No more white…

I refuse to buy white socks for my kids – after they are at the stage of walking and wearing rubber boots.  This rule used to encompass only the boys, but I’m extending it to all kids, now.  We just have too much mud and muck for me to mess around with white.

 

I have found that if I buy black or dark socks, I’m a better person.  I don’t worry about stains on dark socks because I don’t HAVE to worry about stains on black (or dark) socks.  The sight of stained white socks just gets me livid.

 

If we buy white socks, they only stay white from the time they are taken out of the bag until the first wearing … why bother!!  I don’t like bleaching because it shortens the ‘life’ of the fabric, requires repeated soaking (may be effective or maybe not), and it makes the socks feel stiff and rough.  Not sure what’s in our mud, but it’s special because it does. not. come. out. 

 

SO, I AM DONE WITH WHITE SOCKS!!!

  Anyone else feel this way??

Monday DayLook – April 12, 2010

For Today: April 12, 2010

 

Looking out from my back porch... dark blue skies, slightly overcast, but the sun is trying to poke through.  It sprinkled earlier and looks like it will later, too.

 

I am thinking about… change.  Baby kittens born over the weekend, laying hens out in the coop, baby chicks coming in a couple weeks, baby Louis rolling over and moving around on his tummy, Spring planting to begin within the week, sheep (kids’ 4-H project) to arrive within the month … lots of change!

 

I am thankful for... health.  I continue to say this, but we have just been so remarkably healthy.  Being healthy allows us to travel, see friends, take care of the animals, and get schoolwork done in a timely manner.

 

I am reading… ‘Backyard Poultry’ magazine!  Our first issue arrived last week and it was so fun to read.  I learned a lot from just this issue and can hardly wait for the next.

I am hoping... for moderate weather during Spring planting.

 

I am hearing... Baby Louis playing with a crinkly fabric ball.

 

I am wearing… grey sweats with a green ls shirt.

 

From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)… nothing yet today, but the sound of the washing machine WILL be heard later this morning.

 

From the school room... pretty quiet, as Zeke and Angelina are done with their subjects for the day.  Dash is completing school work in his room this week – part of our Scholarship Improvement Plan (SIP).

 

From the kitchen... my clicking on the laptop keyboard, which will turn to sounds of bread-making as soon as this is posted!  I’d also like someone (besides me) to make a snack today … bars and cookies are a snack, right??

 

State of the house… it’s definitely Spring because the dust piles up faster than dirty laundry.

 

A successful moment… last week, on my shopping trip with my sis, I FOUND something cute (it matches a skirt and pants I already own) to wear for Spring.  Not quite in time for Easter, but I have a few occasions coming up in April and May.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Angelina’s dance lessons; grocery shopping, bit of lesson planning.

Tuesday:  I’d like to plan the garden and order seeds today.

Wednesday: Possible trip to Valley City or Jamestown.

Thursday:   Angelina is modeling for an Apron Show presented by her Grandma Green Acres.

Friday/Saturday/Sunday:   4-H club meeting at our house & the county is sponsoring a 4-H bowling party.

A picture wish & it’s a memory, too …

View Full Album

These photos were all from June, 2009.

L: Clematis and rose bush

C: Herbal Mary Garden

R: Day lilies

Chicken Facts

Did you know that each chicken lays a specific color egg – yes, mine are all brown egg layers – but, each egg is a little different in color, shape and size.  For instance, one of our layers produces eggs that are long and thin, they are kind-of pointy.  Another lays brown eggs with dark brown speckles.  Some of the eggs are a pinkish brown, others a tan or beige brown. 

 

No, I haven’t figured out which hen lays each particular egg, yet.  But, I hope I will one of these days.  They usually lay eggs between 10am and 4pm.  I just haven’t had enough time to sit in the hen coop for 6 hours to watch eggs being layed!

Chickens!!

We have 12 Rhode Island Red hens!!  And, they’ve been laying well.  On Friday, we found a dozen eggs.  Every day since, we collected 8 eggs.  That’s wonderful.  I expected them to be thrown off because of the trip, new home, change in food, etc.  But, they’ve been great.  And, they are friendly little clucks, too.  The kids have been so excited to go visit in the morning, at noon, and at night.  My SIL, Laura, and I even saw an egg layed by the hen.

 

The hens were so excited about their new nest box.  They all wanted to get into the same box, though!  It was cute and funny.

Graham holds the very first egg.

 

Our second collection of the day on Friday.

And by the days end, we had a full dozen eggs from our new layers.

 

Monday DayLook – April 5, 2010

For Today: April 5, 2010

Looking out from my back porch... the snow is almost gone – just a few fingers of white within the tree rows.  The yard is a mass of mud and puddles and filled with my kids’ footprints.  Mud = sacrifice = more patience!

 

I am thinking about… the Mayer family.  Today, we attended the funeral mass for our friend, Ryan.  His family was in my thoughts and prayers all through the Triduum and Mass on Sunday.

 

I am thankful for... the gift of Spring-time!  And, of course, the gift of Christ’s life given for all of us.

 

I am reading… Introduction to the Devout Life.  How much teaching can be packed into one page, let alone one paragraph??  I’ve also been reading Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens.

I am hoping... for beautiful weather and continued good health.

 

I am hearing... the tv.  We are watching NCAA basketball.  Gotta root for the underdog.  No, I don’t usually watch the NCAA tourney, but I needed to veg after so much activity the past few days.

 

From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)…  Angelina, under my sometimes wavering patience, has been working on her doll quilt.  Let’s just say there has been a bit of stitch-ripping.  It’s a quarter inch seam, dear, a half inch is a bit large for quilt’s seam.

 

From the kitchen... I baked sugar cookies for Easter last week.  I even found a church cookie cutter!  Grandma Green Acres has agreed to come over and help frost & decorate cookies with the kids.  They had a great time with sugar and sprinkles.

 

State of the house… considering we’ve cleaned the floors more in the last two weeks than we have in the last two months and we had lots of company over the past few days, it looks pretty good!

 

A successful moment… the kids are in bed!!

 

Easter Musing and Observation… I enjoy how in our part of the land, the earth is just opening up to new life as Lent comes to an end and Easter is in sight.  It’s been noted in blog posts how hard Lent has been this year; it surely has been a struggle here, too.  But, the struggle makes me so thankful for those little snippets of time when everything is going well and the embrace of PEACE is felt.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Tuesday-Thursday:  We’ll work on slowly getting back into our ‘normal’ routine. 

Friday/Saturday/Sunday:   Dedication of the new FarmHouse Fraternity building in Fargo.  We look forward to Divine Mercy Sunday (and the fact that we’ll be at St. Mary’s Cathedral for Mass!).

 

A picture memory...

Happy Easter! – Easter Sunday

Alleluia!  He is risen…

This beautiful Easter tree was given to us a house-warming gift by my husband’s Aunt & Uncle a week or two ago.  It’s beautiful and was the centerpiece for our Easter table.  A few close-ups follow.  


 
I know some choose not to eat before Sunday Mass, but I need to eat or risk being faint.  So, breakfast was served at 7am on Sunday morning.  The menu included fresh fruit, COFFEE & Chai Tea, Spicy Sausage Quiche, and Hash Brown & Ham Quiche (a favorite from last year).

All 16 adults and children had eaten by 8am and were dressed and headed out to the vehicles by 8:30am.  I was impressed!  Mass was at 9am and a 20 min. drive from the farm.  In small rural towns, it’s possible to arrive only 15 min. early and still ensure the ability to park VERY close, have time to get the kids to the bathroom, and find space for everyone to sit within the space of two rows, too.

Our second Easter Mass at the small country church was easier – and more joy-filled … the presence of family and a deeper sense of thankfulness.  Baby Louis was hungry/fussy, so he and I spent most of the Mass in the cry room.  But, I joined my SIL, Laura, and her son, so we weren’t alone!  It felt so good to sing the Alleluia.

This year, for the first time, I remembered and had time to  put a little plate of goodies together for our priest.  Angelina was in charge of the delivery.

Upon returning to the farm, we enjoyed watching the kids search for their Easter goodies.  Too muddy to have an Easter egg hunt this year – and the eggs would be hard to hide in the mud! – so, clues were given to each child which lead them to three or four small gifts (books, coloring books, rosaries, and kites or bubbles).

  Uncle Pat & Aunt Anna with Louis (above) and Uncle Eric (below).

  This is my 3yo God-daughter.  She’s a ball of energy and a little bounce of joy wherever she goes. 


 

My SIL, Laura, with her children.

 
Uncle Eric and Graham (above) using the clues to find Graham’s Easter gifts and my brother, Doug, (below) helping his daughter in her search

 
Graham, above, with his kite – an Easter gift tradition in my family and Grandma Golden Acres with Leo, below.


 I forgot to take an Easter pic of ‘just’ my kids.  OOOPS!  Maybe after Divine Mercy Sunday Mass??  Anyway, above are all kids present at the farm for Easter. 

We have three April birthdays among members on my side of the family; we usually try to celebrate them on Easter weekend.  So, Grandpa Dave, Uncle Pat & Dash opened a few birthday presents, too.  Here are the three birthday guys – pictured below!
  SOMEONE was a little tired after all the action!  She’s so darn adorable.

 
Graham became attached to this sword after playing with it at a friends.  I ordered it for him, he will be paying for a portion, and I asked if he could wait until Easter to ‘get’ it.  He agreed.  So, after everyone left, I let him open this special toy.  It was a big deal to this 3yo.

My MIL cut a few forsythia branches for me on Friday.  I wasn’t sure they’d bloom, but Sunday morning, two flowers had popped.  That evening, this is what the the branches looked like.  Beautiful and sunny.
  
My mom offered to stay and help us on Monday (today).  Everyone else left for home between 3 and 4pm.  Eric left at 4pm for a wake/prayer service in Fargo.  My mom and I put our feet up and visited for the rest of the afternoon/evening.