Living Room: Before & After

It is fun to post before and after pictures, chronicling when we moved in until now, but I don't want to overdo it either! Please do let me know if I start to go overboard!:)

The very best part of our living room is the view! There is so much to see! Before:Now: The pillow was on clearance at Marshalls for $10.00! It is even prettier in person!I purchased a table from the G.W. and painted it black for a new desk.

Below is a cute table I've been borrowing from my mom for a desk.The far wall is where the new table/desk now sits. Our business office is in the basement, but this is a nice spot for our personal office.

Before the desk:

Here is the new table/desk. The lamp is from Home Goods. What a great place for amazing deals. I love the new cheery work spot.

I hope you are having a very beautiful day and Memorial Day weekend!

Days on the Farm: Part Three

The crimson finally did bloom and was beautiful for about a week before it was pelted with yet more rain, hail, and lots and lots of rain. Did I say rain? The rain has been relentless! :):)



These little guys are quite important (bee boxes pictured above).

Honeybees Picture via blogs.casssuffolk.edu/

Here are a few of the things we've enjoyed (when it wasn'raining!)..

Horseback rides

A little ball

We like to play in old tractor tires.Yes, they really are that fun...

Determination

My little nut displayed quite a bit of determination the other night. We were reading before bedtime and I was feeling especially sick that night, so my little helper went to get us a cracker. She came back and said she couldn't reach them. I told her it was okay and not to worry about it. She then left and came back a bit later smiling from ear to ear with crackers in hand! I noticed her hairline was a bit moist with perspiration. Hmm. The next morning I stumbled across this rather tall (yikes!) stack of books, stacked upon a stool, in front of the pantry!

I couldn't help but smile and laugh at her determination. I love her tenacity and I love her!

Goodwill, How I Love Thee

We call Goodwill the "G. W." (W pronounced Dub) and it is one of our favorite spots to go treasure hunting. My family from Washington actually saves up for when they come down to Oregon just to go to our G.W. (apparently they aren't as good in Washington). We usually spend half of a day going to the different locations.
Check out the vases I found on a quick in and out trip.Do you have luck shopping at the G.W.? If not, here are some helpful things to know before shopping:

1. Go with someone- I promise you will laugh more and find more treasures if you can bring someone along. My mom and sister are two of the best people to invite.

2. Know what you are looking for- it always helps to have a goal in mind, but be warned that you'll most likely walk away with a few "unexpected items". Also, you may have to pop in often to find that treasure you are looking for. Be patient.

3. Never, ever let your children try on the dirty wigs they put out around Halloween even if they do look pretty darn funny.

4. Bring Hand Sanitizer. Enough said.

5. Determine which locations are best, they are not all created equal.

6. If you can't determine what something is, you might want to leave it on the shelf.

7. Use your imagination and think outside the box (I believe this rule negates the rule above).

8. Know which sections you like. If you are my mom, you make a beeline to women's jackets and children's clothing.

9. Get a Goodwill Card. You accrue points and you get discounts.

10. If you find a piece of furniture that seems a bit spendy, ask for a manager and they may give you a discount if it has been on the floor for a while. Begging never hurts either.

Happy Shopping! :):)

Fun Day

Monday was purely fun for us. One fun outing after another. We started out in the morning with a visit to the Fire Station. Olivia's wish come true!

They were given a very thorough tour by the kind, and patient Ben T. He took the time to explain how everything worked and conveyed it in a way that their little minds could understand. What a blessing! Thank you Ben! We went from this fun outing to a birthday lunch for Jerushah and I (both May birthdays). My dear sister-in-law, Amy put this on and I brought my camera and forgot to take pictures! The table setting was beautiful. The food divine. The company so sweet. She even had bubble wands for the kids to play with and a special table set for them. Thank you, thank you, Amy and K'lyn! I was overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity!

Finally, in the evening we enjoyed the most delicious Korean food cooked by my Aunt Holly! I told you it was a fun day!:) She came down for a quick visit to cook for everyone! She whipped up some kimbap for me in about 15 seconds (with what ingredients she had left) as the first batch had already been eaten by the time we got there! The guys just hovered around the barbecue, eating the bulgogi as it became ready. The food is that good. She made two big batches of kimchi too! If I could pick only one food to eat, it would be Korean food! Thank you Aunt Holly!

Late Pictures

I just got these pictures from my mom (from Mother's Day and Easter) and wanted to share. I had already forgotten how creative we had to get with our indoor hunt. The eggs were everywhere and I am still finding them!:)
The Mother's Day picture started off as Peyton wanting to hold Marcus (he is over-the-top in love with him) and soon grew to the whole gang of mamas and nuts.

Days on the Farm: Part Two

Blackcaps! Ever heard of 'em? I don't think they are the most popular blackberry, but they have amazing health benefits and some unusual uses. They are used to create a stamp dye on meats and they were an ingredient found in Dr. Pepper (I'm not sure if they still are).

The little nuts and I got to take part in helping get a new field ready to plant. We rode in the flail tractor with Uncle Daniel (flailing cuts stubble and/or grass in preparation for discing). Disc pictured below.

Here are the guys planting the new field and another crew working across the pond in a mature field. As I've said, there is always a lot going on!:)

In other news, we think this osprey nest at the pond is just about the coolest thing ever! Look at the size of it! We can see the nest from our house. You really can't miss it!

Coming in for the landing:

This sweet nest by the pond is equally amazing, though substantially smaller. It is actually woven into the grass on the dam!

Dirty face, playing hard!

Saying Goodbye...

Thank you, Grampy, for taking time out of your very busy day to share some very majestic sights with us. We love and appreciate you so very much!