We are living in a sick house over here. Everyone is sick. First it was the chicken pox that kept us home for two weeks. Then it was this yucky stomach bug that kept us in, vomiting and wretching. Still this doesn't stop the begging to go out-

"Mom, PLEASE can we go the gymnastics Christmas party, please, please, please!" said from the bed still covered in towels from last nights vomitfest.

"I'm all better now-can I have my advent chocolate?"

"But I want to go to Grandma's! WAHHH!!!"

Remember that post when I wrote about how nice it was to stay home and get things done? Well, now I am desperate for a little time away from the kids. Last night I went to the grocery store alone and I felt like I was on vacation. I didn't want to come home to needy children and soiled sheets and mountains of laundry.

Today is looking up. No one threw up during the night. C. wanted sausages for breakfast. F got dressed right away. We'll see.

Gobble, gobble!

Thanksgiving Day morning I ran a 5 mile turkey trot. It was so last minute-I didn't know if B was going to have to work, I didn't know if M would break out with the pox, there were a lot of variables. But by Wednesday PM I decided to run it. I really needed the endorphins after a long week of sick kids and depressing evening running.

I wanted to break 39:00 (I figured a nice just under 8 minute mile pace with a quick first mile and last mile would do it)

It was huge-thousands of runners. I was swept up by the rush at the start and bolted out in the first mile. My first mile was 6:30-ish (I am guessing as I missed the mile marker and didn't check my watch until someone said "first mile" behind me). Way, way too fast-I really could not believe I was going that fast, but then I started to feel it in the second mile. My second mile was around 14. I was way under pace, and I knew I was running out of steam. Really, the next 3 miles was aq battle, as my body and my mind protested the whole way. I finished in 37:23. Way, way faster than I ever would have predicted. In fact, just over the 3 mile mark I was still under 22 minutes! All summer long I tried to break 23 minutes for a 5k, and here I was in a 5 mile race a whole minute FASTER than I had run all summer in 5k's.
At the end I got my free pumpkin pie, said hello to a local runner I see occasionally (she beat me by a minute-dang it, she is so darn fast), and drove home.

I really honestly am kind of in shock over my super fast time. I had no idea I could still run that fast. That first mile was as fast as some of my first miles over 10 years ago when my 5k's were always in the 21 minute range. I think the fact that I put in some good solid 20 mile weeks in September and October helped me, and I really cannot discount the orthotics. Those orthotics are the BEST thing I have done for my running, EVER. My feet haven't hurt me since I started wearing them-and even though the rest of my body was totally sore on Friday, my feet were not. And maybe I really am getting stronger. I kind of thought I had reached a plateau, but maybe I am stronger than I thought.

So anyway, this race was a nice reminder to me that I CAN accomplish time goals if I truely do work hard enough. The thing is, I really don't like to work all that hard. When I am racing I reach a point where I am just not going to push myself anymore, even if I know I am capable of going faster. I just don't do it. I am not a super ultra competitive runner (anymore), even with myself. But that 5 mile time certainly was a nice boost!

We've been cooped up this past week while F. and C. suffered through the chicken pox. Honestly, it was not as bad as I thought it would be. About 3 itchy days and then the spots started to scab over. M. has not broken out yet, and I am amazed. How could he have not have contracted this when he was exposed at the same time as the other two? So now we have to wait another 10-21 days to see if he breaks out from exposure to his own brother and sister *sigh*

So anyway, the kids have been lounging around, and I'll tell ya, I could get used to this lounging around business. Not having to go anywhere or do anything for a week has been agreeing with me. I am enjoying sipping my tea and snuggling under a blanket to watch Elf for the hundredth time with the kids. I got all the ironing done. I was able to run for 5 evenings in a row. The house is neat and schoolwork is done. It feels good to ditch committments and relax.

Here's a pic of the damage on my lovely C:



And a puzzle we finished in two days (only becuase we were home of course. Otherwise it would have sat on the table for a week). It's a winter one, but it's cold enough here to be winter so it's fitting-plus it's pretty:

I just want to be able to make a quiche

We FINALLY have another layer. One of the Delawares started to lay this past week at 28 weeks. That is 9 whole weeks after Penny started to lay and 5 weeks after Sugar. Why so darn long? And what I can't believe is that there are still 2 Delawares who aren't laying yet, as well as our little Easter Egger.

What's up chickens?

Last year all of my pullets were laying by 22 weeks. We are barely getting 2 dozen eggs a week at this point, which is really pathetic considering we have 11 hens. But when you have 3 that still won't lay, and 5 that are seriously molting, then I guess 3-4 eggs a day is okay.

*Sigh* Still, I am not used to not having enough eggs. I actually had to ration them out last week to make sure I would have enough to boil later in the week.

My bet is this: The last 2 remaining Delawares will start to lay by 30 weeks, the Easter Egger by 32

Happy 6, little C.

What can I say about C?

She is as delicious as a strawberry.
Her eyes sparkle like blue sapphires.
Her enthusiasm is unmatched, but she can also be as quiet as a mouse.
Her hands love to draw, color, paint, glue, sew, and hold her teddy tight.
Her legs are strong and love to jump, dance and kick.
She is about a million times smarter than any 6 year old should be, certainly more so than I was at 6.
She is an older sister and a younger sister, a leader and a follower.
She has a loose tooth!
She finds beauty in nature and the world around her
She is unashamed to pray aloud (unlike her mother)
She still believes that all wishes can come true
She is my only daughter and a part of my soul

Happy Birthday C!

I'm back

I've been away for a bit due to some computer issues, and having to use B.'s ultra non-user friendly laptop for the past couple of weeks.
During that time we found out that chickens love pumpkin:


And we had our first snow. Just a dusting, but enough for snowballs and a snow angel:



My beautiful daughter also turned 6, which I will post on in a bit.

Goodnight garden, sleep tight.

The garden is done. We have had two weeks of frosts and freezes, and I finally was able to go out today and put the garden to bed for the winter. I pulled out all the dead tomato and pepper plants, shoveled chicken manure over bare spots, and lamented over my poor peas that barely blossomed before the cold shriveled up the tender blooms.


It always feels good to leave the garden for the winter. The summer maintenance gets to be a drag, and this fall was very dry and I had to do as much watering as I did in the summer. After the first freeze I let the chickens in the garden and they were in heaven. All summer long they stare at the garden, probably dreaming of fresh greens and fat earthworms. They literally ran in as soon as I opened the gate. Now I can leave the gate open for them until late-April when I begin to plant again, and they can dig, scratch, poop, and dust-bathe until their hearts are content. I did cover my garlic patch with a blanket temporarily, and I will have to put some kind of netting over it for the winter so they don't scratch up the cloves.


I still have a little work to do. I am moving my compost pile over a bit, and I would like B. to till certain areas. I also need to find some cement blocks or heavy rocks to hold down the cardboard that I have spread over the grass where I am expanding the garden.

Then I can let the garden get a good, long, restful sleep.