:: Farmer's Wife set 3

 I know, I know.  This little blog of mine has been sadly neglected lately.  In the little time I have to myself, it seems I pick late-night sewing, or on weekends help with build a chicken coop.  (yes - I did help.  I even ran a few power tools.  And admit I gave myself a black-and-blue fingernail with a hammer.)

 Today while the little ones were napping, and the older ones were listening to Hank the Cowdog (their favorite books on tape), I finally pulled out my camera and all my un-blogged-about Farmer's Wife quilt blocks.  After snapping some pictures, I'm now ready to show you the next 10 blocks.  

 Block 14: Butterfly at the Crossroads

 Block 25: Cups & Saucers

Block 34: Flock

Block 109: Windows

Block 74: Ribbons

Block 15: Buzzard's Roost

Block 55: Linoleum

Block 26: Cut Glass Dish

Block 98: Waterwheel

 Man these little blocks are fun.  And such cheap therapy.  =)

:: 1 Year

My baby boy turned 1 year old this last week. 

He has been the happiest, easiest baby ever.  A complete joy to have around the house. 

He loves having so many older siblings to help hold him, feed him, change his diapers, cheer for him, kiss him, and generally keep him well entertained. 

We all pretty much do anything to elicit one of his big smiles. (yes - mommy even dances, which is scary to the other kids)

The girls gave him entertainment during his birthday song

 

Like I'm sure every mother is at the turning of their baby's first year, my heart aches with happiness - and sadness - all at the same time. 

:: Weekending in the mud

Our weekend went a little bit like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We began work on building our chicken coop.  It was the first weekend that Josh wasn't working, or it wasn't blizarding.  However, mud was our constant friend.  Mud covering everything.  Mud squishy.  Mud dried.  Mud tracked into the house.  Teaching children to take off muddy boots BEFORE entering.  =)  Thankfully this past week I decided to embrace the fact that we live in mud, and finally broke down and bought rubber boots for every member of our family at our local feed store.  Makes sense, huh?  To be able to hose the mud off the rubber boots, rather than off every other pair of shoes in the house?  Don't know why it took me 3 painful years to realize this.

 

 

 

 

 

The first day this was the only dry spot to set him down

An indoor reprieve from the mud

 

On Sunday afternoon my Dad made a surprise visit, with his work boots on.  He helped Josh put up the roof beams (I think they're called trusses?), so I didn't have to be the one up on the ladder.  (thank you, Dad).

 Overall, we are excited about the progress.  Encouraged by the hard work and time together as a family.  And grateful the mud is slowly drying up.  Until the next snowstorm, that is.

:: Just Hatched

The day our family has been eagerly awaiting came this weekend.  I got a phone call from our local feed store Sunday afternoon, telling us our 35 baby chicks had just arrived.  We got a mixture of layers: 20 Black Star, and 15 Barred Rock.

 

 

 

There is nothing in the world like the downy softness of a baby chick.  I wish you could hold them, too.

:: Obsessive

It seems like the last couple weeks I've pendulum swung between 2 things:  sewing like mad or desperately needed de-cluttering (my kids are scared I'm gonna throw all their toys away while they sleep!).  So either I de-clutter (kids toys, the tupperware cupboard, the linen closet) or I stay up sewing late at night.  When it comes to de-cluttering, I've really embraced the less-is-more mentality.  It's the first time I've thrown AWAY tupperware, and stuck only with the stuff we regularly use. (who needs 30 clean baby food jars, anyways?) It's quite freeing, really.  I ask myself: have I used it in the last year?  If not, it goes - either to Goodwill or trash.

 

The husband has been working lots (and lots) of late nights, which then results in lots of late nights for me doing my favorite thing - sewing.  And these Farmer's Wife blocks are just too fun!   (Note: I did update my last post - switched around a few blocks) 

 

Here are the next 14.  (Told you I was obsessively sewing late at night!)
Block 7 - Birds In the Air

Block 8 - Bouquet

Block 9 - Box

Block 10 - Bowtie

Block 11 - Broken Dishes

Block 12 - Broken Sugar Bowl

Block 13 -Buckwheat

Block 16 - Calico Puzzle

Block 17 - Cats and Mice

Block 18 - Century of Progress (I switched this one up a little)

Block 19 - Checkerboard

Block 20 - Churn Dash

Block 21 - Contrary Wife

Block 22 - Corn and Beans

 

At this rate I'll be done by - oh - next week.  And I'll also be dead - from lack of sleep.