You will find treasures in our house in every corner.

My oldest son took these photo's up at Grouse Mountain. Doesn't he look so cuddly and cute.

Hi we are home it was fun it is amazing to see all the beautiful colours I think that is my favorite part. I was also quite amazed how many people I knew I was nice to see the different people from different retreats and shows. We left home by 5:40 am to get my son and his billet to the High school then we too went on our way. My oldest has me worried he keeps getting very bad nose bleeds this week it has been a crazy week for him no down time I can handle a lot of things but my kids not well finishes me.
Tomorrow is mothers day so everyone have a wonderful day we are off to Kamloops to buy the last minute grad stuff we need and parts for the logging truck.

Today we hauled three loads of hay doesn't sound like much but it takes up a good chunk of the day. This is just a quick note to day I am off to Fibrefest tomorrow if all goes as planned I do hope I get to go it is fun. I like to look at all the colours and see anything new and I really don't talk to anyone all day because I don't know anyone down there but still it is fun. My husband is awesome he drives me down to Abbostford 21/2 hours or so away over a mountain highway and he waits for me until I am done he keeps himself busy looking at motorbike stores, trailers for the logging truck etc. I am to much of chicken to drive myself there.
My son and his billet have to be at the school for 6:30 am to go the coast and he will arrive home at 11pm so we will go on after we drop them off. So have a good night take care.

Today was a lot warmer my dad's chicks arrived so I went to town to pick them up they are rather cute. My angora goat is getting to close to kidding so I hope I am home for that. I am also still not too sure if my Alpaca's are going to have one day I say yes they are another day I don't think they are going to have but tonight I think the white will have :) It is a good thing I am not a vet!
I think next weekend I will turn the goats out for the first time to the pasture I hope there will be enough grass for them. I am going to have to be creative in feeding them so I can keep that many but I am a little worried about it. It is frustrating I finally get the herd I have been dreaming of and now I have to worry about keeping them. Well I must run to bed have a good night.

These pictures were taken out in our front yard. It is a sad day when my16 year old son has to show me how to run my camera.

A Very Beautiful Birthday Girl!

This added some excitement to the party.

A special day today
I usually do not use my children's names to give them privacy but my youngest daughter has a beautiful name and today she is 11 years old.
Happy birthday Hyacinth Elizabeth Fridel
It is unreal how fast the kids are growing up it is very scary.
Today our Quebec boy has arrived he must be very tired it is a long trip to come across Canada.
Not a lot is happening other than the usual but the usual is sure keeping me busy. Yesterday we dewormed some of our goats and one goat named Dora ate the needle so we grabbed her and tried to pull it out but it was gone then she started to move her neck up and down so I grabbed her again and the needle was in her mouth sticking out sharp end first one of my son's friends grabbed the needle while I held her. It was very dramatic moment but it all turned out well then she came back to eat the syringe then my book. We never have dull moment around here. I must go and cook my noodles.

A busy weekend over we had a birthday party, youngest son attended a birthday party, middle son slept over two nights at the neighbors and then went branding. My youngest son and youngest daughter went branding he liked she did not like. Youngest daughter had a girl sleep over then she slept over at her house then we had to pick her up she did not like the branding. My oldest son had a friend over for a sleepover, my oldest daughter reffed soccer and her boy friend visited he is here more than he is at home.My middle daughter just went with the flow. The point of all that was a lot of running around and coming and going. Do you think it will ever slow down?
My husband finished my sink in the office outside so I can go and do some dying if I ever get time to play that is. I am trying to talk him into a hot water tank but I am not winning on that yet.
We have a very busy week my oldest son has a Quebec exchange student coming for a week so it will be a lot of running around so they can participate with the rest of the class. I really hope to go to Fibrefest on the weekend but I won't get too excited until I am on route.
I am very tired this morning at 5am the phone rang and it was the wrong number which would not be a big deal except I had to convince her she had the wrong number then that was it I was wide awake and we had gone to bed quite late the night before so much for sleeping in. I actually can not remember when I last slept in. I am waiting for hot water so I can have a shower the kids were all so dirty they had to bath or shower and I have been outside all day and I can not go to bed like this way too dirty.
Well talk to you all soon have a good night.

We are through our 3rd birthday in a week, my youngest daughter just had her party and they seemed to have a lot of fun. I don't seem to be getting too much creative stuff done but I am dreaming of it.
My poor ole dog is getting so old she is acting quite tired I know she is not hurting but she is tired, I can not imagine my life without her. It breaks my heart to think of her dying she has been so unbelievable faithful, she is by my side the whole time I am outside always in my sight. She is a Border Collie and as you know they have to work and must kept busy. Several years ago on a hot summers day she was outside the gate at our back fence with a whole herd of goats I looked over and thought oh she brought the goats back form the field. That alone would be bad enough but when I looked they were not my goats they were the neighbors and I had more than a dozen milk goats waiting to come in. So I quickly called my kids and made them chase them back before the neighbors found out. I often wonder if they knew? Yeah she has been a fun dog.
Well I must go find a pillow I need to sleep. Have a good night.

Good Morning
I thought maybe I would write a moment now instead of night when the house is so busy and you may notice the posts have been choppy . The reason is I usually have 2 -3 kids telling stories, asking questions, something hurts, and then I a tired.
Hi Jane it was nice to hear from you a quiet life, boring is very good sometimes. I do think our life gets a bit extreme but what do yo do there is not too much we could change and it is all good.
AS I look out the window I see sunshine and it is a good thing because it froze again last night you could tell it was so cold when I was doing the pipes on the field and finishing up for the day.
I really need to get out and work on some rabbits so I hope to do a few today.
I am thinking of joining in with my neighbor and sending my wool off to Alberta this year so I am going to look into that today too. Well I must run and scoop the shower before the next child gets up :) Have a wonderful day.

My husband cleaning out the goat pen it is a very smelly job.

I was having Happy Birthday sung to me, we had just come back from soccer and we were cold and wind burned. By the time we were finished singing we all were laughing so hard and I can't even remember why.

I dyed my first skein today but my heart is just not in it, it is cold dreary and we need some sunshine. I dyed the skein red not too exciting but it is a start I am not sure why I am dragging my feet but I am.
I received my papers from the Canadian goat society my herd name is Cream Of the Crop Angoras it is kinda funny I had that name since 1996 and didn't even know they kept it. Now I have to get a herd transfer done and there is a young buck that needs to be registered.
I hope to start in my green house tomorrow I was going to start tonight but it is so cold I am sure it is going to freeze so I will wait a day or so.
I received in the mail my wheel magazine it is quite a good one I will enjoy reading it tonight when I go to bed.
My middle son's school was evacuated today a young girl who has an oxygen tank and it was leaking so the fire alarm was set then another alarm went off and the fire department came. It was really cold outside for the kids and they had to leave everything behind and come home with nothing, way too much excitement. Well I must run there still seems to be kids running around this house and it is getting way to late.

We are still setting up a utility sink it seems to be a very slow process. I guess that is because we are multi tasking and trying to do to much. We have been letting the Alpaca boys out in our front property then we put them back in their pen and let the horse out it seems to be working good then they get some grass and not so much hay. The new goats are starting to tame down still not sure of me but some are coming up and they sure do love grain.
Our head count is now 41 Angora goats, 7 sheep, 1 horse, 1 mule, 1 donkey, 25 chickens, 1 duck, 1 Emu, 1 pot belly pig,2 pink pigs, 5 Alpaca. 1 llama, 3 cows, 3 cats, 1 wild cat, 10 dogs, 35 rabbits, 1 parrot, 1 hamster, and several fish. So how much hay do think I will need?
I really love to spend time outside and watch the animals they all have so much character everyone has there own unique personality. I love to sit out with the goats we have one little baby who is so bad she bites our pants, the back of our boots, and paws us she is the goat who is always in the feeder and she is still really tiny.
Some of our fruit trees are in blossom and they smell so good I will be out watering and every now and then a nice smells comes through.
Have a wonderful day tomorrow take the time to enjoy the changes of the season smell the blossoms, hear the birds and enjoy the tulips and hyacinths.

Today was a good day it is trying to be warmer if you ignore the ice dripping of the fences in the morning. My husband is setting me up a utility sink out in our outside office so I can wash my wool out and save my kitchen. I hope to run some yarn through the counter tonight so I can dye tomorrow. I just can't seem to get motivated on it though, I also need to paint our bedroom I have the paint so I really need to jump on that. I feel like I have been slacking but I am really tired in the evenings.
I am working on my shoulder wrap on the round loom it is in lavender colour I hope to put a nice trim on it. It won't be fancy like other people can do but I still think it will be quite nice. Well I should run so I can gather up stuff to take out with me in the morning to dye wool with.

Goats having a temper tantrum.

Today was a nice day it was a little warmer my husband and the kids washed and polished my daughters car, it is so unreal to think she is driving. We went out to the farm where I bought the Angora goats from and picked up some grain and grain feeders that they gave me. It took a lot longer than I thought it was really heavy and it took some thinking to fit it all in the pick-up but we managed it then we came home and we unloaded them fixed a couple of things on them. It was so funny the new girls were so excited to see their feeders so tonight I gave them grain and called them the way we call ours when it is time to get turned out so they learn the routine.
I cleaned out my office outside so I am ready to dye some wool I would like to try a little tomorrow but I will have to see if I get some time. Anyways talk to you all soon.

My 13 year old singing Happy Birthday to himself.
The girls waiting for their hair cut.
My oldest daughter in her new car.

The last of goats are sheared what a good job to have done. We dewormed then put all goats together it was quite nice to see them all together. My husband and his brother went to the auction with 9 head today and as they went over the Coquihalla they hit black ice there were a couple of vehicles already had crashed and the ambulance was there. I am so glad I did not go I can not handle that kind of stuff.
The day was taken up of two trips to town, goat shearing took up most of the day and then supper and end of the day chores., not a whole lot of playing time. Well I must run take care

Yeah she is driving she worked very hard to get this. Now Glen I am not making fun of you but it is to good not too share this story. In BC you have to get your learners "L" and you can keep that for no more than two years then you go for the drivers test you an "N" for at least two years and can keep it for up to five years then you retake your drivers test. Well my brother was excited for her he thought she got a Nintendo game :) We laughed so hard.

Lunch with my neighbors. I used my lovely dishes

Our bathroom is finished it was really hard to get a good picture my zooms on my camera are too big but my family will see the change.

It has been a busy few days we have had a birthday party with friends, we have gone to Kamloops birthday shopping, some of us have attend other birthdays, we have done driving test, we have separated goats, we have loaded goats for the auction, we have captured goats into the barn for the shearer to arrive tomorrow, we have built goat houses, and I am sure there is more because I feel exhausted.
First my oldest daughter went in for her driving test and she got it. I was so nervous I swear I aged 20 years my husband was quite nervous too so were her brother and sisters. She did real well though oh my goodness she has had a lot a happen for her in the last few weeks.
My middle son turned 13 where does the time go he is quite young for his age and I would rather have that than too grown up. He had 6 kids over for his party plus my oldest son's friend and our 6 so it was good quick party. Today we took him shopping he had so much fun and of course I made him listen to the story of his birth :) nothing clears a room quicker than that.
My youngest son went to a sleep over for a birthday party he tells us he went to bed after 12 midnight and was up by 7am we picked him up tonight at 6:45 and he looked like a zombie. So we got him home gave him a hair cut and bathed him and he is off to bed.
The truck is loaded for the auction and the very mean ram is off and as I am typing this I can here him ramming the truck he really is horrible
My heart won the old goat that was to head off to the auction she is staying I just could not send her it breaks my heart if I think to much about it. Well I must go to bed have a good night.

That is my daughter in the middle kicking the ball.

Well we made it through homework and we worked on the bedroom until 11:20 but it is clean temporarily! (that is a funny word) I am baking cookies, cupcakes for the birthday party and he really wants an ice cream cake but they are so expensive but I guess we will go into town and check them out. We have a present for him of Car hart shirt, chocolate, big package of gum, new ear phones for his ipod, a hunting magazine all about bears, a package of socks and of nickers, and a gift certificate for the horse barn then we will go to Kamloops and buy him a pair of running shoes at Sport Check and maybe a Dairy queen run on Friday no school yeah!
The big day tomorrow my oldest daughter has her driving test I have butterflies just thinking of it. I am making my husband go I will jinx her just with my vibes. AHHHHH I am so nervous for her.
I have one son on the principals list and two girls on the honour roll very clever bunch and we have got back the info that my oldest daughter did pass the English exam so graduation is happening and get this she has a summer job.
The weather outside is not very nice I wonder if it is going to warm and I think they are lying about global warming because it sure is not very warm here in our area.
I am preparing to dye some wool soon but I am going to do it out in an office we have so I can just go to it and not have to worry about my house or it in the way of supper etc
Well must run and go check my piles I am burning at the barn talk to you all soon

The other night we did not get the hockey players home until 2pm and into bed at 3pm and then I was up at 6am but my son slept until 11:50am. Last night I was so tired I went to bed at 8pm slept until 10:30 then promptly woke up and could not sleep all night.
Today I helped my dad we are building another goat shelter obviously for the goats. They really use it even the little calf sleeps in it.
My children are doing there homework Oh my gosh I hate homework and no one tell me it is good for them it SUCKS. Imagine all of them doing homework one on a saxophone which in between each breath he snivels, one doing science project and will not try to figure it out on her own, one on computer doing a power point, two fighting over nothing and one doing spelling sentences with a lot of help.
I am trying to stall I have to go clean my two youngest boys room and I swear they are part PIG. Other than that all is well it was a good day we got a lot done. We are in birthday mode three of my children have birthdays in the next three weeks. Well must run talk to you all soon.

Soccer weekend over my daughter won MVP for her school and was given a soccer jersey. It was an okay weekend for weather not overly nice but I have seen worse. Today was quite nice I planted some flowers that I had watered some flower patches and did general sorting and cleaning outside. Saturday night we separated the goats and got the ones ready for the auction so that will be next weekend if all goes as planned. I am having a very hard time staying awake I have to leave at 12:15am to go pick up my husband and son in town. It is funny sometimes I can stay awake no problem but when I have to go somewhere I am very tired it must be all in my head. Well I must move around to keep awake off to clean. Have a great night.

Not too much new around here but the same ole, painting the bathroom is done. Tomorrow I will finish up any loose ends in between soccer and taxi service then onto a general cleaning of the house. I have notice I am not putting as many photo's back up and things seem a little different. After I get the house tidied up I will start our bedroom next that will be a big chore our room is quite big so I have to be in the right frame of mind and tonight is not it I am very tired so I am off to bed have a great night.

AFTER

The wall behind the cream coloured cabinet is a lighter shade of yellow and the wall behind the stove and other wall is a gold buff colour. Now I need to do some sweet talking for a new floor in the kitchen but he is a little sick of me, which I don't think is very nice.

BEFORE

Before pictures of the kitchen

I just finished the first coat of paint on the kid's bathroom it is a blue called "chillin" not really my colour but my middle son wanted something baby blue so blue it is. I think it will be okay if I go the other colour either cream or white.
Today was only a half day for the school children so it was nice to have some of them home earlier the oldest two went to watch rugby. My husband and middle son left at 4pm and are traveling all night to Saskatoon it is a very long trip and I am so glad it is not me going. I can't travel I was homesick and I didn't even get on the bus. I truly get homesick I get this real lonely feeling a despair feeling that I just want it to go away, it is right in the pit of my stomach. I absolutely hate the thought of going away. I can handle day trips of shopping or sight seeing but even then when I approach home I get this really anxious feeling WEIRD yeah I know.
Well I must go to bed long day tommorrow it is the start of the soccer tournament.

Tonight this blog will not let me post photo's so you will have to wait to see my kitchen and our family room. Today we sat through a very cold soccer game I am not sure what is colder hockey or soccer. Not a lot of news finished painting today and it is time to clean up everything and maybe just may be paint the kids bathroom. I have big plans to do things this weekend but I think reality is taxi service and soccer games.
I am having interference with my heart it won't let me sensible and send the goats to the auction. It is sad to send them on even though I don't even know them yet one old girl I think she will have to stay she is rather lovely a very nice personality. I must have a list ready to go for next Friday. as we will go to the auction Sat. I am also planning my middle son's birthday party, Oh MY goodness he is going to be 13. All our children are growing up so much. Well must run have a good night.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Today was a very special day my oldest daughter won a scholarship from Minor hockey for $500.00. I am so pleased for her doors are opening for her and all her hard work is paying off. We all managed to keep it a secret personally I hate secrets but this was a safe and good one. She was among two others who also won one boy she has gone to school with since kindergarten and the other is her boy friend. I am so happy for all of them.
So for the painting end my son's room is done, my living room is done, one part of my hall is done, my kitchen is done and my family room is done. I have four chairs to paint tomorrow then I may take a break but my children would like their bathroom done so maybe this weekend if I can fit in a hockey tournament, soccer tournament, barn dance and a trip to Saskatoon Sask.
My new goats are wonderful they are slowly getting to know my a couple just can't resist coming up and some look at me like I am crazy. I talk loud to my animals and I sing when I do chores I hate to see them get scared when they have not heard me approach them. My miserable ram is still ramming the fence it just needs to hang in there another week until we can ship him out. I must run talk to you all soon

They are here!

The goats have arrived and it seems they are settling in quite well. They are very wooly and will be sheared next month.

My middle son won this award now for the second time this year. He is grade 7 and is on a modified program. I lost a lot a sleep wondering if we were doing the right thing agreeing to put him in this program but it has been wonderful for him he is doing quite well and the goal is to get him back to a regular grade level.

Hot dogs any one!

Good Morning
I am waiting for my flag to go up to go have coffee with my dad, every morning he makes the coffee lights the fire and puts up a orange swimmy and that is my sign coffee is on. I am the only one up here so I thought I would right a quick post to wish every one a good day before I head outside.
The goats come today it is exciting but I am not sure how it will all go about I guess I will know soon enough then I will tell you. It actually was quite nice to only feed a few mouths at the feeder so that is definitely something to think about.
We will do an auction trip in the next two to three weeks and then I hope that is it for this year I will still have the one young lamb but I could keep her over winter.
In the mail I received two magazines Creative Knitting and Harrow Smith I had ordered them last fall from my son's school and they just came in now for the first time.
I am a little sick of painting I am onto the family room it will look nice I hope to finish up this week then to try to talk my husband into new flooring but that will have to wait until he gets back to work we pick some tiles out in Kamloops. I still would rather get someone to do it then it would get done but I think that would be to expensive. Oh to dream the only problem is the dreams don't quit they just keep rolling after one is reached there is another rather exhausting actually. Must run have a pleasant day.

This is my husband trying very hard to get the bolts of something under the logging truck. He tells me what he is doing but I never know what he is talking about.

What happened to Thursday I swear someone is pulling tricks on me. I guess it is too many paint fumes but oh my goodness my house is looking great. Kitchen is just about done but the paint has been awful it doesn't want to go on the wall very nice. So now I am cleaning up and I have one more spot high above a cupboard then on to the family room. Actually I have a lot more to do come to think of it. Hmmm sometimes I wonder why I do these kind of things.
We had the last baby lamb born this afternoon my goodness she was so slow and we had a White french angora rabbit have a whole litter of white babies yeah! we really want the white. We so do not need any more bunnies so she is the only one this spring that we will let have. Our weekend is crazy as usual oldest son has found hockey in Kamloops so my husband will take him over, my youngest daughter has birthdays to go to, oldest daughter is playing in a soccer tournament, middle daughter is playing in a volley ball tournament. None of this is a big deal except NONE OF THEM CAN DRIVE! We are great taxi service but the pay is poor.
My husband picked up my simply knitting magazine when he went to Kamloops to pick up parts so I can dream about learning to knit better.

A beautiful rose sits on our table.

This morning we woke up to -11 very cold but the day warmed up beautifully not that I went outside much I am painting my kitchen. I like it but non of my ungrateful family like it but they will get over it. Quite exciting this painting thing I really have never painted a home before I actually hate painting but like the end result and I will be glad when it is done. My garden is calling me and so is the sunshine.
When I had my sheep and angora goats in the barn ready to get sheared they looked so lovely all the different shades of white, I am going to put them back in just to take their photo.
I just finished watching the Secret Garden it is a very lovely show so pretty and very cool music if you haven't watched it go and rent it I know you will like it. Well of to bed talk to you all soon.

Planting time soon

Hockey over NOT.... we had a phone call about my middle son to see if he would like to join the peewee team traveling to Saskatoon, so In two weeks my husband and son will be heading off. This is so not is our plans it is not financially in our plans but he never gets to go on any trips but now with his dad home he can so who am I to say NO. The weather is so unpredictable we went to Kamloops for parts for the logging truck and we hit ice, rain and snow. The wind was so bitter cold when we got home I went outside to check the animals then I started on the kitchen we washed the walls next is primer then paint. It is a little over whelming so I had to dive in head first so I would not chicken out.
The other day I sorted my wool and put it in containers so the glass room where I weave is much tidier but I kinda miss admiring all my lovely colours of wool. On my way to Kamloops I started crocheting a face cloth in natural cotton colours something simple and mindless and enough to keep my from being a back seat driver. Must run we are finishing putting the flooring in my son's room.

Spring time

Good Friday the weather was so beautiful, it was actually hot out and it was the warmest day of the weekend.

Enjoying Easter morning

Easter gifts from Oma, chocolate and gift cards

What a wonderful busy Easter weekend I think we need a day to get over our holiday. We enjoyed our time had a wiener roast, gardened, played, looked for the rabbit. On Easter Sunday we had 17 people for supper we ate turkey, potatoes, carrots, roast beef, bread buns, Caesar salad, juice fountain, apple pies, chocolate cake, vanilla cake and lots and lots of chocolate.
In between cooking looking for the bunny I had to go out and clean the barn (which was awful) because the sheep shearer phoned and is coming on Monday. That was so not in my plans but it is done he will be back within the month to finish. I have to go with when the neighbor hood does their sheep so I don't have too much say we just do them when he is in town. So today we sheared sheep goats and alpaca's then did some hoofs, dewormed a few and then I spent the rest of the day cleaning a pen for our billy goat. I swear if I see another pine cone pine needle I will scream. so I am not working tomorrow other than chores that is it. I have been working for two months straight and I feel very tired however I bet I forget I would like to start on my kitchen now. Well I am off to find some tea, have a wonderful night.

Done

Our living room is all finished and I am really happy with it, next I would like to start the kitchen after Easter.