THREE NEW BABY CHICKS & a BILLY!

Kamden and Cole were thrilled to find we have three freshly hatched baby chicks in "Blonde's" nest. She is the most wonderful hen and allows the children to pet her continuously while she is setting on eggs and is friendly and accommodating when my kids want to cuddle the babies. We were hoping for a couple more, but only three hatched. Maybe there's just been too much moisture in the air - who knows. Honestly after buying the 17 chicks from the feed store for Kamden's birthday (only 13 survived to be "teenagers" as we call them), we didn't need a lot more babies joining the family. I don't know for sure, but I believe we have around 60 hens and three roosters who are all just pets.
We got a new goat on Tuesday and can't decide on a name. Kamden wants to call him Billy, but we just have to be a bit more creative with a name than that. A sweet, elderly man at our church gave him to me in exchange for some fresh eggs and a promise that I will sing a song at church for him. Pretty good deal! My parents assisted in the goat delivery, which wasn't the easiest! Thank goodness he is small and young. Our two girl goats, Cocoa and Cookie Dough needed a boyfriend in the yard so eventually we can have some baby goats. Kamden and Cole would love that! The new billy is young, so I believe we will be waiting a while on an offspring. You will notice that I don't mention Max while writing about the barnyard, because he detests everything about it. The most he does is carries the 50 pound bags of feed to the barrels (while I am helping) and he complains the entire way. I am thankful for his help! He is the strongest one here when his daddy is at work. Needless to say he will never have animals as an adult. He doesn't see the beauty or enjoyment in them - and only sees work and nastiness (as he says). He is such a grumpy old man sometimes, but I love him! LOL!

Happy Frustrating Friday

Have you ever just wanted to open your mouth and scream as loud as you could? I did this morning when once again the chick named Jackie at the appliance fix it joint told me that they couldn't seem to find the part to repair my oven. Argh! We bought this thing only four short years ago and have had countless problems with it. Kamden and I were making muffins on August 10th when something blew (really - scared us) while the oven was preheating. We put the muffins in and they did not cook. Strange - we thought! I must have done something wrong. We tried pushing every high-tech button on this expensive contraption (ES400 Electric Range) and nothing would work. I called Frigidaire, which is owned by Electrolux (huh?) and they finally suggested three repair shops that were authorized. After calling two of them and receiving no answer, I called McDonalds - good name you would think, but NOT! I paid a guy $85 to come out here to tell me what the problem was (a blown control panel). Now I am for sure getting the run-around! My family is about to die without Totino's frozen pizzas, Tacos and Martha White brownies from my oven! Apparently higher fuel costs are effecting my part coming in - according to Jackie - who sounds like she is just counting the minutes until her next smoke break and could really care less. It's Friday and I am being put off yet again for another weekend! They are probably adding up the number of times I have called their repair shop for updates and are going to charge me for each one when and IF I get my part in and they ride in on their horse and wagon to fix it. Sorry I sound so angry, but try living without your oven for an extended period of dinners with five hungry mouths begging. Thank goodness it's not my refrigerator! We would be in a fix then. Oh well, I guess if this is the only thing I have to frustrate me I am in good shape! Happy Frustrating Friday!

Kamden is all smiles after her first day of K-4! Yeah!

Well my baby has started school (snif, snif) and to my surprise she loves it (so far). She went on Monday and skipped Tuesday (half the class came on Mon. and half on Tues. to start). She was terribly upset to have missed Tuesday and all of the explaining in the world couldn't make it make sense to her. Why were her brothers at school and she was not? She loves Ms. Trotter and Mrs. Walker and got to be the line leader during a walk to the bathroom, so she thinks she is the "stuff". She is such an independent child and would rather do all things "all by herself", so school is perfect for her. They strive to make the four year olds independent because some of them have been "babied" - you know like Max and Cole! Not my girl! I swear she came out of the womb independent and with a definite opinion! She did not cry at all when Craig and I left her on the first day, but I teared up in the car driving away from the school. Craig looked over at me and said, "She'll be fine." I knew she would be fine! That wasn't the problem. The emotional pull at my heart strings, apron strings, and brain strings (yes I have those too) was killing me. All of my children were out of the house and I was not a needed constant in the home. Premature empty nest cyndrome? True, I am free (sort of), but a super strange feeling came over me and I just couldn't hold back the explosive tears from jumping out of my eyes!

Today I went to a volunteer breakfast at the school and committed myself in every way I could to her teacher. I am the room mom and I hope that makes Miss K happy! I will also be helping with Cole's class (5th grade dance, parties, and DC trip). I sat with him while he had a school breakfast (something he normally doesn't do) and I sat with Kamden who eats breakfast everyday with her entire class. She was so proud to have me there and wanted me to see her favorite kid in the class. Her name was Anna Lee and her brother is in Cole's class. These little girls have a lot in common already with big brothers. Plus they will both be taking speech together (just heard the good news from the speech teacher!). I am amazed at what a wonderful little girl I have. She is an obedient student and respects her teachers and classmates. We must have done something right! I am so proud of her and miss her loud voice ringing through the house. Never thought I would say that! Way to go big girl Kamden. Time is flying, just like Mother has always told me!

My how she has grown! From a three week old bundle of joy to a four year old full spirited little girl!

These are the words to an old song by the group ABBA (who made the "Dancing Queen" disco song famous) called "Slipping Through My Fingers". I stumbled upon it on someone's blog and found it to be so profound!
It makes me think of my Kamden who will be starting school on Monday of next week. I cried listening to the song and reading the words. My baby is turning into a "big girl" and I don't want her to slip through my fingers!

Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness
And I have to sit down for a while
The feeling that I'm losing her forever
And without really entering her world
I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter
That funny little girl

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see whats in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table
Barely awake, I let precious time go by
Then when she's gone there's that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I can't deny
What happened to the wonderful adventures
The places I had planned for us to go
(slipping through my fingers all the time)
Well, some of that we did but most we didn't
And why I just don't know

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see whats in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Schoolbag in hand she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile...

Well, it is official....summer is over! I am sad and excited for my children to be turning onto a new path in their journey. Max is a "senior" at Wren Middle School. I can't believe he is in the eighth grade! In so many ways he is growing up, but when I look at him I still see the little scared four year old who shook like a leaf walking into school for the first time. He tried to smile to tell me bye when he let go of my hand. I was fighting to hold back the tears until I got back to my car. Now he tosses his book bag over his shoulder and is ready to go without a second thought. Cole on the other hand has been willing and ready since day one. He is happiest around a group of kids laughing and bouncing around. We have always called him Tigger and it is a very fitting nick name! He is a "senior" (fifth grader) at Spearman Elementary! He too is growing and changing in so many ways. I am tearing up typing this (actually boo hooing)....reflecting on how quickly time passes. Wasn't it only yesterday they needed me for everything? I love my boys and I am so proud of them! Max's mature ways of viewing the world yet his innocent perception of so many things. He is considering his future, asking big questions like, "How do you know where you want to go to college? When do you know what you want to do with your life?" These are the questions for a maturing mind! He realizes that his future choices are nearing. It all just scares the life out of me! Cole is refreshing because he is still young enough to LOVE recess with his entire heart. School is a social affair and he greets it with a very toothy smile. Thankfully, his grown up future is still a long, long way off in his mind and he just lives for the moment! He makes my heart smile! Kamden and I have a week to get used to the idea that she will be walking through the doors of her K-4 class. Don't know if I can take it! I hope my boys are having a happy first day and that they love their teachers! Where did our long summer go? Where have those little, sweet arm fulls gone? It is strangely quiet in the Davenport house and I miss them and so does Kamden!

The sweetest thing happened today! Craig came home and invited Kamden out for a Daddy-Daughter date. I couldn't believe that he came up with the idea without a bit of prodding from me. She was quite excited and was ready to go in an instant! I snapped a few pictures, but Kamden did not want to slow down for hardly a smile. They went to Chuck E. Cheese and to Chick-Filet. When they came home she was sound asleep in Craig's truck and he gently carried her into her room and put her to bed. We kept our fingers crossed that she would stay asleep, but in just a few minutes she made her way to the sofa and that is where she spent the rest of the night. Tomorrow is the first day of school for my boys, so the extra time with them (alone) tonight was wonderful. All systems are go for the first day! Thanks "Big Daddy" for the break and especially for making Kamden feel so special! She is crazy about her Daddy and so am I!

This is a blast from our past! In 2006 we went to the beach with the Rice Family for the July 4th week and (of course) had a wonderful time! My children have grown so, so, so much! They have grown loads more hair too! Just thought it would be fun to add a collage (I finally figured it out) to my blog! Thanks for always making great pictures for us Angel! If you weren't with us I swear I would never get in a picture! Hopefully my children will remember that I am usually (always) the one behind the camera unless it is a "staged" Angel assisted photo session! Enjoy these great pictures of my family from two years ago!