garden musings

We've tilled the garden, planted some potatoes, peas, beans, brussel sprouts, lettuce, carrots, onions, and strawberry plants. We've started some seeds indoors. We've washed the heavy coats and stored them away for next year. We've turned off the heater and opened the windows. Wouldn't you know it-as soon as we did all that, our forecasted weather later this week is 5-9" of snow! Spring, where are you?

44 favorite moments

I had a birthday last month. I decided to make a list of favorite moments from the past year. It took me quite a stinking while to make a list of 44 specific "moments". These are my absolute favorites moments from the past year, and as I read each one, I can remember exactly how I felt with each moment. Many have happened hundreds of times, some just a few or only once. All are special.

1-leaving the library with a stack of books that I may or may not have had time to read

2-dropping off orders at the post office

3-Friday at 6 pm when everyone is home in the house

4-when Joci spontaneously tickles Sophie 

5-when one of the kids hold my hand

6-watching Owen ride a bike without training wheels

7-eating a salad from the garden

8-walking by and seeing Byron up late at night reading a book

9-driving by the wind farm and seeing the turbines spinning (It's what pays the bills.)

10-sitting down with Joe in the evenings watching a new show*

11-seeing Colt (our dog) heal from being hit by a car this past summer

12-tight hugs from the best hugger, Rylan, in our family (He just has an intuition when someone needs a hug.)

13-overcoming post-adoption depression daily, sometimes hourly. Pulling myself from a deep, dark hole that no one wants to experience. Not that this is a favorite moment that I have, but more so that I'm slowly overcoming it and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

14-Sophie's creative daily drawings

15-waking up to a clean sink most days of the week thanks to Joe

16-talking to my sister on the phone weekly, sometimes daily

17-laundry hanging on the line

18-watching a good you tube video or listening to a podcast on budgeting and/or finances

19-sharing a deep authentic love with Joe after 24 years of marriage 

20-sitting on the couch with Colt laying beside and on me 

21-watching Owen draw elaborate pictures from watching a you tube video

22-sharing a box of cookies or just a good conversation with Joci on our drives home from school on Friday afternoons

23-having pretty nails 

24-seeing my parents after being away for so long

25-watching Byron and Rylan eat peanuts without a reaction and completing oral immunotherapy

26-hearing Joci tell Sophie everyday after school "I'm waiting for my kisses."

27-watching the Western Kansas sunsets

28-purchasing our farm

29-seeing Rylan grasp a new math concept

30-seeing Joe work so hard taking on a second job to provide for our family to pay off medical debt and adoption debt

31-seeing Joci consistently have A's and no more than two B's in her classes after being homeschooled for 4 years

32-hearing Owen read a story

33-seeing family and cousins after not seeing them for awhile

34-seeing Sophie wear her pretend glasses to be "just like mom"

35-reading "Wonder" to the kids

36-watching Byron become responsible and taking on more household/farm duties

37-hearing Sophie talk about her China Mom & Dad and understanding that she has 2 moms and 2 dads 

38-taking a walk with Joe in the afternoon

39-having Owen want us to rub his back and sing him "Silent Night" every single night

40-having a lunch date once a month with Joe 

41-watching all three boys play soccer this previous fall

42-watching Sophie and Owen play outside 

43-letting my lips linger a little longer after a kiss

44-watching for King & Country in concert with Joci 

*over the past year that's been: Ozark, Reign, The Last Kingdom, The Ranch. Yellowstone, Birdbox, I Can Only Imagine, Wild Alaska,

and so many more that I can't remember 

**Post Idea from a blogger I frequently read 

Back in the Swing...

**tap tap tap**

Is anyone there reading after my extra long hiatus?

I took a long hiatus from blogging as we transitioned into life with our second adoption from China, our oldest daughter attending public school for the first time in four years, homeschooling the rest of the children, two moves during that time (hopefully this is the last for us), a new little side business or "Dave job" as some would call it, and a new job for my husband. It feels like we are finally settling into a rhythm ( a chaotic rhythm at times), but a rhythm nonetheless.

I've missed my little space here, even if it's just for me. As well as sewing, blogging seemed to be my therapy; of which I've done neither for quite some time.

So, it's time to get back to sewing and time to get back to writing.

So....here we go again on breathing life into this little space. Thank you for following along despite the quiet years in between.

You'll find that this post is very similar to this one

Weekend Inspiration

I'll be adding this Williams-Sonoma recipe to the menu this month.

Do you have a tween daughter? Dive into the Word with her from the comfort of your home with the Secret Keeper Girl Bible Study Livestream every second Tuesday of the month.

This little 3 year old cutie is waiting for her forever family. This little sweet pea is Ying! She is a happy 3 year old who loves to play with others. She gets along very well with both children and adults.

Deals: These are the prices when I hit publish, they can change or run out at anytime.


*Twizzlers 105 ct tub $5.39  These would make good Valentine treats.


*Nature Nate's Organic Pure, Raw and Unfiltered Honey, 32 Ounce $11.99 when you clip the coupon


*Dorcy 41-4292 MG-300 Weather Resistant LED Flashlight with TrueSpot Reflector $9.99


*4 pc set of rainbow spatulas $7.99


*the best brush every $9.60


*Party Size bag of Hershey's Kisses $10.99 Another good Valentine treat for the classroom.


*The Magnolia Story $16.19 Currently on my nightstand


*2017 Year of the Rooster Chinese New Year Journal: 150 Page Lined Notebook/Diary $9.99


Pick up a new hobby.......go watch this video and grab some Lily Sugar 'N Cream Yarn, 14 Ounce Cone, Potpourri, Single Ball $8.88 and a set of knitting needles $5.03                   

quiet season

Well.  What started as a jump back into this space turned into another little quiet season over here. Funny how that can happen without planning it. About the time I decided to make the blog a bit more of a priority, our life was busy with homeschool, adoption paperwork, summer, and then before we knew it school had started again and then we brought home our newest daughter.

Life has been good over here. We brought our daughter home in November. She was a scared little girl. It has been quite a transition, and we're still adjusting. We are trying to find our rhythm during the days, and our new normal as a family. We are working on bonding and attachment. We're cocooning as much as possible.
We're still plugging away at homeschool and therapy sessions and medical appointments. I'm planning a little garden for the summer, and am somehow hoping that chickens are in our near future again.

We finally got a puppy for the kids. He was sort-of a rescue dog. He is wild, and well a puppy.

Some things I'm looking forward to in 2017:
-documenting our simple moments
-trying new recipes
-getting back into rising early, early in the morning
-expanding my little shop
-starting a new project: 12 dresses in a year
-paying off our adoption and medical debt


So. Here we go again on breathing little life into this space. Thank you for continuing to follow along despite the quiet seasons in between!