Chicken Drama Part 2

When we last left you, we had 4 chickens (from 6) left after the bobcat came for dinner.  Game and Fish brought a cage which the bobcat decided didn't look very fun.  After he came the first night with the cage, he never came back- while we had the cage.  We went on our summer trips (had a wonderful time) and not soon after we came home the bobcat came back again.  We had learned our lesson and made sure the coop was closed.  But this time the cat reached (scratched? dug?) under the coop and snagged one of the roosting birds and tore it apart.  Quit horrific really to come out the next morning and find that awful scene.  We knew the bobcat had come but the coop was closed so we weren't worried.  Dumb birds- why were they roosting on the ground?!  We set the game camera up again thinking the bobcat would come back for more.  Come with me on a tour of the yard.

Our house from the street:

And there is the side gate (behind Rachel) leading into the back yard on the west side of the house:

And now through the gate and past the garden you can see the chicken coop in the back corner:

The chicken coop and three remaining chickens:

Can you see the game camera behind the play set and next to the wall?  It is on the tripod:

This is the rest of the backyard as you continue around the corner of the house looking east.  We painted our block wall by the way.

And now for the game camera shots.  The game camera works with a sensor and when an object moves it takes a picture.  Like this (thank you pigeon):

We had the camera set out there for several weeks and we never heard the bobcat come back.  We would check it from time to time and see nothing- just the same blank shot over and over again when the wind moved the branches.

AND THEN, we were flipping through the photos one day and saw this!

A Gray Fox!!!

It is a regular wildlife preserve back there!

And lastly, there was one other rather terrifying discovery.  Brace yourself!

Watering the lawn in Fun to Do, to do to do to do!

Oh my sweet baby meringue.  At Costco the other day I heard some guy say to another as we passed by "That kid has WHITE hair!" and I said over my shoulder them "I call it Frosted Lemon".  We all laughed.

School has Begun!

Allie and Luke started school on the 13th of August.  Wesley's first day was two days later.  More on that soon.  But now- my precious beautiful children!

 And now for the reality of what life truly is.

 Oh those awful gnats!

 And crazy girls!

You will note that Rachel's shorts AND shirt are on backwards.  Love it when they dress themselves.

Funny story- on Monday night, the night before school started, we were in the boys room when Allie came in wearing her first day of school outfit.  "THIS is what I am going to wear" she announced after having tried on several different options.  Wesley said "Oh Allie you look so beautiful I am going to cry!"  It was hilarious and perfect timing and we all laughed so hard.  He is really developing his sense of humor.

Allie came home after first day and complained about the back of her heels hurting.  I noticed in the photos her shoes are not even on her feel correctly.  She begged to wear them because they were so cute and perfect with her outfit.  And also uncomfortable.  We had zucchini muffins for breakfast that morning with scrambled eggs.  Rachel was obviously still working on hers.  Just wanted to note that it was zucchini from our garden.  Love garden vegetables!

Wesley Payne Goes to School

 Wesley had his first day of school!  They have the kindergartners start two days after the older kids so they can schedule personal interviews with the teachers, parents, and new kindergartners in their new class.  And then the morning of the first day, the PTO puts on the "Boohoo Breakfast" so that moms can cry over milk and muffins as they allow their babies to walk out the door and grow-up.  I am not sure if it is cruel or kind.  

Wesley was excited and nervous but really mostly excited.  I was slightly emotionally but I did not blubber.  I promise.  I gave him a big hug... and then I let him go.  AND THEN I had one of the most peaceful days I have had in a very long time.

It was exciting to seem them all get off the bus that day.  Wyatt and Rachel seemed excited too- like the house had been entirely too quiet for entirely too long.

A day at the park

Someone is going to need a bath.

Guess who had a BIRTHDAY!

Can you guess how old he is?  All Jason saw was an illegal frequency. 

Summer Project

The preschool had a water table that had Lego table top.  But they really wanted to play with the water so they were looking at making or buying a water table.  That can get expensive.  I suggested that they just make a new frame for the Lego top.  And then... I volunteered to make it.  Who do I think I am?  Keri Payne?!

Part 1: The pieces cut, sanded and stained.

 Part 2: Assembly.  This took a number of tweaks to get right.  The first time through, my neighbor, who it turns out likes to do a little word work here and there, came over and said "That's not square.  You've made a rhombus."  It was all very loving but I was a little discouraged.  I made a few adjustments, trimmed a few ends and then finally- it worked.  

Well it worked good enough for a bunch of 4 year olds.

 And then just for kicks I put this together.  Do you know what it is?

 Ta Da!

 And just for kicks- the sunset from our back yard.  Mmmmm summer days!