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!!!