Life of the Party

 I hate to say it, but my husband is right. Sometimes you have to introduce some new blood into your goat herd. Meet Patch! She's half Boer/ Kinko and she has never been  handled. She is 7 months old and I haven't been able to even approach her since we placed her in the field with my herd. I have a few skittish goats, but they can still be caught during feeding time. My husband likes to have the goats that way so they aren't trying to jump on you. My babies just want love and brushing. All of the goats that I claim as mine are easy to catch and deal with.  We are still moving out our young bills and I'm STILL sad to see them go!  I did get to keep two nannies this season, so that is a positive. It also means that we will have to moved our billy, Junior before they reach breeding age.      So here is your first look at Patch! The  previous owners had named her ugly Betty. I don't know why? Patch is absolutely precious and up to date on all of her ...

  Ohh how they have changed colors! I posted a few weeks ago, but that didn't do my flowers justice. Have a look at them now! Mom suggested that I lay some banana peelings at the base of each plant and that seems to have made them blossom even more! I'm in absolute love! It's one plant but it's both blue and purple at the same time! 

 I was somewhat disappointed in installment of the series. Jericho's character was something that I found very predictable and so was the story. I was somewhat bored with this book. I didn't read this book and that might of caused some disconnect with the story line. I did like the narrator via Audible! Lizzy's character seemed to be a weak person and had a damsel in distress vibe. I do NOT like main characters that exhibit this trait! I would rate this book a 2.5 out of a five. This book seemed rushed and the formation of character was not as appealing last with the first two books.      I don't usually give up on series, so I will be moving on to the next book. I hope it does in fact get better!   

      Life with livestock comes with flies. I hate these pesky creatures with a passion. This year has been especially annoying and nothing seems to slow them down. I've tried sprays for the goats to hanging fly bags around the chicken coops. These flies bite and it hurts. Even the OFF sprayed on my arms hasn't deterred them from eating me alive.      The hanging fly bags are overly full with them. I have already ordered more to see if they can slow them down. I know they are disposable, but I always buy extra bait to keep using them for the full summer before retiring them.      Does anyone else have any  suggestions? The gentleman at Tractor Supply suggested that I used horse fly spray. I put the first coat on the goats today. I cannot wait to see if it works. Wish me luck! 

      I watched the news today. This was the first time I've seen live TV in about a month because I avoid all the negative. Rarely is anything positive covered and during COVID the news only made my anxiety skyrocket. I didn't even know about the riots and what was going on. Bubble life seems so bizarre now. I could have missed a whole history changing moment. Disconnected is how I would currently describe myself. We don't have a TV service and I avoid social media for the most part. I cannot believe what evil is going on at the moment in my country and it's on BOTH sides!!!  Keep the US in your thoughts and send some good vibes our way. 

Ummm, what? This series has really sparked my interest in reading again. I have been so caught up in her line up of characters. This book is written in the perspective of April and it still references the other characters as their lives continue and intertwine in this world of shifters. I love the possessiveness of the male pack members. Reno has been my favorite wolf thus far. I listened and read this book. The narration on Audible was fantastic, but reading it for myself was a special treat. Our local library did have a copy and checking it out was a MUST! I would rate this book a 5 out of 5. I hope the next book in the series is also in April's perspective. My summer reading list is HOT!!!           

      I have discovered that I do in fact need to change up some teaching strategies that I use on a weekly basis. This class thus far has been a game changer for me. I can see that my teaching practices and ideas are somewhat out dated and I need to adapt to a new learning  paradigm.      I'm in the middle of module four and the learning curve is still kicking my  tail. It has been so long since I was a student that I'm having to readapt to excessive typing and technology enhanced learning via an online format. Personally, I think all teachers should have to step out of their comfort zone and take classes beyond regular PD session offered. I really puts things in perspective.  

 Here is a list of activities by child has had a blast doing thus far! 1. Visit a zoo. Small children love them and it allows you a full day of fun. 2. Playing with the water hose and/or sprinklers.  3. Helping "plant" (She doesn't really help, but she seems to really enjoy being out there with me) 4. Splash pad  5. Feeding the chickens (she is finally old enough to hold her own scooper filled with feed) 6. Nature walks 7. Picnics  8. Catching bugs 9. Playing in the small stream that runs down below our house (its ankle deep) 10. Bubbles  11. Riding in the wagon  12. Local lake (fake beach area) 13. Cheap pool from the Dollar General  14. Water guns      I have learned through experience that you don't have to spend an arm and leg for your young one to have a rememberable summer. They just want to be with you. Our spring water doesn't really ever run out, so playing with the water hose is always on our agenda! 

I have officially started my summer reading list. Wow, I'm completely taken in by Dark's character list! Austin is steamy and so his his broody demeanor. Reading Dark's work came at the right time. Summer boredom has already set in. This author knows how to catch their reader's attention. This first book took nearly no time to complete exploring the world of "shifters."  If you're in to super natural stories, this is for you! I overlooked the sexual scenes and skipped several pages, but the story is still swoon worthy. We all need our own Austin!      I would rate this book a 5 out of 5! I was also excited to discover there is more than three books in this series. Count me in!  I will be reading the entire series before August gets here. I just home the series stays in Lexi's point of view. I have no idea how this series was not on my radar. I know it's an older book, but it more than worth its time to read.   

      Every summer I start the count down... I hate it too. I keep a running count of how many days I have left of break before school starts. I wonder if that is even normal? Do other professionals have the same issue? It's more dreadful now that I have a child. Only seeing her for four hours a day when school is in session takes a toll on me. Every parent that works probably experiences the same frustrations.      This summer I decided not to work an extra job, so I could spend some extra time with Taylor. It just seems to be passing by so fast. I'm still somewhat nervous about taking her places alone. The anxiety of dealing strangers and my toddler really puts a damper on my summer plans. I feel like that is abnormal too! I think of all the ways something can go wrong and talk myself right out of "fun" opportunities for family time. I just want her to be a little bit bigger before we take her to the  lake. She is only two and she doesn't listen to a...

     Training chickens isn't an easy job. The coop we put them in for the past few weeks has got too wet and messy, so to transition them out of the mud seems impossible. Tonight, when I went down to check on them nearly all the hens had decided to use the old coop. Man... it is a muddy mess that nothing can help at the moment.      We literally walked over the entire mini herd of chickens and put them in a fenced in area with a very nice DRY coop to roost in. They must like the roost in the older pen. I have no idea. From what I found on the internet I need to trap them in the main coop for a few days so they know where to go. I'm over my head at the moment. Any suggestions? I feel like trapping them in the coop would be too hot on them with this summer weather beating down on us.      I'll try something new again tomorrow. Maybe someone will call and buy 30 or so more. It's just easier dealing with a smaller amount of birds. I collected ove...

Wow, breathtaking story that kept me guessing all the way through! I hope Charly Cox continues to add to this series. I'm officially a FAN! I was beyond disappointed to learn that this is the last book (so far). I have really enjoyed this series and have been into the book from the first chapter! Detective Alyssa is always a favorable relatable character. This cannot simply be the LAST book! There is so much room for more stories and investigations. I would rate this individual book a 4.9 out of 5 due to the ending. With a two hour commute to my specialist appointment this book was a quick listen. It is not part of the Plus Catalog, but the money was worth it. Spending money on a decent book is always worth it.   

      Well, to be honest I still have over 100 chickens to care for. People have been stopping by and purchasing a few here and there, but it hasn't really put a dent in the massive amount of animals I'm having to feed.  Hopefully, everything goes through and a guy is coming to pick the rest up sometime today! I'm only keeping four hens for eggs.      I will miss them following me around! I hope their new homes enjoy them as I have these past few weeks. 

This has been an exciting read! I think this has been my favorite installation of the Detective Alyssa series! Cox has out done themself with this book! I will gladly rate this book a 5 out of 5. I would also like to comment that ending on a "happy" note really made my day. I cannot wait to start the next book. I have no idea how many books are in this series, so I hope Cox has continued to write about each case.      I was glad to see that Alyssa's role does more than looking for sex trafficking victims. Reading over these devil worshippers doings made my skin crawl. I couldn't imagine there are really groups of people out there that actually do these things. Cox's imagination is beyond what I would personally be able to create. 

I don't usually waste time posting reviews of children's books, but this one is special. My dear friend, Mrs. Beam Beam (Elizabeth Beamer) is the narrator via Audible. Listening to her read along with Taylor at my side was fantastic. I know her own children love reading because she has such a range of voices for the characters! Please take some time are listen to her latest recording! Your small ones children will love it!  I will rate this book a 5 out of 5 just because the narration is soothing and easy to listen to!   

      Potty training is significantly more challenging than I originally anticipated. Taylor finds it extremely funny to pee once I take her off the potty. She does however do well first thing in the morning. I have to brag about her willingness to at least try and she is successful 75% of the time.      She had her two year old shots today and a check up with the pediatrician. She suggested that I buy actual "big girl" undies for Taylor. Pull Ups wick away dampness and she doesn't get annoyed by it. I guess I will be spending some money on a few pairs of those in the next few weeks. Wish me luck! I need patience too! 

      I still cannot access my account. Even when I tried to call, I was on wait for over an hour and the app will not let me log in. This whole situation has completely stressed me out. I did find where there is an actual "in person" branch somewhere in Murphy. I will be traveling out that way to get some assistance soon. I have bills that need to be paid asap!      On a positive note: The debit card is somewhat working.      

  My grandmother convinced me back in early Spring to place some epsom salts near the base of the plants. She said it would boost color and perhaps I would finally get the purple blooms I've always wanted.  My plants have just started to bloom and so far....We have PURPLE! They used to blood a bright hue of blue, which is also beautiful.  This plant used to bloom a weird hybrid pink, so I'm waiting to see what they will be this season! The epsom salt did the trick on the other bushes. 

  Sometimes all you need is a walk with your goats. Taylor and I went down and spent the afternoon in with my small herd. I was picking up trash and other undesirable things that have made its way into the field. My dad was a massive junk hoarder, and we have spent years cleaning up his mess. From old tires to old cars.  Just look how majestic my billy is! Junior is the most gentle giant I own and he loves to be fed treats.           I really wanted to share images of all of my goats, but some of the more feral goats do not come within arms reach unless I have food. It seems when we purchase goats from other farms that they actually want their goats to be completely wild. This isn't always a good thing, especially when they need a hoof trim or medicine.               Junior is a Boer/ Kinko cross, so he will end up being massive. He currently weighs in at 255lbs of pure love. I think he is my favorite g...

      Well, I'm not going to lie, but I'm thrilled with this service. I'm able to stream, upload, download, and browse without buffering. I didn't realize how convenient it is to have this here at home. Thankful is an understatement!  I no longer have to go sit at the bottom of the mountain to stream from my phone to get work done. Using my phone as a hotspot sucks and it's unsafe to sit parked for hours on the side of the road.      My only regret is not giving in sooner to get this. Thank you  Starling! Best service ever!

      Potty training has begun! I have been trying my best to watch for her "actions" that she is about to use the restroom. I haven't been too successful, but I'm going to give it my best try. Everyone has advice about when to potty train, and how to do it, but no one is here to walk me  through my failures.      So far...       Taylor has screamed at me, ran around pulling her diaper off, and flipped her tiny potty over. I'm using both a small potty for her and a toilet insert for the regular toilet with no success. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem as easy as most have made it out to be. Suggestions?      I even tried a "Pee Pee" song on her Tonie box to encourage her to use the big girl toilet. She just dances around to it and laughs. Pointers? 

      I signed up for a class via Stanford which was offered through my school. I really like taking courses online and getting CEUs is an added bonus. We are always learning new things, so adding something to my "playbook" is worth the time. This summer I will be carving out some time to finish this course before school starts back in August.      So far I have worked on two modules where there is a LOT of videos with discussion questions attached to them. I wonder if this is the new norm for online courses? Where is the books, reading, and combining materials to write papers? I think I have been out of the game way too long! 

      This transition or merger has driven me absolutely crazy. I hate it and cannot even fathom how everything will work out. As a customer, I'm so annoyed and the lack of answers by actual people is ridiculous. So, I guess it will be only online banking? With school, a toddler, and a small farm I have not had the chance to move everything over to a different bank. It wouldn't matter anyway, because I have a loan through them that will transfer to the Civic bank.      Ahhhh!  Today, our cards stopped working and I was so upset. I had forgot and didn't get money out of the ATM beforehand. They forget that some of us are over 30 minutes away from the nearest town! I guess cash is really KING! I just home all my automatic withdrawals don't mess up along with everything else. I have no idea how older people will get through this phase. Both my mom and grandmother don't even use computers and can barely operate their phones. Both of them have never even us...

      Summer has officially entered my very busy schedule. With farm chores, gardens, and a toddler I plan to take the days one at a time. Our first goal is to get all the doctor's appointments out of the way. I waited the last few months for primary care appointments. I had missed enough days due to surgery and waiting doesn't really matter. I don't really see why I have to go in so often anyway. All my major issues are covered by specialists. Taylor's appointments matter most! I do not wait for them. Two year old shots will be occurring next week. Keep me in your thoughts, because she gets really irritated and irritable.      I marked today as the first day of summer because I finally transplanted my tomato plants  directly into the garden. My squash has come up and is healthy! All this rain hasn't really made a difference  and I'm impressed with the gifted heirloom seeds. Honestly, I didn't think they would come up.      Time wil...

I must have a thing for reading series. Once I start one and discover that there are additional books, I cannot help myself. I haven't even started my summer reading list yet, but here I am listening to Cox's thrilling adventures of detective Alyssa. This book was a pleasure to listen to and the pacing was great. I love the last minute moments of uncertainty that this authors uses to capture the audiences FULL attention.      The narration was also very pleasing to the hear and I was glad that her family wasn't directly targeted in this book. It gets a little unbelievable when every crime is connected to Alyssa's family. I would rate this book a 3.9 out of a 5 due to lack of sensory details provided. I could not get a clear mental picture of what was going on or what the setting was. I love the story line though and would still highly recommend reading this series. I have already moved on to the next book which has completely took me in from the first few pages.  ...

Along with a small impressive garden of vegetables, I have an abundance of lilies. So far this season only the red and bright orange ones have bloomed. Although these are beautiful, my pink ones are to die for. One season, I planted some blue bulbs and they never emerged. I've always assumed that the light violet ones faded and are a product of the blue bulbs that I planted years ago. I should have shared my roses while they were in full bloom. They are impressive too.   

      It's always incredibly sad each year as I pack up my classroom for the summer Today was my last work day to finish our check out list. I took time to read through the various cards my students left me. I always save these for the last workday. Ending the school year on a high note also provides me with good vibes for the upcoming school year.      I stacked my desks and took a few moments to really take in the fact that one of the best groups I've had is going into the 8th grade. Man, this has been an amazing school year filled with projects, papers, and fun learning activities. Here's to another year in the books! 

      Ummmmm... Can I say fantastic? Yes, this book had it all and the story line had me completely  captivated! I was beyond impressed with how the story played out. Holly, the main character's daughter is and will always be on of my favorite characters.      I hope one day this book series becomes a movie. The detective's  ambition really plays out while they are actively searching for the missing girls. How much more trauma can her family take? I would rate this book a 5 out of 5. The narration was smooth and the delivery was amazing. I love Audible and getting to listen to books to and from work. I was on the edge of my seat during most of the chapters. I could not put this book down!

       My child is officially two and it has been a wonderful weekend of birthday fun. We started out with a small family gathering on Sunday and ended up going to the Zoo Knoxville on Monday. The very dreary damp weather made for a "seek shelter" walk through the zoo, but it was worth it. In between rain showers, we discovered that every 100 yards had covered areas for visitors to hide under.      Taylor enjoyed every minute of our visit. I was able to see her excitement while looking at the chimpanzee exhibit. Her high pitched giggles could be heard all over the zoo. The rain had really deterred many visitors, so we didn't really have many people to deal with. The staff was beyond accommodating and offered umbrellas, and rain parkas. I would highly recommend taking your toddler to the zoo along with being there when the door opens.      I don't know how busy they get during the summer months, but yesterday was amazing. I would rat...

      I can hardly even notice that I had surgery two weeks ago. The only difference I can see is the scaring and weird stomach sounds. I cannot believe how some people need more than two weeks for a desk job to return to work. I returned after a week and was fine for the most part.      I had to unload 50lbs sacks of feed today and I completed the task without having to ask for assistance. I think that's success in itself. I will be completely back to normal in no time.  Thank you all for the emails and suggestions! 

     I'm so over it. I'm over planning and inviting people. I'm not good at estimating how much cake and other goodies to buy. She won't even remember it anyway, so why even have a party to begin with? Next year, we will simply take her on an adventure and call it a day.      Feelings were hurt, but not intentionally. I don't like inviting  people because it's graduation season and everyone has places to go. My child's 2nd birthday isn't on their priority list and that is okay.   I just don't want to waste money and no one show up. 

    I will be spending my summer break taking courses for CEU credit, so my summer reading list cannot be too extensive. I hate having to give up that reading time, but I really need to renew my license. Each night after Taylor finally lays down, I will have roughly 1-2 hours of "me" time.       I'm currently considering reading the entire Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout, but I really need to branch out. The Seven Series by Dannika Dark has also caught my attention. I wonder if I can fit in both series in one summer along with growing an impressive garden?      Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina, is also high on this list. Any suggestions?  I really enjoy series, but stand alone books are just as sweet. 

       Does anyone need some chicken? Butchered or alive?  I came home to a coop full of chickens. My husband cannot resist a deal and bought the whole truck load. This image is one of 8 coops full of Golden Comet hens. He buys extra to sale and we eat most of them along the way. Sadly, some do not make it through the transport process and the mostly arrive featherless. I'm a little angry that he brought so many home this time. I guess if the price is right you have to jump on it. They are not tame and will not simply allow you to pick them up. I'm a little upset that some of them have mites and we are having to treat them all. 

      I quickly devoured this last novel in Armentrout's Titan series. I was beyond saddened that the story ends with this book, but at least Seth gets a "happy ending." As always, this author completely takes me in with her plots. I would provide this book with the rating of 5 out of 5. I actually listened to it on Audible. With my hour long commute the book as finished in a little over a week's time.      I know she has stopped writing about these characters, but I wish she had at least one more spin off. I really want to know what ends up happening with Alex and Aiden.      This series would make an awesome movie! I know I would pay to go see it.   

      That last week of school hits different... I mean it's something  weird and the anxiety really hits home. Did you get everything done? Was all your grades in? Are things all together for the filed trip planned?      Did you make their school year rememberable?      The exhaustion is real too. Today, we completed testing and tomorrow will be the final exam. My nerves are on edge because if it could have went wrong today, it did. Computers missing, chargers dying, and I forgot my password. Yes, I  wrote it down, but in the confusion I lost the sticky note. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't find it. I'm a human too and my kiddos helped me look for it. Luckily enough, one student found it stuck to the back of my planner.      Bring on Friday! 

      First off, I want to say that I'm a sucker for a good love story and just couldn't resist finishing this series. I was super excited that the third book was not as graphic as the second. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5. I'm super excited to finish this series and maybe start something new. Any and all suggestions will be considered.      My only regret is that there in one book left. I hope Armentrout has an additional book up her sleeve. I went ahead and downloaded the audiobook from audible for the last installation. It will be bittersweet to end this series, but I'm glad I didn't put the first book down when I was bored.      I saw that Jennifer Armentrout has written other series as well. I might look into reading and/or listening to them. Has anyones else become a die hard fan? 

      Next week my little baby turns two and I'm so not ready for this next phase. Time has absolutely flown by and it just seems like yesterday I was bringing her home. I cannot grasp how fast she has progressed in the two years she has been here.      This year we will be providing her with a small party and I'm taking her to the zoo on her actually birthday. I just don't see why big elaborate parties are done for small children. She will have decorations, cake, and food. I didn't splurge and have professional photos done or anything. 

       Trust is what a relationship should have, but I'm not so sure that is the only aspect it needs. Trust is granted, earned, and lost based on decisions made in haste during moments of weakness. I thought being married for a few years would automatically come with trust, but I was terribly wrong.      I'm not a person that will naturally trust someone once they go against me and I can forgive, but not forget. I don't want to air my dirty laundry out for everyone to see, but I do want my readers to understand that I am a person too. I have feelings and experiences too. I was raised in a world and family where your word was worth your weight in gold. The honesty of a person was worth more than anything.      So how do you trust again when everything is broke? This is the path that I am currently on and I'm struggling to the point that I need to find some peace in my marriage. Some self guidance is going to come my way real fast if I do...

      Ummmm, can you say fast? I have never had internet that functioned at this rate of speed here at the house. The setup was beyond easy and we had everything up and going with in an hour. It's not fiberoptic speeds, but I can live stream for the first time. What have we been missing?      There is a whole world of possibility with this. I was amazed and beyond excited. The $120 a month is going to kill our budget and I'll have to find another source of income to make up for it, but for now I'm thrilled to have it. I might change my mind down the road. My neighbor is so worried that we have it because he thinks, "it's just another way for the government to see into our homes." Conspiracy theories at their finest. Now, if we could just get cell service in this area. Wifi calling isn't really all that great and even with the new internet it's spotty.   

      I like to end each school year with a novel study. This year's chosen book was A Long Walk to Water, and it hasn't disappointed me in any way. My students have been absolutely thrilled and excited to read this book. I would have otherwise chosen to end the year with projects.  I did accompany this novel with one project.     I would rate this book a 4.5 out of a 5 because I wish the beginning of the book moved faster so my students could get engaged in reading a little sooner. I think the slow start to the book really turns off some readers. We spent time looking at maps of Sudan and studying what revolution is and how that looked during the eighties. 

       Well, I got two new goats for Mother's Day on Sunday. I wasn't expecting them to give birth until sometime next month. The rain has been incessant for a few days, so everything is soaked, so please do not judge the photos. My new mama goat, Honey gave birth to a healthy boy sometime this afternoon.       Honey is so feral that I cannot even pet or approach her. She is absolutely wild and it will take some time to transition her into my herd. The lady we bought her from said she wasn't due until sometime in July but her milk sack didn't agree with that assumption. Now to see it I can tame her enough to get her vaccinations done! I'm also dreading when we try to trim her hoofs.      The earthquake on Saturday may have upset her so bad that she had him early. Now we need a name. Any suggestions? I have got to get better so we can move them into the new field. They need more space. We are providing them with plenty of hay, b...

      According to the local news we had a 4.1 earthquake here on the Tennessee boarder. I'm about an hour awake from the epicenter of the quake, so we not only felt it but heard the rumbling. She shaking and rumbling lasted about ten minutes. This was my first experience with a larger earthquake and I was terrified. I froze as I got out of bed still groggy from lack of sleep. I thought it was thunder until I felt the shaking begin.      I know we are near a fault line, so small tremors are constantly happening, but we don't really notice it. This one was different and scary. I'm unsure what we are supposed to do when they are happening. I couldn't pick Taylor up so I sat in the floor and held her. She was panicking and trembling all over. She is terrified of storms and the rumbling mimicked that.      Things have changed so much since I was a child. I cannot bring a single memory of experiencing these as a child. Why is everything happening ...

      I think Armentrout is very likely one of my favorite authors. This book was no different, but graphic details of the semi sex scenes took me off guard. I wasn't expecting it to be so explicit considering this is a young adult novel. The very set of books is in the high school library. I'm an adult, so I'm okay with reading over that kind of  material. This book was a massive transition into an adult novel set.      The Power is a continuation of Seth's story. His character is faced with huger that can on be quenched by feeding from others. He whole dynamic change with  Josie as well. I love his character and I think that is why I would give this book a 4.2. The content changed and became solely focused on sex that I was somewhat disturbed, but I wanted to know what happens to Seth. I hate that the author has chosen this direction.      Recovering from surgery has given me plenty of time to read. I'm unsure if I will finis...

      I have had starter plants inside for a while now, but it's time! It's time to plant veggies directly into the ground. I have a variety of squash and seeds that I saved from last year. This year I plan to have several plants just in case that pesky ground hog decides to eat my harvest.  Current Plans:  1. Yellow squash 2. Zucchini  3. Green Beans (4 varieties)  4. Potatoes  5. Tomatoes  6. Cucumbers  7. Pumpkins (planted late summer) 8. New Asparagus roots  9. Corn (3 types)     There will also be some additional Native seeds planted in the lower  garden provided from the seed bank. My husband requested that seeds months ago and we are still waiting for them to arrive in the mail. I was beyond blessed this year with having starter plants that were super growers. I would kill to have a green house for early Spring planting instead of having the crates sit around in the house. 

     This week has really shown me that I do red help a long the way. There were several people that offered to help out and I really appreciate it. I'm just not the type of person who will openly ask for assistance.           I wasn't cut any slack at home. I will remember this the next time my husband is in pain or has to have a procedure completed. I was expected to to everything as normal. That is what hurts the most. This morning I spent my few hours before day break with Taylor.it was a wonderful reminder that she needs me. She kept pointing at my bandages.         She has been a blessing and has really tried to help me in her own little toddler way. I sat and read through five books with her and sipped coffee. These are precious moments. 

 I know surgery would slow me down lout this is ridiculous. Having a toddler and a farm to care for is absolutely insane. I thought my husband would take off a few days to help me out with Taylor but no! I cannot lift over lobs and she over exceeds that limit. I guess I'm just a little annoyed at my husband. I'm always expected to do my part even when I'm healing.  This was not supposed to be a rant post. I do apologize. I cannot wait to be able to go and do for myself. My list for the next few days... l. Figure out how to care for Taylor without lifting her. 2. Daily animal feeding schedule 3. Heal 4. Don’t complain about pain 5. Grade online assignments 6. Answer emails. 

      Why am I still up? I have no idea, but sleep is not in my forecast. It's surgery day and I'm beyond nervous, but the good news is that Starling is now available in my area. Our current form of internet is beyond slow and we cannot live stream.      Is is worth the money? I will update you all when it arrives. There was a "demand" fee placed on my order which put the total well above $600. I hate wasting money, but I really need internet for work that can at least load a video without buffering for twenty or so minutes.      Installation is supposed to be easy and flawless, so let's see how that all goes. I'm torn between feeling beyond guilty for spending that kind of money and knowing that I need this. I had to debate on the pros and cons of owning it. It would be so nice to have a camera system around the house because we are always having prowlers. The faster Internet would allow me to use a blink system. The current set we have...

      I'm hours out from having this surgery, but I just cannot sleep. The stress and anxiety are keeping me awake. Is this normal?       I had a long list of chores that I needed to do yesterday. Unfortunately, I was wore out before I even got the list finished. How will I be able to do everything with weight limitations? I will struggle just taking care of my toddler.      Has anyone else had this odd  experience? 

Ah, the best has yet to come. I'm excited that Seth's story continues beyond The Covenant series. I was left so heartbroken at the end of the other series. When I discovered that there was a sequel series (The Titan) I had to go search it out.      Seth's needed some major redemption and I wanted to see him find his "love" instead of lusting after Alex. It was so refreshing to see this main character show some compassion. Jozy is also a nice  addition to the character list! I would rate this book a 4.5 out of a 5. I just wish there would have been an update on Alex's character and what was currently going on with her. Armentrout leaves her reader guessing as to what will happen next. I was astonished to find that Seth did have his humanity intact after giving up so much to save Alex.   

      Yep, I took a small adventure into the forest today. I don't usually get that opportunity anymore, so I was extra special.  Getting lost in the heart of my property the forest came to life with animals.       Sometimes, you just need to get away from the screens and really experience being outside. This is my form of grounding and refreshing my state of mind. It was 30 blissful minutes of peace before I had to return to the chaos of toddler life. I had forgotten the serenity! I miss those days where I could simply waste my time doing this. I don't regret having Taylor, but I do miss the solitude. 

    My much anticipated surgery  will be Monday and I have been counting down the days. I will miss some work and I'm really bummed about that. I hate missing work, but this nausea is still kicking my tail. I'm currently living off of zofran just to function. Nausea is the worst symptom. The pain comes and goes, so it's not the biggest issue.      I was told that I couldn't lift over 10lbs for over a week. I don't know how the animals will be fed, but I will find a way. Stressing out over my toddler is yet another issue. I will not be able to lift her, so that poses a problem too.           I had to basically beg my husband to take off to help me. I feel bad about that as well. He keeps missing so many days because of me and the guilt eats at me.  Bring on MONDAY!

      As it turns out, I will get to have my gallbladder removed. The ultrasound displayed a rather alarming number of stones, and this is what has been causing all of the issues. I'm now on a waiting list for surgery and will get a notification call three days before the date!     I'm somewhat nervous because it's an outpatient ordeal. 

    This book had me guessing from the beginning to the end of the story.  I never expected the ending and will not be a book spoiler! The overall plot was amazing and this could easily have a sequel attached to it. I would love a stand alone book about Livi just to see how her future turns out.      I do think this follows a similar book's story, but the ending was completely different. This is one of the books chosen by my hometown book club that I have recently joined. They seem to have a common theme with each reading selection. I would sadly only give this book a 4.2 due to similarities to another book. 

      I struggle each year with when to plant seeds. Once again, I feel as if I have messed up. There are cold spells that usually last up until mid May, but I wanted to the the seeds in the ground. I'm over zealous and excited beyond measure.      I love to garden. It's not only my hobby, it's my passion. I find solitude and peace when weeding the beds or flipping my compost. There is nothing more soothing than watering fledgling plants. Mountain life means that sometimes you plant seeds in weeks of each other in case the first batch gets damaged by a late frost.      Raised garden beds are so overrated too. I have a mix of a regular garden area with tilled soil and several raised beds. One is not better than the other in my opinion. I will say the tomato plants are more successful in the raised beds, but you'll have to water more frequently and pay close attention to the pH of the soil. The smokey mountains is so wet that sometimes pla...

      By now I believe that my doctor just wants me to suffer. He continues to send me for ultrasounds and monitoring instead of removal. Between the kidney stones and gallbladder attacks, I'm about done with the pain. I think this has been one of the toughest sicknesses I have endured and I almost gave birth to Taylor naturally.  I was dilated to over an 7 without any medication before my C-section occurred.      I haven't really ate anything bad, so I don't understand why the pain keeps persisting. I went a whole 6 hours without pain and thought I was out of the "danger zone," but I was greatly mistaken. Any suggestions? There isn't any other doctor's I can switch to within a hour's drive.  

      I think planning for anything takes up too much time. My child's 2nd birthday is slowly approaching and I'm frantically trying to get things done. I have a written plan of everything that needs to be done, bought, or paid for. With everything going on, I haven't been able to start checking off items.      She is turning two and I just really want her to experience a party. She didn't get one last year because we were having to take her back and forth to Mission Children's Oncology in Asheville, NC. We would have to cancel her appointment if she had a fever or runny nose. I was so overly cautious that we had a simply smash cake ordeal at home. Mom and I were the only ones to attend. Her dad was at work and couldn't take off. Taylor will not remember it, but I will. I felt horrible that she didn't really get to celebrate. The "mom  guilt" was real!      This year I want things to be perfect. Cake, chips, and hotdogs here we come...

      That first week back after Spring Break is the toughest. The kids are counting down until Summer Break and EOGs are looming in the near future. I think the transition between April to May is  critical and the most exhausting. Prepping for the big tests becomes a massive focal point and a constant end point that drives your lessons.      Yes, you will think about the tests all year, but as they approach you start to dread them. My subject isn't tested, but I think teachers are a TEAM and it is ALL of our jobs to pitch in. I will be doing more primary source work with lengthy reading attached to it to help build reading stamina. I like to use EOG like questions to accompany these reading selections as well. Everything helps!      There are a ton of reading articles and sources on NEWELA. This is one of my favorite sites to use along with actual speeches.      What ways to do help your student prep? 

      My current advice is having a gentle billy who is easy to deal with. Our billy, Junior is the absolute best and his well mannered behavior makes him worth his weight in gold!  With his floppy ears, what's not to love. He even plays with the kids and has never really been aggressive.  Buy you billys when they are young and keep them gentle. 

I'm not usually a person who reads thrillers. Always guessing who did it makes me anxious and I hate to get the prediction correct, but this book was actually decent. I loved the fact that Alyssa's character was so well written. Her character alone made the book worth reading/ listening to.      This book took me a little over a week to read/ listen to. There was chapters where I couldn't put the book down. The plot unfolds in a way that would make an incredible book. The only issue I really had with this novel was the ending. To end such a fantastic novel so abruptly did the whole book an injustice. I wanted to know if Alyssa could heal herself form watching her brother die. I was also questioning how this affected her kids and what that looked like on a daily basis.      I would rate this book a solid 5 out of a 5. That rating does not come without some scrutiny. Like I stated before, the ending did seem to cut the rest of the book short.   

      Taylor had to have her stitches removed, so we were already in Cherokee. She had a mishap with the nightstand which resulted in three stitches and a trip to the ER. She was such a trooper and deserved to be rewarded for being so brave, so we stopped at the Bear Zoo on our way home. She was absolutely thrilled with all the animals and seemed to be especially interested in the lemurs! She spent over twenty minutes watching them move around their cages. The "zoo" was a dead zone, so she had the place basically to herself.      I enjoyed every minute of her excitement! She even loved feeding their goats. Taylor always accompanies me when I feed so she was happy to feed them out of her hand. She kept screaming for Boo Boo, and didn't understand that her goat wasn't in the pen.      This is located near the Burger King. I would give it a 5 out of 5 for being kid friendly. The ramps are super steep, so I would not say that it is accessible for...

       It was a close call Tuesday afternoon as a power line started a fire near the back side of my property. I was beyond nervous as I watched the helicopter make numerous trips to my neighbor's pond to dip water. They battled the fire for what seemed like hours.      I'm so thankful for the folks that spent their afternoon fighting that fire. I had a few bags packed along with as many animals as I could take as possible. My husband was at work and it was up to me to keep calm in all of that  chaos. I think I handled the situation well. In the event that a fire gets too close I still don't know what I will do with all of our live stock. I will try my best to do a back burn, but I don't know how successful that will be. I'll turn on all the sprinklers and wet everything down.      Planning ahead is a must! 

  An unlikely place to find me on a Tuesday. I usually avoid the casino, but today it just wasn't happening. An old college friend of mine wanted to meet up for coffee and this was the nearest Starbucks. Sadly she couldn't find the coffee shop in Cherokee. I haven't been in this place in so long that I had to use a directory.      It has grown so much in just five years even adding a new parking deck. I was pleasantly surprised that it is a non-smoking facility now. That was a major reason that I had avoided going into it in the past. The smoke was so terrible that I used to have to use an inhaler. I hated it. It's a better establishment and healthier now that they have banned smoking indoors. I plan to go back to explore when I have time. Well, to be honest I probably will not go back in. I never have free time and taking my toddler into the casino seems a little weird. 

      Reading has become something more than a hobby. It is my way of still being able to connect to my peers. This book was on our reading list for our local book club. I always love books with a happy ending.      I had to put this book down several times because the main character, Austin really got on my nerves. She should have spoken up about her father sooner! Due to her character development I was somewhat displeased with the plot. Why had she took on all the responsibilities? I want to know more about her mother-daughter connection. Her mother must have bestowed all her "motherly" duties on Austin.      A fair rating for this book would be a 4.5. I feel like this is a true depiction of this story. I watched a movie as a child that followed this same story, but not every scene. I wonder if this was in fact made into a movie at one point? Lowe had me completely captivated with his character, Vance. I want to know more about him as ...

      The wonders of technology will always be exciting for me. I have recently started using a Dexcom G7 and I'm somewhat pleased with its ease of use. Unfortunately, I had the mishap of having one not connect in via bluetooth to the meter. Insurance doesn't care if it was faulty or not, so I had to go a whole week without using it.      I do like the way my doctor can simply see all the results. I feel like an older person might struggle with the set up, but with some help they too can be successful. I like not having to carry a meter everywhere and simply connect it to an app on my phone. This is the best part, in my opinion!      The struggle with removal of the adhesive is real! It always seems to leave residue and it's painful to remove at times. Hint: Remove it when you are in the shower! 

      You know what? I wish some people weren't completely honest about everything. I had a very trusted neighbor tell me that I'm strange because I talk to all my animals. I never really noticed that I held entire conversations with my animals as I'm feeding them. I greet them and tell them about my day.      Being a farmer's wife has really shaped how I think about my animals. I literally name every animal and take time to know their personalities. Yes, I believe they all have their own personalities and moods. If I name a farm animal they are NOT food. Once I'm attached to the named animal they are "family" and will probably live out their entire lives on the farm. Even if they don't have a purpose, I will keep them. It really irritates my husband to no end when I do this, but I really do not care.      I spend my afternoons caring for our animals in the best way possible. I always have good intentions, but sometimes I may seem strange. Be...

      Our HelloBaby system for Taylor is out of this world. It's easy to use and simple to add an additional camera. I love that it has a two way feature  where I can talk to her directly without going into the room. Whoever gifted us this second hand was a life saver. Taylor shares a room with us, but I don't like going to bed super early. This allows me to enjoy an hour while she falls asleep. The distance the HelloBaby covers is also worth mentioning. This devise get a 5 out of a 5 for me! It's a parent's must have. 

   This cheesy mess is a family favorite of ours. I never get any negative feedback when I serve this up.  Ingredients:  -Some type of noodles (2 Cups) - Velveeta Cheese (1/4 block) - 1/2 cup of chopped red bell peppers  - 2 roasted corn (Cut it off the cob) - 3 kielbasa sausages (Ours is made of goat and deer meat) Cook your sausage until well done, slowly adding in the roasted corn and red peppers.  Once noodles have been cooked to desired texture add to the mix. The last step is to simply add in the cheese and stir slowly on warm until melted.  Secret: Add one to two cups of milk too! It makes it more creamier. This is a toddler approved meal as well! 

     I was not too impressed with this book selection. I recently joined a book club in my hometown and this was what they voted for. The young woman who runs the club must really enjoy young adult fiction. I found the story line to be overly predictable and too close to so many other stories. I feel as if I've heard this entire plot before.                    I would rate this book a 1.5 out of 5 due to the plot itself. I also didn't like the character development and how the protagonist is so cringy and whines throughout the whole book. I get what the author was after, but she just didn't get there for me. I would not recommend this book to read and waste time in. I think there is a sequel that I WILL NOT be reading.