Alpaca Shearing

We weant today to watch the annual alpaca shearing. What is an Alpaca? check this website out. daughter two called them Llamas













Daughter 1 and Uncle watch as the alpaca gets sheared so that you can purchase an 100% alpaca sweater that retailes for 160 bucks or about

The Urge to SHop

I have the insatiable urge to shop. To buy whatever I feel content to buy. I want to spend all the money I have and then some, as if a shopping frenzy will bring me some kind of satisfaction. I know women are supposed to give in to this urge, but for years I have resisted the shopping urge and lived on a tightly managed budget which of course is self imposed. Sometimes I let my guard down and splurge at the thrift store or sometimes I get it through my head that if I buy this thing ..a particular problem will be solved. Case in point -- my messy living room. So I buy storage shelves for the kid’s toys, the toys will somehow find themselves on the shelves keeping my living room neat and tidy. That however was a huge misconception on my part, the state of the living quarters does not change. Last week I somehow convinced myself that new chair covers will breathe new life into our living space. So, today one new chair cover arrived. It made a huge difference to the dilapidated chair, but to the mess.. No such luck; changes should be done within and not without. As for the splurge its eating at me but I know I will resist it. But let’s say for a moment I give in to what will I buy… Jewelry? Clothes? New shoes? Not even close. If you said kitchen gadgets you are right. Here follows my wants lists:
A rice steamer (20 plus cup capacity)
A food processor (with many accessories)
A high wattage blender (make margaritas on the fly)
A fancy Bread machine/oven
Hot Dog Roller (such a cool looking contraption)

Birthright Fundraiser.

It was a success and turned out great! Here are some pictures.

eating playdough at other stuff...

Yesterday I had myself a mouthful of play dough. No I did not sit down and serve it up on a plate. I was busy picking up after the children while eating a breakfast bar. It was one of those situations where you think you are holding food but are not. SO I took a huge bite out of blue play dough. YUCK. I have done it once before where I took and chewed a doggie biscuit. I was eating a crunchy cookie and was trying to quiet a barking dog by tossing him a biscuit. Instead he got my oatmeal cookie and I was left taking a huge bite out of his biscuit.

I also got carded yesterday. I went to buy some port that I am going to use to make sauce for the fundraising dinner. The attendant in the liquor looked at me and asked me for my ID. I was so flattered. Took me a while to find and I imagined him snickering that he had busted me! I am actually a regular at the store so the regular store keeper was watching the exchange --amused. Anyway I finally pull out my ID, the kid looks at it and remarks “WOW, you are born the same year my mother was!” Boy, did I feel old.

Been Busy..

My dear hubby got back from China, my brother was here from out of town, we have "congestion cold" working its way through the house; lots of tissues type cold. Not much sleep here. You know how that goes.

Walmart, tight jeans and the Rosary

I don't like Walmart and I don't like tight jeans but I love praying the Rosary and I especially love my Rosary Beads. Well today all three happened to me. I went to Walmart since it’s the only store within a 50 mile radius that has shower curtain mats. While there I decided to stock up on groceries and other odds and ends. The gals (2 youngest) behaved amiably and the shopping excursion didn’t last more than 1.5 hours. After buying more than I had anticipated I withdrew 40 bucks from the ATM. I deliberately put the money into my back pocket so as not to loose the money. After loading everyone back into the Van, I drove acroos the parking lot to Burger King and ordered some lunch at the drive through… And of course my money was no where to be found! Luckily for me fast food establishments have become progressive and take credit cards. I charged $4.56 to my card. Went back to Walmart and retraced my steps. What did I expect? Really did I honestly think my 40 buckaroos would be lying on the street! UGH.. Talk about pay back—well maybe not pay back. SO why did I put on those tight jeans on in the first place? I was cleaning out my chest and found a pair of jeans that didn’t have my trademark dirt and grass stains (I have gardened in all my jeans) and gladly put them on. So what they were a little snug…and the zipper jammed I insisted and put them on anyway. The money must have twiddled its way out of my back pocket… sigh.. I can’t afford to loose money KWIM? Anyway I started thinking about Karma (not an Earl type Karma) and why thing happen to people. Then like a bolt of lightening it occurred to me why I lost the money… It goes back to Wednesday. On Tuesday I noticed that my Rosary was missing. My beautiful handcrafted, made for me rosary, the one I got on my birthday. I looked high and low for it. I tried to remember the last time I had it. On wednesday in a final moment of despair I said a quick prayer to St. Anthony. I made a vow that if my I found my Rosary in the next five minutes I will pray the Rosary twice a day for a week! And at that very moment I saw my coat hanging behind the door and I remembered that I had worn that coat the last time I had used my Rosary. After a prayer of thanks.. I went on with my life and forgot my vow. So what is the big deal I told myself I could have found it sooner or later? But it is a big deal.. I found it right after I prayed. Okay is it a fluke? Or was it intervention? It took my loosing 40 dollars from my back secure pocket for me to understand it was intervention. I am consoling myself that someone somewhere prayed for a miracle- to find some money. So someone somewhere had to loose the money first (in this case it was me) for that prayer to be answered. So tonight before I go to bed I WILL recite the Rosary and I will recite it when I get up as I had promised. I don’t want to loose anything else. Thank you St. Anthony and I am sorry for taking your gift frivolously. I pray this with a sincere heart.

Little league Season Opener..

My little man plays baseball. It is his first season ever. This seems strange to a lot of the baseball veteran moms but the truth is I never had the time, money to sign him up.. Actually that’s not the truth. I just always forgot to sign him up and I always gave him a l excuse. I am ashamed. So now here are baseball season. No hubby me with four kids and an elderly uncle. I miss of his practices, his scrimmages and barely make his first game. Lucky for me it’s a small field. I was able to remain in the comfort of my car and watch 30 minutes of the game. The gals were playing the car while I did this. I was not about to let them loose at the baseball field! I know better. The second game I was a complete no show. With one sick gal, on tired from over-exerting herself and the other just a baby, I opted to stay home. My heart breaks for him. I imagine him scanning the bleachers looking for me and not seeing me. In guilt I order him a new pair of Baseball cleats (which at the rate he growing will be worn for the two months of little league and then put into the “can’t fit into” box of shoes). Lucky for me they won their second game and he came home in good spirits. Maybe next game I will be there.

So, the fliers for summer camp are already circulating and this summer I will not forget to sign the kids for something. Soccer camp is the first week of August and swimming lesson take up six weeks of the summer (3 sessions 2 weeks each). Then there is CROP at the school which is almost all summer long during the morning hours and of course the famous Vacations Bible Schools put on by the Methodist and the Catholic Church. Who says life gets easier during the summer for moms? I will be hauling kids back and forth all summer long. SO if you see, the mom with a loaded mini-van; baseball bats, soccer balls, wet towels, all kinds of arts and crafts crammed in the back.. wave to me and let me know you empathize.

One of those days

Today was one of those days I kept hitting the snooze button on the alarm. I rarely wake up to an alarm but since I was incharge of getting the kids up and ready for school... I decided I didn't trust my internal clock so I set the alram. But after 4 days of waking up to the buzz... I had had it today. I convinced myself that maybe the kids could get ready for school in 20 minutes and I had an extra 25 minites to sleep... yeah right! Glad I didn't believe myself. I have two more nights wiht my hubby he gets back saturday night. I can't wait.. I am so excited. I have not spoken to him since sunday! The kids miss him, we all miss him..

Choose Life...

Here is poem I wrote for the church bulletin....
if you do copy it do give me credit for my talent... LOL

Choose Life

The road to recovery is arduous and painful
The patient listens... Reflects...
Nods her head with a serious determination
She chooses Life...

A young man leaning on a corner post
Busy intersection… Reflects…
Throws the little white rocks into the trash
He chooses Life…

She clasps her empty stomach
He looks at his worn out shoes… Reflects…
They pick up the paper’s Want Ads
They choose Life...

A young girl tired of running
Watches the children play… Reflects…
Calls her mother on the phone
She chooses Life…

My heart is barely beating
My hands are barely hands... Can’t reflect
Helpless, Trusting, Believing, Waiting
Choose Life for me... Please.


Have a great day!

Taking the time to clean

With the hubby out of town I am taking the time to do some spring cleaning and rearranging furniture. I could hang some pictures if I knew where the nails were. I have been doing laundry since I woke up too. Trying to get the questionable clothes cleaned (Can't tell if they are dirty of clean clothes). Hauling boxes of useless thing back into storage and sorting out garage sale type stuff. I am tired of clutter and for once and all I am going to beat it. I grew up in house where there was NO clutter. .. okay maybe no visible clutter.. my side of the closet was awful but I kept the closet door drawn. So those bad habits I fostered as a child have followed me into adulthood. I stuff my closets full of everything except the clothes, so clothes find new homes on the bed, dresser, laundry basket.. etc. Well THIS is it, I am breaking the cycle. I have watched my children emulate me and stuff their colothes in the closet or even under the bed. So I am also decluttering their room. All the extra stuffed animals are Kenya bound. I have a box set up at our church for extra stuffed animals and after a week of collecting animals I have a few garbage and boxes bags full of all kinds of stuffed animals. The plan is to send them to an orphange on the slopes of Mt. ELgon that was founded by the Friends (quakers).. and some to Gertrudes Garden CHildren Hospital.

On the fundrasing front I spent all morning trying to find ways to successfully freeze potatoes. One batch turned out 50% black and yucky looking -taste okay but black.. sigh. I am making potato cups that require shredded potatoes except I don't want to be shredding potatoes day off event. I am also going to start on the puff pastry. I need to make three batches. Gonna do two day.

Don't even get me started about gardening!!! I'll post some pictures next time.

Go Figure!

So my dear hubby is in China, pressing flesh. You know the drill.. You have to look your business partners in the eye before you sign a contract? Anyway so I am left to run the ship solo. Ofcourse, number two daughter decides its a great time to regress on the potty training. Number one daughter coughs all night, then walks into my room in the middle of the night to announce she can't sleep effectively waking me up so I can't sleep. THe baby can't sleep either I think she ate too many hotdogs for dinner. I feel like a Zombie today. I kept the coughing one home from school... and did I mention I have full blown allergies? Then we have dear sons book club troday he has to picked up at 4:30pm (or was it 4:00?) and he little league season opener game at 5:00. Reading hour for the kids is at the library at 10 am. So I will be running around most of the day.. Typical. Did I also mention I am rearranging my bedroom getting rid of the clutter... definately not cozy in there!

Hmmmm...

Been doing alot of self reflecting lately. Why do I do the things I do.. kind of reflecting. In my household I have 4 young children (3 of whom are under 5), my dear hubby and the Uncle. I get up in the morning and go into auto pilot- cleaning, cooking, cleaning some more cooking, then cleaning, washing only to have the house look no different then it did when I first started. I could wallow in despair over what can be construed as failure but I refuse to. My plate is full. Even if I had an extra set of hands I doubt I could keep a tidy, organized home. I am not an organized person neither are my kids... I could make a promise and start trying to be organized but its doomed to failure.. not enough hours in my day. I keep a clean house just not organized... Makes the house look "Cozy"

I was reading my dear friend Andreas blog. She found an old abandoned house. I see htese old houses around here everyday. Except some have new modular houses sitting behind them!! What? Feels like such a mockery to me. We looked at old houses for years. Trying to replace these old houses wood for wood can cost a fortune. The picture shows the stone wall on the North side of our property. Originally the house was going to be located right by it, but we opted for another site.

Presently, we live in a Building that built in 1832. Thick exterior walls with orginal HUGE wood beams. If the walls could talk. Last year we had to tear some of the flooring out. It was not even and the wood was so worn (not practical for walking around with a walker). The building was orginal a general store and the floor reflected the foot traffic. (If the walls could talk).