And I didn't even need a Topsy Turvy!

We've really had a lot of fun so far with our tomato growing experiment. I planted 6 tomato plants in 5-gallon buckets... and the remaining 12 plants went straight into a dirt pile down at the new house. I thought for sure that these 12 would die, but thought I'd be worth a shot anyway (versus throwing them away because I was NOT going to buy anymore buckets at almost $3.00 a piece!). But instead it was the other way around -- the bucket tomatoes have not done well at all, over half has died, and two plants have one little itty-bitty tomato a piece slowly growing on them. These in the dirt pile on the other hand, are crazed!

So here they are the day we planted them, 6/15/09... you can barely tell the tomato plants from the grass and other stuff growing (lol) This was sooo not planned. ~
and 10 days later (really!), they looked like this... all organized & cute
Our first baby tomato! Awww... :)

And now, welcome to the wild tomato garden just 4 weeks later! Tomatoes are growing every which way!! The little bamboo stakes didn't last long at holding these wild guys up, next year I'll have to come up with a better plan. :)

But we sure are looking forward to having yummy, delicious organic tomatoes soon. On just one plant alone, I counted 14 tomatoes... which is probably more now! The first ones are starten to ripen and turn red. I've better figure out something to do with all of them -- salsa, spaghetti sauce...???. This picture was actually taken 2 weeks ago and the tomatoes have almost doubled their size since then.

And I thought I needed a Topsy Turvy to make them grow! ;)

So eggcited!

Our little girl chickies aren't so little anymore. I normally don't like things growing up (like my kids! lol) but with the chickies, I guess it's a-okay. Check out what present one of them left us 2 days ago... and I found another one today! Woohoo! I so needed a smile with all the craziness around here right now, thanks chickies! :)

Not a good day... not a good day at all

Someone came in our new house and stole every single tool my husband had lastnight. He still had tons of work left to do, in hopes of having the inspector come out this week. And we were hoping to get to move in next week. :(

You can read more about it at my house building blog here...
www.thenewfarmhouse.blogspot.com

What a cruddy day. I hope tomorrow is much better.

What a weekend!

We had such a busy weekend. Katelyn had her dance recital on Saturday and did wonderfully. This was her 2nd year of dancing so this years recital was a lot less stressful than last year. I knew what to bring backstage (didn't even forget anything!); when to go backstage and avoid the masses of people all trying to get back there at once (a nightmare last year)... it was nice. She has decided that she wants to take next year off and I'm all for that. She loves dancing, but having dance class every week is what she doesn't care for... especially since her class is right after school so she gets no down-time. I ordered her a cute dance trophy and we gave it to her after the recital, she loved it! My mom & in-laws had her flowers and my MIL made her a super cute ballerina cake... so she really had a great day. She was worn out and ready for bed that night, for sure!
Anyways, here are some of the pictures that we took.

In her tap costume waiting backstage...

In her ballet costume backstage...
It's over and she loved it! My mom got her these beautiful flowers. This is my favorite picture. :)

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Then David got our go-kart out on Sunday and took the kids for a ride around our fields. He even took the kids through the creek -- what a mess but they had so much fun! We pulled off several ticks (yuck!) before bed but the kids absolutely loved it. I thought Katelyn would be scared but David said she was asking to go faster --> he already had it floored! :) Cole was just grinning from ear to ear. David got me on the go-kart and I thought for sure that he was trying to kill me! lol Here are some pics of the fun...

Before... thumbs up!
During... put your hands up! Woohoo!

Before... thumbs up!

During... super big laughing going on!

And after... her muddy flower power dress
After... soaked from head to toe!

We had a great weekend! The house is finally getting done; we're looking forward to more downtime together as a family; and school starts next month... it's all good! :)

Oh where has the time went...

I just realized that I haven't blogged in almost a month in a half! Whew, where has the time went?!? Actually a lot has been going on around here this past month or so...

*The kids soccer season ended, they both loved it and are looking forward to the next playing season. Katelyn had an absolutely wonderful coach who didn't mind when she cried her head off during the first game and Cole's team won every single game they played. He was really stoked after losing every game last season. :)

*The kids school year is over. Katelyn will be in 1st grade and Cole got promoted to 5th grade. Katelyn was blessed was such a wonderful teacher for kindergarten, we sure will miss her. I wished that I could clone her to be Katelyns 1st grade teacher too. Cole is looking forward to a great upcoming year. He had a rough year this year so I'm praying for a good 5th grade teacher that will re-ignite his love of learning. They are both super excited about summer break and have kept me crazy busy every single day since the minute they got out of school! :)

*The chickens are getting sooo big. All 10 are still alive (much to my surprise!) and they now live in Katelyn's old playhouse that my hubby converted into cool chicken living quarters... they love it! We just might get our first eggs within several weeks. They are carb chickens -- they won't eat fruit or vegetable treats... but they'll ripe your hand off for some break or spaghetti noodles! Hmmm, they must take after me! ha ha They sure are fun to watch too! It's like a soap opera -- they cluck at each other, scratch for goodies in the dirt together, and then puff up really big to show who's bigger on the chicken bossy-gal list.


*The new house is coming along slowly. It seems like we get one thing done and then stall for another month of the next project. Honestly, it's been the biggest stress ever and has put me in such a funky mood at times. There are just so many details and when it's a DIY project, it just makes it all that more stressful I guess. We've been building for almost 2 whole years. The good news is that everyday we're getting a little closer to move in day! Hip hip hooray! It will all be worth it in the end; when exactly is "the end"... well, we haven't quite figured that out yet! lol

*We've been foster parents now for over 2 years... and I put our home on hold a few months ago until we move in the new house and get settled. I just felt like I needed the break after our last placement left (an 18 month old girl who was physically abused by her parents, but returned back to them we no penalties within 6 months... too soon, too rushed, too much swept under the rug IMHO). I felt run-down and my kids deserved my 100% attention again. I got so wrapped up in that case, trying to advocate for the sweet little girl. It was hard. So I think I must be sick because I actually miss fostering... I don't miss DCS being so involved in my day-to-day life, I just miss the kids. I'm thinking we'll do foster-to-adopt when/if we decide to open our home back up. I'd love to adopt. It's all just been on my mind lately and I'm not sure why.

*On a much brighter note :) I went back to college to be a teacher! After years of thinking about going back to finish my degree and flip-flopping about changing my degree from nursing to elementary education (and losing lots of credit along the way, bummer); I applied, jumped through tons of hoops, and finally met with my education advisor to see what classes I needed. Everyone has been really nice & supportive so far... I figured they'd laugh me right outta the building. :)

*I took a May summer class that lasted 3 weeks... yep, one whole semester in a 3 week course = craziness!! It was nice because I took my class while the kids were in school. It's been a L-O-N-G time since I was up at 1:30am doing homework though. I made an *A* in the class so all the busy days & sleepless nights were worth it I suppose. And I've signed up for more classes in the fall if we can afford it (keeping my fingers crossed).

*I've been trying to grow tomatoes and that's not going so well. I've got 6 plants on the patio here at the rental house in 5-gallon buckets; and 8 or 10 more planted in a big dirt hill at the new house. I thought for sure that the dirt hill plants would just die but I had no where else to plant them -- and didn't want to spend anymore $$$ on buckets either -- so wouldn't you know that they actually look better than my patio bucket ones?! Go figure! I guess because it was a cow pasture for years, and years, and years, all that cow poop made some super awesome dirt so the tomatoes are loving it there. I've got a lot to learn if I want to ever actually grow anything! lol

Anyways, that's been about it for us. :) I can't wait to catch up with what everyone else has been doing.

~Ashley

Woohoo, I'm back for "Not Me! Monday"

I have really missed doing the Not Me! Monday's... so let's get going!


* Being the avid news follower that I am, I was not the least bit confused when I read the top story last week, "New First Dog headed to the Waffle House". Whoops! Not Waffle House, it's the White House. Nope, not me... I can read... but Waffle House does sound yummy right now! :)

* I did not tell the kids that I was throwing away all their Easter candy because their teeth are surely going to rot out of their head and I'm tired of the begging for eating "just one more piece". Every day, more candy arrives -- no kidding! But I would never crash their sugar highs, nope not me! {Yep, it's all disappearing today while they're at school... ah ha ha ha!}

* After a trip to a local state park yesterday full of neat Native American history, I overheard DH talking with a park ranger about an old submarine in SC used in the Civil War. I did not later ask DH if the Indians actually built that submarine -- and ponder how exactly they would do that... I mean, using bones; sticks; arrowheads?? c'mon -- I just couldn't comprehend. Nope, I am not a clueless dork... I am quite the history buff... so definitely not me!

* I did not curse the 10 cute fluffy (and loud!) chicks in my living room at 3:30 this morning when they woke me up from my perfect sleep, all because they thought it was wake up time. I did not mutter under my breath that I'd make them into chicken casserole if they didn't stop chirping so loudly. They are our adorable pets after all, and I'd never eat them -- so I wouldn't dare try to scare them with such a comment! And even if I did, it probably wouldn't work anyway! Nope, not me!

* I did not look at my to-do list today and wonder if I could crawl back in bed and tackle all these "to-do's" another day. I'm way more goal driven than that... so I'd never think of such a lazy thing! Nope, not me... ever, ever! ;)

* And last but not least... While looking thru some recent pics on my computer -- I did not see this one that my DD took of my Clinique Mascara in my bathroom with her brothers kid camera... too funny! And no, her frugal momma does not have a slight Clinique addiction!



Hope everyone has a great day! Leave me a comment and I look forward to reading everyone elses funny Not Me! Monday posts! :)

A day to randomly reflect...

I love all things old; people, furniture, books, places... I could go on & on. I especially dig old houses. I don't know why, maybe it's the charm in the ones that have been preserved, or extra cozy homes that have raised generations of families; or the fun search for the diamond in the rough that just needs a little tlc... I just love them all! Little ones, small ones, big ones, tall ones... I just love them all. So when I saw this 110 year old house below that is for sale, my jaw dropped -- it's beautiful (and so crazy expensive)!

Today me, DH and the kiddos took a drive after breakfast about 20 minutes up the road to "Old Stone Fort State Park". Honestly, I never knew it was there -- whoops! I've never been a history buff but the older I get, the more interesting it all becomes. It's not a very big place but it's so full of neat history, we just spent time soaking it all up. The kids even commented how much fun it is to learn there versus sitting in a desk reading about it in a book! Over 2,000 years ago the park was (what is believed to have been) a Native American ceremonial site. It has this really cool large mound that has a river flowing on both sides. The museum had so many neat things that have been found there on the grounds, made me realize how clueless I am about history I guess.

What was really sad was that this same area was almost developed in the 1960's to be a lake-front subdivision! Whew, glad that fell through and the state was able to purchase the land. It's just beautiful -- large tall trees, wildlife, a neat old rehabbed bridge, rippling waters, and a peaceful feeling that was so nice (and so much needed!). We are hoping to go back next time and camp -- and use those hiking trails too {versus eating all the roasted marshmallows!}.

Today on the way to the park we spotted a cow that had gotten out of the fence and was almost on the main (way too busy for a cow) highway. The old house nearest the pasture was obviously vacant so we stopped and told a neighbor, then we tried to herd the cow back away from the main road as we could and into the yard until the owner could come open the gate. Yep, cow herding in a minivan! ha! I bet that cow was laughing at us! :)

But the house intrigued me though, it looked lonely. Weird huh? That I think a house is lonely? I mean that you could tell that it once had a family who lived there and loved it and now it was just there... all alone... paint chipping, gutters falling off, bushes/grass/trees/steps overgrown. So I came home and done some research on the house. It was built in 1936 and sits on 135 acres, the farmer who once farmed those fields and tended to that house has since died, even his children are almost all gone.

Maybe it just reminds me of my great-grandmothers house... the house that my grand-daddy built her with his own hands, the house that raised 8 children in only 2 bedrooms plus all the extra grandchildren and great-grandchildren that never seemed to leave... the house that we had every single holiday at and even though we were all a very tight fit you always felt at home... the house that I've owned now since grandma passed away in 2005 and I can't seem to even fix up because I can't imagine it not being "their house", so it's "lonely" too just like this one I saw today. Ahhhh, bitter sweet I suppose. One day, one day.

Anyways, it got me to thinking -- I remember being a young child and wanting the biggest, fanciest house I could ever dream of... like, hmmm, maybe the Barbie Mansion (lol) -- but now as I get older (and hopefully a little wiser for my 32 years of age!), I find that the simple joys in life are what really matters. Kinda like history; or your personal life legacy... what do you want your legacy to be? That you were a good person; were compassionate to those in need; would give the shirt off your back to someone who needed it more; caring; thoughful; loyal; trustworthy; happy; loving... these are just some that I hope can be said about me one day even if I live in a shack or a mansion or a tent or a camper. Even this little house below that is behind that big house above that's for sale looks good!

So I don't look forward to having that fancy barbie mansion anymore -- but I do look forward to having farm animals on our perfect comfy cozy house that my husband is building for our family; happy children playing in our creek; learning how to plant vegetable gardens; flowers in bloom; sounds of our tractor; pretty trees and colored bushes; freshly cut haybales; butterflies; hummingbirds; and a fancy chicken coop -- yep, that's my new fancy. :)

So today for me has been quite nice, peaceful and thought provoking. I like those kind of days I guess... sure beats just sitting around cleaning house (again!) and watching Dr. Phil. :)