The First Day of School

I bounded into the boys room, feeling like Nemo saying, "It's the first day of school- the first day of school!"

The only response was a few weak groans from the bottom of the bunk bed (yes- they still sleep together, in a twin bed... their choice.)

So then I lapsed into Donkey's song from one of the Shrek's, "Good morning, good morning, hey there sun is shining through... good morning, good morning to you and you and you."

That at least got the response, "Stop mom--- your annoying."  There is only one brother who would mutter those words.

Finally, they peeled themselves out of bed and drug themselves downstairs. 

A first day of school is never complete without a few minor fights, the smoke alarms going off- over burnt toast, and cat puke on the steps. 

 

 

 

 

But after walking them to their classrooms and helping them put their stuff in their desks, I realized that I actually have a good feeling about this school year. Usually I do not look forward to parent meetings and IEP's and meetings about meetings.  For the first time ever, I can actually say 'bring it on!'

After Abram came home from school, we snuggled up on the couch and muttled through a little homework.  He whispered, "I wish I was still in school... I love my teacher."  There was no struggling to get his back brace on, he just did it.  Noah is sharing a locker with his best friend.  What more could we ask for?

Last Week

I was so nervous for last week.  I had a week off from work and was planning to spend every waking second with the boys before they head back to school.  The only problem with that is figuring out activities to keep them occupied... minus the bickering and fighting and what-ever-else-naughty-boy-things-they-can-find-to-do.  Yep, I think that sums it up. 

But then the course of our week changed right off the bat.  On Monday, Aaron found out he had business to do out in South Dakota.  And we had nothing planned, so we grabbed Noah's best friend and met dad out in the middle of no where. 

Now, those who know me know that I do not drive anywhere.  Aaron is the driver.  But, this was very exciting to me because I got to drive.  Me and three boys in a car for multiple hours.  Great.

Actually it went really well.  I only got lost once because of poorly marked road construction detours- we will blame it on that. 

While dad was at business during the day, we spent time at the zoo and chilled out at the pool and explored the area a little bit. 

The life guard at the pool in the hotel let us do pretty much whatever we wanted.  We played tag and buddied up going down the water slide.  Most of the time, because it was during the work week (and it is South Dakota) we were the only ones in the pool area.


When we headed to the zoo... we found that we had pretty much the entire zoo to ourselves.

At the end of the week, we weren't home for a total of 24 hours and we were off again.  This time we headed to Aaron's brother's house and then to a family reunion in southern Minnesota.  We finally made it home to stay on Sunday and I was exhausted. 

But my sink looked like this...

A weeks worth of canning, in an attempt to catch up. And it still does look like this--- and it will for weeks to come.

Next week school starts.  The boys (big brother is excited to see his friends) are super excited to start.  I have a feeling this is going to be a good year for them.

How Our Summer Has Been

This summer we have been busy, doing what--- I don't know.  A little bit of this... A little bit of that.

Canning and food preserving have been in full swing. This task made me late for my own surprise birthday party (sorry girls--- and Aaron's brothers who read this blog.)

For whatever reason, this summer I have not been able to keep up on our garden and food preserving and house work and being a mom like I have in the past.  Work sheets have gone by the way side and laundry is piled sky high.  Maybe it is because I work more nights than I used to.  Or maybe it is because the boys' clothes are bigger.  Or it could be because I am the big 3-0 now.  I don't know... but it is frustrating.    A co-worker (who is a grandma) once told me that when your kids are little they are busy, but when they grow and get older... they are a whole different kind of busy.  And I totally can see that now.  Our lives have felt very busy, but I can't pin point what exactly we have been doing. 






We have spent many hours at the lake and the pool.  I am sad that season is coming to an end.  But I am excited to start cooking fall and winter foods (I can't believe I just said that!) 

Oh, my dear niece Annika, this photo will be blown up and hung up at your graduation party.

Everyone must be buried in the sand at least once a summer.

I am happy to say that Dr. Evil is a papa.  He and his harem have five little ones.  I am not sure what to do with him.  He has gotten very aggressive in his old age.  He can still get the job done... but he has been very unreasonable.  My sister-in-law has a nice black-and-blue mark on her leg to prove it.  He might have to be eaten if he keeps up this behavior.

Miss Goldilocks, you are not suppose to be in the tomato plants.

Aaron continues to do well.  Saying he is 'doing well' does not do him justice.  He is doing extremely well... crazy awesome... insanely a health freak... does that sum it up?  He is by far the most driven person I know.  He has ran several 5 k races, done a couple bike races, and is building up endurance for a wilderness run.  Crazy doesn't cut it.  He is insane.  And in the best shape of his life. 



I, of course, was rooting for Aaron.  But, secretly I was cheering for the little guy behind Aaron.  He as all of eight years old---maybe nine at the most--- and ran the entire 5 k.  He was impressive.

So, that is how our summer has been.  Keeping busy... doing what???  I still am not sure.  It's not like I just had a baby---- or am going to have a baby, building a house, and moving:)

Next up, fifth grade for big brother and first grade for little brother.  Only three weeks away.

Running Man

Nothing's going to stop him.  Residual affects of a broken back... a muscle disorder... nope... nothing.

He could have given up.  He could have said, "The pain is too much... I can't do it."  He could have settled himself on the couch and not tried.  But he didn't.

Everyday, without complaint, he runs and bikes and lifts weights.  Everyday he tries to be a better man.

Now he has a couple of 5 k races under his belt.  And there is no stopping him.  I tried, with no avail, to get him to at least wait the recommended two years until his back is fully fused.  But, now I just wait at the finish line and take photos. 

Thank you Aaron for never giving up.  We are so proud of you!

Canning Days

Canning days are here again.

Today we picked a laundry basket full of green beans.  Traditionally, as we work throughout the garden we take up a collection of things--- besides whatever vegetable that we are picking.  This time, in addition to the green beans, it was a collection of frogs and toads. 

This one was my favorite:

Note that Abram made him, and the other toads, a wonderful habitat out of beet leaves and green beans.

Tipping beans has never been a welcome task of mine.  I always begrudgingly complete this chore.  But, today Abram kept my mom and I busy with chatter about frogs and toads.  We were also surrounded by toads in jars and buckets while we spent hours prepping the beans.

After the other toads were released back to nature, "Jumpy," (pictured above) was taken inside with us.  This is the first year that I have pressure cooked beans with a toad in attendance. 

The sun was starting to set and it was time to free Jumpy.  This was very hard for little brother.

Dad and Abram set off to the garden to return Jumpy to his home.  Upon returning inside, Abram sadly said, "I miss him already."

"It will be alright.  Jumpy will grow big and strong.  Hopefully he will eat some of our potato bugs!" I chimed in.

Then Abram brightened a little, "In six years I'll see him again.  I'll say 'hey Jumpy.' And then he'll say 'hey Abram.'  Oh wait... I forgot to tell him my name!"  It was a serious moment, but Aaron and I could not stop ourselves from laughing. 

This Summer

Summer has flown by.  It's already a third over.  And Little Brother cannot wait to get back to school.  Big brother couldn't care less if school ever came.  I explain to him over and over that school is a privilege... not everyone gets to go to school... not everyone can read.... we are very fortunate.... on and on.  But he never seems to have a change of heart.  He enjoys school as a social gathering--- and not much more.  And really, I think that is OK for a 10 year-old.

This summer has been consumed by family and friends.  I am the type of person who would be elated with laying in our hammock and reading a smutty romance novel on my Nook---one that takes absolutely no brain power and a just a little imagination.  But this summer has been RUN RUN RUN (or DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE.)  Drive to swimming lesson (thank God that's over,) Drive to piano, Drive to tutors and so on.  I am looking forward to Thursday---it's the only day I am staying home this week.  I was worried at the end of last school year because keeping two busy boys occupied is never an easy task.  It is hard to switch from full time school to full time home (almost full time- I do work part time.  But then they go to our neighbors which is also like home.)  But now I am dreading them returning back to school because it will be like a piece of me missing...again.  Now I am rambling... onto our bird mishaps....

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Abram has been patiently waiting for, Cujo, our black chicken (who is a tad bit psychotic--- like something right out of a Stephen King book) to get up off eggs that we have been trying to hatch so we can see if the rooster--- Dr. Evil--- has done his job.  Unfortunately Cujo, being the crazy bird that she is, refused to get off of the nest.  Well, the eggs were three days overdue for hatching. I know very little about chickens, I don't know if eggs go overdue (like humans.)  So, I took the very angry bird off of the eggs, kicked the rooster who was defending his hen, and this is what I found out...

I did not know that a chicken would continue to lay eggs even when she is nesting... or brooding... or whatever they do.  Cujo was sitting on over 20 eggs.  This is not good. 

The second thing that I learned is that the rooster did do his job, but Cujo (being like a character out of a really bad animal horror movie) killed the four chicks that had hatched.  I will not go into details, but it sucked. 

So, we bought an incubator and will try again.  In a little more controlled environment--- without psychotic black chickens.

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So, having lost at least four chicks, Abram's heart was broken.  But, guess was he found in the yard?  Oh, yeah.... a baby bird. 

 Some people have caterpillars in their laundry room.  We have a hideously ugly baby bird.  Abram dug worms for it and caught bugs for it.  The bird was so new that it still needed it's food chopped up and needed to be fed.  We even gave it water through a dropper. 

He talked to that little bird that he was the last bird in the world.  It reminded me of a book I read to him and Noah a million times... "Flap Your Wings," by P.D. Eastman.  Abram would tell the bird to flap his wings--- just like the momma and daddy birds in the book (only they were teaching an alligator to fly, you gotta read the book to appreciate it.)

I could only handle taking care of this baby bird for a day.  It was so noisy and so much work.  The bird ate constantly (just like in the book.)  I give props to bird mommas... they put human mommas to shame. 

Eventually I explained to Abram that we could not keep this bird.  I do not have time to give it the care it needs. 

So, Aaron and Abram meandered through our yard in search of a mother bird.  And they found a Robin's nest with two eggs in it.  Aaron gently placed the bird in there.  Imagine what that momma thought when she got home!  Hopefully, she took as good of care of this baby bird--- as the momma bird in the book took care of her alligator.

New Family Members

After a several week hiatus, my computer finally decided to work again (with the help of a spendy new power cord and some gentle--- cough---- coaxing on my part.)  It is not a surprise to anyone that I am not connected to the computer world.  No Face book (I tried for about a week... my account got hacked... I received a few messages from crazy people... and that was that.) No Twitter or Pintrest and I do not have my own email account--- although I am seriously considering it.  Yes, I use my husbands, which he does not like.  But here is somewhere I like to be.  I like to vent my frustrations and document our everyday life.  Even if I do not hit the "publish" button I usually feel much better.  I like the little insight into other peoples lives.  It is inspiring and refreshing. 

The sad thing is, not much has changed since the last time I was here...

We increased our family by 15.  Chickens that is.  Laying hens.  The boys take care of them, but little brother is definitely their guardian.  Abram talks to them like they are people.  The hens are 'his ladies.' 

He will coax them, "Come on girls... lay some eggs now."  Or chide them, "No pecking at each other ladies."  Or get after the ornery rooster.  He scoops bedding, feeds them religiously, makes sure they have enough water, pets them, collects eggs (only I am instant on washing them) and so on.  The chickens look at him with their beady eyes while he coos and fusses over them.  One little hen follows him around like a dog (much to the old roosters dismay.)



I will be the first to admit that I know absolutely nothing about chickens.  But I did learn that the rooster gets his knickers in a twist when you pet/hold/talk to any of his hens.  He and I had a slight argument at the beginning of our relationship (involving a scared Abram... a pan... and a flying rooster) but now we get along fine. 



I also learned that the chickens really like fresh air.  They have layed far more eggs when they are exposed to fresh air.  Even with a German short hair throwing a fit, watching the birds, trying to to figure out which one to point at.  They are constantly "pooping out"---as the boys would say--- eggs like a well oiled factory.










At supper tonight, we were talking about the boy to girl ratio in our family. 

Noah informed us that the ratio changed once we got the chickens home because they are part of our family.  So, including all animals, our ratio is now 17 girls to four boys. 

"The chickens may be part of our family," I said.  "But they are much easier to take care of.  I cannot just stick you in a chicken coop and check on you once a day."

Noah, being the quick witted child that he is, replied, "Yeah... well... we cannot just stick you in the chicken coop and tell you to lay eggs either."  He is too smart for me.

I am not going to even talk about car shopping with hundreds of pounds of chicken feed in the back of our SUV.  By the time we were done, the salesmen thought we were nuts!