Next Step

Madison was so excited to continue working on her bedroom today. The next step was sanding the mud she put on yesterday. Then we had to vaccumm it all up. By the end of the job she admitted that she hates the sanding part. We didn't get to taping it today. But there's always tomorrow.

Zack posing next to his garden.

A.J's garden

In his defence after getting the turkeys bedding he came to his graden to do some weeding. I just didn't get a picture of the garden after he weeded it. You can now see his plants. Just not in this picture.

Madison checking out her garden

It's not full yet!!!

While Zack and Madison were making the turkeys a toy I was shoveling out their pen and then it was up to A.J to put the clean bedding back in the pen for them tonight. Here he is getting the clean sawdust for their pen. He always looks so happy when he's working. Don't you think?

New Toy

Zack decided my birds needed a toy to keep them busy today so he made this one with a piece of rope and a handful of grass he picked. It kept them busy for a little while.

Sweet Pea

Zack and Arron built a little shelf in Sweet Peas pen so she could get up on it to get away from her babies. But they take the shelf and she gets to lay on the bottom of the pen.

4 weeks old now

Four of Sweet Peas babies napping on a shelf Zack built for Sweet Pea

Day 3

Well we continued working today. Zack and Bumpa started out gathering more 2x4's from Joe's

Then A.J and Madison were assigned to pulling nails

We put up two more walls the right side and the front wall

Then we framed the front doors and the back door

We also had two injuries. A.J some how managed to hit himself in the forhead with the crowbar and Zack cut himself one a nail. But work continued.

Next Project

Now that I've got at least one coat of paint on the boys room upstairs and can't go any farther until I get the new windows. Madison decided that it would be a great time to start work on painting her bedroom. So this afternoon she cleared out her room and Zack helped me take down all the shelves while Madison got to work on mudding up the places that needed it. Stay tuned for the next step.

Madison working

Madison trying to find her mudding grove while filling in holes in the wall left behind from the shelves that rap around the whole room.

working with her back to me.

Day Two

Work contined today and with more hands involved we were able to get

blocking put in

level the floor and squared it off

plywood the floor

frame the back wall

not bad for only a few hours of work

Hippity Hop Rabbitry

For those that don't know Zack's interested in rabbits. I don't know were you've been hiding but for part of his school this year Zack worked hard on a website for his rabbitry and tries to update it weekly. So for those that don't have his rabbitry website here it is.

http://hippityhoprabbits.webs.com/

Take a look around and let him know what you think.

New barn

Well, Zack got his permit from the town a few weeks ago. And he's been pricing boards and material that he would need. He's had many conversations with Bumpa and his father about what he wants and how they should do it. Well thanks to Joe work began today. Dad, Zack and Keegan got the floor framed. Zack is so excited. That he's finally getting to start building his barn. Me I'm just happy that I'll be getting my sunporch back soon.

A front view of Zack's new rabbit barn.

And we have a floor !!!

Painting

I finally got to paint the boys room ( still called that) upstairs today. Madison and I were able to get the whole room done in a few hours. We didn't touch the wall with the windows because I hope to get working on those next. Madison and I found the paint color on the mixed up reduced shelf. Madison orginally picked it out for her room but I thought it would look better in the boys room.

Upstairs room

Not to bad for a few hours of painting

Another busy day!!

We never have a weekend to do nothing. The kids all was have some where to be or something going on. Today being no different. Madison and I went to 4-H gardening club without the boys. I left them home to work on splitting all the logs laying around everywhere. Then when ours were all split they moved to Dad's house to split his logs. All in all it was a very productive day. Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.

At least Dad was here to over see that they did something. And didn't kill each other in the process or break the splitter.

He looks so excited to be spending the day splitting wood.

Two working one watching them!

4-H gardening club

Madison with the other kids looking at the Community School's garden and how they planted it.

Last day of dance class

Today was Madison's last dance class. Mrs. Edra invited me into the class to sit and watch to see everything they've been working on. It was nice to see Madison dance and not watch through the window. Plus she was the only student today so that made it that much nicer.

You can tell by watching her in class that she really enjoys dancing.

I like this picture

We have so many red squirrells around the house that some have made nest's in the roof. There's one that will sit in the tree by the kitchen door and chitter for hours. It drives Zackary nuts and Arron when he's home. But the second they step out the kitchen door he shuts right up. They've been trying to get him but they won't admit that the squirrell is smarter than them. When it see Arron coming with a gun it runs and hides.

Calling All Squirrells

I'm not sure what scares me more that he has a gun or that he's working with Zackary.

Wantta play with us?

Yes, There is life besides History Channel and Reading!!!

All of the garden

Here's a picture from the schoolroom. You can see all of the garden.

Really it's not all weeds

A picture of most of the garden the only part missing is the kids are on the right side.

Turkey now six weeks old

A picture of most of the orchard.

Little Baby Apples!!!

Arron's so proud of all the little apples we have this year. Last spring we had a late frost and it killed all the bloosoms off the trees so we didn't get apples last year. But this year the orchard is loaded. Let's hope it stays that way!

A.J's ladies

A.J's been caring for the chickens for almost a year now. It's so funny to watch him with them. They follow him around and will even eat out of his hand. He has most of them named. Don't ask how he tells them apart but he can. He's been asking for some new hens for the last couple of months now. And we kept putting him off. But that's all he wanted for his birthday this year. Not what your average 15 year old would ask for. So here are some pictures of his new ladies. And yes, they already have names.

Hard to believe he's 15!!!

Today was A.J's 15th birthday. I still can't believe that he's that old already. Besides spending the morning with his chickens to see how they made it through the night. Arron and Madison made him a cake. It was an Arron orginal cake. That say's it all. They also spent the afternoon fishing. And then we made pizza and watched a movie in the loft. A.J's choice since it was his day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

What comes next?

What do you do after catching the trout? You need to clean them. This time the boys cleaned them all by theirselves. And they even worked together. I'm still amazed by that.

Catch of the day!!!

Zack caught a rainbow trout that was 16 inches and A.J caught a brook trout that was about 8 inches long.

Here's a picture A.J took of his some of his new hens.

Some of the old ladies checking out the new ones.

A.J's new ladies

A.J putting this new girls in a small pen he and Arron set up for the day for the chickens till night fall and we could move them into the chicken coop with the other chickens.

Last field trip of the school year

Arron took the day off from work and came with us for our last field trip of the school year. We went to Portsmouth for the day to wrap up some New Hampshire history. We started out at the Ablecore then headed over to the Points of Graves ( one of A.J's favorite's) then we were off to see the Gundalow and how they are making one. And lastely we went to John Paul Jones house. A.J was so excited for this stop. The day was great and the weather was even better. It was nice to have Arron along for a change he doesn't get to go on many of our field trips. So it was a nice to have him along for the day.

A.J and Anthony looking at a picture of a ship.

A.J listening with the rest of the group to the lady giving the history of John Paul Jones. A.J spent the entire talk nodding his head because he knew all the information. He was even able to help the lady out with information and dates.

John Paul Jones House

Start of our day

We started out visiting the Albacore. Karen quizzed the kids to see if any of them knew what Albacore meant. Eventually they figured it out it means Tuna.

Arron and Madison checking out the ship mates sleeping bunks.

Zack and Joey checking out something on board the Albacore.

Who's winning?

Arron and A.J burn off some energy before we head onto the next stop of our day of field trips.

Glowing or Not?

Here's another picture of it from the front. I think it's the sunlight hitting the grave. What do you think?

Haunted or Not?

A.J has the book "Haunted New Hampshire" by Thomas D'Agostino. So we were reading up on all the haunted sites in Portsmouth to see how many we could see on our day of Field trips. The story says his tomb stone is suppost to glow when you take a picure of it. I don't see it glowing.

A.J trying to read the stone but Zack put his drawing in front of it to block from listening to A.J go on about the person.

Arron holding the paper for Madison so she could do her rubbing.

Madison trying her hand with the oar of the Gundalow

Is it lunch time yet?

A.J, Zack and Joel downstairs on the Gundalow