Chick Magnet

Ok....I haven't picked up Chick Magnet since he was a baby, so it took a lot of courage today to grab hold of him. We found a perfect wee little leprechaun outfit for him to wear in his photo shoot.

My friend Wendy came over to help me catch him and her husband Brian took video. I had to chuckle when she showed up in her fancy boots with heels. She pulled up her pant legs above the top of her boots and we headed out to the chicken yard. I had already been out there eyeing him down. He seemed to sense something was afoot. He was getting angry so I shut him in the hen house to give myself a breather. I held my foot against the door as he flung himself against it. I could hear him calling me filthy names from inside the whole time. I think my laughing at him made him more angry at me.

Wendy and I gave ourselves a pep talk and started after him. Remember, Leghorn Roosters are the meanest breed out there. This was risky. I chased him around a few times and finally grabbed a hold of him. I wasn't worried about him pecking at me violently or trying to spur me.....I was worried Brian had just filmed my butt crack for all of my followers to see. So I stood there yelling ..... "Brian!! Did you get my BUTT CRACK??!!" while Chick Magnet was flapping in my arms.

We then proceeded to get him into his little outfit. I found if I closed his eyes it helped immensely. We then set him down and had such a good laugh while he ran around the yard in his little green suit. He DOVE under the hens to hide....I screamed at him to stop being chicken. (I know, not funny) We snapped photos for him to autograph tomorrow. And I have already printed one out....it's a great shot. In case you are worried, he was not harmed during this process. I mean really....if it wasn't for his popularity on this blog, he would have been soup long ago. I tried to post a video but am having trouble getting it to work. I will figure it out.... Stay tuned...there is much more to come.

Blog Contest! Fun!

So in honor of myself.....haha...I have decided to have a drawing for a PRIZE once I get fifty followers. I will put everybody's name in a hat and will video Autumn drawing one out. I figured if I shamelessly beg for followers, I should give back a little.
The thing, is I want to give a prize that reflects my blog. I want it to highlight what I like. SO....

The winner will receive a $38.00 gift card to Starbucks. (Ya know, because I am turning 38)

And the BEST part is they get an autougraphed picture of CHICK MAGNET. And that will not be easy... I will also post the video of us holding him down with an ink pad, his foot, and all of his hens laughing at him in such a compromised position...maybe that will tame him a little.
This was actually requested by one my faithful follwers.
I just need three more by tomorrow!

Trenta.....31 oz coffee!

I was happy to hear that Starbucks is test marketing a new size of drink. It's the next size up from the Venti. For some people, 24 oz just ain't cuttin' it anymore.

The TRENTA is Italian for thirty. It's for iced coffee or an iced tea.

It's being tested in Phoenix and Tampa because of the warm climate. I think it's a great idea. My friend Jenipher always gets a hot coffee because she says she drinks it too fast otherwise. If I am really thirsty, I can almost finish a Grande iced coffee before I am out of the drive-through. The Trenta is not for BLENDED drinks. Those are the high calorie "dessert" options. Not really coffee.....
An iced Trenta can have as little as five calories. With sweetener it's still only around 200 calories. And it will go for $3.30. Not bad....

I hope it's a hit! And I hope by Summer it will be available in Washington...

FB......FelineBook?

This is for all of you who think I spend too much time of Facebook.
IT'S NOT REALLY ME!
It's my cat! She waits until I leave the room and logs in. She makes requests, posts comments, and changes my status. I have much better things to do with my time. I just don't want you all thinking I am so pathetic....that I would be on FB four or five times a day..... I have interests and hobbies! I have real friends that walk around and talk.
I don't know how Surface Area (yes, that's her name) got her paws on my password, but she is addicted. I am going to have to put my laptop in a drawer or something.
I am so sorry that you have to see my name flash across your home page so much.....SHEESH.
Stupid Cat.

No Butts About It.....

I guess I really missed the boat on this subject. I have been begging my Mom to quit smoking for years. She has finally done it. I didn't give her enough credit. I have never smoked and don't know how hard it is to quit. I am sure it is just a horrible experience. I applaud anyone out there who has conquered it. I just didn't know she would be very grouchy afterwards.
I looked at her the other day and said.
"You are griping at me about everything"
She said
"I told you nobody would like me if I quit smoking."

I like her.
I love her.

And I am sorry for.......

1) Not having anything but water to drink.
2) Spending too much time on Facebook
3) Not opening a Pumpkin Farm
4) Buying produce at Safeway instead of having my own 2 acre garden
5) Not having a horse. Or a fence to keep it in. Or a barn to house it.
6) Buying expensive protein powder
7) Buying coffee at Starbucks
8) Getting rid of my clothes
9) Not having cable in proper locations in the house
10) Not having dust mite boxes for the chickens
11) Staying out too late
12) Not answering my phone
13) Choosing friends that annoy her
14) Not helping at the other house
15) Not cleaning out my fridge BEFORE I went grocery shopping.

I spent some time reading up on quitting smoking. I know that it makes you really frustrated with everything. I will just smile and nod and tell her I will consider her thoughts. If you know my Mom, you also know that arguing or making her angry can be risky.....
I am still thankful she quit. Not everyone is that tough.

Way to go Mom!

BARLEAN'S GREENS....Hay In A Glass...YUM

Why Green Foods? It's hardly a secret that our modern world produces food desperately lacking in minerals, vitamins, fiber, enzymes, carotenoids and antioxidants. Barlean’s Greens is a concentrated storehouse of these important nutrients that are stripped from modern day food. With equal proportions of organic barley leaf, rye leaf, oat leaf and alfalfa leaf, Barlean’s triple potency formula combined with other green ingredients, gives you the benefit of well over 7000 mg of green superfoods per serving! Greens purify and cleanse your vital organs, tissues, and blood supply.

I know I don't get enough vegetables each day. It's just plain hard to do. That is why I started adding this powder to my protein drink each day. It tastes great. It smells like a summer day.....and they now have berry flavored greens. I throw it in the kid's smoothies when they aren't looking....and a dash of Barlean's Fish Oil. ;)

I go to their store here in Whatcom County to get a better price. (Or I beg it off of my friend Jeff who does their photography) If you aren't local then go to their website. You will find many wonderful things there! I love Barlean's!
http://www.barleans.com/

Breast Milk Birthday Party....BYOB!

My Dad is a breath of fresh air. He is himself all of the time. He may be the most unique person walking around today. He isn't concerned by what others think. And that is what people love about him. It is a sad thing indeed when we change who we are just to conform to what others want us to be. My Dad has taught me to be proud of who I am....proud of my "King" eyebrows....my "King" sense of humor, my "King" sappy-ness, My "King" laugh....and even that "King" nervous stomach....(right Jodi?)

For the sake of this post, I am going to focus on the "King" sense of humor. My Dad is such a kidder. Like you have never seen before. He will push the limit like no other...but he gets away with it somehow. I know that is where I get my love for laughter. Isn't it just addicting? Is there anything more fun than just laughing until you cry? It's good for you. Laughter lowers stress hormones, it decreases pain, it boosts immunity, and is an anti-inflammatory! Everyone should laugh a lot each day. And I mean bent over gasping for breath laughter. I had a lot of that growing up.

My Dad would dress up like a woman and wait for me at my bus stop.

If my sister and I saw a cute boy we knew he would pull the truck up onto the curb and holler out the window to him.

He hid under my bed often times and grabbed my ankles and pulled me under. (I still have the urge to run and jump into bed from five feet away)

He woke me up in the morning with the Vulcan Toe Hold. I don't know if I spelled that right or if Vulcan is even a word. He laughed...I cried. Getting pulled out of bed and across your floor at 6 AM is no laughing matter.

He taught us to hate Honda motorcycles and to mercilessly make fun of anyone who rode one. He would leave piles of rice under the exhaust of his friend's Rice Burners...

I saved my toenails for him for one year in a little vile. It's one of his prized possessions.

He hid in the back of his friends truck and grabbed him from behind while he was driving and made him pee his pants.

He rode his Harley through the paper mill and got fired. I asked him why he did that and he said "Because I could"

He made a guy go deaf after he blew him up with an M200...his hearing eventually came back though.

He LIVED in his tighty-whities.....and if we came home late he would meet us at the door in them, gun in hand. Not so funny, but you get the picture. He didn't care if we had friends over... he would come out in his underwear, pour himself some Cheerios and munch away. If you have seen his legs. You would know why this is so funny.

One time he thought it would be hilarious to wake me up in the middle of the night and tell me to get ready for school. So I did. I got ready and started walking to school at 3 AM. He pulled his truck up...laughing...and told me to go back to bed. HA.HA.

He would put us in the back of the truck and take us for rides. He would slam on the brakes and we would all roll against the cab. Laughing, bleeding. I think Candi got seriously hurt and Mom got mad. Thanks Candi....you ruined it for all of us. ;)

He drove the Sunday School bus down Hamburger Hill going about 90 mph. Kids went flying in every direction. All we could hear was the roar of the engine and his cackling as we were flung into the isle.

Maybe you have seen his "Hand" that he carries around with him. The Hand shows up all over the place.

I know there are many more stories that my sisters could remember. The point is...he is crazy...and that is so much fun.



Here is his latest....Eighteen years ago his friends were over visiting. They had a newborn baby boy. My Dad asked the Mom for some of her breast milk. She obliged...My Dad told her that he was going to save it until their son turned eighteen. On that day he planned on having him over for coffee, using the breast milk as the creamer. That is how they would celebrate his big day. Well....that milk has been carted from house to house every time they moved. I can't remember it NOT being in the freezer. That baby boy is coming over on the 21st to finish what my Dad started so long ago. My sister is a wonderful cake decorator...and you can imagine what kind of cake we will be having. She is contacting channel 12 News just in case they want to cover this momentous event. Watch for the pictures on Facebook...if you aren't my Dad's friend you better request him fast so you don't miss out. You will laugh I am sure....and you will feel all the better after you do.