Time to Catch Up!

So I've been AWOL for a few months.  Oopsie!  My goal of posting at least once a month have fizzled away in a sea of literature homework and a toddler.  Life happens, so to speak.  So here's what I've been up to since my last post in July.

Since July, we have decided to raise goats in 2012.  That decision was made about 10 seconds after I saw a Nigerian Dwarf goat.  Check them out here and you'll see why: http://www.ndga.org/

I started back to school at the end of August.  Taking only 9 hours, I thought this semester would be much easier and I would have more free time to write, etc.  Oh, how wrong I was!  These 3 classes are kicking my butt in all sorts of ways.  If you follow me on Facebook, you've seen my check-ins at SMWC, and my utter joy at being on campus for stats class.  Not.  My literature class is HARD, and the drama class, while fun, is very challenging.  I'm learning lots, when I get over being overwhelmed.  I am once again the Managing Editor for Aurora, which is very exciting, and thankfully not too much work!  I'm also, when I find some time, doing research for my senior thesis.  At this very moment, I'm considering changing books, so we'll see where that goes.

Did I mention being overwhelmed?  Oh, right, sorry.

Our chickens are doing so well!  We're up to almost 6 eggs a day right now, out of 13 hens.  Still a few left to go, but they'll get there.  Our rooster, Heathcliff, has made himself known as the cock of the walk, and crows at any time of day.  Literally.  Who knew roosters would crow at 9:30 at night?  But, I recently made 4 quiches to take on a trip, and every one was made with our own eggs.  Speaking of trips....

I recently returned from a trip to Gatlinburg!  If you get the chance, you should definitely rent a cabin for a weekend.  Gorgeous!  This was a much needed trip, for many reasons.  For one, I needed to see all my lovely friends that I only see sometimes every other year, and for two, I needed to recharge my batteries.  It was a lovely trip with the exception of the drive down.  Believe it or not, I never left the area of our cabin.  It was very relaxing.

Currently, we're gearing up for our first ever Halloween party.  The family Halloween party has been a long tradition, but within the past few years, it's not been held mostly because of scheduling, etc.  Well, I volunteered to have it this year, and it is Saturday.  It's Thursday, and nothing is done.  Organization my name is not.  However, ignoring the fact that I should have taken tomorrow off, we will get it done.

Caris has been growing like crazy.  We moved her to a new daycare a few months ago for various, and we've noticed a definite improvement in language skills.  Whether or not that is from the change, who knows, I just know that you have to watch what you say around her.  She's repeated some rather off color words we've said.  Oops.  But, she's speaking in sentences and is soaking up knowledge like a sponge.  She loves her toddler princesses, and her favorite movie is Tangled, hands down.  The Disney castle brings shrieks of joy, and she is as I'm writing this, giggling as Rapunzel uses her frying pan on Eugene.

So I'll try not to go AWOL for this length of time again.  School isn't letting up at all, but hopefully I can get some posts in here and there.  Oh, and I have a new obsession that I must thank friends Sarah, Rachel, and Jill.  The Pioneer Woman.  Check her out.  Join the obsession!