Visitors!

Filbert's mom and sister and her family came to visit us. We miss being close to our families, and it was such a treat to have them come here! The nuts loved playing with their cousins, and I loved having girls around for a change. We were so sad to see them go (Pecan sobbed) and can't wait until we can have more fun with our family we love so much!








"All Nuts"












"Not Nuts"













Pecan prays for cousins and Grandma every night. We love you guys!

New Arrivals

Update on Matilda: Through much trial and error, we have managed to hatch chicks in a styrofoam cooler. The first batch hatched March 30th. Only two chicks made it (things got a little hot one night, and most of the eggs got cooked), but the Nuts loved to watch them hatch and grow. We looked for the egg tooth and watched them fluff out. The white one is Feather Brain. The yellow one is Puff Ball.

My favorite moment watching these little birds struggle into their new world was shortly after Feather Brain was out of his shell. He squirmed around and found the other egg (Puff Ball hadn't started out yet), and began chirping as loud as he could. After a few moments, there was a second muted peep coming from inside the egg. And then Puff Ball started making her way out.

We have made some design changes and created Matilda II. She is fully loaded with eggs thriving with growth.

Here are pictures of the hatching. The process was so exciting to watch.

Oh, and we have a broody hen sitting on more eggs than she can cover.

Spring Walk

For family home evening this week, we decided to take a walk and look for signs of spring. This is our journal; the boys found signs, and I took pictures.


WARNING: Remember, Nuts are involved, so some of our finds require "science eyes."


Here we go!

Pecan in deep, muddy tractor tracks.

Dead raccoon. (Considered a sign of spring because its not buried under a foot of snow.)

Wild blackberry plant turning green (This one is my contribution).

Some body's new home.

Walnut checking to see if anyone is home.

A little brook running through the timber.

Deer poop (Filbert's contribution).

This next photo is dedicated to my father-in-law, who I dearly love.

Otis and Biscuit, our long-horn steers. They are considered a sign of spring because it is spring, and they are STILL HERE. (Cow head story available upon request).

Walnut found a guinea feather!

The guinea and the useful rooster. Conversation between Walnut and Mom:

Mom: "There's a sign of spring!"

Walnut: "Where?"

Mom: "The rooster is chasing the hen."

Walnut: "Chicks! Mom, the rooster wants chicks! That's how he gets them!"

Pecan and Penny sitting on a thing called "grass."

Peanut enjoying the great outdoors!

Pecan playing in our "park."

Peanut walking into the sunset...and the end of our walk. Good night!

Matilda the Electric Hen

Every spring since we have moved to the Midwest, we have raised chicks. The Nuts love taking care of baby chickens. They help water and feed them, and they enjoy watching the changes in the birds: fluff to feathers and peeps to clucks.

This year we have decided to try something different. Filbert and I have noticed (while making breakfast...and sometimes dinner) most of our hen's eggs are fertilized, but not one of the hens is broody. An incubator is not in the budget right now, so Filbert did some research and found "Matilda the Electric Hen:" a home-made incubator that cost us $13 to make.



The boys and Filbert made Matilda, and it is now stocked with a variety of eggs. The Nuts share the duty of turning the eggs every day. "X" on one side of the eggs helps up keep track of the turns. The first batch is due on the 28th (a day after Filbert's birthday).







For those of you who are dying to try out Matilda, you can find her plans here:
http://www.afn.org/~poultry/matilda.htm


P.S. Mom and Dad, thanks for not naming me "Matilda."

So, I've given up on getting Christmas cards out

I'm trying to redeem myself. I guess I have a guilty conscience (which happens to be the voice of my husband) about not getting any cards or pictures out this past holiday season. I had a great plan to get it done at the beginning of the year, but that hasn't happened.

So, I'm taking a stab at blogging. Hopefully, I'll be better at it than Christmas cards and the nagging will cease. If I sent cards or a letter or something, it would go something like this:

Walnut is in first grade this year, and although he does very well, he doesn't care for school. He told me one day, "I wish I could just go to school, do my work, and go home." He is very responsible and helpful, but loves to play games: baseball, Uno, Sorry...sometimes I can talk him into a violin lesson.



Pecan wears many hats including big brother and little brother. He wears both of them well. Thomas the Tank Engine is his best friend, or was his best friend until we got Penny (basset hound pup). He claims she is his "best buddy" now. Puzzles are his new hobby...he's getting quite good at them, too.



Peanut is a monkey...monkey see, monkey do...and he does anything he sees Walnut and Pecan do. Peanut has recently taken up climbing. He climbs EVERYTHING! I cannot leave him alone for fear of where I'll find him. He loves playing with his brothers and his brothers are pretty good about letting him play with them.



I just told my husband the nickname I was planning to give him for our blog. He wasn't to excited about being a part of all this, but I feel a need to mention him: he really does exist! (Yes, I was going to call him "Filbert").

So, that leaves me, and moms aren't nuts...just crazy sometimes.