Things I've Learned The Day After Thursday

Look at that!  I missed A LOT of "Things I've Learned Thursdays," but I AM NOT BEHIND!  I'm just picking up where I left off.

1. When you read that you should have six months of paychecks in the bank "just in case," believe it.
2. A crabby hen sitting on a nest is called "broody," and they are NOT nice.
3. Driving through the backroads of the southeast/central eastern part of Missouri with the top and doors off the Jeep is amazing.  It's a beautiful part of the country.
4. Miniature donkey babies are C-U-T-E. [pictures coming soon]
5. The landmark Tower Rock near Altenburg, Missouri, is so neat.  Check out the link.
6. Since restarting my Tupperware business, I sense I've become more motivated, and, dare I say, organized.

That's it for now.  I'm missing my bloggy days...hopefully, I can make time for a little more.

Things I've Learned Thursday

1. Blogging is easy.
2. Blogging is hard.
3. The fruits of your labor taste so, so good.  I'll post about our ROI in our chickens soon!  It's so awesome!!!  Even though I've only eaten one egg so far, it just love sharing the eggs with others.  And I still love the chickens!
4. Drama begins early in girls....seriously, what kind of drama can you have in your life when you're 10?

To Be Continued...

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging, as you may or may not have noticed.  I'm still really searching for my niche in this blogosphere. 

I love to write and blog, and I love to share my adventures; however, I'm still looking for my ROI.  As we all know, getting something out of what you do makes it all worth it, right? 

So, as I continue to search for my direction, please bear with me.  I've got lots of new things to share and will begin posting again soon...especially since school has restarted and control of my schedule has returned.

(well, sort of.)

New Friend Friday

If you're visiting from NFF, welcome!  I hope you enjoy your visit!

The Girl Creative and The Trendy Treehouse have officially teamed up to co-host New Friend Fridays! Each week you will have the chance to add a link to your main blog to the ever growing list below. New Friend Fridays is a fun blog hop where it's all about making new bloggy friends and offering meaningful comment support to other bloggers. Whether you add your link to the list at The Girl Creative or The Trendy Treehouse it's all just one great big list.


The Rules are Simple:

• Add a link to your main blog
• Visit the blog of the person whose name is above and below your name in the list and leave a meaningful comment on their blog.
• Visit as many blogs as you can and leave comments telling them you are visiting from New Friend Fridays at The Girl Creative or The Trendy Treehouse.
• There is no obligation and no pressure to follow everyone who follows you. Please just follow the blogs that are of interest to you. :)
• Family Friendly Blogs ONLY please. Explicit sites will be removed.

If you have any questions or concerns about the rules, please click HERE to read a post that should clarify things a bit.

Things I've Learned Thursday

I've decided to start a regular Thursday post...we'll actually see how this goes.  It's titled "Things I've Learned Thursday."  I'll share what I've learned this week, which may or may not end up in a story.

1. The plastic thing that holds the water in your toilet tank is called a flapper.  It's very easy to replace your flapper when the original gasket gets flushed down the toilet.  Yea...it just disappeared.  And, you can't buy a replacement gasket.  You have to buy an entire flapper.
2. Mini horses poop A LOT!  I mean A LOT!  Every single night this week I've had to clean out their stall.  While I really don't mind this now since it's summer, I keep envisioning what it's going to be like in January and February when it's so flippin' cold!
3. It doesn't matter that your kitchen floor was just mopped.  It will rain.  And your dogs will get the floor dirty.
4. Your calves can sweat...I mean the ones on your legs. 
5. Big Brother 12 isn't as good as BB11.  I still love Jeff and Jordan.  Brendon and Rachel can go home.
6. When your boss resigns, you get a pang of nervousness for the future.
7. When your boss resigns, opportunity presents itself.
8. Turning 38 was easy.
9. Even though it's been over 100 degrees two days this week, I still love summer!
10. I really do live my life as an adventure.  Being told on Tuesday that I have to go to South Carolina (from Missouri) on Sunday was not overwhelming.  I LOVE South Carolina, so this is just a quickly planned adventure that will test my "bounce-ability" and spontaneity, but it will be awesome.  Being a single mom of two kiddos, with 19 feathered and furry creatures that depend on me for food, it can be VERY difficult coordinating trips away from home for work or pleasure.  But I have an absolutely A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. family that helps me out even though they don't have to. 

100 Things

Here's a list of 100 Things that you may or may not have accomplished.  I have put the things I have accomplished in bold print! I hope you will play along on your blog! Leave a comment if you do! I'd love to see.......


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis -- and I was scared to death!
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (does that fake wall count?)
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life -- if you count the rescue / foster animals we've had
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Hope you enjoy!!

adventure Awaits! The Story of My New Necklace!

So, a few months back, I subscribed to Mom magazine after a bargain post from Collin at Hip2Save. I then read a few weeks ago that some of the new subscribers were receiving a box of free samples to try. I didn’t give much thought to this, but then I received my box. Well, there weren’t just samples of stuff to try, there were oodles of things in this box. My 11-year-old son said, “Mom, why did you order all that baby stuff?” Lots of baby stuff there was, and all of it has found a great home with some well deserving moms of young children (or ended up in my daughter’s baby box as the cloth diaper did…that thing was awesome!).

Anyway, there were several gift certificates in the box as well. Well, of course I took advantage of these! One of the certificates was from LisaLeonardOnline.com. You must check this site out if you’re looking for a gift item for someone special (or for yourself like I was…I’m the baby of the family, what can I say? I’m a little selfish…). She has such pretty things and all in sterling silver.

So I decided, after much internal deliberation, on the “Word of the Year” necklace. You can have this necklace customized with any word you wish. I chose “adventure” to represent the way I choose to live my life.

It arrived wrapped in Oh! So pretty paper and tied with a bow:

As I unwrapped, I was more and more impressed with the care that went into the

presentation of the item.

I am so happy and impressed with my necklace!! I absolutely love it and can’t wait to wear it! It’s so unique and personal. I hope you’ll check out LisaLeonardOnline.com!

I was not compensated to review or post about this product! Just sharing an item I love with friends!

Weekend Wrap-Up

I think I'm going to have to take stock in Buchheit's, the local farm supply store.  I've spent way too much time and money there since April of this year in my quest to build a small zoo empire collection of furry and feathered creatures. 

We got our miniature horses this weekend.  Better pictures to come, but here they are:

This is Pearl.  She's a very shy girl, and she's stark white.  Absolutely gorgeous!

This is Tootsie Roll.  She's Pearl's daughter and has the most beautiful blonde mane and tail.

It's hard to get perspective on just how small they are, but the green gate behind Tootsie Roll is 48" in height, and Tootsie is shorter than that.  She comes to just below my waist.  So small and just adorable.

These bring our empire zoo collection to 3 dogs, 3 cats, 4 bunnies, 7 chickens (I can't for the life of me figure how we still have all 7 after where I found them this weekend), and 2 mini horses.  The thing that makes me the most proud is that all of them (well, except for one very cranky and blanket-possessive bunny) are kid-friendly.

Feel free to stop by and visit any time.  That's why they're here!

But, this was my favorite day.  The day I did not have to mow the grass because of this:

Lainey can mow the grass!!  And she likes it!  THIS was a most wonderful day.  I sat in the garage in my recliner chair enjoying an icy cold beverage, while my most awesome daughter took care of this chore.

Five Question Friday

Here's my Five Question Friday answers hosted by My Little Life.

1. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy as a kid? If so, do you still have it?
Not really a favorite, but I loved stuffed animals.  I do still have one -- Rocko the Raccoon.  He sits on a shelf of my dresser...although his nose was chewed off my one of my dogs...nothing is sacred.

2. Do you dream in color?
I think so...although no one ever has feet in my dreams.  It's like anything below the knee just doesn't exist.

3. How tall are you? Do you wish you were shorter or taller?
I'm 5'5".  I've never wished to be taller, but maybe a little shorter.  Although I think I'd have trouble with my weight if I were shorter.  I like the food.

4. If you could have anyone's (celeb or other) voice as the guide on your GPS, who would it be?
Keith Urban or Marcos Ambrose...I love the Aussies!
5. Do you return your shopping cart to the corral or leave it wherever in the parking lot?
I ALWAYS return it to the corral, sometimes even the store.  It's lazy and unhealthy to do anything less!

NFF

New Friend Fridays is a fun blog hop where it's all about making new bloggy friends and offering meaningful comment support to other bloggers.

If you're visiting from NFF, welcome to my corner of the 'net!  Hope you'll stay a while!  I'll be sure to visit you back!

What I've Learned in the Last 11 Days (Or Was Reminded Of)

1. No matter how hard you try, making a sinus infection tolerable AND remaining conscious just doesn't work .
2. People worry even when you tell them not too.
3. Rabbits can get a fungus on their heads...poor Tater Tot.
4. July in Missouri is M.I.S.E.R.A.B.L.E. (My car temperature read 103 yesterday afternoon...and that's without the 98% humidity factored in.  Seriously, it's really hot. Steamy hot.)
5. If you build it (a nesting box), they won't necessarily come to it...stupid chickens.
6. How to tell if your radiator is cool enough to open AND how to add water to it.
7. Cats meant as barn cats don't always stay in the barn.  Welcome to the family Olly and Rocky.
8. Getting a barn and pasture ready for new mini pets is not pleasant (Refer to #4).
9. When mowing the grass at 9:30 PM, make sure both headlights work...and be prepared for a before work touch up job.
10. Ocular migraines SUCK.
11. No matter how bad you want it to work, sometimes technology just gets the best of you.  (I'd rather poke my own eye out than deal with computers that won't do what I want them to do.)
12. The state of Washington is TOO FAR from the state of Missouri. (Refer to #11 -- My techie is in WA.)
13. Turning 38 without being able to say to my Mom, "Can you believe your baby is 38?!" isn't any easier today than it was turning 33 through 37.  I miss you everyday, Mom!

Five Question Friday

Five Question Friday by My Little Life:

1. What were your school colors?

Green and White.  Is there another color that a Dragon would be?  Oddly though, the lady teams at my high school were/are called Head Hunters...where did that come from?  How do you have the SGHS Dragons and Lady Head Hunters?  Usually it's the Pirates and Lady Pirates.  Leave it to Small Town, Missouri, to be as backward as possible.

2. What's the best compliment you ever received?

Gee, this is a tough one...Immediately I think of people telling me my children are "well mannered."  I almost want to snort a laugh when they say this because my kids can turn on the charm when necessary.  But I think the one compliment that stood out most to me has been, "your house feels lived in."  On the surface, this didn't make much sense to me, but once I started thinking about it, I realized what she meant by it.  My house isn't clutter-free, it isn't organized, and it isn't put together, rather it is frequently messy, always noisy, and full of excitement -- lived in.  And I love it!
3. Do you buy cheap or expensive toilet paper?

I buy the cheapest, expensive toilet paper I can find.  I hate the single ply Scott's stuff, but I just can't justify the Cottonelle 1/2 inch thick ply either (although I love it!).  So, I find the best TP that's on sale and I have a coupon for and that's what I go with.  I'm not brand loyal when it comes to TP.

4. Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? Or have you had one for someone else?

Yes, to both.  My wedding shower (for my first marriage) was a surprise and I. HATED. IT. WITH. A. PASSION.  I'm not a surprise party kind of gal.  I've thrown a surprise party for my boyfriend's 40th birthday.  He is a surprise party kind of guy, so it was good for him. 
5. What is one material possession that you "can't live without"?

This is the easiest question EVER.  Without a doubt, the one material possession I cannot live without is my iPhone.  How I survived without one is beyond me.  Blackberry shmackberry.  Give me my iPhone or give me death!

Follow Me Friday

Hey there!  Welcome visitors!  Hope you stick around for a little while and enjoy a post or two.  It's a little slim this week....I've been sick ALL WEEK!!!  Yuck!




Hosted by The Girl Creative and The Trendy Treehouse

Bucket List Beware!!

This is what I've felt like for the past three days...just add a vice.

On Monday, after a very scary episode which ended up with me at the hospital getting an MRI on my brain, I was diagnosed with ocular migraines.  For someone who's only had a total of about 5 migraines in my life, this was a shock to me, but also a relief considering what it could have been. 

That period of 24 hours when I didn't know what was wrong was a very scary time.  Lots of things went through my head.  The most pressing thing was, "What have I done?" as in what's my legacy?  Sure, I've got a bucket list, but what's been crossed off?  Not enough!  There's so much more that I need to do.  So, when this funk moves on, look out!  Let the adventures begin, and bucket list beware!

Until then, please bear with me as I climb my way out and back to normalcy...well NewLeafNickie normal anyway. 

DIY Dog Toy

So, I've mentioned that I try to be frugal right? Well, in my quest for cheap and durable dog toys that require some level of time and attention (on the part of the dog, not me), I came up empty handed.

It's very frustrating to have dogs that destroy a toy within a matter of minutes.  So, they say that necessity is the mother of invention (or something like that anyway), I made these:

A Do-It-Yourself dog toy.  You simply drop some kibble in the holes, maybe smear some peanut butter in, and Voila! your pup is entertained for a little while.  And uses her brain in the process!!

Here's your instructions:

1.  Head to your local hardware store (my favorite is Lowe's of course--it's designed with us ladies in mind), and pick out various sizes (depending on the size of your dog) of PVC and different types of end pieces.  If you're not PVC savvy, no worries, it all makes sense when you get there.

2.  Cut the PVC to desired length.  These were made from one piece of pipe and are about 10 inches long.  I used a Sawzall (no idea if I spelled that right), but you can use a manual saw as well.

3.  Put the end pieces on.

4.  Drill some holes in various places through out the pipe and ends.  (Make sure your holes are big enough for your kibble.  I made that mistake at first.  Small dog bits are the best.)

The two pieces on the right have big openings on the ends so it doesn't matter how big the kibble is.  I usually put peanut butter in these two to keep the kibble from just falling right out.  Plus it takes longer for the pup to lick all the peanut butter out.

This project cost me about $15-20 total, so around $5-7 each.  I've had these for several months, which is longer than I've had ANY dog toy, labeled "virtually indestructible" or not.  In my mind, well worth the price!

Here's my pups enjoying their toys. 

Jersey figured out pretty quickly that she just had to push on it with her nose to roll it and the kibble just falls right out.  That is until she gets down to just a few pieces.  She'll work for an hour to get that final piece out.

Stains sticks in tongue in the opening and the kibble sticks to it.

Here is another of my PVC projects:

I use this for to give my boy rabbit some grass time and keep him away from the girls.  I also used it for the chickens when they outgrew their smaller cage but before they could go into the barn.  It's just one inch PVC pipe, three way connectors, chicken wire, and zip ties.  I've used this thing so much and it was way cheaper than buying one of those plastic wire pens. 

Stay tuned to see what else this "can do" girl will build with PVC.  It's my new favorite craft!

Eighteenth -- Cardinal Baseball

St. Louis.
Just rained.
Hot as Hades.
Baking skin.
Sweaty seats.
Cold beer (and it's free)!
Cardinal Baseball.
Is there anything better?
Seriously?
I think I could live at the ball park.

Seventeenth

Is this abuse of child labor?

Sixteenth -- Despicable Me

So, tonight the kids and I saw Despicable Me.  I'm getting to a point where I rue going to a kids' movie, so I went in with lower expectations.

Although it's a typical movie with the requisite bad guy and happy ending, it was alright.  Believe me, I've sat through worse...lots worse.  But the minions, the minions are FANTASTIC.  I want one.  I realize that it's not going to happen, but I did find this...

You can make your own Minion!!!  Check it out here!

Five Question Friday

Decided to join Five Question Friday hosted by My Little Life.  So here goes!




1. Do you collect anything?


I do.  I collect dust on the shelves in my bedroom.


2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking.

1. McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy (Patrick Dempsey)
2. Matthew McConaughey (especially when he's eating crablegs in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days -- Holy Cannoli that man is sexy when he eats!)
3. Agent Derek Morgan from Criminal Minds (Shemar Moore)


3. Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them?)?

I have a line going across the tip of my middle finger.  When I was a kid I was holding on to the top of a metal trash can...one of those steel drum-types...while going a round in a circle.  Yea, that was dumb.  I so needed stitches, but was having none of it.


4. What is a food that you like to eat, but others might think it's gross or weird?

Tofu.  Since becoming a vegetarian, I've learned to really like the flavor and texture.


5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life?
 
I so wish I could say yes, but unfortunately (or fortunately by some standards) I have not.  I'm certain I'll be a storm chaser in another life.

Fifteenth -- Frugal Girl Scores at Lowe's!!

So, it's been awhile since I've been able to snag a super great deal, but today, oh yes, today Frugal Girl made an appearance at Lowe's!

I stopped by Lowe's to pick up a single ceramic tile for one of bunnies (If you aren't up to speed on my bunnies, you really should read about my love affair.  Yeah, they're a little spoiled...).  Well, I went through the tile aisle (I love saying that outloud...go ahead try it...tile aisle), looking only at prices.  While my bunnies are loved, they'll be just fine pooping on cheapo tile.  Anyway, I came across a price tag of 32 cents (what happened to the cents sign?  anyone ever wonder that?) 

Holy cow!  I can handle 32 cents. 

Then...i looked at the color.  Wow!  I really like it!  It even has the wavy edges that I like.  Awesome, it's about as neutral as you can get, just a basic tan with a darker brown highlighting.  Hmmm...how many of these do they have?  205?

Did I mention that we're in the process of remodeling the ENTIRE house?  the only thing that's been complete is the second bathroom, so, I will need tile...lots of tile because I hate carpet.  With. A. Passion.

Well, a few minutes later (actually more like an hour) I walked out of Lowe's with this:

205 square feet of tile for only $71 with tax!  Yippee!  I'd say that this was a banner day in Frugal Land!

I'll have to supplement with some full priced tile from a neighboring Lowe's, but overall, it will be a wonderful savings for tile that I would have picked out anyway, but would have never paid $1.78 per tile (after all, I am a Frugalista!)  What I found out is that my local Lowe's is discontinuing this style, but no other neighboring Lowe's are, that's why the seriously low price at this one, but full price at all others.

Yahoo!

Twelfth

The coolest thing I've seen this month. This guy was about three inches across. No idea what type of moth it is, but it sure was beautiful.

Eleventh -- Ten Things I Learned this Weekend

1. No Meat Athlete is a VERY informative blog for budding vegetarian runners (like me!).
2. It is NOT okay to give away baby animals as prizes at carnival-type games!
3. Putting in a fence is really hard work...especially on your wrists when you're the one hammering!

4. The country sky is beautiful.

5. Chickens LOVE raisins out of your hand!  Oh, and it's really hard to get a good picture of a chicken eating a raisin out of your hand.
6. The Demolition Derby really isn't that fun...at least not as much fun as I remember it being as a kid; HOWEVER...
7. The Greased Pig Chasing contest is every bit as fun for my kids as it was for me when I was a kid!

8. Miniature Peach trees grow yummy peaches!

9. Blackberries are so worth the thorns.

10. The next three months are going to be very difficult as Joe will be working in
    Washington State.

Tenth - embracing my inner country girl

Yea...I'm completely immersed living the country life! Crash 'em up, baby!

Tenth

Tenth - II

So, last night at the County Fair, someone was GIVING away baby bunnies, kittens, and puppies. There were all these kids walking around with little critters, some of which I'm certain were not even of weaning age. But, regardless, I was upset to say the least, being the animal lover/rescuer that I am. Well, as we were walking to our car, I spotted what I thought was a bunny walking around in the parking lot. Turns out it was this:

Ninth - Part 2

Happy 33rd anniversary Sis and Bro-in-Law! And 23rd Happy Birthday, Laura! What a good looking family!! :)

Ninth - Part 1

County Fair fun!

Eighth

[sigh]

It's 7 am.

The Bobcat rental place isn't open yet.

I told her we'd have to wait.

[sigh]

This gas station breakfast is surprisingly good.  Ryan Newman was right.

[burp] Ugh, I'm going to regret this later.

[sigh]

I could should still be sleeping.

Why?  Why do I let her talk me into things like this? 

This isn't vacation...this is labor abuse.

[sigh]

Fifth -- Honestly...I got nothing!

Today may have been the most boring day of the summer!  Although it was chock-full of activity and not a bit of laziness, it was boring!  Of course, you must stay tuned though because the one pretty cool thing we did this week, I will share with you all very soon!  We're adding on around here and I'm sure they'll be lots more adventures to come! 

Fourth - An Independence Day Show

Lazy Kid 1 - See the pattern?

Fourth - Lazy cat 1

Fourth - Lazy dog 2

Fourth - Lazy dog 1

Word is out...

So, this morning (very early...too early this morning) I was woken by the incessant barking of our little dog, Bosco.  Seeing very clearly that I wasn't going to get to go back to sleep until I investigated, I got out of bed to find this in the yard:

I think word is out.  The animal underground has heard of Havoc Hill.  I imagine it goes something like this:

Stray, hungry dog mosies up to a chubby raccoon, "Hey, know any place I can crash tonight?"  Raccoon responds, "Yea, those nice people with all the critters down the road will help you out.  They have this great chow made out of fish and sweet potatoes.  I heard it costs $50 a bag!  Something about one of their dogs has a sensitive stomach....anyway, that chow is good stuff!  They'll feed you and give you a nice place to stay."  (At least that's how the conversation went in my head!)

So this morning, I had to make a decision.  What was I going to do with this stray dog?  Unfortunately, we really can't keep everything that wanders to our house.  I really wish we could, but we just can't.  This morning, we had to take this sweet dog to the county animal control.  The good news is my county animal control has an AMAZING return to owner/adoption rate of 98%!  The national average is less than 25%, so there's nearly a gaurantee this guy will find his way back home or find a better one than what he had.

So, for any of you local readers who may be looking for a new pet..there's a good dog available that really likes dog food made out of fish and sweet potatoes! :)

Second

It was a little windy in the Jeep this evening.

Test Mobile Post

I've Gone and Done It!

I started playing with the design of my blog now I've messed it all up!  Please be with me while I take some time to figure this mess out!

Nickie

First

Because I can't come up with my own creative ideas...rather I don't have time to create my own lavish plans...I'm copying an idea from Chris over at Notes from the Trenches. 

Everyday, (yes, I know what you're thinking...everyday Nickie?  Really?  Entire moons came and went with nary a post from you.)...uh hum...Everyday, for the month of July (which also happens to be my birth month...yea, when did birthdays become birth months?  I don't know, but I like it. So there.) I'm going to post a picture with a caption. 

That may be the only thing posted for that day, but I promise I'll try to uphold my vow.  (I'm really not so good with vows, but I'll give this one a whirl.)

The fine print...I'm just figuring out how to post via SMS or MMS (I really don't even know what those acronyms really mean) from my iPhone, so until I get that nailed down, don't go holding your breath waiting for the daily post.  I won't be responsible for any dizziness or headaches that result if said advice is not heeded.

So here's the FIRST one (get it, it's July FIRST...again, copying from Chris):

A moment in time that I wish I could hold forever.  Sunkissed cheeks, sheer joy at just being a kid, blue raspberry snowcones, childhood happiness twinkling in their eyes.  A moment they actually weren't trying to maim one another. 

I really did it! Here's proof!

So, earlier this year I share that one of my aspirations was to run a 5K.  Mind you, 3.1 miles, I realize, isn't that far, but for someone who'd never actually ran more than one mile in the prime of her youth (yea...I don't really know when that was), 3.1 miles is pretty damn far! 

In April, I did it!  I ran my first 5K ever!  I followed the Couch to 5K program (very highly recommended) and completed my first 5K in 29 minutes.  That's less than a 10 minute mile!  What?  Can I get a hell-to-the-yeah!?  Nope, not too proud to gloat...not me.

Sadly, I don't have any pics to share of that glorious moment.  But, alas, I do have this...

This is my SECOND 5K.  Yep, I was stupid enough to do it again!  This time, with the lack of regular running and the scorching heat, I eeked out a 34:41 time. 

But, there's this one too...

Yep, that's my daughter!  I'm so stinkin' proud of her.  Her first 5K was completed in just over 25 minutes.  This one she managed in just under 30 minutes.  She's awesome!

Oh, yeah, and there's these too!

Not only did I discover the world of running, my sister and most favorite cousin/bestie did too.  This is them racing running next to each other.  Sis is on the left in the yellow tank and Bestie is on the right in pink.  ( By the way, see that guy in the flourescent green/yellow socks?  Those aren't socks...they're leg warmers, probably meant to help his calves in some crazy fashion, but really...leg warmers?  It was 92 degrees at 8 am!  Oh well, he was lapping my sis and bestie at this very moment, so it's probably safe to say he knew what he was doing.)

And, for any non-believers out there...here's my Babe cranking out his first 5K!   

This day was most certainly one of the best days of the summer (so far).  Couldn't be more proud of my family and myself!

The Next Stage of my Love Affair

So I posted about my love affair, but what I didn’t tell was that there’s more to the story. Not only have four bunnies found a nook in my heart, so did seven of these:

I know, I know…seriously, Nickie, chickens? I asked myself the same question. How these chickens came into my life wasn’t exactly like the bunnies. I looked at the baby chicks and thought, “Awwww, how adorable.” And then… I. Walked. Away. I walked away; Joe, however, did not. Here’s how I remember the story of how the chickens came to be:

Joe: (looking at the chicks) Do you want to get some chicks?

Me: We’re not ready yet.

J: Are you sure?

Me: Yes, where would we put them?

J: In the barn.

Me: Where? We don’t have a stall cleaned out yet. We’re not ready.

And we (I)walked away. We (I) was on a mission to find the perfect bunny cage material. I wanted the perfect setup and had better things to do than goo and gaa over some baby chicks. A few minutes later, our (my) search for cage material returned us to the vicinity of the chicks.

J: You’re sure?

Me: Yes, we’re not ready yet.

J: OK

Again, we (I) walked away. Supplies carted up, we’re now on our way to the checkout, which by the way is NOT in the direction of the chicks, but at the chicks we ended up.

J: So, no chicks, huh?

Me: FINE! If you want chicks, get the chicks. You’ll just have to figure out a place for them until they can do into the barn.

And, so goes the story of how I ended up with a box of seven two-day old chicks on my lap on the way home.

As you can imagine, being true to my animal-lovin’ self, I fell in deep like with the chicks. Not love…it’s hard to love a chicken…but a deep like. So, for the first two weeks of their little lives, they lived here:

Getting desperate for a larger space for them, I resorted to this:

Who knew you could build a cage from PVC pipe, chicken wire and zip ties? Well, apparently this guy did; but I certainly didn’t…until the need arose. As my daughter and I were building this cage, she says to me, “Mom, this is more like doing arts & crafts than building something.” I say, “Why? Because we’re using zip ties instead of a hammer, nails and wood? Improvise, my dear.” Hopefully that’s a lesson that will help her in life!

For several more weeks, the chicks lived in this awesome PVC cage. Until finally, Joe cleaned the stall in the barn for them. This is where they continue to live and will hopefully supply me, and the rest of my family, with farm fresh eggs.

The lesson to be learned here is this:  You never know what you're ready for, until you jump in and find out.  It's the getting ready part that counts.  Oh, and stay tuned, I have LOTS more critter stories to share as life on Havoc Farm grows.