In memory of Lilliana, Gabriella, & Tiny

I just tear up watching this video. Our flock of four were such good friends. They ran around the yard together trying to escape the rough love of master Talullah. They were so tame and friendly, they would come running if you had food or water. We loved our baby chicks very much, and it was so much fun watching them grow from little newborns... seeing their awkward phases as they grew in feathers and went from our living room in a fish tank, to a wire cage in the garage, and then the fancy coop Nick built. It was a sad day when we came home to find them all missing, having only one return the following day. Every morning when T hears birds chirping outside she still shouts, "I hear my chickies, mom!" We've since found two replacement birdies, but it will never be the same. Lily, Gabby, Tiny... A moment of silence for you.

Monday, Family Fun Day

The sun was shining as soon as we got up. We thought we'd head up to Trinidad, but once we got in the car we seemed to lose direction. Without towels, sunscreen, or swim suits, we ended up in Honeydew at the river. It was GORGEOUS. I would have loved to stay all day, but without sunscreen for the girls our time was limited. Still, we splashed in the water and dug in the sand. Nick taught Talullah how to skip rocks across the water. On the way home we stopped at the Womens Federation for a picnic. These are my favorite kind of days.

The joy of hard work

We have been working hard, and seeing the fruits of our labor has been so rewarding! The garden is growing fast, and we've been eating our lettuce daily. So Nick is almost finished with the chicken coop. It looks amazing!!! The big chick was so lonely when her friends all disappeared, but she has quickly bonded with the two new babies and taken them under her wing. Literally. To top it all off, I've just picked my first batch of cherries from our tree! Time to make a cobbler.

Oh kitty cat...

We seem to have yet another early riser in the family. I woke up this morning to Berlyn laughing and crawling on top of me. At the same time, I heard loud, lonely meows coming from the laundry room where I've been locking kitty at night. Of course, once I'm up and reading a book holding both my baby and the cat on my lap, they both fell back to sleep.

Oh, and Nana and Talullah seem to have named the kitten "Patches" which I completely do not agree to. I was thinking more along the lines of Samantha, Olivia, or Genivieve.

Miss Messy

My girls must think that this mommy just LOOOOOVES to clean. Some days, it's like I've spent half my day bent over picking up barbie dolls, alphabet magnets from the fridge, toilet paper scraps, you name it. The fact that they think it's so much fun makes it hard to keep a straight face while I discipline them.

We just love them!

Two in a row?!?!

Day #2 of sunshine in Fortuna. Nick inflated the new pool and even though that water was freezing cold, the three of them ventured in. I prefer to watch from afar and actually enjoy the heat of the day. Talullah hopped in and out, and she kept wrapping up in her towel to keep warm. Berlyn was a champ and stayed in the water for nearly half an hour until daddy was ready to get out. When the sun is shining, we could just spend an entire day frolicking in the front yard.