Consider

Meet Grumba and Gumbum

2012-02-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights of our day is when we Skype with Grandma (and Grandpa, on the weekends). Madigan asks if we can call Gumbum and Grumba. They get to fight over who's who at this point since it is not absolutely clear. :-)

Mom, I found your glove!!!!!!!!!!

2012-02-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

When we were up at Rhapsody Retreat for Christmas, we all took a walk. I quickly warmed up, and decided to shed my gloves and leave them where I could find them on the way back. Madigan spotted them and immediately started fretting about the fact that I had lost them, so he went back and brought them to me. Such a thoughtful and observant boy!

You are so loved

2012-02-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

Photos by Gwenn McCaleb (Grandma)

Grandpa Time

2012-02-07T11:34:00.001-08:00

Photos taken by Gwenn McCaleb (aka Grandma)

Vanilla

2012-02-06T15:00:00.001-08:00

I got inspired to make my own vanilla extract for cooking and my friend, Elizabeth, was visiting and told me how her family makes it. So, here's to Vanilla experiment number 1! So far, it smells INCREDIBLE!

We got a bottle of Vodka (with a pretty white polar bear on the inside - beautiful bottles make for better vodka... right?) and 4 vanilla pods (which we purchased from Trader Joes). We sliced the pods open by just cutting one slice from the top of each pod to the bottom, to make sure the seeds were exposed. Place the pods inside the vodko and set inside a dark cupboard for 5-6 weeks, shaking it periodically. (And No, we're not drinking it).

Also, if you want some yummy sugar, place a vanilla pod in your sugar container. Great for coffee, tea (can we say chai latte?) or baking.

How did this world spin?

2012-02-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

I simply can't believe that my Tiger turned 2 yesterday. What a wonderful boy he has grown up to be! I wish I could store all the memories from the past 2 years in a place where I can always retrieve and relive them, but I know that's not possible. Sometimes I think to myself, "How did this world spin before it had a Tiger running around it?" I look forward to watching this marvelous creature grow into the man he has been created to be and I will savor every moment of this journey!

I made him a cake, but since we were having friends over, I decided to make it gluten free. It turned out really yummy! The recipe is as follows:

Gluten-free Applesauce Cake
3 large apples
3/4 cup raisins
1 stick butter (melted)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1.5 cups walnut flour (grind in food processor)
1 cup almond flour (grind in food processor)
1 cup old fashioned oats ((grind in food processor)
1/2 cup honey (you can also substitute 1/4 cup of the honey with 1/3 cup brown sugar)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Slice (into chunks) and peel the apples. Place in saucepan with about 2 Tablespoons water and bring to boil. Then, cook on low/med until soft. I mixed them into the batter with my KitchenAid, so I didn't mash them ahead of time. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to raisins and set aside for about 10 minutes (until they are soft). Pour apples and raisins (including water) together and then add remaining ingredients. Mix together thoroughly. Place in buttered 9x13 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. I made a little frosting for Madigan's out of: 1 package cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Enjoy!

The Dancing Brothers

2012-02-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

The Dancing Brothers video.

2 busy boys

2012-02-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

As Madigan and I were walking - well, running - around the block he pulled me to a stop and made us backtrack about 3 houses, saying "uh oh". He had seen a piece of trash in the neighbor's yard and since we're the local clean up crew it was our responsibility to keep the neighborhood sparkling.

Declan is learning to count. When we count to 5 with him, he starts focusing at 1, stares intently at 2, smiles at 3, starts wiggling in anticipation at 4, and giggles and squints at 5, when we tickle his nose.

Last fall Grandma came and showed Madigan that he had tickle toes. She tickled his feet and said "tickle, tickle, tickle". His version is "diggadoo". Now, anytime he needs shoes, socks or something done with his feet, he says "Diggadoo! Diggadoo!" I think it's so cute.

Declan is smack in the middle of teething and is completely miserable. Last night when he was whimpering I pulled him up close to my neck and started singing to him. He laid his head on my shoulder and started sucking his thumb. He lay there for 10 minutes, wide awake and snuggly like a bunny. These are the moments I live for!

I went to take Madison and Valiant out this morning and was standing on the sidewalk with bare feet waiting for them. Madigan looked at my feet, turned and walked away from me without saying anything and disappeared inside the house. 10 seconds later he emerged with a pair of Daddy's shoes, placed them in front of me and asked me to put them on. Why is he so cute?

Declan has been doing crunches... he's got to keep up with those skinny rolls! It's hilarious to watch him lying on the floor pulling himself up as far as he can go, holding and then falling back with frustration. I think he's trying to get in shape so that he can keep up with his older brother!

Low Gluten Pancakes

2012-01-24T13:57:00.000-08:00

This afternoon Madigan and I went and tapped an additional three trees in hopes of increasing our overall net supply of maple syrup. He was fascinated by the whole process... he picked out a tree (he found one where the woodpeckers had been first and he was so excited!), then helped me drill the hole. While I tied the jar to the tree and inserted the hose he stood and watched with his fingers in his mouth (that's the "thinking pose").

Then, we came home and made pancakes, much to his delight. I don't know if he ate more batter or cooked pancakes, but I can tell you that he had his fill of both. We experimented with adding more protein and making them with less gluten and here's what we came up with. I highly recommend using maple syrup on top for a little extra yum.

Low Gluten Pancakes:
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup Old Fashioned Oats, ground into powder
1/2 cup walnuts, ground into powder
1/2 cup almonds, ground into powder
1/2 cup oatbran
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons honey

Mix together thoroughly. If too thick, add more milk. If too thin add more Oat flour. We cooked them on a griddle at 350 degrees and they turned out fluffy and lightly browned.

Like I said...

2012-01-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

He loves to dance! And Daddy's hat just gives him inspiration!

Maple Syrup

2012-01-20T16:20:00.000-08:00

Last week I decided to tap the maple trees on the farm. With the help of our dear friend, Paul, I drilled into the trees, placed a hose into the hole and then connected the hose to a 5 gallon glass jar. We looked for trees that were either dripping out sap on their own, or which had been drilled into by woodpeckers. You can see in one of the photos below that a woodpecker placed some holes into one of the trees, showing us exactly where to start!

After about 3 days (with cold nights and relatively warm days) we had 5 gallons of maple juice. I brought it home and boiled it down for about a couple hours. The maple juice to maple syrup ratio is about 40 to 1, so I yielded about 2 cups of YUMMY syrup! This is super fun! So, come visit us and I'll make you some oatmeal pumpkin pancakes with our fresh maple syrup on them.

The Perfect Potato

2012-01-18T17:12:00.002-08:00

I have a love, love relationship with baked potatoes. Always have. However, recently we've been trying to incorporate more protein and dark greens (Kale, Collards) into our diet. So, our baked potatoes have had a facelift... or something. They're even more DELICIOUS!

The Perfect Potato
Spread Grapeseed, Flax or Olive Oil over the skin of the potato. Poke several holes in each potato, using a fork, sprinkle with salt, then place in the oven on 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.

Toppings:
Butter
Sour cream
Bacon (if we're lucky)
Cheese
Kale chips
Lentils (see recipe below)

Lentils:
Place 2 cups lentils in 8 cups water and bring to a boil. I usually let mine boil for a good 10 minutes, as this seems to keep them from giving us gas. Then, turn down and let simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes. Pour off excess water, if there is any. Then, add 1/2-1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and spices (pepper, coriander, basil, oregano, etc.).

The Tiger's World

2012-01-17T13:26:00.000-08:00

The floor is shaking. There is a shouting match going on between Madigan and the Tiger within. Then, the cadence of hearty laughter, followed by "No, No, Come!" (I assume Tigger-Hun stepped out of line, momentarily). Madigan is in his crib for, you know, a "nap". Naptime for him has always been a battle, between him and the Tiger inside who won't sleep. I've implemented all sorts of creative techniques, from warm milk to hearty hikes, to try to ease the process and encourage slumber. Today, the boy walked the entire fence line with us to check for breaks in the electric wire, downed trees or broken boards. That's a LONG walk for little legs over rough terrain. Yet, he is none the wearier. Last night we took him for a walk with Valiant dragging him along at a full run. Still, the Tiger War prevailed upon our return. Sigh.

On another, slightly related, note... I've decided to start giving the boy "chores" to help keep him occupied during the daytime, when we're not at the barn doing "man chores". This website gave me some fun ideas and I'll keep you posted on our success!

And here are some Madigan-you-are-so-funny moments from this week:

As we drove by Starbucks, he burst into tears because we forgot to stop. Our new plan of substituting homemade drinks for our weekend Starbucks date may be harder for the boy than for his parents! I don't know if it's the reaction he gets from his fan club (the Starbucks baristas) or the whipped cream (they give it to him in a little cup - so cute) that he's missing the most.
When we were running him around the block last night, he heard some music coming from a neighbor's house. It was barely audible, but the beat caught his attention and he stopped all of us and started dancing right there on the sidewalk! The man loves music.
When he saw the first of the snow this year he ran over and picked some up, then started crying and said, "Hot!". I assured him that it was actually cold and super fun for making snowballs! He quickly caught on and I'll probably regret that idea soon.
He's obsessed with vacuuming. He asks me several times each day to get the vacuum out and usually throws a fit if I decline to acquiesce to his request.

And, what's going on in Declan's world, you ask? Well, he's soundly asleep. Sweet boy.

The Air is full of Spicessssssss (use British accent)

2012-01-13T12:14:00.001-08:00

We've been organizing the spice cabinet while quoting favorite lines from Jane Austen. This is one of our favorites! Perhaps sorting through spices was the catalyst for the following inspiration.

I am completely addicted to Starbucks Chai as a few of you may know. We made this recipe at home and it is incredible! I think you could play around with the spice ratio depending on your particular idea for the perfect chai blend, but if you're aiming for something similar to Starbucks, try this! I almost cried when I tasted my first sip... pathetic, I know. I was overwhelmed with joy, happiness and spices!

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon honey
1 cup brown sugar

3 black tea bags
7 Constant Comment tea bags (the orange flavor is a hit)
4 cups boiling water

Steep tea bags in water for 10-20 minutes, along with all spices (we mixed all spices ahead of time). Meanwhile stir together vanilla, honey and sugar. Once tea has finished steeping, add vanilla mixture and stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Store as a concentrate in fridge. When you are ready for a cup of deliciousnesssssssssss mix with equal parts milk. I like mine a little milkier, so I added a little bit more milk.

Declan William

2012-01-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

I love this little boy more than words can say. He has such a sweet disposition and (even though his mommy starves him) he almost never complains. He's a GIANT... big feet, big hands, big torso, big everything. He's only 5 months old but already wearing 9-12 month clothing. And he's a cuddly teddy bear.

He can carry on a rather charming conversation with any willing participant. He's a huge helper at the barn, already, riding in the backpack overseeing all of mommy's work. He loves his big brother and watches his every move (hence, why we've been cracking down on the frequent bouts of screaming from the Tiger, of late - don't want Declan to pick that up!). He is very interested in numbers/letters/words and whenver we count from 1-5, he always lights up at 5 because we follow it up with a tickle on the nose. So fun to watch! I've been putting his play station on the kitchen counter, and though I've lost a good percentage of my counter space, I've gained one happy interactive boy!

And, on a COMPLETELY unrelated note... I'm giggling right now at my husband who just put on Virginia's vest which is so small on him it's embarrassing and totally hilarious. He never claimed that fashion was his strong point, though.

Quick Roast, Kale Chips and Oat Pumpkin Bread

2011-12-15T14:11:00.000-08:00

I had some unexpected success with a roast last night and thought I'd share. I had a frozen roast which I had intended to thaw the night before and then place in the crockpot come morning. However, since I didn't remember the roast until 3:00 yesterday afternoon, I placed the frozen roast in a pot of boiling water. I kept the roast in boiling water on medium heat for 1 hour. Then, I placed it in the crockpot with the following ingredients, on high heat for 2 more hours.

Ingredients to add to crockpot:
4 cups broth water (that you boiled roast in)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1.5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Spices (I added Thyme, Onion flakes, Pepper, Rosemary, and Oregano)
1 teaspoon orange peel

It was incredibly tender and quite tasty.

And some of you have asked about Kale Chips:
Fill a cookie sheet with finely chopped Kale (you can buy it pre-chopped which is a lot easier). Cover lightly with olive oil and spices (I use a pre-mixed organic spice mix from Costco, but anything like Dash would work) and a little salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Yummy!

For the pumpkin bread I used the following ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup butter, melted
1.5 cups honey
1 can pumpkin
4 eggs
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
2.5 cups oat flour (take old fashioned oats and grind into powder)
1/2 flax seed powder
1.5 cups chopped walnuts
1/4-1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

Place in two large well oiled (with olive oil) bread pans and bake for 65 minutes at 350 degrees.

100,000 Huzzats (and other random things I love)

2011-12-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

"Huzzat?" Translation: What's that? Madigan asks this question at least 1,000 times each day. Trash days are my favorite as there is a Huzzat (or sometimes two) for each trash can we pass on the way to the barn. So, if you bugged our car you would hear: "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." "Huzzat?" "Trashcan." Etc.

It was dark when I stopped to open the corral gate leading into the barn two nights ago. It was a still night and remarkably quiet as I fiddled with the latch trying to get it open. I barely noticed the three little figures standing directly behind me, lined up in a neat little row waiting with great anticipation for me to make my next move. The ducks, who have been historically shy and hesitant to approach people, were standing approximately 14 inches from me, staring up with their heads cocked to one side, watching me closely. When I acknowledged their presence, they responded one by one, right after the other, with a "Whack", then a "Whack", then a "Whack". I felt like Mother Goose as I walked into the barn with the three white waddlers on my heels.

I think it's so cute that Devany happily spends her nights in her stall with the companionship of 3 ducks, and one great white dog. She's a pretty special horse.

Madigan includes his beloved "Tigger Hun" in everything, including his daily barn duty. As I picked out the stall this morning, he came running in with his man shovel and he and Tigger helped shovel shavings into the wheelbarrow. Tigger-Hun is a valuable part of our hard-working team.

Declan Wil-YUMMMMM (as he is affectionately referred to around here) is such a delight! I've never been around a better baby! Almost every morning I wake up just a little bit before him and can't wait see his little round face, blue eyes and quick smile. He giggles when we tickle him, rolls from his back to his front like a pro, has started to show an interest in real food and has even started tasting a little rice cereal, and he's always watching everything going on around him, paying special attention to the antics of his big brother. He's completely and ridiculously kissable! Sometimes I pinch myself just to make sure it's real that he's our boy. :-)

Lisa made me a red hat and I absolutely love it! I've never liked a hat so much and wore it today even though the temp really didn't justify it.

2011+

2011-12-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

As we approach Christmas 2011 I definitely find myself reflecting on this past year and all that I have to look back on... including (but decidedly not limited to) a whole lot of wonderful 4-legged babies, the speedy and exciting arrival of our beloved Declan William, the birth of my dream horse, the growth (and maturity) of one marvelous red head, another year loving my George, working and living alongside Virginia who has become one of my dearest friends in all the world...

I know I will forget so many of the smaller yet meaningful details that have made this year part of my life, but I hope that perhaps the smattering of brief written accounts in this blog, as well as the photo log will help me remember, even when more years have pushed us beyond this moment in time. It is a good life we've been given and I count it a sincere blessing.

Blow outs and cute faces

2011-12-05T13:27:00.000-08:00

It's always a good time for a bath

2011-12-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

I was filling up the ol' red pot with some water and Bundle enthusiastically requested to be able to dip his hands into the warm water. I agreed and before I had time to react he had climbed completely into the pot, clothes and all! He didn't seem to think anything was out of the ordinary with this particular bath. I think parenthood is teaching me one thing repeatedly: flexibility. My ideas/notions of how things should be done is constantly coming into question with this little Tiger around. :-)

Communication breakdown

2011-11-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

Real Conversation: (Note, Kris located in bathroom, Eryn in living room, Kim in kitchen)
[Kris]: "Babe, do you know where the plunger is?"
[Eryn]: "What?"
[Kim, translating for Kris]: "Did you make cornbread?"
[Eryn, with noticeable irritation]: "No, I did NOT make cornbread."
[Kris]: "Do you know where the plunger is?"

Mud Happens

2011-11-25T22:44:00.000-08:00

Thanks goes to Kimmie for the photos.

These boys

2011-11-25T22:39:00.000-08:00

are so special to me.

'Zat Whack?

2011-11-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Madigan Luke, why are you so funny?

His first phrase when we get to the barn in the morning: 'Zat Whack? Translation: Is that the duck, which says, "whack, whack"?

Yes, he has often been known to throw a temper tantrum because I pick up the dog food and put it away to encourage him to eat his human food breakfast as an alternative (to the good stuff).

Those tender, raw moments of truth like when Mommy "secretly" (though perhaps not noiselessly) farts and Madigan asks "Wuzzat, wuzzat, wuzzat" until given a complete explanation. He might as well know I'm human.

The man eats dog food, horse food, goat food, duck food and dirt (when I'm not watching, of course :-). Yet, if he falls on the ground and gets dirt on his hands, he panics, runs over to me, grabs my pant leg and starts wiping frantically to remove the unwelcome substance from his untarnished presence.

I love the way he body slams his little brother, smothering him in a full body hug each morning or anytime Declan appears lonely. Declan has adapted; he's adjusted his response from sheer horror to what seems to be delight. He lights up like a butterfly when he sees his big brother's face directly above his own.

This boy is just a treat to behold.

OCD or something

2011-11-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

The red head in our family has started to develop some interesting and humorous habits of late. They're hilarious and I'm constantly laughing, to be sure, but yet there is a part of me that is slightly alarmed.

While trotting through Costco last week, Madigan noticed a napkin lying on the floor where it clearly shouldn't have been. I saw his eye latch onto the out-of-place item and willed him not to care, but he immediately said, "Uh Oh" and repeated the phrase feverishly until I finally stopped, retraced my steps and picked up the nasty item from it's temporary residence on the floor. Nothing else would appease his sense of what should be.

Our next stop in the day was the Co-op where we encountered a clump of mud that had fallen off of someone's boot, no doubt. Unfortunately, it had fallen right into our line of sight in the middle of the aisle and it was, of course, our responsibility to make sure it was removed and the farm store restored to it's natural state of cleanliness.

I have repeatedly discovered Madigan wiping down the cabinets with a rag from his drawer of kitchen goodies, sweeping the floor with his man-broom, and vacuuming the rugs with his popper. However, he's never been particularly fastidious about picking up his toys, until last night. Daddy turned on the dance music and reached for Madigan, only to discover that the boy was frantically picking up everything out of place in the living room, ensuring sufficient room to dance without incident (i.e. stumbling over something in the way). By the time he had the room in order (it was spotless when he was done!) the dance song was half way through. I was hit with the grave realization that I have done that very same thing so many times in my life... missed out on the full blessing I am given because I'm too bogged down in the small details of life and getting it "just right". How many times have I spent less quality time with my husband or boys because I'm so busy keeping my house and material possessions in order? Yikes.

So, tonight, I'm going to help Madigan enjoy his Daddy time to the fullest by "pre-cleaning" the living room for him, at least well enough that he hopefully won't be distracted by the disorder.

Quack

2011-10-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

These are the latest, most charming additions to of our farm. Meet Charlie, Pete and Charlotte. We have them housed with the goats, currently, but soon we hope to let them have free range of the whole property and expect they will assume their rightful ownership of our pond as soon as they are able! They are absolutely adorable and I could watch them waddle around, quacking at each other all day. Madigan is equally fascinated by them, but still finds them slightly terrifying.

The unfortunate truth about my brain

2011-10-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last night, before heading to bed, I placed a cup of dog food on the bathroom counter, as a morning reminder to take food out to the barn for our barn dog, Sabina. Later, as I was taking my vitamins, I reached for the cup of dog food rather than the full glass of water sitting next to it and I very nearly swallowed a mouthful of the yummy chow. It would have made taking vitamins a whole new experience!

And, today's brain activity: I pulled up to the Starbucks drive-thru to order my deeply-adored-no-water-chai-latte, but the barista did not immediately acknowledge my arrival. After waiting patiently for 4 seconds, I reached up and pressed the garage door opener. What was I hoping to accomplish by such an action? Not sure, but it seemed perfectly logical at that moment. The barista was so entertained when I explained what I had done that she upgraded my drink size for free!

My little man

2011-10-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

Krista has a way of capturing those "little moments" that I cherish beyond measure... the things that are hard to describe or convey to others, like these pictured below. How can you put this package into words - a Bundle and his Tigger Pooh in action? The moments change/pass so quickly and they are treasured in my heart.

Eryn's famous (ok, maybe not) Squash Soup

2011-10-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

1 butternut squash - cut in half, scoop out and throw away the seeds. Place upside down on a cookie sheet with about 1/2 inch water and bake on 350 for 1 hour. Saute 1 large onion, 6 minced garlic cloves in 6 tablespoons butter. Once softened, add 3 Tablespoons flower. Then, add 1 quart broth (chicken or veggie), 1 pint whipping cream (I did mention that this isn't a low fat soup, right?), the squash "innards", 1 teaspoon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon (or more) salt, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar. You can also add 2 cups of cheese, but some people prefer it without the cheese. Bring to soft boil and then EAT! Careful that you don't cook it on any higher heat than medium once you add the milk, as it will scorch. It is SO DELICIOUS!

Ingredients list, all told:
1 butternut squash
1 large onion
6 garlic cloves
6 Tablespoons butter
1 pint whipping cream
1 quart broth (chicken or veggie)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon mustard
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups cheese (optional)

Boy and his dog

2011-10-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

Me and my girls

2011-10-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Moments in this day...

2011-10-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

You're all missing out if you haven't heard Kris reading horse stories to Madigan, sounds included. I NEVER thought I would hear my husband neigh with such finesse. Really admirable - of course, Madigan is a great coach on the art of neighing.

Additional special moments from today:
I put Madigan in his carseat next to Declan's car seat which was empty since I hadn't yet strapped the wee tike in. Madigan was immediately alarmed about his missing brother and started squawking... at first I thought it was out of concern for his missing Tigger, but even handing him the beloved Bear did not reduce his fervor. I asked him, "Are you looking for Declan?" He started giggling and nodding his head and said "ESSSS!(Yes)".

I can hear Declan's happy moans while he sleeps on my lap as I type. The sound could be recorded but I wouldn't want to create baby noise junkies.

This afternoon, Madigan told Valiant to hop off the couch (we're trying to keep the little Scottish wonders off the furniture). When she obeyed him, he walked over to her and patted her gently on the head. Such a tender boy!

Cheesecake is awesome...

2011-10-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Though, some of us are too milk drunk to notice.

Tigger Pooh

2011-09-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Tigger Pooh has made into this blog before, but as we all know, not enough can be said for a faithful bear. Madigan and his Tigger Pooh (aptly named since he is a Pooh Bear wearing a Tigger costume) are nearly inseparable. We have reasoned with Madigan that taking Tigger Pooh to the barn might put the dear bear at the mercy of the cunning crazy white dog's teeth, so in that event alone are they parted each day.

Tonight, I found Madigan strapping Tigger Pooh into Declan's carseat, ever so carefully... he did have to use his foot to cram him into the base of the seat, but our family moto is: "Use whatever means necessary to ensure the saftey of your bear's travel".

I do start to wonder, sometimes, at this bear and the influence he's had in all of our lives. This evening I plopped Madigan into a quick bath before bed time, scrubbing him down with his shampoo/bath wash, working efficiently to expedite the process. After thoroughly washing down his little tummy, I quickly moved onto Tigger Pooh to give him a swift scrub, completely covering the little orange head with soapy lather before I realized that something was amiss. Tigger Pooh, who was gingerly sitting in front of his boy, submerged to his torso in the bath water, seemed perfectly at ease with the situation. Wow.

For bed time, I had to rapidly improvise and retrieve the "back up Tigger Pooh" from my hope chest where he is stored for such crises. Tigger Pooh #1 was given a brief holiday and can currently be found fanning himself.

I love my horse!

2011-09-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

Miss Devany - 4 months

My boys being boys

2011-09-22T14:31:00.001-07:00

Shoes!

2011-09-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

Madigan put his own shoes on his feet! And he got them on the right feet! We are all exceedingly impressed.

Declan, I love you.

2011-09-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

Declan, tonight, as I gave you little kisses all over your face, I heard your first baby cooing noises and I wanted to pause time, indefinitely. I was filled with utter delight with you and who I see you already becoming and simultaneously I felt inexplicable pain that life is so fleeting and THESE moments pass us by so quickly, shoving us into the next moment, next day, next season. Your spontaneous and frequent smiles, your scrootching noises, the way you snuggle into my neck so contentedly, your big blue eyes, and your expressive hands - observing these things (and so many more) brings me endless joy and makes me wish to savor every moment I'm given. It is moments like these that make it worth sifting through the suffering in this life.

Life on the farm

2011-09-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

For the complete picture click here.

Grandma loves her Boys!

2011-09-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

What are birthdays for

2011-09-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

if not to provide the perfect opportunity for chaos to ensue, thus gently (though definitely not subtly) reminding us that not only are we decidedly not the center of the universe, but rather daily participants in a continual cycle called life.

Yesterday, my birthday, was wrought with unexpected turns, beautiful fall weather, unwelcome moments, and great friends.

The chaos (well, the abnormal chaos, I should say) began when I got a reminder call from a horse trainer that he was expecting Caspian to arrive today (yesterday) for training and that he was expecting me to deliver him (the delivery part I had not previously anticipated). Because my horse trailer is currently filled with 40 bales of hay, I knew I would not be able to extract it from it's current parking spot through the mud and prepare it to haul. So, I called my dear friend, Susan, and she generously offered to use her trailer to take Caspian. We loaded Caspian, transferred Declan's carseat over from my truck, grabbed the cell phone which had the directions and headed out (you mommy's out there... notice anything missing?).

After driving for nearly 2 hours through traffic, we realized that the directions we were using had taken us nearly 1 hour out of our way and as we neared our destination, my phone battery started dying. I frantically wrote out the last bit of directions on a scrap piece of paper so that we wouldn't be abandoned to our fate, stranded on back roads in the heart of TN with a horse and infant for company. We finally arrived at our destination with a starving baby who required immediate attention. While Susan valiantly distracted our host in conversation, I hopped in the backseat to nurse Declan privately. After a few minutes, I thought to myself, "Lovely, I don't have his diaper bag", at which point he started the very arduous routine of producing a rather large "blow out". I laughed out loud at the irony of it all! I finished nursing him, called for Susan and buckled the soiled gem into his carseat. We spotted a gas station on our way home, where sat 4 gray haired gentlemen in rocking chairs on the front porch - a scene I might have expected from decades prior. Though we weren't hopeful, we decided to scout the place for "nappies" (diapers). I greedily snatched up the sole bag, sized 16-23lbs, paid with cash (since of course their credit card machine wasn't working) and prepared the boy for getting on some clean shorts. The diapers were the length of Declan from his neck to his crotch, but it's amazing how one will improvise when one is desperate. I couldn't help but smile when I looked into the backseat to see that little blue-eyed boy sitting there looking around as content as could be in nothing but a diaper which covered his entire torso. I though to myself how much life should be celebrated, in all it's chaos and in every unexpected turn (in the road).

Photo journal on a little boy's sleeping habits

2011-09-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

The Hard Part

2011-08-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

Loving these two little boys is incredible... truly. They are each so full of life and thus inspiring to me, as a parent, and they are vastly different and unique from one another. Sometimes I feel like I've been given my own life-size Science experiment to watch and participate in! And sometimes the responsibility of raising, loving, training and caring for these beautiful people is daunting/terrifying. I wouldn't be honest with myself if I didn't admit that there are incredibly difficult parts of this role (as parent). It seems that the things that bring us the greatest delight/fulfillment in life also bring us the greatest challenges and emotional stretchmarks.

Helping Madigan to understand that his role in our family and in life is so valuable and his contribution important while simultaneously guiding him through this realization that he is not the center of the universe (ours, his or anyone else's - tough on a first born!).

Teaching an 18 month "older" brother how to be gentle when patting and kissing on his little brother.

Trying to get Declan on some sort of eating schedule so that I am not feeding him every 20 minutes (a starving boy's preference).

Encouraging Madigan to play robustly and enthusiastically with his toys while simultaneously watching my once orderly living room turn into something decidedly less orderly.

Then there's:
Dual dirty diaper duty - love it when they BOTH take a dump at the same time.
Bundle keeping up the crying choir upstairs while Declan managing it simultaneously downstairs. That can be so unnerving!
Getting both boys in/out of their carseats - this is truly an art! If it weren't for Auntie Virginia, I'm not sure how many places I would go to throughout the week.
Lack of sleep. That might be the hardest part.

So, yes, a day in McGaryville isn't always a walk in the park - sometimes it's more of a hike in the beautiful Colorado Rockies. Totally worth everything!

McGary Boys - (week two for Declan)

2011-08-18T13:56:00.001-07:00

Helping Hands Cont...

2011-08-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

We were looking back at old photos and found some of Madigan helping on the farm this winter. Since he was tiny he has always been the enthusiast about pitching to help in every way he can. Virginia and I refer to it as "man work".

Brothers

2011-08-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

Madigan has been an absolutely incredible "big" brother. I did not really know what to anticipate from our Tiger in bringing Declan home - would he be oblivious? Resentful? Excited? As soon as we arrived home from the hospital we said, "Bundle, look what we brought home for you! It's a baby brother!" He came racing into the living room and immediately plastered Declan with kisses all over his face. He has continued to bond with Declan, and always greets him with kisses and snuggles. This morning when I was changing Declan's diaper, Madigan walked up, laid his head on D's chest and just held it there the whole time. So precious!

Declan is a stellar baby... he sleeps, eats, poos, pees and gives us virtually no grief. He seems so easy going, but then it may be relative considering who we are comparing him to. :-) He has already gained 8 oz. since he was born (now weighing in a 8.1) and is 21.5 inches long. What a boy!

Madigan has been a little resentful toward us (the parents), and has needed a little extra "dance time", singing time, helping Mommy in the kitchen time, barn duty, etc. He has been taking his dance moves to a new level with the help of Auntie Virginia and Daddy. And, since he NEVER stops moving unless he's asleep, we've replaced some of his reading time (which usually consists of him running around the house while we read out loud to him - surely he's absorbing some of the content!) with hymn singing time. He will actually sit still for such fun and LOVES the hymns. I love this little music man.

Life - Birth - in the fast lane

2011-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought Declan might be a hopeless procrastinator as the days went ticking on past his due date. Turns out that he's just a man of surprises! Once he makes up his mind to do something - like come into the world - there isn't any stopping him.

Yesterday, at 4:45 in the morning I started having contractions and was fairly certain that Declan was on his way. By 9:00am the contractions had increased significantly and we put in a call to our midwife to get their recommendations. They had instructed us not to go to the hospital until we passed certain "labor markers" and then to call them for feedback before rushing out the door. We were not able to reach the midwives or doctors for about 45 minutes from the time we started calling, so Kris decided we should just go ahead and get to the hospital. At that same moment I crossed a line and was absolutely certain that doing so would leave us delivering a baby in the Explorer alongside I-65. I told him resolutely that we were going to have to have this baby at home because I had to push - NOW (there comes a certain point in labor where the only way to bear the pain is to push... strange... but I guess God designed it that way on purpose!). Kris was steady as a rock and calmly started making necessary preparations for a home delivery. Then, the midwives responded to our call and when they found out what was happening, advised us to call 911, which we did. The ambulance/EMTs and firemen arrived within 5 minutes of the call, put me on a gurney and into the ambulance. I was having contractions every 2 minutes at this point and the EMTs encouraged me not to push - I think they thought all would be best if they could get me to Vanderbilt Hospital prior to delivery. If you've never ridden in an ambulance before, I just want to forewarn you that they are not comfortable... every bump is jolting and obvious. Within 5 minutes of leaving the house, the EMT told me, "let me know next time you start to feel a contraction coming on and I'll talk you through it." I briskly announced that one was coming on immediately and started pushing. He started to say, "just breathe..." and then said, "Ok, we're havin' a baby!". He started yelling at the driver (who was racing down the middle of the highway due to cars that wouldn't get out of the way) to pull over so he could get some assistance. While he was shouting/scrambling for blankets, towels, anything, I pushed three times and Declan was out. Meanwhile, the ambulance driver veered across two lanes of traffic and pulled into a business parking lot. Kris and the driver jumped out of the front seat to come help, but Declan was already wrapped up in a blanket and looking around. I think the poor EMT stuck in the back with me was thoroughly traumatized. He told me that he had delivered 21 babies in his 30 years on the job, but never in an ambulance. He also mentioned that retirement might be eminent. :-)

The wonderful EMTs rushed us to Vanderbilt where we were checked in, evaluated and cleaned up. We are supposed to be released today!

So, that's the abbreviated version of what seemed so surreal at the time... on hindsight, of course no one dreams of giving birth in an ambulance while speeding down the highway. But, this little gem of a boy is absolutely incredible and worth anything and everything that was necessary to get him safely here. He is so sweet tempered and is the picture of health! He might have come careening into our lives at a whopping 50 miles an hour but he landed at the perfect time and is such a delight to us all!

For those of you who savor stats, he weighed in at 7 lb, 10 oz, is 20 inches long and has light brown hair. He has a little whimper like his big brother, but also a good pair of lungs, should he need them to get somebody's attention. Thanks to all who prayed for us during this time! We can't wait for you to meet our BundleSquared!

Dancing

2011-08-01T07:05:00.001-07:00

I think I've mentioned before that the boy loves to dance. Here he is dancing with his Auntie Virginia... they make quite the pair! He takes pride in not "holding on". This boy is destined to be an incredible horse back rider with balance like that!

Helping hands

2011-07-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous post, Bundle has been a HUGE help around these parts, as evidenced by the photos below. He found a peppermint and recognized it's similarity to the dish washer detergent we use, so he went running over to the dishwasher, opened up the "soap house" and placed it gently into place. What a man!

Then, for breakfast he carried the massive Raisin Bran box in from the pantry with NO HELP FROM ANYBODY!

As we prepared for canning cherries, I said, "Okay, let's get a chair for you to stand on and then I'm going to go turn some music on." By the time I returned from getting the CD on, he had already grabbed a man-sized chair, set it in front of the counter, and gotten his music box ready for action. He's always just one step ahead of me if I'll give him the chance!

The need to be needed, useful

2011-07-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

We all have it. It's innate, God-given. It's been amazing to see it so deeply rooted in this precious little person at such a young age. After several days of dealing with mini-screaming fits and what appeared to be a frustrated little boy, I decided to start really watching and seeing what it was he was trying to communicate. Some of it was just pure, untamed anger running rampant, but some of it was genuine frustration about wanting to be useful/helpful and not being able to do the big people things, or not being allowed to try.

So, I decided this little red-head needs more responsibility... he's craving it! We've started implementing little things into our daily routines:

When I vacuum the carpet, I ask him to help me unwind the cord and plug it in. Then, when we're done he RUNS over to the wall and pulls it out of the outlet, bringing the end of the cord proudly back to me. I thank him and get that winning smile in return.
When we're feeding Devany, we ask him to carry her feeder over to the gate and hand it up to us. Sometimes, he grunts and groans in the process, confirming that this is definitely a hefty man-chore.
He is responsible to carry Caspian's feed bucket (full of feed) from the tack room to the truck where he helps us hoist it into the bed of the truck.
He has his own spray bottle (full of water) that he can use to spray the animals with - he sees us spraying fly spray on the horses and wants to help, but since it's toxic to breathe, that is obviously not a realistic option.
He has a play area where his wagon/toys are located, but it is part of our "work area" at the barn, so he is very much an active part of the hustle and bustle of morning/evening chores. When his toys are pulled out of the wagon he is always good about putting them back in when we're finished. His friend Sophia has really helped to teach him this.
When we fill water buckets he is the "hose holder" and, yes, water often does not make it into the buckets but the wasted water is well worth the happiness it brings to that sweet little helper. He's always soaked afterward, but there's isn't anything wrong with riding home in nothing but a diaper.
He has his own "man sized" broom which he uses to help mommy sweep out the tack room after all the chores are finished.
He has been assigned the task of helping mommy with cooking. He pulls a chair up to the counter and helps munch on yummies that are just lying around idle, runs his fingers through the batter no matter what stage of preparation it is in, rearranges the silverware drawer in an often extremely unique fashion, wipes the counter top with a washcloth, stirs when something needs to be stirred and is the chief taste tester of all prepared and unprepared food items.
There are many other examples, but this is a start. Today he "helped" Auntie take apart our vacuum cleaner, using his screw driver to assist as much as possible, lifting the vacuum up and back down, bringing a washcloth over to clean the vacuum, etc.

The best part of this new process of trying to make it clear that he is a valued and important part of what we do every day is how it is reflected in him. When we put him to bed for his nap, or at nighttime for the rest of the evening, he no longer fusses. We give a brief recap of the day and tell him how much we appreciate all his wonderful help and how hard he works. We tell him about some of the things that we will probably be doing the next day and how much he needs sleep to be ready for tomorrow and he just lays down in his bed and nods off to sleep.

It's almost scary to realize how much he understands, how much he absorbs. He is created in God's image with so many unique abilities. He has such a desire to be needed and to be useful to the people who love him. And let me tell you, this Mommy loves him!

Give me that Old Time Rock N Roll

2011-07-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

Madigan REALLY LOVES TO DANCE. Old news, I know, but it's almost chronic. If there is music playing, he's bound to be dancing and if there's not music playing then there should be. His taste really astounds me. From Classical to Rock N Roll, he's got moves.

Today, on our way home from the feed store, he started to nod off to sleep. All parents out there know this is a MAJOR problem just before nap time. That little cat nap can become justification for all kinds of wickedness come nap time. I had music playing in the truck, but it was obviously too tame. We valiantly tried to rouse him using more traditional methods: poking, tickling, "here's your favorite toy", "What does Audrey say?", to no avail. He was out. When I finally had the bright idea of checking the radio, providence prevailed! Give me that Old Time Rock N Roll came blasting on. His drooping head raised up, tired little eyes rolled open slowly and a huge smile spread across his face. His eyes kept trying to shut but he fought it and pretty soon his shoulders were rocking to the beat. The smile never left his face. The sleepy passion for music is just impossible to capture with words. SO CUTE!

Devany - 8 weeks

2011-07-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

Day on the farm

2011-07-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

Serious

2011-07-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

This man takes his horseback riding seriously.

Sky

2011-06-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

These photos taken last night outside our front window. The clouds very much reflected my mood yesterday/today.

Billy - 32 years old

2011-06-24T09:50:00.001-07:00

Love Story

2011-06-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

This story began 32 years ago. My mom heard a knock at the door and went to find someone holding an 18 month old Morgan horse with a big bow around his neck. He had been given as a gift from friends and others in the patrol department where my dad had worked. A few months earlier, my dad who was a highway patrolman was killed while assisting at a traffic accident. His name was Billy - something we all found somewhat ironic since my own dad's name had been William (Bill).

So, my love story with Billy began when he was half my age: I was three and he was 1 1/2. I think neither Krista nor I remember life before Billy. These many years that have filled in the timeline of our lives since the day he arrived have been filled with so many memories. He has been a part of every season, every event, every change, a part of who we grew up to be.

Some of the memories I am quickest to recall:

He loved the horse trailer. Most horses are hard to load, but being food motivated as he was, he saw it as a place of sustenance and happiness. One time, when Krista and I were little, we were both riding on him bareback while he was being led and I guess Mom and Dad forgot we were up there, because they loaded us right into the trailer with him!

He ALWAYS nickered when he sensed that a meal was in order. Sometimes - well, often - the nicker would be accompanied by an enthusiastic rear and elegant display with his front hooves, followed by a buck and fart. So funny. So Billy.

We used to ride for hours and hours every week in the woods behind our house. We lived in a very isolated town (Nutrioso, Arizona) with few people, so our horses were our source of sanity, in a way. Riding Billy was always exciting, in one way or another. He never let the ride be dull... it was always some stunt or another that he was pulling. His personal favorite: when we were cantering on a long stretch he would suddenly and randomly pull a 90 degree turn straight through the trees, up a hill, over a log, or through a creek. We both learned to ride with a death grip "just in case". :-) He is definitely responsible for making us better riders.

When I decided to pull my own "Man from Snowy River" stunt and ride down the face of a mountain, Billy was game. He was game for anything. He just slid down that ridiculous incline without hesitation. And amazingly we both survived. I was so proud... and stupid. What a horse!

There are so many memories... they simply never end. That is a brief summary of my love story with this horse. Every member of my family has his/her own love story with him and they are all unique and special.

Today, his story ends, but his legacy, I feel, will go on in our hearts as long as we live. He will be desperately missed, and I think these memories that we have in bounty will be very comforting to us in the coming days as we grow accustomed to his absence and our loss.

Garden yummies

2011-06-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

Our garden is finally producing and we are loving it! I made a quiche out of our fresh tomatoes, basil, yellow squash, and some of our dear friends' farm fresh eggs. It was INCREDIBLE! If you want the recipe, let me know.

Boy + Corn

2011-06-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Goodbye

2011-06-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how much I hate saying goodbye. Death feels like the ultimate, permanent loss, and it is excruciatingly painful. It is with deepest sadness that I say goodbye to Skip Fasel, one of the people who played a defining role in my youth. Skip cared so much about people. He was always a listening ear, not just to me, but to probably just about anyone who knew him, and he encouraged me at critical junctures in my life. He and his family helped me navigate my way through some of the toughest challenges I faced as a young person and make decisions that permanently changed the course of my life for the better. There are not words sufficient to express how much he will be missed or how deeply he was appreciated, by me.

Tonight is his memorial service, in Arizona. I am unable to travel, for obvious reasons, but Krista and my dad are both there and somehow that makes me feel some closure, some comfort as I say goodbye to a dear friend.

Madigan's big announcement

2011-06-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

My life is crazy... or maybe I'm just crazy

2011-06-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Valiant hasn't been feeling well, so I made her two eggs for lunch. I served her eggs on a plate, and when I reached in the drawer to pull out a fork for her, I suddenly felt a little odd.

When Devany was trying to eat her breakfast this morning out of her little bucket, I had to run out and pull Audrey and Madigan out of the bucket so that Devany could get her head in. It seemed normal at the time, but on hindsight I have to admit... that's a bit unusual.

I was looking over my goat/horse/dog feed bags to make sure their ingredients were organic/soy free so that Madigan's isn't getting negative things in his diet. Wait... what?

I love horses and always have. Yet, I'm terribly allergic to a lot of their hay. Particularly Timothy grass and Alfalfa. I've currently got my barn stacked with: Timothy/Alfalfa cross. Makes for some tearful mornings and evenings and lots of nose blowing. I guess I could have thought that one through better BEFORE purchasing the delicious green hay.

Last week while weeding the garden, I glimpsed Arnold SchwarzeSPIDER. Outside of tarantula land, this bad boy was trying to set a size/ugly record. After my heart started beating again I went after the thing with a WEED WACKER. What? I'm here to report that, though it might not rush to your mind as the most obvious spider eliminator, it was effective. I'm sure the sheer enormity of the beast made my success possible, but I felt pretty clever in that moment.

Dancing...

2011-06-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

In a bad mood? Crabby? Tired? Bundle's remedy for all that ails? A really good dance song. I mean he's flexible. From Vivaldi to Dierks Bentley - as long as it has a good rhythm or beat he can't help it. He can often be seen bouncing around his car seat, head bobbing, with a big smile on his face. What cracks me up is how he has different moves for different music. He is so wired to love music, it's almost intimidating.

Well, now that he's acquired a generous helping of dog food, I guess I better go round up some dinner for the growing boy and his never ending appetite.

Devany - 3 weeks old

2011-06-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

Kitchen Duty

2011-06-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

We had our 7th high tea yesterday and in preparation we recruited the help of the little man in the house to prepare scones. He was AMAZING! He poured the flour, measured the dry ingredients and operated the "machine" with much enthusiasm. He was interested in the whole process. He was fascinated with all the measuring and stirring and actually spent most of the time with fingers in mouth just observing. At one point while he was trying to turn off the Kitchen Aid mixer, he turned it on high and the flour went flying. He looked at us with a horrified expression on his face and started to fuss. We assured him that it is the responsibility of every good cook to thoroughly dirty a kitchen and that the flour was simply proof of his outstanding capabilities.

Oh, and it turns out that scone dough is just as tasty as fully cooked scones. That's the official report from Bundle.

Lady Devany

2011-05-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

I am FINALLY getting around to posting photos of my favorite new baby horse! Lady Devany was born on May 6th, at 2:00am. I was able to watch her birth, which was such an amazing experience. Within an hour she was standing and nursing on her own! She is a very big baby with many features of both her dam and her sire. She is a beautiful peachy color, which I think will make her a chestnut once she matures. She is very courageous and inquisitive and so far we have been delighted to see that she has her mother's sweet nature.

I've been working with her every day, leading, tying, preparing to load in the horse trailer, brushing, messing with her legs, and just generally enjoying her. I absolutely love this little gem!

Video

Videos

2011-05-19T16:28:00.001-07:00

Okay, you asked for them, so here they are.

Bundle Boy

Dancing Man

More dancing man

Man needs his tools

Man on the farm

The Stair-master

Is it sad

2011-05-19T16:25:00.001-07:00

That this seems normal??? :-) Welcome to the funny farm.

Mama Horse

2011-05-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mud trudging as a 14 month old

2011-05-05T10:36:00.001-07:00

Madigan, the potatoes in the oven burned

2011-04-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

but I couldn't stop staring at your beautiful sleeping face as I rocked you in my arms last night. I knew dinner would be seriously overcooked, but somehow it didn't matter. As I sat there watching you sleep so peacefully I pondered how blessed we were to be given you, little boy, to love and cherish. So many unique "you" things that I love:

Your copper colored hair
Your quick smile and those dimples
The way you lose your words when new people are around... so shy
When you copy everything I do and want to use my tools to "help"
Cuddling with you at night before bed
Hearing you say "Go(tta) Go", "Da-Do" (thank you), "Hi Au(d)rey"
When you pester me while I'm on the cell phone insisting that it MUST be Daddy I'm talking to every time
Your willingness to try almost any foods
Your incredible sensitivity to emotions and verbal cues both positive and negative
The way you interact with the animals at the barn
Playing chase with you through the house - sometimes you bump and bounce into the walls as you gallop through the house on those little legs and it always sends you into a fit of giggles

There are so many things I love... particularly, I love being your mommy.

Music Man

2011-04-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Bundle and I were headed out to the back porch to plant some flowers and herbs. He was all excited because we had the little hand shovel and some buckets of dirt. He loves a new project and is an enthusiastic little helper. He got delayed in coming out the door, though, so I went in to see what was going on. He had run over to the refrigerator to grab his little music machine to bring out on the porch with us.

As soon as he got out there, he set it down next to me and pressed the music button so that it would play the first song. Before each song ended, or right after it ended, he would stop whatever he was doing to rush over and press the button. I smiled at him and told him, "You know, I was just thinking how fun it would be to have music playing out here while we're working." He looked up and gave me a huge smile! MELT MY HEART! He is such a music lover and so sensitive to know when to play it (most of the time, in this household).

And to top things off, he really was a huge help planting the flowers. He carried off all the empty flower containers and made his own little project out of them. He also re-arranged the flower pots on the porch to an order that more suited his sensibilities. I don't know how I would do these things without his observant eye.

Birthday Boy

2011-03-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

I know I'm EXTREMELY late in posting these, but I have an excuse... Life! Here are a couple of photos of our biggest boy on his first birthday. It was a special time with family up at our favorite cabin in the mountains. We made him a cake to play with, but he is so fastidious about keeping his hands clean (I know, funny for a barn boy) that he would only really eat the little Scotties that were decorating the cake.

We also got in a little time in the hot tub, which he loved! Thanks, Grandma, for the photos!

Grandma's Visit Photos

2011-03-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from Grandma's last visit out here for Bundle's birthday.

No goat in the bathtub

2011-03-14T21:24:00.001-07:00

George was taking a bath the other night and Valiant would not stop whining at him. Annoyed he asked me what her problem was. I told him that she was looking for her baby goat and thought he might have it. He then looked Valiant in the eye and said, "Valiant, there is no goat in the bathtub." I couldn't help but think: "Yes, I live on the funny farm."

Valiant has adopted the little goatess as her very own baby and none of us can convince her that the family resemblance is weak at best. She's got all the trials, tribulations and pride every new mother shares and lack of sleep to be sure.

One man in a... tub

2011-03-14T19:02:00.001-07:00

I couldn't resist posting these. Notice the last photo... taken of Madigan last April (2010). Our little man has changed so much!

The Story Begins (2)

2011-03-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

Eryn:

Kris and I continued to see each other around campus, mostly in the cafeteria while eating with a large group of friends. However, we didn't really have another chance to talk until several weeks after our first conversation. I was headed out to the barn where I kept my horse, Fancy, on a sunny Friday afternoon, when I saw Kris coming toward me. We stopped to "chat" for what turned into another 2 hour conversation. Not to alarm any of you (if you know Kris, you won't be alarmed) but he was skipping (yes, you're reading that correctly) across campus toward me. One of things I admired most about this guy was that he really was genuinely unconcerned and unaffected by what others thought of him. All I knew at that moment was that his skipping reflected my own end-of-the-week feelings ("Thank goodness it's Friday!").

During this conversation, Kris asked how my fiance was doing and I told him that I had called off my engagement, officially. We talked about my reasoning for doing so and he gave his condolences. I assured him that condolences were not necessary as I felt overwhelming comfort in my decision and was certain that the Lord had a much different and far preferable plan for my life (I was hoping it was indefinite singleness). Though, I will spare you the details, the catalyst for my decision to end my former relationship was the realization that in marrying this person I would never fulfill the purpose God had for my life - I didn't know specifically what that was, but I knew what strengths He had given me and that they would be squelched inside such a marriage.

We talked about many things during that conversation and though I don't remember too many of the details, I remember it being a meaningful and memorable conversation (I like to refer to it as one of the "big 3" that led to our future relationship). I do remember how the conversation ended, incidentally. Kris said, "I want to be completely candid with you, because I value your friendship. I was a lot more comfortable relating to you when you were engaged, for obvious reasons. Now that you are no longer engaged, I think we probably need to intentionally avoid spending any one-on-one time together because I am definitely interested in you and would have difficulty being your friend without simultaneously pursuing you for a more serious relationship." I told him I appreciated his candor and agreed with his suggestion that we be cautious of the time spent together. I was definitely NOT looking for another "romantic" relationship and greatly appreciated his honesty. It would be hard to convey, in words, how much I respected his openness... I knew that if he ever really decided to pursue me, it wouldn't be stealth and that I would know exactly what his intentions were. What a rarity!

Kris:

So a little background to our second conversation. . . By the time I met Eryn, I had seen a lot of people damaged by misusing romance/dating/whatever. Usually, it seems to be because people do not know what they want, or think they can find someone/thing better. They lack their own internal definition and structure, so they seek it out in others. The search is so vague that they stumble through all sorts of bad relationships. I mostly blame males for this - not that modern women are much better. Proverbs says to plant your field before building your house; yet, most men do not have a clear life purpose before they start seeking out romantic relationships.

As for myself, I had a pretty clear idea of who I was and what I was doing; consequently, I knew exactly what I was looking for. This didn't prevent me from falling into a "love at first sight" pot-hole along the way, because the girl didn't yet know who she was (even though she did know her professional aspirations). I am fairly academically minded, to put it mildly, but I believe that theory (whether scientific, theological, or life) has to be lived out in the real world in order to show that it works and creates an example for others to consider. I was looking for a wife that would help me translate ideas into reality and share them with others, primarily through our home.

At Bryan, I habitually considered girls for marriage -- it is only fair to them to decide quickly, so that you don't lead them on. Once decided, it is much easier to be a real friend. In observing Eryn, I had already concluded she had a natural bent toward hospitality. Her and Krista's dorm room was the nexus of campus life for many people and their group excursions to the barn were, wait for it . . . legendary. She was a natural peer counselor to a lot of gals. Eryn was a perfect candidate to help change the world from the comfort of our own home. But, she was engaged, which made her an excellent candidate for friendship.

The only question: what were her theological tendencies? You may laugh, but theology (and the culture flowing from it) plays a significant role in life tendencies, even in details. I was not interested in anyone from a high church background (too formal), a charismatic background (too mystical), or Presbyterian (too inclined to turn spiritual responsibilities over to others, but close otherwise :).

During our second conversation I attempted to piece together her theological history. I slowly worked through the time line of her church involvement. She had been in Bible churches (good), Baptist churches (better), and a home church (even better) which she had rejected as being too legalistic (perfect)! Nothing better than marrying a strait-laced rebel. Seriously. Who better to marry than someone who would obey God over man?

And she was not engaged any more! Oh, well, that left friendship (only) out of the equation . . . So, I decided that I would have to spend more time talking with Krista, so that I could find out the real scoop on this girl. After all, I could not afford to spend any more time around Eryn's blue eyes and dimples, which could potentially dissuade me from a purely objective pursuit of the truth.

2011-02-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

The Story Begins (1)

2011-02-21T17:46:00.000-08:00

People often ask, "How did you two meet?" Such a simple question. Somehow the answer always seems slightly complex, though "our story" is actually rather uncomplicated in many ways. It's a love story, to be sure... just not a typical romance, I guess you could say. :-)

Eryn:
I remember our first conversation distinctly. Kris found me sitting with a group of my friends in the cafeteria at Bryan College where I was a junior and he was senior. We hadn't met before so he asked me a few get-to-know-you questions regarding education, family background/dynamics, theology - you know, the basics. We ended up having a three hour discussion about courtship vs. dating. This particular topic was opened for discussion when I mentioned that I was engaged to someone and that we had pursued courtship rather than a more traditional dating method. What Kris didn't know at the time, and what I did not reveal, was that I was considering calling off my engagement but had not yet made any final decision. Throughout our conversation, I was fascinated by Kris' intelligence and his sincere interest in other people. I had never talked with anyone who believed so adamantly that each person is created with a specific purpose/calling for their life and given unique gifts to fulfill that purpose. I found the conversation to be encouraging and refreshing, as it was often difficult to find anyone who openly spoke their mind and with so much clarity. I felt like I had discovered a true friend, to be sure.

Kris:
Bryan is a very small college, so you recognize everyone that lives on campus and new people immediately stand out. I had a habit of welcoming anyone new to campus (doubly so if they were attractive co-eds). I first noticed Eryn going through the salad bar in the cafeteria with her sister, Krista. Of course, it is hard to miss two gals with an average height over 6 foot with blonde hair (Krista), blue eyes and dimples (Eryn). I decided to introduce myself and welcome them to Bryan. It was very early in the semester and my duty to be friendly, after all. I think they were wearing plaid shirts and jeans, which screamed *homeschoolers* (but, it should also have indicated that they were horse owners and barn denizens). Personally, I found such modest attire quite attractive, since it implies a "I don't care what the boys think" attitude and suggests that pursuit would be a sporting affair.

The previous semester, I had broken up, more or less, with my long-term "it's complicated" girlfriend and did not plan to find anyone before heading off to graduate school. So, I wasn't looking for anything more than an engaging conversation with a couple of pretty girls. At the time, my approach to flirting bounced back and forth between over the top compliments and probing questions about theology, cultural trends, family background, and one's life purpose. Intuitively, I decided to stick mostly with the latter when talking to likely homeschoolers. By the end of the conversation, I decided that these two gals were worth finding out more about. Their history, life outlook, and earnestness meshed with the mental checklist of things I was looking for in a wife. They passed my first level background check, but I needed to do a little more reconnoitering. . .

Before

2011-02-12T09:20:00.001-08:00

(After-repair photos to be posted soon!)

Sadness and Happiness

2011-02-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

Sadness:
ABS Brake failure in truck two weeks ago = drove truck into tree.
Happiness: No one seriously injured. Truck not totaled. Truck repaired completely and possibly returned today!
Sadness: Bundle sick - teething? Cold?
Happiness: He's SUPER cuddly. :-) Got him to drink fresh carrot/apple juice (does the body good)!
Sadness: Snow day in Nashville (Again) = 6 hour trip to pick up George from work
Happiness: It's sunny and supposed to get warm! Yippee!
Sadness: Having to say goodbye to family who came for a wonderful visit - miss you Mom and Krista
Happiness (i.e. something(s) I'm looking forward to): Baby goats and baby horse are going to be here soon!

Barn Life

2011-02-11T11:57:00.001-08:00

I love a handsome face!

2011-02-08T10:23:00.001-08:00

Birthday Boy!

2011-02-08T10:05:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple photos that Mom has taken while she's been here visiting. I don't have any actual "birthday boy" photos to post right now, but promise to post them soon! Our precious Bundle Boy turned one year old on the 5th! How is that possible? This kid has brought us immeasurable joy in this incredibly short year. He is such a delight to both of us and celebrating this first year of his life was splendid! Happy Birthday sweet Bundle!

Looking for shoes?

2011-01-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

for your baby? I HIGHLY recommend these! They are absolutely perfect in every way. Madigan started walking while we were snowed in at the cabin and we were so glad we had these. They are lightweight, super easy to get on since they unfasten from both sides, cute as can be, warm (if you're stuck in winter forever like us), and they come in various sizes. I cannot tell you how much we love these little buddies. For us they also have the added benefit of helping us to keep our boy's feet properly socked... he is a bit of a sock houdini and his previously exposed toes thank us daily for this new addition to his wardrobe. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

**Oh, and if you have or know someone who has a Costco membership, they can be found there for a much better price! :-)

10 Years!

2011-01-26T11:43:00.000-08:00

We celebrated our tenth anniversary on January 6th of this year! It doesn't seem possible that it's been 10 years. So much has happened in our lives and I think we can both safely say changed us in that time. One of the things I have noticed over these years is that marriage is like a living organism... it goes through seasons of health and sickness and yet it continues to grow (with HIS help) and become so much more than it started out as. I love my George more deeply now than I could have imagined possible when I was considering the possibility of marrying him. I don't think I even really loved him at that point, but I knew he was the person I wanted to spend my life with (because he was incredible even then!). :-) We've decided to write out our story in honor of this celebration and we're going to follow the example of some of our dearest friends, Patrick and Kim. We loved the way they told their story and thought, "why re-invent brilliantness?". So, over the next couple of weeks, keep watching for updates, if you want to know the WHOLE STORY.

I have posted below a few pictures of the marvelous cabin where we stayed for our anniversary (thanks to the generosity of our beloved friends Susan and Barry Gregory). We managed to get ourselves snowed in on the mountain so our 4 day rendezvous turned into 10 days, but you won't hear us complaining! It was crazy but super fun.

The face of a boy

2011-01-19T17:06:00.000-08:00

James Bundle

2010-12-16T10:27:00.001-08:00

"He's handsome, clever and amazing. We call him Bundle. James Bundle. " That was yesterday's catch phrase for Madigan. Who knows what this day will reveal!

Highlights (and lowlights) from this week:

One of the dogs barked unexpectedly, and Madigan immediately responded with an "uh-uh do(g)".

As we were preparing to leave the barn, I said, "Okay everybody (referring to the famous Scottish Terriers and Crazy White Dog who manage our lives for us) let's go." Madigan quickly gave his input with a "Do(g) go!"

Today, after finishing up the chores, we trundled into the house. I took off Madigan's jacket and gloves and he threw his arms around my neck and gave me the biggest hug in the history of the human race. He followed it up with a "kiss". I rapidly melted into a puddle on the kitchen floor.

The war on dog food has begun: somebody has a certain obsessive fetish with dog food (no, it's actually not George - guess again). You may not know, but it's delicious, nutritious, crunchy and most of all naughty. The fact that it's naughty to eat dog food makes it miserably tempting (yes, our boy is undeniably human). We've been careful to "choose our battles" with this little tiger, but alas, this is one of the chosen battles and we are thus far barely the victors. Bundle is definitely challenging our resolve on the matter most diligently.

Ray of Sunshine in our lives

2010-12-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

Life in these parts

2010-12-03T17:14:00.000-08:00

Bundle Crockett

2010-11-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

Auntie Shelly brought Bundle a hat from her trip to Germany. It is a bit big on him, but I couldn't resist... he's just too much in it! The last photo is a more accurate representation of his mood this evening. :-)

You know it's cold when...

2010-11-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

You get frost bite on your toes as you climb out of bed in the morning.
The butter is hard as a rock in the butter dish on the kitchen counter.
You don't have to refrigerate your food because it actually stays colder if you leave it out.
The whole family dons snow suits and scarfs indoors to stay comfortable.
You take a drive in your car just as an excuse to sit in front of a heater.
Hot tea has to be consumed briskly before it turns into iced tea.
You start baking all sorts of unncessary items just to feel the comforting presence of the oven.
The whole family has runny noses.

Our heaters and hot water heater decided to collaborate and quit working at the same time. They picked the perfect week, too... the coldest week so far this fall. Awesome. Here are some photos of Bundle all "bundled up" in his winter getup.

Here's to warm showers, warm toes and warm noses!

Random

2010-11-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

Two exciting, totally non-related things have been happening over the past couple days. First, we've been preparing everything at the barn for winter (planting the fields in wheat and rye for next year, cleaning pens, refreshing the shavings, making fence/barn/stall repairs, etc.). One item I'm particularly excited about is that we got my trailer under the barn overhang. Yippee! This will greatly extend the life of my trailer from rust, as it won't be subjected to the elements. I wasn't sure it would fit, but there it is!

Second, I've been practicing the piano for almost an hour each day and though it's helped my playing improve, the greater reward is that Bundle has started to show a keen interest in it! He frequently walks over and starts tapping the keys with a big smile on his face. When I'm playing, he often asks to climb into my lap and we play a "duet" of sorts. :-) So much fun to watch his interest and fascination with how it works.

Gloomy

2010-11-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

When the weather is this gloomy it is sorely tempting to allow my mood to follow suit. But, I woke up this morning with a determination to not absorb any of the gloom outside and to stay focused on the things in my life that bring sunshine. So, I'm working on my goat business website, making bread, stocking my barn full of hay, making soup, winterizing my horse trailer, playing with Bundle and rubbing my hands all over my soft, fuzzy horse. And speaking of sunshine, here are some photos of two of the people who bring a great deal of sunshine to my life (Bundle and Susan, the clown).

Madigan Stop!

2010-10-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

I woke up yesterday and found out we were going to have a baby - you. I woke up today and you were smiling at me with your devilish dimples, wobbling on your two legs all too close to taking off and walking on your own. I'm afraid of waking up tomorrow and finding you all grown up. If there was a pause button on this moment I would press it... good thing there isn't one. I know I'd miss all those wonderful moments yet to be lived out. You're little but you take such a big place in my heart... I never knew there was that much room.

Me and my 8 month old

2010-10-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

2010-10-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

I spent my morning reviewing history - my history - in a photo tour through the chapters in my life. So many things changed in each new chapter but there were some recurring themes in each:
family was most important, reliable, always an active ingredient in my life even if from a distance
pain, loss, usually followed by growth, but all too often followed by self-pity and stagnation
immeasurable joy
countless opportunities and adventures, some ignored and some experienced to the fullest
a thread of His faithfulness that has never broken, even in the "disasters" that sometimes shadow a season
a hope in what lies ahead in the chapters that are yet to be lived out

Thoughts on the environment from Madigan

2010-10-14T09:03:00.001-07:00

Bundle Boy

2010-10-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

Mama Horse - 4 months along!

2010-10-13T18:59:00.000-07:00