Dogs: Chocolate Labrador Retriever at 4 months!

Today we were shoveling gravel around the dog runs and I had my camera with me. Bailey says: "Mom, take a picture of me and Duke." This was the result. Isn't it adorable?

Duke couldn't stay under the hill where he is suppose to run. He had to be nosey and come watch what we were doing. He is growing so fast.

I couldn't just take a pic of Duke. I had to get one of DJ too!

and of course, I couldn't share a pic of Bailey without a pic of Dalton. He was working hard helping his Daddy fill in a mud puddle.

Dogs: Chocolate Labrador Retriever Puppies

Remember our precious Labrador, Peaches?

She is now a Momma! Yep. She has two gorgeous three week and two day old chocolate Labrador puppies! That silly little dude on the right.. that is Duke and the sweetie pie on the left is DJ.

Aren't they the cutest things you have ever seen? I sure think so!

It is hard to believe that little bit, DJ, now weighs 4 lbs even and Mr. Behemoth, Duke, is 6 lbs 5 oz! They were so small just a couple weeks ago!

 In the photo above DJ is on the left and Duke is on the right. They were only hours old here. DJ was a whole 6 oz and Duke was 12 oz.

Here are a couple photos to show just exactly how tiny they were! I could hold them in the palm of my hand!

DJ

Duke

It has been a lot more challenging having newborn puppies than I could have ever imagined, but it has been worth it. Now we are about to enter the fun stage of introducing solid food and the beginnings of house breaking. Wish us luck!

Family: Just a Normal Sunday

Yesterday was a great day with the family. Bailey and Dalton had a blast dressing Slinkie up as Woody from Toy Story. She is such a good dog, she will let them do anything to her, and she sleeps in the oddest ways.

Michael and I worked on the electric fence AGAIN. Then he weed-eated around it. It is FINALLY working right. Maybe Ill be able to keep some flowers now. One of the bushes {what was left that the goats didn't eat} in the yard has broke out in some beautiful buds and bloom.

Michael, the boys, and I; my uncle and his wife; as well as my niece, her hubby and baby rode on top of the mountain to look at view, take some pics, and check out the goats a friend has running loose up there. While there, Bailey came running to me and said.. "MOM! There is a drug-usin goat up here, we have to leave." I went to see what on earth he was talking about; the goat was chewing on a empty cigarrette pack. It is pretty hard to get something away from a goat when it doesn't want to let you have it. Just sayin.

It is such a beautiful place up there. We took a few family pics of Deidra, Sammy and Kylee.

and before Kylee was dressed in the adorable denim, she had on the shirt I bought her. Melted my heart.

After our trip, we came and changed the water in Crowbar's waterer and gave him {but I believe he is really gonna be a she} some fresh food.

Foghorn and the gang came out to see what all the commotion was about.

Foghorn is starting to crow and it is so comical.

Oh and like I mentioned before.. Peaches is THRILLED to be home! Can't ya tell?!

I am sharing this post at Homstead Revival's Barn Hop. Stop by and see the other submissions as well.

Family: Thank You, God! Rain!

It has been hot and humid this week. It was so hot today, I know it had to be close to 100 degrees out there. As a result, I haven't felt up to going outside and doing anything. It seems as if you can't even take a breath. Muggy, I guess would describe it.

 My sinuses and allergies are in full swing and the heat just isn't helping, at all. My head has felt like it is gonna blow off my shoulders all day. 

After I picked Bai up from camp, we went by to check on Dad. I am so thankful that he his home and doing well. He said he is weak and a little dizzy, but not in any pain, which is fantastic. He left his glasses and a few dollars at the hospital on accident. I'd say he will never see the money again, thankfully it wasn't much. My sister was able to finally get someone to agree to mail him his glasses. It is just too long of a drive to go back over there after them.

When the boys and I came home from Mom and Dad's house, our lab Peaches jumped in the Jeeps floor-board and would not come out. I had to drag her out. I figured it was going to storm. She hates them, but it wasn't cloudy or anything like that. When I unlocked the door and we came in, she came running into the house. She knows she isn't allowed in here. She sheds way too much. I could not get her back out. She is around 75 lbs of pure muscle. She was spot on though, about ten minutes into her home invasion, it started pouring the rain. It was coming down in sheets, but the sun was still shining. I looked around for a rainbow, but didn't see one. I'd say it was out there somewhere though. The mountains block my view in every direction.

Michael made it home from work about an hour after the lab home invasion. He was able to pick her up and pack her out. Stubborn girl. The rain has slacked off, but the air is much cooler. Thank you, God! 

Perfect weather for a nap!

I shared this post at Wordless Wednesday but with Words.

Cheap Way to Raise Chickens: Building the Run Part Two

Michael and I worked outside on the run all day long. We both have a nice sunburn to show for it. I totally forgot about sunblock until it was too late. Man it was a scorcher out there today. Well over 90 degrees and no shade to be found.

I figured out quickly that Michael and are not carpenters. We had a horrible time with the chicken wire. I mean horrible. It was so lumpy. No matter how hard we tried we could not get that stuff straight. Oh well. The sides and top of the run are now ready for the chickens, but we need to work some more on the bottom. We may have to use some boards, blocks, or even some logs around the bottom. The wire touches the ground, but the chickens could scratch out or something could dig in the way we have it now.

Any suggestions?

Oh and this pic really doesn't do the lumps justice. It seems to disguise them. As long as the chickens are safe, I guess I am OK with ugly.

Next we cut a hole in the side of the building and put a board going out into the run so the chickens will have easy access during the day. We plan to fix a door of some sort to close at night.  See Sophie sniffing around the outside? She couldn't figure out why she couldn't get in.

As the sun started to go down, Michael and I were covered in blood, sweat and tears. Look at the back of his shirt when he was getting the chickens fresh water.

My fingers tips were blood red from attaching the top of the fence to the sides with fencing wire.

The boys got caught trying to make a "booby trap" out of the extra wood.

Dalton decided that it was hard work making a "booby trap" and he needed a drink.

After I tell him that he really shouldn't drink straight out of the jug, this is the face I got. He proceeded to whine and say "You never let me make booby traps or drink from jugs. I never get to do anything."  Shame on me. I am such a mean Mommy.

He didn't have to whine long. Peaches came to the rescue.

Overall, it was a productive day. Even if the run is ugly, Michael and I have sunburns, and my youngest son thinks I am a mean Mom.

Michael purchased the poles at Lowes for $4.09 each. We bought 6 but only used 5. We will return the unused one the next time we are down that way. The chicken wire was $29.99 for a 48in x 50ft roll at Tractor Supply. We based the size of the run on the amount of extra money we had to spend on building supplies. It ended up being 4 ft by 13 ft. We also purchased a bag of chicken feed for $13 something, but quickly found out that you can get  it for $8 a local vendor. Michael used wire and nails we already had, and borrowed my Dad's saw for to cut the board and hole in the coop.

Cheap Way to Raise Chickens: Installing the Nesting Boxes

My wonderful hubby Michael was able to get two more buckets at work today to use as nesting boxes. Once we cut the lids, he went to work installing them in the coop.

The first one up.  

Screws on the inside.

All four of them up. Now we just need to put something up in front of them for the chickens to stand on. We will go with something low cost. Probably a tree limb because it is FREE.

I don't know what I would do without Michael. He is such a wonderful husband. Even if he doesn't want chickens, he is still so willing to help me get ready for them. *swoon*

Our lab Peaches was laying in the drive way watching as we worked.

Doesn't she look ferocious?

Sorry about the dark pictures. It was getting very late.