Monday, October 30, 2017

Monday and Applesauce by numbers.




Two bushels...or two laundry baskets chocked full of apples.

Four and a half people.
{not that Frankie isn't a whole person..but as an applesauce helper, we'll count him as half...-ish}

Two pears eaten while making applesauce. {wink}

Eight and a half hours.
{Why every October, do I underestimate the timing of this endeavor in my mind?}

Twenty one quarts sealed and cooling on the kitchen table.

One chicken roasted in the oven all afternoon with carrots and potatoes and onions and garlic.

Two cups of coffee.

Three round trips back and forth to the orchard to drop off and
pick up employees who happen to be my children.

Four loads of laundry washed.
Two loads put away.
Two will wait until tomorrow morning.









One mother happy with all that was accomplished.
The same mother happy to be getting ready for bed.
XxOo

Friday, October 27, 2017

Wrapping up the week.


It's gloomy and windy and thirty nine degrees on this last October Friday.
There is a fire in our wood stove with cinnamon and apple slices boiling in a copper pot.
Hello cozy days...welcome back! We love you.











This week all of the leaves on our Maple tree fell to the ground.
The garden ended for the year.
Hot chocolate happened one morning.
I still and will always love homeschooling my kids.

Happy Weekend.
XxOo

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Listen young moms....It wasn't that long ago....


....I was the schedule maker and the one in charge of our time.

....everyone was in a car seat.

......all of my babies came along to pick up apples every Fall or pick strawberries in Spring.

...we sat together for breakfast each morning and I would read out loud.

......baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies made me the queen of the world.

....Hot Wheels were everything!!!

..everyone wanted to sit next to me. {or on top of me!}

....I had a couch full excited for me to read Dr. Suess.

.......I couldn't wait for nap time.

...playmobiles were set up all over the living room for days.

...we grocery shopped as a group.

.......I used to hear constantly "Are they all your's?".

...everyone was excited to go to the library to pick out books.

.....ice cream was a HUGE deal.

...movie night was the highlight of the week.
{a camp-out on the family room floor took it to the next level!}








All six of our kids still live at home.

Our oldest turned twenty last month and I know it won't be long until
they all start leaving this nest we made.

These days I mostly bring along the girls and Frankie...
...because they're the only ones who want to come with me! Haha!!!
The older boys are more into one on one time while out instead of the whole team.

They will come with me to be nice if I'm going alone...but I tell them it's okay.
I know they don't love the library like the three year old loves the library.

They are onto bigger and better and more manly things...
...going to the gym.
...sleeping outside under the stars in their fancy sleeping bags no matter the temperature.
...cooking bacon in cast iron pans on open fires.

These things make me happy to see. I love being their mom! and I love seeing them grow up.

But...it's all happening so fast! I had no idea.
When older moms in Target lines tell you time will go fast and enjoy these days...LISTEN!

Listen to them.
You will very soon have time to read that book and take a shower in peace...I promise!
You will one day go to the store alone like you've been wanting to
and you will wish for someone to help pick out a flavor of juice or a type of cereal.

I am happy beyond happy that I have been and
still am able to stay home. I know not every mom can.

Yes..sometimes we sacrifice things or activities and Jeff sacrifices a lot of time
so I can be with the kids all day...but we wouldn't trade it for anything.
{although I would love for Jeff to be home all day with us too!}

I can buy new furniture and fancy jewelry when they are all grown and gone.
I probably won't even care much about it all when the time comes anyway.



Don't wish away your time....I know..I KNOW life can feel crazy and full.
When you feel like running away {which will happen if you're a mom!!!}....
...take a minute. Think about what you have right in front of you.
and be grateful for your crazy life!

Before you know it...you'll be thinking..It wasn't that long ago...
XxOo

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

We traveled to Iowa to cook and celebrate and stand up in... and a few other little things.


My brother Jake married Molly.

Their wedding was outside on her parent's beautiful property out in Iowa.

Savino's Brick Oven {our family} made all the food for the wedding.
{Click HERE for a little video to see everyone in action}

Sadly none of our grandparents could make it to the wedding.
They are such a big party of our family...
....it was sad and strange for our grandpa and both of our grandmas to be missing.
Grandpa needed surgery two days before...we are thankful all is well.
...and even though Grandma wasn't there, she still baked her sweet table and
sent all the good Italian cookies along!








"Are we finished up here?"....this one was made me laugh..Ha!

All the pretty cookies....










I asked the boys for one picture...just ONE nice picture! {insert eye rolling emoji here}







{It starts young...let me tell you!!!}






Congratulations Jake and Molly!!!
So happy to have a new sister in the family.
XxOo

Thursday, October 12, 2017

This is how I've been feeling lately.....

....lost in a great big schedule with fifty billion things to do every second of everyday.
That's usually how fall goes around here...but this year seems even busier.

At the moment, this is one of my favorite art pieces in the city...
....love all the business men under their umbrellas.



My little brother is getting married this weekend and we are off to Iowa to celebrate the big day.
I have never been to Iowa...which is funny because I live next door to the state!
I've been over, under and around...but never through.

He was the ring bearer at Jeff's and my wedding and now Frankie is his.
It doesn't seem right that he is old enough to be getting married...but that's how life goes.
Fast.

Thank you to everyone who was praying for my grandpa yesterday.
Surgery went well and he is now recovering.

Happy {early} weekend to you.
XxOo