On Friday after Todd got off work, we piled into the Kraken for a quick trip to Iowa. It was my stepdad's birthday last week, and my mom threw him a surprise party with all the kids and grandkids. So since the party wasn't until Saturday, and we were arriving Friday night, we couldn't stay with them or the surprise would be ruined. Luckily, the house next door to my sister just so happens to be a huge Airbnb that just so happened to be available that night, so that was pretty perfect. We stayed there overnight, and then had breakfast at my sister's in the morning.
Airbnb. This is where we stayed up until 2 a.m. playing Scrabble.
Breakfast with the cousins.
Then we headed over to their studio for the party.
ALMOST everyone is smiling. So close!
Rocco, 7
Finneas, 11
Atticus, 14
Penelope, 12
Laurelai, 9
Callista, 5
Juni, 3 (and every bit of it)
Ophelia, 15 months
After partying it up for a bit and having some lunch, we hopped back in the car and headed for home. We made good time, so we swung through Price Chopper (yes, that is a real grocery store; someone actually named it that), grabbed a few things, and still made Sabbath dinner happen, with tablecloth and candles and everything. I was shocked we were able to pull it off with very little stress, but I guess it really is true that one can cook all pork chops quickly through Christ who strengthens one and all that.
On Sunday, a homesteading friend at church lent me a book on Mini-Farming - you know, suburban yard-scale food production - so you know that between that and the fact that the weather has been nice, my mind has been in full-blown hamster wheel mode. This is the part where I announce I'm going off the grid, except for the actual 'going off the grid' part.
I do think that this summer I'd like to get some rain barrels set up in the yard, along with a small raised bed and a couple of narrow tilled beds along the outside perimeter of our back fence. But we will see. Best laid garden plans and all of that.
We have completed a (mostly) normal week of school. We did have a bit of catching up to do from last week when I had to go to court, and today we'll miss our table work time since I need to go grocery shopping. I still haven't figured out the best system for fitting grocery shopping/errands in, so for now I just go once every three weeks, skip schoolwork for the morning, and try to get it all done during Ophelia's morning nap. I usually do a quick pick-up at Walmart, a full trip through Aldi, and then I usually have at least one other place to stop - Price Chopper/Home Depot/Tractor Supply. I will also often pop into the library if I have time, but that's in a different part of town so I don't always have the time. It's a tight squeeze but it works okay for now.
Our evenings this week have been a little more full. We had our normal milk pick up on Tuesday, then after dinner an elder from church stopped by for a bit, just as part of our shepherding model. Then on Wednesday we had friends over for dinner, so by last night I wasn't ready to sign on for another evening of commitments.
And so, here we are. Another Friday reached! This weekend we have some friends joining us for Sabbath dinner, I have some homeschool organization to do, and I desperately need to clean the bathrooms and mop the floors. Should be a grand old time. Saturdays are supposed to be a cleaning day, but when we're gone on the weekends like we often have been lately, things really get behind very quickly. So this should be a good opportunity to catch up!
I found stick-on mustaches at Price Chopper. These are one of my very favorite things to buy, bar none.
So, anyway. I'm off to grocery shop and clean and school the kids and continue to really like this life.
1 comment :
Gang aft a-gley.
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