chicken tractors: part 2

With the day off yesterday, Chris got to work a little more on our chicken tractors. No rush to get chicks now - we found out Farm and Fleet is sold out for the year. :( We'll probably end up ordering them online. Anyway, here we go.

Step 3: Cut out and mount the front piece for the nesting boxes.

Step 4: Install the wheels for easy rolling. (We're going to have to move these things every morning!)

Step 5: Begin constructing the roof.

Step 6: Add some perches.

on battles

{taken from one of my pinterest boards}

Birthday Pics!

Finally compiling all the pics from my Chicago birthday outing. There may be a few more coming, but here's the majority of them. They were taken by all of us on either our phones or digital cameras. :)

This made us laugh so hard. In Chicago, everyone's rude. "You're trying to get a nice picture? Too bad. I have a life." This guy walked by right when Mom was about to snap the photo.

We stopped in the beautiful old church on Michigan Ave.

Waiting for The Cheesecake Factory to open.

The best part of all. ;P

We went to the Skydeck afterwards. 

We went in Crate & Barrel, and our feet were tired. :)

We had so much fun!! Thanks everyone for making my birthday special. <3

perspective

"A Christian is the most contented man in the world, but he is the least contented with the world."

~ Spurgeon

more thoughts

"Oh to live open-handed! Ready - happy - to take whatever God decides to place in my palms. Hands raised in full surrender, face radiating joy and contentment, for that is where it is found. Tears of thankfulness on my cheeks, lost in engulfing grace. This miracle of redemption, transforming the grey and ugly into God's beauty. Each moment a gift of mercy. I am given moments of grace to show and give moments of grace. I am given everything; what holds me back from reciprocating?" 

Can you tell I'm stressed? lol Nothing like a little pressure to make a writer blog a thousand and one times in a month - or week, for that matter. The above quotation comes from my devotional journal. I wrote this last month. It seems to be something God really wants to work on in my life, as He's not letting me get away from it. :P You know how that happens? You read a convicting verse, then Pastor preaches on it Sunday, your kid colors a picture with that verse on it, it's randomly on an egg carton somewhere? Yeah. That's what it's been like for me. 

I would tell you that I don't believe in works-based salvation. I also don't believe you can lose your salvation, ever. Yet if you looked at how much I stressed in my life to DO all the right things, you might think I believed both. In fact, I am reading through the Psalms right now to remind myself that God IS loving, and He does care for His children, because I finished reading the NT and was SOOOO overwhelmed with the million "do this and don't do thats" that I felt like a TOTAL failure. I mean, I struggle with mercy. I struggle with being wise with words. Thinking of everyone higher than myself? Let's not go there. I especially struggle to trust that "everything will work together for good." When you're told that your whole life, as the perfect little ending to a counseling session or a sermon, it's hard for it not become cliche-ish. 

So how to keep it from becoming a cliche to myself? Experiencing it. Not just believing it's true; truly living it. Have I really never seen God take care of an ugly situation? If I really believe the Bible is true, then are there not hundreds of stories that tell of His grace and provision? What a shallow person I must be if, as soon as the water is troubled on the surface, I forget the solid peace underneath that only trusting the Lord gives!

God can't give me opportunities to trust if my fists are clenched. I am unusable if I refuse to uncross my arms and say, "Okay, Lord." This morning I am, for the millionth time, resolved to give it all to God. I'm tired. Physically, spiritually, just...tired. If I empty my hands of the stress I've been holding on to, suddenly they are free to take anything God gives. 

**I literally threw this on here. My proofreading and editing skills aren't even part of the equation this morning, so forgive the randomness and lack of coherence.

i'm psycho. or, random thoughts from tonight.

• "I want you to make biscuits, woman. And you need a rolling pin!!" (lol)
• "When I die, then you can be Joan of Arc." (lol) 
• It is scary hot in my house. 
• That mountain of dishes only disappears one dish at a time. 
• When you misspell disappears, it looks like diapers.
• Laura is the best conversationalist this world's ever seen.
• Fruit snacks! This is seriously the best present in the world.
• I am going to stay up all night. 
• I'm hungry but too tired and preoccupied to eat.
• To buy: a curling wand. Pronto.
• "If you get tile dust in it, I will kill you."
• Chris is the type of person to pour himself a glass of ginger ale, discover it's flat, and still patiently drink the whole gross thing.
• He's also my hero. The awesomest person.

so I'm 20

Today was (is) my birthday. No more teenage bride. I went to Chicago with some of my best friends - Mom, Charlotte, Meghan, and Laura. (Pictures to come.) The weather couldn't've been better. I had cheesecake and went on the Skydeck. The lake was blue. I saw many children enjoying being alive, making us smile with their antics. I listened to music a bit too loudly and ate a little bit too much sweets. I liked the pigeons and the wind. I read, no, sang, the verses on my last birthday chain: John 11:25-26. I admired pretty stationery. I revisited this poem. I didn't have a cake, or a fun dinner and evening with my husband which I wanted very much, but I love him and am very thankful for the birthday wishes you all have sent my way! Thank you. They made my day. :) 

And now I'm going to read, as sleep is pretty impossible right now. You sure responded to my "Suggestions?" post. THANKS!! I have lots of good book ideas to try out now. Keep 'em coming! 

'Night, world. 

chicken tractors: part 1

This past Saturday Chris and I finally got to start a project that's been in our plans forever: building chicken tractors! What's a chicken tractor? Here's Wiki in my own words: a movable chicken coop lacking a floor, allowing your chickens to be free-range but also providing shelter and protection.  So yeah. We're building two of them. Didn't totally finish them, so this will be the first in a series of posts. :P

Step 1: Build the frame.

Step 2: Staple on chicken wire.

Bike ride!

Today my two best friends, Meghan and Laura, came with me on a bike ride at the Riverview Farmstead park. We had a lot of fun biking and catching up, despite the cold. :)

P.S. - I am not fat or pregnant, people, okay? :P I had to carry a lot of stuff in my pockets!

Suggestions??

Hi y'all. I know it's just too hard to comment on here, but I'm asking you to make an effort and help me out with something. I NEED some reading suggestions! Preferably fiction, a good thick story. The older the better. I just finished listening to the audio book of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, so if it's not historical fiction I won't cry. I love old and difficult vocab, satire, mystery, a little romance, etc. Any suggestions? 

These are the days of dandelions.

These are the days of dandelions. 

Of weeds poking their heads up in every place. As Eeyore said, "Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them."

Of ice cream, smooth, cool, refreshing and sweet.

Of summer anticipation.

Longing for splashes in the pool. 

And colorful clothes. 

Breezy days with nothing to do but play music and read a good book and laugh with friends.

These are the days of warmth and sunshine. 

The kind meant for grilling. And smoothies.
Of mornings golden, and evenings calming and still.
Days full of birdsong. So full of joy even creation shouts.
Excitement bubbling over.
Stars and full moons.
Green grass and blue skies and water sparkling.
The days of flip-flops and t-shirts are here.

Spring? Welcome.