An extra day of break

With a snow storm currently blowing like mad outside, boys playing with Dad downstairs, and the littlest finally succumbing to a nap (after an exceptionally fussy afternoon), it seems like a perfect time to do a blog post!  It is on my list of things to do more regularly and now that we are starting our new adventure with our mini-farm, there will be a lot more to share! 



Our break from school for the holidays has been fun.  Long...but fun!  We started off before Christmas with visiting Nathan's parents and then back home for Christmas, followed by visiting my family.  It was more than wonderful to see everyone.  Next year I plan on either getting lots of B12 shots or living in a bubble so I'm not sick the entire time my niece is here! 

This Christmas brought us, thanks to my Mom and Dad, our first new animal to the farm, Carwyn!  She is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and is just the sweetest thing.  Like a true member of the family, she has already been to the emergency room (via our sweet neighbor's Lab) for being a bit too bold with her puppy bites.  Luckily it wasn't as bad as it looked and she no longer nips to hard. 

Naughty puppy.

Before the blizzard and the low temperatures (-15!!), we were able to do some farm work on our fence line.  Our goal is to be able to put up new fencing next fall and with the 40 odd years of growth to work through, we're going to need all of the time we can get.  We were grateful for even 2 days to work outside before the weather hit.  There will be so much to do come Spring!

Chicken house plans are steadily coming along as well.  We decided on an "old" style chicken house- the "half monitor".  There are so many plans for small coops online but we are anticipating 15-20 layers and finding those seems a bit more difficult.  We've got anxious little builders here and they are ready to start farming!

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.