Stepping Forward

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Not a great picture of our home, but the only one I could find.

Not a great picture of our home, but the only one I could find.

It has always been our dream to own some land, not much, but more than we currently have.  I has seemed like something that was always going to be far away, out of our reach.

But not so, anymore.

The shed/chicken coop in the back yard. I have enjoyed finding ways to grow food on a small plot of land.

After some direct prompting, looking hard at our finances and what the houseing market is like, we have made the plunge. In ten days our house will offically go on the market.  We are selling, and looking for something new, something a little big bigger and some land, where we can really “homestead”.

The year this picture was taken we harvested one hundred pounds of carrots.

We have had mixed reactions from the children, and I will admit to some mixed feelings myself.  This is our first home, we have been here 11 years and added five children to out family, on of which was actually born here.  However, I am excited for new adventures.  We will be able to garden like crazy people, have livestock and a dog.

Getting ready to plant raspberries, I will miss those, but plan on planting more at our new home.

Here’s to new adventures, prayers that our home will sell, that we will find a place to put down our roots and to dreams coming true.

Many memories….

Thing 1 and Thing 2

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Or, as they are called at our house: The Little Girls
or
Monkey (#6) and Squishy (#7)

 It is funny to me how children, coming from the same parents can be so different.  Take these two little gals for instance.  The older of the two is short and thin, the younger is tall and fluffy.  They wear the same size diaper (cloth and disposable).  The baby is wearing clothes her older sister was wearing only six months ago.  Monkey (#6) is in the bottom 10th percent for height and weight, Squishy (#7) is in the top 10th percent for height and weight.

I love their differences, all the differences that my children have, it adds variety, fun and challenges to life.

Bonding and Apple Sauce

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I haven’t done much canning the past two autumn seasons.  I was very busy with two little baby girls, and since I had plenty in storage I figured I could give myself a little break.

Until….

I had a good friend offer me a big box of apples for a very low price, and I just had to have them.  They were kind of small, with some worms and getting soft, so not very good for just eating.  They were screaming to be made into apple sauce and canned.

I decided to grant their request.

Here is where the bonding part comes in.  In the past I figured my kids were too young to help me can, and I would usually shoo them out of the kitchen so I could get into the “mode” and can like a crazy person.  This time I did things different.  I got my two oldest involved, they are 13 and 12, old enough to learn how to can and old enough to help.  After the initial complaining, we settled into a very nice afternoon cutting and cooking apples.  We didn’t get a lot done, just 6 quarts for this round, but I will always remember the first time  my girls and I chatted away the afternoon canning.