Weekends Down at the Farm

The kids, dog and I go down to the farm ever other week or so sometimes we stay the night and part of the next day and sometimes we pack up and come home with out him. Other times we just all go down together as a family on Sun to celebrate a birthday or such. The cousins are  always happy to see us and I am happy to spend a day with (more or less) my husband.

Winter Blizzard 2-6-11

Sleeping Arrangements

This is what the kids do when I need to take a phone call and they need to keep Cooper quiet.. at the time anything to get through my business call of taking an order or dealing with business issues.. but then I go in there to my boy who is covered in "apple stickiness" and little bits and pieces everywhere of apple and usually find myself wondering why I let my kids get by with so much... my life would be easier if I didnt' let anyone help me cook , and never gave my baby a messy snack, and always made him buckle in his highchair  and not stand, and everyone slpet in their own bed and not mine!:) but some how I don't think that when I get to be old and look back I will regret any of those little things.

     Well we have had quite a few creative sleeping arrangements here. Suzy has slept with just about everyone even Aliza in the crib a few times. Suzy always puts herself to nap with Aliza and the photo of them on my bed was not posed and Yes- Suzy and Aliza were both actually sleeping.
     Cooper is now moved from the crib in our room to the Pack and Play in the elevator -where he sleeps much better.
     Dan is now Gone most of the week and sometimes is only home for Sat and Sun night. So the girls take turns sleeping with me... or sometimes I look and find that they have decided to camp on my floor and I have a child occupying both walkways on either side of my bed and one in bed with me. I have never had the heart to boot them out and I suppose there is a place inside me that is warmed to the core to know that they want to sleep there in close poximity just to be close to Mom.
     Now Suzy almost always sleeps at the bottom of the girls lower bunk. The Girls now sleep together when Dan is home. Even though Aliza and Josie bicker about "taking up too much room" and "stop touching my babydoll" they seem to... well what do you think? (see bottom picture)...  I think it looks like they seem  work it out in the end. :)

New Lambs (Born Jan- April)

It was lots of fun to anticipate and see each new lamb come. Dan let me name the first one "Opal". Our friendliest and oldest Ewe- Amber had her one morning and Liz and Danyelle found it in the early morning. We were coming to the farm later that day and finally got there hoping everything would be fine but the lamb had about "given up". She was beyond cold; still wet and wouldn't even try to get up. We knew we couldn't do much with all the kids there so we ran the them to Ginger's to play. I warmed a blanket and a towel in the clothes dryer,  stuffed it into my coat and headed to warm "my" Baby as fast as I could. Amber was a good mom and only got worried a few times. After I rubbed her vigorously, wrapped up in the warm blanket, stuffed her in my jacket and sat down with the ewe. That is where we stayed as Dan wind proofed the hoop hut and tended to extra hay and such. After 45 min she stopped shivering in my jacket and Dan was successful in teaching her to latch on. 

Then came Sahara from Apache. Then Lamb Chop #1 and Lamb Chop #2 then Salt and Pepper who were both boys but our only twins so far. update we had twin ewe lambs today 4-6-11. they are the charcoal gray ones with the back faces and legs!
11 lambs total as of today!

New Year Milking Cows at the Farm.

It is the first year that we have taken care of Uncle Greg's cows, chickens, bunnies, cats, and dog. Suzie and Lady got along fine and I was so proud of our pup -she never destroyed anything or had any accidents or mishaps. We opened our own presents down there and had a really nice family time. (all except the plumbing problems and all the sinkwater I had to bail and carry to the toilet to empty.) (the dishwasher didn't work either.. and Dan spent several nights taking apart the pipes in the basement, snaking, and pouring hot water and industrial draino down them. ) :( 
We enjoyed being the "other Rosenquists" for a week... although I am not sure I am ready to trade lives yet. I dealt with a lot of Poo- Chicken poo on eggs, cow poo on milking equipment and clothes, and Milk jugs and washing the equipment 2 times a day.
Josie washed 40 Dozen eggs one day and was in tears repeatedly but she earned some good hard cash from her Uncle Greg. :)

Praise God For Aunt Tammy's Good News!

Jan 2011, Aunt Tammy made an appointment down here in Zion Il. She wanted to talk to Drs about her heart declining and get checked out to see how the cancer was that she had spent a whole LONG year fighting. The Drs have all Good news for her and we Praise GOD! Her heart should start to regenerate and she was pronounced "cancer free"! We were so excited to hear the news we drove the 1hr 20 min to see her and stay with her for the night! She had a lovely hotel and a pool! TAMMY we are so proud of how you have handled this whole thing.. you have never felt sorry for yourself or slowed down- even though the Chemo, Surgeries, and radiation treatments were so hard on you. Way to go Tam! We LOVE YOU!