My Mom. . .

. . .is always looking out for me.  Recently, she was in Good Will and saw this:

A Toastmaster Bread Machine.  She called me and asked if I was interested in it.  Of course I said YES!  So she picked it up for me.  I picked it up from her on Saturday, and on Sunday early morning (Tara and I were up at 5:45 due to the time change!), we made our first loaf.  It was so much easier than doing it the old fashioned way!!  I can't believe how easy it was.  I looked through the recipes and decided that my first choice would be "Egg Bread".  What better way to use some beautiful eggs from my girl Dixie.

And here was the wonderful result:

Now Madeline is my bread girl.  The moment the bread machine dinged with it's "I'm finished signal", out the bread came.

Madeline:  "Can I have the first slice?"  Me:  "Well, they're kind of large so we can split one."  Madeline: "Then can I  be the first one to take a bite?"  Me: "Of course you can.  I want to take pictures of you doing it!"

So here's how it went:

Egg Bread from the new bread machine is good!  

Using eggs from our own chicken is gooder!  

The price of the bread machine at only $4.99 is GOODEST!

Thanks Mom!  I ℒ☮Ṽℰ my new bread machine!!

It's All About Color Coordination. . .

. . .or lack there of.  Tonight is Mix Matched Night at AWANA.  Do you think they sufficiently clash?

While I was outside taking pictures, a UPS truck started to lumber up our driveway.  Tara and Madeline screamed and ran into the woods so he wouldn't see how hideous they looked.  Silly girls!!

Although. . .it does take me back to a time this past summer when I wanted to scream and run into the woods.  You can read about that HERE.

Happy Halloween!!

From a beautiful princess and an adorable chicken!

And isn't this just the CUTEST thing you've ever seen??

But wait!  It gets better. . .

Check out her candy bucket!!!

I have to tell you, this costume got Soooooooooo many compliments!!  I wish I were so creative to have made this.  The hat and feather boa shirt was from my girlfriend Carolyn.  She made this for her son several years ago.  The pants were fleece and warm, and made for Madeline by my niece Shannon.  Really, the only thing I can take credit for are the rubber glove feet, the flower on the chicken head (she wanted everyone to be sure she was a "hen"), and the KFC bucket.  But I do so love this costume.  It is my favorite all time.  We even had several people stop to take a picture of her!!  It was great.  Thanks Shannon and Carolyn!

Madeline really got in tune with her inner chicken as she bawk-bawked often to the people who gave her treats, to which she got many smiles and laughs.  Isn't that just like a chicken??!

Dixie. . .Where Are You??!!

Today the Henny Penny's were out in the yard free ranging as usual.  I check on them often throughout the day to make sure they are all there and I also bring them treats.  I went outside today, and there were only 2 hens.  Dixie was gone!  I was so incredibly panicked.  She comes running whenever I call out "Henny Penny's", but today she didn't.  Only Jasmine and Daisy came.  I walked around the enitre house to see if she was under a bush.  Nothing.  I looked in the tree line to see if I could see a splay of feathers which would indicate a predator had gotten her.  No feathers.  My mind was racing as I realized that we lost her to "something" and I would have to tell the girls the horrible news when they got home from school.  I kept calling her name and there was still no Dixie.  I opened the big door to the inside of the coop, and. . .

. . .there she was.  Cooing at me as I stood and stared at her in total relief and on the verge of tears.  I ran in to grab the camera because there was something very special about this.  Listen here:

After I took the picture and video clip, I left her alone and put her sisters in the run.  A little while later, I came back outside to see if she did indeed lay her very first egg.  And. . .

Isn't it just beautiful??!!

Our precious Henny Penny's turned 28 weeks old today, and this is our very first egg.  We couldn't be more overjoyed!

When I picked up the girlies from school, I told them what had happened, but I didn't tell them that she laid the egg.  I told them that I didn't have time to go back and check and that they could do it when they got home.  They were VERY excited to investigate.

What a wonderful first for us.  We are all so happy!!

Stay tuned, because my next blog post is going to be about Disney!