Aidenbaby's Anti-Suburban Sprawl

[lorihadams]

Welcome! I am catching up on posts and just started reading your journal. Sounds like you are going to fit in here just fine!!!

I want nigerian dwarf goats too so I would love to get info on them too. I used to be a teacher but now stay at home with my own children and plan to homeschool. How many kids do you keep everyday?

 

[Aidenbaby]

At the moment, I am down to one 6 year old boy plus my own super-active 3 year old son (Aiden) and my sweet, tattle-tale, 18 month old daughter. Up until last Friday, I also had a 4 year old girl and another 18 month old boy. Their aunt (teen) is watching them for the summer. I'm debating whether or not to post for more kids or not. It's kind of nice without the chaos that more children bring to my house. On the other hand, I really like the money they bring in. I was super cheap but would raise the prices for any future children. I was charging $20 per child per day and that is $10 below the market average for our community (I looked up the most recent market rate survey). If I do any future kids, I'll probably charge $25 or $30 per child per day as I want to keep prices down for the parents but also make it pay off better for me. I am unlicensed in my state but can legally watch one other family so at the moment I'm legal.

It just dawned on me that I seem to have a penchant for breaking the law. What is up with that? I have illegal chickens, I have done unlicensed daycare and I want an illegal goat. Hmm... food for thought.

Today, my son and I planted some peas next to the fence that surrounds the area where we will put our potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. I wanted them seperated so that it would keep the chickens and kids away from the potentially poisonous plants. I also tilled the dirt along the outside of the same fence (15ish feet or so) so that I can add the peat and compost for part of the three sisters gardens.

My son had great fun terrorizing the chickens today. He went in their coop and was "petting" them. Meanwhile, the girls were all huddled in one of the nest boxes to escape his loving. I think they'll survive but I'm dreading the day that the girls give him some "loving". He's already learning that their pecking can hurt when he holds out food for them. It hurts me when they miss so I know it hurts him too.

 

[TanksHill]

You rebel you!!! Day care huh?? I happen to live across the street fro an elementary school. I often though about having some type of after school thing. Slave labor on the hill, kind of thing. I don't know, I have enough to do though.

Your son and the hens will learn to get along soon enough. Send him in with treats.

 

[Aidenbaby]

I thought it may (or may not) be a good idea to post everything that needs to be done today.

1. rewash the laundry in the washer (dd's sheets; problems with diapers for a few days) and set out to dry on the line. -- DONE!

2. water front and back yards -- DONE!

3. get immunotherapy shots (allergies) -- DANG IT! I forgot again

4. check on seedlings and see what can/needs to go into the ground -- DONE!

5. get started reorganizing the garage and sorting items for garage sale -- Try again today

6. attempt to do most of the daily chores that need to be done -- Try again today

7. win the lottery

ETA: lower back issues all day. I think it's my sciatica... again. It certainly made walking more challenging.

 

[2dream]

7. win the lottery

If you can make that happen you can hire someone to do the rest. LOL

And remember - we are all your friends.

 

[Aidenbaby]

Today's goals:

1. Work on the garden for 1 hour.

2. Do 1 hour of work on yard sale stuff.

3. 1 hour of house work.

4. Go to the library and look into checking out "The Backyard Homestead" that several of the other SSers have been chatting about.

I'm leaving it as a short list today because my back/hip/leg are still hurting. I"m going to go take some of my arthritis meds to see if that will help. (I still can't get over that I have arthiritis at 30!)

 

[Aidenbaby]

The library didn't have the book yet so I'll have to look into it later. I did however check out two VERY interesting books. I checked out "Curious George and the Bicycle" for my son and "Summer Wonders" for my daughter. I also signed my daughter up for a lapsit and read thing for June. I thought it would be good for DH to spend time with the rugrats individually before going to work. I wanted to sign up DS too but there weren't any more openings for his age group. I told DH that he needed to find something to do with DS even if it was just sitting in the library and reading books together for an hour.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Is your library able to order the book in from another library? I know I'm going nuts waiting for the book to come in the mail this week!!

 

[TanksHill]

Are you talking about The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan?? I was taking a peek at it on Amazon. You can see the table of contents and a bit of the book. Looks interesting.

 

[Aidenbaby]

Yes, you guys all made it sound like it could be the bible of the backyard homesteading world. Four of the libraries in the district have it on order. I'm going to see if my local one will put a hold on it for me or request it to be sent to our branch so I can check it out.