What's Got Your Goat?

Wow! What an exciting weekend we have had at the farm! We welcomed Sophie and Ellie, three month old pygmy goats for our kiddos. And we started our dairy goat venture by bringing in Cocoa, a three year old Nigerian Dwarf. She is bred and due in July.
Within 30 minutes of being here, Sophie took off and busted right through the electric fence. She was so nervous and scared. Who could blame her since we took her from her Mama?! It took us almost an hour to get her contained and in the barn. Ellie is a little calmer. Our goal is to train them to be on leads. We are going to work with them every day so they can get used to us and not be afraid. Miss Cocoa has discovered all the green leafy goodies that she can handle. She does great on a lead but sure did take Drew for a ride when she first hit the pasture area. Hopefully, by the weekend, everyone can leave the barn for good and be comfortable in their new home.
We still have so much to learn, especially with Cocoa expecting her babies in July. I'm excited to milk her and learn to make different things with her milk. I'm nervous...but I gotta start somewhere and just get my feet wet.

Stopping To Take A Breath....Busy Times On The Farm

The past couple of weeks at Ellis Farms have been a whirlwind of activity. We are busy prepping our garden, bringing more chickens onto the farm, putting up cedar fencing and learning all about DAIRY GOATS! In about 3 weeks, we will be bringing a registered Nigerian Dwarf named Cocoa to the farm. She is pregnant, due in July. Our kids are super excited for these new additions. I'm self-educating myself and learning all I can about dairy goats before she gets here. Our goal is to milk her, help her raise her babies, and hopefully grow a dairy herd from there. I'd like to learn how to make cheese and soap once we get the hang of things.

 I have to brag on the hubby and my father-in-law. He has worked his rear off building the goat barn, putting up the fencing, and getting our garden ready. All that while working 40-50 hours a week at his full time job. He even built the most beautiful cedar gate leading to the chicken coop. I'm so proud of it. He did a wonderful job!

Our next goal, once the veggies get going is to sign up to be vendors at our local farmers market. I'm so excited about this!!! I think it will be fun dealing with the public in a very different want than I do during the "8-5". Stay tuned!

Growing Pains

Lately, as a parent, I look at myself and I think....What the hell are you doing? I hear from friends that it's normal to question yourself in terms of "Am I doing this right? Am I saying the right thing? Did I handle this correctly?" But sometimes, especially now, I feel like I walk around with a big DUNCE cap on my head.

Our oldest is 11. He starts middle school in 4 months. I AM NOT READY!!!!! He's my baby boy. Yes he hates when I refer to him as this (only at home, not in public). But that's how I feel. I'm not ready for him to grow up. I'm not ready for him to be exposed to what's coming. I am a control freak. I am self-diagnosed as OCD....haha. And I hate, with a passion, that I don't have control over this. I like him being naive. I like him not knowing about alot of things.

Drew has been a Cub Scout for the past two years. Last week, he "crossed over" to the Boy Scout program......a big ceremony to symbolize going from a boy to a man. Last week, the "sex" video was shown to the 5th graders so that was Drew's first exposure (or at least I prefer to think it was) to the topic in any great detail. That night, I went to him and talked to him about it. I asked him if he had any questions or if there was anything he wanted to talk to his Dad or I about. In typical boy fashion, his answer was "Nope". So now I'm left to wonder what the heck is going on in his head?

But...I'm realistic. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I'm scared. Deep down, I'm scared as hell for him and society as it stands now. Working with juvenile delinquents, I see and hear all kinds of things. I don't want my son to even remotely know what being a juvenile delinquent might be like. My niece started middle school this year and as a pre-teen female...it has flipped her for a loop!!!!

The changes are happening. I see it. His moods are bonkers. He's testing his limits with us more. Most days I want to kill him. 

I just pray that we can lead him in the right direction, help him to make the right choices, and pray to God that we don't screw up too bad.

      

Gettin' Our Veggie On

The last couple of weekends at Ellis Farms have been pretty busy. Since we both have full time jobs, the weekends are when we get the biggest chunk of work done on the farm. We've begun our gardening for the new season and planted out "cold ground" veggies. So far, we've done potatoes, cabbage, spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, red onion, and sweet onion. We also planted 3 blueberry bushes of different varieties. Looking forward to the harvest!

 

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

About a year ago, we began making our own liquid laundry detergent. What a savings!!!! We're talking that it costs only a FEW CENTS per load of laundry. When I bought our initial supplies to make the first batch, it cost around $7- $8. We are still using the original box of Borax and box of Washing Soda. The only thing I have had to restock was the Fels-Naptha Soap and it's $1 a bar. I've bought 3 bars in a year. My husband is who actually makes it each time. It takes him about 20 minutes. It makes 2 gallons of liquid each time. That 2 gallons lasts our family of 4 approximately two months. I've got you thinkin', haven't I?
YES!!! My clothes are clean! YES!!! They smell good. YES!!! It's worth the extra effort. The $$$$$ savings ALONE should convince you!!! If you buy it in the store....This stuff ain't cheap!!!

Here is our recipe:

Get a pot that is large enough to hold 6 cups of liquid. Get it on the stovetop at around Medium temp.
Grate 1/3 of a bar of Fels-Naptha Soap into 4 cups of hot water (NOT BOILING). Stir until it's dissolved.
Add 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. Stir until it's dissolved.
Add 1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax. Stir until it's dissolved.
In a two gallon container (we use an old laundry detergent container that we had saved), add two cups of WARM water then pour the dissolved liquid mixture into the container. *I suggest using a funnel and another set of hands to help with this.
Fill the remaining space in the container up with more warm water. Then let it cool.
*Some folks will add essential oils like lavender for added scent, but we don't. I like the natural clean smell just from the original ingredients.

About a 1/2 cup per load is what you would need.

NOTE: Each time you use the detergent, you will need to shake the jug because the gel settles out when it sits.

It is safe for HE washers (this is what we have). This recipe does not "suds up". It cleans. It doesn't make bubbles.

Now go get started!!!!

Our Two Priorities

Working with at-risk youth for 17 years has taught me one thing.....in the blink of an eye, ALL children.....regardless of race, religion, upbringing, etc could be deemed "at-risk". I have seen it all.
As a parent, I strive every day to show my own two kids the right path. I can only pray that they make the right choice. I'm realistic. They will screw up. They will make mistakes. But I will hold them accountable. I will not make excuses for them. I will do that, because it's my job. It's not my job to be their friend.

What You Might See Here

Seriously....I'm as normal as can be. BUT, I have certain quirks and oddities that I find interesting that you may see pop up on here from time to time.

I am addicted to mindless reality TV. I can't help it. It's like a train wreck and I can't look away. Some of my favorites are So You Think You Can Dance, The Amazing Race, Survivor, American Idol, The Voice, Hoarders, American Pickers....God I could list a thousand!!!

I love 80's music. I was born in 1972 so it fits and I can't lose it. I have an insane taste in music....anything from RUSH to Lil Wayne to Korn and Metallica.....all the way to Rascal Flatts, George Strait, and Jason Aldean. I love just about anything. My co-workers get a taste of my craziness because I tend to sing and typically the computer has Pandora playing so you never know what's coming out of the speakers at any given time.

We love to eat at my house. Good old home southern cookin'! And my weight reflects it. That being said, I've been on a weight loss journey since July 2012. I have lost almost 35 lbs and I have drastically changed my eating habits and I'm exercising more. I still have a long way to go though. 

I am an avid reader and I love crime shows. I own a Kindle Fire and it is never far from my reach. I love the written word and I encourage my kids to do the same. I have read the Twilight series, 50 Shades, Hunger Games. The next series I hope to start soon is the Sookie Stackhouse series. I love mystery suspense books which goes along with the crime shows. Some of my favorite authors are Kathy Reichs, James Patterson, and Patricia Cornwell.
We watch Bones, Criminal Minds, and CSI. I getting into the new show, The Following, as well.


An oddity in my TV watching....The Walking Dead. I've always been a fan of horror movies as well but I'm OBSESSED with this show!!!!!