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I got my first taste of fresh meat when my parents got a side of beef when I was in high school. Since then I longed for that fresh taste again whenever I had a burger, steak, or whatever the case was. Little did I know, at the time, that I would end up being [...]
Being blessed with 3 sons has filled my world and given me the biggest challenge of my life. I wouldn’t change it for the world and “No” I’m not disappointed that I didn’t have a girl. Each one of my sons holds a special place in this Mom’s heart, but this post will be about [...]
I’m noticing many searches for routines in regards to the school year and not just ones for the kids. So I’m going to take the time now to share with you my routine that helps keep the boys on track with theirs. Morning Routine My morning routine consists of getting up 45 minutes before the boys do [...]
Managing my hate for the responsibility of cooking and every aspect of it isn’t an easy one since it happens 3 times a day. Thankfully the boys are old enough to get their own breakfast unless they’re wanting something hot. Lunch is easier since two out of the three are in school. Now supper is [...]
There are many interesting farm facts I’ve learned over the years, and this one by far is one of the most interesting to this City Chic. We’ve been on this farm for a little over 9 years now and I must say learning about farming, the responsibilities of a farmer, and the needs of the different [...]
I wish I would have understood personality parenting more as a child, but I know it’s impossible for a child to understand. If there was a way to explain to your kid(s) that punishments, rewards, and the way we interact with each of them is different because they themselves are unique, then it would make [...]
Just like any child that looks up to their parent(s) that work in an office, work for the airlines, work for the railroads, are a police officer, a firefighter, or whatever the profession is the children pretend play that profession. It was no different when I was growing up and my sister and I would [...]
Running a household is one of the most challenging tasks in life in my opinion. I doubt if any household that is raising kids runs like clockwork, but I believe we all try to do the best we can, at least I do anyway. I can honesty say I’ve learned a lot when it comes to [...]
As the boys get older the chore responsibilities need to be updated and switched up from last year’s chore list. I took an afternoon the other day to create a chore chart that not only had daily chores, but also a chore they’re responsible for, for the week. Here’s what I came up with: Weekly Chores [...]
Every summer we try and hit a county or state fair for some family time, learning time and not to mention fun. This year we decided to go to the Indiana State Fair. In the past we’ve had a good time there, so we were all looking forward to it. The only downfall this year [...]
Believe it or not I’ve already shared with you that we might start a chicken operation, which would add to the black angus cattle that we raise for beef, and sometimes when prices are good we buy pigs to raise for pork. I still need to learn more about raising chickens before we actually take [...]
I was just as excited as my boys that the last school year came to an end. Summertime with them is so much fun and not to mention a well deserved and needed break in routine. Since I’ve had a school age child I haven’t been able to understand why a majority of parents look [...]
I’m learning time and time again if I don’t make something part of my routine it isn’t going to happen or get done. Whether it be exercising, taking my vitamins, reminding and enforcing the boys to do their chores, or whatever the case may be. I’ve learned for me, as a Mom of three boys, [...]
Normally kids get exposed to other professions such at firefighters, police officers, and many more though school field trips or presentations, but for us we got a private guided tour of an amazing firehouse in the Cincinnati area. Recently a new friend of ours, who also happens to be a part-time help for hubby’s concrete [...]
Whenever the cattle are in the pasture around the house they are so interesting to watch. We get to see from the house the calves playing while the cows enjoy some peace, the cows hiding their calves for safety, calves nursing, and sometimes one of the herd gets over or through the electric fence because [...]
I’m totally enjoying watching my boys grow, learn, mature, and create and identity of who they are and want to be. When they were little their wants, needs, likes, and dislikes were all genuine and came from within, but as they’re growing they are starting to be influenced by their outside world. At times those [...]
As I’ve shared with you in past posts I totally loved the Palm products that I used that where not only a phone, but also and awesome built in customizable calendar with additional desktop software. Unfortunately the new Palm Pre/Pixi had totally dropped the calendar, which in my opinion is what made Palm unique compared [...]
Even though we’re now living in Indiana we’re still within the Ohio valley which means the unpredictable weather change at any given time. Yes, I realize the weather can change at anytime anywhere, but you will never truly understand the Ohio valley weather until you live here. No matter what the season we can get the [...]
No there isn’t any monster in our basement, but it does sound like a perfect title for a childrens’ book if I do say so myself. Seriously though one of the barns we have here on the farm is a bank barn. The top floor opens out into the barn court yard facing other barns and [...]
Our oldest son was finally old enough this year to enter a project or animal in any category he wanted at the County Fair. Unfortunately he’s a little on the shy side, like I was at his age, and didn’t want to raise a calf or pig, because he didn’t want to be in front [...]
There are many sighs I make which usually happens when I’m frustrated, but the sigh of relief that is a daily one comes everyday about the same time. While in high school I had plans to get a job, work towards a degree, support myself before marrying, and eventually marry and have kids. Of course the [...]
Yes, most of you know that my boys are definitely through the baby stage, so why would I be bottle feeding you may ask. Well as I wrote in a previous post we have an orphan calf here on the farm that was rejected by it’s Mom. Hubby removed the calf from the herd and [...]
I’ve told you about our dog, Cody, in my post titled The Great White Hunter. He has turned into a great farm dog, and thankfully one that loves the outdoors. Thank goodness for that since I’m allergic to dogs. Due to my allergies I haven’t been able to enjoy him like most owners enjoy their pets, [...]
Learning the nature of the cattle which includes that they do better when in a herd because they are community animals, they are curious like kids, they have an internal sense of timing, and they even have challenges when birthing and caring for their babies. Nature isn’t perfect and the the farm life is teaching [...]
I’m not sure how long this reincarnation of the drive-in theater has been around, but there’s one close by and it’s never sparked my interest until now. Most of the drive-ins that I’ve seen are run down and just vacant lots since they faded out due to the indoor movie theaters of our generation that [...]
I remember, as a child, there were toys I enjoyed which helped create wonderful memories of childhood play with my sister. Of course, we had the barbie dream house, the Fisher Price kitchen set, board games, Strawberry Shortcake scented miniatures, Cabbage Patch Kids (that I still have to this day), Legos, and much much more. [...]
It’s more than amazing to me how technology has advanced so quickly and it has added awesome conveniences to our fast paced parent lives. Let me start by saying how much the world of television and all of it’s components have made me a happier Mom. It’s hard enough to loose your free time, your independence, [...]
As I’ve shared with you before I hate every aspect of cooking and making meals for the family, but it happens to fall under my list of responsibilities as a Mom so I gotta suck it up. In order to make it at painless as possible I’m constantly looking for easy recipes that are 15 [...]
After growing up in the burbs of Cincinnati with a graduating class of 550 I really wasn’t sure what to expect when moving into a small farm town. From what I’ve heard the town is about 2000 residents, which is almost the amount of people that maneuvered around each other through the day in my [...]
As I wrote in my previous post that my son, who suffers from anxiety, conquered kindergarten and we are so proud of him. He did great as long as the school day routine was the same. There were a few programs along the school year that posed a challenge for him, and we worked through [...]
Dylan made it through Kindergarten!! This Mom’s heart is taking a sigh of relief! I will say it was a combined effort of Dylan of course, his awesome loving and helpful teacher, and this Mom’s heart who worried but stayed plugged in every day. For him to have made it through the school year with only [...]
Facebook is an awesome tool for many reasons such as reconnecting with old friends, learning more about new friends, networking with those in your field of work, and the list goes on. The one aspect of Facebook that never crossed my mind was the aspect of friends and family leaving thoughts and feelings for those [...]
Fishing is fun, in my opinion anyway, and I’ve gotten to experience it throughout my life so far while on vacation in Wisconsin with my friends family, boating on Cumberland Lake, deep sea fishing in the Gulf while visiting my friend in Panama City, Florida, and now in the ponds we have here on the [...]
In the previous post Helping those in Need my little sis shared with you the places she donates & why. Now here is her insight on how to document those donations so you can write them off at tax time. ________________________ As I said earlier, write down everything you donate, who you donated it to, and on [...]
A few months ago I stumbled upon a website that happened to be a forum for Moms. I’ve come across many others, but this one caught my attention. The community was active, the threads were real, and I got hooked. I’m talking about the Moms Like Me sites. The Moms Like Me sites are available in [...]
We’ve all learned how prisms bend the natural light and when they do it separates in the like into a rainbow of colors. I was not only introduced to prisms in school but also by my Grandfather. He loved them and his dining room window ledge was full of them, which created a beautiful ceiling [...]
I just read a blog post by a new blog friend of mine, Shell. She wrote about her opinion of a YouTube video that shows a little boy drinking beer at a major league baseball game. Well as you can imagine it got tons of negative comments . . . no surprise there! After reading her [...]
Even though hubby and I stopped having kids after having three boys that doesn’t mean those are our only kids. What I mean by that is I’ve learned each one of my boys will have friends, best buddies, and eventually girlfriends. In my opinion, those kids will also become part of our hearts as well, [...]
As of last Thursday the 2009 – 2010 school year is over in our district. As I look forward to the summer ahead and the fun the boys and I will have, it becomes a bittersweet time. Yes, we get a break from routine, spend some quality time on the close by lake, and visit [...]
The way the farm is set up there is a pasture between our house and the in-law’s house, which is where the calves go after they are weened from their Mothers. This pasture also whinds around our house and connects to the back pastures. The calves hang out in this pasture from weening time to [...]
On May 22nd we attended the Walk Now for Autism walk held at Coney Island in Cincinnati. We were a part of the Brandon’s Buddies team, that is full of heart and lots of support for Brandon. As we got closer to Coney Island, the day of the walk, I was struck with the meaning of [...]
Memorial Day in this country is not only a time to remember, but also a time to realize we are still at war, because of the attack on our country on September 11, 2001. We remember the lives that were lost in previous wars, the ones lost in our current war, and the unfortunate lives [...]
I’m all about donating as I shared with you in my posts A Bitter Sweet Day & The Bottomless Goodwill Basket, and obviously so is my little sis. Here’s a post she wrote to share with you on the places she donates and why. I hope you find it helpful?!? __________________ For me (city chic’s little sis, [...]
Running a cattle farm isn’t easy, and from what I can tell it’s hard work that doesn’t pay worth a crap. It must be something that’s in the blood, because why would someone like something so back breaking. Go figure. There are tons of things to do here on the farm no matter what [...]
My husband and I fit together perfectly just like a Reese’s Cup. He loves peanut butter and I’m a chocoholic. Ever since I’ve known him though his favorite type of pie is obviously peanut butter pie. So whenever one is served at a picnic, special occasion, or on sale at the store he always gives [...]
That title of the post is the name of a parenting website called GNM Parents that I recently was given the opportunity to write for. It’s a blog full of Moms & Dads writing and sharing their insights on parenting as well as other things. The opportunity crossed my path when I spent time with AmyL [...]
Actually the title of the post sounds like a cute title for a childrens’ book. Hum . . . maybe that could be a future project but for now it’s the title to this post. For several years now there has honestly been a spider living in our mailbox. Yes,there are times it’s been on the [...]
In hubby’s quest to teach the boys to be men . . . I’m also learning more about the male species. As you already know this chic grew up in the burbs with a a sister so this country life with boys is totally unfamiliar. The things I’ve already learned are interesting to say the [...]
I remember like it was yesterday when my sister and I played board games when we were kids. To be honest she enjoyed the board games more than I did. We played the usual Candy Land, Shutes and Ladders , and Sorry when we were little and then graduated to the Monopoly & Stratiego when [...]
I’ve never been much of a drinker and probably never will. As a matter a fact I’m usually the designated driver as well if we go out for an evening. When I do decide to have a drink or two I like amaretto sours or watermelon Smirnoff Ice. This past flu season my middle son came [...]
