It is a scorcher and it is only May 9th!

Wow it is so hot today!  The temperature is already at 89 degrees and it is only 2pm!  Crazy missouri Weather!

Yesterday was Mother's Day and we all went to Bennet Springs State Park.  It was a fun day and the kids had a blast. Sophia really took up with Papa...nothing sweeter than watching my 2 year old run ahead only to grab Papa's finger and stroll along with Papa.  Seeing that made my Mother's Day. 

Stupid me and the rest of my sisters for got our cameras...I only had my phone to take pics  took a couple.

We have been planting garden and only a few more things to plant.  My first efforts didn't turn out so well ( I tried to start some plants on the backporch...) I just didn't pay enough attention to them. oh well.  We now have:

15 Tomato Plants

4 Bell Pepper Plants

4 Hungarian Hot Pepper Plants

3 Cabbage plants

3 rows of Potatoes (1 Row is volunteer!)

1/2 row of lettuce 1/2 row carrots

1 row peas

2 rows beans

5 rows sweet corn

1 row okra

3 rows cucumbers

2 rows peanuts (short rows)

1 row zuchini

1 row birdhouse gourds

1 row sunflowers

3 Watermelon plants and 1 row of watermelon seeds

Still need to plant:

Pumpkins

Ornamental Corn

Giant Sunflowers

We already have twice the garden space this year than we have ever had...and I still feel like we need to plant more! lol  I just don't want to have to buy much food this winter and I would like to sell some produce (planning on selling cucumbers at least and hopefully some corn)

In other Farm news...Our Big Momma Rabbit that we bought last... this one:

well she had BABIES!  I couldn't believe it.  I went out to check on them last wednesday and she was making a NEST...so I moved her bunnies out and made her comfortable.  On Friday morning when I went out to feed her nest box was full fo fur and had several babies in it.  I don't know for sure how many babies are in there...haven't got them all out to count but there are quite a few in there!  Most of them will be white but 1 of them is black.  What a deal we bought a momma rabbit with 6 babies for $27.50 not knowing she was already bred back! I stick my hand in the box daily to make sure they are all still moving around.  I worry about them in this heat, but I am keeping them cool so far.  We hooked up a box fan for the shed and they all have full water bottles.  I need to get some floor tiles to freeze and put in their cages.  We bought another buck last week from a lady that had them listed on CL...when we got there I realized that it was one of my old bosses...the only person who has ever FIRED me from a job! ugh! I so don't like her! but whatever.  That was 6 years ago lol.  I don't think she remembered my name, but i think she reconized me.

Iris the broody EE is no longer taking care of chicks...she was down to only 2 chicks so we bought her some new chicks...she didn't like them.  So now one of our silkies is taking care of all of the chicks.  Some pics of them:

yes there is a duckling in that pic! Chris couldn't resist! lol!!





We will soon have lots of duck babies on the farm too...the incubator is due May the 17th with 20 mallard babies all developing great.  I candled a few nights ago and could actually see them moving around.  It was almost the same feeling for me when I first saw my own babies moving around on ultrasound!! Crazy I know. lol

Also we have at least 2 broody muscovies right now...and maybe at least 1 more.  One is under the feed room, one is under the chicken coop and 1 is starting to make a nest in the corner of the garage...haven't checked today if she is sitting yet or not.  Crazy stuff!

Shawn at Chris' work gave us a Rouen drake...he is so BEAUTIFUL!  I wish I had some more of them.  The little duckling we bought is a rouen but don't know if it is a boy or a girl...

This picture does not do this animal justice on how pretty he really is!



Friday...updates

Well haven't updates in awhile.  Today is a beautiful day 72 and sunny.  First nice day we have had all week.

No new babies on our little farm yet- hopefully we will be having some chicks hatching out this weekend.

Sophia's birthday is Sunday. Can't believe she is already 2 years old! She has turned into such an indepent (and Stubborn, very very very Stubborn!!) toddler.  Right now I am sitting on the front porch letting the kids play....she climbs up on the slide all by herself now!  (Cooper can barely do that!)  She seems to have no fear about climbing (which scares me to death sometimes!!) 

I think we may have to get rid of Scooby- it makes me sad.  But Scooby has killed 2 chickens and he almost killed another yesterday.  He just won't learn.  He bites (more than puppy bites) the kids and the cats.  Really hurt the kitty the other day and made Sophia bleed yesterday.  I just don't know how people have dogs and chickens at the same time.  ( I  know some people do and I wish I could find a chicken/kid friendly dog but I don't think Scooby is one!)

We will hopefully be moving the chicks out to the new Coop this weekend if we get the coop moved.

Yesterday I made Sophia a birthday cake.  I do believe it may be one of the best cakes I have ever tasted in my life.  Think Oreo Cookies, Cheesecake, and chocolate cake all in one.  It is a 2 layer chocolate cake (box mix) with a Cookies and cream filling and topping.  I used this recipe for the Cream Cheese filling and then added about 1 cup of Oreos smashed up.  I used about 1/2 the package of Oreos (didn't really measure it)  Not very healthy but it is SO SO SO GOOD!

Today the kids and I went to Bolivar to the Citywide Garage Sale that is going on this weekend.  Found lots of stuff and bought some of it.  Got the kids some "new" clothes and hopefully they will have a good start on summer clothes.  Cooper still needs some shorts and things, but hopefully I can find some more soon.  I found Sophia some really cute dresses and shorts- I think she will mostly be in dresses this summer so we can work on potty training.

My best Coupon Shopping Deal EVER!!

$2.69 AFTER TAX!!!

The Nivea Body Wash was originally priced at $2.50 and I had $3.00 off coupons

The Degree Travel Sized Deodarant was $1.00 and I had $1.00 off coupons.

The Razors were $2.50 and I had a $2.00 off coupon

The diapers were $4.50.

So the Nivea gave me 2.50, The deodarant was FREE and I only paid $0.50 for the razors...meaning the diapers were around $2!! AWESOME!

Dollar General Rocks!



It rained ALL NIGHT LONG!

wow it started raining about 10pm last night and literally rained all night long!  Along with lots of thunder and lightening.  So glad my kids aren't scared of storms like I was when I was little.  Suprisingly the ground soaked up most of it, since it was a nice steady rain, but I don't remember the last time it has rained for such a long period of time.  We needed the rain this time, the garden has just been sitting out there and not growing whatsoever.  We have potatoes, peas, lettuce, carrots, and green beans planted.  NEED to plant the onions but haven't been anywhere to get sets yet. The strawberries didn't really come back after alst year, I think we need to put them in a different spot.  We planted 100 plants last year and only like 6 came back :( not very good odds.  Though the ones that did come back are bloomed and will most likely make strawberries...

I love the taste of fresh strawberries- I wish I knew why the strawberries in the stores taste nothing at all like fresh strawberries out of the garden.  I remember mom and dad used to have a HUGE strawberry patch-they had like 400 plants and people would come and pick strawberries--Mom and dad never charged anyone--most people were from church or just from the community.  My granny and papa always had strawberries too-theirs were bigger and better than mom's. I think it was because they had more room to grow-their patch wasn't as big.  Our thornless blackberries are all leafed out, but the rasberries aren't looking so hot. 

Spring is such an exciting time to me.  Not just flowers blooming, babies being born, and warm weather though...it is also everyone getting out into the fields--working up the ground.  Dad spread fertizler the past few days, our neighbors have been plowing, discing, and rolling their fields, Chris got the hay baler out and has been working on it, yards are being mowed again (I mowed ours last weekend), and it just seems people are in a better mood.  People are happy even though we are all going through rough times financially and farmers are really tight on cash with the prices of every thing being sky rocketed and don't even talk to me about fuel prices!  Used to everybody wanted diesel thing because diesel was cheaper--farm diesel is almost the same price as unleaded!!  Regular diesel is 20-30 cents higher than unleaded!  One of our friends was down at the pumps the other day filling up his tractor...$350 later... ugh!  It is really hard to get anything done with fuel being that expensive!

Okay I am going to quit rambling about that lol!

So I started on my nestboxes the other night after getting home from town.  Chris is dually impressed as I.  They are coming along nicely.  I am makeing 2 rows of 3 with storage on top.  I have more done than what is in this pic, but I took this before working on them yesterday:

I am repurposing the wood that Chris used when he attempted to build a storage building...2 years ago!  lol  He will never live that one down, like I have said before- Chris is NOT a carpenter.  But then again I didn't really think I was either--but I do throughly enjoy this!

The chicks are growing like crazy, especially the meaties.  I can't believe how fast they grow and how messy they are!  I really don't like thinking about it though.  I don't think I will ever raise this kind again; if we do raise meaties I will go for a heritage meat bird instead of the jumbo cornish X.



3 weeks old!



I have this one duck that just amazes me by her coloring!  I always thought she was just black, but yesterday she was in the sunlight in a certain way, and her feathers are different colors! So beautiful!!

I just love the greens and blues, reminds me of a peacock- which I would LOVE to have but they are soooo $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!! I saw an adult on CL go for around $300 for ONE!! insane.

Oh and I took this pic of the rooster yesterday evening--- EVIL ROOSTER!! lol

I think I am going to name him Satan!

Lots of things been going on around here!

Well for starters the chicks are growing like crazy!  I got the other coop built (mostly by myself!!) I am so proud of myself, and Chris is too! The meaties are already in the coop (with a light of course--they are only 2 weeks old)  and I actually have a broody hen!  She is an EE and I named her Miss Iris the EE.  I have her sitting on 8 chickens eggs and 1 duck egg.  I have her in a cage inside the new coop so she won't really be bothered.  She is kinda grouchy :)

Today Chris took off work and we all went to Springfield.  I bought 5 sheets of OSB board, a new blade for the SKIL saw, and some screws.  Then we went to Harbor Freight and I bought a jigsaw, extra blades, and free screwdrivers.  I had coupons for both places!  I need to build nestboxes for the new coop!

Sophia broke her crib...well just one side of it, so we just took it off.  So she has a "toddler bed" now.  She is not wanting to take a nap at all today!  Driving me nutty!

I haven't cooked anything special lately, I have been so busy outside it seems.  The weather has been in the 70's and 80's and sunny the past few days.  It has been so NICE!

A-Z About me

saw this on another blog...

Thought it looked like fun :)

A. Age: 25

B. Bed size: King :)

C. Chore you dislike: Cleaning bathrooms...yuck!

D. Dogs: love smaller dogs

E. Essential start to your day: cuddles with the kids

F. Favorite color: BLUE

G. Gold or silver: Silver :)

H. Height: 6'3"

I. Instruments you play(ed): Piano...I can only read notes- don't know how to play chords. weird I know.

J. Job title: Secretary, cook, caretaker, financial planner, housekeeper, etc. (stay at home mom)

K. Kids: Cooper 3 & Sophia almost 2!

L. Live for ______: my family and friends (and all my animals!)

M. Most embarrassing moment: I can't think of anything recently, but one time in JR high I fell down the stairs in the hallway and I had a skirt on...my skirt flew up and I was so embarrassed! Not to mention my crush was at the top of the stairs!

N. Nicknames: Honey and Mommy

O. Overnight hospital stays: Three times...one for each baby and gallbladder surgery

P. Pet peeves: kids running wild and talking to strangers

Q. Quote from a movie: "You tell them I am coming and Hell is Coming with me! Ya HEAR? HELL is coming WITH ME!"

S. Siblings: 2 older sisters; Karen and Elizabeth

T. Time you wake up: whenever the kids wake up

U. University attended: Northwest Missouri State Univerity for 1 year and OTC community college

V. Vegetables: love them

W. What makes you run late: the kids...

X. X-rays you’ve had: Dental lots of dental...

Y. Yummy food you make: steak! and desserts...

Z. Zoo animal favorites: all babies!

Chicks galore!

Okay so I failed with the rabbits. I don't know what happened!  Only 1 doe out of the 3 pulled fur but she didn't have any babies. sigh.  I have another doe due this week, so we will see.  I used 2 different bucks, so I don't know what I did wrong. oh well I guess it is all trial and error. But I wanted baby bunnies!

Moving on....

125 CHICKS!!!

I finally got them yesterday!  They are all so cute and snuggly!  I just want to sit and stare at them for hours!

So right now I have 133 chicks! It is so crazy.

Oh and 3 days ago I got my first duck egg!

I have gotten 5 duck eggs since.  Hoping that they will sit on them and hatch out baby ducks.  If not we may have to put some in the incubator...after we are done with the 55 eggs that are in there now...

I hope at least half of the 55 eggs we have in the bator will hatch, if not I will be mad. But I will try again.