Gold?

 

We got the most beautiful showing tonight. 

The day was lovely and then the rain came, but with it came some incredible views.

I caught the rainbow right inside the dump truck. 

I shared it on social media and asked if people thought there was a pot of gold in that old dump truck. 

I am grateful for the beauty of nature. 

It actually is very grounding to go out and take it all in, especially on days when we need a little grounding. 

 

Autumn

 

If time would allow me, I would get dressed in my comfy clothes and wrap up in my new pumpkin colored blanket and sit on the porch swing with a cup of hot cocoa and just take in all the sights and smells. 

It's so beautiful outside right now. 

It doesn't last long but it does put on a great show. 

I love this time of year. 

 

Atticus Turns One!

 

Cute little Atticus turned one today. 

Time seriously goes too fast. 

It has been such a joy to watch him go from crawling to walking to running all in the last few months. 

We have loved having these littles in our home for so long. 

 

Seminary Couch Burning

 

Last year I told my seminary kids about how my family loves to burn couches.
They immediately wanted to have a party out at the farm to burn a couch. 

Lucky for them I had an extra one lying around, but unlucky for them it was already mostly winter. 

So I told them we would have a party at the beginning of the year and we did. 

It was so fun to have my people that I love so much come into the world that I live in. 

The parents that drove couldn't believe I traveled so far every day to be with them and teach them.

They are kind of a big deal so...

We played in Hammock Town, rode the four wheeler, ate cucumbers and carrots, and some people brought guns to shoot. 

We also watched Matt jump into the lake, which is something he has been doing every Saturday for a couple of weeks. 

It was just so good to be with them. 

 

Around the Farm

 

Things are winding down for the winter here at the farm. 

We are trying to wrap up the house projects, which basically means getting a roof on each of them.

This winter we may get the chance to finish the inside of things. 

I am also trying to get the garden put to bed, but the strawberries are still producing so well. 

My goal is to have all the garden beds ready to plant in first thing in the spring, but we'll see if that happens.

It's a pretty ambitious goal since we don't have a tractor and need to borrow my brothers. 

But winter is coming soon, which is kind of sad, because I love fall so much and it is so short. 

 

Husband/Wife conference

 

Matt and I got to spend the last three days in Washington with some pretty amazing people that I get to work with. 

We played the Amazing Race S&I style and Matt and I won two legs of the race with our other teammates. 

I only took a few photos so that is what you get here. 

The thing I took the most photos of were creepy dolls at the Goodwill that was next to the hotel.

I always send Marissa creepy doll pictures when I go out of town.

It's kind of a tradition now. 

We got to be taught at the feet of Elder Taumann who is an area seventy.

It was basically really awesome!

I love my job and the people I get to rub shoulders with.

Anyway, here are shots with us and the Taylors and Caspersons.

And my favorite creepy doll.

 

 

Freeze Dryer!

 

It finally came!

I am so excited about this. 

I've had it since Aug 30th and it has been running almost non stop.

There is a learning curve to it, I have found.

It is also loud.

I want to get a cart for it and put in it in the pantry because the fan is so loud, but it has freeze dried some amazing stuff.

So far I have tried the following: starburst, skittles, caramel, gummy bears, strawberries, eggs, green beans, peas, pineapple, tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, bananas, avocado and zucchini.

Something have failed or had to run through two cycles, but it has been really fun to learn all the ins and outs.

Freeze dried food, if stored properly can last up to 25 years.

Which is totally awesome! 

I am just going to keep that thing going to freeze all the extra produce we got this summer. 

 

Progress

 

Things are moving along nicely with our two houses on the property.

We have the braces for the second floor done on the Loft house and the Lake house has the second floor completed. 

It's really fun to see these two projects moving along so nicely. 

I am excited to see them get all dried in. 

Hopefully that happens soon. 

 

 

Lauren Daigle

 

There are not quite words for what I got to experience today.

Lauren Daigle came to do a concert at the fair and Matt, Makenna and I all took advantage of the chance to go.

I was surrounded by friends and seminary students and people that love me.

Plus on top of that I could feel the love of the Savior through Lauren's music.

It was just so good.

We sang her happy birthday and she even brought up some Alaska Natives to dance as she sang Rescue.

It was so powerful, I don't think there was a dry eye there.

I'm so glad for moment that feed my soul.

There's been some really hard stuff happening in our lives and it was just really good to have some really good stuff happening too.

 

Planting and Harvesting

 

We spent yesterday digging all the potatoes with help from Andi, Atticus and Jessie.

And today I got all the area ready and planted with the fruit bushes we bought about a month ago now.

We have gooseberry, blueberry, elderberry, cherry, white currant, and honey berry all planted now.

In total, with the apple trees we now have 32 fruiting plants.

I think that is SO fun.

I don't imagine we will get much next year but I am hopeful.

The crab apple trees have been planted for two years now and maybe next year we will get some. 

The potato harvest was really good as well.

Atticus ate a little dirt and Andi enjoyed a carrot.

All total we harvested around 170 lbs of potatoes this year.

Not too shabby!