Road trip, Lake trip, Holiday Weekend

Last weekend was road trip weekend...just a short 3 hours away to see family for our niece and nephews birthday celebration. Road trip days are favorite days whether it be an hour or several hours away. Seeing new sites, traveling, talking, laughing...enjoying each other. Although we've done this trip several times now its still a beautiful roadway in Arizona along the 40. Wildlife, cows, tree's, wide open spaces, old buildings, cabins, both desert and mountains.

 Ernie boy...getting lost laying in the weeds last week. 

Those weeds are officially gone now as we worked hard over the weekend clearing our property.

Granite Basin Lake / Info: usda.gov/recarea/prescott

 

On free entrance Wednesday we took a trip to a new to us small lake in the mountains. It was a beautiful spot with lots of wildlife. We saw fish jump from the water, lizards, lots of different kinds of birds, dragon flies and butterflies. Picnic tables and trails surround the area and you can camp here too. We'll definitely be going back for some fishing, picnicking and hiking.

Memorial Day Weekend

Family basketball, swinging, barbecuing. Gardening, yard work and having fun.

 When dad's outside mowing and mom took your favorite blankie and put it in the wash....you go and hide under the desk.

 The wind caught his ears. Rusty boy.

 When your husband works at a lumber yard/hardware store you bring home free materials. Our yard looks like his work. But we aren't complaining! Gardening beds, animal pens, fencing...we've done a lot of work around here with free stuff!

 Garden progress...doesn't look like much yet but we got some work done-

Our mounds have our sprawling and vine plants which we got planted this weekend (watermelon, cantaloupe, pumpkins, and squash). 

The boxes we have to go get one more load to fill them then we will plant next week (herbs, carrots, radishes, kale, bell peppers and more). Then we'll pick up some flowers as well to help attract those pollinators!

 Plenty of baby holding time...

 

Relaxing family holiday weekend together- working and playing.

Farm life: Animals

New life on the farm: baby chicks!
We have been on egg watch this past week! As of today we have had a total of 6 eggs hatch, only 3 chicks have survived. The other three passed within the first 24 hours. We let all the chicks hatch in the coop with the momma's then moved them inside to a animal crate with a surrogate Silkie momma since we are actually not sure what baby belongs to who due to so many girls sitting on the eggs! That way they are kept warmer as well and our son can keep a close watch on them.  We had an amazing experience watching one little baby peck his way out, peeping the whole time. Such hard work getting out of an egg! New life is amazing!

This last week we also let our sons pot belly girl roam the front room in our house. Our dog isn't so sure but we kept a good eye on them being out together. The dog mainly sat up on the couch and watched her. She was full of noises and explored while getting used to our somewhat slippery hard wood flooring, wagging all the time. She loves the soft dog beds but she behaves like a toddler- trying to put everything in her mouth so we really have to be diligent in following her around and keeping close watch. She does listen pretty well and she's super super smart! She has got down 4 commands so far... Leave it, Come, Let's go and Go to bed. We just got her new harness in the mail so we are looking forward to working more with that and leash training in the next few weeks.

Our son also got a very special shipment in the mail this week....a new praying mantis. He's over the moon about it.

We had a good laugh about our farm slowly moving indoors...now in our sons room: potbelly pig, momma chicken with 3 chicks, his dog, and his praying mantis. Very soon though the pig and chicken/chicks will be outdoors! What a life! What a great life!

This is also a great read below from a newspaper article that was posted in our home school group. What a great life farm life is. We may have just dabbled for the last 8 years since moving to AZ but we yearn for more and see how this lifestyle teaches our children valuable lessons every day.

‘Just’ a farm kid is a job prospect extraordinaire

Newspaper article; ottawa-herald-mar-23-2013-p-5 

Blessed...animals are hard work..but they are work that is very worth it.

Happenings around here

Life this past week....

*Reminicing on old photos

*PROM for our daughter

*Picking out graduation announcements

*Indoor plants continuing to thrive

*Outdoor planning to plant

*Finished dogs yard/fencing and gate

*Library book sale..twice

*More field guide finds for our son

*Downtown Art and handmade show

*Mothers Day

*Some snow in May!?

*State projects

*Volunteering

*Cookie baking

*Family Game Night

*Family Movie Night

This photo makes my heart smile - those faces, the love: Before we moved to Arizona from California...my littles - - They were 4 and 9 in this photo.

 Now this year...Prom, High School Graduation and turning 18 for our beautiful daughter!

Snow! Enough to stick for a bit but not stay...in MAY!

 Momma had no time to bake last week so our son made these by himself. Turned out SO yummy!

Working on state projects and wrapping up Geography. 

Salt dough maps and they each wrote a report.

Our son choose Arizona, our daughter choose Washington.

 Almost done...

Library book sale. We visited the small one at the library then over the weekend went with hubbie to the larger sale. Everyone found something to come home with...and we found more science, nature and field guides to add to our son's collection.

He's up to around 20 field guide books!

A few things he enjoys in a good field guide;  maps, color photos and a good amount of information!

By the way....this cactus book is a riot!! SO funny. But it helps you remember different types with its hilarious cartoon drawings.

 

 This guide all about deserts has wildflowers, plants, trees, insects, reptiles, and birds - super neat!

Blessed mother's day weekend and a wonderful last week with family.

Life Lately

 Life lately has just been normal everyday life which in itself is enjoyable. Our plants are growing leaps and bounds and getting huge...its almost time to put them into the ground over the next few weekends.

We've been busy taking care of not just the plants, but our many animals and also getting school work done to get our daughter graduated. 4 short more weeks and we will be finished officially with our school year aside from a little math and reading over the summer.  The next few weeks are busy- this Friday is homeschool Prom then our son is being the photographer of our daughters Grad pictures. Once those are done we've got to get announcements out into the mail. Come next month not only will she be done with high school in June but also celebrating her 18th birthday.

How quickly time goes by. You blink and they've gone from a baby to an adult. If I could do it all over again I would- the good times, the hard times - all of it. In my soul deep down I feel SO incredibly blessed to have homeschooled them all these years. The time I have spent with them, the relationship I have with them - its completely amazing. You can never get time back.
We may not have a lot of money, own our own house - we've made sacrifices along the way....but we've had time. Time with my children outweighs everything else, all possessions. I wouldn't trade the last years, our life for anything.  Enjoy the life you make. You have the choice to be happy, to live truly, to live fully. We have a simple life with great joys every day - even in the normal. There is not a day that goes by and I don't think to myself how blessed and thankful I am.

Plant growth....

Squash --

 Watermelon, Bells, Tomatoes --

 Pumpkins, Cantaloupe, More Peppers --

Tried a Peanut Butter cup recipe - I love anything chocolate and peanut butter!

Our son has started water coloring again - its usually nature, or birds!

Baby 'Tulia' is growing - and she's as sweet as can be. Not afraid, seeks out attention and snuggles and loves to go nose to nose with our Pup Rusty for some kisses!

 This girl is growing still too! Pig girl - loves her afternoon brushing and falls asleep most of the time during it. Look at that face...SO sweet!

 Meet George.

George hatched from our son's birthday present - the praying mantis egg with estimated 100 of his brothers/sisters! Our son decided to keep 2 of them. He named them Fred and George (Harry Potter) - but Fred died after a few days. But George is thriving and even molted for the first time last week.

Plants, animals, school - its sometimes a crazy life but its our life and we are blessed!