Moving Out

The chicks have moved outside to the "outer coop"! I am beginning to breathe better already- those girls were starting to STINK inside!

The old birds are quite curious in their "inner coop". We'll keep this set-up for a couple weeks before officially introducing them to each other in the back yard. The big birds can be big bullies, establishing a new pecking order. The haven't gotten the memo that bullying isn't being very tolerant.

Settling in

The tulips are starting to come out! And baby leaves on trees! And smatterings of baby grass! I love it!

 AND the goats will be moving out in the next week!!! All of them! Farewell, adieu, be good!

Looking Forward

My good friend and former roomie (both 6th grade and 12th grade) and her husband came through Flag and spent the night last night. While it was soooo good to catch up again, in my opinion, the visit was way too short. It brought back memories of my high school graduation day at ICA when it suddenly really hit me that I probably wouldn't see most of my class mates again. Not just classmates, but friends that I had grown up with and lived with, cried with, laughed with, studied with, drank too much coffee with. So when I get the rare chance to see someone from that time in my life again, it's just really special. 

And makes me look forward to Heaven when I'll have all of forever to catch up. :)

Easter Mountain

For several years now I've been wanting to implement Noel Piper's Easter Mountain idea- we finally did it!

We made a hill out of flour/salt/oil/water...poked holes in it, baked it, painted it. Then we made pipe-cleaner people.

 On Thursday, the kids acted out the story, starting with the last supper and ending with Jesus being taken away by the soldiers and all the disciples deserting him. On Friday Jesus was tried, flogged, crucified...

...gave up his spirit, died...

...and buried, with a Roman guard watching over the tomb.  Saturday was quiet. The disciples were hiding, sad, confused and scared.

Sunday- He is risen!!! 

Berea was so excited, she couldn't help yelling, "Daddy!!! Jesus is aLIVE! That means it's EASTER!"

 All dressed up to celebrate!

Home life

 A Grand Day Out for the fast-growing chickies

Our "new" room!

 The boys' room- check our the "bamboo" bed posts!

 After sleeping on the floor for several years, Elijah has a real bed! Christian did a super job carving the bamboo, in my humble, yet accurate, opinion. :)

And the girls have new beds!

Hope Deferred

Despite having talked with a former inspector who told Christian that his tunnel for the garden wouldn't need a permit, we got an order to stop work on it from a current inspector until we can get a permit. Ah, bureaucracy. At least we don't have to tear it down (yet), right? 

 At the end of the 2nd day of work, all the hoops are up by sunset and temporarily shored up.

 Now for beefing it up even more!