Chicks update...Oooops!!!

So even though I read up before signing up for these little creatures, I still wasn't prepared for what happened the night we brought them home.  Yes, one died.  It was Paw Patrol.  Luke's little chick.  We mourned and were sad, but oh well, more come next week.  I have to admit, it was hard telling Luke.  He's my more sensitive one.  Poor little guy.

Oh and did you know these birds get what's called pasty butt.  Oh its a joy.  Poop clogs their butt, and you, Dan, get to clean it off, or they could...yes...DIE!  No more death please.  So they kind of do stink, and they are STILL in my house, but whatever.  Just don't come over in the next few weeks.  When they get a bit older I'll put them in the shed.  But they are cute, and I do enjoy watching them and holding them.  I know I'm weird.

Baby Chicks...maybe?

So we did it!  Sort of.  For the last several years I have wanted to raise chickens for the eggs.  Why?  Healthier eggs and I hear they taste better, but I think it will be neat to see the kids interact with them.  So I decided to make it a project for the kids.  The first day we cleaned out the shed for them, this is where they will sleep in a week or sooner if I get annoyed with them.  Then we found a box and had it "decorated."  All kinds of drawings and pictures, including Christmas trees and rainbows.  Luke added a Valentine's Day card with his name on it, so the chicks would know his name.  Hehe!  Of course, why not!  Then the big day, buying all the stuff to go in the box!  WOW!  It really wasn't a big deal, but Tractor Supply was not fun with four kids.  Although the display coop they had sure was kid friendly.  Ooops!  So we head home and prepare the nest...so to speak.

 So this is Aiden, and he is putting pine shavings into this little box.  He did a great job! We ran into a little SNAFU.  I thought a new batch of baby chicks was in, but they were Bantams, which apparently are really small...not what we wanted, so then I proceed to wrangle all little's and head back to car.  While all kids are securely strapped in, I proceed to call all five feed stores in the area, and there just happened to be one a few miles out.  So we get three little chicks.  The guy told me, but I don't remember what kind.  Home we go!  Kids were so excited they each placed their chicks in the box. Aiden's is named Airplane, Luke's is Paw Patrol, Elle's is Elsa.  So it begins.

 Their bright faces placing the little guys...gals in the box.  I wish I had a picture of Aiden, but he had his chick in the box before I could even turn around.  That little bugger.  So YTD money spent on supplies and chicks:
Supplies: $22.00
Chicks:   $12.00
Total:  $34.00
And no eggs for several months.  Will this pay off?  We shall see.  Till next time! 

Pumpkin Puree!

This morning began the journey to an all day pumpkin puree fair!  So this morning as Elle and I were deciding what we were going to do today, I decided today was the day we would get rid of one of those pumpkins outside.  For those of you who haven't done this before, you should.  It's really good, saves a little money and easy.

Harbuck Adventure

Harbuck Adventure, as my husband has been calling it.  A couple of months ago, after running errands, I looked to Dan and said, "I am ready to be closer to family."  He responded with, "I was wondering how I was going to tell you."  It has come.  We both have felt God calling us back to Texas to be closer to family, his family more specifically.  We have informed our directer and the camp, and will not stay past the summer here in Cali.  For a couple of years, we have both felt a restlessness, and haven't really known the next direction for our family, but we both have a peace about this next step.

We are currently looking for a job in Lufkin, Texas, which is near where I went to college.  We are praying the Lord will guide our path and provide what we need.  We don't know what we are going to do, or where we are going to live, we just know we need to get back to that area.

To even think about leaving cali brings water to my eyes.  This is my home now, and has been for a very big part of my life.  It is the longest I have ever stayed in one place, that I remember.  The people here have become so much a part of who I am, and have been my family.  And do I even need to mention the area!!!  I lived in North Cali with its beautiful trees and amazing rocky coasts, and then came to so cal with its beaches and mountains.  Just breath taking!  I know, Texas has its pretty places too, but been there, done that!

So the new adventure begins.  It will be an adventure, and I know there are some amazing people waiting for us in Texas and I can't wait to begin a new relationship with them.

PS if you know of any job openings, please give us a holla!

La Lechuza!

So this one goes out to all of my cousins, who scared me half to death when I was younger.   So I bought Elle this Dora the Explorer book the other day.  It's cute.  Dora goes around to all of the animals and wishes them goodnight.  Well, at the very end of the book, she says Buenas Noches, Lechuza.  Perched on this tree, ever so cutely is an owl.  She says good night to the owl, and then she dozes off to sleep.  This is not how it happened at my Grandmas house.

So I was like in junior high, and we would go and visit my grandmother who lived in a very small town in Texas.  For those of you who don't know, small towns are built on rumors of scary supernatural stories.  These stories are meant to haunt you to your very core.  Or at least give you the creeps.  For many, like my brother, it did  not phase them, they live for the thrill. For me on the other hand, walking through the House of Horrors at Universal studios clutching my husbands arm with my eyes shut for 15 minutes, it gives me nightmares.  My grandmas house is on one side of the half paved road, and my Aunt Velma's house is on the other side.  Most of us kids, would switch back and forth going from one house to the other.  One night someone decided it would be great to tell scary stories, so instead of being the scaredy-cat and leaving, I listened intently.

The story was about this half human half bird called La Lechuza.  He sat up in the trees and preyed on people walking by.  You were safe as long as you didn't tempt him and say his name three times...sound familiar.  I would run so fast from grandmas to Aunt Velma's, it was ridiculous.  Of course I didn't believe them...;)but I was not about to tempt him and see who was telling the truth. 

Now when I was younger, I didn't know what Lechuza meant, it was just a word for a scary creature.  After reading the book for the first time, I actually laughed when I realized it was just an owl.  For those of you who don't know, I do not choose to watch a scary movie even if it implies scary or ghostly things.  I can't read anything scary.  If I do, I will have nightmares for weeks sometimes.  Just FYI!

Never, Say Never!

When I was younger, there was some silly cartoon about little rodents.  They went around singing this song which had the lyrics, "Never say never."  It was a joke from then on to catch other people saying never, and to throw this line back in their face.  Well it has happened.  It has been thrown around and come back full circle.  In the last several months, I have done so many things that I swore I would NEVER do.  So let me share some of them with you.