Brushing off the dust...

Resurrecting this blog from the dust. It has been 4 years since I've been here, active and writing, and although I thought about my blog from time to time I admit that it was perched up on the shelf with other projects that I would want to return to someday. The problem was, I got so darn busy with the kids and work that almost all of my best and interesting projects were set up on a shelf. A big shift occurred in our lives in 2017, when I changed jobs from a fast-paced office position with accounting and tax responsibilities, to a consulting position. My new job is flexible, rewarding, challenging, and so much more. Let me just say that it was like moving from the rocking ocean to the backyard stream. I had more opportunities financially in my previous career, but the stream is where I feel at home and I can float at a more healthy and calm pace. Of course it was a big risk, and we still question our ability to juggle household and farm bills but for the most part there has been huge rewards to all of us. My heart has always been at home, with the kids, in the kitchen, and on the farm. We all get to enjoy more time together. The most heartbreaking comment about our lifestyle before was summarized by Eric, who said that he felt like he missed out on so much with the girls in their younger years. He gets to see August every day several hours a day, and spends a lot of time with him on the farm.

Oh, so here are the kids. 4 years later. Oh, and there's another one. August Anders, born 5/26/15, perfect in every way (so far). ;)

I love this picture of them with their dirty boots (and bare feet).

And our home renovations are nearly complete. If you recall, we've worked room by room through our old farmhouse. We finished with the outside in 2017. We still have a pantry renovation to do, so hopefully we can share that as it happens in the future.

The farm is mostly the same, and I am enjoying being able to contribute more to the farm. I mostly help with the calves, which has always been my favorite part of the farm.

 

Eric and I also bought a neighboring farm property. It hasn't had animals on it in years, but it came with a beautiful barn, granary storage barn, house, and over 100 acres. We really are looking forward to implementing all of the projects we have intended for this farm, including putting sheep and goats in the barn after installing electrical service and pasture fencing; growing our produce garden and farm stand operation; and continuing to invest in the house and property.

And there's so much more to share. The kids are active with school, 4-H, gymnastics, soccer, and Swedish dancing. I can't imagine a moment in which we don't have something to be growing, cleaning, fixing, feeding, and improving.

First Cutting

First cutting is being "wrapped" up as I write this post.  Eric is out after dark wrapping the last few bales of first cutting. It was a late spring this year, with rain almost every day for most of May, so first cutting is slightly delayed.  And the corn isn't all planted yet, so that is next priority on the next dry spell.

A few pictures of today's bale wrapping work on a beautiful day, June 1, 2014:

Spring, Farming, and Projects!

Life gets a little busy at times for any mom, but I regret that I haven't had time to blog lately. I've been busy with a lot of little (and some big) projects, kids and work. Eric is busy out in the field and on the farm, and I am busy with refinishing furniture, painting bedrooms and the bathroom, and keeping up with the house and gardens. We've spent very little time outdoors until a week ago because it rained almost every day. Now that it is nice, it is hard to sit still knowing that there is so much to be done!

 

Memorial Day 2014

 

Clara's birthday was a lot of fun. We did a farm theme, of course. I'm shocked I hadn't done that one yet! The cake took me FOREVER, or at least 3 hours. And Clara got a nice black eye for all of her birthday pictures with a minor incident on the stairs. But all in all, I'm really enjoying this whole throw a big birthday party thing. Let's hope I outgrow this phase in a year or two.

 

 

 

 

 

The kids really enjoyed the piñata... except that they couldn't break it. A bunch of little girls vs. piñata equals an adult needing to get involved.

 

 

Memorial Day was enjoyable.  There are a lot of birthdays in the month of May, so a lot of time was spent with family this month. Family is such a joy, and I truly appreciate how close we all are on both sides.  I took some pictures of the girls on Memorial Day with their red, white, and blue outfits because they were so cute in coordinating colors.

 

 

 

I will have to post some pictures later of the furniture and house projects. I have been having a lot of fun with a coffee table and television cabinet. I'd bought these two units for sale at the Crawford Furniture liquidation, and they weren't quite the right stain color. So I sanded with an orbital power-sander, stained, and sealed... I've never done any of that before so it was quite a learning experience!

 

We also bought a Hoosier Cabinet: 

 

 

If you're like me and not familiar with Hoosier Cabinets, Wikipedia can explain it to you. It is in good condition, and I was really excited to get it home, cleaned up, and stocked with some of our overflowing kitchen items that I never seem to find a good home for.  We'll eventually put this in our new kitchen or pantry area when we get to that house remodeling project.

 

We haven't planted our vegetable garden yet, but hope to do that soon. I did buy some rhubarb (about 14 pounds of it!) and made rhubarb sauce.  I froze the rest, and intend to make a few (or several) batches of strawberry-rhubarb jam, which Eric claims is better than regular strawberry jam.  More precious than gold, I realized last year, when he hoarded it and wouldn't let me give any away! 

 

 

Happy Spring!

 

 

Christmas 2013

A photo montage is about to follow, of the highlights of the holiday season for our family: