  He is trying to get her in trouble.  I think at times she does things behind my back, but at this point I think it is about 99% him.   She has found her happy spirit again.    In part she doesn't take any junk off of him.  So she calls his hand on tiny things.   It has gotten bad in the bus.  I decided they could sit side beside until they can get along.  Should be interesting traveling with them.

We are working on planning vacation.  I really struggle with wanting to go every year and feeling guilty for leaving chores for others.  I do stream line it as best I can.  This year I need to see if son or DIL want to milk or if I need to dry a cow up.   I am praying that the other cow that is to calve in about a week or so will have a calf that can handle all her milk by Sept.   Other than that maybe the bottle babies will be big enough to make do, or I can stock pile some milk before for them.   Other than that there is gathering eggs and just checking things along.  I don't know why I feel so guilty asking others.  Anyway, I will be spending the next month trying to not feel overwhelmed with leaving stuff for others to do.  Stuff that for the most part I enjoy doing, but know others don't.

I am still working on moving my body.  I have walked every morning for over a week now.   I now pray in part as I walk that God would teach me to LIKE walking.  I look at people that run, it looks so free to do it but then reality sits in and I struggle with just walking.  I walk and pray and walk and sweat and walk and pray and sweat.  I am doing a mile and half in about 30 minutes.  I know many who do so much more.  I am just thankful for having a body that can do that.  I could do more, but that is about all the time I can sneak away.  Girls are up when I leave.  I need to be back before D8 gets up so I can start refereeing between him and MN.  Some days I don't have to, but I never know.

Time to go milk a cow!

Up's and downs of life....

Grand baby went home today :(   I smiled to my self as my 11 yo came through saying, "Mom it feels weired not having K here to watch."  This is the child that 7 months ago didn't have a clue about babies and toddlers. Now he LOVES them.  We had a great time.  He slept good every night.   I have a secret to get him to sleep good.  EXHAUSTION!!!!!   I played him hard every day all day.  Last night he was sitting on the couch just sinking into the couch.  DH scooped him and lay him in the play pen.  Not a sound!  He fussed very VERY litte, even being drug all over the flea market, sams and a chinese restaurant yesterday. 

My puppies picked up hook worms.  I have never had issues with worms in dogs before.   DS's puppy we gave him was sick right before they left.  He took him to the vet and vet said terrible case of hookworms.  My litter mate was acting off so I looked up what types of wormer would kill hook worms and had some.  I wormed her, but she kept getting worse for a few days.   Then last night I noticed that one of the three we had that were 1/2 cur was acting 'off" so I wormed them.  This morning the one that wasn't feeling well last night was very sick.  We pumped him full of eletolights, clorphille, and red cell (which is high in iron.)  I had done that to the other sick puppy last night.  This morning she was MUCH better so I had hope for this puppy.  Sad to say he didn't do as well.  He was dead when we got home this evening.   I have since wormed all the other puppies.  Sick puppy ate a can of dog food tonight.  She seems a LOT better.  

Since we lost one, God saw fit to reward us with OLD dog having puppies.  Funny she had them near where the other pup died.  I don't know how many.   TOOOOOOOOOO many I know that.  I saw 2.  I am not sure she is done having them.  We really thought she was to old to breed, as she has "missed" several times.   So much for that thought!  Anyone want a puppy in 6 weeks?  They are 1/2 mountain cur 1/2 guardian puppy.

I need to wave the white flag on my Bible Study.   I have missed 2 days.  I do not like to miss!!!  I really really am a person when I decide to do something I want to do it 110%.   It bugs me having things not done "right" or the way they are suppose to be.   That said IF I decided to follow a different path that is fine, but once I commit, I like to stay on track.  I am off and can't decide if I want to get back on or just go from here tomorrow.  I will see what tomorrow brings.   

Oh chicks!   I forgot them until I heard them cheep cheep cheep!   Where they came from?  An egg or really two eggs I am guessing.   They were wondering around the barn the other day.   Sooooooo   you guessed it, they are now in the school room, in a little cage, inside a big cage to keep it cat proof since MN's cat is very interested in them, and I don't think it is to make friends with them.  Some more of this life is never dull around here!  

I know life and death are part of life.  It makes me sad when I loose something, but it also helps my children process losses in their life.   There are lots of questions when we loose an animal and lots of tears usually.  This puppy doesn't seem to be so great a loss, maybe because they knew we didn't plan on keeping him.  He was sweet, and I am sad.  Kids are sad, but not broken hearted.   They do know that I did all I could to save it.   We did talk again today about Rosie and Snowball, and how their choices made it unsafe for them to live here.   D11 said those were the first dogs he had ever gotten to know.  :)    It allows more talk of choices and how they effect every one, and every thing.    Life lessons that are tough.   

Guess I better get off here and visit with DH some :)   We don't seem to have time very often when it is quite enough to visit and we aren't wiped out.   Have a blessed evening, and a wonderful week!

Saturday Plans and rambling..

Not sure where all the week went.  I did spend WAY to much time in town this week.   I spent Monday and Tue. researching cell phones since mine had decided to cut off at random.  Most times it would come back on when I turned it on.  Some times I would have to turn it on several times before it would stay.  Have I mentioned how I do not like having to change things unless I want to?   Finally Wed. I was ready to go in and look, feel, touch phones and see which ones I liked best.   The one I thought I would like best I liked least.  My DH was pushing for an iPhone.  I am cheap.  Besides we would have to switch to AT&T to get one.   After looking at phones provided by our server I agreed to check out the competition.   I had to agree the iPhone was easier to use.  My large fingers worked well on the typing etc.  So   I decided to go with an iPhone.  

I had went to town on Wed with a LONG list of things to do.  I did not plan on spending a lot of time on the phone hunt.   So much for my plans.  By the time we had looked at two different places and played with them and listened to the sale pitches of them lots of time had happened.  I managed to do my Wal-mart, but not Sam's or Tractor Supply.   Thursday I had my monthly Heart to Heart for us moms.  So I went in early to finish shopping.   Once I was done shopping I met DH at the iPhone store to get all that done.    It took FOREVER!   :)   I did have a nice evening with another mom that came to Heart to Heart. 

Friday I started learning how to play with my phone.  I do like it.   I have talked on it ONE time :)  I have played with the apps a lot.  I downloaded a GPS application that has a tracker for walking.  This morning I tried it out.  I discovered my morning walk is longer than I thought.  It is 1.51 miles and I walked it at an average of 2.5 mph.  :) with a top speed of 6 mph.  I was impressed with myself!   I did do it a tiny bit later this morning.  I didn't need my flashlight.  I was safely guarded by all the dogs.   I even avoided tripping over any of them or stepping on them.  I did kick a few of them out of my path.   Grizzly is the worst, as he will get in front of you and slow down to a crawl.  I kick his back feet until he gets the message to walk faster or avoid me.

There are so many applications you can download.  I have to be careful or I can get caught up in looking for the ones I like and not do life enough :)   I am still sticking to the no interent during the day for play.  I did get on yesterday morning and register my phone and do that type stuff. 

I have found a weather app that has a radar on it.  That should be fun when we again start getting rain.   I love following the radar.   I found a Bible app that allows me to read the Bible or find different thinks in the Bible all from my phone.  Yes, I am having fun!   No, I am not interested in the games.  I feel this could easily become a thorn in my side.  I will avoid the temptation to start with.  When we were looking the sales person showed me a grocery list that was really neat.  Not sure if that is the one I found or not.   I will play with it and see.   Maybe that way I won't leave my list at home!

We are off to the flea market this morning.   It should be a nice warm day.   I think they are saying 99, which usually means over 100.   I want to run by Sam's also and get some salad stuff as ours didn't come in on produce yesterday.   I got tomatoes and avocados but no romaine lettuce.  Kids want to go eat Chinese too.   They all love it! 

I guess I had better get me moving and go find a cow.  She seems to not remember that I milk every morning and I usually have to retrieve her from the hill.  Kids enjoy it.   I can also check my sheep which seem to be lambing like crazy.  I have 5-8 lambs on the ground it seems.  This is very early for lambs but they will sell early when there are few lambs on the market, making the price higher.  

The Walk

Ever walk alone on a dark road? As I did my early morning walk today I thought about two Bible passages. Matthew 7:14 “Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leatheth unto life, and few there be that find it.” and Psalms 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”. It was DARK this morning. I usually can allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness and see my path. This morning between the blessed grass that covers the “road” on the back side and the darkness I had to break out my flashlight.
I started my walk without it. I just “knew” my eyes would adjust! Usually they do. I stepped in a nice squishy pile of cow poop! Even then I didn’t give in and turn my flashlight on. I then missed my turn and took the scenic route by the dump instead of the straighter path I was planning to walk. When I finally admitted I was on the wrong path I got my flashlight out of my pocket and found my bearings. Then I had to find my way back to the right path.

Once on the right path I had a choice again cut the light out and do it on my own or use the light. I am a slow learner so I cut it off again. I love the feel of the early morning quite and dark, but today it was a tad too dark. After a few steps I surrendered to the flashlight.

Then I had a choice to make. I could shine the light at my feet so I could see the next 1-3 steps or I could shine it off in the distant and see where I was going but not the path that led there. I was really no better off with a light and it pointed way ahead than I was with no light. I still couldn’t put my foot firmly on the path, since I couldn’t see the path. I could see where I was going, just not where my foot needed to be placed next. Since my path lead down a rocky slope then back up the other side, then around a curve and again down a rocky slope knowing where to place my foot was more important than the “big picture” of where I was going. I knew where I was going, I didn't have to see it all time.

On the way back toward the house I could see the light of the house. I knew that was where I wanted to be, but if I focused on that instead of the steps getting there I would have again been lost as I would have had barriers I couldn’t get across (fences) going straight to where I thought I needed to be.

As I took the path to the house which didn’t seem the quickest way, but was the path my flashlight lighted at each step I made I reflected on how much our Christian walk was like my walk this morning.

We just know our way is best. We don’t need help. We step in the cow poop of life. We get on the wrong path. We may even ask God into our life and allow Him to put us on the right path. We again cut the light out and try it our way. Once we admit we need God we still want the big picture. We want to have the whole path lit, not just the next step. As we are looking at the big picture we stumble because our next step isn’t where we are looking. Once we surrender all and allow Him to lead us one step at a time our life changes. Our focus is no longer on where we are going but each step of obedience to get us there. Once we become dependent on His light our walk become easier. We trust His path is best, even when it “looks” like a different path would be.

As we submit all to God then He is able to take us on steeper paths that without our focus being on the next step we would never be able to walk. He can take us over the mountains, not just through the valley. The high paths He will lead us on will take us places we could never dream of going without submitting all to Him, without total dependence and trust in Him. It is where He wants us to be. He wants us to stop and enjoy the view on the path He leads us on. He wants us to stop and look at where the ultimate goal (Heaven) is. That just isn’t where He wants our focus. We need to be focused on the next step He wants us to take.

Productive Day

Well, sorta productive. Dishes still haven't been done. I am NOT saying a word. We will see how long it takes for them to notice that they have dishes and consequences.

MJ made bread all by himself. I got him started and went out side to do my Bible study. I hid! He pulled it off perfect! I'm sure it wasn't done like I would have, but it is DONE and taste great! I assume my wheat grinder and Bosch still both work :)

D11 is cooking fajitas for supper on the grill. He is most excited! He had to bring me a piece of the meat. It is good. I would have seasoned it more, but hey I am not having to do it! We are having that as salad topper for salad tonight. I will have him slice some onion and peppers to go with it. I think I have some salad dressing made or we can have ranch. I am out of the good stuff from Sam's. He is so proud that I am allowing him to cook on the grill. I am amazed at the change I see in him. I am still working on speech issues and praying about him speaking more clear, but slowly it IS happening as my SIL can now understand him if he slows down.

I started my day with a set of triplet lambs in front of ds's house. Since mama was gentle and I wanted her babies to have a good start I brought them to the house and put them in a small patch where she can get extra feed. We are blessed with so much green. I could move her and have her get plenty to eat.

This morning D8 brought the milk cow to the house alone. I took him up on the hill in the ranger. Once we found the cows. I allowed him to bring her home. You have to understand the cow KNOWS where to go. She just needs someone to keep her on track. This is such a big deal as usually when he goes with the other kids he doesn't do well. Yet, he did great bringing her alone. I need to find ways to grow him without big brothers and sisters "help" more.

MN has been in a funk. I don't know how much is being almost 13 and how much is related to past events. She "broke" her computer so she is having to share with her brother. She gets it weekends, early mornings and evenings. She doesn't like that, but hey that is life when you do what mom said do not do. So she went through a, "I just won't do it" time. Her world just keeps shrinking. I think she has about decided maybe she WILL do it. Her choice! I am open to talk and open to helping her, but like I told her you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. She has to want to talk or help, until then small world.

Today T got her chores and school done early. She has played and worked hard at bossing others in their chores all day. Well all the chores but dishes. This should be interesting with the dishes over running the kitchen. I haven't decided how long I will let it go on. I want them to see what happens when it isn't done. Some times actions or lack there of speak louder than words.

Time to go feed babies. I have 5 bottle baby lambs. Or I should say bucket baby lambs. I kept one of the female pyr/anatolian cross puppies. She is with the babies. Over all she is doing good. I have one goat that drinks milk out of a pan, so she and the goat share the leftovers. She washes all the babies faces when they eat to clean them up.


I need to also go check my yogurt and see if it jelled in the BBQ pit all day. With the AC on it doesn't work setting it on the cabinet. I set out to find a "warm" spot and the BBQ pit seems to work great!