Crazy Saturday

What a wild Saturday!  With Amy out working in Northern Kentucky, Matt and the kids went out to nearby Raven Run Nature Sanctuary.

The kids did great on the 2-mile hike, enjoying the fresh air and exploring nature.  We had a close run-in with a skunk that crossed our trail, but managed to keep our distance.

Overlooking the Kentucky River

After our hike, AJ went off to a soccer game with his neighbor friend, and Matt and the girls walked down to our local Mexican restaurant for lunch.  Only the restaurant was closed.  So they walked even farther down to the local Subway.  That's a lot of walking in a day for two six-year-olds!

Meanwhile, AJ had a little mishap playing around at the soccer game.  While playing goalie, the soccer ball hit him in the hand, bending it backward and hurting his wrist.  We went back and forth about whether to take him to the ER for an x-ray.  It is hard to judge, because AJ has a very high tolerance for pain and tends to try to hide it.  We finally gave in and took him to the ER where the x-rays showed no breaks.

AJ's wrist is feeling much better, for which we are very thankful.  It would've been a bummer for him to spend his birthday this week in a cast.

The Brave Scaredy Cat

Had to get video of this:

The Garden Chicken Run

My Dad reminded me this morning that I hadn't posted info. on the chicken run I've built around my garden. After some research, I decided to extend the "girls" run around the exterior of the garden to help keep the insects down in the garden and give the girls some grassy space.  I only let them out there during the day, since its not predator proof, but it gives them some extra space and I throw all the weeds and kitchen scraps in the A-frame to work as a giant chicken feeder/composter.  After building the A-frame at the far end of the garden, I took chicken wire and made a hoop-type run from one end of the garden to the other. 

Here's the video of the A-frame before I got to connector run done (in case you missed it from last Saturday)

Chloe

Essie

AJ, Essie & Chloe with the Barred Rocks.

One Lucky Homesteader

The Good Lord was smiling on this urban homesteader today.  First, I was using my new mulching machine (that my Dad bartered for) to mulch up some limbs from a tree our neighbor cut down.  Look at all this beautiful (FREE) mulch!

And my machine chops it up so finely!

When I was unloading my mulcher, I heard a familiar sound, a tractor, and I remember that a neighbor a few doors down had her garden tilled up every year by someone who used a tractor.  I motioned to sweet farmer Ted (not sure what his name was) and he said he'd be happy to come over and til up my garden too!

The girls (and by girls, I mean the chicks) were so excited at all the tilled up soil, that I had to let them out for some free rangin'. 

 

Just look at that beautiful, soil!  

Now I just need to plant something!

Happy planting everyone!

Chick TV

Our crazy dog!

A Busy Saturday

I didn't work today because the city of Lexington had their free mulch give away.  The kids helped me unload.

And then the girls attended a "fancy" birthday party this afternoon.

AJ and I put together a new run area in the garden for the chicks since they are getting so big, they've outgrown the chicken tractor.

And Matt and AJ planted some new Maple trees in the side yard

Chloe insisted on jumping in the last shot 

Go Cats! National Champs!

If you live in the state of Kentucky, you are likely vaguely aware that the Cats brought home the college basketball national championship. Matt is thrilled, Amy is vaguely impressed, and the kids just want to see them cutting the nets. Matt's dad got the kids some national championship t-shirts, which they are modeling below. Our kids are slowly beginning to enjoy the whole UK sports thing, and they are definitely Cat fans. (PS - Anyone who feels the urge to mention anything related to the word "vacate" in the comments may kindly not waste their time.)

Truth: Its Contagious

Easter 2012

We started out this Easter by making resurrection rolls.  The marshmallow reminds us how Jesus was pure and came to this earth to take on our sin (roll marshmallow in cinnamon and sugar) so that we may be made pure through him.  Jesus died on the cross as a ransom for our sins and was buried in the tomb (roll marshmallow up in a crescent roll).  Jesus was buried for 3 days (bake crescent at 350 for 11 min.) and on the third day the tomb was empty. 

The marshmallow is supposed to disappear, but ours kinds rolled out of the crescents so I told the kids, "look, the stone was rolled away from the tomb!"  It worked for them.

Had to get one with Caesar (who wasn't very cooperative). 

Happy Resurrection Day!

Farm Chores

Had to do one more post about our trip to Indiana.  I think you all know by now, but my parents live on a small farm and my sister Kelly lives next door with her small petting zoo.  She has the craziest animal collection, but it makes for great fun for the kids.  In the next few weeks, she will be adding prairie dogs.  That ought to be interesting!

Moving "Weedie" the goat from Aunt Kelly's pasture to Grandma's backyard to do some...well...weeding.

Cleaning up leaves

AJ learned to drive the lawnmower and man, was this Momma scared. 

He did fine though, even if he only ran in a crazy 8 pattern.

What's a trip to Grandpa's without moving some firewood .  Aunt Jen spearheaded the endeavor as a great activity for all our sensory seeking children who were starting to get on each other's nerves.  It worked.  They stacked wood for an hour and then played the rest of the day together without fighting. 

Shelby even helped, well...a little bit

I had to include pictures of my dad's "herd".  He has 5 babies this year and they are all cute as a button.  

"Orio", momma to black baby below.

He's so cute, but man, is he a stinker! 

We watched him chase the other male calves all the way around the pasture.

This is my sister Kelly's dog Donovan.  He is a big nuisance, but also a big lover, which is great for a sensory seeking child who likes to "hug" big dogs.