Another interesting week at our house. Our niece from Texas came to visit 2 days this week and she helped me milk the cow. Unfortunately, my 4 oldest kids were sick, so they weren't able to play much one day. I picked a huge bag of beans Tuesday. I think I could get another today. I was hoping to get enough to can for this winter and I'm glad I seem to be getting so many. We picked enough peas for supper Monday evening and Madeleine who is 2 helped me. Samantha and Hannah started to help but decided to go to the river with Mike instead. He put a turtle trap down by the river and checks it every evening. I'm not sure what he plans to do with it once he catches one.

I was making a whole chicken (not grown by me) for supper the other night, and Samantha (our animal lover) overheard me tell Nathan that bird wasn't cooperating. She came over and said is that a bird? So I told her it was a chicken. She couldn't believe I would buy a dead chicken from the store, so I was worried she wouldn't eat it, but she thought it was pretty good. She is always telling me that I shouldn't let anyone kill our pigs or bull, so some day they will go to the market and we will have a freezer full of meat.

My baby calf isn't eating from his mother like he should. I tried to show him how, but he wasn't really interested. I've been feeding him from a bucket and separated him from his mother hoping he would eat more if I could keep a better eye on him, but he seemed too lonely without her so I put him back with her this morning. My mother cow only has 2 working teats, so I (thankfully) only have to milk 2. It is a lot of fun, except my hands get tired fast. She seems to be getting more milk before my hands get used to the smaller amount. I feed her weeds from the garden plus a little grain while I'm milking to keep her somewhat still. My garden has never looked so good.

We planted pumpkins this year and Nathan counted over 120 flowers on the plants. The kids want to sell some by the road this fall which I think will be good for them. They also want to sell extra produce this summer, so we may do that also.

Madeleine is close to getting tubes for her ears. My doctor told me to get her the prevnar vaccine which I did Thursday. She also told me to put her on over the counter allergy medicine because she thinks she has allergies and the medicine would keep her from getting more ear infections. I can't handle going through another surgery with her. Even though it is minor. She still doesn't separate from me very well and I blame her first surgery. She still doesn't sleep through the night either. Between her and Sam, I don't get good sleep. Samantha has febrile seizures, so when she has a fever, I don't sleep very well. She had another one last night and I didn't even know she was sick. She normally comes out of it fast, but last night, I was up forever waiting for her to wake up fully enough to take Motrin.

Hopefully things will be a little less exciting next week.

Excitement

We had a big week. Our baby bull calf was born sometime Tuesday night. He is absolutely adorable. He looks like a small deer. We didn't notice him until Wed. around 5. He was standing at the barn door while his mother was outside eating.

Thursday morning, Hannah noticed that the baby (named Porterhouse) was outside sleeping on the hill. I thought Daisy had left him there to go eat, but somehow, she was in the barn (which is where she stays during the hot days). Porterhouse started mooing and instead of coming out to get him, Daisy came out and watched him walk away. Needless to say, Nathan and I spent an hour or so looking for him and finally found him laying in a spot hard for us to get to. We couldn't get him to budge, so I went to TSC for some advice and halter and replacement milk. He wouldn't take the bottle from me and I couldn't move him so we called my Dad who came right from work and helped me pull that stubborn calf to the barn. We shoved him in and shut the door and he now stays in the barn. I go up to see him some days and he's really scared of people. The kids want to play with him, but with Sirloin in the same area, they can't go in.

I've been starting to try to milk her to get her used to it and I love it. Mike keeps trying to get me to borrow a milk machine from a friend who offered me one, but I think I'd rather do it by hand - which he can't understand. I get swatted in the face by her tail and keep moving because she keeps stepping forward, but today I got almost a quart into my bucket which is a little more than yesterday. I think my hands will permanently smell like a cow.

I have been babysitting this summer which has been really difficult, so I am retiring at the end of this week from the full timers, but I am still going to watch a friend's kids one day a week. It is only for 6 hours so it is much better to handle. I had the other kids 5 days a week for 10 hours a day and it was just too much. I didn't really get to spend any time with my own kids and saw the summer slipping away. I can't wait to sleep in again and take my kids to visit grandparents and take them to Mass once a week.

Hannah is going to the zoo this week one day with a friend and then spending the night at her house which will be her first sleepover with a friend. She is really excited.

We took the kids to the fair yesterday. This was the first year I didn't really care if I went or not. I guess I have so many animals I don't really need to go see more. Hannah wanted to see the horses - which is one of her favorite things. She really wants a horse, so her Dad promised her riding lessons for getting all a's last year and is getting extra special lessons including her cleaning the stalls before riding. He is hoping that will take away her wanting a horse. He also bought Nathan a 4 wheeler this summer. He is having a lot of fun with that. I rode it when we first had it, but there is no thrill in it for me. Mike rode it all over when we weren't home one day. I think he enjoys it too.

My aunt came over today with her grandson and ended up leaving with 3 of my kids for overnight. I hope I don't get a call in the middle of the night. I think they'll be ok together, but Samantha is kind of clingy at bedtime, so now I'm thinking I should have kept her home. She does stay with grandparents, so maybe she'll be all right.

What's been happening

I'm still having trouble posting pictures, so I'll just have to tell you what's been going on. We've had a very busy year. The cow and bull are doing good. My cow is going to have her calf this month sometime. I know she is getting very close. We are all excited about that, but I think I am the most excited. We got 2 pigs at the beginning of May. My brother bought and delivered them as Thomas and Hannah's birthday presents (with my knowledge). We had 4 kittens in March, but 2 died, so now we have 4 cats total. They are getting so big. They are also very friendly. They let Madeleine who just turned 2 drag them around.

June was a very sad month for us. My father in law died on the 9th. We knew it was his time, but that doesn't really make it any easier.

This week, we have bible school every evening which is a lot of fun. My friend Jill and I are in charge of making the snacks this year. We helped last year too. I am also babysitting this summer.

All of the kids are growing. Nathan is almost up to my mouth which is scary. I can't imagine having kids who are taller than me, but it is coming soon. Hannah got braces in May. Thomas lost his first 2 teeth on the same day last week. Samantha shot up (and a little out) this spring. I think Hannah did the same thing at her age. And Madeleine is really starting to talk.