The Farm Report

Category: Tom

  • Pioneer village

    Pioneer village

    The summer curriculum has moved on to the days of the pioneers. This was a perfect time to head out to a historical park I’d heard about, but never visited. A huge facility, they offered basket making, candle dipping, and countless demonstrations.

    Shep lost a tooth while we were there, because he can’t seem to lose teeth at home.

    Neko and Ellery bought period outfits to wear that day (Shep declined), and wore them until bedtime. Back in the thick of my own Little House phase, my mother made us matching Laura, Mary, and Carrie dresses. (There are pictures of us somewhere in a Japanese tourist album with my father in downtown Philadelphia. He was sporting a long beard and his suit that day, and I think they thought we were Amish.)

    I want to start whistling the theme to Little House on the Prairie when I look at that last photo.

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  • Power up

    Power up

    There are not many dads who can crank out a Mario star on a whim. Especially ones that know how to handle sateen in a sewing machine.

    That husband of mine? Top notch.

     

  • Field Trip: Camping

    Field Trip: Camping
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    Always a fantastic way to kick off the field trip season. Thanks to all who swam, cooked, laughed, bar tended, and kid wrangled. Supa fun.

    (Also, happy birthday to my amazing father. Love you!)

  • His smoldering look

    His smoldering look

    Or, you know, his please-oh-please-stop-taking-pictures-of-me look.

  • Stalling

    Stalling

    It’s too nice outside. The kids are looking for any reason to stay awake. Like a last-minute trip to the mailbox. With bicycles. In pajamas.

  • Happy Mother’s Day

    Happy Mother’s Day

    Today Tom gave me the greatest Mother’s Day gift of all.

    Believe me, I like a day of pampering as much as the next girl. And I’m not one for jewelry, but you can win my heart with yarn, fabric, or a gift certificate to the Container Store.

    But what I really wanted was time in this house, all by myself—to purge.

    The house has come last on the list for some time now. Cleaning has meant shoving things on the closest available shelf, or building a precarious stack so there’s room to attend to the crisis at hand. If the door closes on cabinets and closets, it’s good enough. And when I do try to get rid of things, someone inevitably wails, “But I neeeeeed that!”

    But, today, when Tom took the kids away for six hours, I got down to business. By the time I heard little feet again, I had thrown out three huge bags of trash and filled two boxes to donate. Shelves were holding just enough, some even had some room to spare. I even eked out some space for summer projects.

    It seems wrong to be this elated about a day of cleaning, but I am ECSTATIC. Jubilant. Walking on air.

    Somewhere in the midst of it all I stumbled upon this queen driving an excavator, which made me laugh out loud, as it seemed quite symbolic of my whole Mother’s Day.

    (Wishing a very Happy Mother’s Day to my own, incredible mother. I love you!)

  • Debut

    Debut

    The kids and I were outside when Tom arrived home from work.

    I asked how his day was, and he held up this album. I really haven’t laughed that hard in ages.

    He and Chris had spent a good portion of the day recording an album for a friend’s album-in-a-month challenge. So really, they met the album-in-a-day challenge. (I swear, most days they are actually working over there.)

    Songs include such gems as “No Refunds” and “Turn the Fan Off” and “Uterus of Joy.”

    I will keep you all posted on the actual album release so you can all run right out and get your hands on this awesomeness yourselves.