Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy 2nd Halloween!


Trick-Or-Treat was moved to tomorrow because we are expecting some pretty terrible weather tonight so tomorrow will be the big costume reveal. Ayden did wear it to deliver his grandma her Halloween card at work today. Other than that the day was a pretty standard Thursday for us.


We went to the local story time again and a few of the moms and I exchanged emails to organize a play group. It looks like Mondays will be the day that we start rotating houses. I can't wait to get Ayden and myself a little more socialization. 


Tomorrow's post should be a little more exciting after all of our Halloween festivities. 


Did you have your Halloween festivities tonight?  How did they go?  

~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Happy Halloween!"

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Bad News Bees

Last week after following my mentor's instructions and feeding our white hive, we went back to check on them. We saw a lot activity at the entrance (too much for how cold it was that day) and when I peaked in the top box where the feeder was I saw 3 non honey bee pollinators. Aka: robbers. Robbing is relatively common in weak hives and is not good because the bees that belong in the hive will fight to the death defending it making it even weaker in numbers. I called my mentor back and shared the red flags that I saw and he said he'd come help me take a look when the weather warmed back up a bit this week. When we finally made it in, it was not good. 

BUMMER
It was apparent that the white hive had lost it's queen 2 or 3 weeks ago (by my mentor's estimation) and it was too late in the season for the colony to raise a new one. Without a queen the colony disperses and so wax moths moved on in and laid their eggs (pictured above). 

We thought the yellow hive was doing okay but we decided to check it anyway. As soon as we removed he inner cover we saw the queen walking along the top of one of the frames, all by herself. As soon as my mentor saw her he said, "You've got a dead hive here too."  I was shocked and completely bummed out. This was supposed to be the one to make it through the winter, how could this happen??  He said that this was a perfect example of colony collapse disorder. With a surviving queen and no bees it was obvious that the workers had gotten poisoned while out (we have heavily sprayed corn fields all around us), got disoriented and didn't return. Queens cannot care for themselves so since she was alive it must have happened very recently and quickly. Just like that, an entire colony of bees gone. 

There were some honey bees in the hives but hey appeared to be wild bees from a nearby feral colony robbing what was left of the honey. Non of them were showing any interest in attending that queen which is a worker bee's primary concern. 

I stayed and broke down/cleaned out the white hive and loaded it into my car. The longer we left it sitting the more the wax moths would have taken over. We will salvage what comb that we can, freezing the frames for a couple of days to kill anything then bagging them up for winter. We plan to go back for the yellow hive this weekend. We may harvest the small amount of honey that is left if the robbers don't get it all in the meantime. 

So, at the turn of the season our first year as beekeepers ended up being a bust. It's not going to stop us though!  I will go back to bee school in early Spring to learn even more. We will purchase the supplies to build a third hive along with 2 packages of bees. We will save the third, new hive for catching a swarm (we got called about 3 this season and passed the info along). 

This journey towards homesteading is not going to be an easy one.  We will have many losses and will learn many lessons the hard way.  We will have moments where we wonder if it is all worth it.  At the same time, we can see the big picture.  We have experienced, first hand, how satisfying it is to eat a meal that we grew ourselves.  We have tasted the sweetness of our own honey which tasted like none other we have ever tasted.  We have seen how Ayden lights up on a whole new level when he is around animals and exploring the farm.  We know this will not be the easiest way to live and we are not saying we will do it forever.  But for now, we feel like the benefits will outweigh the risks enough to make it all worth it.  And so we move forward!

Coincidentally, I read a blog post that discussed this very topic.  If you are interested, I think you will find it interesting too.  "Novice Homesteading:  Not Everything Is Photo-Worthy"

How do you keep your eye on the bigger picture when failure is staring you in the face?

~Sarah


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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Toddler Tuesday: Spooky Water Play

Ayden has been asking to play in the sink lately. I love letting him play in the water but don't so much like the wasting of the water part. He gets to play with water in the bath but we do not bathe him every single day. So I decided it was time to bust out a dish tub for some non bath time, sinkless water play. 



Vinyl table cloth and a towel for easy clean up.
I also added some Halloween sponges, cups, etc. for added interest.

He was occupied for a good 20 minutes!
I was able to clean up the kitchen in peace.

I have discussed the benefits of water play in this post so I will spare you the details here but I've never met a child who doesn't love it. That should be enough proof right there that it must be helping them achieve something. 

Sensory input/processing
Fine motor strengthening (squeezing sponges)

Exploring volumes.
Transferring liquids from one container to another.
More fine motor and hand eye coordination.
(an old bath tub mat cut into a shape
 and an eye dropper to put a little in each suction cup)

And a towel to clean up after himself (self help)

In my classroom I had water play available at all times. I am going to start putting it out most mornings so Ayden can come and go as he pleases with it, just as my students were able to.  He hasn't gotten the idea to dump it... yet...  When he does, it will be a good opportunity to mop the floor and a chance to remind him of our water play expectations.

Does your child love water play too??

~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

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Monday, October 28, 2013

Jack-O-Lantern Family 2013


Happy Halloween week!  We carved our pumpkins tonight and I love how they turned out!  Ayden worked on painting his while David and I carved ours. 


His attention span for that was maybe 15 minutes. 


David switched back to good ol' quick and easy, standard Jack-O-Lantern carving last year so he could hang out with Ayden once he's finished. He did that again this year so they read books while I finished mine. Then I worked on making some grandparent Halloween cards while David put the finishing touches on Ayden's pumpkin. 

Just a sneak peak since I'm pretty sure they are reading this...
Not a huge fan of the slime but he sorted out a few seeds for me.
Drilling holes!

It was one of those family affairs where there are a couple of moments you second guess if all the effort is worth it. Pumpkin carving (sharp objects, wet paint, time extensive, etc) and toddlers don't exactly mix.


Then you get to see your toddler admire the finished product and that reward, along with the memories made, makes it all worth it. 


What Halloween related fun do you have planned for this week? 

~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Lil' Pumpkin"

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Sunday, October 27, 2013

This and That

We got to spend a lot of time outside on this beautiful day!

We didn't make it to the Saturday farmer's market so we went today. It was our first time going on a Sunday but we were able to buy from all of our usual farmers. One of them even said he worried about us all day yesterday because we wouldn't have anything to eat this week. It has been fun getting to know these great people and becoming "regular" customers for them. 

For the rest of the day Ayden and I played outside while David worked some more on the chicken coop. 

Yay for hoodie weather!

Foraging walnuts

Daddy's helper

It helps to stick out your tongue.

No, the chickens aren't going to be living on our porch.
(as convenient as that might be...)
It is really coming along!

Ayden fell asleep early for his nap today when we were on our way to the farmer's market. He woke up when we got there so after a day with an early, short nap and lots of running and playing outside, he was in melt down mode by the time we got him ready for bed. Meltdown mode is pretty rare at our house which is a good thing but it makes it that much more intense for us when it does happen.  He has us spoiled I suppose... Ayden fell asleep quickly, though, and after a good night's sleep it'll be like it never happened. 

I am looking forward to the week this week. Our bee mentor is coming tomorrow to help me figure out what is going on with our white hive since I noticed a few red flags when I peeked in on them last. Cross your fingers that the colony is strong enough to overwinter and that they still have their queen

How did you spend your Sunday?

~Sarah

Flashback! Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Making Strides"

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Saturday, October 26, 2013

5 Happy Things: Life Is Good

1) Night time (or any time) snuggles.


2) Being creative. I have been sewing, crafting and photographing away lately and am loving it!


3) Forward farm motion. David has made a lot of progress on our chicken coop. We are planning on having 14 laying hens (to supply eggs for 4 families). They now have roost bars on which to sleep!

I am so proud of David. He used 3D modeling software from work to design the coop and is taking so much pride in building it. It is just one more way that he is providing for our family. I can't wait to see Ayden's face when he realizes we will have chickens living in our yard!

4)  Celebrations. Our husky, Maverick, turned 10 years old today!  We have a lot to thank him for. Since he was our first (fur) baby, we learned so much about raising a living thing together. Huskies are head strong and require a lot of patience and consistency. He taught us how to plan ahead for expectations and to work together when it comes to consequences and discipline. He also taught us how to handle inconvinient situations that always arise when you are the caregiver of a living creature.  Thanks to this fury guy, we had a lot of our co-parenting ideals in place before parenting an actual human. I think that alone makes him a pretty special part of our family. Ayden also loves him to pieces. 

5) Fall decorations!  The cottage feels so homey with all of the extra little Fall decor details. It is a really nice place to spend so much of my time and helps me take pride in keeping it nice for my family. 


Ayden stayed up a little late tonight. He was helping his daddy with the coop, having a dance party, jumping (or more like diving) into David's arms from the bottom step, playing tag with mommy, reading books, etc... You know, having a pretty wild and crazy Saturday night!!  He was so tired by the time he got to bed that he fell right to sleep. 


There is just so much about life to enjoy. Little things and big things alike. It all adds up to some pretty awesome stuff. 

List your 5 happy things below, big or small, and we can celebrate life together!

~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Ready, Set, Go!"

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Tic Tac Toe To Go!

I'm here today with another simple DIY gift idea:


This project was free for me because I used materials that I already had around the house; but even if you needed to buy a few things I'd imagine the total would be under $5, especially if you hit up The Dollar Store.

The materials I used for this project were:
-Scrap fabric
-Matching thread
-Scrap ribbon
-Rotary Cutter (can use scissors instead)
-Sewing Machine (though this would be easy to hand sew)
-Fabric Marker
-Stones in 2 contrasting colors

I wanted to share a link to the tutorial that I used to make the bag but couldn't find it again. Sorry!!


 It was my first time making a drawstring bag and the tutorial was SUPER easy to follow for a beginner sewer like myself.  There are a TON of tutorials out there, though, so googling or a search on Pinterest will do the trick.

For the game name and board, I just used a Sharpie fabric marker to write on the front and draw lines directly on the back of the bag.


 I considered picking up a fabric medium and using my acrylic craft paint but I limited myself to use what I already had and it turned out just fine. If you do not have (or want to buy) two different colors of stones, you can use a paint pen to draw X's and O's on the stones.

We sent this off to New York for our nephew's 5th birthday and it was a hit! I hope he and his brothers can find hours of good old fashioned fun in this little bag. 

To take the "to go" concept a couple of steps further you could put Velcro dots on the game board and stones or provide a metal tray game board and magnets. 

What was your favorite travel game as a child? My sisters and I played the card game "War" a lot and had tiny travel monopoly and checkers game sets. We also liked to read and play Mad Libs. These days I suppose all you really need is a phone or iPad full of movies and games. Kind of sad to let go of all of the old fashioned car entertainment yet kind of nice because it is so much less to pack... 

~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Warm and Fuzzy"


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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Shopping Buddies

Ayden is such a good shopping buddy. He sings songs and jabbers away. If he's stting up in the cart he gives me kisses and likes to touch or smell whatever it is I am checking out. He participates in the experience and it is a lot of fun.


If he is in a car cart, he buckles himself in with both buckles and drives with both steering wheels. Often we'll get to the checkout line and I'll find he has chosen an item or two from low shelves that we and I have to give them back to the cashier and let them know that my 21 month old son picked them out without my knowing. The cashier, of course, is amused.

If we are making a quick trip in somewhere he loves to push his own little cart. He usually puts his head down and goes full speed ahead so I have to warn him if he's about to hit something. No end cap display is safe from Ayden. He seems to be an impulse buyer at heart and I have to talk him down from many tempting purchases. 


Sometimes he puts them in his cart anyway and tries to get away. Bystanders always think this is pretty hilarious. 

Super blurry but it shows he's a boy on a mission...
He is a very good boy on any shopping adventure. He really seems to enjoy he experience. Being with me, people watching, touching/seeing/smelling/sometimes even tasting new things (free samples are awesome!). I suppose there is a lot for a toddler to enjoy. 

In other news, today was a chilly day and we even had a tiny bit of snow. We couldn't believe our eyes!  Ummm, Mother Nature... It's OCTOBER!


I've been working on Ayden's Halloween costume during nap time and after he goes to sleep at night for the past few days. I've probably put in about 2 hours and here is where we stand:


This has been the perfect first semi-homemade Halloween costume for me!  I say semi because I did not make the sweat suit or the felt, of course. Just call me the Sandra Lee of dinosaur costumes, "Keep it simple, keep it smart and always keep it semi-homemade" haha. It just needs a few finishing touches and we will have a real live dinosaur on or hands!

 Have you ever made a homemade Halloween costume?  What was it and how did it turn out? 

~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Same 'Ol, Same 'Ol"

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

All Things Pumpkin!

There are so many things to love about Fall. The cool, refreshing nip in the air that brings hooded sweatshirts back into our lives, fall decorations and scented candles, leaf piles, football (I'm not a true fan of the sport but love how it brings everyone together), and pumpkin everything!

There is always your standard Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced latte, Dairy Queen's Pumpkin Pie Blizzard, Culver's Pumpkin Spice Milk Shakes. Everywhere you go you can find something deliciously pumpkin; but who says that you have to empty your wallet or max out on refined sugar to get a nice pumpkin fix this season?

Here are a few of our current favorite *healthy* pumpkin indulgences and several more we are looking forward to trying this Fall season. 




Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
This tastes like a Culver's Pumpkin Pie Milkshake/Eggnog.
TO. DIE. FOR.
{recipe}

Flourless Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
These were such a treat on a cold Fall morning!
(Don't forget the warm maple syrup!)
{recipe}

Pumpkin Curry Chicken Thighs
So creamy and flavorful, a must try!
{recipe}

{recipe}

Sub maple syrup or honey for sugar...
{recipe}
Paleo Pumpkin Protein Cinnamon Rolls
{recipe}
Paleo 2 Minute Pumpkin Pie (single serve)
{recipe}
I bet the next time you walk out of the grocery you'll have a bag full of pumpkin purée just like I have the past couple of trips I've made!  Enjoying the flavor of the season in the comfort of your own home on the cheap. That sounds great to me!

What are your favorite healthy pumpkin recipes this year? Share links below!!

~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Road Rage"


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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

21 Months

Whether or not we want it to, it's happening. Our second year as parents to this sweet, funny boy is nearing an end.


 I have already started a Pinterest Board for Ayden's 2nd {dinosaur} birthday party. I was amazed at how much changes in one year around his first birthday and I'm just as amazed now.

Ayden is talking up a storm ("song" was his new word of the day today) and he jokes with us all the time (pretending he wants to give us a bite of food then taking it for himself at the last minute and giggling, or standing on a leaf and asking where it went, etc). He LOVES to dance and read. His current favorite toys are a spray bottle of water/a rag so he can "help" us clean, puzzles, his iPod, his soccer ball and he's still loving his farm animals/dinosaurs. 


He is still obsessed with horses and any day he gets to feed one a carrot is pretty much the best day of his life. 

Today the horse didn't show up so he made the best of the situation...

He says, "Oh man!" for everything from falling down to being excited about something and still says, "Wasis?" for anything and everything.  He even talks in his sleep. He likes to draw and ink pens are his favorite tool for doing so. He likes to walk around in our "BIG shoes!" and uses the potty everyday (if he is pants-less at home and the potty is close).  He can count objects to 12 if they are in a line (though he tends to skip 7).  We have 12 stairs in the cottage and count them every time we go up or down. As it turns out, that is a very effective way to teach a toddler to count. Here is a little interview with the 21 month old himself:


He is happy and cooperative the majority of his days. Tantrum triggers are when we take something he was excited about exploring, when we can't go outside right when he wants to (usually to play "sotterba" aka, soccer ball) and every now and then when we brush his teeth. When he does tantrum, they are pretty short lived and typically have a reason so we don't complain. We find that if we validate his feelings, he stops cying almost immediately like all he wanted was for us to understand why he was crying, not necessarily to get his way. Diaper changes are still not really his favorite thing. We used to distract him with the "what does a [insert animal name] say?" game but now we have moved on to recalling events from his day or a recent special event. We'll ask him questions about the bugs we found on our walk or animals we saw at the pet store for instance. He'll be fighting the diaper change and as soon as we start asking questions he lays there, still as can be, and answers all of the questions while we get the job done. As far as toothbrushig, we just struggle through it during the day but at night, David brushes his teeth while I read him a book. He gets so into the story that he doesn't fight it a bit and we are able to get a really good brushing in. Teamwork is pretty amazing!

David and Ayden's relationship has really blossomed. They have always been close but here in the past month or so they have bonded on a deeper level and I love it (and so does David)!  They are soccer buddies, reading buddies, dancing buddies, you name it they do it together. Tonight, Ayden was helping David build the base of our chicken coop!!!!


Ayden is a great eater. He eats pretty much everything we do. The only things he might not eat much of are steak (too chewy) and spicy food. He is a great veggie eater and could eat chicken all day long. His current favorite foods are grapes, chili, spaghetti squash with meat sauce, sweet potato egg salad, clementines, kale chips and bacon (to name a few).

We have been toying with the idea of night weaning since Ayden doesn't seem to show signs of doing it himself any time soon. Between Christmas and New Year's perhaps?  We want to do it when David has several days off work so he can be the one to put him back to sleep when he wakes up (My feelings on night weaning deserve their own post so be on the lookout). 

I could go on and on but I shall come to a close here. We grow more smitten with our son every day and love him to the moon and back. Every age and every stage has been my favorite.  As much as I want him to stay little, I know my love for him will continue to grow right along with him and that will be an amazing experience.

Maybe he hasn't changed that much after all...
~Sarah

Flashback!  Here's what we were up to one year ago today: "Taking A Stand"


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