I just picked up my daughter's poop from the yard. If I'm lyin', I'm cryin'! I swear with all of my heart that I did indeed just have an incident where I had to pick up my daughter's poop from the yard. It was not an accident. It wasn't a sudden burst that she just couldn't hold in, no! Apparently, she had to poop, so she dropped trou and did it, right there, no kidding.
I was inside the house picking up the endlessly multiplying (I swear they procreate at night) toys in the "family room", when I hear Nana outside yelling for me. What Ma? Your daughter just pooped in the yard, to which the boy added and it's green Mom, gross. Not the fact that she pulled down her pants, squatted, and pooped in the yard that was gross. No, it was the color of it according to the boy.
Now, I had just taken the children out after dinner for "our" nightly chores, yeah our, and one of them was picking up the dogs poop piles. Yes, they do go out ahead of me and site out the piles and yell frantically when they find one, but ultimately, I'm the poop picker upper. So, I suppose in some way it just made sense to her. Mommy cleans out my potty when I poop, what's the diff? Hmm?
As tempting as it may sound to just let her be free and live like the animals, which in fact isn't far off and we could build her a coop (seriously kidding?), I feared immediately that if I didn't nip this one in the bud. Well, it would be a hard time explaining the first time she does it at a friend's house, or say the playground at school? I'm afraid I may have stopped her mid poop and that won't be good for anyone, but I just couldn't let it go on any farther.
I suppose it's also partly my fault because when she started dropping trou to pee in the yard, I just let her go. Heck, I even giggled and posted about it. She's 2, it was kind of funny. She's just my free and easy little one. Makes perfect sense to her, and she does everything with complete abandon, so imagine the implications of pooping whenever the urge were to hit her.
Even though, this too was funny enough for me to write about, it cannot go on! Maybe we have too many animals? There is, in fact, a lot of poop cleaning that goes on here around our mini-farm. Hopefully, it won't happen again, but I suspect that it probably will.
After all, everybody poops, right?
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
And a Rabbit Done Died
I was thinking about making the title of this blog City Mouse in the Country, because today I really started to feel like one. I don't really even remember the story all that well, but I know that the city mouse went to the country and didn't fit in and the country mouse to the city and the same. Both, however, brought something to their poorly fit place and also it brought something to them.
By the way...I know you're thinking it...NO I AM NOT PREGGERS!!
So, I've been wondering today what it is that I have to bring here. My son decided to bring out photographs after our reading lesson, and we looked at them together. They were snapshots taken mostly by his and his sisters teachers at their school in Arizona. He got several of the children's names wrong, so that told me he was settling in here and becoming a country mouse pretty quickly. Strangely as we went through them, the photos brought big tears to my eyes. I realized it was the city living that I sort of missed.
I say "sort of" for a few reasons. Mostly, it was for the little moments. We had access to everything artistic, but we rarely indulged ourselves. We had friends all close by that we saw often, but sometimes time would fly by in months between gatherings.
Why? Well, mainly because in the city we were just working so much to fund our life as it was, that we rarely had time in all the running around. Our jobs paid the bills and for school, or day care, for the children, and a roof over our heads with food.
Here, we are still busy and running around, but in a different way. I still feel like I can't breathe sometimes because going into town is a massive endeavor and takes a lot of gas, so you have to plan it out and make a day of it. So, I'm still struggling with "fitting in" or maybe it's just that I'm not mentally here yet. I'm not sure.
Today while I was outside running around to beat the big storm and make sure that the hens, guinea fowl, dog, and rabbits all have food and water under cover in case the storm lasts, I found that one of the rabbits had died. I finished my chores quickly and reluctantly with my heart in my throat because I still am not used to the surrounded by death way on a farm. I went into the house to start to prepare dinner with the kids running wildly at my feet. Then the rain broke...
After the rain stopped the children again begged me to go outside. Wait a minute, they rarely did that in the city? Then I found my daughter outside...naked..."taking a bath" in a freezing cold puddle. She was LOVING LIFE with such fervor that it occurred to me that my children are genuinely happy here. If I could call over their friends, say L and M, don't get me wrong they'd be in heaven, but that would just make this place a more fun place as it is already perfect in their eyes. They really don't grasp the concept that these friends don't live just a mile away anymore. My children have everything they want. They have swing sets and puddles and animals and mud and dirt and flowers and fields to just run to their hearts content. So, what was I missing?
I missed walking 20 feet, or a mile, to reach out to a friend when I needed a hug or a shoulder to lean on in person. I missed having access to the things we needed, like groceries and the childrens doctor, within walking distance. I missed the Aztec Mochas with friends on a Sunday morning bike ride. I missed impromptu bbqs and pool parties. But what I didn't miss was the complete hustle and bustle. I was so torn. I wanted to be there in the worst way, but living the way we do here. I wanted to take our land and our animals and our days of playing in puddles and reading our first words from a book, as the boy did today (YAY), and putting it in that location. But that's not possible.
I think that what I'm missing most is really inside of me and my favorite thing since coming here to the country... It's getting to really see life in amazement as I do every day through my children's eyes. I am old...none of your business how old if you don't know! It takes longer to adjust, I suppose. It's not really been that long yet and we're just now starting to settle into this life. And from what I've learned along this long strange road is that you never know what is hiding around the next corner. I cannot wait to reach it!
Big Hugs and Smooches from the City, I mean Country Mouse
Momma D
And seriously, the rabbit really died, not the other meaning of the saying!!!
By the way...I know you're thinking it...NO I AM NOT PREGGERS!!
So, I've been wondering today what it is that I have to bring here. My son decided to bring out photographs after our reading lesson, and we looked at them together. They were snapshots taken mostly by his and his sisters teachers at their school in Arizona. He got several of the children's names wrong, so that told me he was settling in here and becoming a country mouse pretty quickly. Strangely as we went through them, the photos brought big tears to my eyes. I realized it was the city living that I sort of missed.
I say "sort of" for a few reasons. Mostly, it was for the little moments. We had access to everything artistic, but we rarely indulged ourselves. We had friends all close by that we saw often, but sometimes time would fly by in months between gatherings.
Why? Well, mainly because in the city we were just working so much to fund our life as it was, that we rarely had time in all the running around. Our jobs paid the bills and for school, or day care, for the children, and a roof over our heads with food.
Here, we are still busy and running around, but in a different way. I still feel like I can't breathe sometimes because going into town is a massive endeavor and takes a lot of gas, so you have to plan it out and make a day of it. So, I'm still struggling with "fitting in" or maybe it's just that I'm not mentally here yet. I'm not sure.
Today while I was outside running around to beat the big storm and make sure that the hens, guinea fowl, dog, and rabbits all have food and water under cover in case the storm lasts, I found that one of the rabbits had died. I finished my chores quickly and reluctantly with my heart in my throat because I still am not used to the surrounded by death way on a farm. I went into the house to start to prepare dinner with the kids running wildly at my feet. Then the rain broke...
After the rain stopped the children again begged me to go outside. Wait a minute, they rarely did that in the city? Then I found my daughter outside...naked..."taking a bath" in a freezing cold puddle. She was LOVING LIFE with such fervor that it occurred to me that my children are genuinely happy here. If I could call over their friends, say L and M, don't get me wrong they'd be in heaven, but that would just make this place a more fun place as it is already perfect in their eyes. They really don't grasp the concept that these friends don't live just a mile away anymore. My children have everything they want. They have swing sets and puddles and animals and mud and dirt and flowers and fields to just run to their hearts content. So, what was I missing?
I missed walking 20 feet, or a mile, to reach out to a friend when I needed a hug or a shoulder to lean on in person. I missed having access to the things we needed, like groceries and the childrens doctor, within walking distance. I missed the Aztec Mochas with friends on a Sunday morning bike ride. I missed impromptu bbqs and pool parties. But what I didn't miss was the complete hustle and bustle. I was so torn. I wanted to be there in the worst way, but living the way we do here. I wanted to take our land and our animals and our days of playing in puddles and reading our first words from a book, as the boy did today (YAY), and putting it in that location. But that's not possible.
I think that what I'm missing most is really inside of me and my favorite thing since coming here to the country... It's getting to really see life in amazement as I do every day through my children's eyes. I am old...none of your business how old if you don't know! It takes longer to adjust, I suppose. It's not really been that long yet and we're just now starting to settle into this life. And from what I've learned along this long strange road is that you never know what is hiding around the next corner. I cannot wait to reach it!
Big Hugs and Smooches from the City, I mean Country Mouse
Momma D
And seriously, the rabbit really died, not the other meaning of the saying!!!
Saturday, May 24, 2014
A Yard Sale and the Hubster's ASS
I honestly don't know how to put into words the excitement at the farm today. I guess I can start with my sewing fiasco last night. Yes, I used up yet another bobbin and had to change it and well, it's still not threaded through the needle. Can someone please tell me why on earth we need to sew from above AND below with a sewing machine? I really just want one of those old pedal machines that is all very simple, no complicated parts and I have to pump with my foot. At least I'd be getting exercise instead of angina!
Anyway, I digress, as usual. So, we have a CRAP LOAD of stuff. I mean a serious CRAP LOAD. I know, I know we all say we have too much crap around or the kids toys are going to drive me crazy, but I kid you not, if I wasn't as anal as I am about things being organized, we would be blogging about the film crew from hoarders here at my house. Soooooo much stuff I haven't purged a toy since the boy was born almost 5 years ago AND when we moved here to our home, home on the range, we merged ours and my mother's houses together. Plus my mother and I both have a habit of hanging on to things too long thinking we'll use it some day and that day just doesn't exist.
Don't get me started on my hubster's collection of things he'll use some day. Someone will surely have to call 911 because I might convulse. It's something I try not to think about too often. It makes me happier that way...until I go on a frenzy and re-organize his pile of stuff yet again and throw away all of the trash I cannot believe has collected under it. How is something useful one day and trash the next? It kinds of blows the mind if you really try to think about it too hard. Oh man, I really need that...oh that's just crap. Sigh....
It all started, my attempt to bring down my stress level, by posting some pieces of furniture on local trading post Facebook pages. I didn't get a lot of response even though I gave them as all reasonable offers, perhaps even trades, would be considered. NADA. Hmm, what's wrong with my stuff? Hmm? Soooo, I posted it again and again like a mad woman so now surely no one will come because I'm insane, and right you would be to think it at this point. Next I moved on to posting on Craigs List. I've gotten many a cool find on there and I figured, I'm not asking much, it'll be a cinch. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Seriously, what is wrong with my stuff?
So, today I noticed there's a lot of Yard/Garage sales, I put up a sign, posted on said websites again and organized my garage into an area of sell-able stuff and stuff we're either keeping or donating. And I sat down with a nice cool drink on the couch I was trying to sell. Nothing, no one, nada. What am I doing wrong? I got a couple of calls about the postings, but we live too far out in the sticks for the drive to make the savings worth it. A nice kid from next door came by and bought a couple odd things, but that was it.
Then in pulls my Hubster and his ASS! AND a whole bunch more junk for the kids. Now, I did know he was buying a donkey, haha get the pun now? Donkey's are really great protectors if you have smaller animals like goats, so it was all good. It didn't help much that I didn't sell all but 2 tiny things all day and he came home with several outdoor childrens play sets that my kids went wild for and they "just need a little work". So, then we have to get the donkey off the trailer and into the pasture with the goats....
I feel like I should just stop here because my day had been quite enough adventure as it was, but I'll tell you what happened anyway. First, the boy held a bucket of bribe food to coerce the donkey to come, it'll be easy, shake the food and it will come. Well, stubborn as a mule...TRUTH!! ABSOLUTE TRUTH!! I was standing guard so the goats didn't try to escape. Believe it or not, they can be quite wily when they see a way to freedom, whatever that means to a goat?? So, this tact wasn't working. Boy, come over here and guard the goats and I got some carrots. Here little girl, have a carrot. She looked at me down her big old donkey face nose like I was holding a hardened piece of dog shit and bent down to eat the grass at her feet.
Great, it's about to pour, and we have like 25 feet to go. This is a long way to move a large animal who has firmly planted herself to the ground. What happened next was all short of a miracle and hilarious and I actually could not believe it was working. I got behind her, Hubster on the side, and we pushed with all of our might and got her in the pasture, while laughing at the simplicity after trying all the bribery and drama of our previous attempts.
So, now I really need a shower because as I was pushing, my shirt got wet, don't ask, and donkey perfume is just not all that delightful. Oh, and by the way, it's NOT raining. Why? Because it's Texas and it does what it wants!
Wahoo Y'all
Momma D
Anyway, I digress, as usual. So, we have a CRAP LOAD of stuff. I mean a serious CRAP LOAD. I know, I know we all say we have too much crap around or the kids toys are going to drive me crazy, but I kid you not, if I wasn't as anal as I am about things being organized, we would be blogging about the film crew from hoarders here at my house. Soooooo much stuff I haven't purged a toy since the boy was born almost 5 years ago AND when we moved here to our home, home on the range, we merged ours and my mother's houses together. Plus my mother and I both have a habit of hanging on to things too long thinking we'll use it some day and that day just doesn't exist.
Don't get me started on my hubster's collection of things he'll use some day. Someone will surely have to call 911 because I might convulse. It's something I try not to think about too often. It makes me happier that way...until I go on a frenzy and re-organize his pile of stuff yet again and throw away all of the trash I cannot believe has collected under it. How is something useful one day and trash the next? It kinds of blows the mind if you really try to think about it too hard. Oh man, I really need that...oh that's just crap. Sigh....
It all started, my attempt to bring down my stress level, by posting some pieces of furniture on local trading post Facebook pages. I didn't get a lot of response even though I gave them as all reasonable offers, perhaps even trades, would be considered. NADA. Hmm, what's wrong with my stuff? Hmm? Soooo, I posted it again and again like a mad woman so now surely no one will come because I'm insane, and right you would be to think it at this point. Next I moved on to posting on Craigs List. I've gotten many a cool find on there and I figured, I'm not asking much, it'll be a cinch. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Seriously, what is wrong with my stuff?
So, today I noticed there's a lot of Yard/Garage sales, I put up a sign, posted on said websites again and organized my garage into an area of sell-able stuff and stuff we're either keeping or donating. And I sat down with a nice cool drink on the couch I was trying to sell. Nothing, no one, nada. What am I doing wrong? I got a couple of calls about the postings, but we live too far out in the sticks for the drive to make the savings worth it. A nice kid from next door came by and bought a couple odd things, but that was it.
Then in pulls my Hubster and his ASS! AND a whole bunch more junk for the kids. Now, I did know he was buying a donkey, haha get the pun now? Donkey's are really great protectors if you have smaller animals like goats, so it was all good. It didn't help much that I didn't sell all but 2 tiny things all day and he came home with several outdoor childrens play sets that my kids went wild for and they "just need a little work". So, then we have to get the donkey off the trailer and into the pasture with the goats....
I feel like I should just stop here because my day had been quite enough adventure as it was, but I'll tell you what happened anyway. First, the boy held a bucket of bribe food to coerce the donkey to come, it'll be easy, shake the food and it will come. Well, stubborn as a mule...TRUTH!! ABSOLUTE TRUTH!! I was standing guard so the goats didn't try to escape. Believe it or not, they can be quite wily when they see a way to freedom, whatever that means to a goat?? So, this tact wasn't working. Boy, come over here and guard the goats and I got some carrots. Here little girl, have a carrot. She looked at me down her big old donkey face nose like I was holding a hardened piece of dog shit and bent down to eat the grass at her feet.
Great, it's about to pour, and we have like 25 feet to go. This is a long way to move a large animal who has firmly planted herself to the ground. What happened next was all short of a miracle and hilarious and I actually could not believe it was working. I got behind her, Hubster on the side, and we pushed with all of our might and got her in the pasture, while laughing at the simplicity after trying all the bribery and drama of our previous attempts.
So, now I really need a shower because as I was pushing, my shirt got wet, don't ask, and donkey perfume is just not all that delightful. Oh, and by the way, it's NOT raining. Why? Because it's Texas and it does what it wants!
Wahoo Y'all
Momma D
Friday, May 23, 2014
Pea Hens and Migraines
4,527! That is the approximate number of times I have asked my son to put away his toys and get dressed today. 0 is the number of times that he did it. Yes, you can argue with me whether 0 is truly a number, blah blah blah, or that it would be a reasonable example considering my well blown up number of times asked. Whatever, this is not a purity of numbers debate.
So, I just do not get it. I've even gone as far as telling him that I had this super cool project he could do with Mommy if he just went ahead, changed out of his jammies, and put his toys away. NADA folks, N-A-D-A! Why? Can someone please explain to me why? Nothing works. Good cop, bad cop, bribery, smack on the butt, grounding, no tv, no Leap Pad...literally nothing works. He just simply does not want to do it.
I'll tell you what he does want to do. He wants to touch, pick up, bother, and otherwise fondle those damned pea hens my husband coerced the family into needing last night. Yes, honey I know they are Guinea Fowl, not pea hens, but that's the name that for some reason has stuck in my head. Maybe it's the migraine, or the cause of the migraine, I'm not sure which. Hmm, funny which comes first, the migraine or the Guinea Fowl.
So, as on my usual blogs that run in circles and make no sense, but I hope you read them anyway, yesterday we got 10 teeny tiny little pea hens, yes Guinea Fowl. Why? What on earth made you go out and get these birds of which I have never hear ever in my life except maybe I've seen them at the zoo? Well, first I'm being told that I agreed to get them earlier that day via an IM message by saying "Sure, I guess". Hmm, stock answer...note to self, start considering to what I'm agreeing more thoughtfully. Anyway, I was so distracted by other goings on (see previous blogs for examples) I don't even have the slightest memory of being asked if we could get said Guinea Fowl.
Hubster arrives home last night and he's giddy with excitement of going to purchase these ($3 each, great bargain) pea hens. He's all excited, getting the kidlings all excited, and all of a sudden I come to and realize what's going on. I say What the hell is a Guinea Fowl? I don't want those, are you kidding me? Ok, yes it was the migraine talking (mystery solved migraine came first) but I swear to whatever it is you worship that I had no idea about these birds or why we were getting them.
Arguement, denial, dinner, not hungry, I don't want them anymore and if the snakes come on the property it's your fault, etc., maybe it's best if we throw it all out the window over the pea hens, you know the drill of misunderstanding and the passion that ensues...
Then, ok why do we have to have these birds and what the hell are they? Hubster is showing some excitement again. Well, they are kinda like chickens but not. They are tastier (always his answer) and they will kill any snakes on the property. Ok, what about the hens we have, won't there be a problem. Our hens are BIG BULLIES...do not go in there with naked toes, I'm telling you! Well, when they get as big as or bigger than the hens, they're going to bully the hens.
Hmm, I'm still perplexed at the pure need to have these new birds on our property except the snake deterrent. I do not like me any snakes, no sir no ma'am!! So, I cave, we go to get them and we had the most wonderous hour of our week.
This farm had every type of bird you could imagine and thousands of them. They were colorful and beautiful. There were big ones, small ones, loud ones, baby ones, Momma ones, and every other kind of ones you could possibly think of. Now, the kids? Well, my son it turns out has a nose for finding all of the eggs and bringing them to the owner, thank goodness that was ok. My daughter, she liked the cat.
So now we have yet 10 more creatures on our adventure of a farm or whatever this is. I'm obviously still trying to sort out how to be home with 2 small children, but heck let's keep adding to the brood, who can it hurt? Hubster, that is not meant literally please note my sarcasm. I truly don't mind when I get to have such an exciting adventure, but one of these days I'd like to just sit. I'd like to just sit and stare at a wall, or the fields, for no reason at all. Just to sit. Until then we'll have eggs, cats, pea hens (aka Guinea Fowl), etc etc etc. Who knows what the future holds? I just hope it keeps away those migraines!
xoxo
MommaD...off to check up on the boy woohoo! HAPPY WEEKEND!
So, I just do not get it. I've even gone as far as telling him that I had this super cool project he could do with Mommy if he just went ahead, changed out of his jammies, and put his toys away. NADA folks, N-A-D-A! Why? Can someone please explain to me why? Nothing works. Good cop, bad cop, bribery, smack on the butt, grounding, no tv, no Leap Pad...literally nothing works. He just simply does not want to do it.
I'll tell you what he does want to do. He wants to touch, pick up, bother, and otherwise fondle those damned pea hens my husband coerced the family into needing last night. Yes, honey I know they are Guinea Fowl, not pea hens, but that's the name that for some reason has stuck in my head. Maybe it's the migraine, or the cause of the migraine, I'm not sure which. Hmm, funny which comes first, the migraine or the Guinea Fowl.
So, as on my usual blogs that run in circles and make no sense, but I hope you read them anyway, yesterday we got 10 teeny tiny little pea hens, yes Guinea Fowl. Why? What on earth made you go out and get these birds of which I have never hear ever in my life except maybe I've seen them at the zoo? Well, first I'm being told that I agreed to get them earlier that day via an IM message by saying "Sure, I guess". Hmm, stock answer...note to self, start considering to what I'm agreeing more thoughtfully. Anyway, I was so distracted by other goings on (see previous blogs for examples) I don't even have the slightest memory of being asked if we could get said Guinea Fowl.
Hubster arrives home last night and he's giddy with excitement of going to purchase these ($3 each, great bargain) pea hens. He's all excited, getting the kidlings all excited, and all of a sudden I come to and realize what's going on. I say What the hell is a Guinea Fowl? I don't want those, are you kidding me? Ok, yes it was the migraine talking (mystery solved migraine came first) but I swear to whatever it is you worship that I had no idea about these birds or why we were getting them.
Arguement, denial, dinner, not hungry, I don't want them anymore and if the snakes come on the property it's your fault, etc., maybe it's best if we throw it all out the window over the pea hens, you know the drill of misunderstanding and the passion that ensues...
Then, ok why do we have to have these birds and what the hell are they? Hubster is showing some excitement again. Well, they are kinda like chickens but not. They are tastier (always his answer) and they will kill any snakes on the property. Ok, what about the hens we have, won't there be a problem. Our hens are BIG BULLIES...do not go in there with naked toes, I'm telling you! Well, when they get as big as or bigger than the hens, they're going to bully the hens.
Hmm, I'm still perplexed at the pure need to have these new birds on our property except the snake deterrent. I do not like me any snakes, no sir no ma'am!! So, I cave, we go to get them and we had the most wonderous hour of our week.
This farm had every type of bird you could imagine and thousands of them. They were colorful and beautiful. There were big ones, small ones, loud ones, baby ones, Momma ones, and every other kind of ones you could possibly think of. Now, the kids? Well, my son it turns out has a nose for finding all of the eggs and bringing them to the owner, thank goodness that was ok. My daughter, she liked the cat.
So now we have yet 10 more creatures on our adventure of a farm or whatever this is. I'm obviously still trying to sort out how to be home with 2 small children, but heck let's keep adding to the brood, who can it hurt? Hubster, that is not meant literally please note my sarcasm. I truly don't mind when I get to have such an exciting adventure, but one of these days I'd like to just sit. I'd like to just sit and stare at a wall, or the fields, for no reason at all. Just to sit. Until then we'll have eggs, cats, pea hens (aka Guinea Fowl), etc etc etc. Who knows what the future holds? I just hope it keeps away those migraines!
xoxo
MommaD...off to check up on the boy woohoo! HAPPY WEEKEND!
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Chaos Ensues Amongst Human Animals and Sewing Machines
So, now I know why my Grandmother preferred to sew everything, and I mean everything, by hand. I have been wrangling with my "new-fangled" (as she would call it) sewing machine for about 6 hours over the past 2 days just to insert a bobbin. Sigh. I'm about to try it one more time to see if this time was indeed a success, but I got inspired by something and had to get it down. The chaos happening around me while I am trying to push 2 threads through an entirely too small hole...sounds familiar yet matters for another blog.
What I hear as I'm concentrating "stop pulling the scales off that snake your Dad is going to kill you". Um, snake? Oh yeah, my hubster mounted the skin of a snake that was killed, not in a hunt, but next to a friends car as they were entering and didn't want to get bit. Said snake was killed while my hubster was sleeping, so he didn't find out about the decaying animal until the next day. He was entirely devastated it has not been immediately prepped to eat so he just skinned it and made his trophy (no, he didn't kill it either). Anyway, my son apparently thought it was fun to pull it apart one scale at a time ewwww.
In addition my daughter is slithering on the floor (you see the snake theme here, right?) yet she's not making the obligatory sssssssssssss sound for a snake. She is laughing maniacally in a way I'm close to wondering if she needs a straight jacket. My guess is a nap. The question is, do I have time to take one with her? Hmm...nap, sew, nap, sew. Well, the sewing will get me closer to finishing the camper so we can get away for the weekends as cheaply as possible and listen to all this same mania while looking at trees. Hmm, and camping (as great as it is once you get there) is so much work to prepare, am I right? Or am I way too OCD?
Next, I hear my son "Mom, look what kind of bug I found". Do I turn around and look? Would you? Here in Texas, we have MANY bugs and yes they are HUGE! Sometimes circa 1950s SCARY HUGE! Not always harmful, but nevertheless. Then..."Mom, it's dead and I don't know what to do with it", ok so I look. It's just a beetle who came into a seemingly safe place not knowing the horrors it would face in my home. My children are fascinated by everything bug and I must be involved in or notified of every find, study, squish, etc. Ooh another good one I just heard, and not for the first time "Mom, I just caught a fly and pulled it's wings off, did you know it walks like a spider now..." OMG, right? Scary? I don't know. Kid? Yes. And yes, it's out of it's misery. AND we had the talk about torture (effective? time will tell. Praying? yes!)
Anyway, I have digressed, too many times I think. The point is that the soundtrack to my life would most definitely send most people over the edge (well, non-parents or aspiring parents mostly I guess), or at the very least make them wonder which side of the sanity scale we fall. I'm feeling pretty sure it all averages out to being normal, but the extremes are what would get you ;)
Very very recently we had a dear friend stay for a week. I can tell you that the night before he left, I for sure saw an involuntary twitch start in his left eye. No shit!! To be honest, I really didn't hear much of what they were saying/doing when he finally said "would you guys please stop making so much noise, I don't know how you take it". I was surprised it took him so long to say something, but to me it's just like background white noise. I barely hear it.
Ok, so back to my chaos, going to sew...either new fangled or conventional, it doesn't matter. I will continue to have the background "music" of confusion playing. I know for sure that we have administered some seriously effective birth control over the last week without even trying, and we did it by just being us. So come over if you need some, it's free and my kiddos LOVE to inform new people of everything they know!!
So this is yet another epiphany of the beauty of life...I'm never quite sure of how ANY day will turn out. And today is certainly no exception, the house doesn't look much different than it did when I woke today. That used to bother me so much that I didn't accomplish exactly what was on the list. Now, the best laid plans....are always an adventure! And I love them! The bugs, um, notsomuch.
XOXOXOXOXO
MammaD
What I hear as I'm concentrating "stop pulling the scales off that snake your Dad is going to kill you". Um, snake? Oh yeah, my hubster mounted the skin of a snake that was killed, not in a hunt, but next to a friends car as they were entering and didn't want to get bit. Said snake was killed while my hubster was sleeping, so he didn't find out about the decaying animal until the next day. He was entirely devastated it has not been immediately prepped to eat so he just skinned it and made his trophy (no, he didn't kill it either). Anyway, my son apparently thought it was fun to pull it apart one scale at a time ewwww.
In addition my daughter is slithering on the floor (you see the snake theme here, right?) yet she's not making the obligatory sssssssssssss sound for a snake. She is laughing maniacally in a way I'm close to wondering if she needs a straight jacket. My guess is a nap. The question is, do I have time to take one with her? Hmm...nap, sew, nap, sew. Well, the sewing will get me closer to finishing the camper so we can get away for the weekends as cheaply as possible and listen to all this same mania while looking at trees. Hmm, and camping (as great as it is once you get there) is so much work to prepare, am I right? Or am I way too OCD?
Next, I hear my son "Mom, look what kind of bug I found". Do I turn around and look? Would you? Here in Texas, we have MANY bugs and yes they are HUGE! Sometimes circa 1950s SCARY HUGE! Not always harmful, but nevertheless. Then..."Mom, it's dead and I don't know what to do with it", ok so I look. It's just a beetle who came into a seemingly safe place not knowing the horrors it would face in my home. My children are fascinated by everything bug and I must be involved in or notified of every find, study, squish, etc. Ooh another good one I just heard, and not for the first time "Mom, I just caught a fly and pulled it's wings off, did you know it walks like a spider now..." OMG, right? Scary? I don't know. Kid? Yes. And yes, it's out of it's misery. AND we had the talk about torture (effective? time will tell. Praying? yes!)
Anyway, I have digressed, too many times I think. The point is that the soundtrack to my life would most definitely send most people over the edge (well, non-parents or aspiring parents mostly I guess), or at the very least make them wonder which side of the sanity scale we fall. I'm feeling pretty sure it all averages out to being normal, but the extremes are what would get you ;)
Very very recently we had a dear friend stay for a week. I can tell you that the night before he left, I for sure saw an involuntary twitch start in his left eye. No shit!! To be honest, I really didn't hear much of what they were saying/doing when he finally said "would you guys please stop making so much noise, I don't know how you take it". I was surprised it took him so long to say something, but to me it's just like background white noise. I barely hear it.
Ok, so back to my chaos, going to sew...either new fangled or conventional, it doesn't matter. I will continue to have the background "music" of confusion playing. I know for sure that we have administered some seriously effective birth control over the last week without even trying, and we did it by just being us. So come over if you need some, it's free and my kiddos LOVE to inform new people of everything they know!!
So this is yet another epiphany of the beauty of life...I'm never quite sure of how ANY day will turn out. And today is certainly no exception, the house doesn't look much different than it did when I woke today. That used to bother me so much that I didn't accomplish exactly what was on the list. Now, the best laid plans....are always an adventure! And I love them! The bugs, um, notsomuch.
XOXOXOXOXO
MammaD
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
My Dog Almost Ate a Chicken Today
Yes, this my friends is a true statement, my dog almost ate a chicken today. Now to be perfectly clear and open here, it was a LIVE chicken. No, this was no cooked beauty sitting on my counter taken down by the dog. This was my dog chased down and almost gave the poor thing a heart attack.
I am new to this country thing, if you couldn't guess, even though I lived between two farms as a child. I'm not really counting the time because childhood country living is like magic land with fairies and shit. No this was cold blooded death as a reality country living. We are doing the "homestead" thing. Raising our food...pounds chest...getting all down and self-reliant with our bad selves. We're engineers, logical people how hard could it possibly be??
Only thing is, it's WAAAAAAAAAAAY different and significantly harder than I ever thought it could possibly be!! WAAAAAHHHHH, no wait, I wanted this. Suck it up, rub dirt on it, close your eyes and pray for the best, right? Well, sort of.
Anyway, as I will go on many tangents about my newly established "homestead" try to stay with me.
It all really started with, how great would it be to have a bunch of acres to run our kids out and have animals and grow organic food ourselves instead of paying the premium. Maybe we could even sell some and help out with like a co-op oh how romantic.
Soooooo, we started with getting some chickens. Hubster promised (I mean swore) we would only get ten (10) chickens to see how it goes. So, off he and the kidlings went off to the never never land place where my head imagined baby chickens came from (much like buying chicken legs in the store, it's just not the whole back story). How many did he come home with? Anyone care to guess? Make a wager? Any of you who know my Hubster, don't answer!! He brought home, no lie, 33 baby chickens!!!!! OMG, panic attack number one ensued, and this was only about the animals. Don't get me started on all the land that needs tending! Ok, ok calm down, it will be fine.
I swear there's a point, stay with me...
So, we coddled and raised these chickens and lost a few along the way of natural causes. This is when I discovered I would indeed cry like a baby of the death of an animal, it was so unfair!!! Every. Single. Time. Then came time to slaughter the part of the flock meant only for meat. Remember I said we are self sufficient engineers turned farmers. My husband had experience with the bloodshed part in his childhood and so I let him take the wheel. So, over 2 weekends and a lot of sobbing tears, we filled our freezer and I plucked about 17 chickens. Come on over, the Hubster will so proudly show you how full our freezer is and if there's ever a chicken famine, we are covered. We'll serve you soup!
So, the reality of the farming has hit...but why Momma did you tell me about a dog trying to kill a chicken then? Getting there.
Over the past week, we have obtained 5 goats, of which we still have 4, and a dog. Last night, two of these goats just jumped right through the barbed wire in front of my face. I panicked like a child yelling for her father with no idea how to wrangle a goat. The MEN got it handled and fixed the fences late into the evening.
The Dog...He is the sweetest, gentlest, most squishy love face dog ever. He is by my side at all times and will do whatever the kids need, protect, collect, kill (apparently).
Here it comes... So, as my overzealous two year old daughter chased happily after the chickens (the ususal) while my very responsible four year old son checked out the chicken coop, the dog decided he had to follow suit in his responsibility. Dog proceeded to enter said coop and terrorize the chickens and then catch up to my daughter happily toddling after a chicken who was not afraid until it saw THE HUGE DOG! My daughter, bless her heart, told him 'no hurt chicken', which tells me she's been listening, WIN!
When I arrived at the poor scared (probably will never lay eggs for us in a million years) hen, I thought she was dead. Tears once again started to fall. I reached down and gently brought her to my breast. She was fine, but would not let me put her down shaking and confused (both of us), we walked to the coop and run and counted...yep, there's 13 and I locked them back in, scolded the dog (as if he gets it) and proceeded to have breakdown number, well I stopped counting (but they're not as intense, thank you).
Ok now...WTF do I do? Here I was all proud this morning as my dog lay near the chickens in the yard all enjoying the shady tree and eating bugs. I can't cage the children...right? Can I? So, I've decided I'm just going to rub some dirt on it and look forward to the talk that the Hubster is planning to have with the Dog and the Children. I may even make a video so we can laugh at it some day at the absurdity of the whole thing.
Because as you can see...my life has become quite absurd. Oh and of course my daughter had to show us all up by dropping trou and squatting in the yard like the dog. But that's therapy for another session. Cluck a freaking doodle do!! Lost just a teeny bit of my mind today, let me know if you find it, you can keep it!
MWAH
MommaD
I am new to this country thing, if you couldn't guess, even though I lived between two farms as a child. I'm not really counting the time because childhood country living is like magic land with fairies and shit. No this was cold blooded death as a reality country living. We are doing the "homestead" thing. Raising our food...pounds chest...getting all down and self-reliant with our bad selves. We're engineers, logical people how hard could it possibly be??
Only thing is, it's WAAAAAAAAAAAY different and significantly harder than I ever thought it could possibly be!! WAAAAAHHHHH, no wait, I wanted this. Suck it up, rub dirt on it, close your eyes and pray for the best, right? Well, sort of.
Anyway, as I will go on many tangents about my newly established "homestead" try to stay with me.
It all really started with, how great would it be to have a bunch of acres to run our kids out and have animals and grow organic food ourselves instead of paying the premium. Maybe we could even sell some and help out with like a co-op oh how romantic.
Soooooo, we started with getting some chickens. Hubster promised (I mean swore) we would only get ten (10) chickens to see how it goes. So, off he and the kidlings went off to the never never land place where my head imagined baby chickens came from (much like buying chicken legs in the store, it's just not the whole back story). How many did he come home with? Anyone care to guess? Make a wager? Any of you who know my Hubster, don't answer!! He brought home, no lie, 33 baby chickens!!!!! OMG, panic attack number one ensued, and this was only about the animals. Don't get me started on all the land that needs tending! Ok, ok calm down, it will be fine.
I swear there's a point, stay with me...
So, we coddled and raised these chickens and lost a few along the way of natural causes. This is when I discovered I would indeed cry like a baby of the death of an animal, it was so unfair!!! Every. Single. Time. Then came time to slaughter the part of the flock meant only for meat. Remember I said we are self sufficient engineers turned farmers. My husband had experience with the bloodshed part in his childhood and so I let him take the wheel. So, over 2 weekends and a lot of sobbing tears, we filled our freezer and I plucked about 17 chickens. Come on over, the Hubster will so proudly show you how full our freezer is and if there's ever a chicken famine, we are covered. We'll serve you soup!
So, the reality of the farming has hit...but why Momma did you tell me about a dog trying to kill a chicken then? Getting there.
Over the past week, we have obtained 5 goats, of which we still have 4, and a dog. Last night, two of these goats just jumped right through the barbed wire in front of my face. I panicked like a child yelling for her father with no idea how to wrangle a goat. The MEN got it handled and fixed the fences late into the evening.
The Dog...He is the sweetest, gentlest, most squishy love face dog ever. He is by my side at all times and will do whatever the kids need, protect, collect, kill (apparently).
Here it comes... So, as my overzealous two year old daughter chased happily after the chickens (the ususal) while my very responsible four year old son checked out the chicken coop, the dog decided he had to follow suit in his responsibility. Dog proceeded to enter said coop and terrorize the chickens and then catch up to my daughter happily toddling after a chicken who was not afraid until it saw THE HUGE DOG! My daughter, bless her heart, told him 'no hurt chicken', which tells me she's been listening, WIN!
When I arrived at the poor scared (probably will never lay eggs for us in a million years) hen, I thought she was dead. Tears once again started to fall. I reached down and gently brought her to my breast. She was fine, but would not let me put her down shaking and confused (both of us), we walked to the coop and run and counted...yep, there's 13 and I locked them back in, scolded the dog (as if he gets it) and proceeded to have breakdown number, well I stopped counting (but they're not as intense, thank you).
Ok now...WTF do I do? Here I was all proud this morning as my dog lay near the chickens in the yard all enjoying the shady tree and eating bugs. I can't cage the children...right? Can I? So, I've decided I'm just going to rub some dirt on it and look forward to the talk that the Hubster is planning to have with the Dog and the Children. I may even make a video so we can laugh at it some day at the absurdity of the whole thing.
Because as you can see...my life has become quite absurd. Oh and of course my daughter had to show us all up by dropping trou and squatting in the yard like the dog. But that's therapy for another session. Cluck a freaking doodle do!! Lost just a teeny bit of my mind today, let me know if you find it, you can keep it!
MWAH
MommaD
Monday, May 19, 2014
Why Can't We All Just Get Along...no, really
Today one of the happiest moments I had was when my daughter needed help pulling up her pants after going pee-pee on the potty. Why? Because I said to her "oh honey you just can't get it over your bootie" and she replied "yeah, over my bootie". My daughter is 2 and so she was saying bootie in that sweet 2-year old voice. It made me so very happy! It's been a very rough day and this just struck me as amazing, stopped me in my tracks amazing.
Have you ever had just one of those shitty days when you were like F it, I just want to go to bed, but you can't because you have little ones who want to be fed and all that shit? Well, today was one and as usual, my child brought me out of it. Well, for a little bit anyway. I love those little crazy kids so much!
To elaborate, although not completely, my family as many others has a lot of conflict. You know, the one relative that everyone has, or the kids touching each other, or why on earth would you spend all your money on that? But really does it matter? I had an epiphany today that it really doesn't. That "relative" we all have will never change and everyone else understands because they have one too. Unless you're destitute and haven't got the money to spend for food on the table, then buy that hideous whatever that everyone is eventually going to fight over after you die even though it's hideous, it represented you. Or what about your iPad or whatever kind of pad you have? Did we even have those like 10 minutes ago? Why is it such a tragedy now that one gets broken? What the F is with everyone getting so butt-hurt over nothing, just things? They're just things...
So, what if, now call me crazy if you must, we stop focusing so much on the things we have and start really really trying to relish the moments. I had a 92+ year old uncle who told me over the phone from across the country while on his death bed that nothing matters but the moments. It's taken me a couple of years and a lot of fights over what other people are doing to realize he was really trying to save me all that heartache. Now, I'm not sure how this is all going to work as I haven't ironed out the details. And ironing out the details, making lists, prioritizing and organizing are what I try to do every day, usually unsuccessfully. So, does that matter either? Really? What matters? Well, all this conflict doesn't. It brings stress and fights and I'm done with it. Seriously...what matters? My family, the moments they give me, my friends and those moments too. Things are not going to make any difference once you lose a friend or family member, are they? This is what matters...
MOMENTS!! And apparently my 2 year old getting her pants pulled up over her bootie teeheeheehee!!
I will strive every day to make sure everyone I love knows it to the point of annoyance. I will enjoy my daughter's little voice and my 4 year old son's theories on life (which are doozies and will be upcoming in future blogs). So, when they're touching each other or "I'm not touching you" with their finger just a quarter inch away tormenting each other, I'll enjoy it. I'll do everything I can to not swing wildly into the back seat until I make contact with something, usually something gross that made it onto the floor on a road trip snack time and festered a while.
Thank you fellow Momma Bloggers who have inspired me to write it down and share. I hate to miss anyone, but People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Mom's Who Drink and Swear, and mylifesuckers, and the Underachiever's Guide to Being a Domestic Goddess, and The Klonopin Chronicles, and Bad Parenting Moments to name a few!! I know my grammar might suck and my thoughts are kinda rambly, but if you can relate at all, I'd appreciate a Holla!!
Peace Out
MommaD
Have you ever had just one of those shitty days when you were like F it, I just want to go to bed, but you can't because you have little ones who want to be fed and all that shit? Well, today was one and as usual, my child brought me out of it. Well, for a little bit anyway. I love those little crazy kids so much!
To elaborate, although not completely, my family as many others has a lot of conflict. You know, the one relative that everyone has, or the kids touching each other, or why on earth would you spend all your money on that? But really does it matter? I had an epiphany today that it really doesn't. That "relative" we all have will never change and everyone else understands because they have one too. Unless you're destitute and haven't got the money to spend for food on the table, then buy that hideous whatever that everyone is eventually going to fight over after you die even though it's hideous, it represented you. Or what about your iPad or whatever kind of pad you have? Did we even have those like 10 minutes ago? Why is it such a tragedy now that one gets broken? What the F is with everyone getting so butt-hurt over nothing, just things? They're just things...
So, what if, now call me crazy if you must, we stop focusing so much on the things we have and start really really trying to relish the moments. I had a 92+ year old uncle who told me over the phone from across the country while on his death bed that nothing matters but the moments. It's taken me a couple of years and a lot of fights over what other people are doing to realize he was really trying to save me all that heartache. Now, I'm not sure how this is all going to work as I haven't ironed out the details. And ironing out the details, making lists, prioritizing and organizing are what I try to do every day, usually unsuccessfully. So, does that matter either? Really? What matters? Well, all this conflict doesn't. It brings stress and fights and I'm done with it. Seriously...what matters? My family, the moments they give me, my friends and those moments too. Things are not going to make any difference once you lose a friend or family member, are they? This is what matters...
MOMENTS!! And apparently my 2 year old getting her pants pulled up over her bootie teeheeheehee!!
I will strive every day to make sure everyone I love knows it to the point of annoyance. I will enjoy my daughter's little voice and my 4 year old son's theories on life (which are doozies and will be upcoming in future blogs). So, when they're touching each other or "I'm not touching you" with their finger just a quarter inch away tormenting each other, I'll enjoy it. I'll do everything I can to not swing wildly into the back seat until I make contact with something, usually something gross that made it onto the floor on a road trip snack time and festered a while.
Thank you fellow Momma Bloggers who have inspired me to write it down and share. I hate to miss anyone, but People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Mom's Who Drink and Swear, and mylifesuckers, and the Underachiever's Guide to Being a Domestic Goddess, and The Klonopin Chronicles, and Bad Parenting Moments to name a few!! I know my grammar might suck and my thoughts are kinda rambly, but if you can relate at all, I'd appreciate a Holla!!
Peace Out
MommaD
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)