Ever wish your ladder could sit on your roof?

Michael built this incredible platform this weekend. It ties off to a post on our master bedroom porch and very safely holds a ladder. Finally he could finish nailing off the siding on this side of the house! (a year later!) What a great thing to have though, for reaching the eves, paint touch ups, chaulking, etc... If you look careful enough you could figure out how to build one for yourself. =) We put padding on the bottom of it to (glued on with Gorilla glue) so it wouldn't scratch the metal roof.

Hanging baskets

I LOVE my new hanging baskets! I FINALLY primed and painted all the posts and beams on the exterior that needed to get done and then we hung the hook and Elle helped me fill the baskets with flowers and hang them. It has seriously transformed the look of our house!

Jen's Farm

WOW! Her garden is incredible. I was laughing so hard inside when I offered to help with a project and she stated she'd love help with getting the garden in shape. I think I recall her even apologizing for how "bad" it was... HA! She's coming my way next week... then she'll see a garden with weeds! Her's was PERFECT! She does have a husband who is home full time to help with it all though, and no baby to look after, but still.... it was comical... I wish I had taken a better photo really showing how weed free hers was and then I could have posted it next to one of my garden and then we all could have had a good laugh! =) I have since spent about 8 hours weeding in my garden... but it will still be an embarrassment. =)

Here's one of her son's climbing in the barn. Here's Christian in the grass (obviously) but it makes me think of a funny realization... I put shoes on Christian for the FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE (no exageration) about a week ago (so he's eleven months old) and he just looked at them, then at me, then back at them... fussed a bit and then tried to walk... HA! It was like frankenstine in quick sand! It was like he didn't want to step on them...but they were on his feet! He wouldn't have it... about about 3 steps he just sat down and started ripping them off! It reminded me of a story I hear about a little boy who was 18 months (so 9 months OLDER than C) and felt GRASS on his feet for the FIRST time and walked in the same mannor! I can't even imagine...not having my kid walk barefoot until 18 months old... but hey, I am sure many can't imagine an 11 month old who has never had shoes on his feet! =)

Barn Swing

I am officially inspired! This is at Jen's Farm in Centrailia... I LOVE their barn... dirt floor, clean (although they worked VERY hard on that) big, open, aww...just perfect...How could I have over looked the need for a barn swing!? Who knew rope was so stink'n expensive though!? Went to Home Depot to get some and it was over a buck a foot! Anyone have a big ol rope laying around they don't want!? I am thinking it needs to be at least 25-30 ft long. Maybe for Christian's birthday! HA! =) I am thinking barn swing into pile of straw.... fun!!! Who wants to come!?

Baaa Baaaa

Yumm... cardboard...Oh, you want some too...?Nope! All mine...PLEASE... =)Hello pretty goats!Jen was so good at helping Elle pet them!

Oink Oink

More at the farm in Centrailia! They got two pigs!  These are only a couple weeks old and have already doubled in size! So cute! They are so strong. Jen said that these itty bitty pigs have actually knocked her husband (not so itty bitty) over! They root up under your boot and knock you! I can't even imagine when they get bigger! We almost got pigs this last sping, but due to many stories about how agreesive they can be, and hard to keep contained, decided to wait until the kids were older and we could provide a good set up a little ways from the house, since they can be pretty smelly too.  But man oh man are they cute! ....and yummy....bacon anyone!? ;)

Maturnity Coop

The kids and I went to visit our new friends down in Centrailia. These are the folks we got the cast iron tub from. They have an INCREDIBLE set up. I am so impressed with all they have done in such a short period of time. They are much like us in that they do not have a back ground in farming, do not know what they are doing, but are just jumping in with both feet. And are quite the success (far surpassing us for sure!) if I do say so myself.

This is the "maturnity coop" =) They had a hen go 'broody' (where she just sits in the nesting box and stays on the eggs) so they stuck some eggs under her- theirs and some neighbors. And all but 2 hatched! So they put the mama and the babies in here to "grow big and strong" (elle's words.)

Here's the mama, running to hide her little ones!

Now I can't wait for "Broody Blackie" to go broody again! Now that we have our 'accidental rooster' we'll try and hatch some next time she goes broody (we call her that because she is the only hen that we have that is black and she goes broody A LOT). Now I just need to build a "maturnity coop" so we can be ready! =) Normally I am annoyed when she goes broody because she monapolizes a whole nesting box for herself and doesn't lay eggs at that time, but now I am looking forward to it. She'll be a good mama.

Lake Roosevelt photo's

Just a few of nearly 2000 (yes TWO THOUSAND photo's....) The little girl (who will actually keep her hat ON) is my brother's daughter- SO CUTE! What fun! More to come...

Cowboy hat worn right!

(Notice the shirt! =) Buy it here)

Teamwork

Michael was putting oil on the soffit and the kids wanted to help. It started with Elle putting the oil on the rags and handing them up to him on the ladder and ended with them also sealing the deck!

It was hillarious! Christian was slipping and slidding all over the place! They thought it was so funny!

here's the soffit...ooooo awwww...Teamwork makes quick work! =) Cheesey much!?

Back From Lake Roosevelt!

Just got back into town from Lake Roosevelt (Eastern WA). We stayed with my family at Michael's Aunt and Uncle's "cabin" (WAY nicer than our "house"). So much fun! My parents brought their boat, we went wake boarding, skiing, tubing and swimming all day and played games and had "puppet shows" by night.... yes, after the children went to bed, we were caught (my mother mostly) unable to resist playing with their puppets and making them sing and dance! Laughter that results in tears is always good! =) More pictures later, my mom is on top of the photo op's so I don't even bother much when she's there. We returned to safe chickens (and LOTS of eggs!) thanks to our friend and tenant Natalie who let them out and closed them in daily and filled their water for us, a hungry cat in need of much attention, a fluffy dog thanks to Michael's parents who must have bathed him for our return, and oops.... I forgot to check on the rabbit... sure she's fine! =)

As much fun as we had I am so glad to be home and so are the kids. Every time I leave this place (and especially when it envolves getting stuck in traffic and a screaming baby for hours on end) I am deeply reminded as to why I never like to go anywhere! I love it here. Never leaving again.... well... we are going camping next weekend....darn... okay, after that.... =)