say no to dickies

Do you know what dickies are? (See picture) During college, one of my many jobs was working at a department store called Glass Block in Duluth, MN. I worked in the accessories department. For those of you who know me, go ahead and laugh. Me in an accessories department? I am probably one of the least accessorized people on the planet. Anyway, one of the many accessories I sold was dickies. Senior citizens flocked in during dickies on sale to scoop up a rainbow for their wardrobe. I didn't get it.

A couple years ago, I realized why. A speaker in her mid-70's shared a letter that she wished she could have sent to her 16 year old self. It was very funny. The one thing that stuck with me was, "When you are moisturizing your face, don't stop there! Continue south and moisturize your neck as well. You'll be thankful you did." She went on to explain how much she liked turtle neck season so she could hide her wrinkly neck. I thought, that's why women wear dickies!

So, moisturize your face and neck!

Seurat and his dots

This picture is one of my favorites, I just love it. I remember it from art class as a child. It is by French pointillism artist Georges Seurat. Today, Natalie is working on an art lesson in pointillism. It is so much fun! She instantly got paint up and down both arms. I offered to get her a wet rag as she works, but she said, "No mom, that's ok this is what happens to REAL artists. They just wash it off when they are done. I want to leave it." My heart smiled and my face followed. It's a good day.

my van is not just for transportaion

Once upon a long, long time ago, my vehicle was used to get from point A to point B and that was about it. Today, a whole new world of vehicle uses has been opened and utilized for me and my family.

My van is ...
1. A not so five star restaurant often serving the very finest Annie’s bunny crackers (no MSG and all natural) or other crumbly snacks guaranteed to grind into carpet and upholstery. At one time Ted and I actually thought we’d have no eating in our cars. Excuse me, I need to catch my breath from laughing so hard…..

2. A diaper and/or clothes changing station. It has, at times, been both of those things at once. Need I say more?

3. A movie theater. Ahhhh….. the van’s DVD player. We don’t use it often, but when we do we are oh so thankful to have it.

4. A concert hall often boasting hilarious tunes like “pea on my plate” or “peanut butter and jelly”. The live vocals are emerging, but silliness is top notch.

5. A place to catch a book or quiet snuggle while waiting for, well you name it. 10 am when the library doors open, for preschool to finish up, waiting for social daddy to get hoarse (hee hee)….. You get the idea.

chickens in my kitchen

You know the old adage, don’t bite off more than you can chew? Well, let me begin by saying I had no idea what I was biting into. I think that phrase needs modification. FIRST, identify your bite and then don’t bite off more than you can chew. Or, and probably more likely, this phrase just doesn’t apply to my situation.

We have 7 chicks now. Yes, 7. The first 3 came on February 24th. They include 1 barred rock and 2 Araucanas.

2 weeks later (March 10) we added 2 silver laced Wyandottes, isn’t that a great name?

1 week after that (March 17), we added 2 buff orpingtons.

I was intrigued with these 4 different varieties and didn’t realize the challenges that staggered arrivals would mean. I have 2 separate set-ups as the 2 week olds were too large to share house with new chick arrivals. Who knew they grew so quickly? Not I! So, I bought a second water dish and food dispenser. Thankfully, the chicks that are only 1 week apart are doing great together, not that I gave them a choice. I told them I refused to have 3 separate temporary chick homes.

Another learned lesson regards flying. I underestimated their ability and desire to do so. On multiple occasions we’ve returned home to missing chicks and found them about the house. Just yesterday, 2 were missing but the door had been closed for such escape attempts. (They are in a coat closet) We found one immediately and it took us 10 min. to find the other, in a closet! All were again counted for.

In the warm sun of yesterday, Natalie and I set to work on a new home for the 3 eldest. I used a large Rubbermaid container. The kind that is so ridiculously large they are a nuisance. I placed coated wire over the top thus making escapes dare I say impossible? Oh, and of course this humongous container will not fit in the closet or laundry room. So, right now it’s in my kitchen. The 4 youngest were promoted to the next box with taller sides. I think we’re in the clear on escapes, for now that is.

On my latest visit to the feed store, March 17th I rationed out a couple questions. I try to spread them out over my visits so they don’t deny my chick purchases. I waited until this last week to casually ask, “So, how long typically before the chicks can go outside?” The ladies response left me stunned. “If it is a nice spring, then at 6 – 8 weeks (this is what I thought), but if it rains a lot and is cool then you’ll want to wait until June.” Did you catch that? June. June….. These chicks will be huge by then! And so the adventure continues.

Disclaimer: The chicks will be garage ready in another 3-4 weeks. We will not have 7 huge birds indoors. I don’t want anyone to be afraid to come visit us.

The who can be quiet the longest game

Do you remember playing who can be quiet the longest as a kid? Uhhh I tell you this game is a gift from God to parents.

I had totally forgotten about the game until one day I caught my kids playing it, well after the fact. I asked Will a question and he refused to answer, but had quite the smirk going. I asked him again and again and he just looked at me with his eyes made big and I assumed it was disrespect. I marched him to time out. He replies, “but mom!”. Natalie jumped in, “I win!” I asked what are you doing? Natalie explained they were playing who could be quiet the longest. She went on to explain the rules, which I already knew from my own childhood. I love that they somewhere along the way discovered this on their own. I made a game rule that if mom talks to you during the game and obviously doesn’t understand you are playing, you need to rub your head to signal game in play. That signal is working effectively now, I'd like to report smirks in Bailey camp are down.

Out-of-the box dinner prayers

Last night at dinner I prayed and then Will and Natalie wanted to pray too.

Will began, “Dear God, please don’t let my family go to heaven………..yet." He paused for the longest time and I was thinking where is this going? It was quite the cliff hanger for me. Funny how that one little word brought relief. ahhh yet

Natalie followed up with, “Dear God, please don’t let my family get eaten by cougars.” Amen to that I said and thought!

chirp update

All 3 chicks are alive and thriving! I am shocked that at a week old they are already noticeably larger and their feathers are changing. You might be surprised that a ND native is naive when it comes to chicks and such farmish things, but I am. After all, I am from West Fargo. Please note West Fargo is its own city. I am not, as some may suspect, trying to delineate between parts of Fargo nor am I trying to distance myself from the movie. :)

One thing I learned about heat lights and chicks... They sell a clear bulb or red bulb. I asked the gal at the feed store what the difference was and she said, "There is no difference." I wondered why is the red bulb double the cost then? I asked and she said, "Oh, some people like the red bulbs because if one of the chicks gets sick or dies and the chicks peck it, the others won't see the blood and join in." What?!?! Guess which bulb I bought? Yes, the red one. SO thankful all 3 girls are doing fine.

observations...

Natalie is a little entrepreneur and I believe she will be a business owner, of some kind, some day. Outside she often collects things. Rocks, pine cones, leaves, feathers, sticks.... On multiple occasions I've overheard her explaining to Lydia, "We can collect hundreds of pine cones Lydia and then sell them for money. Real money Lydia!"

Today, Natalie is "leading" her siblings in making toys on paper. She said, "Mom, we don't need to buy any new toys again. Instead, we can draw toys, cut them out and play with them. We can save our money mom!" I had to laugh inside. I'm sure the luster of playing with a paper horse will wear off quickly. And poor Lydia that only has scribbles to play with. :) But then again, they've been going at creating these new toys for about an hour and already I'd call that success.