Yarn Along: 6

Well I'm getting closer! This will only be 4x4 squares so I am piecing it together now and then just the edging woo hoo! I'm sure my Dad won't mind his "Happy St. Patrick's Day!" gift that was originally meant to be a Christmas gift....

{not quite done!}

The colors are much prettier IRL, this was just snapped on my phone and it's softer in person. It looks a bit garish here though...

Reading...Happy Are You Poor - it's very good and very tough. It's taking awhile to absorb and but it is changing my life. Wow. I would love to discuss this book with others who've read it. Please let me know if you have.... or if you will! ;)

Chicken talk

 I am so happy we did it. Just going ahead and doing the backyard chicken thing has been so good for us.

{Tiffany-Black Cochin)

I told the kids we'd do it, ordered the coop kit, bought the Idiots Guide to Chickens...and then we just did it. We just went and got chickens! Crazy!

I tend too overplan for stuff like this. Research and plan, plan and research and then, maybe, maybe actually do something. This time I started in that same old mode, but the kids kept on pestering me and finally I just threw my hands up, cause sometimes you just have to jump in the pool and not ease in. I mean how hard could a few chickens be?

{Amy-Buff Brahma)

Turns out I was right-not hard at all. Really they are not much trouble at all and they are just the silliest things.

{Isabelle-Barred Rock}

Also, having chickens turned us into neighborhood celebrities. Well, we kind of already were what with the homeschooling and seven kids and all. Not to mention the small black dog who thinks he's a greyhound and continues to escape and chase the Fed Ex man all around the block despite both the regular fence and the invisible fence ... Yes, I would wager everyone in the subdivision knows us pretty much. I would guess we are more like notorious celebs than the idolized ones though.

And so we learned about the origins of the phrases 'hen-pecked', and  'pecking order'  and  what a 'broody hen' is like. We learned some about fertilization and where baby chicks come from and what a rooster is for. Heck MaryClare ran up to me breathless and wide-eyed and described, hands waving,how she just watched an egg come right out of Isabelle!

It's been amazing to be able to witness the cycle from chicken feed, table and garden scraps to the delicious little egg on your plate in the morning.

{dirt bath}

Did you know chickens love to bathe in the dirt? They will just roll in it like a dog and they fluff out their feathers and throw it all around, just luxuriating in it. Fascinating and hilarious to watch.

{Ryan and Nina making me smile}

Sadly we will be saying goodbye to our 3 sweet hens this weekend. And you know what? Now that I think about it it's kind of their fault! 

We have decided to try and sell this house (again) and move to a bit more rural place. I honestly don't know where or what we'll end up with, how far out of town or how large a homestead, but we do know we want to try for something. We have an itch and desire to do some more of this chicken stuff and maybe some other small farm-y things. There's more to it than just that of course, but having these three girls around has given us suburban folks a boost of confidence to jump. 

{PHFR}

{fun}

So we're back around to Lenten season again.  Last spring was kind of nuts for us because I ended up on bedrest at the hospital before Josephine was born. I spent much of Lent at the hospital, and Easter, and missed my Grandfather's funeral and also my Nana's 90th birthday celebration. It was such a crazy time for my family. Lee was very stressed and there was so much upheaval, but we made it through and after all of that uncertainty, Josephine was born healthy, teeny tiny, but healthy.

{more fun}

I am so thankful. Seriously, my heart is just more full than I ever imagined when I think where we were last year and then this year.

Anyway, Fat Tuesday I made a king cake. I make one every year, but it seems every year it turns out differently. That could be because I use different recipes! I just can't settle on one. They all are good! This year we almost didn't make it. The dough exploded during the rise and was all over the fridge. It was delicious though. We ended up having bacon and cake(and wine for Mom and Dad) for dinner. A very Fat Tuesday indeed!

{happy}

 My boys have been so close lately. Jake is looking so teenagery, getting pimples and growing so fast. He is not really acting teenagery just yet. I have been following Auntie Leila's advice about teenage boys... so far so good.....

Ryan (on the far right) is maturing quickly too. They are only 14 months apart so they are going through this puberty stuff together. Luke adores his big brothers and the three of them are still tight.



                                                                       

{pretty}

My sweet Nina is growing fast. Two new teeth poked through this week up on top. She is fantastic at army crawling and finding every small item of fuzz/dirt/leaf on the floor and trying to eat and choke on it. It drives me crazy and she has all of us on edge trying to keep her safe.  The legos are a nightmare!

{real}

                                                                                                                                                                                         
       


                                                                                                                                                       
My best friend gave me this cute sign! The kids line up their mugs and keep them there above the sink.

Yarn Along:5

I am in the middle of the biggest project I have attempted. I am making a blanket made of different 12x12 squares for my Dad. I got the original insiration from a picture of the Chain Reaction project.  


Some of the techniques used in that project were too advanced for me, so I didn't follow their guide, but I really loved the idea and so I began this. I really intended it as a Christmas gift, oh well! I was able to find lots of ideas from this book.

My Dad has pancreatic cancer.  I guess I thought the blanket was a way for me to offer comfort although he lives thousands of miles away. He's begun treatment and things seem positve right now, but pancreatic cancer is a very deadly diagnoses.  Nevertheless, we are hopeful. I'm going to see him in April with my sisterand I'm determined to finish this 'Christmas' gift before then!   I have 2 more blocks to make and then I have to finish putting them together and the edging so I'm getting close.

I just read Organized Simplicity on my kindle and was very inspired. There's nothing revolutionary in it, just the same idea that less=more, but it's presented well and has given me a good kick in the pants!

{PHFR}

{pretty}

 It's time for another {PHFR} yay! I am really grateful for the Lawler ladies hosting this because if it wasn't for this and the Yarn Along, I might never be motivated to post.  And post I must because blogging is one of those things I appreciate most after the fact.

We have been battling strep and various viruses since Thanksgiving. It has been challenging to say the least. Last week was Sara's 3rd birthday and poor thing was sick! We were all horrified for her. I made these pretty pink pancakes and she didn't even eat any. *sad* We ended up having her special cake this week and she was feeling much better and ready to celebrate being 'free' (that's 3 for those of you who may not be versed in toddler speak)

{funny}

 Sara's birthday is on St. Nicholas Day, December 6.  This year he brought personalized mugs and some m&m's. St. Nick loves m&m's I hear.

I also printed out some coloring sheets for the kids and they worked very, very hard on them.

MaryClare fell asleep mid-color she was working so hard. This kid is one amazing sleeper. I must do a post with all of the pictures I have of her sleeping in odd places at odd times.

{real}

My littlest one has cut her first two bottom teeth. There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth (by those of us who already have them) over this event, not to mention drool. I'm glad they've finally erupted, poor thing.

{happy}

We went to a Santa brunch this year at my parents clubhouse and I was able to get a great shot of all the kids together-cue the Halleluia chorus! This will be in the Christmas card and I bet folks will get a kick out of counting heads and realizing that we added another one this year-hee hee!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Yarn Along: 4

I'm so excited to share my secret Christmas present! I am making three of these for my 3 sons. Aren't they hilarious? I am following a general pattern I found at this blog: Gumbo Soul.

Aren't I handsome with a beard?! I think the boys are going to love them and they're not too hard. I am using beanies we have that my Nana made for us a couple of years ago and I'm attaching the beard with buttons sewn inside the hat.

I am also finishing up Christy for my book club. I have enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. It is a Christian book, but it is not all treacly or sappy like some Christian novels can be. I loved the Appalachian setting and the vivid descriptions of mountain life. At times, the character Christy is a bit annoying and unbelievable, but all in all most of the characters are well drawn and multi-dimensional.


Thanks for visiting my blog and a big thanks to Ginny for hosting

Fresh Beginnings

Last Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent. I have so been looking forward to this season! We have had just a really tough year here and I really feel this is a fresh start.

Interestingly, in the liturgical calendar, the Sunday just before Advent is Christ the King day where the readings and focus is on the kingship of our Lord and it is the last Sunday of the church year.

So Advent is the beginning of the new year, a fresh start! Also, CTK always falls near Thanksgiving and it just seems so appropriate to sort of end the year with reflection and thanksgiving, recognizing the gifts from my King, the one who has blessed me beyond measure. I feel so refreshed and full-hearted, ready for the preparation of Advent. I also love how the readings in Advent focus not only on the Incarnation, but on the Second Coming. So much to ponder.

We made a "Thankful Tree" again this year. I think we did it first year before last. Anyway we all write things we are thankful for and hang them up. They don't have to be just from the past year, just thankfulness in general.

It was nothing fancy, but I do really like the tradition. I have heard that some people then use these trees as Jesse trees, but I like to use a mini pre-lit Christmas tree. More Christmas lights make me happy!