Spring is in the air :)

This week we got some little chicks!  THEY ARE SO CUTE!  I forgot how cute they are.  They are fun to listen to when they chirp and run around and try to figure out what to do.  It's such a happy sound.

This is a picture of most of them.  We have 13 total (7 black, 5 red, and one golden).  We had 12 and then 2 died from stress or who knows what and it really bothered the boys, so they talked me into getting 3 more just in case another one dies.  They seem to be doing well, so I think we'll be having 13 chickens.  My friend says that she gets new chicks every year or two and uses the older chickens for meat because they don't produce as many eggs as when they are younger.  So, that's probably what we'll do.  Of course, our kids are going to be starting to leave the "nest" and so, we may be getting fewer next time.

Alec and Calvin building the hen house

Alec, mostly, and then Calvin came to help, and I was there for some help (I mostly just wanted to do something with Calvin and Alec and it was probably one of the best days I have had with them), built the hen house.  It was fun and we basically drew up the "plans" and then just kind of put it together.  The only thing we didn't plan, very well, was how to clean it out every few months, but I think Alec and I figured that out, too.  We were blessed with scrap wood from Scott's work and so, it didn't cost us too much to build.  Here are pictures of the process...

before we cut in the doors and painted

the nesting boxes and roosting areas inside

Back side with egg collection door closed

 

Shep modeling the front 

back side with the egg collecting door open

We had a good time building it and it literally took half a day because Alec is SO talented.  I loved figuring things out with him.

Other news...

Ashton finally got his iPod 5 that he has been saving money for 6 months.  It is SO hard for me to let him have it, but Scott felt that it was time.  He's 15 and let's just say I have a very short leash on him right now until he prove that he can handle this much power in his hands.  He's already "forgotten" stipulations to having the thing and so that is why the leash is really short.  It's hard enough to let Alec and Calvin have a phone.  I just don't want them on it all the time and I think it is best if they learn how to get outside of themselves, but it is the new generation and I would rather they learn how to set limits and control themselves while they are in our house, than when they are married with a couple kids and their wives are so hurt because they don't pay attention to the things that are important.  Today, Ashton agreed, that he doesn't want to take it to church because it is a distraction.  We talked about how hard it is to feel the Spirit when he is distracted with any device and they use the excuse that they want it for Scriptures, but even playing with the scripture app is distracting and Scott said "when you are in your scriptures searching around as much as you are on the iPod, then you can start bringing it to church".  We let him try it today, and he came home and said he noticed a difference and won't be bringing it again for awhile.  I personally think he just wanted to show all his friends.  It's SO hard knowing where to draw the line, especially since every kid is different and they are all learning different things because of where they are in line.  Dallen is a much smarter 12 year old because he has the advantage of learning from his older brother's mistakes, whereas Derrek is learning as we are and we aren't sure where to draw the line.  Anyway, as all parents...it's a work in progress :)

Alec and Calvin took the ACT exam yesterday.  They said it was horrible.  They felt that there wasn't enough time and Alec was upset because he said "I know I knew the stuff, I just didn't have time to do the problems to get the answers".  They said on each section, the last 1/4 was just guessing because they had run out of time.  I am not too worried about it, though, because Alec wants to start off at a Junior college and Calvin is looking at a trade school type of education.  That's another hard area of parenting because we want it to be important, but Scott and I are over-sensitive about perfectionism because of the things we have gone through, that we don't want to push them hard, yet we need to push a little, but how much is too little and how much is too much?!?  UGH!  I do feel fine with where they are and I guess that is what I go on.

We went to dinner and movie with our friends, the Hancocks.  Cody was splattered on the front page of the local newspaper about 6 weeks ago for stealing fence posts.  It was not true and he was never charged, but having it splattered across the front page basically convicts a person and they NEVER print the "oops, I'm sorry" article.  Anyway, they are such troopers because they have been able to find some humor in the situation.  Cody raises bulls to be used in rodeos and they have a new one this year and they named him T-post "sponsored by the local police".  We told him it would be funny if he rode it in a come-back tour.  We had a good laugh.

We just found out this week that not only is Alec's mission paid for, but also 1/2 of Derrek's!  I keep telling Scott that I am worried that our struggling days are not quite over.  We feel so blessed and didn't even ask for these blessings, but know they are and feel so watched over.

Ashton advanced to the Life rank for Scouts!  Now we can start working on another Eagle rank!  Dallen finally got all that he was supposed to get from when we moved from Mesa and so he is working on his Star rank.  I am really hoping we can get these done before the decision is made whether or not to allow gay men into the Scouting program (they already are if they don't say anything).  We love the Scouting program and hope it stays the same.  The older boys had experiences with boys who were gay up at Scout camp and I don't think they, and Alec especially, will ever be the same and if that becomes common practice, that will make me sad.  Anyway, enough of my soap-box.  We are just hoping to get their ranks done within the next year or so.  Ashton is excited that it's so close and Dallen is frustrated that it seems so far away.

Work and school are going good.  There is only 5 weeks left until all the grades are in and school is almost out.  Alec gets to go on a Senior trip to Disneyland and he's really excited about that.  Calvin might be getting a job at "Celebrations", where half our ward works.  I hope he gets it.  Here is a picture of Calvin sporting his new hair cut and look.  He also wanted to show Derrek that he's lost some weight and grown taller.

Love that kid.  Anyway, that is all that is going on with us.  We are having fun experiencing Taylor/Snowflake Spring with high winds (50-60 mph) and one day it's sunny and warm and the next day snowing and cold!  Keeps us on our toes, that's for sure :)