I can't believe it's been four months since I have blogged on here . . . I guess starting another blog doesn't help! :) We have been extremely busy these months. We have made a trip to Oregon every month that we have been here, back on the West coast! April will be the first month we won't see Oregon at all. But never fear, we won't miss it by much . . . we will be headed that way on May 4th! Anyhow . . . Karl is getting used to his new job, and the kids are I are getting used to his new schedule. We've been so spoiled for the last couple of years, but we still can't complain (at least not too much.) Karl's parents, as well and his sister Ruth, and her whole family, as well as a couple of extra nieces and a nephew came up for President's Day weekend. It was a blast! There were 17 people in the house, and we didn't even nearly fill it up. From that weekend together, all 17 of us got sick! For Karl and I it was terrible. Our kids didn't fare too badly, but Karl and I were in bed sick for over a week! And all at the same time. It was miserable. Karl got an ear infection from that sickness, and is still having some issues with his ears, so please pray that that will get cleared up so we can have more answers about what the coming months will look like for our family.

A couple of weeks ago, we were blessed to have my cousins (Andy Donaldson and his wife Liz) for a quick visit, they also brought along Andy's Great Uncle Forrey. It was so fun to have some time with them to catch up and visit. I hope they will come back soon. Then the following weekend, we had a last minute visit from Karl's brother Andy. The kids didn't know he was coming, so when he walked out to the backyard, there was a little confusion, and then lots of screaming and excitement when they realized who it was! It was a special treat to have him in our home . . . next time though, he's going to have to bring his wife, or he'll be sleeping outside! ;) Just kidding, but we would love to see Darcy with him next time!

This past weekend, we had a fun Easter weekend with some of my family in town. Mom and Dad arrived around 9, then Larissa and West around 11:30 on Friday evening. So we slept in and had a late brunch, then the kids went next door to the Volunteer Fire Station to participate in their Easter Egg Hunt - it was fast, but fun! We planned our big Easter meal for Saturday evening, as most of the family would have to leave pretty quickly after church to get home at a reasonable hour. So with all the family that was there, and our friends, the Gilmore's, we loaded up on Ham, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Corn Pudding, Salad, Green Bean Casserole, Rolls and more! Then we topped it off with Homemade Cheesecake, a Strawberry-Banana-Blueberry Triffle, and Peanut Butter Pie! SO GOOD! We all rolled into bed -late, and I rolled out of bed at 3:08 am, to open the door for my little sister and her hubby.

Linnaea and Tommy arrived just after 3 am because they had to work until 10!!! Oh to be young again . . . Anyhow, they wanted to be here for Easter with everyone, not just because it was Easter, but because it was to be the day Hunter, our eldest son, was baptised. And, he was! What a blessing to watch your children grow in their relationship with Christ, at such a young age and to desire to serve Him! Hunter has such a heart for God, and for sharing God's love with others. I know that God has great things in mind for Hunter, and am thrilled to think that his heart is already softened to God's will. :) It was an extra special blessing to have so much family here for his special day. What a legacy of faithful followers of Christ we have in this family!

Well, I'll close this with a few prayer requests, I'll try not to add too many details, but bear with me. I know this post is getting longer and longer!

~ Christi Kitterman, Karl's oldest sister, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer last week. Please pray for peace and comfort, for wisdom for the doctor's and medical staff, for minimal or no side effects, for grace and compassion for those surrounding her, for her kids as they process and live this time, for her husband Jim as he takes on more in the household, and for a great miracle from God if that is His will.

~Sophia Ruiz, daughter of Kristy and Fracisco Ruiz (I've known Kristy since I was in the 3rd grade!) They had Sophia last week, and she aspirated Meconium (first baby poo), she is finally off the ventilator and they were able to hold her for the first time today. Please pray for continued healing, as well as for Sophia to begin the nurse well. Thank God for her healing so far!

~Please pray for Hunter, that he would continue to allow the Holy Spirit to soften his heart to what God desires from him and for him.

~Pray for Karl's ear, that the docs would be able to figure out what is wrong, and what to do about it. Thanking God that Karl's hearing has returned!

~Pray for our friend Brie Gilmore (from our friend family who was with us on Easter). She has committed to go to Africa on a missions trip . . . please pray that funds would come in and that God would prepare her spiritually for the process and for the trip. I thank God for her heart for missions, her heart for orphans, her heart for healing and her willingness to step out in faith!

Okay, I'm sure there are more, but these are what comes to mind at 12:34 am . . . it's almost my favorite time . . . 12:35 am . . . anyone know why? Take a guess . . .

Oh, and if you want to see my other blog, it's www.nottheperfectchef.blogspot.com . . . see you there!

BUSY!

Okay, okay, so this is par for the course. I stink at keeping our blog up to date, but really, we have been SO busy!!! I think my last post was the very day we vacated our house in Maryland. It's been a crazy whirlwind since then. That was the 8th of October . . . since then . . .

Oct. 10 -Karl flew to Wyoming to hunt. Shot his buck (deer) within 6 hours of landing (his biggest buck ever!), proceeded to shot a doe and three antelope (a buck and two does). He is so amazing! And if I were blogging from our home computer, I would add pictures, but I'm not, and many of you have already seen the proof in picture form already. :) Meanwhile, the kids and I are hanging out at our friends' house, the Rog's. We lived in their trailer, and they graciously allowed us to use the potty, bother them, interupt their lives, and even use their prime parking spots while we were there. It worked out quite well, as we love us some Rog's!

Oct. 14 - I had my last Pampered Chef show in Maryland. :( (at least for now), and I had a blast there! The family and their friends were hilarious, the only bummer of the deal was that I just met them and we were moving in the morning! So . . .

Oct. 15 - The kids and I say a few last minute, very tearful goodbyes. The Miller's (Joe's best friend's family), The Hough's (Andrew's best friend's family), The Rog's (Our families best friend family) and then my dear Abi Albers (Abi was in my small group at youth group, and we formed a special connection over the past year.) I'm crying as I type this - that day was not one I'll forget any time too soon. Katy and I cried of and on the whole drive to Charlotte, North Carolina - that's almost 7 hours! But much to the disappointment of a certain special sweet friend (Autumn Rog), I was not so bleary eyed that I couldn't drive away. :( We arrived very late in Charlotte, at Uncle Dave and Aunt Joyce's house and I knew when we arrived, and Uncle Dave was awake and ready to help us bring our bags in, that he loved me. (Not that I didn't know before, but that's a sacrifice - he gets up very early!) We stayed for a couple of days, but scooted out midweek, as cousin Abby, their daughter, was getting married over the following weekend, and none of us wanted the kids underfoot at "wedding central"! So, on

Oct. 18 - The kids and I headed to Monroe, NC to spend the rest of our time (minus wedding time) with our dear friends the Moitozo's. We know Steve and Glenda and their kids from our years in Maine, and they are now in NC, so we loved being able to see them each time we went down to visit family. Karl arrived back in MD late on the night of

Oct. 20 - He drove all night, on almost no sleep, and when I woke on the morning of

Oct. 21 - He was standing over my bed, looking like a zombie! I love him all the more, for knowing that I needed him with me, right then. I knew then, that he loved me more than I understood. The next couple of days were spent running around for family BBQ's, rehearsal, saying goodbye's with the Moitozo's, and decorating, and then of course,

Oct. 23 - The most amazing wedding of Abby Michelle to Matthew Ridenhour. The wedding was perfect, a gorgeous church, in a beautiful city, with a perfect reception location, but the best part was the bride and groom. Not only was Abby absolutely stunning and Matthew a picture of perfection (as any Marine in uniform should be.) But their desire to honor God through their marriage was evident to everyone there. It was spectacular! I can't wait to see how God blesses them as they discover each other again, within their marriage. We left that night, in our van, to begin our drive across the country. We didn't get far. About an hour or so up the road, but it was an hour less we had to drive the next day!

Oct. 24 - We officially begin our cross country trek! I don't really remember where we stopped the first couple of nights, I just know that we got to Gillette, Wyoming, on

Oct. 26 - Just in time to have Family Dinner (Wednesday night), at our old church. It was SO great to see so many of those who we had grown close to, and loved from our time in Wyoming. We spent a couple of days there, and got to spend some special time with some dear friends there, including, but not limited to the Otte's, the Roswadovski's and the Smith's. We left on

Oct. 29 - We left Gillette, and headed up to Montana, where we got to meet up with Andy (Karl's brother, and his wife Darcy!) This was the first time that the kids and I had had to meet her, and I can say with absolute certainty, We ALL LOVE her! She's great, and compliments Andy amazingly. We met them for lunch and then they took us out to where their horses are boarded and we got to meet them. The kids and Andy wrestled around in the grass and goofed off, and we loved ever minute of it! We only wished there were more minutes to share with them. After a couple hours with them, we had to hit the road . . . We were on a mission!

Oct. 30 - we arrived in Burlington, WA and stayed the night there . . . a great hotel with a pool! The kids loved it!

Oct. 31 - We arrived in Oak Harbor, WA!!! That's the day we got the keys to our new house (we are renting, but it's a great house!) It was Halloween and the kids were chomping at the bit to "do something", so we made cheesy costumes that when all four kids stood next to each other in a line, said NAVY BRATs. We met up with some old friends at their church for their Harvest Style Party and had dinner there, then we scooted away a little early to go to another friend's church where they had a "Trunk or Treat" going on in the parking lot. The kids had a blast, and everyone loved their costumes! And it was amazing to reconnect with our long lost Allison! She wasn't really lost, but sometimes if felt like it. We know her from our time in Wyoming, as she was a recruiter in Colorado and the time, and Karl introduced us at a spouses function years ago. Anyhow . . . we then headed over to our Oldest Navy Friend's house. Donnie Gilmore and Karl go WAY back! All the way to A school and Aircrew school and whatnot, so we've known him for almost 16 years! I hadn't seen Donnie or his wife Brie since we left Maine three years ago, and had never yet met their baby Ava. It was great to reconnect with them so quickly after arriving here, and I even got to see Brie's mom Michelle! She was visiting. Anyhow . . . So,

Nov. 2 - Our household goods arrived. We have never experienced such a terrible move process with a moving company, so the day had a couple lows, but it's all stuff. We frantically unpacked! And tried to get all the utilities and whatnot set up in our names.

Nov. 5 - I drove Karl to the closest gas station at like 5 am (ICK), so that he could catch a bus to the airport, as he had to back to Charlotte to drive our truck back to Maryland, where he'd have to finish up working for a couple weeks. Over the next couple of weeks, we got chickens!, Karl shot a couple more deer in Maryland! (including, but not limited to his biggest buck ever! a 12 pt non-typical, with a hunting story like no other!), The kids and I spent my birthday and Thanksgiving with family down in Oregon, and then my parents came up to the island to watch the kids.

Dec. 1 - I flew out to Maryland, so that Karl wouldn't have to drive across the country alone. We busted the trip out pretty quick! We squeezed in a light parade in Gillette, Wyoming, and a night there at friends.

Dec. 4 -We then survived an almost two hour drive in white out conditions on our way to Montana to stay a night with Andy and Darcy. They took us out to dinner, as a late birthday gift - the food and the company was amazing. We got to bed pretty early, as both couples had a day on the roads ahead of them.

Dec. 5 - We arrived HOME! Back to Oak Harbor just about dinner time. The kids were ecstatic to have Karl back home, and I was relieved to have road trips off my mind for a couple days at least. We relaxed for about two minutes before we started in on more unpacking and laundry. over the next two weeks before our next road trip, we cut down a tree (split and stacked too), hassled with minor property issues, got two puppies, and just tried to get settled. Then came . . .

Dec. 12 - West, my sister Larissa's husband called to tell me the news that his brother (Nathan, in NY) had had a serious stroke. West left soon after to go be with his brother and sister-in-law there in NY. I am amazed at God's provision in this situation. West didn't have a job at the time. Which would seem to most like a bad thing. But God's provision allowed West to go as soon as was possible to be there with them. God does work in mysterious ways. Nathan is making huge strides in his recovery these days, and we praise God for His goodness, and thank Him sparing Nathan's life. (for updates on Nathan, check out www.nateupdate.org )

Dec. 17 - Two of the Gilmore girls had a joint birthday party, so we hung out in town long enough to be here for that. Happy Birthday to Ava and Ily!!! We love you girls! Then, we scooted out a little early to head down to Oregon to hang out with family for the week before Christmas! It was a great time to reconnect in person with our families. We spent Christmas Eve with Karl's family and Christmas Day with my side.

Dec. 26 -West surprised Larissa and came home from NY! Karl got to facilitate part of that, so it was extra fun being in on the surprise! The fun didn't last too long, as Karl got an itch to get home, so we left late in the afternoon that day and arrived home at about 11pm. It's not really like Karl to want to drive that late, but I think he was just so sick of driving that he wanted to get it over with!

Dec. 31 - We had the Gilmore's over to celebrate - we laughed a lot, ate too much, had a mini piano recital. It was so much fun, and I am thankful to God for allowing us to be stationed near them again and to deepen our relationships with their entire family.

Jan. 1 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! We tried out a new church, and liked it . . . it may become home for us while we live here.

Jan. 3 - Karl headed back to work for real. :)

Jan. 6 - We got to have my friend Allison's kids here with us for the weekend, so that she and her husband could travel to California to be with her family for her mother's funeral. Not a fabulous reason to have to steal her kids away for a couple days, but glad we could do it. We had a great time. The boys, our three and their two, played outside almost the whole weekend! And their daughter tagged along with Katy. It wasn't an crazier than normal. There was only one zap from the neighbor's electric fence, and one run in with stinging nettles. All in all, a pretty successful time here with 7 kids! :)

Jan. 8 - 1:15 am the house phone rang and I knew that Deanna, my sister who lives in England, was in labor. I leapt out of bed and searched for the phone frantically. You see, I was the designated "stateside" contact to disperse info to the families. Those of you who know me, may already know that I can't sleep well when someone I know is in labor! So, I was frantically searching the internet, learning how to get an emergency passport, just in case something went wrong and I had to get to England quickly. Everything went well, and at 7:10am Ben called with Baby Elias James Edsall (Eli) grunting in his arms! 8 pounds 12 ounces!!! That's one big baby! Deanna's a champ! I spent the rest of the day like this . . . return Allison's kids home to their dad, go to church, go home to change quickly and then drive an hour south to go cut some free firewood to put up for next winter. I won't go into the ugly details of that experience, but just know . . . we got about 1.5 cords that day, and the next day - I didn't get out of bed until after 1pm I was SO sore and tired!!!

So, now you are pretty well caught up on all of what Us Wards have been up to. If you are by chance feeling left out from not having received a Christmas card/picture/letter from us, don't. We didn't do one this year. . . when would we have had time? We are now back into the swing of schooling, and Karl has pretty much "normal" hours here when he's home. Yup, he's already on the road . . . just for a couple weeks, but for those of you who don't already know. With our orders here, he will be taking short trips, as well as being deployed for 6 months at a time. Please, as you think of us, please please pray. We know that God supplies every thing we need. But let's just ask in advance for Him to prepare us for what he has brought us to. Thanks.

I know that I am not a writer, and I am not at all consistent with this blogging thing, but I love that there is an outlet here for me, that I can give you a glimpse into what all we do, and sometimes even who we are.

ChurchFriendFamily

Okay, so here we are, at the Darden's house (our friends, from church, who are out of town and have offered us a place to do laundry, clean up and rest) catching up on business and facebook. I find that I have a few minutes until the laundry is done drying and I thought I'd update you all (Ha!) here at our blog. It's official. We are out of our house! The keys have been handed over and we are done with renting in the state of Maryland. I have to say that we have been terribly blessed - I'm not sure that terribly is the best word for this situation, but it's what came to mind! - we have had a ton of help and support over the last couple of weeks from our friends here in SoMD. Our church family astounded us again (at this point, I don't know why I am always surprised!) and Katy's Sunday School class came out in force, with 2 adults and 8 teens this morning, to finish up the cleaning of the house! It was fantastic! They were in and out in about 3 hours, and they cleaned that house cleaner than it's been in well . . . quite awhile! They worked hard, and while the cleaning was a huge blessing, it was amazing to see the future of the church at work! What great families we have at LBC, raising amazing kids who love the Lord! Thanks again kids! You were are huge help! We also had a contractor friend from church who replaced the recently broken window, and while he was there, allowed us to borrow his super long ladder to replace some burnt out lightbulbs at the height of the vaulted ceiling. Two days ago, Marie came and the two of us, she and I (Trinette) cleaned out and scrubbed inside and out the two fridges that were at the house. Not an easy task - a total labor of love, but having her there made the time fly! She is a sweet friend, and I will miss her terribly! We have been living in our dear friends' (the Rog's) trailer, and will be staying there until we exit MD. They have been so gracious and patient with us and our weird schedules this whole time! Suzanne threw us a last minute going away party at their house last night. It was so good to have many of our dear friends come and wish us well. We will certainly miss the fellowship that our church family has provided us here. There haven't been too many tears yet . . . Karen Dooley was the first to get me crying, but that was a couple of weeks ago! And then Barb, whose house I sit in now, got me all teary eyed when we left dinner the other night. I'm sure that this upcoming week will hold many tears for all of us, except Karl who will be hunting in Wyoming! Please pray for us all as we transition over the next few weeks. Pray for my health, as allergies have kicked into high gear with the grass cutting going on, which doesn't help the pneumonia that doesn't seem to be getting as "better" as it should be. :/ Pray for safe travels for Karl as he flies out to Wyoming and back, and for me, as the kids and I travel south to the Charlotte area. Pray for our friends as we leave, that they will be happy for us in our new adventure, and that God will meet every need, spoken and unspoken as we depart. Blessings to you all! Love you!

Tomorrow, Today and The last week...

So tomorrow is the day. The moving truck comes and we start getting packed up. It's a bit surreal, and I'm not sure we are ready. We have been sorting and pitching and purging for weeks now. The dogs, chickens and pigs have found new homes and the guinea, well she "found" a new home too (in guinea heaven we'll say.) The kids are hitting panick mode, realizing that they won't see their friends many more times before we drive away. I am hitting emotional mode, realizing that I won't see my friends many more times. For today though, we are packing up what we'll need with us for the next 4 weeks on the road - an impossible task - and finishing up last minute things.

Over the last week or so, we have had some bumps in the road . . . a broken window, a broken 46 inch TV, overflowing septic, and I ran over one of the kids' bikes yesterday morning! UGH!!! Oh, and I am fighting pneumonia! We are actively claiming the name of Jesus Christ over this move, our health and our transition, and we clearly are feeling attacked! But Satan will not win this battle. We are working diligently to have good attitudes and understanding with each other as we all feel a little crazy. We know that God will supply for our every need, and we are filling ourselves with Him, so that when we get bumped, our overflow will be from Him, not from ourselves.

The last week of our time here in SoMD will be really over the next 10 days or so. There are dinners with friends and play dates for the kids, and many, many goodbyes to be said over the course of these days. Please, as you think of us, pray not only for us, but for our friends that will remain here. We know that God is the God of all comfort, and we know that he will comfort each of us and our friends, that allows him to do so. It's hard for some, to express how much they'll miss us, or our kids without making us feel a pang of guilt over the life we have chosen for our family. It's hard not to resent these people in these moments. Especially for me. Please pray that I will be given grace beyond measure for these moments.

So, tomorrow marks the first super obvious step in our departure. What a busy week we will have. Thanks for covering us in prayers. And know that I will happily return the favor, anytime.

Change is truly in the air! Over the past three weeks, our area has suffered some pretty major adjustments . . . between earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding, there has been a lot of rebuilding and cleaning up! Us Wards have been blessed to have come through all of those events really well. No damage to our home or flooding on the property. Some of our friends were not so lucky. I am constantly amazed by God's provision though. I was with a group of my girlfriends the night beofre the hurricane blewn into town, and as we were all chatting about what to expect, one of my friends flippantly said that maybe they'd get a new roof out of it! Well, they are getting one! No one wants trees to fall on their house, ever, but if there were ever any more deserving people of a new roof courtesy of their insurance company, it is them. God provided a way! It is His perfect provision that continues to amaze me. Speaking of provision, God has brought hundreds of relief workers here to our county to help with the clean up process. They are from the Southern Baptist Relief Teams. They are living in our church building, and sending out teams of Yellow-shirted Angels all over our county. There are chainsaw teams, and chaplains, a cooking team, and so many more volunteers! I have had the privilege to get to know a couple of them as I serve in the kitchen, and their untiring minds, hearts and bodies are a miracle to behold. God is certainly their strength! What a testimony of the greatest volunteer act ever. Christ's love is certainly being made know through them. A nice little side bit is that the relief workers have been saving all their food scraps and leftovers for our pigs! Ham and Turkey have never been happier! They need to get as fat as is possible in the next couple of weeks, as we will be moving very soon. Yes, I know, could this one blog post handle any more info??? Probably not, but I'm going to share anyhow. :) We have received orders to transfer to Whidbey Island, Washington. Karl has been out there over the past 10 days or so, and in that time has secured a home for us to move into. It's a fantastic home, and we are super excited to get there and see it for ourselves. Here's a link so you can take a peek!

www.militarybyowner.com/homes/WA/Oak_Harbor/Volunteer_Rd/MBO203229.aspx

We are very sad to be leaving Southern Maryland. We have been blessed with a fantastic Church Family here, and a huge Friend Family here. We are already having moments of sadness as we process all this move will mean for us. Yes, we are excited to be back closer to family, and farther away from things like Ticks and Chiggers and Copperheads (I killed one in the driveway last night!) but we will be missing this place like crazy. We will miss being able to shoot down to Charlotte for a long weekend. We'll miss our youth groups and choir, and homeschool groups and friends. We'll miss 5 months of hunting deer and practically non existent bag limits. We'll miss know there are friends who will run over, for any reason, at any time - even to check and make sure the Copperhead is dead! and friends who are more excited for first deer than I was! We'll miss a church that is the most warm and encouraging people we've ever had the privilege of serving and worshipping with. God is so good to have provided all of this here, please pray that He will already, be preparing in advance of our move - friends for us and especially the kids, in Wa, and a church where we can feel the same welcome and Love of God.

Okay, so I am going to stop now, before I become a blubbering mess right here at the desk! Just know that if you are here in MD, we love you and will miss you all terribly. If you are on the way to WA, I hope that we get to stop by on our way through and see you, because we miss you too! And if you are already in WA - we can't wait to get there and see you all again! Party at the WARDS house!

Open Windows

So it's Saturday, and for any of you that know me, you'll be surprised that I have been up for over 2 hours! Yup, it's 10am and I was up before 8! So there is a reason. A good one. I have a friend here visiting. I've known Diane for almost 11 years, but as we are both Navy wives, we haven't lived near enough to see much of each other over the past 8-9 years. We recently reconnected, and she and I have been exchanging visits between here and where she lives in the Virginia Beach area. This time, she brought her son Reese with her! The boys were ecstatic, and Reese was certainly looking forward to seeing a real live pig - "not like the movie ones." So, Diane had to be up and out of the house for an appointment this morning, so I got up and made them a "real" breakfast. Don't get me wrong - I don't usually feed all this "real" food to my family every day. We had cinnamon rolls, warm from the oven (Oh, the smells!), and we had fried eggs - literally fresh from the nest. A couple of the eggs were even double yokers! And then to top it all off, I made sausage patties from what is left of our "Bacon" sausage. Top it all off with orange juice (not freshly squeezed) and milk (very store bought and pasturized!) and it was quite the yummy breakfast. And while I have certainly enjoyed that our windows have been open for 48 hours or so, I don't want to lose all the yummy smells of breakfast! So now, the major question of the day . . . what's for lunch? ;)

Summer is here!

So, has summer arrived where you are? We got summer, here in Southern Maryland, just in time for Easter! What a beautiful day is was, to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior!

I wish I could add some pictures to show you all how gorgeous this particular day was, but still, our camera is disabled - as is our bank account! Ha! So, you'll have to imagine the million shades of spring greens and the lovely pinks and purples of flowering trees and vines. Don't forget the smell of wisteria floating around on the buzzing wings of bees and butterflies! So lovely a day to celebrate! We spent the morning at church, and then ran home to finish the preparation that was our part of a three-family Easter meal, to be had in the afternoon. Wheat and Daiy free Peanut Butter Cookies, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Apple Cashew Coleslaw and last but certainly not least was our homegrown ham! This was the last 1/2 ham from the pig we raised last year. "Bacon", as was his name, was SO good! (No worries though, we'll be well stocked this year, as we just got two new pigs to raise for food! - The kids named them Ham and Turkey!)

The garden is just about ready for the starts and seeds to go in the ground, and we are already anicipating the juicy warm tomatos straight from the garden, as well as the green beans and peas. Cucumbers and squash, lettuce and spinach, beets and carrots too!

School is becoming harder and harder to focus on, as the days go by, and the sun comes out brighter and warmer each day. Our days are full of school, and church activities, and doctor appointments and well, life. We are so blessed to have to such "Friend Family" around us here, who help us to know how to enjoy the area we are in to it's fullest. We are pleased to have new friends to add to that list all the time. As we anticipate a move coming by the end of the year, we are cleaning out and decluttering - just a little bit at a time. Trying to enjoy the time we can spend out doors before it turns super hot and humid!

Well, I could go on and on, but like I said before . . . there is a doctor appointment with the name ward on it, in the not too far distant future. See you here again soon!

Million Billion Trillion

Okay, so in my last post or two or three, I have tried to convince all my "blog friends" that I haven't forgotten that I have a blog. Well, I pretty much have. Or, in all honestly, it has fallen down the priority list for the time being. Us Wards are super busy . . . in a good way, but still, BUSY! We have all been through the flu and colds. Jojo is getting over strep throat. Karl and I attended the Youth Ski Retreat out church goes to. I am now on a worship team at church. I quit one job, started another (although I think I mentioned that in my last post), and am taking a leave of absence from our farm job next month! The kids are all in the midst of practices for the AWANA games that are coming up very quickly, in fact the day after that all happens, we leave to North Carolina and Tennessee for a few days. That trip will entail fun, seeing family and friends, and even business - as a friend is having a Pampered Chef party that week! We are all excited about that trip. But if you don't mind, I'm going to chat at you about how amazing my life is, in spite of all the chaos!

I am so blessed! I know the Savior of the world! Jesus Christ! He never fails to reveal himself to me, when I need it the most. The ski retreat was designed to be an amazing time for the kids, but it was also an amazing time for me! I was reminded how God has cared for me, all of my life. How He loves me as a daughter. How He desires to know my heart, and for me to know His heart. I was also reminded, that no matter how long I have been a Christian, there will be a room in my heart that needs renovation - the kind that requires a master carpenter. I happen to know the best carpenter around! He loves me more than I will ever comprehend, and when we are in the demolition phase, I can trust that He will rebuild me stronger, for His glory! How great is that?!?!?!?

Then, there's my Karl . . . can I just say - he's perfect! He's perfect for me. I love him (seriously) more than I ever imagined was possible. I pray fervently, that my Katy will meet someone as great as her Daddy. Who loves the Lord, and serves Him. He spoils me with his love. It's not grandiose gifts that make me know he loves me. It's how he looks at me from across the room. Or how he listens as intently as our children do, when I read aloud to the kids. It's that he stays up all hours of the night so that I won't have to stop writing my blogpost to go to bed! It's that he reads God's Word every day. It's that he serves our country despite all it's flaws and failings. It's that he wants our children to know God personally - and that while Daddy loves them more than just about anything - he loves God more. It's that he makes me a priority, even over our kids. (Controversial to some people maybe, but I think it is a living demonstration of Christ's love for His bride, the Church.) I could go one for pages and pages, but I'll spare you all of that. I just love my man!

Then, there's our kiddos!

Katy, my dear sweet daughter. She is scarily growing faster than I can buy new clothes! :) She is turning into quite the little lady, and while we are starting to hear a bit of attitude every now and again from her, she is the best daughter I could ever have asked for. When we were all sick, I was literally in bed for 3 days straight! Karl had to work, so who managed the house and the boys, and even most of the cooking??? That's right! My Katy bug! She is such a joy. I thank God for her daily!

Hunter, my hunter-man. He is growing like a weed as well! He is becoming a fine goose hunter, and that is all good. You see, after deer season, he was beginning to think we named him wrong! No way! We knew what we were doing! He got 6 geese in two outings! He beat all the old veterans of the sport that were with them that day too! Hunter, if you don't know him well enough to know, has the sweetest heart. He cares when someone is hurting, and his heart breaks for people in a way, that I have only seen in adults. He is a friend to the friendless (literally), and stands up for the defenseless. I love him for that! He really wants to invent something really spectacular, but doesn't have any ideas yet, so stay tuned for posts about his inventions!

Andrew . . . well, Andrew is in a stage . . . Hunter was there a couple of years ago, and we are glad to know it isn't so much a personality trait, as a stage. He likes to be involved in every conversation, and he usually thinks he knows it all, and he is right! :) It is a frustrating, but often times very comical stage. I amthough, hoping he will take this and run with it. A man who firmly believes in something, is a force to be reckoned with. It is my sincere prayer, that God will use this to Andrew's benefit, but moreso, to further God's kingdom! Andrew has a willing heart, and I believe that God has big plans for him! I love my Drewly!

Well, then there's Jojo. He is a goof ball! He says the funniest things, at the funniest times! Sure to be the class clown. He is trying to figure out whether he is a leader . . . or a follower. I get the privilege of being one of his homeschool group teachers, and watching him work through that is absolutely hilarious! He has started into the phase of trying to lie to Mommy and Daddy. It's not working out so well. Which is great if you ask me! He recently tried to lie about a candy or cookie or something, and when I asked him "Josiah, are you lying to Mommy?" He just lost it! Crying so hard . . . he knew he had done something wrong, and that he had hurt me. His heart was repentant right away, and I loved every minute of it! He is asking a lot of questions about Jesus, and having Jesus in his heart. I pray constantly for his salvation. I trust he will know Christ as his personal Savior.

Okay, so I have rattled on and on about my wonderful blessings . . . there are so many more . . . it would take a million billion trillion blog posts to list them, and I am sure if I tried that, I would miss a million billion trillion more! So, for now, know that if you are reading this, you would certainly show up in one or more of those million billion trillion posts.

So much has happened, and much to you all's (I'm sure that is not a word, but whatever . . . ) bitter diappointment, there will be no picture with this blog post. I know, I know, my writing is not what you all come here for, but our camera is broken (got dropped on Christmas) and we just found out, the warranty we purchased for it expired on the 28th of December. :( So, pictures will be at a minimum for awhile, as the priority for funds right now is to get our whole family to Oregon again this summer, for what is going to be another fantastic Saemenes' girl wedding. Yup, if you hadn't heard anywhere else, you heard it here . . . Linnaea is getting married! I really don't know a ton of details, but the family is really enjoying getting to know he Tommy, and Bellcastro (his last name) will fit fine just after Linnaea's name. :) Our family is very excited to see all of what God has planned for their lives together!

Hunting season is essentially over . . . there is just some really, REALLY cold bow hunting to be done until the 31st for the die hard or desperate hunters out there. We don't have to be out, as we have 9 deer in the freezer! I got one, my first, a buck, and Karl got 5! Also, we had a friend who gave us a couple to help feed our little, but evergrowing army here. (No, that was not an announcement - we are not pregnant. Our kids just don't stop growing!)

Hunter wasn't so sure we named him correctly, as his deer season didn't shape up like he has imagined . . . each time deer were close enough to get a shot at, he was either snoozing away in the stand, or he was too excited (Buck Fever) to pull the trigger. One time, he told Karl that his finger wouldn't move! :) So, we figured we had to find a way to convince him we named him right . . . so, on to goose hunting it was. Hunter's first time out was last Saturday, and don't you know . . . he shot two! Of twelve guys out that day, he got 2 of the 8 they shot as a group! The smallest went to Hunter, as did the biggest! Oh, and the goose jerky . . . Yummy! It's amazing! I hear boiled goose hearts are good too, but I left that eating to the boys! :)

I did take Josiah (5) out hunting on one day. He was so cute all camo'd up! He wasn't too sure about the sitting still or being quiet thing, but he loved using the range finder to see how close the trees were, as the deer were much to far away to even see! ;) And I loved seeing him enjoy his time with his mommy and in nature!

Andrew is chomping at the bit to get his Hunter Safety Course under his belt! He loves to shoot the bb gun and airsoft guns that we have, but he wants so badly to hunt with daddy! We are excited that next year, assuming he passes the course, will be his first year hunting. We just aren't too sure how we are going to take each of the kids hunting enough to give them a real shot at getting a deer, and still have time to get the deer we need to fill the freezer! We'll figure it out.

Katy, has been saving for almost a full year, to buy an American Girl doll for herself, and she finally got all the money she needed - and then some! So, we have a new doll in the house. She's a look alike doll, that doesn't look a thing like Katy! Katy named her Justine, because she does look like a sweet friend who used to babysit the kids all the time when we lived in Maine.

We have a lot going on this year, and any numbers of changes that could come down the "pipeline" so to speak. I just signed to be a Pampered Chef Consultant - working this business will help us to afford the plane tickets for our entire family to be at Linnaea and Tommy's wedding in June! Then in March, we find out the results of the officer package Karl put in. In April, if we don't get the officer package, we will start looking for our next set of orders - that could lead us - who knows where! In May, we have Hunter's birthday, and who knows what else, and then in June . . . the wedding! (Oh and Birthdays galore and our anniversary - 14 years!?!?!?!?) And then we will get to the summer . . . maybe! :) In the midst of all of that, we plan to get more chickens and guineas, raise another pig, keep our jobs at the horse farm, continue homeschooling and still have sanity! Looking toward the fall . . . the biggest couple of things on the agenda are a hunting trip for Karl in Wyoming (the kids and I MAY be going, but not sure yet.) AND . . . our cousin Abby Michelle, getting married! There's no firm date yet that we have heard, but we just can't wait . . . we have had the opportunity to get to know her Matthew over the past couple of years, and they are a great couple, make a great team, and with them, we are excited to see all of what God has planned for their lives together!

So, as you can read (assuming you can read) we continue to stay busy and continue to love our lives! The busy-ness may make for craziness, but the craziness makes for fun, and who doesn't love to have fun?!?!?!?!

No, I haven't forgotten that I have a blog . . . I have though had little time to invest in it! I mostly come here to get a quick and easy link to the other blogs I follow. Sorry. Not that too many people follow mine, but those that do (Abby) are surely missing my life. Yeah right?!?!?! Anyhow, there is so much to write about these days . . . we have come way past Halloween and Thanksgiving, through the "holidays" and emerged on the other side. 2011! The past couple of months have held many exciting times for us. New friends were made, first deer were shot, and oh - so much more. I will hopefully get to update you on some of the details of a couple of the key events . . . but for now, I guess it's just a request that you few followers not give up on me and my blog . . . at least not yet . . .

On to our next stop . . . .

After spending a few days with our friends, the Moitozo's, we were on our way to some new adventures . . . we arrived in Charlotte at Uncle Dave and Aunt Joyce's house and the first thing to do after hugs and hellos . . . is head straight for the vintage Ms. Pacman arcade game! The boys can't get enough of it each time we are visiting, and I'll admit that Katy and Karl and I all take our fair share of turns on the console! :) We love hanging out at the Draxler's, especially when my cousins come to play . . . Abby played Twister with the kids, and Jeremy trapped Joe in a corner, and Rachel brought her adorable puppy "Major" over to play! We all shared a family dinner and hours of catching up . . . I love this family! Also, while we were there was when Karl and I got to go to the Nascar race. Aunt Joyce and Cousin Abby volunteered to hang out with the kids for the day and night so we could enjoy the race with no worries. They went to the park and to Chuck E. Cheese, and to the Dollar Store . . . they had a blast! The boys were especially thrilled when Mr. Matthew (Abby's significant other) showed up at the park to play for awhile. They enjoyed seeing him with hair, for the first time ever! (He's a Marine, so we often see him with little to no hair!) Anyhow, all in all the trip went very well, although, somewhere we picked up a bug, and it traveled through our family as well as the Draxler's family over the next week or so . . . As Uncle Dave said "Thanks for sharing." :) But we'll just say . . . Thanks for helping! We love to be close enough to this part of our family that we can get to know them a bit! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We love you! And, we can't wait to see you again.

NASCAR!!!

Okay, so there are plenty of you out there who have no idea that I am a Nascar fan! I love it! I record it every weekend that it's on . . . the practice and qualifying and all! I usually end up watching (sleeping through) it on Sunday afternoon. I am a Jeff Gordon fan . . .I know, BOO! HISS! Anyhow, and Karl like Jimmie Johnson - teammates. Katy likes Kyle Busch (although for the life of me, I can't figure out why.) Anyhow, we got tickets to go to the Charlotte Motor Speedway race in October . . . it was my first Nascar race, and Karl's first as afan. Itwas spectacular! I'll admit, thecrazies that come out for the races are hilarious and scary and weird and well CRAZY!!! But, I had a blast . . . we were in the 11th row, just about 75 yards past the start/finish line, so the sound was incredible, and jarring, and amazingly powerful! The anticipation, along with the adrenaline and the excitement, all brought me nearly to tears as the cars ROARED past us at the sight of the green flag! I was amazed at the display of power - to think that man could take credit for such a machine (or 43 of such machines) just blows my mind . . . how much mightier is The hand that created the sun and the moon and the stars?!?!?!?

Wow!

As I type this, the final race of the season is set to take place tomorrow,

and while my driver doesn't have a chance at the championship for this year, Karl's does,

so for today and tomorrow . . .

GO Jimmie Johnson!

Monday, I'll be back to my old favorite!

Fun with the Moitozo's!

So, backing up just a bit, we're going to head back in time to October . . . I know, I know . . . Halloween has been and gone, but we (Us Wards) had a hugely eventful October, and so much fun, that I just have to share with all of you!

We went to North Carolina to spend nearly a week with our dear friends, the Moitozo's. Steve (Dad) wasn't there, as he was traveling for work, so Karl, Katy, Hunter, Andrew, Josiah and I headed to Monroe to hang out with Glenda, Steven and Evan. We had a great time! We played outside, visited museums, took a tour of the Wycliffe/Jarrs facilities there in Waxhaw, and I think the highlight of the week was driving up to the Lazy Five Ranch! Some of you may wonder how we got friends in NC, so I'll explain. When we were stationed in Maine, we went to the same church as Steve and Glenda - we quickly became close with their entire family, and have grown to love them. We count them among our closest friend, and as a blessing from God! This spring, following God's calling they'd had for some time, they moved their family to NC, where they serve in missions with Jarrs/Wycliffe Bible Translators! We were so pleased that they moved, as they are closer now, than when they were in Maine, and we will likely be able to see them a couple of times a year still! So praise The Lord for his supplying of friends that uplift and support us in our calling, as we try to do the same for them. Moitozo's, if you read this, just know that - We love you guys!

There's are tons of pictures below, and I don't want to take (nor do I have) the time to caption each of them, so here's a list, in no particular order of the pictures below.

Cat caught in live trap, albino elk, Karl feeding a cow elk, scottish highland cattle, karl with a giraffe, Luther the rhino, zebra, watusi cattle, tortoise, on the ranch, Joe in the corn bin, pumpkin slingshot (super fun!), three-wheeler fun, Katy playing mommy/doctor to Evan after a spill, and a few group shots. Hope that helps!

No, no, I haven't forgotten that I have a blog. But, as usually happens when I start something . . . I let life get in the way . . . so this week, I am going to TRY to get one or two posted. It will be all old news to most of you, as I talk to my friends and family more than I blog these days, but just in case . . . expect some posts of Our trip to Charlotte, My first NASCAR race, Hunting update, Journey, Starbase, kitchen and home update, Andrew and water, Hunter and guns, Eggs, and Halloween . . . in no particular order, with no promises expressed or implied!

Minivan, hunting and school???

There are many things to write about these days . . . we are so busy! We just bought our first minivan (I know, sad day.) She is a pretty dark blue/green color, a Honda, and has all the bells and whistles. She won't be able to enjoy the easy life for long, as we have a road trip planned for next week! :) She fit right into the budget we had planned (once the dealership decided they wanted to sell a car,) and into the miles range that we wanted as well. The bells and whistles all ding and toot like they should, and the kids are thrilled that 1) we have a minivan, like all the other families at church (well almost all of them.) 2) that we bought the car from a salesman named Aladdin 3) that "all the bells and whistles" means that we again have a DVD player for them to watch on road trips! (I'll admit, that is a perk for more than just the kiddos!) Karl and I wrestled with the idea of being a minivan family for quite awhile before breaking down and just doing it. We have always been a truck or Suburban kind of family more than anything else . . . four wheel drive has been the name of the game for us (and no, all wheel drive isn't the same.) Okay, so that's enough of that . . . moving on . . .

Deer season for bow is in full swing, and I have been enjoying my first season, minus the 50 plus mosquito bites I got in one afternoon hunting outing. I enjoy holding Karl's hand in the dark while we hike to/from our stand or ground location. What I don't enjoy about hunting is the waiting. I have been out a couple of times now, and not one deer has been seen on any of those times! :( It's so frustrating! Karl has seen deer on every other hunting outing. Last night he actually shot two! He only recovered one, as the other ran onto some private property adjoining the land we hunt. :( So, while it was an exciting hunt, it was a bummer only to recover one. But, on the flip side, I now know that there really are deer out there! :)

School has been going pretty well this year, and the fact that we are 2 months in . . . is reason enough for us to have a day off today! :) No, really, today is a day off! :) The boys are loving learning about the Roman Empire and all it's "larger than life" heroes. Katy just likes to read and seeks to please. Kindergarten is so easy for Joe, that I am having to find things for him to do that are extra-curricular - art projects, flashcards, chores, etc . . . to keep him occupied for at least some of the day. Oh well, I guess it's a good thing that he already knows most of what it says I should be teaching! :)

Well, I guess that's about it for now. We are enjoying the cooler weather. I wish we had enough time to slow down and have a fire in the evening, but "life" has again taken over our schedules, and there are few (if any) nights that we are home before the kids' bedtime! Anyhow, I am off to waste the day away! Trusting everyone is well!

Health Update

So, here's just a quick update on my health . . . I had been having liver pain since July, and after tons of blood work, appointments with various doctors, an ultrasound, CT and an endoscopy . . . the doctor who originally told me "You don't have liver pain, because the liver can't feel pain." Has finally agreed that I have liver pain! So, I'm not crazy! Well, at least not about this. Anyhow, he came up with three possible causes, and went over the treatment plans for each. There's no test for any of them, so we picked one (the one that seemed most likely the cause to Karl and I - the doctor did not agree it was most likely, but what does he know???) Seeing as how the meds he gave me for this treatment have me pain free, my next appointment should lead to a diagnosis of something that has a big name that means nothing to anyone unless they have a medical degree . . . but the long and short is that my liver was spasming constantly, therefore - pain. Duh! Me put me on an anti-spasmotic (?spelling?) / smooth muscle relaxant. The most major of the side effects is that it gives me dry mouth and throat, so I have been drinking way more water (not a bad thing) - but it also limits how much singing I can do. I know, I know, the world is a better place for less Trinette singing, but I love it, so I miss being able to sing as much as I would like. But will happily stay on the meds for the two month trial to be pain free! Anyhow, that's about all for now . . . we are enjoying some much needed rainy days this week. I'm looking forward to getting some things done around the house, but I may need to pull out my galoshes and/or webbed feet for a little (or maybe, some serious) puddle jumping! Puddle jumping is a subject that brings two specific friends to mind. Miranda and Jessica. They were my puddle jumping pals in junior high and high school! Such sweet memories, from a simpler time, when happiness could be found in a mud puddle. It may be time to introduce my kids to the fine art of puddle jumping. There will be smiles all around if I manage to work up the courage to do such a thing for them! I promise that if I do . . . pictures will follow! :)

Just another random blog post.

So, in order to ward off the impending text begging of my sweet cousin Abby, I figure I had better write a blog. Now . . . what to write about??? I have no idea! We've been extremely busy, but nothing much to report . . .

I am in a slight panic in these days heading up to Katy's 12th birthday! Yikes! Where has the time gone??? She is growing up way too fast. She's in middle school this year, and she is gorgeous - so the shotguns have been cleaned a lot lately! ;) Just kidding . . . but I'm sure they will be soon!

Homeschooling is in full swing, and we have brought in all the subjects for the year. I chose to add some of them in one at a time, so we could "ease" into things this year, and I think it helped. We had our first Homeschool Fellowship day yesterday, and that went really well . . . the kids are excited to be back into seeing their friends multiple times a week. Today, Josiah and I started into our regular school schedule (it was an introductory section for the first couple of weeks.) And, we already have "lost" his math book. :( Ugh . . . it's a never-ending battle when we get "cool" books that are supposed to be for school . . . they randomly disappear from the school area. Frustrating to say the least, so Joe is on a hunt today to find the lost book! :)

Yesterday, Karl and I, for the first time ever, voted at a polling station! Well, I think I voted . . . We have always voted absentee in Oregon, as that is our home of record, but this year we decided we should vote here. So, we registered (or so we thought) and even double checked our registrations (as Karl got his card, and I did not.) So, the long and short is that we both had to fill out provisional ballots. Karl's will count, as he was in the system, but I was nowhere to be found! So, if my ballot doesn't count for this primary, I will at least, be all set for the general.

Oh, and we also picked up a Freecycle treasure! For those of you who may not know about freecycle.org, you should! It's a website/group, kind of a classifieds where everything listed is free, or you can post a "Wanted" ad. It's a great resource! We picked up about 7 linear feet of National Geographic Magazines! We have great plans for this treasure trove! We'll be using them for reports and collages and all sorts of fun projects! I can't wait to rip into them! :) teeheehee!

Hunting season opened up for Bow today . . . no, we are not hunting today, or tomorrow, but Friday, Karl will be, and Saturday - we'll see . . . after this week, things should settle down a bit and more hunting time should open up. ("Should" being the key word!)

We are already looking forward to October when we have a trip planned to visit friends and family in North Cackalacka (as Karl would say.) Then come the holidays! I can't wait . . . Christmas music may make it's debut around here very soon! The Amish market up the road will soon begin selling many more candies and breads and pies, and not so many vegetables and plants. I'm looking forward to the peanut butter balls and the peppermint patties . . . YUMMY! Until then . . . I'll stick to the eggplant, squash, still abundant tomoatoes, as well as the wonderful people we get to see there when we visit the market! Oh, and speaking of Amish . . . we'll hopefully soon be picking up a couple new little pigs to raise here at the house!

A good Navy day . . .

So, there are many days that I could write a list (or book) of complaints about the life I live as a Navy Wife. Being a Navy Wife is not usually convenient. Weeks and months of being a single parent, sleeping alone (if can sleep at all,) worrying about all things house and home, being mommy and daddy to the kiddos, not having friends or a church family when we first move, and so much more. Something always seems to go terribly wrong when my sailor Chief is away. Sometimes the Navy is there to help, support, and fill in the gaps, but often not. Today though, the Navy pulled through for us! We had a situation arise, and felt a strong desire for Karl to go home to Oregon for a bit to offer support. He called his boss at 11 pm last night and by the time they were off the phone Karl had purchased a plane ticket with his bosses assurance that his leave would be approved. This morning we all treked to the office and by about 9, the leave was already approved. I love that for this short time in Karl's career, we are able to have bosses that care about not just us, but our families. Also that his job here provides so much flexibility in his schedule. The hardest part of military life is being so far away from all of our family. So, when we can be "there", literally, it is a huge blessing.

On a side note . . . I am so blessed to be married to the most handsome-est (yes, that is a word . . . because I said so!) Chief in the entire United States Navy! He's the only Chief I'll ever love, and I love that he desires to support his friends and family spiritually, emotionally, verbally and even physically when need be.

So today, is a good Navy day.

What's catch up?

So, those of you who know Us Wards, know that our youngest, Josiah, is a sweet and silly little man. He has gorgeous eyes that smile all the time, and a heart that could melt an ice burg! He didn't talk until he was 3, and hasn't stopped since that day! It has been obvious to Karl and I that he has been developing and refining his personality over the past year or so, as he goes from toddler to child. We can't believe he is school aged! KINDERGARTEN! Yikes.

So, Jojo (as he is most commonly referred to) had a couple of appointments on Monday, so I got a sitter for the other kids and we made a little mommy-date out of the time. We went for his well child doctor visit... He is well. But he had to get a couple shots. He didn't think that was a very good idea, but he survived. Then we had a bit of time, so we scooted over to Taco Bell, (his favorite place to eat,) before his next appointment. He LOVED the fact that we got to go sit inside! He just thought he was super cool. It was so cute! He was watching the lunchtime rush of miscellaneous people filter through, and was just fascinated. We sat and ate for awhile, then I decided to ask him a question. "What's your favorite thing about school?" I asked, and Jojo says "Um, pro'ly my ABC pennies chart." So, as any probing mom would do . . . I asked "What's your least favorite thing about school?" He thought for a good long time, and I was about to ask the question again when he said "Nothing." Great, I thought to myself . . . I am doing great with this whole kindergarten thing! I haven't made him hate school yet! But then . . . he spoke again, and said "Ak-chlly, I don't like it when we don't do school." Uh-Oh! That's all my fault. I'll be honest and admit that adding a new grade level into the mix this year hasn't been easy, and some days are more miss than hit for getting kindergarten done. Well, we'll get it figured out, and this week, minus Monday (because of his appointments) has been all "hit".

Fast forward to yesterday . . . I was setting out his stuff for school onto the table and announced to Joe, that "Today, we are going to play catch up!" He looked up at me with those very seriously questioning eyes and asked "What's catch up?" I couldn't resist, so I replied "You know... red, tomato based dip." :) He thought for a quick second and then asked "Can we play ranch instead?" - It's official! We may have the funniest five year old around! I still can't stop smiling about it! I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt!

Our first egg?

So some of you may know that this spring, we got some day old chicks to raise for eggs . . . this was back in March. We bought 12, assuming that some may die from shock, stress, etc. Well, two did. Oh well, I guess we figured that well seeing as we wanted 10 chickens! We bought straight run chicks, which for those of you who don't know, means that the chicks weren't sexed - we didn't know if they'd turn out as hens or roosters. Knowing that we didn't need or want roosters, this was a bit of a risk, but we lucked out in the end, and got all hens! We built a pretty (really) makeshift coop, and let the kids go to town painting it with leftover cans of paint from years of projects and various room paintings (it's quite the picture - speaking of, I should take a good picture of it and post that!)Then, after a couple weeks of living in the garage, set the chickens out in the pen and coop. We have been, for 5 months now, anxiously awaiting our "first" egg. The kids and/or us parents check every day (sometimes multiple times a day) for our "first" egg. We knew it was due anytime now, but it just didn't show up. I think the kids were growing tired of looking and not finding anything, and the chickens must have sensed this, because where this morning there were none, this afternoon, there were FOUR!!! Yup . . . We didn't get a "first" egg, we got a bunch! The kids were and are still so excited, that I don't think we'll have any problem getting them to check for eggs! (At least for a few days!) Oh and don't ask me why we decided on 10 chickens . . . we were thinking that we might get up to 7 eggs a day, but to get 4 on day one . . . we may just be up to our ears in eggs in the very near future! Now, it's time to hurry up and wait for our first "double-yoker"!!!