EGGS!

We got chickens last week to add to our previous chickens to bring us up to 12.  We finally got some eggs and the boys were so excited, so were we to be honest. 

COUNTY FAIR

Shortly after we got here the big news on the radio was the county fair in Burley, we didn't go because R had to work.  The next week was the County Fair in Filer.  We went.  It was expensive just like in AZ but WAY  smaller.  All the boys went on a few rides and I'm pretty sure the fave of all was the roller coaster. It was worth it every penny, except for the fair food that none of them finished,  ARGHHH!  They loved the animals in the ag parts, the biggest part of the fair by far and the petting zoo that boasted  a Zebu.  I admit we were singing the Veggie Tales song of the Zebu, lame I know but funny for them.  Before we left R said to me, "it kills me to blow the money but it's worth it to make the memories they'll never forget"  I couldn't agree more.

MMMM PEACHES!

Happy  Autumn!  The leaves are starting to turn, well some of them are anyway, the kids are in school, football is going strong, and we are all in jeans and long sleeves so it's time to can some peaches!  I was pretty intimidated since all I heard was peeling and waterbath and syrup and more stuff I had never done and I was doing it alone.  So I googled it and found this blog, http://www.simplycanning.com/canning-peaches.html  made it so much easier and has instructions for other fruits too!  These are the first fruits I've attempted to can and... just look at how pretty they turned out!  I left them in my dining room window just so that I could admire them for awhile, I thought about tying some raffia around them but decided that's a bit too much.

They are so much easier than I though they would be and now I'm not afraid anymore.  I'm going to tackle apple pie filling next, as soon as I find some apples for a good price, otherwise it defeats the purpose of canning to save money right?  I'm super excited though because I found a great and super easy recipe for pork chops and stuffing with apple pie filling and my whole fam inhaled it and R even took extra to work for later.  So yummy!  I love canning, it makes me feel like a domestic goddess!  I relish the little pop it makes when it seals!

MORMON HELPING HANDS

Early Saturday morning the boys got up and commenced to arguing as usual.  So, " you need to do something nice for someone and see just how blessed you are"  We were going to go anyway but I was REALLY tired and contemplating not going since it was slated to last until 3 and I had a ton of stuff to do on Saturday.  I'm glad we went.  As always we were blessed for service and I still got most of my chores done, I would have gotten all of them done if not for my ER visit, Dang Fingers!

They had a decent turnout and the boys stopped arguing long enough to work together for the rest of the day, for the most part. We collected food for the local food bank and had a good experience doing it.

Caleb went too but was in the truck fixing his belt/pocket knife for this pic.  Thanks for the pics Bro Knopp!

OUCH!!!!

Today I took off my wedding ring for the first time in 10 years, not by choice, it was that or the finger.  I got my engagement ring off but of the two I would rather replace the diamond, pretty good excuse for an upgrade don't you think?   I went riding with a friend today, sort of.  We trailered the horses accross the canyon and long story short...instead of riding we loaded them back up and took me home where R was waiting to take me to the ER. 3 x rays and a cast later I have 1 nicely broken finger, 2 more pretty swollen that I thought for sure were broken and I still can't move and 30, well 28 now, Norco(vicodin) and what I'm sure will be an expensive bill.  I set my finger myself when it happened, it was pointing sideways, and apparently did a pretty good job or so they said.  It made an interesting crunching sound but I'm glad I did it then since it would no doubt have hurt worse later the pics turned out pretty well don't ya think?  At least it's my left hand so I can still do alot, just alot slower.  Not the way I intended to meet the ER staff, oh well.

WOO HOO! POISON IVY!

OK so I just got a call from a new friend and... wait first let me tell you that last week her husband and R took our kids and their son crawdad fishing while I went for a ride.  A nice hike into the canyon to a perfect spot.  All the boys came home dirty and excited and saying they had a blast.  Fast forward to tonight... Her son has a whopping case of poison ivy and can't even go to school, he has oozing blisters and crazy itching and pain all over most of his right side and some of his left... THE POOR GUY!!!!  She called to see if any of our boys had any... Caleb has a rash on his bum but my kids are all prone to dry skin so I assumed it was that, it looks like that, sort of...  I told him to put lotion on it and haven't heard about it since, that was 2 nights ago.  Go look at it tonight after I get off the phone and it looks pretty much the same.  You would think it would be on his arms (he was wearing jeans and hiking boots) or that the little ones would have it too right?  No rashes on anyone else or anywhere else soooo... I'm thinking MAYBE we dodged the bullet on that one, maybe.  I'm hoping anyway.  I can't imagine he would have squatted in it, peed yes but squat?  I don't think so and that's the only way I can see it getting on his bum and nowhere else.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL... FINALLY!

Last year the boys had a long summer since we switched to Odyssey, a great decision, but this summer I figured would be normal since we intended on staying put, having loved Odyssey so much.  Obviously that didn't happen and one of the things I was worried about moving up here was getting here either right after school started or the day before or something.  Well that didn't happen since they started unusually late in the entire area this year.  So... today was the first day of school AND the first time I have ever let my kids ride the school bus to and from school.  There was no way it was going to happen at Sundance because I didn't want them riding with such older kids and being exposed to all the garbage that goes on there.  I would have at Odyssey because their standards are so much higher and I would have expected that to carry over to the bus, just like the low standards at Sundance did, unfortunately it wasn't available.  Jake and Caleb have always wanted to ride the bus so when they found out they could here, they were ecstatic.  This morning we got up and had the normal hot breakfast that I always make on school days, it really does make a difference, R came home from work early to give them father's blessings before school and then walked them down to the end of our driveway, which is 1/4 mile long, after you go through the gates to the road to wait for the bus.  At the end of the day I was there to meet them, and of course Neptune and Jazz had to go also.  I asked the usual, how was your day, what was your fave part/thing about the day etc. then asked if riding the bus was as cool as they thought it would be... NO.  Poor guys.  Still the day was a good one and they'll keep riding the bus, at least they don't hate it, yet.  We'll see how they feel when it's still dark out and cold.  As usual, I was too busy this morning to get any pics but I'll try tomorrow, a second day pic is better than no pic right?  Anyway, with them at school, I got into my groove and everything is back to normal again, just in a new place with a couple of huge changes.

COLOSSAL CALEB

This isn't the most flattering pic of him but it shows his unconquerable spirit.  The look is more of the, "mom would you hurry up with the pic so I can get on with my fun." look but you can't win em all.  Anyhow, my awesome Caleb made the choice to be baptized this past Saturday and R was able to do that for him.  I am so proud of him and the young man he is growing up to be.  He has adapted to our new home and all the changes that came with it quite well.  He seems to have grown up alot over the last year.  He is still my secretly sensitive tough guy.  My super helper, the big bro extraordinaire, the budding horse man, a great cuddler, super smart, football player(every chance he gets), the jokester, and right now, the guy who's outside pushing all his brothers on the hammock while they laugh hysterically and watch in utter fascination as Bella hunts, catches, kills and eats a field mouse(I told you she is earning her keep).  I love you Caleb!