The Seedlings Are In

The gardens were finally dry enough, and the nights finally warm enough that we thought we could risk transplanting the seedlings into the garden yesterday (of course, it rained again last night, and the forecast lows for the next week are in the 30's, but the plants were very ready for more spacious accommodations). I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside Karl, and couldn't believe how much easier it is to garden when not being seven months pregnant! We still have to plant all the seeds, but at least we have begun!


I was trying to come up with row markers that were both pretty and practical and didn't cost very much. Then I remembered - we have rocks - lots of them. Rocks don't blow away in the wind, they aren't much bothered by rain either. They do have a tendency to get carried around by Ruger (our dog) but I'm not sure much is safe from him. So, I took a sharpie and a bit of paint to my pile of (clean) rocks, and now have my row markers. Heidi really enjoyed this project, I let her paint the darker rocks white before I wrote on them and she didn't want to stop!

The seedlings - and Heidi - going for a ride

Hannah watching the proceedings

Heidi helping Uncle David plant

Heidi trying to carry a tray of broccoli - it's a bit big for her!

Perseverance

All winter it has been Heidi's desire to ride her bike outside. Oh, she's been tearing around the house with it, no child of Karl's will ever be bike deprived so long as he has a say in it, but it's just not the same thing. This past week I felt it was finally dry enough to give her the go ahead. We walked to Grandma's that evening and Heidi had to take her bike along. Problem is, it's hard to ride over uneven ground! Heidi persevered. First she walked her bike, then she pulled it,

and finally, on the way home, we took the road so she could ride it!

Oh, and by the way, her bike is really a horse (although just for pretend she assures me) and his name is Kalour.She now tells me she is going to be "a cowboy, just like Jim" (from "The Man From Snowy River") when she grows up. Go Heidi!

Homemaking Helpers

Hannah's been helping Momma with the chores around the house lately. Well, really she's just pulling herself up on everything and started both cruising around furniture and stair climbing on the same day this week (the stair climbing I found out about after hearing thump, thump, "waaaaa" from the other room - poor baby). That it's encouraging me to keep things a bit tidier around here is an added bonus!

Heidi's the got-it-together homemaker, soothing her baby while waiting for cookies to bake, and doing it all while sporting her latest apron and matching new sunglasses. Oh, for even a bit of her poise!

Help!

I've been making my own yogurt for awhile now, but had a new experience today and am hoping one of you is also a yogurt maker and can help me out. Mostly, I just want to know if it's still safe to eat or not.
I left my crockpot plugged in a half an hour longer than normal, so it got warmer than normal. Also, our home was a toasty 75 degrees today instead of its normal winter 65. When I opened the crockpot, the whole top layer had separated and looked like cottage cheese.
I'm not sure if this is because it got too warm and actually started to become cottage cheese and is therefore safe and just a texture issue, or if something is indeed wrong and it is unsafe to consume. I stuck the whole thing in my fridge while trying to figure out what to do because I'd sure hate to unnecessarily throw out a whole gallon of yogurt. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

Some Sunday Shots

Grandpa W. gave Heidi a bird book last week and it has become her most treasured possession. She is constantly looking for the birds she sees outside in the pages of her book, and if her book is not with her she's asking me the name of the bird. Daddy snuck this picture of her waiting outside on Sunday morning. (Yes , her shoes are on the wrong feet.)

Then, I took this one of Mr. Wonderful and the girls on our walk to church. (Our truck is still being parked at the end of the driveway, so we just walk to church - it was beautiful weather for it this week!)

Momma Needs Sleep

There are two orange spray bottles of similar shape and size in my house. One contains sunscreen, the other detangler. Guess which one I've been dutifully applying to my daughter's skin prior to our adventures in the sun?
On the bright side, I haven't had any trouble combing the knots out of her face or arms!

Sunny Puddle Day

Yesterday we had thunderstorms and showers all day, but in the evening, the sun came out, turning it into one of Heidi's very favorite type of days; a sunny puddle day!

Little Ears

Overheard after a recent shopping trip to Old Navy; "Do you like Mama's new clothes Daddy?" "Yes" "She bought them at Old Lady!"

Stone Cottage - The Begining

The dream which was born on dark, long, cold winter evenings has begun its venture into reality. I'm not sure how long it will take to see the fruition of this dream. Knowing the amount of time I have to devote to projects, it will probably be years. Yet, I have begun. For one cannot finish what one has not started. I debated whether I should post about such a long-term project and finally decided that it would be a good way to document my progress as well as provide a bit of accountability and encouragement from my faithful friends. Eichenwald Estate* is soon to have its first stone cottage! T'will be a wee tiny cottage, in keeping with the skills and experience of its builder (in other words, I have but a wee tiny bit of either). It's intended purpose is to be a play house for our wee lassies and possibly have enough space for a bed for overnight guests.
Last night we began by going to the local stone store (aka. Our field) and picking rocks. This is going to be a LOOOOOOONG project! On the bright side, I have plenty of available materials, if I was more ambitious I could build a castle. Heidi was a great helper, but I think I'll get a little farther with the size rocks Karl was gathering.

Hannah sat in her wagon throne and applauded our endeavors.

Heidi found one of Daddy's previous stone piles - easy pickings

We got a nice load then took it home to pile by the building site.

While throwing rocks out of the truck, I commented that some of them were breaking a bit. Heidi responded, "Oh, that's so sad, now they're damaged!". Sometimes her vocabulary astounds even me.

*Eichenwald (say Ike-en-vald) is German for Oak Forest, and is the name we have given our farm and home.

Pursuing Purses

I've been playing with bags a bit lately. Partially from necessity,and partially from curiosity. I've never really explored this branch of sewing before and have much to learn, but am having fun and doing a bit of that learning with each new bag. Here's some of my latest: My new diaper bag

Summer's ministry bag

Heidi's explorer bag - for holding all those treasures we find on our walks and previously found their way into Mama's pockets

Amber's school tote

Mom's purse

Mom's bird pouch to go in her purse - Heidi thought it belonged in the bird cage

Trying some videos

The first video is of Hannah playing peek-a-boo, you can hear Heidi talking to her imaginary friend, "Gordon" in the background. The second is of Heidi dancing her "Scottish dance". I have no idea where she picked this up, but she does it every so often and it cracks me up!

Mountain Climbing

First you climb the "wary big hill". You stop periodically to let Daddy empty the sand out of your boots.

You say "whee!" and "yee-haw!" and slide down the hill.

And when you're on the very top, you give a shout of victory!

I'm not sure why I'm having such issues uploading photos today - here's all the ones you just saw again, I don't know how to delete them, and the others I wanted to show you didn't show up -oh well!

Walking Weather

We've had some glorious days in the past couple of weeks, so the girls and I have been doing quite a bit of walking. How wonderful to be able to spend long periods of time outside again! Heidi is thrilled to be able to explore (sorry about the sideways pictures, I thought I had fixed them, but I guess not).

Hannah's having fun going for long rides in the wagon

Monday we walked to the church and played on the play structure there. Heidi now thinks this should be a regular part of our daily routine- multiple times a day!

Thank you Lord for sunshine!