Time To Set Up The Christmas Tree

It took the kids awhile to bring in all the holiday tubs. And once they did Arron decided he was going to put lights up around the windows.  After get to the second window the rest of the lights on the string went dead. So he took them all down and put the lights up around the stair railings instead.

 

                                          It was at this point he found out the rest of the set was dead

                                          Because of the wood stove and how hot the loft gets we have to have a fake tree. So Arron is getting ready to set the tree up. Angel is watching to make sure he does it right.

                                           I couldn't figure out how to turn this one around but it's a picture of Madison's bedroom doorway.  She decided to make paper chains going across the whole thing.

                                          Zack helping Arron out with the lights.

                                          It always takes forever to do anything around here because of all the playing.

                                          I don't even want to know what he was thinking. I know he was suppost to be getting the garland unknotted so Devin could put it on the tree. Not sure were he went wrong.

                                           Madison and Devin working on the tree. Arron keeping a watchful eye on them.

                                          Angel decided she would sleep through the decorating part. So Zack covered her up with his blanket and she slept on the floor.

                                          Arron and Devin still on garland duty

                                          More playing around

                                          Not sure what was going on here. But it's a picture of Devin and Madison

                                          Since we can't have a real tree upstairs. I had Zack go out and find a small little one we could put up downstairs.  It makes Charlie Brown's tree look great. But Zack is proud of it.

Kids First Day of School!!

Today the Effingham School put on their school plays for Thanksgiving. And then afterwards they had pie and you could have lunch with the kids.  So since we've never had to do this we went to see Devin and have lunch with him. 

 

                                            Devin with his poster

                                         Telling jokes

                                          Devin laughing at Zack

                                            Zack said he would die if he had to eat school lunch every day

                                          Madison wasn't much happier to be there.

So Lonely!!!!

                                          Angel decided that since Zack was busy she would lay in his bed and wait for him.  She doesn't know what to do with herself when Zack's not around.  She will sit in front of the door and wait for him and if he's gone overnight then she paces back and forth till he comes home. 

Time for pigs to go

It took us two weeks to take care of the pigs this year.  First week we took care of two pigs and then the following week the last two went.  It's not our favorite thing but it's part of having the farm.  It went a lot easier this year than last year.   

 

                                         I can't believe the height difference in these two

                                           Zack working on skinning the pig

                                           Dad making sure that Arron and Zack are doing it right

                                          Arron and Keegan working on skinning while A.J is in the front

4-H Awards Night

 

Awards night went well this year. All the kids did a great job and really look forward to it each year. My batteries died at the end of the night so I don't have pictures of Zack and Madison getting their records back but they each got a special ribbon for having the most completed records this year.

                                            Madison and Devin helping out

                                          Madison and Zack had to gave a power point presentation on their trip to PA for the convention

                                          Zack got first place in the giant pumpkin contest. His pumpkin weighed 55 pounds this year.  Second place was 10 pounds

                                           Madison got first place with her giant sunflower which she almost didn't put in because she didn't think it was big enough.

4-H Pet Month

So this year we had the kids pick a different topic they wanted to learn more about each month. Then let the kids get into groups that they wanted to teach based on the activities they picked and plan what they wanted the other kids. We put a leader in charge of each group to over see things.  November was the month I had to help with. It ended up being the pet topic.  The kids decided to ask the local PD if they would bring in their drug dog to talk to us. 

                                          It was suppost to be an Ossipee PD officer but he brought along a Freedom officer and his K9 dog to. Which made it more interesting to watch

                                          They hid drugs in the center and then the dogs got to find them. This is the Ossipee officer

                                          Then came Freedoms K9

                                          Then we moved outside were they hid some normal things (keys, lighter, etc) for the dogs to find

                                          All the kids watching

                                          The officer dropped his keys on mistake and the dog ended up finding them

                                           They only used one dog at a time.  So one is going back while it's the other ones turn to find things.

                                          The kids watching

                                           Then it was time for the dogs to attack

                                          It was really fun watching these dogs and everything they know

                                          After the K9 dogs left we had a therepy dog come in and talk.  Mrs. Meg was great.

                                          She brought two of her dogs to show us

                                          And we even got to see her brush one's teeth. Over all it was a great meeting. After Mrs. Meg left we ate pizza and went off to Awards Night. It was a busy day.

Ginger's New Vest

Since Ginger likes to walk through the woods and see is the same color as a deer. Madison decided to make her a hunting vest this year.

 

                                         She worked hard at it all afternoon

                                            And the final product.  It looked good till Angel chewed it off her in the yard while they were playing. It lasted for two days.

Feeding Time

                                            Zack decided that we needed to have worms again for the compost piles.  He plans to use them for selling at fishing time as well.  So yesterday he took brought them into the house to check on them and feed them.  They've been helping him clean the garage. He cleans the rabbit cages and dumps the poop into the worms and they have a blast with it.  Saves Zack a lot of time.

Tanning the Hide

When Zack got his deer he wanted to use as much of the deer as possible. So he decided to tan the hide. To make a bed for Angel. In another post he see him fleshing the skin. 

 

                                           In this post he's washing the salt off the hide

                                           Now to mix the chemicals

                                          In goes the hide. After 3-5 and more washing and stirring.

                                           Now he's painting on the tanning solution

                                          And finally after a lot of drying and hard work. Angel is trying out her new bed in front of the wood stove with Zack.

Work Time!!!

There is always something that needs to be done. 

 

                                          Madison hauling wood

                                            Arron raking leaves for the pigs

                                          Zack raking before he got on the lawn mower

                                          Now he's happy

                                           Angel watching to make sure Madison does it right

                                           Arron hauling wood

                                            Zack stacking what we brought him.