Sunday, June 10, 2012

Chicken Butchering Weekend

I posted a bunch of pictures of the gardens and chickens on the CSA blog.  Check them out at www.logreenacrescsa.blogspot.com
Josh and Johnny snuggling on the couch

Lu Lu's first french braid
 Josh suggested that I braid Olue's hair the night before we went to Matthew and Steph's wedding so it would be crimpy in the morning.  Turned out crazy in the morning, so I just braided it for the wedding.  We had a great time at the wedding and reception.
French braid

Katie and Thomas and Johnny and Lu
 Katie and Thomas came to spend the weekend at our house and go to the wedding.  It was a lot of fun to have them out.  They helped us out in the garden and with getting ready for chicken butchering too.  We can't wait for them to stop out on their way to their honeymoon.

Lu Lu in the swing with her cup

Daddy and Johnny making hot dogs on the campfire

Josh picking lettuce and Johnny excited to find a worm
 Jake & Ruth and Addy & Susanna came out to butcher chickens this weekend.  It was soooooo nice to have the help.  Jake did my job way better and way faster than I ever could (even when I'm not pregnant).  Ruth helped out a lot with watching the kids, helping me transport the chickens to the house and downstairs to the freezer, and helping me bag.  Let me tell you...Carrying the chickens was a big help.  The few loads I did carry really strained my hips.  I'm glad we're done!  We did 135 chickens and were done and cleaned up by 2pm...Pretty good!  We had a really nice set up this year with the cooling water tubs with counter tops to work on each side of the tubs.

It was really nice to just have them out.  We haven't spent time with just Jake and Ruth (and kids) for a long time.  It was really nice to spend time with just them and especially the girls.  It was fun reading books and singing songs with Addy and holding Susanna.  Having Susanna at our house for this weekend really got me and Josh excited for our new baby.  I had been just dreading the whole c-section and recovery.  Now I'm just excited to have a new little baby.
Jake and Josh butchering

butchering
 Friday after butchering and the kids' nap time, we went outside to play in the pool.  It was a lot of fun!
Jake, Addy, and Lu playing with spray toys in the pool

Johnny hogging the toys

Johnny's getting sprayed

Addy

Johnny eating the toys

Josh guiding the girls away from the sandbox toward the pool

Putting their feet in the pool

Cuties

Hanging out
 The "Big Kids" got to sleep in the same room-Johnny's.  Lu is in the far pack and play, Addy in the close one, and Johnny in his bed.  They had a little trouble falling asleep at night...Lots of talking, giggling, and shouting with a little crying.  They also got up early with the first one rising waking up the rest...Usually around 6-6:30...Too early for the Moms and Dads.:)
Sleep over

Moving the chicks out of the coop
 Jake and Josh went fishing at Fish Creek on Saturday morning.  They had a lot of fun and caught a lot of fish.  This is what they brought back for us to eat for supper...Yum!!  The guys walked through poison ivy, so hopefully they don't break out from it.  Jake almost stepped on a rattle snake!  He walked right by it and it started to rattle...Scary!  While the guys were fishing Ruth and I were at home alone with the kids.  It was and interesting morning...Starting out with the kids steeling each others toys and fighting about it (I think they enjoyed the fights;-)  They settled down once we were done with the dishes and paying full attention to them.  We all took naps in the afternoon.  It was really nice to take a rest, but Ruth's got cut short by little Susanna waking up early.
Johnny:  "Wow!  Fish!"

Jake, Addy, Josh, John

Lu Lu on Johnny's rocking horse
 Lu Lu discovered the rocking horse this weekend.  She can't get enough of it!  It's crazy how much she loves it.

Jake reading Johnny's birthday card
 Jake and Ruth brought Johnny a birthday present.  He loved it.  He got to help Josh hill the potatoes today. Last night he was hoeing a little row and then patting it down like we do when we plant seeds.  It was really cute.
Johnny opening his birthday present from Jake and Ruth

Johnny's hoe, rakes, and shovel

Johnny on the rocking horse

Poppy

Peony

Potato Garden
We started to hill the potatoes in the potato garden.  We only have a few rows left.  It was nice to get a little done in the gardens this weekend since we've been busy with the chickens and CSA deliveries.

We had our first CSA delivery this week.  We sold 7 in Bismarck and 3 in New Salem.  All of our customers are really nice and we're really looking forward to a good CSA season.

Baby's doing good.  He/she'll be here in less than 2 weeks.  Now that it's getting close, there's a lot of things I see we need to do (like clean house).  Our bedroom is the last place to get cleaned and it usually doesn't get done.  And now we'll be having a new little baby in there.  I think it finally needs to be cleaned now!  It'll get done.  Josh said we can spend some time cleaning next weekend.  I will really appreciate the help!  We're going to be working on weeding and mulching the gardens this week too.  We're looking forward to getting everything mulched and just having to pick the veggies!

I'm going to be done now so I can watch the rest of "Marley and Me" with Johnny and Josh.  It'll be nice to sit on the couch and snuggle with them.:)

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