Dippy week

It has been quite a week so far.   We have had 3/4 of the vehicles down.  Jim’s truck wasn’t exactly down, but several weeks ago there was an unfortunate accident where it was backed into a bus.  To protect the identity of the backer, let’s just call him Creston.  Creston was trying to help Jim with a project and says he didn't see the bus.  The bus was not hurt, but the truck was pretty bent up.  We had made plans for good old Jagger to straighten it back up and fix the tail gate, and the appointment was this week.  Quincy’s car then needed a new axle.  And Preston’s starter went out.  Running a house with multiple kids having after school jobs and activities and parents who have jobs, with one vehicle has been interesting at best.  We did it though.  Last night, Preston put a new starter in his car.  He did the work himself and finished about 20 minutes before a huge storm blew in. Andrew called to offer his help.  I cannot tell you how proud I am of Preston for fixing his own junk, and how much I appreciate how Andrew has melded into our family.  Knowing what’s going on, being willing to help, rescuing kids when we were at work and needed his help.  He is a great addition to our family.    

I’m not sure if it is appropriate or not, but we have 5 RE classes left before summer break- is counting down and being happy about seeing the end wrong?   Although I don’t mind teaching, and the girls never mind going, my creativity is lacking, and I feel like the break is necessary.  Life is also a little crazy in the bus department.   Spring is always busy with spring ball, track and field trips.  Unfortunately, we have 3 drivers out. I foresee a lot of driving to places to watch other people’s kids play.  My own kids aren’t participating in spring sports.  I think when summer break officially arrives we will all be ready for it.   Now if we can just get the weather on board with the seasonal changes, I would be happy!

Record setter?

Saige was supposed to be eating dinner. Instead, I found her on the computer.  She was reading up on some world records.  She didn’t like the dinner I cooked (lasagna) and was thinking maybe she could set a record for consecutive days of not eating dinner.   I nixed that idea.  That went downhill quickly into longest time of staying underwater, longest time without drinking, longest time to sit without moving.   I suggested she maybe find a record to break that wasn’t detrimental to her health.  Push up record?   Sure!   Except she can only do 2 pushups.  I suggested perhaps she practice.  I am apparently very dumb.  She quickly dismissed my idea of building strength and practicing, and moved on to how many socks can I put on my foot in 30 seconds?   Record is apparently 30….which seems easy but according to Saige it is most definitely not!  After 100 attempts, I refused to set any more timers and sent her to the shower.  

When we came home for lunch, Evie and I walked down to check on the new goats.  I was noticing that Tiny Juan is now almost as big as his mom! He grew up fast!  The new goats seem to be getting along well, and although I questioned whether they needed to be put on a bottle, they seem to be eating well, don’t appear to be hungry, and I saw them both drinking water.   Evie had fun chasing them around, but couldn’t get close enough to pet them.  They are pretty untamed at this point!  She was calling them my wild goats!   

This morning, my early pick up wasn’t riding the bus, giving me a few luxurious extra minutes at home.   Mornings around here are absolutely crazy, although we have all gotten used to the routine and we make it work.  Since I was here, the girls wanted to take a picture together.  Boomer obviously didn’t think this was necessary!   

We were thinking that Jim would be gone this week for training.  I am very happy that the plans changed and he is home.  I know he would have had fun with Colin and Spencer, but my life is easier if he is around.  Today, we have Quincy’s car in the shop, Preston is currently getting a starter so he can replace the one in his car this evening. the kids had to use my Nissan to get to school and work, and Jim attended parent teacher conferences since I was carless!  Needless to say, it is good that I drive a bus so I can get to my other job!   Here’s hoping that everything gets fixed up very soon!  

How to waste a Saturday

I got up relatively early.  Not because I had to, but because I am old now, and either my bladder or my hips wake me up and don’t allow for me to comfortably lay around in bed.  Such is life I guess.  Instead of being productive, I hung around chatting with Jim, making breakfast, and made sure that Preston and Quincy got off to work on time.  I do not consider hanging with my family as a waste of time though!    

Jim had to go in to the office.  I went to the goat auction that our local sale barn holds once a month.  I have sold goats at this auction before, but this was my first time buying there.  I only mention this because they knew who I was, gave me a lifetime number, called me by name, didn’t make me show my driver’s license, and I have no clue who I was talking to.   I hate that so much!  Anyway, goat prices are very high right now.  I am really wishing we hadn’t sold all of our does!  I watched them sell hundreds of young goats today.  Jim gave me the checkbook, his blessing and well wishes, as well as a price limit. (He knows how to kill my auction happy bidding arm).  Let’s just say that I didn’t exactly get what I went in there for.  We needed 4.  I got 2.  I could have gotten more if I had limitless money!   I have found some goats and spoken for them online, and I intend to get them, but they are in Larned, which is quite a drive.  I was really wanting to have a few spares, just in case one gets sick, or they don’t grow well.  We shall see.  There is still some time left.  Although the prices were high and they were not selling things I was all that interested in, I truly love auctions and found myself sitting and watching the whole thing.  Was it a waste of time?  Yes!  Did I enjoy it immensely?  Also yes!   The girls were very happy with my purchases.  

Saige and her photo shoots crack me up.  She constantly takes 20-30 photos in my phone.  Sometimes they are pretty good!   I am usually impressed with her creativity.  

Although I spent the whole day sitting around at the auction, I came home, made dinner and we watched basketball.  Why?  Because if you’ve already wasted the afternoon, you might as well waste the evening as well, right?   

the week after

Lauren's birthday is on Saint Patrick's day.  She mentioned going to the parade in KC.  I love Lauren, but I hate crowds!   I had to pass.  I am not clear on if she went to the parade or not, but she did send me these cute photos of her, her mom and Cameron.  Speaking of Cameron, he has officially accepted a job at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.  He will be moving sometime over the summer.  I am so excited for, and proud of him!  He and Lauren are now in the process of working out the details. They are exercising their adulting skills currently!  :)   I might add that at this point in our lives, we are watching these adult children of ours, and are super pleased with what we are seeing.  They are making smart life decisions, and have chosen significant others who are loving, amazing people.  We love having Lauren, Spencer and Andew as our bonus kids.  It is fun to see them building their lives and rocking adulthood!  That being said, I am a little sad about Cameron going out of state, but I know he is taking advantage of an amazing opportunity, and it will definitely give me a reason to visit some places I have on my list!  I just hope his life path brings him back closer to home some day!  

The week after a break is always a little bit of an adjustment.  I have been absolutely dragging.  The kids and Jim are not better.  The weather has not helped.  Days of gray, rain, mud and muck.  I know we need the moisture, but we need some sunshine between storms!  Evie has been begging for me to take her down to the barn to play with the pony and the baby goat, but it is so muddy, I just haven't done it.  She has kept me entertained by being her ornery self.  She wanted me to give her some carrots with her lunch.  She is crazy about carrots.  I didn't have any raw carrots, but I opened a can for her.  She took one bite and told me that those are not the good kind!  She then said "Grammy why did you buy those yucky carrots?  Nobody likes those!"  I am 100% sure that her mother brought them to my house.  

Our spring schedule is not as crazy as our winter one was.  Nobody is currently playing any sports.  We are gearing up for summer.  We got our tiller fixed, ordered chickens, have been hunting for a few more goats, filled our summer ball forms, made plans for buying some fruit trees, and started the hunt for deals on pool chemicals.  I am looking forward to the projects that we have planned!  

Showers and such

The girls had been asking if we could have Evie over for a sleepover.   We did that last night.  The girls had a lot of fun doing crafts, we finally watched Encanto (or more correctly I finally watched Encanto), we made snacks and we enjoyed the fun that a 3 year old brings into the house.   

Today we attended a shower for our other kid Camryn.  Mallory and Madison did a nice job of planning out a fun afternoon for a pretty special bonus kid of ours.  We are excited for Camryn and hope she will be very happy!   

We came home to working in the yard because the weather was amazing and it was awesome to be out.  We got a lot done and I think we will all sleep well tonight!   

Spring break

We have had a nice, relaxing, not much going on break from school/bus driving.  I was planning to take a short afternoon trip to Manhattan to visit Cameron and maybe pick up some cheese curds at Alma on the way by.  Cameron was on his way to see Lauren in KC, so he said he would stop by instead.  He spent a couple of hours with us, playing basketball and enjoying the sunshine.  He even brought home cheese curds.  He is a good boy!  :)   I enjoyed catching up with him!  The kids enjoyed seeing him as well.  Lauren's birthday is on St. Patrick's day.  I hope she had a fun day!  

For about a month, I have had a couple bags of clothes to donate in my car.  I finally remembered to stop and drop them off, and then Harper decided to clean out her closet.  Oh well, at least her room is more usable now!  We have mostly been home.  Saige entertained herself by trying to take photos of her self "parachuting" for probably an hour.  As long as she is entertaining herself, I guess its all good right?  We also tried out our new vacuum sealer and sealed up 35 pounds of flour.  Yes, I may have been watching the doomsday preppers a little too much.  But honestly, it isn't something we won't use eventually, and now it has a 20 year shelf life!  :)  I have my reasons for believing there will be flour shortages in the next year.  I swear I am not going crazy.  I am immensely excited about my vacuum sealer though.  I am pretty sure that my grandma had one but it was called "Seal a Meal" and she used it for sealing up fruits and veggies to put in the freezer.  She told me that air was the enemy of fruit.  I laughed because the vacuum sealer literally says that right on the box.  I wonder where Madison got her love for kitchen gadgets?  I am also thankful for Jim who never criticizes my crazy ideas, and even ordered the jar extensions for sealing mason jars for me!  He is a good man.  My original plan was to paint the upstairs over spring break.  That did not happen.  I have picked a color though, so that is progress.  A project for summer break!  Gotta love a project.  

They’re back!

I stole some photos off of a friend who was a sponsor’s fb page (thanks Becky!).  Yesterday, the kids took a cemetery tour, had time for shopping, and then took a riverboat jazz dinner cruise down the Mississippi.    They crawled off the boat at 9:30, had a restroom break, and crawled into a bus bound for home.  They traveled through the night and arrived safely home late this afternoon.  Preston reported they could have been back sooner, but they stopped a bunch of times. He just wanted to get home so this annoyed him.   Quincy said the seat hurt her butt, and she was ready to do something more physical.  She came home and cleaned out her car.  

They all seemed a little bit bedraggled and ready to be home.   I’m so glad they are back!   

Saige was so excited to get a new shirt.  Quincy was very generous with souvenirs.  

Tonight, Harper has a friend over, Saige is spending the night with Mallory. Despite his declaration of going to bed, Preston went out to eat with friends for one of their birthdays.  Jim and I should be in bed, but are busy planning out a short little vacation.  After all the NOLA talk, we decided we wanted in on the vacay action.