A goat birth story- or two

   The day started out fairly low-key. It was Sunday; Jeff went to work and the kids and I had decided to stay home from church since Kailyn wasn’t home. I was catching up on cleaning up around the house; my main goal for the day was to clear the area we had chosen to start building the chicken coop. Since Kailyn, our goat herder, was spending the weekend at a friend’s house, Lacey insisted on feeding the goats in her stead. 

The wind was picking up with wind gusts nearing 40mph, so I was making sure our outdoor rug was held in place with heavy blocks. I was just about to go back inside when I heard the feed bucket hit the ground and saw Lacey running to the house. 

11:05 “Mom! Mom! Come here! Quick!” she called. I asked her what was wrong and she said she thought Mae was giving birth, that she thinks there was a head out. I ran over to check it out, and sure enough, there was! This was not a good thing, though. Goats are born in a “diving” posture- front hooves first. The danger of the baby coming head-first is a dislocated or broken shoulder. I was not aware of this fact at the time, but the baby looked dead. Its head was cold and it’s tongue was sticking out. It was fairly dry and dirty. I had no idea how long he had been in that position. I immediately found my phone and began calling people. I first called Jennifer, who sold me the goat. No answer. Then I called Kathryn, who does the testing and raises goats and chickens. No answer. Then, I thought of Paola, my homeopathic study group leader, who happens to have livestock. She answered!! That’s when I learned it was really bad to have a baby in this position. (Upon researching this more fully, it seems there can be head-first births that go well. This baby was there over 40 minutes with no change, so intervention was warranted.)

Lacey was distressed. I was distressed. She was so brave and stayed with me to manage the phone. At this point, I’m getting texts and phone calls from Kathryn and Paola. I am told I either need to push the head back in, or reach in for the forelegs. Obviously, I start pushing the head back. But it doesn’t work. The baby begins to show signs of life and I can’t stand putting that much pressure on its head. It’s a goat- they head butt early on, but I was panicking a little. I finally had to do the inevitable. I reached in. I prayed and prayed out loud as I did this. I could find one hoof, but there was no way I could get ahold of it. I finally decided to grab the baby by the shoulders and pull there with the next contraction. It worked!!! Baby #1 was born with his left hoof at his shoulder, and his right hoof laying on his belly all the way down to his back legs. I cleared the mucous from his mouth and had Lacey go get a bucket of hot water and Maddox get a towel. As I was instructed, I rubbed him down hard with the dry towel. His breathing was labored. The first thing I gave was Aconite. Aconite helps in a shocking situation. I gave mom and baby Aconite. I also gave Arnica Montana 200 to address the swelling, alternating every 10 minutes. Lacey called Kailyn to let her know what was happening. My mom went to get fresh straw for us to give them a softer, cleaner space.

12:25 In very short order, kid #2 was born and was walking around bright-eyed and curious after just a few short minutes. This is when I realized kid #1 was in danger. Most striking was the  difference in appearance. Kid #1 was extremely swollen from the neck up. His eyes were swollen shut and he was pretty limp and laid there for some time. He was too weak to stand, so I gave him Cuprum Metallicum 30, often given when there is distress such as a seizure. I also began rolling his shoulder blades and massaging his spine, checking (in my very limited ability) for dislocation or subluxations.

   

12:35 At this point we changed to Carbo Veg 30, which is given to newborns in distress. His gums were blue and he was breathing with quick shallow breaths, so the medicine seemed a better fit for him. I alternated Carbo Veg and Arnica every 10 minutes. We also tried to help him get milk from his mama.

1:04 His eyes began to open. The swelling was less and I could see his little eyes! I continued alternating remedies and massaging.

1:27 He could finally stand. He had to be raised into this position, but could hold himself up with shaky legs. 

  
  

1:46 Our dam got weak and sleepy. She rested her head against the wall. It had been over an hour since the second kid was born and we were not seeing any afterbirth. I began giving her Caulophyllum to help her contractions progress. She perked up in about 5 minutes, got up and drank immediately. Then, she ate some hay. I continued giving alternating remedies to the baby every 20 minutes or so. By 3:00 he could finally get up on his own. At this point we replaced the hay with straw in the goat house. I also had to continue giving the dam Caulo P every 30 minutes or so, as well as one dose of Nat Sulph. In hindsight, I should have given more often, but I was exhausted. I hadn’t eaten all day, so I had to leave her to have some “breakfast” at 3pm. Becky had brought Kailyn home and they stayed for about an hour. She talked me into eating something and Kailyn and Hannah took over watching the goats for me. The afterbirth finally came close to 4pm. The first boy was doing remarkably well, curious and playing like his twin, just a bit weaker.

We came to check on them around 9pm and the baby was less swollen. I gave more Arnica and Carbo Veg. 

       Monday morning he looked just about like the other goat, but still weak. I gave Arnica but forgot Carbo Veg. We also gave them both a bath. Goats aren't real crazy about baths.

   

By Tuesday he was fully relieved of his swelling, but still wobbly, so I dosed Arnica and Carbo Veg twice. By the second dose, he was finally jumping around playing with his brother and following his mama around. The screaming goat below is baby #2, who screamed while being held the first day. They both like being held now.

          
             kid #1 named Djali

     

                kid #2 named Samuel

As for me- I took aconite that first night. I probably should have done it sooner. I was so stressed that I forgot about all prior commitments I had made that day. Kailyn was supposed to babysit. Thankfully, it was for Jennifer, who was aware of our situation, so she offered to have her husband come pick Kailyn up. I also had plans for dinner with Jeannette, another friend who happened to text a reminder to me that day. The following day I think I was still in a state of shock- I still watched the baby goat closely and dosed him as needed. On Tuesday, while talking about the situation with the kids, tears just flowed from my eyes as I spoke, but it was more of a relief kind of tears. At that point I was finally at peace with the whole thing. I don’t think I could ever work in a hospital!

Yesterday, while at our two family co-op I got a call that our second goat was in labor. We rushed home just after the birth of the one baby goat. Polly was a little young for her first kidding, but she did well and is a good mama, even if she was dumb enough to have her baby in the dirt and try to keep him out in the open all night. Her baby was a bit bigger than expected- I think I fed too much grain throughout her pregnancy, but she came through alright. Now we have 3 baby boy goats to sell!

   Polly and Midnight

Organizing an RV, part 1: Outside

Before we moved into our fifth wheel I obsessed over how I would organize everything we owned into such a tiny space. As I've stated before, we are not traveling and have a little extra leeway here.
First of all, we have our shed on the property with us. In here we store most of our tools, dog food, bikes, and other "garage" items. Our lawnmower and other large yard equipment are in the workshop, another building on the property we recently re-roofed. Our washer and dryer are in the adjacent laundry room, which also houses the items we need to sift through (again) to reduce and get rid of.


Here is a view of the backside of our RV. You are looking at the power pole and water line that we installed and use.


Here is a more detailed look at the RV. From right to left: 50amp power plug, the white door houses our instant water heater, the next cabinet is the main water and satellite control center, the large door is the basement storage, which also houses the automatic leveling jacks controls, and the far door is the propane tank that services the water heater. On this side of the basement we keep gallons of drinking water, paper towels, Korbin's footlocker with his scout camping stuff, and Korbin's keyboard which he gets out when he feels like playing.

Do you see that slide sticking out over the basement? That's the master bedroom slide. I have lost count how many times I've opened up the grey tank only to stand up while already walking back only to smack my forehead right into the CORNER of that slide. I can walk under the slide and my head barely touches it, but the corner is low and gets me every time I'm not ready for it. When Jeff was out of town for a weekend I actually got a concussion from that particular corner. It was dark and I was in a hurry and BAM! I crossed my hands over the injury (right under left) which stops bruising and bleeding very quickly. (check out the King Institute) I did not have a bruise at all. I held my crossed hands over my forehead for about 30 minutes. However, I still had a concussion. (That was before I knew about Arnica. Now, I keep a vial of Arnica 200 with me at all times for head injuries.) The entire next day was spent sleeping and resting, as I was monstrously grumpy and tired. I had Arnica gel, which my friend Heather told me about a few months ago, but too bad I didn't have the pellets!! The gel helped the pain, but I needed the pellets to help my mood and fatigue.


This is the water/satellite control center. From top left to bottom: Satellite cord inlet, the black rectangle is a covered electrical outlet, the red/blue/black knobs control whether your water comes from the outside spigot or the holding tank, I have no idea what the black spigot is for. (Jeff is the primary user here.) The "faucet controls" attach to a water hose and are useful for an outdoor shower, the incoming hose is coming from the spigot, the white covers are for rinsing out the grey and black tanks, and the black handles are for emptying the grey and black tanks. Behind the wall adjacent to the basement there is also a water filter.


Under the nose there is a pretty good sized storage area we keep all our camping gear in. Korbin camps nearly every month and as a family we go a few times each year. In this spot we have 6 cots, 6 camp chairs, a massive Coleman instant tent, a backpacking backpack, and even a target for Jeff's bow. As you can see, I also keep a backup propane tank nearby. (It's not fun to run out of hot water mid-shower. Kailyn can tell you all about that.)


This is our front "porch" area. I bought step carpets which help the dog keep her footing (and her humans, too!) I found it's best to keep them on one side of the step so that when you walk down with socks on after a good rain, your socks don't get soaked on the way. There is a small black rug at the bottom and inside there is another rug as you walk in, both designed to trap dirt and mud. I think they work pretty well. I've had years of concrete sidewalks and driveways, so now that everything's dirt, we need the extra help. The area rug is made for RV's and I found it at Wal-Mart. Did you know that every Wal-Mart has an RV section? I did not. I don't like the rug, but it is functional and I wouldn't be without it. The patio furniture we brought from home and recently purchased new cushions for. I keep rain boots handy, as there is plenty of need for them. We keep the awning out unless the wind picks up. When it rains, I move the chairs and set them between the steps and the basement opening to keep them dry.


The propane storage on this side holds 2 tanks, which power the heater and stove. As long as I remember to turn off the oven when I'm done, they last a long time! Inside the basement we store our shoes. You can see an old yellow extension cord hanging on the shoe rack. That is plugged into the ceiling outlet in the basement and there is a hole in the floor to run a cord to power anything you like. (I keep a fan nearby, which works well to dry the stair carpets when they get wet.) It's a little harder to see the mounting hardware behind that cord on the wall, but that is made for the TV in our bedroom. The mounting arm is made so that we can just pop it off the wall in the room and pop it on the wall in the basement, in case we want to watch something outside. (Good for sports!)


In this picture you can see the outdoor kitchen, the kitchen slide, and the patio.


The outdoor kitchen is my favorite space outside. It is really more Jeff's space, but it's so functional and orderly that I really like it! On the countertop, we store a compost canister (for coffee grounds), a mini Keurig, coffee pods (I usually buy compostable/recyclable ones from Bed Bath and Beyond or use my refillable K-cup), distilled water for the coffee maker, a sink, and some paper towels. I am on the hunt for these paper towel boxes. I used to be able to find them, but the box size at the store has increased. If you see some, please tell me!!


We will have to get rid of a LOT of glass if we ever travel. Here I am storing growlers, which we use to purchase beer on tap or to make kombucha. Currently, my friend Chris is brewing some green tea ginger kombucha for us!! The cabinet on the other side has coffee mugs, wine glasses, beer glasses, and wine aerators.


The mini fridge holds drinks. Cokes, waters, beer, cider, drink mix ingredients, and coffee. To the left here, you can see a handy bottle opener attached to the cabinet I found at Cost Plus.


The drawer on the left houses an outdoor stove.


The drawer on the right contains outdoor utensils. (My basting brush and meat thermometer were being washed.)
The grill is only a few steps away. It has a propane burner, gas grill, charcoal grill, and smoker.

Time, Money, Duties and Relationships, part 2: Money & Relationships

Money is something I’ve talked about before on my blog. It is probably where I struggle the most. I just don’t budget well. Food is a big budget-killer, as is lack of budgeting. I highly recommend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace classes as a way to figure out where you are and get to where you want to be. This year we have made enormous leaps and bounds in that area, but we still have habits to form. I have attempted many times to implement the envelope system, but whether it is laziness or fear or confinement (which is an oxymoron here) I haven’t been consistent about the envelope system. I tried the virtual envelopes (Dave Ramsey has an ap for that) but I’m not cut out for it. What is actually helping me is using Rachel Cruz's (Dave's daughter's) "clip system," which is just tiny binder clips in different colors so that your cash is basically "filed" in different colors, denoting your spending category. I've used this the last couple of weeks with success. You just pull cash you have budgeted for the categories you normally overspend in. For me that's groceries, eating out, entertainment, and personal items. I have TONS of tiny binder clips in the cutest colors, if you want to get some from me for a few cents instead of buying a huge container. We have been so selfish and have a hard time telling ourselves “no.” While we are out of debt besides our home, and we are living within our means, we are not saving, and there is no excuse. There you have it. Both a confession and a goal. 

We have been teaching our children to avoid the pitfalls we fell into. Korbin has a checking account, and it is time we open one for Kailyn as well. I am compiling a list of jobs that can be done for money around the property, and Kailyn can take babysitting jobs. Korbin wants a job, and will be able to pursue that once his Eagle project is complete. Once the project is done, I’ll have the time to enroll him in drivers’ ed so that he can drive himself to work. I do have to think of myself and I’m already on the road more than I like.

Korbin has matured greatly this year. He sees the logical perspective and lends his support when he agrees with the principles. He thinks much in black/white. It either is or it isn’t. Gray areas are harder for him to navigate, but he is making progress here too. Since the weather has cooled down, he has been taking walks or runs outside. He is fun to talk to and I really like his opinions and his willingness to hear others’ opinions. Sometimes I can tell he forms opinions based on those of popular You Tubers. I like that he shares them with me, as it brings up opportunities to discuss those opinions and talk about deeper issues that he wouldn’t have the experience of years to consider. There are also times that I learn from him. He can come up with some concise explanations of things and put ideas together logically and even with humor. (He's hilarious, actually.) I don’t believe a young man needs to be with his mother most of the day. It really is time for him to focus on his future, whether that is to dive into his studies, find a passion, or keep busy with jobs outside, I don’t know. Too bad Dad doesn’t work from home in a way they could work together. Perhaps we can get to where there are plenty of things to do on the “farm.”

Kailyn is a great conversationalist. She has some lovely insights and I enjoy talks with her. At fifteen, she doesn’t always want to talk to me, but I think we are working our way through that. Fifteen is a hard age- a crux, if you will. For real. She is definitely on the upside of this, but we still have our moments. I think it’s often difficult for teens to think clearly or logically in the moments their emotions take over. She is wonderful and I love her big heart. She puts others before herself and thinks matters through, especially when her friends are part of the equation. I’m very proud of who she is and how she handles herself.

Lacey is very sensitive. She can be whiney and emotional. On the other hand, she can be super thoughtful and empathetic. When Kailyn cried recently after an emotional night, Lacey cried alongside her. (Chocolate fixes some things, as it did that night, along with a cozy talk with mom for both girls.) Sassiness has a way of creeping in at 10 years old (and sooner, really.) With Lacey, the key to working with her is gentle speech and really listening. She tends to feel unheard. I get that. Sometimes I feel ignored too. If you have ever sat in a group of people, made a suggestion, and been ignored, only to have someone else show up after the fact and make the SAME suggestion to a captive audience who raves about the brilliance of the idea, you would understand how that feels. I don’t know what it is, but there’s a tendency to feel invisible in certain situations. So if I take the time to listen to her, she feels validated and loves to help. I got pretty lucky in that regard with her!

Maddox is one of those kids who is often viewed as “too much.” He has a tendency to break nearly everything he touches. He jumps into action before thinking things through. He spirals into anger to deal with his frustrations. However, he has been a gift to me as a parent. He has stretched me and helped me to understand other children. Some of you may not realize I grew up with an aunt who was born with microcephaly and Smith-Magenis Syndrome. She had significant special needs. I have understanding for special needs kids; I have my whole life. What I’m talking about is strong-willed-bull-in-a-china-cabinet behavioral problem children. As a teen and young adult I was full of solutions. Living it is different. Each situation is different and I’ve learned to curb my judgement and pray for kids who display behavioral issues. Some of these kids have sensory issues, as does Maddox. 

Once sensory information has been evaluated, the child’s “type” should be assessed. I rely on typing my children and others. In my mind it is just a litmus test telling me their basic temperament. Their secondary type, or temperament is likewise important, because it will bend the primary type/temperament one way or another. Knowing your own type will give you the tools you need to come at this in a way that supports who you are.

Here is a brief description for the child and mom:

Type 1- fun-loving child, (bright & animated woman)

Type 2- sensitive child, (soft & subtle woman) 

Type 3- determined child, (rich, dynamic woman)

Type 4- serious child, (bold, striking woman)

To let you in on our family dynamic, here’s the description of us:

Jeff 4-3 (Primary 4, secondary 3)

Me 2-4

Korbin 4-2

Kailyn 1-2

Lacey 2-1

Maddox 3-2

We’ve got it down to ordering all 4 types in our family, (Jeff is 4-3-2-1, etc, but I digress…)

Looking at my family, you can see that all but Jeff have some strong tendencies toward softness/subtleness. This was God’s grace for me. While I can say I have all 4 types in the family, it is a much more subtle version of each type. They are all fairly quiet and calm. I’m not sure it’s all nurture- I believe it’s inborn. While the author of the program doesn't see these as temperaments, I disagree and believe they are. While other "personality" programs are great and fun, this system is far more reliable than any other I have found. (In my humble opinion.)

If you’re curious and want more information, take a look at Dressing Your Truth to learn more about the types. You can access The Child Whisperer from there, which has links to help you profile your child as well. (I do earn points toward products on the website if others follow my link. I have found lots of help understanding people from this site, although I do not ascribe to the author's theology.)

Knowing that Maddox is a determined child helps me realize that redirecting his fast forward motion is much more effective that stopping it. There is a song that typifies Maddox- “You Can’t Stop Me” by Andy Mineo. For real. He sings it every time it comes on. It’s like his anthem. 

Recently I felt like things had come to a crisis with Maddox. He had gotten to the point at den meetings that he would wander off, jump on chairs, talk over me, and throw chairs in anger. He wouldn’t listen to adults in many situations and I realized I had created a monster. Moms always see the sweetness of their babies, but I was seriously doing him no favors. Jeff and I discussed it and decided that on the night that the teens would be at an ice cream social and Lacey would be at a slumber party, instead of the fun we had planned at Main Event, he would have to stay home with Grandma while dad and I went on a date. He was shocked and sobered, but he took it well and it was a major step in changing his behavior. That night my friend Ann told me about “Parenting With Love and Logic,” a book I had heard much about but never picked up. I have finished it now, and it is really good. The principles within that book are helping me to truly let go of my kids’ problems and also gave me permission to enforce delayed consequences. I had heard in our “Growing Kids God’s Way” classes about giving the monkeys back to the kids (monkeys being the problem that belongs to the child) but I didn’t really grasp the concept. PWL&L gave me some examples of such problems and guidance on how to allow children to handle them on their own. In other words, give the children a safe place to fail. An example of one such situation happened when we camped with the Cub Scouts. At the end of the trip, Maddox had to fold his own tent. I had always done it for him. He was mad. He kicked the tent. He threw the tent. He waded it up. I detached myself from feeling on the matter. He had earned the tent himself in last year’s fundraising efforts. If he broke it, it would be broken. If he didn’t fold it, we would stay until he did. The key was to speak to him in a loving way and allow him to choose his own actions. He finally calmed down and asked for help. I helped with the first fold, instructed him on the second, and suggested he use tent poles to guide the rolling. He did it his own way. It didn’t work. I went to the restroom. (Kailyn and Lacey were there waiting in the car.) By the time I got back he had followed my suggestion calmly and put the neatly folded tent in the back of the car. Next trip he will either decide the tent isn’t worth it, or be prepared to handle it on his own. (He decided it wasn’t worth it.) This newfound confidence has spilled over into other areas. He is super willing to get chores done. I think he was feeling like the unappreciated and incapable youngest child. He is much sweeter and I am thankful Ann twisted my arm and made me get the book!

To add to the fun, I more recently got “Parenting Teens with Love and Logic.” Just as good. The teen years are very different than the younger child years, and I highly recommend this book, whether your child is 11 or 25. It would have been nice to start with them. I could tell that my relationship was strained with my older kids. They knew I loved them, but I wasn’t allowing them the space to make their own decisions, which is not healthy. They need to do that in order to mature into adults that make wise decisions. I won’t attempt to make that clear here, but I highly recommend the book if you have teens.

Time, Money, Duties and Relationships, part 1: Time & Duties

There are two Boy Scout merit badges, which are Eagle required, that Korbin is just about finished with. (They only lack signatures from the counselor.) Personal Management delves into time and money management, whereas Family Life incorporates the management of household duties and relationships. These two badges are a couple of the more in-depth badges that take dedicated time (roughly 3 months) to complete. I like that these badges are Eagle required, as these skills are important and don’t come naturally. I could use a refresher course myself! Couldn’t we all? 

There are people who seem to have at least one of these life aspects all worked out. They manage well at least one of their time, money, duties, or relationships, but I wonder if those people feel they have it as together as it appears from the outside. If you think I’m one of these people, then I would say looks can be deceiving. We all have issues. I cannot help but be transparent. None of these areas is all worked out for me. I do my best to lay it before the feet of Jesus and just do the best I can. I feel like life is ever-changing, and we are meant to continue learning as long as we are here on this earth. Some things I stood by five years ago seem silly to me now. It’s not that they are, but I have moved past that place and have built upon it. It helped me at the time and I wouldn't be where I am now if I had not been in that place. Perhaps it is foundational to my current situation. 

One (simple) example of such a thing is the Flylady website. Fourteen years ago the points on that site guided much of what I did- how I managed my time (“You can do anything for 15 minutes”), some of how I viewed relationships (how your mess is not your babies’ fault), and the tools she sells are pretty awesome (I use my stainless steel water bottle to this day).  I don’t frequent the website the way I did before, only visiting here and there to order some more tools or a calendar. However, it was so useful at the time. 

Last week I found another website, that while on the whole was disappointing, I gleaned something from it that was revolutionary in my mind. It is called the 30 second rule. “If it can be done in 30 seconds, do it immediately!” For you super tidy and organized folks, this is probably a no-brainer, but for someone like I, who have had life-long issues with clutter, it is spectacular. I have a really bad habit of setting things down. Sometimes things are lost because it was set down without thinking; most often I turn around after a project or putting together a meal and find that “somebody” made a big mess behind me. It’s aggravating, because I don’t even realize I’m doing it at the time. I’ve also heard of the OHIO principle (Only Handle It Once), where you get it, use it, put it up. However, for some reason, the 30 second rule is helping me for the moment. 

All that to say- your mess really catches up to you in a smaller space!! Granted, in a smaller space, it is quicker to get it under control, but this is where clutter can choke you out. Homeschooling puts a new spin on the matter. There are books everywhere (and I just bought 2 last week, 1 the week before, and 9 before that! (Six were part of a boxed set for Kailyn that she will store at grandma’s when she completes it.) I’m a bit of a book addict. So it’s been messy. And that stresses me out. We are learning ways to cope with the small space as a family. I'll talk about that in a minute.

Time is one of those things we just cannot get back and time management has never been an area of strength for me. Our week is full, but I realize this is a season and I have two high school students who don't yet drive. After Korbin’s Eagle project is complete, we’ll enroll him in driver’s ed, which upon completion, should free my time quite nicely. 

Here’s a sample of our week:

Mon: 
       meet with another family to share projects and grade papers in history/literature/bible

       Boy Scouts (monthly: committee meeting for Jeff and me)

Tue:
       American Sign Language for Kailyn- 45 minute drive one way

       AHG (every 2 weeks- I’m a unit leader)

Wed:
       Chiropractor appointments (K&K) 

small groups at night (weekly bible study group for K&K)

Thur:
       Kailyn babysits 9-1

Cub scouts (I’m a den leader)

My class (I’m starting a new class this week!)

Fri: 
       Spanish for Korbin

Korbin and Lacey just finished their Cross Country season. While it continues on longer, our team does not continue past September. Those practices were Tuesday/Thursday, with meets on Saturdays. It was such a great season! Lacey only ran a couple of meets. Her allergies began to flare up, so she couldn't do very many. 

 

Korbin went from a sedentary summer (once he got home from Philmont) to running 5k's. He improved to the point of medaling at one of the meets. He was happy with his improvements. The last meet was a bit of a disaster since I talked him into attending an ice cream social the night before. His fellow teammate who also attended the party tried to tell him not to eat any ice cream, but Korbin felt confident that he'd be just fine. He was not. Most of the race he did well. He was cheered on and encouraged by his teammates, who were spectators, to pass up the guy nearby. He decided to take him on the last hill before the finish line, as he is good at running up hills. His stomach began the protest as he ran up the hill. As he ran by our team's tent at the top of the hill, he was obviously not doing well. I was videotaping when I quickly realized he was not going to make it. I ran for a bag and handed it off to him. There were so many people around- I didn't know what else to do. He did need it. After he finished the race, his coach said something that stuck with him and that I think he's proud of, "I'm impressed! I've never seen a runner throw up and pass a guy at the same time!" I'm so glad he has a sense of humor about the whole thing. 

This month we plan to camp each weekend. (Cub Scouts, Cross Country team, Tabernacles, AHG) Jeff will remain home for some of those, since he has to work. I hope the weather holds out. I love camping- but not in freezing rain.

We completed our first camping trip this weekend with our cub scout pack. Korbin decided to spend the weekend with a friend instead. Jeff slept at home and just came up Saturday, since we were close-by. We had so much fun, and the weather was perfect. The first night started out terrible, though. I did not plan the trip as well as I usually do; I had a very underdeveloped list. Then, on top of that, I told the kids they were responsible for picking up after themselves before we could leave. (The kitchen/living room was a wreck.) What made this different is that instead of talking about it or yelling or helping them finish, I only waited. I was at the point of getting out a book when they finally pooled together to accomplish a clean house. (Keep in mind the kitchen/living room is 1/2 of the house.) When that got done, we left and completed the grocery shopping. By the time we got there it was getting dark. We got the tent set up pretty fast and then I started to get dinner ready. Unfortunately, I didn’t check the camp stove after we dropped it in the move. It was busted. So we had cereal for dinner. That upset Lacey, so I yelled at her, which made her cry. She would have cried herself to sleep had I not come to talk to her after I ate my cereal. Jeff brought me a new stove the next morning, but I honestly didn’t even need it. We purchased firewood (which was hidden in the dark 2 sites over from me and would have been great that first night) and just cooked the (buffalo) hotdogs at lunch and burgers for dinner over the open fire. This camping trip, Maddox’s den was responsible for planning, shopping for, cooking and cleaning up for one meal. They chose burgers. There are only 2 boys in the den, but they did a good job of working together to get it done. Saturday, overall, was very relaxing and restful. I was very thankful for the low-key atmosphere our pack creates. There are just a few boys, but that allows for laid-back camping, which is just my style. We started with a mid-morning hike, worked on our whittling chip, and finished up a few other requirements. The boys decided on their own skits for campfire, and played at the park. I got some reading and research done (my happy place), and Jeff did some fishing, fire building, and took a nap. Lacey fished with dad, hiked, and played in the park with her friend, another sister from the pack. Kailyn recognized a friend from AHG Academy (a yearly training she attended this August) and spent a lot of time hanging out with her. Jessica’s troop was camping right down the road from us, so Kailyn got to sit in on the work they did on “God and Family,” which we are getting ready to start with her, and perhaps a couple other girls from our troop.  Saturday night she led the pack in campfire songs.

When we got ready to leave camp Sunday morning, I had everyone pack his/her own stuff. ALL of it. Mom didn’t roll anyone’s sleeping bag or cot or fold the extra tent. For the first time ever. It was nice, but it took awhile. Everyone checked on us before leaving, but I assured them as soon as Maddox folded his tent we’d be on our way. No problem. Until the car wouldn't start. Kailyn ran down to Jessica’s site and her mom, Susan, came down and gave us a jump. The nice British Columbian couple from the site next door also lent a hand. I headed straight to AutoZone, which honored their warranty and I got a free battery!

Last week we scaled back. We had been working hard for 6 weeks, and in the past I have taken “Sabbath” weeks. Instead of taking a complete break this 7th week, we just did foreign language and our history/literature/bible curriculum. (Maddox and Lacey got off for the week.) I needed the break. My brain was mush, and it allows me the time I need to plan campouts and prepare for my new class.

I’m very excited about this class. I will be learning the basics of homeopathic medicine. I have used homeopathy with major success in the past with the aid of a good book and lots of research. I’m looking forward to the instruction I’ll receive and hope to gain much knowledge as the weeks progress. For any unfamiliar with homeopathy, I will not explain it now- I’m sure I would not get it right. I’ll save that for another post. 

Kailyn is taking private sign language lessons from a lovely woman who is deaf, who is just wonderful! I am so proud of Kailyn for her drive to learn sign and her ability to dive right in. She definitely needs to practice more, but as that becomes more apparent to her, I can see her improving in that area. Korbin just began taking Spanish classes this year. He is in a class with 3 other boys guys about his age and is really enjoying it. Spanish and ASL are the two languages Jeff is most interested in, as he comes in contact with those customers most often. (Ok, not so many deaf customers, but his desire to communicate with them is great.) Yesterday when we arrived at the home of Kailyn’s teacher, her husband was outside and we got to meet him. He is also deaf, and used FaceTime to let his wife know we had arrived. He shared with us how wonderful technology has been for the deaf community, with the advent of texting and FaceTime. No doubt! It was so cool to see them just communicate with no problem! (He signed “c-o-o-l” when explaining his feelings on the technology.) The drive is far, but I feel that it is worth my time.

Lacey and Maddox have been riding their bikes often now that the weather has cooled off. I am so glad to see that! In our old neighborhood, we didn’t let them ride too often, as there were so many cars that it was hard for them to enjoy themselves safely. Now they race and go all over the place. As they are able to stretch their legs at home, I feel like they are stepping up more readily to get their chores done. I plan to work on a list of chore assignments, so that I'm not arbitrarily barking out a to-do list all the time. For the time being, however, they are just doing things as they come up. The compost needs to be taken out almost daily, as do the cat litter, laundry, and recycling. (The list is forming as I write.) When these four things get done each day, it keeps things fairly manageable. On Fridays I like to do the housecleaning. I like to think of it as a preparation day to rest on Saturday. I have a detailed list that we work on as a family on that day. We can knock out the entire RV from top to bottom in about an hour. I am finding there are things I will need to add to the list to be done monthly or even every two months, such as cleaning the outer surface of the unit, and other things I can't think of right now. 

Organizing is an on-going process. Here are some before and after pictures so that you can see some progress.

The basement:

I have since turned the shoe racks around to keep the shoes from slipping off. Now they hit the wall and stay put. The chair cushions fit well between the racks, which keeps the dew off of them so that we can sit outside with a decaf coffee on nice mornings. 

The closet:

 

Removing the divided rack made a huge difference! Now we can slide items over to reach the shelves in the back of the closet, as well as keep things in better order.

The bed:

 

When the cat destroyed the mattress it forced us to replace it rather than talk about replacing it. The Purple mattress is what I chose. It came in that purple roll pictured. I am perfectly happy with it, but I don't think Jeff is convinced it's the best one for him. It is very heavy, so it may not be the best for an RV situation. The bed will not stay upright when opened anymore- I could replace the hydraulic hinges, but I'm still considering how to handle it.

Here's a little clip I just found that Maddox shot. It was after a den meeting, before dad got home with everyone else from cross country:

Raining Cats and Dogs

Thankfully, we have not experienced the flooding that has plagued Louisiana in the past weeks. However, the weather in recent weeks has become rather wet. I get many questions about the rain and how it affects us. Obviously, it usually causes us to all be stuck inside. Kailyn is a special exception to this. Even during light rain you can find her outside wandering and wondering. She doesn’t like to be confined and enjoys the outdoors in spite of the weather. This is wonderful for her- but the rest of us don’t fit into that category. 

Korbin is a more structured kind of guy. He likes specific conditions to assure his comfort. Don’t get me wrong; he’s a Life Scout, camping frequently and enjoying those times, but he wants to be comfy at home. In wet weather you can usually find him watching videos or playing games, and occasionally drawing. I’m sure that’s not the best thing he could do, but it is what it is. He recently started running cross country, so he will get out when it isn’t too wet and run. 

Lacey goes back and forth. She plays games, watches TV, draws, and also joined the cross country team as a junior runner. She also likes to explore outside, but only when it’s comfortable for her, which is more often, apparently, than it is for Korbin.


As for Maddox- he is just about attached to a device of some kind. Weather makes no difference. I’m sure that’s not healthy. I have to force him outside when the weather clears. Here we are on a date to Starbucks. In case you're wondering, our internet is sketchy at best and I'm limited to just a few random and useless (to me) websites. I can print, however, which is a major improvement. (the printer is wireless and I don't have the wherewithal to figure out how it works with a cord, since it seems you have to speak the magic words to make that work.) Maybe it's the modem. I don't know, but someone will need to figure that out. The saga continues.


I always have plenty to do. Not that I don’t have the kids do stuff- I have no qualms about interrupting their free-for-all to help, and for the most part, don’t have any issues there. What I would do if I was one of them is read. All. Day. Long. (I'm not a princess. If I were a princess, I would read all day long.) Currently that is what I do before sleeping, and it’s hard to get far in a book (or six) when it’s really time to sleep and you’ve had a full day.

There are some things that change in inclement weather when you’re in a tiny space. The first thing on my mind is whether we’ve left anything outside. That’s pretty normal for any household, but we try to leave our shoes outside instead of making a mountain of shoes where there’s no room and no closet like we were used to. The shoes belong in the “basement” but at the moment, it’s a massive pile of shoes. I don’t really want wet or muddy shoes on top of the dry and clean ones. I’ve been eyeing a shoe rack at Bed Bath & Beyond and I think that might help tremendously. We also spend time in the evenings on the “patio” (it’s an RV patio rug in front of the RV) watching the Astros play or the stars. (There is still enough light pollution that prevents good stargazing so we couldn’t really see the Perseides meteor shower a couple weeks ago.) We have to make sure we put the patio furniture cushions away in the basement as well. The patio awning is really nice, as we can sit outside in the rain unless the wind is blowing. We can even watch TV out there, as the TV in the master bedroom is on an arm mount that can be easily moved inside or outside. Another thing that happens in the rain is the steps get wet. Before we even moved in I bought little carpet covers for the steps. A couple days ago I got tired of wet steps, so I removed them. As I feared from the beginning, the metal steps proved slippery and the main issue with that is that the dog started slipping and hurting herself. Even Gravity Girl slipped once and that was the last straw. I put the step carpets back immediately, getting out the shop fan to hopefully dry them out in place. (More about the super hero names later.)

Inside, my main concern is the large slide. It holds the couch, and is so large that the awning above the slide tends to hold water. It seems to be spring loaded, but I worry that the weight of the water will stretch the awning, so I will close the slide when the awning gets weighed down. This requires everything in the living room to be cleaned and tucked away. I have to put the dog in the kids’ room and close the door because she is goofy and runs circles around the island as I close the slide, with her ultimate goal of getting caught between the island and the couch, I suppose. 

Another major issue with the rain is that it’s rather difficult to dry your clothes on the clothesline like that. I have given up the clothesline thing and just started using my mom’s dryer. The only reason I didn’t before is that Kailyn has such sensitive skin that I was concerned about the residue in the other dryer and whether it would cause problems for her. So far it has been ok, although I can smell other soap on my clothes. (I'm not a princess.) Our dryer is not plugged in because the plug is not suited for the outlet, and the dryer that is already there has priority. Running a new power cord to a new outlet can’t happen since the breaker box is full. We are thinking about building a shed of some kind close-by so that we can run power to it from our breaker box and put our dryer in there.

I also get questions about the rain- whether it’s louder in here. I would say, yes, it is. However, with the air conditioners, it doesn't really make much difference. If you’ve ever been in a room with a window unit, you would know what I mean. Imagine having a window unit in your ceiling- above your TV. That’s not my favorite thing here, but we figure it out. Sometimes we just turn off the AC while watching. The TV stays off, for the most part during the day. I hate the TV and the sound it makes, so I prefer it to be off. We will watch something educational here and there, or I might do a You Tube video of something I subscribe to, but the TV is mainly here for Jeff. Once he has a shower after work, at least one of the TVs is generally on until he’s sleeping. 

Here is Jeff indulging in the delicious chocolate cake batter I made for his 40th birthday. (I cheat and mix it in the Vitamix. You really should check out the linked blog. Awesome.) When he is home, he likes to walk around the property, shoot turtles, cut paths in the woods, or watch TV. Occasionally, there are items on the “honey do” list, but I usually keep that pretty short since I enjoy home projects myself. The next thing on his list is to help me install the last of three closet rods. The original closet rods limited us on hanging space, but my lovely new ones from Bed Bath & Beyond are so much more functional for us. It is uncommonly difficult to hang these by myself, as all pieces have to be held in place as the screws are mounted. This last rod (65" and 3 brackets) may require an additional helper to hang.
 Looks like a fun way to hang clothes, no?

The only family member I haven’t mentioned related to the weather is the cat. That darn cat. Fluffy truly is a member of the family, and most likely, is Korbin’s favorite. She was happily prowling the outdoors at night between dark thirty and bedtime, consistently using her litter box that we had moved under the RV far away from foot traffic. She would go a little crazy or meow at the door and was the princess that could come and go as she pleased. Life was good and we were happy. Then the series of storms and wet weather blew through and she- for the first time ever- peed (right in the middle near the pillows) on OUR bed. I was gone all of that day and left Korbin in charge with Maddox there. Apparently, Korbin didn’t notice her craziness or perhaps she didn’t want to go out in the wet weather (most likely) so she just found the one place to go that would hold the greatest impact. We kept a protective cover on our bed for years, but like I mentioned, she has never done this before, so we unfoundedly felt safe that she would never betray us in that way. Rest assured, cat lovers, that we (begrudgingly) put her litter box back in the itty bitty bathroom and the kids are back to square one. Have you ever tried to remove cat pee from your bed? Sheets can be sanitized, but I’m convinced mattresses should be burned. (not a princess) We made a futile attempt to clean with the shop vac, but ultimately decided to call it quits, hung our heads and settled for the queen air mattress intended for the living room sofa bed. I'm not sure why it was a good idea to add a faux button-down texture to the air mattress which adds humongous indentions in the top. Who sleeps like that? I have to get my heels just right in one of the dips to get semi-comfortable. (Ok, so I might be a princess.) The cat is banned from the room. If she puts one claw in the air mattress, Jeff and I will be on the couch. Within three days of the disaster I ordered the mattress I had talked about for a couple of weeks. I feel like my research was cut short; I am not sure I got the mattress I really wanted, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It has been a week and a day since I placed the order. Since the company is so new, the message on their website stated it could be two weeks before it came. I was disappointed, but hoped it would be sooner, and that the wait would be worth it. Yesterday, I received notification that it has been shipped!! The mattress should arrive by the end of the day this Thursday, two days from now. I’m excited. When it comes, I will sleep on it for a while and then tell you what we got.

Before the rain hit we all went to the back of the property and planted a cornfield. We don’t really eat corn. I can’t remember why we planted it, but my mom wanted to and many hands make light work. 

And goats, apparently, adore pine trees. Notice the leash. Mae is an awesome goat. She loves going on a walk to "browse." (Browse- what they call it when goats forage for brush. They don't really eat grass the way you'd think if you didn't have a goat.)

Kailyn, me, Jeanette, and Maggie having dinner on our awesome girls' weekend before AHG Academy. (Thanks, Jeanette, for the idea and invitation!) Kailyn took the picture. Don't know how I'd have any fun without her. We lovingly refer to her as Gravity Girl. That is because gravity affects her most often. I can't say she's the least coordinated, but she's the least lucky on that aspect- or maybe she just doesn't care and things happen when you just go for it anyway. Friday we thought she might have broken her elbow when she fell several feet from a tree and landed on it. With a little arnica gel the next evening, she was good to go. (Thank you, Heather Ellsworth!! I love that stuff!) 

Lacey and Maddox working on their assignments on their first day of 5th and 3rd grade at Starbucks. Lacey gets the superhero moniker, Spider Monkey, which is kind of an obvious choice for her. She's always been a climber. Maddox receives the title of Captain Obvious. I'm not sure why, but he just can't help but to state what is plain as if it is some great revelation. I'm not talking about new discoveries, but the mundane. Korbin hasn't been given a name by the kids yet, but they call me Word Girl. I have called it my superpower. Please don't judge my blog. It's more about the way I can feel what words mean and often how to spell them. I'm not the best at it, but words make me happy. Nice words, that is. With that said, I'm way past my word goal for this post, so until next time, adieu!