What happened there?

Wow!  It has been a while since I updated the blog.  I lost an entire week being sick.  I thought we had contracted food poisoning last week.  Turned out that I had a massive infection.  Antibiotics have helped a lot!   Jim may or may not have had food poisoning.  We aren't sure, but he was down part of last week as well.  The girls and Preston were a lot of help keeping some laundry done up, and cooking.  I am happy to be feeling better, and happy that we had a weekend of being able to catch up at home!  

Even though I was sick, we have no bus subs, so I still drove my routes.  Evie rides my bus to one school, gets off and waits with a para, and then they load her on another bus to preschool.  She has about 10 minutes to wait.  They play on the side of the school while they wait and it is funny to see them jumping around.  I was laughing about her digging in the dirt, and all the other kids watching her.  Guess we know how she got dirty before class even started!  

Preston went to see his brother this weekend.  Colin took him noodling in the Arkansas River.  Do I think this is a good idea?  Not particularly.  Do they listen to me?  Apparently not.  Preston had a great time!  They caught around 200 pounds of fish.  Colin and his friends are planning a big fish fry at some point!  I am glad they are hanging out!  

Hoping this week will be less.  Less stress, less sickness, less of whatever last week was.  

First days and first missed days

Cameron (Lousiameron), Lauren, and Spencer all started back to school this week.  All working on their Master's degrees.  I am so proud of all of them!  They are kicking butt and I just can't say enough good things about the life choices they are making.  

The rest of us....we made it 4 days before we missed school.  Harper and Saige were down with a sore throat.  Luckily it seemed to be short lived, and they are back at it.  Jim and I have had some sort of a flu type bug.  I think it might be related to the Chinese food that we had on Sunday, but I can't be positive since everyone ate it and nobody else got sick.  

Good times at our casa!

And it’s gone

I remember Friday…..a couple days ago, when I had great aspirations for the things we were going to accomplish this weekend.  Ahhhh I was so naive back then.  Last week, I bought some harlequin (rabbit) does - Jim and I have decided to let Harper and Saige breed rabbits for showing, selling and meat.  Something broke into the cage I had them in and they were all just gone.   We found 2 dead.  The other 2 were MIA, but I assumed the worst.   As I was headed in on the bus Friday, Saige called me hysterical - she saw one of the rabbits but couldn’t catch her.  Harper and I went to help her and ended up chasing a rabbit around for 2 hours.   She finally got herself into a place where we cornered and caught her.  We put her in a different cage and got her something to drink.   I was so happy to at least have one of them back!  

I got up early Saturday.  Jim had a few things he wanted to do, and asked me if it was ok if he and Andrew went fishing.  I was given 3 flats of white peaches.  (They taste identical to a normal peach, but the fruit is white like an apple inside).  My focus was on canning.  I told him I didn’t care.  Fish away!   I made 12 quarts of canned peaches.  In July, I canned peaches for the first time.   I was nervous that if they were gross, I didn’t want to make more of them.  So we opened some.  They were really good!   Not as pretty on the cutting as from the store, but the taste was nearly identical.  Jim told me he could definitely see eating more of them!   Canning peaches is very easy, but holy cow I made a mess!   The chickens were very, very happy to have the peelings!  Nothing went to waste!  It sucked up a good chunk of my day!   By the time I had canned and cleaned up, I realized I had not accomplished the laundry, cleaning and organizing I was going to do!   

Jim and Andrew took Evie and Saige fishing.  They had some luck, and had so much fun.  I am thankful for Andrew always taking Jim fishing.  It is something he absolutely loves doing, but hardly ever makes the time.  Andrew has had him out there quite a few times this spring/summer.  Jim is so happy when he fishes. It makes me happy.  I teased them that although I know Jim loves me, Andrew might be his soul mate.  

They had so much fun fishing in the afternoon, that they somehow came up with the idea that Andrew, Madison and Evie were going to camp at the county lake. They told Saige she could camp with them and she was so excited about it.  Jim said he would meet them out there and bring them some firewood, and go fishing for flathead for a while.  Saige packed up her camping gear and they headed out.  Around 11, I get a text from Saige “I am scared, I miss Carlos, and I don’t want to sleep outside all night!”   Jim wasn’t home yet, so I texted him.  Yes, he and Andrew were still trying to catch flathead, and yes he would bring Saige home.  This is one time I was super happy that the boys spend so long fishing!   It ended up that Jim went and got Saige from the campsite, and she fished with them.   Jim said the fish started hitting and they were having so much fun.  They ended up getting home a little after 1 this morning!  Saige said she had a great time reeling in the fish!  She was beat today though!  

Evie didn’t seem scared of camping out!  

Since Friday and Saturday didn’t go as I needed them, I was determined to get caught up today.  We got home from church, I came inside to get going on my list.  I was throwing a load in the washer when Saige called me - hysterical again. The rabbit we spent all that time catching- her cage was flipped and she was out.  But Saige saw her, she was alive and back under the box car.   So I gathered up Preston, and Harper, and we headed down to help her.  We chased the rabbit for 3 hours.   What is it they say about the definition of insanity?  We finally locked the dogs in the house, set out some food lures, fixed the cage, and fixed up a (we hope) more secure place for her.   We decided to try later because I still had a huge list!  

I worked in the house, Jim worked outside and then we went to town to pick up a new dishwasher, and a new microwave.   Because the day was crazy, we decided to get Chinese food for Sunday dinner.  Last week, when I went to pick out the appliances, Saige got a slip and slide on a clearance sale.  She had saved it to do with Evie during Sunday dinner.   They had fun playing in the water!    After dinner, Preston, Quincy, Andrew and I rigged up some Mciver kind of stuff and chased the rabbit around some more.  Preston had some choice words about the stuff I get him into.   Andrew never knows what kind of projects I will have for him.  BUT! We caught the rabbit!   I hope all the work we put into security will work!  

I had to buy a new dishwasher, and now the microwave is also fried.  It never ends!  

I am happy that I’ll be back to washing dishes not by hand soon, and the kids are looking forward to the return of microwave popcorn (yes I know it’s bad for you) and ramen noodles.   Soon my friends, soon!   And now it’s gone.  6 hours canning, 5 hours chasing rabbits, 4 hours catching up the folding for Quincy.   

New week. New things to do….I hope anyway!  

Additionally….

First week (actually first 2 days) kicked us in the bits.   Did I encourage us to get back on some semblance of a schedule ahead of time?  Of course not!  Did we get our stuff organized ahead of time?  Of course not!    Did I catch up laundry?   Nope!   We winged it all.  And if I was honest, that was the wrong choice.  The last 2 days have felt like 200 days. I’m hoping we can settle in and use this weekend as a time to get out $hit together.   Fingers crossed.   

Evelyn seemed to settle into the preschool scene pretty easily.  Honesty, she is an easy going kid. Always has been.  She’s smart and not afraid to speak up.  That helps!  Since Madison and Andrew both have early morning jobs, Evelyn is going to come to our house and ride the bus to school with Saige and Harper.  Aside from the early hours, I think it will work great!   Her life has always consisted of early mornings, so not much new there!   We worked it out so she can ride the bus back from Scranton to aunt Amy’s daycare.  Since Amy lives directly behind my office, I can walk over and pick her up.  Since I am in town at work with a school bus, this is a tremendous help!   The only problem I see with this set up is that she wants to play with Amy’s kids.  

We did take her out for a first day lunch.  This was the look she gave when we asked her about her first day.   But then, she decided to tell us and man did the gates open up.  She learned a song. She yelled at a bad boy who mixed the play dough colors.  She played on the slide.   She didn’t make any friends but someday she will try to.   And most importantly, she didn’t say any bad words or pee her pants.  

The last few years, we have gone shopping and eaten at small cakes on the day before school starts.   This year, we actually had our school shopping done, but we ran a few errands and got groceries.  We met Madison and Evie at Crumbl Cookie instead.  It was good, but as someone who knows how to bake, I probably don’t need to go back as I thought it was expensive for cookies.  As a treat though, the cookies were good!   

After we finished running errands, I picked up Olive from her stay at the vet.  She was soooo happy to see me, and when I pulled in her driveway she started howling and was so excited.   It was almost sad.  She could potentially be a very sick dog, but she sure acts ok!   They are still doing Lab work, and we are all hoping for the best!  She’s a mess, but we all love her.  I had to pick her up because Mal was working at the back to school bash.  I’m not sure what she did to deserve getting pied in the face over and over, but this was what she was up to.   I love this photo.  The little girl in the background is the granddaughter of one of my mother’s best friends.  She is all sorts of ornery and we all love her!   It’s always funny if you aren’t the one getting the phone calls.  

Evie has been gardening.  She got a little tater.  She was very excited and told me all about what you can do with taters.  It sort of reminded me of the shrimp scene in the movie “Forest Gump.”   

The girls seem like they had ok first days.  I got a solid “meh” from both Quincy and Harper.  I had a very detailed run down from Saige.  Preston announced that it was the same first day as he has had for 13 years - no drinking, drugs, bullying, guns, fighting or tobacco.  No fun.  We worry about all things except that which should be worried about.  

Well yes son, what would you like them to say?   

Up next - weekend.  Thanks be!  

First day vibes

Today is the first day of school for the 2022-23 school year.  We were not ready to give up summer break, but we didn't get a vote!  

Somehow, I missed back to school night (I am blaming the school for lack of communication, although I am not sure if that is actually what happened?)  Luckily, all of the kids felt comfortable just winging it.  This year, we have Preston - senior

Quincy - Junior

Harper - 7th grade

Saige - 5th grade 

Saige was up at 5 am when I got up.  She was dressed, and begging me to let her wear her hair down so everyone could see her "curtain bangs."  She was literally ready and hour and a half early.  She wanted her first day photo in front of the beautiful sunrise, but my phone was not cooperating!   

Everyone else - dragging, not up, not moving quickly, and not super excited about my requests for first day photos.  

Mallory is teaching 1st grade this year.  I think she was pretty excited about it!  

Madison is working as a lunch lady - she wasn't super keen on going back, especially since she only got a week off!

My sweet Evelyn started preschool this morning.  My office feels so empty!   I can't wait until it is time to go pick her up - I missed her!  Plus, I can't wait to hear what she has to say about school!  I hope her teacher can keep up!   I can't believe she is big enough for this.  

This is my 7th year driving the bus.  I feel like the morning went smoothly, nobody has called to say I missed their kid, and we got in on time.   I like the kids, do not mind this job at all.  As jobs go, I have had way worse.  However, I have two big problems with school starting - 1 - I love summer - I don't want to give up my schedule-less, bedtime-less, endless pool afternoons for schedules, time limits, and colder weather.  And 2 - shoes  - I am told I have to wear actual shoes to drive the bus - I want my flip flops - my comfy slides, my cool toe sandals.  Who decided it was unsafe to drive in summer shoes?  People who hate me I guess.  My toes are strangled inside socks, my feet are hot, and I miss the airflow.  First world problems I guess.  

I hope this will be a great year for all of us.  I pray everyone stays healthy, and safe.  

I also might have shed a small tear over Preston being a senior.  It feels like he should be 10.  My babies are growing up too fast!  

Bunnies!

Today we bought 4 girlfriends for Berry and Wyoming.   I’m not sure how Jim actually felt about it, but he seems like he is a fan.  The girls and I have plans.  There will be more pens, and babies involved in these plans!   Yes, this is a tough breed to deal with getting show quality rabbits, but seriously, I think we can sell the non-show quality ones, as they are used for meat.  This breed (Harlequin) is exceedingly docile, so I think selling them as pets will be a definite possibility as well!  We may branch into a different breed as well, but we are in the set-up/experiment phase of this plan.  We shall see how it goes!   I love rabbits so much.  They are some of my favorites!  

Today was a weird day.  Our dishwasher died a couple weeks ago.  I have been dragging my feet about getting a new one.  Not because I love doing dishes by hand, but because I feel if you are going to put disposable quality products out, they should have disposable prices!   The microwave is also dying now.   Jim and I planned to go appliance shopping tonight, but I just didn’t feel like going and he wasn’t feeling well.  I know it is a task we need to do, but seriously, I wasn’t sad to stay home.   I spent a little time in the pool, and a little time with Mallory, who has Olive at the vet’s office because she is having potty issues.  We are worried about her, and google definitely isn’t helping.   As I was talking to Mallory, I got a phone call from the Lawrence police.  They had stopped Preston.  He had no proof of current insurance, he had changed lanes without signaling, and was driving erratically.  I’m not sure when “call your momma” became a standard of police work, but I was able to assure the officer that he does indeed have insurance.  The officer asked me what he should do, and I said “give him a ticket if he’s not following the law.”   I heard Preston groan and say “dang it mom!”   But seriously, I’d rather him get a ticket and maybe think about what he’s doing, rather than getting hurt, or hurting someone else.  The officer gave him a warning.  Lucky boy!  Preston may find himself riding the bus to school later this week!   Interestingly, it was a year ago  that I got a different call about police, when his car was stolen and wrecked.  Maybe he should stay home in August!  

My fav day

Sunday is my fav.  It always has been. A day of rest is usually not our MO, but the overall day usually includes at least some of the kids, usually the grandkid, and although we try to use it as a catch up day, there usually is at least some fun!   Today was no different. 

Remember that I said Colin has been noodling? Well today, he and Spencer came for a visit.  They brought catfish filets, and we had a fish fry.  Grandma came over, Mallory and Madison and her family  came by, and for once, Preston and Quincy didn’t have to work.  It was nice to have almost everyone here!   We missed Cameron  and   Lauren!  

It had been a few weeks since we saw Colin and Spencer.  I am so glad they were here!  It was great to catch up!  

We did hear from our Louisiana kids - today was dorm move in day.   I’m not sure who decided that Cameron should get an official radio, but that seems brave.  I’m also not sure how he managed to talk Lauren into helping direct traffic, but she is a very sweet, helpful girl!  I hope everything goes smoothly, and that the school year had minimal stress!   

I also had a few pictures that were from last night’s carnival and parade.  Saige has been good about sending me all the photos!   

Mallory reported that the teacher’s concession stand was very successful, and that she believes they are very close to reaching their fundraising goals.  She was tired today,  but excited about rock your school day!   

The last weekend of summer was a huge success!   School schedule- here we come!