This week's chick update & more

The chicks are now about 2 weeks old.  My how they're grown!!  They're getting bigger and their color is changing.  I just love their wings, so beautiful!  A few more weeks and they can move out to the old coop (weather permitting, it's been a rather cold winter here).  

Grace will grab anyone she can to read to her and once she's got you--there's no escape!

For those who love our sleeping shots, I just came out from packing for the Ladies' Encounter this weekend and found Grace asleep on the floor where she climbed (or fell?) off the chair!

                   

Our Kunming cutie--she just loves to dress up and do her hair!

Pensacola trip (Warning--LOTS of pictures!)

The kids and I took a quick overnight trip to Pensacola.  Of course we turned it into a fun filled field trip!  After checking into our hotel, the kids and I went down to the beach.  What a great sunset.  The kids had fun collecting TONS of shells on the beach.  The water was COLD but it didn't seem to stop them from putting their feet in it.  I just love how some of these pictures came out.  I was playing with the settings on my camera.  

Oh my!  This one of my oldest just stole my heart.  He's growing so fast...

Look at the movement in this one!  How cool!  And of course if that smile doesn't steal your heart, nothing will!

More movement--that's not just a blur on the photo, that's Grace digging very fast!

This was the view from our hotel room Sunday morning.  How glorious.  God's creation is so beautiful and breathtaking...

Museum of Naval Aviation

Fort Barancas

After visiting with the park ranger (who also happened to be missing part of her arm!), we headed off the trail to the fort.

As we walked up the path...

Then reached the summit and saw THIS---

The REAL reason we went to Pensacola--our new wheels!  We love it!  No more climbing over seats and seeing tushies and feet flying through the air.  The boys were getting a bit too big to do that.  The kids loved having extra elbow room and of course the TV didn't hurt.

"The fun has arrived!!!"

Ok, so we just let the girls watch Tarzan (the title quote is from Turk)... When we got back from church yesterday, we had a wonderful surprise message waiting for us---the chicks were in!!!  Jacob, Grace and I went to the post office and picked them up.   Now the fun starts!  Thought some pics of the cuties would make a Monday morning post not so Monday morning...

This was their travel arrangements.  There were actually 4 of these at the post office, so others in our area are getting started on the fun too!  We purchased them from McMurray Hatchery.   We've heard nothing but great things about them.    You should have heard the peeping coming from those 4 boxes!!!  

We opened our box to these adorable little Rhode Island Red chicks.  

Awww, cher!

Of course the children couldn't wait to get their hands on them.  They are so furry and fluffy and cuddly!

Here they are in their brooder.  They loved the heat light. They ended up in a pile underneath it, all cuddled together.

We lost one little one, but we expected it.  It's the little black and yellow cutie in the front of this picture.  It was an extra they sent.  We thought it looked small and weak.  The rest seem to be doing great this morning--eating and drinking and PEEPING!

Countdown to baby chicks!

Our baby chicks are expected to arrive at the post office in about 7 days--probably Tuesday or Wednesday!!! We cannot wait!  There is a shipment of 35 Rhode Island Reds coming to our town!  We're sharing the chicks with 2 other home school families.  The kids are SO excited!Publish Post