And wool socks. All of these for $13.00. 9 pairs for $13.00. One pair of Smartwool usually goes for more than $13.00. Old house love and freezing cold floors and tiny feet...a trio that must co-exist.
“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” ― Laura Ingalls Wilder
Thrifted.
And wool socks. All of these for $13.00. 9 pairs for $13.00. One pair of Smartwool usually goes for more than $13.00. Old house love and freezing cold floors and tiny feet...a trio that must co-exist.
This Old House
Tis the season when *this* old house starts hemorrhaging money from our wallets. Might as well look at the bright side!
4-H
Growing up, 4-H was so much a part of my childhood. From cooking class to public presentations to modeling my homed clothes to showing rabbits to camp to woodworking, basketmaking, gardening, animal care, sewing, community service and the list goes on. My mom was the leader. We were a part of the "Golden Starts" club. I started as soon as I was old enough and was in the club until my mom was too sick to keep it going. It's where I developed friendships, learned my skills, found my passions and gained confidence. I put all my fair money in the bank as a kid and that money paid for us to elope and get married nearly 10 years ago!
I always knew I wanted to get our kids involved in 4-H. I'm so thankful for the 'Nature Kids' club and the awesome crew, who let us come aboard before we could officially be registered. We've had 2 years of attending and participating and now gearing up for year 3, Adrian can finally officially join. What's really neat is our kids are 3rd generation 4-Hers, as my mom was a 4-Her as a kid as well.
We just had the annual 4-H achievement night, which is so different from the achievement nights we had as a kid ( swimming and ice skating...in the same night). I really like the event for our local group...they got to choose three classes, then pizza and then awards. Fun times with our 4-H 'family'.
So here's my little plug for 4-H. If you haven't looked into it for your kids/grandkids, I recommend doing so. It's not just a 'club', it's a way of life. It's about learning the skills that are no longer taught in schools. It's about finding passions, learning new things, working with your hands and falling in love with learning. It's a big piece of what has made me who I am today.
And now I bring you pine pillows, paper snowflakes, penny auction winnings, the randomness and silliness that comes from a little sister heading up on stage with big brother (which at least she looks cute in her mama made dress) and his achievement.
Long story short. We love 4-H.
I always knew I wanted to get our kids involved in 4-H. I'm so thankful for the 'Nature Kids' club and the awesome crew, who let us come aboard before we could officially be registered. We've had 2 years of attending and participating and now gearing up for year 3, Adrian can finally officially join. What's really neat is our kids are 3rd generation 4-Hers, as my mom was a 4-Her as a kid as well.
We just had the annual 4-H achievement night, which is so different from the achievement nights we had as a kid ( swimming and ice skating...in the same night). I really like the event for our local group...they got to choose three classes, then pizza and then awards. Fun times with our 4-H 'family'.
So here's my little plug for 4-H. If you haven't looked into it for your kids/grandkids, I recommend doing so. It's not just a 'club', it's a way of life. It's about learning the skills that are no longer taught in schools. It's about finding passions, learning new things, working with your hands and falling in love with learning. It's a big piece of what has made me who I am today.
And now I bring you pine pillows, paper snowflakes, penny auction winnings, the randomness and silliness that comes from a little sister heading up on stage with big brother (which at least she looks cute in her mama made dress) and his achievement.
Long story short. We love 4-H.
Hennies!
Hello there. This has been my view as of late. Busy, for sure, but I love selling some handmades. (Look at the tool bar up top if you have someone special who would like one).
One reader from here bought one and ordered it in white. A friend lost a white chicken and she bought this ornament for them to remember their fave chick. What a sweet idea! I used this textured fabric and love how she came out.
.It will likely be another couple of weeks of crafting for others before I can dive into our all the ideas I have for my own family. Hope to get those Christmas jammies made in time!
Farm on...
Oh, and about this homesteading thing, the good is winning. Farm on....
Keeping on.
Truth.
Today I cried.
My night last night was later than I had planned, little ones up in the middle of the night and I was up before the sun for chores. Not that that scenario is atypical for me. It's actually quite typical. It's what happened next that turned my day into a not so great one.
I put Ophelia, our milk cow, out to pasture like usual and turned around to get the calf. By the time I was back, she had already pushed her way out of the fence. This has happened twice before and I should have known to put her right in the barn. But no, I was trying to hurry to get to work and I just put her back in the fence. Shortly after, she escaped again and broke the fence in the process. ( I think she's mad that I didn't move the fence to new grass today. I did move it yesterday before work, but didn't have the daylight to move it again after a 10 hour workday. The newer pasture isn't bare either, Ophelia just had other plans.) This time though, she thought she'd sprint around our yard. I hollered to the kids to get their dad, praying and sprinting from here to there after those cows by myself. And then TO THE ROAD they thought they'd go. Its an absolute miracle I got them both from the near road to the barn by myself. I came in the house crying. I was part relieved, part releasing my fear, part upset at my husband because he never came to help, part because I don't know if having them is too much. It's a love/hate thing, doing it all on my own. To be honest, although most days I love this lifestyle, there are other days that I feel so incredibly defeated. Regardless, I somehow managed to not be late to work. I don't' think my heart has recovered from that scare. Ophelia spent the day in the barn. She earned herself a time out, that's for sure.
It was at the end of the day and I was doing a half of a dozen household tasks in the kitchen when I heard my little guy say, "Mama, I know you had a hard day. I'm going to help." He decided to do the rabbit cage. There was rabbit bedding everywhere. Just what I needed...another mess.
"Don't worry mama, I'll take care of it. I'm a farmer."
You know, he did clean it all up. He actually did a fantastic job.
No matter what obstacles Adrian faces, he keeps farming on.
Moments like this makes me do a 180. It's so easy to get down in the dumps when problems arise. I need to pick myself up and remind myself that we sometimes have bad days. But bad days are just a day with a beginning and end, they don't need to define future. Do I want to continue this homesteading life? Absolutely One bad day won't stand in my way. We may or may not always have a cow, but I imagine I'll keep going with the from scratch food. Today I'm not discouraged, I won't let myself. Onward I go.
(And if you could keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I am so hopeful those cows will stay in the fence).
Today I cried.
My night last night was later than I had planned, little ones up in the middle of the night and I was up before the sun for chores. Not that that scenario is atypical for me. It's actually quite typical. It's what happened next that turned my day into a not so great one.
I put Ophelia, our milk cow, out to pasture like usual and turned around to get the calf. By the time I was back, she had already pushed her way out of the fence. This has happened twice before and I should have known to put her right in the barn. But no, I was trying to hurry to get to work and I just put her back in the fence. Shortly after, she escaped again and broke the fence in the process. ( I think she's mad that I didn't move the fence to new grass today. I did move it yesterday before work, but didn't have the daylight to move it again after a 10 hour workday. The newer pasture isn't bare either, Ophelia just had other plans.) This time though, she thought she'd sprint around our yard. I hollered to the kids to get their dad, praying and sprinting from here to there after those cows by myself. And then TO THE ROAD they thought they'd go. Its an absolute miracle I got them both from the near road to the barn by myself. I came in the house crying. I was part relieved, part releasing my fear, part upset at my husband because he never came to help, part because I don't know if having them is too much. It's a love/hate thing, doing it all on my own. To be honest, although most days I love this lifestyle, there are other days that I feel so incredibly defeated. Regardless, I somehow managed to not be late to work. I don't' think my heart has recovered from that scare. Ophelia spent the day in the barn. She earned herself a time out, that's for sure.
It was at the end of the day and I was doing a half of a dozen household tasks in the kitchen when I heard my little guy say, "Mama, I know you had a hard day. I'm going to help." He decided to do the rabbit cage. There was rabbit bedding everywhere. Just what I needed...another mess.
"Don't worry mama, I'll take care of it. I'm a farmer."
You know, he did clean it all up. He actually did a fantastic job.
No matter what obstacles Adrian faces, he keeps farming on.
Moments like this makes me do a 180. It's so easy to get down in the dumps when problems arise. I need to pick myself up and remind myself that we sometimes have bad days. But bad days are just a day with a beginning and end, they don't need to define future. Do I want to continue this homesteading life? Absolutely One bad day won't stand in my way. We may or may not always have a cow, but I imagine I'll keep going with the from scratch food. Today I'm not discouraged, I won't let myself. Onward I go.
(And if you could keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I am so hopeful those cows will stay in the fence).
Seasons
This weather. We were outside this weekend with no coats and then this morning for milking before sunrise it was so so so cold. We have no snow...yet. In fact, it's raining right now. I'm sure snow is right around the corner. Maine is confused what season it is, apparently. 
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