'Mother Shot by 6 year old Sharp Shooter'

I went in to tuck the boys in bed and was sitting on the floor by DJ's lower bunk bed when I felt something hit me in the back. I leaned back to look up to the upper bunk when I was hit again!! Dylan was sticking empty bullet casings in his nose and shooting me with them! Lovely! I must admit that he has good aim and is a quick re-loader! I am sure that this picture will be used as blackmail in the future!

Pete

Well, here we go again! We have added another new pet to our family! After Dana's accident on her horse in November, she has been very scared to get back in the saddle. We started to toy with the idea of getting a pony to ease her back into riding. If you know me, you know that I am the one who likes change and likes new things (especially animals)! Dave, on the other hand is much more systematic in his approach and takes time to think and pray about things. I found an add on Craigslist about this pony for sale that was kid friendly. Dave said that we needed to begin praying. I thought that we needed to go look at the pony so that I would know what God was telling me! We had a trip planned to Kearney, Mo. to see grandma and grandpa on Wednesday afternoon. The pony was located just a little ways away from them. That would be about 5 days to wait. Of course, my theory was that we needed to see the pony before it would sell! Dave disagreed. He felt that if God wanted us to have the pony it would still be available. I decided that I should call the owner to tell her that we would see the pony on Wednesday if he was still available. She asked me if I had gotten her message earlier in the evening. I told her no and she continued to tell me that she decided to hold the pony for us to view him on Wednesday! I was thrilled! She wanted Dana to have a chance to bond with a pony if he was the one for her.

We finished our visit with Dave's mom and her husband and loaded up to visit the pony. Come to find out that she lived only four minutes away from their house! Pete was standing in a lot with two goats and a mini horse. He was a bit shy but Dana was the first to ride him. She was very scared but kept herself perfectly composed. She said that he was the pony for her and she put him on the trailer.


Pete has been here for two days and he has been brushed 15 times and been on many walks around the yard. Dana said that he smelled good the first time she saw him...now that is a true horse lover! Dalton made a comment that Pete's muzzle was kind of ugly with the spots. Dana turned to him with a shocked look and nicely said, "Dalton, I love his nose!" We look forward to future rides on Pete and thank God for all of the times that he was looking out for us and cared enough to guide us to a special little pony!

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men
who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,
and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;
another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or
hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,
and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants,
nine were farmers and large plantation owners;
men of means, well educated,
but they signed the Declaration of Independence
knowing full well that the penalty would be death if
they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by
the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to
pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British
that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.
He served in the Congress without pay, and his family
was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,
and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that
the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson
home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General
George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.
Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill
were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests
and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and
silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

Manure War!

Dave and Dylan had fun on the manure pile! It started with Dave covering Dylan's riding toy with a scoop of manure and Dylan had to unbury it each time! Finally, Dylan had enough! He resorted to throwing manure balls at Dave!

I think I had better call Dylan in for a good long soak in the tub! Only boys would throw manure balls I think! :)

Grubs Anyone??!

Grubs, anyone? We have a hefty supply!! This evening, Dave was moving manure in the lots and it created a great science enviroment! And yes, I was picking up the grubs right along with the boys!

It started just with DJ and I picking them up and putting them on the shovel. Then Dylan came by to check it all out. He was a bit reluctant to help us though...and I can't blame him. Finally, Dalton showed up and was digging in the manure with his fingers! Remind me later not to let him near me with those fingers! Yuck!

It was exciting because we saw four stages of the grub life. We saw a beetle laying eggs in the dirt, baby grubs that were just out of their eggs, middle aged grubs that were almost transparent, adult grubs by the gazillions and some pupas that were turning into a beetles! Totally cool! We also saw the beginning stage of some locust that hadn't come out of the ground yet.

If you aren't up to speed on the delicacies of chickens...GRUBS!
After we collected our shovel full, we went to the middle of the yard and called for my "ladies"! "Heeeeere chick, chick!" Once they saw one hen snatch up something they all came running! It was fun to throw one in one direction to see them all run after it and then throw the next on in the opposite direction!! I never said that my ladies were very bright! The kids were impressed with the chickens one gulp approach!

GPS...GOOD OR BAD!?!

GPS...GOOD OR BAD?!? Recently, we had some good friends, Dave and Char Skinner, come to visit us from Illinois. They had not been to our home for 7 years and were depending on their GPS to get them there. I received a call from Char and I asked her how things were going, meaning the drive. She replied that it was not going so well. She then explained that they had been only 1/2 mile north of our house for the last 30 minutes!

You see, we have a 'low maintance' road' north of our home that turns to a muddy mess after it has rained. However, GPS doesn't recognize it as a problem! I think it took us well over an hour before we realized that we would have to call in for a larger tractor from our neighbor! Sorry, Dave and Char! Hope you come to visit again...before 7 years is up!

Little Boys/Big Blessings!

We had just finished lunch and the children ran off to play when I noticed Dylan coming up to the sliding glass door in front of me with his hands behind his back! Peonies are my favorite perennials and I have some young plants at the end of the house. Each boy has gone through a stage of popping the tight buds off in the spring to throw or do whatever boys do with things like that!! Needless to say, I am often sad when I am left with only a dozen blooms for picking! This year I decided that this too is just a season and in a few more years I will have wished my little boys would be that little again! So, how can I be upset when I see my favorite flowers being delivered by the sweetest and cutest delivery person in the neighborhood!?!

Excitement once again on the Schnoor Farm!

What does it take to earn the label...'Chicken Farmer'?! Do I even want that label? :) My sister has always told me that I need to write down the events of our lives here in the country with six children and a ton of animals! So, here is our story about raising chicks!

Over a month ago, a friend loaned us their incubator and gave me some quick verbal instructions. If you know me you will know that I am a person that gets excited, moves too quickly, gets distracted and sometimes overwhelmed (ha ha) which causes mishaps and quick learning opportunities! I heard her tell me something about the humidity but discounted it until we had our first hatching.

The children plugged in the incubator and ran to the coop to get some eggs! We were set, so we thought. Twenty-one days passed and there was no sign of life. One of the children became curious (and impatient, I don't know where she got that from) and asked if she could crack one open. I told her that she would have to make that decision and warned her of the possibility of a baby chick being in there. She chose to proceed and came to me saying something fell out of the egg into the disposal and she didn't have a chance to see what it was. I came and pulled it out and found a pre-mature chick that was breathing. Three of us stood there feeling horrible! I was so mad in my heart that I had given her that freedom to make that choice. I prayed that God would give me words for the two children standing there. It ended in a teaching opportunity about how precious life is and that we should realize how valuable human life is.

After that sadness, we had one chick hatch successfully! Then we realized that due to the fact that the humidity was only 33% instead of 60%, the chicks were literally glued into the eggs. This was horrible to see. I tried to moisten the chick and peel the shell off but was unable to. Two or three of the chicks were alive but stuck in the shell. That was horrible and I felt so guilty! We were finished with the batch of eggs at this point and I was emotionally finished with eggs...well until the children wanted to put the next batch in the following day and try again.

Trust me, the humidity is now often over 60% and is checked daily! We had our first two chicks hatch wonderfully. The children were able to watch and it was amazing. After they dried for 24 hours in the incubator we transferred them to a guinea pig cage set aside for the chicks. We had some older chicks in there the days prior and it worked out well...the cat never bothered them at all. Well, this time the chicks looked a bit more tempting since they were so little. I was eating breakfast when I saw her with something in her mouth out of the corner of my eye. Immediately, I lunged for her and was able to grab her by the tail before she rushed down the steps to the basement. The chick was sprawling on the top step. The children decided that they hated the cat and began praying for the chick.

To my utter surprise, the chick looked great after an hour of recovery. We moved the cage into my bedroom for the day and told everyone to keep the door closed. This is when Daddy came home after working since 6a.m. and accidentally left the door open. The cat went for the same chick. I got a phone call while I out running an errand from a distraught daughter!

When I came home, I found the chick laying on its' side on a paper towel under a heat lamp on the kitchen counter. There was a syringe of water by it and chick feed. Darcey moved it to my room and left a note that asked everyone to please pray for the chick whenever they looked at her. The chick passed in the night.

We have since wised up again and moved the chicks to Dalton's bedroom and even placed them in his closet! I don't think that he was too keen of the idea but we reminded him that since he doesn't pay rent the room was actually ours! Ha Ha! Gotta love him! So now all of his family migrate to his room every time the announcement is made that a new chick is arriving!

Wheww! What an emotional roller coaster! We have gotten to see 11 chicks hatch and 10 are alive! We are waiting for 18 more eggs which 3 are showing signs of life! The children have spoken about how amazing it is that the chicks are strong enough to break the shell and to know what to do so quickly after it cracks. They are so fragile but we are amazed how God programs them to survive...especially when there are no monster cats to get them and the moisture level is accurate! Things are calm now in our house but I remind the children that the roosters won't be part of the family!

What do you do when a rooster attacks your seven year old?

Yesterday, Dana was heard screaming and running from the shed with Willow close behind. Then we saw Dylan chasing Willow and diverting him by kicking at him! What a hero in the making!

Poor Dana had her leg all scratched up from that mean rooster. So, the question is...what do you do with a mean rooster who continually attacks your seven year old? Off with his head! Boy, were the emotions running over! I think it took us an hour to get everyone to understand that Dana was far more important than that mean rooster!

Once almost everyone understood what needed to be done, a plan was put to motion. Danielle wanted to try to shoot it in the head. Several efforts were made to hold his head still. Finally, the only way was to tie him from a tree. He got away several times but Dalton was able to catch him for us!

Chicken, anyone?

Ghost Busters

Do any of you remember the 1984 movie Ghost Busters? I had a vision in my mind of a rewrite of that movie to fit parenting six children while they are sick with the flu. Imagine a mother in her pjs, robe and slippers. She has a pack on her back that is her carpet cleaner, a utility belt on her waist that would hold her extra bowls, cold wash clothes, tissues, cans of 7up and extra linens! The children are crying "Mooooooooommmmmmm!" in the back ground and she is jumping out of bed completely dressed and ready to tackle the 'flu bug'! Ok. Ok. I never said that I had the gift of writing scripts. That is why I am caring for six children instead of being in Hollywood...definately more rewarding!

Darcey, for the third night in a row, came to our door at 2am saying that someone was in her bathroom. We found Danielle getting sick for the second time. After getting her settled, I walked by DJ and Dylan's room to turn off a light I had noticed to be on. I found Dylan laying on the floor with a blanket, pillow and a full bowl. He had gotten sick in his bed and went to the kitchen and gotten a bowl and made a little bed on his floor. Dave and I woke him up and asked him why he did not come to get us. He said that he couldn't find us! Oh, I felt so sad for him. We gave him a bath and moved him to Danielle's room so that the three of us could be in one room. Dylan started to cry saying he didn't want to sleep in there so I resorted to one of my most powerful tricks of parenting...bribing! I told him that I would get the portable DVD player and let him watch Wallace and Grommit that we had gotten from the library. Hook, line and sinker!

Well, the washer is ready to be loaded with my second load...oops, I hear someone calling for me...Who you going to call!

Poor Dana...sick again tonight! She was great all day yesterday after being sick the day before. She woke up at midnight and has been sick four times already. She is so cute though...cries that "it tastes so gross, Mommy." I then offered her some of Daddy's mouth wash. She climbed into my bed and said..."Thank you, mommy for helping me and for the mouthwash. It tastes better!"

Just "Another" Day!!

Today was quite interesting. We started off doing our regular schedule and then I decided to play a game of bingo with DJ and Dylan. We happen to use kernels of corn for our pieces and while I was calling the numbers I noticed Dylan having a concerned look on his face. I observed that his finger was lingering near his ear! Yep! Corn in the ear. After several attempts we realized that this would take a trip to the ENT office. The doctor even had difficulty removing it and Dylan paid the painful price of making such a mistake. He was very good at holding still but his face turned the deepest red color that I have ever seen someone have. My poor little man. :(

The day ended well with Dave bringing home strawberries, short cake and whipped cream in a can! Daddy always knows how to have fun!

To wrap the crazy day up, my very sweet in-laws sent me a beautiful plant. They sent it after reading about my previous blog and wished me a good day. We are so blessed with them and all the spoiling they send our way.

Louis and Clark?!

This is Darcey's cat, Lacey and our guinea pig, Rusty! Lacey was caught in one of Darcey's imaginative moments!! I do believe they are suppose to be Louis and Clark the great explorers! I am not quiet sure if Lacey was having as much fun as Darcey was! Gotta love my Darcey!!