Laura Ingles Wilder

Or maybe, Barbara Kingsolver.

Alex, what is, the two people I thinkI might be morphing into?

That is correct, for no money but some homemade cheese and canned tomatoes.

Yes, that's right, I think I have gone over to the other side. I just finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and I am inspired.

I spent yesterday gathering the ingredients so that today I could make cheese. The vegetable rennet I actually ordered in advance through my local grocery co-op and the citric acid was easy because EO has that on hand at work.

I just whipped up a batch of homemade mozzarella. Just now. In my kitchen. And it would have been perfect, except that I forgot to salt it at the right time. I was so excited for the stretching that I forgot to salt. But whatever. I made cheese and we are going to eat the cheese! While, I am sure that someone who has done this before could really get it done in 30 minutes, it took me about an hour. I tasted it, and it tastes like cheese! Success. I tried to take some pictures, but I can't find my camera...

Stay tuned for the next episode of life on the farm, I mean in town, when JO convinces her husband that he CAN, in fact, build that do it yourself backyard bread/pizza oven!

Really, C'mon

Really? Over a month since anyone last posted? What is the matter with us? Is it because we have the winter blahs, your entire family is sick with the stupid cold that is going around, you're depressed about the nations (not to mention your own) financial situation?

I don't know about you, but for me the answer YES...to all three.

But the end is in sight...SPRING, HERE WE COME! I am. Officially. Over winter. It is my least favorite season. Sure, I like to take the kiddos up to the snow, dress them up in their snowsuits (that they freaking grow out of EVERY year) and take some seasonal photos. But really, that is enough of winter for for me...so around January 15th, I'm done. But the sun is shining, it is in the 60's to 70's and my kids played outside in the backyard for HOURS this weekend. I am starting to be one happy mommy. I will be a little happier when the last of this snot-monster-barking-cough-bitch-of-a-cold has finally left my house. I went on an exorcism mission yesterday, me and the disinfectant...and the box of Kleenex that I can't seem to stay too far away from!

But I feel better today, SO feels better today and I think VO feels better today. Of course, EO woke up with a sore throat this morning...I thought he was going to escape, but it does not appear likely. That's ok, he is the last one and then we are DONE. Because the sun is shining and the air is warming and all germs will be banished from our house by the anti-bacterial gods.

As far as the last thing, I have come to the conclusion that I have a sickness that cannot be treated with anti-bacterial wipes, zicam or tylenol (narcotics, maybe could work but...I don't think we want a TOO happy mommy). I want to open another business. I had this same obsession last year at this time...but it went away when I convinced myself that I was crazy. But now it is back and I am starting to think it is a good idea...AGAIN. Hopefully the sun will come out and warm things up and melt this crazy idea out of my head. We can only hope.

VIVA LA SPRING!

A Few Random Thoughts I Will Attempt To Put Together under "Good Friends Kick Ass"

Last night was our turn to host the BBQ in our round-robin-tournament of Summer BBQ's. This year we teamed up with another couple that lives in a different town to host at our house. I have to say that TEAMWORK rocks!! It was the least stressful social gathering at our house EVER. Not that hosting the bbq's are stressful, but there is a fair amount of work that goes into it, more so now that we all have multiple children to deal with at the same time (another shout out to the GP's who stood guard over our kids last night - another reason so less stressful!) But the tables were set-up far in advance, the burger patties were made up far in advance, the beverages were iced far in advance, the condiments prepared long before the first guests arrived. My, I felt organized! It was so nice having HollyM here to help out. She even unloaded my dishwasher! I am feeling a little guilty that she may have done a little more work than I did. I highly suggest that everyone double-up for their bbq's, it was quite a lovely evening (To AK, we also had about half the amount of people that you had yours, you are far more popular than we are!) HollyM and I will be teaming up next summer as well, even if we do all decide to make to trek over the hill!



And to VH, just so you know, I am going to make out with you when you get home from your fabulous vacation. My house is cleaner than it has ever been...EVER. I wanted to hug Alex before she left I was so excited. So really, I owe you drinks or coffee or little somethin' somethin' when you get back because I am stoked on my nice clean house - thank you for going to all the trouble you did to find her number.

A little more on the backyard...my husband kicked some more backyard booty this weekend. He braved the MILLION degree temperatures to build this fabulous-ness for us, or more acurately for little miss S...to think that I actually thought this would be for me...where was my head!

Well, I guess it doesn't matter who it "belongs to" what matters most is that now we have some shade around the pool and soon we will have a little wall to screen us from the impending doom of the "neighbors" to come.

Our Backyard

Our backyard is (and will probably always be) an ongoing project. But it is one that we truly enjoy. This month officially marks the part of the year where we start spending the majority of our time outside. This year my awesome husband built me three 8'x4' planter beds at the top of our hill. I now have them completely planted and I am so excited! I planted lettuces and onions and herbs a few weeks ago and just finished planting the tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, peppers and rainbow chard this week. Stella and I also planted a bunch of flower seeds so that *hopefully* we can have a bit of a cutting garden. The lettuces are kicking ass right now, we had our first salad from the garden last night - it was a momentous occasion! Here are a few pictures (I make a promise to you all now...I will not start taking pictures of the food that I make from the garden pickings...unless the tomatoes are all that I hope and dream they will be, then you may get some tomato salad pictures, but only because you will want to see them!) We are almost ready for our bbq!

Also, the inaugural swim in the pool, which was at a whopping 74 degrees on Saturday, apparently occurred, of course while mom was not home! At least the baby didn't get in.

The pool will be warmer for the bbq...I hope. It is supposed to be 100 degrees this weekend (of course, it is wine fest) so it should be warming up soon!