More Chick Pics

Yes, I'm posting more chick pictures. But in a couple weeks these adorable little balls of fluff are going to hit chicken puberty and go through a horrendous, awkward, ugly stage. Taking pictures of them then won't be nearly as much fun. They are already growing so fast! Last week when I bought our first 3 chicks, I sent a text to Caleb to tell him about my impulse purchase. Apparently I didn't get enough because on his way home from work he bought 3 more. We ended up exchanging a couple so we had more variety. We ended up with 6 in all-- 1 Barred Rock, 2 Australorps, 2 Black Sex Links and 1 Delaware.

In this picture, the 2 black and white are our Australorp chickens and the yellow is a Delaware.

Another shot of an Australorp.

Thankfully our chicks integrate themselves well so our solitary white chick doesn't feel lonely. :P

Jesse was a bit freaked out by the chicks the first few days, but he's warmed up to them. It didn't help that he's just about the size of a mother hen, and they instinctively followed him around, sending him into a bit of a panic. The one he's holding his a Barred Rock. I think these hens look really neat when they are fully grown, and Caleb is hoping to find one more Barred Rock chick to add to our brood.

So far the kids have been really good with the chicks. Grant is the only one who gets a little rough. Apparently he doesn't know his own strength.

It's kind of fun to see them try to fly. I

In this last picture Justin is holding one of our 2 Black Sex Links. (I was relieved that when I googled "black sex link chicks" it actually came up with chicken pictures) I thought that was such an odd name for a chicken, but google tells me it's because it's a planned cross between two breeds. And because of that, they can then be "sexed" right after hatching to determine their gender. If I remember right, our two Black Sex Links are a cross between an Australorp and a Barred Rock. (I'm going to go ahead and add this to my list of "random things I should be embarrassed that I know.")

We are keeping the chicks inside until they are big enough to hold their own against the fully grown Rhode Island Red hens already in the coop. Is it just me, or is it so bizarre that "mother" hens would attack babies of their own species? With this many chickens we're going to need to expand our coop, or give them more "free range" time in the backyard. I honestly don't mind them wandering in the yard. They eat the bugs and fertilize the grass. But I absolutely loathe and detest the chicken poop on my porch. I don't know what it is about hens, but they feel concrete beneath their claws and have to pop a squat right then and there. Drives me batty. I'm going to see if I can talk Caleb into putting some sort of short fence around the porch to keep them off of it, that way they still can be "free range" without risk of me beheading them. :)

My baby monkey

Between Jesse and I, one of us isn't likely to survive his childhood. He likes to put himself in precarious and dangerous situations, while simultaneously putting me at risk of a serious heart attack. I gasped when I looked out on the porch and saw him up there. I got him down but he climbed right back up again. I figured I might as well take a picture of it since he appeared to have a pretty ferocious grip on the railing.

Clearly he thought he was pretty awesome.

And just for kicks and giggles-- I took this picture the other day. I wanted to get a picture of Jesse with one of the chicks. Adorably, Jesse usually calls out "cheese" whenever I take his picture. However, this day he decided that when saying cheese he needed to cover his eyes. He wouldn't quit, so I gave up and took the picture anyway. Goofy kid.

And since you're wondering-- yes, he often goes without pants ever since he learned to take them off by himself. It's a battle not worth fighting.

Springtime Fun!

For the last couple weeks the munchkins have been begging to swim everyday. While I think the water is still a bit frigid, it doesn't seem to bother them at all. I have gotten in a couple times, but only briefly. These 2 are awesome swimmers! I have them signed for Swim Team this summer. It's an hour of swimming every day, swimming laps across the pool. They also have 6 Swim Meets where they get to race and earn ribbons. I'm super excited about it and I just hope they don't freak out the first day when they realize what's expected of them!

It may not look like much, but what you see here is monumental. A) Grant is in the water and B) he is dangling past the edge of the step in deeper water. This is the kid who as a baby gasped for air like he thought he was drowning every time I put him in the bathtub. He has a very cautious relationship with water.

And even though this is the shallowest step, the fact that he's splashing into the water is a big accomplishment.... we have come a long way, my friends. A long way.

He even appears to be enjoying himself!

Springtime has also brought warm enough weather for the sprinkler, which I like because I don't have to be outside in the heat with the kids when they play.

This kid has a love/love relationship with water. I don't have any pictures of him swimming, but the other day he insisted on jumping into the pool (to me) over and over and over again, despite being so cold his whole body trembled. I think he's part fish.

A pretty adorable fish, however!

Arrr, matey!

Jesse began preparing for his future role as Blackbeard the Pirate by applying my mascara all over his face. It's a good look on him.

While somewhat annoying, I find this type of art much more tolerable than the red marker that now adorns my freshly painted kitchen walls. *sigh*

New baby..... chicks

Life was getting a little monotonous, so I decided to shake things up a bit and buy some baby chicks. And, truth be told, I just watched the documentary "Fresh" on Netflix and couldn't stand the thought of buying regular store bought eggs anymore. Our 3 hens are still producing eggs, but not quite enough for our family. And since I don't want to pay $3.50/dozen for "cage less" chicken eggs, I bought more soon-to-be egg layers. They are kind of adorable, don't you think?

The tricky part will be making sure they survive the next couple weeks until they're big enough I don't have to worry about these little hands squishing them.

I may go back and buy one or two more of a different variety just for fun.

The next thing on my list: Buy a milk cow

Photo Shoot

Caleb and I both have a grandfather that served in the Armed Forces. And in each of their wedding photos they are wearing their service uniform, which I think looks classic!

Grant and Kathleen
(though on closer inspection this looks like his
wedding suit with his Air Force pins. ??)

Richard and Marion

It's far too late for Caleb and I to get wedding pictures with him in his Army dress uniform, but we thought it would be fun to take some pictures of the two of us anyway.  My talented sister Catherine took these pictures and I have been having so much fun looking through them over and over!  I love how they turned out.  I think Caleb looks incredible in his suit! I'm so proud of how hard he's worked to accomplish this.  I giggle at how this looks so much like an "engagement shoot." But 8 1/2 years later I still get those same fluttery feelings inside when I think about how lucky I am to be married to such an amazing man!