back from vacation

This yearly picture of the back hatch all packed and ready to go is becoming one of my annual favorites. There's lots going on in that picture above: a certain 5-year-old's fishing pole, a certain 9-month-old's favorite animal pop up toy, a certain 3-to-turn-4-on-vacation-year-old's birthday presents. And the art supplies of a wishful mama that never got used during the entire week away. Which means it was a good and busy time.

We are home again now and had a fantastic time at Mount Carmel Family Bible Camp. This was the longest we have been away from our farm in the four years since we moved here. We were gone six nights and it felt just right. We loved every minute up there and were excited to come home to see our animals, sleep in our own beds and check out the garden. But oh, vacation. We all have an ache now that it's over. Vacation just feels so good. Only 51 more weeks until we go again. :)

three kids

Well, it seems blogging has taken a back seat... But mostly because motherhood is taking the front seat. And it's good. I'm absolutely in love with these three and my gig as their mama is so awesome. And exhausting. My friend Kari sent this thought written by Joanna Gaines to a group of friends today...I loved this thought and felt inspired. I hope you do too! Joanna wrote:

"There's an Adonis blue butterfly bush I planted by the girl's window almost five years ago when we were renovating the farmhouse. I wanted butterflies by the girl's windows that they could see and enjoy. I never told them about the bush and honestly I forgot about it over the years. This morning I found my little Emmie sitting by her window looking excitedly at the bush and saying "Here she is! My little hummingbird comes every morning mom!" First, I didn't know she looked out for her bird every morning. Second, I forgot all about the bush and never told her if she looked out the window she would see the prettiest butterflies and hummingbirds gathered around it. It's hard not to think this is a lot like parenting... You sow seeds early on and work hard to be intentional and then over time you move on to new lessons and challenges. Then one day you look up and the seeds you planted in your little children's hearts are now in full bloom. Be encouraged today to keep pressing in and tending to their hearts. It will be worth it."

playing possum

I read in a book recently about the whole "no girls allowed" phase and I thought naively to myself, 'boy, Ivar is so good at playing with his sisters. I wonder if he missed that phase.' I think it was the very next day I found this sign outside of his little fort. He told me it was a picture of Elsie and Harriet and that they were not allowed in his Possum House. And I couldn't decide if I was more amused by his awesome drawing or the fact that he was playing possum.

Then Elsie assured me, "it's okay because I am playing blossom over here!"

Harriet Joy: 9 months

I remember laughing hard, hard belly laughs throughout my pregnancy with Hattie. I don't know if it was the hormones or just an added measure of happiness, but I laughed deeper and fuller and was so aware of it. There was a bliss and a joy during those nine months, a sincere giddy expectancy, already over the moon for the baby inside of me. We named her Harriet Joy, sharing that middle name with her Grandma Marlene, and also because of those joyful months of hard laughs that filled my body. 

And now that she's here I know that those laughs must have affected her very being, because she is the embodiment of all of that joy. To know Hattie is to know a happy, contented, freely-smiling little baby. (...except for the recent babysitter...she might not say that! Hattie seems to be attached to her mom and dad at the moment...) But if you are her mama or daddy or big brother or big sister, you are certain to find a very charming, happy and ready-to-smile little sister ready to share her joy.

catching up on summer

Well I hardly know what to say. I haven't taken this natural of a break from my blog in a long, long time. But I suppose it has something to do with the fact that it is summer and this is the season that is packed full of farm projects. We have done a few house projects (big windows! natural light!), built a kitchen garden off to the side of our house, are finishing the upstairs of the barn and growing into the rhythm of farm chores every morning and every night.

Plus Hattie (9 months today!!!) is crawling all over and sticking stuff in her mouth all day long. She is in a much more hands-on season and this is likely why the camera is never handy to document the moment and why I am too spent to write much at the end of the day. I know from Ivar and Elsie that 8 months-18 months tend to be pretty demanding in terms of mobile babies that need supervision every moment of every day. And of course it doesn't end at 18 months, but just let me have my moment.

The whole concussion thing took it out of me for a few weeks there, so we've been making up for lost time! Rory and I are suddenly really into state parks. We have visited a few, checking out cabins and yurts to stay in, deciding what time of year would be best to stay, scoping out the beaches and bike paths. It has been a really fun summer project, sort of a "get to know your state" and has me so excited for adventures ahead.