Saturday, April 21, 2012

Tiny Bubbles



If I could, I would drink Champagne every day.  It can dress any day/occasion up.  It's fun to do with an ordinary activity, such as bowling. The possibilities are endless!  Adding fruit, drinking it with juice at breakfast, or late at night with chocolate are just some of my favorite ways to enjoy champagne.  There is something about those tiny bubbles that make it fabulous.  People perk up and know a good time is coming with this drink.  It's a little fancy, fun, and tasty!  I, myself, am indulging in a glass of this sophisticated fun tonight.  So, bottoms up and cheers to you my friend!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Here a chick, there a chick, everywhere a chick, chick

We have chickens!  Yes we do.  And I honestly can't believe it myself.  I never in a million years thought I would have them.  I grew up in a small farming community and many of my friends had cows or chickens.  Lets just say I was not a fan, nor did I ever want to be around them.  Well, here are my four chicks. 


From left to right are two Ameraucanas (Penny and Nugget), a Rhode Island Red (Brewster) , and a Laced Wyandotte (Beaker) the day I brought them home.  I have been joking with my hubby for the last year about having chickens and getting fresh eggs.  There was no way he was going to budge!  It wasn't until we went to a birthday party that he would change his mind.  This family goes to our church and we never knew they had chickens.  Even walking and playing in the back yard, we had no clue.  They had at least 10 chickens.  No noise, smell, or hint of chicken at all.  That's what changed my hubby's mind.  He asked questions about the noise and smell.  To his surprise they were gentle and easy to care for.  Later that day we came home and started the research.  (For those of you that don't know my hubby, we/he researches everything down to a T before any major ideas or purchases.  We have the best of the best because of his O.C.D. of research.) 

We looked and looked for the breeds we thought we'd like to own.  These things are like hot cakes!  They were so hard to find.  The places we were checking were selling out.  This made me feel like the fresh eggs were so out of reach.  One of our friends was also getting some chicks and told me where she got hers.  I drove from class to the feed and seed store.  They had a whole flock of 6 different breeds.  It was so hard to pick which ones to bring home to our family.  I knew I wanted Penny from the start!  Her cute little blonde self needed to come home with me.  I decided she'd be mine and I would let everyone else pick. 


Emily was so excited she picked out hers and gave the rest assignments.  Here she is holding Beaker.  The chicks were almost a week old when I brought them home.  Plans for a coop have been discussed, but we were not ready to buil it and put the little ladies out in the cold and rain just yet.  I love animals and am the nurturing type and wanted to keep a close eye on our little gals.  Since then, they have out grown the brooder box (tupperware container) and now have a baby gate on top of the open box to keep them in and safe.  They have been growing faster than I'd like, but I'm still so in love with them.  So is this guy! 

    
 Penny with her tail feathers.        
Brewster and Nugget at 2 weeks.


  All for gals at 2 weeks.

Tomorrow they will be 4 weeks old and really need a coop.  Hubby is building one this weekend.  I'm so excited for them to be able to do chicken things outside.  The gals are in need of more room and it's time for them to take that next step.  It will be a bitter sweet transition and I'm sure I won't get much sleep the first night.  They come out every night for story time with Emily and get some love and attention.  I want them to be nice chickens and feel safe with us. 

Brewster 3 weeks old.

Penny and her cute puffy cheeks!

          
All 4 gals at 3 weeks old.