Finally the weather is consistent and warm! Thank God! However, with warm weather comes BUGS! All types of bugs seem to be crawling around everywhere, inside and outside. Our most recent experience with a bug was with a not so nice bug.

Today we went out to play and Big Sister was playing nicely in the playhouse when all of a sudden she screamed bloody murder. Unbeknownst to me a wasp mama had made a nest in the inside roof line of the girls' playhouse. I looked up to see a wasp buzzing around her then diving down to sting her again. I ran to get Big Sister out of the play house and then set her down on the picnic table to assess the damages. She was only stung once, on her shoulder blade, but it was red and starting to swell a bit. She isn't severely allergic to bees or wasps (this is the seconded time this year she has been stung) so I wasn't worried about a serious reaction, but it still hurt badly so I ran in to get some reinforcements. My "Go To" for stings is allergy medicine and baking soda. I measured out the allergy meds and gave it to her orally, just to be sure she didn't have a reaction to the venom from the sting. Next, I mixed up a paste with baking soda and water and spread it over the sting. Instant relief, and the screaming ceased and swelling started going down. I don't know WHO figured out baking soda has this amazing quality, but if I did I would go up and hug and kiss them and thank them a million times.

So, moral of the story. Bugs are everywhere, even ones that pack a big punch, or sting rather. Check your children's play equipment and make sure a bug hasn't taken up residence in their toys! I know that this will be on my spring/summer checklist for next year for sure!

Have you encountered a not so friendly bug this yet this year?

Have a wonderful day dear followers and stay safe!
 





Disclaimer: Please note that I am not a doctor, so please check with your doctor before administering any medications to your children in the even of a insect sting or bite.

At the start of this blog I wrote about several horses we have around the farm. My husband and I spend a large about of our time taking care of rescue horses. We both have a great passion for horses and horses are what brought us together! So, when I was contacted by Standlee Hay Company, Inc. to review their Hay Products I was over joyed because the review would directly benefit one of our rescue horses!


Standlee Hay Company, Inc. has several different types of forage for sale designed to help feed your animals as each has different needs and circumstances. Their focus is on alfalfa, timothy grass, orchard grass and mixes of alfalfa/timothy and alfalfa/orchard grasses, however they also provide beet pulp, whole oats, and even horse treats. Their hay products come in cubes, mini cubes, and pellets.

Blade, our review subject for Standlee Alfalfa Hay Cubes!

Blade's topline

When feeding rescue horses, particularly those that are elderly with teeth issues, we like to feed hay cubes. I decided to check out Standlee's Alfalfa Hay Cubes for our elderly horse, Blade. Blade is a 28 year old Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse cross. He raced for several years before be retired to enjoy trail riding, mounted posse, and 4-H. Blade's previous owner had several life changes that made it impossible to take care of her horses, so she donated Blade and his buddy Sabrina to the horse rescue. Blade has proved to be quite the hard keeper. We have tried a lot of things to keep weight on him, regular deworming, teeth floating, and different diets designed for elderly horses. Out of all the horses on the farm, Blade is fed the MOST feed. The only thing we have not tried yet, is hay cubes!

Blade munching on cubes!

Blade LOVES his Standlee Alfalfa Hay Cubes! He can chew them easier than regular grass or alfalfa hay, as it is soaked in water before consumption. I actually believe he looks forward to them at breakfast and dinner time and although it may appear that it is not a large quantity of food, once it is soaked and expands the amount is amazing and the quality is great. We have tried other brands of Hay Cubes with horses in the past and the Standlee Alfalfa Cubes take a shorter amount of time to soak and expand completely. I am pretty sure it has to do with some of the binders that the other companies use to keep the cubes in their compact square shape.

Dry Standlee Alfalfa Hay Cubes

Soaked Standlee Alfalfa Hay Cubes (Half Eaten, lol)

Blade has not been on his cubes for a long enough time to see big results yet, but I can tell that they are helping little by little. I will be updating you all throughout his progress. The older the horse is, the harder it seems for them to put weight on, so it may be a couple months before we will see the noticeable difference that we are expecting from the Standlee Alfalfa Hay Cubes.

Click here to see what My Rating means!
Cost: 50 pound bag Alfalfa Hay Cubes were $12.99 in Evansville, Indiana. Prices may vary depending on the state in which you live. Contact your local feed store. 
Where to Buy: Standlee Hay Company makes it easy to fine a retailer near you, click here to find one through their website tool! Our local Tractor Supply Company in Evansville, Indiana had the best selection of Standlee Hay Company, Inc. products. 
Like Standlee Hay Company, Inc. on Facebook and Tweet with them on Twitter!


Have a wonderful day dear followers and don't forget to hug your horse!






Disclaimer: Standlee Hay Company, Inc. provided me with $120.00 worth of their hay products in order to provide this review. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are 100% mine based on my personal experience with their product. I, nor Standlee Hay Company, Inc. makes any guarantees about this product. I am not a veterinarian, so please consult with your animal's veterinarian before making changes to their diet or implementing anything suggested in this post.

I am not going to lie... being a Mom is not exactly what I thought it was going to be. I guess I should have listened when I was younger. It really is harder than everyone thinks it is, except Moms, they already know. I struggle a lot with lack of independence. I was fairly independent growing up, I had a small group of friends that I hung out with every so often, but for the most part I was content doing things I liked to do, when I wanted, whether someone was there doing it with me or not.

The transition from that to Motherhood had been challenging. I have days where I seriously consider locking myself in my room and letting the girls have their way with the house so I can just be me. But, I am more responsible than that. There are days where I just don't want to be touched anymore, and when I get jumped on for the thousandth time that day or another elbow to my boob, I want to scream! But, I don't.

Then there are times like now. The girls are happy and content, playing together with a hose in the backyard. The smiles on their faces and the sweetness of their laughter just takes me away to someplace I never knew before I became a Mom. They don't have a care in the world, and it makes me feel good.

I know God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but sometimes I seriously doubt my abilities at this whole "Mom" thing. I am guessing I am not alone. All I can do is pray that God leads me in  the way He wants me to go, for my daughters, and hope I don't screw them up too bad  if I take a wrong turn now and again.

There is a wonderful verse in the Bible, that helps me get through just about anything that gets tossed my way. I may have posted this before, but I will do it again, and again because it is just that awesome. It is from Philippians 4:13 "For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

I have to believe that being a Mom is what God wanted for me and that because He wanted it, I can do anything and get through anything that challenges me as a Mom.

So there you have it. My revelation of the day! Aren't you glad you stopped by?

What are your biggest challenges as a Mom or a parent?

Have a wonderful day dear followers,