bunnies

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Cousin’s Weekend – Team Boys!

My sister and I both have 2 children – and both a son and daughter.  My son is 7 1/2 and my daughter is almost 5.  Her twins are 4 1/2.  The kids really enjoy having “switcheroo” sleepovers, where the boys sleep at my house and the girls sleep at her house.

Hannah, who rarely plays with dolls, loves playing princess and dress-up with her cousin and spending time with her aunt and uncle.  Noah adores both of his cousins, but has a blast having another boy around who can keep up with his endless amount of energy!

Our 1st trip after we got home was to Oley Valley Feed to get some feed for the critters and some fence supplies.  Then we went over to The Oley Turnpike Diner for lunch…

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and to see the animals in the petting zoo.  It was so cold and windy, but the kids liked all the animals plus they got to feed them crackers!  The donkeys were the loudest and one sounded like it was crying!

Those donkeys were loud! :)

After we got home, the boys rode bikes outside…

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…and cut down some bushes.  In 10 years or so, they’ll be a pretty good grounds crew!  🙂  Oh, while we were outside I introduced my nephew to “Aunt Kim tissues”, too… (the edge of my shirt or sleeve for little noses).

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When the boys got too cold we went inside where they wrestled and played cars.  After dinner, they watched some tv and snuggled with Fastnacht, our house bunny.

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Sunday was even colder and windier, but they boys insisted on riding bikes again.  They managed to stay outside for about an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon.  They perfected riding on ice (which was nerve-racking for me), but at least my nephew had training wheels on his bike!

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We visited the sheep, but the sheep didn’t want any attention since we didn’t have food.  My nephew got to see his favorite sheep, Fiona, who he said was “all grown up and beautiful”.

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At lunch Dave opened his venison (or benison!) summer sausage from Shaffer Venison Farms.  After I ate some the boys each tried some.  We sent some sausage pieces home with my nephew because he liked it so much and that night I got a text from my sister, “Is this really deer sausage? … He wants me to get him more.  He was so excited when he remembered he had it.”  I know what he’ll be getting for his birthday this year!

After lunch the boys rode bikes again.    We played with the cats…

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…and played “Octonauts” (a Disney show) while snow flurries swirled around!  The kids’ fort was their headquarters and the bikes were their Gups (submarines).  At one point my nephew asked for a tissue and I told him I didn’t have one (hoping to go inside – I was freezing!).  He said, “What about an Aunt Kim tissue?”  Haha!

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Everyone had a wonderful weekend and I love having my nephew stay with us!  I think we were all tired out by Sunday afternoon and slept well Sunday night!

(I was very happy to have my baby girl home again, too!)  😉

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Meet Our New Pets!

We’ve had house rabbits in the past (Beau lived till he was 8 and Lola lived till she was 7) and our kids have been asking to get more rabbits for a while now.  On Sunday we went to the PaSRBA Convention in Lebanon, PA and the kids chose 2 rabbits to bring home.

Welcome Home!

Noah chose a broken black Mini Rex buck and named him Fastnacht (fosh-not).  For anyone not familiar with what a fastnacht is, click here.

Fastnacht

Hannah picked out a black otter Netherland Dwarf doe.  She first picked the name Blackie, but then decided on Black Rock.  I guess Blackie wasn’t creative enough for her!

Black Rock

They are each 3 months old and in separate cages until they can visit the vet, but here’s a cute picture of them together when we first brought them home.

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Her Name was Lola….

She was a bunny

With pointy ears upon her head and soft brown and white fur

She would binky and race around

And she knew she was a queen, even Beau was in her dreams

In cages side by side, they slept from 8 to 5

They were young and they had each other

Who could ask for more?

At the Day home, in the living room

The coolest spot west of Pottstown

At the Day home, in the living room

Grooming and sleeping were always their thing 

At the Day home … they fell in love.

They were happy, always together

Always lying next to her, Beau would always dote on her

And when she wanted, they would cuddle

One day Beau was too old, and it was time for him to go

He breathed his last breath, quietly in his sleep

His cage was packed away

Beau had left her side

At the Day home, in the living room

The coolest spot west of Pottstown

At the Day home, in the living room

Grooming and sleeping were always their thing

At the Day home … she lost her love.

Her name was Lola, she was a bunny 

They lived there happily for almost 6 years

Then she was sad, and oh, she missed him

Her health began to go downhill, and she became half-blind

She circles endlessly, please Lord let her rest

She lost her youth and she lost her Beau

Now she’s lost her health

At the Day home, in the living room

The coolest spot west of Pottstown

At the Day home, in the living room

Grooming and sleeping were always their thing

At the Day home …

Beau & Lola

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I’ve always hummed Copacabana whenever I think of Lola so I thought writing this was fitting.  We lost her a couple weeks ago – I took her to be euthanized on February 21st.  She was the 1st pet I had to do this for and it was difficult.  My eyes welled up with tears while I filled out the necessary form, and I had trouble signing my name to it. 

Hannah was with me at the veterinary office but Noah was, thankfully, at school to make up a snow day.  I held Lola in my arms until it was time for the vet to give her “the” injection.  While we were waiting 2 teenage girls who were there with their mother (and their cat) played with Hannah.  Even this day, God showed that He was with us by sending those girls to keep Hannah happy and occupied.

Noah feeding Lola

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Not Again…

We lost our 8-year old house bunny Beau on Thursday afternoon.  Dave and I adopted him from a bunny rescue 3 months after we were married when Beau was 11 months old.  He was a spunky, aggressive bunny who had been neglected by his previous family.  He would nip us whenever we put our hands in his cage to feed him!  He soon came to trust us and loved getting petted.  He even would let strangers pet him in his cage! 

Noah feeding Beau animal crackers

Soon after we moved to Douglassville Beau got a little “sister”, Lola.  After a few disputes about territory and Lola’s spaying they became very bonded.  We hope she doesn’t become too depressed being alone.

Lola and Beau

Up until Beau’s last day he was still that spunky bunny we first adopted.  He still ran around and “binkied” like a young bunny all the time.  He passed away quietly and peacefully with his family near him.  We’ll miss you, Beau!