KIDS and Goats

Dallan This week has been busy and full and I think I’ve been sleeping standing straight up this week. On Tuesday William decided the toy hippo that was across the room was way to cool to just stare at from afar and cruised on over to check it out. Hence my new need for a barrier across the stairs to prevent fallen baby syndrome. William is an efficient little crawler but generally is content to sit in one spot where he can see the action. When he decides it is much more fun to be the action of course there will be more things to report.
The weather this week was of course unpredictable yet totally predictable IDAHO weather. We had two really nice days then 3 days of cold snow and rain. And as Murphy’s Law goes the coldest snowiest night was the night that the first of our two new dairy goats decided it would be a good time to Kid. (that means have her babies for all you non goat lovers). Jon and I were there when she delivered her two kids. It was kinda cool in a “it was a very cold night sort of way” This particular goat is in truth Fred and Katherine’s Goat. So we called Fred at about 10:30 at night and told him what was going on. Fred came over and after a while of trying to dry up and warm up the Kids we decided that it was much to cold out side and the little girl was not doing so well so we took them into the house. At about 1:30 am I left Jon and Fred to Mothering and I went to bed. Those two guys were up until well after 4:00am trying to nurse those little goats. The little girl whom Erica helped name, Beauty, had a tough night and we were not sure she would make it. But now she up and moving around the barn. The little boy , Jasper, looks like he is a whole week older that Beauty and is fairly agile and moves around the stall in the barn quite well now. Now the kicker of this whole story was I have now milked a goat. How many of my siblings can say that! I am not sure I would have milked the nanna goat but she is a crappy mommy and won’t allow the kids to nurse so we are having to milk her and then bottle feed the kids. Let me tell you what I kinda thought I was done with 4 am feedings for a while! It is not that bad, just it is taking a lot of time. The Chickens are growing with a vengeance. It is crazy to think that just 5 weeks ago they were little tiny birds in a box in the garage and now they are these great big birds.
Anyway the Weather has warmed up for a spell and we have been hard at it in the yard. We have both of our garden plots roto-tilled and manured and for FHE we plan on planting. ( I want to plant some dollar bills and see if I can’t get a money tree to grow.) I have also been hacking back at the over growth and underbrush. I managed to kill and haul to the burn pile 3 trees that were not my favorites and were growing all funny next to the house anyway. And I took the hedge trimmer (a very cool tool) and gave the bushes by the house a much needed haircut. (think buzz) Jon asked if I was going to leave anything at all. It was a very big fire in the burn pit by the time I was done with that part of the yard. The tulips I planted in the fall are coming up and a few of the preexisting daffodils have shown their bright cheerful sunny faces. By next week I should have lots of blooms everywhere.
We are counting down to the end of school. Only 6 more weeks to go. And then we will all laugh as I go insane with all of my dear children around me all of the time. Hunter has figured out how to open the door to go out of the house. This has led to real problems. Remember the snow I mentioned earlier. Well Hunter opens the door and then he and Juliet head out the door. Usually without coats and barefoot. I have to keep locking the door to keep those two ‘in’.
Erica cracked up the primary today when she was asked what her mom does for her and then after some very pensive thought she said in an exasperated tone “My Mom, buys me nice things.” almost as if she was annoyed that he mom would spoil her. I guess I will just have to quit buying her NICE things.
Stiles and Marcus realized that the fallen branches of the weeping willow tree make EXCELLENT crafting material for bow and arrow’s. They spent most of the weekend shooting their arrows and testing new bow specimens. Erica even had a bow and quiver of arrows by the end of the weekend. The usual “no toys at the table” was replaced with “No weapons at the table”
I survived my last preschool group this week. It has been fun working with those kids but I am very glad I have no more turns to be the teacher. I am glad that next year Hunter will be too young to be included in any preschool group to be arranged this next fall. Erica has really learned quite a lot the last few months of preschool and knows most of her letters now. I think she will be enter Kindergarten this fall leaps and bounds ahead of her brothers but I think it is mostly because she is a girl.
Jon and I still like each other and that is a good thing. We have a testimony of our Savior and we try to do what is right. We are proud of you and pray for you always. Keep up the good work and we will keep up the crazy stories for your entertainment.
Monica and Jon and all those Woodin Nickel Kids.
P.S. “Didn’t anybody ever tell you not to take any woodin nickels!”