Nilsson News

 Well I guess it's the season for farm stories!  I absolutely love it when the kids really get to be involved.  We had two moms who were getting close to their foaling dates but just like people you never really know when things will take place.  Addy suggested that we lock the two in stalls in Friday night where they would be in a protected place and where we could watch them on the camera, mainly because the night was supposed to be really windy and cold.  I told Addy before going to bed that I really didn't think they would foal because their udders didn't seem very full and I wasn't able to express any milk.  Throughout the night, I checked on the camera on my phone but the mom's weren't showing any unusual behavior.  At 3:00 a.m. I looked on my phone again and there was a baby!  Garrett, Addy and I went out to the barn and guessed the foal to be about an hour old.  All seemed to be going as it should for which we are always grateful.

Garrett and I left for the temple at 6:30 that morning and I'd given Addy instructions to feed the animals and let the other mom out who hadn't foaled yet.  We had a good session though it was a little difficult to stay awake due to early events that morning.  Afterwards we ran to the grocery store.  Just as we were leaving, we got a call from Addy saying that the other donkey mom was foaling!  Eliza had gone out to see the new foal and discovered the other mom in the barnyard with the foal partly out!  She ran in to tell Addy, who called me for instructions, and when we arrived on the scene all of the kids were out there making sure everything was okay, which it was.  The wind was blowing like crazy so we transferred everyone to the warm barn.  This last foal was super tiny and fluffy and adorable!  The foals are both girls that we named Celia and Portia.  It has been an exciting time!  Next up are the two goats and then our spotted donkey, Ella, and then.....ME!

This is Portia, the foal born early in the morning.

This is Celia, the most adorable creature we've ever seen!  She's only about 18.5 inches tall.

In addition to foaling excitement, we finished cleaning up and hauling off the willow tree, cleaned out flower beds, hauled off the dirt pile in the front yard, tilled the garden, and thought of spring as we watched out our window the falling snow.  We've almost completed painting Addy's new bedroom and then we should be done with indoor projects.  There's always something happening around here!