Chickens before the Coop

So, I started this blog with a story about our six new chicks and how excited I was to have FREE eggs. Today I want to update you on the folly of FREE eggs.
We did not have a coop before we got chickens and that was a huge mistake. For the past two months we have been spending every extra moment building our chicken coop. By every extra moment, I mean those kid free moments especially that come after bed time and at nap time. Consequently, many nights we are up until eleven at night working away. It has not all been bad by any means. Karsten and I are getting to work together to accomplish a task neither of us feels adequately equipped for, and the coop will be beautiful when it is done. However, this was about FREE eggs that I wanted to write about so back to that.
FREE EGGS =
1. Lumber and misc supplies for coop = $500.00
2. Chicks = $10.00
3. Feed = $25.00 every six weeks
4. Time and Water = Priceless
5. Washing chicken poop off children and out of cloths = 1 million dollars

So, FREE eggs cost us somewhere around two dollars a day! In trying to not be discouraged, I find comfort in knowing that the experience that I am giving my children is worth a whole lot more than two dollars a day.

Caution: May Cause Carsickness

Video by Kaleb, Enjoy!!

Sailing in the San Juan Islands

Did I mention that we took a five day vacation aboard our sailing vessel, Strait Walker? Karsten, the children, and I all living on 34 feet of wind powered fun. Some of the vacation was clouded by hyper-attentiveness to the wanderings of three little ones five and under, especially our fledgling climber who seems on the brink of self destruction! We moored off of Cypress Island in Eagle harbor. Oh man, would I recommend this spot a thousand times over. Pristine views of Mount Baker, no buildings, dark starry nights, hiking trails, a lake for swimming, and wildlife galore. It was so nice to be secluded and able to just focus on my husband and children. I am still amazed at how distracting day to day life is.



We had the privilege of getting help for an orphaned Harbor seal pup. The mortality rate for the poor things is 50 percent but after petting him and seeing those beautiful eyes I had to interfere. While "Pup Pup" was nursing on the side of our boat Kaleb said, "Momma, don't you think you could give him a bottle of your milk?" I could not fault the logic but after checking the boat there was nothing that would transport the milk from a container to Pup-pup's mouth, so I drew the line there. We hiked a four mile hike with the kids and found a wonderful way to get Mikaia to walk with us on her own. Karsten would walk in front of us and I in back with Mikaia in-between, then Karsten would hold a long stick back toward us and Mikaia would hold on to the end of it and follow. I think they do this technique with the blind but it really worked well for Mikaia.


The vacation left me feeling so thankful for some family time and yet longing for unmoving land. I ended up being sea sick for five days after returning home, now that sucked! However, Karsten and I grew so much closer and appreciative of each other, and anytime you do that, your vacation was truly a success!

Miracle Grow

This time of year just amazes me. The way things in Washington grow with just a little sun is incredible to say the least. Not only is this a time of year when weeds to grass and gardens to trees grow exponentially but so do my children. While outside today, enjoying the sun that finally broke through the clouds, I was mixing up just the right dirt to fill some pots I am planting beans in. A scoop of this and a shovel full of that, mix well, and bam you have just the perfect soil for growing mighty plants. I had filled all my pots when I realized that my young son was following me around, stick in hand, making big plants of his own. It is uncanny sometimes just how well my children can mimic me. Watching Daniel walking with his big stick made me see him for the toddler he now is. Not a baby, not a boy, but all the perfect makings to become in his own time. Summer here is special. For so long we are in the rain and sometimes it can shake your foundational knowledge that growth and sun are for real. When the sun does come out everything flourishes and moods lift by huge degrees. I am so excited to be starting this time of year so I can watch my children grow right before my eyes. I hope I have mixed the soil just right.....

New Heights

I remember so clearly how I loved to climb trees when I was younger. Feeling the exhilaration every time the tree swayed in the wind, or the sheer power of strength as I looked down on what I had accomplished. I do not remember fearing the fall or what broken bones would have to mend if I did. Everything about tree climbing was so good. Now today I do not relish a good high tree climb, or a sway in it's mighty branches, or the pure joy of having subdued the tree and it's challenge. I find that now I focus on how to get safely on the first branch, settle for twenty feet high at best, and God forbid I fall because who will tend the little ones while I mend? I have a whole new perspective on tree climbing and in a way it reminds me each day of what I have lost as I have grown.
Kaleb comes by his desires quite naturally I must admit. He is a tree conqueror and he may just put me to shame. He loves to climb trees, pull branches to make just the perfect rocket ship, and sing like a canary while all the passers-by wonder where it is coming from. Yesterday he entered into a new arena entirely and even as I ran back inside to grab the camera I wondered if that was the right thing to do. Kaleb figured out how to climb our monkey tail tree in the front yard. It is probably close to thirty feet tall and it's top has started to grow into our cable t.v. wire from the main post. I know this because I looked at those branches last fall and thought I really should trim them back before they took out the line. Problem was that the tree is pretty tall, too tall for a ladder so I would have to climb it, well in all seriousness I'm scared. I know you might be thinking why would I not just defer this task to my hubby BUT for those of you that know my family line and the incredible strength it's women possess, well then you know the answer. Even this spring I thought I really should get up there and do the trimming but alas it still needs to be done.
Anyway, this is about Kaleb and his herculean climbing prowess. It seems my son is part monkey and for all the times I call him "monkey butt" the name seems to fit better and better. After seeing dear Kaleb up in the tree I decided I could kill two thing with one stone. Not only will I let him practice his climbing abilities but I am going to teach him how to use the lopers(a.k.a. tree trimmers)! That way I will not lose face with deferring the project to my husband which must be avoided at all costs, and I will not have to nurse any broken bones/spirit should I fall out of that tree. It's a win win pure and simple, thank you Kaleb!!

Happy 4th Birthday Mikaia!

"It me birfday, birfday me momma"
Let me tell you that I have never heard such sweet words from my daughter, well not true, when she says,"Da doo" that is the sweetest of words. Mikaia has had so much to overcome and her greatest achievement so far is learning to talk. She is talking in short sentences and they show her incredible sense of humor as well as her elevated comprehension. Today Mikaia turned four and this has been such a pill for me to swallow. My little girl is FOUR. Not three or two or one but FOUR. It seems she has stepped over a thresh-hold into a new dimension of girlhood. I am amazed to watch her grow. I am amazed at the way she brings people together and makes them feel loved. When she was given to me four years ago I could not even conceive of what she would mean and be to this family, and others. As I wish I could see four years down the road to her effect on this life I realize again that we only have this moment to live. I am so sure that God has greater plans for this daughter of mine, that He will protect her in all ways and love her completely even when we let her down. Still for today, I rejoice that God chose me and this family to be the ones closest to Mikaia, to love her unconditionally and provide her a safe place to land. It is such an honor to be the special mother of an incredibly special daughter.
Happy birthday Kaia Lyn. One day I pray that you will know that I love you greater than the widest valley, higher than the mountains, and deeper than the oceans. I love you girlie from all that was, to all that is, and to all that will be.

Graduation

It is unbelievable to me that my eldest son has graduated from kindergarten. Yet, just last night I watched him walk down the aisle as a boy and back up the aisle an eighteen year old man. Now I know that it may seem I am exaggerating but through my eyes that is what I saw. All of the lovely people that have told me until now to enjoy this time because so soon it will be gone, well I didn't believe you, truthfully I didn't even listen to you. Today I am acutely aware that this is exactly how time will go, regardless of if I pay total attention to every detail or not. Time flies.
What am I going to do with my latest revelation? I find that I am drawn even closer to God and what His word has to tell me. He tells us in so many ways that we must live life to the fullest in the moment that we are living. We are not told to live tomorrow, or to try and re-live yesterday, we are told to live each moment fully because we do not know which moment will be our last. That is what I am committing to do again. I want to live each day as if it is my last. God has given me such a great array of experiences and motherhood is one of the greatest. I am so proud of my son, Kaleb. He learned so much this year and has grown into quite a boy. Thanks to a truly gifted Christian school and equally gifted teachers, Kaleb is more than equipped for what first grade can throw at him. Life is so good!