6.27.2012
6.26.2012
Love Your Weeds
Lately my life is feeling overrun with weeds. There are the actual weeds of course. The weeds threatening to overtake every single garden we've planted this year. The weeds that despite our best effort we just can't keep up with.
Then there are also the metaphoric weeds that seem to be overwhelming me at the moment. All those things that I didn't plant but seem to be showing up just the same. Things that aren't pretty, or easy, or fun (or cheap) that need tending to. Yes we have a lot of those kinds of weeds right now too.
But somewhere in me I know that even weeds have their place in life. That there are lessons and purpose and even beauty in weeds. So that is where my heart is at the moment. Working on tending all the weeds in my lifewith as much patience and peacefulness as I can muster.
6.25.2012
The Wedding
We had a fun filled couple days this weekend at Grandpa Scott's son's wedding. Grace was asked to be their flower girl- a roll which she fully embraced (she remarked several times throughout the night how lucky she was to have the job of flower girl). Their reception took place at the very beautiful and fancy Lafayette Club and we even got to stay overnight there.
It was a beautiful wedding. The dinner delicious. Yummy cake. I even had a glass of wine. And Grace and Jackson stayed up way past their bedtime dancing with everyone in the wedding party.
And even though no one wanted it to end, I think we wore them out (those are wedding bubbles in his hand that he fell asleep with).
Summer Solstice (Part II)
Originally the highlight of our party was going to be staying up late to see the fireflies. Unfortunately, the night before our planned party, we had a broken fire alarm that went off (and set off all the other ones) at 4 in the morning. Since we didn't know it was broken, and given our experience this winter, when they failed to turn off we decided we better call the fire department just in case. Needless to say, no one went back to sleep. Soooo our party had to take a little different twist. Instead of a bonfire and fireflies we had croquet (which everyone is now hooked on) and a treasure hunt which was still really fun. Since Ryan had to work (since it was during the day instead of the evening) Grandma Lee came out to join us for the party which was also very fun. Dinner was food from the garden (black raspberries, peas, etc) plus hot dogs, lemon aid and of course the carrot cake.
Carrot Cake Recipe
4 large carrots
2 cups flour
5 teaspoons of baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of soft brown sugar
grated zest of 1 orange
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried coconut
2 large eggs
2/3 cup of oil (we used canola)
Juice of 1 orange
Grease a pie pan/dish. Grate carrots. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in carrots, salt, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and coconut. Beat the eggs. Add the eggs, oil and orange juice to cake mix. Bake for between 40 and 50 minutes at 350. We made cream cheese frosting to top it with.
I think it was a pretty successful first annual party. I think next year maybe we'll make a day of it and combine our treasure hunt and games with bonfire and fireflies.
6.21.2012
Summer Solstice Party (Part I)
We had to make several alterations in our first annual summer solstice party... the most obvious being it's was a day after summer solstice. The rest I'll write about tomorrow along with the carrot cake recipe.
6.20.2012
6.19.2012
6.17.2012
6.14.2012
Summer Thoughts
Well thankfully just as summer has arrived Nora has settled into a nice little nap pattern. Eleven naps a day for 15 minutes each. No exaggeration here. Eleven 15 minute naps. Sometimes more. Sigh. Good thing she's so cute or I might want to pull my hair out.
In other summer news we have decided to have our first annual Summer Solstice Party next Wednesday. Not exactly sure what it will entail other then a bonfire and staying up way past our bedtime to see the fireflies. Grace and Jackson are both pretty excited.
And lastly, despite my lack of time for our gardens this year, we finally finished planting them the first weekend of June. I guess it's a good thing we started planting in March or I don't think we ever would have finished. But, we are already harvesting lettuce, kale, and now peas! Peas are a favorite around here.
I'm so happy summer is finally here. Now if I can just get Nora down to maybe seven or eight naps a day maybe I can get outside to enjoy it...
6.08.2012
First Day of Summer
Grace had her last day of school yesterday. We celebrated summer today by going to the beach and out to ice cream with our friends!
6.07.2012
Strawberry Jam
Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
~ some strawberries
~ a splash of fresh lemon
~ sugar
~ a little water
~ one silly boy
Put strawberries in pot with lemon and a little water. Let boy mash them. Bring to boil. Add sugar (to preference, I added a little over 1/4 cup with the above amount of strawberries). Continue cooking to let set up (I think I cooked for about 15 minutes). Feed to boy. He will love it.
6.04.2012
6.03.2012
Ten Years
I had always assumed our ten year anniversary would be marked by a grand celebration... maybe a cruise, or a trip to some forign land. Not to mention we have experienced so much in a mere ten years. We seemed to have earned something spectacular.
But then I remember the reason there will be no grand celebration. Babies, chickens, children, (and on and on)...we are right in the middle of living the life we have always dreamed of. And this life we have created together, this path we have chosen, is in of itself quite spectacular.
Yes, a trip can wait a few more years... because even better then that is the fact that everyday I get to wake up and be grateful for this life I am living. You. Our kids. This farm. Time together.
Our anniversary day- brunch at our resturant, a walk downtown (with little Nora in tow), movies, and Ben and Jerry's... it was perfect.
Happy Anniversary. I love you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)