The Post That Probably Shouldn't Be Posted

Raising chickens has been pretty simple until last Saturday when Darren and Mike noticed that one of our chickens was limping. It looked like the chicken had caught its foot on something on one of its wanderings and then the other chickens had pecked it. It wasn't pretty and the truth is that the following was not my idea. My idea was to scoot the chicken under the fence at the Ogden Nature Center and wash my hands of it. (Not nice, you say?) Well, Darren said, "No." So this is what we did:
First, a disclaimer here that we did not know our pictures would be taken. Our neighbor snapped most of these from her back porch. This whole episode really should have gone undocumented. And let's just get our laughs over now about my fashionable attire. Ha, ha. Okay--

Darren preparing the chicken and us with a little pep talk about what was about to come--an Epsom salt soak for her hurt foot.

I, though, being the one splashed with water when she did not agree.

Maybe it's not so bad.

Darren making a fashionable red cast out of gauze and duct tape.

The finished product. Today, the cast is still on and she's walking much better. A success? We'll see.

So, the question is, is this weird, or what? Would you toss the chicken, or try to save it?

It's May Already?

Maybe you've been wondering where I've been. Or maybe not. But if you have, I have the first of two shocking confessions here. (The second will come in the next post, don't scratch your head thinking, "That was only one confession.")
The confession is...that I've been playing Webkinz. Yes, really. And though blogging is not as fun as spinning the Wheel of Wow, or mining for gems, I decided to do an intervention for myself, and it worked, because here I am.
I know, I know, everyone has played Webkinz but me. I refused to buy them for my kids because 1. This is our only computer, it's my beloved laptop, it is not to PLAY on, and 2. The Internet is no place for kids.
But Maddie and Nicholas each received TWO Webkinz for their birthday, at the the following birthday party, and it was out of my hands. But it ended up being a little fun. For a while. I think I'm over it.

Madison and Nicholas had a combined birthday party this year at the Treehouse Museum. Did I say combined? (Read relief.) Did I mention it was indoors and we could care less what the weather was like? (Read relief again.) Though I'm not even going to mention that the weather was beautiful, the one year we actually planned to have their party indoors. Oh well, I'm not complaining.

The kids made fish hats, and then went to the theater to stage the play "Big Al". Emily said from the beginning that she was the teeny fish. Also, she was the pink fish. Her words.

Maddie and Nicholas in costume. Nicholas was Big Al, Maddie was Rainbow Fish. (The story was adapted, that's why.)

Tanner was toooooo funny.

Waiting for cake, I think. Darren was taking the pictures.

It really was such a nice party! We all had a great time. Yay!

Class of 2008

Here we begin the pictures from last Friday, one week ago, when Jordan became an official BYU graduate. No longer a BYU student. Rats.

This photo is to tell everyone that we were at Spring Commencement Exercises. Don't forget, or the following photos will not make much sense.

This was an excellent picture of Jordan that I took. He's up there somewhere. I think that's him shaking hands with the guy with the stripes on his sleeve. There's more than one? Ummm, how about the one in the middle?

This really was an excellent picture. Jordan had to step out of line for me to take it, because "family and friends" were not following the stated instructions to snap their picture quickly and remove themselves from the photo taking area. I hope Jordan had not been sitting by a long lost friend, because he lost his seat. But good picture, huh?

It's over.

The graduate and his family.

There are many of these pictures, the "making sure James is okay and well" pictures.

Mom took the kids to the Bean Museum. Emily has a sea horse in that bag. James had a sea horse that day. Interesting.

A classic Jordan look.

Another classic Jordan look.

Let's talk about me for a second. I think I look a little hunched. I ought to work on my posture.

Nicholas picked out a safari hat at the Bean Museum.

Jordan wanted it.

Cute family once again.

Maddie and Nicholas were tired of pictures and went on safari.

Goodbye.

Oh, wait. There's more. Here is us at Magelby's. Mom's exact words were, "Dad's not here, I'll splurge." (Take that as you will, Dad. I didn't say it.) (Just kidding.) (Don't be mad, because I'm really hoping for Los Hermanos soon.) (It was just a joke!)

About the actual picture...I made the mistake of thinking I could fool Emily by telling her that the fettuccine alfredo was mac n' cheese. She was not fooled and was actually quite mad. So this is her eating her fettuccine alfredo and my salmon.

Congratulations, Jordan!

Since the Internet is a great place to share personal things, Nicholas said (during lunch), "Don't tell Dad, but BYU is a nice school." Uh oh.

Here's the second confession: I'm glad Jordan is no longer actually attending BYU, hopefully the subject of BYU will not come up much in the future, because when Dad was trying to get Stadium of Fire tickets, and it was looking like he would not get them, I made a personal promise that if, oh if, Dad could get tickets, Please, that I would not ever, ever make fun of BYU again. (I know this is shocking, and it's not even that I wanted to see Miley Cyrus at all, it's that one of my life goals is to be the Stadium of Fire Super Fan when I'm 95, and though the committee that chooses such things--okay, it doesn't exist yet--might overlook the ONE time I've missed--yes, ONE time since the beginning of Stadium of Fire existence--and that because Darren would not let me go with a one-month old baby--oh, I would've gone--the committee would not overlook a lame excuse like "It was hard to get tickets. EVERYONE wanted to see Miley Cyrus."

"Miley who?" they will say.

So you see, I had to make that promise, and Dad DID get tickets. So let's all agree to not talk about BYU anymore. It is a matter of eternal importance.

Finally, the end. Here is one last picture of the snow yesterday, on May 1st. Happy spring!