World Breastfeeding Week-17 mo

A wonderful week it is! A week celebrating and bringing awareness to the most precious act of nourishment and nurturing. I know I sound like a lactivist. But I'm kinda ok with that.

I haven't really been very informative on my own breastfeeding journey. And I think that has something do with the fact that it's become so second nature. At 17 months Millie is still nursing. That's right I'm nursing a toddler. Joining the ranks of the woman on the cover of Time magazine a few years ago, women around the world, and millions of mothers whom came generations before me.

But it wasn't always so second nature. I've encountered engorgement, oversupply, (which is a huge hurtle-it's not as wonderful as it sounds) clogged ducts, mastitis, and milk pimples. I've felt overwhelmed with breastfeeding on demand and thought I heard my breast pump say "Psycho, Psycho" at 3 am while trying to find some relief for my rock hard breasts. Psycho for wanting to nurse so badly. Psycho for reading so much about it. Psycho that knowing for me, I had no other option. What a ride this part of motherhood has been.

Now though? Now, like I said it's second nature- it's what I do. I have fallen in love with mothering through breastfeeding. I know that seems to give nursing so much power but for me it has been the cornerstone. Breastfeeding has had me feeling like I have been hit by a truck (mastitis) and like I'm on top of the world (baby rolls, calming tantrums, nursing to sleep). Nursing has taught me to sit down and chill out. Like much of this motherhood gig, it's taught me of giving more of myself to another than I knew I could give.

Quite simply I nurse Millie still because she needs it. Some may roll their eyes at this statement but it's true. Millie needs nursing, for comfort, for security, for nourishment, for health. If you think I have enabled her to be a needy, insecure, and scarred for life human because of our to-term nursing relationship then you have obviously never met my daughter. Nursing is when we slow down from climbing the hoosier, jumping from the coffee table, and terrorizing the dog.

It's just part of our daily life. It's our normal. It is normal. I have been so thankful that I chose to not listen to that breast pump or anyone else. To continue on feeding her the normal food of our kind. To nurture her in the way that came natural to me. I will keep on boobin'.

Blessings!

We Decided To Bloom

We are renters. Have been since we got married 2 short years ago. We live in a small farmhouse that needs TLC. We have ample outside living and love the distance from town. It's a pretty good fit for now. But we know it's not forever. After 2 years here we are starting to get antsy. Itching for a place of our own. Tired of waiting and praying and seeming to continually get the answer of "Not yet."

It's not that we haven't tried. We have looked at homes, homes in town and no matter how badly we want a place to call ours seeing my next door neighbor just doesn't feel right. After one house deal fell sour over a year ago we have decided to step back and see where He is leading us.  We have a roof over our head. The need is met, we can wait for the next move.

A home with land seems to be etched deep within our hearts. A day doesn't pass in which Jerrel and I don't talk about our future home. Something small-for I believe love grows best in small houses and something with green acres surrounding.

But it hasn't happened yet, we don't know the timeline, we only know who holds the time. We found ourselves in a place of "When we have our own place.." and "If we are here next year..." And when I say we I really mean me. It was constant. It was exhausting. It was discouraging.

So this year we decided to bloom. It was time to do what we can with what we've got, even if we are restless and wanting our own piece. Waiting forever to start the life we want wasn't working. There were things we could do right here.

So.

We bloomed. We built a chicken coop and we bought birds. We gather our own eggs every morning.

We bloomed. We tilled up our front yard and planted our garden. We haul in beans, zucchini, and cucumbers each day. We cook, can, and preserve our bounty.

We bloomed. We planted flowers. Flowers in the ground, that push their roots deep into the earth. Flowers I pick and enjoy on my dining room table and kitchen window sill.

We bloomed. We painted walls. We got a dog. We say Thank You everyday.

So for now we are still renters, it fits for now. We still catch ourselves dreaming of when and if but it's not constant, there's a sense of contentment. Who knows, maybe K Farms will be stuck with us front yard gardeners, backyard chickens keepers, crazy kinda crunchy kids forever.

We bloomed and it feels so good. So I'm telling you; stop waiting, BLOOM where you are planted.

Blessings!

I Want to Travel With You

The story I'm about to tell goes back. Back about 2 years. 

Back when I was in a beautiful dress. Donning pearls and a ruby that belonged to my Great Grandmother. 

I had read a letter from my betrothed. It said so many sweet and loving things. Mentioned things we were dreaming of doing and places we would like to go-with one another by our sides.

I had shared with Jerrel I would like to visit all 50 states. He took that nugget of information, tucked it away, and saved it for our wedding day. 

I opened a beautiful map of this United States and green little pins. He thought framing could be a project we work on together. We could pick out the frame and place to hang this piece of art in our new home. This is quite possibly the most thoughtful gift he has gotten me. It always makes my heart sing when I think of the words written in that letter and the thought that went into this gift.

But since that wedding day I'm sad to say that map sat rolled up, in a closet, until recently. I wasn't sure how to go about making it usable for the pins. I wasn't sure what kind of frame I wanted. I just wanted to do it right. But then I realized we had a frame the map would fit in. I had been using it for another piece of art that needed changed out. So then I had to figure out what to do with the map. It was time. 

I bought a roll of cork. I got my Mod Podge out. I took a deep breath and I dove in. I'm not sure why but lining the map edge and cork edge up was the hardest part. I saw some similar tutorials that suggested spray adhesive was a better choice than Mod Podge. But Mod Podge has always been faithful to me. It's never done me wrong. So I trusted it and went along. I spread about 3 inches at a time. Carefully rolling my map out as I went along. Using my hands and the edge of a credit card to work out bubbles.

Then using books to weight it down. Finally when I came to the end I took a deep breath. I did a thin coat of Mod Podge over the entire map then and called it done....for now.

It wasn't perfect. It had some "character." But it looked good. It looked a heckofalot better than it did rolled up in a closet.

Later I came back with another scary task. Trimming. I had my frame measurements. I didn't want to loose my latitude and longitude so I trimmed just a hair off each side and tried my frame, if it wasn't right I trimmed a little more until finally it fit-like a glove.

I used a large piece of cardboard as a backing. Because of how my map fit I only needed the cardboard for stability-since my cork was thin and for the pins to stick into-again because my cork was thin. I cut the cardboard the size of the frame opening as well and hot glued my cardboard to the back of the map.

Tips From Experience
-Use thicker cork
-Find a Brush that doesn't shed
-Spray Adhesive- if that's more comfortable for you.

I hunted around the house and decided our bedroom was the best place for this map.

It looks fabulous. Jerrel was so thrilled with having it up and ready to enjoy. We took a couple minutes to place some all important pins.

Please excuse the blur in the middle of this picture. Someone little got my camera and placed a few scratches....

Our criterion for pin placement is based on "experience" We have to feel as though we have experienced the place we visited, learned something, did something unique. We have to have a general feel for the area. 

Example: Just because we drove through Chicago, doesn't mean it gets a pin. We also slept in De Moins on our way home in a Holiday Inn. It doesn't get a pin. I know nothing of De Moins from our stay. 

Our pinning has been slow since we were hitched. But now the map is up. The baby can travel and we are getting brave. Our latest travel bug is mostly in NE-we want to get to know our state!

Look our world! Here's to buying experiences-not things.

Well, maybe a couple things. Girls' gotta get some souvenirs, right?

Blessings!

Dining Alfresco

A couple weeks ago I was weeding a flower bed. My husband was being dreamy and cooking supper. The little girl was mingling between the two of us, helping one then needing to find the other. It going to be a lovely evening, I could tell. 

Then things got even lovelier. My dreamy husband asked if we wanted to eat outside. I said yes. We had an extra table in the basement we could use. He hustled in and hauled the cast of characters out. And when I looked up from my weeds, this is what I saw. 

I mean seriously? Could this GET anymore adorable? My girl in a denim dress, vintage chairs, vintage table, delicious food. Some people travel hours on a plane to get to paradise. Mine? Well mine was right in my front yard in the warm sun.

Tortas were on the menu that night. We didn't see a need for plates. We just sat down a dug in.

If you have never had tortas you are missing out. You start with a grilled corn tortilla, smear some mayo on there (weird, I know), add shredded meat (ask Jerrel whats in that), top with onion, avocado, tomato, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. 

Delectable! 

Then eat it like this.

Or steal your Momma's and eat it like this. 

We dined in the warm sunshine. We chatted long after the food was devoured while the dog and baby ran around the yard. When the warmth from the sun was gone, we carried our mess inside, vowing to dine alfresco more often. The more we can do out in Creation-the better.

Blessings!

Memorial Day Weekend

I've got some serious catching up to do. For most of the winter it didn't seem like much was happening. Then May came and it seemed like everything was happening. I've decided to make a concerted effort to get caught up, because I've got content! Yippie! 

So lets rewind to our Anniversary. When we got married Jerrel and I came to the mutual agreement that we would follow the "Traditional" guidelines for anniversary gifts. Year one is paper, year two is cotton, year three is leather. We thought this would help us figure out what to give. I am such a free spirit apparently, that this guideline actually restrains me. I spend time obsessing and trying to be creative in the confines of the guidelines. This year, on May 20th at 11:45 p.m. my idea dawned on me. Literally, like a lightbulb. I ran with it and never looked back.  

It's ironic I bought this for him. I throw candy away, I scoop his ice cream for him. I pack multiple vegetables in his lunches. Yet I buy him the Cotton Candy machine? I have one of these in my home? With my child? It's love people-it makes you do silly things. 

I'm accepting my "Wife of the Year" award next week. 

Jerrel bought me a beautiful hammock. We use it as a family all the time and took it camping. It's awesome! He's getting his "Husband of the Year" award next week too. 

We headed to the big city for Memorial weekend, my cousin graduated high school. We decided to break the trip into two days and headed to Ktown to stay with my Grandparents for the night.

To fully secure my husbands dentist bills and diabetes I treated him to frozen yogurt at Topperz once we arrived in Ktown. Happy Anniversary!

After seeing our dishes of yogurt though, I'm not sure who has the bigger sweet tooth. 

We of course had our little sugar babe with us to celebrate. While we didn't know her two years prior we were praying for her. And He answered us, soon! Perfectly soon. 

After a lovely evening with my Grandparents we got up and headed east again. We had supper, dessert, and good company. We were so happy to celebrate with Maddie!

The next day we went to another reception of Maddie's at her church. Again, good food was had by all.

Per usual Uncle Ev acted a fool. But that's why we keep him around. 

Millie and her BFF Kenzie went down the slide.

Uncle Aaron showed off his swinging skills and Jerrel pushed the merry-go-round so fast a stranger's kid fell off. With this crowd though you need to remember, "If you are gonna play rough, you gotta get tough." (Thanks Sandy for the family motto.) Jerrel put on his nurses hat and asked if he was ok-he was. We avoided the 8 year old and his mother for the rest of the party. 

Finally we ended the weekend with a walk around Haymarket. I hadn't been down there for years. So we walked around a bit before we had to pile back into the car. 

We also sat and watched traffic. For we don't have that kind of stuff where we call home. A wonderful way to spend our Anniversary, a wonderful way to spend a weekend-with family. 

Blessings! 

Anniversary #2

May 23rd. It's rolled around again. And to prove a few marriage stereotypes correct Jerrel and I have had to remind one another as the day approached. Not because we forgot the date, no, neither of us really pay much attention to a calendar. We just do our days as they come.

Jerrel informed me the 23rd was Saturday and so I know what today is- our 2nd wedding anniversary. This year has been a year of settling in. The changes haven''t been as radical and the routine has been more set. It's this kind of stability though, that has made us grow deeper this year. Our roots have sunk in further and our family has flourished.

Our "settling in" has included some other dreams coming to life. Things like family a canine, eating produce from jars we grew, harvested, and preserved together, chickens, and of course raising our own baby.

These were things we said we wanted with one another by our side.

Our marriage has changed and I know it will continue to, but I also know we will continue to make the choice to cling to one another. We will continue to choose to love, honor, respect, pray for, and laugh with one another. I can't imagine doing this with anyone else and I don't want to.

Happy 2nd Anniversary Jerrel.

Blessings!

A Homemaker Update

I decided I liked doing my last Homemaker Update so I thought I'd throw another in. My life isn't glamourous and to most it's not all that exciting. However, I'm tickled pink with my season of life right now so I like giving a glimpse of just what I'm up to. 

So where have I been going? To nurseries. I'm a fall girl. I'm a winter snowstorm girl. But you know what else I am? A spring girl. I love flowers. I love nurseries. I told Jerrel on one of our trips that when I die I want my ashes spread in a greenhouse. He said "Let's talk about this a different time." I may have been caught up in the moment. Honestly though, a greenhouse, with all of it's humid air hitting my face and the freshly watered plants is my happy place.

I'm trying to teach Millie the same love for new life in the spring. 

She has been such a trooper with my multiple trips to greenhouses with my mom and then our big trip with Daddy. She's such a good egg. 

What have I been doing? Well if the greenhouses are any indication then you can probably guess. Digging. Planting. Playing in the dirt. That's us these days. We decided to move the garden to our house this year. Last year it became a little unkempt because we weren't at my parents as much to tend to the space. One side of our front yard just wasn't looking great anyway so we tilled it up and decided to try our hand at deep mulch gardening. So far we are loving it! Between the mulch and the nice rain we have received we haven't watered much. 

We order our seeds from here, in case you were wondering. Everything we have bought is fantastic! So far beans, potatoes, melons, and cucumbers have made their appearance. Tomatoes, peppers, and onions went in today and I planted flowers. It's looking so lively around here, I love it!

So we have spend our days outside, getting tan lines and letting our girl get dirty. Dirt up her nose, in her ears, and under her nails. It's good for her. 

Finally, What have I been eating? In one word: SUGAR. I have an issue. Between working outside, working inside, nursing a 14 month old, and all the other craziness that is life, I'm left hungry and craving food-anything but mostly sugar. Then add graduation Saturday. That means cake. Delicious, wondrous cake. Jerrel made me Mother's Day Maple Bacon Scones on Sunday. Hello Holy Grail of Scones.

Then Monday I decided I needed a vehicle for ice cream. WHEN DOES IT END? I'm one bite away from a cavity. It's time for the garden to be producing so I can kick it when healthy options literally, right outside my door.

In the meantime I think I need some chocolate.

Blessings!