This and That

April is half-way over and my birthday is approaching once again. After the big bash last year, this year is going to be very low key. I wouldn't even mind if I wasn't reminded of what day it is. 

I am so close to graduation that I can taste it. I am officially finished with my Database Management and Software Implementation class, this Friday I have a final in my Introduction to Subject Analysis course (and it's open book, thank goodness. There is no way that I could remember all those rules), and I am now finished with my 70 practicum hours. I still have to write a 1,000 word essay on my work experience, but I am already half done with that. Graduation is on June 9th. I won't be attending, but I will watch the live streaming of it on the UFV website, cheering on my fellow classmates. 

Here are a few things that have been going on in our little corner of the world:

Will and Liam working on raising a few sprinkler heads in the back garden. 

Lucy is usually a pretty cautious cat, but she was quite interested in this box. 

A bird in the bath. 

We had a hail storm one afternoon. The trampoline, pool cover and grass was almost completely white. 

After the storm

The lambs are finally here! Normally we start seeing the lambs out in the field maybe days after they are born. This year they were just a little bit older when they were allowed out. They are already running and jumping and venturing away from their mothers. 

I love their long tails. 

Jump Creek

On Saturday, we went for a short hike up at Jump Creek. It's really beautiful there with the rock outcroppings and the creek that runs through. I even had a butterfly land on my thumb. 

The little trail goes right through this canyon 

 There are all kinds of caves in the canyon

We had to cross the creek on some rocks

The end of the trail

We even brought Suki with us. She got to come with us the first time we came here when Moira was about three and she was the only child. 

The area was just starting to turn green with new new life

There is a cattle ranch at the entrance to the rec site. We had to stop on the way in because cows were crossing the road. This one was kind enough to let us pass on the way out. 

March Madness

What happened? It went from the beginning of February to the middle of March. It feels like I barely blinked and so much time has gone by. I guess that's what happens when school consumes your life. At any given time throughout this whole semester, I have had 2-4 assignments going at the same time. And that doesn't include the weekly readings, lecture notes, and learning activities. I am so thankful this is my last semester. 

While I blinked, this is what happened:

Kyla lost her first tooth (February 28th). She had been waiting for so long for one to fall out and when it did, I think she was in a bit of shock. The Tooth Fairy brought her a new Rainbow Fairy book to read.

Will built the chickens a new coop out of pallets that he took apart. 

The chickens' first coop was smaller and we let them out everyday. But they are indiscriminate poopers which made it impossible to walk around the backyard in bare feet. Now they have their own run and a bigger coop. And hopefully we will have a cleaner backyard. 

The inside of the new coop. It's bigger with more perches and three nesting boxes. 

Dora and Isabella having a dust bath

Eagle and Penny getting cozy in some hay

 Lucy and Penelope spent the morning trading places inside my basket. 

Kyla just completed her first week of track break. One morning while Moira and Liam were both at school, the two of us went to the zoo and then out for hot chocolate. 

February Happenings

February is proving to be a busy month around here. Green Chutes issued an artists' challenge in January - Art by the Square Foot. It could be anything as long as it fit within a 12" x 12" size. I thought this sounded like fun so I signed up. On Friday I finally had it done and took it in. Here is what I came up with:

I embroidered a design on to fabric and created a "pocket" for the mirror to fit into. I mounted it on to a 12"x12" board (with Will's help) and attached some ribbon for hanging. I'm happy with the way it turned out and was excited to turn it in. I can't wait to see what the other artists have come up with. 

This past Saturday I went snowshoeing with a friend up to Lake Cascade. I had never been to the lake before so I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, there was hardly any snow, but we strapped on our snowshoes anyway and went walking around. The trails up there were not very well marked so we ended up wandering around, eventually walking the length of the golf course that was beside the lake. 

A frozen Lake Cascade. Although there was hardly any snow, the lake was completely iced over. The people on the bottom right of the photo are ice fishing and some people were snowmobiling across the lake. We even saw one ice skater gliding along. 

The frozen lake

Here I am out on the lake 

Standing on the ice

It was quite beautiful up there, even if the wind burned our cheeks. 

On an unrelated topic, I thought I would add this photo of Sugar looking so handsome. 

I also signed up for a Month of Letters Challenge that I heard about from a friend. Everyday that the mail runs, I am supposed to put something in the mail. While it's been difficult to do something every single day, I have sent out quite a few letters. This was the perfect kick in the pants I needed to get in touch with people that I hadn't talked to in a long time. 

My first two letters. The top one - I made the envelope myself out of a piece of card stock that was the centre of a roll of wrapping paper.