Growing, Growing....

Another few weeks and everything just took off. Of course, I wanted to photograph my garden with the least weeds possible......Impossible! I had to give up that OCD dream. I cannot keep up with the weeding no matter how hard I try. Jason tries to help, he gets a jump at it with a rotortiller, we encourage the kids to help.......Oh well. There's better things to do than weed, right?

But when I get to heaven, I'm having a serious talk with Eve.

Marissa's 3rd Birthday

Thank you everyone for making my baby feel so loved and special!

A girl's dream cake....pink, sparkly, with tractors....

Chocolate crayons from Auntie....

and a new bike from Papa & Grandma!

Marissa's birthday was so fun. Just the family over for home-made cake, presents for the birthday princess, and lots of love for her. PERFECT!

The Garden's Beginning to Show!

One trellis of peas growing nicely

My favorite garden helper

We have 4 rows of corn, coming up!


A glimpse of the beets and romaine lettuce rows
(potatoes in the background)

Natalie (ok her hand) picking strawberries

It's time to garden again! YES! A favorite thing of mine is growing food for my family. I know a lot of people do it, but producing food from seed provides so much enjoyment and fulfillment. I remember one dinner last year we had steak, potatoes, veggies, and salad. Jason said "Is this all from our garden?" Yes it was, including the beef. We raise cows for beef and this year we have chickens too!

When is it officially a farm? Do I have to wear overalls?

It always seems like to much work to get started, mulch, compost, tilling the ground which my hubby faithfully does several times before planting time comes around. This year we added sturdy trellises made from leftover posts and fencing wire. I love to recycle junk.... I'm working on making a bed from a metal antique bed frame, and we're finding the right spot for an old bathtub Jason found in the cow pasture last year. He knew I'd love it....




The kids and I planted most of the seeds on Memorial Day, a late start but I think it was a good thing to wait because we ended up with a few late frosts just up until the week before. These photos are from the end of June. I promise to take some new photos tomorrow to show you how our garden is progressing....

God's Gift to Me

Boy am I blessed! Hubby hates it when I brag about my children but I just can't help it. They're such beautiful creatures from my great and loving God!

1st Camping Trip of the Season

Our first camping trip of the season was to Rife Lake. We were joined by some friends this time! Yahoo! The kids had so much stinkin' fun (literally---that's their favorite thing about camping and my least). Cooked meals outside on the camp stove, stayed up late around the fire, went for a jaunt out on the boat and a few brave souls jumped in the icy water, played lots of silly games, and practice softball of course!


We just relaxed and enjoyed doing nothing.


When's the next trip?

Deep Thoughts by Little Ones. . . .

My children quite often surprise me by their deep thoughts and questions. Here is the conversation between the girls in the car on the way to Bible study Thursday morning:


Peanut (she's almost 3 years old): When we get to heaven, we get to see Charolette and God. (Charolette was our cat.)


Princess: And Grandpa Parker. I miss Grandpa Parker.


Me: Speechless with instant tears in my eyes. . . . There's just nothing better than that--faith of a child.


Mark 10:13-15
13. People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Who would eat a chicken?

Here's what's been occupying most of our time lately. . . .

A few months back, we headed to a farm auction in Enumclaw. We had been working on our coop for several months and were ready enough for some birds. So we came home with 4 hens, 5 pullets, and 21 chicks---go big or go home---and already had 4 ducklings (yes ducklings) purchased at the feed store just a week prior. I mean the chicks and ducklings are so cute, how can you say no? Well, the average person can say no or rather the average person probably doesn't even think "I would like to have some chickens and ducks of my own."

I'm not going to lie.....having all those chicks was a lot of work. The hens and pullets were easy---food and water and a place to rest and walk---but those chicks! The chicks were only a day old when we got them and boy do they need lots of care for the first few months. I learned the hard way (cover your eyes for those of you faint at heart) that chicks cannot be near standing water and lost 3 right away, and last week we lost another 4 from another water incident.

So our farm has grown by 5 hens, 5 pullets, 14 chicks, and 4 ducks, which are all living happily together in a big chicken run. We don't have any fresh eggs but hopefully they'll get to laying soon. The children are totally loving this experience and love to care for them. We've recently watched the movie "Home on the Range" a bunch, and we love to quote to our chickens "Who would eat a chicken?" and giggle with delight.