Friends of ours just got back from a 3 month guiding job and so we have been catching up; having them for supper, having a girls night out with a bunch of friends, and visiting. It's nice to have them back and soon we will start our card nights up again. That will be lots of fun this winter as we get out less and less when the weather turns nasty.
The weather is still warmer then normal, I do believe, but the wind is hard and cold and feels like it's trying to, and sometimes seems too, go right through you. We've still have been outside though as it's only going to get worse. The kids bundle up in jackets with hoods and mittens. Their little noses turning bright red after a few minutes outdoors.
J is big into riding his bike these days and when we walk to the mail box he gets to ride along. He 'practices' going up and down the driveway. His little red bike teetering and tottering on his training wheels. He has shown almost no interest in biking until now so we are encouraging him to keep on biking. He also enjoys helping me and today we bought a pumpkin for the purpose of making Papa pumpkin pie. It was J's idea and a good one. I figure we'll have some fun doing it and we'll all enjoy the pie so why not.
L is pretending a lot these days. Not so much truck driving going on at our house this last 2 weeks or so. He pretends to be a tiger or a wolf or a horse or whatever suits him just then. He also enjoys getting a rise out of his older brother and is very good at it. It is something we are working on. He also has a great love for books and will sit and read for almost a hour at a time. He has started 'reading' to E and they both enjoy it. Baby R and L seem to have a special relationship and he can make her smile anytime. All she has to do is see him and she's grinning.
We are also getting ready for a birthday as E turns 2 tomorrow. She is quite excited and today we went to the dollar store to pick out her cups, plates, napkins, and she really liked some hats with smiley faces so we got them too. I like it that they have a part of the planning. It is their birthday after all. That having been said I picked what would go on her cake:) She's a bit too young to have a clue what she wants. So we are doing hearts. We mixed and baked the cake and 12 cupcakes this afternoon. And with them I also baked a small molded heart cake that I plan on icing and putting on top of the big cake. I also have jelly beans and skittles to make hearts on the top. I looked everywhere for heart candies but it's not the season and there where NONE to be found. I also got some tiny heart molds ( I was thinking butter molds) filled them with pink icing and froze them. Tomorrow I'll pop them out and put them on the cake as well. The cupcakes are the kids favorite and we'll put heart sprinkles and probably candies on them as well. I got the gifts wrapped today, one from us and one from great Granny and Bruce and E's eyes bulged when she saw them. Now I just have to find the one from A. Ruth and we'll be good to go:) Grandma and Grandpa G's card arrived on Friday. We are only have a small gathering. Grandma and Grandpa F and one A and U and Cousin to help us celebrate. Oh and the neighbor lady is coming as well.
Baby R is still trying to get her 1st tooth. Just about everyone we meet comments on her big gummy smile. She beams her sunshine all around her most of the time. She has a green bruise on her forehead where she fell into the couch. It's one of many I'm sure she'll get as she loves to stand upright and moves her little feet up and down. Walking in place. Much too soon for my liking. L walked at 9 months and it was terrible. He walked but he didn't really steer or think. He walked over toys and into walls, falling on his head a lot. Baby R has no balance right now and I'm hoping it takes her awhile to find it, and therefore a while to walk.
We are still doing firewood. I try to do a little bit during the day with the wheelbarrow. I don't always make it. We also are preparing to possibly put the roof on over the trailer this fall. And we got a truss up on the roof, with me on the pulleys and Papa on the roof, and Papa got all his figuring done. We want to put 3 more up before we get the local crane truck out to do the rest of the 36 so that we can have a base to lean them on when they get up there. Hopefully he can put the strapping up on the roof as well. Then we'll have a workday or two and call out the troops and get it done. It will be really nice to have it done. But neither of us are holding our breath.
And what with making bread, butter, cheese and meals, doing laundry, (using the dryer in the house now too keep the heat in, besides my laundry line went down so the 'wall of wood' could go up.) cleaning and chores I seem to keep busy, never mind the playing with, washing, reading too, nursing Baby R, and misc other things with the kids. Papa is still running the cat and working about 1 1/2 hours from home but still coming home for nights. Which is really nice. This is probably his last week of work on the cat. He may work some next week but it is all very much up in the air. After the cat work is done this fall Papa is changing jobs and will be working 10 minutes from home as a apprentice mechanic. WAHOOOO. We are looking forward to this change in lifestyle and I'll keep you posted on how he likes it and how it changes our lives.
The calves Billy and Bobby are doing great at Millers place and Bindy has forgotten them totally though I hear the calves bawled for over a week. The bull will be going home this weekend and we are looking forward to the calf next summer. It will be nice not to have to worry about him. The bull has actually been really well behaved except for 2 times when he put his head down and started swinging it at Papa. He also crow hopped at Papa a bit while swinging his head. Papa said it was because the bull wanted his hay and Papa was fixing the electric wire around it. Still I'll be happy to see the back of him. Next year we will probably try and AI her as we just found out our neighbor does this and then we can breed her to a Jersey and pray for a heifer :)
I actually managed to move the chickens with out all of them getting out now that the pigs are out of electric netting and in to a 2 strand fence. We moved the pigs on Saturday and they sure do love that new ground. We'll move them again soon as they have this piece half tilled. It's amazing what 6 mid sized pigs can do in just a few days. We got them July 20Th so they are late pigs but growing nicely.
Well it's time for bed. The family all long since tucked in and the fire done. Hope you all have a wonderful day and God Bless you and Keep you. Night all.
