7 months

We have officially 45 days of school left.

I think I am way more excited then my 6 year old and 4 year old.

I think I am more excited then when I was in school- and I never really enjoyed school.

The drive to and from town is not fun for me. It makes me very nauseous on the hills to drive back and forth several times a day. Fortunately, I only have 3 days a week that I end up with multiple trips. Thanks to some pretty awesome neighbors that help with transportation.

BUT, in 45 days...I will get a 3 month break from all the driving!! Except, of course, when I  go to see my friends. I am anxiously awaiting the downtime.

Hopefully, this will open up some time to make our home a little more 'ours' with a few touch-ups.

Renovate or build

              This house is over 100 years old, and we are the 3rd generation to live here. This was my husband's grandmother's home. And before them, it was her husband's grandmother's home. I think there was a great aunt in there somewhere, but I'm not sure.

 

Obviously, LOTS of history.

 

We have been here for six months now, living in the country. We did not purchase the home. We are getting a feel for the lifestyle and area. Now comes the decison making time. Grandma is not well- Stage IV Breast Cancer. She is doing very well and has amazing and inspiring faith.

 

But, while we can- we need to talk with her about our plans and intentions. She needs to ok them, and we need to begin the process.

 

Will we continue living in this home, permanently?

 

Will we renovate- remodel this home?

 

Or, do we build new and start fresh---still on the family land.

 

Or move into town? It is a cute little agriculture farming town- NOT a city

 

The house has its age flaws, old pipes, leaky windows, older roof.  However, its a very sound home. It has great woodwork and lots of square footage. A lot of family memories, where my father-in-law and his four brothers were raised.

 

What would you do? My inner City Girl wants a nice new fancy house!! My country girl side wants to stay here and just remodel to our needs.

 

My husband is always saying we are living THE dream--that a lot of people wish they had this house and land. Is that true?

 

Take a look- give me your opinions

Farm House 

New Toy

 

1986 Honda fourtrax 70cc

 

My kids have been wanting their own baby four-wheeler. We watched for the best deal and this was it!

 

Pretty sure their dad was just as excited.



Dorito Chicken Casserole

Dorito Chicken Casserole

 

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs chicken (depends on your family size)

1 can Cream of Celery

1 can Cream of Chicken

2 oz Velveeta Cheese

1/4 C sliced jalepenos

bag of Doritos, crushed

salt, pepper, season all, minced onion--to taste

 

 

In a skillet, mix Soups and Cheese. Cook on Medium heat until well mixed.

 

Baked chicken until the internal temperature is 165. I bake mine- You could cook on a skillet, crockpot, or boil them.

Cut chicken to bite-sized pieces and add to the soup mixture.

 

Mix in seasonings, to taste.

Layer chicken mixture- then crushed Doritos- repeat, ending with Doritos

 (we only do half the casserole since we have small children)

Cover with foil.

End Product

 



Down an Out

 

 

Almost three weeks ago I broke my wrist at a Crossfit class attempting to do box burpees! this has definitely been in the top most painful things I have endured. 3 weeks later it still hurts as bad as the first day.

I started with a nice pretty and sturdy purple cast. However, by day 3 my wrist was very swollen and my fingers were numb. I began having a lot of anxiety over the tightness of the cast. By the time I made an appointment and saw the doctor my anxiety was extreme.

The doctor agreed to give me a Thumb Spica instead of a new cast. So far I think the spica was a good decision. Though when I sleep and move around a lot, I don't feel it is as secure or sturdy as I may need it to be.

 

So that's where I have been! It is not the easiest thing pecking out all my words on the keyboard...but, it will do!

 

For fun, here is a short list of fun two-handed tasks that are hard to do now:

• Butter toast
• Button my pants
• Brush my teeth
• Curl my hair
• Shave my left armpit
• Open the lid on kid's cups
• Open pain pills
• Open doors
• Cut with scissors
• Change the radio station in the car
• Buckle my seatbelt
• And last, but no least, push a grocery cart with three kids in tow while others stare at the poor mom with a broken arm.
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Four Month Mark

Here we are four months into our new Country life.

So far, so good.

There have definitely been some long days and a lot of changes we have gone through.

Starting with Ethan beginning Kindergarten. That was a first for all of us. And it definitely took some getting used to from all parties. Fortunately we got through the first 2 weeks and now its no big deal. As a mom, though I still have my reservations. Ethan is such a 'sweet boy' and I fear he is going to get trampled by the outgoing kids. I've seen him at recess and he doesn't seem to play with his 'friends' much. Praying he will come out of his shell more and be more confident and independent. Or that maybe I am just being over-protective and its really not an issue at all, and I am over-reading it.

Kinsey has also started her first year of preschool. She couldn't possibly love school more then she does. I would love for her to go every day... for multiple reasons. One being, I have to drive the 20 minute drive to take her to school 2 days a week. No big deal right? Well I also have to pick Ethan up from school each day. So those days I go to and from town three times, that adds up!

Macie has been quite clingy since we moved here. I am unsure if it is the move, or her age. She is 2.5 and will be 3 in the spring. I am praying as her birth date approaches she will become more relaxed and independent. She has spent the past 3.5 months in my bed. Fortunately, I suggested we put her mattress in the big kids' room and she has been sleeping with 'sissy' for a couple weeks now!! We have had a few very successful playdates with our friends as well. I will just try to enjoy our closeness, as it will be short-lived as they say!!

Next comes 'Daddy' being gone at every evening during the week. He was staying with my sister and her family so he could continue working. It hasn't been fun sending him off each Monday and waiting for him to return. It has definitely put some stress on our relationship- as we don't do well with phone conversations! lol. We prefer to yell face to face ;) j/k!

And the good news!!- PRAISE the LORD....

My dear husband, has found a new job! He starts December 10th and we are very excited. This means in less than 2 weeks he will be home with his family every single night. This was a very hard decision for us. We spent the first 3 months not looking for a job at all. We really wanted to stay loyal to the place he has been for 10 years. His boss has been so good to our family and we are very appreciative of his generousity. But to keep our family whole- we needed the change!


There have  been some wildlife issues I hadn't ever dealt with before. First was the opposum I chased up a tree because it was eating my cat food. Then there was the snake on my steps to my bedroom- yes IN my house. Then there were the 5+ snakes in our cellar we so nicely removed and reloacted. Then comes the Coyote that was howling- right out my door! And finally the opposum that was living in our shop/office for the past few weeks that we finally found and relocated---or shot--read it how you want :)  And I would love to add the hawk I saw carrying a snake as it flew past my windshield on my way home.

Then the wildlife I allow at my home:

I have gotten my 6 month old Blue Heeler/Border Collie trained to not go in the road, chasing cars!! Thank you to a shock collar I had to use just a few times.

And I have finally gotten a wild barn cat to meow to me, and let me pet him!!! :) Success!

And the biggest part of our move, the part that has made it all worth it- my friends!

I have successfully met 10 or so very wonderful women in our new town. They have welcomed me with open arms and make me feel like I have been here forever. I feel so blessed to know them and be a part of their group! Thank you friends, you have really made this more tolerable for me.

So, here we are. New home, New job, New schools, New pets, New town, New life, New friends, New church.... God has blessed us with this opportunity and we are doing our best to raise our little family to grow closer to him and live a bit 'simpler life' here in the country.

Thanks for reading!

The laptop lives!

We sent our laptop to be fixed, so I wasn't able to keep up on my posts.

When it is here, sometimes my husband takes it with him to work.

He works about 3 hours from home and has since August. Details of this in another post!

No fear, I'm Back!

Coyote Country

 

 

We are in Coyote Country people. Last night I hard a coyote right out my window. It sounded more like 2 coyotes yaking back and forth really fast. My cats were all frozen in place... but I couldn't see the coyote. So I went and opened my porch door- must of scared it off. The cats all ran to me and hid on the porch with the dog/doghouse.

 

THEN, it had the nerve to come back.

 

Tonight, Im ready and waiting for him.

 

Country Sunset

Farm House

View from the road

View from the Shop

Barns on the Eastside of the drive- house of 4 barn cats (unless I find my momma has really been hiding with babies the past 2 weeks, I'm praying!!)

Looking from the East

Across the road- part of the property

Across the road- 'the pond'

 

Fall Country

My dreaded drive to town each day.... fall is making it worth while!

Our Farm

'our' inherited lab- Bozzy

Hollie, chatting with a barn cat

Hollie is about 5 month- she is a blue heeler, border collie, australian shepherd

One of my two- porch cats, they 'touchable' ones! lol

 

We do have 4 barn cats currently- 2 porch cats, 1 baby girl dog, and one old boy lab.

Psi Bands are amazing!!!!!

 

I wore these for our plane rides, in the car, walking the beach. I get motion sickness if I move quickly, turn in a car quickly, fly, drive.... basically all the time! Esp driving to and from town going up and down these hills. These bands are AMAZING! I never got sick on any flights, driving around the shore, or ever.

 

Highly recommended.

 

And you can get them in a variety of colors.

 

I got mine in black- so they didn't stand out, I wear a lot of black accessories and such.

 

We lost a dear friend this weekend to a car accident. You will be missed Bo Bo :(

No Starbucks!

I LOVE chai lattes- iced, hot, or blended. Love them all.

 

So moving to the country, I had to give these up! No more Scooter's no more Starbucks.

 

I have however found a pretty decent at home recipe and want to share it with you.

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 individual tea bags

 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

 

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

 

1 cup water

 

1 cup milk

 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

 

2 tablespoons refrigerated French vanilla nondairy creamer

 

Whipped topping and ground nutmeg, optional 

 

Directions

Place the tea bags, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in the coffee filter of a drip coffeemaker. Add water; brew according to manufacturer's directions.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the milk, brown sugar and creamer. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through and sugar is dissolved. Pour milk mixture into mugs; stir in tea. Dollop with whipped topping and sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.

Yield: 2 servings.

 

This recipe is very very sweet- strong chai. If you do not like things super sweet- I DO, then you might want to do half the brown sugar.

Enjoy!

 

  

 

Well Water

We are having well water issues.

 Or at least that is what I am blaming it on at this point. Ethan is having major intestinal issues... kept him home for 2 days last week and may likely keep him home the next two. Depending on how today went at school for him. He is going to the doctor on Thursday to see if there is anything we can give him or have him tested for. I am also having a sample of our water sent off to see if we can get it checked to make sure if its the water causing this.

I myself haven't felt well since moving here and my stomach is very off. However, I have always had stomach issues so I wasn't about to go to a doctor or pay to have the water tested on my account. Praying its a quick fix and my little man can get to feeling like himself again!! oh why did he have to be sensitive like his mother?

MMM, fresh well water

 

Country issue #10002-  now somebody tell me,  why isn't the water bothering these sweet little girls who constantly drink directly from the well water!?

These are a few of my favorite things... or, not!?

• Window ac units in each bedroom
• Going down in the cellar to flip the breaker when said units trip the breakers off
• Filling up water jugs at the well
• Going out to feed the cats, lol... lots of cats
• Riding on the tractor every weekend
• running the dogs' cage to the covered porch in the rain
• digging my dog out of the muddy creek because he is drowning in mud
• driving 15 miles to 'town' to take kids to and from school
• taking a shower with a tiny kid friendly dolphin shower adapter so I don't have to keep switching back to the regular shower
• Wearing my mud boots- in the mud! ugh
• riding in the truck out to the pond
• taking a tractor/trailer hayride to the campsite for supper
• snakes on the porch
• toads in the cellar
• ripping my favorite pair of capris climbing over the cattle pens
• peeing in a bucket in the trees lol

Did I mention, Starbucks is a good 30 miles from here!? Can't believe its only been a few weeks!

First farm guests :)

We had company this past weekend to hang out on the farm. They are a family of six, five of which were there. So we had 6 little kiddos under the age of 6 ;) They stayed with us for 2 nights and it was so fun. 

Hooking up the trailer to set up a hayride to the campsite for campfire supper tonight with the Sawyers.

On the tractor... headed to get hay

Bo Bo our new little 5 month old chocolate lab- LOVES the pond

Headed to the campsite for the evening!

Mr. E having some smores

The cows thought we were coming out to the pastor to feed them- they were very disappointed in us when we kept on driving

Chels having cookin smores

Pretty girls!

Yumm