My newest "baby"

Meet "Wilbur". She is the CUTEST little chicken!! All of her siblings have grown by at least triple, but not my Wilbur. She looks like she has grown a week if that!

Poor baby had to have a chicken bath the other day! Her toes were covered in chicken doo.

Her "daddy" scrubbed her toes...

And then cuddled her better in a towel until she was warm and content.

See how her sister's stand over her?? They were all the same size when we got them!

I love my Wilbur. She is the sweetest little runt you will ever meet! *grin*

Vacation!!

I can't believe May is gone! We have done so much! We have planted our garden, are building a chicken coop, & we recently returned from a family vacation.

I hate to say it, but we were terribly busy...but I can't tell you exactly with what! LOL! I have GOT to keep better records! hee hee!!

We went to Tucson for a family members graduation and stayed to play.

Before we left the kids took a day I had to work and worked together to create an entire report for me about Arizona. They had everything from the state bird and flower, to endangered species and climates. The put it all together in book form with the front being a dipiction of the Arizona flag. It was awesome!

We enjoyed checking out Sedona and Tombstone during our travels, as well as Montazuma's Castle and some indian trading posts. We played hard with cousins, discovered their new favorite "virtual reality" website to play on, and had an all around good time!

My favorite part was the rememberance of how much we really do enjoy each other's company. I feel so blessed to have the little family I have. My kids are the best!!!

AWOL...

Wow! It's been forever since I have posted! We have been crazy busy! We spent a week getting two businesses and a family of 6 ready to go on vacation (plus Cam's broken arm!). Then we went to Tucson for a week for our cousin Kayelani's Graduation... SO fun! (have tons of cute pictures I will post when I can) And ever since we have been trying to play catch up from vacation. ;P

This last week we have also started a fun family project! Our 10 little hens are getting squishy in their box...

So Jess has dreamed up his own plan and we are helping as a family to build a coop! It is going to be SO fancy! LOL! We stopped by some close by job sites that had dumpsters full of new contruction material junk and gathered up discarded boards and such. It has been fun to recycle and see how much we can save by making use of this stuff! Cody is our "tree hugger" and it has tickled him to no end to see how much we saved from the landfill!

Cody needed someone to hold the boards and hold him the skinny little thing!

Emma LOVED the hammering!

Cody did too! Caleb hung out in the background hammering nails into junk boards...

This is the base... we will wrap it with chicken wire so they will have some shade and more running space without using up more of our backyard. ;)

We all worked 'til the sun went down one afternoon... and every extra minute since has been devoted to it!

Today while I am at the Parade Of Homes house (#21! Come see me if you can!) Jess has gotten the walls all up, the laying boxes started and the door cut out. I bet he will have the roof on by the time I get home. *grin* SO FUN! It will look like a small school house by the time we are done... we joke that it needs a sign saying "Hen's High school" or "Poultry Preschool" LOL! The kids want to paint a bell on the front as well! What a project I tell ya! Very elaborate! Jess tells me as a "Utah Home Builders Assoc.'s Superintendent of the Year"'s son he cannot build anything less! Bwahahaha!! Cracks me up! He is so his father! *GRIN*

I will try to get the trip photos up and start catching up here as well! And I will post more coop pictures when I get them! Until then... hasta luego! ;)

Really? I mean...really??

Happy Day yesterday. This is my little man Cam's at 9pm last night. It was a long long day!! Poor guy was jumping on the neighbor's tramp... begging her to bounce he and Caleb - and she is 15 - so her bounces were BOUNCES. He said he fell and heard CRACK! *sigh* Same arm. Same break. Different day. Oh...the fun we have....

Another Virtual Yard Sale :)

Pampered Chef Large Bar Pan Stone. Has been seasoned and is ready to use! Only asking $20

This is a hand held mixer/blender. It is awesome... I got a Kitchen Aid (*grin*) for Christmas and have no need for it! Only used twice. $10

I have the complete set of Alice in Bibleland series for kids. My little ones *really* enjoyed them, as they are written in poem form with simple stories from the Bible. We have just outgrown them. 25 books in the series - And I paid nearly $7 for each of them. Perfect condition! This is a steal! $40

MORE TO COME....

101 Ideas to Do This Summer

I wanted to post this so I can refer back to it - and so if it helps any of you out there that is great too!! THAKYOU to Homeschool.com! This is AWESOME!

1 Make a scrapbook of everything you do this summer
The Basics of Scrapbookinghttp://www.scrapbookscrapbook.com/beginners.html

2 Have a picnic
Planning a Picnichttp://www.the-picnic-site.com/

3 Learn how to play soccer
How to Play Soccerhttp://www.ehow.com/PrintArticle.html?id=2044097

4 Visit another country
Lonely Planet Destination Guideswww.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/

5 Go to a ballgame
Major League Baseball Team Schedulesmlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/schedule/index.jsp

6 Get a job (parent permission)
Teens 4 Hirewww.teens4hire.org/

7 Become a photographer
BetterPhoto for Kids and Teenswww.betterphoto.com/photography-for-kids.asp

8 Make dinner for your family
Do-It-Yourself Dinner Party Project (PDF)http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/ReynoldsKitchens/KitchenConnection/special/dinner_party/DinnerParty.pdf
9 Compare a book to a movie
Compare and Contrast Essay (PDF) http://www.csudh.edu/CLASS/services/studyskills/english/webpageworksheets/comparecontrastessay.htm
10 Write a poem
30 Days of Poetrywww.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm

11 Learn about fireworks
How Stuff Works: Fireworkspeople.howstuffworks.com/fireworks.htm

12 Bake some cookies
Science of Cookieswww.bakingandbakingscience.com/cookies.htm

13 Take a boat ride
Boat Safe Kids!www.boatsafe.com/kids/index.htm

14 Sketch a picture of your house from the outside
Perspective Drawingwww.artyfactory.com/perspective_drawing/perspective_1.htm

15 Go to camp
Smart Start to Businesshttp://www.youthpreneur.net/camps

16 Visit a farm
4-H Virtual Farmswww.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html

17 Take a walk and record the sounds
Listening to Naturewww.museumca.org/naturalsounds/

18 Embrace Other Cultures
Culture Questhttp://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/cquest/

19 Keep a journal of what you do during the Summer
Keepsake Diaryhttp://kids-indoor-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/keep_a_summer_journal
20
Cut up an old greeting card picture and make a puzzle(parent help)
How to make your own jigsaw puzzletn.essortment.com/howtomakeyour_rgzx.htm

21
Start a band
Make Music! Start a Bandwww.mustcreate.org/kid_home/kids3_1.shtml

22
Learn how to make a movie
Digital Movie Making for Kidshttp://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/intro_video/making_of_movie.html

23
Blow up balloons, put notes inside and hand them out to friends
Message in a Balloonwww.nmhct.nhs.uk/pharmacy/nmha-activities.html

24
Go backpacking
The Beginning Backpackerwww.backpacking.net/beginner.html

25
Learn how to oil paint
Free Art Lessonshttp://www.interactiveartschool.com/free-art-lessons.html

26
Create a web site
Lissa Explains HTML for Kidswww.lissaexplains.com/

27
Go camping
Go Camping America Kids Pageswww.gocampingamerica.com/kidspages/

28
Learn how to use Microsoft Office
Free Tutorials for Microsoft Officehttp://www.baycongroup.com/tutorials.htm

29
Help an elderly person with house or yard work(parent permission)
20 Great Reasons to Volunteerwww.volunteermatch.org/volunteers/resources/tipstricks.jsp

30
Visit the zoo
National Zoo Animal Web camsnationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/default.cfm

31
Learn a foreign language
Free Online Language Courseswww.word2word.com/coursead.html

32
Make an obstacle course in your back yard
How To Set Up An Obstacle Coursewww.ehow.com/how_3113_set-obstacle-course.html

33
Make a treasure hunt
The Ultimate Treasure Huntwww.allthatstuff.net/treasurehunt.htm

34
View and learn about Modern Art
Destination Modern Arthttp://www.moma.org/destination/

35
Learn about the Animals that live on our planet
A Library of the World’s Animalshttp://www.learnanimals.com/

36
Recycle bottles and donate the money to a local charity
The Internet Consumer Recycling Guidewww.obviously.com/recycle/

37
Explore the Universe
A Learning Center for Young Astronomershttp://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html

38
Build a tree house
The Tree House Guidewww.thetreehouseguide.com/

39
Create a new world
World Buildingteenwriting.about.com/library/weekly/aa071602a.htm

40
Set up a lemonade stand
Lemonade Stand Gamewww.coolmath-games.com/lemonade/

41
Learn how to make ethnic food
Ethnic Recipeshttp://www.bhg.com/recipes/food-slide-shows/ethnic-food/

42
Attend a concert
Buy tickets http://www.ticketmaster.com/section/concerts

43
Have family game nights
What Game Should We Play?http://www.hasbro.com/familygamenight/pl/page.games/dn/default.cfm

44
Learn about science
Latest Science Newshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/

45
Make a collage from magazine words and pictures
Collagepbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/collage.html

46
Create a terrarium
How to Make a Terrariumwww.ehow.com/how_9374_make-terrarium.html

47
Learn how to help the environment
Environmental Kids Clubhttp://www.epa.gov/kids/index.htm

48
Discover new games to play
Nature Gameshttp://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activities/nature-games.page-1.html

49
Go to a museum
Find a museum in your areahttp://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/it/projects/Museums/Teacher_Guide/Hotlist/

50
Make a fire plan
Home Fire Safetywww.usfa.fema.gov/kids/flash.shtm

51
Make up bubble solution and have a contest
Casey Carle's "Secret" Bubble Solutionswww.bubblemania.com/faq/solution.html

52
Find a pen-pal (parent permission)
Pen Pal Directorieswww.stonesoup.com/main2/penpal.html

53
Plant something
Gardens for Beginnerswww.geocities.com/mastergardener2k/

54
Learn about Plants and our Environment
ThinkQuesthttp://library.thinkquest.org/3715/

55
Host a yard sale
How to Plan a Yard Salewww.ehow.com/how_137461_yard-garage-sale.html

56
Build a sandcastle
Sandcastle Toolswww.sandcastlecentral.com/toolpages/

57
Donate some of the toys and clothes you no longer use
How To Donate Toyswww.ehow.com/how_10124_donate-toys-children.html

58
Research your family tree
Free Genealogy Informationhttp://genealogy.about.com/cs/free_genealogy/a/free_sites.htm

59
Fly a kite
Professor Kite and the Secret of Kiteswww.gombergkites.com/howgen.html

60
Invent your own board game
Design Your Own Board Gamela.essortment.com/boardgamedesig_rxcu.htm

61
Make your own comic book
Comic Creatorhttp://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/

62
Create a book cover for your writing projects
Book Cover Creatorhttp://www.readwritethink.org/materials/bookcover/

63
Act in a play
So You Want to Put On a Play?www.writewords.org.uk/articles/theatre1.asp

64
Learn to Cook
Introductory Cooking Lessonshttp://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/kids-cooking-lessons-cit-intro.html

65
Make a bird feeder
Easy birdfeeders for young childrenhttp://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-easy-bird-feeders.html

66
Organize a bike safety clinic
Bicycle Safety Command Centerwww.state.il.us/kids/isp/bikes/

67
Spend time with your grandparents
10 Great Activitieswww.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson136.shtml

68
Learn how the Internet works
Learn the Nethttp://www.learnthenet.com/english/section/intbas.html

69
Dig for fossils
Dinosaur Digwww.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/

70
Write a song
Notes on Songwritingwww.robinfrederick.com/write.html

71
Tie-dye some t-shirts
How to Tie-Dyeiaia.essortment.com/tiedyedyefa_rmel.htm

72
Make your own banana split
Yum!http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/recipesforkids/ht/bananasplit.htm

73
Create a themed dinner
Theme Dinner Ideashttp://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/theme-dinner-ideas.html

74
Tour the World
Google Earth Stylehttp://earth.google.com/tour.html

75
Throw a pajama party
Make it a successhttp://www.ehow.com/how_2047629_plan-pajama-party.html

76
Learn some new outdoor games
Games Kids Playwww.gameskidsplay.net/

77
Make something from recyclables
Crafts from Recycled Productswww.makingfriends.com/recycle.htm

78
See a movie with a friend
In the theatre or on DVDhttp://www.movies.com/

79
Make homemade ice cream
Kitchen Theater Science in a Scoopwww.carnegiemuseums.org/cmag/bk_issue/1996/julaug/dept4.htm

80
Build a time capsule
For the entire familyhttp://www.ehow.com/how_6637_make-family-time.html

81
Get a magazine subscription (parent permission)
Magazine Listingwww.magsonthenet.com/chilmag.html

82
Organize a scavenger hunt
Outdoor Scavenger Huntswww.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/kids/scavengerhunt.htm

83
Go swimming
Video Clips of the Swimming Strokeswellness.lattc.cc.ca.us/real/strokes.html

84
Paint a portrait of your best friend
Draw Your Friendwww.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room/sparkers/friend_portrait/portrait_friend.html

85
Start a collection
How to Start a Collectionwww.ehow.com/how_10563_start-collection.html

86
Write a fairy tale
Fractured Fairy Taleshttp://www.readwritethink.org/materials/fairytales/

87
Travel in time
Odyssey Onlinecarlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/MidElem_Home.html

88
Stargaze and track the moon phases
Moon informationhttp://www.moonconnection.com/

89
Learn how to sew
Learn to Sew http://cyberseams.com/

90
Visit a National Park
National Park Service Guidewww.nps.gov/parks.html

91
Rent a video of a ballet
Easy to Read Profiles of the Histories of Balletsclassicalmusic.about.com/od/historyofballet/

92
Roast marshmallows
How to Roast a Marshmallowwww.ehow.com/how_1164_roast-marshmallow.html

93
Watch the birds
Tips on Getting Started with Bird Watchingwww.birdwatching.com/tips/kids_birding.html

94
Arrange a bouquet of flowers
Learn how to make a beautiful display http://interiordec.about.com/library/weekly/aa021403b2.htm
95
Learn to blog (parents’ permission)
How-tohttp://learn2blog.pitas.com/

96
Re-decorate your room
Decorating Galleryhttp://www.hgtv.com/topics/bedrooms/index.html

97
Learn to play chess
Chess is Funhttp://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/chess/chess.html

98
Adopt a pet (parent permission)
http://www.petfinder.com/

99
Keep your brain going
Brain Teaserswww.brainconnection.com/teasers/

100
Teach someone to use email
How eMail Workswww.learnthenet.com/english/html/20how.htm

101
Create your own holiday
A Month With No Holidays? Make Up Your Own!www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson018.shtml

The rest of April

Wow! We just move through the weeks at lightening speed! I can't believe the week is gone!

This week has not been as productive as I imagined it would be - and yet they have been busy the whole week. We have not made it to the library. We have not written great lengths of discourses. We have read. We have done math. We have cleaned our home, visited friends, enjoyed the fabulous weather, celebrated birthdays and just had a very busy week!

LOL! So... maybe my goal of keeping this as our record will be much better....

...Next week. ;)

Grandma Would Be Proud

Ok. So I am a nut! I know! (ooo... can you bottle nuts...?) I have created a new blog. It will be place to post about all my "back to old school" experiences. I am inviting you to join me if you would like...

http://grandmawouldbeproud.blogspot.com/

I have a couple of friends I may be asking to join me on there with some of things they are doing to "get back to the basics" as well. Check it out... and come back often! :)