chicken wings

To keep our chickens from pooping all over the back porch and in the barn, we (when I say we, I mean Colby) clip their wings so they stay in the pasture. Well, last week we needed to clip the wings on the younger batch chickens. The boys were in charge of chasing, cornering and catching the chickens. It was hilarious to watch as they tiptoed behind the chickens, trying to sneak up on them and then pouncing on them and still missing the chicken. With some help from Colby, all the chickens were caught and clipped.

Blue was the self appointed gate keeper. This allowed him to sit around while Reed and Beau chased the chickens.

The boys have a punching bag in the barn to practice their "moves" on. Sometimes the punching bag gets the last shot, but not on this day...



Reed is a tough guy when it comes to the goats. He likes to push around the babies and ride around on the mama. He looks like on tough cowboy, doesn't he?

american pickers

We love to watch American Pickers at our house! In fact, our boys love it so much that Reed has decided that when he grows up he wants to be a "picker". Colby has tried to explain to him that it isn't a profession but just a hobby (in hopes of encouraging Reed to aim a little higher). Last month we held a boy scout yard sale (Colby is Scoutmaster) at our house. The week before the big day, the scouts went around our ward picking up donations and then put them in my garage for safe keeping until Saturday. There was so much stuff/crap crammed into my garage! I couldn't believe it. This was a dream come true for my boys. They went picking in the morning before school, after school, and late into the night. Oh the treasures they found- a radio alarm clock, a remote control robot, a gazelle exercise machine, all sorts of '80's vhs tapes, and all sorts of toys! I told them that they were going to have to buy what they wanted just like everyone else. So, on Friday the boys were doing all sorts of jobs for me to earn enough money for all those treasures they just had to have. Bright and early Saturday morning, my boys purchased their finds. By eleven o'clock, we were winding down and there was still a ton of junk! So my boys went to town buying as much as they could for mere pennies. I was so exhausted and overwhelmed to put up a fight with them.

The only picture I took to remember this whole ordeal is of Beau in his first purchase of the morning, a size 18 month-24 month santa suit (nevermind that he is almost 5 yrs old) He loved it and wore it for the next week!

Quinn Ruby Shepherd

I can't believe that she is 7 weeks old already! Yes, it seems to go by so quickly but not without those individual days (and nights) that seemingly go on without any end in sight. We are so glad that she is part of our family! I am so lucky to have my three boys, and Quinn is just icing on the cake. The boys love to "pet" Quinn's head and it is hilarious to hear their voices go up a few octaves when they say, "Hhhiiiiiii Quinn". They are all so good about feeding Quinn and very persistent in trying to convince her that she wants to suck on a pacifier (she's still on the fence about her pacifier).

When I changed the title of my blog to "Where The Boys Are" I thought my family was complete. I thought I would be a lonely girl in a boys' world. But now, this title is even more fitting. Quinn loves to be in the same room as her brothers and to hear their voices. She starts to coo whenever they look over her and offers big smiles to them. She wants to be where the boys are.

No doubt, Quinn is daddy's little girl.