Tall tales

I'm tellin ya... after Nathan's 5th grade year, I am going to be the oldest, smartest 5th grader!! LOL!!!
This week we are working on writing a Tall Tale!  Well, Nathan is working on writing one... I am just here explaining the use of  vivid word choices and exaggerations!  LOL! 
I must admit, writing has always been one of my passions.  I just havent done it in a long time.  I may have to participate in some of his writing assignments this year!
I will say it again... I LOVE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS!!  The internet is FULL of them!  It has really made it a lot easier for us to get through these assignments... and just about everything else we have to do.

It is amazing how quickly our days fly by now that we are back in school!  Our week did manage to get better after the "food" issues we had earlier on.  I also found that Nathan had been hitting the stash of GRAPE LICORICE that Debbie bought him while they were at the beach!!!  I swear... NO ONE listens!!!  Needless to say... to the trash that went.

Ellie had her follow up vet visit... so they could do an x-ray and determine exactly how many puppies she is carrying... and the magic number is----  2!!  So, they are hopeful that she will be able to birth them with no problems.  They were concerned that if there was only one... it would just  be too big for her to deliver.
I will be back at the vet's office tomorrow with Gunner... for vaccinations!  Oh joy!!!  I HATE taking him... he is a complete asshole!!  BUT, I want to make sure he is current on his flu vaccine before he starts K-9 Academy!  Doggy Flu is nasty this year.

I just found out a friend of mine lost her battle with cancer.  It is just so freakin sad.  She was diagnosed about 2 months ago... she had lung cancer that spread to her brain and liver.  She had brain surgery to remove the brain tumor... but never got a chance to start chemo for the rest, because she couldnt recover from the surgery. 
I know her kids are hurting so bad right now... she was an awesome mother and grandmother.  They were all very close.
"That Sucks" doesnt even begin to cover it.  I HATE cancer!

Stacy is picking up dinner on his way home... it's a pizza and subs kind of night.  Too bad if it fits into our diet or not.  I'm not perfect.

The kids are going to spend the night at my grandparent's tomorrow night.  It will be a nice little break... although it always ends up causing more issues than it is worth sometimes.
Drama is still high with my "mother's" bullshit... and the kids dont want to have to see her.  All I can say is... that if she does show up there... there is a good chance that the kids will never again go down to spend time with my grandparents.  I have told them how the kids feel... I guess the ball is in their court now.

Blah... I just feel like shit... I am about sick of this Fibro bullshit!  I have another damn headache and tylenol isnt helping at all.
I guess I will just go and lay down for a bit.  Stacy can take over the house for a bit.

A few rough days...

I have had a few rough days around here lately.

While camping I threw ALL of our "healthy eating rules" out the window.  I let the kids drink soda... something I NEVER do!  And colored gatorades... another big NO NO!  Add store bought, boxed up "convenience" snacks and the word "rough" just doesnt describe it!!!!!
I know better.  But since this was a last minute camping trip... I figured 2 little days of avoiding our diet couldnt possibly hurt.  HHHAAAAA!!!!
Nathan has been whiny... cant focus... wont do what is needed... cries when I wont jump immediately to "help" him... and has the crappiest of attitudes!!  Which landed his ass grounded last night and unable to participate in our evening's plans.  And today had to do some extra chores as a punishment. 
Although, today was a little better than yesterday... thank God!!!

Trying to get into a good school routine has been a real challenge for me.  I just cant get past the wrench that school has tossed into things!  I will get it... I just dont deal with change very well... and with trying to figure out the best way to teach Nathan, everything else has been pushed aside.
I am a day late getting laundry done.  It use to take me one day... Monday.  Today I am still trying to get everything done... along with the camping stuff.  It was A LOT of laundry!!!  I forgot to hand wash Brittany's gymnastics leotard... boy, that upset the hell out of her.  She really needs to get a bit less picky and decide on another one she can live with wearing... so it wont be a problem any more.

Today I wasnt feeling 100%... which really put me in a "down" mood.  My Fibro is causing me trouble... and my head has been pounding.  I really get sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.  Some days are easier to push through than others.  To day was NOT one of those days, unfortunately.

The garden is still producing TONS of fresh veggies!!  I have another sink full of tomatoes that need dealt with ASAP.  Didnt happen today... like I had hoped.  I picked a bunch more peppers and hot peppers... I am sending them to work with Stacy.  I already have more than we will ever use frozen... and after my last afternoon spent cutting those hot peppers... I AM DONE with those lil buggers!!!  My hands burned for an entire day!!
Stacy wants to have our annual "Harvest Gathering" at the end of this month, beginning of Oct.  So, I am already thinking hard about what goodies I want to prepare for that... if even we manage to pull it off this year.  Last year I said the hell with it... and cancelled it.  We were dealing with a bunch of crap and I didnt want the drama.  Time will tell.  I am still feeling like there isnt enough of me to go around.  HomeSchooling isnt  easy, and takes up a lot of time.  Especially when you have a "unique learner"... I spent a ton of time looking for visual aids and extra "helpers"... which usually do help tremendously!  5th grade is so much harder!!  LOL!!!  He has so many vocabulary words... for each and every subject.  It is hard to keep track of them all.  Have I mentioned how many binders we use?!?!  LOL 
I am always on the hunt for ideas to make things more manageable for Nathan.

Brittany had to sit down and put together her own Personal Learning Plan today.  It is crazy that she is already have to think about her college plans!  She has a pretty good idea of what she wants to do as an adult... and that impresses the hell out of me.
She is working really hard this year... and has a target GPA that she wants to keep!
Brittany is also kicking ass in gymnastics!  She is making HUGE leaps forward... and soon hopes to make team!

I am not going to get into our Kanga progress much today.  Yesterday we had a GREAT day... today not so good.  I have thought and re-thought this... and the only thing I can come up with is STACY... or the fact that we were in Gunner's domain today!!  Those were the only differences today.
We are moving into some separation anxiety... which doesnt much surprise me.  I am desperate to figure out her destructive CHEWING on EVERYTHING issue...  Since now we need to replace our side kitchen floor! 
I have decided to seek out the help of a German Shepherd expert... and at least give that a try before I give up.
We ARE seeing progress.  That is without a doubt.  I just need to be more patient and understanding... and not get so discouraged in our 3 steps forward, 6 steps back dance we are dancing.  I did go the entire day today with out her trying to bite me!!  This is big progress!!  Since she was thinking it would get her what she wanted.  Little did she realize I have been bitten by bigger and better dogs.... LOL!!!  And I WONT give in, no matter what!  I am the one in charge... NOT her!!!
I am still using her feeding times as training times.  She is getting the basic commands... no doubt.  She has a pretty good recall... and knows "sit", "down", "drop" and "touch" pretty solid. 
I think tomorrow will be another away from the house training and play time...to see what reaction we get.  AND I will be setting up a time to meet with the GSD person to see what she thinks.
I am REALLY hoping that I can take BOTH Kanga and Gunner all the way in some sort of shepherd sporting events...  time will tell.


Sooo... Lately I have been doing REALLY well with cutting out store bought cleaners, and going a more natural way of cleaning. 
I have been making my own laundry detergent, and dishwasher detergent.
I have found an all purpose "recipe" that I plan on trying in the near future that requires "Castile Soap" and Tea Tree Oil.
I know vinegar is the way to go because of it's disinfecting properties... but I cant have my entire house smelling like vinegar.
Anyone have any thoughts or experience... please let me know!!  I need to figure out where to buy castile soap!!  LOL

I guess that is all I have for now.  I got the chance to soak in my wonderful jetted tub this evening.  It really did make me feel a bit better... and gave me some time to clear my mind.
I have to make Stacy's lunch yet... and then throw my LAST load of laundry in the dryer.  THEN...I AM GOING TO BED!!!  :-)  

Oh... one more "rant"...
Something that REALLY has me upset this evening.
My oldest and dearest friend had a stroke a few weeks ago.  The last time I spoke to her was her birthday... and we were talking about a lunch date.  It isnt uncommon for us to go weeks without speaking... we are both busy Momma's!!!  So I thought nothing of it really.
Today, I found out about her stroke... FROM FB!!!  Apparently she isnt doing well... from what I can piece together.  I have been trying to contact her family... but have not been successful.
I guess all I can do is send up extra prayers!  :-(

What a trip!!

I made a decision on Friday, that I wasnt quite sure of...  I was actually pretty nervous about it!!  BUT, it all did work out and we had an amazing trip!!

What would that be?!?
Taking Kanga camping with us.

Thursday was a pretty rough day for Kanga.  She had an "interesting" afternoon with Gunner, out in the yard... and I was really thinking the dog had lost all sense.  I knew I could NOT leave her home with Courtney, because there was no way Courtney could handle the ever changing sides of Kanga.  
So, for everyone's safety (or so I hoped)... I chose to take Kanga with us.  I have NO problem telling ppl to NOT approach my dog... I have a pretty strong personality, so ppl tend to listen to what I am saying... especially if I am in their face enough!  LOL

All in all... GREAT, FANTASTIC  WEEKEND!  We only had 1 incident that I was concerned about Kanga biting out of fear... and it was FAR from her fault, and she handled it really well.  Some dumb lady left her dog get away (a 125+lb hound of some sort... HUGE)... then came running up to us because we caught her dog before any of the dogs got hurt!  In the process... the dipshit backed Kanga in a corner... but Kanga looked to Stacy for guidance and she got it!!  I am sooooooooo proud of her.  Crisis avoided!  Dipshit got her dog back... on with our trip!!

Kanga has come A LOOOOOONG way in the few weeks she has been here.  She has gained sooo much confidence.  There was NO WAY she could have handled ANY of our weekends activities 3 weeks ago!!  That would have been setting her up for failure.
She is growing leaps and bounds.  With A LOT of work every day.  We have to physically exhaust her before any changes can take place mentally!  It isnt easy tiring this girl out!!  LOL!!

I think this weekend was a huge step forward for Kanga developing a bond... with Stacy!  (Who would have thought that?!?)  He has turned into a SUPER handler for her... she trusts hims, she looks at him for guidance and he gives her clear, specific cues that she can read... no wavering in his emotions or demeanor when it comes with dealing with her.
It is awesome to watch.

Anyway... Our camping trip!!!
It rained late Friday night (with a HUGE, scary storm that passed through) and then again Saturday evening and night.  BUT, the wicked weather that the park rangers came around warning everyone about seemed to pass us by... it also cleared out most of the campers...LOL!

Friday was low key... set up, settling in... a nice evening fire.  Lots of chit chatting and watching the dogs act crazy and play.  We also took Sprocket with us... and of course Ellie.
We were all surprised that come "bed time"... Kanga and Sprocket BOTH settled into bed with me and Stacy!  I really wasnt sure how she would react to being in such a small space with us.  Well, it was NO problem at all... once she sniffed everything and everyone out and relaxed.

We got some sight seeing and a few "walks" in Saturday.  We originally set out for a hike... but it started to rain on us pretty good, so we headed back to the camper and decided to take the truck up to Canyon Vista. 
Well, THAT was where we learned that Kanga has some unknown talents!!!  The dog is a natural rock climber.  She would make an awesome search and rescue dog!!!  NOTHING stopped her!!!  Stacy and her climbed, leaped, jumped and took on the scariest of terrain!  If Stacy did it... then told Kanga to do it... she followed.  No doubt in her mind!  It was impressive. 
Sprocket was the "butthead"!!!  He barked at everyone and anyone around!  It wasnt his nice... come pet me bark either!  I had to take him out of the situation and hike down the road alone with him.  I was NOT a happy camper! 

After that... we headed to High Knob... but the approaching storm sent us back to the camper to make dinner and play cards.

Kanga napping under the table while we played card:

We had soooo much fun playing all kinds of card games!!  The evening passed quickly!  We only ended up with a little bit of fire time Saturday... long enough to cook some chicken, in between the rain showers.
We got some entertainment out of the amateur campers packing up their really expensive camper... and all sat and watched as the guy left their minivan in gear and it with the camper almost attached to it rolled away with their dog beside it and their kid in it!!!  The woman caught the run away train wreck...leave it to a mom to save her child!!!  Even better... the guy pulling out a garden kneeling pad to put under his knees when he reached under to hook up the safety chains! 
ENTERTAINMENT! 
Did I mention the HUGE logs they brought for fire wood?!?  WOW!
In between rain showers Stacy took the kids over to the creek to play in the water... even tho it was kind of chilly... they had a blast, and Nathan brought home a rock.  LOL!

Us being silly... Sprocket's paw is as big as Nathan's face!!!  LMBO:

Yesterday, before heading home... we packed up, tore down the camper and then headed back up to the rock garden to do some more rock climbing and get some pic and video!  It was so fun!!! Added bonus... there was NO ONE else in the area. (Sprocket was punished and had to stay in the back of the truck in a crate... since he couldnt handle it the day before)
Nathan really proved his bravery too... he was jumping and leaping with Stacy too!!  It was so awesome to see the trust Nathan has in Stacy.  When Stacy promised him he wouldnt let him fall... Nathan let go of fear and bounced across to the next rock!!
My dare devil son:

Brittany stuck with me... and showed me the less treacherous ways around the rocks... since I missed that lesson on Saturday, because of Sprocket!  

By 2 we were back at the camper hooking up and heading home!
Our weekend went far too fast... and we all agree that this was one of our best camping trips this summer.  I LOVE that area!!

It was an awesome weekend with quality time spent together!  Nathan ate like a horse... Brittany and I shared taking care of poor little pregnant Ellie... Stacy cooked!  LOL!!  

When we got home... I decided we would take advantage of the trust we built with Kanga over the weekend... and we would introduce her into our pack.  So, we brought her in the house, and one by one brought in ALL of the dogs!
It has had its "moments"... but we worked through them.  After everyone spending some time together in the living room watching TV... we all headed to bed.
It was pretty awesome when both Gunner and Kanga hopped into bed with us... and no growling or fighting occurred!!

This morning we had some issues... because in the mornings ALL of the dogs are wound up and "play fighting"... well, Kanga wasnt a big fan of that to say the least!!!  She attacked Nanuq...who came back at her... with the back up of Sakari AND Gunner!!
UGH!  I, of course, found myself in the middle of the chaos and Nanuq's teeth hit my leg... then he took off running in the opposite direction!!  LOL!!  I quickly got control of the situation...(no one likes it when Momma is pissed!!)
Since calming down... Kanga and Nanuq have made nice and even did some pouncing and playing in the dining room... until I put a stop to that too.  LOL

None of my dogs really know what to do with Kanga.  She is so backwards!  I am really hoping she watching them interact and learns a few things.
They all approach her very slow now... and Nanuq even lays down in front of her with his tail wagging... letting her know he is NOT a threat and has no intentions of hurting her.  His down fall is he is a bit of a rough sniffer... very intrusive!  LOL

Today it is back to our usual routine.  Plus a shit load of laundry to do!  EVERYTHING is damp and muddy... because we were all damp and muddy!  LOL 
I have a ton of blankets and sheets to wash... tons of towels from trying to keep the dog mud and muck out of the camper... PLUS the camper is up and airing out! 
Always so much work for a few short days away... but ohhhhh so worth every second of it!  :-)
Cant wait to do it again!! 

Everyone hanging out last night:

CAMPING!!

Ah yes, we will be leaving this afternoon for a much needed camping trip!!!  :-)
Ya know what else that means...???
FB will be temporarily safe from my endless opinions and cruelty!!  LMBO!!

FB is such a HUGE source of entertainment for me.  There are days that I just sit back, shake my head, and wonder how ppl have survived this long!
I have a hard time understanding ppls priorities... or their lack of!  I mean really?!?!?

Oh well...
Yesterday was an interesting day.  I broke down and took Ellie to the vet.  They confirmed that my little Shorkie will be having puppies!  I did the walk of shame out of that place!!  I know better.  And I have NEVER put off getting any of our dogs "fixed"!
I will admit, it is a little exciting... and a whole lot stressful!!  We go back next week for another xray... to see if they can get a better idea of how many pups she is carrying.  If there is only one, we are afraid it will be too big for her to have on her own.
I have added a special kind of canned food to Ellie's diet.  She isnt taking in enough food... so I am trying to entice her to eat more... it seemed to be working last night!  I am not sure where she put all that she ate...lol
Me and my girl, at the Vet's office

We didnt get to go on our walk yesterday.  The vet appt really messed up our day.  It took us some extra time to get through our school work... Nathan is writing a "Character Sketch" on Stacy!!  He really came up with some good ideas!  We started out with a "Web" type graphic organizer  (greatest things EVER... that I have found for helping Nathan put her thoughts into written works!), and we got out our "rough draft".  Today we do some proof reading and hopefully get a final copy typed up!!  With Nathan I use both pencil/paper AND allowing him to type out final drafts.  Writing is more difficult since he has some "learning differences"... and I am not doing this to frustrate him.  Although I do make  him practice his handwriting on our rough drafts and book work.  I guess it is just my way of making it a little "fun"!  LOL

I finally managed to get my peppers stuffed... and I made a batch of yummy meatballs with spaghetti for dinner last nite!!  YUMMY!!!  Everyone had happy tummies.

I also got another lovely dog induced injury last night... which I wont get into.  But it hurts like hell... and pisses me off!!!  Grrrr!!!!
Here is a picture of Gunner AND Kanga!  If you look REALLY close, she is hiding behind the tree!!  LMBO

Gunner could care less about Kanga... But she just cant seem to understand NOT to lunge at him for no apparent reason or warning!!  THAT pisses him off!!!  Ugh.
Here she is watching him play fetch-

She wanted to play too... but just didnt know how to go about it "the right way".



Next week I will be focusing on getting our "FALL Family Pictures" in the works!!  It takes a bit of planning... because I want to make sure JOSHUA gets his butt up here for them!!  I am going to be scoping out a few places for lighting at particular times of the day... and going from there.
I was attempting to get extended family in on a HUGE family picture... but after a couple of failed attempts, I have given up on the idea.

Ok... not much time for blogging this morning... gotta fly through school and get packed up for the weekend!! 
Enjoy the weekend of peace without me!  LOL

Here is Nathan loving up on Sakari.... one of our "love lumps".  We have such an awesome "pack" of dogs... all love the kids, and there is no doubt they would do whatever necessary to protect them.

Rolling right along!

I am first going to pose a question today...  Something that boggles my mind...
Why is it that we have soooo many ppl on welfare and getting food stamps??  What really gets me... Why dont some of those ppl spent some of that "free" money on a few packets of seeds... and grow some of their own HEALTHY food?!?!  Seriously, $2 a packet... and the end result is TONS of fresh veggies...?!?!?

I would say at least 75% of these ppl have the internet.  And most of that 75% play the stupid FB games.  Here is an idea... spend that time RESEARCHING how to grow your own food!!  Stop relying on tax dollars to pay your way!!!  I am not real sure if these ppl are living in the same world as I am... but EVERYONE is broke... even our government!!  Why not do something to help yourself and our broken system!
In the spring, I spent about $25 on seeds for my garden.  I have harvested foods worth probably 1000x what I spent on seeds!!!  AND, what is even better--- I know exactly where it came from... no pesticides, no genetic bullshit... FRESH!!!  Seems like a no brainer to me!

Dont have the space you say...?!?!
Well, on the same FB that most are playing games on... there is some GREAT resources for growing all of your favorite fruits and veggies in CONTAINERS!!! 
WOW!
This is what I plan on doing over the winter months, in our side kitchen.
I have even seen some ppl use the bottoms of empty 2 liter bottles of soda... to grow beets!!!  It is amazing!  I am sure we all live close to someone that drinks soda, and they would be more than happy to save those empty bottles for you! 

What is even cooler.... you can FREEZE your harvest to use during the winter months!!!  I prefer canning a lot of it... but that can get expensive when first starting out.  But, freezer bags really arent that expensive in the big picture... especially if you spend that free money from the government on cigarettes!!  For go a pack... buy some freezer bags... your lungs will thank you!

OK... on to other things...
I know I am probably speaking far too soon... but school is going really smooth around here!  There is such a HUGE change in Nathan... that our days have been filled with giggles and happy memories!!  I cant tell you how much of a relief that is!!  Last year was ROUGH to say the least... but we managed through.  It is so worth it.  He was left to struggle in public school.
Brittany has her typical average score of 95% ... she has a goal to take all honors courses next year.  She could have done it this year... but she didnt want to be too overwhelmed with her first year of high school.  Again...another kiddo I am super proud of.
Courtney has been dealing with school pretty well.  We have had some rough evenings... but we worked through them.  The reality of "working" and coming home to the same chores didnt thrill her.  All I can really say is... "welcome to the real world, darling!"  LOL
Nathan had his first art class yesterday... that turned out to be really fun...  it was all about texture and lines... and tied in some of our SS lesson on cave men drawing their "stories" out on cave walls!  A crumpled up brown grocery bag was our cave wall!!  ;-)

Nathan, Brittany and I took a nice 3 mile walk after lunch yesterday!!!   I LOVE the freedom and flexibility we have.  Plus, there is so much to see and learn when we walk.  Yesterday it was proven that HoBo WILL follow that nose of his... right into TROUBLE!  He got away from us... and went right to the assholes house with all of the cats!!!  UGH!
We are so blessed to have such a nice place to walk... and so many awesome views to take in...
We even had fun trying to find the soybeans in the soybean fields!  Fuzzy little things!  LOL

I am pretty sure our walk was more than HoBo's and Kanga's noses could handle!!!  There was soooo much to smell!!!  They were on sensory over load!!!  They LOVED it!!!  At one point, HoBo was trying to chase a butterfly... it was sooo cute!  lol

After our mid day walk, we got back to school work and finish without any trouble.  We even breezed through math yesterday!

Once Stacy got home... we decided a family tennis match would be a nice we to end our day.  We always have soooooo many laughs when we play tennis!!   It is also nice to see Courtney be active AND have fun while doing it!  She really likes tennis... wish I would have known that long ago!
Here they are... all about "business"... LOL!  

Of course, after tennis we had to make our way to DQ for a 'before bed' snack!  LOL
It was a nice way to end our day!

Surprisingly, we all got up in time this morning to start our day!

Cant wait to see what today has in store for us!!

We are really starting to get the "itch" to go camping!!!  I am hoping to be in the woods this weekend... if it all pans out.  I may even have to take the kids if Stacy ends up working Sunday.  I will have to take a peak at the weather and see where we end up!! 
All I know... August was a looooong month without any camping adventures... now we need to get some in! 
:-)

Ya know... I dont know if I am raising my kids 100% right.  I guess none of us really know that.  I do know that we are all having fun trying to figure it out.  Dont get me wrong...we have our stressful moments, and there are times when I want to scream... or cry... or both.
It is always so amazing to me... when we are just hanging out, or walking... and talking... just how much about life I have taught my kids... without even knowing it! 
I love that the kids have a love for animals, like I do.  I know they will always do the right thing when it has to do with a 4 legged critter.  They know that EVERY life is a precious gift... one to be valued.  I am so proud of them for that!!
I also know that Brittany is counting down the days until hunting season... and there are some camping/hunting trips twirling in our heads!  LOL

Ok... time to get our day started! 

We made it!!

Yes, the first day of school was a HUGE success!!  We had a bit of a rough start... but Nathan really pulled it together and managed to make the day go smooth!
I am soooo super impressed with how much he has improved in his reading!!  All of those trips to the library really paid off!!  I am also impressed with his writing.  He had  no trouble getting his thoughts out on paper yesterday... which is a MAJOR improvement from last year! 
Here he is working on Language Arts... we are both amused by the giant eraser! 

Since Nathan has "Learning Differences"... we find as much as possible to keep the day going on a happy note... this eraser made making mistakes FUN!!  Just what we need to keep on a positive note!!  :-)
I am so glad I chose to teach my kids this way.  Nathan was getting so lost in the public school system.  Not just 'lost'... but depressed to the point of giving up!  Now if I can just find ways to keep math fun... we will be doing even better!
Once our school day was done... I rewarded him with a temp tattoo!  He was a happy kid... and I didnt have to use FOOD as a reward.  We all know I HATE rewarding with food!  Although I do make the exception for icees... LOL!!

Today we are starting with ART!!  Cant wait to see what is in store for us!!

Brittany also had a good first day!  She is excited about taking Sign Language this year!!  And, with keeping with her "over achiever" self... see whizzed through yesterday's classes, and started today's!!

After her first day, she got to endure 2.5 hours of gymnastics!  AND, she got her medal for kicking butt with the cartwheels for a cure St Jude fundraiser!!  I am so proud of her.  She got a bunch of goodies as well!
This is what Britt looks like at 10 pm, after a day of school and a night of gymnastics... ROCKING her medal:

She also got a nice cool T-shirt:

I am so very proud of her!!!
I am also proud that... in her hunt for a new leotard... she has decided she wants one that has the pink ribbon, for breast cancer... to show her support for her Nana... to EVERYONE!! 
She really is an amazing kid... even though we dont always see eye to eye!

After I make it through today's lessons...I have to start making stuffed peppers!!  I have a TON of peppers... and a TON of hamburger from our last steer... with another soon to need the freezer space!! 
I managed to get all of my hot peppers in the freezer yesterday... but damn my hands were on fire for HOURS!! 
The rain has kept me out of the garden yesterday and it looks like today too!! :-(  Of course... now we are getting flood warnings!  Last year this time is when we had the big flood! 

Stacy is still not sure what is going to happen with the contract at the Mill... or if they are going to end up striking or not.  I hate NOT knowing what to expect.  Of course we have savings put aside... if they do end up striking... since we went through this stress 3 yrs ago with the last contract!!  See... live and learn!!!  ;-)  I just hate sitting and waiting... not knowing what will happen from one day to the next!

Let's see...
I am still sticking with our "real food" diet... as much as possible!  I only buy Feingold approved ingredients... which means NO artificial colors, flavors OR preservatives!  Thank God for Hornings!!  That store is a God send with this!!
Keep that in mind when I share recipes on here.  I go to the extreme of researching and buying only "real" ingredients!
Just like last time... I will note my variations at the end.

Maple Mustard Pork Chops

1lb boneless pork chops
1/2 stick of butter for frying
Pepper to taste
2teas Dijon Mustard
1 Cup canned chicken broth
4Tblspn Maple Syrup
1Tblspn red wine vinegar

~Pepper both sides of pork chops.  Melt butter in skillet. Saute for 5 minutes each side.  Remove from pan.

~Mix mustard and chicken broth into pan and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in Maple syrup and vinegar and cook another 5 minutes.

~Put chops back into skillet and heat through.  Serve chops with sauce.

My variations:
I did NOT use butter... I used coconut oil!
I also didnt use canned chicken broth... I used chicken broth that I made after a crock pot chicken meal, which was frozen.

Summer = Over (revised)

Today is our first official day of school!  That means our "summer" is officially OVER! 
At just a little after 7am, we already have tears flowing... well, Nathan does.  I guess it will take us a bit of adjustment to settle into our new routine.  It doesnt help that he got up when Courtney got up... at 5am!!  At least he did his morning "list"... which is getting dressed, making his bed, and eating breakfast!  So, I will be thankful for baby steps at this point!

Things have been hectic around here lately... which is why I havent blogged.  I just havent had the time. 
Over the weekend I pulled off a boat load of hot peppers and sweet peppers... I will have to do something with them today.  I also got another nice bunch of green beans!! 
My fall cucumber plants have sprouted... still waiting to see what happens with our beets and carrots...and lettuces.
GOURDS....  I forgot to share our gourd bounty!!  WOW... to we have a lot!!!  And to think... they are all "volunteer" plants that grew out of my compost pile!!  It wasnt easy getting the all out of there... since they are growing on the steep side of our sand mound... and into the duck pen!  

We had a really nice Holiday weekend.  Saturday Brittany, Stacy and I took Gunner hiking... and to find some GeoCaches!  It was hot as hell... and my back was bothering.  But, it was still nice to get out and about.  Fall will soon be here... and then we will be doing a lot more hiking... I LOVE the cooler weather and lack of bugs!!!

Sunday we packed up and headed to Carlisle.  We took a nice little cookout to my Dad and Linda.  I am soooo glad I thought of that!!!  The facility has a grill and a nice covered porch.  So it was easy to make happen.  The kids talked and talked... Dad and Linda listened and listened!  LOL!  It was really fun.  It is also great to see so much progress with Linda!  She is so excited about going HOME tomorrow too!!
I am looking forward to keeping up with our weekly visits! 

Yesterday was my errand day... TSC, grocery shopping... no library, since it was a holiday and they were closed.  I guess I will have to fit that in some other time this week.
Today is the start of Brittany's "Intermediate" level gymnastics classes!!  She is pretty excited.  I am just hoping to get that far into the day... lol

Yesterday marked 8 days that Kanga has been with us.  She had a 'rough' weekend.  With my back being out of whack... she sure took advantage of that.  I wanted to tie her ears in a damn knot... but obviously, did not.
I feel like we took BIG steps backwards over the past 3 days... and it does not have me happy!  I am hoping to see improvement and progress again over the week. 
I will say that she is growing in leaps and bounds in becoming more 'dog like'... she has been learning  A LOT from HoBo and Sprocket... even Amaruq has shown her patience!

I guess that is all I have for today.  Tomorrow I will have another recipe to share!!

I am sending prayers and positive vibes to my Dad today... as he works out all of the final details of getting Linda home.
I am also praying that after the "time out" I sent Nathan to... he will come back a bit more calm and able to get on with our day!

I have "We Made it Through the First Day of School Tattoos" planned... if we make it to this afternoon... LOL! 

Stay dry and have a great day!!