wordless wednesday

first harvest

We cut our first harvest of rhubarb and of course the first thing we did with it was make strawberry rhubarb jam.  It's one of our favorites to have on hand.  Mason and Emma are great strawberry mashers.  Making jam has turned in to a family affair...a fun way to spend a morning.  We ended up with 21 jars.  Success.

Our rhubarb is nice and healthy this year thanks to all the rain we've gotten.  I think the next batch will probably be turned into a nice pie.  Hopefully the hail will stay away this year and we'll get a few more cuttings.

five

Hard to believe this guy is five!!  These years really have flown by.  We are so proud of you Mason.  You are such a kind, thoughtful fellow.  We appreciate your attention to detail and observations about the world around you.  You amaze us every day with the things you are learning.

 

You do love to learn.  You are reading like crazy.  You love numbers and patterns.  At the moment you love puzzles, mazes, and cards.  You love to play Nertz any chance you get and win more often than not. You are also very creative when it comes to drawing and making things.  You will sit and color, write, and draw for hours.  Then out comes the scissors, glue and stapler.  The walls in your room are covered with masking tape and your artwork. 

 

 You are very careful and pay attention to details.  You love to plant in the garden, water the plants, and help with the greenhouse.  You know the names of all the plants and how to harvest them.  I love that I can send you to the greenhouse and you will return with a bowl of salad greens or a handful of chives.  You have your own tomato plant, locust tree, and sunflower plants that you are taking care of. 

 Most of all we love your sense of humor, your memory, and the way you tell stories.  You entertain us and are so fun to hang out with.  These five years have been full of so many memories and special moments.  You are such a joy and we are so blessed to watch you grow up.  We love you Mason man.

xoxo,
mommy

first week

Caleb's first week at home has been awesome.  Full of tons of family and friends popping in for visits.  Full of lots of cuddles.  I could sit and hold this little guy all day long.  Except that daddy and Mason and Emma want their turns too.  Plus a bit of floor time and cradle time for good measure.  

We're settling into somewhat of a routine around here.  Sleep, eat, fill the diaper. Repeat.  

We're also loving these summer days, full of sunshine, laughter, and baby snuggles.

Caleb James

Welcome to our family Caleb James! What a blessing this little one is!  He was born at 2:45 on May 28th.  Weighing in at 6 lbs 13 oz and 20 1/2 inches long.  

 

 The proud big brother and big sister.  It's been fun to watch their interactions with their new brother.  They are both such big helpers and keep a constant eye on him. 

We're settling in here at home and loving on little Caleb! 

tomatoes

The kids sure love helping in the greenhouse!  A few weeks ago we transplanted our tomato starts into the soil.  They seem to be doing well despite some cold nights.  Mason and Emma helped dig holes and water them.  Every morning Mason goes out to check on them.  He checks on the peas too....looking for one that he and Emma can share as a little pre-breakfast snack. 

We're still getting lots of greens.  Our cabbages that we started are sprouting.  We have a few pepper plants coming along as well.

The apple trees in the {mini} orchard are sending out lots of shoots and buds.  About half have leaves.  We transplanted lots of lilac bushes and locust trees, which are loving all the rain we've been getting.

So many little things to enjoy with the kids as they walk around checking on everything. 

Our third little bean hasn't made his/her debut yet.  We've had a few false alarms but this little one has a plan of its own!  We'll see what the doctor says today.  I don't think she'll let me go past 41 weeks, so this is the week!!

39 weeks

We're hanging right in there at 39 weeks.  Nothing crazy is happening yet. Which works great with my plan to finish the school year.  Or at least this next week.  And works with my other plan to enjoy Mason and Emma and Ryan as much as possible before our world flip flops into all things newborn. 

I'm still feeling really good.  Of course I'm tired at the end of the work day, but the weekends are great for resting.  Other than that I can't really complain.

I'm having a lot more braxton hicks than with the other two, but that doesn't seem to mean anything yet.  Little one is still moving a lot and I think that's probably my favorite part about being pregnant.  Watching and feeling my belly move. 

We really haven't decided on any names yet, but that seems to be how we do it.  We'll come up with something.  Probably at the hospital.  At least my bag is packed and the car seat is dusted off and actually in the car. 

The kids are getting excited.  We explained to them how they might wake up one morning and someone else will be here (thanks friends and family for being on call!) and mommy and daddy will be at the hospital.  Ever since then they are a little crushed in the morning...."Mommy!  The baby is still in your belly...


 

cousins

Came across one of my favorites from Easter. Love these people!

cardigan

This is the latest project I've had on my knitting needles.  A little cardigan for my new little niece, Ismae.  I definitely learned to love those lifelines and only had to rip it out three times.  

We got to meet cousin Ismae and see the rest of the family last weekend as they were passing through on their big move across country.  It was so wonderful to spend time with them.  

 

And of course anytime the yarn is out, my little helpers are not far away. 

 Cutting, measuring, and doing their own "knitting."

 Now on to the next project!

surprise

 Over Easter weekend my mom, sister, aunt, and cousins totally surprised me with a baby shower.  I had no idea!  It was lovely.  I'm pretty sure I have the best family ever.  The theme was "about to pop" and they had thought of a million little details to make it special. 

 I just love these girls to pieces!

 

The traditional cousin/sister belly shot.  I have one with both my other kids and I was so glad we were all together to get another one.  

Opening all those diapers, onesies, nursing gear, and other fun baby stuff sure made it seem more real.  We are getting so close to meeting this little one. 

 34 weeks

 

35 weeks

I'm actually feeling pretty good these days.  I'm definitely tired by the end of the work week.  Baby is moving around lots and lots which is amazing.  As much as I can't wait to meet our little one, I am sure going to miss all the great things about being pregnant. 

little orchard

It's been a long week.  Two funerals in one week is pretty overwhelming.  One for a good friend and school employee and another for a student.  It felt really good to get outside in the sunshine on Friday and hang with the kids.  I mostly just want to hug them and never let go.  Here are a couple pictures of them waiting to plant our 8 apple trees.  While daddy was augering the holes they "planted" some wood trees and measured the logs.  

These are the only pictures I took before the battery died.  They loved helping to water the trees, play in the mud and shovel dirt into the holes.  We're learning the ins and outs of trying to maintain fruit trees in our zone 3 climate.  Sort of a learn-as-you-go kind of thing. 

Now it's snowing.  Gotta love Colorado.  

three

 Happy Birthday sweet Emma girl! 

It's hard to believe you are three years old.  You spent all of yesterday enjoying your last day of being two.  You kept saying things like "This is my last nap when I'm two."  "This is my last dinner when I'm two."  "This is my last bath when I'm two."  Cutie.

 You are so full of joy and energy.  You feel your emotions strongly.  You are stubborn and independent and sweet and cuddly.  You enjoy the smallest moments, exclaiming "This is SO awesome" in your bright, cheery voice.  You can also throw the tantrum of all tantrums. 

You are so verbal.  You start talking the moment you wake up and don't stop until you fall asleep.  You have a huge vocabulary and usually talk with your hands flailing wildly and a huge array of expressions.  You talk in complete sentences, ask lots of questions, and make up stories and songs.  You love to sing and dance and have some serious moves. 

We can count on you to eat most anything.  You love to help cook in the kitchen and we make a great mess every time.  You stir, pour, select the eggs, and measure the ingredients. 

You have a wonderful imagination and are often playing with your baby or cooking if you are playing by yourself.  When you play with Mason it's usually hunting, camping, moving, offices, or having a picnic.  I'm pretty sure you have no clue what princesses or fairies are all about. 

You amaze us with all you are learned this year. You can zip your jacket and put your own mittens on.  You can write a handful of letters and recognize your name and other words that have an 'E' or 'M'.  You can count to 20 consistently and often times even higher.  You love to help around the house, especially if it involves going outside to help daddy.  You unload the dishwasher, set the table, and put clothes away. 

You are our little entertainer, but only when we're home.  You are shy and clingy around other people and new places.  You can brighten any room with your funny antics, once you warm up.

We love you.  You add such joy and blessings to our family. 

xoxo,
Mommy

spring break

We're enjoying the tail end of spring break over here.  Our week has been filled with all sorts of good things.  Like having time to make doughnuts for breakfast. 

 

A little spring cleaning has been done...checking things off the list.  But mostly reading books, building tents, playing cars, dressing up dolls, and taping papers up in our "offices." 

I've bitten off quite a few knitting and sewing projects and am probably staying up too late. But, that's what spring break is for I suppose. 

minus a flock of chickens and one dog...

We've had our fair share of animal troubles this last week. It started when Daisy injured her leg.  She wouldn't put any weight on it and most likely sprained it.  A little aspirin and hotdogs and she's doing much better.  But, last week she spent most of the time inside, resting it up.  I don't know if this left Indie bored outside by herself or what, but she got herself into some trouble.  At least we think we did, we still don't have all the details. 

Last Tuesday when Ryan got home Indie was out of her pen and all our chickens were missing.  The entire flock.  Then he found two huddled under our woodpile where Indie was trying to get to them.  It was our rooster and one hen.  Ryan put Indie back into her pen and tried to get the chickens out.  They wouldn't budge.  I don't blame them.  Then he walked the entire property, drove around and tried to find the rest of the missing chickens.  It was really weird because there wasn't even really any signs of them.  No feathers, no blood on Indie, nothing.  Not even a lot of tracks in the mud and snow to give us a clue.  

About then the kids and I pulled up.  Mason went and got his binoculars and helped daddy.  Then it started to snow and the sun was beginning to set.  We figured they were gone for good.  We finally dug out the rooster and the hen.  Two other hens came straggling back from who knows where.  And then we found one dead chicken in the dog pen.  So, we tucked our three hens and rooster into the coop and waited for morning.  

Nothing new in the morning.  Later that day Indie got out again and our rooster went missing.  Never saw a sign of him again.  We talked to our neighbor and she said that three of her chickens were attacked that same day.  We've never had predator problems in the past, but it's looking like maybe hawks.  We've seen some coyotes around, but there were no tracks.  And we're still not sure what role Indie played.  But, this is her third attack of the chickens so we decided it was time to find her another home.  We delivered her to a nice family over the weekend. 

The kids were a little sad at first. But, after we assured them that they didn't have any chickens and that they weren't planning on getting any chickens they were happier about bringing her to her new home.  Every once in a while they talk about Indie and how she's at a new home.  Plus, yesterday I overheard them playing.  They had made a tent and they were hunting hawks and keeping them away from the chicken coop.  

So, we're left with sweet Daisy dog and three hens.  It sure is quiet around here.  And we're missing our fresh eggs like nothing else. 

The kids were sorting out treats for Daisy from their kitchen.

We're trying to figure out how to replace our layers.  The timing is not exactly great.  If we ordered new chicks they would come about the time the baby is due.  Their requirement of constant care doesn't mix well with spending a few days in the hospital over an hour away. Our best bet is to probably buy some hens from someone that are older and already laying.  Decisions.  We'll have to decide soon because I'm not excited about running into town today to buy eggs from the grocery store. 

ducky

Today we celebrated Ducky's birthday.  In case you're wondering who Ducky is, he's one of Mason's stuffed animals.  You see, Mason got a calendar around Christmas time.  We went through it and put in all our family member's birthdays.  A few weeks later, Mason grabbed a pencil and wrote in all his stuffed animal's birthdays as well.  So, Ducky's birthday is March 18th.  Mason decided that we should celebrate tonight since he had Awana's on Tuesday.  So, him and Emma set up the party with all his friends.  Then we made pudding for dessert.  We sang, Mason did a few magic tricks, and everyone had a good time. 

This isn't the first party for his stuffed animals.  About a month ago I came home from school and Mason told me that he and Emma and Grammie had celebrated Pup-pup's birthday.  Grammie made cookies and they celebrated all day long.  After I had been home for about an hour Mason came up to me with a huge grin on his face.  "We tricked Grammie!" he announced triumphantly, "Pup-pup's birthday isn't until June!"  Then he ran off laughing.  Sure enough, after a careful check of the calendar, Pup-pup is written in his cute handwriting right there close to his.  So, now we check the official stuffed animal birthday calendar.

PS...as I'm writing this, Mason comes out of his bedroom with Pup-pup (his smallest animal that is always getting lost) and says, "Pup-pup missed all the birthday fun.  He was under my pillow!"  Then the big tears start to slip down his face.  So, I show Pup-pup the above photos and we sing to Ducky one more time and all is well.