37

I cannot believe another year has gone by. Or that I am 37 today. I certainly don’t feel like it. Which is probably a good thing, right? Come to think of it, I cannot believe that I have 2 kids who are 9 and 6.

I have never put a picture of myself on this space. Which Todd pointed out to me a few weeks ago. Come to think of it, there aren’t many pictures of me around the house period. Is that because I am the one that is usually taking the pictures?

But, in honor of today, here’s a picture:




Do you know how hard it is to get a good picture of yourself? Especially me, who cannot be outside without sunglasses. After having Lasik surgery 8 years ago, the light just kills my eyes.




But there you go.



Wait - here's a better one, and this is how I ALWAYS look if I am outside. Which I normally am.





Kris

Inspiration

Way back when, before I even started this little space, I was the queen of lurkers. Bet you all didn’t know that, did you? I would find a blog, and it would take me months to work up the courage to post a comment. I was thinking we wouldn’t have anything in common, you know? And blah…blah…blah…. And just so you know, I still have about 150 blogs that I follow on a daily basis that I never leave a comment on.


But I envied one blogger with her knitting – Katie is a knitting machine folks. She turns out sweaters like most of us turn out dinner. And does it all with 3 young kids, chickens, a fabulous house and yard to maintain as well. And now she is on to quilts. Well, one of her recent posts – 13 months of sweaters – inspired me to start knitting a sweater. Me, who has never ever knit anything harder than a scarf or a washcloth.



One of the sweaters that she knit last summer, Flo, well, I fell in love with it and I started looking and found the deconstructed jacket from Lionbrand. Sounded easy – a rectangle with 2 armholes and sleeves. After a few emails to my Mom, who is also an experienced knitter (mainly to get her promise that when I get the 3 pieces done, she will sew them together for me), I ordered the yarn and dived right in.

After having to start over (after being 8 inches into it) because it was rolling incessantly and changing the pattern a tiny little bit, I think I have it figured out. We'll see how it goes when I get to the armholes:) We’ll see how I feel about this in a few days, but right now, this could be fun while I’m sitting out in the sun watching the kids play who knows what….

Kris

BALING HAY

Todd had to work late Monday night, so we had a friend of ours come and bale the hay up in great big round bales.

There is nothing better than a field of bales waiting to be moved to the barn.

I learned how to drive the skidloader on Sunday when I was mulching flowerbeds but…..I did not volunteer myself to move bales for him.

Right now, I like seeing them sit in the field. Maybe if he is working late still by Friday, I’ll move them for him. Maybe.

Then again, if I move them, will that give me one more job to do?

I’ll have to think on that one…..

Also, Thank you ladies for joining my PIF. I'll be in touch....

Kris

Pay It Forward

I love Pay It Forwards.


And last week, I received my PIF from Sherri!



The colors in this are so me. The quilting is exquisite. I'm almost afraid to let it sit out, but then I wouldn't be able to enjoy it!


So who wants to play Pay It Forward with me? The first 3 people are in leave a comment here if you want to play - and I will make you something handmade within the next year. And yes, I'm giving myself the full year - although it could be next month, it could be 11 months from now that you receive something. In return, you have to "Pay It Forward" on your own blog.

Any takers?
Kris

Weekend in Revew

This weekend was a change of pace for us. My nephew graduated from high school, and Saturday was the graduation party.


With relatives coming in from PA and Michigan, Todd, the kids and I hooked up with his aunt and uncle in Berlin to do a little shopping and look at cows Saturday morning bright and early (we left our house at 7:30 a.m.). Then we headed to Todd's parents for the party in the early afternoon. It was nice being able to sit around talking to everyone....although it did get cold as the day wore on. I love Berlin. Just walking along the street, stopping in every store browsing around. Although Kathy and I had Jessie with us, and the girl can shop.


Lots of ice cream was ate, even by the littlest guest of the party, Tank, the rat terrier dog in Mark's pocket:


Yesterday Todd had to rake hay and hopefully today it will be ready to bale. While he did that, I spread mulch. I've had 5 yards sitting over at our friends house, paid for just waiting for Todd to bring it home. I quickly figured out that it is much easier to scoop it up with the skidloader bucket and then shovel it out of there rather than shovel it into the yard cart and shovel it out of the yard cart. We won't mention the ruts I left in the yard from turning in the skidloader too fast. Or the 3 flowerbeds left to mulch which I will probably need to get another couple of yards to do them.





I am a mulch fiend. I love the look of LOTS of mulch (and the more you put down the more it cuts down on weeds) so I tend to pile it on - in some places around the pond there is 8" of mulch.



Tyler figured out a new use for the remaining mulch (this was after taking about 8 skidloader buckets out of the pile - I am so glad he didn't think of this earlier in the day when it was higher):

I had to give strict instructions this morning that the remaining mulch had BETTER NOT BE spread all over the yard when I get home. We'll see if he listens.

Have a great day,

Kris

Pig Love

Yesterday it was chicken love, today it's piggy love.






Jessie's been working hard with these pigs - and I am sooooo glad we started early:) A lot of kids wait until 2 or 3 weeks before the fair to start walking their pigs - but because Jessie's are about 40 lbs. ahead of schedule, we started now so we can get them to the point of walking every day for 30 to 40 minutes to help with weight gain.




I am just thankful that we have an advisor who is willing to come over and spend time with her - he was here early yesterday afternoon to show her how to start training them, and then last night she tried it on her own. I think he's been over at our house helping her 3 or 4 times in the last week.









She is supposed to keep them away from walls and out in the open - but I think at this point it is more "fun" than "work" for her. She does better when Jason is around - what does Mom know anyway????

A little chicken love

With the kids at home for the summer, I have been baking up a storm. They have to have snacks, and I AM NOT paying $3.99 for a little package of cookies - that will last maybe 2 days. If we are very, very lucky.

But I have issues. I don't like lots of things sitting on my kitchen counters. A crock for my spoons and spatulas and a soap dispenser is about all I can handle. And I wasn't thrilled with a tupperware container sitting there either.

Then I found this on Amazon:

And found these salt and pepper shakers to match:

Which I think will look great with my soon-to-be-yellow kitchen. Well, as soon as I go get the rest of the paint to finish painting it.

And this week, I get a break from all the baking. Seems my babysitter for this week (I have 2 sisters that are alternating weeks) loves to bake. So she made my kids chocolate chip cookies, no bake cookies and today will make zuccinni bread for them. She keeps my kids entertained and happy, she cooks and she cleans my house (vacums, dusts, and does the dishes). What more can I ask for????

Have a great day

Kris