weekends - time for bees and sunshine

It was not the weekend I had in mind, but any weekend is a good weekend.  We accomplished quite a lot.  Somehow, I thought I would go back to work today with a clean house and sparkling laundry, sometimes I am reminded that I don't get paid to think.  But I did get lots of help from Jim on getting a little (horrible) project done with rabbit cages, got some more dirt moved, got all of the groceries and Easter basket making supplies, and braved the sam's hellhole on a Saturday.  

Note: I am a huge animal lover.  I, however, have my limits.  I hate mice, rats and slugs.  For whatever reason my love of God's great creation cannot see past the ick of these creatures.  Enter the stacking cages I bought several years ago.  The bottom of the stack had become wedged into the dirt barn floor, rendering the 2 bottom cages unusable.  I asked Jim if we could dig them up and put them on blocks.  He agreed to helping me.  He took a shovel, scooped a few loads out, and then used his manly strength to tip the cage while I put the block under it.  Which is when I realized that the mice had a made themselves a little home under there.  They were trying rapidly to escape the destruction of their little abode, and Maude was trying to catch herself a little snack.  And I am trying to lay bricks down without screaming and crying.  Mice weigh about 2 ounces.  Why are they so terrifying?  Oh gee, maybe because every single plague ever was started by rodents.  Always the dang rodents.  Lucky for me, Maude seems to enjoy catching them.  She will save me!

My little bestie is growing up!  He sure has a lot of cute facial expressions!

Yesterday, Jim and I watched the girls for a while.  Evie was asking me if I planted all the pretty yellow flowers in my yard, because her yard has them too and she loves them.  We talked about how people say dandelions they are weeds, but they are beneficial.  We looked at the bees getting their first food of the season. And I told her about how you can eat them like salad, and make jelly from the yellow flowers.  She asked me if I could make her some jell-o from the flowers.  No, I cannot do that, but if you pick the flowers, I will make you some jelly!  And so she set to work.  We talked about how we can pick some, and leave some for the bees.  She was concerned about the bees stinging her.  So we got really close and looked at how they were just getting food for their hives, and how since there was no hive here to protect, they have no interest in stinging her.  We had a very nice conversation.  She amazes me with her insight.  Wrenley also helped us pick flowers.  She kept yelling "yellow flowers, no sticks!" it was hilarious.  The girls got enough flowers that we made one batch of jelly.  And they hated it!  More for grammy I guess.  (It isn't child labor if they WANT to help!).  

One more week until I get my hands  on this little one!  All my grandkids in one location is the best! 

These are the friendliest chickens I have ever owned.  And I have a couple who are my favorites.  This black hen likes to set on the eggs every single day.  I have to pick her up and move her in order to pick up their "rent."  She seems to like being picked up.  It is odd behavior for a chicken.  She is really pretty.  I named her Ebony.  And I can see my mother cringing - she is just a dumb old chicken.  :)  These birds bring me a lot of strange joy.  Yes, they have names. Yes, I talk to them.  And yes, I do take them treats and stand there watching them eat random things.  (Chickens literally will eat anything!).  And yes, they are my babies.  Saige absolutely hates them.  This bunch is just too friendly.  When they see you coming, they all come running.  A couple like to peck your feet.  They stand beside you and wait to be petted or even picked up.  And she thinks they are plotting her death.  :)  And I may not win mom of the year, but her fear of their friendliness makes me laugh hysterically.  

My other babies are getting big.  Gruff is finally eating better.  They are typical bottle kids, too too friendly and a bit of a pain because of it.  But also sweet and easy to catch!  ;)  

Speaking of fear of creatures, Wrenley did NOT like the Easter bunny!  She didn't like him last week when they went to Bass Pro with Colin and his family, and she did not like him again this week at the city Easter egg hunt!  

Madison said she was so busy watching to make sure that bunny didn't get too close to her, she couldn't even pick up much of the candy!  Luckily, Evie said she would share!  

She does like cookies though!  And helping in the kitchen!

Thursday, before Jim left Wichita, he had dinner with Spencer and Colin and then they took Easton fishing.  Easton likes fishing!  I am glad Jim got to spend some time with them, and I am also glad he made it back home.  We missed him.  

As we head into Holy week, I am hopeful that we can make progress on living in a world that has more peace, more tolerance and love, and more time with family.  

 

Jimless week

Today Easton turns 3 months old.  3 whole months of loving a little sweet pea.  

I just love this little man baby!  

He looks like his mom, but his personality reminds me of Colin.  His dad was seriously the easiest of all the babies.  He was always happy, always smiling and just sweet.  

Unless he is hungry. In which case he is sad.  

Colin sent that photo with a caption “I don’t want to move any more drain pipes dad!”  I told Colin to feed him and stop using him as free labor.  

Jim is at a water conference this week.  He’s in Wichita, which means he gets to see the baby without me.  It also means that I am extra thankful for the dogs, because when you live with teenagers, and your husband is gone, the dogs are the only ones who are happy to see you when you come home!

Harper and I were just discussing how quiet the house is when Jim is gone.  He always has the tv on, usually has music playing (sometimes in addition to the tv), he constantly has Facebook reels playing and is cackle laughing and sending us texts of things he finds funny.  And he usually has some story he needs to tell us.  He is a man who people think is shy and quiet. I think he is actually just more reserved and thinks before he speaks. He is  definitely not quiet!  I do miss him though.  I mean I had to take the trash out!  I had to air up tires.  And I had to go out early and do morning chores, which he has taken over - and I like that! 

Plus nobody is here telling us fart stories. I can’t wait to see my boy! 

Also, I got this adorable outfit for Easton which sent me down memory lane. Boy clothes are so much cuter than when my boys were little!  I remember one Easter trying to find plain shirts for them to wear to Easter mass.  No footballs, no dinosaurs. It was impossible.  I’m glad things seem better now.  Boys deserve cute things too! 

Harper had league band today.  She had to wear all black.  We thought she had it under control until 9:00 last night when we realized her black shirt had some bleach stain on it, and was definitely more gray than black.  Mallory was home the last couple of days, not feeling well, but she still drug out  a black blouse and saved the day!  I was extra thankful because at 9:00 I don’t mind running to Overbrook, but I did not want to run into the city to go clothes shopping.  Thanks for saving her a$$ Mallory!  

We managed to get Saige enrolled in high school, got league band covered, got medication from the vet for the bottle kids who seem to have scours but no other symptoms, and did not forget trash day.  So far, roaring success here.  .  

 

Aaah no! It’s over!

I sometimes flash back to when I was a kid and remember how long things took.  Sometimes the school day felt like it would not end.  A week took forever.  A month - eternity.  Now….well I must be either having a lot of fun or getting old.  This week flew by. 

We accomplished a lot. Harper had fun on her band trip to Tennessee. Saige had a friend over. We worked on gardens and cleaned some things in the yard.  We worked the goats over.  We were blessed to have visits from some old friends.  We saw all of our children. It was a great break!  

We finished up with a fun weekend. A trip to Wichita to see Colin, Spencer and Easton.  This little boy has grown so much since we saw him only a couple of weeks ago!  He is at the best age - where they talk and coo and smile at you, but don’t go anywhere when you put them down.  And let me tell you, he put on quite a show. We are all smitten- including his cousins!  

It was pretty hot- 91 degrees!  But the breeze was nice and if you stayed in the shade it was delightful outside.  The girls had a great time challenging their uncles to all sorts of contests.  Andrew did a little fishing. Colin and Spencer cooked us an amazing lunch.  It was a really great day! 

We got home late enough that Cameron spent the night, went to church with us and then ran on to Manhattan to meet up with Preston and go to the KSU baseball game.  It was significantly cooler today than it was yesterday!  Kansas is a weather mess. 

Maude has officially been with our family for 1 year.  When I tell you that this dog is hilarious, I mean it. I love her so much.  She is also incredibly stubborn. I’ve never seen anything quite like her.  She challenges my dog training skills to the limits, but then turns around and is the sweetest, most complaint dog ever.  No rhyme or reason. She’s growing on Jim, and I find him more and more with her loaded in the truck taking her places.  The only real problem with her is that she loves to eat poop.  Goat, rabbit, chicken- all of the poop is her favorite snack.  It’s not pleasant.  We do not let her lick us!  

Jim and I did something today that felt both good and terrible. We purchased and marked out a cemetery plot woth the cemetery board.  Knowing it is taken care of, that the kids won’t have to have the burden of wondering what we want, is a relief.  Finalizing your finality feels sort of creepy though. I get why it is necessary, and if I have learned anything in the last 6 months, it is that we all have no idea how much time we have. I am thankful that Jim and I, although we are not like minded on most things, worked through this with minimal stress and no disagreements.  And I am thankful for him doing most of the research and paperwork on it.  As for picking a partner to run through life with, I definitely got the cream of the crop.  

The upcoming weeks are busy, but I know that once spring break is over, the end of the school year generally comes up pretty quickly.  After a hot couple of days, I am fully ready for summer!