Welcome to 4 D Farms

Nov. 19, 2009

Ive got a sick one on my hands today

Well Ive got a sick one on my hands today. Dakota started running fever yesterday and not feeling well.

He was cold all day and last night. I checked on him through the night and a few times he was still running fever. Around 4am he must have sweated it out. It allergies because the seasons are changing and we do this everytime. Hes ok today so far. We made some homemade chocolate chip cookies and that made him feel a little better.
Right now Im enjoying a glass of goat milk with some homeade peanut butter cookies. I cant believe they turned out right.These boys love cookies. Ive gotten an Amish Cookbook and Im enjoying it so much. So much I want to try to make. Its mostly a baking cookbook. Im gonna find an Amish Recipe book for meals. WOW. I finally got some goat milk because I outsmarted the baby. She is pouting at me. I finally figured out the udder support which she kept walking out of and got it strapped right. Tasha is not happy. While Im milking, she will bite on my hair when Im not looking or she will "politely" try to nudge me off the stool. I can feel her breathing down my neck and probably making faces at me behind my back. She snorts at me too. She is just too funny. Ive got to take Cocoa back to the breeder, because she didnt "take". This is the time of year that drives me crazy with worry. Are you pregnant or not? I really thought she was pregnant but she came back in to a strong heat. She has been pacing the fence looking for a MAN!
We had baking day and the boys really enjoyed it. We started out with Chocolate-Chocolate Chip pancakes for breakfast. All you do is add cocoa powder and chips to your batter. Wonderful with whip cream or chocolate syrup

I had all my baking things out on the counter. I really wanted some pecans and walnuts, they are just too expensive.

Next we started with simple things like cookies. We made homemade peanut butter cookies.

Lets see, 3 people, 3 cookies missing, you do the math. Ha! I just had to try this Chocolate Chip Pie next.

Look a there, somebodies been taste testing again. You do the math. I couldnt resist making my holiday favorites. Sweet Potato pie and Pumpkin pie.
I made Sweet potato and pumpkin bread. Had a slice of it this morning with some butter. Yummy. Ive got to try some of their bread recipes. My boys also love homemade bread warm with butter.
Sister Baby spent the night with us last Friday night. She has Dakota wrapped tight around her little finger. If she wanted to play dr. he was the patient, if she wanted to play horse, guess who was the horse?
Our church took the children to the Childrens Museum in Memphis that Saturday and to Taco Bell afterwards to eat. They had a blast. Us adults were exhausted.

We are trying to get our back deck finished. This is what it looked like before we started.

Now were getting the platform put on.

Next will be the steps, but is has rained a couple of days. Cant wait til those are on and we can start using the back door. Some men are coming to estimate the walls and roof for us. I guess this is my Christmas present. Ha.
Dakota is doing real good on his Research report. He just hates all the reading. I have to read it too, because Im the one who grades it, so I have to make sure its right.Ugh!!!I took a picture of Davids medals and he will put this in his folder.
He will do an interview with Daddy, but there is just some things he want talk about that happened. That is understandable.
Dallas has started Karate. Hes already having trouble pairing up with a girl, cause he knows we dont hit girls. Ha! He would hardly punch at all. But when the young instructor came and told him to punch him in the stomach, he did. Whopow!!!!!!!!! It is just too funny. Now hes going around the house punching and kicking everything.
His next class is tonight. He is so excited. He just couldnt wait til Thursday.
Well speaking of that Ive got to go get ready to take him. Let ya know how hes doing.

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Nov. 13, 2009

Ive been outsmarted

Ok, I have been outsmarted by Tisha, she walked out of her udder support. For some reason I cant figure how the back is suppose to go around her legs. Ill get it figured out if I have to use Dakota as a model ha
Cocoa got sick on me and got scours. Not good. They can die from this if not treated soon. So I doused her with Kaopectate. She actually loved it. It was cherry flavored.
I looked like Noah's wife this morning going down to the barn. I had goats following me, then a single file of about 18 chickens and one duck waddling, then cats. I wish I would have taken my camera. I have a wounded chicken to take care of. One of the older hens hurt one of my buffs that I let out to join them. She pecked her really bad in a muscle that connects to her lower wing to her upper leg joint. She is getting better at standing. Shes eating very well.

The kittens seem to enjoy baby sitting her too.
Ive had to put her in a kennel at night because big daddy doesnt like animals in the house.
They are working on our back deck, although its not going fast enough for me. If they dont hurry up and get done, we will find someone else to finish. Here is the progress.
Now were working on the steps. They have til this weekend to finish this.
This morning the first class was Home Ec. we had biscuits, eggs, fried Spam, and hashbrowns. Yummie!!!!!!!!!! Then Bible class. Great day.
We have to go to the Library later to get a book for Dakota's Library Research Report. He chose to do it on Operation Desert Storm the Gulf War. He will do a live interview with Daddy to get some information too. I dug out 4 scrapbooks I put together in 1991 for David covering the war. Dakota has really enjoyed going through these.
Well gotta go for now. Hope everyone has a good day.

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Nov. 7, 2009

I guess shes still pouting

Well today I had to put the udder support on Tisha so Tasha would quit nursing. She has pouted at me all day. LOL

I dont exactly have it on there perfect cause I cant hardly figure it out. But it'll do the job I guess.
Today I let the Buffs out of the hutch and into the coop with the others and already the oldest hen attacked one. She just might be chicken soup one day if she keeps this up! She got really close to her jugular vein and she is really weak and cant walk. I will check on her again in the morning. I hope she is not paralyzed.
I was able to gather another mess of radishes today.

Tonight we had deer minute steaks, mashed sweet potatoes, new potatoes, green beans, butterbeans, corn and some radishes. Yummie!
Now Im full as a tick.
They started on our deck today and will finish hopefully Monday. Right now we are just getting the bottom put on. Ill post pictures of the progress when its done.
Well gotta go clean the kitchen and start getting church clothes ready for tomorrow.

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Nov. 6, 2009

Not a wasted day afterall

Today we had a review day because they were suppose to come start our back deck. But come to find out, the guy that was suppose to do it had to go pick up his little boy from school because he got sick. Oh well, sick children are alot more important than my deck. I hope he gets better soon. It was not a wasted day, we had review and then I went to town and we picked up some sweet potatoes, pumpkin and some peanuts from a farmers market. Right now we are enjoying parched peanuts. Yummie

Just checked on my blogs, and together I have had almost 1,000 visitors this month. Wow! Word really does get out. This is not just in the US, this is from other continents as well. Thanks for all the readers.

I hope Im helping all the readers out there somewhere. Just leave me a note and let me know.

You know, if the Lord doesn't come back soon, we may be seeing some pretty rough changes in our country that we are not use to. I never thought my kids would see these things come to pass, much less me. If we teach our children how to handle these situations in a Godly manner, I know that we will be ok.We just put our trust in Jesus and we will be fine.We have to prepare ourselves and our children for these changes.
We won our Allstar game last night. 16-6. Now we have ended the season with 7-0 wins. Yea!
I missed Tishas heat cycle and will have to wait for 3 weeks then plan it.
Hubby had to use my truck today so I couldnt take her. Today just wasnt a good day to go.
For those of you who do not like to run to the dr. everytime we get a cold, I have a few home remedies that are tried and true in my house.
Upper Respritory problems or acute bronchitis:
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp red pepper (optional especially for children recipe)
2 tbsp honey
1 cup apple cider vinegar (white will be fine)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ginger
Put all ingredients in a jar, close, shake, and take 2 tbsp. 3 times a day.
Sinus infection or stuffy nose:
2 drops garlic oil in water in a nasal spray bottle. Spray liberally during day.
I hope these help your family as they help us.
Well its getting late and my eyes are getting tired so Im gonna retire for the night.

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Nov. 5, 2009

TIme is just slipping by

It seems like time is just slipping away from us. Its already Nov. I have been busy. We have had a good year in football. Our team is the 2009 Undefeated Peewee Champions. Yea. This is a picture of homecoming.

This is the night of the awards ceremony and Dakota getting his trophy.
He made the Allstar team and tonight is their last game of the year. He is so excited.
This is Dallas at one of the games keeping his eye on the cheerleaders. Ha!

One night at the games, Dakota is playing his heart out, Im fighting the wind, umbrella and video camera, while Dallas is getting sugar from a girl!!! How funny!
We had a great Halloween. We dont do all the scary stuff for Halloween because that is of Satan and we dont participate. Remember this is just my conviction. If we do anything, we do it with the church and if they dress up its nothing scary or evil. I did let them carve a happy pumpkin for the sake of carving one. Then I used it later for muffins and pie.

I did take them to a festival at another church where some of their friends go and of course they had to engage in a game of football.

We had a Christian Magician at our church. I know what your thinking, "black magic". No, this is a christian illusionist who uses this to teach the kids the gospel on their level and catch their attention. He will tell you its not magic. He gave his testimony and we actually had some kids accept Christ this night. Our church was packed with kids and we had Trunk or Treat last. It was awesome. You should have seen some of the things he and his wife makes with balloons. They made a 3D cross.

The leaves and trees are looking so beautiful here. We have been able to get some projects done around the house. We finally got the driveway rocked and smoothed out and a few other places too. We got our big burn pile pushed up to nearly nothing to burn and working on two other big brush piles to get ready to burn. We will do this a little at a time until our whole 22 acres is like we want it. With all the dump trucks and dozers out here, do you honestly think I could keep the boys attention in school? Tomorrow we will be having someone start building our back deck for us, finally. These projects have been a long time coming. And we are so proud.
The boys got some money to spend one day and here is Dallas having a hard time picking out what he wanted.
Dakota already had his mind made up what he wanted. He wanted some pants, since hes cleaned out his closet and took out all the things that are too small for him.
I had to find a different method to get Tashas horn buds off. It may take a while and she dont like it, but it had to be done and shell have no pain this way.

I had to use an elasterator bander to put bands on them to cut off the circulation so they will just come off. Then we will go and burn the tips again. Some times not matter how hard you try they will still occasionally be that one that will still grow them. I am having to put a udder support on Tisha because she is not concerned about weaning the baby. But it looks kind of funny when you see a goat about the same size as Momma kneeling down to take a drink> LOL Well see how this works and maybe we will get the milk. Cocoa was the first to go into heat so I took her and had her bred. We should know something in a few weeks if she "took" or not. I hope so. She really needs to have a baby. Tisha is in now, and I cant take her right yet cause we have so much going on at home that I cant get away so I may have to wait til next month. We will still build another kid stall to let the babies in at night.
School is still going great except Dakota has made a few bad grades on tests. One was a History Exam. He was having a bad day and just couldnt remember some answers. I have to be tough on them. Just because we homeschool doesnt mean I give out answers, I will not cheat my children of an education. I will help them anyway I can, but they have to use their brain too, cause mines about wore out. LOL I will give him his phone back when he pulls those grades up. Not until. Momma has spoken and it will be so. LOL.Dallas loves to color and draw. He will be starting Karate soon. He is so excited.
We won our Football Allstar game tonight. Now big boy is 7-0 for the season. He earned us a trip to Pizza Hut afterwards. Yea! Daddy was so glad to finally get to see him play since he was out of town all season and didnt get to see any of his games. Granny and Poppa and Scarlett was also there. He played his heart out, while we cheered our lungs out.Ha!
Now it is hunting season. My house has guns ready and hunting clothes ready. Dakota has already shot one, a 7 pt buck but they couldnt find it that evening, so first thing next morning they went looking for it but coyotes had found it. He just brought the horns back as a trophy. We are getting the freezer ready for deer.
One day Dallas and I made pear jelly. Dallas loved squishing the juice out of the pears.
Our Nov. issue of Homesteadernews is out, so be sure to stop by and read my article. Just go to homesteadernews.com and click on the Homeschool tab. There is my article. Be sure to read all articles if possible.
Well as for me I gotta go hit the hay it has been a busy day and more busy tomorrow.

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Welcome to my world of homeschooling, homesteading, homemaking, farming, gardening, spiritual insight, loving the Lord and trying my best to be devoted and dedicated to my family like the Proverbs 31 woman, she ROCKS!!!! Lord help me as I raise my kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. May he always keep me in his will. I would love to dedicate my blog in memory of my Grandparents, Dorthy Rebecca Oliver,and Bennie Franklin Oliver Sr.who are now together at home with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I thank the Lord that they gave me such wonderful memories to last a life time and share with my children.