Quiet Days On the Farm...NEVER!

It's a few days since the last post, I know, but i'm busy, cut me some slack. I've found that finding the time to blog wasn't as easy as I expected...life gets in the way. So to help you understand how my days go around here, I thought that's what I'd write this post about.

Living on 4 acres is a lot of work, even when there are 2 of you here all the time, never mind trying to maintain it alone. It's taken me almost 2 month to figure out how to balance everything but I think I'm getting the hang of it.

These are a few ways I manage to find time for everything and everyone, and how I manage not to go off the deep end...although I've been on the edge more than a few times. I know this can be a difficult task for everyone, city or country, so maybe you will find a tip or two that you can apply to your own life!!

1. Employ your children, well at least the capable ones. I have expectations of my children, maybe some are too high but they seem to at least meet if not exceed them on a regular basis. They are expected to clean up after themselves, they feed the cat and the dogs, they keep their rooms and their playroom clean. I also occasionally ask my oldest to entertain the youngest and sometimes make her sisters breakfast...this is a huge help some days!! I don't pay them for this...why the hell would I do that?? These are things they need to learn how to do to be productive members of society...I think I'm doing THEM a favour!!!
2. Choose your battles. My kids aren't perfect...who's are? They fight, they yell and they do things they shouldn't. But if I gave them trouble EVERY time they did something minor, I would spend my whole day yelling and I don't want to do that. Don't get me wrong there are things that require yelling every time they happen, hitting, name calling and things of that nature. But there are things I used to freak out about that I don't anymore. Things like, leaving lids off markers, DVD's not in cases, silly things like that...because in the grand scheme of things...does it matter?? Not really. It took me a long time to realize it but now I have and I am less stressed because of it.
3. Realizing things can wait. I still have a hard time with this but I'm getting better. Crumbs, grass, leaves and mud on the floor...if I don't have time to vacuum it today...it will still be there tomorrow. Same goes for the laundry, dusting and other household chores. It's hard to keep up with it all...its the country and I have 4 kids and 2 dogs...the house gets messy. That being said...the house never goes longer than a week without vacuuming and mopping but to keep it immaculate 24/7, I would have to do this everyday.
4. Dinner doesn't have to be 5 star quality every night. Aaron is the cook around here really, when he's home, he cooks pretty much every night, and I love him for it!! But when he is gone...I do my best. I can cook, I just don't enjoy it. Luckily I have a mother who is the master of easy, delicious recipes. Pulled pork, homemade mac and cheese and other casseroles and easy stuff you can throw together ahead of time. I don't make these things every night but we still eat healthy...hot dogs are healthy, right???
5. Accept the fact that children will make themselves and EVERYTHING around them messy. This is kind of a combination of 2 and 3. And was hard for me to accept but again I'm getting better and I'm happier for it!! The kids, still, at ages 7,6 and 4, drop food and spill drinks. It happens...probably always will. They leave their shoes on in the house, forget to flush the toilet (Aarons favourite) and do other extremely messy things. For example...yesterday the girls wanted to play beauty salon...so I gave them 6 of my $20 MAC eyeshadows and a couple brushes and let them go to town...this is something I NEVER would have done...even a few months ago. But they had a blast...and it was hilarious. Sure they applied far too much but they had a great time and it kept them quiet for hours!! Sure, I am down $120 bucks in eyeshadows....but when the hell do I ever wear make-up???
6. And finally, except and be grateful for help. I don't get a lot of help, my family is far away and so is Aarons but I have fabulous neighbours who have gone above and beyond. They have cut my grass, weeded my garden and brought me groceries...who does that??? It was hard for me to grasp the concept, must have something to do with being from the city!

Sure there are things that have to be done everyday, and I somehow manage...alone. All in all we are healthy and happy and that's really all that matters!!

4 Kids 7 and Under...Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy...NOT

Why oh why do people ask such stupid questions? People in the grocery store, at the mall...well really anywhere for that matter. These questions and ridiculous statements started when I had my third child which meant I had 3 kids 3 and under, and continued when I had my fourth.. So here are my answers to a few of the STUPID questions i've been asked....

YES having 3 kids is hard...are you kidding me!?!?! The first 3 months after my 3rd was born was HELL. Why sugar coat it?? A preschooler, a toddler and a newborn...sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. I certainly didn't plan it this way...who would...but you do what you have to do and you survive. It only gets better with time. My 3 oldest are the best of friends...well when they aren't beating the snot out of each other. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing!

YES I know the teenage years are going to be rough...tell me one I haven't heard!!! This is a statement I get all the time: "Wow you're gonna have your hands full when they're teenagers". No kidding...please if you're trying to be funny...think up something original! My response to this is usually: "Ya I know...we have guns." Which generally shuts them up. As far as I'm concerned...we'll be rich, I'm buying stock in Tampax.

NO I don't run a daycare...these are ALL my children. This is a new one...it started when my 4th was born. I know it may appear that way...me pushing a grocery cart with the car seat in it with 3 little girls following behind...maybe if we threw a boy in the mix people wouldn't stare...because really...who has 4 girls...oh wait, I DO!

So people please, don't ask stupid questions of me or any other mom with multiple children. You aren't original and it's generally annoying. We know it's not as common to have more than 2 kids as it used to be but it happens. Are we crazy...probably a little bit, but we know we are and we accept it! 

And if you have more than 2 kids...or are going to have more than 2...it's time to abandon the man to man and switch to the zone defense...once you're out numbered you're in for it!!! 

The Tale of 3 Little Pigs

The tale of the pigs...the pigs have been a huge source of stress for me...not so  much recently but a few weeks back when Aaron was away working.

We have these 3 little pot bellied pigs, not pigs to raise and slaughter, more for pets. We got these pigs when we picked up our dog Cosmo, our fearless protector. The lady getting rid of Cosmo offered the pigs to us for free...so of course...we took them. They have a nice little home made from an old grain bin, filled with straw and a little front yard fenced with panels. I have never liked the pigs...although they're great garbage disposals, we feed them all our food scraps.

About a month and a half ago, I was out cleaning our pool and noticed 3 little black things at the far end of the yard...with having such a large property I didn't know at first what it was. Upon further investigation I discovered it was the pigs. We had made the mistake of letting the pigs out before, so I knew what a pain it was to get them back in. I went into panic mode a bit, hoping the pigs hadn't got in to my garden or our neighbours garden, wondering how the hell I was going to get them back in the pen alone. I whistled for the dogs and the circus began...

Daisy, our golden retriever is actually a great herder, although she can't figure out what side to herd from...Cosmo is useless and Kitty, our neighbours horse whose pasture borders our yard won't willingly let any other animal in her pasture. So let me paint the mental picture for you...me running around, in one of my signature outfits, screaming at the pigs, Daisy, trying her best to herd the pigs the proper way, Kitty running up and down the fence line preventing the pigs from crossing and Cosmo running the fence line on our side barking at Kitty because he thinks shes trying to attack the pigs. It was a mess. I finally managed to get the pigs back in with a loaf of bread, and made an unsuccessful attempt to try to repair the fence where they got out.

Over the course of that week the pigs escaped at least once a day, sending us in to a tizzy. It was even worse when the big girls were here...they're not much help either. Finally, after almost giving up, my elderly neighbour came to the rescue and repaired the fence for me, which was a damn good thing because I had resorted to bringing my .22 out with me, vowing to shoot those piggies if they didn't start co-operating.

Of course my city friends offered no sympathy, only hysterical laughter at my expense of course. I'll assume that they were picturing me chasing these pigs around and didn't have any helpful advice...but why would they really??

So here's my advice on how to catch escaped pigs...DONT GET PIGS!!!

Why You Should Think Twice Before Sitting On My Couch...

This is Hannah's birth story, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!

Like I said in my last post, after Aaron and I were engaged last September we talked about having more children...well I guess me having more children as Hannah is Aaron's first. I figured...whats one more when you already have 3?

I found out I was pregnant October 2011, but we were tight lipped about it until I made it to the 12 week mark. We were thrilled. ..especially Aaron. I've never met a man who was more excited to become a daddy than he was! I scheduled my first appointment with the obstetrician, recorded the heartbeat for Aaron (he was away...of course) and it began. Shortly after that first appointment Aaron and I joked about having a home birth....we laughed and didn't talk much more about it. I started thinking about the pros of a home birth...I wouldn't have to worry about getting someone to watch the big girls, I wouldn't have to pack a bag, and I wouldn't have to make the trip to the hospital. It started to sound very appealing to me. So it was decided, I found a midwifery group in Calgary and saw them until we moved out here. Once we were here I found 2 midwives that agreed to provide me care for the remainder of my pregnancy and attend my birth.

We were all set, I had a birthing tub and all the supplies I needed for my home birth, we were just waiting on Hannah who was a week overdue. I went into labour the morning of the 27th of May. Aaron in full blown panic mode started running around trying to prepare everything while I was easily labouring while preparing breakfast for the big girls and getting them dresses and ready for the day. The first midwife arrived around 930am, she checked me and told us that I was only 3-4cm dilated. I thought I was in for the long haul. By the time the second midwife arrived around 1030am I was in full blown labour. Shortly after she arrived my water broke and they decided we wouldn't get the tub filled in time. They quickly made me what they call a "nest" in the corner of my sectional couch and off I went, Hannah was delivered perfect as can be at 1050am on my couch. Again I was in love with my newest little girl and Aaron was the proudest father I've ever seen, it was perfect. The girls, who had spent their time downstairs while I laboured came up and met their new little sister for the first time just seconds after she was born! As we spent our first precious moments with our new baby girl, my living room which was converted in to a labour and delivery room was quickly cleaned up, laundry was put in, all by my amazing midwives. When asked what the first thing I wanted to do was...I said, "I'd like to have a shower." So up from the couch I got and walked down the hallway to my bedroom ensuite and got in the shower. It was heavenly. I was at home with my family, my new baby, it was amazing.  I'm so glad I decided to do it, I wish I had have had a home birth with all 3!

Again...this isn't for everyone...I know that.

 In my next post i'll share with you yet another list I've come up with...this one is how to tell if a  midwife is for you...which i'll guarantee you'll at least get a good laugh out of!

How the Hell Did I End Up Here...?

How does a girl who lived over 30 years in 2 big cities end up living outside a town that has less people in it than her high-school did??

Well here's the short version,

In 2002, I moved from my home town, Hamilton Onatario, to Calgary Alberta...with a boy...of course. That didn't work out...of course, but I ended up sticking around. Shorty after boy # 1 split, I met boy # 2...and married him. We had 3 beautiful little girls in a very short time frame (all 18 months apart). And again...that didn't workng out. That being said, I have to add that my ex-husband and I have a very good relationship and he is a fabulous father.

So in 2010, I found myself single...again...after being married for 6 years. What a shock to the system that is! I was 31 with 3 kids...talk about baggage!!! I jumped right back in to it, head first. A good friend of mine and I started hitting the bars..every weekend...it was fun...for a while. I dated a few "randoms", but no one I could see myself with long term...until I met Aaron.

Aaron had just come back off the rodeo circuit...touring with a very well known chuck wagon driver...he was a cowboy!! We met through a mutual friend...and the rest is history really. We moved in together rather quickly, he loved the girls instantly and they loved him. A year later we were engaged and shortly there after he somehow managed to convince to have another baby. Which finally brings me to the answer to my question...how the hell did I end up here...

With Aaron being in the Oil Industry we needed to be closer to where the work was based out of...so we found ourselves a house on 4 acres and fell in love. But shortly after driving through the town and realizing what I was doing...I had second thoughts. Could I do this? I was pregnant, I knew no one in this hick town...and wasn't sure if I wanted to know any of them, and on top of it all Aaron was working away for weeks at a time. I was ALONE! The girls stayed with there dad to finish off the school year with there friends...so I was really alone. But I stuck it out and waited for the snow to melt and things got better...now I feel at ease and at home in the middle of nowhere.

So here I am now...a city girl...raising 4 girls in the country...

The List...Why We Love Living In the Middle of Nowhere

This is a list originally compiled as a note on facebook which is actually why I decided to start the blog in the first place.

Recently I was asked by a couple of friends...why we choose to live in the middle of nowhere. For those of you who don't know, Aaron, myself and the girls live on 4 acres, on a dirt road, just outside a small town of 1000 people, called Eckville, in central Alberta.

Initially when I was asked this question I had a tough time coming up with 3 reasons, being from Hamilton, then moving to Calgary and living there for 10 years, a move to the country was not easy for me but i'm glad I did it. After more thought, I have come up with a handful of reasons why we love living here, some are humorous, some are not but all are 100% true.

In no particular order:

1. It always smells good, there is never a smog index or a poor air quality warning, only the occasional smell of cow dung, which in my opinion is better than smog!
2. No solicitors, mormons or other undesirables ever come to my door...EVER!!
3. It's quiet, very quiet...except for the cows, coyotes, rooster and the peacock across the road.
4. Without having to drive in the city, all hi-way driving...we get great fuel economy!!
5. The school bus comes right to the end of our driveway.
6. There is no traffic on my road, if you don't live on my road, or are an oil lease operator, you have no business being on my road. We WILL notice and we have guns! LOL
7. I can drive fast everywhere, the speed limit to anywhere I have to go is 100km/hr, so 120 is acceptable.
8. It's not inappropriate for us to shoot things in our backyard. Including but not limited to: gophers, squirrels, crows, magpies and targets. Our neighbours won't call the police.
9. Feels like camping all the time. I don't know how to explain this one, but in the middle of nowhere, having coffee on the deck, always feels you're camping.
10. You can yell at your children when your windows are open and not have to worry about your neighbours hearing you. Which brings me to my next reason..
11. There are 3 other couples that live on our road, 2 of them are very far away, and the other is far enough away. You really only ever see them driving down the road, or at the mailbox. No need for that neighbourly awkwardness.
12. One of my personal favourites...I can wander around my yard wearing horrible outfits, again, including but not limited to: leopard print sleep shorts, a Boston t-shirt, no bra and rubber boots...stylish...I know...but seriously...who's gonna see me!!

And finally...
 
    13. Having 4 kids isn't out of the ordinary...we know someone with 6!!!

So that's my list, hope you enjoy, have a chuckle at my expense....its all good! We know its not for everyone but its for us and we love it!!

The Beginning....

Well this is the beginning...a very spur of the moment decision to start a blog. Why you ask? Well, maybe it's more for me than anyone else...or for the girls when they're older...or to entertain readers...or maybe all 3...who knows.

This blog will be a personal journal of our experiences, the good, the bad, the hilarious of our life in the country. My ups and downs of being a mother of 4 girls with a husband who is away 75% of the month. How I deal with it and how I cope without (usually) losing my cool! How I manage to take care of a family, a household and a 4 acre property with a variety of animals.

Maybe you learn something from my experience, maybe you don't but take it all as it is and have a laugh at our expense...we do!