April 30, 2012

Outside Temp: 47 F (ahhh, the storm has passed, for now, and it's clear and beautiful!)

What I cooked today:
Burgers and Pasta: The old stand-by.  Katie actually asked for burgers tonight.  And I had some ground beef defrosted that needed to be eaten.  No complaints from the peanut gallery, so I guess that's a good thing!

Update:
Ugh, Mondays are rough for me.  I (currently) have to drive back and forth to school 3 times... I get to school at 8:00, for Ryan's speech therapy, and finally left around 10:30.  Then I was back there by 1:30 for his school (and to talk about the web site), and finally left around 4:00.  Then, it was back again at 5:30, to get Allen from track practice.  It's only 11 miles, but still... 

We had Ryan's IEP today, to discuss how we will be doing school next year.  They think he might be ready for the regular class room, for at least a little bit of time during the day.  He should be there from 8am until 11am every day, which would just be awesome.  He'll still work with a special ed teacher for math and reading, but he'll have recess and group time with the regular K-2 class.  I'm really excited!

After school, I had to talk with the Superintendent about the web site for a little bit, so I asked Katie and Connor to watch Ryan in the yard outside the school.  About 30 minutes later, I went out, and there was no one there!  Their backpacks were still there, but no sight of them.  I called, and there was no answer.  So, I hopped in my car, to go look for them.  As I pulled out of the school, I saw Katie about 2-3 blocks away, waving.  Apparently, they were chasing a balloon and wanted to go for a walk.  So, they just walked down the street a few blocks.  Strangely, I wasn't worried.  Geyser is a pretty small area, and as long as they stayed off the highway, and they stayed together, there wasn't much trouble they could get into.  I did tell them that, in the future, they needed to let me know if they wanted to go for a walk.  And then I laughed.  I LOVE it up here!

The chicks are doing really well, especially since it's warmed up a little.  We are talking about finally moving the indoor chicks outside.  They're getting big and the location we have them is just too small.  I'll try to get a picture tomorrow.

April 29, 2012

Outside Temp: 46 F (It was warmer today, with no rain or snow.  A little breezy, but that's always good. )

What I cooked today:
Chili: I needed a quick meal tonight for the kids, since Patrick and I had a church meeting to attend.  So, I got the chili ready, and told the kids to eat about 30 minutes after we left.  But, they were busy playing video games and when we got home 2 1/2 hours later, they still hadn't eaten.  Fortunately, they turned off the heat when the buzzer went off (telling them to eat), so it wasn't burned.  I just heated it back up and we ate late.  Oh well, it was still good!

Update:
The kids had Confirmation practice at church this morning, so we went to church this morning with 3 of the 4 kids.  I really like that our church here in Raynesford has services on Saturday afternoon (or evening), instead of the morning.  I miss sleeping in.

After church, I spoiled the kids with donuts and then we raced back home so the kids could play their game.

Then, I took a nap... for like 4 hours!  I was amazed.  I never get the chance to sleep that long in the middle of the day, but with everyone playing games, it was quiet and no one was fighting or complaining. 

This evening, we got to attend a parish meeting at our church to smooth over some issues.  Then it was back home again, to get the kids ready for bed. 

The only problem with sleeping through the day is that the day is over, and I can't remember what I did today!  I know I folded some clothes.  I went to church.  Hmmm, I'm sure there was more than that!

The good news is that the 'beta' for the game the family has been playing ALL WEEKEND is over at midnight.  I get my husband back tomorrow.  Yea!

April 28, 2012

Outside Temp: 38 F (The storm tapered off sometime this morning, and we haven't gotten any rain or snow for most of the day, with the exception of a little hail and light rain before 10am... Not really sure what to expect with tomorrow)

What I cooked today:
Chicken Noodle Soup: I figured it was kind of chilly, and hot chicken soup is always a good choice.  I made up a few loafs of Grandma's artisan bread and threw together the things for soup.  We didn't have any more stars or little noodles, so I used egg noodles, which worked just fine.  The soup turned out great and really hit the spot!

Update:
Yes, the chicks are still alive.  Amazingly!  I admit that when we left last night, I wasn't so sure they'd survive the night.  The 6 birds who have been outside were given a dog house, with pine shavings, that was big enough for their water and food.  Then, we used boards and old shingles to put a 'lean-to' across the front, so they could leave if they had to, but they would be protected from the elements. 

Apparently, they did just fine!  We came back down this morning, and they were walking around in their dog house, eating and pooping, just like normal.  I guess the 25 degrees last night didn't hurt them too much!

We also left the heat lamps off the other 22 birds, who are still inside.  Their room got into the low 50's last night, but they also survived.  We read that the birds need to be exposed to the cold to make them grow their feathers.  So, I guess we've been baby-ing them for the last week or two.  The inside birds look like they've grown up overnight, and, once this storm is passed, I think we'll start moving them outside. 

We stayed up at the Grandparents' house last night, since our place had no running water.  And, with our family, no running water means no toilet, which is just not acceptable.  The kids liked it up there, since the Internet is faster and the kids could play on-line games AND watch Netflix on the TV... at the same time!  Amazing.  I think that our line from the road to our house is old, and it limits the bandwidth for our network. 

So, this morning, Patrick and I came back home, and he went under the house to check out the water pump.  He flipped the breaker, and it sounded like it went back on, then off.  So, he flipped it again.  Same thing happened.  The third time, he slowly flipped it off, then back on again.  As he flipped it up, he heard the pump engage.  Then, as he reached the top, it flipped off.  Lovely.  Apparently, it only works when the breaker is in the 3/4 position.  Ugh, one more issue with the house.  Oh well.  Now, at least we know!

April 27, 2012

Outside Temp: Low 30's, High 20's (Rain, snow, sleet... all day)

What I cooked today:
Pasta: We had to come up to the Grandparents for dinner, so I raided their stash for pasta.  (yes, mom, we cleaned up afterwards!)  Since they're gone, they got rid of all their perishables (which are currently at our house).  Fortunately, pasta is a quick easy dinner, that doesn't require anything else!

Update:
I think I've decided that I like 0 degree snow better than 30 degree snow.  It's cold and wet and cold.  I actually feel colder than I did when it was -10!  Perhaps, that is because when it's -10, you expect it to be cold.  When it's in the 30's, you expect it to be a little warmer, but it's really not!

I know that you are all worried about our chicks.  Especially those who live up here, and know what the weather has been like all day.

Our chicks are fine.  We moved the tarp, so the cage won't be lifted again.  We moved it so that it protects the cage from the wind (the west side), rather than the rain (from the top).  We moved a dog house into their cage, and added a second place for the chicks to stick together and stay warm.  They were fine all day, although they were huddled in their box. 

We went back and forth about moving them back inside or putting them in a shed, but since we didn't set up a place for them in the shed, yet, and there is no light in there, yet, we figured we'd let them stay outside another night.  We tried to move them inside the house with the other chicks, but they've gotten used to the freedom of being outside and immediately tried flying out of their 'pen'.  And the other chicks didn't really take to having them back.  So, they are back outside.  If they survive this, they'll probably be just fine.

On top of that, our house has no water right now.  We lost power around 3:30(ish) for about an hour.  And the owner of the house mentioned that sometimes the water pump needs to be reset after a power outage.  Of course, the water pump is under the house and Patrick really didn't want to crawl under the house in the snow and sleet and dark.  (yes, he could have crawled under there while it was still light out, like anytime before 9pm, but he was playing his new game and couldn't be bothered).  We'll go back home tomorrow morning and try to get it resolved.  Who knew how useful water can be?

Katie had her last basketball game tonight, in Stanford.  She had a great time and really enjoys playing.  The coaches are so good with the kids, even when they pick up the ball and walk about 4 steps before dribbling!  The kids will learn about 'traveling' soon enough.

April 26, 2012

Outside Temp: 50 F (awesome weather today... clear and beautiful, then the clouds rolled in, thunderstorms and lightening, rain... I love the smell of rain!)

What I cooked today:
Tacos: I hate those days where it's suddenly 6:30pm and you have no idea what to make for dinner.  I would love to just say 'Hey, I'm hungry, what's for dinner?', but I realize that I'm the only one who will answer me.  So, I settled for tacos.  It would have helped if I had known that one of my kids (I'm blaming 'not me', but it might have been 'ida know') ate all the tortillas.  Fortunately, the Grandparents sent some down when they cleared out their fridge, so we had 6.  We made really big tacos and then just ate the insides on a plate with a fork.  It worked, my tummy is full and that's all that matters.

Update:
I substituted today for the Special Ed class.  That means that I got to help some kids one-on-one, which is really awesome.  Tomorrow, I get to sub for Katie's class, so hopefully, we'll both survive.

Patrick picked up his new 'toy' today.  He got a riding lawn mower.  He had them leave it in the box, so that it would fit in the van.  Amazingly, it fit in the van, although it was a little challenging to get it out.  They used a forklift, and I guess we didn't really think about the fact that we had somehow get the 500lb box out of the back of my van. 

We ended up not having a problem.  We dragged it out, tilted it on to the ground, then had Allen slowly move the van forward, while we held on to the end.  It didn't fall to the ground (thank goodness) and we were able to slowly lower it to the ground without breaking anything.

It took about an hour to get it put together, and Patrick was finally able to start it up.  It started smoking immediately, which he put down to the high altitude.  He made some adjustments, and then it worked fine.

Of course, by this time, it was raining and there was thunder and lightening.  But that wouldn't stop him from playing with his new 'toy'.  He ran it over to the shed and cut the grass in this silly line, across the yard.  Then he ran it around in a 10 foot oval, just to make sure it worked.   I think it would have worked better if the grass hadn't been wet.  We stored it in the shed for the night, and if the rain stops, I'll try to get him to actually mow the entire lawn next time!

The storm was fast and strong.  The wind was amazing and the kids were outside singing 'It's raining, it's pouring'.  The thunder made them fall to the ground, laughing. 

We covered the outside chicks with a tarp, so their 'cage' (which is about 12' x 12' x 8') will stay dry.  There is a cardboard box, with some stuff on top to help insulate them, in their cage, so they can escape the openness into a nice, warm, cozy room.  Patrick picked up some 1" chicken wire, which he is going to place around the edges, so that when we move the other chicks out there, they won't be able to escape through the holes (the current cage has about 2" holes, and the littlest ones might be able to make it through).  It will also help protect them from other rodents (hopefully) although I realize that if something wants in, I probably won't be able to stop it. 

In our desire to keep the chicks dry, we neglected to think of what would happen to the cage with a tarp over the top, when the winds came up strong.  We went back over to check on them after about 30 minutes, and couldn't figure out where the hole came from at the bottom of one corner.  Oh wow, the entire cage was lifted up and moved about 2 feet.  Hmmm.  Not really expecting that one.  We were able to move it back to it's original position, and then we put some boards over the top, so the tarp wouldn't balloon up.  I'm half expecting to see the cage on the other side of the yard by the morning...

The chicks are healing fine from their 'fight' the other day, and their wounds have scabbed over.  And nothing is stopping them from eating... and eating... and eating some more!  Some of the other teachers at school today were relaying their best 'chicken slaughter' horror stories during lunch.  Oh my goodness, I am totally not prepared for this. 

April 25, 2012

Outside Temp: 51 F (a high of 85... but there was a great breeze, so I think it was actually cooler than that.  Really pretty, clear skies!)

What I cooked today:
Pasta: I was so tired after 'work' that I had the kids make dinner... that always turns into 'Pasta'.  No problem, I didn't have to cook!

Update:
I substituted again today.  This time I got to sub for the History and PE teacher.  Yea, I can already hear the laughs.  No, I didn't run with the kids, although I did spend a lot of time in the gym.  I did walk around, a lot.  And I did sweat.  Ugh, that sucks, by the way. 

The kids were great (or as good as a bunch of high schooler can be), although a few did need a little encouragement every once it a while to stay on task.  I got to do PE with pretty much every kid in school (except the 11th and 12th graders), so that was pretty awesome.  For history, we did US history (the election of 1824 and 1828, to be exact) which was an amazing time in history.  Unfortunately, they already had an assignment, so I didn't get to lecture on the topic.  I did spend some time with individual students, helping them to understand specific events.  I love that part!

Our chicks are still alive.  We had to remind them around 10pm last night to go into the box we had set up, instead of sleeping outside.  Once they got that idea, they were fine.  We checked the thermometer in their little box a few times last night, and it stayed around the high 60's, low 70's the whole time, even though it was in the 50's outside.  Amazing what body heat can do!

We might have rain or snow later this week, but once that's over, we might start introducing a few of the other chicks outside.  I can't believe it's already that time!  Patrick is looking into plans to build a chicken coop, but the structure we already have is working fine for now. 

I get to substitute again tomorrow, so that will be fun.  It will be for a teacher I have already sub'd for, so I'm already aware of what I need to do, and how it will all work.  Yea, I'm excited!

April 24, 2012

Outside Temp: 54 F (it was just beautiful today... in the 70's, nice breeze, clear skies.  Absolutely wonderful!)

What I cooked today:
Fried Chicken: I haven't made my fried chicken in a while, since the last time I made it, I let the oil smoke so bad, we had to open every window in the house, in the middle of winter.  I figured that I've gotten to know my stove and oven a little bit in the last few months, and maybe it was time to try it again.  I used a thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temperature, and didn't let it get too hot.  The chicken turned out great.  Whew. 

Update:
So, after I told someone how great our chicks were behaving, no pecking, no problems, we had a problem.

We were to blame, to an extent, since we forgot to check their food this morning.  Apparently, they are eating more, and even though we filled up the food last night, they had managed to eat it all.

So, the black and brown chicks started pecking on the Cornish Roasters, which seems appropriate since they are bigger and probably eat more.  Patrick was home and he heard them squawking.  He went in there, and all four birds were bleeding.  So, we had to remove them from the area they have been in. 

To be fair, they are getting too big for that area anyway, so perhaps this was our wake up call to get them into a bigger area. 

We moved the four birds outside.  We have an area that is fenced in (the owner had dogs, so it's actually perfect for the birds).  We put a box out there, with some food and water, and let them just hang out by themselves.

After a little while, the other two Red Stars (which are also yellow and orange, instead of black and brown) were getting picked on.  So, Patrick moved them out with the other birds.

The funny part is that when they were inside, if we walked over to them, they would run away.  But, once we brought them outside, they would actually come closer to us, and sit on our legs or feet or hands.  They were almost friendly!  Who knew?

I'm a little worried about them being outside tonight, but Patrick is keeping an eye on them and they seem okay.  It's still pretty warm (in the 50's), so they should be okay, especially in a box with them all huddled together.

I got to chat with some of the ladies from church tonight about our fundraising cookbook.  I'm really excited to try a few of these new recipes!  The book should be available by August (we hope), and I think there's over 250 recipes!  So if anyone wants a copy, just let me know!  (hint, hint)

April 23, 2012

Outside Temp: 65 F (it was in the 80's today!  It finally cooled off around 6-7pm, and now there's a great breeze!)

What I cooked today:
Burgers with Tater Tots and Green Beans: I love tater tots.  They remind me of my childhood, although for the life of me, I can't actually remember eating them as a kid.  Maybe in elementary school.  Of course, my oven caused me a little bit of annoyance.  I put the tots on a cookie sheet, on tin foil, and baked for about 20-25 minutes at 400.  They were not cooked, and they actually stuck to the foil!  I pulled them off the foil (as well as I could) and baked them for another 15-20 minutes.  So, even though the directions said 20-25 minutes, it really took about 40.  Which was fine, since I blew out the fuse in my kitchen, and the griddle that was cooking the burgers, turned off.  I think it only took me about 5 minutes to figure out that the burgers were not sizzling anymore.  Oh well, I just have to remember that I can't run the dishwasher and the griddle at the same time.  And dinner turned out fine.

Update:
Okay, I admit.  I was a little annoyed at the 80+ degree weather here.  I mean, come on!  We moved to Montana to get away from the heat.  I know, I know, I should be grateful since I think it was about 100 in Temecula (where we were from in CA).  But still! 

Of course, it did cool off, and we were able to go outside and play in the beautiful breeze.  The kids hung out at the creek with Ryan for about an hour.  Ryan wanted really badly to go 'fishing' in the creek.  Of course, his idea of fishing is a paper clip attached to a string on the end of a stick.  He wanted me to find 'worms' to add to his clip, but we settled for bologna.  I let him throw it in a few times, but nothing nibbled.  I'm not surprised.  I asked Patrick to look into getting a real fishing pole sometime soon.  I've heard there are actual fish in our creek (which is out the back door of the house), so I might have to learn how to cook them!

The house stayed in the 70's most of the day, without air conditioning!  We opened up the windows around 6pm and it's just beautiful tonight.  I think it's supposed to be a little cooler tomorrow, which I would love.

And, with the weather system like it is, with warm humid weather, we should be seeing some thunderstorms.  There was thunderstorms all around us today, but we didn't get much here.  I'm sure we'll see plenty before the summer is out, so I'm being patient.

I've been working on my new project for the school, which is a lot of fun.  And, another teacher asked me to sub this week, so I'll be working Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday.  Wow!  I'm really excited, since I get to teach High School History!  Woo Hoo! 

April 22, 2012

Outside Temp: 53 F (it was in the 80's today!  Wow!  We were actually hot!)

What I cooked today:
Burgers with pasta and asparagus: The grandparents gave us some asparagus that would go back before they got back from their trip, so I added that to the thrown together meal of burgers and pasta. It was actually a nice treat for dinner. I also made some artisan bread, which isn't as good as when Grandma makes it, but it was good enough!


Update:
Ahh, the end of my totally obnoxiously busy week. That doesn't mean that next week won't be busy, with teaching on Thursday and Friday, and daily track practice and an extra School Board meeting on Wednesday. But, it's a little less busy than this week was!
We went to church this morning, and the kids did Confirmation practice afterwards. Connor commented that the younger kids (who were practicing for their First Communion) were not paying attention and they didn't seem to take it seriously. I laughed and said, 'They're kids. What do you expect? They are between 7-9ish.' He, of course, said that he took church seriously when he was that age. I think he took life seriously when he was an infant, so he's not really a good comparison!

After church, we headed into town. Amazingly, we really didn't need much as far as groceries (since the grandparents filled up our fridge with their perishables before going on their trip). Of course, we had to stop in the bookstore and look around. I stayed out in the car to take a nap, since I was just plain exhausted from my week. Apparently, Patrick was pretty tired too, since he fell asleep reading a book in the store. The kids had to wake him up. That was our cue that it was time to head home.

We stopped for ice cream, as a pick me up. Of course, we disguised it as a reward for the kids for behaving. Like we would reward them for doing what is required! What kind of parents do you think we are? I just wanted ice cream because ice cream is awesome. Do we really need a reason?

As a last stop, we went by Ace Hardware, where Patrick ordered a lawn mower. A riding lawn mower. Our yard isn't that big, about 1/2 an acre, but he figured he could get the boys to mow it with less complaint, if it was actually fun. And, since the grandparents need one as well, we figured we'd split the cost and both be able to use it. I really hope that it works out well... it should come in on Thursday. Our lawn isn't getting any shorter.

After our trip to town, the kids played outside in the yard and in the creek. They said the creek was cold, but not freezing. And they didn't see any snakes. Oh jeez, I'm not looking forward to the whole 'snake' thing.

Oh, and on a totally unrelated side note, my mom won a Honda Prius today. Yes, like the car. She entered this contest and she actually won! Of course, she'll probably have to pay $10,000 in taxes and registration fees. Ahh, you have love the government.

April 21, 2012

Outside Temp: 42 F (it was in the 70's today!  Awesome.)

What I cooked today:
Taco Soup: Actually, I didn't do anything.  Patrick made dinner tonight, since I was working so hard.  Of course, he had to keep asking me questions like: how do I defrost meat?  What do I put in the pot?  Is this the only celery we have?  Do I add broth?  How do I make broth?  Are these carrots still good?  How much seasoning do I add?  How much salt do I add?  Is it done yet?  Wow.  I didn't realize that cooking was so hard! 

Update:
Allen had a track meet this morning, which meant that I was up at 6am this morning, getting him ready.  It helped that it was just a beautiful sunrise and I didn't have to get out of my pj's. 

Once I got home, at a few minutes before 7am, I was wide awake, so I worked for a few hours.  Around 9am, I realized I was tired and went back to bed. 

Around noon, I realized that we had to get up and ready for church.  It was interesting to actually watch Ryan, instead of passing him off to Grandma (I've gotten spoiled in a very short time!).  He wasn't bad, although he did ask to go to the bathroom right in the middle of the homily.  We made him wait and he was fine, but he did ask about 20 more times. 

After church, I got back to work.  It's fun to have a new project to play with.  And to know that I have people depending on me, makes me work harder. 

Allen got home around 5pm.  He said he did fine, although he missed a few events.  He claimed that he signed up for two events that occurred at the same time.  I figure he probably just got distracted and forgot to watch the time.  He didn't come in last... woo hoo!

We have church again tomorrow, for our confirmation class.  And then it's on to Monday... my weekend is just flying by!

April 20, 2012

Outside Temp: 51 F (very, very windy today.  A few droplets of rain.  Otherwise, nice and pretty)

What I cooked today:
Pasta with Broccoli and Alfredo Sauce: I found a recipe on AllRecipes.com for a quick Alfredo.  It's just butter, cream, cheese and garlic.  I added some cornstarch, since it was really thin.  Patrick, of course, hates Alfredo sauce.  So, I let everyone choose to add the sauce or just have the pasta alone.  I liked it.  Allen liked it.  Connor liked it.  Everyone else chose to have no sauce.  Which worked out fine, since I didn't make enough for everyone!

Update:
Another busy day... I'm looking forward to a day where I don't have to wake up in the morning.  This wasn't one of them.

After getting the kids ready for school, I worked for a few hours, then headed into town.  I got to pick up Girl Scout cookies (awesome!) and drop off the skis (we rented them for the season).

Then it was back home, for more work.  Allen called around 4ish, so I picked him up from school after his band concert in Lewistown.  It was back to school around 5:30 for Katie's basketball game.

I have absolutely no idea how people stay awake with this much going on.  I'm so tired!  Allen has Track tomorrow, so I have to get him up at 6am.  I was half asleep, when I realized I hadn't entered my blog for the day.  I almost missed one! 

April 19, 2012

Outside Temp: 37 F (it was 61 F for a high today.  A little overcast, and a few droplets of rain.)

What I cooked today:
Walnut Chicken (without the walnuts): I promised the kids chicken, since we've had beef for the last few nights.  I got it started, until I realized that I have no walnuts.  Oh well.  I had mushrooms and snow peas, so that (almost) made up for not having chicken.  And I did make fried rice to go with, which is always a crowd pleaser.  If only Connor hadn't eaten so much at the birthday party he was at this afternoon... He couldn't eat a bite!

Update:
Okay, I'm almost done with this crazy week.  Every day this week, I have stuff to do.  I love it, but by the end of the day, I'm pooped.

Today, I went to the school to talk with them about their web site.  They needed a new one, and I (somehow) volunteered for the job.  I think it will be a great fun project and I'm excited.  I think the staff at the school will be great to work with, and they all seem willing to help me make it work great.  I only hope that I can deliver on what I've promised.  I'd hate to have them get mad at me for making a crappy web site.

After that meeting, I brought Katie home (Connor went to a birthday party for a girl in his class).  Then we got a call from Allen.  He was back from track practice and, as he said, 'I might have a concussion'.  I've decided these are words a parent never wants to hear. 

He was trying the high jump (or the pole vault, I'm not sure which), and he missed the mat and landed on the ground.  I guess the story differs, but he may have bounced off the mat or may have just missed it entirely.  I think he hit his butt first, then his head.  He said he never lost consciousness, but was a little dizzy for a few minutes afterwards.  Of course, his coach (after determining that he seemed okay), told him he couldn't go to sleep.  He took that to mean, like, forever.  I laughed.  I said about 4-6 hours, so he could go to sleep at 9pm tonight, just like normal.  No, he couldn't stay up all night playing video games.  (By the way, there was no lump on his head, so I figure he's okay... I hope).

After I brought him home, I raced back to the school for the school board meeting.  It was great and I think some great things were discussed.  I had to leave early, so I could get Connor from his birthday party, so I missed the end.  I hope I didn't miss too much!

Connor had a great time, and was hiding when I came to pick him up.  He didn't want to leave! 

Then it was back home to make dinner and get everyone ready for bed. 

If only tomorrow was a nice relaxing day... maybe Saturday? 

April 18, 2012

Outside Temp: 38 F (overcast, cloudy, rainy, cloudy, rainy, overcast, then clear and beautiful. Love the changes in the weather!)

What I cooked today:
Chili: We got home late, so I whipped up a batch of chili really quick.  It would have been better if I had left it to simmer longer, but I needed to get the kids into bed.  They didn't complain.

Update:
Busy day!  I substituted this morning for the Special Education teacher.  It was great to work one-on-one with the students.  I got to help with students from both Elementary and High School, which was an experience.  Of course, I got caught up chatting with one student, and was asked to quiet down.  Oops. 

After school, the music department had a 'preview' of their district performance on Friday. I got to hear Allen play the Bass Clarinet, which was totally awesome.  I think he's really come along great in the last few months.  And he seems to really enjoy it.

Both Patrick and I were amazed at how great the band sounded.  Not that my band back at Napa High wasn't great (although I never really paid attention, so I wouldn't really know), but I loved the song choices and they sounded really good together.  And we counted about 18 students, which would be the entire school 7th-12th (I think one student was out sick).  I love this school.

I have to admit, a favorite part for me was the singing.  I was in the choir in high school, so I'm partial to the singers.  The choir was only the high school, so about 6 guys and 8 girls.  They sang together first, and then the girls did a few songs with just female voices.  Then, after that, almost everyone got up to do a solo. 

With my high school of about 1000 students, with about 200 in choir, I never got a solo.  I wasn't good enough (to be perfectly honest with myself).  But at this school, if you want a solo, you get one.  Amazing.  The girls were a little nervous, which is totally understandable, but they were great.  A few had really great voices and I would love to hear them with a microphone (they were singing in a multi-purpose room, with a piano accompany, but no microphone).  Some of them would start quiet, but as they got over their nerves, their voices got louder, which was great.  It was such a treat to hear them tonight! 

Of course, while they were singing, I had flashbacks to high school.  One girl sang a song that was similar to one we sang in high school.  I can still remember the lyrics.  And I can still see Mr. Rogers (our choir teacher) explaining how to sing with your jaw dropped and your throat opened. 

The water is wide
I cannot get o'er
And neither have I
Wings to fly
Give me a boat
That can carry two
And both shall row
My love and I

Amazing how that sticks with you, 20 years later!  Oh please tell me that I'm not the only one who remembers that song! 

April 17, 2012

Outside Temp: 39 F (Beautiful today. Clear and warm. Spring is in the air)

What I cooked today:
Pasta: I actually asked my oldest to make dinner, since we wouldn't be here.  Of course, I got home from the meeting at 8:30, and the kids were on the computers.  They looked up at me with that 'Oh crap.  Mom's home and we forgot to make dinner' look in their eyes.  Oh well.  I whipped up some pasta and they ate it late.  No problems.

Update:
Today was one of those busy days, with lots of driving.

First, and foremost, I went into Stanford today and got my hair cut.  I normally don't use names in my blog, but Scott Andersen at the New Image Salon is totally amazing!  Not only did he make me feel great when I came in, but he explained exactly what he was going to do.  I LOVE my new hair cut!  He kept it long (like Patrick likes) and it's thinned and layered (which I like!).  It's so much lighter and now I might be able to avoid those migraines that I get when I pull my hair up into a ponytail.  I walked out of that salon feeling like a million bucks. 

Then the wind blew my hair all over the place and I had to pull it back into a clip.  Oh well.  It still feels and looks great!

I got the kids home from school, only to run back 15 minutes later to get Allen from Track practice.

Then it was back to the school for a community meeting about a Windmill farm they are building nearby.  It was kind of neat to have the companies involved explain what they were going to do, and how it would affect us.  I'm not looking forward to the big rigs carrying 20 tons of metal down the highway next to my house, but they have claimed that construction will be complete by October, so there is that to be grateful for.  And I loved the suggestion that the company building these wind mills might want to make a donation to the local school... like maybe an IPad for each student?  Classic.

I get to substitute again tomorrow, which will hopefully go well.  And then the school has a concert with the kids tomorrow night.  Busy, busy, busy.

April 16, 2012

Outside Temp: 46 F (a little rainy, a little windy, overcast most of the day)

What I cooked today:
Spaghetti Sauce: I love making this because it's easy and everyone always raves about it.  We brought it up to the Grandparents' house for dinner, and we actually ate it all... like every last drop.  Even after I warned everyone I forgot the olives and the mushrooms.

Update:
Our chicks are getting big.  Okay, not all of them, but the Cornish Roasters are getting huge!  It's been 2 weeks.  A whopping 2 weeks.




One of these chicks doesn't belong... :)

Last week, Ryan did really well in school when I wasn't there.  I was hoping that today, he would do well if I left.  So, after PE (where he got to play basketball with the other kids... awesome!), I got him settled with his teacher and I left.  Yes, I drove all the way back home, checked my e-mail, chatted with Patrick, switched a load of laundry, read a little in my book, then headed back to school an hour later. 

Nope, he still had a rough day.  Of course, I could blame it on Monday.  After all, Monday is enough of a reason to have a rough day.  We'll have to see how he does next time.

We had a great dinner up at the Grandparent's house.  Then Grandma and I went to the Altar Society meeting for our church.  It was an enlightening meeting.  Our little church is great and I love being a part of it.  And I pray that things continue to go well.

I also was asked today to substitute again on Wednesday.  I guess that means they like me... they really like me! 

April 15, 2012

Outside Temp: 30 F (woke up to snow... tapered off to clear and now the snow is mostly gone.)

What I cooked today:
Mediterranean Soup: I made this soup two weeks ago, and it went over pretty well.  Since it was quite cold today, Patrick wanted soup.  I love it because it has no meat, which means I don't have to defrost anything.  And it's made in the crock pot, which is stinking awesome.

Bread: I decided to make a 'Quick Bread' in my bread maker.  The good part is that it's done in about 1 1/2 hours, instead of 3.  The bad part is that it is really dense.  The dense bread isn't bad, and the kids all like it.  It just isn't like regular bread.  No problems, though, it's all gone now.

Update:
Allen missed church yesterday because of his track meet, so he and I went into Belt this morning for mass.  Which also means that I was up and dressed before 8am, 4 days in a row!  Wow.  That's totally not me.  It was actually kind of neat to listen to the readings and the homily again.  The homily was a little different, and it still touched me.

After church, we were supposed to have a practice for Confirmation (which will be in about 3 weeks).  I had Patrick get the kids up and over to the church by 9:30.  But the woman who was going to show us what to do was not able to make it.   So, instead of having practice, we just all went into town as a family (minus Ryan, who was more than happy to stay with Grandma and Grandpa).  We had lunch together, and went shopping and hit Home Depot.  (I tried not to cry over the fact that I didn't have my coupon binder and I just know there was a coupon in there for something I got at the store...Argh... paying full.. well... sale price without a coupon just stinks!)  And we still made it home by 2. 

Of course, at 2, after making dinner in the crock pot, I was face down in my bed, fast asleep.  It's been a busy couple of days for me.  And a nap was just awesome.

We finished the day playing a game with the kids.  Katie had been asking to play a game for a few days, and I finally found the time. 

This week is scheduled to be quite busy, with lots of after school things going on... Altar Society, School Board, Music Performance, Basketball, Track.  Oh my.  It's amazing how fast time goes by when you are busy!

April 14, 2012

Outside Temp: 43 F (beautiful... I'm beginning to sound like a broken record... )

What I cooked today:
Ham: I picked up the ham on sale before Easter, so, since I finally had 4 hours straight at home, I thought it was time to cook it!  We brought it up to the Grandparent's place and Grandma made the side dishes.  It turned out awesome and I have plenty of leftovers (score!!).

Update:
Allen had his track meet in Lewistown today.  Which meant that we were both up at 6am, getting him ready and over to the school to catch the bus.  I reminded him to bring: money for lunch, his clothes, sweats, an extra pair of socks, water, Gatorade, both sets of shoes (in case his funky 5 toed shoes weren't allowed), etc.  Of course, I forgot to remind him to bring sunscreen.  Silly mom.

I did take a picture of his extreme 'farmer's tan', in which his arms, neck and face are burned, but he asked me not to post it.  It actually wasn't as bad as I've seen, but it still hurt.  A little aloe, and a cold shower and he feels a lot better.

He didn't do too bad in the meet.  He did the "Turbo Javelin" (a blunt tipped javelin... a little safer than a regular javelin), and has decided that if he wants to do this event again, he needs to actually practice it.  (who knew?).  He was quite happy that when he did the 100m and the 200m, he didn't come in last.  He came in second to last, but at least it wasn't last!  Woo hoo!  He did say that about 150m into the 200m, he thought he was going to die, but I told him to expect that, so he just pushed his way through it. 

Mostly, he said he had a great time.  He met a lot of new people and said that everyone was friendly.  Apparently, there were a lot of other teams (as opposed to basketball, where there are only 2 teams).  The next meet is next Saturday, so he has about a week to get better... I'm going to be pushing him to actually practice from now on!

The only part I wasn't prepared for was the time.  He got on the bus at 6:45am.  The meet started in Lewistown around 9am.  He called around 1pm, when he stopped for lunch.  Then called around 4:30, saying he was finally heading home.  I picked him up at Geyser around 6pm.  Wow!  A 12 hour day for a track meet?  So not expecting that.  But, now I'll be prepared for next week!

April 13, 2012

Outside Temp: 32 F (yes, that's freezing, but it was beautiful today, probably in the high 60's!)

What I cooked today:
Nothing... but I worked so it's okay.

Update:
Another great day substitute teaching.  I really enjoyed talking with the kids about history... who knew?  And I felt really good helping them with their math problem (fortunately, I remembered how to multiply binomials, so it was a breeze!).  I got to play with the younger kids as well.  And, I got another great lunch (that I didn't have to make or clean up after!).  All in all, a very awesome day.  Oh, and I get paid for it!

After school, Katie had a basketball game.  She's playing in the Elementary games.  They have a K-2nd game and a 3rd-4th game.  All the younger kids from Stanford and Geyser get to play... and since basketball is kind of a big deal around here, it's good to start them early!

She was pretty nervous, but once she got out there, she stuck to the player she was to block like glue.  It didn't hurt that it was her friend (she said she felt comfortable blocking her, since she knew that her friend wouldn't take her scary face seriously!).  It was great to watch her play!  I hope that while I'm working with Allen over the summer, she'll want to join in.  She already knows how to block!

Allen has a track meet tomorrow in Lewistown.  Of course, he informed us tonight that we needed to get a few things for the meet... the meet that is tomorrow... morning... like the bus leaves at 6:40 am.  Oh great.

So, after the basketball game, we headed into Great Falls to pick up the things he needed.  It also meant that we got to have dinner at Fuddruckers, which is awesome because it's another meal that I don't have to make and I don't have to clean up.  Woo Hoo!

We got home late (around 11:30pm) and I am totally exhausted.  And guess who's getting up at 6am to get him to the bus on time?  It's not Patrick. 



April 12, 2012

Outside Temp: 46 F (Rain all day... then clear this evening.  Beautiful, as always.  Katie said it was green as Ireland.  No, it's not that green)

What I cooked today:
Taco Soup: I had Patrick defrost whatever he wanted for dinner.  He picked ground beef and asked for soup.  Easy meal.

Chocolate Cream Pie: My guilt for not cooking for the last few days caught up with me.  I decided to spoil the kids with dessert. 

Update:
Oh my goodness, what a great day!

I was a little concerned this morning (mostly just 'new thing' butterflies), but once school started, I remembered how much I enjoy teaching.  I got to teach Montana History, in which we were studying the Great Depression.  What an amazing opportunity to discuss such an important part of our past.  The kids were great and I had no problem keeping them on task and getting them to complete their work. 

I had a few minutes to teach math before we had an assembly, so we did some math drills.  Then, I got to watch the presentation with the kids, but not actually do anything to keep them on task (the superintendent was with us, so I figured that he could handle any outbursts, of which there were none).  I had a few minutes of prep, then down to a wonderful lunch.  (Our lunches are prepared by two amazing women every day, and they are always fresh and delicious).  It was kind of neat to be able to sit at the 'teacher's' table and chat with the other teachers.  Since I've been at the school with Ryan for the last few months, I already know the teachers, so we had a chance to just chat. 

After lunch, I got to watch the end of a video on Johann Strauss with the 3rd and 4th graders.  It would have been nice to have seen the beginning, but the music was beautiful and the kids (mostly) paid attention.  After that, I got to help the 4th grade band students (of which Katie is one), all 3 of them, with their work.  And when they were finished, we got to play a game. 

The day ended with an Art Project with the middle schoolers.  Again, I was mostly there in an oversight capacity, since the Art Teacher was running the project.   I loved the creativity of the students and how the teacher allowed them to embrace that.

I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but the students were well behaved and respectful.  I am really looking forward to our time together tomorrow!

To top that off, Patrick's dad got a new 'toy'... a ATV (a Teryx, for those of you who know about those things).  We were up at the grandparents place for a few hours, allowing the kids to drive the new toy.  Oh my goodness, it's insane.  It brought back memories of driving an ATV (with a roll bar) on the sand dunes of Oregon, and flipping the thing over.  I was 12.  Of course, with all the rain, Patrick just had to drive fast through the standing water, and sprayed me from head to toe.  I (of course) forgot my camera, but I will make sure I get pictures next time!

April 11, 2012

Outside Temp: 54 F (it was so pretty today, and warm!  I left the windows open all day!)

What I cooked today:
nothing, again.  I totally have to get back into cooking (if for no other reason than to have something to put in this section of my blog!).  I didn't have anything prepared, so when the kids asked to go out for burgers after Confirmation class, I willingly said yes.  Does that make me a bad mom?  (okay, it was really because I didn't want to do the dishes in my sink... now I KNOW I'm a bad mom!)

Update:
So, sometime around 4am, Patrick came in and woke me up, telling me I was snoring, which I was.  But, he only did it because he was concerned about me.  He said I should get up and get that nose spray to clear out my sinuses.  I think I replied something inappropriate, then said I was too tired and went back to sleep.  So, he woke me up again and got me an antihistamine and the nose spray.  Of course, once woken up, it took me forever to get back to sleep.  I'm so glad he was worried about my welfare.  (yes, that was sarcasm.). 

We had Confirmation class tonight, and our last Wednesday Easter mass, so I went to pick up Allen from track practice early.  As I was driving out to Stanford to get him, I got a call from him. But I think I need to explain better how to use the cell phone, since he hung up on me.  Then, he wouldn't answer when I tried calling and calling.  Probably, because he was on the bus, heading back to Geyser and it was probably pretty loud on the bus.  Needless to say, I drove past the bus on my way to Stanford, wondering if he was on it.  He was.

I finally got a hold of him about a mile after the bus passed.  Yep, he was on the bus.  They got out of practice early, so he thought it would be easier for me if he just took the bus back to the school.  So, I flipped a U turn (okay, I pulled into a driveway, and then turned around, rather than turning around on the highway!), and followed the bus back 10 miles to the school.  For a few minutes, I debated being mad.  But then I realized that he didn't do it on purpose, and in a way, he was trying to be nice.  And, getting upset wouldn't make any difference.  So, by the time I got to the school to get him, I was back into my 'happy' mood. 

Church was great, as always, but I worry about our Confirmation class.  I sometimes wonder if the kids are too young to really get anything out of it.  Or maybe, we are just meeting too late in the day, and they are all tired.  I could tell that tonight, they just wanted the class to be over.  Oh well, perhaps sometime in their future, something we taught them might make a difference.

After class (as I mentioned above), the kids talked me into burgers in Belt.  There is a bar that is open late that serves food.  So, we headed over there and sat down, watching American Idol.  We don't have television at our place, so the kids don't know anything about Idol.  I have probably watched about 5 episodes in all the years it has been on.  It was just never my thing.  But, another couple there was watching, so we settled in to watch.  I must say, I wasn't impressed.  I'm not sure why, but they all seemed to be trying too hard, or not hard enough or something.  But, I just couldn't see the point.  I would say it's a Montana thing, but I never saw the point in CA either!

Tomorrow, I'm substitute teaching at Geyser.  I'm a little nervous, since when I taught my own kids, I could require respect and obedience.  I just pray that I don't let the kids walk all over me!  Any advice?

April 10, 2012

Outside Temp: 47 F (it got as high as 64 F today!  Woo Hoo)

What I cooked today:
Goulash: I was going to make spaghetti sauce, but I got sidetracked and forgot until about 3, then I realized I wouldn't have enough time to do it justice in the crock pot.  Maybe tomorrow.  It didn't matter, since the goulash worked out fine.

Update:
What a beautiful day!  Patrick took Ryan with him and Grandpa to town and the dump (woo hoo!  My garbage is finally gone.. for about a day or two).  Ryan's teacher called and her daughter is sick, so he didn't have to go to school today.  So, Grandpa thought he'd like a day in town with the men. 

Woo Hoo!  That meant that I had a whole day by myself, with no one to take care of!  So, what did I do?  Cleaning.  Lots and lots of cleaning.  A little lame, I know, but it's so much easier to do when there is no one around messing it up.

I opened all the windows (finally removing the last of the plastic over the windows.  I may regret that move when we get a cold snap in about 2 weeks), and let all the crisp spring air into the house.  Then, I started in my master bathroom.  Actually, it's our only bathroom, since the second bath doesn't work, so it's been closed off for the last few months.  Yes, all 6 of us sharing one bathroom.  And it does get a little cleaned every once in a while, but since I usually ask the kids to clean, it hasn't been really cleaned in a while.  I scrubbed the counters, the floors and the mirrors.  Ahh, a nice clean bathroom.

Then, I moved on to my bedroom.  I hadn't done a thorough cleaning since we got the chicks (I know, only a week ago, but it wasn't really clean when we brought them in), so I got under the bed and the dressers and dusted everything.  By the time I moved on to Ryan's room, I was on a roll.  And boy, does that kid have too many toys with way too many little pieces. 

I also scrubbed the kitchen table and (sort-of) cleaned off our desks.  A little more vacuuming, and I was done for the day.  I still have to attack the kitchen, family room, and the other kids rooms, but I feel really accomplished.  I also managed to get about 4 loads of laundry done, and an extra 4 loads of clean laundry (that has been sitting on the couch for the last few days) folded and put away. 

At some point during my frantic cleaning routine, I had to sit back and laugh at myself.  I was screeching along with the radio (Guns and Roses or Skid Row or Lady Gaga, take your pick) and realized that the windows were open.  Uhhh, I pray that my neighbors were all at work (yes, all 2 of them).  But the singing along (albeit, badly singing) made it go faster, so I just kept going. 

Of course, as soon as the kids got home, Katie asked to change the radio to Taylor Swift, so I had her put on earphones and my cleaning frenzy was finished.  Apparently, I can only clean while listening to 80's hair bands!

April 9, 2012

Outside Temp:  38 F (a little breezy, but beautiful today!)

What I cooked today:
nothing... now, I'm just being lazy!

Update:
Today was the recovery day from Holy Week and Easter.  We all slept in (the kids had today off school) and spent most of the day just wandering around from room to room, trying not to notice that laundry and dishes really needed to be done.

Spring has sprung, which means that my backyard that used to be filled with snow (okay, it was only filled with snow a few times), is now filled with grass... grass that needs to be mowed.  Our old house in CA didn't have a yard (very intentional), and any landscaping was maintained by the HOA (for which we paid about $200 a month, soooo not worth it).  So, we don't have a lawn mower.  And that grass isn't getting any shorter.

We have been discussing getting a mower, which involves all the usual questions; gas vs electric, riding vs. push, etc.  Of course, our intention is to make our oldest do all the work (why else did we have him?), but I'm expecting a few weekends where whining will occur and we'll relent and do it ourselves (which means Patrick does it, right?).  I guess this is what I asked for when we moved out here... manual labor.

I discussed with Allen the option of offering his services to the community for mowing grass.  He was intrigued, especially when I suggested that people might actually pay him to mow their lawns.  Money?  Woo Hoo!  Sure, sign me up!  I figure we have to get a lawn mower first, and then see if anyone actually needs the services, but it would be something good for him to do, teaching responsibility and work ethics and silly stuff like that.  We'll see how he does the first few times he mows our lawn.  He might stink at it!

We headed up to the Grandparent's house today, to help move some stone.  It was pretty fast and easy when you utilize the hauling power of all four kids, and we were done in no time.  There was one of the parent's contractors working, and she had brought her dog.  Oh my goodness, you'd think the kids had died and gone to heaven.  This dog is so extremely cute and lovable.  He's small but doesn't bark or anything.  The kids ended up laying down on the ground and the dog was hopping over them.  Then he would settle in the spaces between the kids, like he was hunkering down in a trench.  If I could guarantee a dog that great, I might convince my husband to get one... someday. 

April 8, 2012

Outside Temp: 31 F (Another beautiful day... warm enough that the snow has started melting, but cold enough that there is still some snow, making everything beautiful!)

What I cooked today:
Nothing... So spoiled today!

Update:

HAPPY EASTER!

What a wonderful day!  We started the day with morning mass at the church.  Granted, we went to bed sometime around 2am, and woke up around 7:15 for mass at 8, which means I ended up with about 5 hours of sleep.  But it was totally worth it! 

We allowed the kids to sleep in (we woke up Allen, to keep an ear out in case Ryan woke up), and headed over to church with just the adults.  It was kind of strange to not have Ryan saying the 'Our Father' in his very loud and distinctive voice.  But it was also kind of nice to be able to fully focus on the Word and the homily without the distractions of children.  And, since they went with us to Holy Thursday, Good Friday AND the Easter Vigil last night, I was content to let them skip the morning mass. 

After church, we headed back home, got the kids ready, and headed over to Patrick's Great-Aunt's home in Helena for Easter Supper.  We decided to take the 'scenic route' (through White Sulphur Springs), which was just lovely.  It took about 30-45 minutes longer, but it was so worth it!  We saw a Bald Eagle, deer, antelope, and other wildlife (not to mention the thousands of cows with their calves!), along with amazing views of the mountains.  It also included a great conversation with Allen about the benefits of cattle guards.  And no, those are not two armed men standing in your field protecting your livestock. 

In Helena, we were blessed with a wonderful meal and great family, full of stories and conversation.  The tables were set with beautiful china and the food was delicious.  I love how the family sets the table with place cards, so instead of Patrick and I sitting with the kids, we sat next to people we haven't seen in a while.  It's great that even the kids were sitting next to their great aunts and uncles and cousins.  And, as Patrick's great-aunt told me, we don't discuss politics or religion.  No fighting at all! 

After supper, Allen joined the older kids in hiding the Easter eggs.  Then, the younger kids went hunting.  Connor was great, since after he grabbed about 10 eggs, he proceeded to re-hide them so that Ryan and the younger kids could keep 'hunting'. 

(I didn't get very many pictures, but these both came out good.  The rest were blurred or of people's backs.  I need to learn how to take pictures better...)

During the drive back home (on the highway, so it only took about 2 hours), we made more plans about the greenhouse Patrick wants to build, and plans for our (now) 28 chicks.  Which led us to wonder if the heat lamp had fallen and burned down the house.  Don't you love how those thoughts enter your mind, when you are least able to do anything about it?  Hmmm, it's not our house yet, but a lot of Patrick's work is on his computer.  And we didn't get around to getting that 'Renter's Insurance'.  Maybe we ought to do that sometime. 

Fortunately, the house, and the chicks were just fine.  They were warm and toasty, which is good since I melted our thermometer last night, checking the internal temperature of my cake.  (okay, that's a stupid story, but we had one of those cooking thermometers, with the plastic top and digital display.   We had been using it in the room with the chicks to make sure they were warm enough, but I needed it, so I cleaned it and used it in my cake. You are NOT supposed to put them in an oven, but I kind of forgot that, and left it in the oven for about 10 minutes... at 350 degrees.  When I went and checked, it was melted.  Lovely.  Fortunately, it didn't hurt the cake... and that's all that's important!)  So, the point was that I didn't have a thermometer in the chick room anymore, so we don't know exactly what temp they are.  But they were warm and playing and none of them are dead, yet.  We'll see how things go tomorrow!

(oh, and since I know you were wondering, the carrot cake came out great!)

April 7, 2012

Outside Temp: 28 F (the storm has passed and it was beautiful today!)

What I cooked today:
Carrot Cake (and cream cheese frosting... from scratch): Oh my goodness, if I had only known for the last X number of years, how easy carrot cake was to make!  I usually buy the mix from Betty Crocker (and I'm not knocking Betty... she's pretty cool).  But, I thought that for the Easter Dinner at our Aunt's place in Helena, that I would make a cake from scratch.  Carrots, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, eggs and yogurt (yes, plain yogurt).  The cake took about an hour to cook, and it looks great.  The frosting was extremely easy, with just butter, cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar.  The frosting was probably the best cream cheese frosting I have ever had, and so simple!  I haven't tried the cake yet, so we'll see tomorrow if it's edible!

Update:
Patrick got up early and went skiing with his dad.  It's the last day of the season, and after yesterday's storm, they were hoping for good ski conditions.  Patrick said it was the best skiing of the year!  They stayed for a few hours and were home by 1:30pm.

Which was good, since we had to run into town today.  I needed to get some groceries and we decided to pick up 4 more chicks.  I know, I know, we're nuts.  But they had the Araucana chicks, which are the cool ones that lay blue eggs.  It will be months before we actually get eggs out of these chicks, but it will be neat just the same.  A little late for this Easter, but hopefully, we'll have some for next year!

The chicks come in different colors, so we picked a light yellow one, a grey one and 2 brown ones.  Of course, once we added them to our 'flock', we immediately lost the brown ones and couldn't pick them out of the crowd.  They are extremely similar to our 10 Partridge Rocks.  After some searching, we figured it out. 

The chicks are all getting along, which I think is because they have such a large area to play in.  The temperature in their room got up into the high 80's today, so we actually turned off the space heater (we left the heat lamps, just in case).  They are getting bigger and they are definitely pooping more.  Their room had a very definite 'bird poop' smell.  Boy, am I glad that I moved them out of my bedroom.

After getting the chicks settled, we rushed off to the Easter Vigil at the church.  Of course, I just assumed that it was at 6:30, since mass on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday was all at 6:30.  Silly me, I should have remembered that the Easter Vigil is always in the dark.  We got to the church, and we knew there was something wrong when there were no cars there.  Sure enough, the Vigil started at 8:30.

We headed back home and I had just enough time to make my cake and boil some eggs.  Then it was back to church (on time this time).  The Vigil was beautiful, with the candles and the readings and everything was great.  Ryan behaved himself and didn't make a ruckus.   It lasted a little less than 2 hours, and the kids were all great.

Once we got home, we colored the eggs, cooked up a frozen pizza for a late snack and made the frosting for the cake. 

Now, at 1am, I'm going to sleep.  It's going to be a long day tomorrow!

April 6, 2012

Outside Temp: 29F (I was expecting a blizzard, and while it snowed most of the day, I would hardly call it a blizzard here.)

What I cooked today:
Chicken Noodle Soup (without the chicken): The last Friday of Lent, so no meat.  I think Chicken Broth is okay, so I made chicken noodle soup and just skipped the chicken.  Worked great for lunch!

Mediterranean Lentil Soup: For dinner, I made a crock pot recipe for a lentil soup with an awesome vinaigrette that you drizzle on the top.  It had tomatoes, onions, celery, beef broth and thyme and slow cooked all day.  We mixed up the vinaigrette when we got home from church out of red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil and parsley.  Then, as we served up the soup, we drizzled the vinaigrette on the top.  It was great.  We had some fresh baked bread with it, which was great to dip in the soup.  We felt a little guilty, since we were supposed to have a humble meal for Good Friday, and even though it had no meat, it was hearty and delicious.

Update:
I woke up this morning to a migraine and incessant chirping. 

That's it, I was done.  I took 2 Excedrin and some Sudafed and started working on getting the dog room ready for the chicks.  We had a bin that we were going to use, but we had moth balls in it, and that smell does not stop just because you clean it out.  We left the bin outside last night, hoping that it would get rid of the moth ball smell.  This morning, the bin was full of snow, and still smelled like moth balls.  Not cool.

So, we grabbed some small packing boxes (I pray that we don't have to use them anytime soon for actual packing), and built a large area for the chicks.  We decided that they should have enough space that we can integrate the chicks and no longer keep the yellow ones from the brown ones.  So far, so good.  They are all getting along.

We were a little concerned about the cold, since the room was about 60 degrees this morning.  But, between the heat lamps and the space heater, the room is a nice 80-85 degrees now.  The chicks seem to be happy in their new home, and I am totally looking forward to a nice night's sleep with no chirping.

I also opened up all my windows in my bedroom this morning, with the snow falling, just to air out the room.  I vacuumed and dusted and now the room doesn't smell like chicken poop.  Next time we get chicks, I pray that I remember not to have them in our room!  That was kind of dumb.

My mom sent me a text, asking about the weather.  Apparently, this 'blizzard' made the national news and she was worried.  I had to laugh and tell her that it was warm here... okay, so in normal terms, 30-35 degrees is not warm, but when you think of a blizzard, I was thinking of negative 20 or so.  The roads were clear and the snow was not really sticking.  On top of that, there was not much wind, so no 5 foot drifts. 

We had no problem heading into Belt for Good Friday service.  And we explained to Ryan that when we say the 'Our Father' during mass, he doesn't need to yell it out.  You can use your inside voice.  Of course, everyone in the church, including the priest, could hear him yesterday.  Today was much better.  But, the best part was that, even though his voice was a little loud, everyone could understand him.  That's amazing in itself!  He had all the words down and he did great.  The priest even commented that it was the Holy Spirit working in him.  I love that!

April 5, 2012

Outside Temp: 36 F (and getting colder... a spring storm is on it's way, so I should have some great pictures of snow tomorrow!)

What I cooked today:
Nothing, again.  Bad week for cooking.

Update:
Another busy day.  School for the kids, school for Ryan and then Church.  The Grandparent's took us out to dinner in Belt after church, so I didn't have to cook (woo hoo!).

I have decided that the chickens need to move out of my bedroom.  It was kind of cute the first night, but now, it just smells. And they are loud.  Not all the time, and they are pretty quiet at night, but during the day, they just chirp and chirp and chirp.  It probably wouldn't bother me, but I wanted to go back to sleep after getting the kids ready for school (since I am still fighting this cold), and they wouldn't shut up... not that they understood me when I asked them to stop chirping.  I guess it's kind of like a toddler playing, when they babble and you just beg them to be quiet for a few minutes, and you can hear them laughing at your through their noise.

I did find that if I put a pillow over my head, it drowned out the chirps, but I could still hear (or feel) them pecking at the cardboard. 

When I got home from school this afternoon, I was blown away by the smell when I walked in the house.  It probably wasn't as bad as I thought it was, but it was enough.  So, tomorrow, I'm cleaning out the dog room (it was used by the owner for his dogs in the winter, so you can imagine the smell in there) and they are going in there.  I figure the smell from the birds and the smell from the dogs will cancel each other out.  Oh come on, I can hope, can't I?

The good news is that the chicks are all still alive.  The Cornish Roasters are growing really fast, and it's already obvious that they grow faster than the other chicks.  And when Patrick came into the room tonight, he immediately commented on how much they have grown.  Ahh, our babies are growing up!

April 4, 2012

Outside Temp: 44 F (and getting colder... it was in the 70's again today, then cooled off)

What I cooked today:
Nothing... running around ALL day!

Update:
You know those busy days where you run from place to place and never stop to take a breath.  Now, you know those days where you are coming down with a cold, and your throat tickles and you sniffle a little and just generally feel like crap.  Now, combine those and you get my day.  Ugh.

Patrick stayed up working (like usual) until about 8am.  I got the kids ready for school, then we had to check the chickens (okay, that was kind of fun, but still...). 

I can't remember what I did for the morning (about 4 loads of laundry I think) and then it was time for Ryan's school.  Then it was home to change then Confirmation class at the church.  Then mass and then a Lamb's supper at the church in honor of Holy Week.  I love getting a chance to chat with new people, but by the end of the day, I was exhausted.  Then back home and getting everyone ready for bed.  Fortunately, they all knew how this day was going to go, so we did our homework after Confirmation class and when we got home, they went to bed without complaint (at least 3 of the 4 did... Ryan is still up yelling at his xbox).

The chicks are still here (woo hoo, 2 whole days!) and I think they are getting bigger.  They sure do eat a lot, and poop a lot.  But, with a winter storm warning for tomorrow and Friday, and then expectations of another cold snap around the end of the month, I'm not sure when we'll get them outside.  The chirping isn't really bugging me (yet), but I could do without the smell.  I think they are headed out of my bedroom and into the dog room by the weekend.  Another 2 days of bird poop would be enough to drive me to sleep in the family room!

April 3, 2012

Outside Temp: 53 F (we had a high of 72 and a low of 22 today.  Yes, that's a 50 degree difference.  I had on a sweater in the morning, and was sweating in the afternoon!)

What I cooked today:
Burgers and Mashed Potatoes: We did chicken last night (in honor of our new 'friends'), so I figured we should do beef tonight.  Quick and easy.

Update:
Our chicks are still alive... Woo Hoo, we survived one night!

They were very well behaved last night, sleeping in their boxes at the foot of my bed.  Yes, I know, it's insane to have them, not only in the house, but in our bedroom.  But, we spent so much time watching them last night, it was easier to have them there, where I could hang off the end of my bed watching them.  I'm sure we'll move them to the dog room, and then outside, soon.  But, since it was so beautiful today, we could even open up the windows and air out some of the 'chicken' smell. 

I spent some time online on our Family Tree web site.  My mother is working on it, and wanted me to enter in Patrick's side of the family.  So, we've been playing around, adding old photos and such.  There are some group photos, and the site we are working on allows you to 'tag' people, just like in facebook.  So, you can add 1 photo, and tag lots of people in it.  And those pictures get assigned to those people.  I love how the people about 2-3 generations ago, really dressed well.  No ripped jeans or t-shirts in those photos.

She found a letter from my maternal great-grandfather, to his children and nephews.  It said that they needed to learn the value of money and they needed to learn to live within their means.  I find it interesting that the wisdom from our older generations are lost on us, until about 3-4 generations later.  I mean, do you ever listen to your parents?  Or even your grandparents?  But when you get to your great-grandparents, whom you have never met, you might actually listen.  Or, at least I hope I'll listen. 

April 2, 2012

Outside Temp: 32 F (another beautiful day... no rain, although I'm sure that by saying that, it will pour tomorrow!)

What I cooked today:
Orange Chicken: It seemed appropriate, all things considered.  And it always gets eaten up!

Update:
We did it!! 

I'm still a little shocked that we did, but we actually got chicks today!

 All together... now play nice. 

 So cute! 

We picked them up around 11am.  The store had a delivery this morning, so there were plenty to go around.  We ended up with:
10 - Partridge Rock (these said they were all female, but the women helping us wasn't so sure - they are brown with some black)
6 - Black Australorp (these were not sexed, so it's a coin flip as to how many male and female)
2 - Black Star (females)
2 - Red Star (females - These are more orange or dark yellow now)
4 - Cornish Roaster (both male and female, but it doesn't matter since you slaughter them around 8-10 weeks, before they either lay or could fertilize any eggs - they are light yellow, exactly what you expect from a chick)

We made up their box and tossed all 24 in together.  One of the Partridge Rocks started pecking at one of the Cornish Roasters.  So, we had to take him away from the group for some time-out.  A few minutes later, one of the Australorps decided he wanted to peck at the Cornish, so he joined his new 'brother' in time out.  Of course, time-out became a game of playing in Patrick's beard...

These two were removed from the group for fighting... they decided they liked Patrick's beard!


We kept an eye on them all day.  The kids were enchanted.  Even Ryan didn't want to play his video games, he had real live animals in his house... awesome!  As you can see from the picture below, we used spoons for mirrors to give the chicks something other than each other to peck at. 

Finally, around 4-5pm, we realized that the brown and black chicks were pecking at the yellow and red chicks.  And not just normal "you're in my way" pecking.  Straight for the eyes, every time.  We realized that the lighter chicks were getting picked on by the darker chicks.  Apparently, they just couldn't get along...

We made up a second box (thank goodness Patrick's dad brought down a second heat lamp), and put all the light colored chicks in the new box.  Immediately, the pecking stopped.  Who knew?

 Only yellow and red birds in this box... 

 Black and brown birds over here. 

The Cornish will be full grown in about 8-10 weeks, and then they'll be gone (into my freezer, they do not lay), and the Red Star's will be continual layers, so we won't really be using them for meat. Hopefully, they will get along when they get older. I've read that if you separate the flocks, they are hard to put back together, since it disrupts the pecking order (who knew that term actually referred to chickens?).

We'll have to see how this adventure goes.  Assuming they are still alive in the morning.

April 1, 2012

Outside Temp: 37 F (another beautiful day... got a little chilly and windy this evening)

What I cooked today:
nothing: We had dinner at the Grandparent's place tonight, so I didn't have to do any cooking... yea!!

Update:
Ryan was a little ill yesterday and last night... not bad enough to bring him into the hospital, but enough that I didn't get much sleep.  I think he either had a stomach flu or ate something bad, because he was complaining about his stomach hurting.  He was gagging a little, and his tummy was cramping, but by 8am this morning, he seemed better... a little tired, but no fevers and the throwing up had stopped.  We keep an eye on him, but it seemed over.  We did have a bag packed, in case we decided it was bad enough to bring him in, but it never got to that point... yea!

Today, he acted a little tired, but had bursts of energy and felt fine for a little while.  But we decided he was pretty much over whatever was eating him.  No problems when we hooked up his IV, so we're keeping our fingers crossed.

Even though we went into town yesterday for shopping, we decided to head back in today because we forgot a few things.  And we decided to stop at Big R and look at the chicks.  As in birds, not pretty girls.  But, they were out, with plans to get more tomorrow.

Yes, we are planning on getting chickens.  I'm a little freaked out about it, but I'm sure (like most things) it will be an adventure.  We did pick up a book on raising chickens (no, not Raising Chickens for Dummies), and I've been asking around to get an idea of what I have in store for myself.  I'm pretty sure Patrick will be doing all the slaughtering, because I doubt if I can handle it.

We had a great dinner at the Grandparents tonight for Grandma's brother's birthday.  I love family birthdays up here, and not just because I don't have to cook.  There's also cake.