Nesting

This week my Husband thought the chickens in one coop stopped laying (as some times they do).

I heard a chicken in the front yard, Bocking her heart out the other day and 45 minutes later, I realized she was still bocking in the front yard.

 I went out to wear she was and moved the bush....

There were 10 eggs under the bush! 

I guess they didn't slow their laying after all!

Wind Socks

After Christmas (clearance!) I picked up several rolls of ribon. 

Each roll is 300 ft. 

I use it now and again for gifts and garb.

 Today I didn't even use entire rolls, but I cut up ribons for the 2nd grade class to weave into windscoks!

The entire project cost me about $6 (that includes Ribbon, Staples and Tape!)

Teacher Appreciation (part 2)

Here was the end result!

Teacher Appreciation

Before

 After!

Mothers Day Class Craft

I think I found my Brand New Best Friend!!!!!

 Plaster of Paris!

 Some kids chose totes, some kids chose these shapes and I will glue magnets to the back!

I have a bunch of these totes......

I thought my daughters 2nd grade class could paint a picture on them for a mothers day gift!

 So, I sprayed some primer onto the lettering in hopes it would cover it up enough to make a solid back drop for the kids to paint on.

Didn't exactly turn out the way I planned, but still, pretty good for 2nd graders.  Some did murals, like these, others did.....other things!

They turned out pretty good....for second graders, after all!

Teacher Appreciation Week

I have hundreds of these Foot rasp/files for pedicures and I was thinking of giving them to all of ther teachers in our school.

Now here is where you come in....

Help me think of a clever saying to go with them!

(Contact me if you want some for your own PTA!)

Salsa Review

I never used to be a huge fan of salsa....unless it was my aunts homemade FRESH salsa (she's from Mexico).

BUT recently, I have tasted some really yummy salsa's - ALL of which are a homemade or home mixed. I have been so into salsa that if I have it in the house I HAVE to eat it for all three meals until it's gone. No, I'm not kidding.

I found this recipe on a blog and tried it this week.

1can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes w/Green Chile's

1can Mexican Stewed Tomatoes

Cilantro

I found this recipe to be SO DELICIOUS! I used S&W but next time I will try a different brand since S&W was a bit too hot for my families taste - we are hot food wimps.

I highly recommend this recipe!

1st Egg

The first one's are small, but I'm told that this particular breed will lay eggs too big for our cartons!

Later that day:
I went out in the evening to feed the chickens and found a second egg!!! First AND second eggs in the same day - the first day of school!

Caprese Salad

So easy and yummy!

1 Tomato (Diced)

1 String Cheese (Diced)

Dash of Salt

Fresh Basil (Chopped)

Balsamic Vinegar (to taste)

Mix it up and eat for lunch!

Soap Tip

My kids go through hand soap in the bathroom like it's sugar!

It's NOT that they use a lot of soap to wash with, it's that they think they have to push it the pump as far down as it will go. THEN, in so doing, there is so much soap that it just runs off their tiny hands into the sink, instead of washing the germs!

SO, I put a rubber band around the base of the pump so that they can't push it all of the way down to waste soap!

Roosters!

Here's the Orpingtons and the Rhode Island Reds.

We are pretty sure by now that there are ALL hens! Our first batch of Sex-linked, on the other hand, are NOT all hens!

4 of the 6 were Roosters!

I loved hearing them every morning...and every afternoon...and most places in between!

But we aren't zoned for Roosters

and after advertising to GIVE them away

No one claimed them!

D had to have Tim come over and show him how to "process" them.

Thank you, Tim.

It was an experience that brought D a bit closer to his maker!

With the bees and chickens, we have certainly been brought closer to God. It's truly amazing, His works. We are so blessed.

First Honey

The kids (Mostly just me) had a honey Sale today!

We sold 11 containers of fresh, Raw Honey!

Last Week D extracted the honey with a rented extractor.

He got about 10 gallons of honey (120 lbs) out of his 2 hives.

He will harvest again in the fall.

4th of July Wardrobe

Chocolate Derby

After the "Big Wedding" we were all a bit jealous. People in the UK get to wear hats. In the US, if we wear hats . . . .well, we don't. The last time hats were in style is when Tiffany and Debbie Gibson were in the Top 10!

So, we decided to do something about it! For a friends birthday we celebrated with a
"Chocolate Derby."
Hats were required, and they could participate in the Chocolate derby by bringing 8 small portions of their favorite chocolate thing.

Not everyone wore a hat, but these were the few that did!

The Table Setting

Adorable Centerpiece!
The Menu:
Chicken and Steak Kabobs
Fruit Kabobs, Green salad and watermelon
We migrated into the house and gave presents and voted on our favorite hat:

Corrine!

Nothin says a good hat like,

"Feed the birds . . .Tuppence, Tuppence . . ."

We each had a plate and a lime wedge.

We started with the first dessert, she explained why she chose this item and then we tasted as much or little as we wanted.

Then we cleansed our pallet by licking the lime and moved on to the next person.
Once we had partaken of everyones sample, we ate what we wanted to and chatted till all hours of the night!
Good Fun!



Good Friends!

Todays Adventure of The Stay At Home Mom

I'm Pretty Sure That's Poop.

I Don't Want to Know How It Got There.

My children seem to find it more worth their energy spending to do everything in their powers to NOT do what mom tells them to do!
Flushing the toilet, and washing your hands would save you SOOO much more time. I'm not sure how long it takes you to do what ever you do to avoid it but really, trust me. I DO know best sometimes.

How Is It May 20

And The Coat Closet Is Still FULL

of COATS, Hats, Gloves, and Snow Pants?

I have really enjoyed the rain this year!
For me, it can not rain enough. I should live in Washington or Oregon.
Don't think we don't look often!
Our drawers are overflowing at this time. Between the few pairs of shorts I had to get out for the handful of warm days, and the Long Sleeve shirts, and the Short Sleeve shirts, and the Pants we are STILL wearing (although, by the looks of all of those pants, we seem to be a family of capri believers); I have NO more room in the kids drawers and laundry is completely out of control!

I hate packing away the seasons and sizes not in use.
BUT I am so grateful to have boxes of hand-me-downs to go through when needed.

"Use It Up"

Our swing set was on it's last leg.
The poles were rusted, weak, and compromised.
We put off many expenditures in hopes of saving for a new swing set.

D looked into buying fence posts to replace the old posts but they cost $20 each, so after buying 6 we would be better off just buying a new set. Until last week!

We found this bigger stronger frame. . .practically in the dumpster and added our old components to it!

One more summer of outside fun!

Chicken Update

Remember how little they were?

They are getting so big now -

but still not quite laying.

Oh, and to ad to the original 6
(Jump, Jackson, Dallas, Denver, Justy, and Mac)... We got 5 more!
Scarlet, Ruby,
Buffy, Toppy, and
Mrs Dorothy.