It Goes Too Quickly

I love these people more then I can say.  They are all getting so big.  Declan is losing his "babyness" and looking like a little boy.  Fiona is such a little lady (spunky - the lady who can keep up with you!).  Chandler is growing and maturing.  Claire is only a few inches shorter then me and such a little mother!

We are so blessed to have created these beautiful people. 

Splash Pad Fun

Fun at the Splash Pad!  When did Declan get so big?

The Scottish Festival

Yesterday was the Scottish Festival!  It's my husband's favorite town festival.

We saw the parade ...

 

We also stopped by the Franklin Gem Museum.  Claire got to cut open a geode and Fiona found a special seat!

Then we headed down the street and the older three got their face painted - for free!  (Best part for Mom! lol)

Cardinal

Dinosaur

Butterfly

It was a great family day. 

Wedding Cake Entirely Made of Fruit

This has been an insane few weeks, but as of Saturday evening my baby sister is married!

The wedding was stunning and genuine and full of love.  My mom and I made all the food (for 120 guests!) and we worked our butts off, but it was so worth it and came out so well.  We had many willing helpers - my sister and her new husband have a wonderful, sweet group of friends - and even with some last minute snafus it all came together beautifully.

The bride and groom during their first dance.  Isn't my sister gorgeous?

But I do have to say that of everything we made I was the most proud of the cake.  My sister has multiple food allergies that include (among many other things) most grains and sugar. So Mom and I created - using her cutting skills and my design - a wedding cake entirely made out of fresh fruit.
 

The Aiken Wedding "Cake"!

 
A cake the bride could actually eat! The base is 4 watermelons shaped very carefully. (Two on the bottom layer and one on each other layer.)  It is covered in blueberries, pineapple rings, and strawberries and topped with a pile of raspberries. We surrounded it with a bed of grapes.  I had a picture in my head as soon as they announced their engagement and it happily came out just as I envisioned.  It was a labor of love and my sister is so worth it!

All in all, it was a wonderful day and I know their marriage will be even better.  Congratulations you two!  

New Farm Additions!

Last night my mom and I picked up three 3 week old Easter Eggers and six 1 week old Maran chickens!  They are all in the chicken tractor together and seem to be getting along well.  The little ones keep hiding under the bigger chicks and it's so sweet! 

We also received a trio of New Zealands!  We got a New Zealand Red pair (buck and doe) and a New Zealand White doe.  Very excited!  Now we just need to finish repairing the new hutch we got with them! 

Our new buck named Rory

Meet Coconut

Sweet Apple

First Lake Day of the Summer!

Yesterday we headed to the lake to meet some fellow homeschoolers.  It was the perfect day for it and we had so much fun!

My Mother's Day

My Mother's Day was wonderful!  I got to sleep in, then we headed down for a hike around Tallulah Gorge and ended with delivery pizza and the new Star Wars movie.  Could it get any better?

Frog Release

Our little tadpoles are now frogs and today we released them into my grandmother's fish pond.  She's looking forward to enjoying the sweet frog songs. 

We Have Frogs!

We have little frogs!  Arms and legs and everything! 

Porch Schooling

This is what homeschool looks like today. 

Finally!

Fiona finally went in the potty all day today!  Now I just need to figure out how to eventually end the candy for peeing racket. 

Expanded Chicken Run!

We have some happy hens (and roosters)!  We tripled their run this weekend and they now have fres grass again and should still be safe from predators.  It's around 1,000 square feet for them to wander and play now. They are very happy scratching under the rabbit cages and finding all the bugs!

I am beat.  Mom and I ran nearly 80 feet of fencing while connecting the pens and it wasn't as simple as it sounds.  Have you ever tried to take down old fence and put new fence up all while trying to keep 30 odd chickens from escaping?  And while trying to keep an eye on two toddlers playing in the yard around you?  

The rabbit cages are still tarped and stapled with feed bags for the winter.  It stops the wind and keeps their hutches cozy. 

Happy chickens!