Shrubs, Coops, and more

A few months back my front yard looked like this, beautiful green grass, a nice view of the street.  But things were about to change.

 Grass disappeared and rocks were placed.

 Then came the shrubbery.  45 shrubbery in fact.

 And here is the final result.  I am looking forward to watching all the plants grow and flower.

 Here are the beginnings of the coop.  The chicks are now 12 weeks old and have outgrown their 4x4 box in the garage.

 Here it is framed and with some of the wire stapled to it.

 When the coop was finished enough for the chickens to hang out in it during the day, Rhed would sit by the coop, read, and eat watermelon.  He likes being near the chickens. Funny kid!

 The brothers have come to investigate.

 Here it is, stained and, for the most part, ready to go.

 Ryan and I did a sprint triathlon last Saturday.  It was sponsored by our city.  A babysitter watched the kids while we swam 500 meters, biked 13.1 miles, and ran a 5K.  The weather was beautiful and we had a good time.  Ryan finished in 1 hour 38 minutes.  It took me just over 2 hours.  In fact I was the slowest biker and out of 170 participants, I came in 168th, thank you very much.  If I had been 30 seconds slower I would have come in dead last.

But I finished.  Hooray for me!  See how happy I am?  Happy it is over and that I survived. Ryan and the boys went out the night before and wrote encouraging messages to me in chalk on the asphalt.  They hung a cardboard sign on the outskirts of town along the bike route.  The boys all signed it and wrote they loved me. . . . such thoughtful boys.