SURPRISE!

Okay---the short version.

Last Tuesday, we were outside in the evening doing some garden picking because we were expecting frost overnight.  While outside, Paul asked Cassie to look around and count all of our chickens because it appeared we were missing some (AGAIN!)

She went off looking......and I kinda peered around too.  I came up to a patch of weeds around the potato plants.......and I saw a still puff-ball of feathers :(  As I walked closer.....yup.....it was a chicken. A very DEAD looking chicken.

As I drew even closer, her head twitched up, and I thought "poor ol' gal!  Left for dead."

But......when I got right on top of her....... she PUFFED up all big and started shallowly clucking.  For those of you who have ever had a brooder....I KNEW what her actions meant.  She's SITTING on eggs!  

And sure shootin!  We lifted her and counted about 16 eggs under her!!!!!!  What a SNEAK!!!!  We had no idea how long she had been sitting on them, so we left her be.  And it got COOOOLD for a few nights this past week.

Fast forward to yesterday evening.  Candace came bolting in...and Paul came bolting in from the other way (they were racing)....and they BOTH were trying to be the first to tell me......

THE BABIES HATCHED!

How on EARTH have we not noticed that Big Mama has been missing in action for the past 21 days????  And now.....good golly!  Another (minimum) of 13 babies.

She was out-n-about when I arrived home today from school.  Paul and girls gathered them up and moved them into an empty, heated chicken coop for the time-being.  

Big Mama----you are a trooper!!!!!

And after dinner tonight, Candace and I worked on making some dessert.  What would Autumn in Wisconsin be without some caramel apples???

OH!  And as far as the school work goes.  :S

I didn't do ANY last night like I anticipated.  Instead, I arrived at school about 15 minutes earlier than usual and prepped my day up quickly.  Then worked on grades....and by the time the first bell was ringing, I was sipping on my coffee, ALLLLL ready for my day.  And then.....used my prep today to plan for most of the rest of the week. 

Just goes to show you-----I CAN do it all at school!

October BOM, Twilight, and Caramel Apples

Double Star Chain

The third October BOM was pieced today. Sometime soon I'll see what I can do with the 17 blocks that I have (recall I made a top with 13 blocks earlier this summer)

My designwall still was showcasing the Twilight layout from a month ago. Sure....why not....I was game to piece it together.

The first set of borders are pinned and ready for sewing, but.....I think that's all she wrote for today. After making some homemade Chicken-Vegetable-Noodle soup for lunch, I wasn't overly inspired anymore for quilting. Rather, I enjoyed soaking in the tub for over an hour, relaxing with the bubbles and reading a good book.

Then, after some pleading eyes from a few lil' girls, I made up some caramel apples for an afternoon snack. {Oh, and I allowed the girls to stay in their PJs all day----going green here; WHY have them dirty another set of clothes only to put their PJs on again 12 hours later????} ;0)

Happy Saturday