Oh wow, has it really been over a year since I have done any kind of posting?? how terrible.. LOL I guess since the induction of regular facebook time as well as other things like work, having four kids, and just trying to juggle it all without sinking, is really enough, and thus, the blog get's put behind. It's all good though.. LOL.. I think if I could figure out a way to post blogs from my phone I would be more updated.. when I see how I can, or if I can.. maybe then I will be more apt to participate.. till then., maybe every now and then I will actually come on and post. Nothing much is happening other than working...

Rooibos Tea

I have always been a tea drinker, even before I was a coffee drinker, and have enjoyed many a coffee in the morning, and grumbled without coffee in the morning. I've since then given them both up. Coffee was really hard to give up, I had withdrawal, I had headaches, I was cranky, and made the excuse of working nights and being up with kidlets, made coffee OK. Now I'm not a morning cocoa drinker... something about sweet stuff and morning makes me gag... and it's not really a great way to start off the morn with a spike in the blood sugar!
So it's now been a few months since I've drank coffee or tea, and I would have to say most of it is because of Rooibos Tea. Now don't get all up in arms that it's a tea, and I shouldn't be drinking it.. hold on... Rooibos is an herbal, caffeine free tea, it tastes great, has a mild and smooth flavor, and is good for you. Check it out, and go buy some!
http://www.teamuse.com/article_040501.html

Six new little girls

Aren't they cute! I stalked Tractor Supply store for three days, until they finally came in. I was told Monday the 16th, but they actually didn't show up till Wednesday the 18th. I am so happy to add to the brood. The other girls will be excited.
I now have 11 chickens. We have four hens and one snarky rooster, which will most likely be rehomed. Two hens came from an egg farm in Lawtey, the other two hens are ones we raised from chicks.
These cuties we just bought are random breeds, it's a bit hard to tell when they are new chicks, we will be able to tell what breeds they are when they get a bit older. Chicken raising is fun!

just some basic randomness

I found out that I am a routine kind of person, I like a routine, I like doing things on the same days and such.. I found this out by not having a consistent work schedule. I've had different days off, not generally two days off together, but at least two days off in a week. It is hard, and tiring.

I've been in a slump since starting at Whole Foods and really couldn't understand why.. well it dawned on me.. work Sunday, Monday off, work two days, Thursday off, work seven days, Friday off, work Saturday, Sunday off, work 2 days, Wednesday off, work 3 days, Sunday off, Monday off, work 2 days, Thursday off, work 4 days, Tuesday off...
It was maddening.
I couldn't really schedule anything, I was tired because I rarely got two days off together, and didn't seem to get anything done.
So I asked the "schedule Gods" please can I have Thursday and Friday off, with Working Saturday morning, on a consistent basis, from here and out forever!!!
it's so far worked, week two and I already feel better and like I can actually get some stuff done around the house and have a bit of a life while working.
Getting back on schedule.. awesome for me... and I honestly thought I could handle a random schedule.. I can't.

My New Job

The store in Jacksonville opened up on December 10th 2008. We had a grand opening, and the store was packed with eager customers wanting to get into the store and check us out. I was fortunate enough to have a sneak preview.... as is the benefits of being an employee http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/careers/benefits.php ... or as they say "team member". The values and benefits of this company cannot be compared to any other place I have ever worked, with the exception of Wild Oats, which was a comparable company, that Whole Foods purchased this past year.
More information about Whole Foods can be found here: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ I urge anyone who does look onto my blog to at least see what the "fuss" is all about. I feel proud to work for a company that is so concerned with the environment, community, as well as the world people.

It has been a welcome breath of fresh air after working for the Holiday Hell... Well ok the Holiday Inn, owned and franchised by Murpho Co. Inc. What a transformation...

snakes, crabs, and moths

I'll pick up just about anything, as long as I know what it is, know it won't cause bodily harm, and hopefully not bite me. I like taking the pictures of what is crawling around. That is if I can catch it. The black racer, I left alone to pics only, although this one will come right up to me, by at least a few feet. When I was releasing the little ring snake, the racer cut between me and Acelin, and he and I were only about three feet apart. Acelin suddenly said "snake mom, snake" and well, goodness there it was, moseying along, it obviously has not much to fear, and is a good three feet in length!

T.S. Fay -vs- our back yard

TS Fay hit our area late on Thursday August 21st. It didn't come with a lot of wind, but liked to stall and hang over an area for far too long and create a lot of rain. We were NOT the only area in FL affected by Fay... in fact ALL of Florida was affected by Fay. I think rather a record for Florida. Seen big storms, that come and go, but this one ziged and zaged all across Florida till everyone felt a little bit, or a lot of Fay. Here is my yard Friday morning:A bit of water creeping in, not even too much more than a heavy flow of thunderstorms, I got wet playing in the water with the kids and having fun catching frogs and salamanders. I'm standing on the block in the back yard by the red maple tree. Still high and dry:

Frog I caught... yes I have four boys and they all shied away from the frog, not wanting to try to catch it. Slippery thing it was, but worth the catch!
Three little salamanders that were caught in the inflatable Alligator pool:
Friday afternoon, before I went to work, the water had come up some more:
the block I was standing on earlier is clearly under water:
Friday night when I came home the water was up to the blocks on my porch. Pictures proved to be futile, so I didn't take any. We had an early trip that was long planned to Orlando and left early in the morning, when it was still dark. I had looked out and water was up to the porch. When we got home late that day I was in a bit of a frenzy seeing that the road connecting to our road was closed, so we did take another road and came to our house and the front was still DRY.. what a sigh of relief! However upon going into the back, the water had gone into the porch, and was up by about 2 inches. Our cat was obviously not amused!

Side of the house:

One of the many play toys that are just floating around in the back yard, the water was over our back fence, which is 4 ft tall... now it's 4 ft deep!

Sunday Morning and the water had receded a bit, the play house is still afloat and there is so many "critters" in the water.
These are the cement blocks right in front of my porch, still a bit under water, but not completely submerged.
The reflections of the trees in the water is pretty, really, but not having water property, I'm not really amused. Our back yard is the place for the boys to run around safely and have fun... now they can't till the water is gone! Which may be a week or more.
The critters found alive and dead in the porch were interesting. many spiders, worms, a few fish but the leech was a gross out moment for me, even though I summoned up the courage to actually pick it up and put it in a bowl and add water to see it in it's "natural" environment, I couldn't pass up the observation, since I had NEVER seen a leech in person, It was a neat opportunity, the kids weren't as amused as I was though.

The leech video (it's only 10 seconds)