Around the Homestead, June update

Yes, I know it's the first week of July already. I'm not sure where my June went but it certainly went fast! Life around here is a constant evolution of life. It would appear the only thing dependable is that I'm constantly hoping from one thing to another but all of them are good things to be at. Our homestead is alive and well full swing in summer.

Our turkey hoop house is working out fantastic. I cannot say enough about how great it is. Our turkeys absolutely love bugs and grass and since our vicious dog attack in the Spring, I really don't feel comfortable letting the tiny babies just free range - but this hoop house is so light weight, I move it around the hard every couple days and they get fresh grass and bugs to munch :) Perfect!

It's summer and that means roasting mallows! I'm on call all summer and I absolutely love that fact but my one regret is I cannot go camping with my kids. One of my absolute favorite things to do with my family is go camping but honestly I'm finding it's quite impossible. I have to milk a goat twice a day, I'm on call without any breaks for the coming future, and well, I like my air conditioning! But that doesn't mean I can't LOVE sitting around a fire with my family. It's so peaceful and relaxing to sit down at the end of the day and enjoy the fire pit. 

Being 110 degrees during the day means lots of ice and popsicle. Of course my kids are loving the popsiscle yummy treats and ya know what? So am I. That's Kalani enjoying the frozen treat without realizing she is eating a ton of veggies in it! Blueberry, Kale, Spinach and Yogurt - check! No sugar needed :) 

Friday night before Fathers Day our ward (church) held a Father & Son, men only, camping night. Declan and Damon loaded up and enjoyed themselves. Declan is still talking about it.... Well, that left us ladies to fend for ourselves and be girly. So what did we do? We loaded up and went to a rodeo! Loud music, awesome skills, beautiful animals, junk food, cheering and excitement? HELL YES! Like little farmer's daughters, our girls wore cute sundresses and their cowboy boots of course. Daunika even had a hat from halloween to wear. So. Much. FUN! We had so much fun, we took the boys the next night again with us! 

It's summer and that means food begins to be prepared to be stored, frozen, canned and preserved. There is something absolutely peaceful and healing about sitting down with a paring knife and pitting fruit or chopping veggies. This yummy bunch of Cherries was hand picked by a friend who graciously shared them with us! 

Have I mentioned how thankful I am for our goats? We're getting about a half gallon a day from just one nanny and I just love it! Fresh, raw, organic milk? Want to know the real kicker - I haven't mowed my lawn this summer at all. I"ve been staking our goats out because they love the variety of weeds in our yard and they are so happy to munch munch munch. All around - WIN! No hay costs right now, organic food (we don't spray, period!), happy healthy goats and almost free organic milk! Fresh daily! 

Second genius farmer idea? Grow weeds, er, Sunflowers, for your chickens! That is something like 65' of sunflowers in front of the chicken fencing. They will grow huge and awesome, then lean over the fence and drop their seeds straight into the chicken pen... I pretty much did nothing. This is genius. Thank you awesome husband for setting up watering for them and actually planting with me. Such collaboration. 

So much is so alive in our garden. Those are our tiny tomatillos! YUMMY!!!!! 

This tiny tot loves to garden with me. She loves to pull weeds and get her toes in the dirt. Daunika actually is a fantastic gardener and seems to enjoy it as well. She talks to the plants as she walks around them. She can tell you the different plants and seems to generally have a natural way around the garden. Very cool to watch. 

Compliments of this beautiful horse and good friends, my seven year old is in heaven now and actively praying every night for when we can 'buy our own farm with horses too'. Our mini-farm works for now little love! But I do agree with her, I long to ride on horses again. To mount and go... to be free and connected all at once. I can't wait either Daunika, I'm praying too! 

Oh what a wonderful life I have. Blogging is such a simple way to reflect at my blessings. This week has been pretty brutal. I'm not even going to lie! My camera broke (hello, I kind of use that at work! Hundreds of dollars!! AH!) and then I lost my brand-freaking-new phone (Can't even make it to work if I don't have a freaking phone, MAJOR panic attack!).... I was feeling sorry for myself. Why the hell did my life have to be so hard? Why couldn't I be one of those well protected, happy in my fucking bubble people? Well, because that wouldn't be real. My life isn't a fairy tale, a magical journey or a novel. It's real and real shit happens. I still cannot find my phone and my camera is on the docket for replacement. For now, my "old" phone will do and my camera works but needs a card reader.......... So while I was whining about how 'hard' my life was this week, I decided to reflect.... 

I have the best. friends. EVER. 

Seriously. 

So, best friends of mine, thank you. You wonderful people uphold me in the insanity that is reality. 

And the Mr. that holds me together when I cry about my camera and throw a fit about my phone. What a lucky girl I am... He keeps me grounded and reminds me that He's still there and everything is going to be alright.