The Creamery

We took a visit to the creamery. Never been before.  I'm making cheese every couple of days as of late and am getting down the process with these curds and whey.  We were all fascinated watching the larger scale production. So much similar to small batches, but still so different.  We happened to be the only ones there and spent a significant amount of time just watching. My kids would have stayed there all day watching. I might have too. I've learned so much about cheesemaking the last 5 months but still have so much to learn.

My little kangaroo

Happiness is when my little non sleeper who does not nap ever...and if you want the truth of it she doesn't sleep much at night either...but she fell asleep mid day.  Where she fell asleep?  On mama. In the 'roo' carrier (aka Ring sling).  It actually happened last week, but her sleeping at any point is worthy of remembering.

I can't even tell you how awesome it is that she still wants to be worn.  Daily in fact.

I don't mind one bit.

This ring sling has been a constant comfort to her.  Everytime she's tired, hurt or emotional, she wants to be my roo in the gray roo carrier.  It's the same roo carrier that I used here at the beach when she was 2 days old. (Yes, I went to the beach the day after delivering her.) It's the same roo carrier I wore each day just about between then and now.

As long as she wants me to be her mama roo, I'm right there, ring sling waiting.  My pouch is ready for you to snuggle close to me, my little love.  I'll take these snuggles while I can.

D-E-E-R-E

When your son is cold at night but won't put on a sweatshirt because his only John Deere sweatshirt doesn't fit him, it only fits his sister now...you have two choices.  Tough love or gentle love.  Sometimes the gentle makes all the difference. 

Just a hand me down sweatshirt with a stain is covered and made new again with this simple patch.

And just like that, my kid is the happiest kid in the planet.  He also is no longer freezing. Win-win.

Butter

Let's celebrate a win, shall we? I could easily wallow in my challenges as of late, but instead, I'm celebrating the win today.

I've been getting the knack of butter making down.  I have so so so much less buttermilk than before. My cream skimming skills aren't good enough to put on a resume, but they've improved.  And the salting.  My husband's taste buds still help with this, but I'm working on getting it perfectly salted. This last pound of butter that I did? Near perfection. 

And the little helper? Well, she's even better than homemade butter.

 

Winning. Sort of.

This week, I don't feel like I'm winning at anything. I'm either moving in reverse, treading water, near drowning or completely in the wrong river at the wrong time.

I'm going to call this a sort of win. I've meant to do this for the last couple years. I put the Christmas books we already own (but were hidden in the attic) in gift bags that I've saved. Every night before bed for the month of December, they choose a bag with Christmas books from years prior to read before bed.  Ideally, 25 bags and 25 books would be perfect.  Or if you're like me, you're starting a week late and need way less bags.

If not this year, be collecting for next year. Save your gift bags.  Collect those Christmas books at thrift stores.   Get everything set up so ready to go the first of December. And give me a nudge to be ready on time too.

 

Oh ChristmasTree

Confession.

I have not been in the holiday spirit. At all.

All the holiday jazz feels like one more chore as of late. We bought lights last year to do the outside of the house. They are still in the box. The Christmas decorations have been in their boxes in the living room for a week. While we've baked and done crafts, nothing Christmasy.  The advent calendar was just started, a week late. I put getting a tree on our to do list today because I figured it ought to be done when we were a home.

Well, we did it.

And you know, I'm glad. Because the joy in their faces, their excited chatter, their enthusiasm for the Christmas season...it's a wee bit contagious.  Glad I'm getting a wee bit of excitement back since there is a tree laying on my living room floor. 

Decking those halls is the agenda for tomorrow.

Oh the ways we spend our days...