eight and a half acre farm

Three kids, lots of hair, many opinions. Krischan, my eight year old. Doesn't want to get his hair cut. This is the look I get when it is mentioned: Jakob loves getting his curly cute head of hair cut. He laughs and says "cut my hair." Then he looks in the mirror and says "I look good." Then Kadence, she is a girl, I haven't had her hair cut yet. I might have trimmed a few unruly strands here and there, but other than that, she just wakes up with beadhead.

So, it has been a wild ride. Notice I haven't been posting every day? ok, maybe not, really, I know I am not THAT important to your daily reading. So I got the tile grouted in the kids bathroom. Looks great, but thought we were going to have to haul Jakob to the hospital. See, now I have to tell the story because I mentioned it. So... I come out from grouting, go into my office and notice white glue on my carpet, a small pail filled with glue along with an empty glue bottle. An unwatched kid will get into anything. "JAKOB!!, GET UP HERE!" I soon after that scream, hear Rick with him and I bee-line downstairs. I find them both in the bathroom, Rick on his knees in front of him and looking in his mouth. I go around to see what he is looking at I see nothing but red flowing out of his mouth. A little bit of a high screech comes out of my mouth and the question flows with it "Did you get a hold of my scissors?" It was the only thing I could think of since it w...

Wow! This weekend just went so fast my head is spinning! But unfortunately my fun is over and I am here today to tell of a tragic tale, a sad story, an unhappy ending... The story is about a bolt, a short one, but sturdy, sitting in a bin at a store with many other bolts. The day came and that little bolt was picked up and purchased, taken to someones home to eventually hold together something big. So proud that bolt was, wondering of all the wonders it will behold in just a short drives time...Alas, the happiness would not last. For the bolt was made with not a hexagonal head, but a round one instead. Now it will sit there, for there is no way to place it where it was supposed to go, no tool that could tighten it as tight as it could hold. So sad, but true, now to lay somewhere sad and blue never to be what it thought it was truly meant to become.

I sit here at my desk in my red slippers, black yoga pants and white v-neck t-shirt. I have black chalkboard paint all over my hands and a black wall behind me that is just so black it is luscious. I want to lick it. Ok, not really, but it is the blackest black you have ever seen! And yes, this means a project is done. The box says that I have to wait 3 days before I can "condition" it or write on it. Why 3 days? I can hardly keep myself from marking it up right now. Will the chalkboard police come out of the wall and take it away if I draw on it right now, or will I ruin it? Does it take 3 days to cure? Well...it only takes 30 minutes to dry. This is like holding a sucker out to a 2 year old and telling them they can't eat it until after dinner and it is first thing in the morning. I wonder if I will make it...would that 2 year old make it?

My husband and I have not learned the most important message of "finish one project before you begin another." I have mentioned before that our house was not built the best, or even to code. So when we take on a project, we actually end up doubling the normal time it would take because we are fixing everything that we noticed wrong that needs redone. I don't know why we can't finish a project, I do know that Rick and I are easily distracted, or torn from something we are working on quit frequently...they come in three's. Let me take you on a little tour: This is our pantry door. The door was replaced, but the trim hasn't made it back up around the door. It has been like this for about 3 years. (notice the holes in the wall? the huge one was from Krischan hanging on the coat hook that was there and ripping it out of the wall. The other holes are from me removing the other coat hooks in wanting to move them to another wall, which has not been done as of yet....

I was flipping through my new Martha Everyday Food magazine and got in the mood for some bruschetta. Feeling a little martha-ee, I quickly packed up the two little ones and ran to the store after Krischan got on the bus. What an awesome idea for a lunch item. I first cut up some tomatoes. (Amazingly enough there were some good ones at the store.) Diced some basil and crushed some garlic, then mixed it all together. I bought French Bread since I wanted it to be small, and really that is all I could see that didn't require you to bake it. You could use whatever bread you can find. I like to slice mine thin though, about a quarter of an inch in thickness. You could probably use whole wheat bread also, make a country version of brew-ski-tia.(wanted to sound like a country woman when I said that, did it work?) So after I cut the bread, I put some olive oil in a pan and toasted it. You could simply brush the toast with the olive oil, but hey, olive oil is good so why not just pour...

Awhile ago on facebook(ok, so it was a few years ago) there were these questions going around in notes. Before facebook they were passed around in e-mail (Remember: fill this out, send it to 10 people and the person who sent it to you, if you don't you will die and untimely death...). And before e-mail the questions came to you written down on paper, folded up nicely from your best friend. (Yes, people actually wrote things on paper!) So I got this one from a friend on facebook that I hadn't talked to since probably 1993, and this is how I responded to him: Honestly I hate these things. But because this is the first time I have heard from you in a long time, why not. Maybe you'll talk to me now when I post on your wall. 1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, but my dad was the one who named me. 2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? This morning at a story on the Today show. I am pregnant, give me a break. 3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It's ok. Who cares abou...

So today is Friday. It is the day I have to rush out the door with Kadence and Jakob so that Jakob can go to zoo class. (I live an hour away from the zoo and he has to be there by 9.) Well, this morning everyone was tired and didn't want to get up, we have been getting over being sick. I have 10 minutes to get out the door and Rick decides to make pancakes for Jakob. But...we make it anyway. Jakob off to class, Krischan at school, and Mom and daughter together by ourselves. Let's go buy shoes. Which I did...for her. I can't buy shoes when someone is with me, kids or adults. Shopping for shoes is like picking out a good book, it takes time and you can't do it when you have a little one with you, or big one with you taking up any of your attention. Although, I do enjoy buying Kadence shoes, so it isn't too much of a big deal. Do I really need a new pair of shoes anyway? Hah!(big bellowing laugh while I throw my head back) who am I kidding, of course I do, even if ...

So I am driving home with the kids and Krischan asks me "What does gyp seed mean?" Specifically telling me it is two words "GYP SEED." Hmmm I think to myself and wonder what type of new slang this is. "Not really sure honey." "Well, Laken said he prayed for a brother and got a sister instead so he was gyp seed." I slowly walk through this statement in my head and the light blinks on. "Ahh, you mean gypped. Laken got gypped because he wanted a brother and got a sister instead, not "gyp seed"." How cute is that?

Yes, you read that correct. I spent last night with Bradley Cooper. You know, the guy in Hangover. No...the good looking one. He is also in Limitless, a movie that is on my list of want to see's. I only have a list of want to see's, I never have a list of went and saw's. Anyway, I wore this spectacular red halter top red sequin dress. He was in a most wonderful suit and looked fabulous. We attended an event which I am pretty sure was the oscars, but we sat at round tables for a dinner so maybe it was the Golden Globes. (Ok, so you figured it out, I was dreaming.) We walked into this room, his arm around my waist gently and leaded me to the table we would be sitting at. I sat down next to a really old man, no idea who he was, probably some director or something. I look to Bradley and say: "Let me get a picture of you Bradley." I pull out my camera, and see the look on his face so I casually turn to my right and say "And I am going to take a picture of...you ...

Still sick. Yes, sometimes it just hangs around and doesn't go away. At least I was able to sneak a few winks in while Kadence took a nap and before Krischan got home. Jakob laid next to me and watched a movie so I could rest. Wasn't the most restful sleep, but I had to take what I could get. So why isn't anyone taking care of me? Making me chicken noodle soup, tucking me into bed, shutting my door so I can sleep better. Hmmph. I guess on some days that is what it means to be a mom. To suck it up and act like you are doing well so that your kids have a dinner made, books read to them, and someone to chase them around the house. But today, I really don't want to suck it up. I want to whine and cry and crawl into bed. I want someone to take care of me...Anyone? Anyone?

Well, I didn't do too terrible today, but the morning was...wow. I crossed the first two things off my list and a third is still hanging there. The taxes is my third and it is hanging there because my numbers don't match up...Figures. I hate numbers. Bank, bingo, simple. Grocery Store. I was the mom with the screaming kids. I have noticed when this happens that I get the smiles from the older women. (Ahh, I remember those times. Glad it isn't me.) and I get the dirty looks (Can't that woman control her kids?) and I get the OMG looks (I need to get out of here now, cause she isn't going anywhere fast)I am always the only one that has screaming, crying kids in the grocery store...Why is this? So the library trip got postponed to another day. Have you ever been to the library with screaming kids? It isn't fun. You can't "Shhhh" a 3 year old. The big question, did I get through half of my list? No, because it kept growing. So what didn't ge...

So, another weekend is over, and my list for tomorrow is growing as the minutes pass. How much you wanna bet I don't get through half of it...

When a mother wakes up and she is sick, she knows that she can't lay in bed all day and be sick. Actually even before I was a mother I knew I couldn't do this. Once I got married the laying in bed being sick was over. Now the man, he can lay on the couch all day and complain that he doesn't feel good, that he is dying and oh woe is me. But when I would call off work sick, my husband would look at me and say: "The laundry needs done: Since you aren't going to work." I know, he sounds so insensitive, but he hardly gets sick so he doesn't understand. Hence the reason he says he is dying when he gets just a little sniffle. So anyway, Jakob and Kadence are both sick also, so Jakob doesn't get to go to zoo class today, and I get to hang out in my Yoga pants. With Kadence sick it gives me a chance to have a reason to put her down for a morning nap so I might be able to rest. Rrriiiiight... I go to load wood in the wood burner and see that I need to brin...

So, in life there are those indulgences that you enjoy (or wish for) Here are a few of mine, which are actually types of Indulgences. Diseased Indulgence: Reading the Twilight series over and over and over again. Why? because I have no money to buy another book to read. Then go to the library. Let's see you take three kids to the library and tell them they have to stand there with you while you find a book. Good Luck with that one. I like the book, I can't help it. The movies, nah, after seeing each one 10 times you realize how horrible the acting is. So at this point, I watch them to see Billy Burke. (another indulgence) What is it that I like about them? I don't know, I think it is a disease and if anyone has a pill to cure it, let me know. I have always read vampire stories (yes there were good vampire stories around before Twilight and all the teen vamp stuff). The Vampire Lestat was the first one I ever read, I was attracted to the red cover with bad type d...

Yesterday between Jakob, Kadence and I, our crank scale was pretty high. Today was Ricks turn. The odd thing about that is Rick never and I mean NEVER gets cranky. Granted he has a temper and every once in awhile blows up, but that is started by yelling like a gorilla and then walking out the door and shutting it so hard the house shakes. So he saves us from the real blow up...which is a good thing. Sometimes you just need to loose it away from people. I usually just walk out the garage door and scream as loud as I can. (Good thing us insane people live out n' the countree) So when I get home from school Rick is just crank crank crank. I kick him out of the kitchen and send him to his room without lunch. Then the poo starts. Kadence first, which is natural, she is still in diapers. Lately she has been a poo factory, one after another after another and it is not pretty. (Not like mine, it is like roses you know.) Can't wait till this summer and potty training. Last one out of ...

Friday and Saturday were rainy, Sunday came and there was snow on the ground. Spring, where are you? This morning we woke up, jakob is sick so he is a number ten on the crank scale. Kadence is sick and her crank scale is at 10 also. Good thing they both slept in and I was able to get Krischan ready for school and out the door first. To top it off I have a sinus infection that is giving me a killer headache so my crank scale is up there also. What a match we three are this morning. So between the screaming and crying I decide to have a Martha moment and look for my favorite dessert that tastes like summer: I love this app, it was only 99c and it is the Martha Everyday Food app. I know, shoe string budget and I have an iPhone. But I have this wonderful husband who can't help but get me the things I really want. Haven't gotten that new GMC Acadia though...Suze Orman would probably tell me to go crawl back in the womb and start over again because she would deny every part o...

I so wanted to take a picture, but knew I couldn't. After Jakob and Kadence took a bath, I put Jakob in my bed while I dried Kadence's hair and got her ready for bed. I had her laying on the floor in her room as I placed a diaper on her and picked out her pj's. During this process, I hear Jakob run into the room and declare that he is a cowboy. I turn to look and he is standing there with his hat and cowboy boots on. Nothing else...

It is a Friday and the day started out with a rush. Running out the door to get Jakob to his first zoo class on time. For him it was his first day in a "preschool" setting and this is the look he gave me after he hung up his coat. This look says this: "You aren't leaving me are you? You got me all excited about going to zoo class but failed to mention the fact that you were leaving me. What kind of mother are you, just dropping off and leaving your child. You should be ashamed of yourself." But he survived, made a coffee filter butterfly, got to go out and see animals, and fell asleep 5 minutes after getting in the car. I even got a "Me wubbed ew cas" After what seemed like forever, we made it home. Want to know the difference between a girl and a boy? When a boy has a blowout in his diaper, he has items of his anatomy that keep it from pushing to the front, onto his belly. The girl does not, so it goes up the back, up the front and out the si...

First off, where the hell did the week go? I don't remember any of it... oh-wait, that is right, my oldest is a genius and I have a lot of mud in my back yard. Thursdays feel like Fridays to me. I wearily walk in the door around 8 at night after having two classes back to back, so basically from 12:30 to 6:20 I am going and going. I know, I am such a wimp...can't handle it...I am old. I showed my class today the 1988 tony award logo. None of them were born yet. NONE OF THEM. Why the 1988 one? I don't know, because it was in the book I was showing them about type and typesetting. DUH, don't ask stupid questions anymore. Look at what keeps me going: a sexy, wonderful, loving husband who puts up with my shit. And yes, I can dish out a lot of that. My heart swells just looking at him. My first born who drives me nuts a lot, but he is a genius and I love him. Did I tell you he was a genius? My wild middle child, who in under one minute can wreck an entire roo...