What would you do?

...If your daughters came in the house excited that they found a mouse nest(or three or four in one) and were so excited at their new "pets"? What would you do? Would you dive into a unit study on mice? Nah, I don't feel like it. Would you happily fix up a home for your new little pets? Nope, not gonna happen at my house.

This is what my daughters found in the chicken coop today. There are about 30 baby mice of all different ages in a single nest. It was yuck. YUCK I tell you. I love critters, but this was nuts. Look closely, there are a LOT of them in the bucket and the worst part is my daughters TOUCHED them all as they picked them up. Ewe, ewe, ewe.

I told them Daddy would LOVE to see them when he gets home but he would have to dispose of them, so we discussed the most humane ways of doing so of which I will not go into detail. The children were very ..um...ingenious.

Now, get this. Daddy comes home and I take him out to see the mice, all the while expecting a shocked reaction. He ADMITTED he KNEW about this nest and chose to do nothing because he thought they were CUTE. Oh, the shame. I lost all respect for my hubby tonight.

Let's just say that if mice go to heaven, they are all in a much nicer place tonight.

A .79 cent babysitter named Barney

Yup, Barney. I bought a second hand Barney video yesterday for .79. I love Barney. The reason I am blogging is because of sweet Barney. As cheesy as he is, he still captivates even my 12 year old. Daddy walked in the house last night and all 6 children were watching Barney. He shook his head and walked out. Daddy does not like Barney.

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Can't blog without pics of the babe.

I know this picture is awful, but my Danny says "Look mom! He caught air!"
Leave it to a BMX riding 8 yr old to use this phrase.

His bump still seems to be growing. Poor thing.

Itty, small, medium & large. Chickens are not consistent animals.

If anyone can tell me WHY Blogger occasionally loads a picture in sideways, let me know. it is so frustrating. This is a favorite. Micah is trying to "catch" Elijah's feet to put his booties on. He was so patient!

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Frogs anyone? Last night Jessica and Jacob were helping Daddy build the goat barn. The noise coming from our pond of chuck full of breeding frogs was almost deafening.

They grabbed a bucket and at 9:30 they went down with a net and fished out gobs of frogs. They brought a bucket of them into the house to show me and me without my memory card didn't get a pic. Most of the frogs could care less they were captured in a bucket and were still giving *piggy back rides* as they were sloshed around. They said the pond literally is teeming with frogs at night for a couple weeks here, it is pretty amazing.

Most all the frogs are tree frogs, but Jessie found this frog which we haven't identified yet. That is a quarter under him. It is big and, unfortunately, was in a terrarium this morning in the living room.

Yes, that is a kitchen cereal bowl for it's pond. sigh.

My goat barn! My three men are busy building me a quaint little barn(if you can call it that) off the end of Paul's shop. Jacob got to learn how to build your own trusses, watch Daddy draw up his own structural plan and is now working on muscle tone. He can only swing that hammer in the air about 4 times before his arm drops for a break!

BTW, this is the side of the shop that the bullet penetrated a couple months ago. The bullet that my husband heard whizzing a couple feet over his head. As Paul was removing siding he dug the bullet out of the wall, it was a meeeean looking hunk-o-lead.

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Also, Elijah's circ could not have gone better. Thank you for your prayer! He fussed when he was deadened and then not another peep through the whole procedure. Our family doctor is amazing. She is the kindest, gentlest most thorough doctor. She goes above and beyond to make sure the little one is comfy like feeding him karo syrup, something about it releases natural endorphins? and wrapping him in a blanky and of course deadening him. For the next couple days, you never would have known he was circ'ed as he was not fussy at all. Praise the Lord.

Six Days Old..

Goodness, this first week goes quickly. Nursing, for the first time since three babies ago, is going o.k., thus far. Elijah has been a great baby this past week. Of course, sleep is few and far between, but at least I have enough to keep from feeling exhausted, that is GREAT! My babies are notorious for crying a lot the first 2.5 months, especially the first week, but this guy has broken that mold. He also is gaining weight. He's up to birth weight already and we are praising the Lord for this gift. My last two babies never regained birth weight until putting them on formula.

Sleeping on the couch today. He looks SO much like my Jacob did!! He was born with a cephalahematoma, fancy word for a bruised head. He has a large blood filled bruise on the topside of his head. You can kind of see it in this pic. The poor babe, we need to be careful as he acts like it does hurt him. It should go away within three months.

Happy wake time and open eyes...

O.k., now a confession. Do we have a large family because we choose to let the Lord plan our family size? Is it because we believe children are a blessing, not a burden? Or could it be that my sister makes these killer cinnamon rolls and delivers them after every baby I have? Well, all of the above. Honestly here, Dutch Mothers has nothing on her rolls. The day I see that pink line on the test I close my eyes, take a deep breath and imagine those yummy hot cinnamon rolls. Ahhh...it makes labor all worth it.

Then, on top of that, my neighbor Kristy walked over with a baby gift of fresh homemade herbed goat cheese, crackers and a tub of fresh goat milk yogurt. They also are getting into the milk goat thang and have this super goat that is producing a gallon a day and is expected to hit two! It's mine.....all mine. But I will share with hubby. Thank you SO much Arlen and Kristy!

Melt-a-baby

Poor Micah, what a sucker. Here, grab a board, a rope and your little compliant brother and see how far you can hoist him in the air. Last year they did this over the top bar, but I caught them before hoisting him higher than 7 feet.

I can't wait to feel normal again. My days are a daze. I look forward to the restful days after I have my baby, but then sit here itch'n to get up and back to life. We always celebrate Spring with a party and I completely dropped the ball on having everything set up for the children. We will have to have a make-up party as not celebrating the first day of Spring is like ignoring the Fourth of July!

Please, please pray for me tomorrow. My little Elijah is being circumcised and I am always a basket case on that day and the next. I HATE to see my little one in pain and go in tears and come back in tears. For the first time Daddy is going to go with me.

There is that cry again...Moooo, gotta go. :)

I'll make this quick...

If my husband finds I came up the stairs, it ain't gonna be pretty. So I will blog quickly. ;)

Minutes old...

Meet Elijah Willem J.

14.5" head, 14.5" chest. Winni measured him three times

because she doubted the size.

9lbs 11oz - 22.25" long

(Willem is a name of three Dutch grandfathers of mine dating from

late 17th century to late 19th century.)

It's over!! I'd do a cartwheel if I could.

I knew I was in labor when I woke at 5:30ish yesterday morning. I felt very achy and different. I called my midwife and let her know I was feeling laborish and called my husband and put him on stand-by. I took the children to piano lessons, stopped at Woods, picked the children up and came home to prepare. Paul came home at 1pm and as soon as he came home things picked up. Contractions were 2-3 apart all afternoon and by 5pm I was entering *miserable* stage. Close to panic, praying through every contraction that I wouldn't loose my head, the fun stuff. I stayed in the tub all afternoon and it helped sooooo much. But at 6:30 I was crying and I needed out, they were so hard. I got out, crawled on my bed and my midwife said those blessed words "your complete, let's have a baby" So with Jessie holding one hand and Paul the other we had a baby.

Pushing is my forte. Even with my first, I got her out in a few short minutes. BUT this guy started coming and I can remember thinking, come on Jennifer, this is nuts. He was my longest hardest pushout baby, but surprisingly not that painful. Remember my post on how "at least I didn't have to worry about having a huge baby"? I laugh at myself now! He is ALL of huge! He fills his onsies and I have to pry his little body into his 0-3m jammies. My chunky little leprechaun(his affectionate nickname for being born on St Patties Day, delivered by an Irish midwife).

Finally, my baby brother. He could have sat there all day...

So, friends, thank you for your prayer, kind words & the 17 kind votes of reassuance that, yes, this baby WOULD come! Another perfectyly safe homebirth provided by my loving Lord who held my hand through it all.

We are so much richer today than we were yesterday.

Unless the LORD builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the LORD guards the city,

The watchman keeps awake in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early,

To retire late,

To eat the bread of painful labors;

For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one's youth.

How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;

They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate

Psalm 127

Well............FINALLY

Well it finally happened. Our wonderful God has been so faithful to give us another son. He helped Jenn make it through. I am always amazed how God knits together minerals and water so perfectly. We haven't chosen a name yet but here are the stats that we do have, Born 6;56 PM Weighing in at a whopping 9lbs. 11oz. Our biggest baby yet. We'll post pics and more later.
Dad

I'm in labor!

I got up this morning and had contractions from 5am on. They have been persistent short little stinkers, but there, and every 8 minutes. In the last hour they have changed a lot. I am breathing with them and need to stop what I am doing. My mom is on her way out to pick up the kids, but we will not be sending Gracie as she was very sick last night. Please pray we can handle the sick little one along with the labor. Paul, Jessie and Jacob are filling up the labor tub as I write and I am hoping it will relieve the back pain. I sooo appreciate your prayers. I really want this little babe to come before bedtime so we can all sleep tonight and not pull an all-nighter. Winni is on her way. Paul might be posting updates.

Sisters...

love each other...



This is what Jessica saw as she rolled out of bed yesterday. Emma had slept on the floor because her mamma didn't finish making her top bunk bed the night before. She woke first and arranged this nice little love letter for her sister. Daddy found it and took a snap. I had to post. Off to piano lessons.

Patience.

I was set to take castor oil this morning, but the midwife called at 7:30 am and said she is sick.

She asked me to wait until Wednesday.

So we are waiting.

Paul stayed home after all. He called my mom and arranged it for me to go have lunch with her and my sister. What a treat! I had to quickly get over my moping this morning as how can I teach my children to rest in the Lords will when I am sulking? It wasn't my midwife's sickness that "held us back" it was my good Lord's will.

I am praising Him that He will appoint the time soon, and it will all be past!

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Praise the LORD!Praise the LORD, O my soul!

I will praise the LORD while I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;

In that very day his thoughts perish.

How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

Whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Who made heaven and earth,The sea and all that is in them;

Who keeps faith forever;

Who executes justice for the oppressed;

Who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free.

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;

The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;

The LORD loves the righteous;

The LORD protects the strangers;

He supports the fatherless and the widow,

But He thwarts the way of the wicked.

The LORD will reign forever,

Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise the LORD! - Psalm 146

Manly Man Booties

I bought camo yarn to knit another hat, but this idea popped in my head. Aren't they cute?

Now...all I need is a baby. Sigh.

If you'd like a good book to listen to for free, click on the pic.

This audio book is offered for the month of March free of charge through Behemoth.com.

Goat names..

Throw me one, throw me some. just throw me some names!!

I'm at a loss. Penelope still has an unnamed babe.

My husband has affectionately named the little boy "Stew", as that is most likely what he will become if he has his way.

But then there is the baby girl goat.

All my Shih Tzus are named after flowers, I love the naturey names.

Got any on your mind?

The more tree hugger, the better.

Oh crud, the children are grabbing plastic garbage bags and heading for the staircase.

Staircase + Garbage Bags = Doctors Office.

Help! I'm knitting and I can't get up....

Really, this is addicting. The belly may be more of a contributing factor to not getting up than the knitting...but, this is great. I finished Micah's hat this afternoon. As soon as he woke from his nap I presented it to him and he was so happy! He put the hat on, looked at me and said "It needs a button on the top, wet's find a bloo button." Umm...o.k. We rummaged(and rummaged and rummaged) through my button bag until he found the perfect button and we tied it on. Out the door he went. I learned all kinds of new stitches on this hat and fumbled my way through it using a "how to" book I inherited from my Aunt. I tried to teach myself cable knit, but after much trying I gave it up, a how to book just isn't adequate. There is a scarf I want to make, so I must tackle the cable knit and figure it out!

Complete with "ear fwaps"

And a bloo button.

Thumbs up and ready to ride!

Oh and btw, I received another request for a hat! Boy am I in business!

I Did It!!

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. I finished knitting my first hat. Simple nonetheless, but get this...I offered it to my hubby and he took it. He not only took it he reeeeally acted like he liked it. He has worn it to work every day and not taken it off until outside chores are done at night.

Here he is demonstrating the ghetto look...

And here the rolled brim fisherman look. I prefer him in the fisherman look. But then again he could have a dog bowl on his head and I'd think he's gorgeous.

Micah covets Daddy's hat. He told me he wanted a "bloo" one with "ear fwaps" so I am busily knitting away. I have only pulled out 5 rows on this one! So far so good. ;)

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Just when you think there is one place safe to put the little trouble making toddler...

She devises and plan...

And with a little twist...

A little spin...

A little check to see if momma is going to spank me or not...

Point the toes to feel for the floor and...

And wallah!!! a professional escape artist!!

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Baby Update

I go to see Winni(my midwife) today. I don't feel as though anything has changed or started. I am drinking 4 cups of raspberry leaf tea a day and taking 3-30C doses of homeopathic blue cohash 4x a day. I am trying here. I'm really trying. My tummy usually measures 40-42cm after my due date arrives and I have been measuring 37cm the last couple weeks so I am not worried about a huge baby. It takes the pressure off to know he isn't huge! The castor oil is staring at me every morning, but it just hasn't been tempting enough.
I will post IF labor ever arrives. :)

It's A ....

Coooold day outside. The winds are slamming into the house and brrrrrr.

Oh, I'm sorry, did you think I was going to say something different?

Last night was great. not only did a great friend show up at my house with dinner yesterday, but we got our first milking lesson by the most qualified goat milkers in Whatcom County(we think so). I need to do some more shaving on Penelope's legs and udder to keep those long goaty hairs out of our milk. Ewe. After much thought we are going to leave the kids(goat) on mamma and wait. I will be milking, Lord willing, all summer and it just hit me, I have a a baby coming. So I think we will put milking on the side for a couple more weeks.

Ms. W(far right) gave us a great lesson on sanitation and milking. She is also an excellent marksmen with goat teet in hand. I don't know how she does that!

Granted, the kids had been on mamma all day so there wasn't much left for us to milk, but it worked. There was more milk on the poor goats legs, my sweatshirt and pail lid than there was in the pail.

Notice the lid, there was less inside. It isn't easy!!! Once we figure it out, Ms. W said it should take us 10m to milk and 5m to clean up.

Miker woke with a barking cough two nights ago. I hope it doesn't run through the children as it makes giving them up while baby arrives that much more difficult. Only mommy has the special touch in the rocking chair. So far it is only Micah, but he did spike a fever last night and has a terrible bark. Monkey is staying close and helping with pain relief.



This morning is errands and piano lessons, then off to the vet for an afternoon checkup with baby goat. Somewhere in there is school and sitting in my chair knitting. Ahhh...I found a new love.

Playing the waiting game...

We missed church this morning. I know it will cause an influx of phone calls, but just the thought of sitting still in a pew gives me an achy back. Paul took me out for an English toffee latte with half the flavor and breakfast bagel this morning at Cruisen Coffee. I am knitting a hat for myself and spending as much lap time with my "baby" Gracie as she will let me. Baby has skooched into an odd position and all I feel like doing is sitting.

Lord willing, we get all our milking supplies in the mail tomorrow. Stay tuned...Tuesday is our first milking day!

The kids said I had to blog...

And say...Yippee!!!! My due date!!!! It is so wonderful to have this day arrive, even though non-eventful it is HERE.

Paul took the boys out for cinnamon rolls at Dutch Mothers early this morning. That means I get half of one brought home and if you haven't had a cinnamon roll from DM, you need to add that to your *Top Ten Things To Do Before You Die* list.

2009 Fun Family Farm Day

Emma's lonely green egg laying chicken

The twins succumbed to the fact they will not escape the play pen.



I painted this for outside the goat pen. My hubby has been dead set on breeding for meat type goats for the freezer. I, however, am still having an issue with it.
I need creative propaganda.
I put a little twist on the quote from Nemo when
Bruce(the shark) states "Fish are friends, not food."



Two happy girls that could sit together and hold bunnies aaaaaall day long!

It wasn't until later that I discovered that the lens on my camera was filthy! The pictures are so fuzzy! Thank you so much everyone for coming all the way to our home for a goofy fun family farm day. It was a lot of fun. We had 26 children come today!

Then, to make things complicated, my puppy dog that isn't due until March 7th decided to start having her puppies within minutes of everyone arriving. one needing to be resuscitated and another needing quite a bit of help to *pink up* and get going. In the end we had two boys and two girls, seemingly doing well. Ranging from 3.5 oz to 4.5 oz.

Aahhh...puppies again. I love it.