Weekend Update

I think we may have had the perfect long weekend.
Not to much lounging and not to much working.
No flooded tents or crowded campgrounds.
(because we didn't go camping)
No waiting in traffic and looking for parking to see the parade.
(because we didn't go to the parade)
We just stayed home.
Well, except for the mini road trip with my mother on Saturday...
Saturday morning Wyatt and I went with my Mom to see her friend Irene about a bird.
You see Irene had recently purchased four birds from a breeder and was willing to cut us a sweet deal because for a very long time I have been wanting a canary and in honor of a certain day that my Mother and I spent together forty three years ago she gifted me with what was in the beginning going to be one but ended up being a pair of red factor canaries.
Have you ever heard a canary sing?

(This is not my bird)


I love them.
Lyndon and Lady Bird.
The Johnsons.
Thank you Mom and thank you too Irene.

These are my birds.

Ummm, I don't remember what we did Sunday.

Yesterday was sheep redistribution day.
All the rams went to new digs, including Big Dan.
It is so hard to say goodbye, but we had to or we would have ended up with a bunch of inbred cross eyed five legged lambs and I since I don't fancy myself a castrater and didn't want to do in Dan at this stage in his life we decided to sell them all at full strength.
I'm pretty sure we will have another round of lambs this summer, but I can't be certain.
I hope so though.
In the meantime, hearts are still mending from the sudden loss of testosterone and the weight is heavy on Jack the little Ass's withers as he looks after his newly acquired harem of shedding ewes, a short legged gypsy goat, an obese food focused pig, a temperamental senior white donkey and one cranky old spotted mule mare.
I tell you, PMS in this barnyard must really be a bitch.

I have a new farrier coming on Thursday.
I gave up on our regular one who has COMPLETELY flaked out on us for the last month.
As I said on facebook last week, I have ex-husbands more reliable than that guy.

Speaking of facebook, if your not on the farm facebook and don't already know, there are new soaps and some great soy tarts just listed on Etsy so you need to go take a look!
You can either follow the farm store link at the top of this page or just click HERE.

That's all.

Peas.

Bad Bra Blues

I hate buying new bras.
I just spent all of Wyatts lunch money a fortune on two.
One fits, one is pure mayhem.

And why is that... Why can't they all fit the SAME!

My armpits are bleeding as I write this, I'm going to need sutures to heal, but if I even try going "comando" I end up with sweat rings on my thighs.

So throw those new two in the drawer alongside all the other bad bras I own and I could open a roadside tourist attraction.
You know, like the biggest rubber band ball, I could have the biggest
(in more ways than one)
bad bra ball and I could display it in the front yard by the gate and sell tickets and refreshments and have Pearl the Pig and Belle the Sheep out there proclaiming their independence from the underwire.
They could be standing in a pen with signs on their back saying they'd rather wear a hot wire than an underwire.

All I ask is this, why can't someone make a comfortable king size bra?
It doesn't have to be pretty, an equivalent to the tighty whitey would be sufficient for me.
Something without stainless steel or too much spandex, just nice cotton containment.
Seriously, is that asking too much?

Stinging Nettle Soap

I know I've been talking about getting this soap made for weeks, but I finally got it done yesterday.
Here it is, stinging nettle soap.

You can read about the healing properties of stinging nettles here, and here but the quick word is that nettle is very beneficial when it comes to matters of the skin.
It also has amazing effects on your insides, but don't eat the soap.

I took a few pictures of my lavender and simple soap too.

The simple soap is just that.
Simple.
No dye, no fragrence, no nothing, just plain old simple soap perfect for babies and sensitive skin.
If you suffer with allergies, psoriasis or eczema the simple soap also makes the perfect base for laundry soap.
The lavender soap is a very lightly scented lavender.
You know how they say "if a little is good, more is better"?
Well, that's not the case with lavender.
With lavender, if a little is good, less is better and this soap has just enough to let you know that it's there without screaming lavender out loud.
Most soapers sprinkle their lavender buds on top of the soap for a pretty finishing touch.
Not me, I toss the buds right in so they can work as an exfoliator too.
Pretty with a purpose.

Ok, that's all I have for today.

Wendy is coming over to do laundry later so I'll make some cookies and we'll watch some reality T.V.

I am SO glad Kirstie stayed another week on DWTS, but I'm pretty sure next week will be her last.

I have January the little girl with schizophrenia DVR'd and the One Ton Mom too so it should be a good line up of warm cookie T.V.

Last week I posted a picture of Wyatt walking to the bus with his entourage of sheep so today I'll leave you with this.

A boy and his mule.

Peas.

They Did It!

What a weekend we had!
Our adventure began with a trip to Anacortes to catch the ferry and believe me when I tell you we got there just in time.
Even though we were two hours early we were one of the last cars on.
My sister from Montana showed up less than thirty minutes later and was on overload for the next boat that left about three hours later. She and her son jumped in with us and her husband stayed behind with their car so they could make it to the family dinner on time.
The dinner was fabulous, but it was crazy to look around the room at all of the grooms family and think that they were all my families family now.
My sisters family has a whole new family!

You would think that after doing this wedding thing as many times as I have it would all be routine for me, but this wedding was very different than any of my weddings
(no tattoo artists, biker gangs or smoking during the ceremony).
This wedding was perfect.
The bride was perfect, the groom was perfect, the church was perfect, and the reception was beautiful.
Instead of cake, my niece requested that everyone bring their favorite homemade pie, so there was an entire table full of fresh from the oven pies, cobblers and crisps.
They barbecued salmon and served lamb with fresh roasted vegetables and of course enough appetizers, fresh fruit and cheese to stuff me right out of my spanx!
I swear, if every reception were like this one, I'd crash a different wedding every weekend!
Heart felt speeches were made and love and luck were toasted again and again with raised glasses filled with champagne, sparkling cider and water from fancy green bottles.
Everything was absolutely... Perfect.

But, as the evening went on I started to fade, so Wyatt and I headed out but left Wendy behind to carry on and represent the rest of the night.
The next morning I got a full report of dancing late into the evening and spending time with friends and family old and new.

So here's to the bride and groom, my sister and her husband and all of their new family, I wish you a lifetime of happiness and thank you for sharing your wonderful day!

And The Winner Is...

MegRyansMom!!
Yay MRM :D
While MegsMom is picking out her winnings on Etsy  you can check out her blog here, MegsMoms Blog  and today I see she has a great post about the Boys and Girls Club which we should all be HUGE supporters of, just ask my friend Jill Reid

Wendy will be here any minute and then it's hair cutting time and then off to pick up a few last minute items and then we leave super early Friday morning the the BIG day!
I still can't believe my niece is getting married, I am so happy for her and so glad I can finally pass the wedding torch.
 It's been a lot of work keeping this family in new spouses for the last twenty years.

I'll be back to blogging on Monday or Tuesday and I'll have lot's of stories and photos to share!

Peas.

Birds Of A Feather

No news today.
Wyatt is staying with a friend tonight and 6 is working so I'll have the house to myself.
I wish Wendy and Megan could come over and we could eat brownie sundaes and watch Grey Gardens and drink wine out of a plastic bag.

Did I tell you we went to see Rio?
I had terrible anxiety through the entire movie though because I'm afraid of heights and I don't like flying, so if you have these same issues, heed my advice and don't go see an animated movie about the mishaps of birds.

Speaking of birds, Frack and the chicks are doing well and the babies are growing so fast.
She is a fierce mother and will take on foes of any size to protect her brood.

I made a giant batch of plain and simple soap last night.

No scent, no dyes, no nothing, just plain old basic soap.

Next week I'm making nettle soap.

It's super good for psoriasis and eczema.

Did you know if you drink nettle tea it acts as a natural antihistamine?

True value.

Better than Benadryl and no drowsiness.

Thats all I got.

Peas.

Grey Hair & Back Fat

I'm cutting my hair.
I think.
I think I'm cutting my hair.
I have always had short hair and it's always been blonde and I usually wore it messy big loopy curly fun.
And then... I got a bad brain, went through the "change" moved to Oregon got fat and grew long brown and grey hair.
Maybe as a wedding gift for my niece I'll cut my hair, get a dye job and go on a diet!
I bet nobody else is getting her that ☺
Anyway, I think on Mothers Day when my Facebook hacking kid comes over I'm going to have her cut all my hair off, well not all of it as some of you who have known me for many years may remember, the big bald of 94'.
Don't freak out, I left a light bang to soften the whole shaved head look.
Sorry, no pictures.
I'm thinking more of a between the head and shoulders layered bob and maybe even a box of brown.
I just really wish that a good haircut could lift my butt and boobs and do something about my back fat too.
Oh well, I'll let you know what I decide to do and if I do cut it all off I'll post pictures of the process.

Ummm, the gift ideas that started rolling in yesterday were great!
It seems to be the general consensus that homemade is the way to go which I find very interesting considering everyone registers at Target and Maceys.
So be honest with me, are you all suggesting homemade because you know I have a closet full of crocheted knick knacks and shelves full of soap or are you sincere in the thinking that homemade is better?
Remember, you still have until Wednesday to play and if you're the winner YOU can be the lucky recipient of some goods from the craft closet!

I have to go do the dishes and list a new soap.

Peas.

Pre Wedding Gift Jitters

The big school switch is a huge success!
Wyatt is making a quick adjustment and making lots of new friends.
He said he has a really good math teacher who explains things in a way that's easy to understand and everything else is falling right into place.
He even has a sleep over planned with two new friends this weekend!
Yesterday afternoon we went to see Rio and on the way home he was blathering on in the backseat and amongst all the chatter it slipped out that he couldn't wait to go to school today.
Are you kidding me?
Those are words that have never been heard in our house (or car) before, maybe we really have turned a corner.
Ok, or maybe it's all still new, kind of like a new husband puppy, fun and exciting until you have to feed it and clean up after it.


I'm having A Giveaway!


It starts today and ends Wednesday the 11th.
Here's how you win...
Leave me a comment here or on facebook with the best wedding gift ever.
Let me be more specific, the best wedding gift on a budget.
I've been trying to come up with something for months, but I can't think of anything. Well, I did think of something but 6 and Wyatt said it was the dumbest thing they had ever heard of and coming from the people who live with me, who hear all of my dumb ideas I knew I needed to go in a different direction and now I'm begging you for help.
Here's how this works.
You give me as many ideas as you want, you can email me or comment, it doesn't matter and then I will choose my favorite and most suitable, but the winner of the giveaway will be random, chosen by a random online picker app.
And the winner...
Will get to choose any two listings from my Etsy
Fun huh!
The wedding is May 14th so don't lollygag, I need ideas FAST!
The bride and groom are healthy outdoorsy types and will be moving to the Windy City following the nuptials.
Give me your best ideas people!!

Peas.

Spring Stuff & School Stuff

Well, as most of you know by now today is a very important day...
Wyatt starts his new school.
His bag is cleaned out of old school work, scribbled on papers, old notes home about half days, no days and holidays.
We found the school pictures that I had forgotten were even taken and somewhere between six and twenty three pounds of rocks.
What is with kids and rocks?
No special fancy rocks, just plain rocks.
His clothes are ready, his hair is clean and his face is washed.
He has a fresh haircut, clean socks and short fingernails, so all I have to do is roll him out of bed and make sure his teeth are brushed and he'll be ready to go.
He used to have to catch the bus at 6:40, and now he doesn't even have to wake up until after 8:00 so as of right now, the new school is "winning" and he hasn't even gotten out of bed yet.

Today I'm making these scones and planting these peonies!
I was going to plant the peonies yesterday, but I had to do a little reading on them first and then it got to late in the day because we only have one truck right now because 6 broke his and hasn't had time to fix it yet so he's driving "mine" so there wasn't time for me to go to town.
I'm going today though, and I'm getting already planted peonies because I need instant peony gratification and then I'm going to the store to get craisins for the scones.
I made macaroni and cheese last night and stepped up my recipe with sour cream and Bac-Os.
I know, it sounds trashy, but it was SO good!
I used twisty noodles and regular macaroni noodles in two different sizes to give it some artistic interest and doubled the bread crumbs. I think next time I'm going to do something really crazy and try adding some cream cheese.
I wish I would have taken a picture of it, it looked as good as it tasted all hot bubbly melty cheesey goodness right out of the oven.
I have to stop talking about it or I'm going to end up in the kitchen licking the plates from last night.

Frack hatched four rocks eggs yesterday!
It's taken her three years to figure out how to finagle some other hens eggs away, but she finally did it. No rocks for Frack this time, no sir, she hatched out four real live fresh and feathered chicks.
They're a motley looking little bunch, but she sure loves them.
If the dogs, cats, ducks or donkeys get to close to her babies she sounds the alarm and chases away the intruder and as soon as everyone is a safe distance away from her brood she continues parading through the yard.
I'll see if I can get a picture later today, it's too cute not to share.
She's kind of the Angelina Jolie of the barnyard.

Ok, that's all.
I have to go wake up Wyatt.
Pea(onie)s.