winter chickens

Laverne & Shirley

They just keep on producing eggs!

Even in all this snow- they are two sweet ladies.

We LOVE them.

Every evening at dusk

they wander back into the chicken coop & settle in for the night.

We get 1-2 eggs a day.

We should get more as the days get longer.

I feel bad for them out there in the cold. They seem happy though.

They are such good friends.

***

I have some excellent news.

Besides the fact that Chloe is doing very well...

Megan & her sweet family will be here on Monday!!

MONDAY

Chloe should be home on or around Tuesday and then ~

all my chicks will be home for a time.

Brett & I could not be happier about it.

In the mean time I have myself some baby bedding to make!

TWO sets for our TWO identical, twin grandsons-- who will be here in less that a month!

Oh the joy

Every Little Thing

 Is Going To Be All Right

really... so long between posts?

It's been a seriously... 

busy busy

month here for me people!

In November-

I started redoing Hailey's room.

She moved into the boys old room in the basement & we (okay it was me) decided to turn her room into a guest room. We frequently have guests & it is only difficult because we always put them in Trent's room. That is a nightmare for me. So much work & it throws him off his schedule. So- In changing this room to a guest room-- my life will eventually be easier- right?

I have to say- all the wallpaper is down & I haven't even walked into the room since the friday before thanksgiving. No time.

One of Jack's best friends---

SETH CAME HOME FROM HIS MISSION!!!

So lucky for us Jack was home a little bit. 

He is so fun to have home.

Great News-

Hailey got a job at Cafe Rio!!!

FREE MEAL

-Oh ya-

She doesn't get to bring home free food I just love to yell free meal like they do.

Are you just sick about the whole Hostess going under business?

I may have ate my last raspberry filled powdered sugar donut?

I don't want to live in this kind of world? A world without twinkies?

Dear me--- can it be so?

SOMEONE FIX THIS!

A little update:

We LOVE having Brittany close & think she should eat dinner here every night.

Laura is on bed rest now-- she's 26 weeks--- much too soon for these little buggers to be wanting to come. So down she is!

I've been working nearly 30 hours a week & haven't had a day off in 10 days straight!

sigh- Christmas time + retail = crazy busy.

I've been in the last two Sunday nights after the store closed putting up Christmas floor sets.

Fun really-- but so tiring.

my window

ISN'T IT GORGEOUS!!!

I'm just a little over the top - proud of it.

I've also been making capes for Christmas- remember the super hero capes I made for Charlie & Joey?

Well-- I have had some orders & made 5 capes now! you know, just in my free time - still it's great for a little extra Christmas money & they are really fun to make!

Thank Heaven's for Brett- he is such a huge support & truly my sweet heart. 

I love to see him with his "other girls" Lavern & Shirley.

It just cracks me up!

They run to his as soon as he opens the back door. 

Thanksgiving Post 

(it was so much fun!) 

coming soon

just what's up at our house?

Laverne & Shirley are laying so many eggs!

~We love them~

Sunday, Brittany invited us all to dinner at her new house!!!
YES she is all moved in & it is lovely. 

we walked over... so fun...

But, took Nya for a walk first just because.

The views this time of year are absolutely breath taking.

Tuesday night was so exciting!!!

until Mitt lost... and I love Mitt.

~sigh~

We had a little election party with the Johnsons.

YUM-- the food!!

But boo--- didn't end our way.

Oh Well- we will join Mitt & Anne & pray for our president & support him, because that's what we do.

(Kind of looks like we are having an IPhone reading party?)

Yesterday the very Lovely Laura invited me to go with her to see the babies at one of her many, many ultra sounds that she will be having for the twins.

I WAS BEYOND THRILLED & SO HAPPY THAT LAURA IS SO GENEROUS & KIND TO ME!!

Laura is almost 23 weeks along & this is baby A.

Isn't he cute! Oh the joy!

It was amazing & confusing... seeing two TWO babies in there!

CRAZY exciting- I've never seen anything like it.

It has been unseasonably warm here with temps in the high 60's & low 70's.

NO I'm not complaining. We have loved it. Especially Trent who goes outside & watches the stars all wrapped up in a blanket at night. Here is a shot of our Facetime.

He is such a sweet kid.

Today as I drove home from work I couldn't help but feel mixed emotions.

Tomorrow a BIG snow storm & weather change.

We are so blessed to have such a lovely fall.

It's time though-- time for winter to get a start. 

Please, not too heavy? Jack- hasn't seen winter in 2 years- amazing huh?

After work I met Hailey at the fabric store where I picked up some good solid white fabric to finish up a second baby quilt for my sister in law Lyn. 

Lyn has adopted two babies in the past couple of years-- without getting a quilt!?

 What in the world?? Gotta get this done- 

Hailey left me this on my phone & I really love it.

thanks-- love you hailey

NOw--- I'm getting dinner started-- tacos.

What's up with you?

this week

Laverne & Shirley

LOVE

their daddy

Sunday afternoon Brett when outside with some sunflower seed 

and they were so happy to see him.

They always are.

It's just so endearing to see him with the ladies-

they are laying at least 9 eggs a week now!

I traded work days with a friend so I could go to our Tuesday edition of Creative Day

which was extra special

Kristal's birthday!

Birthdays are the BEST

with these ladies!

Kristal chose salads for lunch

we had appetizers, three different wonderful salads, mini cheesecakes & this banana cream pie!

YUM

Just in case you think my life is perfect...

Brett came home with flowers after I spent two days extremely perplexed & upset over what to do about a certain 13 year old boy who

- last week broke the $300 notebook computer the school let him use & now we have to pay for

- then Monday the same young man's school called because Chloe's debit card was found??

What?

- Trent eventually confessed he had, "borrowed it & taken it to school."

Then lost it.

three words:

WHAT THE HELL?

When kids saw him use it at the vending machine---

they all wanted him to buy them something too.

(of course they did!)

We had no idea how much had been charged until the next day when we went to the bank.

OH MY GOSH.

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS

$90.00

Let me just say- it's tough being a parent of a teenage boy.

 But add some ADHD & Autism and it can be.... a challenge.

1. He knew taking the card was not right.

2. He knew it was the wrong thing to do.

3. He didn't truly understand- that real money was involved.

~sigh~

Just for fun:

take a look at this---

I Love Trent

He is learning & we are learning and

 LOOK HOW STINKING CUTE THESE BABIES ARE!!!

THEY FINALLY LAID EGGS!

Well tie me to an ant hole & rub my ears with jelly~

Laverne & Shirley 

finally laid us some eggs!!!

today

These ladies came up to the back door window to say hello.

Megan sent me this darling picture...

last Sunday.

and this one Monday-

his first day of Joy School.

So SWEET

Brittany's house is coming along nicely!

The inside is even nearly dry walled!

My creative friends & I have started meeting again - officially last week!

This week was Wende's birthday!

We had a little birthday luncheon & it was so.much. fun!!!!

The birthday girl herself!

I am so blessed to have these amazing ladies in my life every week~

Grateful.

I've known Wende now for about 15 years!

wow

Time flies when you're having fun.

Happy Birthday Wende-

You are the BEST

chicken update & more!

Last week I had BIG plans for this ol' blog-- 

lots to blog about.

Then- it happened.

On the 4th of July Wende's husband- Rich (our computer expert) asked how our PC was doing-

 GREAT! I replied

 that did it.

 The next day it started acting all weird... by July 10th it wouldn't turn off or on- just one blank screen.

UGH 

Happy Day- Last night he brought it back to me all fixed up, shiny, no more problems. It runs like a gem. Fast-- I had no idea how slow it had gotten? Aw Rich- you are the best!

So- this week- I have big blogging plans. Lots to share-- photos from Girl's camp-- Stories & photos from Trent's first week long scout camp-- my birthday (which is today by the way.)

So if you are a reader- stay tuned. I promise to catch up.

Chickens

Have I told you how much Brett loves our chickens? 

He does. It's so sweet! I wanted chickens- he didn't- and with good reason.

 We got them & HE LOVES THEM.

 He visits them every morning & night and he calls them his - ladies. They know his voice, run to him & sometimes even jump into his arms... he doesn't really love that. He even spent all of his birthday money that he got from his parents on our new chicken coop. It's the perfect little coop for our two chickens

 (we are hoping to introduce two more chicks to our coop next spring.)

He & Trent put it together a week or so ago.

(Doesn't our new fence look so pretty?)

In the right hand corner you can see the old coop (which we need to return to it's owner- thanks for letting us borrow it Kevin!) Also loads of paving bricks that another neighbor gave us. We have been using those pavers over the years to build some (one- we have good intentions, okay) walkways in the yard. Brett & Trent made a fire pit & have been working on camp fire building. Plus our garden- it's growing! 

Our coop has a pull out tray to make it easy to clean.

Plus on the left there- that box- is where they nest & hopefully lay eggs.

The top lifts up & you can take out those eggs.

We hope to have fresh eggs soon.

Brett says by October- I think we should have some by September.

We shall see?

I have loved our little garden this year.

It helped that we didn't go crazy planting.

Next year- ya- we might go all planting crazy next year.

For this year- it's just right.