1 month

I have been home for a month. I have left the yard twice. Once to get granola bars and once to get my chicken saddle. I didn't make it the second time because the roads were too muddy. It was scary at first, watching all the news reports and seeing the scary things. Now it's just peaceful and eye opening. 

I, literally, did not have enough time in my days to do the important things. I would work all day, come home, shove supper down the kids throat (if I had time) and then off to an activity. Late night work on my homework or computer stuff from work. I was always redoing schedules and responding to emails. 

Now, it's just, get up, have breakfast and get everyone set up for school. We have a nice routine. We eat together all the time. Last week, it was so nice to get so much done. Nikki learned to ride her bike, we take walks and are outside planning our garden and new chicken coop. I am hatching chicks, taking care of my chickens, and today we caught Sugar. She needs a haircut and a hoof trim. We spent an hour picking up and holding her hooves so when the farrier comes she's not a brat. She was only a brat a few times. It's been really nice and I'm grateful for our health. 

I am seeing with my own eyes where my children are needing educational support. Amélie dives into anything that involves writing and I have to drag her to math. William can understand something after one explanation, and once he gets started he can get it done. It's getting him started that can drag sometimes haha. Nikki loves seeing her friends and misses them crazy! I think she needs more facetime chats with them. I'll have to reach out and find some parents that are okay with Nikki chatting up their kids. She really enjoyed schoolwork and likes reading but I'm not 'Mme' and don't help her enough. Nolan thought he was so clever today with his circles. His planet drawing looks more like a cookie and he 'would rather not' write his name but even he likes the online learning. 

They all miss their friends though. 

In chicken news : 

Phoenix can't be out in the yard. We thought with the free ranging in full force he would be safe. His entire tail feathers were pulled out. He is with the chicks and will stay with them from now on. You know what this means?

I need another little pen. I vote the trampoline … I'm going to investigate it tomorrow. 

I also have a hen that thinks she wants to be broody. She even has a collection of eggs going, but then forgets where they are. It's really tiring so we've also moved her to the chick barn. 

Hopefully everyone in the chick barn grows quickly now because in a couple weeks we will have a lot of chicks hatching. Most of them have homes but some my not haha. We'll see after the hatch. 

My 2nd incubator has no turner so I have to turn by hand. It's time consuming because I also crammed as many eggs as possible in there. I have, since then, culled a few eggs. 

I had put fridge eggs in there, and if you buy eggs from us you can be reassured that they will not grow chicks. At least none of the ones I put in there. I had to try. 

I also have eggs from Blue AND one for SURE from Honey. I am pretty excited to see those babies as well as from a hen I know that Phoenix actually liked. 

Ok. Tomorrow. I will actually post updated pics of those 2 month old chicks. Probably. Maybe. 

Also : Nikki sang an entire song about poop and sent it to her siblings on messenger.