We spent our day playing together. That’s it. We played. And we ate lots
of sweets. We watched movies. We read stories. And my husband went
hunting. Today was a day of leisure. 
…And then I did laundry long into the night…
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
On the First Day of Christmas
We celebrate the 12 days of Christmas in our home. Day 1 is Christmas Day with lots of celebration of LIFE…..the Incarnation of the Son of God. In this celebration are the gifts from Santa, birthday cake for the Baby Jesus, and lots of playtime, love, and togetherness.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Friends
Yesterday was a rough day. A really stressful, rough, holding back the tears kind of day. The kids were all over the place. My husband is working an 8 day stretch of 12+ hour days. I was sleep deprived and on the verge of a cold (right along side Rita). And to make matters worse, the invisible fence for the dog decided to take a crap and she got out. Several times she got out. AND the goats got out. Several times the goats got out. So you can probably imagine me with a tired, slobbery, and snotty baby on my hip, swarmed by the other children trying to coax a gigantic dog back into her pen though she'd much rather just stick her tail in the air and give me that "play with me" kind of look with the goats in the background running in all directions because they've figured out that they are no longer penned in. After getting the kids in bed, I sat on the couch with a strong screwdriver in my hand and cried. I cried on the couch. I cried in the shower. I cried on my pillow. I cried myself to sleep. Yeah. That was my day yesterday.
So happy that isn't today.
Anyway, last night I was talking to my dear friend Laura about how completely inadequate and spent I was. Because it was just.that.kind.of.day. (again). She smiled at me and gave me the biggest hug and said it will be better tomorrow.
You know what she did? A little while ago she just showed up, walked right into the kitchen, handed me a bouquet of flowers and the sweetest card, gave me a hug, and said she had to go. I cried again. THAT was exactly what I needed. Not necessarily the flowers, though they are beautiful and wonderful. But just the kind gesture. The little note and gesture that said, "You are a great mom and spectacular friend...." The gesture of a friend who knew exactly what I was feeling. How did I get so lucky? God has gifted me with just a couple of friends who see beyond the surface, know the good bad and the ugly, and love me anyway. Who are teaching me how to love, give, and receive with humility and grace. How blessed I am. How truly blessed.
So happy that isn't today.
Anyway, last night I was talking to my dear friend Laura about how completely inadequate and spent I was. Because it was just.that.kind.of.day. (again). She smiled at me and gave me the biggest hug and said it will be better tomorrow.
You know what she did? A little while ago she just showed up, walked right into the kitchen, handed me a bouquet of flowers and the sweetest card, gave me a hug, and said she had to go. I cried again. THAT was exactly what I needed. Not necessarily the flowers, though they are beautiful and wonderful. But just the kind gesture. The little note and gesture that said, "You are a great mom and spectacular friend...." The gesture of a friend who knew exactly what I was feeling. How did I get so lucky? God has gifted me with just a couple of friends who see beyond the surface, know the good bad and the ugly, and love me anyway. Who are teaching me how to love, give, and receive with humility and grace. How blessed I am. How truly blessed.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Something To Consider
We've made the decision to homeschool our children. This isn't a decision I thought I'd ever make. But last fall it was really on my heart to consider it. I thought that for me to make an educated judgement about it, I needed to honestly look into it before writing it off. Well, by Christmas we found ourselves discussing the possibility and praying about the option. By February we made the decision and began researching curriculum and schooling methods and learning as much as we could. Between the decision in February and the time to order curriculum, my heart softened and I not only had great peace about our decision, but I was EXCITED.
In telling family and friends of our decision, we (surprisingly) found more support and encouragement than anything else. I was expecting some raised eyebrows and crazy looks. Not so much. But the main thing that people seem to be SO caught up on is "socialization". Like THAT is the point of education. Geesh. (more on this later)
Anyway, this morning a friend of mine posted these on facebook and I thought they were great. Hope you enjoy!
In telling family and friends of our decision, we (surprisingly) found more support and encouragement than anything else. I was expecting some raised eyebrows and crazy looks. Not so much. But the main thing that people seem to be SO caught up on is "socialization". Like THAT is the point of education. Geesh. (more on this later)
Anyway, this morning a friend of mine posted these on facebook and I thought they were great. Hope you enjoy!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
"Whack 'Em!"
I thought I'd try to capture a wonderful sibling moment as they were walking up the path Wyatt on Hayden's back and Yvette holding Wyatt's foot. Topic of conversation: poisonous berries and squishing crickets. The squishing crickets has been Wyatt's choice topic for a good week now. (more about that in another post)
I get my camera, ask them to stop and smile. Just as I'm taking the picture Yvette gives Hayden a good whack. Notice she doesn't even flinch. She's vicious sometimes.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Potty Outside
Wyatt is my 3yo. He's a bit passionate. His character is one that drives most people crazy but makes them melt at the same time. He's ALL BOY, very adventurous and daring, throws fits multiple times a day, relies on a schedule and routine, talks up a storm, pretend plays all by himself, has the sweetest most smoldering eyes, and his smile with dimples is one this mama has a hard time saying no to. Wyatt is my "baby boy". He's got me wrapped around his little finger. He's my Wyatt.
Now, Wyatt likes things his way. Being he's a bitspoiled bullheaded, I tend to pick my battles for the sake of keeping peace. One of those battles is the issue of peeing outside. He likes to pee outside. What boy doesn't. To be honest, I might just have always been a little teensy bit envious of the whole "peeing on a tree" thing that boys are privy to. Anyway, we live on a farm and rarely have visitors. One day after an entire afternoon out in the field putting posts in, Wyatt announces (in detail) his excitement over peeing "in da buss" (in the bush). John stood behind him with a look that was both proud and a bit teasing.....waiting to see if he'd get a scandalized reaction out of me. I just kinda laughed it off and told him them that is wasn't an all the time thing. Well, it's turned into that. When Wyatt has to go, he picks a tree, drops trough, and happily does his business. I don't fight him on this anymore. I used to. And I got a lot of wet pants to wash and fits to deal with because of it. So Wyatt knows that if nobody is visiting and he's out of sight, he can skip running into the house.
Yesterday we were all at the park playing. Wyatt jumps off the jungle gym, runs over to me doing a cute little potty trot and holding himself, "MOM!...Mom, I gotta go potty."
"Oh Wyatt, can you hold it for a few minutes until we leave? The potties here aren't that great," I answered.
"But Mom, can I just pee on a tree?" he askes.
John is laughing.
"No Wyatt, you can't pee on park trees. Plus there are people around."
He literally does a 360 scope of his surroundings and replies, "But Mom, there are so many trees."
I have to look away to keep from cracking up only to face John who is just about rolling at that point.
"No Wyatt. Just because there are lots of trees here doesn't mean you can use them. Let's go find the potty."
The whole walk to the potty he points out "oh that's a nice one."
*sigh* we really aren't that uncivilized here. My kids DO have manners and know how to do things properly. *sigh*
Now, Wyatt likes things his way. Being he's a bit
Yesterday we were all at the park playing. Wyatt jumps off the jungle gym, runs over to me doing a cute little potty trot and holding himself, "MOM!...Mom, I gotta go potty."
"Oh Wyatt, can you hold it for a few minutes until we leave? The potties here aren't that great," I answered.
"But Mom, can I just pee on a tree?" he askes.
John is laughing.
"No Wyatt, you can't pee on park trees. Plus there are people around."
He literally does a 360 scope of his surroundings and replies, "But Mom, there are so many trees."
I have to look away to keep from cracking up only to face John who is just about rolling at that point.
"No Wyatt. Just because there are lots of trees here doesn't mean you can use them. Let's go find the potty."
The whole walk to the potty he points out "oh that's a nice one."
*sigh* we really aren't that uncivilized here. My kids DO have manners and know how to do things properly. *sigh*
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Sanity In My Kitchen
Republished post plus some extras added:
My mom always told me that the best way to save money, save time, stay organized, and keep your sanity in regards the kitchen is:
#1 - have a menu and follow it
#2 - never go to bed with a messy kitchen
#3 - buy staple foods in bulk and/or on sale (preferably both)
Going to bed with a clean kitchen is pretty much the norm in our house. I suppose growing up with that made it a fairly easy practice to adopt. To me, going to bed with a messy kitchen is like going to bed with an angry spouse. You know what you're going to wake up to and it isn't gonna be pretty. I don't know anyone who PREFERS to start the day like that.
Buying food in bulk is easy (most of the time). However, without a plan to ration the bulk one tends to use it up quickly. For example, when a meat is on sale for $1.29/lb I'll get super excited and buy at least 20lbs of it. But then it turns into the next 10 meals and it is gone. I tend to use the bulk IN bulk and get sick of eating it. Not a good practice to keep. But the thought of meal planning seemed kind of daunting to me. I did not want to commit to an entire 4 week cycle of menus especially since I didn't know what was going to be on sale and when. What about craving certain meals? How does spontaneity fall in there? What if I come across a new recipe I want to try? etc. So I settled for going week to week instead. And through trial and error, I figured out a general outline that has suited us well for over several years now. It offers flexibility, variety, and balance. I hope it helps you (if you are interested).....
BREAKFAST
Sunday: omelets and toast
Monday: cold cereal, fruit
Tuesday: hot cereal
Wednesday: eggs, bacon, toast
Thursday: cold cereal, fruit
Friday: pancakes, sausage, (eggs)
Saturday: cold cereal, fruit
LUNCH
*leftovers
*Mac N Cheese
*PB and J
*grilled cheese or quesadilla
DINNER (meat + carb + veggie)
Sunday: homemade pizza night
Monday: beef
Tuesday: chicken
Wednesday: vegetarian meal and/or soup
Thursday: pork
Friday: fish
Saturday: venison or leftovers
carb options (whole grains): pasta, potatoe, rice, beans, bread
This general outline has been the basis of my menu planning and shopping for quite some time. We have saved SO MUCH MONEY planning our meals ahead of time. By doing that, I know what to shop for and how much I need. I don't waste nearly as much food. When it comes time to making dinner, I KNOW I have the ingredients for what I've planned to make (saves so much time and thought). We aren't eating the same things over and over again. Did I mention that it saves a ton of money this way? I have my list of "staple foods" that I stalk up on each week like crackers, cheese, milk, butter, eggs, baking goods, etc. Then all I have to pick up is whatever the recipes call for.
Another money saver is bulk shopping. For our family of 6, this is absolutely necessary now. Amazon has turned into an invaluable shopping companion. Although you really need to be aware of store prices, prices per ounce, etc in order to get deals on Amazon. Sometimes, though it may sound like a deal on Amazon, it isn't. Items I usually purchase from Amazon include (but aren't limited to) noodles, vanilla, coconut oil, organic fruit leathers, chocolate chips, olive oil, etc. Items that I've found that are NOT a good deal on Amazon are items like crackers, coffee, etc. Again, you need be aware. Another great thing with Amazon is their free shipping on orders over $25 or the Amazon Prime membership. I don't think I need to point out the obvious in regards free shipping, saving on gas, and the convenience of having enough in your pantry.
A friend of mine introduced me to Azure Standard. Azure is a shipping company that supplies stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and independent co-ops. All those natural and organic brands are available through Azure Standard. Even herbs by the ounce are available. A customer can purchase directly from Azure Standard and they have "drop off" sites where you can go pick up your order. This is another huge huge saver.
Because I buy in bulk most of the time, I rarely coupon shop. I mostly just watch meat, veggie, and cheese sales and stock up then.
Our menu this week looks like this:
Sunday
Breakfast: egg bake
Lunch: Peanut butter and jelly with fruit
Supper: tacos
Monday
Breakfast: granola and fruit
Lunch: grilled cheese and veggies
Supper: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad
Tuesday
Breakfast: cold cereal
Lunch: sausage patties, cheese, fruit
Supper: chicken, spinach, and tomato pasta, salad greens
Wednesday
Breakfast: breakfast cookies with milk
Lunch: quesadillas
Supper: pork tenderloin, sweet corn, homemade buns
Thursday
Breakfast: pancakes, bacon, fruit
Lunch: leftovers
Supper: chicken soup with crusty bread
Friday
Breakfast: oatmeal, toast, fruit
Lunch: mac n cheese
Supper: baked fish, cauliflower and cheese sauce, pesto noodles
Saturday, Sunday out of town
*the only thing I needed to purchase for this weeks meals are a little bit of fruit, the fish, and cauliflower. Grocery bill for this week's meals was about $38. There was a big cheese sale so I bought about $35 worth of cheeses and butter....shredded (for the freezer), block cheese, and butter.
I hope this helps for all those interested......
My mom always told me that the best way to save money, save time, stay organized, and keep your sanity in regards the kitchen is:
#1 - have a menu and follow it
#2 - never go to bed with a messy kitchen
#3 - buy staple foods in bulk and/or on sale (preferably both)
Going to bed with a clean kitchen is pretty much the norm in our house. I suppose growing up with that made it a fairly easy practice to adopt. To me, going to bed with a messy kitchen is like going to bed with an angry spouse. You know what you're going to wake up to and it isn't gonna be pretty. I don't know anyone who PREFERS to start the day like that.
Buying food in bulk is easy (most of the time). However, without a plan to ration the bulk one tends to use it up quickly. For example, when a meat is on sale for $1.29/lb I'll get super excited and buy at least 20lbs of it. But then it turns into the next 10 meals and it is gone. I tend to use the bulk IN bulk and get sick of eating it. Not a good practice to keep. But the thought of meal planning seemed kind of daunting to me. I did not want to commit to an entire 4 week cycle of menus especially since I didn't know what was going to be on sale and when. What about craving certain meals? How does spontaneity fall in there? What if I come across a new recipe I want to try? etc. So I settled for going week to week instead. And through trial and error, I figured out a general outline that has suited us well for over several years now. It offers flexibility, variety, and balance. I hope it helps you (if you are interested).....
BREAKFAST
Sunday: omelets and toast
Monday: cold cereal, fruit
Tuesday: hot cereal
Wednesday: eggs, bacon, toast
Thursday: cold cereal, fruit
Friday: pancakes, sausage, (eggs)
Saturday: cold cereal, fruit
LUNCH
*leftovers
*Mac N Cheese
*PB and J
*grilled cheese or quesadilla
DINNER (meat + carb + veggie)
Sunday: homemade pizza night
Monday: beef
Tuesday: chicken
Wednesday: vegetarian meal and/or soup
Thursday: pork
Friday: fish
Saturday: venison or leftovers
carb options (whole grains): pasta, potatoe, rice, beans, bread
This general outline has been the basis of my menu planning and shopping for quite some time. We have saved SO MUCH MONEY planning our meals ahead of time. By doing that, I know what to shop for and how much I need. I don't waste nearly as much food. When it comes time to making dinner, I KNOW I have the ingredients for what I've planned to make (saves so much time and thought). We aren't eating the same things over and over again. Did I mention that it saves a ton of money this way? I have my list of "staple foods" that I stalk up on each week like crackers, cheese, milk, butter, eggs, baking goods, etc. Then all I have to pick up is whatever the recipes call for.
Another money saver is bulk shopping. For our family of 6, this is absolutely necessary now. Amazon has turned into an invaluable shopping companion. Although you really need to be aware of store prices, prices per ounce, etc in order to get deals on Amazon. Sometimes, though it may sound like a deal on Amazon, it isn't. Items I usually purchase from Amazon include (but aren't limited to) noodles, vanilla, coconut oil, organic fruit leathers, chocolate chips, olive oil, etc. Items that I've found that are NOT a good deal on Amazon are items like crackers, coffee, etc. Again, you need be aware. Another great thing with Amazon is their free shipping on orders over $25 or the Amazon Prime membership. I don't think I need to point out the obvious in regards free shipping, saving on gas, and the convenience of having enough in your pantry.
A friend of mine introduced me to Azure Standard. Azure is a shipping company that supplies stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and independent co-ops. All those natural and organic brands are available through Azure Standard. Even herbs by the ounce are available. A customer can purchase directly from Azure Standard and they have "drop off" sites where you can go pick up your order. This is another huge huge saver.
Because I buy in bulk most of the time, I rarely coupon shop. I mostly just watch meat, veggie, and cheese sales and stock up then.
Our menu this week looks like this:
Sunday
Breakfast: egg bake
Lunch: Peanut butter and jelly with fruit
Supper: tacos
Monday
Breakfast: granola and fruit
Lunch: grilled cheese and veggies
Supper: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad
Tuesday
Breakfast: cold cereal
Lunch: sausage patties, cheese, fruit
Supper: chicken, spinach, and tomato pasta, salad greens
Wednesday
Breakfast: breakfast cookies with milk
Lunch: quesadillas
Supper: pork tenderloin, sweet corn, homemade buns
Thursday
Breakfast: pancakes, bacon, fruit
Lunch: leftovers
Supper: chicken soup with crusty bread
Friday
Breakfast: oatmeal, toast, fruit
Lunch: mac n cheese
Supper: baked fish, cauliflower and cheese sauce, pesto noodles
Saturday, Sunday out of town
*the only thing I needed to purchase for this weeks meals are a little bit of fruit, the fish, and cauliflower. Grocery bill for this week's meals was about $38. There was a big cheese sale so I bought about $35 worth of cheeses and butter....shredded (for the freezer), block cheese, and butter.
I hope this helps for all those interested......
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
On THIS Day
On this day 8 years ago I married my love. I have no words sufficient enough to express my gratitude for him, my fierce love for him, and my longing for him. Always. This may sound completely cheesy, but he is everything to me.....my love, my happiness, my life. John has shown me the most faithful, selfless, and tender love. I'm not sure how to say this properly, but because of him I know very deeply God's love for me. Through John I am able to grasp God's love. I never imagined how that would happen, but it has. Through everything.
At the time, this day was the happiest of my life....the beginning of my life. Three short years later, this same day became one of the most excruciatingly painful days of our life. On this day, 5 years ago, my youngest brother Stephen was killed in a car accident. On this day, our family changed forever.
The bittersweetness of this day is like no other.
To my love, Happy Anniversary. I can't wait to see what our lifetime together looks like.
To my brother, ......... I need a hug.
At the time, this day was the happiest of my life....the beginning of my life. Three short years later, this same day became one of the most excruciatingly painful days of our life. On this day, 5 years ago, my youngest brother Stephen was killed in a car accident. On this day, our family changed forever.
To my love, Happy Anniversary. I can't wait to see what our lifetime together looks like.
To my brother, ......... I need a hug.
Friday, July 27, 2012
4 Months
4 months of complete joy.
4 months of dimples and squishiness.
4 months of twinkling eyes and smiles that makes us all melt.
4 months of pure love and total gratitude for this stunningly beautiful daughter of ours.
Rita Joan, you bring this family so much joy and have captured our hearts from the moment you were born. We love you sweet baby.
And now for the smile that makes us all laugh.....
....she scrunches her nose and her smile and giggles take over her whole body like she just can't contain her happiness. Oh my do we love this baby!!!!
4 months of dimples and squishiness.
4 months of twinkling eyes and smiles that makes us all melt.
4 months of pure love and total gratitude for this stunningly beautiful daughter of ours.
Rita Joan, you bring this family so much joy and have captured our hearts from the moment you were born. We love you sweet baby.
And now for the smile that makes us all laugh.....
Thursday, July 12, 2012
And Their Names Shall Be...
GARY. Gary is named after John's friend whose wife suggested it. John laughed and decided that it fit. Gary also happens to be a family name also (Uncle Gary). And so his name shall be Gary....
Baby #2 is MILO. Milo is a family name. I think I heard one of the kids suggest it at one point. Again, John smiled and said it shall be....
These boys are tearing up the pasture already. Though I wasn't able to snap any pictures of it, this morning they were literally racing circles around the adults. It was pretty funny to watch. Here they are sun bathing...
And I had to post this picture. Yvette, my farm girl. Dressed for the weather and ready for workin'. I've given up on keeping shoes on my kids. They honestly could care less. I've decided that I'm sick of reminding the kids to put their shoes on only to scold them for kicking them off and leaving their shoes everywhere and hunting for them constantly. It's one of those "pick your battles" at our house. So I just don't pick it anymore.
I just make sure they all get a good scrubbing at the end of the day. We live on a farm, after all.
Baby #2 is MILO. Milo is a family name. I think I heard one of the kids suggest it at one point. Again, John smiled and said it shall be....
These boys are tearing up the pasture already. Though I wasn't able to snap any pictures of it, this morning they were literally racing circles around the adults. It was pretty funny to watch. Here they are sun bathing...
And I had to post this picture. Yvette, my farm girl. Dressed for the weather and ready for workin'. I've given up on keeping shoes on my kids. They honestly could care less. I've decided that I'm sick of reminding the kids to put their shoes on only to scold them for kicking them off and leaving their shoes everywhere and hunting for them constantly. It's one of those "pick your battles" at our house. So I just don't pick it anymore.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Another Life
And baby boy #2 is on the ground and running walking stumbling around. He's all black and SO soft and cute.
So we are brainstorming names and could use some suggestions/opinions. So far we have:
baby meets Fiona...
"the uncles" (thats what the kids call the big boys now) saying HI...
this guy just looks huge compared to "blacky"...
the whole herd
So we are brainstorming names and could use some suggestions/opinions. So far we have:
BamBam and Elroy (the original choices).....
but then we started throwing some new ones out there like:
Shrek and Donkey (with Fiona the dog)
Yogi and BooBoo
Fred and Barney
Alvin and Theodore (we've already got Simon the cat)
Got any suggestions?
Knitting in the Silence
There is something entirely soothing (for me) about rolling myself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning, grabbing a cup of coffee, doing my morning prayers, and then grabbing my needles and knitting in the silence as the sun comes up.
I used to be a late sleeper. Late nights - late mornings. But being married to John makes that kinda difficult. He's the exact opposite. Go figure.
Anyway, here is something I'm working on at the moment. Just a peek. I can't tell you what it is or who its for right now. Hopefully to be completed by the end of this coming week. Its a birthday gift that needs to find it's destination ON TIME.
And that beautiful fingering weight natural colored yarn I'm using is none other than CHESTER. Yup, we finally did it. A first round of fiber was sent off in March and returned to us as yarn. And what beautiful yummy soft yarn it is.
I used to be a late sleeper. Late nights - late mornings. But being married to John makes that kinda difficult. He's the exact opposite. Go figure.
Anyway, here is something I'm working on at the moment. Just a peek. I can't tell you what it is or who its for right now. Hopefully to be completed by the end of this coming week. Its a birthday gift that needs to find it's destination ON TIME.
And that beautiful fingering weight natural colored yarn I'm using is none other than CHESTER. Yup, we finally did it. A first round of fiber was sent off in March and returned to us as yarn. And what beautiful yummy soft yarn it is.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Awesomeness....
Hayden is sitting with me as I go through some pictures. "Rita is pretty awesome, Mom."
"I think so."
"I think so."
Thursday, June 28, 2012
More Baby Alpaca (pics)
John got home from work and very calmly walked in the kitchen like every other day. Knowing the kids would LOVE to give him the news of the day he sat down and asked, "So what did you do today?"
Oh my goodness did he get an earful!
"DAD!!!!! We have a baby alpaca now! Come see! Come see!" All three of them raced out the door and into the alpaca pen to introduce the baby to their dad. It was the cutest moment.
And then of course after the big meeting, on the way back to the house Hayden says really seriously, "Dad, Mom shot a raccoon today. It's dead under the tree. Let me show you...." He was so proud of the day's events.
Oh my goodness did he get an earful!
"DAD!!!!! We have a baby alpaca now! Come see! Come see!" All three of them raced out the door and into the alpaca pen to introduce the baby to their dad. It was the cutest moment.
And then of course after the big meeting, on the way back to the house Hayden says really seriously, "Dad, Mom shot a raccoon today. It's dead under the tree. Let me show you...." He was so proud of the day's events.
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