Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Fresh from the...

Frumpy Farm!! HA! I should be changing the name of this blog...if my youngest girly is correct. Since we got the chickens she says, "We are farmers now!!"  If momma has her way we will be considered a small self sustainable family farm in the next 5 years!!

The first step in this direction was chickens!! Encouraged by many other blog, instagram, twitter & Facebook mommas I decided early this year that I wanted to get some chickens/chicks.  Well, with one thing or another (surgery), it didn't happen.

I thought I would just postpone the 5 year plan for another year...no biggie. I would focus on a bigger garden and learning how to can and preserve throughout the summer.

Well, the end of the school year found Mrs. Estes (Liyah's Kinder teacher) asking me if I'd like some chickens...insert "yes" answer here...as she was wanting to downsize her flock.  The only thing between me and some free chickens...no coop...no fence....no home for the little cluckers....!!


Enter my Dad....He looks like this....
From here

So the work fun begins....






 Mom was in on the building, as well as the Terribly Handsome Man of the Frumpy House....as this momma wasn't yet allowed to pick up much weight (due to surgery). I am an awfully good supervisor gopher tho'.
 The only wood that had to be bought was the treated plywood for the floor...all the rest was rough cut boards that my dad had the Amish cut him from his own timber.
 I always have this picture in my head of how easy it must be to put together a little coop...yeah, right! I learned a lot about building from my dad this past week. It all comes out of his head...no plans!
 Frame and rafters up the first day....
 Ready for the door and nesting boxes the next....
 The door? Oh, just something my dad picked up at the dump....yeah, he's that kinda hoarder!!

 Around the corner from our big door is this teeny-tiny door with a ramp for the ladies...oh, yes!!
 The nesting boxes are accessible from the outside! That way my child labor littlest chicken lovers can get the eggs!! Whoot-Whoot!!
 After the coop was safe enough for inhabitants we he got busy on the fenced yard. These poles, yep, a 30+' old telephone line pole became three 10' posts for the corners of the fence. Don't ask me exactly where he got it...let's just say mom's glad to get it out of the side yard after a decade (or possibly 2). The metal posts in between were free, my dad helped the township sexton pull an old fence out of the cemetery across the road from us and got to keep all the posts he wanted (did I say for FREE)!
 Chicken wire was one of the few expenses we had...$50 for a roll of 4'x 150'. I decided @ that price if I had to do some wing clipping to keep them from flying I would!
 Here's one of our new neighbor ladies!! She's lovingly named "Chip-Chip" by Littlest Liyah!! Lauryn has named a beautiful girl "Peck" & I have picked out a few with easily to spot differences names like Cleo, Nekkid, Ginger and Gladys...the others I really can't tell apart so they are just lovingly cooed to and called "Pretty Ladies" or "Lovely Girls" (my husband thinks I'm insane).
 The first few days we had to keep an eye on the girls...literally! No one wanted to walk away and let them be! We enjoyed seeing them walk through the grass and under the trees, scratching and pecking!!
 The best....watching them eat!! They got to get the fridge cleanings (don't worry I googled everything before feeding it to them, I'm a little paranoid about it) this week instead of it going in the trash!! Cooked brown rice and mashed sweet potatoes seemed to be the faves!  They would peck at the potatoes and then wipe each side of their beaks on the grass... too fun!
 See the jungle life!! They are doing well at making little paths and nesting under the bushes on a hot afternoon. I have to keep looking under the bushes and make sure they don't leave my presents there!!
Presents?!?!? Yep, wonderful, lovely, glorious (okay enough already) eggs!!! The first day, even with the move....4 eggs! How wondrous!  Littlest Liyah and I had the first four eggs scrambled with toast and butter on the side....she said, "These are the best mom!!" (oh, these are the first 2 radishes out of my mom's and my garden)

So, the farming life has begun...in the near future, goats (2 for milking), pigs (for butchering), maybe a milk cow (not sure yet about that) and maybe some honey bees on the back 40....
Yes, this is the life!!!


Do any of you have wishes or dreams that you are seeing become reality? Do you have a crazy 5, 10 or 20 year plan like me?  Let me know...I love reading about other's adventures!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

In Regards....

to the gall bladder surgery...I'm well, recuperating just fine. I had 3 super-sized stones (according to the surgeon he'd never seen any so large) & the gall bladder itself was inflamed and starting to imbed itself on the liver and small intestine. So, thank the Lord that that is done...hopefully I will be staying healthy for many, many, many years to come!!


With surgery comes recuperating...and with that comes some slight boredom and craziness!  I had been out thrifting before surgery and found a few items that I thought would make some great little DIY projects.  Planters, wooden shelves...etc.

This last week, my second week of recovery, I actually felt up to doing something besides moaning sleeping.  So here's what I got myself up to....

found this rack...$1.99 as is (it was missing a jar)

this shelf for $2.99

A little sanding on both of the shelves will help the paint to stick

thought about doing the chalkboard decals, went with writing on the jars with dry erase markers

3 coats of paint for both! such a nice sunny day it didn't take long to dry

I poured vitamins from large bottles into these, freeing up a lot of counter space (we leave our vitamins out just so we will remember to take them...outta sight, outta mind)

I think it worked out well, the orange brightens the wall space & the bottles are prettier than regular vitamin bottles

This shelf is holding a few odds & ends in my vintage kitchen collection . I love the pop of yellow!!!!

my mom said she has some vintage napkins, or tea towels that I can hang on the dowel!

All, in all I'm super delighted to see these thrift store finds finding a new life...

What little (or big) DIY's have you tackled lately? Leave me a comment and a link, I'd love to see!!!!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Mother's Awesomeness

Should be celebrated everyday...but of course, no one could keep up w/ that!!

So we dedicate one day a year (what's up with that, once a month would be doable, don'cha think?!?) to celebrating mom's, grandmom's, great-grandmom's...etc.

Yesterday, amidst all the arguing...it started with who was going to be making me toast (I quickly requested more for breakfast to even the serving field)...my little Frumpy House Family treated me w/ special treats & some quality quiet time!!

Went to church where the girl's were involved in a little Mother's day program & handed out carnations...sweetness!!

After church, I was dispatched to home, the girls & Greg headed into town to pick up ingredients for a Mother's day dinner!

I was instructed to "STAY IN YOUR ROOM, DON'T COME OUT" (sometimes my kids have a yelling problem)!!
Gladly I lolled around in bed w/ a good book & a nice restful nap!!

At 4:30 I couldn't wait anymore...it's a good thing the Frumpy Restaurant and Jazz Cafe opened @ 5 pm!!

Greg & the girls had gone all out; inviting grandma & grandpa, an auntie, as well as mom. After a couple more quick phone calls they procured 2 more guests for dinner...our Pastor & his wife (whose sons live with their families down in IN).

Here's how it all went down...



Grandparents have arrived!! The barefooted hostess leads them to their seats...



Dinner: starts with salad course, then spaghetti & garlic bread as the main course, choice of 4 deserts to satisfy your sweet tooth!!



Lauryn was a busy server...she made sure to ask each person what they would like to have for drinks, or if they were ready for their next course!!



Busted!! This hostess with the mostest, finished seating people & promptly pulled up a chair & enjoyed her dinner while big sister continued trucking food out of the house to the "cafe"!!



Ah!! My man...the father of my children, without him I wouldn't be a mom!! He shopped, baked, cooked, manned the iPod for the best jazz music @ the cafe!! He found out a bit of what it's like to be a mom, eh?!? The man of the Frumpy House came out when all were done & enjoyed his meal while visiting with us!!



L baked a cake with dad's help. Li made "cookies"....toasted "Slimwich" with pretty frosting & sprinkles...not too bad!
I don't know what the amount of money was spent on groceries for this wonderful Mother's day meal. Not sure I really want to know what it was!!

When all is said & done, I know my family loves me! They will go too extreme measure (if you knew my husband as well as I do you would know shopping & cooking is extreme)to show me that they love & appreciate me!!!
I'm very, very grateful for my Frumpy Family...I just need to remember that on those crazy momma day's when nothing I do seems as greatly appreciated!!!




Ze Menu!!

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Tuesday, May 1, 2012

There's always something...

going on in The Frumpy House...

Not all is great enough to write a post about! But, this past weekend...well let's just say...

Ziggy! The Goldendoodle....
Three hours after getting him home...uh yeah! Matted hair is gone....

He's looking super duper skinny now...but he's still smiling!

He is absolutely loving the walks in the woods!! Greg & I are too!! Even the girls....
When he's not snuggling you on the couch...he's watching the birds out the window!
He's a blessing...he's a blast... and he is such a good dog! He will look much better once his coat has grown back, and we will keep it brushed thoroughly!!

We already love him, the girls are even fighting over who he sleeps with....they don't believe me when I tell them that he will choose!

What about you? Do you have a pet that you are crazy about?