The Farm Report

Category: family

  • Getaway

    Getaway

    Tom and I got away this past weekend, just the two of us, to belatedly celebrate our 10th anniversary.

    Here’s my summary of the weekend:

    1. There is something that goes on in my new bag that turns my camera on repeatedly and runs out the battery. I love my new bag. I do not like this problem.

    2. As a consequence of said camera incident, I only have these half-hearted camera phone photos to show for it.

    3. I love my husband.

    4. I love my kids.

    5. Sometimes I need to be away from them to remember how much I love them.

    6. It’s possible all Tom and I need on a getaway is a couch, tv, good book, bike, and solid internet connection. In hindsight, we could have done this more cheaply closer to home. But it WAS really nice to see the ocean.

    7. We have some of the most amazing friends and family. There are not many people who would willingly take our three crazy children on for more than a few hours. Amazing, I tell you.

    8. I only took photos on one day since the year began. ONE DAY.

    9. I finally got the blog caught up. (January was kind of a freebie, considering that whole one day of taking pictures thing.) Being caught up is incredibly liberating. Telling myself that putting the camera down every now and then is as well.

    10. “The Hunger Games” series has managed to reel in both Tom and myself and now we are fighting over who gets to read Book Three first.

    Yep, I’m ending on a schmaltzy teen novel rather than tying up this whole rambling mess neatly. How’s that for shaking things up in the new year?

  • Sewing

    Sewing

    The kids have always had an interest in sewing, crafting things for their dolls and stuffed animals. The Husband and I both sew off and on. I don’t do it anywhere near as often as I’d like.

    The Oldest just completed a sewing unit at school as part of their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Program. The whole class sewed these amazing stuffed creatures. This seems to have re-invigorated the desire to sew around here.

    But I like my sewing machine, and I get a little itchy when I think about the kids using it. So when a friend told us Bernina had come out with a line of basic sewing machines at an affordable price, we decided to spring for one for the kids.

    It was supposed to be here in time for Christmas, but I sort of think things worked out the way they were supposed to. We picked it up right before the new year, right as the newness of to holiday gifts wore off. We’ve been hearing a steady hum over there ever since.

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  • Christmas

    Christmas
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    I only took these photos today. But we did set the time-lapse camera the night before. My favorite part is that the kids were all like, “Oh, we just got out and took a look at the presents for a few minutes, that’s all.” But, I don’t know about you, but I see a whole lot of investigating going on.

    A fantastic American Girl, Star Wars Lego, skateboard deck, car radio, whole lotta family time day was had by all.

     

  • Santa

    Santa

    As is tradition, we went to the Museum with friends on Christmas Eve. It’s always been empty, and we have the run of the place.

    Except this year they moved the downtown train exhibit to the Museum, and we suddenly found ourselves fighting a crowd. I have no idea what we’ll do next year.

    But in the meantime, we managed to find that moment when there was no one in line for Santa, and Ellery had him all to herself. He spent a huge chunk of time listening to her list and introducing her to his reindeer.

    Magic moments, I tell you. Magic.

     

  • The Gruffalo

    The Gruffalo

  • Holiday lights

    Holiday lights

    When we lived in the Big City, we tried that drive-through holiday lights business at the local park. Traffic was bumper to bumper, and we all began feeling a bit claustrophobic.

    When we moved to our little town, we found out the local sculpture park had a similar thing, so we decided to give it a go.

    Of course there were a few less lights, but there was also no traffic. The kids were in awe, noses pressed to the windows, not wanting to miss a detail. This year, Ellery cried for the last five minutes of the path because “it’s going to be oooooover!”

    I adore this moment that occurs each year. It’s such fantastic, small-town, schmaltzy family time.

  • Tree trimming

    Tree trimming
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  • Dinner by candlelight

    Dinner by candlelight
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  • Family hug

    Family hug

  • Spa bliss and the Dark Side

    Spa bliss and the Dark Side
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    The kids got haircuts today.

    Ellery crawled into our bed sometime in the middle of the night. At around 6:00am I awoke to someone excitedly whispering in my ear, “We’re getting haircuts today!”

    This girl was born for the spa. She’s been excited about this day for a week. I think haircut day trumped both Thanksgiving celebrations. When we arrived, she settled into the chair like she owned the place, and never stopped smiling.

    In between haircuts and the Muppets (YAY!) with Chris, we killed a little time at the Lego store. On our way through the mall we ran into the Dark Side. A certain six-year-old was impressed.

    As for the movie, I got a bit teary-eyed as they sang the opening sequence, my own children the same age as when I first dicovered the Muppets. That’s all kinds of full-circle awesome.

    (Unlike this post, which is all kinds of scattered and disjointed.)