Nesting In

It is hard to believe that we moved just a bit over 2 weeks ago.  It has been such a busy, full, somewhat hectic couple of months.

I'm so glad it is over.  I'll feel really glad when our other house finally sells. 

We have been surprised at how fast we have come to love our new space.  It feels so right for us.  The different places to go and spread out, the big open fireplace - which has been going non stop, the cozy little bedrooms, and the basement that is currently taken over by trains.  All of it is so great and so us.

It helps that we had a week that started in the 50's instead of the teens that are happening now.  The boys got a glimpse of what we can do this spring and summer like playing in the creek, helping clear trees,  and building "huts". 

Today Reagan told me, curled up with his next book by the fire, that he loves his new home. 

I do too.

Wash, rinse, repeat

Having three boys seems to cause a duplication in days.

I never knew I would be an expert farm builder.  I can put together a homestead in a matter of minutes.

Boy #1 was always concerned with feeding the animals.

Boy #2 was always concerned with babies being by their mommies.

Boy #3 is concerned with moving manure to various "piles".

Same toys.  Same clothes.  Same scenes.  Totally different boys.

Changes

We have some big changes coming to our family.

We've decided to take a risk.  Something that usually doesn't go with my husband and I.

Often as we drove home from our parent's farms, we would hear our children "whine" about not having the space, animals, things to do- pretty much everything associated with living in the country.  We often echoed them as well.  As parents, we always wanted those "country" things for our kids and the chance to raise our kids much like we were raised.

So - we talked about it, daresay "dream" about it until one day I sent my husband a link to land that was for sale.  From there we looked some more, determined what we could responsibly do, what we couldn't do in our county - which turns out a lot, and just looked.

Then it popped up.  Something small enough to afford but big enough for my crew to grow into and in turn something small enough for us to take care of when the kids grow up (not that I plan on letting them).

A place with lots of projects.  A place with just a bit of more space but still a small home that we like.  A basement so we don't have to huddle in the bathtub with glass shower doors during a tornado.  Close to town but surrounded by beauty.

Our kids are pretty excited.  Chickens and kittens in the spring.  A cow or two in the following year and whatever else they talk me into.  A huge garden.  Planting apple trees, strawberry rows, and blueberries.

We are all pretty excited.  So excited that maybe I'll actually blog about it. 

My littlest one and I were reading a chicken raising book (he is now a chicken farmer -if you ask), and I stumbled across this paragraph that totally sums up our life in the last few weeks:

If you wish you, too, were closing a coop door, I promise if it is something you really want, it'll happen. You'll find a way because you must.  And when it does happen, be ready because it'll come fast.  Life doesn't happen any other way.  At least not the parts worth living. 

Chick Days by Jenna Woginrich

I'll be a super excited when our current home sells. 

First Days

Not sure how this happened. 

First day of 2nd grade, Kindergarten, and Pre-School.

Summer Happenings

Summer is in full swing.

The garden looks good despite my fight with the bugs.  I pray daily to the tomato Gods to keep the blight away and the bottom fruit rot at bay.  Using a copper spray may have worked!

Pool days are a daily thing.  I can't believe how well little Logan swims.  I forgot a swimmy yesterday and he swam all over with just one.  Totally unafraid that one is.  He is a maniac on his bike too.  He will talk a good clip on the merits of riding a John Deere bike. 

Reagan continues to enjoy his easy days with reading, swimming, and lots and lots of Lego play.  In two weeks he travels to Florida for Oceanography camp at Mote Marine Laboratory.  He has checked all of the marine life books out from the library.  He is just a little bit excited!!

Both of the above two just returned from a week at the farm while I was gone with #2.  They had so. much. fun.!  I spiked Logan's hair this morning and he promptly told me "that not farmer hair!"

Mason and I just returned from a great time in San Fransisco visiting my new neice, brother, and sister-in-law.  We had such a good time.  We were very gluttonous - Thai, Sushi, Noodles, Crepes, and drip coffee...  Mason is having a hard time adjusting to not being the only child.  Luckily, his brothers don't let him get away with much.

Knitting is still happening -just not as much.  I've picked up some other hand work to work on while it is so hot.  I need to start thinking about Christmas.  I find it hard to contain myself when there is a baby girl to knit for in the family.

Hard to believe there is only a month before school begins.  I hope to take it nice and slow!  Somehow - that never seems to happen around here.

Right now...

Right now we are trying to be patient with the rain...

Enjoying a show together...

Being busy, busy, busy with trips to grandparents and times on the farms...

knitting, knitting, and knitting for friends and fund raising....

Loving Spring.

Yarn Along

Following along with Ginny over at Small Things

I'm still plugging away on my sweet friend's shawl.  After learning that I have two weeks less than I thought to do my next project, I motivated to get it done.  Plus, I'd like her to have it before it suddenly becomes summer.

Because of this motivated knitting and some recent sewing projects, I've not read much for myself.  I have, however, read Where Do Diggers Sleep At Night, at least a hundred times.  I have to admit - it is one of the cutest construction books I've had the pleasure of reading and need to get it for our own library.  It doesn't get better than learning how a mama backhoe tucks in her baby backhoe at night. 

Happy Farmer

Currently ---

::The wee one is so into his tractors, trucks, and construction vehicles that he can't even drop his brothers off to school without at least a tractor and wagon. All of them are out.  All the time.  My home looks like I have booby traps between the Lego projects and the farming implements. 

:: mending, mending, and more mending.  My boys will soon have patches with a few bits of jeans left.  I got a fist pump today from the oldest when he saw his football patch. 

:: Reagan had his second violin concert this Sunday.  He played "Happy Farmer" for his solo.  Such a big boy.

::  The first canning of the year happened.  14 half pints plus a few pints of strawberry jam.  Logan has deemed eating the "foam" from the cooking strawberries - "Num vommm Mama".  I had to peel his undershirt from his chest tonight.  Apparently, foam is also a fantastic glue. 

This Moment

Linking with Soulemama for this Friday Moment


{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

A little yarn along

It has been ages since I've joined Ginny over at Small Things for a proper Yarn Along.  I read them weekly yet never get around to doing one myself.


Right now I'm ever so motivated to finish my Beekeeper's Quilt.  I've made 371 of these bad boys.  I have just two skeins that will make around 56 more hexipuffs to go and then sewing them all together.  I dream of when it is done that it will be perfect on the hammock (that I don't have yet) with a good book and a boy snuggled up with (those I have plenty of).

Also, I'm working on a trade of sorts for a dear friend.  This is the second time I've knitted the Aestlight shawl.  It is a fun knit.  I love anything Shetland:  garter, feather and fan, a good working shape, and not too boring.

Right now I'm reading Eating For IBS in preparation for possible dietary changes for my youngest bean and A Homemade Life.  Both are about food.  One is funny and yummy sounding and one, is
n o t.

.

Not any better

Well there you go.  More than a month since I last posted.

Yep.  Still can't get myself to be better at blogging.

What have we been up to?  A lot.  Playing outside.  Getting the garden ready.  School work.  Violin.  Reading and reading and reading.  Visiting family.  School things.  Boy things.  Family things. Our first horse show (that I forgot to take my camera to). 

Me?  A lot.  A lot of knitting.  A lot of mothering.  A lot of time without the hubs.  A baby shower.  Lots of baby girl knitting.  Hexipuff blanket makings -+ 370 of them now.  A quilt.  Bunting.  Fun stuff!! 

Next up?  A shawl for a friend. More hexipuffs- so close to being done.  A quilt for Reagan.  Play shorts.  Mending.  Garden plantings.  A charity knit with my favorite bright spring green.

Fun spring things.