Easy Money Ranch

Not to sound melancholy, but usually by about this time of the week we are looking forward to seeing Shannon again on the weekend.  That was hard.   And then he went and took this job in North Dakota so it became every 2 weeks that he would come home.  That was difficult.  But this time around it will be 3 weeks before he makes it home this way again.  THAT is miserable.  We are missing him like crazy.  The kids the worst.  When Sophie whines and begs for him to come home I tell her that Daddy has to work so that we can eat.  It was so precious tonight.  Tonight I made meals for the week.  When I cook I like to cook ahead.  So tonight I cooked off a ham for sandwiches, made tator tot hotish, goulash, beef fried rice and then made hamburgers with macaroni and cheese for supper.  Sophie went to get her juice out of the fridge and saw the stacks of meals premade.  She turned to me and said, "NOW Daddy can come home!"  Awww, it about tears your heart out.  But he is doing what he has to in order to take care of his family and we do understand.  Thanks honey for all you do!

We'll have to do something fun this weekend to keep her mind busy and her thoughts occupied.  Busy minds are busy hearts.

The girls and I had a great Saturday.  I try to keep them busy to pass the time, especially on the weekends, when Shannon is gone.  Busy minds don't concentrate on the fact that daddy isn't home.  So today we headed with the Sparks gals to VIP (Very Important Pinecone) at Pine Needles Quilt Shop in Racine.  Wow, those people are so nice.  The girls and I have only been going about 2 months and they make us feel so welcome and are so friendly every time we go. This time Libby was able to share the wall hanging quilt top that she is making for the fair.  She has done a really great job for her first quilt and I am very proud of her. 

So after VIP we headed to Roch to get some shopping done.  The cupboards were bare and we needed to hit Walmart.  Craziness there today, but we got what we needed.  Or did we?  Once we arrived home we realized that we had done the unthinkable.  We forgot a bag at the checkout.  Did it contain the tomato soup I need for making hotdish?  Nope.  Did it contain the lotion or shampoo we had purchased?  Nope.  It contained, *gasp*  Sophie's yogurt.  (Or yo - grit if you're Sophie)  Oh was she ever upset.  She thought we should drive directly back to Rochester and get her yo-grit.  Oh Sophie!  Sorry!  I'm sure they have yo-grit uptown and I'll have to get her some tomorrow.  I'll make her day.

So last week we started out the week with Libby sick, this week it is Sophie.  Sophie crawled into her bed around 4:00 to take a nap.  Libby goes, "I think Sophie is coming down with something, if she is choosing to take a nap."  That's my daughter, the prophet.  I didn't think much of it.  They had spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa Kiehne's while Shannon and I attended the Wildlife Banquet in town.  I figured that they probably didn't get a ton of sleep.  I mean, go figure, get to stay up late at Grandma's?  No way, right.  Around 5:15 Libby and I decided we would just go out and do chores.   We bopped around doing our thing for about half and hour, with Shannon helping, before heading back inside.  We got in the house to discover Sophie standing by the washing machine, covered in something and all of her bedding was by the washing machine.  I thought she had peed the bed and couldn't understand a word she was saying.  Finally I got her calmed down enough to discover that she had woken up vomiting and felt that it was her responsibility to clean it up.  She wasn't crying because she was sick, she was crying because she had made a mess and couldn't clean it up herself.  So she was stripped naked and bathed, and while she scrubbed, I scrubbed.  Only I was scrubbing the bathroom (walls, floor, toilet) and then the hallway (walls and floor) and then her bedroom.  Ugh, gross, yuck.  Not surprisingly Shannon was no help.  He can NOT handle vomit and hid out in the basement while I cleaned up the house and the little one.  Poor thing.  It just about broke my heart how she had tried to clean it up herself.  Her biggest fear was that her blankie wouldn't make it out of the wash in time for bed.  But super mom made sure that she had her blankie by bedtime.  She's sleeping on the loveseat in our room tonight and I am guessing that Shannon will get to stay home with her tomorrow.  My poor babies are having a rough time of it these days!

Well, Libby did not feel better.  I ended up trapped at home while Libby struggled through two days of a fever, cough, and all that accompanies it.  Monday and Tuesday I was here with her, trying to keep her on the couch as she isn't a very patient patient.  LOL  By yesterday she was able to go back to school.  She's still far from a 100% with her cough and runny nose hanging on, but at least the fever is gone and she was able to tough it out.  So here we are with the week winding down and I am just getting started!

The big excitement yesterday was all of the students in a turmoil due to our school board's decision to do away with the middle school starting next fall.  Our 5th and 6th grade students will be absorbed into the elementary and our 7th and 8th graders are on their way to the high school.  I was told that as of next fall I will be over at the Harmony site at the high school myself.  It should be an exciting transition and I am glad that I will be there to help our 7th and 8th graders adjust to the switch.  There were a lot of questions and concerns yesterday, but I think that we will all be just fine.  Change can be good!

35 more hours until Shannon is home and counting!

How could I forget to post and share the video of the girls' first experience doing a one act play!  Be paying close attention as Sophie has the first line.  After the last run through of the morning I had a brain alert.  I said, "Sophie, you know when to start right?" and she says, "Yeah when that guy says "Go!"  Knowing that she meant the director I knew we had a problem.  He wouldn't be saying "Go" during the performance and I knew she would stand there all day waiting for the cue to start.  So we quickly discussed it with the director and decided that the queen would whisper go to her.  Worked fabulously!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjvqm_xyCSQ

A week ago today I arrived home to find my toilet in the front entry.  Rather unusual for most people, but it was something we were expecting.  My dad had given me a "new bathroom floor" for Christmas and here he was starting on the project.  We knew it would take a few days of us being out of the house as we would have to stay off the tile while it set and then another day while the grout set.  However Dad had taken it out a day early to retexutre the bathroom.  I couldn't believe the difference!  It looked like we completely resheetrocked!  I also got a new window (no more leaky drafty one.)  This one even has a *gasp* screen!  It also is a little smaller so it isn't right on top of the shower and I can get rid of the gross, hard to clean shower doors and get a shower curtain.  How exciting!  So Monday night we packed our things and headed to my dads to crash with them.  And Tuesday night, and Wednesday, Thursday, and then Thursday stretched into Friday and Friday into Saturday until YESTERDAY when we arrived home from 4H Performance Day to find a toilet installed!  It is funny, the kids keep asking me if they can use the toilet.  Yes, you may it works! Yippeee!!!!  Now, it was fine staying at my dad's, but let me give you a run down of my day.

Phone alarm goes off at 5:00 - this is after a night of nearly sleepless nights in a strange bed, in a strange house with people who are night owls (unlike me).  So I use the light of my phone to stumbled across the basement to the light switch while I stagger upstairs, put on my coat and shoes and drive back out to the farm. 

5:10:  Let Diesel and Wiley out of the kennel.  Feed Diesel and Wiley, start a fire and head out to do chores.

5:30:  Let Diesel out and right back in. Stuff the wood stove full and drive back to town.

5:45:  Get the girls up and get ready for school

6:30:  Head back to the farm.  Put Diesel out, put Tia and Peony in their kennels, grab anything we forgot that we need for school.

7:00:  Arrive at school.

3:45:  Arrive at the farm.  Clean, sort, pick up, help Dad with the project and repack for the next day.

4:30:  Do chores and put the dogs away.  Stuff the wood stove

6:30:  Drive back to town and eat supper.

7:00:  Put Sophie to bed and settle in for the night.

I am definitely ready to be back in this old house.  She might not be fancy, she might not be fine, but she is what she is and what she is is MINE!  Slept great last night, ready for a great day at school, parent-teacher conferences tonight and what is that?  CRAP!  Libby has a cough, headache and low grade fever.  Perhaps she'll feel better after a motrin and waking all the way up?  Fingers crosse!

But it is really a good one.  I'm going to share this that I found on another forum today and then I added my responses in blue. 

A Father's Explanation of Why He Had Horses for His Children

.......author unknown

My daughter turned sixteen years old today (oh lord how I am dreading that day); which is a milestone formost people. Besides looking at baby photos and childhood trinkets with her,

I took time to reflect on the young woman my daughter had become and the

choices she would face in the future.

As I looked at her I could see the athlete she was, and determined

woman she would soon be. I started thinking about some of the girls we knew

in our town who were already pregnant, pierced in several places, hair

every color under the sun, drop outs, drug addicts and on the fast track to

no-where, seeking surface identities because they had no inner self

esteem. (I can remember when Libby struggled so with self esteem.  And I can already reflect on the confidence that Giggles has given her.  She is a different child than she was 2 -3 years ago.)  The parents of these same girls have asked me why I "waste" the

money on horses so my daughter can ride. (I have heard that myself.)  I'm told she will grow out of

it,lose interest, discover boys and all kinds of things that try to pin

the current genera-tion's "slacker" label on my child. I don't think it

will happen, I think she will love and have horses all her life.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has compassion. She knows

that we must take special care of the very young and the very old. We must

make sure those without voices to speak of their pain are still cared for.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned responsibility for

others than herself. She learned that regardless of the weather you

must still care for those you have the stewardship of. There are no "days

off" just because you don't feel like being a horse owner that day. (That lesson gets hammered home every night.  They have also learned that sometimes you helf out a friend or family member and do their chores for them - it is called generosity.)  She

learned that for every hour of fun you have there are days of hard slogging

work you must do first.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned not to be afraid of

getting dirty and that appearances don't matter to most of the

breathing things in the world we live in. Horses do not care about designer

clothes,jewelry, pretty hairdos or anything else we put on our bodies to try to

impress others. What a horse cares about are your abilities to work

within his natural world, he doesn't care if you're wearing $80.00 jeans while

you do it. - (And she learned not to wear her good jeans while doing chores or they won't be your "good" jeans for long!)

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned about sex and how

it can both enrich and complicate lives. She learned that it only takes

one time to produce a baby, and the only way to ensure babies aren't

produced is not to breed. She learned how babies are planned, made, born and,

sadly, sometimes die before reaching their potential. She learned how

sleepless nights and trying to out-smart a crafty old broodmare could

result in getting to see, as non-horse owning people rarely do, the

birth of a true miracle.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she understands the value of

money. Every dollar can be translated into bales of hay, bags of feed

or farrier visits. (Just a head nod here before.  Libby has offered to buy feed with her money before when I've not had enough cash with me.  That's responsibility.)  Purchasing non-necessities during lean times can mean the difference between feed and good care, or neglect and starvation. She has learned to judge the level of her care against the care she sees

provided by others and to make sure her stan-dards never lower, and only

increase as her knowledge grows.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to learn on her

own. She has had teachers that cannot speak, nor write, nor

communicate beyond body language and reactions. She has had to learn to "read" her

surroundings for both safe and unsafe objects, to look for hazards

where others might only see a pretty meadow. She has learned to judge people

as she judges horses. She looks beyond appearances and trappings to see

what is within. (We have found a diamond in the rough or two and she has learned that hard work makes the difference.   And she has learned the joy from taking that diamond in the rough and transforming it.)

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned sportsmanship

to a high degree. Everyone that competes fairly is a winner. Trophies and

ribbons may prove someone a winner, but they do not prove someone is a

horseman. She has also learned that some people will do anything to

win, regard-less of who it hurts. She knows that those who will cheat in the

show ring will also cheat in every other aspect of their life and are

not to be trusted. (My daughter has learned how to lose.  In an age when "everyone is a winner" in the public school setting, horse showing is a place where she can truly learn that sometimes your best just isn't good enough and there is always room for improvement.  Kids that always win don't learn that.)

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has self-esteem and an

engaging personality. She can talk to anyone she meets with confidence,

because she has to express herself to her horse with more than words.

She knows the satisfaction of controlling and teaching a 1000 pound animal

that will yield willingly to her gentle touch and ignore the more

forceful and inept handling of those stronger than she is. She holds herself

with poise and professionalism in the company of those far older than

herself.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to plan ahead.

She knows that choices made today can effect what happens five years down

the road. She knows that you cannot care for and protect your investments

without savings to fall back on. She knows the value of land and

build-ings. And that caring for your vehicle can mean the difference

between easy travel or being stranded on the side of the road with a

four horse trailer on a hot day.

When I look at what she has learned and what it will help her become, I

can honestly say that I haven't "wasted" a penny on providing her with

horses. I only wish that all children had the same opportunities to

learn these lessons from horses before setting out on the road to adulthood.

PS - Stable kids are great kids!

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb ?

Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?

Border Collie: Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.

Dachshund: You know I can't reach that stupid lamp!

Rottweiler: Make me.

Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.

Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!

German Shepherd: I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

Jack Russell Terrier: I'll just pop it in while I'm bouncing off the walls and furniture.

Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I'm sorry, but I don't see a light bulb!

Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

Chihuahua : Yo quiero Taco Bulb. Or 'We don't need no stinking light bulb.'

Greyhound: It isn't moving.. Who cares?

Australian Shepherd: First, I'll put all the light bulbs in a little circle...

Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border Collie's ear and he'll do it.. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

How many cats does it take to change a light bulb?

Cats do not change light bulbs. People change light bulbs.. So, the real question is:

'How long will it be before I can expect some light, some dinner, and a massage?'

ALL OF WHICH PROVES, ONCE AGAIN, THAT WHILE DOGS HAVE MASTERS, CATS HAVE STAFF!

I don't want to take away from Libby's blog, don't forget to look at the post below this one and see what Libby has to say.  She's only received one donation so far, so see what you can do to help her out. 

Well Happy Valentine's Day!  It has been a great weekend.  Shannon is home again, whee!  He was able to pull in about 1:00 am on Thursday morning.  And whoops - I had locked him out!  Lucky for me I woke up the first time he banged on the door.  I don't think he would have been very happy with me if I hadn't!  Libby and Sophie were so glad to see him.   There was a father daughter dance at the elementary school on Thursday night.  I had my dad on backup in case Shannon hadn't made it home.  They were so excited to realize that he would make it.  But Sophie wanted Grandpa to come too.  So they were spoiled with Shannon and my dad as their escorts.  It was really cute and the girls of FC had a great time with their heroes.  What a wonderful event for them.  It was a special night for a whole gym full of daddy's little girls. 

The girls also got to spend Friday afternoon with him.  They had an early out for school so Shannon took them to Rochester shopping.  They picked out my Valentine's present (I got Chihuahua notebook paper and a Chihuahua key chain too!) and did some grocery shopping. 

Yesterday was great fun too.  We had the 2009 POA banquet in Owatonna.  We left a little early and stopped at Menards.  Guess what I got?   Wait for it.. wait for it... a new..... TOILET!!! YAY!  I can't wait for the bathroom to be done and my shiny new toilet to be installed.    Did I post already about my jacuzzi tub?  The one that we have had for 4 years but it didn't work.  My dad in his remodeling discovered the problem.  It wasn't plugged in.  Guess what - it works now!  So a new tub, a new toilet and my dad bought us a new mirror too!  I feel so spoiled.  Isn't it funny what gets a person excited!  So we bought a new toilet and then headed to Owatonna.  Of course we were early so we checked out the Let's Ride tack shop there.  Pretty neat place, but we didn't seem to need anything much.  Go figure!

The banquet was lovely.  I'm glad that kids 6 and under eat free because the only thing we could get Sophie to eat was a dinner roll.  Libby ate a little better (but not $13.00 worth for sure).  The food was pretty good and then they presented the awards.  First they skipped over Libby when they were announcing awards (went right on to the next kid). When we pointed that out, they announced that they printed it wrong in the program she was actually in 4th, not third. That was a little disappointing, but it was an honor just to place.  She won an English saddle pad and a chap bag that was embroidered with her name and the year.  It wasn't until we got home that we realized they had spelled her name wrong.  She became Liberty Oneager.  Then we get the participation awards and they had printed in the program Olivia Onsager instead of Sophia Onsager. LOL! Can you tell we're the rookies in this club, lol!  Sophie was bummed they announced her name wrong and then she got her prize.  Both girls won a hay bale bag. Sophie was so funny, "I just can't believe they spelled my name wrong on my prize too. ... It's easy, S-O-P-H-I-E." The bag was labeled MN POAC 2009. LOL  So we are now the Oneagers.  Shannon and I both think it is hysterical.  Have you seen the movie, "That Thing That You Do"?  It's kind of funny. This music group calls themselves the Wonders, but spells it One-ders. But then everyone mispronounces it the O - Nee- ders.  So we figure you must pronounce our new name, O - Nee - Gers.  I've been called worse!

Hey guys,

I'm joining millions of other kids to help save lives with the American Heart Association's Hoops For Heart Program! Can you help me.

My school is doing Hoops For Heart. It's a program where I am learning about my heart and how to keep it healthy (while also getting active with basketball.yeah.) I've also learned that there are many kids with heart disease ("special hearts") and we're raising money to help kids like them! I have a cousin with a hole in his heart. His cute little name is Zach.I hope to raise money for him.

The money I raise will help pay for education to teach people to be healthy and help new medicines and treatments be discovered. It could help cure heart disease for everybody!

You can help too! Will you make a donation? It's fast and easy to do on my personal Web page! Just use the link below. Or you can mail your donation to me my address is below.

Thank you for helping me save lives and be a Heart Hero!

To make a donation online visit my personal page http://amha.convio.net/site/TR/HoopsforHeart/HFH-MWA?px=1940996&pg=personal&fr_id=1294

While there you can also meet some of the kids we can help!

You can also contact my mom if you want to donate to me personally.

I also have fruit for sale. I am doing this for my 4-H club.I might even buy some

for myself it looks so good.

Thanks for looking at my blog.

Libby