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Blackie: "You want to do WHAT?"

Well you know Blackie dear, my goal has always been to milk you ...we would really like to have some of your wonderful milk....well and you're gonna have a baby soon so that does mean ..umm....MILK......well if Clover  & Suzanne http://suzannemcminn.com/blog/2008/08/27/the-taming-of-clover-or-how-i-took-the-tears-out-of-milking/   can do it...so can we....you will cooperate won't you?

Blackie:....."um, well see"......

So my hubby will be home in a few days  and well we need to talk....I have been thinking...I know exactly what he will say...OH NO she's been thinking again...we are in trouble now....by I have been thinking so here goes...

my animal goals for 2009

1. I want to milk the goats...we have 4 of them....and well lets face it milk isn't getting cheaper at the stores.....and we have four count them 1...2...3...4....goaties that we could be milking.....we can at least TRY can't we..
2. So goal # 2 means at least a wall of some sort to block the wind so we can milk....we have enough scrap materials to do that around here.....and D & I can manage that.
3. We need a bigger hot wire box....just gotta find some $ for that.
4. I want the chicken co-op FINISHED...my goal is before spring actually gets here...I want to work on it while hubby is home at Christmas......this spring I want certain children to paint it.
5. I want to get enough chickens in the spring to = at least  a dozen chickens...right now we have 8 chickens.
6. I'd love to have more gunieas..but how do I keep them from being dog\coyote  food...this is a struggle....any suggestions????

my farm\garden goals

1. To plant a successful garden but NOT on a BIG scale...hubb always want to do it BIG...I can't handle it that big...besides the water bill it is just too much to keep up with & the weeds take it over....I want small & managable this year......I have a plan in my head...I'm actually going to map it out on paper soon.
2. I want to plant a couple more trees.....just a few....we won't go into why .

my home\house goals

1. To pay off\down cc bills
2. To not aquire anymore debt.
3. To build up an emergency fund.
4. To buy a new freezer....with CASH $$$
5. To connect electricity to the shed
6. To sort through & clean out a bunch of junk.
7. To cook more from scratch...and not eat out unless it is a special occasion...which I am already implementing!!
8. To get healthy, buy exercising more.

One last thing before I close for today...

WOW menus REALLY work....I have always struggled with making a menu & incorporating it, but out of NEED(hubb is coming home, we CAN'T afford to eat out AT ALL while he is here & so I planned every meal until he goes back to work) I did this the other day  and so far it is working wonderfully  and there has been no need to run back to the store (because I  forgot this or that)   I worked out the grocery list to go with the menu before I shopped the other day....this WILL continue....I'm keeping a shopping list in the kitchen so I can write things down as needed....it helps.

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We are getting into the Christmas spirit around here....the kids have watched a few Christmas shows on tv(Frosty the Snowman was on the other night),  the tree is up & decorated...the presents...well they are not wrapped yet, but we will get there....I took a "family" picture in front of the tree....well as much of a family pic as I can get without dad home....so instead of the ENTIRE family(mom & dad) we added the dogs...well they are family too....see..

Charlie Brown Christmas should arrive from netflix today....it hit me the other day that my 2  youngest kids have never seen Charlie Brown Christmas....ugh, faint....how could that possible be...every childhood should have the Charlie Brown Christmas show in it...it should be a law or something...but we do not receive ABC out here in the boonies & that is what channel it is always on......so my kids have not seen it....well we will rectify that now won't we!

My all time favorite Christmas show is It's a Wonderful Life......we have started making it a tradition to watch it every year...well we haven't watched it yet, but we WILL...I promise we will(I'm thinking the 19th) ....I think we need to pull out the Muppets Christmas Carol & the Grinch too...

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How crazy can I possibly be?

     Yesterday was a rather long & eventful day..first off we went to early service at our church, the adult choir did their Christmas program. We then went to the church that my girls have choir at, & oh was is a sight to see...well hear..oh whatever it was beautiful..all the different choirs performed the orchestra, band, the hand-bell ringers, the kids of all ages sang...it was beautiful.

Then along with all the other idiots in our area we went to Candy Cane Cash....it is where you receive tickets for patronizing different merchants from the weekend after Thanksgiving until a certain weekend in December....well it was yesterday.They draw tickets to give away money with the grand prize drawing being $10,000.....well it was gorgeous when we first go out there yesterday, in fact I was thinking geeze it is hot  in this sweater, I should have warn short sleeves........but then here comes the clouds & the wind...and MORE WIND...and the COLD...freezer yourself to the bone COLD......and the radio announcer even said hey, did somebody turn on the air conditioner?......I wanted to leave, but I was torn...I wanted the $10,000 too.....well we started venturing to the car after the second to the last drawing...slowly....we needed to get up & move around & warm up but we still wanted that $....we ended up running into hubby's grandmother on our way to the car...was she NUTS for being out here in this weather???  I know I was...but ya know what people won't do for some money !

so we didn't end up winning any money...and I always vow never to go back again...until Thanksgiving comes around & the grocery stores, restaurants, banks..etc.. start giving out tickets again....and then I think to myself  it only takes one ticket to win...and my kids beg to go because well...you know they are kids & they don't mind freezing to death outside while eating enough sand to choke a horse....so until next year..

Then we rushed back to our church WITH the heater on full blast I may add..trying to get the feeling back in our bodies....oh my ...my fingers were hurting so bad..

So we got back to our church for the children's Christmas program...which was fun to see as always and after that we had a church potluck Christmas dinner...so I didn't have to cook dinner ...which made me a happy camper.

Then we came home and watched the end of surviver to see Bob win....I wanted Sugar to win, but she didn't.

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ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE!!!!!!!

That car is not being started at all...we are staying HOME!

I have 2 days of freedom from the December madness...and I'm taking advantage of it.

Now in all honesty tomorrow we will go into town, but not for any activities, not because we HAVE to, because I will make out my small grocery list & go very early tomorrow morning(and probably all by myself WITHOUT children..) to wal-mart..& braum's for milk.....it has been so long since we have not had co-op on a Friday....wow ...the next couple of Fridays are not filled up all day long....I love it!!!

So on my to-do list for today & tomorrow:

• clean house, clean house & more cleaning of the house
• catch up on laundry
• kids must do school work
• go on a walk
• turn the compost pile
• clean the back yard up..wind has blown all kinds of trash around

I like that list...lol....very simple list.....my new word is simplicity..lol

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I want someone to make up a menu for me & tell me what we are having for breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks....poof......there is my diet....that is what I want....I don't mind fixing it, just tell me what to cook.

I went to Sam's today...haven't been there in a LONG time now because I let my card go & with gas prices the way they were I could not afford to drive the hour to get there to buy the stuff...but we went to a field trip today in the town that the nearest Sam's is in & a friend has a card so we went..I stocked up on

• toilet paper..that was the #1 thing...lol
• fruit
• butter..can I freeze it?
• sugar
• REAL maple syrup
• salsa
• and REAL vanilla

really makes me miss my freezer being in Sam's..I would have loved to have bought lots of frozen veggies...but no room in the freezer for it...sigh..one day I will have a big freezer again.

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I just thought I would get to relax after Wed of next week....HA......I found out yesterday that my girls are singing the 14th ...and will have practice on the 13th, along with candy cane cash...and my oldest's ever busying work schedule....umm...and his band schedule now...gulp....his guitar teacher really wants them to do some playing before Christmas......don't think I'll be relaxing too much.....but at least it won't be AS bad as the next few days...

My oldest's ipod came in yesterday...he is one happy boy!...and I'm happy because HE bought it!!

I love Christmas music, I love waking up to Christmas music...

Goody's rubber bands..I have bought these for YEARS. to pull our hair back with.....what on earth have they done to them...they never used to break like they do now.....I feel so jipped off....ggrrr

Why does my house never looked like it is cleaned...we clean it, then it just goes back to looking all messy in 5 minutes??

Why do SOOOO many bills have to be due in December? December is a bad bill month for us.

I need coffee this morning...

It is payday...I'm procastinating....I don't want to figure the bills\checkbook....

I've been up since 5am...which is ok, but I should have more done by now than I do.....

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I did , from the comforts of my own home...we usually do shop on Black Friday, but this year..honestly there wasn't anything major on sale that I could afford nor I couldn't  do without.....But I did shop.

I got 2 pairs of jeans from JCPenney for my youngest..she has been needing something to cover her rear end....lol..though this is not for Christmas it is just becasue she needed jeans...and no shipping was paid and I got a very good deal!...btw jcp is the ONLY place I have jeans that fit her rear end..sigh

I also ordered myself 2 pairs of jeans ..because lets face it needed something to cover my rear end too...here I paid shipping but it was a better deal to pay the shipping and take the 40% off price, instead of the free shipping coupon.....so I still got a good deal.

I ordered from Amazon too, but I can't tell ya what I bought there(trust me it wasn't alot)....sorry that is a Christmas secret......but I can tell ya that I ordered the Taylor Swift CD for $6.99...now that is a good price...and A. is paying for that , it is hers..she just used me to buy it...lol...I can tell ya that everything I got was a really good deal and of course no shipping.

And D ordered himself a refurbished Ipod from the Apple store...he has been saving for just this day...he actually got a very good deal...of course now he is broke..well not totally  broke ,but he needs to pretend he is totally broke......I was very proud of him...he could have bought a brand new one  but he weighed the pros & cons & decided this was the best way to go.....and he is THRILLED! I Received an email that it has already been shipped last night......he was bouncing off the walls....and ordering through Apple he gets the same one year warrenty as if it was brand new.

On all of the purchases(except Amazon) I also used ebates...I love ebates...in February I will have a nice little check coming in the mail.....I always check ebates before buying something online...and yesterday was DOUBLE cash back.....I do love ebates!

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For most people today means turkey, stuffing, green beans, PIES...for us ...not so much...

Since hubb is not home......our choice, we would rather he be here at Christmas longer, than he be home for both holidays a shorter amount of time.........it just makes things more relaxed and enjoyable for us.  Most people look at me like I have two heads when I say that, but oh well..........it works for our family and they just don't get the truck driving lifestyle............so we always get all these invitations to go to people's house for Thanksgiving.........ok I'm NOT a stick in the mud, really I'm not but I LIKE being HOME on the holidays, I like for it to just be me & the kids on Thanksgiving day...........it has been this way the last few years and we have come to enjoy our own "Thanksgiving Traditions" we do what WE want to do........no we aren't making turkey & stuffing but we are:

• making homemade biscuits to go with breakfast......yum-o
• watching the Macy's parade
• putting the Christmas tree up this afternoon..and other decorations... trust me it takes up the entire day

these have come to be our family tradtions...and we enjoy them....my kids even ASK for us to do these things......so don't feel bad that we aren't having turkey, that we aren't going to someone's house so we won't be "alone" on the holiday........We are enjoying our holiday...our way......oh and yes we will have PIE!!

As for Christmas...we will have turkey & all the trimming...because that is what dad wants...and he deserves his turkey, he works hard for all year long he will get his turkey....but  for New years....we are having HAM........because that is what the kids & I want!

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I was laying there SLEEPING minding my own darn business not bothering anyone nor anything when all of a sudden that noise.....that noise...where was it coming from.... why would it not stop...I'm trying to sleep here....stop that...go away....but it just keeps coming back...and louder each time it starts up again......and it makes you want to sing "I'm every woman...I'm every woman "  each time it plays.

Who in their right minds would put such an annoying tune on a phone ...and  then make it go off at 2AM....my gosh I would NEVER have set an alarm to go off at 2AM...what kind of torture is this....what did I do to deserve this......somebody is gonna pay for this....I don't know who  but somebody is gonna pay......so after I finally figured out ..I hope, at least that it is figured out.... it hasn't gone off in the last 10 minutes now...how to shut the darn thing up.......I sit here WIDE AWAKE at 3:30 in the stinking morning......and I was sleeping so well not bothering anyone nor  anything........I derserve a brownie for this....

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I am so proud of myself when it comes to the heater....the air conditioner not so much becasue my house does not stay cool..no matter what...but the heat is a different story....I have no need to turn the heater on until it hits about 45 degrees outside......and at night it is quite warm & toasty in the house with the blankets on the bed........so i typically keep the heater set at about 65 & if it kicks on during the day and we don't need it I will totally turn it off...& at night.. it doesn't seem to kick on unless it is REALLY cold...but it is nice & warm under all the blankets....oh how I do love to bundle up...I confess I'm a blanket hog.

The ONLY problem with keeping the heat low ..is crawling out of bed in the morning...brrrr....and then sitting on the toilet...WOW...ok now that would wake ANYONE up....so I have decided I need a toilet seat warmer!!

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Since dad didn't have to leave as early today as we thought he would , they pulled out the paintball guns & had a blast!

Now does that look like a happy group or what....give them weapons & they come alive!

he was helping ...and he was enjoying helping her...how many times does a big brother REALLY help his little sister and NOT complain about it...huh...really

she's getting the hang of it

now stay out of this one's way//she has has great aim...I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley..

she even has the shaking to get the balls into the hopper down to an art.

well, dad has to play too...

that is just gross..green paint...yucko

The chickens will probably never lay eggs again after all the ruckus they made with those paintball guns.

See we have a roof frame!!!!!....hopefully at chistmas we will have a REAL roof...the trusses are next on the to do list!!...we are thinking painting of it red & white!

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I just got off the phone with my wonderful hubby...he should be where he has to park his truck but about 5ish this evening.

I had called him earlier this morning to see how he was progressing...not as well as he had expected, he had reefer trouble...oh well that is part of the job. So as soon as he gets close I will go pick him up ...then he will be home for 2 days.

When I spoke to him yesterday I asked if there was a specific reason the paycheck was so low this week....he was, well miles have not been good...we had a discussion about this..things are getting TIGHT...even with gas going down, things are tight...groceries are NOT going down , in fact they are still rising....yesterday a 10lb bag of sugar was almost $7 after you include tax on it(we have to pay taxes on our groceries here in OK)....can you believe that.... I about fainted...

so when I spoke to him a few minutes ago, he had talked to his driver manager...he said that the ports are not moving, all the freezers are stocked full, and food is not moving...

the dm said EVERYONE is complaining...miles are low...expect it to get worse...ppl are NOT buying ...

so that brings me to a conversation I had with a friend yesterday...we were discussing prices, & Christmas...she made the comment that they were not having christmas exchanges this year & she has already told her kids that they can't afford it.....I have hinted as much to my kids too...and they know $ is tight...but I have good kids..they understand....but I would feel horrible not getting them ANYTHING...

so as I was taking my son into town today to go paint balling for the last time this year(he is paying for it...thank goodness he has a part time job) we were noticing the car lots....ummm....okay I have NEVER seen any car lots that full ...ALL of them were cram packed....if Toyota had anymore they would have to park them in the pond in front of their car lot..eek

so yes times may be getting rough, but at least it is good to know that I'm not alone...I was really beginning to feel like we were the only ones in our area being affected...most of the people around us all seem to still be blowing & going & making money...

We do not fit into that category...we are eating LOTS of beans:)

But...on the bright side...I have a wonderful husband who works really hard to proved for our family and 3 kids who are understanding and helpful...and a glorious God who provides for all of our needs.

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I've been watching the ads coming out for Black Friday...ummm.....WHAT are these stores thinking???

Am I the ONLY one not interested in the Wii or a coffee maker?? Come on, get real stores, I want good deals on things I can use...not something that is going to collect dust...oh & the coffee pot...I already have one...and a much better one than the ones you people have on sale. 

I'd rather see dish soap on sale .....ok not like I'm gonna give dish soap to my 16 year old for Christmas, but I sure don't have the money to give him a Wii, nor do I want to give him a Wii....now do I.....and at least the dish soap I could use!!!

My girls are not interested in a Hannah Montana Hoodie....nor do we want all these Blu-Ray discs, heck I don't even know anyone who OWNS a blue ray player...do you?....give us regular ole dvds...heck I was happy with vhs tapes...I still have MANY of them....I'm so tired of being forced to buy things I don't want...oh & don't even get me started on the tv change over thing in Feb.....so we will go back to the stone ages & bang rocks together for entertainment....WORKS FOR ME.....hey, I like listening to the radio...and it is FREE!!!!!

Okay, so I kinda got a little off track...my point is the stores could use to put somethings on sale that the regular everyday Joe(the plumber..ha ha ...just kidding) would want and use...and stop trying to throw things at us that we DON'T want.

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Well so much for hanging laundry outside today....it's raining.....so the dryer is drying...sigh

On the to do list for the day:

• clean house
• school work
• piano lessons
• stop for milk on the way home from piano lessons
• menu(well listing of what we have to eat in the house & figuing out how to make it last hopefully for 2 weeks) with the exception of milk , fresh fruit..etc.
• tend animals whenever it stops raining
• organize the pantry

I have a goal...

 I'm trying to spend as little as possible for the next 2 weeks..I have got to get a little money put away...our saving account  is gone, natta, capoot...I have property taxes coming due soon & house insurance just around the corner too...gotta save, save, save.......and then there is Christmas....lets not even talk about Christmas...sigh

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I found out  Thursday that hubb was bringing a load an hour South of us, but he was not counting on getting here until early morning...well, he got loaded early & was able to make it here LAST NIGHT...so he got to spend the night here with us last night. We had pizza($5 pizza hut pizzas) and watched Journey to the Center of the Earth (the new one with Brenden Fraisier)...is was a nice surprise.  the kids were supposed to go to bible study, but as soon as I found out he was on his way I said bible study is not happening. The kids were thrilled, so was I and so was hubb....and oh how I love netflix...that is the cheapest way to GO for movies!!

So I sent my guys off to work together this morning...hubb dropped D. off at work on his way to unload....and then I went to the grocery store & spent a few bucks on groceries. Hubb is reloading in the same place he is dropping & then on his way to Houston. But he is due back home next weekend for the weekend off!

The guys are planning on paintballing Saturday with friends, and the girls are singing at the church they have choir at on Sunday morning..so next weekend will be a full weekend....I do hope the weather is pretty next weekend also, hubb would like to get started on the roof of the chicken coop....we really need to get that done.

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Yes, the colors are pretty.

Yes ,the weather is nicer.

Yes, we don't have to run the heater\AC all the time.

Yes, I can sit & enjoy the sun, scenery on the porch without freezing or burning up.

BUT

THE ALLERGIES ARE HORRIBLE!!!!!!!

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I was very saddened to awake to that map...I knew Obama had won before I went to bed last night...but the sight of that map this morning is just ...just ...depressing...

I will be keeping our country and the direction of our country in my prayers. I really do not think the college kids who where not raised in Christain homes have any idea what they have done. All we can do now is pray that congress doesn't give the votes he needs to complete his plans.

this is a depressing day...

I wonder what Sarah Palin is thinking this morning...

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