March Phone Dump

Meal time with Lincoln.  Always a favorite.  If he doesn't like it, it goes on the floor.  Or in his hair.

I don't even remember what we had for supper.  But no one was pleased.  The rule is you can make your own salad.  Tally ho.

Shopping with Lincoln.  Always a treat.  Bring snacks.  Lots of snacks.

I chopped Joelle's hair for what is, hopefully, the final chop.  There are still some layers in there I don't like and her bangs are still not as long as they should be but I can just trim it from here on out.  Argh.

Crazy hair day for Awana

Complete with crazy kids...

When it's 0 degrees out...you take what you can get.

Sun!  And melty snow!

Sleepy Lincoln.  #SorryNotSorry

Oh sweet baby.

Still nursing...

Eating with a spoon!  He actually does really well.

Chicken Lovers

Fun Night at Holland Christian

 

The kids always get mad when I get Starbucks.  I was out by myself and sent this picture to Eric.

Chicken Teenagers

 

Spring in Michigan.  60 one day, 0 the next.

The chickens got booted to the garage.  I was SO sick of the dust and feathers in the pantry.  I'd been holding off because it's been really cold.  But I can't take it anymore.

B wanted to try a new hair cut.  He hates it.  He's growing it out again.

I'd been holding off on putting the tramp together.  Snow was supposed to be in the forecast but it kept disappearing so I finally just put it together.  Wrong, the first time, thanks to our backwards directions.

FMG

We went with some friends

Cuties:)

Two seasons in Michigan::Winter and Construction.  #AndSoItBegins

Perler bead loving

Hahahahaha!!  I had to get a picture of her snaggle tooth.  It would NOT come out.

I made creme brulee.  It's probably my most favorite dessert ever.  And I have never attempted to make it myself.  It was a definite success.

Homeschool Field Trip::VanRaalte Maple Syrup

We had our homeschool field trip at VanRaalte today.  Such a cool experience.  Maybe someday I can tap my own Maple trees for funsies.

Going over what the different birds look like and sound like.

We all know Lincoln has the attention span of....a 2-year-old.....so we took selfies to pass the time.

 

Then we headed outside for some stories around the campfire

And a demonstration on how the Indians made maple syrup.  Headed rocks in the fire.  Then tossed them in a special log made into a vat and turned them in the syrup until it thickened.

 Looking at the trees and showing us how to tell if you can tap it or what kind of maple tree it is.

In the sugar shack.  This is where they boil the sap down into syrup.

Then they sent us out to collect all the sap.  I kept muttering that this is free labor...

One of our favorite field trips.

We Got Chickens

We began our adventure in urban farming today.  We started out with these five little girls.  We were hoping to have around 10.  We have been calling and calling TSC every day, to find out what kinds they have.  Eric is really thrilled that a week after our floors are finished he has dust creating, pooping machines living in here with us.  I had to do some convincing to get chickens.  The final case was made.  I said we wouldn't ask for a dog until we moved to the country.  The plan is to not worry about moving until we get through one batch of chickens.  They lay really well for approximately two years.  Then production decreases.  Since chickens don't handle moves well, it will be a perfect time for us to talk about moving.  Eric liked my idea.

This is Dusty.  A friend had a chicken growing up named Dusty.  A snake ate the original Dusty.  We named one in her memory.  Dusty has been quite the problem chick.  Chicks can get pasty butt (poop stuck to their butt).  If you don't fix it, everything backs up inside and they die.  It can be a combination of too hot, not hot enough, the wrong type of food, no electrolytes in the water...or nothing.  We tried everything and nothing worked.  So you just have to wait it out and keep washing your chicks butt.  It usually lasts about 2 weeks and then it's gone.  And it was.  Success.  Nothing like scrubbing poop off a chick, then blow-drying their bottom.  Blow-drying because if you leave it wet, the other chicks will peck at it.  Because that's what they do.

Here are the first 11!  We ended up getting two more when Family Farm and Home got some Easter Eggers in the next week.

White leghorn::Foghorn (D)

3 Isa Browns::Carmella (A), Lucille and Hazel

2 Columbian Rock mixes::Sunny (A), Sleeping Beauty (J)

I originally thought I had 2 silver wyandottes and 1 golden wyandotte.  The verdict is in.  I have 3 golden wyandottes.  Sparkle (J), Ariel (B) and Rapunzel (B)

2 Plymouth Rocks::Dusty (Joy) and Mocha

2 Easter Eggers::Hedwig and Zazu.  We have since determined Zazu is a boy.  We are still waiting for *him* to crow to be 100% certain.  But I'm 99.9% certain.  Long blueish blackish tail-feathers, splotchy coloring in the wings and quite different looking than our other EE.  But not aggressive AT ALL.  We shall see.  The initial's behind the names are who named them.  No initials=me.  Since I have to do the majority of the work.

They fall asleep in the funniest positions.  I've read a lot that it looks like they just fall when they go to sleep and they look dead.  Truth.  I've peeked closely many times to figure out if they are alive or not.  Haven't lost one yet!

Huddled in the corner keeping each other warm!  We ended up with 13 because I originally got 5 from FFH.  They have no chick limit.  Then I got 6 from TSC, they have a 6 per customer requirement.  (You have to get at least 6) Then I still wanted Easter Eggers.  I got 2.

We ended up putting up the baby gate.  I was worried how we would do this without our manic toddler getting to them.  Then I remembered I hadn't sold our gate yet.  Perfect.  Almost three months later, as I'm typing this post, the gate is still up.  It's been really nice not having Lincoln in there ripping stuff to shreds.  We never had to put it on the stairs.  But clearly the pantry is another matter.

My chicken whisperer.  I won't be able to find her and I'll check the pantry.  She's in there.  :)