Fun with the family....

Just some pictures of the family.  It's been fun to be with them and watch them interact.  This is a GREAT family.  It's so nice being closer to them.  We've never lived close to them, it's so much fun to get to know their personalities and who they are.

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Chickens....again.....

Heidi and the girls have really missed having chickens.  Well....their new home came with chickens!  And...two of the hens were brooding when they moved in!  On Saturday, she was just laying there, very protective of the eggs under her.  On Sunday, Savannah came in and said that she saw a new baby.  After the morning session of conference was over, we all went out to see.  Isaac donned gloves, but she still got him pretty good, and moved the hen so we could see the new babies.  There are five more eggs, we'll see how many more hatch out.

  

Zach thinks that door in the chicken coop is just for him.  These next pictures are just after all the kids got out of the mud bog.  I love the pictures of the girls!

Just before they moved in, the hen below had hatched out 10 chicks!  She has not lost any of them.  On Sunday, the day after this picture was taken, she decided the chicks needed to fend for themselves.  She ran away and hid from them.  I'm glad I got a picture of their last day together.  They were really fun to watch, running all over the pasture.



There are two chickens that roost in a huge cedar tree.  They fly up, then keep going a branch at a time until they are about 30 feet up.



This is just about the cutest picture ever.  Totally mud encrusted...loving their chicks!

Fun in Alabama

I have a very interesting work schedule.  For four weeks, I work 4 days of 12 hour shifts, then I have 4 weeks of 3 days of 12 hour shifts.  The last 4 days and the first 3 days run into each other, which means that I have 7 days of 12 hour shifts.  Now, if you think that is confusing, there is also the required overtime.  I was told I would be given 2 to 3 days advance notice on whether I was required to come in on one or more of my days off for addtional 12 hour shifts.  Well....the truth is, it is 2 to 3 hours before I finish the last shift of the week!  After the 4 weeks of 3 days, there are 7 days off.  Well, that is, IF you are not required to work required overtime on one of more days. 

Stan wanted to come and help Isaac with his drip irrigation on his new place and we all wanted me to be able to go as well.  I found out at 3:35 AM on Friday morning, I would not have to work for the seven days, so we left as soon as I got home.  Stan had packed out things separately, so if I needed to work, that bag could stay home.

On our way, we had one of those sunrises that are misty.  We could see the full sun with no problem.  It was really beautiful, so I though I would share a couple of pictures.

Saturday afternoon, Isaac came in the house and told Heidi that he had pulled the hose over to the driveway, we needed to come out....and bring the cameras.  It had rained, a lot.  Stan and Isaac had gone out to check on the garden area to see if they could do a little tractor work.  It was way too wet, but the kids had followed them out and found small children's dreams come true...a mud bog!

The older girls started throwing mud at Zach, who was not thrilled with that, so he left the bog to get comfort from his mother, which she was not willing to give.  He ran around after her trying to hug her legs.  We were all laughing so hard.  Poor Zach was getting NO sympathy!

The girls were having nothing but fun!  Zach decided it was just too much fun not to join in again.  I am so thrilled that Isaac and Heidi understand that dirty children can take a bath.  Times like this do not come often, but they make great memories!  Imagine if they had been pulled out, cleaned up, and disciplined!  The looks on their faces would not be the ones you see in these pictures.  Childhood is short and needs to have some really dirty fun!!!