Chicken Run

Jesse built me a beautiful little house for our chicky-poos, and I couldn't love it more. now that that one little corner of the yard is done, I can suddenly see where everything will go someday. Things always happen so much slower than I'd like. Or so I think. 

 Farmer James, my little helper/chicken terrorizer

Danny has this magical friend named Lily (not imaginary). They love to make up games and discuss dragon lore and just play and play and play. We happen to be very fond of Lily's parents.  They other day, Lily called just to talk to Danny... He didn't even know how to really use the phone, but he listened to her talk for about 10 minutes, shouting an enthusiastic "Yes!" here and there. Look at him in his sporty big kid pants, acting like he's 15! I'm totally okay with them getting married.

Haircut and Jammie Bowling

I ran away to Portland last weekend to go to Time Out For Women. I didn't take any pictures because I was busy! But it was really fun to spend time with friends and visit my Annie Bear while I was up there. Anyway, while I was gone, Grace started saying she really wanted to get her hair cut so it would stop getting tangled in things. *Sob*  So after I got home, I took her to get all those beautiful curls chopped off (I managed not to cry real tears, but it was a little heartbreaking). Here's the little fuzzball: 

 For Family Home Evening, we went bowling in our jammies, which was a success. Jesse won, as usual, and the rest of us sort of limped to the final frame, but it was fun.

Halloween 2018

Halloween wouldn't be complete without a little birthday celebration for Sarah the day before. The kids decorated their own mini cake so they could watch Sarah blow out her candles before they went to bed. Then we had a fun game night with another cake and more candle blowing. I'm so grateful for our Sarey!

We started our festivities a little early on Halloween by visiting HearthStone, a medical rehabilitation center where Sarah's grandma (Momo) was staying for a few weeks. They had some carnival games and trick-or-treating for the kiddos.

This was our very first year with trick-or-treaters! Well, we had one, and then it was time for us to make our own neighborhood rounds, so we left a bowl of candy out. It was gone when we came back, so who knows if we had 40 trick-or-treaters or one really hungry one, but it was a milestone! The kids did great, and bravery was shown by all when one of the houses had a too-scary, live haunted house. Catboy, Chewie, and our stormtrooper had a blast. 

James turned 3! (From June 8th)

Preschool Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Jesse and I both got to go on Gracie's preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch. 

 This little boy also has a big sibling in kindergarten at Danny's school, so I see him all over the place. Both we and his parents have done double takes a few times! They look so similar!

Chickie Poos

Playing catch up a little: we brought home 5 chicks about a month ago.  I've ALWAYS wanted chickens, so this was a big deal. They were so cute for about a week. They peeped and chirped away in the living room. They've since moved into the garage, as they got stinkier. Tomorrow we begin construction on the chicken run, and I think they'll be ready to move in in a couple weeks.

Danny's 6th Birthday

Grizzly Peak Hike

Last week we decided to take advantage of this lovely fall weather (October...sigh) and take a hike. We've never done Grizzly Peak, so we tried it out. The kids did great--only a little whining--and we made it about 3 miles. I'd still like to see the actual peak, but we all enjoyed ourselves. And Grace counted 11 dogs. Sarah, as ever, was a stalwart helper.

Oh you know, just dreams coming true all over the place.

Some days are exhausting and hard. But then there are days like today. Days when there's no school so you read books and play silly little games and bake cookies and watch dragon movies and fold laundry. When you let the teenage chicks have free rein of the backyard and you sit on the back deck and putter around with graph paper plans of your vegetable garden and scheme about what to plant around the chicken run and where to put the compost.

And we got a piano. A beautiful, old piano that we all plunk on and will someday know how to get music out of. Sometimes you wait years in between each dream. Sometimes hours. Chickens, kids, pianos, yards.

And sometimes a hawk tries to eat your baby chickens and your sweet 4-year-old daughter stands guard while Nugget gets up the courage to come out from under the laurel bush. Because Daddy told Grace to take care of his chicken while he's at work (because hers isn't doing so well and we're hoping to covertly transfer stewardship in case little Peeper doesn't make it).