Sorry for the prolonged silence.  We're all still here.  I still have lots of good material to write about...my kids are still funny...I just can't remember what any of it is by the time they're in bed.  I usually only have enough time to check in on Stellan before my eyes glaze over and I pass out.  The fact that we seem to be getting the kids to bed later and later and later (10:15 tonight...I know, that's ridiculous isn't it!!!) could have something/everything to do with it...just a guess)

Hmmm...what has happened of note here in the last 2 months???  Lot's really...The biggest news is that Brittany's family is in a car and moving truck right NOW (well, actually, not RIGHT now...RIGHT now they are in their beds in a hotel in the middle of Louisiana), on their way to move HERE!!!!  We are sooooo excited!  Brittany is thrilled that she doesn't have to leave us forever on May 23 and we're thrilled that we don't have to let her leave us on May 23!!  God is so good!! 

In other less life changing news...we tried to be lazy last Saturday...I got the great idea to put T-Bone (our 10 month old steer that we are beefing up to live up to his name in the next 8 months or so) in our big dog lot so he could mow in there for us.  We have lots of grass to mow and if he took care of that fenced in area, that would save us 30 minutes or so...good idea, right?  A cow is a perfect lazy man lawn mower.  I transferred him without incident in the morning...just walked in front of him with a bucket of feed from his area to the dog lot.  I didn't even feed him what I led him with because he was so excited when he saw all of that fresh grass. 

When evening came, we decided to move the beast back.  I teased Brittany and Julia (who had tried to move T-Bone into the dog lot the previous day by catching him...didn't work, but they sure got a good workout) and told them to come "watch the master".  Well, pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction...this is why I'm not usually a "big talker"...whenever I try it, I always get put in my place... T-Bone got a taste of freedom and realized that outside his fence was a whole world of sweet tasting grass that was just callin' his name.  I let him out of the dog lot and he pretended that he was interested in the feed I was carrying.  We got just past the point of no return and he took a sharp left and ran.  No big deal, I thought, I can lure him back with this feed...well, 60-90 minutes later (I really don't know how long it was exactly, but it was a L-O-N-G time) David and Brittany finally led the creature back to his rightful home.  He led them (and me and the smaller kids to a lesser degree) on quite a chase...almost running onto the state highway we live on (which we have learned would be OUR liability if a car were to run into our cow...yes, out here in these parts those things actually happen), leading them through briars and woods 150 yards behind our house, taking a sometimes leisurely, sometimes bronco-style stroll through the neighbor's hay field 100 yards to the right of his home, running around his momma's fence listening to her bellow for him, stopping to pant like a whipped puppy while all of the pursuers caught their breath and finally being cornered and coersed into his area.  The poor boy was SOOOO tired (referring to T-Bone, though David was, too :-)) I was a little nervous he might drop dead from exertion...I've never seen a cow pant with his tongue hanging out so far (admittedly, I've not had many cows, but still!)...but a week later, he seems no worse for the wear.

At least he did a good job in the dog lot.

what else?  We butchered and ate 2 of our roosters. (did I already tell you that?).  The process was quite, um, interesting...it could easily be a 3-part series of posts if I didn't think the SPCA would be all over us.  Let's just say it's a learning process and we've got lots of learning to do.

In kid news...a certain 3 year old that WAS completely potty trained is now only half potty trained...yes for one "process", no for the other.  It's DRIVING ME CRAZY!!  I know she WILL figure this out...gracious, she had it figured out and then just went back...  She's not the first to do something strange like this.  I once had a 3 year old boy that took to peeing randomly all over the house.  On a bucket of toys, on my scrapbooking supplies, in the middle of the room...he couldn't explain himself either, so we just laugh at it now...but at the time it didn't seem funny :-)

I also have a very sweet, helpful 7-year-old girl.  Julia is becoming just a gem of a young lady.  She's been so helpful with her "buddy" Susanna and loves to help the little ones wherever we go.  It is SO helpful and just so sweet to see.  She also is a little speed demon...er angel...she took 1st place in homeschool field day (well over 100 homeschoolers) for her age group in the sprint, sack race and the long distance run...those little legs can move so fast!!!)

Susanna (3) is loving the job of feeding Becca(6 mo) ("all by myself").  Believe it or not, it's very helpful...even though there's always a pretty big mess when she's done, at least Becca gets fed!

David, who also did great and had a ball at field day...2nd place in the sack race and sprint and first in the 3/4 mile run, pre-bought a copy of the Newsboys soon to be released CD and as part of the deal he got a free DVD of their I AM FREE concert.  He has enjoyed that immensely and now all of the kids run around singing and yelling EVERY WORD of that concert...even "HELLO, TEX-AS"  and other things the "leader dude" as they call him...as opposed to the "drummer dude" or the guitar dude, or piano dude...yell to the crowd.  I videotaped Sammy singing "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord" with the DVD...it is so sweet, I just wish I could figure out how to upload it...ugh!

Let's see...who haven't I mentioned???  Joshy...sweet Joshy (Joshy loves field day and is learning that it's not all about winning...after having a hard time last year when he realized he didn't get a sticker just for racing, he did so great this year and easily got first place for the best smile while racing...if you know him,  you know that smile!!!) ...he's busy becoming a world famous scientist...his birthday gift of a big box of everything he needs to do a gazillion experiments was a hit and he is as happy as can be.  He now wants to be an astronaut who starts the first "mission station" on the moon...presumably other people would be living on the moon as well or I'm not sure who he would be reaching with his mission station :-).  He did say that he would preach in the rocket because, in essence, he'd have a captive audience...they couldn't go anywhere if they were all stuck in the rocket with him :-).  I love that boy!

Off to the cupboard with you, now, Chip...it's past your bedtime!  (Name that Movie)  Goodnight!