Scenes from home

Between the storm and the to-do list and just plain loving to be home, it's been three days of me flying solo with my littles at home.  When my husband works those long weeks, we all miss him. Thankful for a few hours of togetherness tomorrow.  And here's a few scenes in our life:

 

Snow!

Check out the progression of our barn over the past couple of weeks.  Winter. To Spring. Now back to Winter.

We have snow now. I measured 9 3/4 inches out there.

 So we did the obligatory hot chocolate and baking, like every good snowday should entail.

(Improving at bagels, my son loved the clover rolls, just like my mom used to make. I also made a garlic herbed crostini. ..so good with fresh butter! A full freezer we'll have!). I sure hope there's more snowdays to come.

 

Snowday

 

 It was supposed to be the first day of the winter/spring homeschool co-op, but the coming storm has that cancelled.  I was running around last minute, going crazy getting all together for my portion (I'm teaching a Little House on the Prairie class...how fun will that be?!) and then just as I was getting the last remaining item on my list, I got the message that it's cancelled.  While I'm sure my kids will be bummed to not see their friends, I'm happy that everyone will stay safely at home and I'm rejoicing I'm a whole week ahead now! Silver lining, there's a whole lot of it. 

So, change of plans.  I think I'll start the day with these pancakes, and then it's wide open. There's nothing like a snowday of hunkering down at home to make the most marvelous memories. What shall we do?  I guarantee one thing, we will not be bored!

 

 

 

 

 

The Wood Cookstove!

I've been crushing on this wood cookstove for approximately 3 years. With five doors and five windows in the kitchen and this small hearth, only a small cookstove would fit.  This was a happy birthday to me and a Merry Christmas to me.  And I'm so so so happy with it! It heats the room in no time and I'd say likely 2/3 of my cooking since it's been hooked up has been on the cookstove.  How about that!?

So here's the process from delivery to it in the house to being hooked up. It's obviously Holly the Black Lab's resting spot, but even our cat who likes to live in a drawer enjoys the heat.  And I love love love the big puffy smoke coming out of the chimney. Picture overload, coming right up.

Keeping it real....

Keeping it real by showing you my mess and my obstacles. Starting at 8pm, I went through five gallons of milk/cream to make butter, mozzarella and yogurt, plus a frittata, a veggie dish and did up 3 pumpkins and a squash (still working through our summer pumpkin/squash abundance). Phew. And then clean up time and my cats decide to 'help'.  Thankful for my husband stepping in and doing up the last few dishes while I did night time chores. The good news?  I'm now ahead of schedule and hopefully will get some stitching time in tomorrow night. I have some new patterns I'm itching to stitch!  I may be crazy, but I am also the eternal optimist, challenged by my feline 'helpers'. 

Thrifted.

 

Melissa and Doug USA puzzle, three books (one is an audio book), size up boots, enamel cup, 9x13 pan (doesn't even look used!). $5.50

Not the best picture...but when this mama is gifted $20.00 for a birthday gift (Thank you!!), a splurge at the fancy thrift store was the plan.  Two pyrex type bowls, a hand embroidered vintage apron, 2 yards of gorgeous vintage fabric, and because I love my kids, two brand new towels with tags for them.  I'm so happy with my splurges. (Thank you!)

Mama Made: Tiny Kitty

I made these a bit ago, but never shared. They are tiny tiny kitties, just perfect to hold in your hand.  I must confess that I totally love them.

 As does my kitty lover.

 I actually sold a couple at the Holiday Faire at the local Waldorf school.  I think I need to make a few more.  Maybe a litter of tiny kitties. I know this girl wouldn't complain about that!