Weekending

Good morning sunshine and no wind. Waking up to peaceful quiet this morning was a joy as the wind has been howling for two days straight now. It is much less enjoyable to clean out animal pens with everything blowing every which way and try and clean up the yard being able to barely bag weeds without them blowing off into the field when it is blow you down windy outside. So today we rejoice that there is a break and since yesterday we had an indoor day, today shall be our outdoor day.

Our family has been looking at our priorities, re evaluating importance, meaning, our family life, our family direction, praying and looking for some guidance through some hard times and changing times....as hubbie applies for a new job and I look at how to manage and prioritize working, home schooling and keeping a home. I get caught up as I know many mothers do, in doing it all yet knowing in my heart I can not do it all. I don't like anything to suffer and I like to do everything well...yet when taking on so many things it at times does not feel like I do anything well.  Realizing that my house will not be as clean if I spend more time being with my children or realizing that because during the week working and homeschooling take priority we may not have every meal home made and some nights will be quick and easy to ease my pressure- I've got to be okay with that and slowly I'm working towards this change to let go, prioritize and bring back the life balance that has been thrown off these past few months. As I change and have goals, so does my husband for himself as well as we both have for our family....with him working nights, me being up in the day, we are praying that we will both adjust to allow our family more family time...we are a work in progress, our family is, constantly growing, changing, bonding together. We go through ups and downs as we get into a groove, a rhythm then it gets tilted, off balance- life events, challenges, but we always find our way back and I know we will this time as well.

Yesterday as the kids had their quiet down time in the afternoon, reading, playing, resting, napping, drawing, I took some time for myself as well. Every person in a family needs their alone time, their outlet, just their time. I took all of my thoughts, and prayers and put on some music, a candle and went to the kitchen, first washing dishes- because cleaning is calming to me, having a fresh organized environment soothes my soul and then I baked which also is relaxing. I love baking bread. First some biscuits for the kids for an afternoon snack with honey and jelly then on a whim, a loaf of our daughters favorite bread. Then taking time to look through recipes phoning my mother for a chat about pie crust and pies...a thought as the holidays come up in the next months...

Dreaming more of gardening...but making plans now....Winter is slowly approaching. With our big dream of 'Four Farming' to be 'farming' we believe the gardening part of that is coming to a start. We have a plan, a map of our area, when to plant what, and our plot in the yard picked out on where the previous owners had a successful garden. The wind has officially died down today- so out to the yard we will go- attack those crazy weeds and begin cleaning and clearing it for some fall/winter produce. Starting some seedlings indoors, the kids are so excited to plant things- anything- and we would love gardening, farming to be a huge life part of their schooling this year.  Our future plan is to grown enough to live off of- maybe not completely, which would be nice- but mostly, and to grow enough hay for the animals to not have to purchase it (for our small animals- rabbits and guinea pigs). Dreams are lovely, I love viewing pictures on blogs, pinterest, but its time we worked and made our dream a reality, slowly but surely....here's to starting!

 Seriously- there was a garden under all that at one time!

 Blessings from our family to yours this beautiful Sunday. Hoping it finds you enjoying your family and rejoicing in Gods beauty and grace.