NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT AND NEVER WILL BE

I had someone mention that I seem to have a lot of time to write on my blog. Well, not really. If you check the times it is usually late at night, or early morning when everyone is sleeping. I am usually waiting for laundry to finish so I can swap loads, plus it helps me to remember what I did. This documentation helps me in a variety of ways: 1) for my family to see what we are up to 2) what type of homeschooling activities we incorporate into our every day life and 3) to help me think. This blog is not designed to appeal to the "public". It's for me, and if someone else happens to read it, then fine, but I guess I should label it "NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT AND NEVER WILL BE", since I get complaints regarding that too..

My Statement of Belief would be that we are primarily a Bible-believing, conservative, Christian family. Always will be. But we are also a family that is working towards being self sufficient, not totally there yet, not even close, but working at it. We treat our animals humanely, but also realize that most of them are food sources, or will be in the future. Our animals have a working, farm related purpose, though we do have pets also. We are not strict environmentalists, but I don't pour oil in my pond. I am not, nor will I ever be a vegetarian, and I am proud of that...I am not a follower, maybe not even a leader, I like to do my own thing, and sometimes that corresponds with others doing their own thing, more often than not. I am surrounded by "sheeple". You know people who are like sheep, running in a flock, doing what the other is doing. Not me.. I am different and PROUD of it.

Okay, off that soapbox. For the past three nights we have successfully kept James from fussing (thank you God). I have taken a long length of fleece and I tie him to my front (the knot is in the back). All this after his bath, and being fed. He snuggles onto my chest, sucking his pacifier and goes to sleep as I walk around the house, type, or just generally bounce and pat him. I know a sling is not a new thing, but I can't afford to buy a sling right now. For the past 7 weeks, he generally cries from 8:30 pm of so until 11 pm. It has been very nerve wracking and frustrating. He is no longer on formula (another Praise God!) so I am hoping his stomach issues are over too. He seems generally happier, more social and has been smiling at me for the past couple of days. Primarily when I change his diaper. I think he likes being "nekkid".

We are finished painting the living room of the cabin, and only have the ceiling of the bedroom left. It has been slow going as he is using a spray gun, the cabin is mostly metal, and the fumes are strong. A respirator is very much needed when using this paint in a confined space. The rest of us have been enjoying the shade on the gazebo. I also managed to pick up a gallon of paint at Lowe's for $5.00. It was on the "mistake" rack and is a sage green color, perfect for the walled in portion of the bathroom. Normally, a gallon costs me $26.88, so that is a good savings. I also have a 5 gallon bucket of toothpaste mint green color paint that I've had for over a year, I was going to paint my bedroom here at the house that color, but since we put it up for sale, I changed my mind (so if you would like this paint let me know, hopefully I can get it to you). Also found a leftover box of vinyl floor tiles, left over from another household project here, with luck it is enough to do the cabin bathroom floor.

We will be selling the bulk of our furniture and household belongings, as well as, taking on side jobs to help pay for these needs.

For the past several days the four dogs (Sophie and her brood Thomas, Annabelle and Rose) have been eating mice and rats. It's pretty gross, but I guess they are rat terriers for a reason. Sophie is a stray that was so skittish when she first came to us, that it took MONTHS to be able to pet her. She was pregnant, and had four puppies, but Katrina disappeared one day. Any who, I don't know their exact ancestry, but they are obviously part terrier (I need pictures of them). Rose also dug fast and furious into a gopher hole, caught a gopher and gave it to our Rottie Duchess. Duchess didn't so much as eat it as she played with it.

It's been wonderful knowing that Lauren knows how to cook and bake a few things. Like grilled cheese especially, and I have been buying cake, brownie and cookie mixes for her to make on her own. Since having James I am usually preoccupied with him until he is asleep. The girls are junk food junkies and have an EXTREME sweet tooth, so I normally bake a lot, but lately haven't been able to. Therefore Lauren has stepped up and bakes. Tonight she made chocolate cupcakes (no icing). She was so cute, she took her daddy a hot cupcake and a glass of milk, and he promptly came out looking for more, pronouncing them "really good" telling her she did a good job. She didn't say anything or smile, but you could tell by the way she walked that she felt even more grown up then she already thinks she is....

Well, tonight while baking Lauren and Hannah (who likes to give Lauren a hard time and tell her "not too much oil" and "measure carefully" - by the way Hannah is five LOL!) came out of the kitchen screaming. Apparently, they heard a noise on the kitchen window, and upon opening the curtain saw a bat! The bat was repeatedly banging itself against the window. Hannah was convinced it was a vampire bat and was after her blood. She came to me over and over asking what vampire bats eat. I tried to tell her that more than likely it was a Mexican free tail bat or a brown bat but she wasn't buying it. I told her they eat bugs, but sometimes they lick blood from cattle BUT not little girls or baby boys. She gave me the look, like she didn't believe me and walked away to ask her dad. The cupcakes WERE wonderful by the way...made me wish the box made more than six ;-)

It's midnight and James is stirring and ready to eat, so I gotta go. Good night or is it good morning?