A Tiny New World

I love spring!

~Meg

Six

Already 6.

I'm pretty sure someone is messing with the speed dial on this whole time thing.

Six years ago at this time I was so, so sick* and we were about 12 hours away from an emergency C-section that brought our kiddos into this world three months before they were due. That was an absolutely terrifying day, and the three months that followed were equally as hard and scary.

Today, they bounce off the walls, are always jabbering, and are growing out of their shoes. Thank God for His miracles.

I have really enjoyed seeing the different ages. (Except three. I hate three.) Five has been very interesting as their brains open up to the world around them and their imaginations turn on.

I'm excited to see what 6 brings us, as they are trying more and more to become little men and do things on their own. Every day is an experiment in independence. This should be a very fun year.

Happy Wednesday!
Meg


*For those of you who watch Downton Abbey and saw Sybil die of eclampsia - that is exactly what was happening to me. As the doctor on the show is explaining that the only way to save her would have been an emergency C-Section, that is still true to this day and is the only thing that saved the lives of me and our boys. I am so thankful for my stumbling onto the symptoms way ahead of time so that I could see them in myself, and very thankful as well for my doctor who listened to me and took very good care of me. Unfortunately, although this disease has been around for a long time, we still don't know exactly what causes it and it takes the lives of many women and babies every year. If you'd like to learn more about the disease, you can do so here: http://www.preeclampsia.org/health-information/faq#zero.

Wet Saturday

Well-watered lettuce

It's been raining for the past two days.

On one hand, it's been wonderful! I love the rain!

On the other hand, my lettuce was completely under water yesterday, and it kind of put a crimp on my hardening off schedule for my seedlings, and my plans for planting today. Which I will take as a sign to wait. I think today is a good day for baking instead.

It's funny how this year, as I try very hard to become a decent, successful gardener and provide food for our family from our property, I pay more attention to the weather and what is coming.

In other news, Munchie took his first unassisted steps to Daddy last night! I was cheering and jumping, and he was looking at me like I was a crazy person. It's such a weird experience to be so proud, but a little sad at the same time.

Happy weekend!
Meg

Weekend

I am really posting just to show you my stinkin' adorable shoes that I got on Saturday while having a little girl time with my sister... But I guess I'll post some other pics too. ;)

I've started hardening off my plants. I hope I can do this right and don't stunt them all terribly. I don't think I'm going to put them in the ground until after the middle of the month, maybe closer to Easter, but I need space on my washer and dryer again, so I figure once they are hardened off I can leave them outside, and bring them in if we had a bad weather warning.

In my reading about starting seeds and gardening, I found mentioned a few times that you can help your seeds sprout by keeping the humidity up for them, which is usually done by adding a plastic grow dome, or even wrapping the flat in a plastic bag.

I started my marigolds in a take out box that I had kept, and I decided to put the lid on them to see if the extra humidity really does indeed help them. The package says the seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

Two days. They sprouted in two days. I planted them Friday afternoon, and when I checked them Sunday morning I they were sprouting! I couldn't believe it!

We've had a bit of a peanut mystery around here for the past few weeks. I kept finding peanut shells in the garden, and I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. We do have a bag of shell-on peanuts that I let the kids have for snack sometimes, so I figured maybe they had wandered around and dropped the shells. Turns out one of the resident Scrub Jays has been bringing them in from who-knows-where. Last night we watched him fly up to the neighbors roof, bang them on the roof line, and then fly over the garden and drop the shell. I should ask him to drop them straight on the compost pile.

Not much else going on - we had a terribly lazy and wonderful Sunday. We pulled a few weeds, Ben cooked a chicken, and that was pretty much it. It was so nice.

How was your weekend?
Meg

Handwork & This Week's Round Up

I always hate the day after a birthday, no matter whose birthday it was. After all the hype and excitement of the day before, the day after just seems so... boring. Haha.

We don't do much for the first birthday - I know that sounds terrible - since we (or I should probably clarify, I) figure they won't remember it much and yes I know birthdays at that age are more about mama than they are baby, but I just like spending time with my kids and having them around every day, not just on their birthdays. So I make a big deal for the one's who understand, and the babies just get snuggled as much as they usually do... maybe a little more. ;)

 The kids did spend all day telling him "Happy Birthday Munchie!", Auntie Rachel brought him Ritz crackers for his present (she knows him pretty well),  and we had a nice big dinner that included mashed potatoes, which are currently Munchie's favorite food. I thought about making him wear a birthday hat, but figured he wouldn't keep it on for very long.

We've been doing a little "Home Ec" this week...

 The big boys learned how to make their own eggs on Monday, and excitedly continued to do so on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. Aside from smashing the eggs a little too much, they can do it all by themselves with nothing but supervision and a little coaxing which makes me both extremely proud and a little sad at the same time...

And now it is Friday!

I am sitting here with a lovely iced coffee, I just pulled chocolate chip muffins out of the oven, and now it's time to show you what I've been working on.

For any of you who follow the Little Homestead facebook page, I posted this picture the other day with the intention of using it in starting an embroidery project.

Well I did! And here's how it's going.

I just love violas. They make me so happy! Ben says it's funny that I like the tiny little ones that nobody else likes - since apparently everyone likes the larger pansies - but I just love tiny little flowers. I think because they make me think of fairies and the tiny unseen world of what could be.

I just pulled the picture up on my computer, laid the fabric over the screen, and traced with a fabric pen. I really like the first set I got done. It's so cute and fun.

Yesterday I finished potting up my strawberry plants. I have 2 whole 1020 flats full of pots- 36 plants! I also potted up some more peppers. Today I will finish the rest of the peppers and the few herbs, probably start marigolds (and maybe some other stuff, even though I don't have room, because I'm addicted), and try to get outside to do some weeding and bed prepping.

I also need make bread today for the weekend. Busy busy!

What's going on at your place?
Happy Friday!
Meg