Building and Growing

 July was a month to watch growth and development and building. Hazel is growing fast, learning lots and slowly coming more and more out of her shell each day. Projects were built both big and small, and lots of skills were learning and worked on by all.

The bunnies finally got a house upgrade. So fun to see what Jared can make from scrap wood and some mesh!

Hazel got 3rd place in the running race at the chicken picnic. It's the only race she would do, but she prepped and practiced for it and ran with a bunch of other kids her age! A big win for her!

Hazel made a long chain with her spool knitter so we could make it into a flower.

Walking out to get a better view of the two deer walking through the field.

The grape vine that got moved, I don't suspect it will do so well in the summer and fall, but hopefully it revives in the spring.

With the outside construction wrapped up for a while the girls are enjoying playing out in the backyard again. I marked of one piece of safe dirt which works as a sandbox for now.

The girls have had fun watching the corn grow in the neighboring field, it is now taller than them which was exciting.

Ready for the new ideas. Now we wait for the permit to go through.

Lots of blackberries ready now, I made a bunch into sauce and freeze the rest every other day for smoothies.

The girls and I have very much enjoyed our afternoon pool invites!

Lots of barn construction has been happening since June,

today was the exciting day where they craned the manure bunker roof over to its new foundation in a few pieces. 

Sunrise chicken lunch, they had face paint and balloon art for the kids. It took a bit of convincing, and Hazel had to watch Jade first, but she was brave and let someone paint her arm.

Hazel has been enjoying the easy access to paper, scissors and stickers. She made a lovely princess crown all by herself.

Making playdough animals with Aunty Elise. I think a lot of Hazel's craft inspiration comes from crafting with her aunty.

A New Look

 June was both a destructive and constructive month. A few days after our last hosting event the siding crew showed up and started taking off the vinyl siding and then cutting and banging the stucco siding off. It was a rather noisy few weeks with some quite days in-between. Some of the destruction was sad, but after all the house renovations I'm starting to learn to trust the process (sometimes...).

Eggs from the hobby barn, Great Oma's strawberries, and our rhubarb all collected in our morning rounds.

Made some strawberry rhubarb crumble

and some strawberry rhubarb jam. Yum Yum!

No end of entertainment out the windows these days.

Before(ish) picture of the front entrance.

After(ish), front entrance is opened up and the steps were removed. I should note that they found out that the steps were solid concert and needed to be jackhammered out! Good thing the guys like working with machinery.

Bye bye rotten deck, and the steps followed a few days later. It was interesting getting in and out of the house for a few days... thankfully we were on holidays for some of it.

Hazel modeling her anklet that she made with her spool knitter.

A lovely pop of blue through all the green!

Redone inside and out! 

(see 'A house to make a home' post for before pics)

Back yard before pictures before the excavator inevitably shows up to take down the shop and whatever else is in its path.

Backyard blue berry snack, only got a few handfuls off of those bushes, but I'm happy that Hazel is willing try the fruit growing in our back yard.

The inevitable day finally arrived...

"It's okay if a few things fall into the garden during demolition?" was what I got asked that morning...

Come afternoon the excavator leveled the whole thing, and moved one grape vine that we hope to save. My stomach did drop... but it was out of my control and as beautiful as it was in its own way, starting over was cleaner then trying to redo or repurpose what was existing.

The excavator driver set aside a few on the old mattresses that were in the shop and later used them to nicely sweep up his mess! 

The falling over, 5 foot tall, not properly framed green house stayed pretty much in tack when it got picked up.

A very different look out the living room now.

The entertainment started up again early the next morning as dump trucks rolled in to load up all the rubble. Another end of another chapter on this property, while also being a new beginning.

Making the New House a Home

 It is so nice to have the time of transition finally closed off that started last March. We are living in our long awaited house and making it a home. We are settling into our own space and loving it very much already. Enjoying our own family time and views.

Testing out the new bath tub, the girls had a blast.

Warming up with some Aunty Corday snuggles afterwards.

First batch of bread and

Laundry out on the line adding to the homemaking feel.

Hazel has been enjoying the flowers and set her vase of flowers on the outside table

Walked for a few laps around the barn as the girls were getting cranky and they both feel asleep in the buggy for a much needed nap.

Enjoying the warm April weather with a picnic.

Our first harvest of rhubarb, I did not know the leaves could get that big!

Washed them up in the sink,

And then chopped them up outside while the girls played happily with the chalk.

Smelling the apple blossoms

The girls have very much enjoyed the carpeted space to tumble and play. 

Saying "Hi" to the new chicks that arrived.

Sitting out by the hobby barn watching the tractors and trucks harvest the grass kept the girls mesmerized for quite a while.

Very happy to be in our farmhouse, and enjoying farm life.