Packing and Selling

Packing up and/or selling all our things over the past weeks was hard. It was something were I found I just needed to focus on the end goal and turn off the emotional switch or I would never have got any of it done. One of our biggest items that needed to be sold was the tractor, we debated for a while with the idea of keeping it. But with Jared needing a different truck for his Feed Rep job, we sold the tractor so he could purchase a truck that suited the job and family needs better. 

We got one dumpster for the last of the large wood items that were still left of the property.

Very handy having access to many boxes through Jared's work. Is there such thing as too many boxes? I'm pretty sure there was only 3-5 left over by the time we were done!

With the back deck still being very hot during late August and early September we found ourselves spending more and more time outside in the front of the house where it was more shaded. I would often find the girls sitting together on the front step playing together. 

Part of me worried about what the girls would play with as I kept packing up more toys... turns out they just play with what every I'm packing. Today I was working in the kitchen so extra lids and such got taken out to play and the extra garden carrots got incorporated too!

Hazel loved to help pack and label boxes when Jade was napping. She kept asking to help with the labeling so I finally did give in, and handed her the masking tap and a sharpie and she decided that she was going to do the other kitchen label. She asked were to start and then I walked away to go work on packing another box. A while later Hazel announced that she was done and needed help getting the tape off the roll and onto the box. I was very impressed when I saw what she copied, I could easily read the word kitchen with a backwards C!

We kept this up with a few other boxes, on this one we reviewed the letters after she wrote them, as at this point she is just copying and still learning all the letter names. We noted that she did all the letters in the right order but had one letter backwards and was missing the space between the words. 

and then on the next one she was able to put the space in! It was so neat to teach her along the way with just little tips of where to start and reviewing and rewarding later. We both really enjoyed it, and it was really special to be able to teach even though we were in the middle of a big move. 

One more precious picture on the girls sitting on the font steps, I think they were coloring this time. 😍

At this point the house was mostly packed into the trailer with the last minute stuff being left until the next morning. 

 

A Slowly Closing Chapter

Upon the start of the new year, we started talking about making a move, we had made our 1 year plan work for 4 years already! Jared was dreaming up ways to get into more Layer/Chicken farming, but the house on our property didn't match the longer term planning that was needed. 

So the house shopping started with only one really catching our eye. 40 acres with an older family sized farm house, some hay field, room to build barns and a nice looong drive way. The more we thought about it the more it became "the dream we moved up here for". So Dad Van Vliet helped us put one offer on it, which was originally declined and then lead to some house swap ideas, which lead us to make another offer that was still declined. During this time I was able to adjust to the idea of leaving our little house that we made into a home that we grew to love. I got to watch winter turn into spring knowing it was likely the last on this property, as well as enjoy so many little precious moments along the way. 

With nothing else on the market that was of much interest we decided to figure out how to get into raising more chickens with the property and buildings we had, there were definitely holes in the plan, but we were hopeful that we could filled them in as we came to them. 

Earlier in the year around the same time we were working on putting offers on the 40 acres Mom and Dad Flokstra where working on purchasing the property next to them, it was of some interest to us, especially Jared, but we really wanted to try making an offer on the 40 Acre in Prince George first. Weeks and months passed, the 40 Acres place didn't work out, the Flokstras got possession of the place next door, and Dad Flokstra started talking about looking for some more help on the broiler farm and before we knew it we were very seriously considering moving back to Chilliwack and the farming opportunities it provided. This proved to be a time of spiritual growth and trust for me. As we considered this opportunity through prayer, I experienced a warming to this idea that I didn't expect.  After a last minute trip to the Fraser Valley to take a look at the house, property and job opportunities it was decided. We were moving back, we didn't know when yet, but the big picture plan was made, and it felt so good to have a long term plan that we could see working, especially after about a year of trying make/find a plan that fit our long term goals and our family.

Now we have a better idea of dates and hope to be making the big move before November, ideally sometime in October, but we will have to see what God has planned for us during this time of transition.  Prayers at this time would be appreciated as we work towards selling our family home, saying "see you later" to our community and dear friends in Prince George, and transition our family to new home and community, while being happily welcomed back by our families. 

April

April was quite the month for us! Went from "we got this!" to "we don't got this...." and just starting to feel like things are getting back in order. 

we got this - getting to the burn pile before the burn bans come on and the stuff to burn isn't buried in the snow.

we got this - Hazels first big chop! The ends were pretty thin, but still cut about 5 inches off.

I was so nervous to cut it, but it turned out alright and helped make her look a little younger. Hazel was starting to look a little to old being so tall with her long hair. 

Hazel and her friend finding all the puddles left in the yard to jump in.

We don't got this.... A few days earlier I tweak my back... how? it was a long list of things but falling backwards into a puddle when a puppy ran between my legs and giving the chickens some more feed were the last big things that happened before it gave way. I found myself stuck in bed for two days, and Jared found himself on a steep learning curve of "stay at home dad".  A friend suggested crutches which helped me get around on my own, once I was walking around I improved a lot day by day, which we were all very thankful for! I was unable to get Jade into her crib without back pain, so much earlier then I would have liked it has become a toddler bed. 

The community support was really noticed at this time too, one family came over daily to help with the puppies, one friend helped watch the girls, another friend dropped of some pain meds from when she had a sore back and other friends brought over some meals. Truly a lot to be thankful for!

This year we started looking at real estate a little more seriously, Dad was even able to come up and help us out with looking into and thoroughly researching this one! It timed out well with me needing a little extra help with my back, but still being able to walk around enough to look at this one together. 

Some little presents from Nana.

The girls getting some Papa time.

Jade's birthday bike from Opa and Oma came out!

"Mommy can I feed Jade?"

Learning to sleep in your own bed is hard....

Jared caught a stray cow, I had seen it a day or two earlier, but it was still wondering around that evening. 

Hazel was very excited to have a cow back again!

The cow visit didn't last very long and didn't have a super happy ending as it had run away from the butcher.... but it was really neat to be reminded again how much we loved having cows on the property, but also a good reality check that there was a few challenges in having them. 

Pink and Purple. 

(I know the whole "your not suppose to dress your red head in pink thing" but Hazel ended up with a lot of pink clothes, so quite often Jade is wearing a lot of pink.)

Kind of got this?- A few days earlier Jared did a "burn and turn" to Chilliwack and back to pick up a trailer that we had ordered (in the background of the picture). He had hoped to go the week earlier, but my back issues had prevented that. Anyways the idea was to pick up a FEW panels to try and sell up here to see how it went. But while Jared was away getting insurance they loaded the whole trailer full of panels! So Jared had the unexpected challenge of selling them all. It didn't end up being to hard and just 3 week later he had to go and get some more!

Kind of got this - Walking has been really good for helping my back heal. But our backyard was a little to uneven for the sore muscles. Jared suggested we got to cottonwood for a walk. Unfortunately he got called away on a fire call before we made it out, but I did still end up going on my own. I'm very glad I did it felt so good and the girls loved it. Jared even managed to join us for a little bit at the end still. 

Rocks and Water, so fun. It was pretty tricky keeping Jade out of the water, and with my sore back picking her up all the time wasn't a option, so we didn't last super long here. But did get some more rock throwing time in once Jared made it back.

Enjoyed watching this little squirrel eating the bird seed. 

We got this, things are starting to fall into place - Putting the new bigger trailer that can handle more weight to good use. Scrap metal run, and finding some more space back. 

Second burn pile fire, finally through some of the stuff that we needed to burn since we moved here!

Teddy! He is such a flooph and loves belly rubs. 

Hazel's new to her bike. She hasn't had much peddle experience yet, so we took them off so she could use it as a strider till she got use to the bigger size and then we can try adding them back on. 

Hazel brushing one of the girl puppies. If we were keeping a girl this is the one I would have picked, nice and calm.

The tire with gravel has finally been discovered and played in.

Spring cleaning the barn. 

Back at Cottonwood Island Park a week later for a walk and all the trees were finally in leaf and it smelt like spring!

She was smiling so cute when I took the camera out... This little girly is climbing everything! We went to the park down the road which is pre-school sized, and she was up and down the stairs and even down the big slide! She did it backward at first which worked well, since then she has wanted to do the little slide at home forwards which hasn't been going as well for her...

I started this post with snow and a swamp as a back yard and ending it with our first lawn mowing of the season! It amazing how much can change in one month! 

 

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day

Hazel enjoying our test batch of Oliebollen on new years eve.

Jared enjoying making them and eating them 😊

New years day was crisp and clear! Jared went out into our "back 90" to get some wood for the outside fire and set up to make oilebollen out there as well for our oliebollen open house. Please notice Jared's festive "tree top tree" addition by the fire pit. 

The tractor sleigh rides were a hit with the kids. 

Those who came a bit earlier in the day got a bit more sunshine, but the event was enjoyed by many regardless of the cold. High of -12 or -15, which was "warming up" from the -25ish that night. 

This hill has been the perfect sledding hill for the younger kids.  

Jared and Nova ended up being outside all day, from 9:30ish to 5ish. By the end even fluffy Nova was cold and curled up in Jared's chair. 

Christmas Holidays

 I believe this was our first 5 day stretch just at home since moving here, it was peaceful, we had lots of family time, project time and time with friends. 

Monday turned out to be a project day, getting as many things as we could done so that the rest of the days off could be a bit more holidayie. I started with a recently inspired project of putting all the books onto one shelf, that was out of Jade's reach and out of the girls room. So far all the activities that Hazel could do while Jade is napping have been in the room Jade was napping in.... but I couldn't think of anywhere else to put them, so this shelf turned out the be a lovely solution. After this shelf was done I tidied and organized all the toys, found the desk back, and my kitchen counters, rearranged a few other household things to hopefully make things run a little smoother. The house just got a overall tidy and it felt soooo good!!!

Taking the sled for a ride around the perimeter trail! (video below)

Tuesday morning we went to the church so Jared could work on some more sound cabling and set up, the girls and I came along and thinned out the nursery toys, set up for the Christmas day potluck and gave Jared a hand here and there when needed. That evening the girls went to bed nicely so Jared and I spent the evening together washing eggs and making a bit of homemade eggnog 😍

The sun was lighting up the tops of the trees while we were out sledding Wednesday late afternoon. That morning we went to the first Christmas service (that wasn't already a Sunday) that we have had in prince George, with a potluck lunch to follow. It was a very special time together with a very nice Christmas lunch. We both got lots of nice chats in with friends and I was even ready to go home from the potluck before Jared, which is a rare occurrence. 

Hazel has been enjoying sledding, her new sled from Grandpa and Grandma Flokstra is just the right size. (video below)

 

Home made eggnog and Dutch treats after sledding outside! Thank you Nana for sending some!

On Thursday Jared organized a shooting event for the guys out by tabor lake, which was well attending and very much enjoyed by all. Jared had been talking about doing something like this for a long time so it was nice to see it finally happen.  I had a friend over while Jared was out so I didn't feel to lonely with Jared away on a holiday. That afternoon when he got back we took the 22 out with some subsonics and did a bit of target practice in the back yard. Hazel even got to try which she thought was pretty fun.