Chicken . . . bahk, bahk, bahk!

So we have been talking about getting chickens for a few months now. The problem is, you can only buy them locally in the spring. If you order them online there is a 25 chick minimum, and we definitely don't need that many! So we were going to have to wait until spring. But then . . . I got an email at work from a teacher who DID order the 25 minimum and also doesn't need that many. He is selling 15 of them! I told him we would take a few! Now Jim is spending Saturday building a chicken coop so we can bo pick them up! He's so talented. He just creates this stuff and it is totally awesome! Our coop will have a spot at the bottom for the chickens to be outside on the ground, and it has a cool trap door so they can get in and out of the roost! Of course, it will get painted-eventually. But right now we just needed to get it built so we could pick up those hens.

Dating

Our garden provided us with an abundance of delicious produce this fall, so we have been learning how to preserve it all by either freezing or canning. It has been a lot of fun to do together. We have bottled tomatoes and A LOT of frozen zucchini in all shapes and sizes. Today we froze green peppers. We really do love this! A couple of weeks ago we went to the cannery together and canned powdered milk. That was one of the most surprisingly fun dates we have had in a while!

Of course, we also go on real dates! We went to see Eagle Eye last weekend and it was pretty good. This weekend Jim bought tickets to Little Shop of Horrors at a theater in Flagstaff, so we enjoyed the evening there. It was a good show. Before the show we enjoyed shopping at Barnes and Noble for Michelle. That little girl is going to have to be spoiled with books I decided because I have never had so much fun in Barnes and Noble, and I have had a lot of fun there before!!

Jim the Carvin' Fool

Jim is in the mood . . . the mood for . . . wood. He is a carving fool lately. Right now he is working on an adorable double pumpkin with a cat poking its head out of the top! Of course, he is also working on Christmas presents, but those are a secret!

Homemade Root Beer

We had a ward social Wednesday, September 10 and we signed up to bring homemade root beer. This was our first time making it and it was quite an ordeal. Safeway was out of dry ice so I had to drive to Pinetop (20 minutes from our house). Finally I got some and got it home at 6:00--the time the social was supposed to start. Anyway, we finally got it done and got it there. It was really good, and all of it was gone within minutes!

Mini Reunion

Well . . . weddings, funerals and baby blessings. That seems to be when we all get together. Mike and Jacqueline's little Maya was blessed on September 7 (the day after Mike turned the big two nine!). We were all together briefly and in sometimes strange groupings, but I think everyone had a good time--I know we did!

A rare picture of both of us snapped by the photographer in training . . . and the cutest little brother the world has every known! Thanks Travis!

This is a family photo (minus Tabitha and crew) that caused a lot of trouble to get . . . but since Colby is getting ready to leave on a mission for 2 years it was probably worth the pain!

Dad and baby ready for the big event! She is sooooooo cute!!! (He's okay too-we'll keep him.)

Labor Day

Mike and Jacqueline escaped the Valley of the Burning Hot Sun for Labor Day and brought Ryan and Maya for a weekend of partying hartying! We went to the Taylor Sweet Corn Festival where Ryan went crazy in the Petting Zoo! The kid loves animals, that's for sure! He really liked the big white goose.

He also liked playing in the yard. Uncle Jim taught him how to play in the mud, something every kid should learn. He loved splashing in the puddles! Also he played a lot of ball. I think he'll be ready for the Mariners in another year or two (but they might not be able to afford him). Jim took him for a ride in the wheelbarrow and taught him how to chop wood with an axe (something he is definitely a little too young for!)

I think we all had a good time and enjoyed the weather. Sunday night we had good enough weather to light a fire and make smores! It was a very nice evening and the stars were beautiful! It was hard to say goodbye on Monday! Fortunately we will be visiting them soon--this upcoming Sunday for baby Maya's baby blessing!

Good Times in Tucson

Madison was a softball All-Star playing for Santa Clara in Tucson. She was awesome! And we all had a good time hanging out when she wasn't playing. The poor staff at the Ramada was probably glad to see us go so they could have some peace and quiet. Mike brought his son Ryan (he's the little one). We all brought our swimming suits, and we partied like crazy people! However, it was WAY too hot and we were happy to be back in the much more moderate White Mountains after the weekend.