Chicks and Cousins

The excitement for the week involved the arrival of the new baby chicks that will be living in the three C's back yard. Claire, Chloe, and Chris are very interested and enthused for this new family project. The girls talked non-stop about gathering eggs, what the different chickens were going to look like when they are grown, and all the details of life raising chickens. Of course discussion of egg gathering is a bit premature, but nevertheless it brought them great joy in thinking about it. I believe as these children grow they will never be without something interesting and exciting going on at their home. If they aren't planting plants or trees, or collecting bugs, fish, tadpoles, or rocks, they are planning their next adventure with nature.



On Saturday, Claire and Chloe went with Papa and me to a family baby shower near Sacramento, at Aunt Jenny and Uncle Mark's, to honor cousin Nate and his wife Jaime. We are all excited for this new life that will soon be part of our extended family. Claire and Chloe thoroughly enjoyed time with their cousins and Aunts and Uncles. Below Claire and Uncle Larry are having a deep conversation like only Uncle Larry can do.

Cousin Jess and Alexa are especially attentive to their younger cousins and spent lots of time with them not only around the house, playing hide-and-seek but eventually in the pool. Alexa also did a great job of braiding Claire's hair.

Chloe said she had a "broken arm" so she really needed to borrow Papa's cane. :)



We hadn't brought swim suits but fortunately Daddy Mike had the foresight to pack some pants and t-shirts that worked fine for swimming and time in the hot tub.

Cousin Emma, our darling and quite shy little cousin, found a friend in Claire. Below they play in the very shallow kiddie pool.

Since we were probably going get home fairly late, Claire and Chloe spent the night at our house. They stayed awake until about 15 minutes from home and then both fell soundly to sleep. It was just enough to give them a 'second wind' and those chatterboxes were awake until very, very, late. Here they are bright and bushy-tailed in the morning ready for their breakfast wearing two old softball t-shirts of Aunt Suzie's. We enjoyed having them so much.

Wishing all of my Mom friends and relatives a very Happy Mother's Day. I have had a lovely day so far, and am looking forward to celebrating on Tuesday evening, a time that will fits much better into the schedules of our family!  Our project for the week, according to Papa Norm, is to get a chicken house going...boards cut and ready to put together. This should be an interesting week! :)