These are the days

What do 18 women, 1 cabin, 3 days equal? 

A Mom's Retreat of course! 

What a weekend it was. Over the last 4 years, I am proud to look around me and realize the depth of the friendships I've developed. I am a social creature by nature and appreciate a healthy support network. I've attended many Mom's Retreats with these same women but this one was harder and not all at once. Many of us came to the retreat with full plates. Our burdens worn on our sleeves for others to see and as we were out of our safe and comfortable homes, we shared tears and laughter and love and true friendship. It wasn't the light and carefree retreat I was expecting, it was better. 

Let's not be TOO serious here. We were surrounded by amazing views. This is the empty resevoir that is Lake Cascade. While it's absolutely beautiful to look at from this point.. We kept walking on... 

But first we had to take some leaps of faith. I think we jumped over 5 of these irrigation channels in the field. But walking in a field isn't enough.... 

That might be us going through a fence to get INTO THE LAKE!

Woo hoo!! We made it. See all that sand? 

Inside the lake :)

Proof I was there too!

And of course.... We walked around a bit, which means we didn't get through the fence at the same point and had to find a different way over/through it to get back to our cabin... 

This time we went over the fence.... but not I. Nope. That fence pole looked like a nightmare to an overweight chick... 

Instead, I got to prove there ARE wild things in the trees up north. :)

I promise, it wasn't all dreary or deep, nor was it just light and fun. It was the perfect safe place to solidify friendships and make memories. We played hide and go seek in the middle of the night at a play ground, some hung upside down from their knees on the jungle gym. We hung out for FIVE hours in the hot tub the first night and talked and talked and talked. We had thought provoking devotionals and great food. Who are we kidding, we all probably had stomach aches too because we survived on carbs and laughter for the first day. And chocolate truffles from Costco that I must never remember again otherwise they are going to be a new addiction!!! There were silent down times. Places to tuck away and read or knit or just be. There was one and one talk-time and large group gatherings. There was laughter and love and just everything I needed. 

I'm so glad we went. It was absolutely perfect. Even in the imperfections of it, the depth of some of our burdens to be shared with each other. Sometimes it was harrowing to listen to the pains of another. Sometimes it was raw to expose your own. It also was the greatest joy to hold each other up in those vulnerable moments. I really have the best friends in the entire world. 

Heading home from this weekend in a car with a friend of mine was the perfect amount of silence and reflection. I appreciate the ability to sit in silence these days. While it is indeed harder for me than others, I recognize the growth it symbolizes. Silence is sometimes scary but oh so needed for my ever-busy soul. 

What a great Mothers Retreat. I look forward to the next already. 

xoxo

Kiddos

I promise, despite my blogs evolutionary status on my little homestead, I actually live a normal crazy life with my kiddos. We're pretty boring people actually. I like it that way. After a few days away from my family, I came home to just enjoy them. These little people are so fantastic.

I mean really, without them, life would be boring. I'm not sure the thought has ever occurred to me to read a book upside down. Daunika lives to read. It is her lives greatest pleasure and she is pretty indiscriminate on her reading. So much like me! 

Like father, like son on this end. Declan is such an amazing kiddo. His smile is bright and his hands seem to always be working. Wonder where he gets that from.... 

There is also a law somewhere unwritten in my house. I didn't know about it but my kids seemed to be born with it. It's basically "If mom is taking a picture of one kid, quickly run over and smash yourself into the photo!"

Yep. It's a law I didn't know about.

We all survived chicken pox. It wasn't bad at all honestly. 

Glad it's over, we were a bit stuck in the house!

But fear not, being stuck in the house didn't slow us down. We enjoyed projects, school work, going for long walks in the rain to puddle jump when we knew no one else would be at the park. Fun times. 

Our big girls have decided life is better sharing a bed. 

Which means our littest two have a bunk bed to share. Lani adjusted to sleeping in a normal bed great. 

All around, life is still kickin here. 

Our older girls are enjoying girl scouts finally starting back up. They are working on patches and excited about seeing their scouting friends more often. Halloween is coming up and the kids all picked really different things to be this year. Should be a fun time indeed :) 

Still having issues with Lani at church but I think we'll try something different this coming Sunday and see if it changes anything. We're into a great school groove, life is pretty peaceful with these littles <3

It gets crisp in the fall.....

Oh what a marvelous season. 

Do I really think every season as it comes is my favorite? 

Hmmm... 

Perhaps my soul is attuned to change darlings... Change is to be embraced.

We've already had soups, hot breads, hours of canning and some adventures in learning about farm life so far this fall. Let me tell you, as a city-raised kid, there is no preparing for owning a Buck (male goat) who REALLY wants through a fence to a lady in heat. Just imagine with me for a moment the awesome face I must have had as my children sincerely wanted to understand why the new goat was peeing all over his face to attract the female goats to him. *crickets*. I'm glad to announce that my daughters have proclaimed they will never marry a man who pees on his face...... Thank heavens! 

Meet Boss. He is the lovely new man on the homestead causing all these amazingly-hard-to-keep-a-straight-face conversations. He is lovely. So friendly and easy to handle. Hates our dog but loves the ladies :) He won't likely stay long but for now, I rather love him.... Until I breathe... then I hate his smell. Holy moly!

Besides the smelly man-goat outside, I have been making some new smells in my kitchen too! And by those smells, I mean CANNING! 

Not only has our own garden been fruitful this year, we have been blessed by those who were willing to share with us their bounty. Not a drop is wasted in this home. Hours have been spent in my tiny tiny 1940's kitchen. I have no dishwasher, no garbage disposal, no kitchen sink sprayer. I do however have a determination that lit a fire under my ass this year and I am loving it! 

I feel a bit that my hands are never clean these days. I'm sporting a new band-aid, compliments of an argument with a canning jar I had this week. I also learned that when you cut 80 pounds of onions, you eye balls literally burn the next day still! 

Are your eye balls burning thinking about cutting up 150 pounds of onions?! New adventures... GREEN tomatoes. Don't worry, I have about a million ripe ones, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my green ones either. I'm trying green tomato pie, green tomato jelly and chili verde sauce. Woo hoo!

Adventures in juice making..........

And just when I thought the first week of October couldn't get any cooler? 

Those lovely two babies joined us two ... that means six new chicks have hatched here this month! 

I promise I'll update on our family life soon!

I hope you all are LOVING this wonderful fall season so far.