The Boender Blog: Spring

Spring is finally showing up! Over the last few weeks we've started our spring activities even if the weather hasn't been ideal.

Spring is the start of garage sale season! I love going to garage sales and with 5 kids it's a great way to save money on clothes, toys or whatever other treasures we can't do without. The picture above is part of the stuff I put on my own sale earlier this month. Several gals from church, that live in the country, decided to rent a building in town for a sale and clean house! I'll admit is was a little hard seeing all my baby stuff go. :(

Speaking of babies we have lots! 18 total. In the end of February we saved several of our eggs and added a few more from my sister then had Ethan's friend incubate them for us. My hope was for 5 chicks. We ended up with 18! We also have six adult chickens running around. However you do the math, that's way to many chickens! :) The picture above is of them hatching in the incubator. One chick still has a little egg on him.

They've lived in a Rubbermaid in our sun room for the past couple weeks. (They moved into their bigger box in the shop today)

Amelia picked the smallest little chick of the bunch, as her own. She's enjoyed cuddling it that past couple weeks.

Yikes! We need to teach Allison how to hold a chick nicely!

That's better Allison!

Ethan and I are working on our strawberry competition for 4-H yet. I've planted 20 plants from Wal-Mart which haven't liked the cold weather. (I may be replanting if no sign of life happens in the next week or two.) Here Ethan is amending the soil in his bed with a little peat, sand and manure to keep it from turning into a brick this summer.

Ang and I were super-pumped to break out our Christmas presents for the first time!

Amelia and Ethan canoed while Ang and I kayaked. I was hilarious listening to Ethan bark orders to Amelia. She's got some learning to do. :)

After a fun evening kayaking we made it home around 9:00pm to find this! I sent Ethan to shut the chicken shed door and he ran back to tell me the chicken shed burned down. :( It appears sparks from the burn barrel must have started it on fire. All was lost, except the chickens who were safe in another barn when we came home.

We are putting them in pet carriers to keep them from being eaten by coons and opossums at night. :( We should have a nice new shed for them by the end of next week.

Picking out 4-H projects is another spring activity around here. We decided to go with sheep for Ethan again this year. He snapped a picture with my phone on the way home. (Looking a little redneck, aren't we) :)

Amelia is doing a good job trying to make them feel welcome.

I was our turn to lead a church service for the nursing home this month. Mark gave the message and Amelia did special music, playing a song she learned during piano lessons.

After the visiting the nursing home we had some time to kill before church. So we feed the ducks at the cemetery across from church. Allison especially loved this and didn't want to leave.

Ethan being brave and feeding the swans.

Mark and I celebrated our 15th anniversary!

This was Ethan's first year to participate in the District V track meet. It's a track meet for the area Christian schools to compete in. I remember it as a kid, although I remember it being a lot warmer. :) Ethan was in 5 events, the running long jump, sack race, 100 meter dash, the 800 and 4 x 400. He did well and enjoyed everything except the 800, which I don't blame him. :)

Ethan and his cousin Gideon were on a team for the sack race.

Racing the 100 meter dash. Ethan literally came up to the elbows of the kid next to him. :)

We have a problem with opossums and raccoon's. This morning as I reached into the garbage can that holds our cat food I found this nasty thing! It's the second time we've had this, Anton found the first one. :) Listen this little song which fits our situation well. :)