Pumpkins

I spent a good portion of the night throwing up, but when morning came I decided I had to just push through.

The pumpkins needed to be put in the ground and it was a beautiful day.

So I went out with some of Brittan's friends that came by to help and my friend, Esther and we planted more strawberries and the pumpkins. 

I love seeing the green plants in the field. 

I think they like being in the field too and not in those confining pots. 

We got about 1,600 more strawberries plants and 500 pumpkins. 

Also, my brother came out to visit with his family and brought Jamie with him. 

I love that girl! 

 You can still kind of see the sickness in my face here. 

It was pretty bad! 

The Pukes

At 12:49 this morning I received this text:

"Hey mom so I've thrown up like six times and I don't think I will be able to babysit for Sam tomorrow."

Then at 230 am a different child came into our room,

"I keep throwing up!"

Followed by a dash to the bathroom and that sound that no parent enjoys hearing.

Then at 7 am, when I came down the stairs, I found another child on the couch.

"Mom, could you bring me a bowl. Fast!"

I have three kids left at home.

Do the math. 

I beelined it out the door as soon as I could so I didn't get sick.

I sequestered myself in the greenhouse most of the day.

When I came in for lunch, Corban said, "Help me!"

Poor kids. 

I am grateful they are all old enough to make it to the toilet or the bowl. 

They've mostly just slept all day.

It's been quiet. 

Hopefully, tomorrow will be better for everyone. 

In the meantime, there is snow in the forecast. 

Bri said, "Can we please just have summer?"

I couldn't agree more! 

A LOT of Work

Today was a gorgeous day to plant strawberries. 

We had lots of help. 

Seventeen people showed up to help us plant. 

Ten of those were missionaries. 

I love the missionaries! 

We got eight 300 foot rows done. 

Only 5 more to go. 

It was lots of work but really, really good company. 

Plastic mulch and Drip tape

Today we spent a lot of the day fine tuning the plastic mulch layer and planting broccoli and cauliflower.

I didn't realize just how much of those I started, but there are a lot of them. 

I also got hit by allergies and feel like I am dying.

And Matt donned all his farmer clothes for the occasion yesterday.

 

Seminary Graduation

Tonight was Brittan's seminary graduation.

In the picture above she has grow up with all but one of the kids.

It has been fun to watch that happen.

I had the chance to speak for a few moments and give a little advice.

I chose my words from Luke 9:51-56- Don't burn the village down.

It was a good night.

I look forward to seeing what all these kids will do with their lives. 

Gorgeous Day

Yesterday was beautiful. 

We didn't get much done. 

The entire afternoon and evening was spent doing Trek training for our stake.

We are not sure if we are going on Trek yet, but we are in charge of all the trainings. 

It was fun even though we have TONS of farm work that has to happen.

This week we will be putting everything in the ground outside. 

Including 10,000 strawberry plants. 

Last night as I was going to bed I looked out our window and saw the view in the picture above. 

I wanted to just sit in the window seat and watch it change as the sun went down, but I was so tired so I took a picture of it and laid in bed looking at it. :)

I love this time of year!

Here are some random shots from the day:

 

Mberries

Tonight my Esther friend came over. 

She bought a magical thing called mberry that changes your taste buds. 

So things that taste sour or bitter are changed to sweetness.

We started with the spicy garlic pickles. 

It was the strangest thing.

They tasted sweet but my tongue also felt tingly like it should be on fire. 

We also tried lemons, limes, strawberries and cream cheese, salt and vinegar pringles, and balsamic vinegar.

It was pretty fun stuff.

Some people's taste buds held on to the sweetness of all things better than others.

Corban and Makenna also took her out fishing on the paddle boat and her pants got soaked making it look like she peed herself.

It was actually a really fun night. 

Grandma Ninny

Usually about two to three times a week Afton comes to play while his mom goes to work. 

We block off all the places that he shouldn't go, take things out of cupboards that he can break, and make sure Trapper stays outside. 

Because Trapper loves to kiss Afton and that makes him fall over. 

He is a great kid.

Very mild mannered unless he is tired or wants your phone. 

I love that I get to be his Grandma Ninny. 

We were trying to come up with a grandma name that was suitable when he was younger. 

There were some undesirable suggestions.

Anyway, Matt has called me Ninny for years and it is the perfect grandma name. 

It's pretty fun being his grandma.

His eyes light up when he sees me and he loves to just sit on my lap when he is here. 

I kind of like that kid! 

She's Graduated!

Today Brittan walked at graduation. It is hard to believe that we have three children no longer in school. They had a rose ceremony and she walked up to her dad and I and handed us roses. That was the only time I lost it. I couldn't believe I started crying. She is such an incredible person. I am excited to see what she does with the life she has been blessed with. Because of the program that she was in she graduated with 25 college credits. She's almost half way to her AA degree. 

She graduated in the same class as her cousin, Austin Hayes. It was pretty fun to have his entire family, his Aunt Tyann and her family, his grandparents, my dad, and my brothers Travis and Clinton with their families there to support her and Austin. Also her church leaders, Sis Marcy Day and Sis. Wendy Greathouse were there to support her as well. 

It was a good day! 

Growing Food

There is something important about growing your own food for your mental health.

I don't know.

There is just something so satisfying about growing what you eat.

Today I made a salad with bib lettuce, kale and salanova lettuce.

It was really, really good.

I love seeing everything get bigger and bigger in the greenhouse.

It is hot in the greenhouse today.

We're working on getting the beds ready. 

Matt got the soil tested and we are really, really low on lime. 

Like things should not be growing because it is so low.

Last year must have been a year of divine intervention or something. 

Anyway, there is still lots of work to do getting everything planted but I am enjoying every minute of it. 

 

Dallin, Trapper, Margot and The Armor of God

Today was awesome! 

I love that we got to skype with Dallin.

We talked with him for over an hour.

He looks really good. 

We are coming up on the year mark. 

It made my day. 

I've been thinking about celebrations that we have. 

I think the world has things backwards.

I think on birthday's that the person born shouldn't be celebrated but the people that brought that person into the world. 

I also think that on Mother's Day the mother shouldn't be celebrated but those who made her a mother.

That said, I took a nap and didn't celebrate anything but the other side of my eye lids.

Last year I told the kids that all I wanted for Mother's day was a copy of their testimonies.

I wanted the same thing this year.

They have all basically promised to get it to me.

I want to gather their testimonies every year for the rest of my life and then when I am old and grey find some way to preserve them for posterity. 

It's the genealogist in me.

I can't help it. 

Plus if they ever struggle with their testimonies I will have copies to reference them back to so they can remember. 

Yesterday we had an eventful day.

The girls and I went to a baby shower for the Hayes twins, Maverick and Margot.

Maverick is still in the NICU but we got to hold Margot. 

Then we got home and discovered Trapper had a fishing lure stuck on the inside of his leg.

He would not let us touch him so we took him to the vet.

They sedated him because of where it was.

It was so funny to see his reaction to being drugged.

He had a hard time standing and just kept passing out.

He's doing much better today.

Lastly, Brittan drew a picture for her friend Ririe who is leaving on a mission to Ghana. 

It's a reminder of who he is.

I posted it on a Missionary Mom's group on Facebook and all the ladies wanted one for their missionaries.

She is now working to put together a etsy page to sell her prints.

It's pretty exciting and she is dang talented. 

 

Baby Hands

Almost every day I find myself grateful for my kids. 

They make me laugh like no other. 

Sam sent Bri and I a picture of a girl that did her graduation pictures with baby hands.

So we decided that it was high time to get some of those ourselves.

We searched all over town until we finally found a creepy baby doll that is now even creepier since we removed it's hands. 

Then we finished our shopping.

Bri would wave at people with her baby hands.

She washed them and blew them dry after using the restroom.

She pushed back her hair and even showed her delight while we working in the nursery last night.

I was laughing so hard I thought I might pee my pants.

We are hopeful to get some graduation shots as well.

She is considering wearing them when she walks. 

She'll shake hands with the high school staff with her baby hands. 

hahaha.

I'm not sure she'll go that far but one thing is for sure, I love that my kids make me laugh.

They make my life wonderful. 

Now go get yourself a pair of baby hands! 

The Farm Life

This morning I ate my breakfast on the front porch. 

It's one of my favorite things to do this time of year. 

Among so many others. 

Yesterday afternoon I took the hanging flower baskets from the greenhouse that I planted with alyssum, babies breath, and nasturtiums and hung them on the front porch.  

There is a lot of mess in front of the house: tires, lots of fire wood and other random stuff and the house still needs to be painted, but I am so grateful for this house. 

We made a decision several years back. 

It took a lot of restraint to save money and budget, but we were able to build this house out of pocket.

That means we have no mortgage on our house.

We do have a land payment, but that is it. 

There is a huge amount of peace that has accompanied this decision.

We have been blessed beyond what we ever imagined.

This morning I hoped on the tractor and finished shaping the rest of the beds for the market garden.

We have 76 beds.

I can't wait to see them all filled with growing food.

The greenhouse is filled with growing food.

Everything is planted except for a small area for lettuce.

It's pretty fun in there.

 

 

Riding on the Tractor

This afternoon I climbed on the tractor and shaped beds for the Market Garden. 

It was super fun being a farm girl! 

Our garden is double what it was last year. 

I'm sure I am going to be incredibly busy this summer

and I'm also sure I will love every minute of it. 

Also, the lake is thawed so Bri and I went out on it.

There was still a little ice in our little cove but we paddled through it. 

Brittan sat on the front of the boat and kicked it so we could get through. 

It's a beautiful day today. 

 Also Matt and I went on the lake last night.

It had a lot more ice than today. 

 

Hammock time

Matt hung a hammock in the greenhouse.

It's pretty great! 

I sat there for quite a while after planting all the peppers.

It's been chilly outside but the greenhouse has been warm.

Probably too warm for me yesterday since I think I got a bit of heat exhaustion, but I am fine today. 

We've had a really cool spring. 

The plants in the greenhouse, except the lettuce, are struggling.

The tomatoes are basically just staying where they are and we have lost almost all the cucumbers. 

I thought about that this morning and wondered if it may be a blessing in disguise. 

Before I say why I remembered an article I read about what irritates people about Mormons. 

One of the things it said was that Mormons always try to find the good in every situation.

They call struggles and trials "opportunties."

I seriously laughed at that.

It's true.

And a beautiful way to live. 

So the "opportunity" of a cool summer...

I think maybe it is a blessing because if it was warmer out the lettuce may be bolting and we wouldn't be able to get as many cuttings out of it. 

Plus, we got a call from Natural Pantry this week.

They called us and want our product in their store.

That is a huge deal.

Here are the peppers I planted yesterday

 

Popping, Afton, Dirt and Water

Yesterday was a good day. 

We were graced by Afton's piggy noises.

It was pretty funny, although when we showed him the video of his pig noises he was embarrassed.  

Also the trees officially popped.

Out here at the farm we are usually a few days behind in town.

In town the streets are lined in green.

It will be a day or two before it fills out here but I am calling it! 

 The lake is trying to thaw as well. 

It feels really late for this, but by the weekend I am sure I will find myself in a kayak paddling around. 

 Also the market garden dried up enough that Matt could run the tractor through it.

I think he loved every single minute of it. 

I am so excited to get plants growing in that black ground there.

And last but not least a view of the greenhouse from one corner.