Funny Farm - Homeschool Blogger

I am getting OLD

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 07:07:00 -0600

I was reflecting this morning as my third son walked out the door to work, that I have turned into "the old mother!" He is 17!!! today, when did that happen! We are no longer the young parents! Dennis and I have been asked to teach a Sunday School class for "the young parents" group. That used to be us!!! Ugh! This wasn't supposed to happen that fast.

Dennis is away at a Men's Conference, he just called to say that he was really enjoying it. The theme was Farm Men so he was excited about that. 10 men from our church went which is always encouraging. One of the men gave Dennis a pair of ear plugs which I guess was a good thing. One of the men in another room snored really bad and kept everyone up.

The boys are holding down the fort at the farm very nicely. They probably like it when Dad is away because they can do things their way. Which isn't a bad thing, Dad's way doesn't always have to be right. ( Don't tell Den I said that)

I am going out with a friend this afternoon, she is leaving her 2 kids with Lynsey so we can go to the Christmas Tree Shop and AC Moore to browse around.

It must be warming up a bit because there is some fog over the snow this morning, it is quite pretty.

Well I must go pick up the house before the little ones come. It is surprising how unchild proof my home has become.

More Snow!

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:17:00 -0600

Well we are bracing for another nasty snow storm. We are supposed to be getting 12-18 inches. I am hoping for the lesser.

We took Tyler out last night to celebrate his birthday ,which is this weekend, because Dennis will be gone to a mens retreat. We went to a movie and out to Applebee's for supper. Had a great time. He is going to be 17!! How crazy is that! What happened to my little small boy?

He will kill me for posting this pic. I must get a newer pic of him. He has been lifting since this was taken and is in much better shape.

Kyle is pestering the boys to get their own snowmobiles because it is boring riding by himself! He hasn't even let them try his out yet! Sounds like a waste of money to me. Sounds like a true mother comment.

Update on Kyle's Machine

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:56:00 -0600

Well the dreaded day has arrived. The snowmobile is now fixed and on the premises. I can only hope he is very careful. Which he already is not buckling his helmet. "Mom, it is tight without buckling it!" Tell that to me when he hits a tree and it comes flying off! Whatever!

Isn't she nasty! as they would say. I hope after all the money he has sunk into it, he will at least be able to ride it for a while. Now Tyler says he wants one next year. Oh boy!

The flushing of the cow went well yesterday, Ryan got 9 eggs out of her but only 3 were fertile. Now we just need to hope and pray that they all settle and bring forth some heifers. I think Ry was pleased.

I am debating whether or not to go to Augusta for the afternoon, I feel like getting out but not sure what to do. I would like to go with someone but can't think of who to call. I will probably end up staying home.

Thursday

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:52:00 -0600

Well today is going to be a little busy at the farm. Ryan has an "Excellent" 92 point Jersey cow that is getting flushed today. I know that sounds abit weird but what it is, is she was super ovulated last week and then Ryan artificially inseminated her a couple of times in hopes that she made many fertile eggs that today, they will flush out of her and implant them in recipient cows that were in heat the same day she originially was. Confused yet? We have to watch the herd and track those that were in heat the same day so when we implant these fertile eggs they will be in the same cycle time she was when she "concieved" them. Ryan is in hopes that maybe some stud will be interested in a bull from her. She is quite a good cow. All for the furtherance of the herd. We don't do this all by ourselves, we have a genetic specialist vet come to do the flushing and the implants. If we get more eggs than we have recipients they freeze them for us to put in at a later date. If we don't have enough eggs we have some frozen from the last cow that we flushed last year that we will put in so the recipients won't be wasted. Does this sound like a typical day at the farm?

Yesterday we had 2 heifers that were overdue so Dennis induced them. He actually induced them the day before. They both had huge heifers, we had to pull both of them because the mothers were having trouble. I helped with the first one but the second one Ryan had to come help while I milked with Kyle. Dennis and Ryan have used "sexed" semen for the last year and it has been very successful for us. I think we have only have had 2 or 3 bulls out of all the sexed semen he as used and he has used alot. I told him to cut it out!!! We are very full with heifer calves. He said he would cut back for a bit

Well I guess that is all for today. Not much else going on.

Pretty White World

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:45:00 -0600

I love it after a snow, it is so beautifulKyle bought a snowmobile this past fall but as you can see there are no marks in the snow as of yet from him racing around. He has had trouble getting it put back together after they did some work on it and has sunk alot of money into it with no fruit to show for it. I tried to tell him it was a waste of money but he would not listen. I just chuckle now and not say a word. Sometimes it is good to be a parent, especially when you know you are right!!!

Lynsey pulled a good one yesterday. We got home from church in the morning and she went to change before lunch. On the way out to the kitchen she thought it would be funny to try to scare the dog so she snuck up and startled Sandy only to then trip over her and twist her foot and land on it. She wasn't laughing then. Kyle was quite concerned but didn't want to show it so he "helped" her up and into a chair where we doctered her up. After work later that afternoon Kyle called to see if she was alright and did I think she broke it. No I told him she was doing much better and could at least hobble around on it now. Although watching her crawl to the bathroom"like a baby" was quite funny.

We are getting ready to watch The Chronicles Of Narnia- Prince Caspian for the second time, while the boys are gone to work because they don't like it. But we love it, it is a great movie. Loved the first one as well, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Check them out if you havent seen them.

Friday

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:35:00 -0600

We awoke to -16 degrees on the thermometer this morning. BRRRRRRR! Right now it is 11 degrees so it has come up 27 degrees since 6 am. Our phone was acting up this morning as well, I don't know if it had anything to do with the frigid temps but it wouldn't surprise me. I just pray no calves are born during this cold stretch.

I saw my sister yesterday for the first time in a couple of months. She looks great! She has dropped a good 50 lbs I would say. She hasn't weighed herself but she is doing great. Keep it up Deb! We went up to visit with our parents yesterday. I made some banana bread for Mom and between Lyn(Deb's Daughter) and Dad there was one loaf almost gone before we left for home. That is the problem with letting them cool on the rack on the counter. A nibble here, a nibble there and wham it is gone.

There is the fatest blue jay out in our yard right now scrounging for something to eat. Just a sec, I am going to download a pic.

Isn't he chubby!!

Well I think I am going to town this afternoon so I must get going. More later

Tues.

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:19:00 -0600

We had a family supper for Dave last night at our house. He wasn't able to make it home for Thanksgiving or Christmas so we wanted to try to get together while he was here for the Trade Show. I had Shepherds Pie, Lasagna, Greenbean Casserole, Ceasar Salad and French Bread. Then for dessert I made a mixed berry pie(strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry.) Chocolate and Butterscotch pies. We then played Mad Gab after and laughed so hard all the food we ate must have been burned off. It was a great time. If you have never played Mad Gab you must get it and play it with a large group of people.

Sorry this is short but we are leaving for Augusta for some meetings that Dennis has to attend at the Trade show to keep up his licenses to farm. Nutrient management( lic. to haul manure) and a pestiside lic.

Has it been that long??

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:11:00 -0600

I know, I am sorry, I got onto Facebook and it is so much quicker to get on there and check what everyone is doing.

Well, things have really slowed down here now that it is winter, calves are still being born aplenty but crops are tucked safe away in the silos and are covered with snow. We are supposed to get some more tonight but maybe it will go out to sea! That would be nice.

Dennis and I are going out for supper at a friends tonight and having a game night. We got a new game for Christmas called Fact or Crap and they want us to bring it to play. It is trivia game that you have to decide if the comment is "Fact or Crap"

Ryan and Kyle are still cohabitating up to the trailer together. They have not killed each other yet but have definately turned into an "Old Married Couple" It is funny to hear them sometimes

This is Kyle and Tyler opening their presents. Kyle is admiring the spoons and forks he got. He was pretty excited about those. Kyle has been up since 2 am. He is starting to fade.As you can see Ryan faded fast after presents were opened. Lynsey and Tyler were out playing Battleship at the table. Tyler got Ry that body pillow and obviously it did the trick. Doesn't he look comfy

Well must get going so I will try to update sooner than 2 months next time.

Clean up Day at Dads

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:17:00 -0600

Well yesterday we went up to Mom and Dads to do some last minute chores that Dad needed done. Dennis and Tyler cut down this tree that Dad has been wanting to get rid of all summer. Of course Dad had to get up and unchain this smaller tree from the old tree. He couldn't let anyone else do it. It was a bit chilly as you can see by Tylers hood!Dad was a little nervous that the tree was going to fall the wrong way "Oh you of little faith" Dennis is a pro! You remember he almost knocked himself out last winter while cutting wood. Oh yes by the way Dear, where is you helmet!!!!I guess Dad is pleased with the result. Now comes the clean up and the other 2 boys showed up just in time to help with thatRyan is there somewhere. Kyle had to borrow Gramps shirt because they just came from a Dr. app. so they had their good clothes on.You know how Kyle loves to get dirty, NOT.Here is Ryan helping clean out the gutters. While they were working outside we were diligently working inside on Cookies and pizzaGood food and fellowship was shared after the work was all done. While lunch was cooking Grampie educated the boys (Kyle) on the difference between a "boat" and a 'ship". He won't make that mistake again.Check out the two that got the recliners. Yup Grampie and Grampie Jr. Can you see the recliner that Kyle is in? It is my mothers who is only 4' 10 maybe! Here is a closer lookThe chair is just a tad to short for him. Nana said "if you pull yourself up in the chair more your legs wont hang over so much" Well when he did that the top of the chair was in the middle of his shoulders. It was quite funny to see.Lunch was good and everyone ate their fill with just a few pieces left. When we got home my brother was here with a couple of friends hunting and this is what they got for their efforts. Congrat. to Dave.Dave is the guy on the left, his son-in-law Alex in the middle and my brother Jim on the right. Good times here during huntin season! That is the first deer shot this year. Lets hope that changes today!!!

Hunting Season

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:32:00 -0600

We are now done with football, sadly to say we lost in the Semi-final round. Kind of a shock but Tyler is dealing with it with much maturity. I am very proud of him. He is turning into quite a young man.

To answer you question Ashley, I think it is all the manure they play with all the time that makes them so big. Of course all the hearty meals they eat can't hurt either.

We are well into the second week of hunting season and no one has tagged out yet which is unusual. They are getting a bit frustrated but it is just starting to get cool so things may change. Kyle had a friend over yesterday to hunt and kyle calls me from the woods to have me check online to see what district his friends hunting license is in. They have to be put in a drawing for a doe permit here in Maine so not everyone gets one. When Den checked earlier in the season he said only Ryan got a doe permit so they boys have been letting some nice deer walk by. GUESS WHAT!!! They do all have doe permits!! When I called Kyle back with his friends info I was very excited to be able to tell them they all have doe permits. Needless to say no one saw anything yesterday.

We had to call the game warden the other night for someone decided to shoot after dark right next to our posted sign by the house. They couldn't find the deer he supposedly shot so all they can get him for is criminal trespassing. He was an out of stater- Go figure! An Army sniper no less. I guess he needs to practice up a bit before he does a job for the army! He thought we were blowing it all out of proportion, what is the big deal he said. Kyle was sitting down where he shot toward the night before. That is the big deal. Someone hunts that field almost every night but because it was Friday and we were going to the game no one was out hunting. Thank you LOrd!