We Continue to be Busy

You can barely
see my head poking
up over the far
side of the roof here.

Friday we didn't have that busy of a day. We ran to the scrap yard after Daddy got done with work and then worked on the shed a bit more to add some more roof support and materials to the roof to prepare it for either roll roof or shingles. We currently have roll roof so we'll likely use that instead of shingles.

Saturday we all got up relatively early and did chores and breakfast, then we were off to Grandma and Papa's house.Daddy spent most of the day up on the roof putting row after row of new shingles on their roof. ECJ spent most of the day either weeding the front garden or helping Daddy on the roof. The girls organized and cleaned two of Grandma's rooms while I helped with laundry and cleaning windows ... putting away the dishes from the dishwasher. All the little things that need to be done as well as remaking three of the four beds in the house. We ate supper of chicken, potato salad, and noodle salad. And then we came home where I did another load of laundry here and all of the campers took showers or baths before bed.

The campers with Papa

Sunday, Father's Day, we woke up with a call from Papa ... his dog had killed a skunk in the backyard and in the process had gotten sprayed full on in the face and mouth. Daddy and I went to Tractor Supply Co. and picked up stinky dog shampoo (guaranteed to get rid of skunk smell in one wash), a masonry bit, and finishing nails. The campers ate breakfast and did their chores while we were gone and we again missed mass this week (really we had too much on our plate as there's a timeline for getting the work at Grandma and Papa's completed). When we got to their house we had to wash the dog, which meant Daddy had to carry the 75 pound Australian Shepard down the basement stairs and put him in the laundry tub for his bath, which poor Max didn't like at all. Even though the shampoo came with a guarantee to wash out the skunk in one bath we washed him twice and cleaned up the mess made. All towels used and the spare shirt Daddy had worn for the occasion got put into the laundry right away so the smell wouldn't sink into the material. We then locked the dog in the basement to dry a bit and went up to the park at the end of the street, they'd just put in a new playground last month, and the kids played for about twenty minutes while Daddy and I breathed in the clean air. Daddy fixed Papa's porch railing by putting a new footing on the one post (this is what the masonry bit was for since he had to drill screw holes into the concrete porch). ECJ used the power hedge trimmers to go all the way under the deck and get rid of all the weeds and vines that were growing under there to help make sure no more skunks would make the under side of the deck their home again this year. The girls played while I helped Grandma putts around with some little stuff inside the house. After Daddy fixed the moulding by the door wall we had a fabulous Father's Day dinner BBQ of ribs, corn on the cob, and fried potatoes. When we left their house it was around 7:30 and we still went out scrapping, collecting mostly aluminum in the process and not getting home until very late. We'd even stopped at another park while scrapping. The campers were so tired that they all crashed just about the minute that we got home, Daddy and I weren't far behind them.

So, we finally finish the weekend and come to Monday. Daddy had to go to work early so he and I, along with ECJ were up early unloading the scrap out of the truck because Daddy needed the bed of the truck at work. ECJ did his chores, ate his breakfast, and then went outside to break down what little scrap actually needed breaking down. I let the girls sleep in while I caught up to my writing for this post but when they woke up it was chores and breakfast as well. While the girls and I did lessons for the day (after I folded the laundry from Saturday night) ECJ tried to mow our lawn and two lawns across the street since he was behind on his job because we really hadn't been home since at least Wednesday of last week, but our lawnmower stalled out and wouldn't restart. So, instead he rode his bike to Daddy's work and helped Daddy finish up the wood chip job by adding another two inches to each island in the parking lot of wood chips. We did not go to the scrap yard this day because we needed to run down to Grandma and Papa's house to finish up all the little things like vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting so that when the inspector comes Tuesday it'd all be clean. We ate leftovers for supper with them and then went out scrapping again. OH, and for those of you wondering, I only scheduled two days worth of lessons this week because we'll be so busy so ECJ will just do both days as he gets a chance to do them instead of doing them with us this week. We're busy little bees over here lately!

Thankfully we found an awesome lawnmower that works really well that a guy was just getting rid of because he had had it for 22 years and his wife wanted him to buy a new one. So, we have an excellent self propelled lawnmower that we got for free while scrapping!! Sometimes things happen that way. God is good!


Tuesday Noni came to get the campers and I. Daddy had to go to Grandma and Papa's to walk around with the inspection guy while Papa took the dog for a drive because he didn't want the dog in the guy's way. We went to lunch with Noni and then went shopping for some essentials because the Cracker Jacks' are growing again and the clothing just bought for them doesn't fit again!! Essentials meaning undergarments, we'll do another trip next week (just Daddy, the campers, and I) to pick up new jeans for YCJ and new shirts for ECJ. The shorts and other things we bought all still fit and ECJ has a few of the right size shirts but only a couple of them. After our shopping trip we stopped at a local park that had added a new playground and played there for a about an hour before heading home. Noni and I had a cup of coffee while the campers spread out to color, watch YouTube, and take apart scrap. Daddy called and he was babysitting our youngest niece (that's in state) while his sister did a bunch of errands. Then Noni left and Daddy stayed where he was to scrap for the night. It was a pizza bite kind of night for supper and the kids thought that that was awesome because we very rarely do that anymore. The rest of the night was very relaxing and spent at home while it rained off and on.

On Wednesday Daddy had to go into work early as he had much to get done before the big bosses came in after noon. ECJ spent the majority of the day outside, taking apart scrap and mowing lawns now that we have a lawnmower that actually works. The girls took baths and showers after breakfast and chores and then we did quick lessons in Language Arts and Math. I folded a load of laundry while they were cleaning themselves up and started another load as soon as they were finished. When Daddy got home we loaded up the back of the truck with scrap and took it to the scrap yard ... we had more than the two loads that we got in this day but there's only so much time in a given day to get things done and the scrap yard closes around 5 PM. After that Daddy and I ran to Grandma and Papa's house to take out the trash and then go scrapping in their neighborhood. The campers stayed home and made their own supper, Daddy and I grabbed something quick from the store that was pre-made so that we didn't have to think about it too hard. When we got home it was time for everyone's medicine and bed. It was a productive and busy day.

Our new to us homeschool cabinet.
It literally fits everything we need
and is the perfect size to fit between
my desk and the window in the
living room!

Thursday Daddy went to work again and ECJ was again outside taking apart scrap. The girls and I putted around the house doing laundry, cleaning rooms, taking care of our critters, and generally just filling the day. When Daddy got home from work we filled the truck up with scrap and went to the scrap yard. We managed to fit two loads of metal into the truck in one go! Over 600 pounds of shred metal (regular old metal that your magnet sticks to) and over 300 pounds of aluminum! The trip to the scrap yard was an adventure because of the wind but since it was just Daddy and I we took it nice and slow and got there without losing a single piece of scrap. We finished around 4PM and then came home to have ECJ run the lawnmower over our grass and two of our neighbors. He owes us a bit of money right now but after he pays that back he's saving for a micro SD card and the second portion of his drivers education. He'll be taking the second portion sometime later this summer or in the fall ... it mostly depends on when the class will be big enough to actually be held. While ECJ cut the neighbors grass we grabbed the girls and headed to the grocery store a few towns over for supper ... Kroger isn't in our town and the grocery store here is a little high on their prices for our tastes, though I'll go there in a pinch. After we got home, ECJ was finished with the lawns, I put all of the groceries away and the campers played outside while Daddy took a quick nap. Our evening was a quiet one and we basically just hung around the house. The campers came in right before it started to rain and ate their supper.

The last load of scrap this week
and ECJ up there helping to tie it
all down.

Friday morning is here and so is Daddy's birthday! He's off at work again, he has to paint an apartment by next Tuesday so he's getting a good start on it today. It's almost 11 AM and everyone is up except of YCJ ... I'm getting ready to wake her up as soon as I'm finished with this blog post. It's still raining outside and so we really have no plans other than to relax around the house most of the day. I, of course, have a load of laundry going in the washing machine since nearly every day is a laundry day here. Not much else is planned for the day other than a trip to the Secretary of State for the new sticker for the truck and possibly a visit from Grandma and Papa as they may stop in sometime this afternoon to visit with Daddy for his birthday.

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