Its for the birds

did you think that this post was going to be about chickens 

or 

perhaps geese?!?

I am tricky like that.

always keepin ya on your toes.

With March brings added panic 

Summer is around the corner

Most of us have fallen off the band wagon

I saw this the other day

Cha Cha Cha Changes... in the weather.

Yesterday the snow was almost gone.

Just a few ice patches here and there.

This morning....

The girls didn't mind.

Sometimes they go through bouts of sheer madness

and 

actually

MISS

the snow!

Like I said...

Crazy.

None the less.

Out the door they went.

Who needs breakfast?

Not them.

They choked back their oatmeal, threw their hair back... and bob's their uncle

 (not really...)

 Lucy giving Midnight a good ol' scratch when that pesky bus made it's appearance.

Ellie is usually our sounding alarm.

She gets worried she's going to miss it.

I haven't told her that they actually wait for you...

I am sure she'll figure it out when she's 14!

But for now...

 She sounds the shrill alarm.

 and off they charge.

Ellie is in charge of who gets on the bus first.

It must be Lucy's day.

Ellie is good at keeping track of these sorts of things.

Me... not so much...

 Gone for the day.

And while the children are away....

the babe

gets to 

{play would rhyme but she gets to watch cartoons}

and better yet

SHE

gets to pick.

BUSTED.

Me that is.

Her spy senses heard the camera.

Things I Love

Today was grey.

Warm (ish)... for February....

Lucy and I do chores.

Outside chores.

She's not one for inside chores...

and by her helping to do chores..

I mean...

she find the biggest patch of ice and 

slides back and forth

UNTIL

I am done actual chores.

Everyonce in a while she will appear.

She will follow me around.

She makes sure I do it the "right" way

aka Dusty's way.

I sure love that kid.

Even if she does check on me.

 Look at the view.

It makes me want to inhale the dirt smell.

Have I mentioned I LOVE LOVE LOVE the prairie?!?

Family Photo Wall

We had some family pictures done when we moved 

and I FINALLY 

got a round to the project of putting them up!

We have a huge (long wall) 

in our living room so I printed 

6 8x10's and

 1 poster (24x36). 

Thank-goodness for costco!

 So convenient! 

They were all ready the next day!

I got a great tip to buy canvas' at the dollar store for 1 buck! 

So I put all the 8x10's on canvas.

This project is super easy

and it turned out great.

AND

it saved me money!

You will need

1) photos

2) canvas

3) modge podge

4) foam brush

5) canvas

6) scissors

7) scrapbook paper

Apply a layer of modge podge to the canvas.

Stick photo on canvas.

Let dry for a couple minutes.

Cut a strip of the scrapbook paper the thickness of the canvas.

Modge Podge on.

 {I found that 1 piece of 12x12 did my 6 8x10's but I had to be really careful and some of my edges are pieced with smaller bits}

Apply modge podge over photo.

Put canvas or other textured material over glue

Peel off after rubbing it on the photo.

Let the glue dry and hang.

Approval

Approval is a funny thing.

We want it.

{I} want it.

Validation that I

- am a good mother

-good wife

-good house keeper

-good daughter

- am smart

- think outside the box

- am an awesome sister

- have good ideas

- have a pretty house 

- am funny

- a good friend

- am a good cook

Sometimes it matters who it comes from

someone I respect

or Love

or admire

but

it even comes from strangers.

why is it important what others think of me?

{the answer inserted should be that it doesn't}

but

it does.

Winter Rashes

While my title suits the post, the two subjects don't go together.

1) Penny broke out in a rash/ hives/ puffy, sore, skin ailment last night.

I have narrowed these episodes down to (thanks to google)

Stress.

When she gets stressed her body breaks out.

Well, 

it would make sense to limit the stress a 2 year old is exposed to...

except for one problem...

Penny is high maintenance.

She gets stressed if

a) her bed isn't made properly

b) her sisters don't listen to her

c) she gets put in timeout (for hitting or pinching or throwing toys)

d) she is over tired and has a mini-melt down.

Its not like its contagious.

it's totally fine.

Except

( I am full of Excepts today)

it is really painful.

I vet wrapped her arm.

She was adorable.

I should of taken a picture 

but 

I didn't.

2) moving on.... Winter.

Winter blew in this morning.

It was inevitable.

We had been experiencing lovely spring like weather.

It was bound to happen.

It is still February.

The kids were thrilled to see snow.

and

since we stayed home from Church

they got to play in it all morning while I did chores.

Normally I will haul bales around on the quad

to cut down on time

but 

I threw them in the sled and pulled them from pen to pen.

The Ponies were frisky this morning.

They welcomed the hay with bucks and snorts...

and toots.

They donkeys brayed.

Loudly.

The geese

hissed

continually.

The cat rubbed up on the kids any moment it could.

The animals are fed.

My kids are tired.

and now

I am going to make soup.

the sky's the limit

This week was was crazy busy.

Like I am glad it's Friday.

I think that perhaps I am fooling myself

This weekend is probably going to be busy too.

Ellie starts Basketball Camp this Saturday.

I don't know if she has even held a basketball.

She is excited though.

She is also going to her first birthday party.

I know 

She is 7.

Most kids have probably been to birthdays.

I avoid them.

BUT

She is going.

and she is thrilled.

and 

I am happy too.

She has spent the last two days 

seriously contemplating

what to buy

for a 

gift.

I think she did a great job picking it out.

The little girl loves our cat.

So Ellie got her

a

fur real cat.

I am pretty sure it's not kosher to bring a real cat to a birthday party....

Ellie has grown up a lot this year.

She still cries when she is tired.

or happy

or sad

or embarrassed

or (well really anytime)

she cries a lot.

BUT

She is getting better at embracing that.

She is very good at doing her chores.

Which I didn't really give her.

She just took them on herself.

She is nurturing.

She is a total weirdo.

(and I say that lovingly).

She loves when I take pictures of her.

Learning

Okay.

First thing is first.

Last night there was a family dance at the school.

It wasn't so much a family dance

as it was more

mayhem and chaos.

Kids running around

twirling uncontrollably

large doses of sugar.

A spectacular time had by the children.

Well.

next.

I saw from a distance a person I hadn't seen since

High School.

He was a "grown-up"

{not really mature in the sense of behavior 

but mature in the sense

 he was a bit older and actually had facial hair}

Anyways.

I immediately knew who he was.

He was nice back then.

He seemed nice now.

Married.

kids.

etc.

I 

NORMALLY

would avoid all contact.

But I figured my hair was done...

I know I was bound to run into him again..

{since our kids are now in the same school}

so I bit the bullet.

I walked up.

Oh gosh.

What was I thinking?!?

He recognized me

{I think}

I am pretty sure he has NO CLUE what my name is.

I asked him if he remembered who I was....

WHAT?

Man, I wish I could delete the things that come out 

and rephrase them into a much more cool 

or at least less awkward phrase.

After 2 minutes of excruciating small talk

i bee-lined it for someone else.

Phew.

Never again.

Well now that 

that is over...

Tiger is getting spayed today.

Which is good.

Because as much as the children love her

I was still contemplating

having her have an accident.

After a month of being in heat

I can take no more.

See Tiger below.

To her benefit she is an excellent mouser.

and she is really patient with the girls 

and their friends.

I think maybe it's the warm weather that had effected Tiger.

Because

Bill and Jeff are being RIDICULOUS.

so noisy.

and very inappropriate for the front yard....

{did you know that you can buy Turkey and Geese "saddles"}

The things you learn when looking at incubation units....

And I just threw this one in.

She helps me hold the chickies when I clean their box.

Poor Poor Chickies.....

Raven

A quiet moment at the barn.

Ellie has a softness about her.

Raven is a quiet little donkey

(not in the audio sense)

(in that sense he is not so quiet)

Since bringing them here

Ellie has spent a lot of time at the barn

hanging out with

Raven.

Heavenly Hawaiian Hash

It took a lot to not name this "tropical who-hash" but alas I was out-voted by the small people....

So anyways,

This morning was a wee bit frosty.... And since there is no tropical vacation on my horizon... I needed a little Hawaii in my life.

So without further adu....

Heavenly Hawaiian Hash

{one cowboy and wife or one wife and three children serving}

The players...

- 2 potatoes (I used Yukon golds- I feel they are the best breakfast potato but please feel free to contact me on my potato soap box .... because I have one)

- 1 tablespoon of EVOO {thank-you Rachel for the awesome acronym}

- 1 tsp of butter

- garlic salt

- onions

- parsley

- pepper

- paprika

- salsa

- pineapple

- bacon/ ham

- eggs

- cheese

The Script...

- chop potatoes small

- heat oil and butter in skillet

- fry potatoes

- add garlic salt (couple tsps)

- cook till soft

- add green onions or regular sweet onions.... Like a 1/4 cup or so

- add a cup of chopped ham or crumbled bacon (omit oil if using bacon)

- add pineapple ( 1 can)

- fry together

{potatoes and pineapple frying}

- add paprika (1 tsp) and pepper (sprinkle liberally)

- add salsa (2 tablespoons... And I used hot salsa)

- add two eggs beaten with some milk

- stir until eggs are cooked

- top with sharp cheddar

EAT.

yum!

The girls gave 5 fingers up!