Friday Fotos and I DON'T LIKE SPIDERS!!!

I had a little inspiration from a friend who told me that by the time a girl is 10 years old she should be able to replace the mother.  Well, heaven forbid that should ever happen, but I'm on top of it now!

So Emma made breakfast this morning.  Actually, it would be a lot easier to open a package of poptarts or something but since we (I) am on a mission to reduce/remove processed foods from our regular diet, I told her to pick out a recipe from her cookbook. 

If you think this looks vintage you would be correct!  Printed in 1979, it is most definitely old  vintage.  And it used to be mine. 

Anyways, she chose muffins so we set to work this morning putting it all together. 

Except for a wasted egg which ended up on the counter instead of in the bowl, I think she did great! 

She was proud of her accomplishment and had fun making something new. 

She even thought it was fun to wash the dishes.  ;)

There they are in all of their jelly goodness. ;)

Finger paints! 

Beau's first time with paints. :)  All he needed was for his big sister and brother to show him what to do.

Probably every child has done this.  It's just too tempting, right?

And something else.....

Cory invited us to drive up to the house with him to lock the gate and check out what the "brick people" did. 

So we did that. 

After we had been there 15 minutes or so he and Cody went upstairs.  Emma started up after them a few minutes later and I was right behind her with Beau. 

But just as we were going up, Cory was coming down carrying the cardboard sample of the shingles that will go on our house. 

As he came closer I noticed something large...long-legged....and LARGE on the back of the cardboard. 

He was coming toward me on the stairs and he had NO IDEA. 

No idea that he was carrying a monster of a spider down the stairs towards myself and two of our children. 

Oh but I did. 

As I elbowed Emma back down the stairs, dragging Beau by his arm so that his feet didn't touch the ground, I tried desperately to relay the message of my knowledge of this ghastly creature that was inches from his hand. 

He stared at me as I pointed and yelled "There's a spider on the back of that thing!".  "On the back of what?!"  he kept saying. 

Oh.my.word.

Seriously?

I was practically falling over myself and my children to get away from him and pointing and staring at what was in his hand. 

I thought it was obvious.

When he finally realized what I was trying to say he threw it down and that...that...THING..that wolf spider that sent chills through my body went SPRINTING across the basement floor. 

I yelled at him to "KILL IT!!"

After a few missed stomps (that thing was fast!) it was finally dead. 

Goodness gracious. 

Help me. 

It's The Country Life For Me

For my friends who may not see the updates via facebook, here is an update of the land/building progress. 

We have a rough dirt/gravel driveway now and the basement is still in the process of being dug out.  As I type, Cory is out there putting up the new temporary gate with his dad.  Emma and Cody are there with him.  I was supposed to join them but Beau has what seems to be a mild stomach virus.  :(  So that's why I don't have pictures to share.  I'm just here loving on my baby, taking him for walks, reading books, and cleaning up what he can't seem to keep down.  :/ It's turned out to be a rather peaceful day though.  He is currently taking a nap.  Right now it's quiet, and I'm grateful for the peace.  :)

I'm excited to watch the progress of our new home place.  Gravel and dirt thrill me!  Especially because I know it's getting me one step closer to our new home.  Building a house is no joke.  As I watch my husband manage everything, work a full-time job, AND spend time with us I realize how blessed I really am.  Several weeks ago I showed him a quaint little picture of a claw foot tub with a chandelier hanging over it.  It was on Pinterest.  Doggone that Pinterest!  Anyways, he had already planned the claw foot tub for our bathroom.  When I showed him the picture of the chandelier he said something like, "we'll see."  I thought that well, if it didn't work out then it just wouldn't work out.  No big deal.  Well he just finished the electrical plan for the house this week and don't you know he designed it with the chandelier/lighting right above the tub.  Bless him.  He aims to please and I am...well... I am just tickled about a claw foot tub with chandelier! 

This is the picture I was describing. 

The next several months will be trying.  Building a house is, for lack of a better description, a pain in the butt.  But it will be worth it in the end when it's finally complete. 

I have lots of dreams for our place in the country.  A lot.  Many of them won't happen as soon as we move of course.  Apparently you can't build a house AND have a farm complete with animals, barn, and mini-crops!  Oh well. :) I AM looking forward to slowly building it up though.  We'll start with a garden and a dog and just go from there I suppose. 

My kids will have acres of exploring and imaginative play.  Many of my fondest memories were of playing outside as a kid.  I loved being outside and I still do!  I want that for my kids.  Kids were made to be outdoors.  It's also necessary to the sanity of mothers.  Amen?  Yes. 

I still haven't met the neighbors across the road but Cory has met them.   They seem like very nice down to earth country people from what I gather.  And a young couple bought the house neighboring our property and are expecting their first baby.  How fun?!  Cory's best friend from childhood lives literally right around the corner with his wife and daughter.  I see lots of get-togethers in our future. :)

I imagine bonfires with family and friends, raising animals, trying my hand at planting (vegetables and flowers), nature walks with the kids, decorating our simple rustic home, and getting to know the neighbors. 

It's the country life for me.  Big trucks.  Fresh air and wildlife.  Boots.  Country folk and gun shootin'. 

Where the green grass grows I suppose.

When Cory and I were dating we had a song that was "our song".  It was "Where the green grass grows" from Tim McGraw.  It's an oldie but goodie and I still love it. 

"I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn poppin' up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you"

"Raise our kids where the good Lords's blessed
Point our rocking chairs toward the west
And plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
Where the green grass grows"

It sounds alllllriiight to me.  :)