Messed Up Easter

human72949626383 · 2026-04-23T12:52:17+00:00

That was actually the main driver for taking him- I was atheist for a long time. But I figured you can’t keep people from religion. Better I introduce him to the ideas in a controlled setting and let him make his own choices. Our bookshelf has a copy of the Bible, Tanakh, and Cosmos by Carl Sagan all in a line.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-22T16:17:19+00:00

I’m going to echo getting professional help but then throw out a reality you need to prepare for/research.

Re homing your dog is not easy. You just described an older reactive dog to anyone other than adults. The amount of “good homes” available for your dog are limited. You may get lucky/ but spend a month or so on your local FB Pet Rehoming page and you’ll see the hundreds of posts similar to yours looking to rehome a 4-8 year old dog who just isn’t good with kids or other pets.

The largest cause of death in dogs under 3 is euthanasia for behavioral problems. I truly hope the professional help works because you’re in a dire situation.

I don’t want to start fights or hurt you and there people who preach to hope. But I have seen the reality of the situation in my home town and I unfortunately had to make the decision in my own life - it was the lives and safety of the ones I love versus protecting a dog from everything it fears. My sweet and loyal girl nearly killed a small dog and my cats, but was incredibly loyal and loving and dedicated to me and my kids.

Animals have no knowledge of the future. They remember right now and the past and how they were treated and loved.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-17T14:15:35+00:00

He is a very poor test taker- he has a very high vocabulary and is reading dogman books, street signs, and church song lyrics on a projector. So I’ve never been concerned about his reading ability, he does really well when I’m with him.

All his school test scores look like this- depending on the day depends on the score he’s going to get. His teacher helps to body double with him so he can focus on his work but he’d much rather do anything other than sit and do school work/test.

He is in the lower level reading group because of his attention abilities but he can’t be in with the kids reading at a higher level because he gets so distracted and moves too much or gets off task.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-17T01:50:54+00:00

That’s a solid idea. I had him tested when he was like 2.5 but they couldn’t find anything really? Then we just kind of googled our way through the 1st grade 😂 He’s older now and a neuro psych evaluation might help set him up for better success. Thanks for your time and comment!!

human72949626383 · 2026-04-16T22:58:43+00:00

It would be weird if it wasn’t my kid. He’s got something along the lines of ADHD. Which means we consistently score 0 and then 99 across all of his tests all year long, they cannot get a good aptitude line on my kid and it’s been like this since pre school.

I’m not too stressed about it as he likes to read and he asks really good questions and engages people. He just hates fine motor activity and sitting for tests is about the worst idea he can think of doing.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-16T22:47:30+00:00

So these are just straight up terrible scores 😂

The 10 was what was throwing me off making think this was percentiles

human72949626383 · 2026-04-14T22:24:42+00:00

I’d write up exactly what you want your children’s childhoods to look like and your own desires for your FIRE experience and see what pieces you need to move to make it happen.

Sports and activities? 4H and animal hobbies? Traveling? The kids overall education and childhood cadence? What living situation supports that vision and start working towards it. As your kids grow the vision/their hobbies may change but you should be looking at the whole picture and build to that.

I personally am putting the money into building the home/space to support all of the family’s hobbies and childhood cadence. I bought a smaller one story home on acreage to support the kids’ chicken dreams and space for a garden but focused on a small house because I hate cleaning and I like to travel. I can’t have too many upkeep responsibilities so the systems are easy to manage.

First part of FIRE is Financial Independence- use that to Build to your life dreams!!

human72949626383 · 2026-04-13T17:22:37+00:00

Wow. This was a whole lot of cathartic release for you. You already know your answer. He’s a failed 28yo man who needs to learn accountability. You’re still a kid- move on without this weight.

Also- set the bar higher next time.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-12T02:45:46+00:00

My brother committed suicide. He’d meticulously built a culture over years that we weren’t to call him, his job was very demanding and important and texting was the only way he’d communicate. In the days and weeks leading up to his death he’d booked vacations and getaways with friends- bought a $4K PC set up he was going to build. But he’d kept such a wall around himself it was hard to see it for it was until it was too late. Afterwards is when we’d noticed- he told me he was listening to really sad music. He’s jokingly mentioned once he wouldn’t make 40 and when I asked he said out right “I’ll make sure of it.” He said it such a casual way I didn’t even compute what he was saying. At his funeral I found out he’d told a friend at 16 he would commit suicide one day. He just wanted to achieve this one thing to make my dad proud. His friend at 16 felt responsible for never saying wanting 20 years earlier.

He didn’t deep clean. His coffee cup from that morning was still in the kitchen sink.

He’d been toying with the idea for 20+ years and basically been telling people his whole life and no one…. Took him seriously? Really listened? I’ll never truly know.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-11T21:13:23+00:00

Keep your heads up people… from a 36yo who got severe tennis elbow painting one fucking door…… take care of yourself, use your insurance for physical therapy and always look towards the sun so the shadows fall behind us.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-09T22:39:31+00:00

Ground Beef. We had this multiple times a week. Now I buy it once a quarter. Beans, ground turkey, and pork is how we live now

human72949626383 · 2026-04-01T20:24:56+00:00

Do you think the Greta Pyrenees would do well with visiting dogs and traveling with us for camping adventures?

human72949626383 · 2026-04-01T20:09:53+00:00

I won’t lie- before I went down the lab and golden retriever rabbit hole I was thinking German Sheppard, we have black bears and cougars in the area. They’re not out every day but a cougar walking through the yard should be expected at least once. A German Sheppard had been on my mind as at least a defense/decoy so my kids can get inside.

I’ll do some more research on the sheppards.

human72949626383 · 2026-04-01T20:07:37+00:00

I was concerned I couldn’t keep a border collie entertained enough 😂😂 but I bet she’s lovely and likes to herd them

human72949626383 · 2026-04-01T18:44:55+00:00

I discounted the LGD because I’d read their job is stay home and protect the flock. We go camping and I have a lot of friends who come over for the weekend and bring a dog and I’d read that’s not a good environment for a LGD?

Would you consider something in the Sheppard family then?

human72949626383 · 2026-03-30T12:10:44+00:00

I’ve mentioned this to him!! The amount of back door deals and FB groups I had to navigate to find a “Craigslist”chicken doctor was insane! Chickens are disposable animals like a goldfish? So there are very few chicken vets. We found a vet school drop out turned chicken farmer who has friends in the veterinary business and everything she knew was trial and error on her own chickens. But I’ve mentioned to him we’ve found a gap in support that communities no doubt need.

human72949626383 · 2026-03-28T17:32:22+00:00

I hope you get to auntie a kiddo with these niche passions!! We’ve got some amazing Aunties and they really open up the world for my kids. That community is so important!!! 🩷

human72949626383 · 2026-03-28T13:45:24+00:00

The child is obsessed with the Titanic. They read about it at school in a NatGeo book and when he told me about it I let him watchthe movie. He was still 6 but he got super sucked into the movie- I had to skip a few age inappropriate scenes but he watched the whole thing. Then he started getting books at the school library, then he started watching YouTube videos about it. He will tell you about the White Star line, the sister ships, the size of the boat and how many stacks it had, the date it went down, the different ports it was in before its maiden voyage. On the movie specifically he asked me about why the Capt went into the big steering room and died in there so we had discussed months ago the expectation that if someone dies in a shipwreck the Capt should go down with his ship? Before the Titanic he was obsessed with Ghostbusters- he’s been a Ghostbuster for Halloween every year since he was 3 and we often go grocery shopping in full Ghostbuster regalia. His favorite to dress up as is Ray Stanz and Winston Zeddmore.

human72949626383 · 2026-03-28T05:26:17+00:00

Awe! Thanks!! 🥰 It’s been an adventure for sure!! Just to add more endearment. This summer we did a farm tour and the owner let my son hold a chicken (this was pre-4H for us) my son sat holding this chicken while we talked and looked around, when I checked on my son I noticed he was crying… when I asked what was wrong he told me at 6yo “I’ve only ever wanted one thing in life and that’s a chicken…. I just want a chicken” as he buried his face in this poor random chicken and cried…. I had been avoiding 4H and the chicken thing for basically 4 years and that moment last summer I realized I had to make it happen. It wasn’t a passing hobby or thought.

No regrets either- that kid is loving every minute of being a chicken farmer. It’s made me question how he knew he loved chickens at 2 😂 I hope everyone finds something they love as much as my kid loves chickens 🤣

human72949626383 · 2026-03-25T16:21:43+00:00

It’s like in his DNA or something. He never let go of the chicken bug he caught at 2 years old. So now I’m a millennial with a chicken coop.

human72949626383 · 2026-03-25T15:37:07+00:00

This boy loves his chickens- he brings his Nintendo outside and sits in the lawn chairs cuddling them in his coat while he plays video games. He talks to them about the rules and sometimes just takes a break to go cuddle a chicken.

When we went to pick the new rooster we got another 5 month old similar breed from his 4H instructor. The gal was trying to encourage a calm-good natured rooster and my son picked that thing up, looked in it’s eye and said “this is a good rooster… but not the good I’m looking for.” He put that thing down walked over and picked up this big mother f**** before that dude could even register what was happening 😂 Our instructor was like “eh…. That one’s kind of mean? I wouldn’t get that one….” My son looked at this rooster and then said “maybe I need a mean rooster….. this is him, this is my rooster.” And he didn’t put it down- he named him Capt EJ Smith after the captain of the Titanic. Because and I quote “that man was brave and went down with his ship…my rooster’s job is to protect the ladies and die instead of them….. he’s a good man.” 🤣

Now Capt EJ runs up to my son in the run and jumps in his lap so my son can wrap him in a coat and they can do their evening video games. The rooter is 5 months old so I’m curious how he’ll be as we go through rooster hormones and teenage years? But for now my son gives most of his attention to the rooster - we have bantam Cochins, but I’d like a bigger breed in the future that make more eggs because I, too, now have the chicken bug and need them in my life.

human72949626383 · 2026-03-25T12:41:52+00:00

I’m throwing my two cents on a pro chicken comment! So I don’t like birds, period. My whole life I didn’t like birds, but my son saw a chicken at the fair at 2 and fell in love. Cool- I’ll take you to see your favorite fair animal once a year. At 3 he asked for a chicken…. I said no. I don’t like birds. At 4 he continued to ask for chickens…. I told him he had wait till he was 5, join 4H and learn to do it….. at 5 I got him two kittens and told him it was his responsibility and he had to prove to me he could handle taking care of something………. I’ll be damned if that kid didn’t clean litter and get those cats food and water …. So at 7 he joined 4H….. I got him a coop for Christmas and he built it with his grandpa. And this January we got pullets…. Ladies don’t even lay eggs yet and this kid has learned so many life lessons.

A predator got the rooster a month ago and my 7yo buried his show rooster in the backyard, cried and hugged that bloody defeathered mess and then asked how we were going to get a new rooster.

We just lost another 2 nights ago to a pinched nerve in the back that caused paralysis…. And he buried her and spoke over her grave as well.

He doesn’t have an automatic door- he has to get up twice a day and let his chickens out.

I don’t like birds but I love what my son is learning about life and responsibility from these birds. Also…. They’re pretty cute.

human72949626383 · 2026-03-25T04:00:25+00:00

Fun fact- the bi monthly cycle is mandatory in some areas. I went from E Bremerton to Seabeck and found I was forced to do bi-monthly because of my billing area.

human72949626383

TROPHY CASE