Oh my gosh....where did the time go???

So, even though I made a commitment to post once per week...I haven't this past 6 weeks.  I have posted twice.  Not twice a week, twice in the whole last six weeks.  Dreadful me.  Bad, bad word-breaking liar.  Oh well.  I am a legend in my own mind and like to think that you all just wait on baited breath to read my blog each week anyway....but you don't all.  I have to harrass my parents just to get them to read it.  I don't really even think my Dad does.  I think he acts like it when I ask, but the genuineness isn't really there.  I've decided to stop asking him...ha ha ha.  Save myself some approval cup drainage.

To update you all, you can be assured that even though I haven't been posting, we've still been living.  We've been super, super busy kids.  After going to Nevada to attend Todd's sweet Grandma Hardy's funeral and connecting with lots of family and cousins, we came back to the routine that is our lives.  A routine with lots of kinks, additions, snags, and surprises.  Over the course of the last 6 weeks, several things have been going on.  To list them they are:

• Todd's attendance, with my Dad, at the "2009 Annual Shot Show" in Orlando, Florida for Phoenix Alloys.
• The celebration parade for the University of Utah's Football team, fans, and undefeated season/2009 Sugar Bowl win.
• Logan's 1st Birthday!  Yay Lo lo Bear!
• Jeff earning his Wolf badge in Cubscouts.
• Jackson becoming a kick butt reader.
• Saffron getting so sick she might die and then miraculously (with antibiotics) perking up and becoming a pain in the butt again.
• The chickens producing a million eggs.

There are so many other things that have happened.  So many details I am leaving out.  I hate to do it.  I brings me pain to list just those above life events in such a blithe way.  As if they are ho- hum, as if they don't warrant a blog each, as if they aren't monumental in one way or another.  All of them are SO monumental.  If I did do much more than list, this blog would be 9 miles long, if not longer.  I will say a few short things.

At the Shot Show, Todd and my Dad got some great interest and leads in their alloys.  They came home with renewed faith and vigor.  They have a new project they are working on with

excitement, partly because of great interest on the part of First Choice Armor and partly because they both feel passionately about it.  They are developing (have developed?) an armor (for use on body and vehicle) that is lighter and stronger than the stuff our law enforcement and military members are using now.  It could mean everything in so many ways.  GO GUYS!

The celebration for the U football teams was so fun!  13-0 and Sugar Bowl Champs.  We couldn't wish for more.  The boys and I went to the parade and pep rally in downtown Salt Lake with my Mom, Jeff, and Jen and had such a great time!  Go Utes!

Logan was so fun on his birthday!  I swear he knew it was a special day for all of us because we got to re-live his birth and celebrate his life.  He was happy all day long (even when he was tired).  We took him to a toddler soft play land at the mall, rode some quarter rides, gave him real chicken (not baby food) and ice cream.  That night we had a small family party with dinner and cake and boy did he love his cake!  He was so much fun.  He still plays with his birthday toys more than any others and enjoys his new skills.  He'll be

walking in a matter of days and often stands alone for long periods without sitting down.  He has taken up to 6 steps before falling.  He now has 8 teeth and is always looking for ways to escape out of the play area we have created called "The Arena" by Todd and the boys.  Go Lo-Lo!

Jeff earned his Wolf badge for scouts this month.  We are so proud of him!  Just in time to turn 9 and go into Bears.  He worked really hard on it and earned it honestly.  He loves scouts and with parents who have callings in scouts, even if he didn't love it, he'd get to do it regularly.  I am so glad he does like it though.  Scouts is very important.  It teaches valuable skills and lessons, and is critical in the endeavor to raise our sons

to be contributing human beings.  I love it, love it.  Go Jeffrey!

The lights have come on for Jackson.  He can read like nobody's business all of the sudden.  Blending sounds, remembering what

 sound each letter makes, and combining words to make up sentences that he understands, are all skills he wields every day.  I am so proud of him and his success.  He is quite proud of himself.  He was getting frustrated but he soldiered on and is glad he did.  Go Jackie!

Saffron, who suffers from a chronic and congenital skin disorder that results in massive and multiple hives all over her body, is starting to head down hill...unfortunately I don't know how long we've got her.

To make a long story short, she is on several medications to try to control her symptoms.  She used to go into remission but doesn't seem to be able to do that

anymore.  She is coming up on 10 years old this summer and so she has had a long and good life with us.  However, I don't know that we'll see her 10th birthday.  She gets sores now that don't heal well due to her medications and she often gets infections.  I give her antibiotics but that won't last forever.  She became quite ill this week, she wasn't able to eat or anything.  I thought we might lose her but she rebounded with another round of antibiotics.  We bought some more time and she is happy again.  As long as she is happy, I will keep her around but if she gets depressed for too long and I'm unable to revive her, we'll have to send her to Rainbow Bridge.  That's the bad news about our pets....rarely do they outlive us.  That's one reason we have a parrot.  With a 70-80 year lifespan, he may make it beyond our years.  I don't know that I like that he's yelling "Grandpa Bird!" at the top of his crop right now, but oh well.  The rest of the animal farm is great and is scratchin' around with fervor.

The chickens, while bound in their wire coop/yard, are at it.  They are so self-important it cracks me up.  I can't get enough of it.  I watch them strut around and cackle and they just think that the world revolves around them.  Maybe they have something.  Maybe they are secretly geniuses and can solve the world's problems but no one will give them a chance?  NO...that's not the case.  I'll tell you a secret...they are the STUPIDEST animals on the place.  That's why

they think they are so great....they have NO idea.  Now that the days are getting longer, they are starting to lay eggs again with regularity.  With 12 hens, we are getting 5-9 eggs every single day.  That's a lot of eggs.  What happens when it's summer and they are all laying?  Please buy eggs people...I promise you'll love them.  They are yummy!

So that's 6 weeks in a (relatively) short post.  I will post again next week.  The hard part is getting back in the grind.  I'm there now...so you can count on me.  Ah, I'll probably just be here by myself.  Reading and laughing at what I write.  Getting a bigger kick out of it than anyone.  I'll make Todd read it....but that's enough for me...I guess.

Love to you all!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

I woke up this morning to see an awful lot of snow falling outside. Dare I get excited? Don't get me wrong, most of you know I'm not a die hard ski bunny (anymore) but once it gets cold, I figure it oughta just snow. My perennials won't grow or bloom, the leaves are off the trees, the horses are all fuzzy, and the dogs bring in dead leaves every time they go outside. It's time to cover that dead and yellowing grass and all of those leaves with beautiful, white, and cozy snow. Besides, I love watching my animals work with the snow. They often enjoy it the way we would, and sometimes they play in it. I love to watch that. My dogs will roll and roll in fresh snow. Especially Daisy. She enjoys it at 100%. The horses will weather it as it falls and then, once it has stopped, they get out and play in it. They run, buck, kick, and rear playing and playing. They like to watch it fly around. They love the crisp air. For now, they are weathering the storm.

It is something I can stand and watch for hours. It may look boring but, to me, it is not. I don't know if that makes me weird. It doesn't really matter to me if it does. It's one thing I love about living where I do with all that I have. Truly something that causes me to reflect on my blessings and to feel grateful. Who knew that the weather would call forth such a reflection? Either way, I am grateful for the weather change and all it brings.

This week has been standardly busy for us Hardys. Jeff and Jackson weathered another week of school with flying colors. They are getting along at school and making good grades. Things seem to be evening out. We attended another choir performance for Jeff on Thursday. They performed at Ogden City's Christmas Village and did 5 songs. He was in the front row and we could see him SO well! I am sorry I didn't bring the camera this time. He did a great job and was so much fun to watch. He is such a performer. Is there anything that kid doesn't do well? I guess sit quietly. He doesn't really sit quietly. I don't think any of us do though, I can't really point fingers. As Jackson tells me, "There are no faults Mom."

Jeff performed tonight at the Joseph Smith Memorial in Salt Lake and at Utah's Hogle Zoo for the Zoo Lights display. We went down to watch him and I took lots of pictures and video of this extravaganza. It was so much fun! For one thing, I think it's awesome that Jeff's choir teacher takes the time to set up such neat performance venues! What an awesome lady! The Joseph Smith Memorial was typically opulent and beautiful and our little choir made the vestibule ring with Christmas cheer. It was fun to see the kids gawking at the decorations as they sang. It also brought such warmth to my heart as I watched the passersby stop to partake of the season in such a beautiful place while they listened to the innocence and joy of these children as they sang. Considering the location, I would say it was a great missionary tool as well. My son Jeff has such a strong testimony. I know it was special to him that he got to sing in such an important place. It was also fun to listen to Jackson shout, "Look, it's the temple!" as we walked by the west windows. Our family still needs to make the time to walk Temple Square this season. It is an important tradition for us, maybe next Monday we will spend our FHE that way.

The Zoo Lights at Utah's Hogle Zoo were awesome! If you haven't been, you gotta go. They have begun to do it every year from December 1 to December 26th. It truly was magical. I know that sounds cliche, but it was! I told Todd that it was like a "Layla Christmas". Christmas lights and animals, how can it get any better. The new snow added a special magic to the whole scene and I really think it was as good as any Disney theme park. That's saying a lot. We are Disney junkies. Watching Jeff sing there was lots of fun but I know that the choir director set it up mostly to get the kids in for free because they didn't have many people to sing for and they spent an hour walking through the zoo to see the animals and the lights. What a special occasion. I can't wait to see the video I got of the whole thing. I hope it does the place justice. The best part was the segment I think I'll be sending to American's Funniest Home Videos. Jeff kept sticking the end of his electric candle in his mouth instead of singing and it was pretty dang funny. You'll have to watch AFV for him sometime in the next year.

Jackson is getting dang good at all of his letters and their sounds. He says he feels like the letters are "tricking" him sometimes. He tells me that "g" and "c" don't sound like they "should". I just tell him to be patient with the tricky letters, being able to read is a power he will have his whole life. He is hanging in there. He had quite the time at his last wrestling meet this weekend.

He took his first 1st place of the year! For someone who is wrestling for the first time against some kids who are their second year, that is impressive. I would say he's a chip off the old

block and I don't mean me. He pinned the first two boys he wrestled outright and then won on points with his third match. I am so proud of him. Even though his coach wasn't there (Todd) he wrestled better than I've ever seen him. Todd wondered to me if he needed to just stay away next year. I don't think that's the case. I think it was just a good day for Jack.

Jeffrey wrestled his last tournament this past Saturday as well. He wrestled two boys he has already met up against (and beaten) and then a new kid. The new boy was a wrestling progeny. As I watched his family

line up around the mat I saw his brother, who wrestles for Weber High (state champs the last 3 years), and his dad who is an MMA fighter with a wrestling base. Jeff picked that moment to come to me, quite forlorn, and say, "Mom, this kid's been wrestling for 5 years!" I told him not to worry, to work as hard as he could, and to have fun. He gave it his best shot but in the last of his three bouts against this boy, he was pinned. It was his first time being pinned and meant that he finished this tournament with his first 2nd place medal. He was pretty frustrated, considering he's had 1st place medals every other week. I think it is good for him to find out what second place feels like though.

It gives him something to work toward for next year and supports him in learning that he isn't invincible. I say, overall, they both had a successful first season and they have told me that they want to do it again next year. I am happy to provide them with that. I, however, am very excited that this is the end of their sports until this summer when they go back into baseball. Mom needs a "sports" break.

Todd had his first "UTA" Drill Weekend at Hill AFB this past weekend. He was getting "oriented" on being in the military. Ha, ha. It was good fun for all. He was on Cloud 9 all weekend long as he was back in uniform and back in the boys' club. What more can I say? He got all the details of his military record/life organized, added Logan to his records, and reinstated our life insurance. So now we can all die and leave somebody something. You can

make a bid on who gets our life insurance. The will goes to the highest bidder. Good luck. Just kidding. What else can I say about it? It's nice to have that kind of security back in our lives again. I can't really overstate that at all. We have health insurance, we have life insurance, they are with a stable "company". It is (almost) all good. I think with the couple of "big" contracts that are still outstanding with Phoenix Alloys are signed and the guys are delivering on them every week, I will feel "totally" secure (whatever that means). Until then, I am grateful for my blessings, for the abundance we are experiencing every day, and for the continued blessings of the Lord.

We are headed out to Las Vegas this week. We are going down to our annual run at the National Finals Rodeo. Laurie got me tickets for my birthday this year and we are going with my parents and with Andrea and Jason (Andrea's fiancee'). I am really excited! This is the one really special thing I get to do EVERY year with my parents and Todd. It has become a tradition that we all enjoy and it truly is the best damn rodeo you have ever seen! I love rodeo, I love looking at horseflesh, and I LOVE shopping at the Cowboy Christmas trade show that happens at the Las Vegas Convention Center every year. It is Layla heaven. I am so grateful that my family "gets" me such that they support me in this thing that I love. I know they don't all love it, but they support me, and what more can I ask for? Besides, I think my parents and Todd have become quite the rodeo junkies anyway. Todd would say that he has always loved rodeo, and I know that's true, but he's way more invested now that he has surrendered to his roots. Bless him. We will see Laurie while we are there and kiss her face (and the baby Russ' face too!). Jeff and Jack will go with "Papa" to Alamo for a sleepover as Grandpa Rick will be watching them while we rodeo fan. We'll keep the Lolo with us. He needs to go to the NFR since he's free. It's gonna be a nice vacation and I am grateful for our babysitter/petsitter Courtney for taking care of our critters while we're gone.

As far as "The Chicken Letters" are concerned, there just isn't much to share. Our chickens are safely living in captivity now and, it seems, they don't have much drama unless they are roaming around "free range". They've been "cooped up" (ha, ha) since Thanksgiving week and all are healthy, happy, and fatter. We're getting 5 to 8 eggs per day (do you need any?) and they have worked out a semi-humane pecking order. Even our new ladies, Feathers Kaboom-Pellet and Parmesan, are getting along well though they are on the bottom rung. Sorry there just isn't more to tell. I am disappointed though relieved that I don't have more drama. I am sure this spring, when we are letting them range a bit again, there will be more to come. Who knows, maybe something else will happen? I pray they all stay alive and that all our critters stay healthy. We have to knock on wood around here, we have some old horses (25 and 18) and some old dogs (11 and 9). No one needs to head over Rainbow Bridge just yet.

Well, that's it. I will do more Christmas shopping when I get back from Vegas and intend to wrap up (I'm really hitting the puns today) my holiday preparations next week. I am sure we'll have stories to tell about our time down south. I hope this finds you well. If you want a Christmas Card/Letter, email me and I'll get you one. You can always catch me at laylahardy@gmail.com.

Love to you all!!

November isn't just for Thanksgiving

I find that November is a busy month.  I'm not talking about what people are used to with November busy-ness, I'm talking about extra busy-ness.  You know, the kind you don't regularly take into account when you're thinking about Thanksgiving, Christmas shopping, and raking leaves.  There is all this extra stuff to do in November that I don't think about.  It's biting me in the butt so far.  Don't get me wrong.  A lot of the stuff, I love to do and to be a part of.  It's the extra stuff combined with the regular stuff that tempts me to feel overwhelmed.

It seems like every November I get some Sha-nasty cold.  I should automatically budget in about 4 days for sickness every November.  Now, my "training" tells me that to do that would be to "create the space" for myself to get sick.  However, history shows me that I get a cold every November and that about 2 out of three years it just kicks my butt.  This is the case this past week.  I am still quite yucky today but I feel like I'm on the climb out.  I actually fed animals this morning.  That's a bonus.  Especially to Todd.  So, back to my point, this past week I have been quite sick.  Still a Mom, still a wife, still a sister, a daughter, a friend, and sick.  While I did a lot of things that were fun and that I loved this past week, it's been rough and I have to wonder, did I get anything done to prepare for the "regular" November stuff?  The answer is NO.  I still have no idea what Christmas is going to look like.  I don't know what we're getting the kids, what Santa will be contributing, what family will be getting.  I am up in the night.  Thanksgiving is going to be in Alamo this year.  We have planned our travel days (loosely) but not securely and I don't know what we are responsible for, if anything.  I also haven't budgeted (ack!) for it. So...maybe I'm using the "extra busy-ness" to avoid the "planned busy-ness"?  Now, that's an idea.

Anywho...this week was busy, sick, and GREAT.  We had a rough Monday because we hit the ground skidding for some reason (sick) but the days after that only got better.  Did I tell you we were sick?  Alright, I'll leave it alone.  Todd and Jeff had pack meeting this week and Jeff earned his Geology belt loop.  He is amassing quite a collection of belt loops for his uniform. What a haul he is getting!  

He is on track to earn his Wolf badge at pack meeting in December or January which is right on time, considering that he'll be moving into Bears when he turns 9 at the end of December. He is enjoying scouts as Todd is enjoying being the Cub Master.  I have fun being the Bear Den Leader because even though Jeff has been in Wolves, I have been working with the Wolf Den to get some of my Bears their Wolf badges before they move on to Webelos.  I have been able to work closely with Jeff and we'll have even more fun when he's a Bear.  Todd likes that I'm the Bear Den Leader.  It means he's my boss about yet another thing.  The Lord loves to remind me of my place. :-)

Todd has been sick, as has Logan this past week, though I think they went through the worst of it last weekend.  They are both feeling much better and seem to be nearly through the forest.  I am jealous.  I am even more jealous of Jeff, he hasn't been sick at all!  Todd's been stalwart throughout.  This week has been busy for him:  Pack Meeting, a trip to Roosevelt, a couple of big deals with work, and wrestling to oversee.  I also threw the kids in his lap twice when I took my dear friend Andrea out for her birthday and when I attended a monthly "Girls' Nite Out" this past week.  Lots of Hamburger Helper at our house.  He's a champ.  I honestly couldn't have picked a better dad for my kids.  He is awesome and so supportive!  He starts school again this week and will be that much closer to his Master's degree.  Six more classes (including this one) and he's there!  I'm so proud of him!   He's also got more going on with Phoenix Alloys and, as always, wrestling.

Jeff and Jackson both got their report cards and I met with their teachers this week.  It turns out that they are smart.  I know, it's a shocker.  Jeff's scores on his CORE test for last year was a 4.  That is the highest score possible.  As we tracked the individual test scores down the page, there were mostly 100% marks with a few mid-90%s and 1 88%.  He obviously grasped 2nd grade very well.  He is doing fairly well this year.

I guess the method for testing reading has changed this year and he has been struggling to get used to it.  His teacher says that is true for all of the kids in her class.  I have a hard time believing that is the actual truth.  I asked her how a 3rd grader who reads at a 6th grade level and is one of the two best readers in her class can be getting an 85% in reading and she told me that bit about the testing.  I think she has realized that the way she was teaching it wasn't really working.  She did say that they are "getting it now" and that she "expects all of their 

scores to be better from now on" so I guess I won't press her too hard, unless that isn't true.  His first test of the second term was a 90% so I guess we'll go with that.  I am watching though.  He is doing A work in math and spelling though he has struggled a bit in citizenship.  Jeff was swinging on bathroom doors and getting "physical" at recess earlier in the term and I know that has affected his grade.  We have a new system in place that should help him remember how to behave though.  I am praying he is growing out of this because if he isn't, his life is going to change drastically for him.  He is such a smart boy, he knows better than to act out.  I expect him to behave as well as he can think.  Is that really too much to ask?  I'm thinking he needs more responsibility...

Jackson's report card showed what we already know, that he is bright and eager to learn.  He is still working on knowing which sounds go with which letters.  Sometimes I worry that he isn't "already there".  Then I remember that he turned 5 two days before he started Kindergarten.  He is young and busy and just hasn't had the pre-school I wished he would have.  I have truly seen what value that has to offer a child the year before Kindergarten.  I will be sure to get the rest of my brood into pre-school before they go into Kindergarten.  

Whatever it takes.  Mrs. Cragun (Jackson's teacher) told me that he is so great for her class.  He is friendly with everyone and gets along at all times.  He is a wiggle-worm but works hard to do better and that he is always smiling and happy.  She says that he is a major sunshine in her room every day.  I know how she feels.  I feel the same way about him in our family.  I have told Jackson, nearly every day since we had him 5 years ago, "Thank you so much for coming to our family." and I have meant it.  He is a such a blessing.

Logan, aka "Crazy Larry", is cutting another tooth.  It's his right second incisor on the top and it is KILLING HIM!  Just ask him.  He has had quite the week this week as he's been coming out of his first cold (no croup), is getting proficient at getting around (even though it isn't crawling), and that darned tooth!  

Logan isn't going to crawl.  I don't think he is.  I think he's just going to lay on his belly and do "The Worm" to get where he's going.  That's really what he does.  He does that 80's breakdancing move "The Worm".  Seriously.  I'm not too worried about it because I'm pretty sure he won't still be doing it when it's time for him to start Kindergarten.  If he is still doing it then, it mostly likely won't be his primary mode of transportation.  I call Logan "Crazy Larry" this week because of two things.  

First, his hair.  It's is CRAZY.  I took the other three boys to get their hair cut and was tempted to cut his but I just couldn't get myself to do it.  I LOVE baby hair.  Even crazy baby hair.  So it has stayed and it is crazy.  The second reason is the wobbling.  He won't crawl but, if there is a person or other solid object around, Logan is all about pulling up.  He pulls up on anyone or anything that will let him.  However, he isn't real solid and can't always get his legs over by the thing he has pulled up on.  So sometimes he just stands like he's making a lowercase "N" and whines until someone rescues him.  We are all good at rescuing him so he doesn't stand there for long.  When he does get straight up, he wobbles all around.  Too much motion in the ocean.  Too much swivel in his hips.  With his hair waving all around him on top and his hips shuckin' and jivin' down low...he's Crazy Larry.  That's all there is to it.

In addition to Logan's antics, Jeff and Jackson had another wrestling meet this weekend.  It was at Layton High School and was absolutely ridiculous.  Logan and I chose out after 2 and a half hours of uncontrolled chaos (I was promised controlled chaos), Logan throwing up on my pants, me having a fever, and still no wrestling for either of my boys.  It was very poorly organized.  I just couldn't do it anymore.  I am sad I missed their matches but I was too overstimulated and wiped out.  Too sick!  My mom and dad got to watch and they took some great pics. 

I will post them on my Facebook site if you want to see more of them.  The good news is that they both had great success.  Jeff won first place in his bracket and Jackson won fourth.  For a couple of dudes wrestling seasoned veterans in their first year, I'd say that's dang good.  They have both been wearing their medals for three days straight.  Taking them off only to sleep and to shower.  Todd and I had the fight of our lives today when Jackson insisted on wearing his to school.  Needless to say, the medal sits on his dresser now as he is at school but it won't be there for long.  I predict that it will be back around Jackson's neck at 3:25 pm.

We went to Johnson's Mill in Midway on Saturday afternoon to celebrate Jen's birthday with Jeff, Jen, my mom and dad, and Jen's family.  It was a lot of fun and she is 30 years old now!  I know she loves that I am publishing that.  She is so happy to be 30.  What can you say?  I am older so I HAVE to rub it in.

Jeffrey and Jackson spent a great deal of time wrestling with Jen's brothers Justin and Nate.  They were relentless and all I can say is "Thank you Justin and Nate for wearing them out."  They were asleep before we left the Heber Valley on Saturday night.  I am glad to see how much my bro still loves his sweet wife.  I would go so far as to say he loves her more now than he ever has.  I love that he went all out for her birthday and that he did his best to celebrate it in a way that made the day special to her so that she felt special.  I think that the best thing I could wish for them is a stable and happy marriage.  As they prepare to bring their first child into the world in May, I know that baby will be part of an already happy family.  That brings me great joy.  I am happy for Jeff and Jen, they deserve this happiness they are finding. I hope that neither Justin nor Nate has lasting bruises from Saturday.  If they do, I guess that's what they get for doing "the leg grab" and playing "bucking bronco" with two of the most energetic boys the world has ever seen!

While I know this is long and, let's be honest it probably will be every week;  I need to make an installment into "The Chicken Letters".  Todd and I noticed on Friday afternoon that our healthy Buff Orpington hen "Gertie" was missing.  We looked and looked everywhere and found everyone else but just couldn't find her.  She was MISSING!  Oh no!  There were no feathers, no carnage, so what had happened?  Todd assured me that she was just too far out ranging for me to see and that she would show up to roost at sunset.  However, when sunset came, there was no Gertie.  I was sad.  I love Gertie.  Heck, I love them all but Gertie clucks the loudest when she lays an egg and it is so darn cute!  Todd told me that she would show up Saturday, not to worry.  Well, as you know, Saturday was crazy so when she wasn't out there in the morning with the others, we couldn't stay to look for her.  We just decided to have faith that she would find her way home.  We spent all day and all evening gone and then, when we got home at 11:30 pm Saturday, we checked and still no Gertie.  I was getting sad.  To make matters worse, when I counted the chickens in the coop, we were missing yet another mature hen, our "Adventure Chicken" "Kung Pow" was gone!  Terror!  Kung Pow is an awesome chicken.  If she could bungee jump, base jump, and sky dive, she totally would.  I was just heartbroken. Two chickens in two days!  I was starting to get paranoid.  Is someone "whacking" our chickens one at a time?  Is someone picking them off?  What did we do to deserve this?  I went to bed sad and lonely for Gertie and Kung Pow.  I couldn't help but think, "Who would be buying the farm tomorrow?" so-to-speak.  The next day, we checked off and on all day.  No Gertie.  No Kung Pow.  Where were they?  I had about given up on them and Todd was outside feeding everyone and putting everyone away for the night while I fixed dinner when he burst through the door and yelled, "I found 'em!"  I was so excited!  "Both of them?"  I yelled.  "Yeah!  C'mon, come see!"  So I ran outside with Logan attached at the hip and a jacket for both of us and there they were, drinking water like no tomorrow.  They looked okay.  They were a little slow and weak but they were okay.  When I asked Todd where they were he told me that when he moved the last bale of hay in the row he had been feeding from he saw a head and when he looked closer, he saw it was Gertie.  Stuck in the haystack.  He reached in and pulled her out and set her by the food to eat.  When he came back around to look back further in the haystack, Kung Pow came flying out.  Yay!  Our chickens are back home to roost!  (Say nothing of the fact that they never left.)  I don't really know what to say except that chickens are the dumbest animals I have ever seen and if your chickens ever go missing, check the haystack.  Besides having our whole flock home now, there is one more funny piece.  In the haystack, where Gertie had been for nearly 3 days and where Kung Pow had been for about 24 hours, there were 4 eggs.  3 brown (Gertie) and 1 green (Kung Pow).  How awesome are they?  Stuck, hungry, thirsty, but still laying their little hearts out.  I love 'em.  Here is a picture of Gertie and one of Kung Pow.  Gertie is the orange chicken and Kung Pow is brown.  This gives you an idea of what I am dealing with every day in my "Chicken Letters".  I told you it was daily drama.  The horses don't ever do this stuff.

This week we gear up for the Holy War.  I hate to say it (well, not really) but BYU is going DOWN!  It's inevitable.  I plan to have friends and family over to watch the game and I am sure this will be the clincher for our beloved Utes.  They will walk away with the Mountain West Conference title.  Until then, I will enjoy a few more wrestling practices, Scout Den Meeting, lunch with a friend or two, volunteering in Jackie's class, date night with Todd, and Logan, Logan, Logan.  Oh, and some chicken drama.  Always chicken drama.  I hope it's not bad this week.  I will keep you posted!  See you next week.