Egg-citing News!!!

BIG news from the Devine house... let me start by saying we had a crummy morning here at our house.  I'll tell you more about that in a minute, but it was just a boo-hoo/busy morning.  I was late getting outside this morning to feed the dog.  At about 10am, I was trying to clean up the kitchen and I took our leftover pancakes from breakfast out to the chickens and fed the dog.  Usually Kevin or I check the nesting box once a day for eggs, but we've been egg-less every time we've checked.  As I was feeding them the pancakes, I was debating whether or not to waste my time and check for eggs, but I decided to open the box.... and I let out a tiny excited squeal!  WE HAD OUR FIRST EGG!!!!

(Kevin read that if you add golf balls to the nesting boxes, it will help the hens know where to lay)

Kevin wasn't home (he was at the dentist) and I could.not.wait. to tell him!!!  I had texted him as soon as I saw it and said I had good news for him.  He came home kinda grumpy, like I had been all morning, and I was just smiling from ear to ear!  He said, "So what's the good news?"  Then I said, "What could the chickens have done that would make you happy?"  The light bulb went off and he said, "Did they lay an egg?!" And I told him to go look for himself.

Our chickens are 4 months + 12 days old, and that is EARLY for them to start laying.  They say happy chickens lay well, so we must have some happy chicks!

We were all so excited!  Allie brought it inside and we admired it for awhile.  Then we debated who should eat it.  I kept telling Kevin he should, and then we both mutually agreed we should scramble it so everyone could get a bite.

The girls ate every last speck.  There really is a difference if fresh eggs!  We should get an egg a day from the chicken that laid it, so hopefully the others will start laying soon too!  We could have as many as 50 eggs a week, but it will probably be a few months before we get that many - and egg production slows down in the winter so I'm thinking that many eggs will be more likely next spring.  We are one happy house today, so I had to share the excitement :)

Can't wait to do a whole breakfast for the family with them!

And just a little quick insert - Hayden had a pretty bad bike accident last night.  He flipped over his handle bars and landed on the concrete face first.  Kevin and I were out to dinner, but he got lots of TLC from his grandparents.  We came home and have taken care of this poor boy ever since.  He slept horrible last night (which is what I blamed my grumpiness on - no sleep bites) and he couldn't open or close his mouth this morning due to swelling.  He stayed home today and I've been trying to nurse him back to health.  I'm SO thankful he didn't break anything, or get hurt worse AND he was home today for our first egg.  I know he would have hated to miss the excitement!  Pray he feels better soon, please!

This was shortly after it happened. 

Looks worse today :(

Kind of hard to tell but the inside left side of his mouth is swollen the most.

Thoughts About 2nd Grade

I've had several people ask me what Hayden thinks of 2nd grade.  I'm thrilled to report he's LOVING it!  He adores his teacher and talks about her as if she's the greatest lady he's ever known - and he's only known her for a week! Ha!  Last Friday he came home and couldn't wait to tell me he got to give his teacher a back scratch before he left to get on the bus.  That next day (Saturday) he woke up and said, "Do I have school today?"  I excitedly said, "No buddy, it's Saturday! No school!" And he replied with, "Oh bummer, I love school."  Who is this kid?!?!  When we talk about our best/worst parts of the day, he always replies that there were no bad parts, everything was good!

He came home Monday ready to do his homework (which was just studying spelling words and reading his story for the week), and yesterday came home with FOUR books to read to help him meet his AR goal.  One was even a chapter book he had started reading on his own!  Last year I kept having to remind him to bring home a book, any book, so we could work on his goal and practice reading.  Last night, at bedtime, I was reading stories.  He picked out a book and asked if he could read it to everyone.  

With all that being said, this post is not to brag and say 'Wow, look how gifted my son is', it's to document the struggle that we've had for the last two years.  Struggling to find motivation and struggling with lack of confidence in his abilities.  He's still testing at a below average (at a first grader 6 months into the school year) reading level so he's by no means excelling, but the desire to do better is finally there!  And that's excellent in my book!

I'm hoping his progress continues all year long!  Hope yours kids are loving school this year too!

My New Necklace

A friend of mine posted a picture on Instagram of a new leather cuff bracelet she had purchased for her son to commemorate his baptism.  She tagged the shop she bought it from and I wanted to browse the other products for sale.  I was surprised to see her Etsy shop was empty, but I decided to follow her.  A day later she posted a picture of a new necklace (with 3 colored pineapple choices) she was putting up for sale. 

It was a fruit of the spirit necklace, and the fruit of the spirit has been our families focus this whole year!  I felt like it was made for me and I really wanted to get one.  People kept commenting on how fast her stuff sells out and how they hoped to get one.  She commented that sales would start at 9pm, so I made a mental note that when the kids went to bed that evening I'd order one or two.  The kids were up a little late and I grabbed my phone at 8:59.  It clicked in my head that the necklaces were getting ready to go on sale, so I logged on to her Etsy shop and found all three colors up for grabs. I couldn't decide on a color so I thought I'd splurge on all three and once I got them, I'd gift two of them.  As I was moving to the checkout page, it updated that 2 were already sold out (pink & white), so I quickly paid for the one that I still had!  They were sold out in about 30 seconds! I had no clue how lucky I was to snag one of these necklaces!

I literally couldn't wait to get it!  It arrived this past Saturday and I've worn it every day!  I just adore it!

The adorable packaging...

Not only did I receive this beautiful necklace, I received several cards with scriptures on them. AND a little note addressed to "Lovely Haley".  The packaging was phenomenal - so personal, so creative, so rustic/modern feeling, and it made me SO HAPPY!

These are on my fridge for the time being but I may find a better place for them!

I'm hoping I get another chance to get some of her products in the future!  She calls her necklaces "billboards for your heart".  Don't you just love that?  I'd highly recommend them!!!

Weekly Happenings: August 8 - 14

We had a good week!  Here's a little review in pictures from my iPhone :)

The story behind the adorable hair wraps... I have a turbie twist I use in my hair when I get out of the shower. They are like $5 at Walmart.  The girls always want their hair up like mine, and the last time I went to the Dollar Tree, I found these adorable ones!  Length wise they are smaller than the name brand ones, but it's perfect for their shorter hair! And I love the colors ;)

On Monday we got to meet Hayden's 2nd grade teacher and bring in school supplies.  He found his new classroom (which happens to be the exact same classroom he had last year... He thought that was neat), his locker, and his desk.

After meeting the teacher we had an ice cream date.

Wednesday: 

Wednesday was his first day of 2nd grade!  Kevin drove him to school and the whole family went outside to send him off.  

He also took his teacher his favorite cookies on the first day!

If you read my post Wednesday, you'd know I was down and out literally all day. I had the most horrible kink in my neck and I couldn't move my head at all without having the most terrible pain that took me to the ground.  It really was weird and I've never experienced anything to that degree before.  Kevin saved the day and stayed up all morning, took a quick nap at lunch time, and stayed up all afternoon and early in the evening to keep things running.  He had worked 5pm-5am the day before and he was running on E all day.  The kids loved having him home and awake all day!

This was me most of the day... Laid out with a heating pad, eating Advil like it was candy {that's an exaggeration - I had 4 all day, but that's a ton for me because I hardly ever take pain meds!}

A friend from high school has a little boy in Hayden's class and they just happened to sit next to each other in class!  She posted this picture on their first day and we loved it!  Allie asked if she could look at it all day :)

While Kevin took a little nap that afternoon, Krissy and Austin got into absolutely everything.  This is Krissy after her mascara encounter... And the hardest part of the day was having to sit and not being able to do anything!

Moving on from Wednesday, Allie has been finding ways to keep herself busy while Hayden has been at school - drawing, coloring, & playing with our pets just to name a few.  She and Krissy have become good playmates too, so things are going more smooth than last year.

(Isn't there a saying that people look like their pets?!)

And I wanted to note that these two are starting to get along better.  In the past, it has been a constant fight for my attention, but I'm seeing moments of sweetness where they enjoy each others company!

And another side note, Krissy is looking older to me everyday!

That's a little wrap up of my week :) hope you had a great one too!

(Sorry if the format looks funny/different.  I did this post from my phone!)

1st Day of School Interview

Our 1st day of school didn't go as smoothly as I had envisioned!  I woke up with the most horrific kink in my neck and the pain was so bad I couldn't even stand up. Can't say I have ever experienced anything like it.  I was laying on the family room floor and realizing I was going to need some help.  I texted Kevin about 6:30am (he's been sleeping at my parents or his parents house so he has a quiet house to sleep in)  and thankfully he was not asleep yet.  He said he would be right over to help me out.  When he pulled in the driveway he came in and laughed.  He said I couldn't have taken Hayden to school like I had planned because my van had a flat tire!  Geez oh Pete!  I spent the morning trying to help from the rocking chair.  Kevin played super dad and got breakfast made, and Hayden's lunch made.  He was also taking care of the other kids needs.  It's hard feeling so helpless on a big day!  Kevin drove Hayden to school today and he will ride the bus home.  I'm looking forward to hearing all about his day!

1.  What are you most excited about this year?
Hayden:  Um, meeting my teacher.

2.  What do you hope to learn about this year?
Hayden:  Um, I don't know yet.. um, math?

3.  What's your favorite subject?
Hayden:  Math

4.  What do you like to do for free time?
Hayden:  Can it be at recess?  Swing.

5.  What are you really good at?
Hayden:  Reading

6.  What's your favorite color?
Hayden:  Red

7.  What do you like most about yourself?
Hayden:  That's a tough one... I don't know how to answer that one. 

8.  What is your favorite sport?
Hayden:  Baseball because that's the only sport I can pretty much play.

9.  What's your favorite food?
Hayden:  Cherry tomatoes and Cherries

10.  What's your favorite school lunch?
Hayden:  Their pizza... you know how I am with pizza.

11.  What's your favorite book?
Hayden:  Cat in the Hat

12.  What's your favorite tv show?
Hayden:  Um... Cyber Space and Wild Kratts

13.  What's your favorite song?
Hayden:  Jason Aldean

14.  Who is your best friend?
Hayden:  Jagger... he's the closest friend too.

15.  What do you want to be when you grow up?
Hayden:  A cowboy- even though the song says don't let your sons grow up to be cowboys.

Elevation App

Are you looking for a good new *free* app to download?  Look no further!  Actually all the apps in the picture are great (First 5 is my newest and it's an alarm clock/daily devotion all in one), but the orange elevation app is our favorite!  

Have you heard of Elevation Church? It's located in Charolette, NC.  Their pastor is Steven Furtick and he's hands down one of the most inspirational, influential speakers I've ever listened to.  Maybe you've seen some of his quotes on Pinterest?  The Charlotte newspaper wrote this just a few months ago, "In nine years, Charlotte’s Elevation Church has grown from the 121 worshippers at its first service to the more than 17,000 who now show up every weekend at its 13 locations."

Kevin and I try to listen to a sermon weekly together.  They just started a new sermon series that I can't wait to listen to!  Hopeful one day we will get to actually go and be part of a live service.  Until then, I'll keep listening to the sermons on my app!  If you are looking for a mid-week pick me up, I'd highly recommend this app!

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article14407898.html#storylink=cpy

Heilman Girl Pictures

My sister in law did something so nice for me {gave me a Pampered Chef large bar pan}, and I was trying to think of a fun way to repay her and let her know how much I appreciated it.  I asked if they had anyone take pics of baby Harper yet.  They hadn't, so I offered to take some!  She's the 3rd newborn I've photographed.  Krissy and Austin were my first two.  I don't have a lot of experience, BUT Harper's pictures were better than my first to gos at it :)  I also took some of all their girls, and a few of Eleanor individually {Addison was playing with Hayden & Allie} while Harper was eating.  Hope you enjoy these cuties!

The 3 Heilman girls

 Eleanor

 Harper