Life

Busy August and its barely half over. But being barely half over means school starts for Caitlin the 1st of September. Yesterday I got her registered for 5th grade. This will be her first full year at Southfork, hope its better than last year. Moving into a new school mid-year was really hard for her. Let's hope this year is good. I was disappointed with the registration, it was very chaotic. JE did such a better job, I'm sure this year was no different. Anyway its done, and she is ready for the first day, kinda. We have to put in for a deviation on transportation, since we are both at work, she will go to Grandma & Granpa Henman's after school. For the most part that works well. She needs to try harder to get her homework done, instead of go watch t.v. I think we are done with the school shopping other than a couple pairs of shoes. She thinks she can wear my shoes, "they fit" just because there is another inch or two of space does not mean anything. Sorry, but I do not share shoes. I'm funny that way.
Last weekend I made and bottled 24 pints of salsa, whew that was one long day. But I'm glad to have it done. I have not "canned" anything for years. I mostly freeze, but this was good. I think I will freeze some corn this weekend, we love corn, and I am not a big fan of canned corn. I don't think too many packages, mostly still on the cob, a few packages of cut corn also. Looking forward to getting some peaches and raspberries, so I can make some more freezer jam.
Tuesday I had to go into my dentist, back molar causing me pain. They had done some temp work on it, with thoughts of root cannel next. However the tooth was in bad shape when they did the temp work, it was even worse when I went it. It's just slowly deteriorated, so since its in the back and the root canal would help but just for awhile til the tooth completely came out, I went for the yank it out now. Which they did. So now I'm hurting. Yesterday was a liquid diet, gag protein shakes. Today is a soft foods diet, pretty close on the gag, with lots of Motrin for the pain. If I could have I would have stayed home yesterday and today. This is just miserable, but short handed in the office, so I work. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow.
We need to get our camper ready for labor day weekend, that's a chore. Not a trip, just taking it up to the farm for the labor day weekend campout with Chris's family. No biggie, but do need to have the camper ready. Perhaps this weekend along with everything else that keeps getting put off. YUCK. Need more hours, days, weekends.
Oh well, its life and I love mine.

Just the Everyday

We got all the school supply shopping done. We had to run into Wal-Mart one Saturday and I had the list, so we started and finished and came in under budget. I mean we only have one child so it really is not a huge thing for school supplies. We also pick up extras, the price is always the best, then the extras get stored in a school tote for use as needed. Works well for us. Caitlin has been going thru her closet very slowly. What still fits, what is worn out, and what she does not wear, never liked gets put in a pile. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't sell them on e-bay. Is the pay-off worth the effort as opposed to just giving to someone you know needs the clothes. Still thinking on it right now. Have done some online shopping for school clothes, love online shopping, always find a coupon, so those packages should start showing up. I am much more restrained this year than in the past. Probably tired of all the stuff that gets put in the give-away pile.
I have been purchasing produce thru Bountiful Baskets for quite a few months, one of the many benefits that I am realizing is even if I know we are not going to get something eaten right away, I can do something with it. I have made numerous batches of freezer jam, but small quantities, like just a few pints. Do you know how nice that is, to just do a small batch, instead of flats of fruit. This weekend I'm getting tomatoes, 25lbs. Not a small batch, but oh well. Going to do the majority in salsa, a very small amount in Pepper & Onion relish. All will be canned. Long time since I've done that. That ought to be an interesting day.
Today, Caitlin is at Lava Hot Springs swimming with the cousins. She loves when she gets to go with my brothers family. She gets the fun and chaos of a large family. She should be dog tired tonight. Glad she gets to spend the time with them.
We really have not done much fun stuff this summer. Sometimes that is just the way it goes. We finished 4-H horse, not on a great note. She showed in halter with her horse, then was practicing on the track and her horse freaked and ran off with her on, she held on, but it scared the daylights out of her and not in any mood to do anymore. Chris said no that was it. Not worth an accident. She did get a blue ribbon on her Idaho History project, her rag rug. So it goes now to the state fair, which she is really excited about. I also got a couple of ribbons for my pictures, one blue and one white. Kind of fun to do. My nephew Quinn got two blue ribbons for his art. Pretty cool.
Have not finished any projects in the house, which frustrates me greatly. My motivation never seems to make in the door when I get home after work. Need to work on that. Have been playing with my Cricut machine. Fun stuff. I see lots of vinyl words on my walls in the future.
School registration is the 18th of this month. Caitlin is not at all excited. I hope its a good year for her, last year was a struggle, with transferring not quite mid-year.
Well that is the everyday and yes it is our everyday. Its a good everyday, and I am content with that.

July

Wow July is almost over. Sometimes I wonder what happens, cuz I really don't remember much.
A good part of July was taken over by Chris's horse and rider going their seperate ways adventure. Couple days in the hospital, and then being home. Chris is the world's worst patient, always has been. I learned this early on in our marriage, we had been married 6 months and he had to have his appendix out, so a week long stay. It was awful, he hates hospital food, I can agree on that, but if that is all then go hungry or get over it. Or in Chris's case order Domino's Pizza and the Doc decides you are healthy enough and go home. Anyway, this time, because of the injury he couldn't get around well, still looks like an 80 year old walking. 4-6 weeks for the injury to heal. He went back to work after a week and a half. Has physical therapy 3 times a week. Fun stuff. Caitlin is a couple weeks away from the fair, she is entering her Idaho History project from school which was a rag rug that she made with the help of my Mom. She won Best Project at school! She also is in Horse 4-h so has her horse to enter.
School supply lists are out, although school does not begin until Sept. 1st. I love school shopping. Its so much fun. Since we only have one child its not to hard financially to cover. Now as Caitlin has gotten older, she is sharing her opinion on clothes, and Target is no longer good enough. Now it's the mall and those stores. Now Old Navy is fine, but Aeropostle gets pricey. So that is limited, plus as expected her opinion differs from mine. So I don't quite enjoy the clothes shopping as much. Also we have not been as successful in teaching her the value of a dollar, so price does not quite register. I think this year we will do a budget for her, and that is the amount that is spent and see how she does. Maybe that way she will see how her dollar goes further in different stores. I remember my parents doing the same thing when I got around her age, I think one year I got two pants and 3 shirts, cuz of what I wanted, the rest was make due. We shall see. Somedays I really think uniforms would be a good thing.
Well on to August, lets see how that goes!

Shopping

Okay, I love shopping. I mean I truly love to shop. Now the only thing I hate about shopping is the inevitable returns. This week I had two returns. Tennis shoes and a baby outfit. Its so annoying to me to have to return something, I mean I do better than that, but alas I did not. The shoes for my daughter fit right now and she has no room. I took them back, they did not have her size, so do I wait or buy an alternate. I went with the alternate. $20 bucks more, 15 minutes in line, and showing I.D., what is up with that. Anyway, then I bought a summer outfit for my niece's daughter. Needed a size up on that which puts into the 24mos, or 2T size. Now when my daughter was that size I never really got the 24mos or 2T size. Did not see much difference. Anyway, got that exchanged also. I really do not enjoy returning things, I mean it could almost turn me off of shopping. No probably not.
Looking forward to dinner tonight, my hubby is making "his" spaghetti, we have a couple of different versions, tonight is his. Love it when he cooks! Really love it when he makes spaghetti. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Time goes by

Wow, time has passed since I was here last. I never realized how much time one child in school can take. I do not want to think about more than one, and since I have only one, I do not have to. Idaho History project took up alot of time. Caitlin made a rag rug with the help of Oma. She won "Best Homemade Project" and was very excited about it. She can also enter her project into the county fair, which she is going to do. School is now out and we made it. Now her time is spent playing. I want that life. She is taking Horse 4-H and seems to be enjoying that. One of the neighbor girls is also in it, but she is a year ahead, same age, which is hard for Caitlin, you know only child needs to be able to do everything and at the same level.
All of our cows have calved. Yeah. Seem to be all doing well.
Right now we are working on Caitlin's party this weekend. She turns 10 on the 15th. So we are having a party, and who knows if its going to be rainy or not. So we make double plans. We are having a Luau, on a very small scale. Hawaiian Pizza is as close to Hawaiian food as we are getting. Thinking of also having some carnival games. Working on that today. That would work best for outside, but who knows.
Today is nice weather, no rain, YIPPEE! Looking forward to the weekend.

Spring is Over

Woke up this morning to over 7 inches of very heavy wet snow, and the wind blowing. It's April 6th and the conditions where so bad they called off school for the county. It took me 45 minutes to get to work for a drive that is normally 20 minutes. Fun stuff, I want a snow day!
What fun the weather in Idaho is.
Its depressing actually, I think I need a vacation. I think I might work on that.

A bit of spring

Okay I got a bit of spring today, but not because of the weather, although it is nice outside, but I think we are back to rain/snow mix Friday.
My bit of spring came in the form of starting seeds. I love flowers, and gardens, and since I get to start fresh at the new place, I thought I would start my seeds indoors for a good start. Not that this is a new thing, by any means, it just gets me excited for the possibilities out there. The vegetables I started are Tomatoes of course, eggplant, pumpkin, watermelon, and sweet peppers. Most of the flowers can be direct sowed, so only a few I started indoors, like; Nasturtiums, Delphiniums and Hollyhocks. Today I'm just soaking the seeds to jumpstart their germination. Tomorrow or the next day I will plant them in seed starter trays and in a couple of months, when we have the hopefull last frost of spring, they will be planted outside.
Not all my flowers will come from seeds, I will still hit the garden centers.