Our Growing Family

It's never a dull moment around our house and things just got a bit more interesting. We now have five chickens (although we think one may be a rooster).

We have been talking about getting chickens for a few months, and thanks to Megan and Dusty who got baby chicks and housed them until they were big enough to be outside, we finally got some.

Once the decision was made to get chickens, it was time to get the tree house out of the tree and make the coop. Luke has been wanting to remove the tree house ever since we moved in and he got his chance! He came up with a brilliant plan to lower the tree house onto a ramp and slowly move it down the ramp with an electric winch. I'll freely admit, there was a moment during the removal process that I was convinced the tree house was going to come crashing down and shatter into many pieces, but the project manager didn't give up and amazed us all by bringing it down in one piece.

Figuring out how best to remove the house

Kids, don't try this at home

Electric winch holding tree house in place

Down she comes

Success!

Moving it to the new location

We spent the next weekend building the run and getting the coop secure and chicken ready. A huge thanks to Luke for building such a safe and amazing home for the chickens. I really had no idea what all went into building a chicken coop!

Chicken's new home

Laying boxes

The chicken palace!

Trying to get comfortable holding the chickens

They seem to like their new home. Hopefully we will start getting eggs soon!

Before and After

I’m not quite sure what made me do it, but yesterday I decided to dye my hair. I’m not talking make an appointment with my guy at the salon and have him dye my hair. No, I’m talking drive to Target, pick a color off the shelf, and dye my hair at home all.by.myself. Like I said, I don’t know what got into me.

After doing some quick research on the internet about determining skin tone (cool or warm, turns out I’m cool), picking out the right hair color to compliment your skin tone, and tips on dying your hair at home, I was all set. After work I went home and set everything up and channeled my inner hairdresser. I was more than a bit nervous, after all, I had never ever done this before and what do I know about dying hair?! But I figured if all went terribly wrong I could go to the salon and have them fix it, and so I began.      

Dark Chocolate Brown here I come!



Before - dull with grown out highlights



Tick tock tick tock

After!

It is not an obvious change by any means. In fact, I don’t think most people will even notice, but I sure do! I can’t believe how good it turned out considering it came from a $10 box and I did it myself. When I look at the before and after shots, I just wonder why I didn’t do this sooner!

Weekend at the Cabin

Luke's parents own a little piece of paradise up in Arnold and we were lucky enough to get to spend a few days up there this past weekend. We have been looking forward to this weekend at the cabin all summer and it did not disappoint. Luke and I went up Thursday after work and my friend and her boyfriend came up Friday night and joined us for a few days. The weather was perfect, nice and hot. A small thunder and lightening storm moved in Saturday afternoon and dropped a few rain drops, but moved out as quickly as it came in and we woke up to the bright sun and brilliant blue sky Sunday morning. It was a very relaxing weekend spent reading, playing cards, going on a few hikes, and lots of time cooling off in the lake.

Luke worked from the cabin on Friday so I had a very relaxing morning soaking in the sun with a good book

Morning swim with Ellie

All American lunch

S'more time

Saturday morning breakfast

Enjoying Luke's birthday present

This is what our Saturday afternoon looked like

Sunday evening canoe

Luke and Ellie

The three of us out for an evening paddle

Good thing there are two chairs because Ellie needs her own

Until next time!

June and July

This summer is flying by! I’ve been slacking on my blogging lately so here is a very quick update with pictures on what we’ve been up to these past few months.

Sibling trip to the A's game. Enjoying some time together before Jimmy set off to Arizona to start his new job.



The big graduates - Jimmy from Chico and Kristin from vet school



Family pic at the double graduation party

Father's day dinner with mom and dad at Dinucci's in Valley Ford

Another A's game, this time with my sweety

Emily and Dan's wedding

Girlfriends

4th of July Kenwood Footrace with Adria

Annual 4th of July camping trip at the Pear Ranch

Evening cruise on the delta

Our captain for the evening

Dinner at Wimpy's

Officially retired from Emeryville Fire

Cruise back to camp after dinner at Wimpy's

Ellie enjoying the Pear Ranch

Little Emily, such a cute water bug!

Russell and Austin

Happy retirement, Dad!

Enjoying a sunset walk on the levy

Ladies chatting (Mom, Peggy, Carol)

Beautiful sunset over the pear trees

Busy with our garden!

Quick beach trip

Valentine's Day gift used at long last! Trip to San Francisco to see Les Miserables.



We are enjoying this beautiful summer. Our garden is really loving these warm summer days too. If you want some zucchini or string beans come on over – PLEASE! We have more zucchini and beans than we know what to do with! We are off to do some whitewater rafting this weekend on the Upper South Fork of the American River and then heading to the cabin for a few days. Hope your summer is going well!