The Goats

The night before last I was up all night (as was most of the neighborhood) listening to the goats yell. I have no idea what their problem was. I tried feeding them but they didn't want to eat. I sat out there with them and petted them. I couldn't get them to be quiet. This was not typical. Typical is hearing them yell a couple times a night. Maybe a dog is walking through the yard or they hear something that wakes them up. And then they get up very early, like just at the first rays of sunlight. I would feed them and they quiet down while they eat, but then they start up again. As soon as the sun is fully up, they stop. Crazy animals.

Anyway, I've been considering giving up on them and this was the last straw. I put an add on Craigslist to see what would happen and someone answered within the hour. She had 20 acres over near Banning and a couple does and a whethered male. They keep the brush back from the house for fire safety. They wanted to increase the herd and saw my ad. I talked to the kids (mine, not the goats) and they said they didn't mind. They don't play with them at all, except to show friends, and the money they would get for them helped ease the pain. :))

So she came and got them. That was fun! Trying to get them in the back of the pickup was funny. We should have video taped it and sent it into America's Funniest. We got one on a leash and dragged him to the truck, but then had to lift him in because he would not go up the ramp. Then the other one went under the truck to escape! Dan grabbed him and put him in the truck though. That was much easier than dragging. They were happy when they got in though. She had some hay in the cage and they immediately started munching away. Crazy things.

I slept good last night thinking about not being woken up my bleating at 5AM. Dan was working late and when he came to bed he woke me up making goat noises. Oh he thinks he is so funny! I loved the chance to have them. They were fun to watch play. Maybe at the new place we can make a cool pen big enough to make some goats happy. I'm sure we will get chickens though!

OH! Below are some pictures of the rock climbing we did at Indian Cove on Thursday. We met some friends there and had a great time. I even did some scrambling as well. The boys were adorable helping me. They went ahead and found a path they thought I could use. I started to get offended, but then realized they were just being nice. I did show them a thing or two though! I'm not that old and feeble. I'm sure we will go there again. I had fun and I'm still sore from all the jumping.

STEP 10 Science Fair

Wow what a great day we had yesterday! I woke up with a miserable headache (as I did this morning as well, ouch) and I had to cancel our bird walk that we had planned on going to. Nikki and I were going to go, not the boys. It involves being quiet and getting up early and that combo was not going to happen. I was going through my email and saw my reminder for the STEP science fair thing. I totally forgot about it! It wasn't until one so I hoped my headache would go away before that and it did.

We jumped in the truck around 10:30am because I wanted to stop at Michael's on the way down. I broke my candy thermometer! And we got El Pollo Loco for lunch (since we don't have one here in town). It was such a gorgeous sight driving over the little pass to the 10 freeway. The sky was a gorgeous blue and it was really windy. Big puffy clouds attempting to make their way over the mountains and into our desert. I had to take pictures!

When we got there, they had us all sit in an auditorium to wait for a show. We were early, but as the room filled it got louder and louder. And then the MC came in to entertain until show time. It got really loud then. Nothing like a room full of 10 year old kids screaming. Jake looked like he was going to cry. Nikki was not amused. And Tom was laying on the floor with his ears covered. He said he did that so that the people around him might think he was hurting and stop the screaming, but it didn't work. They didn't notice. He was disgusted. He said if he were shot in the head and laying there bleeding, they would still be screaming for a frisbee to be thrown at them! Then he was mad because the guy didn't call on him to talk on the microphone (and he had a great answer) or ask him a question at the end. Funny, he said it reminded him of Kindergarten, "They never called on me either, maybe because I was holding his hand up quietly and actually had an answer and wasn't standing up trying to knock everyone down to get the teachers attention". The show was interesting and the kids all found it very cool. Then we went to the exhibits!

On the way in we saw our friend James! Crazy! He was with his school. Jake was mad because they wouldn't let him come and talk to him. They were in line to get in and schools have to keep all their kids together. I tried to explain. Nikki was not as enthusiastic about the event. She got bored after a bit. But there was one guy there that had an electric guitar, a Gibson, oooo. She played with it a bit and then he showed her how they make the knobs that change the pitch and volume. It was pretty neat, to me anyway.

The boys had fun checking out the exhibits. They collected only the swag that they found interesting. They played with magnets, and flight simulators, goo, and paper airplanes. We spent some time talking to a man who showed the boys a small airplane that can actually fly. He was a Vietnam Vet so we had a very interesting conversation there. We also found an astronomy group that meets out here in Landers. We're going to go check it out this weekend. We all got to look at the sun through a telescope. Cool.

Afterwards, we went to find a pay phone, since my phone was at home as usual. It is always either dead or at home. I need to buy a car charger! We finally did and called Grandpa and Grandma and surprised them by coming to visit. We had pizza and talked for awhile and the kids attempted to drive them crazy. And then we headed home.

It was a wonderful day. One of the kind that reminds me why we don't do school in so many ways. I love my kids! I love having them around all the time and exploring and finding all the cool stuff there is in this world. I love being there and learning right along side of them. They make me brave enough to ask the questions I never would have if I were alone.

A story by Jake

PANCAKE
From PANCAKE studios.

Thats right, Happy Happy Teddy bear is back. And with more terrorists.

Happy Happy Teddy Bear was in his lair when he thought he should go murder some Humans. But then he remembered that there were bounty hunters after him. But he thought,what the heck? He got outside and found out that there were people outside. Two had an egg shaped head and two others had rabies, but didn't really look like it. Happy was out numbered but NOT out matched. But then he found out they were not after him. They wanted too join him!! He soon found out their names. They were Uncle Huevos, the egg; Aunt Rancheros, the other egg; Uncle Rabies, the one who had rabies; and Aunt Malaria, the other one who had rabies. They all got their weapons and they went to the town hall and threatened the mayor that they would destroy all the pancake factories within 421,452,643,473 miles of this area or give them all his gaurd's weapons.

“Whatever,” the mayor said. “Destroy them. I don’t care. I’m allergic to pancakes anyway.” “Instead we'll nuke the hole planet!! MUHAHAHAHAHA *coughs* I'm getting too old for that.” Happy got in his space ship and nuked the hole planet and flew away with Uncle Huevos and every body else to the planet of PANCAKE studios.

THE END.

Brought to you by PANCAKE studios.

49 Palms Oasis Hike

We rock!! We are trying to make it a Monday habit to go on a hike and today we went to 49 Palms. We've been there before, but it was hot then so I thought it would be easier now since it was cloudy and cool. But it was hard because we are in such bad shape. It is 350 feet up one side and 300 down the other, 3 miles round trip. It was worth it though. I promised the kids Burger King and shakes if we made it to the oasis and back. I almost died getting back. Seriously. Nikki kept making weird jokes about everything being Jon Bonham all the way back and then pulled way ahead of all of us. She was in the "just keep swimming" mode. Jake and I lagged way behind. It took us three hours to complete with plenty of rests. Next time I'll bring snacks!

Good Weekend

Friday didn't turn out so well. Tom woke up with a nasty sounding cough and said his guts hurt, so I called my friend and cancelled our zoo trip. So sad. We'll try again to go this week. He felt much better by the afternoon and on Saturday he was fine. Weird.

Saturday my Dad and Step-Mom came out to visit. We showed them the new house we are going to buy. Yes, I said "we ARE going to buy"! They accepted our offer. Yay! Now we have some inspections to get and a loan and we are moving...again. This will be our permanant home, I think. I love it. The next time we go out there, I'll take pictures and post them.

Sunday we went to my cousin's baby's first birthday party. She is so cute! It was in Yucaipa and Google Maps took me the long way through Glen Oaks to get there. I swear between the GPS and Google Maps, I'd be better off guessing where things are lately!

Today, I woke up to the smell of rain. It is cloudy, so I slept in. My room faces East, so usually the bright sun will wake me up first light, but the clouds hid it today and I got a bit extra! The goats did too. They didn't start making all their racket until after 7 this morning.

I have to go to the grocery store and things like that today, but I'm hoping on going for a hike too. Maybe 49 Palms Oasis?

We're going to the zoo today...

We're going to the zoo! There's a song from one of the kids' CD when they were little that goes like that and we still sing it every time anyone says anything about a zoo. I'm up early to get ready to go by 7:45. I know! But I want to see the animals moving around and not all sleeping, so we have to get there early. We are going to The Living Desert with some friends today. I love the place. :)

Yesterday, we went to look at a house that we have put an offer on. We've seen it before DAD!! but we took the kids this time and we took our time, checking everything out. The place is awesome. Big porches, nice living room with a wood burning fireplace, 5 acres, gardens, two houses, lots of trees, plants, and cactus. It is perfect! We talked to some of the neighbors and the area seems so nice. Very cool people. I'm excited. I hope we hear from them soon! Anna, Jim, and the kids came out to show the house for us and then we all went out to lunch. Life is good.

Well, I'm off. I have to get into the shower and then start getting these kids to move. Nikki will not be happy to be moving before 8am. Sorry, but we have to get their early or it won't be any fun!! Maybe I can bribe them all with candy?

7AM and all is well!!

We went to the library to return our books on time! Yay! We aren't done with "Rifles for Watie" and I was hoping they would let me renew it if they saw the boys and the bookmark, but they wouldn't. We'll have to check it out again in a few weeks. Jake wanted another book about the Civil War. "Not a book about it, but a story with real stuff in it." he says. We found a book called "Bull Run". He ran off with it and looked through it. He came back and told me that it must be from the Confederate point of view because the first pages are talking about Jefferson Davis as a good guy. Now seriously, what 7 year old would know that, other than a homeschooler?!

Tom got "Bridge to Terebithia" because he remembered that Nikki read it and liked it. He said he didn't like the movie much but maybe the book will be better.

Nikki got two books, a biography about John Lennon and some beatnik book. She wants to know more about these beatnik types. And she is already halfway through the John Lennon book. Too bad she has to start her online school again next week. I have been impressed with how much she has accomplished in music since she was on a break. She has started private lessons to go along with her group ones this week. It is fun to listen to them talk about music and show off what they know (and don't). :)