Happy 30th to one of my dearest friends ever!

Dear Nells-
Here is to the past 18 years of friendship! Can you believe that it has been that long since we met in Mr. Longmeyer's class? That sweet, shy brunette. I knew instantly that you would be one of my best friends.
I love you Nellie! I love eveything about you!
How you are one of the most tickelish people I have ever met.
How you would blush just by me saying the words "blush Nellie"
Who else would have been my other half for a pair of dice for Halloween?
We have been to disneyland together and lived together
And cried together countless times
But above all, we have lived life together.
I couldn't ask for a better friend for my girls to have in their lives, or to have in mine as one of my best confidants!
Happy Birthday Nellie!

Do I need to explain the picture? I waited ALL day for this little naturally perfect object to appear. Every couple of hours I would go out and check, and, NOTHING. I finally had to have a talk with Scarlette and let her know that she was not living up to her end of the bargain. Low and behold, the next time I checked, this was waiting for us! I was beyond excited!!!

Drum Roll Please...

Meet the newest members of the Ward house...

Scarlett(The one on the right)


She is an Americauna, she is about a year old and she lays green eggs! So exciting! She is only one that is laying already, and I can't wait to go out in the morning and see what she has made for me:)

Penelope
She is a cross breed between a Buff Orpington and a Black Austrslorp. She also happens to be really sweet! She has already become Jason's buddy. He was walking around the yard with her in his arm when I looked out the window:)

Ruby and Priscilla


Then we decided to go wild a crazy and let Reese experience having baby chicks. I wasn't going to do this until we walked into Dell's Farm supply and Reese saw all the baby chicks. I realized that I was kind of depriving her of the experience so we ended up buying the heat lamp and feed for them and they are currently camped out on my kitchen island for the next couple of weeks!

Priscilla is a Silver Laced Wyanadotte
And Ruby is a Buff Orpington
(Click on the breed to see what they will look like when they grow up)
Wish us Luck! We are very excited to be little urban farmers:)

A little update

So I haven't posted about the garden and coop in a few weeks so I thought I would give you a quick update! The coop is almost complete! Jason finished the run yesterday and got the inside of the coop painted (we primed it white to seal it up and make it a little cleaner). He just has to build the nesting boxes, finish the electrical and stock everything up! We are hoping to go this Sunday and pick out our new girls.
On the garden front, we decided to go with with unfinished red cedar. We built five beds roughly 4x8 and 15" tall. We got most of the tagro and compost dirt in it yesterday and Jason is bringing home one more load of compost today to finish it. Then we will just be waiting for no more frost to plant. I decided to try the Jiffy pots and organic seeds and grow our crops from seed in our window seal. Almost all of them are doing great and I can't wait to plant them. They need their permanent home because the peas and beans were trying to vine up window the other day. We actually had to pull them off. They are strong little suckers:)
*disclosure: when you see the pictures of the coop, keep in mind that the paint will hopefully look a heck of a lot better! I just threw up a little last week to see it. It is only one layer of 3, and I haven't taped off the trim yet. So don't be scared:)
P.S. The last picture is of Payton because I am excited that she finally has enough hair that I can actually put a rubber band in it! Kind of funny, but it works, right?







I just had to take a photo of J in his Tyvek painting suit! Sexy huh?

6 wonderful years!

Who would have known 6 years ago when Jason and I married on March 22ND, 2003 that we would have 2 beautiful little girls to share our lives with? I know, cheesy, but I can't help it! They are such a part of us and have made us so much stronger as a couple. At times we have struggled like every couple, but the day we had Reese changed us forever! I can't believe that Jason use to tell me that he didn't know if he wanted kids! I have always known. Never a question. But I think for guys it is different. This is one place though that Jason has never wavered once it happened for us. He stepped in from day 1 with everything he had. And I think that together we make pretty darn good parents!
So, as I sit here and write this, I remember 6 years ago when we tied the knot. Much like our weather this past Sunday, our wedding was filled with an array of western Washington weather. A little bit of wind, a little bit of rain, a little bit of sunshine and even a little hail. Much like life, peppered with a little bit of everything.
To make Sunday special as a family, we started out having brunch together at a little bakery/bistro near by. Then I planned a little scavenger hunt for J. He has always done such a good job of thinking of original gifts for our anniversaries. Every year he looks at the traditional and modern lists of anniversary gifts. Last year it was wood. So he had a beautiful jewelry box made for me. This year it was iron/tools so I decided to finally get him the stainless steel toolbox that he has wanted forever! Instead of just giving it to him, I made him work for it! With the help of our neighbors (they let me hide it in their garage), we set out on a hunt.
I sent Jason to the gift that he gave me last year, my Jewlery Box

Next Jason was to go to our wedding picture.


Once upon a time, Jason use to write and send me the best letters, so I sent him to the place where one would pick those letters up!

Next I sent him to "talk to our beautiful blond neighbor" for his last clue.

Finally he was sent to the place where one would keep tools, the Garage! Or our neighbors in this case because I couldn't very well hide it in ours.

So, he had to wheel it across the street to our own garage.

Ressie picked these out for me all by herself! So cute:)

And Jason picked these out for me all by himself:)

Finally, the two of us 6 years later!

Ok,no boat:(

So it was way too foggy and windy for my parents to bring the boat up today, so I packed the girls and I up and headed out to their house. Reese's new favorite activity out there is going in the hot tub, so my Dad and I headed out with the girls. Thank goodness they make umbrelas big enough to cover the hot tub. I don't think it quit raining today...

Oh Where Oh Where has my sunshine gone?
I was just getting use to our beautiful sunny days. I washed my car, planted some flowers and started painting the coop - sorry J, house, chicken house. It is WAY too big to be considered a "coop":)
Anyways...like I was saying, I wake up this morning, looking forward to a beautiful sunny day to go out on the boat with the folks, and to my dismay it is raining. Really? I JUST washed my car! I suppose the flowers that I planted will like it.
And good thing the boat has an inside, otherwise it would be an awfully chilly day, BRRR...
At least we took good advantage of the sun while it lasted!
Loved our outing to the park Maria and Ellie!

My Husband works fast!

(Payton watching Daddy work)


Luckily Jason had 6 days off this week! And boy does he move fast! Last Monday it was POURING down rain, but he was out there framing up the coop and got it all done.
The next day he had the roof framed. The following day, the entire thing was sheeted and so on and so on! Last night in the dark, J finished the siding (I don't have a picture of that) and the roof, and I was able to start caulking the siding.
So exciting:) It looks like we will have some good weather later in the week, so we hope to get it all painted.
Then it is on to the garden. I think we finally decided on cedar for the raised beds. Anyone know of a good cedar retailer that is local? Jason knows of one in Issaquah, but that is it. We would love your input.
I think that is it for now! Have a fabulous weekend everyone...