Dogs, Zoo, Chickens, Swingset, and Garden

Wow! I'm sitting down for the 1st time in days!!!!

Friday, we had a busy day of running errands. In  the midst of those errands, we decided to go to the pound and look at dogs. We knew we were getting some chickens and we knew we needed a "guard" dog so to say. We have a Boxer who is dumber than a pile of bricks!!! He is no guard dog. He is a slobbery, hyper, destructive animal. But, he is Hank. We love him :D Upon arriving at the pound, we all noticed this one dog immediately. She was calm (OH! What a wonderful thing), big, and she had these killer blue eyes.

We found out she was a Great Pyrenees mix which was exactly what we were hoping to find. After looking at all the dogs, our hearts were still on her. We decided to get her. We named her Hana (to go with Hank and also it has to be 4 letters.... just like my kids. We brought her home and have not regretted it even for a second. She is AWESOME. SOOOOO calm and wonderful with the kids. We haven't put a shock collar on her and she never leaves the yard. She stays right with the boys while they wonder and even stays right with me and Brent. Literally.

Yes, this is my butt and this is Hana.... stuck on me like glue :D

The boys love her and she loves them!

After we got Hana, we came home and Brent and Josh (his BFF) discussed what they would do for my coop. We ended up having Josh stay for dinner and inviting one of my closest friends, Sarah over as well. Boy, was it nice to have another girl in the house for a change ;-) We had a wonderful evening.

Saturday morning, we got up early and I got a quick workout in. Brent, Josh, and Dane went to Lowes for all the materials for the coop. Webb and I sat out for the vet for some flea and tick medicine and to Walmart for ingredients for the meal I am cooking for some friends at church tomorrow. We all came back and the boys worked and worked.

It took a bit longer than I expected. I thought it would be done in a matter of hours. They ended up completing the building part, but no shelving or chicken wire on Saturday.

We were supposed to get the chickens on Saturday, so I had to call to reschedule for Sunday. They finished, Brent hopped in the shower, and we ran off to a birthday party at the Zoo.

Here is Dane holding the snake at the Zoo. I tried to hold it while holding Webb and Webb came unglued!!! LOL. He is so much like his daddy!

We stopped at Subway on the way home and then ran by Costco. There was a swingset there I have been in love with for years!!!! This year, my parents and Brent's parents said they would go in with us for both boy's birthday and get a nice swingset for them. I had my eye on this one that was on sale through Sunday. We pulled up at Costco at 7:15pm and they closed at 7pm. Errrr. So, instead, we went to Tractor Supply and bought chicken food, a water thing, an egg gathering basket, holders for the food, scoops for the food (DANG!!!! Chickens are EXPENSIVE!!!!!!). We came home, unloaded it all and put the boys to bed. I still had TONS of work. Sunday, there was a fellowship following the am service and I had food to prepare. I decided to make my spaghetti with the yummy sauce that I make from scratch. I finished that up at 11pm and we called it a night.

Sunday, we went to church, stayed for the fellowship, and ran home. I had a babyshower I had to be at at 2pm. I had been planning on staying, but now that we had to finish the coop, go to Costco, get more lumber, pick up chickens, and start the garden, I knew there would be no way. Brent dropped me off so I could say hello to the expecting mom and drop off my gift. From there, we went to Costco, bought my dad and FIL their birthday gifts AND bought the boys the swingset (anyone want to chip in???!!! LOL).

We still had to go to Lowes to get MORE lumber. After going there, we went home. Brent started on the coop, and I started "tilling" the garden.

I soon realized, there was this lovely wire buried under lots of dirt and LOTS of massive roots and bulbs. I worked with Webb to the best of my ability. Brent ended up needing help on the coop, so Webb and I scooted over there because that was way more important since we were needing to still get chickens. We worked and worked and there seemed to be no end in sight. At 7:30pm, we made the decision I would go get the chickens alone while Brent continued to work. Thankfully, dad and Dane (they had graciously taken Dane home from church) pulled up and Dad helped me unload the swing set. I went and picked up 4 hens, a rooster, and 1 Banty chicken (for the boys. They lay tiny eggs) and came back home. My hubby was still finishing the coop (He is OCD and everything had to be perfect). We got the chickens in their home around 10pm.

We left Hanna out last night and she slept near the chickens. While going to sleep with the windows open, we heard some coyotes. We also heard noises in the woods. Hana started barking and we felt soooo good knowing she will be protective not only of the chickens, but also of us. 

Here they are this morning.

The boys wanted to see them first thing.

Today, I deep cleaned the house, ran errands, dropped stuff off at the cleaners, and came home and prepared dinner. I also have decided (after many asking me to) to start teaching a boot camp out at the house. It is a perfect location and I can really maximize our space. I planned that out and got dates sat in stone. I also worked on the workout and "diet" plans I have for 3 ladies I'm "personal training" on Tuesday nights. I'm no personal trainer, but I have worked out hard for years and have the space to have them over and assist them through a workout. It is fun and I LOVE it. Brent helped our dear friends move all day. He came home, ate dinner. After dinner, we all ventured out to complete the garden we wanted to finish on Saturday. LOL!

There was this wire mess and TONS of roots. It took lots of muscles to dig it all up. But, we did it!!! I shoveled the pounds and pounds of roots and my hot hubby pulled up the wire as I did. 

Here is what the wire looked like.

Here is a small fraction of the roots we dug and dug and dug up!

Here are a few other pictures from our hard work tonight.

Needless to say, we got quite a bit accomplished tonight. We still have some onions to plant, some more veggies to buy, my blueberry bush to plant, and then putting bricks around the outside. All in all, I am super pleased!!! I am so thankful for my hardworking hubby to did soooo much this weekend to please me :D This is all things I wanted done, not necessarily him, and it means the world to me that he worked so hard to please me!!! I am so blessed.

As for me, I'm calling it a night. I need to do dishes and get in the bed. We have to be in Hixon at 8:15 am for Dane to get his cavities filled. Then, it's home to make 8 homemade pizzas and a dessert (1 is already made). I am taking food to a lady from church who just had baby number 5 and to our dear friends who just moved in today! Then, tomorrow night it is biceps and triceps for my personal training ladies!!! And lots of cardio and Abs! If you're reading this, be prepared!!! 

Good night, ya'll!!!