Random Updates

It is too quiet in my home right now! I'm used to laughter, the TV, babies & toddlers, schedules, "to do" lists, grocery shopping, cleaning, cooking, planning, etc., etc.  Brian is at work, Linds is in Corpus for a wedding, Justin just left for his mission trip, & my mom is here for the weekend with me, but she's reading a book.

The TV is off, only one light is on, and the only noise is the sound of my keyboard clicking away. Funny how amongst the every day you think to yourself that you would enjoy some peace & quiet...but now that I have it...I miss the noise! Noise...it's what means my family is home...we're happy...we're doing things together...we're ridiculously busy...but we're all here...together.

I miss 'em like crazy!

Meantime, back at the farm...

We have sold Anabelle's kids (goats). They will be leaving on July 6th. We're gonna miss having Tom & Jerry around. They are so stinkin' cute!! But, that's the way a farm works. You breed, sell, & use profit to put back into the farm to keep it rollin'.

My mom just gave us all her chickens yesterday! Woo-Hoo! So we now have 8 new hens and another rooster.

Still no ducks just yet. We're having to use the house we planned on using for the ducks to house the mama hen that adopted the 19 chicks we hatched out. They all survived, however Annabelle stomped one to death last week.

Dixie had her puppies last week. 7 of them! They are 10 days old now & I'm ready for them to be gone. They're in my laundry room until their eyes & ears open up & then we're booting them out. We're planning on going on vacation to New Braunsfels in a few weeks for 4 days so we need to get it done soon so they can be out for someone to pet sit for us. Although I hope to have them all sold by the time we go on vacation. Any takers??

Vacation...such an exciting word!! We got our reservations made yesterday! Last weekend on our way back from Dallas, Linds & I stopped at the outlet mall in Hillsboro. Their deal was, spend "X" amount of dollars & get 2 free tickets to Schlitterbahn. Done! Justin will need back to school clothes...I can easily do that! So, we hooked him up with school clothes & got ourselves two free tickets! Listen to this...are you listening...retail value of his clothes was $670...I paid $237!!! So that determined our vacation plans...we're going to New Braunsfels & staying at a cabin for 4 days. Sunday when we arrive we're just gonna relax & swim where we're staying...Monday we're going to Schlitterbahn for the day...Tuesday we're floating the river 1/2 the day & fishing 1/2 the day, & Wednesday we'll chill before packing up & leaving. We're planning on hitting the outlet malls in San Marcos on the way home to finish Justin's school clothes shopping. Can't wait!

In the mean time, we're gonna have a house full of family this week. Tomorrow night when Linds comes home she is so excited that she'll be bringing her niece & nephew home with her! Then on Tuesday her mom, and possibly her sister & other niece, will be coming up as well. They'll all be here through Thursday & then we have to get the house ready to host a Thirty-One party http://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/catalog.aspx?eventId=E1900775&from=DIRECTLINK&verify=true on Friday night. We're looking forward to spending time with everyone and having them here to relax for a few days. Who knows...we might even get the pool set up Monday night!

Hope you're enjoying your summer...noise, busyness, chaos, sunburns, vacations, laughter, & all!! It means you're with family...blood related or not!

Meal Plan *Sunday* & a Look Into June

So I haven't posted our meal plan in a few weeks...but I'm getting it up a day early this week so it makes up for the past few weeks, right?!?

This week we are eating meals that are as simple as possible because we are having VBS all week.

Monday: Honeyed pork chops, hash brown casserole, & cashew broccoli

Tuesday: BBQ Sauasage, macaroni & cheese, ranch style beans

Wednesday: Mexican casserole & corn

Thursday: Meat, beans, & rice

Friday: Frito pie

Saturday:

Sunday:

Hmm....not sure what we'll have this weekend because I'm not sure what our weekend plans are just yet.

Linds and I may be going to Corpus Friday night & returning Sunday evening for a girls weekend away. Brian and Justin may be leaving for Kansas Sunday after church. Not sure how long they'll be gone...4-8 days.

We have a BUSY June! The following weekend, Linds and I are going to Dallas for a wedding and staying over night. That's also Father's Day weekend.

The weekend after that Linds is headed back to Corpus for a wedding & Justin is leaving for his second Mission Trip. This time he's going to Arlington.

And the last Friday of the month Linds and I are hosting a ThirtyOne Party here. http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/

I think on the 30th, we'll rest!

Enjoy the beginning of a busy summer with many plans & memories to be made!

Adoption Day on the Farm!



Our First Attempt at Incubating Eggs

We started incubating eggs 3 weeks ago. We put 27 eggs in the incubator and have ever so patiently been awaiting the first chirp. Well, Friday night, we did! We've had 12 chicks hatch in the last day and a half.

Did you know that you can hear the chicks chirping before they ever come out of the shell? We didn't. We heard chicks chirping and thought they hatched so we went to the incubator window expecting to see our first incubated chicks. Nope! They were all still in the shells.

Here is the incubator after the first 12 were hatched and removed:

We have two broody hens in the chicken coop. One sat on her eggs & four days before they were supposed to hatch, something ate them all. But she's still been sitting because she knows she's supposed to have babies. So, we took 6 of the 12 new baby chicks and put them under her. She is one happy Mama!! She's quite proud of her adopted brood. 

First Introductions

Success!

Protective Mama

The other brooody hen received the other 6 new chicks. However, when I tried to capture their pictures, she tucked them under her so I couldn't see them. Maybe I'll get pictures later....

In the mean time, as I sit and type this, I can hear the other chicks chirping from inside their shells. I guess when we return from church we'll have new babies!

As promised, here are the pictures of Anabelle's twin boys, Tom & Jerry. They were born the Friday before Mother's Day. May 11, 2012.

Annabelle with her babies after birth.

A few hours after birth. Left: Tom / Right: Jerry

And here is our first batch of chicks that hatched April, 21, 2012. They are about a week old in these pictures. They've grown since these pictures were taken but I tend to do updates a little late...that's just how I roll :)

Big Mama with her brood

Thirsty babies

Dog update: When we went to Corpus back in April, appearantly our female Catahoula Leopard was bred. We'll be having puppies in about a month and a half.

One last note: Just since I've started this post we've had another chick hatch...13 & counting!

Happy 16th Anniversary!

16 years ago we said, "I do".

I was his sister's best friend & then he and I were high school sweethearts.

We were married almost 3 years when our only child was born.

Now life is crazy busy but he's still my best friend and here we are 16 years later!

Happy Anniversary Brian...I love you!!!