Friday, February 26, 2010

A Note From Mr. G.Pig

Dear Friends and Family,

I am settling in nice here on the Funny Farm.  I still think these 2 legged creatures are strange, and the small ones are WAY to loud, but they are starting to grow on me.  I really like the chubby one.  She's nice and feeds me.

The tall one says I eat better than he does.  Every morning the chubby one gives me one whole carrot, a handful of spring mix lettuce, a bowl of pellets and a half an apple. My hind end is starting to get a bit....wide.  The tall one likes to make fun of of my chunky butt, but the chubby one always defends me, saying us chubby creatures have to stick together. I sure like her.   The shortest one of the group likes to play with me the most and lets me roam around. Sometimes he forgets though, and leaves me out.  I like to scare the chubby one when she doesn't know I am loose...hehe.  The tallest of the short ones is usually the one that cleans out my cage. He's a good guy.  He is really nice to me and likes to get me out of my cage to watch some TV with him.  My favorite show is George Lopez. 

The chubby one also says that she likes me more than she thought she would.  I am glad.  She has decided I am not rodent like at all, but that I seem to be more like a 2 year old child stuck inside this body.  I express my feelings very well.  And I am very needy and demanding.

Every morning, as I hear the creatures starting to start their day, I like to let them know I am hungry.   I sound a bit like burglar alarm: WHEEEEEEEEEEEEK, squeak, squeak, squeak, WHEEEEEEEEK....  Its very  VERY loud and can be heard clear across the house. This usually gets them to care for my needs pretty fast.  I also do this anytime I hear anyone in the refrigerator  or any sort of wrapper crackling.  I get pretty disappointed when I learn that that food was not meant for me.

Well, that's about all. Oh--GOTTA GO!! SOMEONE JUST OPENED THE FRIDGE!!!  WHEEEK WHHEEK!!!

MR Guinea Pig

Life Lessons

Well, Tori's babies all died this morning. I guess they must have used up all reserves they had because they all died within a couple hours of each other. =*-(  We finally figured out what was going on.  Tori stopped eating 2 days before she gave birth, which is really normal. However, she has not started again, therefore, she had no milk to feed the babies.   Not really sure if she is stressed or sick, so we are really hoping everything turns out ok with her. We've tried everything to get her to eat, but nothing yet.   We were told as far as breeding her, not to totally give up on her. That with her next litter she may be more prepared and not as stressed.   Not real sure we would voluntarily set ourselves/Tori up for that again though.   J has learned some very hard life lessons with his buns.  Which is part of life, but still breaks the ol'heart.  We  were hoping this season went better than the last, but it's not off to a good start.  But, maybe the bumps are out of the way and the rest will be smooth sailing.  

Super busy for the next 2 weeks. Watching M play in Regionals tonight...whoot whoot!.... My mother in law will be flying in for a week, basketball games on Saturday,  Victoria, Chloe and Caleb will be staying the night with us Saturday night, "real" track practice starts Monday for J....he's not sure how he's  feels about track, next weekend we will be in Wichita Fri and Sat for a 4-H photography event. 

And I had to post this picture.  Only at my house is it totally normal to  see dirty socks in a potted plant. The funny thing is is when I saw them in there, I didn't even think about it. Just went to go pick them up and put them in the dirty clothes and thought, "Wow-this is kind of weird." HAHA

Thursday, February 25, 2010

BABIES!!

As of Tuesday afternoon we have 5 new baby Californains.  As excited as we were, it was quickly extinguished when we saw that new mama Tori seems to be having issues.  Rabbits make a nest for their babies, pulling fur from their necks/stomach.  This usually involves a very OCD process of preparing  their nest most of the day they give birth.  Tori not only didn't pull any fur, she didn't even make any sort of nest.  She gave birth, babies landing where ever she was at at the time, cleaned them up,  and then sat on them. ( I also think she bled a bit more than usual so maybe that has something to do with it.)   She didn't hurt any of them. Honestly I think she was just trying to figure out what to do with them. Anyway, she seems to have given up, and the babies have not been fed yet. D and I flipped her over this morning, and the babies went to town, but I don't think they got anything. We are going to try again later.
Rabbits are horrible moms anyway.  It's a wonder any of them survive.  They only feed once a day for 3-5 minutes, do not care which babies they nurse, do not retrieve any that may fall out of nest, and basically ignore them. They are prey animals, and do everything possible from attracting attention from predators.
We really are hoping that after she calms down and gets over the shock and surprise of becoming a mom, she'll feed.
We have started to see signs that they are at least getting a small amount of food. The fact that they are still alive is one.  We are also seeing some tiny poops, and one has some milk around his nose this morning. But defiantly not getting their tummys full yet. =(
Our other Cal still has not had babies and I am starting to think she missed.   We've been having problems with the buck used on her. (Which is J's buck that has done really well at shows, so it figures.)  This is his second breeding. No babies from him yet.
I am convinced that whoever made up the phrase "breed like rabbits" never actually tried to breed them!! They make it sound SO easy! ;-)

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Saturday Roller Skating

  C, D, and J. 

We went skating  with the youth group kids Saturday night. It was a wonderful afternoon with some of our favorite people!     D and I haven't skated in about 13 years and were super excited!  We used to play "roller-ball" (basketball on roller-blades) but that was before were married.  I used to be able to whip around and pretty much keep up with D, but not anymore. He slapped those puppies on and skated like that was last week. Me? Well, I can still skate. But that about all.  I have put on   *ahem* a few pounds, and grew boobs since then so things feel pretty unbalanced now.

Things I learned about skating when you are 30:

1.  Fat people do not bounce.  This is a myth.  We splat.
2.  You are not as fast as you were when you were 18.  Boobs and butt will slow you down.
3.  As you are skating around the rink, you think about bones and how they break.  Arms, legs, wrists, hips....
4. Rented roller blades are ALMOST as nasty as bowling shoes.  Every time I thought about my skates my feet itched.  I swear I could feel the bacteria from someone else's feet eating my flesh. 


T doing the Limbo.


  J upright and not lying on the floor. =)


 I only crashed once, and did it very lady like. D fell 3 times and has a bruise on his hand. We wouldn't be able to count the times the boys fell, but they both spent a fair amount of time on the floor.   T got the hang of it pretty fast, but kept trying to turn and wiped out every time. He smacked the floor really good one time and had to run to the bathroom with a gushing nose. He was back out as soon as it stopped bleeding.  J, well, he looked a lot like Bambi.  Poor guy can't skate, but laughed and kept a good attitude about it. He started to get the hang of it right before we left.  I did, in fact, get to mortify my kids.  My technique really embarrassed them. I guess I skate with my hands out and look like a goober. HAHA  D didn't say I looked like goober. His words were that I was "amusing" to skate behind. =)*


Anyway, we had a great time and all could walk this morning!!  My bottom is sore and I was a bit stiff this morning coming down the stairs.  D has some sore spots in his back and J has a blister and says he "aches" every now and then.

When are we going again?? 

 
Really, D? You just got a soda and now its gone?? I have NO IDEA what happened to it!  
=)

Thursday, February 18, 2010

I GUESS THEY SHOWED ME!!

Well, as of last night I am convinced of 3 things. Our chickens have net access in the coop.  They read my blog. And I thoroughly insulted the babies with my "stunted" remark.


Look was waiting for me when I went out to gather eggs last night!! Isn't it adorable??

Anyway, we cracked it open to see if it was all there and it was!! Inside was a teeny tiny little yolk the size of a pea!

CUTE!!!  I wish I knew which one  laid it, but they are not talking to me at the moment.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

New Arrivals

Hopefully this week will find us with some new babies!!  J has 2 Californian does that are due this weekend. We are almost 100% one took, not so sure about the other. (Which by the way, is the one we REALLY wanted to have babies. UGH)   These Cals will be meat pens/show buns for J's coming show season and fair.
(That is, IF everything goes right!)
Tori--the one we are sure took, is MISERABLE! She looks like she's swallowed a soccer ball, and she just seems BLAH right now, laying around a lot with her belly all sprawled out.  She's been enjoying some extra TLC and belly rubs. ;-)

 
These are  J's babies from last year at 4 weeks. Somewhere in that fuzzy blob is Truman!

So starting Sunday we will be on "baby watch." Our entire family gets so excited when new babies are coming!!

We also think my Hotot MIGHT be "baby-ful" but I am not holding my breath. That pair is going to drive me nuts.  (Kat- if you read this--I am so ready for March! =) )

We deduced our chicken flock in half. This gives us a bit more room for the 4-H chickens that will come in soon.  I think we sent all of our egg layers though as we haven't gotten any eggs for 2 days now. =(    The Easter Eggers should start laying with in the month, but they really seem stunted to me so I am not sure when they will start.  Our chicken buddy says that he doesn't think I did anything wrong with them and he thought the only reason they were like that was because they came from a hatchery.

Turn in later this week for baby updates!! =)

Valentines Day

We had a great laid back Valentines Day!  It was 4-H Sunday, so we went to church with other 4-Hers and then met for pizza later on.

I made the boys each a little heart shaped cake decorated with candy.  Junk food is always a hit at our house.  We usually try to have a special meal, and this year D was craving T-Bones, so he grilled some up on the grill while I made some baked potatoes and hot buttered bread.  I also made a chocolate ribbon pie for desert. My men love those French Silk pies that you can buy, and so far this is the closest thing we've found to one that's made homemade.  Not exactly the same pie, but close and pretty tasty!!

D surprised me by making me a little "treasure box" out of walnut to put some of my special "stuff" in. =)  It's beautiful and perfect!

Hope your Valentines Day was great!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Food, Inc


If you get a chance to watch this documary, do it!! It was a wealth of infomation about where your food comes from. Everything from the animals, treatment of them and use of antibiotics, importing and growing of fruits and vegetables, to how we've come to depend on highly processed foods and why they are so cheap and available to us.

It makes you think.  Watch it sometime!

Monday, February 15, 2010

FAIL!!



Do ever have those days/weeks/months where you feel as though you just are failing at life? I just had one of those weeks, and think I am about to have a breakdown of some sort.  So, if you see on the news that a mom wearing ducky pajama bottoms is Kansas has locked herself in her bedroom with buckets of ice cream and refuses to come out, please don't panic. Its just me.  Don't send help, just send more ice cream.

Honestly we are just so busy right now its like I am drowning. I can not keep up with who needs to be where, what is due where, what we need to take here or there, who we need to PICK UP here. ACK.  I am forgetting to do things, make things, and plan things.  I hate it. And honestly, we are not any busier than any other family out there.  My family's time management leader just can't seem to get her head out of the clouds.

I didn't get the menu last week planned out. WOW! I didn't realize exactly how much that had simplified my life until it wasn't there. Last week I just did meal by meal, and going to the grocery store everyday. YUCK!

I am also in this frame of mind I drive myself and my family crazy noticing things. All things.  Spots in the carpet, cobwebs in the corners, chipped paint, papers, broken toys,....EVERYTHING seems amplified.    My friend L told me one time that when I get like this, I just need to leave and just walk away and that when I come back things will not be as I had seen them before.  So far it isn't working. HAHA

I know  a lot of this has to do with the weather. I am so sick of winter and snow.  I feel like a caged animal.

Its the start of a new week, and I am determined to make this week better than the last!  Off to make lists and menus!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

February Our Life...


...will consist of basketball, basketball, and more basketball..  I am going to be one of those ladies you see with the flat butt. I used to think it was just bad genetics, but now I know they just watched A LOT of sports!

T had his first game yesterday.  They won by 2 points. He was really nervous and didn't really move around that much, but overall, he had a great game!!  He took 2 shots, not making either of them, but we didn't care!

 
J's playing his last year of Pee Wee.  He thought the extra playing experience would do him good, plus, "Pee Wee is fun."   It must not be nearly as intimating as Jr High b-ball because he's suddenly playing like he knows what he's doing.  They won their game, but only by one point, and that one point came from a free throw the last few seconds of the game.   D and I have decided we are probably both going to need to be on blood pressure meds by the time these kids are in high school.   
  

And I couldn't mention basketball without putting a picture of M on here.  (Isn't she beautiful?) The highlight of our week is going to watch her play ball. 
She brings constant joy to every life she's a part of.  I am so happy God chose her to be my sister.


J-U-M-P! JUMP, CHELLE, JUMP!!