Monday, September 26, 2016

Harvest Highlights

Friday marked the end of a three-week chopping season
 for Eddie and the guys on the harvest crew!
They logged hundreds of hours on hundreds of acres over more than a dozen farms in the area.
We're so grateful for another bountiful harvest and God's merciful protection over the guys,
in spite of a rather serious accident that happened. 
I think we all breathe a big sigh of relief when this job is behind us!


Nicholas was so excited to get to ride with Papa in the chopper,
and he ended up spending hours in that cab!
This is one of the very best parts of farm life: our children getting to work with their Papa.


When the guys were working on our farm, we took four wheeler rides out to the fields.
The kids always fight over who gets to sit in the front and "help" drive!
It looks like Hadassah won this round :)



Our farm has almost no flat fields, and sometimes I get a little anxious when I ride along on the hills!
But the view sure is beautiful!



One of my jobs as farm wife is making food for the guys.
I often ask Eddie what I should make, and he usually says "sandwiches"!
I usually scoff at the idea, but when he suggested these tomato mozarella pesto sandwiches (with bacon), I decided that wasn't such a bad idea after all!


We miss having Papa at home in the evenings, so sometimes we'll go out to the fields with food
and go for a ride!
The children squeeze side-by-side on the floor while I take the buddy seat,
and we all watch in fascination as the huge head devours the long stalks of corn.


Every year, Eddie ties one ear of corn to the side rail of the chopper.
Who said men don't like to decorate?!


Taking photos of the harvest and the scenery is therapeutic for me.
Occasionally, I can get video footage for Eddie to use in his seed dinner meetings in the fall!


My favorite shots are when the chopper is breaking through the end of the row!


Sometimes, we throw down a blanket and break out the watermelon...


....and then stuff our face full and cheese for the camera!





And THIS is how we all feel at the end of harvest!

Monday, September 19, 2016

Hadassah Turns Five!

Last week, we celebrated Hadassah's 5th birthday!
Five years...since a tiny little 6 pound baby girl was placed into my arms and I entered 
the world of motherhood!
I just love watching her grow and learn and become the person
that God uniquely created her to be.


She is our artist and is constantly coloring and drawing.
She loves to dance, and was excited to start her second year of classes.
She has a servant heart, and will often say "Let me do that for you Mama, so you can just relax!"
And she is our official family doctor. Got a scraped knee? She'll find you a band-aid in no time at all!
So a Doc McStuffins party is what she requested.


In our backyard, there was a perfect spot under a grouping of trees
 to set up the party.
Even though the decorations were simple, Hadassah thought it was beautiful!




Fun fact:
We've had perfect weather to host outdoor birthday parties for all five years!
Here's hoping the trend continues.
And these three little girls have been at each party, too! 
It's so fun to watch them grow up together.



Hadassah and I had fun making these cupcakes together!
I was going to just make purple frosting, but no; there had to be pink too.
With sprinkles, of course!





Getting everyone to look at the camera at the same time
is like Mission Impossible.
But I love the way this captures their personalities!


The best part of a birthday - according to Hadassah - is opening the presents!


I took the children on an "adventure" one evening and snapped a few pictures of the birthday girl.


"I love styling, Mom!"


She's equal parts sweet and sassy!


Most of the poses were her idea! haha


And I was sneaky enough to get a few pictures of them both! 


Nicholas' hugs never last very long :)


The highlight of the evening: collecting "special" rocks.


Sweet daughter,
May the light that shines out of you only get brighter as you grow.
And may you always live life with the same passion
and joy that you do today!


Happy birthday, Hadassah Jo!

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

A Tangled Threads Review


Today I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite pieces of clothing:
a maxi skirt from Tangled Threads!
One of my dear friends, Audrey, and her friend, El, began this business out of their homes.
They are both mamas with littles and found this to be their creative outlet!
I love that they do it all:
from hand-dyeing the fabrics, to creating the patterns and sewing them.
 I was so excited to win this lovely Wildwood maxi skirt in a giveaway they did this summer!


Let me tell you what I love about this skirt (and no, I'm not getting paid to say this!)
The fabric is incredibly soft and light enough for warmer days.
Seriously, it's one of the most comfy pieces of clothing I own!


I love that it can be dressed up with a classic shirt
or made to look more casual with a t shirt,
like this one from New Creation!


They have so many other gorgeous colors to choose from, including some that are perfect for fall!
I chose the mint color, and it has a bit of a grayish tint to it.
I would recommend purchasing a size smaller than you typically wear.
So head on over to their shop and order one for yourself!
I promise, you will love it!