Ch-Ch-Changes

It has been a little while since I have posted anything as things around here have been going through a few changes. Perhaps the biggest of these changes is that I am now watching my grandchildren (girls ages 2 and 4) full time while my daughter works.
I had them full time over most of the summer and fall and then they started going to their other grandmothers house since it was more convenient for my daughter to drop them off there than to drive "out to the middle of nowhere" (her term) in the winter to bring them here.
It is actually only about 5 miles from her house to mine but it does get difficult in the winter as the county isn't as great at clearing the snow and ice from the roads as the city is. However I myself would rather live out here where I do!
So as you might guess things around here have been rather busy. The girls are wonderful to have around I love to watch as they play and discover new things!
The youngest is potty training right now and she is doing pretty good, we still have near misses but that's okay I am glad to see the diapers go bye-bye.
They also love their uncle, and they, believe it or not, play together good a lot. It has been an upset to his routine to have them here full time but he has handled it very well. He will go to his room and shut his door when he needs to be alone or feels himself getting overwhelmed and they have learned to leave him alone when he does this. Yay!

In schooling new Bubba is doing well, he is making a lot of progress in reading, I love to listen to him read! He still hates sounding words out and would rather someone just tell him the word, but he isn't throwing a fit about it as much.
He is learning to handle money in math and is making some progress there as well, I have motivated him with this buy telling him that we are going to set up a booth at a few of the street festivals this spring and summer and if he learns to handle the money good enough he can help me and make some money to buy some video games.
In geography he is learning country names and locations, as well as what continent they are on and he loves it! He has both US and world maps on his wall and a huge globe we just got for him he loves showing the girls what he has learned also, so they are learning too!!
Not only are they learning from him but they are learning shapes, colors and numbers as well as the alphabet. I have flash cards for them and they love to go through them with me while uncle Bubba works on his school work. The four year old knows most of them, and is also starting on sight words.

In other news, I am searching like mad for some wood to build a chicken coop out of, and hoping that I can find some and get the project completed in time to get some chicks in April. I have gotten one catalog from a hatchery and am also looking locally by having friends keeping an eye and ear open for me.
I was kinda disappointed last week when time to tap the maples came and went without me having any taps or buckets. This year I am learning, next year I will be more prepared! Most folks around here say that it isn't worth doing because it takes so much sap to make syrup, but I just want to try it at least once, and for me the happiness I get from doing things for myself and my family.
I have most of the gardens planned out and know what I want to plant and where I am just waiting on spring for that, come on warmer weather!
So as I sit here typing, and listening to the kids play with the dog I am happy and that is something you just can buy or borrow!
I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying whatever you are doing.
Until next time...
Deb