How’s this for chaos? Last May little Mclaren was overdue by 2 weeks, we closed the deal on our home and attempted to move all in the span of 2 weeks For for the record, I did NOT scrapbook this moment.
The painter was here so long the kids started referring to as their uncle, the furnace had to be unexpectedly replaced and through all of this we were dealing with false labor pains. Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.
But we survived, a few grays emerged on my head and a few gray hairs left my hubby’s. But the key word is we survived, and I am so glad we did because I love the new house. Our home.
Don’t get me wrong, I was reluctant to leave the farm and the security of my parents. If it was not for the no more childrenclause they strategically (in minuscule print I might add) placed in our rental agreement, I probably would be still there protesting the eviction. In all seriousness we knew it was time. My parents were in the basement apartment and the overhead noise was only going to get worst with the not so tiny pitter patter of heavy clunky toddler feet. We needed our very own place as they did theirs. So we found this little gem complete with a dozen contrasting floral wallpaper…all of which were not placed over primed walls. Feel my pain? I will never support a wallpaper comeback regardless of who on HGTV says it is the in thing, I cannot stomach the stuff.
Wanna see my once pink kitchen? I didn’t zoom out for a full shot, too much pink, way too much.
I can see all of your curled up noses now. Believe it or not that is a pink painted brick back splash. No, that doesn’t sound hideous enough. Here’s a better description, it’s a painted pink zebrick backsplash. That is right up there with fuzzy textured snot green wallpaper circa 1970 surprisingly enough I have not unearthed any as of yet.
So here is my new, but not quite complete kitchen
I still have a wood counter top and apron front sink to install, bead boardceiling and outdoor light fixtures to get up. Note how I strategically centered the picture to avoid showing off the hideous ceiling and floors, not to mention the pile of junk that was there a mere 10 seconds before. I should seriously learn to photoshop to avoid such hassle.
When all the above has been checked off my honey “do” list, I will zoom out and take the full shot.
The dust is starting to settle so I thought I would begin to dabble in the world of blogging once again. I miss learning new tricks from other frugal moms, venting my frustrations but most of all the friendships that emerged.
Since I last reported, our family went from this
To this
Yes you counted right. We now have three little ones.
As one can well imagine, life is crazy. Heck, why sugar coat it, it’s downright insane! I don’t have the luxury of closing my office door for a much needed break (although the bathroom has proved to be a decent substitute) but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
This past year has had it’s share of challenges, mainly due to my little girls health scare at birth. Life gets put into perspective in the blink of an eye and so did my focus. Now that I have settled into a chaotic routine I hope to share some new and improved ways to save money, time and hopefully your sanity (although I may ask for help on that issue from time to time)
For nearly 12 years my family’s farm has run a disabled horseback riding program. Throughout the summer we have the privilege of working with and witnessing first hand children with special needs blossom. For once in their lives they are equal to others and can maneuvre a 1200 lb horse as easily as an able bodied person can.
We never knew how much that program meant to us until it personally affected us.
Our beautiful little girl, Mclaren Faith was born over a week ago. Unfortunately she suffered asphyxiation and suffered damage to a portion of her brain. Miraculously she survived and after several heart wrenching days watching her cling to life she pulled through… but not without damage. In what way? only time will tell but in an instant our life as we envisioned it will never be the same. Needless to say our family is in shock and numb and need to make this little miracle our primary focus.
I cherish all of those whom I met through blogging, many of you have become a great source of support. No doubt I will continue reading some of my favourites, continuing to be inspired by all of the great mom’s that are out there. Please take care, all of you.
I am still alive…barely. It has been a crazy month with no end in sight. I am sorry for not updating this blog, I have no creative excuses. Truth be told I am too darn tired to come up with any at the moment.
We did survive the big move and are anxiously awaiting the baby, which is now 10 days overdue. Typical for a little lady to be fashionably late. I would love to post pictures but for the life of me I cannot find our battery charger which reminds me should be located before the little one makes her appearance.
I promise I will have some pictures of the new arrival as well as her newly decorated nursery. After two boys I am lovin’ pink…and lots of it.
I have seen some of my favourite blogging friends participate in this meme and thought it would be fun to jump in. I wrote this up early Sunday morning before the chaos of the day ensued.
Outside my window…
The sun is almost up and the snow is nearly gone. Soon the grass will turn green and the smell of warm earth will enter my open patio screen door. Not long after it will need constant mowing.
I am thinking… about hiring a carpenter to give us a quote on a custom office unit. Three kids and power cords is not a good combination
I am thankful for… my wonderful family. Tonight I have my two older step children (19,21) sitting at the same supper table as the two babies. Wow! what an age difference
From the kitchen…a hot pot of soaked steel cut oats awaits me when I get out of the shower. Normally I soak them overnight and boil it gently in the AM. This has cut down even more time and allows me to simply serve instead of constantly stirring to prevent the pot from scorching.
I am wearing…my sweaty gym clothes, good thing I have a cold and lost all sense of smell..too bad for those that have not
I am creating…my children’s individual binders to store info, medical records and accomplishments in. They were kept in my main home manual but with two children and one on the way I needed to give them each their own space.
I am going…to spend an hour of school time with Landon while Dane colours.
I am reading…Ha, can’t remember the last time I read a book with more than ten words on a page. I have made that a resolution but so far it is April and it’s not looking good.
I am hoping…for a smooth and uneventful birth for my step daughter and the strength for her to handle labour in the event her mother does not arrive on time. Nobody should do that alone.
I am hearing…Dane chatting away to whoever will listen and calling for Daddy, who just turned off the shower. Soon they will come pounding down the stairs squealing in excitement.
Around the house…Boxes are starting to pile up in preparation for our upcoming move. I am wondering why I have 20 boxes packed and have not needed anything in them in over two weeks? Do I have to much stuff?
One of my favourite things… my caramel flavoured coffee with lots of whitener. I know that stuff will kill me but it’s my one bad vice and I cannot give it up.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Saturday we are heading to our local National park for our annual Easter breakfast cook out. We prepare a large feast of egg mcmuffins, maple glazed ham and all the fixings. We then go on a long walk and admire the emerging signs of spring. This has been a yearly tradition since Landon’s birth and anticipate many more years.
Have you seen this list? It’s making the blog rounds. I thought I’d play along. You ‘bold/highlight’ whatever you have done so far on the list. If you play along too I’d love to see your answers, so let me know so I can hop on over to your site!
1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars (on many a camping trip, some memorable some not so much) 3. Played in a band ….at school
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland /world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child (in the process) 16. Had food poisoning (one bad muscle on New Year’s eve 2001…not so memorable) 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables (can’t seem to master the pepper)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train (was a form of torture when I was young, think seasick only worst) 21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (not as cute as you would think, they are kind of stinky little things) 26. Gone skinny dipping (in a not so clean lake in a large city after a pub crawl…my head hurts thinking about it even now 12 years later) 27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run (on an all boys team when I was 10) 32. Been on a cruise (does a fishing boat count?) 33.Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (this is my dream vacation, no Disneyland for me) 36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David 41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (does a coffee in a drive thru count?) 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favourite childhood toy (my tattered blankie until it disintegrated several years ago) 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar (I would rather chew on my shoe)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades (would never do this, alligators/crocodiles freak me out) 75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (dumped the guy immediately after) 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury 91.Met someone famous (so famous I forget his name now…it was in an Irving though, we cornered him in the washroom for his autograph) 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone (for 2 days and gave it up after leaving it on the roof of the car) 99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day
Welcome to my little neck of the woods, hope you stay a while. Most of all I would love to hear from you.
A little about myself and that of my family. I live with my parents on a 50 acre horse farm with my wonderful hubby and two amazing little boys, Landon 4 and Dane 20 months. Since becoming a mom I vowed to simplify life and place more emphasis on family than that of stuff. I am constantly trying to bring all aspects of our life back to basics, from cooking from scratch, organizing, responsible green living but most of all family.
Here are a few snapshots from a day in the life of me.
I love to make homemade gifts and goodies
I absolutely love to garden, bottle and cook from scratch
Let’s not forget how I love to organize
But most of all I love my family
Please leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by, I am always looking for new places to visit.
As far as prizes are concerned I would love to win #7, #20 goat milk products, #106 oh and of course the kitchen aid mixer…need one of those
Don’t forget to check out other party sites over at 5 minutes for Mom
Thanks to my good friend and super talented photographer and scrapbooker Kathy Thompson Laffoley, the memory of my first moments with Dane have been preserved forever. No video could conjure up the memories that this shot does. Sometimes the perfect photo tells it all.
For those that have struggled with infertility as I have, will no doubt relate to this beautiful poem written by an individual on a support group I am a member of. This poem kept me going when I felt all hope was lost, the road was long but I held on to hope….and finally held on to my little guys.
I just had to put the two together.
It reads as follows:
Although not completely wordless…so hard for me to do.
Technically we weren’t actively looking but came across this house and immediately knew it was home.
We started thinking about getting a place of our own when Dane arrived but now that he is a toddler it’s becoming more of an issue. The big problem is the noise and I doubt they are going to get quieter as the years go by. My poor parents are woken up either in the middle of the night by a 4 year old crawling in bed with them or to the stomping of footsteps beating the drum of Bo on the go at 6:30 in the morning. Now that they are retired they would like nothing more to be able to sleep in to at least 8:00, is that too much to ask? evidently it is if you ask the boys.
We are also craving a finished basement. They are now at the age where I could leave them downstairs to play with their toys and watch cartoons. What it would be like to not have to trip over spilt Lincoln logs or darn near break my neck from forgotten Mr. Potato heads left on the stairs. They could have a spot all of their own and leave my living quarters tidy and clutter free….oh I get goose bumps just writing that.. The other perk is a fenced in backyard with access from the garage. Not that 50 acres is not ideal on the farm, it is, but at times they wander what seems like 49 acres away and it’s getting hard to keep a constant eye on them.
Although I am going to miss my my parents, their endless support and life on the farm 24/7, we knew it was time. The good news is I am only a 5 minute drive away….Mom and Dad, you don’t get rid of us that easy.
I am so excited to have this new site, a design that depicts who I am and what I write about. I hope you can all change your feeds and links to reflect my new address. We are working on carrying over my existing material but as you all know, computers, at times, have a mind of their own. Bear with us as we work these kinks out. I would love for you to continue to visit me daily as I cherish each and every one of you. Don’t forget, I love comments, that way I can mosey on over to your site as I am always looking for new and interesting sites.
Welcome to my little neck of the woods, hope you stay a while. Most of all I would love to hear from you.
