Nov. 10, 2009 - A Walk in the Woods This Time

Trent and Myles got a call from the apiary asking them to come help load the barrels onto the rig - the last step in getting their harvest to market.  I decided to go too to take the littles for a walk, as they have such a lovely piece of property with lots of trees.


I bundled Elias up on my back, and we headed out of the yard.

We stopped at the chicken coop to say hello to the hens.

We walked along the back fence and through the gate next to their big pile of fire wood for the winter.  As we walked, we saw all kinds of old buildings and pens that had been used in the last 50-60-100 years for animals and equipment. Collette was born and raised here, as was her dad.  We came to a beehive that was all wrapped up for winter.

Janney noticed some dead bees on a board outside the hive. We didn't see any coming and going. Later I asked Collette about how the bees survive, given that they have a short life span. She said that the queen bee would have stopped laying eggs about a month or so ago, and the last of the eggs would have hatched recently.. so all the bees that are in the hive right now, will survive the winter in a semi-hibernation... but they'll live longer too, because they're not spending such energy going out and harvesting and tending to baby bees inside the hive.. less work means a longer life for these winter bees.

We headed into  the woods, not following the path cut by the truck, or farm equipment,  nor the path of freshly cultivated soil which I suspect is there as a fire break, it seem to be in a semi circle around the whole home yard. Rather, we followed what was either a deer trail or a horse trail.  We found scat suggesting both used these paths, but there were areas where I knew for sure the horses couldn't pass, as there was fallen trees I had to move or climb under.

Asher had a melt down at this point.. just as we were heading into the exciting woodsy part of our walk. He wanted to go home.  For me, I was only just starting, and the boys had about another 50 minutes of work, I didn't want to just sit in the van and wait.  He sat in the middle of the path with his back to me. I couldn't leave him there, but I had to make him want to follow me. I kept walking, and eventually he came and held my hand, and kept up his whining for at least half the walk.. sigh.


Deciding which trail to take was sometimes difficult.. not that we would get lost, but there were intersections everywhere, and no street signs..lol  Sometimes we'd choose a path, and two steps later there was another choice to make, another intersection. Sometimes the kids would make a choice that was easy for them, but would mean lots of bending over for me, and risking Elias getting twigs in the face, we had to make different choices.

Can you see the path?  - see it there, right beside my shadow, where all the leaves are sort of in a line..


Eventually Janney and Asher began to notice their surroundings.. less consumed with themselves, and more open to where they were. We saw a Blue Jay, and Deer scat and dog poop and horse poop, and these white berries, and wasp galls on golden rod, and then this mushroom on a rotting stump.

Unfortunately, it took 45 minutes of walking before they started to open their eyes to nature, but I think if we go more often, the whining will deminish and the opening of the eyes will increase.

Susan, you said, if you lived out here, you'd just go walking out your yard and enjoy.. but you know, just as you get bored with your city surroundings, we get bored with our country surroundings. We've been through the pasture many times.. there's not much there. Walking through a crop field is not so exciting, there's no diversity,  - wheat stubble is wheat stubble.  You can't walk through the fields in spring, the mud sucks you in -you end up with "KISS" elevator boots .. gumbo sticks to the boots and you end up with 6 inches of mud stuck to the bottom of your boots, which is heavy.  In summer the crop is growing, not "neighbourly" to walk through a growing crop... and the fall has the stubble.  I do go out for a walk or a run, which I've sent you pictures.. so still, going somewhere else is fun, exciting.. and not so familiar.  But I thank you for inspiring me, and encouraging me to go.

Oh, I forgot, When Myles went back this morning, I went with him and took some books for reading and study while he was loading the second half of the honey into the rig.  Rick loaded the barrels into the rig, and Myles move them to where they were placed for best balance in the rig, and Collette kept track of the barrel numbers.

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Nov. 9, 2009 - Little Kids Discovered Lego

Last night, Janney wanted me to go outsides and build her a doll house for her dolls. Well, I was just about to hunker down and make dinner, so - no - can't make a doll house, BUT I tole Myles to go get some Legos and I showed her how to build with them.. and she and Myles and Asher played for a while, and Elias  tossed them around the kitchen a bit.

Today, the bulk of the legos are back upstairs, but a few straggling pieces are here, and Asher and Elias are keen on the little cars that were built. 

We have a cool system for managing legos. We use a fitted sheet on the floor, and all the pieces stay on the sheet, at the end of play time, pick up the edges of the sheet, and voila, they're easy to cart away and put back in the big rubbermaid  bucket.  Myles also has a little truck that you can drive around and it "vacuums" up the straggling pieces.

However... this doesn't keep track of these bits that are on the cars that Asher and Elias are playing with.. but that's only about 20 pieces, I can live with 20 lego pieces underfoot.. I think

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Nov. 9, 2009 - Target Toy Deals

I was alerted to these deals from reading MommySavers message board and  Mommy Snacks blog!!!

The first deal is for the LeapFrog Tag Junior for $8.99:

Price at Target is $28.99. Use a printable LeapFrog coupon for $10 off: LeapFrog Coupon and also a Target Printable Coupon for $10 off: Target Coupon . This makes the price $8.99. You can also print the Target coupons from the Hot Coupon World Coupon Generator.   More info on this deal can be found at MommySavers.

Another awesome Target Toy Deal is for Mr. Potato Head.

Target has it priced for $5.99 or $6.99 and you can print a $5/1 coupon at Coupons.com. Making it either .99¢ or $1.99!! You can print 2 of the coupons, just hit your back button after the 1st one prints. More details on this deal can be found at MommySnacks.

These prices are so great you can pick up a couple for the Holiday Toy Drives!!

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Nov. 9, 2009 - My favorite easy gift!

So I developed an obsession with sweetened green tea this summer, and as I was indulging in this treat I noticed the bottles were a pretty shape, so I started washing them and saving them, and they have become one of my favorite new mom, new neighbor, have a happy day gifts!  Just add in one or a few flowers (either from your garden or Albertsons and other grocery stores sell a small bunch for about $4)
I was so excited at first that I didn't take pictures of the super cute ones before giving them away but I have snapped pictures of a few of them!

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Nov. 8, 2009 - A New Adventure for Our Family

   We are in the process of adopting Kate from Latvia. She is a handicap girl who dresses herself with her teeth. She will be visiting us during Christmas. The orphanage doesn't want her any longer. They were putting her through training courses to learn "independent living" so they could ship her out. She is only ten years old. How do you live independently when you can only use your mouth to dress yourself, let alone use the bathroom? Her fate is certain death if she stays. The orphanage complained that she was too much for them to lift any longer. Our hearts hurt for Kate. If you would like to help us adopt her, send a check  in care of Kate to :

Open Door Adoption
PHONE: (229) 228-6339  EMAIL: opendoor@rose.net
P.O. Box 4  218 E. Jackson Street
Thomasville, GA 31799

Thanks!!
This is a picture of her at eight years old. She is now ten years old.

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Nov. 7, 2009 - Are you growing?

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Nov. 6, 2009 - Blackberry Clafouti

I've wanted to try this recipe for two summers now, after seeing it all over the blogworld, but somehow I just never got to it. Today I came across the last of the blackberries we picked this summer and decided it was now or never! (I've seen it made with all kinds of fruit, but had it in my mind that *I* wanted to try it with blackberries!)
So the children and I mixed it up and not only was it fun to make it was a HUGE hit here!
The picture above  was about halfway through baking. YUM!

Clafouti:
12 oz or so of fruit
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup creme fraiche (we used sour cream)
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Butter a 9" baking dish (we used more fruit so I used a  9x13) then sprinkle with granulated sugar. (I used it out of the 1/2 cup we had already measured). Arrange fruit over the bottom.
In a bowl wisk eggs, then add flour. Once well combined mix in remaining ingredients and pour over fruit.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until center is set.

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Nov. 6, 2009 - Still pregnant...

I'm still here and still pregnant! I was shocked to find out at my appointment yesterday that I am already 4cm with a VERY low baby since the week before he was still high and I wasn't dilated at all. I haven't had many contractions the past week (which is why I was so surprised), although they have increased in the last couple days. I guess this is par for the course for me as I get towards the end. Then once I go, I usually go fast and furious. Chad is being so protective of me and barely letting me move at all so I can make it until Monday. That is when I will be 37 weeks and able to deliver at home! I'm thinking Tuesday would be a really neat day to deliver so his birthday would be 11-10-09  

My birth kit was delivered in the mail today and we're really excited. I think Chad's even more on board for the home birth than I am!  We're both really looking forward to the birth, and so excited to meet this little guy.

Here I am with my babies the other night...

Eli has really been acting up lately, the little stinker. He's almost 3 and this is getting into my not-so-favorite age.  Life is full, that's for sure!

Here are 2 of my sweeties cuddling this morning...

And a very porcelain-skinned baby as daddy chased him up the stairs before bath the other night...I think he definitely has his daddy's coloring!

That's all for now, time to get back home!

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Nov. 6, 2009 - Making drudgery into lovely!

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Nov. 6, 2009 - Blanketed in Peace

And an old picture of my sweet girl under hers!

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