Adventure

This morning I decided on the spur of the moment to take the kids on a little adventure. The original plan was to go to Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve and a covered bridge. (James is very interested in covered bridges). We ended up stopping at Washington's Crossing too: the place where George Washington crossed the icy Delaware River on Christmas Day. Our trip was a lot of fun. The Preserve was nice and they had a big collection of birds, nests and eggs. They loved seeing the owls. Here are a few...OK, a bunch...of pictures from the morning:

The boat pictured is the same style, but not the same exact boat, that was used by George Washington. The boats look very heavy, and the oars along look like they would take several men to maneuver. The house shown is a very old (1700's?) house near the sight. We didn't actually take a tour this time, just walked around, so we didn't go in.

On to the nature preserve: the kids wanted to stop at every tree stump or rock and take a picture!

Are you surprised that James loves this cabin? He really wanted to go in, but it was not open to the public. It was built in the early 1930's, part of the 'New Deal,' when the preserve was a state park.

This kid! He is Jeff's son alright. That's what I get when I ask either of them for a smile. :)

Cheese!! (Meanwhile, Tyler is frantically trying to escape the backpack so he can join the fun)

Proof that I did take Tyler: I think every picture of me in the last 5 years includes a baby on my back.

Exploring

Behind every beautiful smile...

Is one of these!

This was taken at Washington's Crossing.

I am not sure what this flower is, but it was everywhere. It smelled good, and the butterflies and bees were ALL OVER it!

Van Sant Covered Bridge AKA Cry Baby Bridge***

***Long, long ago, when we first moved here, my sister's friend regaled us with tales of 'Cry Baby Bridge,' which he told us was haunted. He told us that when you park your car in the bridge, turn off the lights, and sit quietly, you can hear a baby crying, and hand prints will appear on your car, along with other terrifying things. We mentally rolled our eyes, but took him up on his offer to take us there. Late one night (see, this was long ago...before kids) we hopped in the car and drove up to the bridge. All the way there, Brian chattered on about local history, and all the creepy bridge stories. As we got closer, he talked more quickly and it was evident he was starting to freak out. Jeff, Rachel and I were trying hard to contain our mirth. As we approached the bridge we were ordered to remain silent. Brian was truly scared at this point. He pulled onto the bridge, and cut the lights. We sat there, holding in our giggles, and silently counted to ten. Then Jeff, Rachel and I screamed simultaneously. It was awesome. (We had planned it that way while Brian wasn't listening) Well, needless to say he freaked out and screamed like a baby. He turned his lights on and sped out of the bridge as quick as he could. By then, we were laughing hysterically in the back seat.

Real Conversation, Hot Off The Press (And A Chicken Escapade)

James: Girl kisses are gross!
Me: James, you're never going to get a girlfriend.
James: Girlfriends are stupid! Remember, I'm never going to have one.
(I do remember...but I just like to hear his speech because its funny)
Me: Oh, yeah, you're just going to have a wife, right?
James: Yeah.
Me: Who are you going to marry? (Again, already know what he is going to say)
James: Katie
Me: You know James, you can't marry your sister.
James: Why not?
Me: Because you really need to swim out to the deep end of the gene pool, buddy.
James: What does that mean?
Me: It means 'Don't marry your sister!'
James: Is that a law?
Me: Yes.
Katie: Hey, Mom! (pretending to dive in) I'm going to go swimming in the genie pool and get wet!

I can't make this stuff up, folks!

In other news, this morning I was getting a few things finished up before we had friends over. James volunteered to take the trash out, and came running back in frantically trying to tell me something. It had to do with the chickens. Low and behold, those wiley little feathered beasts had figured out how to push over a screen I have up to keep them from going under the fence on one side. Four of them were in our neighbor's yard, and the fifth was out of the fence all together trying to get to the others. Now as it turns out, I have yet to tell those particular neighbors that I have chickens. Its not that I want to hide it or anything, but they are very...uh...elderly, and I rarely ever see them. For the record, I am sure they could care less that I have chickens, but in my mind, I debated. Should I go over and tell them 'Uh, excuse me, but my chickens are in your yard. Oh, yeah, by the way, I have chickens. So, do you mind if I go in and chase them out. Or, I could just send James over the fence to herd them back in. I chose option B. I hope they did not have a heart attack when they looked out their window to see a small boy chasing chickens around in their backyard. Instead of cooperating, they hid under a bush and refused to come out. Then I sent Katie over. In the meantime I caught the other chicken and put it back in the yard. The remaining four refused to come back in. I think they wanted to, but were scared and confused. After some fruitless arm waving and exasperated coaxing, they weren't budging. Alas, it was time to bust out the frozen corn. Now I know their kryptonite! They came right over, all but poor Patty, the bottom of the pecking order. Big Martha, she was smart. She was reaching her head through the fence to get the corn without coming through. I had to grab her and pull her, flapping and squawking, through the gap. (No birds were harmed in the making of this blog post!) After all that mess, I don't think the chickens will be roaming the yard much til I fix that gap. Here I was worried about them flying OVER the fence. Silly birds!

Ode To Mom (Really Bad Poetry Ahead)

When we were young,
Many hymns you sung.
Things you taught,
Cheese-less hamburgers you bought.
(Oh, wait, that was Dad.)
Lots of good times we have had.

Then one day I saw you take
A few chickens to the 'back 40' and soup you did make.
That gave me a new respect for you,
Seeing what you do.
Put the fear into me,
In trouble I did not want to be.


Oh, Mother, Mother, what can I say?
You dispatched a mean young rooster today.
It seems that you have ninja skills,
Dispatching chickens fits the bill.
Those chickens never you should cross,
They better learn that you 'da boss.

Cock-A-Doodle-Dumpling

*****If you are squeamish or don't want to know where your food comes from then you probably want to skip this post*****

(Hey, Rooster, wanna come over and hang out?)

My friend Jess ended up getting chickens at the same time I did. One of her pullets turned out to be a rooster. It was decided that the rooster must go. Mom jumped in with her mad chicken butchering skills and got 'er done. I have seen Mom butcher a few chickens back in the day. She grew up doing it, and then when I was younger Mom and Dad raised meat birds. Apparently dispatching chickens is like riding a bike, you never forget. In fact, to quote Mom, 'I could do it in my sleep.' We arrived at Jess' house at 9, where Mom got right down to business. I caught the rooster and Mom immediately took that sucker by his feet, hung him upside down and cut its head off.


Hey, look! Its the south end of a rooster flying north! (Quoting Mom)

That's when things got crazy. The rooster thrashed about, as they do after death. Before she could grab its wings, it thrashed right out of the noose and proceeded to run about the yard like a chicken with its head cut off. Oh, wait, he was a chicken with his head cut off. Yes, we chased that thing around as it randomly dodged this way and that. Mom was yelling, 'Get him! Get him!!' Mom finally got it pinned down and held it til it stopped flapping. Meanwhile, the children were playing in the yard, oblivious to the ordeal. (They did watch quite a bit of the process) After that came the standard plucking and gutting and such. Katie and Tyler sat right at Mom's elbow watching. Tyler kept pointing and saying 'Chickies' so apparently he got it figured out. Mom made it look very easy, and we were done in less than 40 minutes, and that was with Mom taking the time to show us the steps.


And the legacy lives on...

Katie was quite interested in the process

And because I know that you are so fascinated with the subject matter of today's blog post, I will teach you a neat little party trick for the next time you find yourself butchering a chicken. (Sadly, something happened with the video of this, so you'll just have to visualize it with the help of this picture...my apologies! You must be so heartbroken. :) Anyway, get yourself a chicken foot. Remove some of its skin. Find the tendons and pull. Voila! Its like you have your own marionette, chicken style. The talon will open and close as you pull on the tendons. Now don't all rush out at once to try this!

James: That's nice Mom, now what's for lunch? Payton: That lady is nuts! I sure hope my parents are saving up for therapy 'cause I'm gonna need it!

On a side note, Mom says that Grandma Heppner used to get fed up on occasion with a mean rooster. She would look at him and declare her intentions to eat him. She would go get her knife and walk around looking for the offender. He would be quickly dispatched and turned into supper.

Not Even 8am

Its not even 8 am and I have already gone on my run, found 5 bucks, and caught a baby mole to show the kids. James wanted to keep it, but I said no! The little stinker makes some loud squeeks for such a small thing, and it bit me when I tried to touch it. It was really cute, as far as moles go, because it was only about 2 1/2 inches long and its fur was like gray velvet. We'll see how cute I think it is if it ever finds my garden!

In other news, the kids have been doing swimming lessons this week. They are both loving it and doing great. I think last night James giggled the entire lesson. He was so excited and having so much fun. It was a little cool, so they let the kids stay in the pool the whole time and he kept dunking his head under and jumping out. Katie sat on the side in her adorable tutu bathing suit, with her orange googles, shivering until it was her turn again. I must bring my camera tonight!

Our Weekend Of (Not) Camping

So instead of camping this past weekend, we stayed home. The heat was outrageous, hotter than I ever remember around here. One day it was something like 107 degrees with a heat index of 120! The humidity adds the special twist that makes it pretty much unbearable. The good news is, we survived, the chickens survived and our air conditioner didn't burn itself out. We gave up trying to cool the upstairs down, and it was so hot the thermometer was tapped out at 120+. Eeek! I can't believe the computer didn't melt. These old L-town houses have slanted walls upstairs, so that the ceiling/wall is in direct contact with the roof. The insulation is 60 years old and has degraded to the point that I don't think it does much of anything. But I digress. Wait! That's right, I wasn't going anywhere with this post anyway, so how can I digress?!?! That brings me to my next point. (Mrs. Haffly, my 7th grade teacher, would be cringing right now at my lack of transitions!) The chickens...they are coming of age. They are 18 weeks and starting to show signs that maybe they will start laying soon. I am officially on egg-watch, even though they probably won't start for a few more weeks. I emailed my friend and chicken expert, Linda, and she confirmed that the time is near. So exciting! And the burning question that keeps me up at night (not really)....will Big Martha lay blue or green eggs????? Any bets? They advertised blue, but apparently the breed can crank out blue, green, or occasionally pink eggs. (Not all colors from one bird) The rest will lay nice brown eggs.

In other random news, I have officially surpassed the 60 pound mark from my garden!!! Yesterday I picked a 16 ounce Brandywine tomato...not too shabby. I finally decided to put all the ripe cherry tomatoes in a dish where Katie can access them. No more trying to reach them on the counter. Now she has access to her 'candy dish' whenever she wants. This girl and her tomatoes. And speaking of tomatoes....guess what? Much to my dismay, the Groundhog Love Shack has yet another resident. Argh!!!! Seriously!!!!!!! I think this is about the millionth groundhog we've had. Of course, the little garden terrorist has taken bites out of at least three of the biggest tomatoes in my garden. I found where he was getting in and blocked it off. Do you think I could train my chickens to bark at it whenever it comes out???

Makes Me Want To ROFL

We were at Joanns this morning because James wants me to make him a cowboy backpack for school. While perusing the patterns (which ended up a totally fruitless endeavor), Katie decided to doodle on her arm, and draw a plethora of random marks around her mouth. Kind of reminiscent of cat whiskers, but not quite. One of the workers there saw Katie and asked her if she had drawn on her face. Katie got shy and buried her head on my leg. They she realized that everyone could see her artwork, and she started crying. She looked up at me and begged me to 'washcloth it off' because she was 'going around looking like an idiot.' I tried, and failed, to keep my composure after that and turned away to giggle. It made it worse that James told her, in a sticky sweet voice, 'Its OK, Katie, you don't look like an idiot. You just look really funny.' I had a good chuckle over that whole interchange. Some peoples kids!

It's A Bird! It's A Plane! Oh, Wait....

...its just the humidity hanging in the air. It is so hot here, and the forecast says its just going to get hotter. This morning it looked almost like fog hanging in the air, but it was more like a thick suffocating blanket of humidity. Can you tell I hate humidity? I don't think I'll ever get used to it. Due to the extreme heat, we won't be going camping. Somehow the thought of baking in our tent with three overheated kids didn't sound too appealing. We'll go in a few weeks, and hopefully the weather will be more, uh, seasonal. So instead of going camping, we will be making S'mores in our super-duper pizza box solar oven, right here in our front yard.

Don't Worry

I won't be posting for the rest of the week. Our internet/phone is being transferred over and we will be without service for a day or two. Then we go camping for a few days!

Run Like The Wind

For no apparent reason, I haven't mentioned on here that Jeff and I have been running for several months. Yes, me...running. Never thought I'd get into that but it works. We take turns going in the morning, 5:30 to be exact! I am happy to say that I am up to running a little over 5 miles each run. We started out running, then walking, running, then walking. Then we moved on to running 5 minutes, walking 1 minute. I am happy to say that this morning I actually ran for 45 minutes without stopping, which is the longest I've ever run in my life!!!

My Little Helper

Last night I was making pizza. I had roasted a whole tray of veggies, baked the crust, and was in the process of assembly. I had to make a quick trip to the facilities. When I came back, what did I find???? That's right: Tyler 'helping' me out. Now, I had heard the chair sliding around, but I thought it was James putting the chair back where I asked him to. Turns out, he had already returned the chair and it was Tyler dragging it to the counter. With lightning fast precision, he dumped my whole jar of cornmeal and the pizza sauce on top of the roasted veggies. He was in the process of mixing it up with the rolling pin when I got back. Such a helpful little guy, right? :) I had to rinse off the veggies in a strainer and the pizza was a little bit heavy on the cornmeal, but it turned out alright.

In other news, I caught Katie trying to pee standing up just a few minutes ago. Seriously!?!? Clean up on aisle 7 please!!!

Random Randomness Volume 9 Edition 72

Aren't these carrots beautiful! These are thinnings from the garden. Yum!

Jeff's Birthday Cake, after Tyler found it

The beautiful Chef Katie to the rescue!

Just fill that all in with some whipped cream!

And voila! No one'll know the difference. Well, except if you get the piece that is 82% whipped cream.

Happy Birthday, Jeff! Welcome to 30!

Having nothing to do with cake, but sweet nonetheless:

Last night we *tried* having Katie sleep in the boys' room. She has been going to sleep in our room, then we move her upstairs later, when we get her room cooled off. With the weather we've been having, that ain't happening, so she's been downstairs. I put her toddler mattress on the floor and put them all to bed. Next thing you know, I hear whispering. (Of course!) After a while, I peek in and see the older two snuggled up in James' bed, talking and giggling. Tyler was standing at the side of his crib joining in. James told me they were telling each other funny stories about when they were little. I am pretty sure it went something like this: Hey, Katie! Remember when you ate that whole pan of mashed potatoes? (giggles) Yeah! Hey, James, remember when I ate all those mashed potatoes? (more giggles) That is their favorite story right now. I finally had to break up the party in the interest of them getting some SLEEP! This morning when they woke up they were whispering together and playing with James' stable. Of course, it didn't last long, but it was cute while it lasted.

Happy Birthday, Big T!

(digging into the bowl of whipped cream leftover from Jeff's b-day cake)

Today is Tyler's second birthday! He is growing way too fast for me, but he hasn't listened to my petitions to stay small forever. This kid is a whole lot of energy wrapped up in one pretty small package. His smiles and his kisses melt us every single time. I think we'll keep him around. :)

VBS

This week is Vacation Bible School. I am helping in the craft class. Surprised? Didn't think so. Yesterday James FREAKED OUT and cried, screamed and wouldn't let go of me. He has been getting much better about this but apparently this time he just couldn't process it all. It was hard on both of us, but he needed to go for his own sake. He is starting Kindergarten next month. Yikes! I can't believe it. They were very good with him at VBS and he did OK, but cried for most of the rest of the day. It was hard on both of us. Then, it was like a switch, last night before bed he calmed down. He relaxed and stopped thinking about it. This morning, he was so nervous he threw up. He cried and held on, then he was OK. He did great! I was so happy, relieved and proud. He even told me that VBS is more fun that Mommy. I take it that he had fun today! Hopefully the rest of the week goes just as well. There are almost 300 kids, and its very, very hot. Yay for air conditioning!

Blueberries

This post is a long time coming, but a week ago, my sister-in-law, Mom and I went to Fred Plus III in Pemberton, New Jersey. If you live close, you should definitely go. Fred is a total character. He even gave Nikia the same speach he gave me: You're wearing flip-flops! Did anyone tell you that you were coming to a farm? He lectured us on how to care for the blueberries (no plastic bags or you're gonna have jam before you know it!). All together, we picked about 60 pounds of blueberries in an hour and a half! And at a $1.40 a pound, you can't beat that. We had so much fun and I look forward to going back next year too.

Another Tidbit

I looked all over for our cooler. I couldn't figure out where on earth it could be. Then I remembered that I found it last fall, reeking of mold and onions. James had decided to go into the business of selling onion grass. He picked a bunch, wrapped it in a damp towel, put it in the cooler to dry, and forgot all about it. By the time I found it the cooler was ruined, and the onion grass was unsaleable. At least he has a ready supply waiting in the yard if he decides to go back in business.

Also, James caught a firefly today and put it in his bug cage. His bug cage has a loose door. The firefly is now flitting about in our house. He will join the rolly polly, the moth, and who knows what else that has escaped that cage!

Yipee!!

I can really hardly believe it, but I picked the first tomatoes of the season today!!!! Bloody Butcher tomatoes, to be exact. How's that for a gruesome name? I was just doing my ordinary garden inspection when I saw a few tomatoes that were just starting to turn color. That made me very happy, and then...then I saw a few ripe tomatoes toward the back! One had a big bite out of it, so it went to some very happy chickens. The other two are sitting on my counter and I am trying to be a good girl and wait til dinner so everyone can have some. Pretty soon, I'll probably be rolling in the 'maters but for now, they are going to be a delicacy!

Snapshot of My Day

So, right now Katie is walking around with a bean bag wrapped up in a receiving blanket. It is her baby, and her baby is sick. In fact, to quote Katie, her baby is 'bawfing and thwoing up and very sick.' She is telling the baby things like 'Its OK, sweetpea' and 'You need to rest now; you are really sick.' Yep. I think that girl has the motherly instinct alright. :)

P.S. This is totally random but guess what I have found in my washing machine in the past week or so? A German coin, a quarter, various rocks, a cowboy, a cactus (toy), a small stick, a bowl, and a piece of wood. Nice, huh?

Busy Days

Now that summer is in full swing, it seems like the days are busy. When I think about it, its not like we are doing anything fancy. Our days are filled with playing in the backyard, going to the park, the farm, etc.. Our latest acquisition is the 'Apple Slide,' named by James. (Because its red, of course...unlike the yellow banana slide of my youth.) This water slide has already provided several hours of entertainment. We have also been baking things, including Jeff's 30th birthday cake. (More on soon...it involves Tyler the sneaky ninja and the cake...pictures too!) As you can see from the pictures above, Tyler makes sure to get in on all the action too. We also, pre-4th, got a couple packs of sparklers for the kids. They loved them! It made me feel all nostalgic for the days when we would go to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the 4th and Grandpa would always have sparklers. We cousins would camp in their backyard and talk until Uncle Ron (AKA the voice of God) would tell us to 'GO TO SLEEP!!!'

Recovery

This whole week has been a recovery period for the fun-overload we had last weekend. We have mostly hung around the house, though we did go raspberry picking one morning. This morning the kids got to go the house o' magic (aka Grammy and Chappy's) while I went grocery shopping. Hallelujah! The cupboards were bare, and shopping sans kids leaves my sanity intact. This weekend should be much more low-key. I am sneaking away early in the morn to go blueberry picking with my sis-in-law and Mom. Tomorrow afternoon I am preparing a birthday feast for the Jeffro. I have brought in, all the way from Colorado, the secret family recipe for his Mom's goulash. Just kidding, but that's what I threaten him with because he wouldn't tell me what he wanted for his birthday dinner. (He is NOT fond of his mother's goulash, by the way...) We will be having....you guessed it! Megzican food! And pineapple upside-down cake. Should be tasty.

More Auntie Snuggle Pictures

Here are a few more pics of Rachel snuggling with Tyler. Can you feel the love?

In other news, the children are still worn out from the weekend. Yesterday they (ALL!!) slept till 4:30. I was about to send out a search party, because they usually only sleep til 2:30 or so. I would like to say that I spent that time skipping around with puppies and unicorns, while rainbows arched over my head, but that wouldn't be true. I did a second load of dishes, folded laundry, picked up toys, made four quarts of refrigerator pickles and did a few other chores. What a waste of a good nap! Next time I'm sitting down with a good book and some chocolate. Now if only I could get them to tell me in advance when they are going to take a long nap!

Weekend Of Awesomeness

I dream of having a nice family portrait someday....with all three children cooperating, at the same time!

**Please excuse the ridiculous formatting of this blog post. Blogger is getting on my nerves tonight, and I don't have it in me to keep trying.**

Fly, Henry, fly!!

Henry 'the Love Machine' getting a little too much lovin'

And again...

I caught James jumping over Henry. I photographed him, then told him NO MORE!!

I must say, my sister really outdoes herself in the Auntie category. Can you tell she loves my kids, just a little bit?? :)

We had a fabulous weekend! We kicked it off with a potluck at the farm. They took us on a wagon ride around the fields, and afterward we walked over with some friends to see the animals. James proclaimed, 'Look! There's the sheep with the big testicles!' Our friends looked at us and said, 'Did he really just say that?' Yes, yes he did. My apologies if their son picks up on that term. At least its anatomically correct.

On Saturday the whole fam was together all day long. It was awesome! Rach and Phil, Nate and Nikia and Mom and Dad. We basically sat in the backyard and watched the kids and the dogs play. We ate some really good grub and enjoyed each other's company. Now that I think of it, the only thing lacking was the absence of off-color discussions. Mom didn't have to brandish her fork at us this time. We'll have to remedy that for next time. We can't have Mom thinking we've completely grown up, now, can we??

Can you handle the cuteness?? I can't. I'm keeping that bathing suit for her, forever and ever.

Playing in Grammy and Chappy's magical backyard

Why look! There they are! The magical grandparents.

Henry 'The Love Machine' (Rachel and Phil's dog)

Goofballs

One Proud Mama

One of Katie's best traits is her generosity. She wants to give, give, give. In the past she has used her own money to buy toys for the 'shoebox kids.' (Operation Christmas Child) The other day, she wanted to get her money out. She made one big pile for 'Acho,' a child we just started helping in Bolivia. Then she made another pile for the 'people who don't have any money.' She asked for ziplock bags and had me label each bag. Then, she wanted me to drop Acho's money in the mail right away. She asked me about 5 times already. Then at dinner she asked me how long it would take for Acho's money to get to him. With the other bag of change, we went to the dollar store and she bought some toys for this year's shoeboxes. She bought one toy for herself, and 4 to give away. She doesn't really have a concept of money, but I can tell that she really wants to give generously. She put about $5 in change in each bag, and kept only $3 for herself. She told me how happy the kids would be and that God would be really happy that she did a nice thing for them. I have to say it made me very proud. :)

Random Randomness

• Tyler can say 'backhoe' very clearly. He also saw a picture of an eagle today and said 'chicken!' Won't be long before he's chattering up a storm.
• This same kid snuck into the coop again when I was putting the chickens out. This time, he grabbed one by both wings and tried to bring it to me. Note to self: must keep chicken door locked at ALL TIMES!
  
• Katie has been running around, (mis)quoting Napoleon Dynomite saying 'Make yourself a darn quesadilla, chief!' She's a nut.
• James has been setting up obstacle courses in the backyard to race Patty through (Patty is his beloved stick horse)
  
• Patty had to have a little surgery. The stick was basically in shreds so she got a new implant. She is recovering nicely.
  
• Jeff has been working long days since he got a promotion about a month ago. He's taking over the world! Actually, he got assigned to schedule all design employees for his company in Marlton, NJ and their offices in Ukraine and India. Its a big job. But I know he can do it. I just can't wait for him to get caught up so that we can actually see some more of him (when his eyes aren't glazed over and thinking about Excel spreadsheets). Wait. He starts class next month, and its two nights a week. So really, was I thinking I would get a break?!
• Our neighbor caught a toad for the kids, which was delivered after dark, over the back fence, in a wipes box. Very shady business, you know. The kids were thrilled to wake up to a toad (in addition to our lone tadpole). We made him a toad house and named him Patty, and set him (her??) loose in the garden. Patty (the toad, not the stick horse) had the nerve to up and leave and the kids are miffed. Katie and Tyler have been checking the toad house obsessively to see if she (he??) came back. I just hope that Patty steers clear of the chickens, because I wouldn't put it past them to eat her too. I saw one eating an illuminated lighting bug the other night. It was pretty funny.
• My siblings and their spouses are coming up on Friday and all spending the night at the 'rents, and we are all so excited!!! The girls are going to the flea market on Saturday morning and it should be lovely! Yipee!
  

Grazing

Katie has a new habit. She goes into my garden and grazes. She eats kale and mint. Her favorite thing of all is basil. She will eat leaf after leaf after leaf. I planted a dwarf variety this year, which I hate, but it does have nice little kid-sized leaves. Yesterday I pulled a few carrots and they didn't even make it into the house before being claimed by the kids. I went in, washed them, and they decided who got what color. (There were purple, orange and white) I was thinking that at least one kid would decide they didn't want their carrot after all, but no. They ate them all up. James wanted more, but the rest are just not ready. Now, I suppose before blaming the rabbits for anything, I should check with Katie first! :)

Happy Father's Day!

The kids planned a special day out for Jeff for Father's Day. We went to the Covered Bridge and had a picnic dinner. The menu consisted of sandwiches, chips, grapes, strawberries and caramel apples. We walked over the bridge, waded in the creek and caught a lonely little tadpole to bring home. Clearly, they chose their activities just for Daddy! ;) I also helped the kids make a list of things they love about Jeff. Of course, he does all this fun stuff with them that I never do, like swinging them around or running around acting like a tiger. One of the craziest (and entirely fictional) ones came from Katie who said 'I love when Daddy plays hockey with oranges.' Huh?? And while we are speaking of Father's Day, I will say that one of my very favorite things in the entire world (seriously!) is watching Jeff play with the kids. I love it when he holds their hand and they look so tiny next to his 6'4" frame. I love it when they all pile on top of him to read their Bible story. And when he gets home from work, all the kids go running and screaming and hollering to the door. Its pretty darn precious. Happy Father's Day, Jeffrey, even though I know you aren't reading this...

We also got to go over to the 'rents to celebrate Father's Day. I made a Meg-z-ican** dinner and we all sat around and watched the kids play in Grammy and Chappy's magical backyard. It was pretty swell. So is my Dad by the way. Happy Father's Day, Dad!!!!!!!

(**My brother made that term up long ago because I am always making something Mexican ;)

State of the Garden

Broccoli

Calendula

Bronze Arrow Lettuce

True Blue Potatoes

The Garden

Cilantro, Cabbage

The garden is really taking off. Everything is growing really fast now, including the weeds. Good thing the chickens like weeds! So far, I have harvested 14 pounds of vegetables, mostly greens, radishes and turnips. This is the first year that I planted early, and I am happy I did. I am already passing lettuce off on the neighbors because we have more than we can eat. That is a good problem to have!

Norm Abram's Got Nothin' On Me

After waiting and waiting for Jeff to have the time and inclination to build the chicken coop, I took matters into my own hands. Watch out! Mama's got a miter saw and she knows how to use it! It was a nice sunny day, and I let the kids loose in the yard while I went to work. Jeff provided me with a very applicable quote that I would like to share (in regard to why it takes so long for him to get stuff done): "There comes a time in every project when you've got to shoot the engineer and start production." Nuf' said. I got out various tools, a measuring tape and went to work. For the left side, I was able to frame it up using a pile of window screens we had laying around. (I can get away with that because their coop is inside the shed and they will be locked up. Otherwise, predators would tear right through.) The board across the back is their roost, which they have yet to figure out. I even built the nest box myself! I wanted it to be easy for the kids to collect the eggs when that time comes. For the door, I also used a window screen for the top half. Check out the fancy doorknob. I was looking around for a door handle of some kind and remembered I had this old knob. I can always remove it if I find a place for it inside, but for now the hens have a little sparkle in their house! :) It isn't perfect, but its good enough. There are a few finishing touches to add, and then it will be all done! Despite the fact that they spent the first several nights in there cowered by the door, scared to death, I think they like it now. While I was building it, my neighbor came over to see what I was doing. He was very surprised that I was building it myself. He said, and I quote, 'Wow. You really are a tough broad!' He went home and told his wife, and apparently they had a good chuckle every time they heard the miter saw. 'There she goes again!!!' :)

You Want Me To Make What?!?!

Jeff called me yesterday from work. He told me he needed a favor and I knew it was going to be something ridiculous. Little did I know how ridiculous. As it turns out, he wanted me to make a librarian/Mr. Rodgers type sweater for a Smeagol (from Lord of the Rings) bobble head doll. This doll is seriously disturbing and to add to the difficulty, it has extremely large hands which means that I couldn't sew the sleeves together before putting it on. I had to sew them after putting the sweater on. The whole reason for this project is because he has a coworker who supposedly looks like Smeagol (he doesn't) and wears a librarian sweater (he does). Someone bought the doll and was trying to figure out how to make a sweater for it. Jeff volunteered me. I am pretty sure that this is the most bizarre sewing project EVER.

Pathetic Blogger?

I can't seem to get around to blogging much these days. Warm weather, the children, the garden, the children, my canner, the children, a nice long walk...they all call me away from the computer. I have even done a little drawing lately. I'm pretty rusty but it is fun. Tonight, instead of cutting out a dress as I had planned, I have been charged to make, by far, the most ridiculous sewing project EVER. Wish me luck and stay tuned....

What A Day

Yesterday I went to Kensington, in the city of Philadelphia, for a block party. There is a church down there that reaches out to their community every year by throwing a block party for the people. Our church sent a bunch of people to help out. Now, for those of you who don't know Philly, Kensington is one of the worst sections of town. It was definitely like being in a different world. Trash blows in the streets (as it does in a lot of Philly, honestly). Many people have bars on their windows and doors. A lot of people have boarded up their windows entirely. The giant Dollar General looks closed because all the windows are covered in corrugated metal. The only sign that it is open is the small open door on the corner. We walked past a huge, very run down warehouse building, and heard someone inside jamming on their drums. There was graffiti on peoples windows, fences, etc.. It was pretty much your stereotypical scary ghetto. When we arrived, the street was blocked off and they had set up carnival games and several inflatable play areas. We were briefed on our responsibilities and how to behave. The highlights? Don't be stupid! Don't wander off the street. Don't leave anything unsupervised that isn't nailed down, because they 'guaranteed' it would be stolen. (My shirt disappeared...not off my back, but right by us. I had tied a balloon to the bag my shirt was in, and I don't know if they took it for the balloon, or the shirt?) Even the church bathroom cabinets were padlocked. Between visits to the bathroom, someone must have stolen the soap dispenser because it went missing. And my favorite instruction? We must watch the back of the inflatables at all times, because people like to a) puncture them, b) turn the generator off just to see them deflate, and c) untether them. I was stationed at the bounce house and mostly I got to be with the kids and keep them in line. We were specifically told to enforce the 'no cutting' rule, which was hard because there were some sneaky kids who wanted to be in the front of the line. I really enjoyed the kids, and there were a few I wanted to bring home. Behind us someone had brought out two huge speakers and there was a Puerto Rican dance party going on! I don't know how to say this politically correctly, but white people just do not have the rhythm that people of certain ethnic demographics do. Even the littlest children have got moves I could never dream of. Another person rolled their grill out in the street and had a cookout right in the midst of it all. While I was there, I saw some sad stuff, particularly a little boy who had sores all over his arms and face that looked untreated (to my untrained eye). He was also pretty dirty, and I felt really bad for him. Too many people let their small children roam about unsupervised, or supervised by a slightly older sibling or cousin. There was a little 4 year old boy that was lost and it took almost an hour for someone to come looking for him. I had a girl who came up to me and she had lost her little brother. I also saw a lady with some pretty nasty knife scars across her back and arm. Even though I felt pretty out of place, the kids still smiled like children do. They shook their little booties to Beyonce for me, and showed me their tricks. One little kid (maybe 5) was doing back flips down the street. I am sure if I knew half of their stories I would be heartbroken. I just hope that yesterday those kids felt loved and cared for, and that they will want to come back for more.

PS. Sorry for the lack of pictures. I really, really wanted to bring my camera but it was one of those things where I would either have to hold onto it for 7 hours straight, or have it stolen. I felt like I was missing an appendage or something, not having it with me.

PPS! I spotted a Tumbleweave!!!!!! If I wasn't an out-of-place-white-girl I would have done a happy dance right there in the street, just because it was so hilarious, but I didn't. I had only heard of them before, but now I've seen one with my own eyes.

There Must Be A Mistake

Those innocent looking creatures outside are really pigs moonlighting as chickens. All they must do is hear the door knob turn and they jump up from their siestas and run to the gate in hopes that I have brought them some scraps. Its ridiculous!! They are like Pavlov's dogs, jumping at a moments notice. I give them weeds and veggie scraps, grass clippings and the occasional pancake. I think they would probably eat just about anything I put in there. I've started calling them the little piggies.

Strawberries

This morning was week 2 of our farm share. I can't tell you how much I love everything about the deal. This morning we got there early, before the weather warmed up. We picked our 5 quarts (!!) of strawberries, saw the pigs, checked in on the goats, sheep, chickens, and ducks, then swung by to admire the cow. Then we went back and picked up our share of veggies. I got another bunch of turnips and a bag of spinach, among other things, so I am a very happy camper!

They Call Him Tina Turner

This weekend we drove waaaay up to some little dot on the map in New Jersey called Sergeantsville. We went because a lady from church has a pony named Chevy and she does pony rides at this little farmers market there. We all know James and his fascination with horses. He and Katie spotted that pony about a mile away. I couldn't see it for the life of me and they kept pointing saying 'there he is!!' Well, we parked, got out of the car and followed our little eagle eyes straight to the pony. 'Chevy' is his real name, but they call him Tina Turner because his mane has some spectacular volume. I have never seen such a thing. It was pretty fantastic. (Imagine I am showing you a picture of Chevy...complete with voluminous hair, and an adorable tiny western saddle...I forgot my camera.) James and Katie both took quite a nice ride around on Chevy, two turns around the field each. Both of them had grins a mile wide, and Tyler busied himself chasing Chevy with handfuls of grass in his chubby little hand. He loved the pony. He wouldn't keep his hands off of Chevy. After the pony rides, we decided that since we were already in the general vicinity we decided to go to a really cool living history farm nearby. It just so happened that they were weighing a pig, the old fashioned way, and everyone got to guess the weight. There were quite a few adults and children guessing, and who ended up winning? Katie! Despite the fact that she had no idea what was going on (she guessed 10#, I added a '0' to make it 100) she won a $15 gift certificate to the gift store! While we were walking back to the gift store, Tyler made a running start into the (shallow) creek. He stood up, looked down at his clothes, and made a face. I don't think he was expecting to end up wet but he didn't care. He just finished walking across the creek and went about his merry way. We had a lot of fun, and now its Monday, time for long naps (hopefully!) and a skype date with my sister! Woohoo!!

Farm Day!! And Random Pictures

Tyler and the Saggy, Baggy Diaper

Dew on a Radish Leaf: Amazing!

Before he was sick, James decided to give himself a mud bath

Our CSA opened this week! It was so exciting to drive out there and be at the farm again. We got to pick 3 quarts of delicious strawberries, and brought home a bunch of spring greens and veggies. Last year, I got hooked on Hakurei (?) turnips, which I am growing this year. I don't know what it is, but they are so good. We got a bunch with our share and I ate them on the way home. Mmmm! We have been experiencing near record heat lately, 96 degrees yesterday and very humid. Today is finally back down in the low 80's, which feels wonderful. We've spent the entire morning out in the yard. Woo!

Well That Was Interesting

So I'm back (that's the theory anyway). Katie was sick last week, very weak, couldn't keep a thing down, said her belly hurt, around her belly, her feet, etc.. I figured it was just a virus and tried to keep giving her fluids and keep her comfortable. After three days, she was keeping a little down, but still so lethargic I decided to take her in. I just wanted to reassure myself. Well, due to the fact that none of the other kids were sick, and that she was complaining about her stomach hurting, the doctor was concerned that it might be something more. It is hard to get a 3 1/2 year old to say where/how it hurts. The doctor felt some places on her stomach and Katie complained of pain in one side...the appendix side. So, the doctor felt that it would be best to get to the ER as soon as possible to check her out. She even asked if I wanted an ambulance, which made me realize that they were pretty worried. So off I went, all three kids and myself, to the ER. They were fabulous. There was a nurse there waiting for me. I was carrying Katie because she said she couldn't walk, and she was very weak. They got us back and did some checking and felt that it was not her appendix. She was very dehydrated though, which was no surprise. They wanted to give her some anti-nausea meds and IV fluids. The IV was a nightmare...Katie was the 'hardest one I've ever done,' according to the nurse. They had to try in both hands. It was terrible. It took a bit, but she did perk up and they sent us home. Later that same day, James caught the bug and got sick. Still a week later, they are not 100% and still getting tired pretty quick. James is still not eating much. This is the bug that just won't let go. But we're here, and I'm still sane. (I think...) I don't know what it is, but it seems that when my kids do get sick, they go big. Here's to a healthy summer!

I'm Going Under The Witness Protection Program

I need to disappear from the sickness and the messes that come with that. Katie has been sick since late Monday night. I had to take her to the ER today because they thought she had appendicitis. Fortunately it was not, but she was very dehydrated and so had to get an IV (which was a nightmare...'hardest one' he'd ever done...had to try in both hands...Katie screamed...I wanted to bawl like a baby...) Anyway, she is doing a bit better and now James is coming down with it. I'm praying that Tyler, Jeff and I remain safe from it. (Wishful thinking? I hope not.) So, I won't be blogging til we're all better.

See What I Mean?

....when I say that Tyler is crazy?

How To Fit 10 Pounds of Shtuff Into A 5 Pound Weekend

This weekend was ridiculous, as in ridiculously busy. It was one of those weekends where we ended up having way too much scheduled. Saturday we had Con-Rachel's graduation. Saturday afternoon, her graduation party. Sunday, we had church and a BBQ. Oh, and did I mention it was the first somewhat non-rainy, not-really-free weekend we've had to re-roof the shed. Yeah. We had to squeeze that in too. Saturday morning I went to the graduation while Jeff watched all three kids and tore the roof off the shed roof. Everyone was unharmed and still alive when I returned. Bonus points for Jeff!! We continued work on the shed up until the very last minute. I was running in and out of the house checking on the Con-Rachel friendly cake I was making (sugar and gluten free). Shingles...chocolate....nailing up flashing....set the oven to 350. Its a wonder everything worked out. At the party there were various jokes about the impending 'Judgement,' and at 6:00 someone in the neighborhood set off a very loud explosion. It was pretty hilarious! They get points for thinking of that. No doubt someone was second guessing themselves when they heard that. Sunday morning consisted of working on the shed, dusting the sawdust off me, and taking the kids to church while Jeff stayed home and worked on the shed. After church...you guessed it...we worked on the shed. I managed to hammer my finger and now I have myself a nice swollen, purple digit. Ouch!! Again, we worked til the last minute, with me alternating between the shed, and making Peanut Butter thumbprint cookies and roasted potatoes. The BBQ was very nice and the kids got to run out a lot of energy. We got home, dumped them in bed and sat in front of the TV in a comatose state, which is probably the same state you find yourself in after reading a play-by-play of our weekend. :)

Chicken Wrangling

Because we still haven't finished the actual coop (this weekend...hopefully), I have to herd the chickens up every night. They are getting big, and they are fast. I have to back them into the corner and catch them one by one. Chicken Noodle almost always escapes, which leaves me carrying four clucking, wiggling chickens into the garage and closing the door so they don't get out. Then I go back out and chase Noodle around the yard. I try to chase her toward the house so she doesn't fly over the fence. I bet the neighbors probably set their clocks for 8:00 each night when the crazy lady chases a chicken around the yard. Great entertainment, I am sure. Once, the wayward chicken went under the picnic table. That was super. But so far, so good. I am getting pretty good at anticipating the ninja chicken's moves, and thwarting them. After catching the chicken, I take it into the garage where the other four have capitalized on their freedom and are prancing around the garage looking for something to eat. I have to catch each one and put them in the cage for the night. It'll be very nice when they can just trot up the plank into their very own chicken door and I won't have to herd them every night. Until then, I am sure I am keeping the neighbors entertained.

Uhhhhh....

Way back in the day, before kids, I went to school for Fine Arts. It was so much fun, and lately I've been hinting around to Jeff that I want to take another class. Alas, that will have to wait til he's done with school. Anywho.....I keep all my schoolwork in two huge portfolio envelopes in Katie's closet. The other day, the kids decided to make a fort in the closet and found the drawings. I was alerted to the fact when I heard James laughing, in a 'I am not sure what I just found but its pretty funny' sort of way. So, I went in and there is James, holding a large drawing from my anatomy class. (Read: large drawing of naked woman) He and Katie were giggling and asked what it was. Well, uh....I mean, how do you explain to a kid that when you go to school for art, you sit around drawing naked people. I mean, after a while, you just look at 'it' as an object, something you have to master drawing. You look at the individual muscles, the shapes of the bones, etc.. I don't even remember what I told them, but it was kind of amusing, them standing there holding up that drawing. Of all the drawings for them to find. :)

Laughing At The Dentist?

Last night I had to go to the dentist to get my new crown put in. I had a root canal a while back and somehow my tooth shifted and I had to get it redone. Oh, joy. The Dentist had to grind it down to size, and was standing there with his drill, filing away. Suddenly, my tooth flew out of his hands and across the room. He looked really embarrassed but I wanted to crack up laughing. He didn't say anything as he picked it up off the floor and cleaned it up. I couldn't help it, I started laughing. I wonder if he was relieved that I wasn't mad, because he said, 'Well, for you, I was going to do the five second rule.' Good comeback, Dentist! After he finished gluing the new tooth in, he was standing there, pulling his gloves off. I don't know if one came off faster than he anticipated but he accidentally smacked me in the face, though not very hard. He was very apologetic and said something like 'What's next! First I drop your tooth, then I hit you in the face.' Even though I am sure he felt pretty sheepish, I thought it was pretty amusing.

In a different note...our neighbor across the street got robbed last night. They are not sure if the guy was in their house. The screen was off and there was dirt on the window sill of their baby's room. Fortunately the baby was sleeping upstairs at the time. Our neighbor was getting his gun and the burglar may have heard that and left the house. However, he stole the neighbor's truck. The cops found the guy on his way to Trenton and chased him. He rolled the truck three times so it is totaled. In the truck they found a box full of glass cutters and tools, and a bag of extra clothes: a business suit and tie. The whole thing is pretty scary...this was right across the street. On top of that, my next door neighbor said there have been 8 or 9 robberies in the neighborhood in the recent past. Makes me want to go out and buy a half dozen Dobermans.

Standoff

Every Monday, the kids clean their rooms. Yesterday, Katie decided she didn't want to clean her room. She told me that she didn't want to and she wasn't going to clean it. I told her she had to stay in her room til she finished it. I figured that she would eventually decide to clean it. (She's done this a few times before, but never to such an extent) Well, she cried. She wailed. She sat quietly on her bed, all refusing to clean her room. This began at 11am. I had told the kids that we would have a special lunch and watch a movie together when they were done. I reminded her of that, but she just said 'No, I just won't watch the movie. I don't want to clean my room.' At about 12:30, I let her come down and eat. Then she went back to her room. Then she took a nap. Then she woke up and protested, again! It wasn't until 4:00 that she decided to clean up her room. Seriously! It was ridiculous, and frustrating, and annoying. We ditched our trip to the library. We stayed inside and waited...and waited...and waited. At least the room finally got cleaned. Ironically, it wasn't even that dirty.