Busy, busy day.

Our cellar drain is not working and the water down there was about a foot and a half deep from all that rain we had. Curt had to run out and get a pump to get the water out. But the water is still coming in from the ground so we'll have to keep an eye on it. Of course Tyler was involved handling the hose but then he had to go to school. Curt had to leave for work (another airport run, three mares and a stallion all on a goose neck trailer together!) but by then most of the water was out. Then after school Tyler was dying to get to the stream down at the bottom of the property again (since it is once again flowing) so after the barn work was done that's where we went for about an hour. When we got back to the house we checked the cellar and it needed to be pumped again, so with Tyler's help and a phone call to Curt to find out how to work it, I got more water out but that drain is still clogged up. By the time we got in the house it was 6pm and I had to make a quick dinner for the kids and get a shower. I had already promised we would do Easter eggs, so that is what we did. Now I am out of patience and ready for bedtime!!!!!!!!

Scooby-Dooby-Do!

Tyler MUST watch "Scooby-do, Where are you?" every evening before bedtime on Boomerang. He loves it! He also likes the newer Scooby-do's but the old ones are his favorite.
Emily is doing okay with the potty. She didn't have much progress all day, but we were out most of the day. But this evening she has been doing a bit of pee on the potty, no poop yet.
Emily had story time at the Library today and once again (for the third week in a row) it was all about trucks! How perfect...for Tyler!!! Too bad he was in school! If the had done these books when Tyler was in story time, he would have sat much better! Oh well, Emily still enjoys it, even if it is more to her brothers taste!

So I think potty training has begun!

We got Emily her own pink potty yesterday and she IS starting to use it!! She picked it out and she wanted to hold it the whole way home. However when we got home she was afraid to sit on it! But then I got her on it by telling she could have a Cadbury mini egg if she just sat on it with her diaper off while I went to get her a new diaper. So she agreed and then she even got a little pee out as well. Then all evening she kept doing a little pee for an egg, but then she decided she didn't like the egg shell, so I have to peel all her eggs! (I'm going to buy some regular chocolate eggs today) By the night's end she was getting more in the potty and less in her diaper. Even when we started reading stories in bed she told me she had to go potty and she did and again when we were laying down to sleep. I told her no eggs while we upstairs because it was bedtime. Now last night she did have a wet diaper and again this morning but she did sit on the potty first thing and get a little more out. So for now we are going to stay with the pull-ups (diapers) and when she gets a little better at holding it, we'll try the underwear. By the way, Tyler was getting and egg when she went potty too because he was helping ask her if she had to go.

One thing I don't like about living on a farm...

TICKS! I pulled one off Emily the other day, one off of me yesterday and then today another one on Emily. It was on her neck and very hard to get out. There is still a small piece stuck in there, she was not happy about me trying to dig it out. I put her in the bath and some medicine on it, I'll have to keep and eye on it. She had this happen once before and it did eventually work it's way out. I hate tick! Plus I've pulled a few off the barn cats and I need to get them more spot on flea/tick stuff. Oh and they bother some of the horses as well. I seem to find them on Rafiki and Spencer but not the others. I would say they are attracted to the white on horses but BB is white and he doesn't get bothered by them.
I actually got a real nap in today!!! Curt took the kids to do the barn in the afternoon and I just took a shower and went right into my bed!! I had a headache and it went away with a simple nap! Of course it was short lived, I mean he could have done a few other chores in the barn to make it a longer time outside. Oh well it was better then nothing!

No creek today...

it was all dried up, but the kids still wanted to go down and check it out and look around. Then we took a walk through the hay field up the old path up to the road. I said maybe we'll try a trek up to the top of the hill behind the house one day before the woods fill in with weeds and poison ivy.
Did you know my kids are the paper plate and napkin police? Heaven forbid I take two paper plates (I buy the cheep ones, so sometimes you need two)and they never fail to point it out to me! Also, if you get napkins out as we sit down to dinner, you better have the right amount! Otherwise, "where's my napkin, where Dad's napkin????"

A little to cold today for the creek...

but we tried anyway. The sun came out and we had coats on so we went down to the creek to play. I told Tyler once the plants start growing we can't play there anymore, because there might be poison ivy there. Not to mention snakes! Anyway, we weren't there 5 minutes and Emily tripped and fell on her knees right in the water! And about two minutes after that Tyler had a boot full of water!! I don't know how he manages to do that! The water is not even above his ankles! Even thought they were wet neither one asked to go in, but I only let them stay for a few minutes, it was too cold to be wet.

Curt finally got home at dinner time, after what 4 days of driving! That was too far and I don't think he'll make that trip again in the near future, if ever! He said he was only 1300 miles from California! The kids were very happy to see him and tell him about all the wonderful things they have found in the creek (like pieces of roof shingles!)

By the way, i watched a very strange movie the other night, "A Serious Man" which was up for some Oscars (I can't remember what and if it won anything) but I wouldn't recommend it, but if you ever catch it on TV, watch it and then explain it too me. Really weird. Although a lot of things happen, it has no ending, I really don't know what to say about it!

Yep, we live on a farm.

The past two days the kids have enjoyed playing in the little creek that runs at the bottom of our property. I only runs when we have a lot of rain, so it is usually dry. The kids were playing in it yesterday, throwing rocks and I really had to watch Emily or she would have nailed Tyler in the head about a dozen times! She never thought to look that it was clear before throwing, I had to remind her every time! Yesterday she had on her rubber boots and kept walking through and Tyler had on his "barn sneakers" and he kept trying to jump over (but landing in it). So today we meant to put on our rubber boot but forgot, so we made a special trip all the way back to the house to change shoe for the creek. I don't know why I bothered! The were pouring water out of their boots when they were done! The water is only about 2 or 3 inches deep and their boots are almost up to their knees! Oh well, they had fun and they found lots of "treasures", a couple random pieces of rubber, an old glass bottle, and a piece of a teapot (according to Tyler, it really looks like a piece of a plate). While the kids were playing I cleaned out the small part of the ring (well, Curt did the hard work on it the other day, I just was keeping it cleaned up) and I also brought the stallion (Rafiki) down for a chance to run around the ring. He's been cooped up in the small paddock behind the barn and needed a chance to stretch his legs. He must have rolled at least 5 or 6 times and had a grand time smelling all the poop! (Stallions love that!) Not to mention all the trotting, running and playing! I'll have to do that more often for him until we can get him out on the grass again.

Here are some pictures since I've been neglecting to add them. Here are the Famous Pillow Pets!! As Pets and ..

As pillows!

And here is one of Emily in her new shoes! Cindy sent them to her in the mail (Tyler got shoes too) and she was soooo exited to get shoes in the mail!!

P.S. She picked out the outfit herself. She is wearing a black cat shirt under her sweat shirt but her first choice for a skirt was white with different color polka dots! But alas it was too big! This worked out better.

Oklahoma not OK!

Curt has to drive three stallions to the middle of Oklahoma tomorrow...byhimself! He was just told TODAY! The barn he works for is so disorganized!!! It should be the same as driving to West Palm, so about 24 hours one way. He is going to have to sleep somewhere, sometime. Before you know it he is going to be busy bringing all the horses back from Florida too. And again he really could use a second driver. At least the weather is warmer so if I get in a bind, it is not a problem to bring the kids down to the barn. Emily still has a runny nose but is mostly over her cold. Of course we were almost all dried out from the rain and snow melt and now it is pouring rain again. But what are you going to do, it is Spring!

Another nice day out..

well I was inside most of the day, but the kids were outside a lot. We went to MOPS (Mother's Of PreSchoolers) this morning and the kids got a surprise treat. They brought over the lion cub for the kids to see! Lucky! We moms didn't! I had to do a couple errands on the way home then when we got home the kids played outside while Curt continued his spring cleaning up. The kids like "helping" spread grass seed. Meanwhile I stayed in to clean/do laundry and get dinner started. In the middle of all this while Curt was getting out the patio table and chairs, we realise we have pipe leaking in the cellar! So we had to call the plumber and Curt turned the water off (without telling me) and I had my hands full of raw chicken and Emily came in and out of the screen door and couldn't shut it (it was off the track). I go over to tell Curt to please turn the water back on so I can wash up and I see a cat out on the brick wall. My first thought is it Mulch (the stray we feed) and then I realise, no it's Bob (house cat)!!!!! But all I really had to do was say, "Bob, get in here!" and he panicked and came right in! He's a good cat. :)
P.S. The pipe got fixed.

Pillow Pets are IT!

Tyler and Emily got their Pillow Pets (thanks Grandma Cooper) in the mail today and Emily had to bring hers into Tyler's school to show everyone. And every kid who saw it knew what it was and wants one! It might have SOMETHING to do with the commercials being on Nickelodeon!! That said they are super soft and the kids love them.

It sure has been nice the last two days! Weird to be going out with out a coat and a couple weeks ago we were knee deep in snow!! I've had two dreams lately where it is snowing bad again! I hope that isn't a sign of a freak snow storm!! I actually got the young horse out on the lunge line today, just to let them know work is starting!! They were both a little fresh but that is to be expected. I'm sure they'll settle down in a day or two. But I'll still give them a couple weeks to shed out more before I start really riding.

A piece of money

Tyler has started making his bed every day in order to "get a piece of money"! That's what he calls an allowance. We were reading a library book about a boy who gets an allowance for making his bed and some other chores and I guess Tyler figured he could get in on the action. So he asked me if he made his bed every day would I give him a piece of money! I added that he needed to turn off the fan in his room as well. It's on for "white noise" while they sleep and Tyler usually "forgets" to turn it off. But now he knows there is money involved, he remembers to turn it off. The good news, he is thrilled with random coins as his "piece of money" no set number or amount required for his allowance...yet!
So what about all the rain? And all the snow melt added to it! I think it is the fastest we've ever gotten rid of all the snow. Well there is still little piles left but the majority is gone. Usually we are the last to lose the snow, we are in a shady little pocket that is usually slow to melt. Now it's a waiting game for the mud to dry up!

It almost seems like spring...

except we have a ton of snow still! The kids actually got to spend a lot of time outside today, we all did the barn this morning. Tyler was breaking in his new wheel barrow and he was instructing Emily how to use his old one. But when she had trouble trying to balance it he got out another old one with two wheels. Emily didn't last long on stall duty, but Tyler took out about 10 or more wheel barrows full!

My next car is going to have Spell Check!

Emily likes to give me spelling tests when we are in the car. She asks me to spell whatever word she can think of, today the strangest word: flamingo! But the best was the other day, she asked me to spell, "Bwurd", I said, "Board?" Emily, "No, Bwurd", I said, "Born?" Emily, "No Bwurd with a beak!" Me, "Oh! BIRD!"

Busy couple days....

Tyler had his 6th Birthday all week. Tuesday he had his Birthday at school. I sent Cupcakes and lollipops for his class. Then Saturday, his actual Birthday was spent looking for Pillowpets! He really wanted one for his Birthday and I tried to order two online (one for Emily to avoid fighting) and when it came it was way too small, more like an accent pillow, not a bed pillow. So back in the mail they go, and we went all over looking for them at the mall and other stores with no luck, so back to the internet. They should be here this week. Anyway, Saturday night was dinner at Friendly's for Tyler. Then today was church then the party! Tyler was having a hard time waiting for everyone to show up and having to wait to open his presents! But eventually he got to the gifts, which rushed through in typical kid fashion. But later when he took the time to look at everything he was very happy. He will be spending a lot of time in the barn with his new Quad and wheel barrow (yes, wheel barrow, he really wanted a bigger kid one!) Now he is watching the Wizard of Oz though we started with Jumanji! All Lego trucks are put together and his bed is made with his new John Deere set. Emily is fighting him over the little horses but I think we have that worked out. Oh and they did Playdoh for a little while too. I put the paint set away for another day, I'm not ready for that today! It is also probably warm enough for the new Spongebob PJ's tonight. Did I miss anything? I think he just about played with everything. Oh and he had a great construction cake from the A&P!

Another day on the farm in deep snow!

Well at least it is starting to melt already, but it will still be a lot of work for a while. But we actually are getting muddy spots on the path to the ring. I would rather have snow then the mud but what can you do. It's going to get really messy before it will get any better.