Our little Farm Wanna-be

Our new home in Naples is on about 2 acres, most of the back part is an amazing cypress hammock (at least I think that is what Bryan told me it is called) filled with palms and cypress trees. The cypress trees keep out some undergrowth, so the kids were able to blaze an incredible trail in no time. It's really like a trail we used to hike at girl's camp. There were also two cages built from cut cypress trees and chicken wire. One needs a lot of work, but the smaller one is in pretty good shape. 

Yesterday was our first Saturday without other obligations and so it became a yard day. Bryan worked like crazy clearing off more land and clearing out the second cage. Some friends from church brought over a raccoon they had caught trying to kill their chickens. We let the raccoon loose in our "good" cage to "test" it out. If he could find a way out, then a friend of his could find a way in to kill our chickens too. Well, it took him about 8 hours, but sure enough, he found a rusted section of the buried wire (it goes a foot deep into the ground) and dug himself out. 

For a break, Bryan and Makayla had their Daddy-daughter date at the feed store picking out our baby chicks and all the "Stuff" they need to keep them healthy and alive from the start....heat lamp, feeder, waterer, food, bedding, vitamin supplements,etc.(I was a bit overwhelmed when they returned and told me how much it cost!). Sooo...now we have 8 adorable chicks and have educated ourselves on how to care for chicks and hope our online education works. We have a month to get our outdoor cage ready for them, hopefully we can prevent deaths. It's amazing what all wildlife is here and they all seem to love to kill chickens: raccoons, foxes, Florida panthers, skunks, weasels, dogs, etc. those are just the ones that we have friends who've had first hand experience with. We have warned the kids that most likely some of them won't make it, but we'll do our best!

The chicks are adorable! I love their cute little chirps right now. They are currently in our house in a big box (we have a few hanging around here :)). We all love to sit and just watch their cute little antics. Makayla even set up house right beside them for about 5 hours today to keep a close eye on them. We have 5 hens that are Black Sexlink or Black Stars, they are supposed to be excellent layers. Then we got 3 Rhode Island Reds
straight runs" which means we aren't sure whether they are boys or girls. Gavyn is hoping his is a boy. 

So this brings our Russ family farm total animal count up to 10 - Pebbles, Makayla's pet rabbit that Dad nicknamed "Food Storage", 8 chicks (one Bryan named "Wishbone") and Bryan's Tarantulita, a Mexican red-kneed tarantula. This is not counting the regular inclusions of ring neck snakes, skinks, lizards, etc that only stay a few days or so before being released.

My next goal is to get our grow box finally planted with something edible :).

Kid Moments

Quite a few times lately I have thought "I should record that", about something one of the kids has done, so I decided to do that here :).

Bryton (5) was playing in our new forested back yard and picked up what looked like a piece of black plastic pipe. He holds it up from about 50 yards away and asks, "What is this?" I tell him I'm not quite sure. He drops it down and says, "Oh well, it's probably just from the Indians."

Gavyn (7) offered to say the prayer last night before bed. He prays and then adds, "We thank thee for a Mom who Rocks.......and a Dad who Rocks too." I smiled as he closed and said thanks. He said, "Well you do!" (A sweet compliment when I wasn't feeling like a such a great parent right then). I told him I had some pretty "rockin" kids too. He says "Yeah, when we are listening to music and dancing."

Cayd (3) is potty training. He had gone poop and I had just helped him wipe. I told him to put on his underwear while I hurried to the door, a neighbor just showed up. Of course, he comes running out naked from the waist down, and I excuse myself to cover his "special parts". I return and he comes running up saying he wants to go outside and tries to run out just in underwear. I say, "you have to have on pants and shoes and socks to go outside." Now as a sidenote, in the past these weren't always required, especially shoes, but in our new home there are lots of ant piles, wasps on the ground, and all sorts of new things that bite, cut and sting, so more clothing is a neccesity. He runs off and is back a minute later in underwear and his Lightning McQueen shoes ready to head out. The scenario continues step by step until he finally has on underwear,  pants and shoes. Everytime he comes bouncing out like, "Look, I'm all ready" :). I love little ones!!! I keep telling Bryan that he is at the age where you could video everything he says and does, because it is so cute.