Our Chicken Coop

We have had our 4 chickens out in their coop for 2 weeks.   They love it.    Since I love the idea of urban farming for everyone, I wanted to share my chicken coop details.    I bought the chicken coop as a kit from the feed store where I purchased our chicks.   I purchased a coop for 4 chickens.

Here is the picture of the coop I bought from the feed store.    I would only recommend this kit if you can modify this coop.    I have a close family friend, Dennis, who came in from MO to help me with the coop design.

The kit says it "Safe and Secure".   I would disagree with this statement.    The basic design is great but it is not predator proof.   The latches worked well but a raccoon could easily open them.   There was no latch on the back lid to the nest.  This really surprised me! This is where the eggs will be and it would take nothing for a raccoon to open this lid.

The second picture is our coop modified!   Dennis did a wonderful job!    Here is the improvements made to this basic coop design.  Again, the basic kit worked great!    Dennis added a bar through the upper part of the housing area for two reasons: 1) It is part of the system to add the tractor attachment so we can move the coop.  2) This is where the heat lamp is attached.   We have the heat lamp on a timer so it comes on at night for the late spring and summer.

Dennis added a better latching system to the all the doors and a latching system to the lid that opens to the nest.   He made the coop predator proof by adding chicken wire to the base of the coop.   This was important for us.   We have foxes and coyotes that could dig under the coop and get the chickens.

That's it!    

My Arbonne Sell for May!

So, I just wanted to make you aware of a very exciting Arbonne sale.   This is rare so take advantage of it if you can.   The full RE9 set is on sale for a limited time for $299 (normally $323).   If you become a Preferred Client, which is like a Costco membership that gives you an additional 20% off.  $299 is the price before your 20% discount - so the actual price would be $239.20 plus tax and shipping.   Also, you now have the choice between the regular RE9 advanced day creme or our newly formulated RE9 advanced EXTRA moisturizing day creme.  If you would like to place an order please contact me or you can always log in with your Arbonne ID and pin and shop away.  If you need help with anything  or need your ID and Pin resent don't hesitate to contact me at lucretia@holcombs.org.

To see our newest products and limited edition items just click on "what's new" in the left hand column while shopping online.  We have a host of new goodies and some oldies ( sky for men set).  Enjoy.

P.S.  if you do order over $250  scroll down in your shopping cart and hit $125 for $25 and you can pick out more wonderful products for only $25!  

Happy May! 

Mississippi Trip 2011

We had a great trip to Mississippi.


We spent a  lovely time at Granny Pa's house!   We had a fun time celebrating Cousin Rhys and Carys birthdays.  Rhys's baseball team had a game so we got to attend and we were introduced to frozen pickle shots (no alcohol).  They were so good!  We got to go to the Memphis Zoo which had an amazing dinosaur exhibit of animatronics.  We feed the ducks at a park and saw the birth place of Elvis.  Granny took us on the Natchez Trace where she showed us all about swinging on muscadine vines. 

Friday Fill In

And...here we go!

1. Speed is needed for travel this week.


2. A relaxing week end  to a wonderful week is what I've been looking forward to!


3. One of the things I like most about traveling is what EE Cummings said "somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond any experience,your eyes have their silence ."


4. The Blues and Granny makes me think Memphis


5. A road trip to Memphis makes me sing... "I put on my blue suede shoes
And I boarded the plane Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues"

6. Organic whole wheat pizza is what I had for dinner last night.


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to picking up my hubby at the airport tomorrow my plans include knitting, dinner and a movie and Sunday, I want to watch CBS Sunday morning with a latte, garden in the afternoon cool weather and complete a couple of home projects.

1. Eggs were colored for the spring equinox.2. My children are awesome! 3. When I look in the mirror, I say "You are wonderful".4. An organic, grass feed steak, in season organic veggies and  a glass of Chianti   these are the things I like for a special dinner! 5. Currently, I am asking myself with each decision "is this taking care of myself?".6. Strategy games are my fav type of games.7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing with a movie after indoor sky diving, tomorrow my plans include shopping at Gymbore with my little girl and Sunday, I want to eat brunch and enjoy my husband's birthday with a surprise gift in morning!

April Snow Fall in Boulder

It happens most every year.   We get a huge snow fall in April.    This snow fall occurred on Tuesday and was only a few inches;  Usually it is 2 feet and amazing!     This was one of those wet snows too.   It hung heavy on everything and everything was in bloom.   The past several weeks had been very warm especially the week prior - the temperatures reached the high 70's.     March was an extra dry and warm month.   Typically we get a lot of snow - not a lot of accumulation in March.     It makes gardening exciting because I can start early but a dry, hot spring and summer is not a pretty site in Boulder.  Everything gets brown.  


 Last year was beautiful!   Everything was green till August and I didn't turn on my sprinkler system till late July.     The mountains had gotten a record amount of snow so in the spring the snow melt flowed heavy down to us.   The river beds were full and at times raging by April.    This year our creek beds are dry.   It was a dry season for the mountains.    My family went skiing for several days outside of Winter Park at Sol Vista in March.    The snow base was thin.  Rocks sticking up and patches of grass on all the runs.    It was best to do half day passes because in the morning the snow was a sheet of ice and in the afternoon the snow turned to mash potatoes.     It was fun to ski in the mash potato soup of snow.   We had a great time, however, March skiing typically has a hard snow pack and the mash potato constancy doesn't show up till mid April.   Everything is in cycle.   I am not one that freaks out about global warming.   Changes in climate is suppose to be the norm in my opinion - which I have researched.    All is well.    

Soul Mama Look

I am thinking about updating the look and feel of this blog.   I have had this look for several years and it feels time to do it.  In fact it was 2009 when I gave my blog a face lift.   I have really loved this fall look because it is my favorite season!    I am thinking about something more streamlined.   It has taken over a year to figure out what I want to blog since joining Facebook  - it seems in  conflict.  SO be on the look out in the next week for more Soulmama!

And here it is....I added social icons at the top of a spring/summer look and feel.   I love how blogs have evolved since I first started my blog.    Truly this is a website around a blog.   I have several independent pages to provide more information on Unschooling, Arbonne and doTerra Oils.   I set up a nice RSS feed that is streamline.   I added a picture display that is connected to blog entries that I am profiling.   I add buttons for all my website and a blog badge that allows you to grab the code and add to your site.  At the bottom of each blog entry, you can now submit that entry to several social/media sites; Then at the bottom of the blog is Abraham-Hicks quote I love, my archive, the blogger icon and page hits.

And with that look and feel I would like to address for clarification the name of my blog.   I started my blog a few shorts months after my beautiful soon was born in 2005.    I was in great need of communication; Of communicating the intense emotions of have this lovely baby in my arms.    Soul Mama seemed very on target for me.   It captured both the fact that I was a mother now and that I was going to connecting my words to 'verse on deep level.

I had no awareness of Soule Mama's blog.   In fact, she started her blog in 2005 too.   I am not certain when she started hers in 2005 since I can not view her archive by year; However, I did start in June of that year.    Soule is her last name.   I love Soule Mama's blog.  Her husband goes by Soule Papa. Her books are great and the wealth of ideas she post is enormous.   Here is the link to her blog: http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/ 

Why now do I want to address the name thing?   No I have not gotten any negative feedback online.   I have gotten a few questions from an unschooling mom's group I am part of...nothing really framed as negative - more just the questioning look.    I guess I just wanted to put it out there in the 'verse.

Friday Fill In

1. Spring is beginning to bloom. 
2. I am   strong , capable and more than enough. 
 3. I forgot my garlic is not planted! 
4. Homemade fresh coconut shrimp is delicious! 
 5. Heads, shoulders, knees and toes . 
6. Hiking is my favorite form of exercise when it's warm enough out not to wear a coat! 
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to knitting and a movie with my kids, tomorrow my plans include date night with my son and Sunday, I want to get my garden ready to plant snow peas, lettuce and spring crops!

John's Birthday Weekend

John's Birthday weekend consisted of Granny and Cousin Rhys flying in from Mississippi!   That was an amazing treat for both the boys.  John was leaning to ice skate, by request, and so Rhys joined him for his lesson.  Rhys was a total natural.  It took him a few minutes to get the hang of it and then he was off!   Shortly after they arrived in Boulder, we got 24 inches of snow.  Rhys and Granny loved it beyond words!   We went sledding down our hill and Lena was so happy that she could make it up this time by herself with her sled.   We went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to check out the dinos, snakes and reptiles and space.   Our adventure was rounded out by going to Winter Park and sledding Fraiser Hill - which is super fast!    We had to reschedule John's official party for Monday because of the snow and it worked out great!     The boys played at home with Lena and Granny while I picked up the cupcakes; Then we all meet up with our friends at MidAir Adventures which is an indoor zipline adventure place.  We had this amazing face painter and she transformed the kids into creatures from all over the world!  We spent the afternoon celebrating and then went swimming at the mini indoor water park in Broomfield.    It was cold water but we still had a blast!   Thanks to everyone for a great birthday celebration!!

Happy New Year 2012 ~

There is a feel about this year that is different and fresh.   I am wishing you all joy.  It is a great time to be alive!