It been awhile!

Hey! Where have you been? I would have posted at least 5 posts while you were gone, but Noooo, you left some where so I decided I would wait until you were back to write again. But your back so I guess I will write again...

First off, an update on the HCG diet. I lost a total of around 25 pounds on the diet and now I'm finishing up the maintance part. I am happy with the wieght I lost even though I still could lose another 10 or so comfortably.

Life focus has now changed. This summer so far was diet, diet, diet...with some chick raising and some yard work.

Diet is about done, now it is SCHOOL for at least a week, then vacation, YAAAAA!, and then it is back to yard for a bit before school begins in full force for the fall. Both Lena and I have some major papers to write this week before we leave on vacation. Not fun, but I think we will manage. When we get back, I have to really focus on school and the future and get some of the little things I've procrastinated done. I did a little today, which turned out great. In fact I will share...

This fall my plan was to take 2 prereqs for Nursing, Biology 100 and chemistry 130. Then in the spring I was going to take Bio 201 and other classes. The advisor I talked with today said then when you apply (early spring) for the nursing program they like to see a grade for bio 201 completed. (hmmm, this isn't good...) But then she said she would override the requirement to take Bio 100 and let me take bio 201 this fall! Yea!!! One less class I have to take! Saves me time and money and also gets me in a better position to get into the nursing program.

Well, I just thought of another thing I want to get done, so I better do it while I'm thinking of it.

Later, but don't leave for so long this time!

The HCG diet.

Have you wondered where I've been? Well I'm afraid if you want update you just have to read our family blog or our new HCG blog.

Since starting the diet I haven't had my normal energy and therefore have wanted to go to bed earlier. Also, school has been crazy for my love so she needs a couple hours about everyday for it. That leaves me a couple hours during whole week to do mine.

I am getting more confortable with the diet. (if you ask me around 11am you may get a different answer) I am also happy with the weight that has been going down. I feel better about myself with less weight and feel healthier.

Chickens have also been crazy. Been trying to teach them to roost in the coop. So far it has been on the tree, on the fence, on the coop, on the door, and anywhere except the coop. I did realize tonight that many of them cannot fly the high yet. I need to build them a ladder of some type. Also I need to build another roost for them.

Well I am tired so good night and hope to see you soon!

My birthday and other happenings...

First of all, thank you who all voted on my rooster problem. And for those of you who haven't voted yet, get your tush in gear and vote! :) Just to let you know we have found out there is a good chance our Golden Laced Polish is a hen and not a rooster, but we shall see.

Life Happenings...

Last week was a blast. Hiking, dinosaur foot print hunting, site seeing, horse back riding...all in one week. Actually all that was in two days.

We got our next shipment of chicks last friday. We had ordered 3 more silkies, 3 black Marans, 1 Production Red and then Eriks chicks which was 25 white Leghorns. The company sent us 4 silkies, 1 bantam cochin, 4 Marans, 2 Production Reds, and 27 Leghorns. We gave Erik his Leghorns, but also a Maran and silkie. I wanted my brother to have a little variety in his chickens. It was sad one of our silkies ended up getting weak and passed away today.

Our other chicken problem was our golden laced polish got prolapsed. Basicly it means, stuff that is supposed to be inside started sticking out side. We worked with her for 4 days and yesterday she seemed better. We ended up having a appointment at best friends who said that would look at her today and they said everything was looking better. So today she was finally able to rejoin the flock. I'm glad I don't have to play chicken doctor anymore.

More life...HCG diet. We started shooting up yesterday. The first 3 days of this diet it great! Bacon, sausage, cheese, hot dogs, cake, candies and more...so far so good...I think I can handle the diet...I guess we will see Friday evening how I am doing. :)

Birthday...My sweet wife wrote a nice tribute on her blog wishing me a happy birthday... thank you Honey.

Oh no...running out of typing steam....must fit in last thoughts....

School started....its ok.....Mark, Durin, Derrik, Nick, Victoria, and Victoria visiting... fun, especially for Jakob....Lawn doing great....Garden Growing good....Pretty birds....Pink elephants...fading...Fading...Fading

Question of the roo's

So... its been a little while. I have a lot to catch up on, but first I want to ask you your opinion. Our sweet chickens are growing up and we are finding we have some roosters. Actually we have to many roosters. So some must go. Help me decide which ones to keep and reply on your thoughts. I have pictures of what they should look like when full grown.


First, we have the possibility of at least 1 silkie rooster.

Next, we have 2 Polish possible roosters. The first a golden laced Polish and the next a white crested black polish.

Next, we have 2 Golden laced Wyandottes. They are very pretty, close to your traditional rooster.

Next we have 2 Partridge Cochin Rooster. Close to the same marking just fluffier and not quite as bright colors.

So...We are thinking 4 roosters should be our max, that means 3 have got to go or turn out to be hens. We will have 19 or so hens and 4 roosters. What is your vote?

Long Good Day...better then yesterday...

Wouldn't it be great if everyday was better then the last? I actually hope it is and strive to live that ideal, but it is not always so. Of course it helps if 1 day just really sucks, then you can live the ideal at least for 1 or 2 days... :)

Anyway, Friday wasn't so bad, it just wasn't great. We went to a doctors appointment for our baby. It went as well as expected, then did a little shopping, then went car shopping for several hours. It was very back and forth with our thought processes, then talking with salespeople, getting sisters help and suggestions...only to find out that car buying isn't a possibility for us right now. Rrrrrgh. Not just for us but it was a waste for many people who were trying to help us that day. Just feeling bad for them. So we did some more grocery shopping and came home.

Today was our work in the yard day. It was great and made me very tired. We mostly worked in the chicken run. Lena did great and did tons of organizing in our storage, did dishes, took care of the children, and still managed to help me out quite a bit. I worked on building a large fence between our chickens and the neighbors dogs. It was a lot of work, but it sure looks better and is going to be safer for our chickens. We even gave them a little field trip to their future run. Some were curious, others stayed in the coop. Chickens! Scared to come out... :)

We had a yummy dinner with my parents, did some nice quiet time, and now its time to sleep....

Nighty night.

I know it been a little while...

Life has been cruising along pretty fast this last week or so. The only problem its been cruising so long and fast that I haven't had very many rest stops on the way. And when I've hit those few rest stops, all I want to do is rest! Imagine that. But this morning, I had to wake up early to try to get some boards for our chicken coup. That is done with so now I'm awake and nobody else is and I have time to finally blog again!

Some of the things that have kept me busy is school, work, and family activities.

With school, this last week I had to read a book and write a report on it. I did it my typical fashion by reading some of it before hand, then the day its due finishing reading it and then writing the report that night. I don't recommend this method, but that is what seems to happen more often then not. The funny story with this is that I had read about half of the book come Sat. night. So, I thought to myself I can finish reading Monday and write the report that night. It was due Monday. Sunday I don't work on school work, so I didn't. Monday comes and I get done some of the reading during the day and then I get a call from Lena. She called to remind me that we family home evening with the rest of my family and we were doing a barbaque. I thought, Ok, I can do this. I'll just read up to the BBQ and then write the report after words. Then Lena said, Oh ya, its at your bothers. Ohhhhhh....he lives an hour away. This isn't going to be as easy as I thought. So I finished the book during the day, wrote a quick page before going, then went to the BBQ. It was alot of fun, then got home and finished it. It worked out, or at least I think it worked out. I haven't got my grade yet from it.

Work just has been work. It's nearing the end of the school year and that makes the kids anxious for summer. Actually it does me too. Its going good, but it does take a good chunk out of the day and I need to do better with CCC.

Family activities are also very fun, but it seems we've had several lately. There was the BBQ at Eriks that was a lot of fun. They make wonderful food and great company. It was fun to see the barn they've built and prepared for their upcoming cow, pigs, and chickens. It was fun to see their chicks and kittens they have. Its too bad they live so far away and life is so busy we don't see much of each other sometimes.

Jakob had a very fun dance recital. You can read about it on Lena's blog. But Jakob did great. It was fun to watch him. He did still the show as the many people came up to us after words and told us .

We've now started having T-ball practice for Jakob. He'll do great once he learns the basics of where to run after hitting it and where to throw the ball.

I guess the chicks we have take up a far bit of time too. They are growing great. All happy and healthy. We did notice when I got home from work yesterday that it smelled like a farm when I stepped in the door. Mainly we just need to add some more pine shavings to their litter and that helped tons. But I'm hoping to have the coop finished enough to put them in it later this week. They will be fine and the house will smell better and I'll think I'll sleep better. Those little peeps sometimes keep me up at night. We did add one more chickens to our group. A Barred Rock which is a pretty chicken that lays large tinted brown eggs. I figure we are going to have 3 dozen eggs a week when they all start laying. It may change if we have more roosters then we thought though. Just to let you know which kinds we have I'll tell ya.

1 Patridge Polish
2 White crested Black Polish
1 Buff Polish
2 Wyandottes (Pretty chickens)
3 Americanas (Easter Egg laying chickens)
5 Patridge Cochins (feathers on their feet) (Possible Bantom or mini chickens)
2 Buff Opringtons
1 Black Astrolorp
1 Barred Rock
1 White Silkie (the lap dog of Chickens)
2 Red Stars (great brown egg layers)

I think thats it. Crazy heh?

Anyway, just to let you know. I've got a great wife. She is so patient with all my little errors and annoying habits. I love her so much and am so greatful for her. She is a great woman.

Well others will be waking up soon, so see ya later!

Just listening to the Jazz Game...

Hey do you like basketball? I do. I follow the Jazz. They are getting whooped and will be whooped for the next two games then the season will be over. O'well. Guess I will have to start rooting for the Cavs.

My sweet wife is letting me have some me time. I have the head phones on and am blocking out a bit of life. Life isn't bad, it just helps me not have to run for every call of Jakob and I actually get to focus on the game. Enough about basketball.

I really excited about our chicks coming tomorrow morning. In fact, thats why I'm listening to the game so I'm not pacing the floor waiting for 9:30 tomorrow. :)

If you didn't know, I'm the type that can't wait for Christmas morning even now that I'm older. I get excited about something and I can't sleep and I focus on it alot. Maybe I've never grown up. I hope thats the case.

I found out that they are sending extra chicks with our order. That made me happy. I hope they are girls and something fun. If they are Leghorns, we will give them to Erik so he can have more, but if they are colored we'll take them. Then if we really don't like one or two we will either give it to Erik or someone else or have someone help us prepare and eat it.

Well half time is over so I talk to you later!

Busy Sunday...

I don't like busy Sundays but today ended up being one. All in all it wasn't bad though.

I had to finish preparing my Singing Time lesson, which went well. Then after church we were invited by some friends to have a chili lunch with them. It was delicious and good spending some time with friends.

After words, the father came over to help me lift a heavy airconditioner up our steps. With his help it went quickly. While I was waiting for him to come over I was able to several of my little to do lists. I fed the chicks, changed their water, added transmisison fluid to our car, brought up the table that we are going to use for the chicks when we get all of them, watered the garden, and that was about it. As a quick note 2 nights ago or so it froze all our tomatoes and beans that had just came up...bummer. I don't mind frozen beans but...

On the positive though, our garlic has started coming up. Yaaaa, and also our radishes too! Yaaaa....

Then after nap time...Yaaaaa....we realized it had turned hot, so I began the challege of installing our airconditioner. Well, I didn't read good enough but our window as is was too small and when we took out the other side of the window it was too large for the airconditioner. Grrrrrr...
So I called my dad and he helped me Jerry Rig the window so we got installed. It doesn't look like a window though until we get some flexy Glass because right now it is all OSB boards and an AC. It was hard work, but I know all the rest of the week I would be busy and have no time for it. Also it was supposed to get into the mid 80's this week and that just makes our barn HOT.

Well that is our quick update. Talk to you later!

Easter Celebration, mixed with "just life"...

Today we celebrated the silly part of Easter. We woke up early and found that the Easter bunny left the family Easter baskets filled with Lettuce, Chocolate, and chocolate chicks. Yes we did lettuce, I just am tired of the grass and thought I would do something else fun. Jakob got a good laugh out of it.

Then we went to the traditional town Easter egg hunt. A sweet lady in our town plans it, stuffs eggs, (hundreds of them) and the places them, and runs the hunt. We don't know what would happen if she ever tired of it. Jakob got lots of candy but no prizes this time.

It was lots of fun...then life kicked in. Caleb has another ear infection...no fun. Makes him very fussy, needed, and has a hard time sleeping. This makes Mamma, well....no fun. She is actually good, but it saps her energy and all our fun plans kind of go down the tubes. Then I had to do some homework today, help my mother learn some math for her schooling, do laundry...

Basically, life wasn't as fun after the celebrating...

On another note. I don't remember if I mentioned we got our first 3 baby chicks yesterday. We have 1 black astolorp and 2 buff orpingtons. Later, in 1 1/2 weeks, we will be getting 2 Easter Egg chicks, 2 golden laced Wyndottes, 2 silkie banties (we are hoping), 1 partridge Cochin, 1 red star, and 2 top hats. Weee! Its my new hobby. We initially wanted just 4 or 5. But then slowly we added a few here and there. The 3 we just got were mainly because I was chick crazy and didn't want to wait long for our chicks to get here in the mail. They are really cute.

Well its late and tomorrow is Easter. This is and should be a much more sacred day. We will have church were I am doing an Easter Singing time for my primary and as a family we will read more about Easter. We did good last night and read some scriptures on it.

Just to make you think...

What an awesome blessing it is that we will all be resurrected. Not only this that we have that knowledge. How has that knowledge change your life? Do you act or feel differently with this sure knowledge of the gospel? Do you think we forget sometimes how truly blessed we are? Thank goodness, the Lord knows us and our weaknesses but even with all those weakness He still sent his Son to atone for us and expects us to return honorable to him.

Growing Eggs by Jakob

Just a quick post to remember a cute comment from Jakob.

Lena mentioned to Jakob that we were taking our egg shells out to the garden to mix with the soil. We all know this is good for the garden. Jakob then told his friend who was visiting that we were planting the egg shells so that eggs will pop out later. In other word we were planting egg shells to grow some eggs later. We thought it was cute.

Easter Eggs, Young Women, Hot wife...:)

I just added that last one to make her smile.

Tonight was her young woman activity and they were decorating Easter eggs. Jakob really wanted to go so Lena took him with her. It gave me time to chill with little one for a little while. I fed him a large meal while listening to the Jazz basketball game. That made me sick by the way they were playing so I picked up little one and walked to the church to visit my sweetheart. Jakob had been really good so I was proud of him.

Anyway, you know what today is?!? SPRING BREAK!!! (yaaa, the crowds go wild)

"Congratulations! You have won! It is now spring break and you don't have to go to work tomorrow. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to SLEEP!"

Sounds good heh? I would too if I didn't have 2 living alarm clocks that seem to wake up or be their most energetic needy selves when I want to sleep. So we will probably watch a few movies, read some, and I would like to get some chicks early to get started on the fun.

Anyway, we are soon going to start our ritual of "Extreme Home Makeover!" Sound fun? Well, what are you waiting for? Join us on abc.com...we will see you there in a little bit and could you bring the popcorn?

A new day, a new post...

Maybe I should start that way...then it will be expected I write every day! But what if I want to be lazy one night!!!

Anyway, today was work again.

Good night.... :)

Actually Lena planned a fun little activity. We invited some of our friends over for a fun tin foil dinner. Jakob loved having friends over, I loved socializing and eating, and Lena just enjoyed it. I also was able to sneek a little chicken preperation in by getting the coup a little more ready. It was great. Well its bed time and I'm tired. Long day, tomorrow should be shorter though...

(hmmm shorter then 24 hours....that can't be good)

Thus it begins...

Papa's life began many many many years ago. He began as a baby as most people do. When I first came out my first thoughts were, "gee its bright..." and "boy it is sure cold...."

Hmmm....maybe I shouldn't start at the beginning...

Ok, lets just try today.

Even this seems hard. Do I talk about my sweet little boy who is very defiant sometimes? or my other little one who is just celebrating his birthday. Oh, I know, I could talk about how stressful work was and will be this week....better yet...I should talk about my escapes from it all, my new hobbies of chickens, gardening, and stocks! How 'bout I just start at the top of this list and go until my eyes close and I fall face first into my computer and wake up in the morning with "qwerty" on my forehead....

First, I was really upset with Jakob for a bit tonight. He is a great kid, but sometimes, and I'm not sure where he gets this, he is simple defiant and rude. Mama asked him to go to his room to start getting ready for bed and he sticks out he nose and says "NO". Let me first tell you this is after several little other acts of defiance. This got me upset and I set him in bed and he lost his story time and rhyming time for the night.

I've really tried to remember he is still a really young boy and still learning a lot. After my initial hot head, I normally calm down and we are able to talk about what happened. But it normally isn't until he sees flames coming out of my eyes and ears that he stops being such a little turkey.
Anyway maybe latter you all can give me suggestions and I'll tell you more about it.

Next subject please....

Our youngest one's birthday party. It was fun. He was cute. We had family over. I love having company. I'm a social bug, until I tire of being social then I'm a family bug, until I tire of family, then I'm a book and study bug, until I tire, then I'm a sleeping bug. :) Any way he was really cute and he is growing up so quickly. He loves, just LOVES telling everyone stories...He gets his whole body into his stories.

Next subject please....

Work. I am filling in for my boss all week. nuf said.

Next, number 32, number 32 you are next...

Chickens....I've been doing lots of studying the last week or two learning all I can about chickens. I'm sure you've heard from Mama about our chickens we are getting. It will be so much fun and a great experience for all of us. I just ordered 2 more chickens today. Google "photos of silkies" and see what they are....

Eyes getting heavy.....head tilting.......qwrnpoeiwuqrjdksla

Just To Get You Started

I am working on the layout for the blog and I need a post. So I will write one to get Leif started. I am really excited about this blog. I hope you have a great time with it Leif! I Love You!

-Lena