Frost Feathers

 Last October(2010) when we moved here I saw some of the most beautiful weather I have ever seen.  I thought then that it was normal and that once we settled or even the next season I'd photograph it.  But it seems that no two seasons are exactly alike here and I missed it.  So this week when everything got layered with frost for several days in a row I decided not to miss it and to take my camera out there.

So today I hopped in the car and headed up to the top of the hill I live on to capture how magical the frost is...

 And here is a look at where I get to go running.  The hill I live on is a beast(for me) and even though I live over half way up it, it takes another 3/4 of a mile to get to the top.  But the top is mostly flat and surrounds me with rolling fields of green in spring, gold and yellow in the summer, and blankets of white though the fall and winter.  All while giving me views of Mount Spokane and the surrounding mountains

With a little help from our friends...

This isn't an easy post for me to write.

We made the decision long ago to adopt. It was always something on the horizon for us but since we knew it was an expensive process we didn't consider doing it any time soon. And then slightly out of the blue, in early October we felt this urgency to start the process. We figured it would be a process we would start and that in the spring(with some savings under our belt) we would find a child and move forward. But the Lord didn't see it that way. A week after we fasted and prayed about where to look we found our little girl, Pearl.

And what a joy and blessing that is. How grateful we are that we have been entrusted with the job of bringing her home. What a blessing it is to sacrifice and fast and plead on her behalf. We know that she is as much a member of our eternal family as any of the boys are.

But that doesn't make it any less expensive. So, we've begun to work harder than we ever have before, sell everything we can, eat beans and rice, and to literally save EVERY penny that we find or earn. But most importantly we are relying on the Lord to multiply our efforts because we KNOW that without his help we would never make it.

And now, in our desire to bring her home as soon as possible, we are asking for your help. And it's hard to ask for help but I am willing to do it to bring her home even one day sooner. So, if you'd like to help us bring Pearl home you can click on the link on the right hand side of this blog.

And I know you will be blessed as we have already been. Since I have begun this process I have seen how much the Lord loves and cares about his orphaned children because he has given me VERY clear direction and answers to my prayers. He has said:

Pure religion... is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction... -James 1:27


And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. -Matthew 18:5


Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them. -Deuteronomy 26:13

So, thank you in advance to those of you who are in a position to help us financially. And to those who aren't - we ask for your prayers. Someday we will happily tell Pearl all about how many of our friends and family worked to bring her home. For a little girl who was abandoned in the beginning, what a gift to know that there were many others who saw her worth and value in this world and who were waiting with open arms to love and cherish her.

Essential Oils - My Gateway Drug To All Things Healthy

In October of last year I became a huge fan of essential oils. I had tried them here and there over the years but it wasn't until last fall when a friend gave me some Doterra oils that I started replacing medicines in our cabinet with them. And now it's gotten to the point where nearly everything, if not everything, has been replaced with an essential oil. And not just because it's cool - but because they work BETTER.  It's pretty radical, actually. And so, I am in love.

And this love has brought with it some unexpected travelers. Not only am I in love with the oils so much that I actually became a rep, but it has opened me up to a whole new level of understanding of my body and my spirit and how the two work together to keep me healthy. The first change I noticed was that I started decreasing the toxic load I place on my body. I started looking around my home - at my toiletries, my cleaners, my food, and asking myself if it was a product that was aiding in the health of my whole self. And so I threw a bunch of stuff out, which I think is pretty cool. And the oils have made me look internally to see if my stress levels and moods are ones that are aiding not only in my health but in the health of my family. And I've started to make changes in the ways I deal with my loved ones as well as myself. And if you'd believe it, the oils have even helped me strengthen myself spiritually. They have increased my faith in the Lord because I've seen how well they work and it reminds me that He has provided for our needs. It has made me want to rely less in the "arm of flesh" in other ways and more on Him. It has helped me to see that "all things denote that there is a God"* and that many of those things will actually help us draw closer to him as well. And in that new found searching I have found beautiful quotes like this one from Parley P. Pratt on the effect of the Holy Spirit:

"It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being."

Isn't that beautiful?  I especially like the part where he says it invigorates ALL of the faculties and how he said it actually makes thing become more beautiful.  I believe that.  I really believe that as we have the spirit of God striving in our hearts it is working in each individual molecule in us.  Filling it with light and helping it to heal and work better.

In the end, I am so grateful that my journey into the world of essential oils has just begun and yet it has already opened my eyes and my heart to a whole new wellness - a truly holistic view of how to care for myself and my family.

And P.S.  Doterra oils are THE best.  The End.  

P.P.S.  Call me or email and I'll talk your ear off all about why.

*Alma 30:44

Truth: Farmhouses are messy in the spring.

I haven't blogged in forever but since my in-laws are coming in to town this evening and I've got T-O-N-S to do I thought now would be the perfect time!

It has been CRAZY here - we now have 39 chickens, a pony, two llamas, eight goats, three cats, and a dog living here.  Five of those goats are pregnant.  Actually - three have had their babies in the last 10 days - and goat kids are the CUTEST thing on the face of the planet.  I got to play James Herriot and deliver the ones that came so far - I will probably miss the other two births because I leave tomorrow to go to girl's camp - thus why my in-laws are coming to town.  They are VERY graciously driving up here to watch my four monkeys for the week - not to mention all of the animals.

I mentioned James Herriot and for real - because I am reading his series of books I was able to keep my cool.  If I hadn't read story after story of his where he has to reach his hand into an animal's rear end then I might have felt more squeamish about doing it myself.  But, thanks to James, I was good to go.

And with all of the animal births and other spring duties around the farm - my house has been a MESS!  I am not naturally a clean person anyhow but when you add like 50 chores to the list of to-do's you have to start prioritizing.  And unfortunately for the kitchen - birthing kids scores higher than dishes.  Luckily though, we're coming down from the craziness and the dishes are once again getting done.

And we've had a wonderful June.  My brother Weston and his lovely prego wife Alison came into town.  It was the first real visit from anyone and it made our house feel real.  After we moved it was almost like all of our friends and family in other locations stopped living and we entered some weird fourth dimension.  But having them visit seemed to pop that bubble.  And it was so nice to have someone come and see the beauty of where we live and like it too.  Not to mention seeing them. :)

And then the Wingers came into town and I have to say that it was one of the funnest weeks we've ever had as a family.  Their kids and ours played endlessly outside, we cooked, we ate, we made soap, we talked - it was the best.  And Sheree was such a gracious visitor that when she left it was like my fairy godmother had visited.  She cleaned my car top to bottom and filled it with gas and had showered me with birthday gifts while she was here.  Thanks, Sheree.  Best.friend.families.

So, where are all of the photos?  My camera is still on the outs - I have been a little lazy about sending it in to the shop.  So instead here is a movie the boys and I made a month or so ago.  It's life changing, I promise.

I *heart* Babies

A couple weeks ago I took some baby pictures of a friend's baby all on film.  He is an adorable chubby baby and I loved taking these.  And I still love film.  And now that I'm done having kids - I can't believe how much I want to hug and kiss and squeeze other mom's newborns.  And p.s.  Syrene has a days old baby and still looks AMAZING here!!!!!!!

Congratulations, Syrene.  Thanks for letting me be a part of it all!

I'd rather chase smelly pigs than try and keep up with the Joneses.

Taken with my phone - the camera is in the shop.

Up on the hill the apple blossoms are emerging and truly  if you've never smelled an apple blossom you're missing out on one of the sweetest smells on earth.  All around there are cherry blossoms, pear blossoms, and all sorts of assorted flowers.  And sometimes the breeze will bring their scent right to me which makes me stop right where I am and drink it in.

While it's true that farms can be smelly places - I know from first hand experience that this is true - the air on a farm has times when it's sweeter than any perfume you can buy.  I think that is part of why I love farms and why I felt so stifled in a neighborhood.  I love the romanticism of wildness and nature we have here - manicured lawns and double car driveways are not for me.  Give me muddy, smelly boots over the HOA any day.

A little madness in the spring is wholesome even for the King. - Emily Dickinson

We have gone slightly mad.  Already sunburned - never shoed - or indoors.  We cannot get enough of our lover Spring.

That includes but isn't limited to adopting a kitten - Marmalade.  Who could say no to her orangeness?

We also got some foster hens from a friend - which means instant eggs.  I love it.  Yesterday while walking inside with three warm eggs in my hand my heart leapt within me.  I am in love with my life.  30+ hens and counting...

But with that madness has come some interesting DEVELOPMENTS...

Do you know what is wrong with this picture?  Yes, it is slightly obscene - but it shouldn't be.  This pig is supposed to be castrated.  Is he?  No, no he is not.  Which means we can't let him get over 200 lbs(around the time of sexual maturity) or else his meat will be tainted and yucky.  So, Mister Mister, you're gonna be bacon a lot sooner than we expected.  Like in less than two weeks.    I'll take pictures, I promise.

So, farewell Porkchop - it was good while it lasted.

The Player Piano.

My mom is amazing.  Ask anyone who knows her and they'd same the same thing.  She's a painter, a glass worker, a fiber artist, a singer, an interior designer, and because she has perfect pitch she can play just about anything on the piano - in any key you'd like.   And I love to watch her play - her beautiful hands dancing across the keys.   I wish I could watch her more.  Maybe once she and my dad are back from Brazil...(hint hint, nudge nudge, Mom).

And now, she can do it in my home since yesterday we became proud owners of a piano.  We had a piano in the past - a free one - which means it looked and sounded free too.  So once we realized it had became more like a holder of random papers and water cups than an instrument - we got rid of it.  But lately I've been determined to get back in the game with a better piano.  And I found the perfect fit.  It's an old player piano - refinished and it's "guts" removed and replaced with a digital keyboard.  Pretty cool, eh?

I love that I got the satisfaction of having something used and "seasoned" but also something new with little upkeep.  Golliwog's Cakewalk...here I come.

Sometimes our worst nightmare becomes our happiest dream come true.

Two and a half years ago I said something along the lines of "if that happened it would truly truly be my worst nightmare come true.  It was a couple months after Peter was born and Mike and I were talking about the idea of accidentally getting pregnant.  Little did I know that a matter of weeks later I would find myself accidentally pregnant!  The day I found out I was floored.  You can read the post I wrote to announce it.   I really wasn't sure then if I would make it through the next year and a half of my life.

Peter's first birthday - Asher's one week birthday.

And now, I'm so so SO grateful that my worst nightmare came true.  How happy we are two have "the babies".  I guess since Asher turns two next week and Peter three the week after that they are not really "the babies" anymore but maybe they always will be to me.

And I can't wait to celebrate another birthday week with these guys.  Each year for exactly one week they're the same age.  I'm sure this coming week with double two-year-olds will be filled with lots of mess and tears and bruises - but most of all - with joy.  Here are a few shots of the two of them together from the past couple years.  I can't wait to do a photo shoot with the two of them during the birthday week!

 

So even if you feel like everything is falling apart in your life - know that often it has to fall apart to be put back together as something even better.

Spring on the farm.

Honestly, most days I really do pinch myself when it comes to how amazing it is out here.  I love it - I think it's one of the prettiest places I've ever been - and it's where I live and what I look at as I wash the dishes.  And now the beauty of where we live has outdone itself by welcoming in the spring.

It's the time of year when the first flowers are pushing through the dead leaves and cold soil.  The time of year when indoor kitties become outdoor kitties.

It's the time of year when boots are nearly enough and when new puppies are in heaven.  Come summer - we'll leave the boots and shirts behind too.

It's the time of year when teenaged chickens are going through their awkward phase and toddlers are discovering the joy of the outdoors again(all while wearing last year's t-shirts).

It's the time of year for fattening up piglets and for using slingshots(that might accidentally break barn windows).

Of course there are days when all I think about is the dishes or the tight budget or the tight jeans I'm wearing...but as soon as I step out the door it begins to melt away into this.  The other night Mike and I went out to feed the pigs after dark and we were serenaded by two great horned owls hooting to each other.  It was magical.

My Homeschooling Tree of Knowledge (A very small but growing tree)

You know, there IS a reason I never write on this blog any more - and it's the same reason I quit photography a few months back.  And that reason is that everything has caught up with me and I no longer have any time.  I don't know how but I don't feel like I am doing things differently that I did six months ago but somehow everything has swollen up and filled every nook and cranny in my day.  I find I can barely keep my eyes open after ten o'clock at night and that Mike and I are only able to catch a movie on the couch on rare occasions.  It's really kind of mystifying how instantaneous the change was, but needless to say things like this blog have fallen very low on the totem pole.

One of the things that has taken huge amounts of my limited brain capacity of late is HOMESCHOOLING.   After the move, just about everything that was running smoothly in our normal school day in Utah fell apart.  Andrew hated school and everyday it was such a struggle to get him to continue - and while I was in that struggle Elijah would slip out and find something better to do than school.  I felt like I was herding cats trying to get those two boys to stay at their studies at the same time.  Not to mention the toddlers that were sneaking away to pour dried beans all over the kitchen floor or nibbling on 5 pound blocks of cheese.   And so, I too, hated school.  It all came to a head in January when after a few phone "counseling" conversations with friends I decided I was done and was enrolling them in public school the coming Monday.  (If your heart just leaped within you because you thought I'd finally come to my senses - shame on you!)  I did come to my senses - later that night at a church activity, while I was pasting together valentines and dipping Oreos in chocolate I realized it wasn't time to give in but to get going! 

So I did the same thing I do whenever I am at a loss.  I started reading.  A lot.  I started with The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias.  Somehow I got this far in the game without REALLY knowing my own learning style or my children's.  I began to understand that a good deal of the frustration that Andrew was feeling was that the methods I use on Elijah don't necessarily work on him.  Meanwhile I was doing some soul searching and making lists of why I homeschool and what I really want out of it.  What would my perfect homeschooling day look like anyhow?


Next I met with the seriously knowledgeable owner of The Homeschool Bookshop  , Amber, for a one on one homeschooling consultation.  I took my lists, my dream day, and my troubles and she began to help me sort it all out.  But what really made a difference was the books she recommended.  First she had me read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.  I had heard the ideas presented in this book a million times over.  I was also pretty sure I knew my and Michael's love language.  But since when does hearsay ever really tell you anything?  Reading this book as well as this one has been the perfect pairing with my first read.  I now feel so much better equipped to love and understand my husband and children.

And then came this recommendation.  It's been a long time since a book has energized me as much as this one has.  It has not only given me the hope that I can run my home beautifully well but also given me the practical tools to make that hope a reality.  It's a lovely lovely gift Amber gave me.  It's called Managers of Their Homes by Steven and Teri Maxwell.  Not only do they teach you how to run your home - they spend a good deal on the why - with MANY references to the Bible.  It was like the balm of Gilead for me - reminding me that the Lord will qualify me for the "ministry" he has called me to - motherhood, marriage, etc.  While you can get the other books I've suggested from the library this one is a must buy.  See, it's not just a book but more of a workbook - with lots of things to fill out - all culminating in a big detailed schedule.  I love it.   Seriously - I love it.

Another thing we've been focusing on is getting our house in order.  I am not one of those woman who is gifted in the art of housekeeping - yet.  In the last ten years Michael, who is gifted in that respect, has been patiently teaching me how to run a house.  And as I've matured and as my children's abilities to participate in the cleaning and not just the messing has grown - we've begun to get a slight handle on it.  One thing that has been AWESOME is the app that goes with this site.  It is soo helpful.  Suddenly I don't have to have a myriad of answers to questions about treats, game time, staying up late, watching movies, etc.  I have one answer, "Do you have the points for it?"  And it's out of my hands.   They earn these points doing their chores, eating their dinners, clearing their dishes from the table, etc.  And they love it as much as I do.  We have lower rewards on their game time and treats and then big rewards like camping trips and iPods.  It's taken away the idea that they are entitled to candy and movies just for breathing and has helped them remember to do what is asked of them.

And for their chores I bought some plastic name card holders with lanyards and put cards with their chores on them in it. Each tag is labeled with their name and so they grab it at chore time and take it with them.  The cards are detailed with information like this:

Laundry:
1. Gather dirty laundry from baskets around the house.
2. Sort into piles of white/colored.
3. Wash and Dry
4. Fold and put away(with Mom)

That way they know exactly what is required with that chore instead of just saying Laundry on that card.  And they can take it with them as they do it.  When they are done with a task they move it to the back and work on the next card in their pouch.  Some cards have notes for different days of the week - for chores that only need to be done once a week.  It's awesome.  I even have one for myself.

I have soo many other things I have discovered that are helping in my schooling but I'm pretty sure I've already bored you to tears - so I'll save that for another post. AND I hope that the scheduling and the chore helps will enable me to start to write on here a little more often!  So, until then...

p.s.  Here is Amber's list of books she believes every homeschooler should read:


The Five Love Languages of Children
Manager's of Their Homes
The Well-trained Mind

The gal darn truth.

Did you know that this house is the thirteenth place Mike and I have lived in in ten and a half years of marriage?  Because we had done it so many times, I figured the move wouldn't be so hard - especially since we were finally getting the house and property we had yearned for.  Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Before we moved I was seriously emotional about it all - stomach churning, hair falling out, tears...coupled with excitement and happiness about what lay ahead.  And then I started getting sick the day we moved out of our place in Utah - and stayed sick with some sort of infection or illness for the next 5 weeks.  My body was depleted from all of the stress and it was awful.  And then once we moved in, Spokane had the coldest November ON RECORD!  Yup, that's right - it was seriously seriously cold.  And dark.  Did you know that we live farther north than the entire state of Maine?  I didn't realize we were so far north until we got here and the sun was DOWN at 4:15 in the afternoon - and didn't come up until after 7:00 AM the next day!  That's a LONG night, my friends.  And I didn't know anyone - not one person.  And by the time I wasn't sick and made it out to church and other things - it was nearly Thanksgiving.  And most people aren't really in the reaching out, making new friends state of mind during the Holidays.  Not because they're jerks - but because they've got family in town and so many things to get done.  So I was lonely.  I was so sure that I would be able to steer clear of all of that - that I knew the tricks of moving and assimilating in a new area.  So I was humbled as I saw myself being ridiculously needy with my new friends(I still am) and as I felt like I was having an identity crisis nearly once a week.

Huge frozen puddles at the bottom of our road - at least three inches thick of pure ice - perfect for "ice skating".

Isn't it pretty?  For sure, winter isn't all bad - it has been beautiful.

Why am I writing this post?  Because the sun is now staying up until nearly 5 PM now - and when Mike goes running at 6 AM he says he can see some light on the horizon.  That means the long winter is ending - that each day is brighter and warmer and longer than the one before.  And it reminds me that everything has a season - all things must pass.  It's yet another reminder that when things are hard if we just hold on, they will get better.  Before we moved I knew that it was be a test of my faith - that I would truly have to trust the Lord during the move - that He was leading us and aware of our needs through it all.  It may sound cliche but I have found relief in repeating the psalm:


Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.


Another scripture in James that I came upon last week made me feel better too...

Know this, the trying of your faith worketh patience.

And then a couple verses later:


If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

So, I hope I haven't lost you in my churchiness but I really want to say that I know this is true - and I'm grateful for it.  I have gotten to a time in my life when I can no longer lean unto my own understanding - it's not good enough.  So, I'm acknowledging the Lord's hand in my life - and that He truly has comforted me - and sustained me through the last few months of upheaval.  And I know he will continue to do that as I turn to Him.  And I also know that he will do the same for you.  Go get on your knees and let Him in.

One of my favorite talks/articles ever by Elder Holland.


&

And here's a link to my favorite scripture passage E-V-E-R - it's in the Book of Mormon.



p.s.  The days are getting longer and I am happier now too.  I just can't wait for spring already!

Here piggy piggy....

So, yes, we got ourselves a couple of pigs.  We actually bought them a couple weeks ago but they weren't weaned yet so we had to wait until this week to get them.  We were so anxious to get them that when the day arrived and the owner said we'd have to wait to get them because she had to make an emergency trip to the dentist we were pretty bummed.  OR she said we could just go on our own without her and get them.  So, we loaded up, made the drive to Colville, WA and got those pigs.  And it was great.

Wait, no, it was actually really really REALLY awful.  It actually was so terrible that on the drive home I was sure I had made a mistake about pigs and actually being a farmer in general.  Speaking of which, having your dreams come true on days when you are really hormonal is a bummer.  Here you are finally doing the thing you've dreamed about for years and all you feel is rage rippling through your body every time your child whines followed by the desire to cry.  So, ya, that's where I'm at.  Anyhow, getting the pigs...

We pulled up and I left three of my four kids in the car while my oldest and I climbed into the pig "pen".  This pen was a little shed built out of plywood with about 8x8x8 dimensions.  Inside there was a VERY large lactating sow and probably ten or so piglets - all laying in sticky, wet, slightly frozen mud...mingled with pig poop.  In this instance I am tempted to use a stronger word for poop because "poop" sounds cute and slightly clean and flowery compared with the stuff that was several inches deep in there.  It was foul.  So we started by trying to corner the piglets so we could grab them.  Which created LOTS of squealing.  Have you ever heard a piglet squeal?  It's LOUD.  Try having 10 piglets squealing in an 8x8 plywood dungeon of poop.  It's disturbing.  And mother pig agreed that it was disturbing that there were two humans terrorizing her babies and making a chorus of blood curdling squeals.  So she started in on the fun by grunted loudly - more like a growl - then charging us.  So as we are sliding around in this hell hole trying to grab these 30 pound piglets we also are being chased by a 300+ lb momma.  It was impossible.  It actually terrified and humbled me so much that I turned to prayer.  I can't remember if that was before or after I screamed at the momma, "I AM GOING TO EAT YOUR BABIES!!!"  After my prayer was uttered I remembered that we had some french fries on the floor of the car - you know, naturally - we had just had lunch at McDonald's.  So I sent Elijah for a few.  When he got back I had him feed very hungry and very mean momma while I grabbed a piglet by it's back leg.  Grabbing it by it's other back leg, I lifted it into the air.  At which moment it stopped squealing and Elijah, momma pig, and I stared in silence...for a moment.  But then the piglet starting squealing EVEN louder and flailing all over the place and momma started to charge - so I grabbed that thing like a football(pigskin?) and jumped out.  Shakily I shoved the crap covered baby into the cat carrier in the back of my car, and walked back to the pen - noting that several goats and a couple horses had come over to watch the show.

I should mention that at this point the dream of being a farmer had left me.

I climbed back in and did it again - this time finding that momma didn't give me a moment before charging.  It felt like slow motion.  My heart was pounding, I was weak and as I jumped over the wall I noticed that I could see the whites of momma pigs eyes VERY clearly.  Elijah followed as I shoved pig number two into the carrier.  After which realizing that I was C-O-V-E-R-E-D in poop.  Disgusting, green, thick, sticky poop - everywhere.  Since there was no one home to let us in to clean up, we shoved our hands into the snow and tried scrubbing them off that way.  I also remembered I hadn't finished my water from lunch and poured about a quarter cup of ice water onto my hands to "clean" them.   Unsuccessful with getting clean, we got into the car and got out of there.

The drive home took over an hour and a half.  The car reeked so badly that my stomach was churning, Asher cried the entire way home and I had no strength left in me.  Except for that rage I was talking about.  I didn't even want to bring the pigs home.  I didn't want to see another pig ever again.  EVER.  Elijah summed it up when he said, "Mom, I am going to have no problem killing those pigs."

Luckily, when we got home and let them into their clean and comparatively palatial pen - they looked cute.  They snorted around, rooting through the dirt, and looked happy.  So we were happy.  We had ourselves some pigs.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas A. Edison

We bought this place so that we could be gentleman farmers.  And it is a great place to do that but not without a little work.  We know that come spring we've got to reinforce the rafters in the barn and replace most of the roofing.  Once that's done we can start cleaning out all of the old horse poop and miscellaneous junk.  And then we need to add on a pen for the pigs and a coop for the chickens.  Next there is the fencing.  We've got fencing surrounding our entire property but some of it is leaning pretty far to one side and some is hanging so loose that the deer and Yogi just hop right over or under it's barbed wire.  That won't do - if we were to put a couple rambunctious milk goats in there - they'd be trotting down the road in no time.  At least that's what we've heard.  We keep saying maybe we'll put off getting those goats because we just don't know where to start.  Then there are piles of rotted wood to remove or chip, apple trees that haven't been properly pruned in decades, an eight foot deer proof fence that needs to go up around our proposed garden area, and then that spring that I mentioned needs a little work.  It runs into an old bath tub in the front pasture.  It's always running but we need to get to it's source and clean it out all of the mud and mineral build up to make it run even faster.  What that means is that 50 yards uphill of where it comes out is a holding tank underneath a "floor" of boards.  If we get those up we can get down there and get that done.  

But before all of that gets done we need to build a treehouse.  We have been talking about and promising a treehouse to our boys for years and years.  And this spring we really need to make good on that.  We figure we'll start simple and over time add on to it.  How are we going to get all of this done?  Who knows.  For now, we wander out and pick up pine cones.  They make the perfect kindling once they dry and gathering them makes us feel like we are playing "farm" or at least like pioneers.

 It is a lot of work - especially when there is a lot to do inside the house as well.  But there are days like today when the snow has melted and the breeze is high and the eagles play and roll in the sky above us.  A few days back we sat on our deck as the sun set and watched a bald eagle circle - and each time he turned toward the sun the white on his head and tail caught the bending light and glowed bright pink.  It was truly breathtaking.   And today we found hundreds of lady bugs camped out all over a tree trunk in the sun.  And my boys get to grow up seeing things like that all the time.  I can't wait to see how that will affect who they will become.