The trip to Lander- pt2; the rest stop

"Mom, I have to pee....."

"Of course you do honey....."















At least it was educational.....

The trip to Lander- pt1; the drive

WOW! I was astonished at the beauty of the drive to Lander a few weeks ago when we went to pick up the chicks. It was JUST AMAZING!!! It puts the drive to Casper to shame!

I didn't think to get pics til on the way back. I was actually in a hurry, so these were all taken from the car while we were cruising along



On the way to & from, we kept seeing these groups of people on bicycles. The men were unshaven, the women in long skirts. I came home & started googling their description. I think I finally narrowed it down to a group called "The Brethren." Interesting!


A little bit of history. As soon as we found out we were moving here, I started googling things to take the kids to do. I am after all a HS mom, and learning trips are a high priority!! I have been almost obsessed with seeing Split Rock. I google it every so often & it's on the list of things to do this summer. Imagine my surprise whan I saw the signs for Split Rock on the way to Lander!!!!! We pass by this mountain every.single.time we go to Casper. I never knew!!!! I snapped pic after pic after pic after.... well, you know. I was in awe. We were on a tight schedule though, so unfortunately stopping for a bit was out of the question, but it's only ONE HOUR from us & now I know exactly how to get there!!!

Split Rock was used as a landmark for the Pony Express. They say you could see the rock for 1 day before coming to it, and 2 days after passing it. It's along the Chief Washakie Trail.

Interspersed with my obsessive picture snapping are some other pics of the beautiful scenery!!!

Pictures of the chicks

This was the first day we brought the second batch home. I ordered 7 Rhode Island Reds & 8 Buff Orpingtons. When I get there, it was all sorts of messed up. There were 5 RIR's & 10 BO's and one lone little Barred Rock. I couldn't just leave the BR all by his/her little lonesome, so I took him/her home too. When I got home, I saw the poor things had a nasty case of pasty butt. I had to run the kids to closing night at VBS but as soon as I got home, I got busy wetting & cutting bumfluff & dousing their rears with olive oil.




So..... I was counting the chicks and I counted.....

1 Barred Rock- check
10 Buff Orpingtons- check
6 Rhode Island Reds- che..... wha?!?!? SIX RIR's?!?!?

Let's count again.....

1 Barred Rock- check
10 Buff Orpingtons- check
6 Rhode Island Reds- Yes, SIX RIR's!!!

So let's do the math. Little ol' me said SIX chickens TOTAL!!! ONLY 6. I ordered 15 to account for loss & the chance of roosters. I figured by the time all was said & done, I'd have 6-10 hens. Of course, I had forgotten the lady in Rock Springs was going to call me when she got hers in.

Guess what? Every.single.chick.to.date is doing fine. I have 1-2 confirmed roos so far......

*whew*

More math? As it stands right now, I should end up with no less than 16 hens. SIXTEEN!!!!

No more math, my wee brain can't handle that on a Sunday!

How do you eat a gorilla?

One bite at a time.....

Image from www.roumazeilles.net

Keenan asked "when are we going to eat the gorilla?"

I said "what gorilla?"

He says "the one on the stove"















I said "You mean the GRANOLA?!?!?!"

He says "yeah."

Happy Father's Day

To my favouritest man in the world!!!

My *exhausting* week

On Wed. June 3rd, Hubba started at his new position. He was promoted from fuel desk to the "C-store." Starting that evening, I was watching Miss Thing from 2-3pm until *supposed to be* 11:30 or so pm. This was to last 2 weeks. The 11:30 pm or so wasn't working out, and it was more like 12:45 to 2am... **EEK** So I was falling asleep on the couch, waking up between 12:45-2am to get her off, then going to sleep in my own bed.

Now I don't sleep well on the couch to begin with, and I was having to sleep "with one eye open" on top of that (Miss Thing was being put down for bed between 8-9, but still I had to be alert enough to get Deb's call, get up, etc. And somehow I've managed to get into an internal 6-6:30am alarm clock, so sleeping in wasn't an option. Read further & it became even less of an option.

Anyhoo, on Thursday the 4th, I got a call that I'd forgotten about, so we (the kids & I) took a trip to Rock Springs.

Sunday, all sorts of disruption broke loose at Hubba's work. He was called in before 6am. I was supposed to have the day "off" but he asked me to watch Miss Thing. I did.... I don't normally watch kids on Sundays, but this was almost as bad as the building burning down. I can't get into details for legal reasons, but suffice to say Hubba's alright & we all survived.

On Monday VBS started. 9am-12N in a town a few miles down the interstate. So my schedule was beginning to look like this:

• Rise between 6-6:30a
• Kids up at 7- take care of chicks, have kids do chores, eat break
• leave house BY 8:45a
• Drop kids off around 9
• Chat with the lovely ppl at the church, get word out about the co-op & listen to old-timer's gardening stories (which I loved, mind you!!)
• Go home & get chores done and run errands if needed
• pick kids up at Noon
• Home by 3 for Miss Thing to get here, even though several of the times she was way early (good thing I was getting home by 2, LOL)
• Then of course watching her for 10+h each night & doing the couch thing ^^, making dinner, doing what little laundry I could, etc.
  

On Monday we ran home, rushed to eat so we could attend the library program & join the summer reading program at 1p, then rushed home for..... (and this was for the rest of the week almost as well

On Thursday, in addition to the above schedule, I picked the kids up at VBS, and we hightailed it (2h30m later) to Lander to pick up the "big batch" of chicks. I knew I was going to be late getting home for Miss Thing to get here, but I'd warned Mama Thing about that previously. We picked Miss Thing up a few after 5, got home, waited for Hubba. At 6:35 the Elders & I left to go to the closing night of VBS, and I think I finally got home around 9 or a few after.

Mama Thing called and we had discussed Miss Thing staying the night the last day of the evening shifts, but due to the Sunday thing, her stint on evening was cut short (we were both thanking God for that one, LOL), and Hubba had changed her schedule. Mama Thing wanted to know if we were still on for that, even though it was almost a week early. I said SURE! This meant going to sleep in MY bed, without having to get up, get Miss Thing off & then transfer to my bed. It was glorious!!!

So Miss Thing went home last night late afternoon/early evening as "normal." She came at 7 this morning, "as normal." By Monday, I should have this "normal" thing down pat again, PTL!!!

So that is the story of why sleep was SOOOOOO heavy on my mind in my tag post. I am still tired, but I'm not drained & dragging like I was a mere 3 days ago! I'm sure I've missed some stuff, but here's the jist- LATE nights, early morning, summer programs, 2 road trips & caring for new baby chicks ON TOP of trying to get chores & errands run..... That was a very.long. week+.

*whew*

Tag, you're it. Oh no, wait, *I* am it!

JLB got me! Here are the rules: Respond & Rework. Answer questions on your own blog. Replace one question. Add one question. Then, tag 8 people.

1. What are your current obsessions?
Sleep, only it's more like a dream, because I can't seem to get enough of it lately. Other than that- kids, chicks & dirt!

2. Who would you most like to have dinner with?
As selfish as it sounds, my hubby with my daughter not around. I'm with JLB, dinner with Hubba & no kids.

3. Last dream you had?
It's been a few nights & I don't remember exactly, but the last several times I've dreamt, it's been about chickens or plants, see obsession answer above!

4. Last thing you bought?
I'm sure it had to do with chick(en)s or gardening. If I could get some sleep, I'd be able to remember these things better..... Wait, I think it actually may have been gas or dog food....

5. What are you listening to?
The water running in the kitchen & the noise of 2 ornery boys who are "supposed" to be cleaning the kitchen. Oh yeah & my keyboard isn't so quiet either.

6. If you were a god/goddess, who would you be?
Deut. 5:-9 reads "⁷ Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

⁸ Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

⁹ Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,"

7. Favorite holiday spots?
Anywhere my family is. Or maybe my own bed. Have I mentioned how tired I am?

8. Reading right now?
Nourishing Traditions (again), Secrets of Old-timey Cooks (again) & a couple of whole foods books that I just checked out from the library yesterday.

9. What is your favorite way to relax?
Sleep

10. Guilty pleasure?
Surfing the net without actually having to research something. Chocolate. Ordering pizza (thankfully that one is becoming farther & farther in between!!!)

11. Who or what makes you laugh until you're weak?
My kids on occasion, especially Keenan. At 5, he can be a hoot & has me in stitches. Sometimes my Hubba.

12. Favorite spring thing to do?
Walk, garden, sleep

13. Planning to travel to next?
My next day trip will be tomorrow or Thurs. to pick up more chicks. My next short trip will be to Boise area to help a friend with apricot &/or walnut harvest at the end of the summer. My next long trip, should be this fall or CHRISTmas back to GA.

14. Best thing you ate or drank lately?
I JUST finished slurping a mix of yoghurt & cranberry juice. It was soooo good!

15. When did you last get tipsy?
Hm, not sure. One glass of wine in my old age (LOLOLOL) has me all warm & fuzzy, but not tipsy. I think it's been awhile. A.long.while.

16. Favorite ever film?
Hm, I have a few. A couple that come to mind- A Walk in the Clouds, Fireproof....

17. Care to share some wisdom?
Get plenty of rest, good food & rest!

18. What item could you not live without?
Materialistically, there's nothing I absolutely cannot live without. As long as I have food, shelter, clothes, my family & GOD, I'm good to go!

19. Thing you are looking forward to?
Chicks (next batch), eggs (not til the fall, though), getting Project Meat Rabbit underway, along with Project Greenhouse, Project Garden Harvest & Project More-Space-For-The-Too-Many-Chickens-I-Ordered..... And last but very not least- bedtime, hehe

20. What's your favorite smell?
Babies.... Ask Millie. I kept telling her how good her baby smelled, LOLOL

21. What food makes you heave?
Pineapple, thanks to my wonderfully caring but misbegotten midwives who had me drinking a concoction of castor oil, pineapple juice & baking soda to try & naturally induce labour. *GAGSPITVOMITCHOKE* The smell alone has literally sent me running for the loo, more than 5 years later.

22. Favorite childhood story book?
I LOVED My Book of Bible Stories. I was even blessed to find it about 8-10 years ago at The Book Nook for MY kids!

23. Favorite foods?
I love food. Period. I think I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed with food. And sleep..... But not pineapple anything!!!

Tag, now YOU'RE it! <<> PS, I'll post soon why I'm so tired, so that no one worries. I'm not sick, but I'll jot down a sample of my day/week right now so you'll understand my obsessions with sleep right now!!!

And PS- I was too tired to redo and add questions. Be happy.

I've rec'd an award <3

Kelle has been so kind as to gift me with my first award on this blog. BUT, I have to say it's not me that can carry on like this. I do this through & for the love of God. Yup, lots of praying comes out of this mouth & head to get accomplished what I do, so I feel it best to offer up this award to a higher power that keeps me going when I'm tired, sick & ache all over. <3

Now in all fairness, part of accepting this is to pass it along to others (8 to be exact, wow, just 8? LOL), and that will prove to be difficult. I think I'll start out with those inspiring folks that I've actually met IRL, plan on meeting IRL & that I have a phone or heavy email relationship with..... *sigh* Here are the rules:

These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.

They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut,

even more friendships are propogated.

Please give more attention to these writers!

OK, here goes. My 8 inspiring bloggafrenz:

Millie
JLB
Taters Mama
Linda
Michelle
Arrow
"Jane"
Heather

Fermenting

Fermenting is basically a way to "grow" the good bacteria, AKA- probiotics. They are excellent for gut health, detox and a multitude of other things.

There are several different ways to get this, and can be tailored for each person's taste. For instance, one person may not like yoghurt, but they love kraut. The next might no like kefir, but they like kombucha, etc.

Fermenting has to be done the proper way in order to acquire the good bac. The sauerkraut you see in the store- no good, because it is heat treated for pasteurization. The heat kills the good bac.

A few ideas for fermenting:

Water kefir- from wiki:

"Tibicos, also known as tibi, water kefir grains, sugar kefir grains, Japanese water crystals and California Bees, are a culture of bacteria and yeast held in a polysaccharide matrix created by the bacteria. As with kefir grains, the microbes present in tibicos act in symbiosis to maintain a stable culture. Tibicos can do this in many different sugary liquids, feeding off the sugar to produce lactic acid, alcohol (ethanol), and carbon dioxide gas which carbonates the drink.

Tibicos are found around the world, with no two cultures being exactly the same. Typical tibicos have a mix of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus and Leuconostoc bacteria with yeasts from Saccharomyces, Candida, Kloeckera and possibly others. Lactobacillus brevis has been identified as the species responsible for the production of the polysaccharide (dextran) that forms the grains.

People who do not wish to consume dairy or have a vegan type diet may find that water kefir provides the living pro-biotics without the need for dairy or tea cultured products, like kombucha. Since the finished product, if bottled, will produce a carbonated beverage, it provides an alternative to sweet soda drinks for children and adults."

Kombucha from wiki:

Kombucha is the Western name for sweetened tea or tisane that has been fermented using a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms called a "kombucha colony".
Contents

The culture contains a symbiosis of Acetobacter (acetic acid bacteria) and yeast, mostly Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. The culture itself looks somewhat like a large pancake, and though often called a mushroom, a Mother of vinegar or by the acronym SCOBY (for "Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast"), it is clinically known as a zoogleal mat.

Various yoghurts. These have different strengths and tastes:

Piima, fiji, viili, matsoni, Greek, filmjolk (there are more, but this is off the top of my head)

Fruits & veggies:

Many fruits and veggies can be made the same way as kraut- carrots, lemons, etc. There are some recipes out there as well for other fermented dishes, such as salsa.

I'll keep posting more info as it is requested or as I have time.

Traditional Foods Lifestyle

I wrote this on a message board & decided it should go here as well. I've mentioned our TF transition before, but I don;t believe I've really delved into it for you.

Traditional foods lifestyle is basically a "back-to-basics" lifestyle. It goes beyond foods, however & here is what I've learned & my take on it.

Back to basics means removing what is known as conventional foods. These conventional items include, but are not limited to:

Non-organic foods
Processed & pre-pkg'ed foods
Refined foods
Foods with added dyes & unnatural preservatives

Traditional food items include, but again, are not limited to:

Sugars/sweeteners in raw/little refined forms (Rapadura, demerara, molasses, stevia, honey, agave, etc.)
Organic produce
Organic, free range, grass fed & finished beef
Organic fed, free range chickens & eggs
Food items made from scratch with natural/organic ingredients

After doing a lot of research on the effects of process foods & behaviour, I learned that some of the issues I was having with one of my kids, may be linked to pesticides, food colourings & other unnatural additives in foods. We've since cut out, or are working on cutting out (yeah, trying to use up those stores in moderation- waste not, want not) white sugar, white flour, non-organic produce, etc. It has been AMAZING the difference we've seen in all the kids, but esp. the one. I was leaning towards ODD (oppositional defiance disorder), and have been blessed to find information on TF before I went forward with any Dx's or treatments.

I have an example. A little background first- Jan 09 was when I started TF. As I mentioned we are not 100% TF yet. However, we have already been seeing VAST improvements in all kids, esp. the one. A couple weeks ago we were in the grocery store & my youngest was being his cute self & chatting with the lady in front of us at the register. She had grabbed a couple candies from the impulse rack & he started pointing out other stuff. "Did you see this? Did you see that? Do you like this type?" She looked at me, and she says "You know, I feel the need to buy 3 boys a candy bar." I said "Oh no, that's ok, you don't have to." The whole while I'm SCREAMING in my head "NOOOOO DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!" She says "No, really, I don't mind." So I allowed her, against my better judgment, to buy them each a candy bar. I knew I shouldn't have, I KNEW better, but sometimes I CAN be a pushover, esp. to polite older people (she was not old by ANY means, don't get me wrong!). Within an hour, I noticed a HUGE change in the kids, and not for the better. Within 2 hours, 2 of them were grounded.

Now, since January, even though we've noticed changes, I've always questioned my choice. 2 weeks ago was the first time I felt totally vindicated in what I was doing. 2 weeks ago was the first time that I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was doing the right thing. 2 weeks ago marked the day that I will not say yes again to offers of preservative, poison, dye laced nastiness. The only thing that had kept me going since Jan. was that nothing worth doing is easy & the little hope that the behavioural issues were changing. I had wondered for 4 months if the changes I was seeing were "in my head." 2 weeks ago, I knew that wasn't the case.

OK, so I know a LOT of you on here cook from scratch already. But TF goes beyond that in finding the best quality foods for you & your family. Of course you can cook from scratch & still be eating the junk- refined sugars, dyes, preservatives, GM foods, etc. TF is NOT easy. Some say it's not cheap, but like any other sales, you have to learn the cycles of sales & learn to budget. Follow a list, keep a price list, etc.

It's best to start small. Wean the family. That's what I've been doing. You don't want to switch everything over in 1 day. Your family will freak. They will rebel. They will EAT JUNK!!!

Go grocery shopping with your list & choose, say, 2-3 things of 20 or more that you desire to change.

For instance- you've got flour, jelly, apples, ice cream, lemons, peanut butter & milk on your list, among other stuff. Get your PB & lemons in organic, your ice cream "all natural." Leave everything else the same this trip. Each trip add 1 more thing you're willing to change over. Prices got you cornered? Find a co-op or a bulk supplier in your area. You'll pay around the same if not less for organics as you do for conventional in the grocery store.

I'll be back with more. But here's a start to get you reading & researching!

Better pics of the chicks

Now that they're all settled in, I can get better pics of them. They are so adorable. So here they are in their "ambulatory" basket, LOL. I'e been using it to carry them to the mudroom sink for chicken butt duty (or doodie, whatev ). I have a sneaking suspicion (gut feeling) that the one I've fallen most in love with & that I've had to care for the most is going to end up being a roo