Wow!  I realize it has been literally FOREVER since I have found time to post on here.  Okay, so maybe that is only partially true - I also haven't felt any great words of wisdom, magic truths to reveal or needed somewhere to "think" through things.  I felt like trivial matters just weren't worth the time it takes to get on here, think and type it out, edit and post.  There is way to much happening lately that each moment seems to be taken up by the everyday things.

A few of the highlights -

1.  I took #5 for her 6 month check up.  She is growing nicely, had her usual shots minus the DTAP which she will have in a couple of weeks - we're praying for a better, uneventful reaction this time.  She also got her ears pierced!!!  She looks adorable and despite my crying for a full five minutes, she only screamed bloody murder for about 60 seconds.  She is finally growing in some hair and so I am excitedly creating bows for her hair!

2.  Homeschooling has fallen a bit by the wayside and we are behind in our work.  This is because the month of October contained an unusual number of extra classes outside of home for #3.  In particular, he took a cattle class offered through the 4H club - he learned how to care for and show a steer.  Let me create a visual for you - #3 is about 60 pounds sopping wet, at the end of a lead rope attached to a 350 pound steer who hasn't been handled before and has his own ideas of cooperating.  It was quite comical during the classes, but after the "First Annual Livestock Show" this week, #3 came home with a blue ribbon in both divisions.  He was so happy to get first place in both catagories, but add to that, he got a $25 prize for each one!  He was excited beyond belief!  At least it played into the lesson we are working on about putting a percentage of money you earn into savings, spending and right now, his Christmas savings for buying presents.

3.  DH went out to Utah last weekend to visit with #2 at school.  All of us were dreading the visit for different reasons, but it went quite well.  #2 still has things to progress and work on, but DH said he was pleasantly surprised wtih the changes he has made so far.  The plan right now is for #2 to continue to progress and stay on track so he will be granted a leave home for the holidays (something that isn't generally allowed, but given our situation, will probably be granted) and then once he returns at the first of the year, he will have 9 more weeks to finish and he will graduate private school a full year ahead of schedule.  Maybe this doesn't sound like a big deal, but for us it's huge.  He has gone from a failing student who was suicidal to an A student coping with life and has the goal of being a lawyer like DH. 

4.  We finally have a pasture and barn, given the severe drought in our area hay has been very difficult to find unless you are willing to pay a fortune.  I held out, prayed a lot and came across a generous man who is not in the farming business, but has land and cuts/sells the bales for the simple fact of enabling people to feed their horses.  Compared to the going rate of $16 a bale, including paying another friend to go pick it up for us, I only payed $11 a bale hay/delivery.  I did realize after throwing and stacking 160 bales of hay at 60lbs each, I am just too old for this stuff!!!  LOL  The horses are doing great, we LOVE having them here and are having a great time on the 4-wheeler we had to purchase to help with pasture maintenance.  Grin.

For now, it is time to go - my fresh banana bread is about to come out of the oven - the house smells wonderful!  The one thing I have managed to accomplish is getting myself organized/creating 2 months worth of planned menus/recipes/shopping lists/chore lists all in one place.  Life is easier now!  If anyone is wanting them, the files are in word and I can email them to you with explanations on how they work for me - contact me at babysheffron@yahoo.com   We have several Halloween parties over the next few days with food needing to be cooked and baked to contribute.  I hope to push blogging back up to the top of my "to do " list...............fingers crossed!