Two is a Piece of Cake

Matthew had to run some errands today to Home Depot, etc... He took Elisabeth and I was home with Hannah and little Matthew. I couldn't believe how easy it is with just two children now. I look back on just last year and it was so very hard in comparison with just two! Today felt like I a piece of cake. It's amazing how the Lord grows us - I love it!

In between updating my blog, I made chocolate chip cookies.
Here Hannah is eating some yummy cookie dough. She's really looking older to me and Matthew lately. And she's getting to be so pretty! Her 2nd birthday is this month on the 23rd.
I can't believe it already.

Matthew is snacking on half of a cookie and cheese. Real healthy diet you got kiddo! : )

Garage Sale Find

I was on my way home yesterday from grocery shopping when I saw a garage sale
I like to frequent each year. They had this whole box of old patterns for only $2.
I saw the first couple of patterns and knew I'd regret it if I didn't buy it.

The box of patterns


Look at this dress! Wouldn't this be fun to make one time?
Maybe for myself and the girls when I am not pregnant one day!

I love the little slips here. I think they are so simple and pretty.
Some soft, brushed cotton would be nice to use.

Our "Big" Garden

Here is our big garden down by the barn. Matthew planted corn, peas and green beans. I can't wait to see them all mature. We've never done this before so it makes it so very special!

Here are the rest of our peas ready to be transferred into the garden.

I thought this was a pretty picture.

Fresh Blueberries

Matthew ordered some blueberry plants 6+ months ago. Here you can see they are just ripening up! We will be purchasing a few more plants later this year so we can have plenty for blueberry pancakes.

Falling Asleep During Dinner

Oh, this is becoming a common practice of Matthew's. He eats, then falls asleep while the rest of us are eating dinner. I feel so sorry for him I can't help but wipe him quickly and put him up in his crib. There are no protests from him! I wish I could take a nap after dinner sometimes!

Falling asleep

Going down hard

He's out!

Turkeys on a Fence

Here is a picture Matthew took of our turkeys all perched up on our fence.

They are growing to a significant size now. We have all 14 accounted for by sale, keeping for ourselves and giving a couple away. We have people continually wanting to buy a turkey from us. They should be ready within a couple of months.

Salad from our Garden

Here's our "little" garden up by our home. The broccoli is still growing but our green lettuce is ready! I made this salad with lots of hard boiled eggs, goat cheese, turkey, peas and homemade salad dressing. It was simply scrumptious!

YUM!

Twins!!!

Ahh Ha! I bet you thought we were having twins! Well, not really. But, take a look at this picture of Hannah and Matthew. I can't believe how much they look alike here. I think they will pass for twins in a month or two as Matthew is nearly Hannah's size. He is in the 98 percentile for height!

Here's some more farm pictures I thought I would share.

One of our stalls with a few of our chickens

Here are some of the eggs from the 2:00 gathering.
I bought this basket at the Goodwill for 99 cents. It works great for gathering eggs.

Here's a closeup of our pretty eggs. I may use this as our desktop background next.

Blueberries from one of our blueberry plants.

Honey from our friend Jim. He owns 35+ beehives in this area. Sometimes my husband goes with him to the hives to learn a few things about bees. Matthew wants to buy a beehive next year with some starter bees. We are borrowing one of Jim's beehives but it ended up getting some type of moths in it so it is of no use. Anyways, this honey is fabulous. I love slathering it on peanut butter sandwiches for the kids and on homemade bread and butter for myself. I used some recently when I made a batch of granola.

Catch Up Time on Matthew's Pictures

Here's a bunch of pictures of Matthew. He's coming up on eight months old already. I can't believe it. I will miss him as a baby as I miss the girls being babies. He is so soft and precious to me as a boy. I hope to have many more sons one day like him. Every mother should have a son... it's good for her heart to raise a baby knowing he will be a man one day.


Isn't this an adorable picture? I think for a boy he is probably the best looking baby boy I have seen. Really! You have to double click on this picture to see his true eye color. They are green with a dark blue rim around the eyes. Truly a stunning color of eyes, not to mention how big they are!

Farm Pictures

I decided to continue putting our farm pictures on this blog because it is such a part of our lives now. So, I may do away with the farm blog since all the pictures are on here anyways. About 6 weeks ago or so we got some Peking ducks. They reside up here with us near the home. We have pictures of our 14 turkeys and I'll have to see what else I can dig up!

Here's our White Broad Breasted turkeys. They are the commercial ones you buy in the store under "Butterball" or "Norbest". The hens grow to 25+ lbs and the toms to 45+ lbs. Of course we will butcher them before getting too big for the freezer. We are already sold out of these too! They will be going to their homes in freezer bags come around September. We're going to keep about 4-5 in our freezer. Homegrown turkey is just the best. So juicy and it makes the BEST gravy!

Here is some of the pasture land where the turkeys reside.

And here is the part of the barn they sleep in at night. Matthew is cleaning it out here.
Lots of room for 14 turkeys.

Onto our baby chicks in the hatchery up the hill from the barn.
Matthew is preparing feed for the hungry little scavengers.

Here they are... not too little. They are getting ready to be placed down at the barn here.

Here's our three ducks! They sure have made a great addition to the family.
The kids enjoy feeding them bread out the back slider door each day.

Quack! Quack! Quack!

Elisabeth's Three Years Old

I can't believe Elisabeth is three years old already. How quick the time has gone by.

Here she is playing with some playdough with her balloon at her side.
She's wearing a skirt I made for her for our trip to San Diego.

Running with her balloon, having fun. She's so pretty! Hannah, you took your shirt off again! I remember Elisabeth doing this for most of last year. We play on again off again...

Playing with their balloons. Of course little Matthew wants to play!

Hannah with her daddy and her balloon.

There she is again big three year old!

Well hi there little guy! Do you have your sister's balloon?
Yes he did and he got it all twisted up around his little wrist.

Having fun at the kitchen table.

Getting tired and in the other room reading books.

Okay, now mommy is making some carrot cake - a recipe she got from a friend on Momys!
Yum! And look at who's watching me. I think he deserves a taste too! You little helper you!

Just double the cream cheese frosting on it though!

Elisabeth gobbled hers all up. This is mine after a few bites. Delicious!

Here are Elisabeth's three year, two year and one year birthday pictures:

Three years old today. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Two Years

One Year.. It's funny, I don't even remember her looking like this.
Oh how sad it is that the memory fades of their babyhood so quickly. : (

We're Having Another Girl!

For some reason I really "felt" like this was another girl in me... even though I had the same yucky symptoms that I had while carrying Matthew my heart or the Lord was letting me know that this was a girl. I always pictured us having a Leah with long, dark, brown hair, the big blue eyes and a soft and somewhat quiet countenance. Only the Lord knows. I'm glad she is looking healthy and all the tests have come back looking good. I can't wait to hold another baby girl again and it is different and funner buying or making things for girls. Time to think of making my first little quilt. What a beautiful day. Thank You for blessing us with another daughter Lord. May she adore You.