Well, I think the dogs are listening, sort of.  I need to get the shock collar and do some real training.  But, the real training is of the children.  Dogs, not on a leash belong inside.  Kids with no shoes belong inside.  Doors belong shut.  Dogs not on leash when doors are open to bring kids not in shoes back inside, do not stay where they belong!   Thankfully it was only one and he was more interested in the chickens than running away!  So, Butch and Sundance grabbed his leash and chased Caruso around the yard.  Then they got smart and started herding him.  That worked.  They're so happy they caught them "all by myself!"  Good dog! ;)  I'm just glad that he loves the kids as much as they love him! 
Now to teach that baby of mine to tie his own shoes! ;)
In Christ
Jenn at Bull Run - still making breakfast at 9am!

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I've been a lot stressed lately, moving across country, new pets, new home, new house, new jobs - chickens, unpacking, lost a daughter (exchange student went home), finding all the places to buy what I need... the list goes on.  Yesterday was a particularly bad day.  Really bad.  No good, very bad day.  So, I wrote to my looper friends (Lutheran homeschoolers).  They always make me feel better, and they came thorough again!  Not only are they praying for my sanity, they empathize with me and most of them have been there themselves, little kids are a LOT of work!  One of my friends reminded me that probably part of the problem is hormones, part is the move, part is stress (that is the move) and part is trying too many new things at once!!!!   I have got to remember when I have to move to NOT try and just jump back to the way things were straight out!  Moving is a chance to re-evaluate.  Figure out what matters.  I don't have to find exact replacements for the way our life was.  I have to find out how life is now!  I'm getting there.  I also spent the morning watching a musical with my kids.  They like the dancing and singing and I like the escapism! :)

Off to make hamburgers for dinner - we've had a LOT of that lately, like them with a fried egg on top and we've got loads of burger! ;)
In Christ
Jenn at Bull Run

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Butch is a good kid - well, as much a good kid as any 6 year old can be.  But he sure does despise cleaning up his messes.  Right now it is almost nine in the evening, he is sitting on the floor staring at boxes of toys and supposed to be picking up.  Every time he picks something new up he has to play with it.  I'm slowly going crazy - I *want* to throw all the toys away (they prefer the boxes the toys come in anyway right?) but they are quality toys (Thomas trains and wood blocks) and I can't do that - but I'm so tired of the mess.  So, I stupidly sit here and ask him what he is *supposed* to be doing.  It isn't working.  It's 9pm and I want to go to bed.  If I clean it he wins anyway, b/c he's just trying to get out of doing it - well partly, I realize at 6 he has a short attention span.  Normally I'd just put him in bed and come back to it in the morning but - he's been doing this for days and I'm really sick of the mess - I want it gone - I want the toys to stay in their boxes and look cute!  I'm sure I got in plenty of trouble for the exact same things when I was a kid - but why can't they clean like adults? 
I have a sneaky feeling that he learned this from me.  I should be cleaning too and what am I doing?  Blogging... hmmmm... well, I guess the guilt has finally gotten to me and I'm off to do some cleaning - maybe he'll get the picture if I model it eh?  I know, I know... I'm a slow learner - and I'll probably have to re-learn it tomorrow!  I'm so thankful that our Lord is more forgiving than I am!  I can't even make it out of church on a Sunday without screwing it up pretty soon after!

I'll go carry the poor boy to his bed - he just fell asleep on the floor - we're waiting for Mr. Top Gun to come home from being gone for three weeks.  He can work on chores in the morning, again!
In Christ
Jenn a poor miserable sinner, forgiven.

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There are SO many things I'd love to say but I'm taking only a few moments to check my blog while I'm downloading my favorite radio program to my mp3 player on a friend's computer. If anyone is still reading this (and why would you be after so long since I last was able to blog), a Blessed Christmas to you all!!! We will be spending it at home with friends and I think I'll have solved my computer problems by then (mostly finding time and money to fix parts so I can get online at the wifi zones). We finally get to move out of this desert in June so I'm also trying to figure out how to move a wannabe homestead! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Jenn

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One of the things about being in the military is we move a *LOT*.  In fact, we've moved so much that when we had been here two years in a row, I couldn't handle it and painted and re-arranged so it would look different.  At three years I re-arranged again and painted more.  I hope I don't have to do more at 4 years!
In addition to our moving frequently, everyone we know moves too!  Last year three good friends moved away.  This year 4 good friends (and neighbors) have moved (or will be soon) and four or five more neighbors that I know in passing are moving this summer too!  We're getting good at saying Good Bye!


What's the best way to say good-bye?  Of course, Have a party!
This time it is Miss Nicci, The Man, The Equestrian, Future Olympic Gymnast, and The Princess who are moving - along with a very large dog and an almost equally large black cat!
So, Mrs. Born and Raised in the South came up with the idea of having a progressive party to say farewell to our friends.  Of course, it is basically the same crew at every party so we get creative.  We decided on appetizers at my house, fire grilled pizzas at Mr & Mrs Born and Raised in the South's, and dessert at the Bead Lady's (who should really be the Dessert Lady because my oh my does that woman cook!).

Appetizers.  Well, we served... yup you guessed it...

CORN!  Yes, this is the 1st ear of corn off the stalks (interestingly it is the only one that was full of corn - I didn't do a good enough job getting the pollen to the ears so... mostly duds - enough for one party!).  We also had egg rolls and shrimp chips

Here's the Equestrian with the shrimp chips - she thought they looked suspect but everyone ate them!

the Princess and Miss Nicci liked the corn too!

The Olympic Gymnast chowed down on corn (gotta keep up strength!)

The Bead Lady knows corn (she's from Kansas) - she tried it but Sundance and Mr Man kept bringing her the cars so she showed them off for the camera!

Of course, I had them all check out the blog to see what I'd posted about our July 4th party too!  Mrs Born and Raised in the South thinks I'm un-inventive with her name.  What she doesn't understand is not only is it true but to one like me (I'm from North of Yankee!) she's REALLY southern.  The south mystifies me (a WHOLE 'nother post!).  So it is a defining quality for their whole family!

Here's Miss Nicci (another un-inventive name?) either waving for the camera or telling the camera to go away - not sure yet.

Mr Ted (who's parents raised corn) explained what had gone wrong with the corn that didn't grow right.  He came for the wine.


Mr Top Gun was enjoying the wine too!!! 

No, Speedy didn't have any wine!  Didn't have any corn either (unless you count the corns on his feet? Nahhh baby's don't have corns!).  He does like his toes though!

We didn't manage to get any kids to eat (aside from the big girls and The Princess) any appetizers (maybe a shrimp chip or two).  In fact didn't get pictures of most of them.  Hmmm where did those kids run off to?

Progressing to the next house tomorrow!
Maybe we'll find all those kids!
Blessings in Christ
Jenn

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