It seems like I only post on Wednesday...

maybe because it's easier to share pictures than words at times

This past week I was #blessed to find some photos our favorite photographer had done for us.  She had dropboxed them to me and I didn't even realize it!!  

Farm Boy #2 loves to walk up and down the calf rows and inspect each calf

Farm Boy #1 has gotten into the habit of helping feed calves more regularly, which is good since starting next week he will be feeding every morning

The boys have also been fascinated by the 4-H pullets they got.  

It's nothing to drive past our house and see at least one of them playing in the front yard with the chicks.

Farm Boy #2 loves the kitten as well... he has picked up a new word "KitKit" 

which he will yell until you find the kitten...who is probably hiding for safety 

We have been enjoying sweet strawberries and some yummy blue berries as well from some local farms.  We actually have had berries from Bush-N-Vine, Black's Peaches, and Cotton Hills Farms already this year.  We consider each of these farms to be owned/operated by dear friends which makes deciding on the best berries very difficult.  Let's just say we enjoy them all! 

Our show lambs have finally picked up on eating again since bringing them home a little over a week ago.  Lambs have to adjust to their surrounding and learn the new routine before they resume their piggish appetites.  

Farm Boy #2 was loving this toy we borrowed from a friend.  He likes to make tractor sounds from behind the paci.  He is actually in a field we had just cut for silage.

The Farmer...ever working.  He is honestly the hardest working man I have ever met.  I am amazed daily by his work ethic and passion for agriculture.

I'm not sure when the last time I talked to him on the phone that he wasn't on a tractor either mixing feed, chopping silage or baling hay.

That's all for now..

Until we meet again...

Caci

Last weekend we hit the road to drive 12+ hours to pick up a set of show lambs for kids in our county.  Now to you it might seem crazy that due to chopping silage we didn't leave until 8 p.m. drove until about 2 a.m. to pick up lambs at 8 a.m. and be back home before 5 p.m. so that the kids could grab their lambs.  

Before we headed out the boys and I had to check the heifers we had just turned out into a new field

and feed the cows in the barn...(can you tell Farm Boy #2 is a climber)

Farm Boy #1 fell asleep not long into our trip

And when he wasn't sleeping he was playing games, watching videos, fighting elephants or asking questions

The Farmer took 2 milkings off to go with us...

he did most of the driving (expect the 11 p.m.-2 a.m. shift) 

which included me, 

in the middle of the night, 

navigating his new trailer through bridge construction

ONE LANE bridge construction 

that was barely wide enough for a mini cooper to pass

much less the truck & trailer.

Farm Boy 1 was excited to help unload the lambs for the kids

These four will make excellent showers...poor Farm Boy 1 doesn't realize he's doomed in showmanship with these cuties

Farm Boy 2 is just frustrated no one will let him in with the big kids

Farm Boy 1 was determined to halter break his lamb on day one!  

Flash isn't so determined.

But they are becoming friends

And Farm Boy 1 was allowing Farm Boy 2 to explore without boundaries 

After a while the shirts came off because "halter breaking is hard work, Momma." 

So here is to a new show season,

with all it's ups and downs,

feed bills and buckets,

clippers and show stands.

I wouldn't trade a minute of the time I get to spend with my boys during show season for anything else.

Livestock projects teach children so much,

responsibility,

record keeping,

compassion,

animal husbandry,

Plus it keeps them outside!

Until we meet again~

Caci

Hi & welcome if you are visiting from the DDL link up!!  I hope you enjoy my little space on the blog sphere.

I'll begin with some honesty...I am a blogging slacker from time to time and honestly yesterday got away from me before I remembered.  Today we are going to do Day 4 & 5 of the Flats Challenge in one post :) 

Day 4's topic was: What is your washing routine?

Day's 5 topic: Flats experience, Fav Folds & What's working (or not).

Don't expect there to be a distinct answer for all the above.  I am going to address all the question as I go expect for my favorite folds which I will cover at the end.  

My washing routine is quite simple until we have a mishap.  Which just so happens we had on Monday evening, that really presented itself Tuesday.  Monday was a CRAZY day around the farm.  

Farmer is in the middle of chopping silage and the farm baby had to hang with him some. 

After spending some time doing that he got to haul cows with the Farmer as well...

which he loved but his unchanged bottom revolted against it.  (read TERRIBLE ammonia burn)

Why was the Farm Baby with the Farmer and not Momma...

well cause Momma had the Farm Boy...

Picking up 4-H project chicks,

Checking cows with the kitten in tow, 

Getting the barn ready for 4-H project #3 to arrive Sunday,

Playing ball,

and attending a Young Farmers & Ranchers committee meeting. Oh and did I mention I went to work for most of the day Monday as well...

You see farm life often means you divide and conquer :)

So how do I have time to handwash???

Well simply I do it all along.  I don't have one huge allotment of time each day to dedicate to washing diapers but I do have 5 minutes here and there.  

My 1st step is filling the sink with cold water. 

While it's filling I empty all the pocket diapers out and swish them around in the cold water.

(Yes there is a microfiber insert in there...the Farmer grabs whatever is available to use). 

I let them soak for a few moments while I usually tend to something else.  Sometimes this is 5 minutes...sometimes it's 5 hours...just depends.  After the 1st cold soak, I boil some water in my kettle, drain the soak water and let the tap water heat up.  

Once the water is hot (my kettle isn't ready yet) I use a broiler pan and scrub my diapers using Zote, while filling the sink with "hot" water and a little blue dawn.  Once I'm done scrubbing diapers and the kettle is done I poor the super hot water over the diapers and let them soak again.

Once they have soaked again (at least 5-10 minutes) I drain the water and rinse all the diapers clean.

I then hang them on our back porch/laundry as it gets great sunlight but is still protected from all the elements.  Typically my diapers are completely dry within 3 hours or hanging them up (expect last night due to the rain and cooler temps).  

My wash routine also took a little longer last night as well.  And in favor of complete honesty...I'll tell you we used a disposable for one change because Farm Baby's bottom was BAD...he needed some HEAVY DUTY diaper cream that I didn't want in my diapers...I was so tempted just to throw everything in the washer with some bleach and then the dryer, to fix our problem.  After thinking about the fact that I'm sure there are moms out there who face this situation without the luxury of a wash & dryer 10 feet away...I figured I would find another solution.  So I boiled all the diapers to ensure any ammonia build up was completely gone.  

Once diapers are dry I let the boys twist, scrunch, and wring them to make them soft again.

After we play laundry ball for a few...I then fold anything I am going to fold so that it's ready for the next diaper change.  

I love the......

 pad fold (because how much simpler can you get)

Origami Fold (My ABSOLUTE favorite fold)

Happy Anteater Fold 

and occasionally the Kite Fold

Overall the challenge is going well.  I don't mind the hand washing and really could see us doing away with many of our pocket stash for flats and covers over the next few months.  They take up so much less space than our pockets.  

How's the challenge going for you?  If you aren't participating are you a CD mom?

Until we meet again...

Caci

I feel like more and more I don't plan life as much as I tackle it.  

I run from one activity to the next without much thought into the best way to complete the task.

Case in point my new hair cut...please don't get me wrong I love my cut..

It's much faster to style and my hair looks so much healthier (thanks Ashley)!  

But instead of planning ahead...I literally sent my sweet hairdresser a Facebook message at the last minute begging for a time to whack off 6+ inches of hair.

Many days are the same for the dear ol' farmer...

a million things to do but only so many hours of daylight.

(By the way when chopping silage daylight can be somewhat optional.)

Then there is this kid...he kinda stole my heart the moment he arrived and still amazes me daily.

His love of exploring nature and wanting to be outside until the last rays of the sun have disappeared are awesome and extremely stressful at the same time.

Because some days we have t-ball between work, home, supper, homework and bedtime.

We have cattle to check

And let's not forget the #nolongerababyboy (heartthrob #2) who is all over the place

and obviously destine to become a tree climber.  Who still loves to wake up extra happy at 4 a.m. 

Oh and there is the thing called my off farm job.  That is great and allows me to connect my passion for agriculture, education and the environment all into one really cool job (if I'm honest).   

my two blessings from above,

impromptu shopping trips with my family,

or time alone with this handsome man.  

I have to be intentional.  I have to force myself to slow down, make plans and carve moments into each day to listen to God's word.  I find that it's when I listen to Him first that my days are less hurried, my time less stressful and my family more enjoyable.  Turning off the phone, the tablet, and the computer is necessary for me to truly connect with the Lord.  I have found that as much as I love the apps for Bible study I can't truly hear what God is saying unless I write it down by hand.  So here's for less tackling and more planning in the weeks to come.  

Until next time

Caci

This post is kinda old and should have been done a while back but I thought I would share what happens when a 7th grade science teacher has a furlough day from school!

Since my husband is a full time farmer and day off from school means a day to help him out in some way.  Sometimes it just be keeping the little man out of his hair and giving Nana a break, other days it includes driving a silage truck, which has no brakes or power steering.

Our day started with checking on everything at the house.  Wyatt and I make a run through the sheep, horses and the few goats to make sure everything is in their place and doing OK.  Then we head south to the main part of Nance Farm, LLC.  Along the way we picked up some breakfast for the rest of the crew.

Wyatt and I got a by on the first round of chopping silage because we can only run one truck at a time in the field.  While we waited I did a little fall photo shoot with the booger man. 

We ended our day putting out feed with William.  It's not how I had dreamed of spending my day but it was great to spend time helping out on the farm.  It also makes for great memories and family bonding time. 

Just another day in the life of this farm wife!