Hard Working Haucks

 

We went to the fair.

YAY!

We had a good time.

WOO!!

And then we slaved away.

Womp womp womp.

We surprised the kids with a trip to the town fair. It was so incredibly hot out, so we weren't there for an excessive amount of time. Just long enough to catch a little magic show, eat some fair food, and see all the animals. I really wish I would have brought my camera with me. It's so fun watching Anthony and Molly look at the animals. Molly had a freaken ball and loved the goats and chickens. She kept running from one animal to the next exclaiming, "Wow! Look!" all excitedly. It's nice that a few of the 4-H kids are sweet and let us pet their animals. :)

We spent the remainder of the day loading and unloading hay. We're fortunate that our neighbor down the way does hay and that's where we buy it from so we don't have to drive far at all. We also buy our farm fresh eggs from them as well as whatever is in season in their large garden. We've gotten squash, zucchini, lettuce, and most recently onions and corn. Corn on the cob and chicken for dinner tonight! Doing that hay was exhausting work. It was about 95* out too. I've never sweat so much in my life! Ugh. We got two truck loads, but will wind up getting another one here soon. It's awesome that we have lots of room for hay storage in the tack room.

Speaking of tack room, the structure is complete except for two boards missing on the side (which you can see in the photos). Hopefully we will be getting the remaining wood sometime this week so we can finish up! I should be getting my tack hooks in this week as well so I can hang up my tack....that's the fun part! :) Once that is done, it's all the "finishing touches" like a shelf for a radio, shelves for fencing tool storage, eventually power (come fall/winter time), etc. 

Sunday was another loooooong day of work. We did a general clean up of the area....like trash, tools, and tons of scrap wood. Spent hours combing what will be the arena for rocks and getting out as many of them as we could. We brought sand in to put on the stall floor. Put up a gate. Our trusty neighbor Leonard came over with his tractor and did some dirt moving and ground leveling for us in and around the barn. And to cap off the work day, Sammy and I took down fencing, moved it, and then put it back up. Phew!! Just a few more things and Nik will be in that barn. Hopefully within 2 weeks or so!

Just relaxing with the kiddos today after that busy weekend.

With love,

Mama Hauck

Porch Dweller

Check out this BIG fella......

He lives up on the ceiling of my front porch. As long as he stays there and doesn't venture inside, I'm fine. We had one living on our porch last August too. The kids like looking at him, it's like National Geographic all up on the Hauck Homestead. :)

With love,

Mama Hauck

Return Of A Mad Woman

I'm torn between screaming at the top of my lungs and bawling my eyes out. 

I

HATE

MICE

A lot. I whole heartily loathe them. The only other thing I hate more than mice are fleas.

You may or may not recall my battle with mice in my home last summer/fall time. Snap traps and sticky traps smeared with peanut butter.....evil chuckles in the middle of the night when I heard a trap go off or the "flap flap flap" of a mouse trying to get off the sticky trap.....torn to shreds dishcloths.....the repetitive cloroxing of my counter tops and cleaning of drawers.....getting two kitties to be "mousers"..... 

Remember this face from last year? 

He's dead.

I became suspicious this time 'round when I saw a few nibbles taken out of one of the apricots on the kitchen counter. I threw it away, refusing to think the unthinkable. The next morning the remaining apricot had nibbles taken out of it. I threw it away, tears welling. I walked back towards the kitchen sink to wash my hands when I heard it. The noise. The unmistakable noise. A mouse chewing. Chewing, chewing, chewing. I frantically tore open the drawer where we use to keep the towels (but now keep the spices) knowing that I would find mouse poop. 

*#@&*%*!(#$@

Please, I beg you, STAY OUT OF MY LIFE! You bring me much stress and it will not end well for you.

*Expanding spray foam has been broken out to seal off even the tiniest of holes I can find....anywhere.

*Mouse traps have been slathered with peanut butter and strategically placed.

*Cats have received a pep talk and threat of life if they do not perform their duties.

*Under the house has been inspected (ugh, NOT fun) by Sam and measures taken to rid mice and other vermin. 

*An exterminator type person will be called out before winter to take a gander and give suggestions.

I made my first kill this morning. AND I AM NOT SORRY AT ALL. There will be more kills made until I rid my house of them once again.

With love (but not to mice),

Mama Hauck