Book Reccomendation

Folks This Ain't Normal, by Joel Salatin. EXCELLENT book. A deep education in thinking outside of the box, in realizing how everything effects everything and a wonderful display of no only pointing out serious issues, but providing real solutions that anyone can do and be a part of. Anyone in political office should read this. Anyone working for the government building codes, zoning, etc.. READ THIS BOOK. Presidential candidates- read this book, comment on this book and it's proposed solutions.

The cousins came for a couple days!

We may only be living with 600 square feet, but we try to make the most of it! To keep things fun for the kids....We let them jump off ladders!

What kid wouldn't want to do this?! =)

Good bye Christmas tree! Anyone have marshmellows!?

Christmas!

Christmas eve at Grammie and Grandpa's

 Say CHEESE!

Cousin "Booey" curled Elle's hair...

The kids loved having dada home with us for a whole week!

The latest editions to the farm

"Cuddly" and "Jumpy". (Named by Elle) These are angora cross bunnies and are SO soft and fluffy! They are just 7 weeks old. -No, they are not for meat... just entertainment for the kids! They have a cozy little home in the once chicken house, now turned pottery studio.

Homemade wrapping paper

Grammie got Elle these great stamp pads and Elle got to work making our wrapping paper for Christmas. Such a fun way to make a project out of something we need anyway.

Christmas cookies

Friends came over to decorate Christmas cookies!

They sure know how to make them! I think they must have been an inch high with yummies!

Playing in the snow!

 We didn't wait for the snow to come to us, we went to it. Up in the Olympics, we found plenty.

It was beautiful. I love snow.

Cousin Elena

Uncle Jeff

The kids warming up in the back of the van- thankfully the back seat of the van is still in Miami, so there was plenty of room! =)

And I had to just throw this one in there... deer in the head lights?

Thanksgiving in CA

The kids and I drove down to California for Thanksgiving, Michael flew there to meet us from Miami. We stayed with our friends Aaron and Emmy and their two kids. It was SO fun! We haven't seen them in a long time and it was great to catch up.

The kids loved each other and got a long really well, 4 kids were WAY easier than 2! They all entertained each other the whole time and it actually felt like we didn't even have kids!

We went to Lake Tahoe for the day. It was BEAUTIFUL there. Such an incredible place.

The kids were real troopers for yet ANOTHER road trip... =) They are well traveled if nothing else.

Homemade Holiday Projects

Elle and I strung cranberries on thread. I had intended on stringing them onto our Christmas tree, but then realized that they needed to be kept cold to last.... so we hung them outside on the trees that we hung our pinecone bird feeders on (roll them in peanut butter and then in bird seed and hang them up).

I used tapestry needles that are pretty blunt so Elle didn't keep poking herself. Even Christian helped a little. Good eye hand coordination training for them for sure! =) Elle's all ready to work on stringing popcorn on our road trip to California.

My entire house is now glistening with glitter! (It is seriously EVERYWHERE!) We took pinecones, put glue on them and rolled them in glitter. When dry, I will string them and we'll hang them on our Christmas tree. (I have been known to have what is often refered to as a "Charlie Brown tree".) =) Kids love anything that sparkels...and is messy... so of course this was a big hit.