Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Renovation

Renovation #2 is almost done! The carpet is coming on Friday! 

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Artist Hands


Kamryn always has what we call "Artist Hands". That's when your hands are cover by markers from excessive coloring. This girl colors for a couple hours everyday. She can use up a new pack of markers in a week.



She loves doing portraits. If you want yours done, come on over!


Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Gratitude


On a Saturday a couple weeks ago, I got up early and started my baking day. Homemade bread with fresh ground wheat and muffins were on my list. Keeping our grocery budget is very important to me and one way I do that is by having a baking day. 

Here I was trying to save money and then I dropped a jar on my glass cook top. It pretty much shattered the glass all the way down and across the surface. There was one burner that was left intact which I've been using. (and that probably isn't a good idea but, I have to use it!) 

We ordered a new oven but it's taking weeks to get here. I cannot tell you how grateful I will be to have a full working range again! I don't think I will ever take it for granted again. 

Any tips for cooking mostly with an oven? I have to wait at least 4 more weeks for my new oven. 



Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Swannie

Since building and growing our side garden it has brought us closer to our community. Spending time weeding, watering, and transplanting in our garden has given us the opportunity to strike up conversations with hundreds of people. One of my favorite people we have met and come to know well is "Swannie". He and his wife live around the corner from us.

Swannie is a WWII vet. He served in the South Pacific and  was sent on the invasion of Okinawa. He grew up in Troy, Idaho and moved to Moscow when he married Ervie. They have four children, three boys and one girl. He ran a service station in town for many years. We take him strawberry Jam, his favorite and he finishes it off in just a few days.

One Saturday I spent the morning with Swannie looking over old family history photos. As a photographer, I loved seeing the photos of his childhood. He told me stories of his mother who passed away of complications from childbirth when Swannie was just 2. He told me of his ponies and how he cried for days when his father had to sell them. He told me of how the community of Troy was struggling during the war but, that only made the community stronger. It taught them to lean on each other.

These people are gems to me. I love learning their history. It teaches me so much. This afternoon Swannie showed up at my door step with a handful of seed catalogs. Ervie knew we would love these! We loved seeing our friend and visting with him in our home. He loves being around the girls. He especially loves holding Emma.

He would probably be mad at me for sharing this photo of him but, I don't care. We give him a hard time and he gives it back!

(you can tell he was happy about me taking his picture.....)