I'm FREE!!

Alright, so I haven't posted in... well forever.
I will share the most recent news of the day...

After 16 LONG years, it is OFFICIAL!! I AM DIAPER FREE!!!

In those 16 years  we have come close to being diaper free for a short period of time but have never quite achieved that goal before another baby graced our home.

When the twins were potty training I tried Brooke right along with them. She knew what to do and could go on demand, but just wouldn't do it. I got frustrated and gave up for a while thinking it will NEVER happen. That way of thinking was dashed when Brooke got a terrible diaper rash. I told her that she wouldn't hurt if she would just wear her panties. Slowly but surely she was convinced.

I have a theory:
The first time the first child walks, talks, crawls, or does virtually anything it is amazing and wonderful. When the next children that come along it is fun, but just not the same.
It doesn't matter how many children you have when any of your children get potty trained it is ALWAYS as good as the first time.

Chicks in 2nd Grade

I love Ms. Swirhun. She is such a great teacher. She agreed and was excited to incubate chicks in her classroom. The hatch was quite sucessful. There were 11 chicks in all.  Some of the eggs even hatched during class time.

The kids loved to hold them and take care of them, the chicks even got read to. And if the kids were lucky enough they got to do their Math work by the chicks.  

I hear 1 chick even went into timeout, for picking on the other chicks. 

I went in 1 day after school to check on them and within 5 minutes of the kids leaving the classroom ALL 11 of the chicks were fast asleep. The excitement of all of the kids really wore them out.

What a fun end of the year project!

Early Mornings and Bottles

Oscar might be gald to have his new companions, but I know at few others that aren't so glad, at least for now. 3 Words.. Early. Morning. and Bottle

Our timing was off...  these little guys still need to be bottle fed, morning and night. That means getting up even earlier than they do to feed horses and get out the door for school and seminary.

The funny thing is, by the time school is over in 2 weeks the calves will be on a bucket which would take 1/2 the time. Oh well, it hasn't been too bad,
it's actually been kind of fun.

Look at the bright side, at least it is not snowy and cold like the last time we got calves.

Who said feeding calves isn't fun...

Lonely No More

Oscar has been lonely ever since his friend Fluffy passed away.

It was sad to see how this gentle guy mourned the void in his life. We spent a few weks looking and finally found some new companions for him.

He now has Brownie, Spots, Bump, Duke, and Valentine to keep him company.

Oscar was out to pasture when we brought the guys in and set them up in their new pens. We were still around when he came in that afternoon.
If you could see a cow smile, this guy was beaming from ear to ear. He even ran around for a while doing a few kicks and licked them through the gate.

For 2 days he wouldn't leave their side, only to get some food and then come back and lay next to them. It just goes to show everyone needs a friend.

.... After all, Hank had Elvis and Bob had Bob.

Word Parade

 Jen has a "Word Parade" tomorrow at school. She chose to be grapes. 

I thought she turned out to be a pretty cute bunch. 

Don't you?
(I started this post and never finished it)

Well, it turned out that she was sick and was unable to attend. To add to missing the parade she also missed the ice cream sundaes the class had in celebration of learning the multiplication tables. I told her that I would give her some ice cream. She asked if she could have a cherry on top because she earned it by memorizing the 10's. No one in our home likes the cherries except for her and me so it is not normally something that we have in the refrigerator. I felt bad that she missed pretty much "the celebration day" of the whole year for her 3rd grade class.
We will just have to do a little celebrating of our own here at home in honor of our cute Jen.

Glad it's over!

Victoria managed a smile for her Easter picture even though she was feeling miserable.

(Check out the group Easter picture   here  and you will see how she really felt)

We are finishing up a pretty dreadful week + for many of our family members. It all started with Victoria who had the stomach flu so bad that after going in to get an IV she was so dehydrated that they couldn't get it in, even after 4 tries. 
The doctor sent me home with a miracle drug, Zofran.
Oh man, that stuff is good. `
I really don't know how Victoria would have gotten over it without that stuff.
Brooke had it bad as well and almost had to go in.

(SSHHH...Don't tell anyone,

but I gave some to Brooke and that was the only reason why she ended not going in.)

Others of the children had it as well but not as bad.

I have never seen a bug like this that lasted so long and was so nasty.

It appears that we are out of the water with this one.

Good Riddance!!!

More Easter Fun

 We also had an egg hunt at the church.

Easter wouldn't be complete without 

Dying Eggs 

(brown eggs do color, but the yellow and orange do not work so well)

and Easter Pictures.

What a good looking bunch.