Updates

I've neglected this blog terribly this winter.  There are lots of reasons for this, but they're all the usual ones.  So here's a bullet-point summary of our life since December.  If I get time I'll elaborate in future posts.  Don't count on it though.....spring is coming and I'll be out digging in the dirt as much as possible!

-  It snowed.  We dug out.  It snowed again.  It was cold.  We dug out.  The water pipes under the kitchen sink froze up.  It snowed some more.  That pretty much sums up December, January, and February!

- I started doing preschool-type activities with Miles and Ian the first of the year.  We pick a weekly theme, check out books from the library, and plan crafts and activities around the theme.  It's been going great.  Pictures in a later post...I promise!

-We started 45 tomato plants, 88 pepper plants, along with some eggplant, broccoli, and basil, the first week of March.  They are now ready to set outside, 5 weeks prematurely.  And they're taking over the dining room.  Oops.  Note to self...next year, wait until at least March 20 to start things! 

-I've got a big garden expansion in the works.  Doubling the size of it, in fact.  Partly to get started on my CSA adventure and partly because I'm crazy like that.  :-)  I spent nearly a month plotting, planning, and ordering seeds and plants for it.  Such fun.......now just wait until August when I'm waist deep in produce.....then ask me how it's going!

-Rich broke his leg (the fibula) climbing trees with the kids.  He walked around on it for almost 2 weeks before he went to the doctor because he thought it was only a pulled muscle.  No cast, but 2 weeks off work.  Note to Rich:  Old men like you must be more careful :-)

-I started seriously thinking about homeschooling Kaylee next year.  More on this in another post too.  We haven't reached a solid decision yet, but we're definitely leaning toward it.  For lots of reasons.

-I did a budget overhaul.  Started using online bill pay.  And started planning my menus from the grocery sale ads.  It's working well!  We're saving money even though we're buying mostly organic produce.  More on this later too.

-My yarn and fabric stash finally got organized.  And then ignored.  Somehow, chasing after 2 toddlers, doing preschool with 2 other kids, garden planning, researching homeschooling, careful menu planning, and keeping up with everything else has seriously slowed down my sewing and knitting projects. 

Life is good.  Busy, but good.