Hey...

Hey to those who check up on our life! We have been too busy again. I was hoping for a bit of a quiet "at home" summer but we seem to be on the run. The kids worked on weeding the raspberries and grating zucchini for making muffins this winter while I spent a portion of the day running errands. Got the wrong mower belt, by the way. Kevin just does not have good cell phone service so he couldn't answer my question.

We are working on cleaning the school room and ordering school books. Some kids would like to start school next week but I haven't been able to get all the books ordered yet. I've been searching some used book sites and awaiting emails back before I make my final order. Then, we wait about 2 weeks before they come! Jordan has her year planned already. I'm so blessed that most of the kids look forward to actually doing school and take part in planning their own schedule. Oh, if only I had more time in my day and more energy to accomplish all that needs to be done in the next two weeks. I discovered I cannot participate in Pracs studies for awhile. My hemoglobin is too low which explains a lot for me; extreme tiredness at times and frequent headaches. I was really counting on that money, which shows you shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch. I didn't expect this road block.

We are missing our dog! She was a good companion. Emily found out Sunday and it hit her hard. They all want another dog of course. Grandpa Richard wants to get them a puppy related to his dog.

We are praying for something very specific in our home. Would you pray for God to show us that answer in some very specific ways! Thanks and we'll keep you posted! God Bless You all!

So long dear friend...

Our dog of 8 1/2 years died. :( We found her this morning in the garage. We don't know the exact cause but it might be poison of some sort. We can't find a source here at our place. She seemed fine yesterday.

We got her from friends the year Rebekah was born; 2002. Jordan trained her and she was such a good dog, if you don't count the few hundred chickens she killed. I didn't hold that against her since it was in her blood. She is already missed. You can't be outside without her by your side. If I'm weeding in the garden, there she is laying nearby. She liked to go for walks with me and go mowing down the drive. She loved the kids. If only we knew what happened?!

Lena calls all dogs, Cocoa. We loved you Cocoa!

A great day of deals...

I bought coupons for these items on ebay; 40 of them for about $3.00. I have been waiting and checking the stores for sales because these particular items are on sale for $1 a piece often. Well, I resigned myself to paying $0.53 a piece for them as I wasn't finding a sale on them and each coupon is for $1 off. It is still a good deal at $0.53 each but I wanted free. The coupon expires Sunday. Today, I was in town for something so again I checked it out and they were on sale for $1 each!!!!!!! I was so excited. I filled my cart with 27 4-packs of toilet paper (it was all they had on the shelf), 7 boxes of facial tissue, and 3 paper towel. I had to pay $2.22 in tax and out I went! :) (37 items for about $5.22 if you count the cost of the coupons!) The bonus is the product doesn't use any chlorine, dyes or fragrances.

Disclaimer: Kevin doesn't care for the toilet paper and it is a bit wimpy and not very soft but he says you can't beat free.

My wish came true...

Chickens to live in my chicken coop. We've been buying farm fresh eggs from somewhere near Kev's work and they hatched some eggs for the fun of it but didn't want the chickens so we have chickens! :) We don't know how many are hens and how many are roosters so I'm not sure how many egg layers we will have. I'm hoping for all hens :)

I added the picture of Lena holding the kitty, or should I say strangling the kitty?! :)

Chicken coop...

Kevin was home today and this is what we did! We should have worked on the boy's room all day but Kevin put the second coat of red paint on the front of the chicken coop. I trimmed the lilac bush and laid the stepping stones in front of the door. Kev dug the posts in for the picket fence and hung that. We dug in the edging and laid plastic and Kev got his tractor running and scooped up rocks (we have had a pile in front of our house for three years now, ever since we got them for doing window wells). We still have two sides of the chicken coop to finish but oh, what a nice view I have now! :) I just love it! I wish I had chickens to live in it! :)

In Vain...

I recently went to do a screening so I could participate in a research study paying $1200. I found that I was a bit anemic, 10.3 so she said, "eat some Total" and come back and check. I really wanted to get into this study. It was from Friday, 5:30 p.m. until Saturday 11:59 p.m. for four weekends. Easy money! I did eat some Total and some liver (three meals in 1 day), took several tablespoons of Blackstrap molasses and juiced carrot, kale and apple juice. I went to have my blood checked today and I get a call about 2:30 p.m. saying the study was canceled. They never did call and tell me if my hemoglobin was higher. I was disappointed not to find out if my efforts paid off! I'll try for another study next week. The money could be used in 12 different directions. We need school books, doors for winter, Kevin and Jordan's eyeglasses, my cracked tooth fixed, etc, etc, etc, etc. They recently had a study for $10,000!!! I would love to do it but you have to stay there 32 days. I just can't leave the kids that long. Someday, when the kids are gone, if they still do studies and I'm not on any medications! There are a lot of variables to getting in a study. Anyone interested can check out www.pracs.com. I was going to take an over-the-counter med called Prevacid for heartburn. You only take one pill and they take your blood many times to see how it metabolizes in your blood. So now I'll work around the house and outside. We canned 21 quarts of green beans yesterday. We'll do some more rhubarb jam tomorrow. Kevin should be home tomorrow. We should get a few things done on our list! Have a great weekend!