Play Time!

We've started letting the chicks out to play in the yard for a short time (under close supervision!).

It's funny how much they love it, and now each afternoon they are waiting to get out!

 I still can't figure out what this one is...either Wyandotte or Americauna/Wyandotte mix

 Padme thinks she is the chicken-keeper...she watches them closely and helps round them up when it's time to go in!

 This is a Splash Silkie named....Splash

This is the cat who would like to eat the chicks!

Oh No!

It just hit me this morning--out of our 10 chicks we are only sure that two of them are females 

(the big black ones are Black Star and the males will have yellow spots on their heads--ours don't).

I had said we would keep one or two roosters at the most, and we'll keep all of our silkies.

I can't imagine giving any of them away at this point!!!!  

We love all of them--I know, they are just chickens but they are so cute and have funny little personalities.  Our neighbors are going to hate us.

Reminder!

Just a reminder that my info meeting is tomorrow night (Thursday). 

If you still aren't sure about Grace and Strength but want to get healthy, 

join us to learn more!!

Dreams

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I can often have some CrAzY dreams!

I have found that sleeping with my "magic sleeping machine" cuts back on the number of bizarre scenes that play out in my head each night, but for the past 4 nights I haven't used it.

On Monday night I was in an online meeting for 4 hours.  

That's a long time to be sitting in an uncomfy office chair.

*Note--get a decent office chair*

When I got up my body was so stiff and just plain hurt.

All.  Night.  Long I dreamed that I was at a rodeo and riding bulls, then playing some sort of crazy game in the fields in which everyone involved would throw themselves off of horses or 4-wheelers and into fence posts!  After a long time of doing this, someone offered to take me to the hospital b/c there was no doubt many things were broken.  Oh my goodness that was wild.

The next night I drove around for hours, totally lost in my hometown (if you know my hometown then this is hilarious in itself b/c it's not that big!).

I finally stopped at a gas station for directions, only to run over some guy's head.  

Once he got up and popped his head back into shape, he was fine--thank goodness!

I'm just glad that my mind doesn't work this way during the daytime!!!!

Camping!

We took our first camping trip of the season over the weekend!

I am so glad we finally got a camper--it makes camping so much more enjoyable!!

  It's nice to get away with a good book and no phone or internet!  

Natalie and her friend delivered Mother's Day Flowers to the campers around us!

 This is what Mason does the entire time we are there--plays in the rocks and dirt!  I love it because even though he stays filthy dirty the whole time, he is so happy and content!

 See?

 The kids also took the scooters that they got for Christmas--this was a lot of fun!

The boys heading off to go fishing in the stream behind us!

 

 

 The one fish that they brought  back!

Last year we went out on Mother's Day weekend to this same spot, and a super nice family was camping next to us.  Natalie and their daughter are the same age and played together all weekend.

How cool is it that they were there again this year?  Natalie was thrilled!  

Unfortunately they are moving away soon so we won't have the chance to run into them again next year :(

My Official Flyer!!

I did it!!

I am still in shock that I did it because I had no confidence that I would.

I was living a lifestyle that had become just that--my lifestyle.  

I was stuck in a vicious cycle of bad habits and emotional eating.

I was turning to food for comfort, and to be honest I just liked to eat.

A lot.

Through the Grace and Strength Program I have learned freedom from these strongholds,

 but my victory has  come only through the Grace and Strenth of Jesus.

I have had an amazing coach who walked with me through this journey.

She held my hand from afar and I am so thankful for her.

I had moments that I just knew I couldn't do this, didn't want to do it, and was ready to quit.

She encouraged me, prayed for me, and held me accountable.

I had a plan and knew that if I stuck to that plan the weight would come off, the inches would disappear, I would develop new eating habits, and my body would be clean!!

I won't lie, it's been hard.  It's also been so worth it.

For years I have known that I needed to lose weight and get healthy again.
I should have kept a list of my excuses not to...it would be comical to go back and read them all.

I often said that "I would just die if I couldn't have sugar"
or
"oh, that would never work for me".

But guess what?  I DID work for me...and it will work for you!!!!!!

If you're ready...if you're tired of the excuses...if you want to get healthy and fit and look great....

What Are You Waiting For??? 

 Stop saying that you could never do it, or you don't have the willpower...

those were on my list of excuses, too.  

Let me tell you--they're bad ones.

You CAN do this and you WILL do this if you just take the step!!!!

I am so excited to announce that I have been in training to coach for the Grace and Strength Program!
I am working on building my first small group--and can't wait to see how many women I get to walk alongside on their journey!!!!  So what are you waiting for??

Chick Count

We had 8 of our eggs hatch, 2 of those died.  

They both had deformities or something going on.

We ended up buying 3 Silkie chicks and 2 Black Star Pullets (the Black Star are hens).

We hatched one Silkie, 2 Buff Orpingtons, and 3 Americaunas or Wyandottes--not sure which!

The kids are having fun with them--and I am, too!  They are so fun to watch!!

Above is a Silkie named Blue.

I reached my goal!!!

 

Today I reached my goal of 50 pounds and I am so excited!

I'm even more excited to share more about my journey and

 make a huge announcement very soon!!!!!

Our First Baby!

Because I know all four of my readers are waiting in suspense....

We have our first baby!!

This other little one is still hanging on in the shell.   

Still Hanging On...

No baby chicks yet!!

Overheard...

At any point in the day you may hear this in our house...

"Get your hands OUT of your pants!!!

Yep, we've switched Mason to underwear.

We Have Movement!

Here is a picture of our eggs today (Day 20 of 21).

We took them out of the turner on Sunday morning and now we just wait.

  I marked them so that I can make sure they stay in the same position if we pick them up (which we try not to do!).

 

The kids and I sat and did a unit study on eggs, then we read a chapter from 

Apologia's Flying Creatures that teaches how God created the hen to take care of her eggs, how He created the chicks to know how to get out and when.  

It's pretty neat!!

 

Afterward we opened the incubator to check them out and sure enough two of them keep rocking back and forth, and we even heard one chirping!!!!

 

So exciting!!!!