Baby Chicks

When normal people have a lot going on, they keep things status quo until they get in the groove.

Crazy homesteaders say "What's one more animal?" Or in this case, 15.  Why not?

Thank you to our good friends at Spruce Creek Farm who gifted us these.  Basically a new batch of chicks is like Childcare for Audra.  She disappears for an hour or so at a time to spend some quality bonding time with her new peeps. Hoping her favorite is not a rooster! 

Rain, Rain, Go Away...in Maine and along the St. Lawrence River

I swear it rains about everyday lately.  Rain, rain, go away.

 Although I'm sick of muddy clothes, they clearly are not.

My hometown the same, although there's been more rain in Northern NY than in Southern Maine. The St. Lawrence River is the highest it's ever been in my lifetime. Sadly, many folks have completely lost their docks and their camps. 

This is where we escape every summer on the St. Lawrence River, these pics from previous vacations.

And this is what it looked like when I was visiting a couple of weeks ago. SO much rain.  Completely flooded. Can't even see our docks. (Some of these pics my brother took, thanks Matt)

Crazy to think this is what it usually looks like (below)  and all this up to the windows has been under water.  I'm thankful our camp is far enough away to not be of concern, but my thoughts go out to those who have lost their camps to floods.

We have more rain in the forecast tomorrow.  Hope to have a sunny day sooner than later.  Rain, rain, go away.

The good.

While I was planning on finishing the garden planting today, when I finally had a moment to head out solo to get the rototiller going, the sky opened to a big old downpour.  I may have cried about that.

Plan B.  I worked pretty much all day trading my kids' bedrooms.  Adrian was in the largest room, Audra in the smallest room that has four doors, making it practically impossible to put a crib in there.  Right now, our house is a disaster, leftovers were the Memorial Day meal and the garden still isn't planted. Plus it's almost June and we had a fire going to keep us warm inside. Boo.  I'm so exhausted, I could sleep for a week.

Since I strive to be the half full type of girl, I will find the positive.

My big kids are (hopefully) over the emotional part of this bedroom transition are actually sleeping in their 'new' rooms. My husband wasn't grumpy about all the stuff I made him move (thank you, Justin!). My baby girl is now less emotional during bath time. Baby coos in the warm water, sweetness indeed.

In the midst of chaos, there's always good.

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial day from all of us and our patriotic beauty...wearing a mama made upcycled wool diaper. 

The Life of # 3

Sometimes you get 'parked' so the rest of us can get something done.  We cleaned out the goat pen while you slept your afternoon away.

Because your sister is this spirited girl and loves to pick out your clothes, 

Your outfits are often...well...interesting. Pink striped shirt with a red, white and blue dress and a pastel hat (which was homemade by a sibling of one of my work kiddos, thank you!). Each cute on their own, but the combinations she comes up with are mighty unique. 

The perks?  Because I had to keep an eye on your siblings, you were able to have your lunch here.

 And your siblings? They never refuse a chance to snuggle you.  They tell you how special you are and how much they love you everyday.

 We are still so smitten, we truly are!

BOG Made: Cradle

Before I visited my dad, I asked him to pick up the pack and play I left at camp so we'd have some place to put Anna-Kate.
Instead of driving the 10 minutes to camp to get the pack and play, he made Anna-Kate this:

 Gorgeous, isn't it?!

In it is the awesome blanket made by Mary (thank you!).

While Anna-Kate looks might cute in the bassinet, 

 The sleeping baby is even sweeter in a handmade cradle built by her grandfather.

 Not that she really can rest much with a big sister though....

 Thanks for the awesome gift, BOG!

Keeping on.

Want to hear about my afternoon?

I grocery shopped with my three littles, came home, put all the groceries away, made a homemade meal that included my own homegrown greens, brined a chicken for tomorrow's meal, did barn chores, collected eggs, did laundry and cleaned the whole kitchen. All by myself with two big kiddos and a baby in my arms/in a carrier.

(Here's Miss Curious who definitely does not want to miss a single thing.)

Does that sound like super woman?  Perhaps.  Until I tell you that I started all that in the afternoon and didn't complete it all until bedtime. That took me 8 hours to accomplish. No joke. And now I'm wiped out.

Not so superwomanish.

Today is the first day my husband has gone back to work since we had Anna-Kate.  We're so fortunate that he has been able to take a whole month off for each kid.  Now I must adjust to our new normal, flying solo with the trio.  It's funny how it works that one child feels overwhelming when there's just one. And then you adjust to the new normal and get in a groove.  Then once you have two, one child seems easy peasy and two is overwhelming. Then you adjust to the new normal and get in a groove.  Now we have three and having just one or just two seems easy peasy, but the three is overwhelming.  Of course, once we find our groove, three will be just fine. It's just the adjustment. That's the tricky part.

And my, is it an adjustment without Justin. He was super, super helpful all month.  Thankful I had him here when my body wasn't feeling back to normal. Now I am feeling healthy, it's time to adjust and get in our groove.  But gosh.  We miss him.  We all do. 

Tomorrow, I plan on finishing planting the same 12 pepper plants I have been aiming to plant since Monday.  Seriously, each day I planned to plant them all and it has taken me 5 days to plant 7 out of the 12.  I'll keep on keeping on, puttering away. It will all get done eventually. Or maybe not.  Eh...it doesn't matter anyway. There's a baby to snuggle.

Little Miss One Month

Somehow it happened that today Anna-Kate is one month old.  I know.  How did that happen?

 Audra wanted to dress her in a flower dress given to us from this dynamic duo who we love very much (thank you!).

And then Audra insisted she match Anna-Kate, both wearing flowers, and finally wear a dress that I made her. (Link for that homemade dress here.  Which if you do get a chance, do check the link out, the series of pics makes me mighty happy for that type of summer childhood fun.)

Happy one month, Anna-Kate. I can truly say that I have enjoyed this month of your snuggles tremendously! 

Celebration

We have a little tradition around here. Every year, on what would have been my mom's birthday, we celebrate.  I tell stories, I show pictures, I pick lilacs, I smile, I laugh and I remember. And we all eat chocolate. Always chocolate. My mom never would have had a birthday without chocolate.  That's for certain. 

It's been nearly 21 years since I lost my mom. It's hard to believe I've had more living years without her than I've had with her because I carry a piece of her in my heart everyday.  Who I am is because of who she was.  I'm thankful for that.

I bet she would be mighty happy to snuggle her newest grandbaby, Miss Anna-Kate (along with her others, of course).  Everytime someone asks Anna-Kate how she got her name, she'll talk of being named after her grandmother.  I'll make sure to keep the stories coming so those memories live on.