My Crazy Life as a Farmers Wife

Country Girl...

Grace, David and I spent the day out in the new chicken coop arranging things for ladies to move into their new Chicken Mansion (photos to come later...we still have a lot of finish work to do, but we got it closed in and ready for the chickens to move in). She was loving on all of her favorite "ladies". She knows them pretty well...even though they all look alike. Her favorites are "Yellow Head"...the chicken with a few yellow feathers mixed in on her neck, and "Little Spike" who has a rather small comb on top of her head. I love that she loves animals...

and check out my loot from the coop today...looks like breakfast!!!

Easter Duds...

ETA: this is the pattern I used. I bought it in Idaho Falls at The Quilt Shoppe, but you can also order it online.

I decided to make my girls a skirt and matching hair flower for Easter this year. They were a lot of fun to sew (mostly because they were easy ;) Russ got a new shirt a tie. They wore their new goods to church yesterday because we don't have church next week because of general conference...

(and just in case you wondered...Lily does not like to have her hair curled, so she doesn't get the curly do's that her sisters prefer)

 

Dreaming...

some kids might flip through a toy catalog...daydreaming about owning all of the wonderful contents ...but not Kate. She daydreams while flipping through the chicken catalog (at 6:30am mind you)...she really wants a White Sultan because it has "cute hair"...

Homemade Yogurt...

Just wanted to share something that we have grown to LOVE lately. Homemade Yogurt. You can find complete step by step instructions here. I have to tell you that my kids really adore this stuff. We go through 4-5 quarts a week (Lily and Kate often request it for lunch). We stir in a little homemade strawberry or apricot jam...and a little homemade granola, and it is such a yummy treat! We have also used it in smoothies and other recipes as well. We have made it six times now, and it really is pretty easy :) It certainly beats store bought yogurt...which I have never cared for at all (especially all that fake-sugary fruit flavored stuff).

Spring Fever...

We experienced a few nice days this past week (and then, I woke up to snow this morning). The kids have enjoyed every second they can playing outdoors. We have even been lenient with bed times...trying to let the kids play outside after school, and come inside later and then do homework, violin, chores etc. We even had our first cook out...we BBQed kabobs and ate outside.

See the chicken coop behind David? We tore it down this weekend...we're building a new one. We currently have 15 baby chicks in the brooder that are going to need to move in with our 17 laying hens we already had.

the animals missed the attention this winter. The ducks and geese are especially thrilled about their little pool getting filled up again. Both the ducks and geese are also getting the spring urge. They have both been laying on eggs and building nests...but we're not sure if we have both males and females, so I guess we will have to see if anything hatches...

Lily and Kate holding their Black Australorp chicks...

swinging in the tree swings...

feeding the chickens...