My happy-

A few photos that just make me smile!

My niece and my daughter, running at the park.

Photo by Tim, of course.

Keelin swinging last fall!

Betcha can't guess who took this one?

Yep, Tim.

1yr old Jackson on Mommy & Daddy's bed.

So precious.

Photo by Daddy.

My husband learning to knit in the preschool pickup line!

Super AMAZING cell phone picture by me ;)

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Let me know if you decide to add my button to your blog.

I'd like to thank you!

What do we do with gorgeous weather around our house?

As many of you know, NC has had some CRAZY weather lately!

We heard that this weekend was going to include some wild weather, so we spent a couple of days outside hooking up our pups, loving on the chickens, and mowing the big backyard!

Yes, with pictures!

Our yard looking a little wild...

After Tim mowed, we moved the swingset to a better location.

I said earlier that the low lying ground wasn't going to be a problem, but it is,

so we remedied the situation! Maybe now we can cement the set into the ground?

My sweet hubby and our boy on my dad's riding lawnmower!

This thing was bought the year I turned 1.

A lawnmower working 23 years later?

Unheard of!

They don't make 'em like they used to!

Sadly, it's my dad's and we really need to buy our own.

Will probably hit up Craigslist and try to find a good old one!

Tim teaching Keelin how the mower works- she was mildly hesitant :)

Keelin and her special hen, Reeses.

She loves her chickens! It's adorable.

And thankfully, we have friendly poultry!

Tolerant, at the very least!

Keelin and our 1yr old Boxer, Max.

He is such a sweet dog, you guys...

Not sure why his ears are flapping in the breeze! :)

Keelin holding one of our Cornish Rock chicks

(i.e. a meat chicken)

Remember in the post where I quoted Bittman about how agricultural animals are treated so much worse than pets? Not ours!! We don't name the meaties, just because that would make it really hard for the kids when they are killed (not harvested.) Otherwise, they get lots of lovin' just like the rest of our pets.

Keelin here is informing me that she wants this one to be a pet, not dinner.

*sigh*

Jackson and Keelin, posing with two Cornish chicks.

Pardon the bright light, it was really early in the morning!

You can see just how big the Cornish chicks are- and they're only 3 weeks old.

And today, the rain came down so hard that we couldn't even see out of the windows. It was like a sheet of white! Thankfully, we didn't have to deal with any tornados and there was no damage done to our property or that of anyone we know. Come on, NC... how about some mild weather!!

Jackson and Big Bird?

I just feel the need to celebrate my wild guy!

This morning, Tim and I took him outside after we took Keelin to school.

It was time to check on the chickens water/food and open the door for them to go outside!

"Mommy, it's BIG BIRD!!!"

So, the chicken Jackson is pointing to is officially his special hen.

She's an Araucana hen named Big Bird.

Big Bird decided that she'd had enough.

Jackson WILL find you, Chicken... in his pjs and flip flops!

Jackson holding Big Bird.

I have never seen that little boy just stand still...

He really enjoyed getting to love on his feathered friend!

Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others, by Mark Bittman (one of my favorite NY Times contributors)

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/some-animals-are-more-equal-than-others/?smid=tw-bittman&seid=auto

This is an article that touched a nerve with me and I wanted to share it. The basic premise is that a girl in NY was sent to jail for killing her brother's pet hampster, while animals raised for food are tortured legally- and the double standard in that.

It absolutely tortures me to watch something like "Earthlings" (which will change your life), because it just makes no sense to me to harm a creature for any reason, much less justify it by saying that the animal is for food, leather, fur, etc.

Our chicks are absolutely pampered from day 1. The coop that they are going to move into when they are bigger is made to keep them happy and safe, from the height of the nesting boxes, to the type of materials on the floor, to the location of the run designed to keep them safe from predators while they forage, to the materials used for their perches.

Some of our chicks were purchased to be pets. We don't expect our bantams (our little guys) to be big egg producers or be big enough to eat. They're here because they're adorable and we wanted our kids to know that they were permanent and meant to be pets. Some of our pullets (female chickens) were purchased to be egg producers- the eggs will be eaten by us, our family and friends, some will be donated to those less fortunate should we have that kind of bounty. Some of our chicks, on the other hand, are going to be eaten. They will be killed humanely, processed in a clean and effective manner, and never once do we plan to lose sight of the sacrifice made by an animal that is to be eaten. The chickens meant for food will never be kept separately, treated with any less kindness, fed any less quality organic food, or spoken to less kindly than our pet chickens.

For this reason, I cannot understand the abuse of animals raised to be eaten. We know that some of our chickens will be eaten, but that does not change our treatment of them. It doesn't change the fact that just by living and being here on this planet, they deserve to be treated with kindness and not deprived of attention, food, water, proper living accomodations, or anything else that we consider important to give our pets.

I encourage everyone to keep that in mind when they shop for groceries. Grass fed, free range beef is the way to go. Preferrably from a local farmer that will let you visit his herd. Free range hens that are allowed to have sunlight, fresh air, and forage. Eggs produced by happy, well cared for hens. Cage free does not mean free range, either. A cage free chicken can live it's life in a hen house with no sunlight.

Just be aware. Be conscious of the decisions that you make when you buy groceries. It makes a world of difference to creatures that most people deem unworthy of such considerations.