Pefect timing.

Last year about this time we called Sam Hess to see about doing some logging on our 20 acre parcel. We went through all the proper channels.

Called the Forestry Department to apply for a permit.

They came out with Sam and looked at the maps of our property and decided that we have two "bird circles" and a "fish run"

We do have birds and tons of them. Doves, eagles, owls and loads more.

We don't have a fish anything. We have ditches in our field that haven't always been there.

They are dry in the summer.

The answer from the Forestry Dept. was a kind of a yes if we could get it done in a very small window of time due to the eagle nest and their little eaglets.

 So short in fact that the answer was really a no.

 We decided the window of time wasn't big enough as we were coming up against the rainy season which would bring a giant mess of mud and ruts.

 

We had planned to use the money from logging to pay some bills etc.. nothing fun, but necessary. I wish that being an adult came with less responsibility!

We were disappointed in the stringent rules, that we can't do what we want to on our own property and frustrated that our plan wasn't going to work, but what can you do?

Fast forward

Two of our neighbors; one on each side logged their property.

Outside of the window we were given to log.

What the?! How can that be? Surely if we have eagles on our property they have eagles on theirs.

I am not talking that we see an eagle now and then we have a swarm of them. Sometimes too many to count. Surely they aren't all born on our land.

The Farmer decided to stop and talk to Sam (who was doing the logging down the road) and see if maybe we could apply again for a logging permit.

Sam called the Forestry Dept. to inquire. 

They remembered our property and didn't need to come out again, but instead gave permission to log!

Um?? OK! 

We were logging within days.

Early on a Wednesday just as day was breaking Sam was here unloading equipment and fired up his saw soon after.

Tree after tree hit the ground.

Logs were stacking up in the field.

Load after load left for the mill.

Contracts came in the mail and then the checks.

There were more trees than we thought and the price was much better than last year.

Then it hit me.

This was the plan all along.

Not our plan; Gods plan.

You see, our financially situation is very different this year. 

We don't have to use the money to pay bills. 

We GET to use the money for our future.

The Farmer was able to buy a tractor. 

It is shiny and brand new.

His dad delivered it a couple weekends ago and it has been working to brush hog and mow ditches.

The tractor and The Farmer have been hard at work getting our property back in farming order.

We have a list of things that need to be done to become a working farm and now we get to check some of those things off the list.

Praise God.

Today The Farmer pull on his Muck boots and headed out  to do chores in the wind and rain.

 When I watched from the window as he drove his tractor out of the stable and down the driveway I can't help but feel thankful that there is a bigger plan for us.

Sometimes it is frustrating when we can't see the plan, but when the plan begins to open and starts to make sense I have renewed hope.

Our plans aren't always His plans.

This proves to me (again) that His plans are bigger and better than ours.

We just need to have patience and trust.

Never early; Never late; always in perfect time.

Blessed is me..

SHOO Fly!

A war is waging!

It is me against the flies.

I am losing.

These little sons a bitches are taking over my house!

I have tried everything; and I mean EVERYTHING!
I have done the bag of water over the door, apple cider vinegar in a glass, essential oils, fly strips, cloves in fruit, Rescue fly trap bag and jars, (<---- those bags and jars smell like flesh is rotting!) wine, honey, hairspray and a fan.

 

It seems like one of those would work.
I mean they are working for other people I know so why not me?
"I have hundreds in the bottom of a glass" my friend tells me.

 The jerks are still swarming my kitchen, laundry room, bedroom, both bathrooms and living room!
 

I tossed the fruit basket, cleaned the fridge, wiped down every surface, bought new sink drain baskets, the trash is emptied often so today I resorted to the vacuum!

I wait for them to land and suck the little SOB's right where they are resting.

Only problem is they are quick to fly off so I miss sometimes.

Not to mention I look like a complete loon carrying the vacuum from room to room.

I am weary to use any sort of poison spray because I don't want that in our house, but I am getting desperate.

Worse yet these disgusting creatures only live about a day, but can lay 500 eggs in that day!

Great so know I have fly larva (MAGGOTS!) somewhere!

Maggots? I am going to Home Depot RIGHT NOW to look at what other options I haven't tried!

Blessed is me...?

Whew..

We made it!

The first week of school is under our belts. It is always a hectic week getting back on schedule. 

The kids weren't super excited to get back to the 7:30 bedtime, but by last night they were out in minutes. Thank goodness cause I fell asleep soon after.

I offered to bring the kids to school all week, but by day two Jameson was tired of waiting for me to get ready for work so he chose the bus. Little did he know that by the time the bus got to Aspmo Road we were right behind him.

Madalyn has only had one slight meltdown about what to wear to school

I wanted her to wear leggings, but she said
"I HAVE P.E. TODAY AND LEGGINGS DON'T LOOK GOOD WITH TENNIS SHOES!"

The task of packing lunches has been handed over to them sandwiches included.
Last year Jer made their sandwiches, but they are fine to do it themselves now. Only a little bit of peanut butter and jelly gets on the counter.

In order to ensure that they are eating healthy snacks and enough of them I started a snack bin area in our pantry.

We have 3 bins.

1 has assorted crackers

1 has fruit leather, twists and no sugar added fruit cups

and 1 has granola bars and cookies

They can pick one item from each bin add a juice pouch and a cheese stick from the fridge.

It has helped me to feel good about what they are eating for lunch, but letting them feel good about having choices.

This week their lunch sacks have come home empty!

They are STARVING when they get home and go straight for the fridge.

This morning Madalyn wanted to sleep in and Jameson suggested that since it had been so stormy last night that we stay home from school today. Both great ideas I thought, but we persevered and made it through Friday.

Tonight wasn't as smooth sailing and it's true I yelled at Jameson. Sometimes he can FRUSTRATE me!

Me: "Jameson please put your shoes and sock on so we can leave"

Jameson comes back with shoes on
Me: "Do you have socks on?"
Jameson: "No! socks make my feet sweat and I don't like it"
Me: "I asked you to put socks on and I'd like you to do what I ask"
Jameson: "I don't want to these AREN'T sweat socks they are just socks and they make me sweat and it makes my shoes stinks"
Me: "get your socks and shoes on so we can leave!"
Jameson "I DON'T WANT TO WEAR SOCKS!"
Me: "GET YOUR SOCKS ON AND STOP ARGUING WITH ME DO WHAT I SAY WHEN I SAY IT AND WE WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM!"

Jameson: "Fine!"

After getting some food in their tummy's things settled down and all the arguing stopped as well as the yelling. Now the kids are snuggled in watching a movie, yawning with heavy eyes. 

I am sure that Jameson will be up at the crack of 5:30 and Madalyn will sleep as long as Jameson lets her. He usually "accidentally" wakes her up.

All and all it was a smooth week of getting back in the swing of more scheduled days.

 Jameson has Mrs. Herr this year and he really likes her so far. She is a younger teacher and has a very gentle demeanor and seems pretty organized. 

Just what he likes.
Madalyn has what many have referred to as the "dream team"
She has two teachers that are job sharing this year.

Mrs Grauff and Mrs. Biederman.

They are both teaching 2 days one week and 3 days the next.
I am really excited about this set up because both teachers get to teach to their strengths and will have plenty of rest time after wrangling 25+ 2nd graders!
Mad is happy because she has some friends in her class.

I think this year is going to be full of learning new things, stretching our wings, making new friends and I am sure a little bit of yelling. Well, because I am a yeller.

Blessed is me..

Girls only!

So, last week I sat down to the computer and logged onto the Nordstrom website to purchase myself some new bras.
I thought since we had finally closed on our home refi after 7 months and we don’t have a mortgage this month I would treat myself to some new bras and underwear.

Pretty exciting huh!

Well, I loath buying bras. I really don’t think there is anything I like doing less. I would rather be water boarded, touch a slug, poke my own eye with a hot stick ANYTHING other than buy bras.

You see when I was in middle school I woke up one morning with boobs bigger than most peoples head.
No, seriously they grew overnight.

Pre pregnancy wasn’t such a big deal because my breasts were full at the top AND bottom

I could wear lacy demi bras that always came with matching undies.

So pretty.

When your bra and panties match that surely means you really have it together!

Then came Jameson and my boobs grew again despite not ever getting milk in

and

they never shrank back.

Madalyn comes just 19 months later and you guessed it bigger…, but no milk.

You’d think at the size of these things I’d be able to nurse a small country, but nope not even one baby.

(don’t get me started on breastfeeding and bonding and how I should have tried pumping blah blah blah. Did it. HATED it. My kids are fine, smart, healthy and yes bonded to me.. even though they had the dreaded formula)

Well, after that my nice full top breasts became long empty, full bottom, saggy boobs.

Size you ask???
34H!

That’s right folks bras come in H.
I’ve heard all the comments and been pitied by the Nordstrom sales gal
“oh you poor thing if you were just bigger around we would have a better selection”

“If your breasts were more full on the top these bras would fit better”

Oh thanks, I feel much better.
I love getting fitted too. The sales lady always has me put on a fitting bra which never fits and they always make a face of disgust at the sight of how it fits. I don’t really understand the point of the fitting bra. I also don’t want to think of how many women have put that thing on because it is always just hanging in the fitting room.
They then come back with a pile of bras that they help my put on. It goes something like this:
clasp bra

bend at waist while the poor girl grabs the sides of the bra and tries with all her might to shake my boobs into place.

Stand up

Tuck boob under arm into bra

Tuck boob spilling out the top into bra

Remove bra

Repeat
The colors?
Black and Beige
I mean beige? Who wouldn’t love a beige bra? Ooo lala
Is beige even a color?

The straps?The straps of these bras could tow a truck! Not kidding

Panties to match?

 Nope, I just can’t wear beige panties.
The clasps?
There is 3 and I think it is two inches wide!

The kicker is they cost 88 bucks!

That’s right ladies I get to pay almost 100 clams for a bra that is BEIGE and could double as a tow strap!
In all seriousness though I am thankful for the ladies at Nordstrom and they really do work hard to find me a bra that fits just right and I have just succumbed to the fact that my bra will either be black or beige. And so help me if they stop making the bra that fits me just right I might lose it!

If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation that requires a tow strap; call me I can probably help

Blessed is me…

Muffins and life lessons

Tonight Jameson and I went out into the field and picked blackberries to make muffins after dinner. Dinner was finishing up and  Jer said "I'm going to the farm (his parents) to wash my truck and check the chicks" Jameson promptly decided to go with dad because the last few weeks I have become a second choice to daddy especially if it has anything to do with farming, 4 wheelers and/or RC cars.

So it was just us girls hanging out. 

As I am gathering all the ingredients to make some Blackberry Sour Cream Muffins Madalyn asks "Can I help you?" This seems like a simple request, but to be truthful having the kids help me in the kitchen isn't my favorite.  When Mad stirs the flour it goes flying, when she cracks an egg she smashes it on the bowl cracks it up high and back down low the egg plopping against the bowl or flour, sugar is all over the counter because she has to shake it all around the bowl before dumping it in. It is a general mess. I know it is just a mess and messes can be cleaned, but I really don't love it.

 Well, tonight I let her help (I know I always should!). We measured flour and as it flopped in the bowl and dusted everything within 5 feet she had a giant smile. She shook the sugar just right, spread the baking powder in the bowl; and out. As I am measuring the oil Mad notices we don't have enough so I ask her to grab the applesauce to make up the difference. She says "I thought we were making muffins?" and I get explain to her why you can use applesauce in place of oil. 

She says "did your Grandma Ethel teach you that?" 

Now if you know me at all you know that my Grandma Ethel is my favorite favorite favorite. Sometimes I still get teary eyes about how much I miss her. I think about how she would have loved Jer, my kids and how I can make a pretty good pie crust almost like her.

She was the best pie baker with a crust that doesn't compare to any.

I told Mad that my grandma didn't teach me that, but she did teach me a lot of other things.

Then came the questions about Grandama
"is she in heaven"
and it opened my eyes to what I haven't seen before.

How will Madalyn learn to make a pie crust, a loaf of bread, cookies or dinner if I don't let her make a mess and "help" me?

If I don't teach her who will?
If I don't slow down and see that a mess is just a mess (and I'm a pretty good mess maker myself when I am baking) I am going to miss out on bigger life lessons taught by a 7 year old.

It is more fun to crack an egg up high then down low because that is how they do it on T.V.
It is exciting to see how far the flour can dust up the sides of the bowl.

Sugar, well we love sugar at our house and if you get it on the counter you can clean it up with your licked finger when your finished baking.

I will never get this chance back and baking is more fun with her.

I can see that the conversations are only going to get better and better.

I need to remember that I used to be the one standing on the chair asking if I can lick the bowl and making a mess next to my grandma.

Thanks Mad for the little 7 year old life lessons.

Blessed is me...

When the kids are away..

While the kids were gone at church camp I had a big list of things I was going to get done since I had scheduled some days off work.

-deep clean the house

-weed the garden

-prime and paint doors

-clean two rooms in the barn out

and

-clean my car; which we could live out of for no less than two weeks including food and clothing.

-sleep past 5:30 a.m.

My plan didn't go off entirely as planned other than I slept until after 6.

-We could still live out of my car

-the rooms in the barn are still full of junk

-doors are still unpainted

-garden is over run by weeds

I did get the living room cleaned!!

I cleaned the baseboards, moved the furniture, etc.. I was slightly grossed out by what I found under the sofa. Dog hair, empty box from a toy, toy farm fencing, Hot Wheels, dog hair, red Solo cup, tractor tires, 4 pair of Madalyn's shoes and I think all of her socks, dog hair and.. wait for it a tortilla! Jameson likes to eat cold tortilla's and I guess when he was finished he decided that under the sofa was a better place than in the garbage!

Anyone else have an accumulation under the sofa? No? OK.. moving on..

I watched some daytime T.V. which is a total waste of time. Did you know that Barkers Beauties on the Price Is Right now includes DUDES? It just isn't right.
I have also concluded that Hoda and Kathie Lee on the Today show need to slow down on the drinking. I know it's 5:00 somewhere, but having shots lined up on the desk seems like a little much.

While my plan to get lots done didn't go as planned I did get to spend 2 glorious days with The Farmer. Just us. No agenda.
I watched the sun come up; in silence. I don't think I'll ever get tired of how beautiful it is coming over the mountains. I often wonder what it looks like on the other side of heaven.

Jer took me to breakfast, we cruised through the fields, fed the cows peas and rolled down the dyke. The Farmer of course noticed all the nutria trails coming up from the river and down to the fields. I'm sure that soon there will be a trip down the dyke that entails a gun. The Farmer doesn't want those varmints doing any damage to the fields.
.

We also enjoyed dinner with friends and a date to our favorite restaurant in town T Paul's Supper Club. It is the yummiest food and you will always leave with a full full tummy.

It was nice to spend some time just the two of us without the constant "mom" "mom" "mom." I almost forgot what it was like to chat with no interruption's. It was a very much needed two days.
I was ready for the kids to come home by the time Wednesday came, but I am already looking forward to when I get to spend time with my guy. Just us.

Blessed is me...

Just one reason

There are oodles and oodles of reasons that I love our church! Sunday our kids along with 40+ other kids, numerous adult counselors as well as teen counselors in training boarded the "Cool Bus" and headed for Black Lake Bible Camp in Olympia.

These counselors took time from their busy schedules to love and care for our kids for 4 days. They are teaching the kids teamwork in games, building confidence in shy kids, comforting those who are afraid, reeling in the ones with no fear and most importantly teaching them about Jesus.

We are pretty lucky that plenty of pictures and some videos have been posted on Facebook (and I borrowed them) so we can see some of the fun they are having.

I wish I could go to camp!

Kiddo's on the Cool Bus

The whole gang

Glow in the dark Capture the Flag

Fill the tube that has holes in it with water!

Slip and slide relay!

Pool time!

Campfire

Blessed is me...