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That was my fault, sorry...

Today I took N to school. Usually he rides the bus, but I had to hang posters for the Fall festival, so why not give him a ride, right?

So we get to school, drop him off, hang the posters and I am going over details with the principals secretary to make sure everything is approved that needs to be. All the little ones are behaving well.

Then B has to go potty, and the secretary goes to check room availability for this months PTO meeting. That is when it happened. J, the 2 year old has spotted a red lever on the wall, it shone in the sunlight, and had a handle. Apparently, it called to him.

What do you think happened next?

Yep he pulled it.

The alarm rang. Loudly.

People start moving, I apologize, they know he did it, but it is too late.

The fire department is on the way, the sirens are blaring we are asked to evacuate. I apologize again and B comes running from the bathroom.

Again I apologize. Then I go to the car and leave. I feel like I am sneaking away from a crime scene. The sirens are louder now. I pass the fire engine a half a block away from the school.

I feel awful, but what do I do?

On the bright side, I now know with out a doubt if there ever was a fire a N's school the firemen will be there pronto.

Oh, the joys of having a curious 2 year old, that does before he asks.

NAIS...

I have been reading all over the Internet about this new? government (USDA) program that is being implemented, and boy am I confused!!!

From what I understand NAIS is a voluntary program for farmers, homesteaders, and ranchers to register their property and their livestock so that the animals can be tracked from birth to slaughter. Okay, I understand someone might want to know where an animal has been, but what is wrong with just keeping a log? and this is supposed to combat terrorism by preventing terrorists from doing something to our food sources. Now, this is where I started to get confused. A terrorist is going to give a cow TB or something and kill the country???

Then I read where NAIS is completely voluntary, but in Michigan there is a case where they got a search warrant to tag all of the cows and in Colorado kids were banned from participating in the State fair since their parents ranches were not registered with NAIS, What???

Apparently other "industrialized" countries are doing it so, we need to too, but it is expensive, and jeopardizes farmers privacy and requires them to immunize all animals ( say goodbye to antibiotic and hormone free!!!) . Also all animals any one Might think of ever eating including horses ( come on when was the last time you ate horse???) have to be registered. This is insane. And expensive enough that it could put many small farms out of business.

While I am admitting I don't know that much about it, and I am very confused, I am against NAIS. I also think this isn't something we need to leave for the farmers, ranchers, and homesteaders to fight for on their own. Everyone who enjoys freedom, and privacy, and organic, antibiotic free food needs to step up on this one and Just say NO! Apparently it is even being done sneakily some places where it is being hidden inside of a general farm bill.

Anyways, if anyone can give me more information, or help me get un-confused about this please leave me a comment or email me.

Mr. Rickity

My painting friend, who is there for all my painting needs, well at least those that are small. When using Mr. Rickity to paint, it is an adventure all it's own, you sway you wobble and feel like you will fall, it is a constant mode of balance, while holding a painter full of wet paint, and then once you get comfortable and think things are under control...

You jolt the opposite way!

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Winter came early!!!

In these parts, we traditionally get our first snow on Halloween. Usually right in the middle of Trick-or-Treating, but not this year! We awoke this morning to big white flakes covering everything, and by mid morning it was sticking in the street enough to have some fun...

Does anyone else notice how N's outfit looks a little Hill-billyish? I was laughing once I realized it, but he was outside in his thermal underwear, a fur lined camouflage cap with ear flaps - unbuttoned, and camo snow pants that are about six inches to long (I bought the wrong size, and we are expecting a growth spurt soon, it has been awhile for him..) no gloves, no socks ( yes Grandma he was wearing snow boots) and no shirt or jacket!!! Oh well...

a little complainer...

So speech therapy has been going great. J loves his "tea-her Donna" and asks for " my Tea-her?" at least once a day; and can now actually say teacher and Donna! I can understand 98% of what he says without a problem, and if you are listening to him, most people can understand about 75%.

One of the great joys of J learning how to communicate so we can all understand him, is that he likes to complain. A lot. I am now bombarded with a variation of complaints. "Ahi hit me", " Ailey ook my shirt off!!!", "No, mine!", "no, baby! My Juice! and the list goes on and on...

It almost makes me wish he couldn't talk sometimes, but then he will be super sweet and say "Iss baby." "me too" and " chicken peas! " And I am so glad he is finally able to communicate with us.

Ai Ai Ai Ai

The woes of house sales with 4 little ones in the house. It is very difficult to keep ones house looking "picture perfect" at all times. The dishes all done, the beds all made, laundry put away, bathrooms tidy with no fingerprints anywhere, the yard clear of toys and whatnot (from the dog) and the toys all picked up!!!

And to top it off, now I have to paint! Now normally I love to paint, however, not when I am trying to keep all the kids busy ( fall break = no school) and the house picture perfect. We are to "neutralize" the colors in our home. Realtors don't care that they are what is shown on HGTV and in the design magazines, and apparently the potential buyers don't like it either, so I am painting.

All this cleaning has really but into my blogging time, and fodder, unless you want to hear the trials and tribulations of making a bathroom sparkle while trying to potty train, or how to cook dinner and keep the kitchen spotless!

So wish me luck today the painting begins!!!

Pick a peck of pumpkins

Despite being cloudy all day we went over to Rock Creek Farms to pick a 6 pack of pumpkins. With snow predicted for tomorrow, and Aba working next weekend, we felt it would be more fun to pick the pumpkins before we needed to dig them out of the snow!!! We attempted to follow Grandma with the fishies tradition of allowing the children to pick the largest one they could carry, and it went well with N, but Miss B had some trouble and as she started to cry it was to big, it began to rain! So with 2 other kids to get pumpkins for still as well as our own, Aba gave in and carried it for her. Maybe we will try again next year, although hopefully then instead of carrying the pumpkin to the car, we will be carrying them in from our own field! So for this year I did the best I could under the circumstances to get some pictures and follow tradition. Fortunately they only charged us for the pumpkins, and not for the 15 lbs of mud we brought home on our boots!!!

PTO makes me crazy!!!

I have no idea why I signed up to help, probably because I had no idea just how dysfunctional and frustrating they could be!

If I ever try to volunteer again, shoot me!

Somehow I got involved in the fall festival, no I am not the lead, but the lead seems to lack, how do you say it nerve. Less than a a month away from the event and she still didn't have an official proposal, no budget, no estimated costs. It is a good thing that after Aba and I discussed the situation today when he got home we decide that this event better not get screwed up since the Kids are building booths for it! So I made a proposal, got a budget, and worked the particulars. And we got approved for funds. But now incompetent team leader is at the reins again. I would happily take over just to get the thing done with, but she won't share any information, just asked tons of opinions of anyone possible and then doesn't do anything with the info!!! Aaarghh! I am so frustrated.

And to top it off, now she wants to change the date and time yet again! It is less than a month away, we are on break for the next 2 weeks, and the date has already been approved and publicized!

I seriously think after this event, if we haven't sold our house yet, I am removing myself from the PTO. I do not think I can handle there incompetence anymore.

On your mark...

Get set...



Go slippers!!!

Do you think they like there new slippers???

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No, I am not nuts, maybe just a bit crazy

Inspired b y the post at Absolutely Bananas

The future: we were promised robots and hovercrafts and vacations to mars. But we have none of these. The future was always painted as a happy place where all was perfect. Where is all of that? All I hear about lately is war: Iraq, Afganistan, and now Iran!!! Global warming, how the ice caps are melting, the ocean is rising and stronger hurricanes!

Now I know some people say the American economy is doing great, and others say it is sinking. I don’t really know. But what I do know is that I want to do everything I can to provide my family with food and shelter. Along with a safe place in which to live and grow, and they have a lot of growing left to do! The other day for Breakfast a dozen eggs, 4 potatoes worth of hash browns and a pound of sausage and they were asking for more (Duggars how do you do it?).

It is no wonder so many people are turning back to the land, not to escape, but to try and improve not only their quality of life, but life for all. Now there are many ways of doing this from the most severe of going completely off grid, raising everything you eat and homeschooling, to doing small things like buying locally grown, switching lightbulbs out to fluorescent bulbs, and the 3 R’s : reduce, reuse recycle. Now don’t panic,.We are not going to the extreme here. Personally I am not really into homeschooling; but I am into gardening, and chickens. A garden is easy to grow – if you have the room. Chickens are fun and easy – again if you have the room. A cat would be great (I have always wanted one) especially if it stays outside and keeps the rodents out of the garden. And who knows what else will arrive ( I miss the goats we had to give away in the city). Best of all the food our kids eat will be clean. Organic. Fresh. Pure. Anyways…

Every little change each of us makes can help everyone. It is a combined effort people!!! So one day soon, once our house in suburbia sells (fingers crossed it will be soon) we will move to our own little piece of land and live one of the earliest American dreams.

Where have I Been?

I have been down for the count with a super high temperature for the past 3 days. During which Baby B became a cling-on which I allowed because a) I was to out of it to do any different b) I figured she might not be feeling well either, and c) I think she is teething on the top now.

So anyways I was unable to get on the computer to read any blogs much less write. Anytime I tried to sit up my head went POUND-POUND-POUND and if I dared to stand it multiplied 10 fold. I even cancelled school for everyone on Tuesday because I couldn’t get in the car to drive.

While the kids were home and I was no help at all, N got Breakfast for everyone, and covered me with a blanket and everyone gave me there lovies; Teddy, koala, and froggy were my new friends. Along with the cold Owie bear. Imagine me on the sofa looking like death, a blanket on top, 3 stuffed animals a ice cold owie bear, and J and B climbing on top of me. Now that is the best way to get better, fast, huh?

You know what else the kids did? They learned how to operate the TV. Now how N went over 6 years not knowing I have no idea, but now they can change channels, change the volume, and even know channel numbers.

Oh course our house got trashed during this and we had a showing Wednesday morning!!! Oh well I got it cleaned in time.