Ice Storm

We have been hit with an ice storm this weekend. It has been lovely! Everything was cancelled and we have stayed home and vegged! I think we should schedule an ice storm every month. Of course, poor Moe might not agree. I have to imagine that ice is wickedly cold on his feet.

It is a beautiful world, all frozen and shiny in the sun. The boys are outside now ice skating on the yard and goat field. Church has been cancelled since yesterday, and we are reading the paper by the furnace. This should be over tomorrow and back to normal, but for now it is pleasant.

Awesome Grandma

This was a speed racing slide. You would line up, and when the clock started, take off for a race to the end. I had trouble getting it to take off. I did this ride a couple of times, but I didn't particularly like it. I never felt much in control of it. Above you see my boys getting close to the end.

Above here you see that the boys are done with the ride and getting up. The dark figure at the left of your screen is the loser of the race, Grandma. She had the same starting problems that I had.

The boys were able to get Grandma on everything but the Tornado, although #2 didn't want on the Tornado either. They enjoyed getting her on a 4-man raft and going through the "River Canyon Run". That one was fun if you didn't go backward, which is how I went through about 80% of the time.

One lifeguard told the boys, "You better be nice to your Grandma. She's awesome!" They quite agree.

Howlin' Tornado

My least favorite ride was the Howlin' Tornado. You climb about 4 stories worth of stairs, and then get on a 4-man, round raft. You gently go through a few curves and then abruptly drop 15 feet into a funnel. You swirl back and forth on the side of the funnel before entering its mouth and coming out this end.

Hubby and #1 managed to do it 3 times, but I only needed once to have enough. The lifeguard put me in backwards and I told him NOT to let me go down backward. His remark? "That was a vicious look." I meant business.

At least these two came off looking less vicious than I did. We had a good time, but I wouldn't list this as part of it.

Birthday Trip

We went to the Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate a couple of milestone birthdays. The first day we focused on me, The Queen. The next day we focused on #1 as it was his actual THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY! He went out of the room for a while, so we took advantage of that and decorated the room a little bit. When he came back, he opened his gifts. On our Myrtle Beach trip last month, Hubby and I found a book series that we didn't think #1 had read yet, and we gave him that. Whew! He hadn't even heard of it. He has been reading it for a couple of days now and seems to enjoy it.

He was allowed to choose the restaurant for dinner, and he picked Olive Garden. He likes the chicken gnocchi soup. He was excited to have the waiters come and sing to him, too.

He is such a handsome, young man; not that I am biased or anything. He is a good boy, and for now, I am happy to have a teenager. He is our very special gift from God. May God bless him with wisdom as he grows into a man.

Triplets

You can't catch these three together very often. Out of 17 pictures I managed twice to get them all together. This group seems to like their freedom. I know I said I wouldn't name the babies for friends anymore, but one of the 4-Hers said he wished he had a goat named for him. So I gave the boys the kids' names and the girl the mother's name. They are Aaron, Isaac, and Sherry. Sorry Guys, but your name will be dinner soon.

One boy and the girl look like this one above, and the other boy is below. The one below is a lot bigger than the other two, and he makes his presence known. He is also the first one to try anything, and I found him far away from the birthing pen yesterday.

This one, on the other hand, would not go any farther than the chicken coop and cried piteously the entire time. It sounded like a bird screaming. "Come and get me, Momma!"

Today we head out of town for a few days. We are going to an indoor waterpark and hotel to celebrate my birthday and #1's THIRTEENTH birthday! We have heard from several people who have gone to Great Wolf Lodge, and it gets high reviews. Hubby's parents are joining us, and we are meeting my cousin and her husband one night for dinner. I'm looking forward to it, but first I have to get Kelly to go into the kennel and it is POURING the rain. I think Hubby is going to have to carry her there. ------------ "Questions involving is can be answered objectively by well-designed research. Questions involving ought are value-laden and can be resolved only through dialogue and a decision-making process that includes various constituencies. Researchers should not expect their findings about is to result in educational change immediately, and without critical appraisal. Likewise, practitioners should not look to research for prescriptive advice. It seems much more sensible to use research knowledge about what is to inform dialogue about what ought to be - a dialogue that should be informed by other considerations as well." That comes from my text. Now you know why I am looking forward to getting away for a few days! That sounded a lot like a president a few years ago asking for the meaning of words!!

Strange Occurences...The Big Reveal

We have started cleaning house on Saturdays. I make a list of what needs to be done, and then everyone signs up for what they will do that day. It has worked well so far, but this weekend I have a lot of schoolwork to complete, so cleaning may not go well. Two weeks ago as we were cleaning, when #2 came outside to dispose of some maggotty acorns. He had put them in his chest and backpack in his bedroom. I used to have a student who would do the same thing in class in his pencil box. I had to make a classroom rule that there would be NO acorns brought into class. I have had to make that a house rule now. It was the same day that I found this in my refrigerator. Some of you have made good guesses, but all wrong. This mess was made by an egg that somehow got under the meat tray and broke. I understand why it broke, but how it got there is beyond me. #2 found some eggshell a few days before that on the bottom of the fridge, but I never thought it would mean there was an egg under the tray! So here I am with egg all over my refrigerator. Better than my face, I suppose.

Aquatics

We went to an environmental center about 45 minutes away to learn more about aquatics for our competition. The guide also threw in some forestry and wildlife for us too. #2 always had his head down looking for things under the boards and tin coverings. He found a snake skeleton under one. He was just sure I would want to bring it home. He was delirious.

The boys loved catching crayfish and having them pinch them or other things. They got one to grab hold of another crayfish and rip its leg off. The guide was a bit mortified, but after a while joined in the fun. They showed her how to burn things with a magnifying glass and the sun. She won't soon forget us!

I kept waiting for someone to end up in the river, but thankfully, no one did. We trapped one of the largest crayfish that the guide has ever seen there, even in the summer! The boys were talking about having a "Boil", but decided that they didn't have enough crayfish. They asked if they could come back in the summer.

It was fun. I think I like Envirothon, even if it is a LOT of work.

Happy Birthday

Yesterday I turned 40. One of my friends last night thought I would hide how old I am. Actually I am looking forward to the forties for some reason. Perhaps it is because a long ago friend told me the forties were great in many ways. So how did I spend this momentous occasion? I took five boys to an environmental center and looked for bugs in the water. I'll post pictures later when I have time, but the Dirty Coon Foresters had a good time yesterday looking in water traps for crayfish, netting for macroinvertebrates, and hunting for snakes. How many women can say they had such an interesting fortieth birthday? Then at church, Hubby had put a dozen roses, a cake, and a couple of cards in my classroom. The ladies in my class shared the cake with me, and we had a nice time visiting. After church I went for a walk with a friend. Perhaps the best present came this morning when I went out to the barn and found triiplets! I think Emma had them yesterday evening while we were at church. She was looking like it might happen last evening, and everything was cleaned up this morning, so I choose to believe they were born on my birthday. The triplets are two boys and a girl. Pictures coming soon.

Good Food, Good Meat

We are very blessed that every year my parents butcher a beef for us. It is really good meat. I am used to the meat now, so it always surprises me when guests comment on how good the meat is. Fresh is best, that's for sure. Before Christmas, we enjoyed having a few evenings free. It was nice to spend some relaxing time together as a family. We played games, watched movies, and ate good food. One night I broke out the old fondue pot. The boys love having fondue. It's the dipping that gets them excited, I think. I found a fondue cookbook while we were on our anniversary trip in Myrtle Beach. It suggested using broths instead of oil to cook your meat and veggies. I will have to try that soon.

I didn't buy the fondue book though. I bought one called Deceptively Delicious. It is a book dedicated to getting veggies into your kids. I read it one day over our Christmas holiday, and I have tried a couple of recipes since. This one yesterday was a hit with #2. I had to try it twice to get the breading just right, but he was happy to be the guinea pig. The recipe is for Mozzarella Sticks, and it has cauliflower in it. #2 doesn't know that though. His comment? "It tastes just like the restaurant's!" I think I have a winner!!

Right now I am making pepperoni rolls and chocolate chip cookies for our field trip tomorrow. I love being able to feed my family well.

The Way He Moves

#1 has started basketball again. He played several years ago in an Upward league with the Baptist church. We didn't care for it, and sat out for a few years. Then last year, #1 decided he wanted to try basketball again. This time we went with the Community Schools and Rec program. He had a great time last year, though he never scored, and I am not certain he always knew what he was doing. At the end of the season, his coach complimented us on a good boy who always listened and was polite. Good to hear as a parent, but probably not what an athlete wants to hear.

So last week was the first game. The team got TROUNCED. In the second half they looked a little like a basketball team, but the first half was miserable. They lost: 34-17.

This past Saturday was their second game, again they lost, but not as badly. #1 was more aggressive this time. We spent several conversations suggesting aggressiveness to him. His dad spent some time on defensive moves. Perhaps it helped. He did actually get the ball a few times.

And FINALLY he made his first score on a team. He was fouled and got two free throws. He made the first.

He missed the second. It didn't seem to matter; I have heard him mention several times this week that he made a point. Maybe it will be the confidence booster that he needs.

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#1 goes to a Red Cross babysitting class tomorrow. He will learn first aid and infant CPR. First Aid and CPR were on his curriculum list for middle school, and when I heard of this class opening up I thought it was perfect. The instructor will be a man and there are at least two other guys enrolled, so I hope it goes well. I had to pack his lunch this evening.

After nearly eight years, I still get apprehensive about packing his lunch. When he was in public school, lunches were an issue. For some reason the kids made fun of his lunches and it was always an ordeal. I never knew if something would be the butt of a joke or induce painful teasing. Buying lunch didn't seem to be the answer either.

I made a chicken salad sandwich on fresh bread. I think there could be some comment made about the bread, but hopefully no one will notice. Everything else is prepackaged, so teasing or comments should be kept at a minimal. Ugh. I hate peer pressure.

Heaven on Earth

Again I will say it, "I love our church." This month we are focusing on the community of believers, and I love the community I am in. We may be small, but we are very busy for the Lord and for each other. Our motto is "Christ in Us, Christ to Others", and I think we live it well. The youth group this month is putting their faith into practice on Sunday mornings. Last week we had a special prayer time for miracles, praise, and petitions. Then the kids wrote notes to those for whom they had prayed. The notes were mailed throughout the week, so that people would get encouraged other days than just Sunday. Today we talked about ways that we can be Christ here on earth. One way, it is said, is to welcome strangers and aliens into your home. We did the reverse of that and wrote cards to soldiers who are far from home. The soldiers in Afghanistan have to have supplies air dropped because the roads are basically nonexistent. We made cards that will be put into their care packages to let the soldiers know they are being thought of and prayed for. Next week we will pack lunch bags for the homeless. They have to leave the shelter by 8:00 and don't get a lunch. At suppertime they can come back to the shelter to be fed and get a bed. Our youth are packing lunches during Bible class and delivering them to the shelter. People at church have already donated about half of what we need for the 80 lunches. It is such a generous group of people. But we don't just serve together, we rejoice together. During church, one of the men received a text message. He announced between songs that the baby had been born. One of our families had headed to Virginia this morning for the birth of their first grandchild. You just don't have such "interruptions" in a church that is larger or not as much a community as ours. After church we shared a meal together, visited and laughed together. Christ was here in our town for a while today. It was Heavenly. ----------- Last Sunday it was very cold here. You will remember I took #2 to the state park for a hike to see the osprey nest. One week later I am sitting outside watching the goats. It is a gorgeous day here, warm and mostly sunny. I have let the goats out to graze in the yard next to the barn, and I am sitting outside with my computer and watching them. This is another little piece of Heaven on Earth. Enjoy your Sunday, Everyone. ---------- I will wait a couple more days before I say what was in my refrigerator, but the only guess has been sweet potatoes. Nope.

Another Strange Occurence...Actually Two

I also find it to be a strange occurence that someone would bring poop to someone's house, and that the hostess wouldn't mind. One of our Envirothoners found some scat while he was out in the woods at his grandfather's last week. So he scooped it up, kept it in a Ziploc bag, and brought it to my house today. We took it outside and examined it to see what type it might be. As the boys carefully poked through the poop to find bits of shell and insects, Kelly carefully sneaked up behind them. At the first opportunity, she snatched that poop and ran with it. She had a ball rolling and smooshing around in it. I guess that would be a third strange occurence. The dog just finished her bath.

Strange Occurences

This post is about strange occurences. If you can figure out what strange thing this is in my refrigerator, leave a comment. I cleaned out the fridge last weekend, and found this under the meat tray. It isn't vomit. If you can guess it, I will somehow make your day special. (Yes, I do know what it is.)

We were having dinner this evening, and at 6:00 the furnace kicked off. The strange silence made me look over at the heater, and I saw that it read 72 degrees. We leave it set at 68 and it has a four degree efficiency setting. It hasn't been to 72 in a couple of weeks and has run continually. What a wonderful heat wave we are having. Hubby and I went for a walk this evening, too.

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#1 has a small, black, hairy line over his lip.

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#1 also, without ANY prompting, cleaned up the upstairs this afternoon when he found out the Envirothon team would be over and watch a video about aquatics. It isn't even his team!!

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We have a ghost in our house. I have suspected it for several years, but it is becoming more clear. Others are noticing it now, too. Some of you may not believe in ghosts; I do. My husband isn't sure that he believes, but he listens to me without laughing too hard. We both definitely believe in demons doing their business still today.

Anyway, I have noticed strange things happen around the house for quite a while...doors closing, things being moved, etc. Since we have started the remodeling project the activity has been more common. Last week, Hubby vacuumed the livingroom and then no one else was in there. Later we went in to do something and noticed a pillow on the floor. I asked him why he would leave a pillow on the floor if he vacuumed, and he said he didn't. Then yesterday, packing tape was left on our bed. The tape belongs in the pantry, about 50 feet from our bed. I don't know if the ghost was giving us a hint to start packing or what, but it definitely was a strange occurence.

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I have to read a textbook for a class in which I will receive a grade. Now that is strange.

Hackers are Vultures

I have been hacked. Someone in China evidently figured out my password and used my email to contact people about a wonderful shopping experience that brings "surprising happiness." Sorry if any of you received that. So I spent the day trying to figure out how to fix the problem and then to change my password. So far no luck with either one. I am about to the point of having to change my email address. I HATE to do that because I have had it for about 15 years and everyone who knows me can figure it out quite easily. Since we have moved often, that makes it easy for people to keep up with me. I took a picture of these vultures a few weeks ago, just because they were neat looking, but now I know why. I want you to imagine faces of hackers on those birds!!! ------------------ #2 saved some of his money from Christmas so that he could buy a desk for his room. His brother got a desk when Grandma's house was cleaned out this summer, and #2 decided it would be nice to have one as well. We suggested he try the surplus store at the university and headed over there yesterday for the preview. Alas, they won't open until next week. Since #2 has been so patient in waiting for the desk, and he wouldn't be able to go to the weekly sale for another 3 weeks because of other commitments, I took him over to the resale store for Habitat for Humanity. He found a nice desk there for $35. I showed him that it was missing a handle on one of the doors, and told him to ask the sales clerk if she would take $25 instead. He walked up to the clerk and made his request in a clear, strong voice. She said she would look it over and walked to the desk with him. She was a little hesitant, saying the desk had just come in a week ago. #2 spoke up that it is missing a handle on the door. The girl agreed that that would be a problem and sold it to him for $25. He was so proud. On the ride home he told me he wants me to be with him when he does things like that because he is stronger with support. "I still need you to help me with things like that now. When I am older I will be more confident to do it alone." No matter how old you are, support gives a lot of courage. ------------ The desk seems to help. He came downstairs today with quite a bit of his school work done at an early hour. It might be the best $27 (tax) investment that boy ever made.

Action

#2 liked hiding in the reeds. He wants to take all of his friends soon. It will have to be when it is still cold, because one ranger told us about rattlesnakes in this area of the park. Geesh!

He thought it was cool that the trees had fallen over and were still attached.

Perpetual Motion

I Love This Park

Here are some more pictures of the park. #2 was so excited to ride in the front seat through the park. He took this picture of a deer from the passenger side. That deer doesn't know what I know about #2!

I love going to this park every time. It is so beautiful and peaceful. I always feel like I am on a deserted island. A nice feeling some days!