Facebook Just Chastised Me

Thank you, Facebook.

Not only do you make me feel as if I'm not vacationing enough, spending enough "family time #makingmemories," and taking artful Instagram pictures of it, now you're chastising me for not posting on my blog's page.

Honestly.

It's Labor Day, for heaven's sake! That's just what you want to wake up to, as you're checking emails in the morning…a virtual wrist slap that you've been a slacking blogger.

Pardon me for gestating twins, starting school, trying to ready our house to be jacked up, and chasing after four children.

Sheesh.

Anyway, thank you, Facebook for the chastising, and here's some random updates and thoughts that I'm sure you've been wondering about…

1) Twins: Just 6-8 more weeks left. The end.

2) School: All children will be in school as of this week! Jack heads to preschool for a few precious hours three days a week, and while I have read a lot of blogs about the sad moms who are sending their sweet babes to the wolves…I mean teachers…at the beginning of school, I'm more like these people.

I love my children, but they need to be on a schedule that is not just imposed by me. They need to be off the farm, with their peers, learning all the wonderful things that come with school. Like this.

3) Farmer Joe, aka, Mr. Webel: Joe has enjoyed the exhausting first two weeks of school. Truly. This is a good thing for him to be back with the people. He's doing great, and is having to juggle a lot. Chores in the morning and evening, a clingy three year old who is used to him waltzing in and out during the day, and all the extras that come with being an ag teacher and FFA advisor: namely, a pedal pull during a family party that he had to miss. Bummer. However, it's all good. We look at each other often and comment on how in the world we're going to do all what we're planning on doing in the next few weeks, but we just keep plugging away. These are all good things. Everything we're encountering will only be a blessing in the end. That's what keeps us going and going and going.

4) The final hurrah of the summer: In honor of Labor Day, I'm hopeful to waddle my happy rear to the Country Club pool for one last float. However, we're at the mercy of the potential for rain showers (STOP RAINING…we have construction to commence), the lawn needing to be mowed, and a steer to be washed and clipped for the final show/sale of the year. Anna has one more steer show in town this weekend, and Anna is struggling a bit. It's hard to get excited about this show. It's small. It's late in the season. It's right next to a railroad track where trains go by during the show and freak out the cattle, and Anna's steer can err on the side of jumpy. There will not be a lot of love loss when she sells him this weekend. However, this is not always the case. Our dear friends came to visit yesterday, and when their sweet boy had to sell his steer, lots of tears were shed, lots of explaining had to be done, and there's been some really great blogs about this same situation. It's the circle of life of a show animal, but when you have invested time, money and energy in caring for an animal, thinking about selling it to market is a hard pill to swallow for a 9 year old. Read this for a great perspective by my friend Holly's friend Christy. Did you get that???

And then read this, and get just as ticked off and roll your eyes about one thousand times for how one sided and Hee Haw showing animals STILL is seen as. And then…read this response, because it's awesome.

So there you go, friends…my life in a list. I hope this quells Facebook's reminder app.

Happy Labor Day.