Saturday, April 28, 2018

This Week in Review

Monday 
  • Michael had his two normal appointments
  • Michael was evaluated by a therapist certified in LSVT BIG - and accepted into the program. More on that later - maybe. 
  • Kids worked on school - this is our last week 
  • Arielle found the flag from the front of the house while out walking - it's been gone awhile 
  • I released my wifely wolverine (similar to mama bear) and began conversing with members of his care team about Michael's care schedule. More on that later - maybe. There are some things which simply must be done. We found one thing to put on hold (2 appointments a week). It's a start. 
  • Michael and I attended the Alaska Ministry Network Missionary Banquet (Assembly of God)
At the banquet we enjoyed the table fellowship and hearing a bit from Torrey Martin. Torrey is a comedian, writer, actor... The Wooten character in Adventures In Odyssey is based on him, and he wrote for them for a bit of time. 
Michael, myself and Torrey Martin 


Tuesday
  • AT HOME DAY  - yay. Incredibly windy! 
Blown head over head by the boys' window


Blowing up and down the length of the deck - sideways - with the wheels locked.

  • Michael worked in the garage on the chicken coop - Alex & I helped. 

  • I canned beef and chicken  and worked with kids on school
Beef, Taco meat and chicken

  • Chicks continue to grow
Nearly 2 weeks 

Everyone likes the chickens
  • Planted more seeds
  • Trees move inside - home looks like Jumanji
  • Video of Monday/Tuesday....the one where I pick up a drill and Wibbly Wobbly Construction is born. ::snort::  


  • No women's Bible Study due to Alaska Ministry Network Conference

Wednesday 
  • Michael had an appointment
  • The kids had Japanese lessons
  • Picked up more lumber
  • Michael attended the Alaska Ministry Network Conference Men's Ministry Luncheon 
  • I attended the Alaska Ministry Network Conference Women's Ministry Luncheon
  • No Youth Group due to Alaska Ministry Conference

Thursday
  • Michael and I spent the day at the 2018 IDEA Curriculum Fair in Anchorage  - all day. 
  • A video of of lazy evening - chicks , family, compost, Benny belly laughs.... 

  • Stacia makes an End of the Year Cake

  • No Life Group at our home due to the Alaska Ministry Network Conference

Friday 
  • Michael had two appointments 
  • We celebrated the last day of school for the year AND Nolan's last day of High School


Michael proofing the last essay
  • BreZaak and kids joined us at Dairy Queen to celebrate Nolan's last day of High School 
  • We told Nolan we had to get wood shavings for the chicks at Walmart. The movie theater is next to Walmart. We totally surprised him and met Josiah, Jamin and JaRissa there to watch Infinity Wars. 
  • Here's a video on our You Tube Channel about Nolan's surprise and the Last Day of School. I must say - it's hard to believe that little 5 yr old boy with the giant, green eyes is finished with high school. I BLINKED AGAIN!!!!
Saturday
  • The chicks are 2 weeks old - here's a video for a couple of days ago. They grow a LOT - EVERY day. 
  • I finally decided not to move and to ice my back - hurt it on Tuesday afternoon
  • Michael and the boys finished a lot of work on the Chicken Coop.  We need a day without rain and a bit of time....and we'll have a chicken coop. Here's a video of some of the building....

  • Planted watermelon seeds


There are other highlights, but they are stories belonging to others to tell. The other thing of note for ME to share is the wildlife in the area....the birds are back....we can add porcupine to the list of rodents, fox, hawk, owl, moose......


Doesn't she look like she is scowling? 


Sunday, April 22, 2018

Sundays.....

If you'd like to see and hear a video about this day check out our YouTube channel by clicking the underlined text.

Sunday was the G family's first Sunday on the nursery rotation at church. We had a lot of fun playing with the children. Michael also had fun fixing toys and door knobs. 

Cory attended a men's retreat Friday night and so had to work Sunday. Look at Benny sporting his DUCKware. He is 5 months old now. 

Josiah, Jamin and Jared came out. We had fun visiting, eating, playing and working. Jamin has been busy and passed the realtor exam. His license will be final this week.  He's working with a group in his hometown, and also pursuing a couple of teaching/coaching type things. 
Jamin, Nolan and Alex, prepare to pound Stacia and Jared
 Josiah helped Michael map out where the Chicken Coop will go. 

These chicks are so much fun. They are fascinating....and we've seen several incidents that make me wonder why God calls us sheep and not chickens. ::snort:: 

For instance, one little gal pecked away at the paper towels and was rewarded with a nasty, dirty, piece of towel in her beak. I don't think the others even KNEW what she had, but they began to chase her around and around the brooder. It seems we always want what we don't have.  That'll preach. 

We have been trying to isolate a bird with diarrhea. We think we have it figured out. Michael suggested we put a small dot of food coloring on her back.  I did so. She immediately reached around to peck at her back. She ended up with blue dye on her beak. The others turned on her! They cornered her and pecked and pecked at her beak.  It seems the raised nail gets hammered down, not only in Japan but also in the hen house. That'll preach. 


Saturday, April 21, 2018

Saturday Projects

If you'd like to see and hear a video about this day check out our YouTube channel by clicking the underlined text.

The day began with Michael and I thinking we wouldn't get a lot done today. His shoulder was in more pain than normal, I had another headache and we were both just tired. As the day went on we found motivation and got quite a lot done.. 

Michael continues to watch this hole. He wanted to remove this stump for "landscaping purposes." Wow - the hole seems to be alive - .but it will be nice and flat when we're all done. This is NOT something I want to do for each dead stump around here. LOL 

The boys and Michael emptied part of the garage, unloaded the trailer's supplies into the garage, and then went to Lowe's again for more supplies to build the chicken coop.  

I cleaned the chick's brooder, and canned. I started with 17 pints of various dried beans. Izaak came in and we put up 24 half pints of salmon and a couple of pints as well. We tried a steak to see what would happen.  I did another 7 quarts of pinto and red beans after dinner. This is the first time I've had a jar break. Two of them broke before the day was over. The first, was because I didn't let the canner get all the way to "0" and sit for 10 minutes before opening it. I was very careful with the last one and lost a jar there too. It's fascinating to me the jars did not shatter - just a perfectly smooth, precise chunk blown out... the bottom looks like it was simply shaved off the last one. 

BreZaak and kids came over for dinner. Izaak grilled, and I turned two pints of beans into a Bush Bean type concoction and steamed broccoli. They informed me of the recall of romaine - which is a mainstay here.....sparse dinner for the vegan in the group. 

We managed to fill the day - mostly with work preparing for more projects to complete in the upcoming weeks. 

Friday, April 20, 2018

Starting our Orchard

If you'd like to see and hear a video about this day check out our YouTube channel by clicking the underlined text. 

It's overcast and rainy, but, TGIF!!!!

Michael has two more appointments this week. One more for evaluating Parkinson's symptoms. We are looking to see if he qualifies for therapies to learn strategies for slowing the progression of Parkinson symptoms.  He has at least one more week of evaluation before we will know any results. The other appointment is for PT on his shoulder.

After the appointments, we headed to a big box store to order a shed which we will convert to a chicken coop.  It was 900#. In the end, they opted to open the box and load it piece by piece. I can't believe they don't have other boxes this heavy to load....


Michael spent a bit of time proofing one of Krista's paper and then we loaded up the trailer and headed back to the next town over.

We picked up the shed (above).....and drove up the road and picked up trees!
Drenched - but worth it




Now, we are continuing to watch the ground and plan the fences so we can plant some trees and a garden.

We ended the night playing games and watching a movie - or sleeping through a movie the others watched.
Benny - 5 months

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Another Busy Alaskan Day

If you'd like to see and hear a video about this day check out our YouTube channel by clicking the underlined text. 

Michael had an appointment at the VA Center in Anchorage today. We love the drive up the Old Glenn. I've been grabbing fruit and Clif bars for breakfast. Dr. has warned me to cut back on sugars as my A1C was borderline. Who knew Clif bars are high in sugar AND they have soy protein isolate (another thing I'm supposed to avoid due to cancer risks).  I am trying these new bars.

We texted the boys to see if any of them could meet us for lunch. Josiah met us and it was a great chance to spend a bit of one on two time with him. 😃

After lunch we did a bit more shopping. We found trees had just arrived at one store. Another store had a shed that was 1/3 the price of any other we've found. We decided to wait and buy both at the local versions of both stores tomorrow.

A couple of more sure signs of spring? Motorcycles on the roads...and rented Class C's in all the parking lots. LOL



Michael and Alex decided it was time to cut up dead fall in the front. They also attacked the patch of Cottonwood trees at the side of the house. We have plans to put berries in the spot (fenced and netted?).  Alex cut the trees to ground level. They got the pry bar and attempted to pry out the stumps - they discovered the ground in that section is still frozen.



I found this scrapey thing in Michael's stash of tools and it made cleaning the chicks home MUCH easier!


Stacia continues to be a great chick mama.


The birds are starting to find the bird feeder in the trees. We are deciding where to put the hummingbird feeder. I want the feeders up - but have heard they attract bears. I don't want them TOO close to the house. LOL
Do you spot the bird? 

We had a couple of moose come to play in the yard at the end of the day. They weren't going anywhere fast. I am worried about my veggies and fruit in the upcoming months.....I see lots of fencing in our future.




Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Doctors, Errands, Projects & Chickens

We have two videos about today up on our Youtube Channel. One about our system and the guys' trip to the Recycling Center and one about the Rest of the Day

Michael is undergoing a week (or two) of tests pertaining to his Parkinsons.  Our day began with trying to get out of the house for his evaluation at the Mat Su Regional Outpatient Clinic.

Has Yuuki given up bird hunting? Is she guarding the chicks? Is this the start of a beautiful relationship between her and the chickens? I'm not sure, but I found her cuddled by the brooder this morning.

Maybe she's resigned to being a bird-dog with a house full of chickens. 

After Michael's appointment we dropped by Spendards looking for plans to build a shed or chicken coop.

I asked Michael to find some used canning supplies and he came through! We drove out to Meadow Lakes and picked up over 10 dozen canning jars (mostly pints, 3 dz quarts and some 1/2 pints), and a water bath canner. It was fun to visit with the couple. Their children all live in Alaska, but they've decided to move outside to Idaho. They had a beautiful place. Robby gave me some ideas of canning fish, taco meat and rice and beans.....

We don't often stop for lunch, but today, Michael suggested a lunch date in the middle of the busy.

We stopped at Lowes - no plans. Michael has been working on plans and will stick with his. If we forget something essential for a chicken coop, we'll add it later. LOL

Michael and Alex made a trip to the Recycling Center.

I settled in to wash and store jars and to continue drying a case of Fuji apples.


Stacia helped BreAnne with the kids. Our youth went to youth group. Michael and I walked around and talked about placement of various things on the property. He had some new ideas for the greenhouse and chicken coop and run.  We continue to work on burning out one of the stumps...

Stacia continues getting to know her new 18 pets.