Been enjoying the nice weather

Not a lot time spent on the computer lately. Today I was on a bit but decided to redo my foodblog's template. I like it so much that I keep finding myself visiting it for no reason but to look at it. LOL

We're on a new adventure with the chickens. They are loose in the yard now. The idea is to eventually build them a run and contain them but Tom hasn't worked on it much lately. At first it wasn't a problem for them to be on their own with no boundries...they kept to under or around the coop. Today though (4th day) I noticed they were venturing into new territory. The first few nights I had a really hard time getting all of them into the coop so I could close it up tight against predators. The last two nights it's gone a lot better. They're quick learners. I'm having LOTS of fun trying to count them each night to be sure they're all there. Tonight though I think I came up short...hope whoever got left outside is ok and learned a lesson. They're also growing quickly! Which is a good thing considering in a couple weeks some of the roosters will be heading to freezer camp since they're 9wks old already.

Tom's on vacation for the rest of the week. We don't have specific plans but we want to do something. There's been talk of going to our favorite beach on Friday. Of course arrangements will have to be made for Michelle to get to and from work. I know the kids also want to go to the zoo so maybe we'll throw that on the agenda too.

Sean is almost 13mos and still no signs of walking. (just an observation, I'm not worried) He can stand all he wants and climbs like a mountain goat. But to take a step, nope, not gonna do it! He's just starting to "fall" with a couple shuffles in there from one piece of furniture to another. I think when he finally throws caution to the wind, he'll go right to running. :o)

I'm really wishing we had a swingset. It was Danielle's favorite thing to do at the summer conference. After she got comfy with being there she'd wander off to the playground by herself. (I could always see her) One day she spent well over an hour just draped over a swing, in her own little world. It amazed me that she never looked up to see where I was, or came to check in. Just layed there with her legs dangling on one side, arms and head on the other...pushing herself back and forth. Every once in a while another little person would occupy the swing next to her's and she'd strike up a conversation with them. They'd leave and she'd go right back to her own little world. She's been asking to go back to the playground almost every day since we've been back. I really should be nice and take her back there a few times before summer is over.

Something else I learned about Danielle while at the conference...she doesn't need any toys! One of the funniest times there was when she decided to adopt 2 large driveway rocks as her babies. She rocked them, she showed them off, she asked everyone to hold them, she put them to bed. She was even surprised when she found them still in bed...right where she left them...when she returned the next day. What good babies.

When I realized that Carrie and Danielle's birthday were only 12 days apart it hit me. Danielle is Carrie's age when she went through her bone marrow transplant. We were just finishing up her 2nd major hospital stay after she had meningitis/encephalitis from a drug allergy. (after being out of the hospital all of ONE day) She'd lost the ability to talk and walk during that time. She regained talking quickly, walking was a bit difficult and took a while until it was normal. Anyways they'd let us finally go home home (not to our apartment in Boston) the weekend before Carrie turned 3 so we'd be able to celebrate her birthday with the family. Val expressed it the best when she yelled out...THAT'S INSANE! And it is. It's one of those times when you look back and say how did we manage? Besides having lots of faith in God and tons of family to help, we managed because we had no other choice. We just did what had to be done and that was that. No nobility, no sainthood, no special powers....just one day at a time, sometimes even only minutes at a time.

I have to give kudos to Carrie. She's doing much better with her meds. :oD The last 2wks she's reached 50% compliance (up from 16%). Hopefully soon we'll be nearing 100%!

We're slowly starting to get ready for the dreaded moment...the first day of school! Summer has gone by WAY to fast for us, especially Carrie. I need to go sneaker shopping but not sure when it'll happen. I've made a teeny tiny dent in my extremely long list of needed things. I'd really appreciate it if someone would find and hit the pause button for a few days please.