Field trip to America's Coolest Small Town..

The weather has been humid and dreary here. No school and a summer schedule that involves 2 hours of structured activity is great, if the sun is shining. However one these chilly days we need to find some sort of entertainment to keep everyone from killing each other..

So we packed up and took a field trip to The Wilbur Chocolate Factory.
I wasn't sure what to expect but certainly not what we found. lol

 
Two ladies working behind the wall was the only interesting aspect of the tour.
The place was packed and not at all handicapped accessible. 

 
So funny story:  We had been wandering around trying to see everything. I noticed this chocolate lotion off to the side, I thought oh, cool the kids will like this!!

I announced, GUYS CHECK THIS OUT, YOU CAN TRY IT! Immediately David jumped in, "me,me I want to try it." I was trying to keep tabs on everyone and  absently mindedly said "It's whip cream" (meaning its a whipped lotion) and squirted it into David's hand. He immediately LICKED IT OFF HIS HAND!! I grabbed his hand from his mouth and hissed "DON"T EAT THAT, IT'S LOTION!" I was horrified... we were already drawing attention with our not so little entourage.
The other kids all jumped to his defense. Apparently if you say "Try it" in a chocolate factory it is very likely your child will eat lotion! We burst into giggles which drew more attention to us, much to the horror of my boys. 

 So we quickly paid for our gold coins and headed out the door. That was one field trip we won't repeat! lol

                                                  

This is the outdoor elevator, and the only access to the chocolate factory. I was not impressed. They had a call button that we could push for assistance while we we were outside. No one came to answer the bell, I didn't trust leaving the kids outside alone while I went inside for assistance. So the boys and I hauled the wheelchair and the stroller up the stairs.  We did use it when we left. I think it is sad that some of these places are not more accessible.  The stress of accessing the building took all the fun out if for us.

There was all kinds of old cooking items...

Nesiah did enjoy the video on how chocolate is made.

There was chocolates of every kind and style...

 This town has some rich history. We had fun touring an old caboose and the old train station. My kids are into living history right now. Laura Ingalls Wilder books etc... so this little history tour was a fun surprise for us. We saw the old train station and a hotel across the street. We talked about how these little towns were an important part of our early American History.

This was the ticket window, where one might purchase tickets for their train ride.

A replica of an old cabin...

The old fashioned water fountain outside the train station.

The water fountain area in front of the station, alongside the railroad tracks.

Since we were bummed out with our visit to the chocolate factory and this town is rich with history and fun touristy things to do, we continued our tour at the pretzel factory. Check back later for that blog post!

packing up...

We are going on a vacation... we are going on a vacation... we are going on a vacation..

Packing for a big family is a challenge. Actually I don't mind packing, it's the unpacking and the organizing away from home that drives me crazy.

I have to adjust the way I pack since I have two high maintenance kids. It takes sooo much room!

In the past I had each of the four older kids grab a back pack and pack one outfit per day, plus socks and underwear for each day.

I then packed a suitcase with clothes for myself and Nesiah, then I would pack a bag or two of supplies for everyone. It made for the least amount of luggage and no fighting over clothes etc.. at the destination.

However with 2 kids with lots of diapers, medical supplies and special feeding requirements I have to figure out a new plan.
Instead of several small bags, I packed all special formulas, medications, diapers, wipes, swim diapers, chucks pads, and medical supplies into a big tub. This I packed today...

As usual I made a list for each item that my kids need. However, instead of handing each child a list and a  backpack to pack, I am asking them to bring the items to me. I am going to try something new this year.

I will take one outfit per child per day and roll them up nicely and pack it in one plastic bag, repeat it 5 times  then throw them all into a large suitcase.That gives each person an outfit a day plus extra outfit for each child. (35 outfits if you are counting) I also pack extra pants for Nesiah, as she often goes through more then one pair a day. Pj's, swimsuits, and beach towels will get their own tote. Hopefully this new plan will make for less mess in the motel room and less hassle in loading and unloading the van.

I will also take a tote filled with special books, toys, baby dolls, gloves etc.. each child gets to take one special thing for camp and one thing for the ride there.

It is still tons of stuff, but it will hopefully be better organized then in the past! We do ahve the big van but it can be a challenge to pack things in around the wheelchair securement system and the carseats. 

My Girl Graduated Kindergarten

This beautiful princess graduated from Kindergarten today. There was no fun little graduation, no fun little ceremonies at school...
Sometimes it drives me crazy... A year ago she should have been happily walking into her 1st grade classroom with a backpack on her back, new pencils in her bag, ready to join all her giggly girl friends in learning to read and write, in slumber parties and giggle fests... 

Instead she was picked up by a special bus and the aide wheeled her into her spot. She had her backpacked strapped to the back of her wheelchair. She did not understand when I told her where she was going.. with strangers. There was no happy giggles or skipping to class. 

Instead of learning to read and write, she is learning to play intentionally, go to the potty, stand and take steps on her own, and how to eat food by mouth. 

However, despite all the challenges facing her, she was a star student. She was one of the easiest, happiest kids in her class. She is loved by her teacher and her classmates. She made huge progress in her class. She learned many new skills....


Sometimes I want to cry for her. I cry for what she lost. I cry for what she could be. I cry for the lost childhood. I cry for the pain she has endured at the hands of those who were supposed to protect her.
Why God?

But I also see the beauty from the ashes.. The sweet angelic child whose gentle spirit impacts everyone who encounters her. The joy and the blessings she has brought into our lives. The gift of unconditional love she gives all of us...

Chickens 2 Me 1 I will win...

When we first moved here, there was no garden. however there was this really nice, very large, raised flower bed behind the garage. So i decided that would be my garden!

We moved in early winter, so it wasn't my first worry. But I did dump leaves and scraps on it over winter. I also collected shredded paper which I layered on top. I went out to a horse farm and collected several totes of horse manure which I hauled home in my van...

4 tiny pepper plants

The first spring, I tilled it all up and planted. The chickens destroyed everything.

3 small rows of green beans

That second winter I added leaves and grass clippings. The chickens scratched it up year round. 

The worst corner of the garden.. corn and weeds

I planted using the square foot method. I had high hopes..

tomatoes and potatoes. My little potato patch is BEAUTIFUL! 

The chickens attacked again. Total loss.

Peas and weeds.. with some onions intermingled. 

I tried again that same spring... my zuccini and one tomato plant survived the chickens... 

lettuce

That summer I got a new landlord who put up a new fence by my barn. A fence that actually contained the chickens!

Broccoli and weeds

This year my garden is THRIVING!!!!!

my quiet garden corner...

We have a huge amount of lettuce and onions already. The peas will be ready soon, along with the green beans.

I planted everything in small little plots, takes less room and less weeding. I covered everything with wood chips. I think I have at the moment the perfect mix of a garden compost.

I have potatoes, corn, green beans, peas, onions, lettuce, both spring and romaine, radishes, cucumbers, zuccini, broccoli, watermelon, peppers, and tomatoes. I don't have large quantities of anything, but just enough for fresh eating for us. It saves us from running to the roadside stands and it gives the kids unlimited fresh veggies. Yes, they go out to the garden and eat produce straight from the plants.

It is strawberry season...

Friday Encouragement

Today we are remembering some great miracles that God has worked in our "unbloggable" situation. We are remember and trusting. 

God is our hope, our strength, our solid ground. In him we trust. 

So often life is great, we float along. We deserve all the desires of our hearts. We are obedient. We are blessed. It's the grand christian life.
But it's not. God wants us to rely on him. He wants us to trust him for our every moment. He cares about the big things and the little things. But he is more worried about our hearts and souls then about our comforts.

We tend to have entitlement issues. I believe, I obey, I go to church. I just expect to blessed as a result. I just expect to have an easy life. But reality is God wants us to find joy in the hard moments. He wants to hold us up when we can't keep moving forward.

I say this over and over, because I need to hear it over and over again. and again. and then again...

This is my journey. God and I are on this journey together. For that I am thankful.

sleeping in..

For about 28 years I was the queen of sleeping in. I loved to sleep until 9 or 10 am. There is just nothing like slowly waking up and stretching before starting your day. 

(Nesiah has her own personal pool) 

However, having 6 kiddoes doesn't allow for much sleeping in. If momma is not up and out of bed before the kiddoes, the day does not go well... at all. 

(it is still a little cold)

This last year has really done a number on my sleep. I am surviving on less sleep then ever. However, I have finally moved into the stage where I LOVE getting up early or rather earlier. lol

(sometimes we lose the privilege of swimming, but relaxing in the hammock with a good book is second best) 

It is currently 9:30. My kids had eggs and grits for breakfast, Nesiah has been sent off to school. The house is picked up, dishes are washed and a load of laundry is in the washer, my baseboards were cleaned, my silverware drawer and my bathroom sinks wiped out, and the inside windows were washed.

The kids are swimming in the pool and I am enjoying the peace and quiet of the moment. (I can hear the screaming swimmers through the open window)

The feeling of satisfaction that comes from rising early and getting a good start is worth rolling out of bed at 6:30. It has taken me many years to get to this point...