If there is one thing I am doing correctly as a parent, this is it: having the art table available for Finley. She spends at least 75% of her free time there.

I am ready for this chilly, damp weather to be done. There are too many things I could be doing outside, and being stuck inside makes me think too much. That and I need a good excuse to avoid housework.

Tomatoes are looking good. It's chilly today, so I'll probably stay inside and start some squash and cukes.

Today at recess, Finley asked to go to the principal's office to have her tooth pulled.

Let me just say that it is really great to have kids at a school where the pricipal is loved instead of feared. Mr. Delk is fantastic. (And, yes, he did pull her tooth.)

The chicken coop is finished! Okay, so not really. I still need to put the plants up top... But Chris got home early Friday and finished putting sealer on all the wood, got all the chicken wire up, and put the dirt up top. The chicks are now getting used to wandering outside and have been enjoying pecking at the grass and taking little dirt baths. By the way, having the soil on top has made a huge difference in how warm it got inside the coop. Without soil, I had to be sure to turn the heat lamp off inside the coop on a sunny day, but with the soil, it has stayed cool.

This is a picture of our neighbor, Terry, on his monster-mower. It has a 3 point PTO on the back, and he showed up yesterday morning with his 4' tiller on the back to till up the garden plot.

After struggling with my mother to dig up a small patch just a few days before (okay, so I struggled... my mom totally outworked me), it nearly made my cry with relief to to have Terry show up and make a 10 minute job it.Now I just need to rake it out and get planting!

In other news, this weekend saw gable walls and collar beams put up (pictures to come later) with the help of John King and his friend. Terry also came over with his skid loader and filled up the 'porch pit' with gravel. (Have I mentioned how great it is to have neighbors with equipment?)

I also have not mentioned that we sign Joe up for baseball and Finley up for soccer this spring. What were we thinking? These people are serious about their baseball here, and have been trying to practice at 3 times a week. Sheesh. Soccer is a bit more relaxed, and Finley's coach is fantastic... Even though she can barely kick a ball and is by far the greenest on the team, he is really encouraging and patient.