Broken Clavicle

On Tuesday 1-22 Wallace pulled an appliance dolly down onto himself and he broke his clavicle with the back of his hand. He has what is known as a "green line" fracture. It looks like a small raised splinter. It is not bruised very much and it will heal in a few weeks. He has to wear a sling for one week to reduce the inflammation. He does not like the sling. We modified it with a safety pin and a leg warmer so now it doesn’t rub his neck and he can't take it off. He cries about his bone in the night and he fusses about it during the day.

His bone and the sling have not stopped him one bit. He is still climbing everything. He still runs around like a quail and bounces off of the furniture like a pinball.

On the same day Wallace broke his clavicle we drove to Corning and bought a new trailer. It is wonderful; I have been really enjoying cooking and eating in my new kitchen. The trailer has a nice big bathroom with a tub. It has a kitchen with a pretty big table and a big living room. It has my entire list of wants: a propane fridge, linoleum floors, a big kitchen table and a bathtub. All of the storage and the nice stove are just a bonus.

So far this week we have only had one day without a Doctors appointment.

Mr. Big Fluff

 Dylan started building a goat pen with a roof. We went to Chico and picked up a trailer load of pallets. Dylan took them apart and his goat pen is well on its way. We will need to make a few more pallet runs before his masterpiece is completed. We found some old wooden fencing in a pile that may have some use left in it, but it may also be rotten. I have found a lot of old hardware like hinges, faucets and latches; they are all rusted and unusable. I also found the tailgate to a red Chevrolet truck half buried.

Monday 1-21, on our walk Wallace and I discovered a ton of miniature daffodils around an old homestead. Some of them had already bloomed and they smelled wonderful. We kept walking and we found an old refrigerator. Inside were two blue enamel metal vegetable drawers. I took them out and punched holes in the bottom. I transplanted some of the daffodils into each one and I put the "pots" in front of my main gate. I wanted to put them inside of our fenced in homestead area in front of the chicken coop but Dylan said the goats would eat them. One of the goats slipped out of the gate behind Dylan and made a beeline for the flowers and ate the heads off of three of the flowers.

I also found a number of old jars today and some really beautiful large river rock at the same homestead as I found the flowers. I think the same person who planted the flowers brought those rocks onto the property. I brought back two of the rocks and I plan on painting on them. I think they will make fun decorations for the party and maybe even game prizes. Guests can put them in there gardens as yard art.

Wallace loves to play outside with his rake and shovel. Dylan put out a pile of saw dust for him to dig in. He has a little bucket that he fills with saw dust. He also chases the chickens and throws a shovel full of saw dust at them.

Wild Baby of Oregon City

 We saw a very funny sight in Paradise. We saw an old lady riding a motorcycle on the sidewalk. She was going the wrong direction and she wasn't wearing a helmet.

Thank heaven for chewable tylenol

Thursday 1-24 Wallace finally cut three of the four teeth that he has coming in. The poor boy also has a diaper rash. It's been raining and he is stuck inside. The boy probably feels like he's being tortured. Wallace has come up with a few new past times since he broke his clavicle. He likes to empty out my purse.

Yours, oh Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory. In your hand are power and might to exalt and to give strength to all.  1 Choron. 29:11a,12b

These two signs are hanging in the orthopedists office that is treating Wallace.

Ask and it shall be given to you;
Seek and you will find;
Knock and the door shall be opened
Matthew 7:7

Mid Jan 2013

 As I have told you we live on Table Mountain. The main road is called Cherokee and Cherokee runs straight on the very top of the flat mountain for a few miles. There are cows up on the flats and as we drive through them we always slow down so that Wallace can get a good look at them. As we were driving past the cows Dylan and I saw something funny recently.  A calf had gotten out of the fence and was running away from the herd on the side of the road. Inside of the fence it's mother was chasing it. We were going slowly so we saw them running for over a half-mile before we passed them. All three of us laughed at the cows.
 On our road we have to go through three gates to get onto the road leading to Cherokee Rd; there are cows of all shapes and sizes inside of the gates. Some cows with great big horns and some painted in wild patterns. We get to drive right past where our neighbors feed them. They often stand in the road and we have to wait for them to move before we can drive past them. I'm scared to honk at them because they each weigh more than half as much as our van and I don't want them to turn those horns on us!!
 I have had a really full and fun few weeks. Aside from grocery shopping and washing diapers we have gone over to our friends Jeremy and Randi's house for a turkey dinner, and we have also gone to a number of thrift stores. We found a great big entertainment wall unit from the 70's to put in our chicken coup. It makes up 7 roosts. We got it for the price of one commercial nesting box. Also, I have a new chicken love. One of our Silkys is a big beautiful white rooster. He struts around and crows all day. I named him Mr. Big Fluff. He hasn’t warmed up to me yet but he comes to my window to crow and scratch around. I love to watch him; he is a beautiful, beautiful bird. I have been pressing the rooster button one of Wallace's toys that makes noise and Mr. Big crows back; it's really fun.

We did have one sad thing happen. Dylan brought home the tiniest goat one cold night. It was the runt of the litter and we only had it for 4 days before it died. It was about 4 pounds and it had scours. It was always shaking and it stood in what is knows as a sickly stance. Dylan was of coarse very upset about the goats passing. He learned a few unforgettable lessons about farming from the little goat. Not all animals live and that is something we have to except since this is the business we have chosen to be in. Dylan is very strong but I know this was hard for him.

 My friend Nicole and I drove to Chico for the day on Wednesday 1-16. We went to story time at the Barns & Noble. Wallace and her daughter Tari had a really fun time. They got to play with lots of other little ones, run, climb steps, play with toys like: puppets (Wallace's favorite), big logos, stuffed animals, trains, and books. I found a book there that I really wanted for him but sadly I have other things I need more than that book this month.

After story time we went to Koles, a mall type store where you can get anything. Wallace got a talking book for Christmas that didn't work so I needed to return it. I was able to find him the most perfect book it's called "Around The Farm" by Eric Carle for the same amount as the store credit I got back. Eric Carle is one of my favorite illustrators. The book has 30 different animals. It has buttons to push that say the animal’s names and then the make the animal noises. When we got home tonight we all played with the book for over an hour. I can tell already that it is going to be a big favorite.

  Next we went to the Trader Joe's, a specialty grocery store.  I had a cup of really good coffee called Pea Berry, and Nicole and I bought a pound of it to split. I got a few things I can only get there like red curry sauce. I have been concerned that Wallace hasn't been getting enough vegetables in his diet so I bought him some green juice. He likes it ok but he is yet to finish a cup of it.

Speaking of nutrition, I realized after doing a little arithmetic that I am only getting around 800 calories a day after I subtract all the exercise I get. This is a big deal. After I tallied up all my calories I got up and ate about 1,500 calories and then I felt a little sick. I even woke up in the night and was sick! I am planning on tallying up my calories every day for the rest of my pregnancy to make sure I'm staying as healthy as possible.

 

 After the grocery store and a little lunch we went to the Cost Plus World Market. The store is like going to a flea market with only the best stuff. I didn't buy anything but Wallace and I had a great time looking around.

I had a good time in the city but I felt like a hillbilly. I have begun to feel uncomfortable, as I get closer to my due date; it's only 11 weeks away. I waddle a little now and I feel frumpy in my maternity clothes. For me pregnancy is not a time that I feel beautiful even though everyone tells me that I'm glowing. I feel awkward in my own body and that never feels good. Helena is growing and kicking steadily. She has gotten big enough to kick me in the ribs and press on my bladder at the same time.

 On Friday 1-18 We all drove to Paradise and went to Bille Park. The park had a few fun playgrounds and miles of trails. We took a switch back trail down to a grotto and a waterfall. Wallace had a really good time holding Dylan's hand and walking on the trail while I pushed the stroller behind them. He walked for about a mile.

We ate tacos for lunch and then we went to a thrift store and I found a pair of little purple pants for Helena and some soft fabric I can make 6 new baby wipes out of. I got the pants and the fabric for 35 cents. I love thrift shopping. For $6.75 I have now acquired: 6 night gowns, 5 pairs of socks, 2 shirts, 3 pairs of pants and 4 onsies for Helena. I think I may need 2 cardigans for her still but other than that I think she may be set for her first 3 months. We have been saving most of Wallace’s clothes and he has a lot of gender-neutral things for her to wear. The best part of all of these little garments is they are mostly Classic Winnie The Pooh, or they have rabbits on them. I must say I feel pretty proud of my shopping and bargaining skills!

After the thrift store we drove up the mountain a bit to the town of Yankee Hill. There was snow on the ground. It was a beautiful day for a drive and it was nice to spend a day with my boys.

 My baby shower is going to be on the 23rd of February. We are planning a Valentines theme. I'm getting excited. I want to go shopping to find a pretty red or purple shirt to wear to the party. I have been brain storming decoration ideas and registry items. I realized that registering anywhere but a diaper website is a little unnecessary. I made a list of the things we will need. The things we need are things from hardware stores, home goods, and even things from thrift shops. I have decided to include a list of needs in the invitation so that if a guest wants to give us 10 feet of extension cord they don't use, a pants hanger and a pack of clothespins they can, without needing to go to Target or Wal-Mart and print out a registry list.

 

 Dylan and I are planning on putting together a laundry room. We will put a washer in a shed so that I can wash diapers as often as I need to. Right now we are going to a Laundromat every few days and it takes us 5 hours round trip just to wash diapers. That is going to be imposable when the new baby arrives. If the new baby needs changed as often as Wallace did the first few weeks we will need to wash every day, not including our laundry. Since we are getting a new trailer and ripping the kitchen out of the one we have now I want to move the water tank to the laundry room so that we won't have to run the well the entire time we are running the washer.

 

If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden... 

Happy New Year

 New Years Day 2013

My Love Bunnies

We had a very fun new years day! Dylan and I woke up early as usual to feed our goats and then we came back into the house and had an hour or so to talk and enjoy each other before Wallace woke up. Once he was awake we ate breakfast in bed, played with puppets and read a story.

Wallace and JJ

It was a beautiful sunny, cold day. All three of us got bundled up and took the trailer out to collect firewood. Wallace and I were toddling up the dunes and brought back deadfall branches. Wallace carried small branches back himself. Wallace and I weren’t much help; we spent most of our time walking up and down the road looking for cows to moo at. But, I was able to scout out plenty of good wood for Dylan to load in the trailer on our cow hunt. Once we had unloaded the wood Wallace had the rubber mallet and he was hitting branches with it trying to help his Papa process them. Then he climbed onto the trailer and threw off all the little sticks; he is so helpful. After all our hard work we ate minestrone soup for lunch and then all three of us took a nap.

The New Flock

Our friend Jeremy came over in the afternoon with his 10 month old JJ. He brought us some pork, a Red Waddler, he had just butchered and we barbequed it over oak wood. We ate it with applesauce and it was delicious.

Two Silkies

Wallace and JJ had a good play. JJ just started walking and Wallace would take his hand and him walk over to fun things like the chicken coup and the sawdust pile. Wallace loves to play frisbee and he was trying so hard to get JJ to play with him. JJ just wanted to hold the frisbee. Jeremy and I would throw the frisbee so Wallace could go hunt it and try to throw it back.

Patience 

After dinner our friend left and I remembered that I didn't make black eyed peas! I started to kick myself because Jeremy even brought us pork. I started to realize that this would be my first new years without black-eyed peas in recent memory, and I was getting pretty upset. I know that may sound irrational but please remember Dear Readers that I am pregnant. Dylan had a suggestion, "let's eat the peas dried." I thought that was a great idea. I got out the peas and we each ate two dried black-eyed peas, even Wallace.

Butters

 The story behind the tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Years Day, if you are wondering, is this. In the South during the Civil War, after the Yankees had ransacked the communities all the food that was left in the towns were grain silos of black-eyed peas. At that time in history black-eyed peas were not people food but rather live stock feed. Since there was no longer any livestock and the people were starving they turned to the peas. We eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day to celebrate the resilience and adaptability of the American People. It is thought of as "good luck" and said to bring prosperity to the coming year.

The New Flock

We had a wonderful Christmas Holiday. Except for a landslide of toys for Wallace and a fine box of See's chocolates we received nothing but practical gifts and we were over joyed!! With some of our gifts we were able to expand our menagerie. We drove through the town of Loma Rica on the way home from Winters and picked up two female goats. They are bottle babies, one and three weeks old. 

 They are playful clowns and affectionate. One is a white Sannan Bore cross and I named her Sugar Foot. The other is a painted brown and white Nubian Bore cross and Dylan named her Patience. Patience had turned out to be quite an ironic name. They are sisters. We plan on breading them for their delicious meat and trying our hand at cheese making. Sugar foot will only eat for me. The first few days I had to force-feed her and we were nervous she was not going to make it. We started adding whole cows milk to her formula and she has started to drink on her own. Hopefully she will thrive. These girls will never be up for slaughter so Dylan is going to harness train them to pull a cart. He even bought a book about it.

The Coop

We also expanded our flock of chickens. Dylan built a 20 by 10 foot chicken coup and Wallace and I lined the out side with scrap metal I salvaged off the property and big rocks I dug up. We drove to the town of Gerber and picked up a flock of 8 silkeys for a very good price. We gave our friends a Silkey Rooster as a Christmas gift and that leaves us with six hens. Butters my pet chicken is a silkey. They sell very well as ornamental birds. People in suburbs enjoy them because of how cute they are also, they can not fly. We bought butters for $15. The hens can sell for more, depending on the color up to $50. This may turn out to be a tidy income for us.

  Dylan and I are doing the best we ever have out here. Our marriage is very strong. We both feel a profound connection to our creator God living this new pioneer adventure and that has been very good for us. We are raising Wallace with a lot of love and trying to be the best examples of God's love we can be. We are happy and God has blessed us. 

Taken Today 1-6-2013

 We had a major blessing on Saturday. Since we have been in Oroville we have been cooking outside on a camp stove using propane. We have been buying it 2 pounds at a time in small 1-pound cans for almost $6. With some of our Christmas money I was planning on buying an adaptor for our empty 20 pound tanks and having them refilled for a much better price per pound. When Dylan went to load the tanks into the van he found them both full. Praise God. Those tanks have been empty for a year. I only had to spend $19 on the adapter instead of the $60 I was planning on.

Sugar Foot and Willow