Priority Mail

We had a great time getting our May box together for Tino and the guys this weekend!  Everyone worked hard on their artwork!



Linc explained to me that this is Tino and the other soldiers.  He felt this is what they would look like if they had long long long hair!  Apparently this is the true reason why soldiers shave their heads... lol... at least according to this 4 year old!  (My particular favorite is the belly button on one of the soldiers! classic)



We attempted to squeeze in as many little treats and goodies as we could fit in our Priority mail box!  In fact, we had so much to send this month, we will be surprising our heroes with TWO boxes!

Spring has Sprung (finally)

Okay, so it is Mother's Day weekend... this is typically when the garden is underway.  This year we will obviously be behind schedule.  

I have gotten the onions in one of the raised beds, and that is about it!  

We have a lot of work ahead of us in the next few weeks!


The chickens are still inside... the main garden is not yet tilled.  However, there have been a few signs that Spring is finally deciding to arrive - other than the nonstop rain!  So, we took some time to enjoy the little treasures that Mother Nature is begging to share!

Lexi holding our first found toad of the season - Mr. Toad.

Group shot with the Mr. Toad, before he was taken to visit the sandbox, then taken on a wheelbarrow ride, and finally returned safe and sound to his home near the compost bins. (Not sure this is what Mr. Toad had in mind for fun, but the kids seemed to enjoy their friend for a day!)

We were even able to get in our annual Easter Egg hunt at Grandma and Grandpa's this weekend.  Up until now, the rain has cancelled several planned dates... we were so excited to finally get to run and search for eggs full of candy and coins!  JACKPOT!

On your mark... get set... GO!

The excitement was PRICELESS!

7 weeks

The gals are now 7 weeks old!  WOW!  Can you believe they have been with us 7 weeks already??  

Vanilla perched on Mike's back - she loves roosting... the higher the better!

I have plenty of photos to post, and will do so this week.  We remodeled our media room and since then, I haven't been as good about uploading my digital camera since it is more of a chore now.  I need to get better at timely chicken picture posts... sorry.


Some news on the chicken front:
* The 10 chicks are doing well.  All are completely feathered, except "Fluffy Fluffy".  She is nearly feathered, but taking her good old time.   We don't know what this means, and we are hopeful it isn't a sign that Fluffy is a he instead of she - LOL.  (Would be our luck, wouldn't it?)

A few shots of Fluffy Fluffy

*The gals are beginning to cluck - the peeps are no longer.  

Double Stuff hanging out, (with Fluffly Fluffy next to her)

*They enjoyed a game of "spill our water every chance we get" this past week!  ARGH!  Talk about a nightmare - soggy cardboard, stinky basement, and the instant desire for them to roll around in the wet wood shavings and "dust" themselves! (Anyone who has tried to crate train a puppy, as we did with Kitty, would understand the endless cleaning and dwindling patience involved.)  Well, that was enough to drive us to drink! We couldn't keep up with drying out their box, keeping shavings fresh, and airing out the smell that was wafting through the house, etc... so I outsmarted them Friday night and sent Mike to Tractor Supply for a galvanized fount after work.  Now with 2 gallons of water weight, the gals can no longer tip the fount and make such a mess!  Ta-da!   (One of those learning curves I wish would have been thought of instantly, instead of 3 days into the new game... but hey, that is what we get for being rookies!)

Cuddling in for the night... (a peak at the new water fount that they haven't tipped -yet! lol)

Cuckoo-de-Coo

Glitter and Goldi(locks)

Tiger with a glimpse of Secret (the black hen)

The fence posts are all in the run, so the fencing installation is slated to begin tomorrow, weather permitting and it looks like the girls will be outside at exactly 8 weeks of age!  They would have been out sooner, had the weather cooperated, but we will take what we can get!  =)