Currently

Currently it is very hot outside so it is the perfect time to be in and catching up on my blog. Currently I am babysitting my nieces for a couple days while their parents go to a Couples Camp in CA. Currently the girls are playing at their Granny's while Shyla and Brooklynn take naps. Currently it is almost time to start school and I am so not ready; I have the curriculum I'm just not 'mentally' ready for school yet-summer has currently gone by way to fast!! Currently the weeds are still putting up quite the battle but I am making a significant dent in them. Currently, Bryan is relaxing and reading a magazine; he just got back from doing errands-good man. Currently, I am starting to get tired of thinking of current things so here are some pictures that were taken very recently-they are current.

Marisa, Christian, Killian and Jessie walking from Granny's to our house to play.

Partners in crime!

Double the trouble!

The "current" reasons for double the trouble, partners in crime with another one training.
They seem so proud of themselves-currently.

This is very current-like yesterday type current.

I was doing my best not to bust up at the "current" joke that Bryan had currently made.

I think I really like this current picture of me. I am my own worst critic when it comes to pictures of me.

Okay, Jessie is currently, really trying to look a lot older than what she is. She came up with this outfit on her own-I promptly sent her back to her room and said "try again" sweetie. It kind of startled me when she came out of her room with her current design-what has she currently been veiwing???

Yep! This says it all about Marisa's current status. "Sgt. Little Miss"

That's the current update on things around here.

Please check back later for more current news.

This is Ambur currently signing out.

" Have a good day"

Butchering

Warning: The following was rated PG-13 for graphic images.


This post is a bit over-due since this event took place a few weeks ago but I have hardly sat still for..............a long time and well, its starting to get to me regarding the blog so please accept my apology.............again.
The event that you are wondering about, butchering chickens! These chickens are ready to butcher in 8 wks-they grow really fast. They're like mini turkeys. Anyhow, I have never butchered chickens before so Judy was kind enough to come over and help with this event. She's had lots of practice-she's a pro. I had no problem on the method of killing but wasn't sure how to proceed after that. We didn't do all of the chickens in one day as that would of taken all day-we did half, 12. Jerry, my dad and later my mom all showed up to help-it was greatly appreciated. We finished the rest the following week.
Okay, last warning-not for the faint-hearted.

Step 1. After catching said chickens, kill them.
This is quite messy! So we didn't have chickens running around with their heads cut off, I hung them up before they were beheaded. (don't worry, the knife was very sharp-I got compliments on how quick I was) This way also allows them to drain too.

Step 2. Plucking

Here we are all gathered around the table for the joyous task of plucking. (this is the worst part of the whole thing as far as I'm concerned) Wet dogs don't campare to wet chickens; neither do goats, cats or horses-I would rather gut a deer-hands down!!) THEY STINK!!!

The best and easiest way to pluck them is to first dip them into very hot water-the feathers come out much easier.

Ummm..............Jerry was having a lot of fun-maybe to much.

This is a very tedious process. Your fingers get tired.

After they were all plucked, they were then gutted, cut up, wrapped and put in the freezer. Sorry there are no pics of this. Guts are guts and they are gross and we have all seen a cut up chicken and freezer paper is boring and the freezer isn't any better. Bryan thought that the rest of it may be too graphic anyways-I think I agree.

I tried to get the girls involved a bit more but they weren't really interested in touching them now. I can't imagine why.

Soccer

I wasn't sure about this decision that was originally made by Bryan and Granny Judy but it turned out good for both me and the kids. I needed some structure and routine in my chaotic life. I've never been a real outgoing person(that depends on whats going on) and I never played any sports; never was pressured do to so and never had the desire. I'm sure that catching lizards, snakes, bike riding, swimming, etc.... offered me more. My mom had to draw the line with the tarantulas-silly person. Do I have any regrets.........no, I'm quite content with my decision.
Anyhow, Jessie was asked when soccer sign-ups first started if she wanted to play and she said no but then, of course, later changed her mind; she's a girl, she can do that and its okay.

This was at her first game; the day after her first practice. This is also the first time she had ever seen a soccer game played-poor girl, she was lost-she did twice as much running as any of her other team mates had done(she wasn't quite sure she wanted to play again).

They didn't have their uniforms yet; so not only did she not know how to play soccer, she wasn't sure who any of her teammates were.

Have you ever seen a new born horse try to use its long legs?

it takes a while to get some cordination, she definitly has her own gate when it comes to running.

One stride after another..........

Finally something that will help these kids know who they are playing against and who they supposed to be helping. This helped a lot!!

Unfortunalty after about an hour in the sun(it was hot) and a lot of effort, her team lost this go around, but as they have continued to practice and play everybody has a much better understanding of how to play and they are doing much better.

After watching her sister play and practice, Marisa decided that she wanted to play too. She has proven to be a bit more of a natural when it comes to cordination and kicking a ball-her attitude helps a lot too.

Here she is playing her first game. Since she was late signing up, they didn't have a t-shirt for her yet, (she's the one in the pink)

Waiting patiently.

Game faces..........get ready............(levetation helps with this process, apparently)

GO!!

She knows she's cute even when playing soccer

While waiting, it helps to swing your arms............... I may have to try this.

By the way, her team is the one in orange. I think I neglected to mention this earlier; Jessie's team is orange too.

Watching and waiting.

After watching the littler guys play, the coaches are more tired then the kiddo's; its more like "herd " control, they run around just as much as the kids trying to tell them what to do as they play and then have to round them up when they all go running after the ball that has left the field. Again, practice and experience are helping a lot and they have improved greatly.

New Do's

As most of you probably know and have seen, Marisa has a new do; hair do. She tossed the idea back and forth after Jessie had her hair cut and then finally decided that she wanted it done. I think its really cute and it makes her look a lot older than what she is(not really a bonus); it has alos made it easier to care for because she can brush now, all by herself!


This is one of her favorite dolls and she loves even more after getting her hair cut because.....

they're identical!- hair cut, freckles and even the eyes. I never had a doll made after me, hmmmm(not sure I would of cared to much).

Anyhow, she is quite proud of her new do; it has seemed to of had an affect on her attitude too; she's all of a sudden been maturing a lot lately. Okay-no more hair cuts, for either of them!! ( I doubt that will work)

Thanks to a friend the girls have new hats to wear around too! Camo hats!!

Yes, she looks a bit tired-it was getting late.