Blah, Blah, Blah

We got more snow.

It is cold.

The furnace went out. The kitchen pipes froze.

Blah, blah, blah.

More snow, more cold, more days off school; my mantra this winter. How many days off have we had? So many I've lost count. This I do know. We've had one full week of school since Christmas.

I'm starting to get a little grumpy. I'm not complaining about the days off, but the constant cold (amplified this week by our furnace issue) is wearing on me. The lack of a consistent schedule is wearing on me. I'm ready to say goodbye to this winter that never wants to end. I'm feeling blah. I'm starting to whine.

I need to focus on some positive things.

Our baby girl has a birthday soon! She will be eight tomorrow! Hard to believe.

There are tomato and pepper seedlings growing in my bath tub. Winter can not stay. Even though we woke up to ten degrees this morning, it is supposed to be in the forties and fifties the rest of the week.  Summer will come. There will be sunshine, gardening, and fresh ripe produce to enjoy.

The weather saved me a personal day. I was supposed to be off today anyway. The kids have their Ham, Bacon, and Egg judging this afternoon. Thanks to the weather, I didn't have to get my sub plans together. I didn't have to use a personal day.

The furnace repair is covered under warranty. The furnace is nine years old. The warranty is for ten years. Guess this was a good winter for it to go out. The crazy thing is the problem with it was a piece of insulation The insulation on the door of the unit came off and was sucked into the blower motor.  That is what caused the motor to burn up. I'm also thankful we were home when it happened. We could smell it, and got the unit turned off quickly.

Then of course, there is the truth that none of these things wearing me down are really important. They are all temporary. There is life, peace, and joy regardless of these inconvenient worldly issues. They are temporary the rest is eternal. That knowledge is a light on the gloomiest of days.

Time to enjoy the moment.

How did that Happen?

Dear Kellen,

 I recommend removing your overalls before attempting to wash them.

Love,

Mom

Nostalgia

Moving here was a huge change in our life. It was a change in location, and in lifestyle. It was hardly the end of the changes. There have been many big changes since, and I've come to realize that change really is a constant in this life. When we moved here I was pregnant with Vivian. Our second winter here Kellen looked like this:

Kellen Feb. 2007

Today I took this picture of Vivian:

Vivian Jan. 2014

Notice anything? Vivian is now almost the age Kellen was when we moved here. Vivian is wearing the overalls we bought for Kellen that first winter. Two thoughts enter my head: 1) How can the child that I was pregnant with be as big as my big kid? 2) Those overalls were an incredibly good investment!

Changes, they just keep coming. It seems like yesterday Kellen was that little big kid. He is now getting letters from colleges. He is discussing college, career, and life choices. He preparing to enter the adult world. It is just around the corner. 

He'll be shortly followed by Lydia, then Nolan, and then that little baby I was pregnant with will be on her way to adulthood too. The changes keep coming. There is no sense in fighting it.

This is a Winter

Winter is showing its power this year. It has been cold. There has been snow. It feels like I'm living in Northeast Ohio again. It is downright pretty though, even if it causes a lot more work on the farm.

I have to admit I am pretty spoiled. With both of us teaching now, Tim has taken over the animal chores that I used to do while he was at work. He and the kids take care of the animals, while I take care of the kitchen. That lack of outside work and increased kitchen time is starting to show up on my thighs.

This is how Tim bundles up to go out to feed and thaw water twice a day. Maybe I should buy him a ski mask.....

Yesterday we got another 3" or so to add to what was already on the ground. In the morning there was just your typical pretty snowfall. The afternoon brought a thundersnow shower with pink lightning, a white out, and thunder. It was very cool to watch while cuddled up on the couch. Those who were out and about in it though, were not so impressed.

Most of the animals don't seem to mind the cold all that much. The dogs, in fact, seem to be thrilled with the cooler temperatures and all the white fluffy stuff. They go romping and wrestling back and forth all day long.

The pigs are happy to root around in the snow and to head back to their warm building when they are done. They are happy to see Tim coming too because they know that means feed and water. They line up patiently while he thaws the outside nipples.

We had been leaving the poultry penned up in an effort to keep them in constant water. We decided to buy a heated water base so that we could open their door and let them go out. The turkeys were the only ones brave enough to venture into the white stuff. 

The chickens went to the door, poked at the snow a bit at the top of the ladder, and turned right around and went back in. It was if they were saying, "That is interesting, but no thanks."

We stayed home this morning because the back roads are a mess. Today it is supposed to get in the 40s. We will get a little melt. Then it is supposed to rain and snow, and next week be back to below freezing temperatures. It is sure to be an icy mess. Winter may be pretty, but driving in it is not. Come on spring!

What is two more?

We started back to school Monday. It was a makeup day, but no one seemed to mind after all the days off. We were out of schedule. Students were a bit lethargic, but everyone was ready to get back to a more normal routine.

Then it snowed.

Then the temperatures dropped to the single digits again.

Another two days off of school. The main roads aren't too bad, but the back roads are still a mess. What is the temperature when salt on roads loses it's effectiveness? The forecast looks frigid until Friday.

I'm really not complaining about having the days off. The roads were a mess. I love that with our new schedule, we are all home when there is bad weather. It is just a bit challenging to never quite know what we'll be doing the next day, and daily making the plan up as we go. I like a plan. I can be flexible, but I like a plan.

We have gotten a lot of projects done. We've been a little lazy too. There some other projects, like starting my seeds, and canning the remaining tomatoes in my freezer that I would have gotten done if I'd known we'd be off for six days for a water issue, and now two more days for weather. There are projects I should have done like de-clutter and clean the house that I just couldn't find the motivation for.

Today we had frozen pipes for the first time in years. The temperature was really much colder than a few weeks ago, but we are guessing the wind had something to do with it. That and the fact that last week Tim fixed some loose duct work under the house. The fix kept heat going into the house instead of under it. Tim got to go under the house again today for the pipes.

I am thankful that we are home these days when the temperatures do not even approach the freezing mark. It is a challenge to keep fresh water for the animals on these days. It would be even harder if we were leaving early in the morning and not getting home until late afternoon.

We left the poultry inside today. They would be ok outside, but it is almost impossible to keep their water thawed with their door open. We really should get a water heater for them.

The hog house is set up with pig doors that have heavy flaps on them. We also heat the hog house because it is plumbed. The pigs are able to come and go as they please between the house and pasture. About the only time we will confine them inside is for weaning or when there are new piglets and cold temperatures.

Today's high in the low 20s did not deter them from coming out. This pasture was just recently opened up. There are still lots of nuts under those leaves, and it is partially a garden spot that is full of potatoes we chose not to harvest for ourselves.

The feeders are a little shy. They took off running from the fence when I walked up to them. They stopped at the trees. As I talked to them, they looked and started to come back. They know Tim's voice better than mine. I didn't wait for them. They might not mind the cold, but I do.

The two sows in that pasture, on the other hand, know my voice. They were in the opposite corner when I approached the fence. They came running toward me as soon as I started talking. I felt a little guilty I hadn't brought them a treat. Very pregnant, but young, LuLu was the first to arrive. Steady old Charcoal was right behind her. 

Our new schedules have meant Tim tends the animals more, doing the jobs that I used to do when I was home and he was working 50+ hours a week. After school he tends animals, and I tend house chores. I kind of miss going out and talking to the animals and watching them. I'm glad to have him do though when the temperatures are below freezing!

Here we are about 3:00 in the afternoon. Tim ran into town for some feed. He said the back roads are still completely covered, sheets of ice in places. There are now WV school closings, yet, but neighboring counties in KY are closing, one even closing for Friday already. Guess I need to make two plans for tomorrow.

Extra Farm Time

So cold that they didn't want to go out. 

Slowly, but surely, water is being restored to the areas affected by the chemical spill last week. It looks like we may actually go back to school this week. Starting on our normal routine again is going to be challenging. Our last day of school, before Christmas, was December 20th. Since that day we've had a nice long Christmas break. We didn't go back the first two scheduled days because of the Polar Vortex. The next day we went back with a two hour delay. Then we had one full day. That was the day of the chemical leak into the Elk River. We haven't been back since.

I hate that we are not in school because of the chemical spill. I really hate that our friends in that area have gone without water for almost 5 days now. Don't throw things at me, but I am really enjoying our time at home. Between the cold and the rain, the weather hasn't been super co-operative for getting things done outside, but we have managed a few projects.

This winter we tried something new for our bunnies. We moved them into what was originally intended to be a goat house, but was converted last summer for broilers. We don't raise broilers during the winter. The shed was empty at the end of the summer. Caring for rabbits in the winter, is not that challenging except for water. Keeping them in water was always difficult, and one of the reasons we stopped raising rabbits for a few years.

This year we decided to put the rabbits inside for the winter. We didn't move the hutches inside. We put the does and weaned young ones loose in the pen. We did move one pen inside for the buck. You know what can happen if the buck has free access to girls. Well, we wanted a little control on that. We had to make a couple of adjustments early on because we had a couple of escape artists, but after that the whole system worked well. Instead of the normal rabbit water bottles and hanging feeders, we moved a chicken feeder and waterer in. The only time the water has frozen was during the Polar Vortex when temperature lows were around zero and highs in the teens.

We bred two of the does. They did fine with the kindling. The kits did well until about a week and a half. We lost a few then. I think it was because they were able to get out of the nest and too far away too early. We are going to work on a better set up for that.

They now are about three weeks old. I love the babies at this age. So darn cute!

This one wanted to hide in Kellen's sleeve and pocket.

Nolan is taking rabbits to the fair this year. We used some of our extra time this week to have him work with and sex the rabbits. We definitely have unique rabbit personalities in that barn right now. This doe was a screamer. Rabbits rarely make much noise, but when in pain or scared,  they have a horrible high pitched scream that makes your hair stand on end. I have never heard a rabbit scream like this one. Catching them and holding them is not normally cause for screaming. She screamed from the moment I put my hand on her. I was trying to hold her and calm her, and she just kept screaming. It was torture for us all.

Then she did another crazy thing. Once Tim got her situated and calmed, she played dead. She just laid there on her back perfectly still for the longest time. I've never seen anything like it. She doesn't have a name yet, but Drama Queen may be fitting don't you think?

We culled the extra bucks. We culled some old hens. We've moved hogs, loaded hogs, and switched their pasture. We've did a little organizing, a little canning, and a little cleaning. We've watched a lot of movies, played games, and spent a lot of time together. It really has been super enjoyable, but I am glad people are getting water back. Glad that we may get back into the normal routine soon! Of course, there is snow in the forecast for the next few days. ;)

A little water. A little food.

A year and a half ago there was the Derecho that left some without power for two weeks.

A few months later, Hurricane Sandy, surprised West Virginia with an October snow storm that left us without power again.

Just a week ago, a polar vortex froze the nation.

Strange weather happens. Power goes out. Road and weather conditions sometimes make it unwise to venture out.

Now, the nation is talking about an  industrial accident here in West Virginia. A state of emergency has been

http://wvpublic.org/post/5-things-we-dont-know-about-drinking-water-emergency-west-virginia

declared, and thousands have been told not to use their water for any purpose except toilet flushing. Thankfully, we are not affected by this ban, but not by much. The red circle is the edge of the affected water systems. We are just on the other side of that line in Cabell County.

Reading people's reaction on websites and social media makes me angry. Yes, I get that water is necessary. Yes, I understand frustration and anger at the situation. What angers me is the finger pointing, the blaming, the demanding, and mostly the expectation that someone (the government) needs to step in and save those affected RIGHT NOW. While there may be fingers to point and blame to place, that needs to happen later. None of this groaning and moaning helps the immediate problem at hand.

Help yourself. Help each other. If you are depending on the government's help in a crisis, you will be waiting. We as individuals can react more quickly, and efficiently.

Derecho, Sandy, Polar Vortex, and Industrial Accidents; They happen. How many times do these things have to happen before we all learn to prepare a little. This isn't doomsday prepping. This isn't apocalyptic thinking. This is reality. Put a little food aside. Put a little water aside. Be prepared for freak weather or industrial accidents. Take care of yourself. Put a little more food and water aside, and help take care of your neighbors.

Don't be among the masses running to the store at every prediction of bad weather. Don't be among those throwing a tantrum like a toddler because they are inconvenienced and can't have what they want now. Be proactive. Be independent. Be prepared.

That must be it.

This kid.

This one.

Look at that face. Can you see it?

He is so cute, adorable even at times, to the point that you just want to cuddle him and kiss his cute little cheeks. He can be charming, sweet, and has a very tender heart.

Behind that lovable facade lives the heart of one ornery little boy. A little boy who knows everyone's buttons, and just how to push them. A little boy who sometimes does not know when he has crossed the line which can result in frustrated and angry family members.

This child was a pleasure to have home over Christmas break. We had a restful and enjoyable break. On the whole, the family got along well, and we saw the lovable side of Nolan. The bickering among all the kids was minimal, even during the four hour stretches of travel time when we were visiting family.

Today was our first day back after our Christmas break which was extended two days because of the bitter winter weather that swept the nation. We started back to school with a two hour delay. We ended the day with our normal car ride home plus a stop for feed. It was no fun.

Nolan was loud. He was talking in obnoxious voices. He couldn't keep his mouth closed to save his life, often talking about nothing to no one, after everyone had asked him to be quiet. By the time we got home, Kellen was on the verge of strangling Nolan. Tim had a headache, and I wanted to ground Nolan for the rest of his life.

Admittedly, there is a certain toll the school day takes on us all. We are all a little tired, and a little less tolerant by the end of the day. Well, all of us except Nolan. He seems to be bursting at the seams, physically and verbally. This isn't just today, but most days on the way home from school.

Then it occurred to me why he is like that at the end of the day. He has had to sit still, raise his hand, not talk when he really wants to, and generally behave the entire day. He does it well. Did I mention he received an obedience award at school? After 8 hours of quiet, still, good behavior, he is truly about to burst with words and movement.

So, this kid, that cute one up there in the picture, needs to burst at school before all the family has to ride home with him in a small space. This kid needs to do jumping jacks, run around the gym, and be silly before we leave school. This kid needs to vent somehow before he makes his family crazy.

Let the ornery out!

Bring back the adorable!

Something Special

Someone was just a little excited about their Christmas present. It was so much fun to watch her! She told me awhile back that she wanted a new bike for Christmas, but knew she wouldn't get it because it was too expensive. I really didn't give it much thought until I was doing some online Christmas shopping and found an great deal on a cute girly bike!

The hand me down bikes we have are boyish, and truth be told, not in the best shape. Last summer Vivian wanted to learn to ride, but some of the bikes were too small. Some were too big, and often there were tires or other things that needed fixed. She tried a couple times to learn, but was easily discouraged. Then Christmas morning she got her very own bike.

And that folks, is all the motivation she needed. Once she and Tim had the bike put together, she was riding in a matter of minutes. Now every couple of hours she pipes up, "I am going to go take a bike ride," and off she goes. She has trouble going up hills, but on the level or down the hills, she is riding as if she has been riding for years. I guess she just needed a little more time, and a shiny new pink bike.

The Week Before Christmas Break

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas at school were intense. There wasn't a normal schedule week in the mix. There was a holiday meal. There were snow delays and a snow day that cancelled a concert, and rescheduled it so that both the elementary and middle school/ high school concerts were the same night. There were extra practices, and time spent in class on music. Bible lessons, reading lessons, music, crafts, and discussions were all pointing to the coming celebration of the birth of Jesus. All this building the excitement and anticipation of Christmas and Christmas break. The final week of school included our concerts, and parties.

This is my class the night of the concert. I had put up some of the morning work for the next day. They came in that night and got to work. They crack me up.

These are my four monkeys. It seriously is impossible to get a decent picture of all four of them at once. ~sigh~ The boys were thrilled to wear bow ties! Lydia was less than thrilled to wear a dress, but Vivian loved it!

The elementary concert went very well. The 5th grade band played. (Sixth grade band plays with the middle school.) The kindergarten sang a few Christmas songs. K-6 sang Joy to the World in English and in Spanish. Then 1-6 had their program. The program was "How Far is it to Bethlehem?" The songs in this program are very sweet and tender. They teared me up a bit. Tim got teared up a bit at the concert too. 

Elementary Concert

Can you find the Appletons? Lydia top row. Nolan in the middle. Viv second row.

Lydia sang in a small group.

Originally the two concerts were scheduled for two nights. The snow day cancelled the original date for the middle school and high school concert. That concert was moved to the same night as the elementary. It was a very intense day, but it was nice to have it all at once. It was nice to not have the kids out late two nights. There is talk of combining the concerts next year too. We will see. 

The older student concert was a nice variety. There was band, choir, and guitar pieces, but also a good mix of solo music and dramatic speaking. 

Guitar Class

Kellen and Ben playing Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring.

Guitar class with middle school choir.

Tim gave the tenors a little support on their a capella piece. 

The concert was Tuesday. Friday was our last day before break. It was a half day and consisted mostly of our Christmas parties. The wonderful moms of my class arranged all the food and the craft activities for the party. They did a great job. One of the craft activities involved getting my hands dirty. 

The kids had to get their hands dirty too. And look what we made. A memento of my first class at CLCS.

It isn't a party without food! 

Thank you moms of second grade. (Thanks too for the pictures I swiped. My camera died that morning.) 

With that, we began our Christmas break. I can not tell you how satisfying it was to come home and unpack those lunch boxes and put them away in the closet. It was wonderful to stay in bed an extra hour or so on this Monday morning. Teaching is enjoyable, but intense. Breaks are extra sweet! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Ahhh I needed this.

And here I am again at the end of another month wondering where the heck time went. Life is always busy, but these fall months have been a whirl wind. I knew I would turn around and the holidays would be upon us. Here they are. While these months may or may not have been busier than before, our time is certainly less flexible. Daylight hours are too short, and filled with school. Weekends are a rush of errands, farm work, and church. I hesitate to say much. I don't want to sound like I'm whining and complaining. I know we made this choice. Truth is we really like our jobs. We really like the school. I am grateful, and I don't think this choice was a mistake. I'm just tired. We are still adjusting.

Then this week at school came. It was more laid back. My class did different and fun things. We cooked a pumpkin and made bread in the crock pot and butter to go with it. We made crafts. We were supposed to have 2 1/2 days, but because of threatening weather our 1/2 day was canceled.  A five day weekend was ours to enjoy.

Our Thanksgiving was laid back and relaxed. We watched the parade. We had a small group (for us) of nine for lunch. We had a typical spread with a few surprises which included a lot of local ingredients and things from our farm. It was delicious, and we all stuffed ourselves. After dinner we went for a walk.

Grateful Turkeys

Can't go without the dogs.

We visited momma turkey hen. We had three hens sit on nests this fall. The first hatched a small clutch that we found cold and weak. None of that first clutch survived. The second hen hatched out 10 which seem to be strong and thriving. We have moved them to the brooder pen. This hen is still sitting on her eggs. We  really didn't expect any fall poults. We consider these a bonus, and hope they will be some nice big Thanksgiving turkeys for next year.

Producing for next Thanksgiving

Normally, we go and chop our own tree at a local tree farm. Yesterday, kind of on a whim, we decided to chop some from our own property. Generally, our pine are tall and straggly, but there were a few in a more open area that were a bit fuller, and decent for a Christmas tree.

This tree will work.

Mamaw's tree.

They may not be as nice as the commercial trees, but they are pretty in their own natural way. Of course the saved time, money, and self sufficiency of it makes me smile. It also makes me think we should thin out some of our pine groves, or transplant some to more open areas so we can have our own trees every year.

We took the trees back to the house. We trimmed ours a bit to fit, cleared the space, and dug out the tree stand. Tim got it all set up, and Lydia started to fill it with water. Then we heard the water pouring more than into the stand. Then we saw the carpet getting wet. Our stand had a hole in it. So, the tree is back outside, in a bucket of water. Tim is looking for a tree stand this afternoon while running other errands. Decorating will wait for tomorrow. We ended the day with more food and games.

Today, Tim spent the morning cleaning up outside around the farm. He got a trailer load of scrap. It is amazing how things accumulate around the farm. I intended to start Christmas baking, but cleaned up the rest of yesterday's mess, paid some bills, did a little online Christmas shopping, and here I sit some more on the computer. It has been a nice, easy, and relaxing day.

And it is only Friday!

It seems like our weekend should almost be over. It feels like I should be in that night before school press of laundry, lunches, paper grading, and crock pot meal planning, but it is only Friday. It just now is the weekend! Lydia even remarked how long this weekend feels, and that we might be bored on our 3 week Christmas break. Oh no, I do not think so girl! This is fabulous. All of us at home, and house and farm projects getting done at a leisurely pace. This is just what I needed, and Christmas break will be even better. I am giddy with anticipation for summer.

This extra long holiday weekend is just what I needed. I feel refreshed, and ready to go back to it, at least in a couple days that is.

Innocence

I think it is a universal challenge for parents with more than one child. With the oldest, it is easy to protect, to shelter, to control what they see, read, or eat. Then when the next child comes along it is more challenging. The older child is an influence on the younger. The older child is watching and doing things appropriate for their age, but the younger child is exposed. By the time you have four children with an eight year age difference, the youngest child watches things you would have never have dreamed of letting the oldest see at the same age.

As we mom's always tend to do, I've felt some guilt over this. Nolan and Vivian didn't watch Bob the Builder, Sesame Street, Dora, or many other little kids shows like their older siblings. Kellen and Lydia were already beyond those kids shows and the younger ones wanted to watch what the older ones wanted. The trend has continued through the years, and I've often been amazed at what we allow the younger ones to watch when I think of what the older two loved at the same age. They all watch Dr. Who for goodness sake! At seven (Vivian's age now) Kellen's favorite show was Fetch (PBS.) It is what it is, I guess, and I don't know how it could have been different unless we didn't watch any TV or everyone had their own TV in their rooms.

The same has happened with their music. The youngest never really listened to children's songs. They listen to what Kellen listens too, and sometimes his choices are interesting to say the least. He has quite eclectic taste in music, and thankfully has been wise enough to weed out most music with explicit lyrics, especially when his siblings are present.

Today Lydia, Nolan and I were working in the kitchen. Nolan was singing something softly. I really didn't hear it, but Lydia says to him, "Nolan, I think that song is about gambling." Her tone clearly implied that he shouldn't be singing that song. Nolan argued that it has nothing to due with gambling, but was about chasing the the Lucky Charms leprechaun.  Say what?!

So, he sings me a bit of the song, "Up all night, just to get lucky."

It was hard to keep a straight face, but I managed to ask him how he knew the song was about Lucky Charms. He back tracked a bit, and admitted he didn't know for sure. He continued to make his case for how this made perfect logical sense. Lydia went right along with him. I just smiled to myself, and said a quick prayer of thanks for their adorable innocence. May it last for a long, long, time.

Say Goodbye to October

The weeks fly by. Next week is a busy one, and we'll turn around and it will be November! October was full of activities.

Kellen traveled with his friend, Savannah,  and her family to D.C.  I never quite know how to refer to Savannah. Neither of them like the term girl friend. For a time, we referred to her as his romantic interest. We have called her the girl he is courting, but that is a mouthful. So, his friend, Savannah, it is. They actually went in September, but didn't come back until October. So, that still counts for October activity doesn't it?

All reports were that it was a great time. Kellen tolerated the ball game they attended, and then he and Savannah were in intellectual heaven visiting book stores and museums. He did complain a little about the American Girl Doll museum and the 50+ pictures Savannah took there. The tables were turned though when they spent the entire day in the Aerospace Museum, and according to Kellen, still did not see all he wanted to see.

Lydia spent a week in Florida with my mom, brother, his family and in-laws. They went to Disney and Sea World. Lydia got to go for the price of her airfare. The trade off was she got to be a helper to the adults for all the younger kids!

They all had a great time. Lydia came back pretty tired, but I think she thought it was worth it.

I took my class to the Heritage Farm Museum. The items at the museum are a perfect fit with our history curriculum. We had talked a lot about farming and colonial times. Earlier that week we had talked about apprentices and the printing press. It was fun to see those connections being made when they saw in real life the things we had discussed in class.

Three 300lb pigs went with us to school one day. My class had been asking me to bring a pig in since they found out we had pigs. I think they had a little pig in mind, but we brought big ones instead. The hogs were Kellen, Lydia, and Nolan's Ham, Bacon, and Egg projects. They had to be to the processor that afternoon. Getting there in time meant the pigs came to school with us on a trailer. As you might imagine, they got a lot of attention that afternoon. Kids of all ages also got an education about where ham and bacon come from. 

Today, Nolan and Lydia went with their classes to the Columbus Zoo. Tim is on his way now to pick them up. The report from another parent whose husband went was that the weather was pretty miserable. It actually snowed. The animals weren't out. (Who can blame them?!) That was an adult perspective. I am betting a child's perspective will be a little different. We sent them well bundled, and I think they are going to think running around the zoo with friends is going to be pretty awesome regardless of the weather and animal activity. 

Tomorrow the kids are off school. The teachers have in service. (Which is why I am writing on a Thursday night instead of grading papers or making lesson plans.) My kids are so excited. They will be going to our homeschool co-op with Savannah's family. They can't wait to see their friends. 

We are processing chickens on Friday, turkeys with another farmer on Saturday, and the list of before winter farm tasks is very long. Next week is Grandparents Day, and there is a bustle of activity leading up to that day. There is a half day of school Friday, and Monday is all day/evening parent teacher conferences. 

Do you hear the circus theme in your head? I do. My head is spinning. 

Today. at school, a parent that helps at lunch time told me she knew that she knew me from somewhere. She figured it out. She has been reading my blog. She asked me how we are teaching and doing everything else. The answer is we are not. 

As an aside do any of you fellow bloggers find it awkward when you meet someone who reads your blog? Maybe I'm just weird. It is flattering when someone says they read your blog, but then my first thought is always, "They know so much about me." I'm sure that sounds stupid. I know I write a public blog. But those of you who know me in real life, know I'm not nearly as talkative in person. I can't explain why I enjoying sharing so much more in writing. Anyhow, mom who I talked to today, if you are still reading,  sorry if that conversation was completely awkward. :) 

There are things that aren't getting done now, but it seems like no matter what we are doing, we can't get it all done. When we weren't teaching, Tim was working crazy hours, and I was spending a lot of time on things for The Wild Ramp. As much as we think, and say we want a quiet, simple life, it seems we are quite good at filling up every minute of our day with some sort of activity. I'd like to put the blame on "the world we live in," but I have to admit that even though we say no to a lot of things, we are the ones responsible for this crazy busy life. It will calm down some day won't it? In the meantime, we'll be doing the things we love, the things we need to, and trying to keep up with all that entails. 

And November is almost here, and the holidays. . . 

Time Flies By

We are quickly approaching the middle of October, and the end of the first nine weeks of school. WOW! What can I say about school now? It is exhausting. That doesn't mean we don't like it. It just means we are very tired by the end of the week.

The kids seems to have found a groove, and our school days and evenings are going much more smoothly. Some still have a lot of work to do outside of classroom time, but time management and attitudes have certainly improved. The kids are making friends, and enjoying the school activities. This week was spirit week, and the kids enjoyed dressing up for the various themed days. I had to laugh though when they asked, "What is a pep rally?!" 

The elementary classes have a character trait award every week in chapel. Last week's trait was obedience. Lydia and Nolan both won the award for their class! I was so excited for them. Surprised for Nolan, perhaps, but still excited and proud. We were pretty confident he would respond well to the structure of school. We were right. He is doing very well academically too. Math is the only things he isn't doing as well as hoped, and that is because he needs to memorize his multiplication tables. 

And in the meantime on the farm.....

Things still happen on the farm, though mostly on Saturdays. We recently were awarded a grant from the Fund-a-Farmer Project to improve our pastured poultry production. We have set up phase one  with electric net fencing, a portable shelter and new outdoor 50lb feeder. This is going to be a great set up that allows us to keep the poultry on fresh grass, and get them to parts of the property we were unable to use before. We are finishing up our last batch of broilers for the season on it now. We also have some roasters in that pen too. And you may notice a laying hen or two in there. Those girls adopted the roaster chicks. They've been good mommas to them. One even chased a hawk off one day. We decided they could stay.

In the garden, we have set up our low tunnel. This tunnel was part of grant program organized by The Wild Ramp. This cover is just a heavy row cover, but we also have plastic to use for colder weather. Now, if I could just get it planted.... I plan to start various greens and am considering trying a few other things yet this fall. We will have this set up, and will hoop house our raised beds also. 

We've experimented with season extension before by riggin' together our own hoops. It has worked fairly well. I really like the set up on this made for the purpose tunnel. It should be easier to use and more sturdy. We'll see what we can grow!

Plugging Away

We are entering into week five of school. It seems like the first day of school was just yesterday. Most days it seems like we are still figuring out this new schedule and new responsibilities. Every now and then I catch a fleeting moment of feeling like I have it all under control. My standard answer to the question, "How has school going?" is this, if I had only gone back to work, it would be going well. If only the kids had gone to school, it would be going fairly well. The two together is very intense.

This is a good school. The students, while not perfect, are well behaved and respectful. The staff is friendly. The academic level is high. Even in this good school, I am daily reminded of the inherent flaws in the way we do school. In my own classroom of ten there is a huge gap in abilities. Challenging the one end while keeping the other with us is so very difficult. These kids don't think for themselves. They don't do for themselves. They are great at following instructions, but that only gets you so far in life. Now whether that is the "system" or parenting is hard to say, but it bothers me.

I see the flaws affect my own children. I have one who is frustrated that the classes are moving too slowly. I have one who is acing all reading assignments, but failing math, and struggling with a load of homework every night because they work at a slower pace and the things aren't getting complete in class. Another who is doing fairly well, but has a hard time sitting still, and refraining from sharing stories every time they come to mind.

We moved both girls down a grade level. Vivian wasn't quite on the same reading or math level as the rest of the second grade. She may have been able to struggle through if I wasn't the second grade teacher. In my class, when she struggled she wanted to be mommy's baby. She is shining in the first grade, and we are both much happier.

Lydia has always struggled with math. She just couldn't make the jump to sixth grade math. In hindsight, I should have know that wasn't going to work. Moving to the fifth grade has helped, but it is still very hard work for her. She is often frustrated by her school work.

I've struggled with feeling like I've failed the kids. It is hard to see them struggle, and not feel like you failed by not preparing them adequately. But then this is one of my gripes about the system of school. Very few talents are appreciated. Academic and athletic strengths get all the glory. If you don't shine there, it easy to get lost in the crowd, or to feel like a failure. I wish Lydia could get a grade for her cooking skills, or for her caring and nurturing skills. She is an incredibly talented and wonderful young lady, but right now also a very frustrated one.

The kids are learning valuable skills, beyond academics, that we missed at home. They all have been learning to be better organized. They are learning to meet different expectations and deadlines. They are learning better time management.

Tim and I are enjoying being together more. Tim is much less stressed and tired. I like to tease him that he is the only one in the family who has gotten a win win from our new schedule. We are certainly enjoying the new found wiggle room in the budget. That is a huge stress removed for us both.

A wise friend and mother of eight once told me that you never make a decision about having more kids while you're pregnant or when you have a new baby. The time is just too intense. There is too much stress. The emotions run high. You can't make a rational judgment. I am applying that same logic to this situation. Am I glad we made change? Ask me at Christmas, or maybe in June. :)

Tending the Bees

Bees are one of many things on our list of "we've like to have someday." I'm a little in awe of bees and their important role as pollinators, and of the delicious honey that they produce. Start up costs, and lack of knowledge have kept us from diving into that area of agriculture.

A beekeeper we know through The Wild Ramp, Gabe, mentioned his backyard was getting pretty crowded with the bee hives he was keeping there. We mentioned that we would love to have bees on our property. A few weeks later he brought out four hives.

Last weekend he came to tend them, and see if there was any honey. He brought an couple extra bee keeping jackets so we could watch, learn,  and help.

Gabe was great at explaining as he worked. Unfortunately, Nolan and Lydia weren't home, but the rest of us learned a lot. The honey production was disappointing, but Gabe said that is the story of all bee keepers in our area this year.

The bees are kept near one of gardens. I just love to watch them and their coming and goings while I'm there working. They have been up there all summer long, and the only person to be stung has been Tim. He has been stung multiple times while working in the garden. It is kind of strange. For some reason the bees must think he is a threat.

We are so happy to have those little pollinators and honey makers here!