Moving Back Home - Back to Mass

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I've hestitated for some time in writing this post as even now I still feel like I'm holding my breath.  

A little over a month ago we made the decision not to move to Bahrain. The conversations we had and what we learned from making that decision led us to sign paperwork to put our house on the market the following week. Being tied to this house was a large factor in not taking on a grand adventure. That adventure wasn't the right one for us but we wanted to be ready to take on the next adventure to come our way.

Sewing Rope - new way to do an old thing

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It's quite rare that I come across a craft that I have all the tools and skills to attempt that also gets me excited to try my hand. It's not that I don't get excited to try things, just that I've already tried so many over the years. 

Newest chooks - spring 2015

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After we said farewell to ladies, our last chickens, in the fall we started daydreaming about starting again. In the winter, amidst snow storms and with our not-quite-so-newborn in my arms, I placed our order for a new batch of chickens. After fewer than half arrived alive (snowstorm after they'd shipped) I was reluctant to post. And then we  almost moved to Bahrain but didn't.

Since then, we've received replacements that all arrived happily. The big girls (and guy!) are out in the big coop and within a week or two we will put the new girls out in their own space inside the large coop for them all to get acquainted. 

When the time comes to finally merge the flock, we will move along a couple of the "hatch day mystery" chicks we ordered to fill in the required number to ship in early February. But for now we have happy peeping in the dining room, and scratching and pecking in the back yard. 

It's good to have chooks again. And not just to hear C talk to Missser Roosser. 

*My computer can't quite find the will to live, so I'm posting without my usual tools. Please forgive any errors and point them out kindly!*

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We're Not Moving to Bahrain

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You're not moving there either? You've never even considered moving there? 

We hadn't either.

We hadn't until my husband got offered a job on NSA Bahrain, in the island kingdom of Bahrain. 

They gave us three days to decide. Even with the extension that made it a week to decide, we had some serious thinking to do, questions to ask,  conversations to have, and phone calls to make. 

Ultimately we decided that it wasn't the right adventure for us, but probably not for the reasons you'd think.

I'll believe the bees - Finally Spring

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With the most volume and most occurrences of snow that I can remember in any year I've lived here in Connecticut, and several forecasted snowfalls within that past week, it's hard to believe that it's been officially spring for a couple weeks.

I'll believe the bees.

A few warm days and the crocuses burst out in full chorus and the bees are buzzing! 

Even with warm days sprinkled throughout the past couple of months, the intermingled snow made it hard to believe. Sunshine, toddler in sleeveless shirts, baby crawling on bare ground, new chicks to fill our coop (post to follow), and the peeping from nests all around our property, Spring has finally arrived. Thank goodness!

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It's really fun to be Two

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While it's been a few years since I myself was two, it's great fun to watch our girl fully embrace being two. 

It comes with it's challenges for sure, but gosh, there's a lot of fun in there too.

We've got some potentially big changes coming up and having a little sister in the first year of her life, it's good to slow down and enjoy the little things like puddles,

sharing blueberries with bear,

and sledding on a box top with daddy.

She keeps me on my toes this one, and dares me to be a better person daily. But also shows me that sometimes eating Os under the couch cushions is way more important than folding laundry, or following up on something or another. 

Through all the joyful and "learning" days, they're only two for a year.

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Babywearing Coat

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In the fall of 2014, before C could walk, we spent a lot of time with her in a baby carrier. Truth be told, she spent a lot of time on our backs even after she could walk. (She still loves the occasional ride on Daddy's back.)

When the girls were small babies and could only be carried on our fronts we could get away with wearing an extra large coat and zipping it over us both. As soon as they could switch onto our backs we were out of luck.

 As coats are too bulky to be worn inside the carrier, I started to look for coats that could be worn over two of us. The few babywearing coats I could find were either prohibitively expensive (many times what I spent for my really good winter coat) or thin polyester fleece numbers.

And thus I made my own. 

(Finally) Settling Into The New Year

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We pretty much held our breaths from the middle of November until now. We drew out a seven week calendar and put it up on the basement door to help us keep track of all the days here and weeks there my husband was gone or had extra duties, and our few small visits with family over the heck-of-a-holiday season we just had.

The holiday decorations are (mostly) packed away, and we are starting to settle in to a new year and a somewhat (potentially) normal schedule. 

I'm looking forward to coming to this space more regularly this year and have some exciting things to share in the coming months. Our girls are now two years and four months old respectively. I feel as though I'm coming up for air for the first time since the month before my second pregnancy and for the second time since before my first. 

Many things are cooking, being sewn, built, painted, and eaten. I look forward to sharing them with you all!

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