Greeeeen Meadows is the place for me, farm livin' is the life for me...

This week we took the kids along with our friends, the Allen's, to Green Meadow's Petting Farm. I took Ali & Ben last year, but Ben was just a wee one, so he enjoyed it much more this year.

Me & my future ranch hand

Full grown, miniature pony

Ben's first pony ride & he loved it. His name was Mocha. This made me want a horse really bad... just don't think it would fit in here at SEU.

Ali's all time favorite thing at the farm. She anticipated this all day since she remembered the pony rides from last year when we came.

This is a picture of Ali last year when we came. (Jan 08')

Tom Turkey... kind of beautiful and really ugly at the same time...

Dan & Ben on the hay ride

Llamas... they spit stomach acid accurately from 10ft away.
Amazing & gross!

Dan trying to catch a duck for Ali to pet.

Success!

Surprisingly, not full grown, ostrich.... this guy still has two feet to go! Not petting friendly, btw.

Goats..so cute.

These peacocks roamed freely throughout the farm. Luck for us, it was mating season and the men were strutting their stuff!

Baby twins... interesting enough, goats will communal nurse.

Dan was the goat man... goats really liked him for some reason.

Ben got rammed by one playful goat and that was all he needed to hate them for the rest of the day. You can see him trying to climb on Dan's back.

This little guy was only 48hrs. old. His umbilical cord was still hanging from his underside. So soft and friendly.

9 day old duckling. He left a little gift dripping from Dan's hand.

Here Dan is holding a 7 day old chick.

Portuguese potbelly pig. This guy loved to be scratched.

Feeding sheep.

Very friendly.

I posted about this guy last year. His name is Tigger and he is a zorse... mix between horse & zebra. They are born sterile like a mule. Look closely to see his stripes.

Water Buffalo... the most dangerous animals in the wild according to our guide. Also where real mozzarella cheese comes from. (the cow mozzarella is imitation)

Thanks to Sweet Lips, for letting us try milking. Ali & Ben weren't interested in milking her, but liked petting her.

Farmer Ben.

Friday Night is now... Movie Night

We've had a bit of a challenge with our oldest child... constantly wanting to watch TV. So, our new idea & perhaps will become a tradition is that we pick a movie during the week and wait to watch until Friday night. Then, we all gather round with popcorn, munchkins, and chocolate milk to watch the highly anticipated film.

This was our first movie night... and I think it went well. Every day she would ask if it was Friday (knowing that it wasn't yet) and we'd talk about the snacks we'd have and how fun it will be. When Friday night came, we jumped out of the bath, threw on pj's and off to the couch. Ali picked the movie, Toy Story, and the menu this week.

We'll see if this tradition sticks around or not... until then, it works for me.

I can't wait until they are a bit older and we can start family game night.

She is an intense movie watcher! She has her bear & blanket, popcorn, & chocolate milk close by.

Ben was much more interested in the snacking part of movie night.

Not long into the movie he was headed for the ottoman for some toys.

A Godsend & A Good Attitude

Finally now, in my 12th week of pregnancy, I'm finding a bit of relief from some of those nasty (but common) symptoms of pregnancy. This has by far been the roughest trimester I've faced (including both Ali & Ben's pregnancies). I have felt guilty, even though I thought I was giving myself a break knowing all that my body is going through. Still, I saw things I wanted to do, get done, and be apart of that I simply couldn't. And poor amazing Dan, he has pulled the family up by the boot straps and is the sole reason we are still 'making it work' after these past several weeks. Now that I feel I'm regaining some of my former self, I stumbled upon this blog entry and found it very helpful. I love being a wife/mother/homemaker... more than I ever thought I could. One thing this lady wrote that struck me was that I want to do those things with a good attitude. How blessed we are to have three little Bittingers to raise and share life with... I want to do life better than I've ever known it could be lived. How encouraging for someone (like the lady below) to share her life... and now has affected so many others.

Enjoy!



January 29, 2009
Caring, Keeping, and Gestating: How To Do Life While Pregnant
Guest Post by Jessica Fisher
That first pregnancy seems like a walk in the park, now that I look back on it. I was twenty-four, young and energetic. My household consisted of just my husband and me, so I could easily take a nap after work, eat pickles and ice cream if I wanted, take a nap after dinner, lie around all evening, and go to bed at 6 pm. While I certainly had the normal symptoms of pregnancy, it wasn't that difficult as I really only had to care for myself. And, since we lived in a small apartment my household responsibilities were few.

But, several years down the road, my pregnancy experiences changed. My home had grown from a one-room studio to a four bedroom, four bath house, and my family grew from just the two of us to the two of us plus a small army of children. I learned that pregnancy looks different when you're already a mom.

As you know, the gestation period is an important season for a mother. Your body is working hard to build a baby. You tire easily. Queasiness may make food preparation or cleaning tasks much more difficult. And older children still need you. You may still be waking in the night to help a young child back to sleep.

How do you function as a mom and homekeeper at the same time as realizing the limitations that your body is placing on you for a greater purpose? Here are some things that have worked for me:

1. Prioritize. Realize that not everything you want to get done is going to get done in this season. Think through what is most important and put your energy into those tasks. Consult your husband and see what he thinks is the best use of your time for your family.

2. Limit your commitments. Practice saying NO. As your family grows, you will need to adjust your outside commitments anyway. Pregnancy is a great time to start. Err on the side of fewer commitments as you can always add more in later if you find that you have extra time to serve outside your home. Avoid putting yourself in a position where you feel stressed to get something done for someone other than your immediate family.

3. Ask for help. When someone asks what they can do to help you, tell them. Grandparents, friends, and other family members are great sources of assistance. Be specific about what you need. Explain that you are having a hard time with meals or laundry or other household tasks. Enlist their aid for child care so that you can take a nap or a shower. Your children can help you, too. You'd be amazed at how much cleaning a toddler can do when you are patient and take the time to teach them. Which leads me to my next point...

4. Lower your standards. Realize your limitations and give yourself permission not to be SuperWoman for a season. Your family will not suffer to eat cold cereal rather than a hot breakfast every morning. Unless meal prep is very high on your priority list, find quick and easy, budget-friendly menus that your family enjoys and stick with those for the duration. Reassess your cleaning schedule. What is the bare minimum you feel comfortable with? Find it and make that your goal. Cut out unnecessary tasks, such as ironing. In fact, put wrinkle-prone clothes in storage. Allow your family to wear low-maintenance garments to increase their chances of having a clean supply. Simplify your life and your household as much as possible.

5. Remember that relationships matter most. Pregnancy is a season. Many things can slide. The one thing you don't want to neglect are the relationships you have with your husband and children. If given the choice between folding laundry and reading a book to your littles, choose the snuggle time on the couch. If the kids go to bed early, spend some alone time with your hubby rather than catching up on email. Don't let what appears urgent to supersede the important. Laundry and email can wait.

Life looks different with each new baby: during and after the pregnancy. Be prepared to adapt to each change as it comes. And enjoy the ride.

Jessica Fisher, aka FishMama, is a happy wife and the joyful mom of six children under 12. Her goal in life is "to do it with a good attitude."

Easter Morning

Good Friday was Good!

We started the day with a ride in the trash pick up Kubota! To the kids, this is a small perk to living on a campus.

Then we organized an Easter Egg hunt in the Butterfly Garden.

These are the "Sons of Southeastern". Liam, Lincoln, & Ben. We named the trio that because they were each born to their perspective RD family while living on campus.

Ali & Nolan

Then we were off to grill out and swim in the yard pools.

Nice Cool Shade!

We ended the day with story time using Resurection Eggs. This was the first I'd ever heard of them, but it illustrates the Easter story in a great way for kids. We will probably use them each year now.