Up All Night With The Girls

Power outages are not good for new chicks.  New chicks need to be kept warm - very warm.  Their first week they need to be kept in a temperature of 95 degrees.  This is easily done with a 250 watt warming lamp.  Not so easy when the power is out on a stormy snowy night!! 

Heating Lamp

Last night as the power went out, my birds were left without the warming lamp.  Luckily I woke up shortly after the power outage about 2:00 am.  As I checked in on the girls, they were huddled together benefiting from each others warmth.  The smallest (we have named her Marilyn) was wiggling her way to the middle of the flock.  I was grateful they were in the house and not in the garage.  I turned on the fireplace and was able to warm the room up enough so they weren't to cold. 

Chicks

As I was up all night with these chicks, I recalled a similar time when I was on my mission and stayed up all night with chicks. 

I had recently been transferred to Zona 5 in Guatemala City.  My companion was Hermana Leininger.  Our zone leaders came by one day with a gift for us.  They gave us two incubated eggs, and told us if we kept the eggs warm they would hatch. That night I removed the shade from a lamp and set the lamp on it's side.  I put the eggs as close to the light bulb as I dared - I didn't want to cook them!  This was my sad attempt to protect and incubate these eggs.  Well it seemed that I couldn't warm the eggs.  So, I took the eggs to bed with me.  I thought maybe my body heat would warm them.  I put them under my neck, in my arm pit, the back of my knee.  Nothing I did could warm those eggs.  I spent a sleepless night trying to warm those eggs.  In the morning it dawned on me that these eggs were regular breakfast eggs, and that the Elders were pranking us. 

I couldn't let it end there. 

A couple of days went by.  The Elders would call and ask us about the eggs.  We would tell them how much care we were giving those eggs.  They seemed very pleased.  We knew that we would be seeing the Elders soon, so we needed to be prepared.  In Guatemala, back in the early eighties, you could buy chicks at the grocery store.  On our way home one evening, we stopped at the store and purchased two baby chicks.  The next day when the Elders came by, we ran out to them with exciting news - that the eggs they had given us had hatched!!  They were speachless!!  What could they say??  We bested them and we all knew it, but they couldn't acknowledge it.  HaHaHa!  I'm still laughing to this day!!

We even named the chicks.  David and Eric.  Those were of course the Elders names.

I am posting a photo of myself and my companion with our chicks.  It is against my better judgement that I am posting it.  When you see my hairdo you'll know why I hesitate to show the world this photo.  Just don't laugh at me!  And if you do... don't tell me you did.

Me with David and Eric

Kris with David and Eric

What Came First? The Chicken or The Coop??

We have about five weeks before we need a coop, for the babies we just brought home.  I'm so excited to have little chicks.  This is something I've wanted to do for the past few years.

These chicks are so CUTE!!  They are so comical to watch.  They run as fast as their little legs can go then suddenly stop and fall asleep - literally - falling beak first into the pine shavings.  The first time we witnessed one of the girls do this we thought she had died of exhaustion. 

They seem to have endless energy, then suddenly they're asleep.  They fall asleep standing up, all wobbly like a two year old, not wanting to give into sleep.  After five minutes of a good deep sleep they are up and running again.

Right now my girls are staying in the house.  Shocking I know!  For anyone who doesn't know me, I don't like animals in the house.  They'll grow fast, they'll live in a tub for the next 5 weeks (Most of which will be spent in the garage).  Once they have pin feathers they can be put out in the coop. 

Oh, wait!  I don't have a coop! 

Reflections of 2010

I wanted to document the Legge's Life for the year 2010 here on my blog.  I actually started this post in early January, but set it aside to work on other things.  I still want to post it and hope you all will forgive me for posting it three months later.  I can't believe I haven't posted anything since October!  I must have been really busy these past few months.  Plus I won't allow myself to post anything current until I get this one on the blog.

The year 2010 started with a most amazing day in the Grand Caymans.  Swimming with Sting Rays and walking on gorgeous beaches. We took the family on a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.  This was by far my favorite island that we visited. 

Sting Ray City

Grand Cayman

In February I celebrated my 50th birthday with a 50s theme party, complete with singers (The Cadillacs www.cadillacsacapella.com) and hula hoop contest.

A'capella Group The Cadillacs

Hula Hoop Contest

We also visited the set and taping of the local morning show Good Things Utah.

Good Things Utah

In Mid February we started our major remodel on our Kitchen and Bathroom/Laundry Room.  I love our new kitchen so much I wish we had done it years ago.  Now almost a year later we pretty much have a new house!  I love it!

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen!!

During the remodel I used our basement as a make shift kitchen.  I would cook meals in the slow cooker, rice cooker, wok, griddle, microwave and toaster oven.  We used the outside grill a lot and washed the dishes in the bathroom sink.  It was a bit crazy, but we made it work.

Make shift kitchen in the basement

Everything but the kitchen sink!!

At the end of February John and I took a trip to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.  We swam in Cinotes, climbed ruins, rode bikes, swam with turtles, ate great grilled chicken, fed a monkey, went on a zip line and talked ourselves out of a mexican speeding ticket!

Snorkeling in a Cinote

Grilled Chicken

 There have been dance competitions, Prom, Sweethearts and Alta Drill. 

I traveled to California a couple of times to help with The Ruffled Feathers Eatery (My sister's restaurant).  Great place to eat when you're in San Jose.  www.rfeatery.com

 Spent Easter in St. George

I made strawberry jam and enjoyed Strawberry Days in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Strawberry Goodness

Enjoying the Rodeo

Enjoying the Rodeo - Notice the horses tongue!

 I baked bread and biscuits.

Whole Wheat Bread

Pesto French Bread

Baking Soda Biscuits

I planted and harvested my herbs and veggies.

Best Tomato Year Ever!

Gorgeous Herbs

Root Veggies

I decorated...

                                         ...and celebrated.












We went to Reid Ranch for Youth Conference

Three Bulls Eyes!!!

On the lake at Reid Ranch

Our tree gave us beautiful Apricots this year.  We don't usually get many apricots, because we have an early fruit bearing tree and the spring snows freeze our blossoms.  So, I was thrilled to have so many apricots.  I made pies (with Rielley's help) and apricot syrup (my favorite).

Rielley made 5 beautiful pies

We enjoyed picnics in the canyons after church.  It's a great way to cool down on hot sabbath days.

Foil Dinners are the Best!!  No Dishes!

We enjoyed Bear Lake, floating down Provo River, and Shooting The Tube

Bear Lake

Shooting The Tube

Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, John Mayer, and Jack Johnson Concerts

Lady Antebellum

Toby Keith

John Mayer

I made pesto and pies, canned pickles, jams, tomatoes, soups, and tomatillos.  I dried herbs and flowers

Dill Pickles

Tomato Soup

Apricot Pie

Fall brought a trip to New York City (one of my favorite places), Dad's 80th Birthday, Mission Reunion and more Drill (Alta Las Scalles)

Brooklyn Bridge

My Dad - Doesn't he look great at 80!

Guatemala City/El Salvador Mission 1983-84

Las Scalles Hip Hop

 We added a backyard pizza oven, spent Thanksgiving in California at my sisters restaurant, and walked down memory lane in San Jose - it was a great place to grow up.

Pizza Oven

Should read - Closed for Thanksgiving - Ha Ha Ha!!

Where the Legge clan began in California

I discovered peanut butter frosting, prepared names for the temple and celebrated Christmas at Temple Square.

Peanut Butter Frosting!!!!!

John Ralph Legge and Amelia Serra

Annual Christmas Horse and Buggy Ride

Beautiful Salt Lake Temple at Christmas Time

I look back over the year 2010 and have great memories of fun times and great accomplishments.  But the camera cannot capture the most important things: love for my God, husband and children, health, faith and PEACE!!  Life is good.