February Highlights 2021

February 3rd it was over 60º! Thomas and I stopped at a park after our Costco run, it was amazing. Can' believe it dropped over sixty degrees in ONE week. 

Saturday January 6th we finally got to check out the modern art museum here. It was closed last year when we moved here, then with CoVID they didn't open. They are now open and we went. We were the only ones there, I was surprise. And I was surprised how small it was. But it was still fun and great to get out. 

  

Then we went to Exploration Place. It's the science (children's) museum here. We went a lot last year before CoVID because our Science Museum of Minnesota membership got us in here too. But we hadn't been since before last March. We purchased a membership, because really with a family of six it just makes the most sense to buy the membership and return as we please. We have already been three or four times since this day and today writing this. So well worth the cost. I only got two photos the first visit. We spent most of the time in the PoP Culture exhibit

Mary lost her TOOTH! First one. 

  

For Valentine's Day (well the day before) The girls and I went to get pedicures. 

Then that afternoon we returned to the Exploration Place, this time enjoyed a movie in the big dome

  

Then we had a SUPER cold week that week of February 15-19th. The kids had a remote learning day on Friday because of the cold. Then Monday they were out of school for President's day. Then Tuesday and Wednesday were the coldest two days and they had remote days. They were also out of school at 1:00 on Wed-Fri that week for conferences. So our schedule got all screwed up. With the kids home, Thomas doesn't get the attention he needs, naps don't happen and it's quite the shit show. 

I should have done this earlier, but the coldest day came and I winterized the coop. The girls were doing fine, staying in their coop, but I wanted to make sure they were draft free. I checked on them multiple times a day, made sure they had fresh water. A friend of mine kept assuring me they'd be okay, her chickens survived the polar vortex in Minnesota a few years back with NO supplemental heat. Chickens are amazing creatures and they actually do better in extreme cold than the heat. It is not recommended to add heat or bring them inside (extreme change) because this messes with their innate ability to regulate the cold weather and heat their own bodies. As long as they have draft free shelter, able to get up on a roost and cover up their feet with their down feathers, have adequate food and water they are SET!

Lilia even ventured out in the snow one day... then quickly realize she did not want to be walking in it and roosted up on the light, lol. I carried her back to the coop, this happened while I was outside so she wasn't there for long. 

Sunset is the only chick with a floppy big comb. It started to show signs up frost bite so we brought her in to apply some vaseline for protection. We did this a few times and also did Bernadette and Lilia's combs once as well. Theirs is smaller and didn't show signs of frost bite, but we wanted to be proactive. 

 

We did a crazy family trip to Costco one evening, yes crazy of us. But Isaac saw this 3D puzzle and wanted it so he's been working on it. Harry Potter's great hall and astronomy tower. 

It started to warm up and the chickens were excited to venture out, although till bitter about the snow. They congregated in this one little spot where there was open ground. I think the first night they thought they were stuck because they stayed there well into dusk... I came out to carry them back to their coop, silly spoiled chickens. 

The girls had been asking to give Isaac a soak and massage since getting their pedicures, so one night before bed we let them do their thing. Isaac enjoyed getting pampered, lol. 

Last Friday they had their last day of early release so we retuned to Exploration place. This time we spent most of our visit in the aircraft area. They have fun exhibits set up to drive planes and learn all about the mechanical parts of the planes. 

One activity was driving a plane on the map from Wichita to various locations and then you get a photo at the end, lol. 

The chickens have loved being back outside and enjoying the warmth. And with warmth means the opposom is back! One evening I was late getting out to close them up and JUST caught this guy trying to sneak into the chicken run. I don't think he'll hurt the chickens, I think he just wants their eggs.

Sunset's comb is getting black on the tips. Guessing it will fall off or maybe be like this for good? I'm not sure, we'll see. 

And lastly, here's a picture of Thomas playing with me yesterday. We've been going through the marvel movies so he loves the Captain America and Iron Man right now. He's also happy to have our days back together when I'm not being pulled in three other directions helping the big kids with remote learning.