Easter Lolipops

Today is Easter Sunday.
Honestly it's 20 degrees and its only 11am! We are outside playing-candy in hand of course---it is Easter!

I bought them 'bunny faced' Lolipops! They are a hoot! Watching them run around with them is hilarious! Best Easter buy---ever!!

March sunshine

18 degrees this morning.
Audrey wanted to wear her bathing suit...I couldn't decline. Warm enough right?

We filled up the kiddie pool which is a lot smaller then I remembered haha. Ready, set, go...these babies are gearing up for our summer months.

Shirtless yahoos

When Audrey chooses both her outfit and Beckham's outfit...I guess they go shirtless?

Mama likes chicks&sunshine

So so so enjoying this beautiful March day! Spending it outside with my little ones, and perhaps our troops of animals!

Bring on summer. All I need now is a blowup pool that's big enough for mommy to get in as well hahaa. That's my dream birthday present! My chances are slim to none but a mommy can dream right?


Ps-in case it's not absolutely obvious---that is 'dreams come true Sheena' floating in the pool with no babies (obviously during naptime) looking mightyyyyy tanned!!-----and quite skinny...it is dream Sheena after all!

Hi Egg

Hi Egg, I'll hold you, ill blow on you and you give me a wish. You're so yummy. I give you kisses.
-Audrey's chat with the egg

Audrey loves checking for eggs! She's so cute! She talks to the egg like its alive!

All I want is a hippopotamus

The other day we ditched everything on our 'to-do' list and spent some time as a family. It was wonderful.

We went to the zoo!
Our family is just a zoo family. We just love animals!

The hippos were out and roaring, the Tigers where wrestling, the bear was sitting as close as it could get. It was truly such a fun day!!

Oh ya and the caged Beckham exhibit was quite fun to see as well!

Father like son

Beckham and Brent
-love food
-are motivated by food
-feel loved if someone gives them food
-could eat all day
-a good day means lots of treats
-can sense when food is almost ready and both get soooo grumpy they usually get banished haha

Lately Beckham sees Brent in a whole new way. He's still a mamas boy (it delights my heart) but he really really is modelling after Brent.

Brent put siding on the office---well for days Beckham pretends to help.
Brent is working with tools and you can tell that all Beckham wants is to touch, and be involved in whatever he is doing.

It's so endearing to see him grow and be more then just our baby. To see his personality and masculinity grow and shine. He is our boy and he is a mans man through and through!

Farm Kids

Oh how natural having chickens has been for these kids. Makes me want a bigger property and more animals! I love it I love it I love it!

I so love the idea of them having these memories, being more then just video game and tv junkies. My kids would MUCH rather play outside then watch TV.

I am so proud of them. I love the way they get filthy. I love the creativity that comes with playing outside as a kid. I love watching them play and play and play and the things they can come up with (with our ghetto makeshift outdoor toys). It's on our *to buy* list very far at the bottom. One day they might figure out that ice cream buckets and water bottles aren't the coolest outdoor toys hahaha.

Tumble

Beckham had quite the tumble this morning. Had me quite panicking that teeth may be lost, stitches might be needed.

This little boy is a boy. He is a mans man. He is as tough as nails.

The amount of blood was unreal, you could literally hear him gulping it (gag). I was covered in it, he was covered in it.

In the end he was smiling and laughing y me. It took me awhile to turn off the panic alarm.

(The panic alarm in my heart...not an actual old person panic button---although that would be awesome to have something like that)

Cat&Mouse

Yesterday I had my massage therapist appointment in the evening so Brent was on baby duty.

Oh man, he is my favourite man I have ever met. In the middle of my appt I hear my phone beep a few times. I ignore it. It beeps again. I ignore it.

As soon as my appt is done I quickly go to my phone just in case it was important.

Well sure enough I get updates on our ya latest kill and how him and Audrey are watching our cat tare the mouse apart---maybe hear if crunching some bones hahaa...oh mercy. All I can say is Audrey is going to have some funky and interesting father daughter memories...hopefully no nightmares.

I was so impressed though Brent had the whole life&death&foodchain talk. Lets be honest if we didnt tell Audrey that Cats eat mice like we eat dinner we might find her in the yard trying to catch mice thinking they would be a tasty snack 😁(jokes, maybe haha)

***we saw Spicy kill a mole before just never a mouse so it was big news haha**

Bedtime shenanigans

With Audrey and Beckham sharing a room we have been pleasantly delighted. It's so darling to see Beckham be super upset if Audrey doesn't sleep in his room.

They go down fantastically 99.9% of the time. The other night we heard some 'chirps' here and there so when we went to check on them we found two little monkeys curled up in Beckham's crib. It was SO cute!

Over easy

So this morning I served up our first eggs. The first official taste had to be pure so we did fried eggs over easy so we could actually taste the eggs.

I made store bought kind and our fresh eggs so we could compare!

***this was all kinda a big deal***
Brent was sceptical because he didnt want brown eggs. I had to reassure him that the only different between a white and brown egg is what colour ear lobes the hen had.

To my delight Brent's words were, 'these ones are way better' when talking about OUR eggs! Woohoo! (Phew because if we get free eggs I ain't buying white eggs for my husband because brown eggs weird him out)

Now I just need to convince him that blue and green eggs are just as yummy! I really wanted a bird that laid colorful eggs because that would be SO cool!

Anyways thumbs up chickens---you did good!

Mud----nude

Audrey was playing in the mud (this is super normal haha)
She got filthy
I was reading a book and not paying attention.
I then looked up when I heard her say, 'I'm dirty I'm going to have a bath'

Oh man this girl can strip faster then anyone I've met---I also haven't been around that many people that strip down to there birthday suits.

In the blink of an eye I realize I'm chasing my filthy naked wild toddler into the house. Praise The Lord we don't have neighbours close---they might get an eyeful of who knows what daily.

Eggs!!

So I'm a little obsessed with our chickens, and everything that comes along with them 😬

I called the hatchery the other day to see when I could expect them to start laying eggs....they said 4 weeks. Well much to my DELIGHT I got my first egg a few hours later! Then another one the next morning!

I already have dreams of a bigger coop and more chicks! I'm LOVING it!!

Chicken-cock-a-doodle-doo

Audrey waiting for the man to come bring her the chickens. If you ask her what she wants to name them she will tell you 'cock cock' (because they say cocka-doodle doo) lol she might need some encouragement to find new names 😜

PVC coop water and feed device

My husband and I came up with this design. All we needed was
-4 inch pipe
-two end caps
-two 90 degree joints
-3 nipples
-pipe glue (we had already)
The total cost for both feeder and waterer was probably less then $5. I got the nipples off ebay for $1 (free shipping-they have been working great and no leaking!)
Took my husband about 15 minutes to assemble (could take less time) it was pouring rain so that always seems to slow things up.

I just ADORE how compact it is and how much space if saves in the coop! I couldn't imagine one of those big huge honking ( gallon things for water&food!!

These actually store close to 5 gallons (not quite) but take up WAY less room!

If you are not super handy these are easy and won't take much effort even for people who are not usually the diy-er!!

Dishes

Dishes have alwayssss been Brent's chore.
Since we have been doing renos they are my chore. They ruin my day, they haunt me...a few times I've actually had 'lightbulb moments' and thought of switching to paper plates---compostable paper plates (gotta be Eco friendly).
Then the voice of reason kicks in.
Get off your lazy butt and do those dishes...

I'm SO excited for the day when it's Brent's chore again. Praise The Lord that I have a hubby who does the dishes. I think I would go crazy if it was always my chore-6 months of it has been enough to make me depressed haha

Barf or death

Yes, barf or death.
Today I had a funeral to go to. It was heartwarming, emotional, tragic, sad, heartbreaking and much more.

I came home absolutely exhausted emotionally. I didn't have much energy to chit chat after-that's ok. Sometimes silence is just as good. I'm learning that slowly.

Anyways I came home to the bliss of naptime and wanted to take advantage so I slipped into bed. Exhausted. Exhausted exhausted. I didn't hear the jailbreaker escaping her childproofed room that continually proves to be not 'Audrey proof'

I had made myself a peanut butter chocolate smoothie. Oh dear. Well my bad. I left the cocoa on the counter. The entire thing got dumped on the floor (sob) well if that wasn't bad enough Prada our sweet sweet dog ate SO much of it!!!

The horror the horror.
I called the vet
I called Brent
I googled
I chatted with a friend.

Our first thought is to take her to the vet. Our second thought was horror because we are so over budget with renos. We didn't really want to pay a few hundred dollars to get her to vomit.

If it was any other season we would have took her to the vet but we tried the cheap $1 peroxide diy method.

Brent came home and helped for 15mins
It was great. Would have been great if he helped for a couple hours hahaha.

Well stage one...pry mouth open...force peroxide down. Walk her...swash swoosh bump and squeeze her stomach.

She gags
She swallows
She gags
She swallows
No vomit.
(She's such a good dog she won't even barf if it would save her life in front of us)

(30 minutes later)
Brent's LONG gone.
I'm in the poooooring rain
Pinning my dog down in the mud
Forcing peroxide down her throat
(With Beckham on my back in the ergo)
Audrey beside me horrified that in pinning her dog down.

Repeat the squeezing squishing and everything on the belly.

No vomit
No vomit
Did I mention we are all out in the pouring rain?

Sigh.
It says not to give third dose
I did give her a lesser dose though (1/2 less) so I decide to cross my fingers and just give her the amount to bring her to the max peroxide to give.

Pin down
Wrestle
Mud flying
Audrey crying
Beckham loving the mayhem while on my back.

Then we waited waited
Then Prada looked so sad
I'm cheering and chanting
'Barf barf you can do it girl'

She barfed

We are all soaking wet as its over an hour later. I'm so exhausted. Oh mercy.

These things only happen in the Converse house don't they.
Audrey when you read this as an adult I hope you book me a relaxation massage somewhere classy to thank me ;)

Trantrum City

Since Brent has been working (like a machine) and hasn't been home much Beckham has started having tantrums. Don't get me wrong Audrey's had a few tantrums. (Maybe a few more then a few haha) but Beckham....holy hokey Dina this mama is so tired. Audrey's tantrums last usually 30seconds Max. Beckham-he has the will of steel. These tantrums feel like my kyptonite. He's been my easiest baby...but oh man these tantrums. We are working on helping him learn to deal with his frustration but hokey Dinah. I know he's just really frustrated not being able to communicate as well as he would like. I think once he passes that point and can communicate better life will get a lot easier.

I never really felt having two babies 15 months apart was difficult. There was a few 'stages' that I felt to be difficult. When he started crawling (like a speed demon) and Audrey started to assert her independence haha chasing two kids in two different directions was CHALLENGING...then there was almost a whole year lul where it felt totally manageable and awesome.

Well this is the next stage of oh man. This is difficult. These tantrums are challenging especially when you have a sensitive two year old who just wants to 'help'. Audrey cries, gets stressed and is genuinely super worried when Beckham has a tantrum.

This to shall pass
This to shall pass
Time to break out my 'how to raise a strong willed child' book again ;)

My baby doll

All our stuff is pushed to the back of the room in our living room in preparation for the drywall that is being delivered tomorrow (happy dance). I was looking and looking for beckham. I kept calling him and hearing a faint 'mama'. When I finally found him he was tucked in on the top floor of the dollhouse. Looking like he was about ready for a naptime! Such a monkey. These babies keep me on my toes! He's just my little baby doll!

Voicemail

Voicemails
That red circle on the phone icon.
It's the arch nemesis
I hate voicemails
I hate listening to them
I hate returning them
I'm just not a phone girl
I really don't like even talking on the phone!
Everytime I see I got a voicemail it makes me cringe lol and usually takes me a week to finally listen to it lol