Friday, February 18, 2011

We're Getting Chickens!

I'm sure I've mentioned here before that we've been working to become more self-sufficient. We started canning and preserving a few years ago (easy, fun and so delicious). But we've decided we can do more than grow fruit trees and plant a garden. So.....we've decided to get some chickens.

We have a huge yard (almost half an acre), our house is in a residential agriculture zone so we don't have to pay for any permits. We only have to make sure we stay within the allowed number of chickens for our lot size (probably about 12) and we have to build their coop at least 50 feet away from any structure. No problem!

We did some online research and then we got a book: Raising Chickens For Dummies from Amazon. Right now we're trying to decide what breed of chickens we want. We know we don't want any roosters (I'm sure the neighbors wouldn't like that much, especially since they already get annoyed by our rebellious and overly energetic dog--who's nearly 8 but still acts like a puppy). We'll probably go for the chicks, but that will mean waiting several months before getting any eggs.

At best, we'll get more eggs than we need and sell the extra to neighbors, all the while decreasing the amount of those pesky squash bugs and other pests in our yard (which will be eaten up by prowling chickens). At worst, this will all be a great learning experience--whatever the outcome--for us and our children. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I hope....

Hubby is building a coop this weekend based on the information we've gathered from our research thus far. It's all very exciting. We'll see how it all works out though. I'll be sure to keep you all updated!

Getting Back to Life

So I decided, after several weeks of moping about and being decidely unlike myself, that it was time I realize all the blessings I have and move forward with my life. It's amazing how, once you decide that you need to move on, and then tell yourself that life is good, how it actually really does change your perspective and mood! Positive thinking really is a powerful thing, and I just confirmed what I already knew, but had momentarily forgotten :)

It's good that I remembered it too, because these last weeks have been trying, to say the least! I won't go into the family drama (extended family), but I'm sure everyone knows how stressful life can be after a death. There's a lot of adjustment and the whole greiving process that everyone goes through in their own way.

We've had influenza here (bad idea on skipping those flu shots this year!) and a multitude of other illnesses, several of which our sweet baby girl has fallen victim to. We had a week of no sleep, and she got her first taste of antibiotics after her respiratory infection gave her a nasty ear infection. She's finally sleeping again now, so hopefully we can get her immunity built up.

Every week for the last month I've had someone home from school because of being sick. Yuck! Where's that Immune Fizz when you need it (a drink we used to buy, but haven't been able to get for a while)? And I can't believe how much homework there is for each day a kid misses! Yikes! I had to send my son back to school while he was still sick or he'd have never caught up. His grades still haven't all recovered. That's okay though, because I know he's still the smart and responsible kid he was before he missed two days of school.

Anyway, through the trials of being sick and losing loved ones and the others stressors that come with life, I've had to try harder to see all of the many things that we've been blessed with. I have a great husband who loves me and I love him. I have five beautiful, mostly healthy and very good (though not perfect, by any means haha) children. We get to stay in our home after a successful loan modification. My husband still has a job, when so many others have lost theirs. We have good friends who are always there when we need them most. We have God in our lives.

I'm sure I must sound mushy about now, but I have to say that even with the trials our family has been going through, I still have so many more good, compared to bad. It can be hard to remember that when the other stuff in life becomes overwhelming. I just have to keep in mind that saying, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans," and make sure that my plans stay flexible! I'm also counting on the belief that our trials only make us stronger. So watch out world, because I'm really getting a workout! But I'm sure I'm not the only one :)

I know a lot of people out there are going through much worse right now. My only advice to those people is to try to stay positive, be strong, ask for help if you can't do it alone, have faith and the rest will follow.