Goat Love

Somehow our girl caught the Farm Bug.  

Throughout the freezing winter mornings and chilly, early, dark and low-visibility evenings, Moo was the one we trusted to make sure chores got done.  

She's our worker and this weekends springlike weather was the sweetest reward for work.

As I spied on her from the house, I saw her talking, clapping and laughing with the goats.  

They've stollen her heart like nothing before.

If I had to guess, I'd say our goats are Italian.

They LOVE dry spaghetti.

And the Goat Maternity Ward is coming soon.  

As Willow continues to swell from side-to-side, we've begun researching kidding pens, nutritional needs and signs of labor as we await the arrival of Ross' 4-H project.

Lord help us.

Meanwhile, that bag and udders are starting to fill.  

Willow is our nervous goat- aka: our Trauma Goat.

This photo could have been better, but I could tell she was already feeling violated.

Oh Goats.  

Your adorable, stupid, easy, friendly, and most importantly, your poop doesn't stink.

What have you done to us?

Because I'm NINE

Conference nights always suck for the high school Culinary Instructor.  

However, this Snapchat message made my night.

This Valentines Day I'm thankful for logical people... like Molly Boyd.

Years are Short

The flu, colds and sinus infections have left the house!!!

Meanwhile, this may not be as exciting for you as it is for me... but our girl has finally 'popped"

See that bump on her right?  

That's our March baby!

In other news, Mikes been traveling, my final semester of college classes are in full-swing, Valentines Day cards are ready for class parties, Maisie's discovered a love of make-up, Ross' season of wrestling has ended and Ross starts drivers ed in less than 2 weeks.

They (and I) have always said the days are long but the years are short....

Short doesn't even begin to describe it.

Flu, Basketball and Zombies

This week felt as though we'd been hit by a rocket ship.

Apparently, 5 out 7 down with the flu will do that.  

How Jayson and Maisie got through it unscathed is beyond me.

I spent 3 days in bed, sweated through sheets, felt my eyeballs were detached from my skull, saw visions that weren't there, and contemplated writing my Will, while the other family members missed 2 days of school.  

I'm not pointing fingers or developing new theories, but...

I'm the only one who got a flu shot this year.

And I swear to God the boys watched Z Nation CONSTANTLY.

And when I told them Z Nation needed to end, it became Office Reruns.  And that, in a nutshell, has been my week.

There were conversations about shutting the school down to sanitize.  Over 20% of the school was out sick.  Parents WEREN'T sending their kids to school to PROTECT them.  

I had to cancel the Friday Cafe due to our head Chef having Influenza B!

WTF?  This isn't China!

Yet Maisie, chipper as ever, wanted chocolate chip cookies after school one of the days I was comatose.  She made a pouch and swore it was too dry.  She had to take photos of the batter and bring the imaged to me in bed to diagnose.

"Gotta get your hands in there girl and melt that butter"

That's the ticket.

And this poor thing who went out for basketball only for the Nike headband and social time is struggling. 

Not only does she dislike sports 100% now; games keep getting canceled and postponed which means the season WILL NOT END.

It's gonna take some strategy, but she and I are ready to put this puppy to bed. 

Seriously, we were only here for the shirt.

Meanwhile, today was what we THOUGHT was going to be her last day of the season and the only way she'd go willingly is if I made cheese souffle for breakfast.  

So that's what I did.

Maisie's number 19.  

She does everything in her power to avoid touching the ball. 

But doesn't she look amazing out there?

Sports aren't for everyone.

Amen