Overextended

The past two weeks or so at our house has been hectic.  It's a manageable hectic and it's one that we've learned to expect each year as the looming tax deadline approaches but it's not a time we look forward to. I've spend more evenings than I'd like at work the last two weeks and Mike has spent a little too much time playing  the role of a single (soon to be) step-parent.  Although I probably don't articulate it enough to him, he really does a great job getting dinner on the table, homework done and wrangling the dogs and chickens when I need to stay late.  And he does this without complaining.  (Okay, without complaining too much.)  Things in our house are not running as smoothly or with the usual routines but we are getting by.  The necessary things are getting done, everyone is fed and healthy and even managing to get to lacrosse practice two nights a week (seriously, what was I thinking).  I'm trying to remind myself that sometimes just getting by is okay and I'm trying to let go of all the things that I just don't have time to worry about, like cleaning and healthy meals 5 nights a week.

A few pictures from the week.

Fail

I came home to chickens enjoying themselves in the backyard.  Chickens who were supposed to be in their run.  We were bad chicken owners this past week.  Friday I took the dogs out when I got home from work to find the door to the run open.   Another evening last week, Mike was so busy doing all the things I praised him for earlier, that he forgot to close the chickens back up.  I came out the next morning and almost jumped out of my skin when one of our Barred Rocks jumped out of a bush next to the coop.  It looks like the coop door blew shut before she was able to out herself away. She was not very happy with us.  I'm just thankful she was smart enough to hide in the bush.

Fail

It's hard to tell in this picture but Twig decided the house was such a mess that the best option for a place to lay was on top of a pillow that was quite literally hanging off the table.

Since clearly we are taking stellar care of our current pets, we decided to pick up a few chicks at the feed store this weekend.  I'm reasoning with myself that they don't take that much work and that the stress relieving ability of chicks offsets the work.