a little bit... exhausting

we decided to go on another hunt one day

it was STILL hunting season

and 

we thought it BEST to wear our hunter orange

This time we were thrilled that Opa felt up to joining us

it's a BIG piece o'land

and we were hoping that it wouldn't tire him out TOO much

and

we were hoping that Little Man would get VERY tired indeed 

we'd be driving back to suburbia

and having him NAP all the way back

would be FANTASTIC

Princess is LOVING the view,

and so am I !

any worries about this NOT being good grazing land

are OUT the window!

this is our neighbors land

we are looking at

on the OTHER side of that there fence

and it's pasturing animals beautifully!

LOOKS like he fell, RIGHT???

nope

he's decided this looks like a super cozy spot to 

rest awhile

he's just

DONE for now

and would THANK us very much to 

hep peas

(Help Please)

or

rather

CARRY him home

hmmm

that's a LONG way Little Man

and just THINK of the good exercise 

YOU'd 

be missing!

Papa will HOLD your hand

so you can't sit again

Papa will encourage you in ALL things!

YOU can do this!

even Opa can!

and no one was TOO tired

but young and old had a nice nap after

LOVE it!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

We love you SO much

Hope being 7 is SUPER wonderful 

May the Lord bless you with health, 

and a continued happy disposition,

joy in your heart

and strength of character! 

we LOVE you

and LOVE being FAMILY with you

you add SO much to every single day!

XOXOXO

The Range

I want to join Robin's Merry Band TOO

We have ranges at the farm

one for Archery

one is for guns

one is for bbguns

Little Man isn't allowed ANY where near them..

but he is really hoping to be one of the Merry Men too!

So C.S. is showing Little Man

HOW to shoot a bow 

pull back

release.. where did it go?

Here's BUDDY with his BIRTHDAY bow set!

He got a quiver too

That box is HIS target

off he goes to set up again..

or maybe to look for an arrow..

saying Hi to Opa and C.S. at the Rifle Range

They are sighting in their scopes

Buddy is & now

He's got a quiver

a bow 

some arrows

and orange to be safe

some day he'll be bringing me food to cook

JUST like Papa

(ooops.. 

Papa didn't get deer this year... 

shhhhhh)

but THAT's ok

Buddy STILL wants to be just like HIS Papa

isn't that wonderful!

flitting, flighty, flying friends!

So on our SAD excuse for a front porch

there is still and element of beauty

and it holds

birdhouses & bird feeders

and 

WE LOVE BIRDS

it would seem Opa does too

he came back from the store with seed and some bell feeders too

with in hours our feather friends came to visit!

So many different kinds too!

but I only got pictures of a few

Snack time!

so darling

doesn't his look of expectation 

make you happy?

check out my dangle technique

ah... 

feeling fine

anyone else coming?

back again!

our lovely Amish friends couldn't believe HOW many birds we've been having

and enjoyed seeing them all at a recent visit...

seems we've got a snazzy spot for the birds to HANG out.. 

LOVE it!

do you love to bird watch too??

home ec.

One of our passions is Home Educating our Blessings
We see it as one of our callings
we ENJOY being with them
(most the time... ha!)
they are fun
but we have some health challenges
and learning to cook foods that will help us all to
HEAL
has been like opening my mothers cookbook

Best ever Nutrition Book

This was NOT her cookbook
but so MANY of the recipes are true TRADITIONAL foods
healthy
healing
WHOLE
nutrient rich
sustainable
and
delicious!
C.S. is walking through this book
as part of his home-ec class
and he's learning SO much
he ACTS like it's sorta lame
but
yesterday..
(drum roll)
he asked if I could order some piima starter
buy some non-homogenized milk and good cream
clearly Little Man and Buddy won't consume this
but I CAN'T wait!
what's Piima?a yogurt
check it OUT!
HERE
talk about PRObiotics!
guess I am ordering some tonight!

The Littlest Room - part 5

Helpers...

they can come to you in all shapes and sizes

Big ones

Little ones

Fat ones

Skinny ones

Old ones 

young ones

i could go on..

but probably i'll JUST not be

"POLITICALLY CORRECT"

and offend someone

but it's funny

and true

Little man has entered

THE LITTLEST ROOM

asking C.S. if he can "HEP"

or help...

he's helped before after all

remember THIS

but that was a "making messy" sort of project

and THIS is a
CLEANING UP sort of project

somehow..

(no idea HOW)

we even got Machine Man in on this one...

What a blast!

So what's NEXT?

Washing

we'll finish washing the walls

then we wash the trim with Murphy's oil soap

THEN the floors

When everything's SQUEAKY clean

Priming

I will Prime all those plaster walls with Kilz

(they have a version to go on Plaster! happy me)

Painting

first the ceiling

second the walls

then the floor with PORCH PAINT

and finally

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on the doors and trim

and finally

we can decorate

~phew

just being family

HEY!

WAIT for ME!!!!!!

aren't Toddlers just DARLING?

always a few steps behind,

but Little Man is fine with that today

he's got a song in his head 

and his singing something that sounds very

Winnie the Pooh Inspired

fee dl dee dee dum

The kids LOVE this spot in the woods they have found for me

and I loved this photo of them

on THEIR farm

I love just BEING family with them

come to think of it, 

in the past weeks

I have got some nice shots of the Blessings

C.S. my handsome eldest

Buddy's Birthday week..

my how he's grown

COULD Little man be MORE in his element?

he's just plopped down where a tree has fallen out, 

sat in the leaves 

and decided it was a good place for a break..

He ALWAYS makes sure we have a good break!

In a fun spot

and this.. is a classic Princess shot if EVER!

Love the Blessings

and my new camera!

Simply Splendid

I love

THAT 

View

yet somehow

i don't even know if my camera can capture JUST

how lovely it is

feeling photographically challenged

to share JUST how amazing all THIS is!

God's creation is simply 

SPLENDID!

Pitter Patter on the Porch

Little Man

has indeed DISCOVERED the porch

and it is utter bliss 

to run and jump and thud upon it..

Thankfully

while ugly and in need of repair

it was deemed safe

(not by a MOM - but rather by the inspector)

I am a BIG fan of front porches

and we plan on doing a tear down to this one

and putting in something bigger

I love that Little Man enjoys POUNDING the floor

 as LOUD as he can

It must FEEL nice

it certainly is loud

it isn't easy to find plans, 

does one need an architect?

who builds big front porches anyways..?

so much to learn

and I am not the only one learning

Little Man is learning new things all the time!

and my little lad cares NOT one bit for my plans

he's thrilled with life on the farm 

JUST as it is

exploring new things EACH and every day

TA DAH !!!

(hmm we need to do something about this!)

He has looked down and decided 

NOT to proceed any farther

and we're off and running!

fairy boats...

When Milkweed explodes

and drys up for the winter

it looks like this..

and makes me think how it looks like

a fairy boat

can't you just imagine it sailing down stream?

dreaming....

Brothers Three

Ever play that game with a baby

"SO BIG"

it is VERY fun

sure to get a chuckle out of both baby and adult playing with them

it's darling to see them raise their hands SO high to the sky

one can NOT help but poke them in the belly

to see them giggle

We are parent who have VERY much enjoyed that game..

On four children

and many wonderful nieces and nephews

But looking at THIS photo

it gives me a whole different perspective

because C.S looks SO BIG

and I still play "SO BIG" with our darling Little Man

in fact

C.S. plays "SO BIG" with Little Man

it makes my heart warm 

how wonderful life is

that we can watch so many things grow...

hair

nails

people 

souls

trees 

plants 

minds

fingers and toes

smiles

love

it's a joy to watch the love grow

between brothers

from SO in LOVE

as if one were SO bathing in the ocean at the beach

to SO deep

like the ocean's depths

I know this because of the relationship I see building between them

and between C.S & Buddy

I see it with Buddy and Little Man 

I see it

in the way they talk

the way they play

the way they giggle

the way they comfort

the way the teach

the way they learn

the way they listen

the way they fight

the way they resolve

the way the stand together

pray together

plan together

stand together

stick together

and 

I love it

I love them

and am ever so FILLED with joy to see 

these brothers Three

Tree question...

Princess took this BASIC class on 

"Tree identification"

at a local Nature Preserve..

it's helped..

a little

but I wonder if we don't need to take another class...

or get another book

or just ASK someone...

so
I am asking here

to start

We plan on continuing the hunt for answers

but IF you just happen to know 

it MIGHT be a whole lot 

simpler

Have you ever seen a tree like this?

Is it a crabapple?

It looks like it MIGHT be

but, it doesn't look like any I have ever seen

NOT that I am an expert on the many varieties of Crab Apple

Is it a Cherry?

I doubt it

but wouldn't THAT be yummy?

here is the best close up I could do

now mind,

this is a winter shot

this is a rotten piece of fruit..

but I am thrilled to see it because it means

fresh fruit later this year!

just wonder if it is fruit for US

or our birdie friends !