We are in the middle of a big transition. We are about a month away from moving to a rural area. We have a house to move into which is in the town we will call "home" for a while.....until we can find a farm we want to make our home. My Dad made a great discovery last week and we went to look at it this past weekend. It's perfect for us! It has an older house that is livable for several years until we can build a new one. It has a couple of barns, a machine shed, a chicken house, a brooder house, grapevines and an orchard! The orchard has 4 peach trees, 3 apple trees and 2 pear trees. The apples and pears were abundant and literally making the branches sag from the weight! The grapevines still had huge bunches of grapes hanging even though the owner had already picked 15 gallons. As we were standing in the orchard, I looked at Jason and quietly said "I want it!"
Jason and Dad took a ride around the pastures to check them out and I stayed up near the house. I walked around and imagined living there. It wasn't hard to do. I could see my chickens wandering around the yard. I could see Leah outside playing with her animals (currently on her list is a horse, some ducks and some sheep). I made a mental list of what I would do with all the fruit we would harvest. Let's see.....grape jelly, maybe try my hand at some homemade wine, peach pies, peach preserves, apple butter, applesauce, pear butter and lots and lots of fresh fruit eaten straight off the tree! I can see Leah now standing under the trees eating a peach....warm juice running down her chin! Yeah....I'd say I'm sold. I can already feel my roots growing and we haven't even bought it! The scary part is that it is being sold on auction and you never know how that will work out. I am praying that it is meant to be ours. We'll find out October 18 and if we get it then we'll have the other house to sell. I don't want to wish my life away but I'm ready to be past this transition phase. I'm ready for some roots!!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Kids say the darndest things
It could have been much worse and she was just being honest. Sometimes, I'm able to quickly realize what is about to come out of her mouth and I somehow change the subject. This time, she had an open field because I was laying in the dentist chair with my mouth wide open, unable to say a thing.
First, a little history. I have been going to the same Father/Son dentist office for about 10 years and I love them. Every person on the staff is so happy and pleasant. They actually remember things about me and will ask when I go in every 6 months. I trust them completely. So, it just made sense that when Leah needed a dentist I would take her to them. Apparently, Leah has weak enamel because she already has had 3 fillings and I promise you that her teeth are taken care of probably better than most. We brush twice a day, floss and rinse with fluoride. Her first filling (about a year ago) was scheduled with my trusted dentist (the son) but when we got there he was out sick. So, the father was going to be doing the filling that day. I was a little reluctant because I wasn't sure what his manner was like with small children. Leah had only seen the son before and I could tell he was good with kids. I didn't say anything because I had been to the father before and I trusted him also...as an adult. I should have trusted my instinct and asked them to reschedule her with the son but I didn't.
He assured me that since it was such a small, surface cavity it would be easier on her to just do it quickly without Novocaine. Yes, you read that right....WITHOUT Novocaine. Without ANYTHING! He assured me that the shot of Novocaine would be worse than the actual drilling. I shuddered at the thought of it but he's the doctor, right? She was crying and screaming, of course. I was fighting back tears because I didn't want to scare her more. He stopped halfway through, picked her up and said "If you don't stop crying, Mommy is going to leave the room. But if you stop crying, Mommy can stay." I grabbed her away from him and told her I wasn't going anywhere. I wanted to punch him. I wanted to take that drill and stick it up his ass. I wanted to take my poor, scared daughter and leave that place right then.....but I couldn't leave because he already had drilled and there was a hole in her tooth. I guess I could have immediately gone to another dentist to try and get an emergency appointment but let me assure you my mind was not working. My blood was boiling and I could hear every beat of my heart in my head. It was terrible, awful, scary, traumatic....you name it. I was still mentally shaken by it a week later. Actually, just thinking about it now gives me chills. That's how bad it was.
So, back to the reason for this post! There I was laying in the hygienist's chair having just had my teeth cleaned and the son came in to check everything out. Leah is content in the corner, coloring away (having just talked the hygienist's ear off) when she pipes up "You know why I don't come here anymore?"
"No, I don't" says the dentist
"You guys weren't very gentle. We had to find a dentist that would be more gentle for me." she says.
All I could do was laugh. I wasn't going to try to cover up what she said because it was the truth.
Needless to say, Leah now goes to a pediatric dentist where the tools are "magic wands", the fluoride treatment is "tooth sparkles" and they get tokens for the toy machine, a balloon and a cup of ice cream when they are done! They also use nitrous gas and Valium if needed for doing fillings.
First, a little history. I have been going to the same Father/Son dentist office for about 10 years and I love them. Every person on the staff is so happy and pleasant. They actually remember things about me and will ask when I go in every 6 months. I trust them completely. So, it just made sense that when Leah needed a dentist I would take her to them. Apparently, Leah has weak enamel because she already has had 3 fillings and I promise you that her teeth are taken care of probably better than most. We brush twice a day, floss and rinse with fluoride. Her first filling (about a year ago) was scheduled with my trusted dentist (the son) but when we got there he was out sick. So, the father was going to be doing the filling that day. I was a little reluctant because I wasn't sure what his manner was like with small children. Leah had only seen the son before and I could tell he was good with kids. I didn't say anything because I had been to the father before and I trusted him also...as an adult. I should have trusted my instinct and asked them to reschedule her with the son but I didn't.
He assured me that since it was such a small, surface cavity it would be easier on her to just do it quickly without Novocaine. Yes, you read that right....WITHOUT Novocaine. Without ANYTHING! He assured me that the shot of Novocaine would be worse than the actual drilling. I shuddered at the thought of it but he's the doctor, right? She was crying and screaming, of course. I was fighting back tears because I didn't want to scare her more. He stopped halfway through, picked her up and said "If you don't stop crying, Mommy is going to leave the room. But if you stop crying, Mommy can stay." I grabbed her away from him and told her I wasn't going anywhere. I wanted to punch him. I wanted to take that drill and stick it up his ass. I wanted to take my poor, scared daughter and leave that place right then.....but I couldn't leave because he already had drilled and there was a hole in her tooth. I guess I could have immediately gone to another dentist to try and get an emergency appointment but let me assure you my mind was not working. My blood was boiling and I could hear every beat of my heart in my head. It was terrible, awful, scary, traumatic....you name it. I was still mentally shaken by it a week later. Actually, just thinking about it now gives me chills. That's how bad it was.
So, back to the reason for this post! There I was laying in the hygienist's chair having just had my teeth cleaned and the son came in to check everything out. Leah is content in the corner, coloring away (having just talked the hygienist's ear off) when she pipes up "You know why I don't come here anymore?"
"No, I don't" says the dentist
"You guys weren't very gentle. We had to find a dentist that would be more gentle for me." she says.
All I could do was laugh. I wasn't going to try to cover up what she said because it was the truth.
Needless to say, Leah now goes to a pediatric dentist where the tools are "magic wands", the fluoride treatment is "tooth sparkles" and they get tokens for the toy machine, a balloon and a cup of ice cream when they are done! They also use nitrous gas and Valium if needed for doing fillings.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Greatest Show on Earth or Highway Robbery??
My cousin Kerri and I took our kids to the circus last night. Let me preface this post by saying it really is a great show and the ticket prices are pretty reasonable considering the setup and equipment they must have. The part that made our jaws drop was the price of the souvenirs. Let's see....a bag of cotton candy with a cheap felt top hat $12, a snow cone in a plastic tiger cup $12, lemonade in a plastic drink bottle $9, a plastic light-up sword $20. You get the idea. I'm sure there were pricier items to be had....if you're not cheap like me!
I sat there during the show and knew that Leah was watching other kids come walking in with their cheaply made, overpriced junk....oh sorry, I mean with their souvenirs and I wondered what she was thinking. You know that our kids wanted that stuff just like all the other kids and I have to say that they were very good and didn't demand anything or throw a fit when we said "No". They each asked why they couldn't have a light-up sword and we both told them the truth. It's too expensive.
So, when Leah saw a kid come walking in with nachos or something and said "Mommy, I'm hungry", I pulled out her chicken nuggets from my purse that she didn't eat in the car. Then, she sees some kids walking in with their $12 snow cones and said "Mommy, I'm thirsty". What does this cheap mother do? Pulls out a juice box from my purse. (LOVE big purses!)
As we sat in the car leaving the parking garage we watched family after family walk to their cars, arms LOADED with souvenirs. I mean they had BAGS of stuff and most of them had 2-4 kids with them. We each had 1! We sat there and added up each family's purchases as they walked by. One family had $60 worth in their hands and then had about 2 bags full of who knows what!
It was a bit of a joke of course but then again it makes me think. I don't want Leah to sit through every event like this thinking "Why won't Mommy & Daddy let ME have any of that really, super cool stuff? They're SO cheap!" But, I also don't want her thinking she needs to get something everywhere we go. I don't think it's too early to teach her the value of things. If you should think we are depriving our daughter, come on over and take a look around her "toy room". If you can even get in the door that is!
Bottom line is we had a good time and that's all that matters. After all, who doesn't enjoy seeing little white fluffy dogs in green tutus doing back flips??
I sat there during the show and knew that Leah was watching other kids come walking in with their cheaply made, overpriced junk....oh sorry, I mean with their souvenirs and I wondered what she was thinking. You know that our kids wanted that stuff just like all the other kids and I have to say that they were very good and didn't demand anything or throw a fit when we said "No". They each asked why they couldn't have a light-up sword and we both told them the truth. It's too expensive.
So, when Leah saw a kid come walking in with nachos or something and said "Mommy, I'm hungry", I pulled out her chicken nuggets from my purse that she didn't eat in the car. Then, she sees some kids walking in with their $12 snow cones and said "Mommy, I'm thirsty". What does this cheap mother do? Pulls out a juice box from my purse. (LOVE big purses!)
As we sat in the car leaving the parking garage we watched family after family walk to their cars, arms LOADED with souvenirs. I mean they had BAGS of stuff and most of them had 2-4 kids with them. We each had 1! We sat there and added up each family's purchases as they walked by. One family had $60 worth in their hands and then had about 2 bags full of who knows what!
It was a bit of a joke of course but then again it makes me think. I don't want Leah to sit through every event like this thinking "Why won't Mommy & Daddy let ME have any of that really, super cool stuff? They're SO cheap!" But, I also don't want her thinking she needs to get something everywhere we go. I don't think it's too early to teach her the value of things. If you should think we are depriving our daughter, come on over and take a look around her "toy room". If you can even get in the door that is!
Bottom line is we had a good time and that's all that matters. After all, who doesn't enjoy seeing little white fluffy dogs in green tutus doing back flips??
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Happiness is....
These days, nothing makes my little girl happier than this.....
She's also awfully fond of her new "cowgirl jeans" she got from Grandma!
She's also awfully fond of her new "cowgirl jeans" she got from Grandma!Friday, September 5, 2008
DO feed the animals
We're heading to the farm today for the weekend. We're always excited to get there and see the animals. There is a new addition for us to care for....a baby calf! The mother had twins and only wanted to care for one so Dad and Jason took the abandoned one. Leah was so excited to feed him and is very excited to get there today and see him again!
The chickens are still growing and changing. They are 10 weeks old now and pretty much look like full grown chickens but they won't start to lay eggs until 20 weeks or so. The one I thought might be a rooster definitely is...or we have a very manly lady!
The goats got a treat last weekend of stale corn chips. They'll be excited to see Leah coming this weekend with the rest of the bag. She loves feeding her animals!
We have 8 weeks of city living left and then we're off to a more rural life. For now, our weekend trips will have to do.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Excused Absence
OK, so I'm aware of the fact that you shouldn't have a blog if you're not going to post regularly but I have been very busy lately. I feel so uprooted right now because of this move (we are temporarily living with my father-in-law which is a post all it's own!!) and am having a hard time getting anything done. Probably the biggest reason I've been absent from blogland is that we spent 11 days with my sister and her kids. They came to the farm for a few days and then we went to her house for a few. We had so much fun and it was nice to have such a long visit since we normally just get a long weekend here and there. Leah got to show off her farm girl experiences to her cousins and was an old pro at catching the chickens for anyone wanting to hold one!
At my sister's house, we cooked lots of good food...
had a craft day, took our monkeys to see the kids at the zoo...
and spent lots & lots of time in their new pool! In fact.....we got accused by a certain someone (ahem, you know who you are) of being lazy bloggers because we were spending too much time by the pool.
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