What a Beautiful Morning

Wow. So sweet and Peaceful.  There was a heavy fog over the land.  The roosters were crowing, and I hadn't even let them out yet.  The sun was coming up over the tree line, birds chirping and there was even a deer munching on some grass behind the house.  beautiful.  The calf sucked about 1 p and a half this morning, so that was good. 

I can't help but thank God this morning for giving me this life.  I sometimes don't appreciate everything that the good Lord has provided for me and my family.  I have 2 beautiful kids, healthy and happy kids.  A wonderful husband who works hard everyday to provide for our family.  God has provided me with wonder friends and a great community.  I know it seems that every month we scrape by- but that is just it- we get by.  We can always pay our bills one way or another.  Sometimes we have to sell scrap and work a bit harder to get that insurance payment- but we always get it. 

I thank God for my salvation and a great church family.  I wish we were more active in the church though.  I wish I knew about Chris' soul.  My heart aches for him.  I know he is bothered, but I don't know where he stands, only he and God knows that.  In a few years I know my children will have to be put under conviction and be saved.  I pray that they won't linger and hold back, but that is not up to me.  I went way too long before I was saved-5 years is a long time to be in the altar. 

I have so many people on my heart this morning.  Chris, Sue and Leonard, are the main ones though.

All I can say is : It Is Well With My Soul

Wednesday afternoon

Well I think the calf will be okay.  I went to MFA and bought some electrolyte powder stuff and some nasty looking black gel for scours.  I gave it the black stuff when I got home from Buffalo and then I got it to suck a bottle of the electrolyte powder stuff tonight.  He already seems to be doing just fine.

I swear my chickens are going to eat me out of house and home!  I think they are spoiled and I don't understand how anyone could just allow free-ranging in the summer.  My chickens will flock around me until I feed them- they will follow me everywhere I go until I feed them 2-maybe 3 times a day! sheesh.

A random stranger on CL made my day a bit ago.  I am so used to people saying bad stuff about me on there I normally don't click on anything with BFM in it.  But someone said they would like to walk a day in my shoes someday.  I hope they never have to, but if they do I hope they do it with their head held high.



I have another headache today.  I wish I knew why I get so many of these things.  I seem to have a headache at least every other day if not everyday.  It gets so tiring. 

I went grocery shopping this afternoon at Walmart in Bolivar- BAD idea!  One I can't hardly shop at WalMart anymore, especially since I try to buy mostly organic.  I will buy their produce and milk...lol.  Found some great bread though-almost taste like my own! Two, most schools start tomorrow-I think everyone and their dog was in town today. ahhhh. it was crazy and Cooper would not listen to me. 

I started on the brooder house floor today but it is just too hot. Maybe I can work on it later this evening if it cools down.

I think I am going to make bacon and eggs for supper tonight. yummo.

Wednesday Morning

State Fair Tractor Pull is today.  Chris and Dad left at 4am this morning.  Our new bottle calf won't suck. Great.

The Bottle Calf-
He is really cute- all black and you couldn't tell that he is a dairy steer.  He is 1/2 black angus and 1/2 guernsey.  He was born Monday.  Craig Westfall (our neighbor) gave him to us for payment for square baling some hay for him.  I just hope this calf doesn't die.  It is scouring bright yellow and very runny.  I have no one to help me.  I worked with it this morning for 1 1/2 hours.  It has no intrest in its mommas milk- (which I think turned bad but I don't know) I got it to drink some milk replacer but not much.  Hopefully later it will drink some more.  I wish I knew what else to do.

Gotta get ready to go to Buffalo in a moment.  Meeting Goldie at 9 to sell her some of Cooper's clothes.  Hope she likes them.  I just want to get rid of them.
Then I need to do a bit of grocery shopping at Woods.  Maybe even go to MFA and get some stuff. 

It is so humid this morning.  My shirt was wet from working with that calf.  It is only 72 degrees out there, but the humidity is almost 100 % ugh.  I like the breeze though.  Yesterday it only got up to 78 degrees and I was able to keep the windows open  all day.

When I get back from town I am going to work on the Brooder house.  Chris didn't think I could even make the bottom frame and he admitted last night that I did a really good job and that I surprised him. :) It takes a lot for him to admit that!  He said he didn't think I knew anything about building things...I made a birdhouse in 9th grade! Just because I am a girl he didn't think I could do it-showed him! BWah hahah

Argh So Irriatated!

I went over to mom and dad's house this afternoon while the kids and Chris slept.  Somehow or the other we started talking about food.  I have told mom over and over again that I have not bought frozen chicken since March---since I watched Food Inc., she won't watch the movie-she said she doesn't want to know.  But she insists on telling me that Wood's has frozen chicken tenders on sale for $4.98 a 3 lb bag.  While yes it is a good sale, I don't really care because I don't buy them.  She just doesn't understand and refuses to act like she even cares about what she eats.  All of my life my mom has been on Weight Watchers and has tried other various weight loss programs.  She says she always wants to eat as healthy as she can- but she still insists on cooking with cream of mushroom soup and frozen chicken.  She buys a lot of frozen dinners and canned vegetables.  I was raised that way and have taught myself to eat better.  She thinks I am nuts.  But she can't figure out why she is always so tired and feels so blah all the time.  She drinks Diet Coke by the 2 liter bottles daily.  I tried to tell her that I was worried about her and dad and the way they eat.  They said they have been eating this way for 50 some years and aren't going to change.  But they just can't see that they haven't been eating hte same because the food industries have changed for the worse.  If I could just get them to buy organic once in awhile.  I guess I should be happy that they do eat grass fed beef (since we raise our own) and a few fresh veggies (even though they do use pesticides).  I haven't always been this way but I want my kids to be healthy and not overweight like Chris and I.  Don't get me wrong I let the kids have all sorts of sweets, Cooper knows that he can get nuggets at McDonald's and he loves Dr. Pepper- but I am trying to change all that slowly. 
Since March I have went from 291.7 pounds to 260.4 pounds.  I was on that diet until mid April but after that I was just really starting to watch my weight.  While the weight hasn't come off drastically fast- I do feel much better and know that I am still losing.

Saturday.

Canning peaches right now.  Have canned 7 quarts of pie filling- have 7 1/2 q of Peaches in Medium syrup in the canner.  Have peaches keeping warm on the stove too...

We went to an estate auction this morning at Dadeville, Mo.  I bought lots of goodies, including dozens of jars (am using them tonight!!).  I got really good deals on jars-and bought one box full of clear glass wire bail jars.  There were a few Atlas Hazel jars (my favorite!) plus a dozen or so of Zinc lids and tons of rings!

I also bought 3 dish pans for really sheap-2 of which are enamel ware! The other one is just alumminum, but I already used it tonight! 

The best thing we got at the auction.......







a 2002 Dodge 2500 Cummins.  It is silver, extended cab, long bed, AUTOMATIC, and best of all it was free! Well sorta free.  Chris has to promise to be Dad's slave for next thousand years lol!  Dad said it was a gift for all the hard work that Chris has done these past 4 years and all the hard work that Chris will do in the future.  We have to sell my dakota and give them the money from it though.  We really don't need 4 vehicles anyway!  The ironic thing is though-Dad bought me the Dakota my senior year of High School...and now he is getting some of that money back!

I haven't drove it yet, but hope to tomorrow sometime!

I love my mommy and daddy-they are so good to us.  They provided us a home, and have helped many other times.  They are so nice.

Friday at Last

This week has been exhausting-

I have canned all week long.  On wednesday I went to Pumpkin Center and stopped at the Miller's Country store---they had 3/4 bushel boxes of peaches for $6.50! I could not pass up that deal!  So I bought 2 boxes.  I have canned peaches, made peach pie filling, and peach butter.  Going to make some more pie filling soon-maybe later today.  I still have a box of peaches to do something with!

I have made several jars of spaghetti sauce and salsa-need to make more Spaghetti sauce though.

I am excited- I have recently started "chatting" on Backyard Chickens website-they have message boards and I really like it.  I have learned so much.  Yesterday I signed up to do a Canning Swap- I am sending a pint of something I canned somewhere and I will get a pint of something from someone else.  It sounds like a lot of fun!

I wonder if we could do something like that on CL...maybe with Cookies or something. hmmm. I think it would be fun-but some probably would not participate. 

I have to babysit today-hope the kids are better this week than they were last week.  When school starts I think I will probably be babysitting another lil girl (same age as Sophia) on at least Fridays and maybe some other days---my fridays are going to be hectic! but oh well it is worth the money!

Must stay awake...

It has been one long day for sure!  Early this morning I hit up the Amish stands in Tunas.  I bought a 25lb box of peaches for $9.99 and 2 big boxes of tomatoes (50lbs of tomatoes...)  I made 9 quarts of peaches, and have canned 6 quarts 1 pint Spaghetti sauce and 5 pints 1 quart salsa. The salsa is still processing.  I still have a stockpot of peeled tomatoes in the fridge and about a half of a box of tomatoes that need to be boiled and peeled.  I am not staying up.  I have been on my feet all day it seems.

Sophia has still been a bit fussy- she goes in the morning for her 15 month checkup...and shots. yay.  I need to sell some eggs tomorrow- so hopefully I can get some sold.  Tomorrow is the 3rd- and I had a few people say that they would be back when they got their checks...aka social security checks aka tomorrow.  So hopefully tomorrow after noon or the next day I can get rid of some eggs.  I have 4 1/2 dozen in the fridge right now.

My back hurts and I need a shower.  I have went from smelling like a peach to a tomato to a sweaty tomato. great. nice. lol.

I want some more peaches though, may go back on Wednesday maybe.

watching American Pickers right now.  I could so work with these guys.  I love this show.