Day “off”

This week, Harper competed her driving school and passed her driving test.  We need her to be able to drive herself, and Saige (and possibly Clayton) to the homecoming parade on Friday this week, so I took a day off, the girls took a day off and we spent it at the DMV!  

I very rarely take time off of work. Last time I took off, it was for the county fair.  Today the DMV.  I really need to work on my “vacation” days. Kidding. Only kidding.  

Harper just had to turn in paperwork to get her license today. She is a reluctant driver and really had a lot of nervous days, but she overcame all of the obstacles and I am so proud of her!  Of course she got her license at the same time as gas prices reach record highs, predictions of fuel shortages seem to be flying, and the American economy seems to be swirling the drain.  She may choose to ride the bus, but at least she can drive if she needs or wants to!  

Since we were going to the DMV anyway, Saige decided to ride along and see if she could get her written test done to get her learners permit for her farm permit.  She took the test and failed by 1 question.  Aunt Berta works at the Ottawa DMV. She reviewed Saige’s test with her, walked her through some things to study, gave her the office copy of the book, and told her to come back after the lunch break at 1 and retake it.  She logged her into the system as a retake so all we had to do was walk in and take the test when they reopened after lunch.  Have I mentioned how much I love aunt Berta?  We needed a few things from Walmart so while Harper and I ran inside, Saige sat in the car and studied.  At 1, as promised, we walked in, Saige was handed a code and she took the test again. (For a measly 1.50 retesting fee!).  She passed.  She was very happy. And so am I, because although I will have to go back to the DMV eventually, I won’t have to go for a while!  Which I am always happy about!  

2 happy girls.  One happy mom. I guess that is a good day off!  I had to rush back to drive the bus - there aren’t really days off from that mess.  

And because I can, and because it made me laugh - I have to share this story.  As they were logging Saige into the system, they asked her if she wanted to be an organ donor.  She looked a little worried and said “well maybe someday later- when I’m dead?”  I guess the DMV is a scary enough place she thought they were going to take a kidney right there.  Love you Saige, but that junk is funny. 

 

Easy weekend

We had a weekend with nothing going on.  Always a favorite for me.  I had a few projects I wanted to get done and of course is the laundry ever done? 

One thing I have been wanting to try - making mock pineapple.  Is it good?  I have no idea. But the ex-Amish lady has yet to steer me wrong, so why not?

What is mock pineapple?  It is zucchini, de-seeded and cut into small pieces and then canned in pineapple juice.  Supposedly the zucchini soaks up the juice and after a few days tastes exactly like canned pineapple.  Since it has to set, similar to making pickles, we won’t know if it works for several days.  I will get back to you.  If it’s good, we will make more because we have zucchini. If it doesn’t work, well I will just make zucchini bread like normal! 

We also watched the Cats play!  It was a good game and Easton liked the outcome a lot! 

Mallory went to a concert with Tatum and Cameron. It was an outdoor concert and it was raining but luckily they had tickets on the side that had an awning. 

Easton took his parents to an art show. The weather this weekend was fall like. Rainy and cool enough that we have turned off the air conditioning and done some things outside.  After the last couple of weeks of triple digit, unseasonably hot weather it was a big relief.  I got a few things done to prep for a fall garden.  Every fall, I start out to do these late season vegetables that like cooler weather and every year something crazy happens.  Fingers crossed that I can pull it off.  If I was being honest, I should have worked a lot harder this summer gardening and canning because I believe that things are going to be very bad this winter shortage wise. And/or cost wise. I hope I’ve just been doing too much doomsday scrolling and I am completely wrong.  It doesn’t feel very nice in this country right now.  

Luckily, I have been busy and not had too much time online this weekend.  

It’s also Olive’s birthday. She brought treats to share with all the dogs.  These pupcakea were banana flavor.  Not a favorite of any of the dogs, but the goats really liked them!

Speaking of goats, the girls and I waited for the rain to slow down yesterday before we headed out to do chores.  When we opened the door, we were greeted by all of the goats.  Not what I wanted to see on my Saturday morning.  We patched up the fence and got them all contained.  And that’s when I saw it - those jerks ate the leaves off a bunch of my fruit trees.  I am usually a fairly composed person, but I will admit that I had a few minutes of stomping around and cussing, and if I hadn’t left my phone on the counter inside, I believe I would have called my dad and asked him to come over with a cattle trailer and haul them all to the auction. I have been nursing these apple trees along for 2 years!   I don’t believe they will die, but they no longer have leaves.  They also got my baby cherry trees, but again just ate some of the leaves.  It is just so frustrating. We have acres and acres of junk they could eat. Whyyy do you have to eat my fruit trees.  Bunch of jerks. That’s why. 

Well except Whitney. He was still in the pen!  

Tonight Wrenley asked me if she could go walk Whitey and ask him if he missed her.   He definitely said yes!  

And since it was nice outside, I haltered up Coco pony and forced him to give the girls some rides.  

And then everyone went home and I sat down and thought now where the heck did the weekend go?  Dang that was fast. 

This week is homecoming.  Between that and a few other things, I think it’s going to be a crazy one.  Glad I had a little time at home to prepare!  (I am totally not prepared - I’m faking it til I make it again).  

 

Short week

The short week has felt long.  Lots has been happening, and it has been productive but I am definitely ready for the weekend.  

I bought some big bales of hay for cheap.  Jim wasn't impressed with the deal I got, and I don't love feeding large bales because goats are gluttons and so you have to portion it out or they just eat.  So I have been giving them the hay off of the big bales at lunch time because it isn't a fast process.  Yesterday as I was trying to pull off enough for their lunch, a stick snapped back and smacked me square in the eye.  NOT what I needed.  I do feel lucky that my eye is just sore and red, not poked out.  I can honestly say I would not rather "take a stick to the eye."  Funny story though, this morning one of my 5th grade shuttle kids asked me what happened.  I told him.  He then responded "that is better than what I thought...I thought you were really really stoned!"  Thank you for your confidence in my ability to not show up to work stoned there buddy!

I believe I already said that I can only be successful at driving the bus because I don't have my feelings hurt easily right? 

My car's brakes went out in July.  I have been driving Jim's truck or Harper's car (or the bus) since then.  Summer is always tight financially without the bus check.  I figured we would get it fixed this fall sometime.  We have been managing.  Last night, Colin and Cameron showed up.  Colin had a truck full of parts and tools.  Cameron likes being tortured into doing projects.  They put all new brakes on my car!  Colin also refused to take any money for the parts.  I was incredibly touched.   Not going to lie, I love my Road Runner - and I have missed her.  I am happy to have her back!  Thank you Colin and Cameron!

 

Jim's dad used to send me videos all the time about utilizing goats to clear weeds or brush - he was a fan of the idea of not using chemicals to do the clearing.  I used to get a kick out of the videos, especially the ones where they pull up with a cattle trailer and what seemed like a thousand goats would hop out.  One thing we have is a ton of brush.  One thing we don't have is a lot of fencing that can contain goats.  Last week, Jim expanded the goat pen to include a section where we had knocked down a tree and then not been able to mow this year.  The brush was over our heads, and so thick we couldn't walk through it.  Jim asked me how long it would take the goats to clear it.  I told him 2 days.  I was wrong.  It took them 24 hours!  They are voracious eaters!  Good job my little cleaning friends!  

Cameron and Tatum did some painting on tile.  I like it!  

Quincy got herself a new pet.  It is a jumping spider.  If you don't know what that is, you should look it up!  They are so cute!  I was amused with the photos and videos of my new "grandspider" and can't wait to run up and meet him? Her?  One thing I guarantee - I won't have to fight GG for snuggle time! 

If Jim is eating, the dogs line up for bites.  They are shameless beggars. Cute, but shameless!

After about 3 weeks of excruciatingly hot weather, we finally got some rain!  It was a nice change, and I was excited to not sweat my hiney off on the bus.  I am now solidly on the side of cooler weather arriving because the bus was miserable.  Not cold weather, but cooler!  

Saige told me I don't have enough photos of Tooth Fairy on my phone or my blog - she says everything is always Maude.  She then took my phone and literally took 57 photos of herself with the cat.  Thanks I guess. 

That's a good enough wrap up - bring on the weekend!

Happy birthday GG and Papa Larry

This weekend was grandma Nancy and grandpa Larry’s birthdays.  We had a little family party for them.  It was a fun night with grandkids, pizza and swimming.  Ohhh and ice cream cake.  How can you go wrong with all that? 

My dad and mom are party animals.  

It was good to see some of the kids and hang out together. 

I was happy Clayton came down, although nervous about the fact that he drove himself here.  He hasn’t been driving long and that is always a concern. He made it though and I was glad to have him.  He is so much like his dad, with strange, funny stories and random facts.  I  am thankful for him. 

And of course having the grandkids here is always awesome for me.  

We need to get together more often. It was nice to hang out with everyone. 

 

We did miss a few.  Cameron and Tatum, Gavin and Hannah and Emma-Kate all went to the KSU home opener. 

Preston and Sunny attended a friend’s wedding.  

Bailey and Garrett had to help with the city’s rescheduled 4th of July festivities. 

Maybe we should have done a different day, but it is dang near impossible to find a perfect time for everyone to get together. These kids are all busy building their own lives.

And I’m proud of them all.    

We did watch the game on TV.  Not much of a game if you won 71-3….but we liked it! 

Happy birthday mom and dad!  We love you! 

Friday things

Wrenley got to be the flag salute kid at pre-k.  She seems like she is enjoying it there and I love these little snippets.  

Evelyn made the voice club. That is a group who reads the morning announcements and leads the flag salute over the intercom.  I’m very proud of her. 

Stolen phones containing random photos - yep I’m posting that junk. 

First football marching band performance last night.  I failed to get a photo with Clayton in it.

But did get one with Uncle Harold. 

The band did good.  I didn’t get to watch the halftime show, as I was working the tuba toss fundraiser, but they sounded awesome. 

I tried to get photos during the national anthem.  I got the girls, but couldn’t find Clayton in the crowd of band kids, and couldn’t go searching since it was the national anthem and you can’t be running all around.   

Colin’s new favorite thing to do is send photos of Easton playing with anything but toys.  

Sledge hammers wear a kid out.  

Friday this week arrived with a three day weekend.  I am thankful for that!   

It has been excruciatingly hot.  I’m hoping next week brings a little bit of weather that more closely resembles football season!