My big boy...

My little Jasper is getting so big. He is 9 months old now. He is crawling all over the place, getting into things, exploring everything. He says "mama" now, which melts my heart each time he says it. Last night he even slept through the night! He is getting big, but he is still my little snugglebug!

Honorary Hilllbilly Queen...

The happy little homemaker of the Little Hillbilly Farm...

is pleased to announce, that Mrs. Stephanie Miller is being crowned the honorary title of

Hillbilly Queen for a day.... okay.... So I have a new friend, Stephanie, we met at quilting group. We had our first playdate on monday. Caillou was.... well, Caillou. Poor Stephanie witnessed a nap battle. Somewhere in the chaos I said " I need diet coke!" Diet coke is the saving grace of my sanity. I love the ice cold bubbly stuff. Well, Stephanie remembered my love of diet coke. And... last night, I was out in the back yard, and lo and behold my new bud arrived at my gate, with none else but a large jug of diet coke in hand, gift wrapped very cleverly :) Stephanie, you made my day. I haven't had anybody do something so cool, so funny, and so nice, in a long time. So, since you totally made my day... I am hereby crowning you Hillbilly Queen for a day.

In the garden...

We have built a better pen for our beloved goats, chickens, and duck. They are all quite happy with there new little yard, and my garden is now left to peacefully grow without any uprooting, or barnyard interference. We have lost quite a few plants, but our strawberries are doing pretty well. Caillou loves to fill his basket with the juicy red berries he finds out in our patch! We had quite a bunch of them the other day, and they are so much sweeter than the ones in the grocery store!

Our little old schoolhouse...

Here is little Caillou playing the alphabet bingo game we found at our little thrift store. We have been have many nice days walking to the thrift store and finding many treasures. Its been quite fun searching the book shelves for special train books... and finding them! Shuffling through the toy bin and finding a 1957 fisher price little people mail man truck for a mere fifteen cents! Discovering a child's parachute for ninety nine cents tucked in with the sheets. And then there is of course the alphabet bingo game we found... something that you just don't see much nowadays since our kids have entered the computerized era of education. We had to be quite careful when we opened the alphabet bingo box, it was quite old. We carefully taped up the crease lines in the alphabet chart, which were quite fragile, and voila it was like new! Since Caillou is just a bit to young to get the concept of playing bingo... we played this way instead. Caillou would hold a bingo card, and I would point to a letter, telling him what it is, he would then find it on the large alphabet chart. He would then get one of those rainbow plastic, dime sized bingo markers as his reward, then he would put it in a baby food jar and shake it around singing alphabet bingo!

We have also been feeling artsy crafty around here. Caillou busily doing his own projects while I do mine. Here are some crayons I made for Caillou. My friend Jennifer gave me the idea!

Here is the finished product! I love how they look, and Caillou loves how they color!

Well, we are off for adventures. We are going to pack up our lunch picnic style, stop in at the thrift store and see if they have any new treasures for us today, and go on over to the park to play until naptime.

A special Easter...

A little Easter cake, decorated by chef Caillou...

Enjoying the lovely weather Easter morning...

Getting ready for Church.

We had a very enjoyable Easter weekend. It was so much fun having two little ones to celebrate with this year. Caillou was absolutely enchanted by finding eggs all over the yard and Jasper was truly in love with the Easter bunny.

Here are the homemade bunnies that I stayed up until 2 am to finish. Next year I won't wait until last minute to do my sewing projects!

Yummy little cakes....

Fun filled days...

I have been lazy about posting pictures lately.... we have just been so busy around here.... here is what we've been up to....

planting, picking and eating strawberries....

playing all day long

enjoying the fresh air

cuddling our loved ones

Planting seeds

Trying new foods

reading good books

having adventures

Waiting for the ice cream man!

Taking lots of baths

just hanging out

relaxing in a sunny spot

Life has been great. My days are busy, but they are good, very good.

Earlier today I posted a poem that I enjoy... after my intersting day today, I decided to right a similar poem of my own....

Mommy's gone crazy,

yes crazy... It's true...

Mommy's gone crazy from all the things I must do

I wake up at dawn, to jumping on the bed,

get little sleep at night because baby must be fed,

I wakes up quite weary, and tired, and mad,

the room is a mess, and the kids smell quite bad,

there's poop in the diapers, and no wipes are in sight,

the goats baa for breakfast, and the boys start to fight.

I warm up a bottle and clean dirty hineys,

the goats drink their milk while the kids are being whiney.

I whip up some hot cakes, sweep feathers off the floor,

scrub up some dishes, and chase chickens out the back door.

I speedily set the table, and we say our Amen,

I swallow my Prozac, and wait for food throwing to begin.

The baby is sticky, the table's a mess,

Elmo's World is playing, and I need to get dressed.

I water the flowers, and clean out the coop,

and change the ducks water that looks like pea soup.

I re-sweep my floor, and make up the bed,

do some more dishes, and get the animals fed.

We read a few stories and sing a new song

build tall block towers, and explain right from wrong.

Baby goes nigh nigh, away in his bed,

while the duck is thrown from tree house and lands on his head.

Toddler's on timeout, and duck runs away,

How many more hours are left in this day?

There's screaming, and chaos, and tantrums galore,

Biting, and kicking, and slamming of doors.

Lunch is approaching, and fast food sounds good,

but the bank account's empty, so I do as I should.

I trudge into the kitchen, and sandwhiches I make,

and lay out some butter for the cookies I will bake.

Rowdy old toddler goes down for his nap,

I bake up those cookies, and bounce baby on my lap

I scrub down the walls, and mop up the floor,

Caillou wakes up and lets the goats through the door.

Mommy is tired and feels quite the grouch,

I go to sit down and there's goat poop on the couch!

We go outside and play on the swing,

and watch as the chickens dig up everything.

Finally, at last I get a chance to pee,

I look at my watch and see that it's Three.

Dinner's approaching, what will I make,

Somebody just take me to the Taco Shop for Heaven's sake.

Bedtime is nearing, I really can't wait,

once the kids are in bed I sew really late.

There's a flood in the bathroom, and the toilet won't flush,

the toddler keeps screaming no matter how much I shush!!

The children are sparkling and ready for bed,

thank God! one more hour and I would probably be dead.

I do a little sewing and plant some more seeds,

'scrapbook, and blog, and the scriptures I read.

Then I hop into bed to try to conceive number three...

Don't ask me why, I'm crazy you see.

I just close my eyes, and burrow into the bed,

'and baby wakes up, ready to be fed!

Goodnight! I hope you all enjoy my crazy life....

'

Busy busy busy

I love this poem... I did not write it, but I think it describes perfectly what all us homemakers try and do!

The girl is a whirl...

by Vickie

Look at me, look at me, look at me now!You could do what I do If you only knew how. I study the scriptures one hour each day;I bake, I upholster, I scrub, and I pray. I always keep all the commandments completely; I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly. I help in their classrooms! I sew all they wear! I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair! I memorize names of the General Authorities; I focus on things to be done by priorities. I play the piano! I bless with my talents! My toilets all sparkle! My checkbooks all balance!
Each week every child gets a one-on-one date; I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!)I’m taking a class on the teachings of Paul, But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all …
I track my bad habits ‘til each is abolished; Our t-shirts are ironed! My toenails are polished!
Our family home evenings are always delightful; The lessons I give are both fun and insightful. I do genealogy faithfully, too. It’s easy to do all the things that I do!
I rise each day early, refreshed and awake; I know all the names of each youth in my stake! I read to my children! I help all my neighbors! I bless the community, too, with my labors. I exercise and I cook menus gourmet; My visiting teaching is done the first day! (I also go do it for someone who missed hers.It’s the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.) I chart resolutions and check off each goal; I seek each “lost lamb” on my Primary roll. I can home-grown produce each summer and fall. But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all …I write in my journal! I sing in the choir! Each day, I write “thank you’s” to those I admire.
My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen! My kids get straight A's! And their bedrooms are clean!
I have a home business to help make some money; I always look beautifully groomed for my honey. I go to the temple at least once a week; I change the car’s tires! I fix the sink’s leak! I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread; I have all our meals planned out six months ahead. I make sure I rotate our two-years’ supply; My shopping for Christmas is done by July!
These things are not hard; It’s good if you do them; You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!
It’s easy to do all the things that I do!If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too! It’s easy!” she said …… and then she dropped dead.

Funny Farm...

Okay, so growing a garden and tending animals doesn't seem to go so well together. My critters do not stay in their designated area of the The Little Hillbilly Farm! The chickens dig up all my seeds, and the goats eat anything that the chickens missed digging up, and the duck runs wildly in circles encouraging all the mischief! And if by the grace of God, a bit of luck, and a wish on a dandelion granted to come true, something actually survives the seed / sprout stage, along comes farmer Caillou, and his toddler hands pluck the precious little bit of green right out of the ground, as he smiles at me and says "Mommy, helper, me helper!" I am working on finding a way to protect the garden but at the same time give the critters free run of the place, something tells me my garden has a gloomy future!

Those crazy goats...

As you all know we have added two new members to our little family... Pickles and Sugar Pie our sweet baby goats. Boy are they sweet, and boy are they mischievious. They are like Caillou with hooves! They insist on coming inside, and if you don't let them in, they sit at the window and stare and baa at you! Once inside, pickles enjoys running through the toys, and SugarPie likes to jump on the couch, then they both run wildly down the hall, jumping on and off my china cabinet along there merry little way into the kitchen. Then comes the chewing of boxes, bags, crackers, and everything else you don't want a goat chewing on. As quickly as I usher them out the back door... Caillou opens the front door and we repeat the farmyard festivities all over again, and again, oh yeah, and again. They have learned to jump clear over their fenced in goat yard, argghhh! What is a goat mama to do? They climb in the tree house, slide down the slide, nibble all my greens, but boy are they cute. They paw at you for affection, snuggle up in your lap, and like to be rocked to sleep in the rocking chair, and giving them a bottle is just so precious, they happily drink away and wag their little stumps of tails all the while. A few nights ago we had missionaries over for dinner, and as if Caillou and Jasper's dinner behavior isn't wild enough, the goats got in, jumped on the table, and sent guacamole flying onto the missionaries and spilled milk all over the floor. Tonight, they are up late, it seems if I am not nursing Jasper, I am giving the goats a bottle! Someday I will sleep, just not anytime soon! Goodnight Y'all!

Victory...

In an earlier post, I spoke of the naptime battles that occur around here on a daily basis. Well, I am quite pleased to say, I have won the war! How did I do it?? Well, wimpy mama went away, I put on my supermom cape, donned my sheriff's badge, and put into use my stern autoritarion voice. Jasper takes his morning nap around 9:30 and they both go down for afternoon nap around 1:30. Caillou has found a new nap spot that he is quite fond of... he peacefully slumbers in our hammock between the two shade trees out front. After lunch he actually is excited to go lay in the hammock! I have sweetened the deal with a treat as well. Caillou knows that if he takes his nap like a good boy, he can get a sweety from the ice cream man, or a homemade cookie or cupcake from mama. One day last week, as soon as he woke up from his nap, he ran inside the house, grabbed a dollar from his treat fund, pulled up his little chair by the front gate, and sat and waited for the ice cream man for 45 minutes! Sunday naps are a bit more tricky, due to our church schedule being 1-4 pm. So, Caillou naps at 11:30 and Jasper takes his afternoon snooze during church snuggled in my arms. Bedtime got bumped to 7:30, this always happens during daylight savings time, however, Jasper is usually passed out before this time, and Caillou is still protesting bedtime sometimes until 9... but I won the nap battle, I can win this one too! Now, if only I can tame those biting teeth of his!

Babies... no greater gift

Tonight I cannot contain my feelings for motherhood and the blessings in my life, my dear sweet Caillou and my precious baby Jasper. I am so thankful to be the mother of two healthy, living, breathing, smiling, baby boys. I am so thankful to have had each and every moment that I have had with them, and am so thankful that I have their whole childhood ahead and a bright future to look forward to with them. I am thankful for the smiles, and laughter, and hugs, and sticky kisses. I am thankful for skinned knees, stained t-shirts, and muddy handprints on my walls. I am thankful for the adventures, snuggles, storybook reading, bedtime kisses, "wake up mommy" bounces on the bed. I am even thankful for the tantrums, and chaos, and wild misbehaviours. I am thankful for every moment of motherhood and all that it entails. My life is my children. They are my all and all, my everything. There is no greater gift than a child, no sweeter sound than the first cries of a newly born baby, no reward greater than first smile, first laugh, first time hearing "mama" sweetly spoken, no greater love can be found than that in the embrace between mother and child. I firmly believe that there is no more noble of a calling for women than that of motherhood. To be able to partner with our Father in Heaven in bringing a life into this world, nurture, love, and teach that life, there is nothing more important than that. I pray that more women will realize the importance of their children, and the importance of their role in their children's lives. I am proud to be part of a church that recognizes the importance of family and the importance of a mother being at home with their children. I am thankful to be part of a church that teaches it's men to to do all in their power to ensure that the mother stays in the home. I am thankful that even during our toughest times financially, I know that I am doing my part, I know that I am exactly where God wants me to be, I am at home with my children. My job isn't to bring home the bacon, my job is to fry it!!! I love my children with all my heart, and know that with each blessing God gives me, my heart and love will grow. My adult life has been full of ups and downs, tears, hopes, and prayers, I do not know what the future will bring me, there is so much that is out of my hands, but I am going to do all that I can do to make my home a happy home, a house of peace, happiness and hope. I am going to work hard to love not as the way the world loves but love with the pure love of Christ. I will do all in my power to teach my boys to love, to love God, to love others, and to do good with their lives. I am so thankful to be a mama. All right, I will stop rambling now, I have chocolate to eat!

Move over Caillou, there is a new Sheriff in town...

It seems as though with Caillou, everything is a battle. He is a very spirited and active little boy, with an opinion of his own, and a mind to do just what he wants and refuse to do what Mommy asks him to do. NAPS.... perhaps the biggest battle of all has been naptime... Since the day he was born he has not liked naps! I have been off and on, off an on again and again and again with enforcing his naps. Naptime usually requires so much effort, time, sweat, and physical labor, to get him in his bed, chase him ...put him back in his bed, repeat... oh roughly 1,987,652, times... that sometimes it just doesnt seem worth it. However, Caillou is miserable and tired by afternoon time without a nap, so.... I am laying down the law, afternoon naps are hereby mandatory and will be enforced. This will put a damper on our out and about adventures, and be a problem on Sunday due to our church scedule, but a happier more rested toddler will be well worth it. Wish me luck, I need it with Mr. Caillou the nap outlaw.

Thinking pink....

Having two boys, I have not yet had the fun of being able to sew frilly little girl clothing... until now. My best friend Sarah is having a baby girl this summer. My stash of pink fabric is no longer in hiding... I am winding my bobbins with pink and lavender thread, bringing out the lace and rosebuds, and getting ready to sew the little angel some ruffled and ribboned dainty little frocks. Hurry up and get here little baby, you have cute clothing awaiting you!

A day on our farm...

We had a busy weekend. On Saturday, we enlarged our chicken yard with the fences from mama, more than doubling it's size, making it plenty big for the goats, chickens, and duck to live happily together. And we painted both of the little houses for our farm friends. Mr. Piggy ( the duck ) is the leader of the pack. He herds everyone where he thinks they need to be... and at night he herds everyone into the large wooden dog house and sleeps in the doorway with his head peeking out, as if he is keeping watch for anyone who might do his friends any harm. We named our goats... Pickles and SugarPie. It is very cute to hear Caillou when he tries to say their names. We dug up a small area for my corn crop to be planted. Originally I was planning to plant it in one long row, but I found out that if you are not going to plant rows and rows of corn it is better to plant them in a square and they will pollinate better. I am waiting for my birdhouse gourds and watermelons to sprout in their little greenhouses, nothing yet... I think it has been a little too cold and that is why it is taking a while. The birdhouse gourds should be fun. Craft projects for Caillou after growing season. For dinner I made vegetarian nachos, and we had ice cold rootbeer in the glass bottles. Caillou really enjoyed his dinner. Jasper had a little bit of avocado and Gerber cheese puffs. I suppose one of these days I will stay inside and sew, but lately I have been too busy out in the yard! I did sew a quilt night before last. I will take pictures soon. It is very sweet to bottle feed the baby goats. They are just so precious. On Sunday, I decided to make something unusual for dinner... Couscous and falafel.... or as my family has now renamed it... litter box loaves, I liked the stuff, but daddy and Caillou wouldn't touch it. Our duck wouldn't even it, and he eats everything! Today, I planted gazania sproutlings, took the boys to visit Boo-Bah, made a brick planter box for my sugar baby pumpkins, mowed the lawn, played with the boys on their swings, and taught Caillou about the Creation. We are looking forward to Saint Patrick's Day tomorrow! Grammy is coming up to visit and we are having an all green feast!

Our babies....

Here are the newest addition to our Little Hillbilly Farm.

Nigerian dwarg goat brothers. They are four weeks old and the size of a full grown cat! They are very playful and loving. They drink from a bottle and are very snuggly. From the moment they arrived here they have been following us around like little puppy dogs. These cuties and the chickens and duck are all getting along swell. Tomorrow we will work on enlarging the pen area. All though, none of them stay there long! They all prefer roaming the yard, or their most favorite place of all, gathering in the living room! Silly animals!

Sunshine and smiles...

" My boys give me a world of sunshine and smiles. " That is something my mama said the other day about me and the boys. I can't imagine a more perfect way to describe it.

Today was full of...

giggles

grass stains

sand

boogers

french fries

spit up

chicken chasing

leaky diapers

chocolate pudding

smiles

muddy pants

story telling

chubby cheek kissing

runny noses

balloons

AND

at the end of the day my floor is covered in cheerios, and my bath tub full of sand.

And I wouldn't have it any other way!!

Like my mama said... sunshine and smiles.

When you have the two greatest baby boys in the whole wide world,

you really don't need much else.

Here I go again....

Okay, so some of you may know I have a history of not always behaving myself. I am naturally curious, and have a great love of old things including abandoned places. The above sign, might as well be written in Greek.... because no matter how many of them are posted, I pay them no mind! There are two abandoned houses and an abandoned store on the end of my block, they were built in the 30's.... Anyhow, they are scheduled for demolition in three weeks, so I decided I would go and have a looksy. Caillou and Jasper bundled up and made themselves comfy in the double stroller, and I pulled the red wagon and our large shovel behind us. When we returned to our Little Hillbilly Farm, we had four large daisy bushes. Hey, if they are just going to knock the place down, I might as well save the plants. Tomorrow... we will be saving the stepping stones.

New adventures...

Our week began with Daddy's baptism on Saturday. It was a long awaited for day. The boys wore their new bow ties for the special day.

Jasper had his first playdate! It was a very fun and special day for him.

We started our own 4-H future farmers club!

Had a campfire in the back yard and ate yummy smores.

And Jasper discovered a food he finally likes. Gerber puffies!

Goats and geese...

I am looking to add another member to our little family. Another baby would suit me just fine, but at the moment I am considering something with fur. A goat! The search is on... me and the boys will do anything we can to get some goat money... mow lawns, collect cans, scrub toilets... you name it! We are saving up $100 for a goat! We can't wait! Besides dreamily thinking of our new little goat friend that we will have soon, today we went out on adventures.... our adventures included feeding ducks at a lake... where I was viciously bitten by two very large geese that did not fancy me trying to pick them up for a cuddle. Oh well, can't blame me for trying. They were just sooooo cute.