Spring Garden Growth: Week 3

The garden is growing and looking great!  So are the weeds!

I detest weeds!

But, they are there and the guy who mows my grass decided to take a vacation.

So don’t look at the grass or the weeds.  That is a direct order!

Are you good at taking direct orders?  Me either!  

So, LOOK at the weeds!  That is a direct order!


Ready for a walk in the garden?
Okay, Let’s Go….

The Sunflower Garden:

 

Our Kentucky Wonder Green Bean Tepees:

Green Bean Tepee

  Can you just imagine the yummy green beans?

Squash is Going CRAZY

Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, and more peppers!

Yellow Summer Squash - Oh, shut my mouth!

 

   The Corn Raised Bed (aka The Corn Box) The Radishes Tomato Plants Tomatillo Plant by Tomatoes Cucumber Plants Our Pomegrantes

We have learned so much by planting this garden!

One of my fave resources is a little book called
 Green Thumbs: A Kid's Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening (A Kid's Guide series)

It just has made gardening more fun for the kids!  I bought the book from Amazon after checking it out from the library.  It is one of those books, I will be saving for my grandchildren.

To see what else we have done – go see our other garden posts!

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Partying with:

We are getting CHICKENS!

Yes, really…we are getting CHICKENS!

I must be nuts!

Really.

I have 5 precious kids and I educate them at home.

That alone should tell you – she is crazy.

To make things worse, we are in the middle of remodeling our home.

We are doing it ALL ourselves.

We have taken a couple months off to work on taxes, play footsies, and finish up some school.

Then we picked up gardening.

It takes a lot of time to prepare land for veggies.

Now, as if we are bored…

(The “B” word is such a bad bad bad word in our house – don’t say it or you have to give a foot rub to Mommy.)

–We have decided to get chickens. 
Real ones!  That breathe and lay eggs!

Yep, I know CRAZY!

They will born on May 9th and we will get them on May 10th, so we think. 

Why are we getting chickens?

• We don’t really have just one reason.
• Fresh eggs.
• Something for the kids to do outside.

Where are we going to put them?

• We are now going to make a coop.  (Which I keep calling, by mistake, a co-op.)

There are some amazing coops out there in internet-land. 

Ours is going to be pretty basic – but still have personality.  I can’t wait till it is done. 

How many are you getting and is it okay to have them in the city?

• According to our city ordinances, we can have 6 chickens.  So we are going to get 6!  We cannot have a rooster.

Can chickens lay eggs without a rooster?

• Yes, chickens can still lay eggs without a rooster.  That info does not make me a chicken expert – so please don’t call me the “chicken lady”, I prefer CRAZY Beautiful Petite Queen!

Will our neighbors be mad?

• They probably won’t even know we have them.  We are putting them in an area that is pretty secluded. 

What kind are we getting?

• The kind that we can find for HOT weather.  Probably Rhode Island Reds.  However, we might look for others in the future.

Are you nervous?

• A deep fear I do have is that turn out to be like Gremlins. (Does mentioning Gremlins date me?  For those younger than me – it was a movie.) All cute on the outside like Gizmo (I just loved Gizmo) – then turn into something crazy mad! 
• However, I’m sure I have tons of friends and family who will help me out if I need them…right? 
• Friends, oh Friends?…Why do I hear crickets?

Signed,

Crazy Chicken Lady Beautiful Petite Queen

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

(Pictures in this chicken post were of my son, taken at John Deere Grandma’s house.  No chickens or sons were hurt in the photo process.)

Organizing a family: Chore Charts

Organizing 5 kids

We have been asked two questions, numerous times by people who learn we have five children.

• “Don’t you have a t.v.?”
• How do you manage all those kids?

Here are our answers.

• For the first few years of our marriage, we did NOT have a television.  In fact, our first television – I wouldn’t have even considered a “real” television.  I remember being on bed rest with my third child, watching the winter Olympics and not being able to see the scores.   I remember laughing so hard my contractions would start.  Oh, fun memories.
• We manage our children, one day at a time, under the influence of the Lord.  But, certain things do help us – like chore charts!

Explanation of our Chore Charts:

We have paid our children the last few years in commissions.  They do a series of certain chores – they get paid in commissions.  If they don’t do them – Mommy gets paid.  (There were 5 chores assigned to them according to age.)

For Mom – it is a win – win situation!

Keeping it real:

Lately however, the parents have become very lazy checking on the chores and have ended up paying them regardless of them getting done.  When parents get lazy – it causes more stress!

This past week, enough was enough and we made a revised Chore Chart.  We added 10 chores per child instead of the previous 5.  Already, it has caused LESS stress for Mommy!

They have to do their chores before breakfast and school starts at 9:00 sharp! 

My eldest Princess cried last night “How can I get everything done?”  This morning she got up at 6:30 (on her own) and we thought she was ill.  When we asked her “Why are you up so early?” She stated, “I had a plan!”  She would normally get up at the crack of noon, if we let her.

For my 4 year old, the chores are really there to help him learn basic skills i.e. brushing teeth 2 times a day.  However, the pay helps him learn to save money to buy gum.  (His fave!)

Down below I have listed their chores:

12 yo	10yo	9yo	6yo	4yo
Bed/clean room	Make Bed	Make Bed	Make Bed	Make Bed
Clean Toilet	Clean Room	Clean Room	Clean Room	Clean Room
Load dishwasher	Get Dirty clothes	Put clean towel in BR.	Empty trashcans	Get Dressed
Unload Dishwasher	Clear off table	Clean of counters in BR.	Clean Playroom	Put shoes in shoe-basket
Sweep Kitchen/Bath	Wipe off counters	Clean Playroom	Pick up belonging	Pick up ALL cars & trains
Clean Playroom	Vacuum Playroom	Clean under tables	Dust (Fri.)	Pick up belongings
Sweep Porch	Sweep under bed	Remove dishes	Push in all chairs	Put liners in trashcans
Feed Dog am/pm	Feed fish.	Clean nuke box	Get all dirty dishes	Brush teeth am/pm
Put up food – pm	Sort Dirty Clothes (Fri.)	Wipe off sinks	Water plants.	Turn on fish lights
Straighten Books	Clean Mirrors (Wed.)	Dirty clothes out of BR	Brush teeth am/pm	Kiss Mommy!

They are constantly being revised according to the need and the child’s ability. 

• The kids do not have to do them on their birthdays and still get paid. 
• They are welcome to do other kids’ chores if they would like to “bless” their sibling. 
• If they are not completed, Mom gets the money!
• Dad handles pay day!
• They have to split their commissions into 3 parts.  Saving, Spending and Giving.

Does it work?

• My daughters have bought their own television/dvd combo for their room.
• My sons have bought their own Nintendo DS’.
• They think twice or three times about buying useless junk versus something they really want.
• They now the power of giving because they “earned” their own money.
• They get up earlier on their own.
• They don’t “beg” for candy in the grocery lane.
• My eldest has made himself a budget for the entire year and knows what he can buy.  I would say most adults are not this organized with their funds.
• They are being prepared to being in the “real adult” world.  If I don’t do my job – I don’t get paid. 
• They also buy gifts for one another and truly are thankful when they receive gifts because they know someone had to “work hard” to buy it.

I hope this encourages someone today!  It truly has been life-changing in our household.

What works for your family???

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Did you know ilovemy5kids also has a Facebook page?  You are welcome to “like” it!

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Kelly's Korner

Garden Update: We have Growth!

Our Bean Tepees are coming along nicely!  I can’t remember if I should thin the beans or not.  I detest throwing away a perfectly good plant – I know it will choke the other one if it is not pruned – I just don’t like doing it. The Sunflower Garden

I can hardly wait for these beauties to arise!  It is going to be so much fun to take pictures of all the kids in front of them.  This is the corn box. 

Have you ever heard the saying “If you listen, you can hear corn grow at night?”  Seriously, I don’t know where I heard that – I may have made it up.  But, it makes for a good quiet walk with the children or hubby at night.  Oh radishes we will have!  We thought the neighborhood stray cat dug up our radishes and we planted more.  Apparently, they were just slow growers and now we are going to have lots of radishes.  Got any radish recipes? Cukes!  The Burpless Cucumber to be exact!  Oh, how exciting! (The Cucumber not the burps!) I think this is the squash.  I can’t remember.  Oh yummy!

Have you started your garden yet? 

I still have one bed that is half empty and need to fill it.  I’m just hoping I’m not too late – our temps have been in the low 90’s – the joy of Texas Spring.

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Instead of Birthday Cake – we had an ICE CREAM BAR

Our Princess had a party this past weekend.  Instead of cake, she usually chooses something else that is fun and sweet.

This year we had an ICE CREAM BAR.

It was a complete HIT!

We had hot dogs for dinner!
(Turkey dogs, without nitrates or nitrites – because I had to redeem myself for serving the huge amounts of ice cream!)

We had the following lined up so each girl (or brother) could fix their own on the Ice Cream Bar:

• Strawberry Syrup
• Chocolate Syrup
• Oreos (Whole and Crushed)
• Gummy Bears  (Fat Free, the healthiest thing on the Bar)
• Marshmallows
• Graham Crackers (Crushed)
• M & M’s
• Green Sprinkles

Yes, they had a little sugar high.  It was worth it!

  Some of the girls went crazy!  Some were very conservative. To each her own…or his own!

Overall, I would say this party is one of Mommy’s easiest to prepare and to have.  I just love when everything comes together and I get a nap the next day.  

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Partying with:

Works for Me

9 years ago, I had a Princess…

  My Princess turns 9 years old this week!

• She loves mustard.
• She loves bologna.
• She loves her siblings and being a mini-mommy.
• She loves to go to bed LATE!
• She loves to sleep in.
• She has caused the state of Hawaii to call us and ask for their water back, due to her long showers.
• She loves to shop.
• She loves her Daddy.
• She loves her Mommy, a little more.
• She makes us laugh daily.
• She is growing up.
• She makes us cry weekly, thus the growing up.
• She loves her Lord.
• She is truly a blessing.

Happy Birthday Princess!

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Square Foot Gardening

Well, we are trying Square Foot Gardening.  Have you heard of it?

It is different from regular gardening.  I’m not even going to try to explain it.  There are tons of websites that can give you good counsel.

So, far this is what we have…

Tomatoes are planted in every square foot.  The boxes are 4 feet by 8 feet.  At the other end are squash, zucchini plants and okra.  The bamboo poles are going to help hold up the vines… This is our next bed.  Green Bell Peppers, Yellow Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Jalapeños and Tomatoes. This is the corn box.  Three rows of corn planted East to West.  We read somewhere this is the best way to plant them…not sure the reason.  Notice the big footprint.  I think it may have been Big Foot.  He must have been looking for some pop-corn.  Hmm…. Our tomatoes, more green peppers, radishes and cucumbers.  So yummy! This is the squash…so pretty! I think this was a bell pepper or a tomatillo.  I can’t remember…but can’t wait for it to produce fruit!

We planted spineless okra.  It is funny to me that some people I know, have never had it!  Oh my – shut my mouth – I just love good fried okra!  Next time you are at Cracker Barrel – order some!  If you don’t like it…they will give you something else!  (I’ve done that with Turnip Greens many times…I just don’t like Turnip Greens – I like Mustard Greens…big difference!!!)

Are you gardening?  Tell me what grows best for you! 
(Weeds don’t count!)

Blessings to you!  You are loved!

Air Show that ends with a Plane Crash and Prayer

This past Saturday, we attended a local air show.  We attended last year and we were excited to have my hubby’s parents join us for this one!

The first thing we ran into were Storm Troopers.  My kids love Star Wars!   My princess sporting a new hat! My hubby – notice the sparkle in his eyes when he looks at me.  Ha! This is his Dad and Mom…they are too precious!  We are sad to see them leave us this week.  Sometimes it just stinks that we live so far away from family!

Some of the Planes in Action He still wants to design planes. Here is my Lil’ Man with the pilot and his plane. 

Then we got to tour a plane… Going on board… The Wine Rack… “Mom – What does this button do?”  “Umm…don’t push it!” “Look Mom! Video Games!”  “Yes, dear – million dollar video games!” “Who designs this – what ugly colors” – the Princess thinks This Princess is wanting to add some flowers…she is very artistic.  “Mom – do any of these buttons make the bomb go off?”  At this point, none of the soldiers told them not to push anything so I’m pretty sure they have them disconnected.  I can just imagine…the people underneath the plane were dodging bullets if someone forgot to disable the one red button…  “Look Mom – an old fashion computer!”  “Umm…some people would call that a typewriter.” 

Sigh…I’m old.

Then we head into the cockpit.  My kids are allowed to go crazy.  The pilots let them push every button in there. Working on her communication skills…  He loves planes!  Then my fave Mommy moment… My Lil’ guy yells “MOM – I have to go to the BATHROOOOM NOW!” 

Don’t you love little bladders?

We rush out of the plane…and Daddy takes him to the famous Blue Outhouses…aka porty-potties.

We then take some silly picts…  

Everything was going normal and the stunt show happened.

Something happened to one of the stunt planes and it went down in some trees at the end of the runway.

We saw it and really thought it was part of the act. We had no idea until the announcer told everyone “Stay calm, the plane went down and emergency crews were on their way!”

I was so proud of my eldest…he closed his eyes and started praying.  He had no idea I was watching.  I was too stunned to say anything.  It was really surreal.  Then we saw a puff a smoke. 

The whole time the announcer was trying to keep peace and order.  I have a feeling a lot of people were praying and asking the Lord to keep them safe.

The announcer finally said that the wife and the pilot were in “good” condition.  The man behind us shouted “Thank you Jesus Christ!”  You could feel the relief in the crowd.

We later found out they were flown to a San Antonio hospital and have 60 to 70 percent burns on their bodies.  They are still needing prayers.

After that they postponed the show until the next day.  Except for the flyover from the B-2!

This day was one that is sure to be remembered by my children for years to come. 

Blessings to you!  You are loved!