In the Groove

I was just talking with my hubby this morning before he went hunting about how we are in the "groove" as far as school is concerned. I like this time of year because we all know what it expected of us. Not that we always meet the mark, but it's easier to catch up now that we are in our "groove". I like it when things run smoothly....well, as smoothly as they can considering I live with my youngest son! He's an "interesting" fellow! LOL...cute as a button, but keeps mommy hoppin'! I am happy with our choice to use the charter school...it is very hard curriculum, but I LOVE the ease of it all....no planning for me, no record keeping for me, I don't have to make a portfolio, I don't have to schedule testing, I don't have to search for and buy curriculum....the pro's outweigh the con's as far as I am concerned. So, this week as everything else is spinning out of control with all I have to do...which is A LOT....I will know that school will not be put on the back burner because I don't have the time to plan and print stuff, it's all done for me....all I have to do it teach it..and that's the fun part!

I'm going to be a GRANDMA!

One of our old foster children whom we raised up is pregnant! She just called with the news! We couldn't be happier! It's too exciting for words! YEAH!!!

Wait...does this make me OLD?? A grandma at 30....that's fine by me!! :0)

Bad day....for hubby and man kind!

Today has been a bad day :0( Hubby could not find his deer that he shot last night...such a bummer. He walked and walked through the thickest stuff you could imagine....for miles...and still no deer. He was SO tired when he got home...and he's no stranger to hard labor, so I knew he had been through the mill! Later this afternoon I went to Walmart while he stayed home with the kids, and he was burning trash and all of the sudden he felt like he got shot! He said it actually knocked him out of his slippers! A "D" battery had gotten thrown in the burnables!! It exploded and shot him in the leg! It burned a hole right through his pants and left and ENORMOUS welt and bruise on his leg! He said he had never been hit so hard with anything before and really thought at the time he had been shot! Poor guy! He is out hunting now...in the sleet and rain...what a trooper!
As far as a bad day for mankind...The lady I babysit for told me that there was a murder in the next town over...30 minutes away from here! We have NEVER had anything like that here! A lot of strangers are coming due to the gas wells all over the place, and the crews are rough! Not all of them I"m sure....but a lot are! That's who did the murdering...three gas well workers. I guess there were 20 state troopers there! That's a record for out here in the middle of nowhere! This is hearsay...it's not been in the news that I have heard...but I don't watch the news either, so who knows. My daughter has been stopped by gas well workers three times while on a walk to see if they could give her a "ride"! What is that!!! We are not even safe here anymore! Our area is like this....NOBODY locks their house, takes the keys out of their car...even at Walmart...you could leave your purse in the front seat and know it would be safe...we all know each other and people are honest and good (for the most part)...we had a lady move here from California and she said it was like going back in time 20 yrs.! Now it's all changed. I'm sad. Also, a 16 year old girl was raped in a near by town. What is happening out there? Are we safe anymore? It's a sad day!

Bad News, Growin' Up, and Chicken Poop!

What a title! Well, I'll start with the bad news....rob shot a Big doe last night, but couldn't find it! He was so deflated. It was incredibly sad! He got a shot that would kill, but it was just too dark to find her after waiting the recommended 3 hours before tracking.

The growing up part....this is a BIG one for me! After Rob waited the three hours to track his deer, he bundled up the two oldest children to go help him.This means that they are growing up!!! I never thought the kids would help do something like that...at night...in the rain...in the DARK...where the bears, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and such are!!! We had a long talk with the kids about safety and what to do if they run into a bear or other wild beast! Not one of my favorite talks to have! My kids are VERY used to the woods and wilderness in the day light! They know our woods and adventure there often....but not like this! they were so proud and excited to help Daddy. We prayed together and then off they all went on four wheelers to the woods! They came back an hour later...with no deer. Ty walked in the door and said (In Ty fashion) "you;ll never believe what I went through!" ...proud as a peacock, he told me all about it! He fell in the creek, got his face scratched by thorns...Ash fell in a hole up to her hip! They went on and on....soaking wet...and HAPPY! Yes, they are REALLY upset they didn't find the deer....rob will look this morning and will probably find it in the day light so Long as a bear didn't eat it first. But, if you could imagine a proud Daddy...that was my hubby! The kids were tough, and didn't whine, and were learning about the thing Rob LOVES....hunting! Go kids!!

Lastly, for the chicken poop thing! I got up at 1:30 a.m. to let the dog out..and after I let him back in...I turned around and stepped in something cold and wet...it was dark and I was MAD! So, one one foot I hopped to the kitchen and turned on the light...to discover it was chicken poop! ARGG! I had to scrub my foot...then my hands....then the floor...then my hands...the entire time I am thinking about making chicken for dinner the next night! Then the dog finally decided to eat his dinner...and I was softening...the dog is 13 and sometimes doesn't eat anymore...so I waited and watched my beloved pet eat...when he was done I went to bed...still a little mad about the poop thing...then I heard the dog attempting the stairs...it's so hard for him...So I was praying for him to make it all the way up...otherwise Rob would get up and carry him the rest of the way. And soon I was just talking with God...and not mad about the poop anymore. It's funny how I can let silly things make me so mad! It was a check for my heart...to calm down and let things be! One of the kids tracked in the poop on their boots after helping their dad...how could I be mad! How could I be mad that the kids love their chickens so much they are so tame and all those dumb birds want to do is come in the house! If you leave the door open for even a minute extra a chicken will find it's way into the house! I can't even tell you how many times I have been seen chasing a chicken around inside the house! Not my idea a fun! But, it's time I accept this way of life...hunting, and chicken poop, little kids and big kids....thank you, God, for my lot in life!

Adoption Party!!

I am SHOCKED at how fast our adoption is approaching! I put off planing this party till the last minute because it overwhelms me! LOL...But once I get started with the planing it all goes fine. Just the thought of digging in makes my stomach turn! Enough of my wonderful friends and family have harped on me enough to start :0) I made a guest list, as well as an open invite to my church family. So, now I need to get invitations today and get to work on baking cookies and such. We are going to have around 110, I think....give or take. We may have more people from the church "drop in". I am having only finger foods as I can't do a meal! EEK! I have had many offers for help, so I think it will be ok. I am going to start gathering food and make a trip to Sam's for food and supplies. We are going to have a table decorated for their Life Books, a table decorated with information on it about foster care and adoption...and the life story of a child who is being adopted, a table with pics of the adopted kids, and another table with our "new" family stuff on it, like pics of all of us with the judge, all the kids together, and I'll have each child draw a pic of our new family and have them sign their "new" names! We are going to have organized games for the kids to play too! I hope it will all work out! Wish us luck!!

Frugal Food

Hubby hunts...a lot. He shot a small doe the other night. WE primarily eat only what we shoot. We do not buy meat, it is an expense we just don't want..and another bonus is that we know where our meat is coming from! We usually take it to the processors and get it ground and bagged...last year was $.79 a pound and we get around 7 deer done. (people give us the deer they shot to use). Rob was able to make a meat grinder from an old Cabella's hand crank meat grinder someone gave him. So we ground our own meat! We got 24 BIG bags of meat. I'd say they were about a pound and a half for each bag! Free meat is good meat!

Mish Mash!!

We have a big week this week!! It started on Sunday with our fun and wonderful Fall Fest at church!! We had SOO much fun! So much fun, I couldn't even fall asleep that night! LOL Then yesterday Rob was home to hunt. That messed up our day (in a good way! ). While he was home between morning and afternoon hunts we played with the kids, got a nice lunch, he helped with school, and during his afternoon hunt he shot a doe. :0)
Today is "Toy Story Tuesday!!" ...Toy Story 3 will be out on DVD, so we will be at CVS at 9:00 a.m. to claim our copy! We also have school, I need to bake as we have company every Tuesday for dinner, and we will cut, grind, and bag our deer meat to freeze.
Wednesday we are going to a friends house to play..then school will get done. So, that will be a late one!
Thursday we have the day off school as we are going to have our girls' sister for the day (the ones we are adopting have an older sister)...that will be all day!
Friday we will be getting prepared for our shoe boxes for church and some of the kids go shopping with their Sunday School teacher.
Saturday we have dress rehearsal, school (because we are taking Thursday off) and we need to take apart the hay maze at church (Rob will do that one! )

On top of all that...we have foster care stuff, adoption stuff, and some kids have Dr. stuff. I need to plan an adoption party, plan my Thanksgiving party, and some day would like to clean my house! LOL
There was a time where I would have freaked out over all of this stuff, felt totally overwhelmed, and drove all of the people who know me nuts! LOL...But, as I get older I seem to be able to take more on in a calm manner. That's a good thing....or I'd be in a bad spot!!

So, I guess we have a busy week! But it should be a fun one! :0)