Fruit is ordered

4 peach trees
2 cherry trees
8 apple trees-semi dwarf
50 raspberry
30 blueberry
3 currant
1 hazelnut
100 strawberry

Finally finished the garden plan

Man! That took way too long. Anticipated yield-don't think you want to know. It is over 1000 pounds of tomatoes, 100 pounds of green beans and more. Yes, a 1000.three zeros.

I have ordered elderberry bushes, cranberry bushes, mulberry, gooseberry. Today will get the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, aspargus and rhubarb.

We cut the sod off this week for the garden plot. The boys want to build a sod house. I have no objections, I am just thinking that I will channel that building into a root cellar. The soddie would be the outer housing. Still researching that.

The chicks arrive in a week.

Home from church again today

#5 slept in (unusual) and said, "I feel bawfy."

Right now she and I are in my bed. She just fell asleep after using the bucket. sigh

Have I mentioned to you guys lately how much I love my husband?

He buys me Fruit Loops.

He is the best.

Cheap Breakfast

1 box (a whole one) of quick oats
1 1/2 c. dry milk
1 1/2 c. creamer
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1-2 c. freeze dried strawberries, blueberries, whatever you want

Mix it all together. Put back in container. For use, 1/2 c. of mix and 3/4-1 c. hot water. Figured out the cost to be about 20 cents per serving.

#4 wants to have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Cinnamon Spice
1 box quick oats
1 1/2 c. dry milk
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8-1/4 tsp. ground cloves.
1 tsp. salt

Same directions as above.

#4 wants this one for snack.

Indoor Gardening videos

On youtube.com there is a great series of videos. The lady's name is Sarah. To view her videos search for pioneerliving. She has all sorts of interesting things to teach us. Who knew I could use tomato plant clippings to make a new tomato plant? not me. I've learned tons.

Did I mention this?

Babycakes went to nursery last week.

You know what this means? I (and DH) actually get to sit through Sunday School again.

At one point we could hear her wailing "Momma! Daaddddy! Mooommmma! Daaadddy!" through the door. They fed her a banana and she was fine. Oh, the miracles a banana holds.

She brought home a yucky cold to share with her sister and I. I am staying home from church tomorrow-by myself.alone.

Garden

16 more broccoli, 8 celery (it's late), 4 cabbage, 8 tomatoes

and I forgot to buy pea seeds, sheesh

Friends, Corned Beef and Cabbage

Today we travelled into the Lund's home for lunch. 33 people attended. It was a grand time. I brought the camera but forgot to take any pictures. duh

YEAH!

I won!

The Time Has Come

and it was way too soon.

grumble.

pout.

#6 polevaulted out of her crib today. That is how DH described it.

I was in the basement working on the seedlings and I could hear her screeching all the way down in the basement. She was so ticked that she couldn't get out of the room. (The door knob is lever type and it only opens when you pull UP on it and she has to tippy-toe it to pull down.) I abandoned my seeds to go comfort her.

I tried getting her to go to sleep on the toddler bed. No way.
I tried getting her to lay down on the pillows on the floor. No way.
I held in my arms and rocked her and patted her bum and she fell asleep for 5 minutes.

I had the big boys bring 2 twin mattresses up. I am now officially the mama of people who only sleep in twin beds (and mine).

It is sad.

too soon

too soon

Breathe Deep Mama

Deep breaths.

We use a computer curriculum called Teaching Textbooks. It is great. I love the self-grading. I love the gradebook.

We printed off #1's gradebook today.

I am looking it over. #1 likes to skip problems. #1 likes to skip lessons.

I call him to me (I am inputting the data into a tracking program) and ask him if he thought I wouldn't see the results of his math?

His response: Well, I didn't think you would HACK into my account.



ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

brain dead? brain damage? brain damage. brain damage.

maybe just hormonal 13 year old boy.

chocolate needed cause I am holding back.

Garden

planted broccoli seeds today-16 plants, 8 Green Goliah, 4 Packman, 4 Arcadia

She is not so unlike the others

#6 is a good blend between #1 and #2 with light eyes. So I think she fits in fairly well. #1 and 2 are the right most kidlets in this picture. #1 was just over 2 and #2 was 10 months.

Just 'cuz

Aren't they cute?

Mom?

Can hab some money? I want to go to the stowa and buy some gumbble bawws. You put the quawta in and dey faww down and I can get a bwue and white gumbble baww. I wike gumbble bawws.

That courtesy of #5.

giggle

I didn't know boys giggle

That is what the neighbors said tonight referring to #3. He was in prime form. He had the giggles so bad that he made all the women and girls giggle along with him. I could see his little baby-ness still when he was red, doubled over and giggling. I miss that l'il Butterball Baby.

Root Canals Suck

Vicodin doesn't suck.

That is all for now.

Things Money Can't Buy

The reason I posted about blessings is because I need to remember them. Like many others we have had our fair share of financial trials. They seem to overwhelm us at times. But as the money becomes tighter and tighter we have been blessed more and more with things you could never buy.

My sons got up and bore their testomies at church on Sunday. There was no prompting on mine or DH's part. Both #2 and then #1 got up on their own and went before the congregation and told the congregation that they know our church is true, the Book of Mormon is true and that they know that that "my family loves me." It was one of those proud mommy moments.

Then, a sister from the ward got up and gave me the absolute, biggest compliment I have ever had. She got up and also bore her testimony of the church and said, "The first *ourlastname* boy got up and he talked about how his family loved him. The gospel is about love. This family is teaching the gospel and their children know they are loved. That is the gospel plan in action, to know you are loved." I felt the Holy Ghost quietly reassure me.

There are many days I wonder why? Why? Why? Why? about oh, so many things. Somethings are very hard for me. There are days when I just grit my teeth and get through. For all of my shortcomings and faults these children love me and I love them and they know it. It renewed my resolve to keep working and doing what Heavenly Father wants me to accomplish. No amount of money could have ever bought that.

Add that to Nona and Dan spending the day with us. And Margo and Rick and kids and Jenny and kids. We didn't eat fancy food-waffles and beans and rice and dump cake. Laughter and love that filled our home. Money can't buy that.

Counting Blessings

2 testimonies born by my eldest sons
3 families over for dinner
15 children running through the house
2 pounds of beans
3 pounds of rice
4 batches of dump cake

TONS of fun and love

It was a good day yesterday.