::teddy::

Teddy is a 28-year-old horse that I keep at my house I do not technically own him but he has lived with me since I bought this property.  One of my best friends from college is his actual owner but he has retired here with me.   I love the fat old man.   He is a super low maintenance horse.  He hangs out with donkey he's very easy to handle and he's very friendly.  A few days ago I went out in the barn to do some cleaning and noticed that he had injured his eye severely.    It was swollen shut and when he could open it the entire eye was white on the inside.   I called the vet out and we tried to treat it at home for a few days but it was not getting any better so we ended up taking him to Purdue yesterday to have it removed.   He seems so much more comfortable with that eye gone.   But it was pretty scary to see such a big injury on the old guy.   For the record I had to work the day Josh took him to Purdue and a day Josh had to go pick him up from Purdue so Josh really had to play the horseman the whole time.   Teddies real owner lives in Nashville Tennessee so she is not close enough to drive up.   So far he has a good diagnosis.  Of course with only one eye he will need to be careful but he is a pretty careful old man anyway.  

::a dull tree::

I try really hard to make Sundays not just a catch up on house work day but a fun day for the kids.  I have to confess that in the past year Quinn and his toddler like fits and short fuses has challenge me greatly to find something that the older kids love but that he can still survive through.  This last Sunday I wanted to make getting a tree a priority.  The older kids where 100% on board and the weather was wonderful (50's for December is a miracle) so we packed up lots of snack and crossed our fingers that Q would survive the days events.  For our first time we went to a self cut tree farm.  There is a very large and well run place near us called Dull Tree Farm. 

The place was a total mad house!  The great weather had the whole world out and about, but the level of organization was so high.  Any line we waited in was constantly moving forward.  I was very impressed with the place. 

The kids had a total blast.  It was dog days on the farm and the Newfoundland club was out with dogs pulling carts with trees loaded up.  We originally thought we would buy a precut tree, but they had saws you could borrow so we headed out with our cart to cut down our own tree.  This is a first for our family.  Q fell in love with every tree we saw and would hug it and say he wasn't leaving till we got that tree.  Then he would walk three trees further and hug that tree till I talked him into walking three trees further.  

We finally settled on the fattest tree that we thought might fit in our house.  Q named him Quinn Joshua Schaefer, since we name our trees every year.  This guy is by far the fattest tree we have ever had.  I love him!  I managed to cut down the tree with the "help" of the boys, and no one lost a finger.  The boys pulled the cart to the line and while I waited the kids played at the various slides and climbing areas.  They had such a wonderful time. 

I found the cutest handmade reindeer picture that I fell so in love with that I had to buy it.  

By the time we where walking out to the car Q was totally done but the middles where so good and fun to spend the day with.  Next year we will make sure that we wait for Josh to be able to go with us. 

::The elf gets an assistant::

Years ago, I started strong with our elf on the shelf.  He was bad and he was funny.  He did crazy things every night.  I LOVED helping the elf come up with crazy things for my Lily to see.  But time has passed and I have to confess that I have grown to dislike the elf.  He is one more thing on my list - Husband, kids, work full time, school full time, farm, house, and then the stupid elf.  He was burning me out.  One night Lily was walking around hinting strongly that she really hoped that the elf did something crazy that night.  I calmly turned to her and said - "I have been the one moving the elf the whole time.  I am out of ideas.  I need your help.  Will you take the lead on the elf this year?"  She acted a little sad.  She said she knew I was the elf but she likes all the cool things I cam up with for him.  It took her about one hour to get interested - then by that night she was beyond excited.  She started writing me lists about items she needed for the elf to do his magic.  She was inspired and ready.  She is 12 years old and I such an amazing future mama in that girl.  She has always been so maternal.  She has taken to being in charge of the elf with gusto and it is getting me excited about the elf again.  I'm so glad that we get to do this together.