Let's talk about chicks, man

We're at it again...Coop de Jensen part deux!  Since selling our house in November, we have been without our backyard chickens {and our backyard eggs}.  Now that we are nearing completion of our new house we are ready to have both back again!  We decided to raise the hens from chicks this time instead of buying already laying adult hens.  This way they will be well acclimated to us and more like pets than livestock.  I researched different types of laying hens and picked out five different breeds that would give a nice variety of egg colors:

1.  White Wyandotte
2.  Speckled Sussex
3.  Rhode Island Red
4.  Silkie
5.  Easter Egger
6.  Easter Egger

The whole family is already in love and working on picking out names.  Hal calls them "my chickens."  Next on the to-do list is for Cory to build them a coop, and then we can expect eggs in about 3 months!

 

EASTER 2014

Easter weekend brought us gorgeous weather and lots of time with family and friends.  Enjoy the photo recap...

Saturday morning egg hunt and crafts at St. Andrews church

Saturday afternoon birthday celebration with second cousins on the Jensen side.  Hallie loved the bounce house, the hammock and, of course, CAKE!

 

Smooches for Grandma Jensen...

Sunday morning we gave Hal her Easter basket (yes, lots of Cars 2 stuff) and then went to Easter service at Grandma Jensen's church.  After church we went downtown with Grandma and Grandpa Jensen and had brunch at the Upstream.  It was so nice outside that we were able to sit out on the roof balcony.

 

After naptime, we went over to my brother and sister-in-law's house and grilled out (and had an egg hunt for Hal and her cousins Landon and Liam).  

Let the egg hunting commence!

What a great day to hunt some eggs!  80 degrees and sunny!  Hallie and I went to an Easter egg hunt at the Senior Living Community where my Mom works.  We met Lia and Rose there and Carla, Kate and Clete came too.  Hallie participated in our family egg hunt last year, but this was the first time I think she really understood the concept.  And boy did she go for it.  We hunted in the 0 - 2 year group and it's safe to say that Hallie really took advantage of the fact that she was on the upper end of the age group ;)  She made a beeline for every egg she saw and quickly filled her bag.  After the hunt we had cookies and punch and the Easter Bunny was there.  Much like Santa, Hallie was seriously disturbed by Mr. Easter Bunny.  She must have said a hundred times, "I no like the bunny!"  In fact, later during her nap I could hear her repeating the phrase in her sleep.  But she rallied and enjoyed petting the baby chicks and seeing the real bunnies and goats too!  Another fun spring activity checked off our list and more egg hunting to come next weekend.

Hal's Garden - Part 1

This beautiful spring weather has me in the mood to grow something!  When we lived out on the acreage, Cory always had a huge garden.  So big that it intimidated and overwhelmed me and I wasn't really involved in it.  But now that we are going to be living in a house with a smaller, manageable neighborhood lot, I am really excited to have a small container garden.  My sweet Grandma Fan was the most amazing green thumb I have ever known.  I didn't really get that from her.  I have always enjoyed landscaping, but not so much gardening.  Maybe that will all change this year :)  I have been looking on Pinterest for inspiration and love this one, this one and especially this one (maybe with a bright color painted on half of each cinder block like this).  

Hallie and I got this cool Burpee greenhouse at Target, along with some Seeds of Change organic seeds.  We're starting with bell peppers, cucumbers (gonna make our own pickles this year!), mesclun greens mix, cilantro and basil.  We still need to find some heirloom tomato, dill and sage.

Even though we're in the apartment right now, we still took the liberty to get a little messy.  Hal was pretty into the project for about 10 minutes and then left me to finish it up while she played with Lilly.  It was fun getting our hands dirty :)  Our next update should hopefully be in a few weeks with little green sprouts popping up!  Until then...

Sunny and 55...

Dare I say...spring is here?!?!  Me and the girls (Hal & Lil) took advantage today by playing out on the balcony.  Those two nuggets love to play AND fight.  Like regular sisters, right?  Everything will be fine and dandy and then suddenly they are at each other, biting and punching.  No one gets hurt, of course ;)  Usually they are fighting over a toy.  But if I try to scold either one of them suddenly it's them against the world.  "Don't scold my sissy!"  Regardless of the sibling bickering, it was lovely to be outside and to realize that for the first time in a long time the forecast is looking up!

Yes, Lilly is looking more like a grizzly than a schnauzer.  A nail trimming is needed!

Trying to take a "selfie" with an SLR camera while snuggling is a little tricky.  At least I captured my little sweetie resting her head on my shoulder.  xoxo

HALLIE'S BOOK OF THE MONTH - April 2014

Hal's new book this month is Life Through My Eye.  She got it for Christmas, but hasn't really read it until today!  She enjoyed it in her sunbathed reading nook in the apartment this morning :)