Help our friends bring home their baby girl!

Tim & Erin Hutchison, our good friends, are raising funds to travel to Ethiopia & bring home their new baby girl. To adopt her into their family. If you would be led to help, you can do so here. They are currently awaiting their court date and then they will have to travel to Ethiopia possibly on very short notice. Their travel costs are estimated to be $12,000. We are very excited to meet Harper Shukare Hutchison and be part of God's amazing adventure for this family. Thank you dearly for anything you are able to help with. Kate & Jeff

Baby Silas

So in a sheer selfish act to avoid having to constantly explain what has been going on this past week I thought I would give you a post about our newest family member, Silas. 

For those who don't want the whole story here is the summary:

Silas Marlan Lyon

born February 6th, 2012 at 10:26

weighed 7lbs. 14oz.

measured 21 in long

For those of you who want the details, read on.

Monday Feb. 6th was the final date for the scheduled c-section. Many of you know that it was a long haul to get to that date which put me at 39 weeks and 1day. For about 3.5 weeks before the 6th I had basically been in labor. Contractions were pretty much constant ranging from 2 to 10 minutes apart. The baby was incredibly low, like I couldn't hardly walk, especially that last week. My blood pressure would spike and cause all the issues that come with that. I had been on narcotics just to function (and sleep) and to try to calm my uterus so as not to put me in the hospital with the contractions. Which made another issue of not being able to feel the baby much because of the narcotics. Got to love the catch 22.

Nonetheless we made it to Monday the 6th. I will admit I was pretty nervous. This was my fourth c-section and for some reason knowing what to expect just made it that much worse. My reaction to the spinal has been different with every kiddo and this one, well, lets just say I didn't yell at the doctor or puke like in the past, I just had a lot of anxiety and tears. I was on the OR table for about an hour before the procedure actually began. The doctor had some complications getting over. But we started **please note- some of the details concerning the birth are from other people as I had a blue sheet to stare at and didn't visually get to see what was happening** and at 10:26 is when Silas entered the world. Blue and silent. 

He tried to fool us at first and let out an initial squawk which had me hopeful. But then there was a bunch of whispering and quick footsteps and a lot of concerned eyes. I don't know how long the silence lasted. It felt like an eternity to me. My guess would be around 5 to 10 minutes that I didn't get a response from anyone when I asked what was going on. Jeff and my mom were there with me. They tried to reassure me but I could tell by their eyes that they were just as scared as I was. They had to manually oxygenate Silas, not entirely sure how they went about that, but he wasn't breathing on his own and was purple as all get out. The only thing I had to judge how things were going was watching my mom and Jeff's facial expressions and body language. Neither of which was good, despite what they would say to me. I guess when I see my mom, who is an OR nurse and had worked in the OB for many years, rock herself to relieve the panic, pick at her thumbs despite wearing gloves, and have a furrowed brow didn't really help despite her telling me that everything was working out. After far too long we heard a couple more squawks and people started to talk a little louder and the whispering wasn't as often. At one point I do believe that everyone working on me, besides one maybe two, was over with Silas and the team of doctors and nurses around him. When I looked over and no one was around it pretty much was the low point and I figured that the chances of loosing our little boy were a real possibility. The nurses did wonderfully with him and really kept themselves together. And after being told that he was a boy and that he had finally started to breathe without manual intervention they whisked him and Jeff and my mom away to work with him.

I had to stay on the table to finish up the procedure and I had also opted for a double tubal ligation, ie I had my tubes tied. During that time on the OR table very little was said by anyone, and if they did speak about anything other than asking for tools it was said in a hushed whisper. By the time they finished with me I don't think I had a tear left but my doctor put on a happy face and sent me out to the post-op recovery room where I had to wait until I could bend my knees. Gotta love anesthesia.  

While in post-op I was next to a little old lady who had been placed there because her recovery room was overfull. She was 93 (?) and very sassy. I don't think she saw me there because I am sure she would have said something. She was the little old lady that everyone giggles when she talks because the only allergies she has "are to doctors and hospitals" and tells the transport kid that he has a "cute butt" then proceeds to make jokes about the fact that she had to take out her teeth for the procedure and so forth. All this in a very loud-because-I-can't-hear-myself voice. Anyway, I got a kick out of it and it kept me preoccupied for the most part. That is until she got relatively serious with the post-op nurse about a little baby that was in the elevator before she was brought in and it was blue and purple and she wanted to know if everything was okay. That is when I found out I did still have tears left and the nurse was so kind as to call up on occasion and get updates for me.

When I could finally bend my knees they took me up to the nursery and I was able to see Silas for the first time. He seemed to recognize my voice and calm a bit which was comforting to me. He was on oxygen and monitors galore. The poor baby even had an IV, impressive on the nurses' part though. I only got the stay for about 5 minutes or so before they had to take me to my recovery room where I was stuck because for some reason they don't like anyone with a catheter and legs of jello walking to the nursery to see her baby. So, Silas was on oxygen and gaining color slowly in the nursery while I was stuck on my uncomfy hospital bed unhappy that I couldn't be with him. They worked all day with him, getting fluid out of his lungs and ensuring his oxygen saturation numbers were high. They finally started to ramp down his oxygen and work toward room air. By 7:00 the next morning he was finally able to come to me. The doc was impressed with his recovery and deemed it okay for him to stay with me as long as he was monitored often by the nurses. It was a long night and that was just what I needed to hear to make it all worth it. 

While we were there he had been on fluids for so long that getting him to eat was a bear. That mixed with the fact that he had to have his tongue clipped to allow him to be able to stick out his tongue. Until we realized that breast feeding was not enjoyable, nor effective. So, once that was done we were doing well in the hospital and learning to feed but then his jaundice levels ramped too high and they had to keep us a bit longer. So, while I thought we were leaving Wednesday we ended up staying until Friday morning enduring the blue lights and many a heel pricks. Oh, and I can't forget to throw in there a great surprise visit from my girlfriends with food and treats galore on Thursday night to celebrate my birthday. They are amazing friends and I really can't imagine if I ever would have made it through the last 9 months without them. It was so nice of the nurses to let them stay past visitor hours and even my doctors commented how great of friends they were when I was checked on the next morning.

All in all, we arrived home late Friday morning. Silas is healthy with relatively low jaundice levels. He can breath and has been pink ever since. I am recovering like anyone who had abdominal surgery does. Sore but happy for pain relievers. And while it was a bumpy first week of life we are very grateful that everything turned out OK. We have many people to thank for prayers and love. And doctors who have our endearing gratitude for all the work and stress we put them through. Over all it was an experience I won't forget but one that ended nicely.

Silas Marlan Lyon - 3 days old

Do I dare?

Well, I am gonna try my luck again at this whole announcement thing. Monday, Feb. 6th should be our baby's birthdate. This day is long awaited. We had some issues with lung maturity and other stuff that make it hard to decipher when to take this baby. But I have extended the length my body can endure to 39 weeks and 1 day come Monday. We have cheated to get his far as I have been in labor for about 3 weeks straight now. I am on narcotics just to relax my uterus and anti-nausea meds to counteract the affects of the narcotics. This kid is so low and my body has tried so hard to get his baby out, but I am weird and don't cooperate. Let's just say it has been an extreme 3 weeks and I am... tired. Yeah, that's a word for it.

So, here's hoping that an announcement will be soon coming. Silas? Jordie? Monday can't come soon enough. If you remember, say a prayer. Surgery always makes me nervous as well as the recovery time.

A little emotional...

... is probably an understatement. I may update more later, but I guess since I posted on here that today was THE day that I better rectify my declaration to my world. Today is NOT the day we will be introducing our Lyon cub. There have been some test results that have caused us to cancel the delivery and reevaluate. We will find out more today just what this entails and what we are going to do about it. I would say sorry to any of you who read this, but really, I am probably taking it harder than all of you put together. I guess I have a request, please pray for baby's health and my endurance and health too. There is a lot to take in and wisdom for decisions is very much needed. Thanks. I would go cry now but I don't think there is a tear left to shed.

Coming soon to a pride near you!

Well, I am happy to say that in 2 weeks (and 1 day) we will have a new Lyon cub to announce to the world. Or, at least our world. The current scheduled date for the c-section is planned for January 26th. While this seems so very close it also seems extremely far away. There are plenty of cravings, contractions, and sleepless nights over here. I guess we will see if they go away once the baby comes:)  This will be the last announcement we get to make like this so I can't decide if I am happy or melancholy about it. Either way this baby will make our house just that much more chaotic, loud, and filled with blessings. I am very thankful that God has entrusted us to raise these goobers. While I am tired, sore, and ready to be done I am also enjoying my last few moments with Bren, Ikee, and Calla before life changes again. So I will try not to grumble too much, except to my mommy, and be grateful that my belly is the size of a small country because it means for good things to come.

Baby Update

I don't know about any of you, but I am feeling kind of gypped that we get to endure this cold weather without the reward of any white precipitation to play in. If I am gonna be cold, I want to at least have have fun while I freeze. Hopefully that will change soon. Not that I want to be snowed in or anything, I just want to play.

As for baby, we have passed the 30 week mark. For my body, that means not much longer. Lyon Cub has decided that it doesn't like it inside and has stopped moving for the majority of the day which is very uncharacteristic. We have seen my doctor a bit more than normal for non-stress tests and extra checkups. Cub has also moved down pretty low, I don't dare say "dropped" as that has many implications with it, but is causing a LOT of pressure. And some crazy nausea caused by the pressure. I feel like a pill popper these days. No mommy should have to take pills just to function without puking on her children. Anywho, my doctor has resorted to checking my progression during our visits for fear that early labor may accompany this pressure and lack of movement. I don't foresee us meeting this baby before Christmas, but after that, I am not stupid enough to make any guarantees.

Contractions are a normal for me as well. So I find that I don't mention them when asked. I guess doctors don't like that. Might need to be more forthcoming from now on. Although I did tell my doctor that I won't be coming in to his office or the hospital until they are consistently 3 minutes apart and are for a good portion of the day. I got the pouty face in reply. Which I really thought only girls had mastered, but as a doctor he had that not-happy-with-that-decision look down pat. Quite impressive. And I still stand by my decision... I guess by number 4 I know myself well enough to not waste any more days in the hospital with monitors, shots, IVs, etc. just to be sent home because I am not dilating.... I don't dilate. I know this. I tried to dilate for 30 hours with Bren and got nowhere. And when my contractions were less than a minute apart with Isaac I was still tighter than a duck's ... well, you get the gist. I don't mean to sound arrogant or not doctor-order following I just know myself and don't have the desire to waste anybody's time.

Anyway, I guess that is the nutshell of where we are. We are excited to meet our new one. It is kind of bitter sweet that this is the last time we enter this phase. I don't feel like I have done a good enough job savoring my time pregnant or my other kids' phases during pregnancy. I don't enjoy being pregnant *gasp*. I know, I am weird/cold/scarred (literally) but I just rather have the end product and am anxious to hold this little one and love on it and see his/her big siblings meet their new "baby". It gets me excited to even think we are close. Well, knowing me and my great ability to blog the next post will probably contain pictures of Lyon Cub. I do hope it will be a while.

R.I.P.

Well, never thought I'd say it, but our family loves Lady Gaga. Well, at least the chicken version. I really have only heard one or two of Lady Gaga the artist's songs and wasn't really that impressed. But her personality was too good to pass up for a name for our crazy haired chicken. 

Lady Gaga! Our white Crested Black Polish.

We don't know where you went or why you left but we will miss you. The kids are heart broken and hope you will return for your daily wagon rides with Bren.

(but if you don't we are getting 3 more next spring to make it up to the kiddos)

Big Smiles

So, my last post was kind of a downer. Sorry. But your response to it was very kind and thoughtful. Thank you. I will work through it, in my own time. Well, I guess in His timing, actually.  Nonetheless, I do have very exciting news. Bren has had open ears lately to our conversations about the Bible and God. She is soaking in so much it astounds me. Well, we attend AWANA at our church every Wednesday night. It is a time where she gets to play, learn what the Bible has to say, and memorize verses. Jeff and I are small group leaders in our Jr.High while she attends her Cubbie program. 

Tonight, while driving home Jeff and I were recapping the night when Bren, out of nowhere, says "I prayed tonight". Thinking it was like any other comment, I silenced everyone and asked her what she prayed about. Her response floored me. She said that she prayed for Jesus to come into her heart. To live in her forever. At first I wasn't sure she knew what she was saying, or maybe repeating something she had heard. We asked a few questions and she was very sincere and seemed to understand what she meant.

I really can't even begin to explain how I feel. It has to be one of the best feelings a parent can have. It seriously brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. My baby just made a huge decision that will impact the rest of her life in ways she doesn't even know. I am excited to see what God has planned for her. 

Anyway, I just couldn't help but to share that with you all. I can hardly sit still and can't stop smiling. These are some happy tears over here. I am truly overwhelmed and give all the glory to God.

My one big struggle.

OK, so I know, two posts from me in one night. Is she sick or something? Obviously something must be terribly wrong... well, no. I am just trying to vent something that has been looming over me for a while. Over 5 years to be more exact.

So here it comes. We are called to live with great expectation of the coming again of Christ (1 Pet. 1:2-4). It should shape our lives, cause us to act and respond unlike any other people group, and ultimately be the end product of our thoughts/days/you name it. I also know that we are sinners at the time of conception (Ps. 51:4-6). And to top that, the only way to salvation is to confess with your mouth, repent and ask forgiveness of Jesus Christ , to be born again with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 10:9-10).

So here now is where I am struggling.  How am I as a mother supposed to have great expectation of Christ's return when my babies aren't going to be in eternity with me? I know that our purpose on earth and in heaven is to glorify Christ, but the human part of me, the mother part of me just wants to scream "WAIT!!! Don't come yet!!! My babies aren't ready yet...  I'm not ready yet..." 

Now I know that their are a lot of different views on this. I had been taught a good portion of my life that their was an age of accountability, that it didn't apply until... you fill in an age. Well, I feel as though there is no biblical backing to that. If we are born sinners and the only way to heaven is to confess and believe in your heart, well, my babies can't do that yet.  I can't have great expectation. I have tried. I have prayed. Fervently.  And I fear that I am doing an injustice to myself, my family, and least of all, my God. I have shared this with a few people, as it is my absolute most greatest fear. The fear that my children won't accept Christ as their Lord. Their Savior.  And believe me, it is the most talked about topic between me and God.

So now, I don't have an answer to my dilemma, my struggle, my one biggest fear, but I do know that God is holy, just, and sovereign. And while I find myself falling back to my screams of "NOT YET!" I know that He has the game plan, He knows the future, He calls the shots, He calls the audibles, He has ultimate authority and I need to rest in that assurance. As hard as that is for me.  I don't know if I will ever get past this. I do know that it drives a lot of conversation with me and the kiddos. I know they are soaking it in, even if there isn't fruit yet. I also know that it is my responsibility as a mother to live out what I believe and that it can speak volumes to them more than any sermon I could ever give (I'm boring anyway).

I just thought I would share. Maybe I am being over emotional... I am pregnant you know. But it truly has been on my heart for over 5 years and I hope that one day I will find peace about it. Complete peace that I couldn't explain to anyone.

Boys... Really?

I really do think that if anyone is having boy problems, guy problems, husband problems, some sort of issue understanding the male gene they need to just come to our house, sit back, and watch our roosters.I think it would explain everything. 


We have two roosters. One, Two. Two. Two roosters that were supposed to be hens. What am I supposed to do with two roosters? Well, not a lot, I guess. They are good-for-nothing strutting featherballs that torment the kids and the hens. I am not saying all roosters are this way, but ours are. They seem to think their job is purely to let us know they own the place, yet they go running once I enter their domain. When I manage to catch one... I know, funny word picture, huh? Pregnant short lady waddling around chasing a rooster (who are incredibly fast, mind you), cornering one only to have it escape by running between her legs. Anyway, once you are done laughing keep reading... Again, when I catch one they always glare at me like I just took their man card. They struggle. I tighten my grip. They glare. I win. I always do.  Yet when I let them down they run off to a safe distance from me, spread their legs and stand tall, and get this... CROW! Like they just won a huge battle. Really? I totally had you in submission two minutes ago. It baffles me. But so does my husband at times...


Anyway, really it comes down to the fact that I won. Me. Yours truly. Why? Because they are getting butchered tomorrow. Take that roosters! Booya!

Facebook

OK, So the recent facebook changes have caused me to accelerate my decision to become friendlier with this thing I call my blog. I hope that I will be better at updating this because now it is the only media portal to our lives. So subscribe and join us in our adventure of life. I will do better updating, because I think I am getting past the feeling that I have to add pictures every time I post. Which was making it more of a chore than a fun update on us. So, every post will not have a picture (that was more for me than you) but hopefully they will be more often!

Feel free to let me know your blogs too and I would love to subscribe and keep up with you. I hope to not "loose" friends by this decision, but feel that the phase in life God has me at it it more important to give my children more of my love and attention.... and not facebook.

Thanks for still being a friend to me even though I am not a facebook junky.

Chicken Coop and Run

So, it's been a while... a long while. I apologize, but really, I am just bad at this blogging thing. I can admit it, take it like a man.. or woman.. whatever. I suck. Anyway, now to the stuff you all didn't already know. Chickens! In the last post I mentioned that their would be a chicken update soon... well, that was back in February. Evidently I have a 2 year old's concept of time. So, here it is. I am sure you were all holding your breath waiting. They can take you off life support now.

We currently have 16 chickens, 14 or 15 hens and 1 or 2 roosters. The second rooster is still up for debate. We are patiently waiting for eggs... OK, maybe the patient part was a lie, but still, they aren't here yet and I am waiting.... any day now... gotta be. I will try to get pictures of the chickens up. I haven't been good with the camera lately, like you would have no idea that we have been swamped this summer with trips because I have no proof... no pictures. Like you already know, I suck.

The chickens are basically full grown and the rooster is a mean booger who is going to be dinner once our killing cone gets shipped. I had no intentions of killing our own, but I recently found out that our local hatchery's owner passed away and the family is selling it. Trying to have a good attitude about having to have a blood bath on our property. ugh.

Anyway, so easily distracted... the chicken coop and run. I had intended on calling it the Banty Shanty, but the kids keep freaking out when I call it that and refer to it as "the Chicken House". Real original, huh? So, I guess we have a Chicken House housed with, you guessed it, chickens.
The Coop is almost finished. We mainly need to side it and paint the said siding. Also the pop hole ladder is temporary. The stuff we are going to make it out of is currently underneath hundreds of pounds of siding. Then the coop is finished. The run is completely enclosed now. We had to put up aviary netting because the hawks were circling everyday and I swear I heard them forming a plan of attack. So, I asked Jeff nicely to put up aviary netting.... like that? Translation... I freaked out that my chickens were going to be eaten and had a close-to mental meltdown and Jeff caved and bought me aviary netting. That is pretty much how it went down.

Anyway, there is still much to do in the run. We need to put up shade structures and put the food and water outside on the north side (back side by the ladder in the picture).

I totally just added all the pictures and am beyond frustrated at the layout of this blog thing. It doesn't preview the way I see it. It has them all in different order and the text is way whacked out. Just thought I would clue you all in to why my written voice may get slightly frustrated at times. Because I am ... frustrated that is.

There is a picture in here of Scooter, the rooster. He is black and white. Mean. Plump. You get the gist. He's standing by the pop hole door. Not sure where the picture will be. I am sure you can find it... That's another thing. It keeps changing fonts on me in the middle of typing. No wonder I don't blog more. Good golly.

Anywho, on the back side by the feeders is where the entrance to the peafowl shack will soon be. Because I am that crazy. So that is my blog for today. Taking bets on how long it will take me to post again. Not that I don't have it rigged or anything.

Littles Update

So, I figured it was time for a Calla update. I forget to do this, because, well, frankly, it is hard to find the time to really do anything productive when you have three littles at your feet. So anyway, for the grandparents and great grandparents sake, here is an update.

Calla is 8 months, yup, 8. Time has flown with her. Maybe because there is so much to do or maybe because time just does that. She is the most happiest baby I have ever met. Everyone seems to say that about her. She has the biggest most contagious smile I have ever been around and I love it. She is army crawling around the house these days. She is a VERY good eater. Loves to play with her big sis and brother. Screams at people to get them to look at her and then charms them with her toothless grin. She has been sleeping through the night for quite a while now. She shares a bedroom with both Bren and Ikee. They all do great. Really she is a very content baby and I have to remember to spend one on one time with her because she rarely demands it. It goes without saying that her name fits her perfectly and she has won me over.

Isaac turned 2 before Christmas and had himself a tractor birthday, or as he calls it "GaGa". He is such a fun boy to be around. He is getting his two year molars which has been rough, but almost over. I find it hard to believe how much he is growing to be like his daddy everyday. He is at the oh so very cute stage where everything he does has that adorable factor to it. I will purposely give him cereal and milk just to watch him put the bowl up to his mouth to drink the milk. It makes me smile every time. He is talking more and more. His sentences are becoming so much more complex. It has been a relief to be able to communicate with him now. He is enjoying learning about the Bible in BSF and has mastered his answers of "Church", "God", "Jesus", and "Bible". He is beginning to pray for meals with the family and loves to shout AMEN and throw his hands up in the air. He is becoming such a little man. Currently his life is consumed with tractors and construction excavators. It is pretty much all he thinks about.

Bren is 3 1/2 and becoming a little lady. She goes to preschool two days week, and BSF once a week. She is also involved in AWANA and loves to say her verses. It amazes me how much she is absorbing and how she is connecting the dots to so much in life. And to think I was worried that she wasn't talking much, boy, I didn't have anything to worry about AT ALL. She is very talkative and will pretty much tell you how it is, at least in her mind. I have enjoyed her growing personality, and though it has it's rough days, she is very much like me. She has really taken to her sister and adores her. I have to be pretty watchful because she will try to pick her up and carry her around, precariously, I might add. We are starting to raise chickens and she has been very aware and excited. She has pretty much gone up a rung in development that I am having to adjust how our days go. She's even lost her baby face and looks like a little girl.

I am one proud mommy and wouldn't trade them for anything. Though there are moments, days, whatever, that I may throw my hands up in the air in frustration and joke about posting them on craigslist I love them dearly and they are my life; as chaotic as it may be. Well, that's that. Another day in the lyon pride. Stay tuned for a chicken update. Coming Soon!

Order Up!

Today we have officially committed. No turning back. The chicks have been ordered, reserved, and paid for. Jeff said I could get 10... I ordered 12... Jeff doesn't know this yet... Please pray for me :)

In my defense, it turns out that some breeds are very hard to determine the sex, they are called straight runs. Unfortunately 6 of the 12 chicks that I ordered are straight runs. So there is the possibility that I could be receiving 6 hens and 6 roosters. AND we won't know it until they start crowing at 8 weeks... ish.
Aren't we lucky? You may be seeing some craigslist postings for roosters come June.
This is why I internally justified ordering12. I couldn't help it. I know this also means that I could be receiving 12 hens, but the odds are not too high.

So, I thought that maybe you would all be just as enthusiastic to see what kind of breeds I ordered as I was to order them. So, of the 12, only 3 have names at this point. We are still working on that. I might wait to see what kind of personalities they have. Nonetheless... in order of arrival...

March 30th
2 Golden Campines











April 6th
1 Brown Leghorn




Noted as a prolific layer. I am thinking the name "Omelet" may suffice here.









1 Silver Wyandotte














1 White Crested Black Polish




She, if it is a she, will have the name "Lady Gaga", per Jeff. I thought it was a stroke of pure brilliance. Safe to say I am gaga over this one.





April 13th
1 Buff Orpington











2 Black Australorps
















1 White Australorp














April 20th
1 Rhode Island Red











1 Barred Plymouth Rock














1 Araucana















All pictures have been borrowed from the internet, with the majority coming from www.backyardchickens.com. A wonderful website, if I don't say so myself.

Stay tunes for when we will have our very own pictures. I am sure they will be much cuter than these, coming from a mother.... hen.

The Price for Cuteness

OK, so along with this goal of a chicken coop and the chicks to inhabit it, we also decided to try to build the whole thing out of 50% recycled material... because we don't like to make things easy on ourselves. I might have mentioned that in an earlier post but can't completely remember. Anyway, it seems as though this may actually be much harder than we thought. People seem to place a monetary value on sentiment or emotions or whatever, because they are sure charging a lot for USED crap. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am willing to pay you for your stuff, but how much? Really?

Not to clump everybody we have interacted with into one type, there have been some very generous people out there who are even giving their stuff to us for free. We are very grateful. We are very blessed, and relieved that we won't go broke trying to lay a few eggs.

Something else that didn't make it into consideration would be just how hard it would be to build with recycled material and still meet the "cute" factor. A cute factor purely set by Kate. If Jeff had his way the thing would be an overbuilt cardboard box, all in good jest. I hesitate to show you a picture of what we are going to do, because it is obviously made of new material and ours will, more likely than not, have a considerably lower "cute" factor.

So, if you know anyone who wants to get rid of some materials please let us know. I feel like I am kicking a dead horse with this, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

On an adorable note, we have asked Bren and Isaac what they wanted to name their chickens. We received the names "Hannah" by Bren and "Meat" by Ikee. Couldn't help but to chuckle.

Oh Dear!!!

The chicks are coming! The chicks are coming! This is my mantra now that I went to the local feed store today and found out that chicks start arriving on Feb. 23rd!!!!! I have so much research to do. Where will I find the time to figure it all out. Will we start building in time? Will I get everything figured out and bought and set up in time? AHHH, The chicks are coming, the chicks are coming!

New Year's Resolution

Hello Blog! Nice to meet you again.

So, last time I wrote I wasn't sure if I was going to continue... and really, until just a bit ago, I wasn't. And then Jeff and I made a new year's resolution. So here I am, blogging about it. First things first, I don't do new year's resolutions. I fail... miserably, whenever I make one. So, about 10 years ago I made a new year's resolution to never make another new year's resolution again. Pretty sneaky, huh? Until now, I used to say that it was the only resolution that I stuck to; but as I told you before, I fail. So again, I have failed. We have a 2011 new year's resolution. I will defend my position in that it is a fun and exciting resolution. One I have never explored and am learning so much about. To some it may be nothing new, to others I am crazy.

So, here we have it.... we are raising chickens!

I have done so much research that I overfloweth with information. Seriously, chicken facts flows out of my mouth with no effort. I have lived and breathed chicken for 3 whole days. My house is a wreck and laundry is exploding. OK, so today I had to dial back with some convicting from my BSF study, but my mind is definitely consumed when not in deliberate thought about something else. And the laundry really needed to get done.

Jeff is possibly regretting his decision to let me take on this adventure as I have been talking about it as often as he talked about his fantasy football team. I say "fair's fair". Actually, he is pretty excited. More probably because I am finally getting amped up about something rather than just going through the motions of life-as-a-mom-with-toddlers. And he gets to build something.

So, now a few details. I will spare you extreme details, and just give you a little to wet your appetite... with chicken.... can you hear the snickering? OK, I'm sorry. The details.

1. We are starting with 10 chicks, of different varieties.
2. We will raise them in our garage until they can live in the hen house.
3. Our hen house will hold up to 30 full grown chickens and bantams.
4. Our hen house will have a name and be cute, more on this in another post.
5. Our hen house will "hopefully" be built out of 50% recycled material, more if attainable.
6. Our chicken coop will provide even more manure for our compost, and ultimately our garden.
7. Our chickens will all be named, and collectively be called "the girls". I thought I was clever with this one. Jeff rolled his eyes.

So, that should leave a pleasant aroma for you. Yup, snickering again. I really can't help it.

Remembering

OK, So I got this idea from a friend, thank you Heather, to compare all my children at the same age. So, here is 4 months.


Bren Audrey, Isaac Michael, Calla Georgene

I think it is safe to say... our girls look like girls, our boys look like boys, and there is no questioning who there mommy and daddy are.

Is this blog thing really for me?

So, I have been thinking lately that I am not really sure if this blog thing is worth it? Kind of feel like it is my own little station tuned just to me... slightly egotistical... don't ya think? Anyway, haven't decided yet. I am also always plagued by my father when I do ANYTHING on the internet as to how safe and how much info is being released. I love having him in my head like my own personal angel/demon. Him on one shoulder reminding me how dangerous the internet is and how personal info can be stolen/pictures of your kids leaked and me on the other shoulder wanting to show off my kids and keep in the loop. If I start swinging a fly swatter around I have NOT gone crazy... hehe, well, maybe.
I will keep thinking on this. I love to read everyone's blog, and Lord knows I like to talk/type and post pics of my adorable trio... I just haven't decided. I have done the same thing with Facebook. I keep vacillating, To have or have not... a facebook account?
Well, obviously since I am making a post the little me on my shoulder has successfully fly swatted the little "helpful dad" on the other shoulder. I am posting just some recent pics before I lose my footing on my shoulder and the fly swatter comes after me.

We are now officially rolling over. Hard to believe. Didn't I just have her?

Ikee talked GGPa into feeding him. I think it was the big blue eyes that did GGPa in.

One happy mama.

Ikee had to get in on the action. He actually did pretty good, for a boy.

She was actually yelling at Ikee. Crack me up.

I think he is looking more and more like Jeff everyday.

It's gonna be an adventure around here once these two get older.
OK, last one. Couldn't help myself.

I did it. Really.

OK, So I did it. I didn't back out. After over a decade of having the same haircut, for the most part, I had it cut off. It's short, for me at least. and I have yet to learn how to style it, but it is gone. I hold in my hand a braid of hair ready to send off to Locks of Love. But I like the cut. I hope I can continue to make it cute... you see, there is a reason I never cut my hair. it's because I don't know how to do my hair. So, let the battle begin. I plan to win.