A Dash of This, a Dash of That

That's my way of saying this is going to be a random blog. Just a little bit here and there. Which, of course, leads to bullet points. I love bullet points.

• From the farm: We lost a chicken. Our original ladies number 9 now. We looked out and she was sitting on the ground. And couldn't get up. We isolated her and she never got better. The kids found her when they went to check on her. I think the ladies miss her. On the flip side of that, we have 6 new chicks! When we got our original ladies, we decided on pullets. They were a little more expensive, but I would have felt bad if I killed a chick. Well, rule of thumb, never enter a raffle for something you don't want. Hubby entered a raffle outside the feed store, just for grins and giggles. Lucky duck won!! We won 6 chicks and a bag of starter feed. We wanted Ameraucanas, but they were all out. They were a straight run, too, which meant we could possibly get a rooster. Or 6 roosters. Yuck! We ended up picking 6 from a menagerie of types that were all sexed to be females. Right now they are living in a plastic tub in my kitchen. The chirping is amazing. I thought it would get old, and quick, but it's actually very relaxing. Happy chicks make happy cheeps! And they are so fuzzy, I'm going to die!!!! Cutest. Thing. Evah!!
• From the schoolroom: We have a little over 2 months of school left. Where did the time go? Tick, tock, baby. The big girl is behind in her Algebra 2, and if you tell her I said anything I will deny, deny, deny. She is trying to complete 2 assignments a day to get caught up because she will school all summer. Who wants to do that? I am researching curriculum for next year. I am trying to stay away from a computer based program. There is one computer in this house and I do not need them making a fuss about who's turn it is. I perused my cabinet of curriculum to see what I need for next year. It turns out I need quite a bit. I thought I had more, but apparently, I didn't think that far ahead. There is a huge curriculum sale coming up I am bound and determined to go to. I'm hoping to pick most of it there or on a couple of chat boards I belong to. And I think I may have the big girl take American Government and US History. She may kill me in my sleep if I make her do that. So maybe not since she will also have to complete her first ever research paper. Don't judge.
• From the kitchen: I got a new crock pot!! I am so happy!! It is a quart bigger and I can set it for a specific length of time. I love it. I am a little intimidated by that extra quart, though. I feel like I should be adding more food to the pot. The baby's birthday is coming up soon. She wants an ice cream sandwich cake. Not a problem. If I don't eat it all while I'm making it. 
• In the garden: There is not much happening in the garden. The rabbits have decimated the cabbage. The broccoli started to grow back, and the scoundrels just eat it as fast as it can grow. Hubby's looking into traps. Our poor tower has sat neglected for too many months. That is getting a good cleaning and set up for planting. We are going to try a lot of greens: lettuce, chard, bok choi, and kale. Wish us luck.
• At the studio: We are into recital dances. This is one of my favorite times of the year. When the dances start, they are rough for sure. By recital time, they are polished and so good! The kids are working so hard. The instructors are not making it easy on them, that's for sure. I am having a hard time dancing. My foot just aches and aches. It is usually swollen for the rest of the night and part of the next day. Blech!  We are into company rehearsals as well. There is a ton in this dance and it will be an amazing number come recital time. I have a feeling it will be a show stopper. 
• Around the house: Not much. The mountain of Mt. Washmore seems to always grow back again and again. We still need to paint the boy's room. We got the paint free with a coupon I got from my Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Now to actually use that paint. And new blinds are in order. Not only do we just need new blinds, but Stella doesn't wait for me to open them. She just dives right through. I'm not sure we have a whole set of blinds anymore. Ours have big Stella size gaps in them. Crazy dog.

That's about all I have for now. I'm getting some stuff together for a picture blog. Yea, more pics of my kids!

Have a great day.