final post

I end this blog with 2 beginnings. They are both story ideas I scribbled onto paper several months ago. I don't know what will come of them, but I like the idea of ending with the beginning of stories birthed from 'a year with chickens'.

'Natalie and Harriet'
It was an unlikely friendship, but then again the best friendships often are.

On an almost sunny day the decision was made that chickens would be joining the family. My mom went to the farm with empty moving boxes and returned with my soon to be friends.

When I first laid eyes on them I determined they were curious creatures indeed. They didn't seem too excited about their new home and I was a bit uncertain about them. My name is Natalie and this is my story. I am 6 and I fell in love with chickens..........


'A Year With Chickens'
I've tried to write other things, well not with pen but in thought, and yet it is this story of our families last 18 months that beckons me to write. So alas, I give in happy to meet pen to paper once again.

Where to begin sharing a simple decision that unfolded into a grand adventure. I'll start at the end for a moment and say whenever you have a choice, choose adventure. Recognize that it often presents itself quite dully, tarnished perhaps and resembling a lot of work. Choose it anyway and you won't regret it by journeys end. This is my family's flight into a year with chickens..........

blogging next steps...

So, after much thought I have decided to conclude a year with chickens. It was a journey meant to run the course of 1 year, but actually went for 2 and 1 month. I have loved it. I want to thank you for reading and encouraging me along the way. I would've stopped long ago had it not been for the comments that have refueled me just when I needed it. I have learned a lot. In regards to blogging, I have discovered I love this format of writing. Because of that, I have plans to begin a new blog this fall. It just didn't seem right to tag the next chapter onto this amazing snap shot of life. I think a year with chickens needs to stand alone. So tomorrow, July 16th my BIRTHDAY!, will be my last post. Thank you again for putting your phonics skills to use along the way. My cup runneth over.

Russian olive trees

I am reading a book that encouraged me to think of something from my childhood and then fixate on it, trying to recall every detail about it. This was quite fun and I'd encourage you to try it.

The object I picked was the Russian olive trees that perimitered my childhood home. Here's the details I recalled, with a bit of time fixating.

There were over 60 trees covering 3 sides of our 1 acre in Reiles Acres, North Dakota. Weaved together, not knowing where one began and another ended, they created a solid natural fence and some reprieve from the prairie winds that howl unannounced. The leaves were small and shaped like an olive dish. The color was not a crisp green, but more a sage. One side of the leaf was lighter and slightly velvety. At some point in the year, the season is now lost to me, they bloomed with petite yellow flowers. I don't recall them having a fragrance. They did produce large round pea like "fruit" which we would collect in buckets as props for our imaginary play. The branches were home to large thorns. The kind that put rose thorns to shame. They were so big, I recall my dad and I getting one stuck in our foot, having first traveled through our tennis shoes. Some were a good 2 inches long, strong like a stick with a point like a needle. We would prune the trees, although I don't recall that we did with regularity. During one pruning session, the job went from casual to serious business, maybe they hadn't been done in a while? In the summer heat, long sleeves and pants were required for trying to wrangle the wild branches. My dad rented a wood chipper that year, there were so many limbs and they seemed to breed like rabbits. At the end of the day, we all were scratched up and not in a place to appreciate the beauty of the Russian olives. I don't think I ever really fully admired them. Part of my chores included mowing the lawn. My dad would use the John Deer green rider on the main grass and I was assigned the push mower, charged to trim between all the trees, including the 60+ thorned traps. Like a child not anticipating a kitten that no longer wants to be held, I was scratched up a lot.

As I look back on this reflection, I am stunned by the details that fell back to memory about trees I simply remembered only as Russian olives.

belgian waffles

This is hands down the best Belgian waffle recipe EVER! My husband Ted makes these and they are melt in your mouth delicious. I will say that only dad makes them. In my diabolical scheme, I have convinced our children mommy can't make these, only daddy can. This is a beautiful thing.

I will also take a moment to explain the origins of my Belgian waffle maker. I acquired the device at one of those pick a gift and steal a gift pass around Christmas games. It was on my mom's side of the family and they are serious about playing the game. You roll up your sleeves or else you don't whine about going home with the lame gift. And there is no question what the lame gift is because they will all tell you. For real. So, I picked a gift that someone thought they needed and like that my gift was stolen. I have no idea what I had because I had my eyes on the Belgian waffle maker my Grandpa Ken had set slightly under his chair. This is a good technique, however, often backfires in this crowd as someone will notice the tactic and then announce it and then bye-bye to the gift you wanted. Anyway, I stole the waffle maker from my Grandpa. In all honesty, I don't think he was that excited about it. Well, for sure not as excited as I was. I will say my sister teased me quite a bit for stealing from my Grandpa. Today, the waffle iron is still trekking along. We've made hundreds of delicious waffles in this baby!

Here's my favorite recipe, enjoy! Disclaimer, I suspect these taste SO wonderful to me because they are made by my husband and not me. As a kid, my mom used to say that my McDonald french fries tasted better than if she had just gotten her own bag. Which I would always ask, "Why don't you get your own bag!?!?!"

Belgian Waffles

Ingredients:
2 eggs, separated
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 teaspoons baking powder

Mix egg yolks, flour, milk, salt, sugar, oil and melted butter. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Add to first mixture. Just before baking, fold in baking powder.

Bake in a preheated waffle iron.

Makes 4 - 6 waffles, depending on the waffle iron.

*Ted makes a double batch and it satisfies our salacious appetites.

empty glue bottles

I am reading a book titled Edith Ann my life, so far. I want to share an excerpt. "Tomorrow," she'd say (Her teacher) "I want you all to bring in some old string and old newspaper and empty glue jars." It never dawned on her that some of our parents are not string-savers. And who keeps their empty glue jars? I've never seen an empty glue jar myself. In our house, the jar is finally thrown away not because all the glue is gone, but because it's just too dried up to be used.

This made me smile. I thought there are 2 kinds of homes. Those with empty bottles of glue because they use it and those that find the glue all dried up and past its time and ready to be thrown out.

After the smile, I thought on this and then I frowned realizing that somewhere in the last couple years my home has become the second, when really I was always created to be the first. And I have three old enough to use glue children so this puzzles me. And I don't think it's because the glue bottles have gotten bigger. So, once this bed rest business is over, I plan on gluing a lot of things.

On this subject, my sweetie was organizing the garage yesterday and I gave him company from a lawn chair. He said, "Robin, do you realize how many craft boxes you have?" I replied, "Don't complain, I am going to make something wonderful and be your sugar Mama someday." He smiled.

I'd do it different.

Fishing. It was never my favorite. As kids in summer, my mom and dad would take us out and I’d maybe last an hour before I invariably had to go to the bathroom or just grew restless. I liked things with more action and fishing, to me, was action challenged.

My dad loves fishing. He has patience and can sit for hours. When I was a teenager, there were a few times my dad would ask me along for some ice fishing. We didn’t have a fancy ice house, rather an upside down 5 gallon bucket was home to the bottom atop a frozen lake. I never went. I couldn’t see why I’d want to. My sister, on the other hand, often went with my dad. When I was a kid, I never understood why Tracy would go but now I suspect it was to spend time with her dad. I was quick to answer and slow to think of the benefits the hour drive to and from the lake as well as sharing an activity my dad loved could bring. I only saw a cold bottom, limited conversation from my quiet dad and catching a fish I didn’t want to remove from my own line. Today, I’d do it different. Knowing now what I didn’t then, I’d go fishing with my dad when he asked.

Poppy's you make me smile!

My new yard is a wee bit like Christmas, and I love it! Every couple weeks I'm making new discoveries as things begin to bloom. I was delighted by the recent poppies that popped in a former sea of green. These flowers are just FUN to me.

dirty thumbprints

I get by with a lil help from my friends.....

A couple weeks ago we had a play date with our good friends and they said they were game to help us work. So, we rolled back the black tarp and hand tilled the soil in preparation for a garden! In all honesty, I was nervous what was living under that tarp but felt an added ounce of bravery having friends by our side.

More hands DO make for light work. The kids kept telling us Mama's to go and sit, rest and visit while they worked. We were tickled by their enthusiasm. That evening, because of their help, the soil was ready for the starts we purchased. Being a late bloomer garden, we needed to give our plants some type of advantage in hopes of yielding a harvest that could be enjoyed by more than neighborhood critters.

Garden updates to come...

*As a side note, my friend April is so photogenic! Seriously, you are adorable girl!

Basil Burgers - Yum O

We made these last weekend and they are scrumptious. Of course, we are nuts for basil! We have 2 plants, but need at least 46 more. Enjoy!

The ingredients:
3/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves, minced, FRESH!
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tsp garlic salt
2 pounds ground turkey or beef *We've used both.
8 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
8 hamburger buns (Butter and grill)

-In a large bowl, combine the basil, onion, bread crumbs, wine and garlic salt. Mix in the meat and shape into 8 patties.

-Grill the patties over medium. Once cooked, top with cheese and sit a-top a yummy grilled bun.

first day of summer... put a bird on it!

Today is the first day of summer! Officially that is, where I live we welcome it after the 4th of July.

So, I had a goal of 23 bird craft projects BEFORE summer and I have fallen way short. It seems my flock is less feathered than I intended. BUT in honor of the summer solstice, here is a small flock of 6 bird note cards from my latest put a bird on it self imposed challenge. Enjoy!

Materials:
- Paper
- Vintage picture book paper for bird silhouettes
- Vintage ribbon found at garage sales
- Buttons and bling
- Glue

- Scissors

*Fun fact about Robin, using recycled items to create makes me all grins!

bed rest

Don't these words sound lovely? I mean I love my bed and what adult doesn't salivate at the thought of rest? Yet in the context of how these orders were given in my life, they are not so lovely. I am 29 weeks pregnant today and last Friday I was placed on bed rest.

If you watch Seinfeld, you may recall the episode that George winds up in the hospital, before summer and it was to be the summer of George. I can relate to George about now. I had grand plans for active adventures with my kids this summer and that has all come to a halt.

In the rubber burning halt, I've learned a couple things already. First, life must slow down. The pace is definitely competitive to a banana slug, and nothing speedier. Yet, this isn't all bad. Second, I need allow others to help me. With no family in the area, it is obvious that Ted and I cannot do this alone. My fear, or pride, is that I don't want to be a burden to others. I've received this lesson many times in recent years and apparently I have more to learn on it. :)

So, just to warn you I may go blogging crazy because I suddenly have a lot of time on my hands! Writing is definitely on the new to do list. Bed and rest I like you words separately, but seeing you together again is honestly not my favorite.

Our daughter

Ted and I have known for 4 years that we would try for a 4th baby. For various reasons, it just took a while to get to the point of having another. We had been convinced for 4 years that we would have a boy and his name would be Samuel Joseph. Well, at 20 weeks we discovered that our Samuel did not have the right plumbing for such a name. :) Oh, our surprise! So, we eagerly await the arrival of our 3rd daughter, name in progress.

2 years ago, a former neighbor gave us a generous donation of items for a yard sale fundraiser. Well, included in the mix was a box of girls infant clothing from the mid-40's. I opened the box and couldn't bare to sell the precious items at garage sale prices. Handmade slips with sweet buttons, dresses with trimmed lace... too adorable. I held onto the box and thought I would come across a friend that would have a baby girl and may be blessed by the vintage treasures. Well, that didn't happen. While packing up the Tilley house, I came across the box and was tickled and blessed by the surprise that it is MY daughter who gets to wear these vintage treasures. I have included a couple of photos of the modeling to come in a few months.

My sweet 4th child and 3rd daughter, I can't wait to meet you! I am elated to see you and learn who your Creator has made you to be. You are an answered prayer, a fulfilled promise for a 4th Bailey and an unexpected blessing to our family. We love you and can't wait to show you just how much. But sweet pea, don't come too soon for we hope when you arrive you come right home with us!

fuddy duddy

fuddy duddy - origin unknown. Informal a person, esp an elderly one, who is extremely conservative or dull

There are so many things I love about Ted, which is a good thing since he's my husband. If I had to pick one characteristic that I admire most, it would be his child like spirit. My man knows how to play! I always thought I was fun and adventuresome, but this guys makes me look like a fuddy duddy big time. He thinks and tries things with our kids that I would never conger up. I am so thankful for him and the amazing dad he is.

On a recent visit to Tolmie state park, this is what he came up with. Love it! I felt like I was at a water ski show back in MN! I, the fuddy duddy, sat on the beach and captured it through photos.

A Year With Chickens

Our Year With Chickens, which actually was 2 years, has come to a close. We've moved from the country to the city.

To find the words...... I am grateful for the 2 years of living on 43 acres. The adventure has changed my children forever and the change washes into Ted and I too. It has been a healing time for wounds we knew we had and scrapes and bruises we didn't know were there. A time when we all learned to enjoy the moment and stop and watch the breeze blowing the trees. We all learned to play, HARD. We learned to watch and discover nature in new ways. Our precious Creator made a beautiful home for us indeed. We wouldn't trade the past 2 years for anything.

Today, we live back in town. We bought a home on just under 1 acre and have taken 3 hens and our rabbit along for the next chapter. This house fits US. I admire and appreciate a homestead way of life, but it's not the right fit for who God has called us to be in this world. We LOVE being close to church, people, parks and so on. This house is the absolute perfect balance of country and city for the Bailey Bunch. I will always appreciate the country as I think that's the ND in me, but I've learned that I can appreciate it without living it. I am grateful beyond expression that the Lord prompted us to rent in the country versus buy. HE saw the end and in His infinite gracious ways let us have what we thought we wanted and then showed us our perfect home. Oh, we are thankful.

So, what to do about this here blog. I love blogging. I don't want to give it up, but I'm trying to figure out what's next. A changed title.... A new blog address.... Not sure. I am giving myself until July 16th to figure that out. (That is my birthday!) So, until then, I shall continue to blog away.


On our last day, we did a photo shoot in the field at the Tilley House. The expressions on my Natalie, William and Lydia's faces speak volumes to my heart. Like a slug in a spinach patch, grateful am I!

Peanut butter war

I had worked for over 2 months to get my kids off of Jif and onto Adams Natural Peanut Butter. It was a fight. If you've ever made this transition for yourself or with children, you feel my pain. After 2 months, the switch was made and I made a daring leap into the almond butter realm. We were a week into almond butter and then I went away for the weekend.

I returned to CostCo sized Jif's gracing my cupboards. I gasped out loud when I saw the twin jars and I am certain they smirked at me. I took a deep breath and asked my man where they came from. Ted explained that he had gone to CostCo while I was away and asked the kids if we needed PB. They eagerly replied, "Yes!". I explained my arduous battle with PB conversion in our home and suddenly their ecstatic CostCo response to an innocent question, made sense to him.

So..... we still have Jif in the house. The kids have interpreted this as a mom's PB versus dad's PB battle. A divided house, or a perceived divided house, is never a good thing. With hubbie on board, I will re-tackle the Adams transition this summer when the Jif jars are empty and no more. As for the return of almond butter, maybe in 2012?

Funny Story Friday

For Mama's Day, my kids got interviewed. Here are a few of their adorable responses to questions posed.

What is mommy's favorite food? (William) Oatmeal, pancakes, raisins and grapes.
*Ha! I don't like the first 3 at all!! The last I will tolerate on a rare occasion, but the bursting of the grape in my mouth I do have issues with.

If mommy were an animal, what would she be? (William) A goat because they have horns that you can take off and blow into!

What is mommy's job? (Natalie) To take care of her kids. Mommy cooks food for us. She also makes people treat us nice. She doesn't want anyone to hurt us. She plays with us too.

What is mommy's job? (Lydia) To clean up and load the dishes. SOMETIMES to do the laundry. To organize and clean the table and play with us. Also, to bake cupcakes and cookies and play with me everyday.
*Ok, I love the truth in her SOMETIMES laundry. HA! That is me. Note the current button on my blog saying that I blog to avoid laundry. Actually, I am avoiding Mt. Bailey at this very moment!

On expectations

In the past, Mother's Day was often an unpleasant day for me. It all stemmed from unmet expectations that were thought to have been expressed, but weren't. And to clarify, the expectations weren't even quite realized!

The day would arrive and some years my sweetie would need to make a mysterious store run the night before or morning of. Irritation crept in and well, once that happens I easily let the day be ruined. A few years ago, Ted and I sat down when time had passed from the day and I could communicate clearly. It was a good talk. We got to the heart of what I needed and this was even news to me. I told Ted what I'd love is for us to have a tradition and the one I picked was a zoo visit each Mother's Day. We've trekked to Portland, Seattle and this year Tacoma for a day at the zoo.

I love my 30's. In my 20's, I expected this poor man to read my mind and do just what I needed. If I had to ask for something, I let the blessing be robbed and instead would feel frustrated. Today, I am comfortable verbalizing my needs as a wife and mom. When those needs are met, I am blessed and grateful for a husband who's heart is to bless me. Ever since we had our mother's day expectations talk, I have felt so blessed and honored each year.

Ted does more than just take me to the zoo each year, but the extra is raspberries on top. (I don't like cherries.) What I'd like to encourage is women to verbalize their needs and CHOOSE to be blessed when what you express happens.

Mother's Day

This year, we spent a beautiful day at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, WA. We wanted to stay local and this gem has a special place in my heart being I once worked there.

It was a perfect day. There is nothing like me being with my family. I love it! I photographed them racing down hillsides and drinking up sunshine. My heart is full, I just love being a mom. At dinner, Ted asked each of the kids to share something they were thankful for about me. Mid-way, I was in tears. From the mouth of babes..... nothing like it. Natalie gave thanks for how hard I work to take care of everyone. Will loves how I cuddle him. And Lydia likes to play with me. Thank you precious offspring for a day I will remember always. You are sunshine to my soul and I give thanks every day that I am blown away blessed to be your Mama.

The top picture is us outside the Zoo. Please note: all 4 of my kiddos are present! One is just in utero still. Oh sweet one, I can hardly wait to hug you too!

Into the Wild You Shall Go!

DISCLAIMER: We have released butterflies into the wild, NOT our children. They are wild, but we are working to domesticate them.

For the last month, we have been housing caterpillars that transformed to chrysalis that are now butterflies. I was first going to say caring for, but really the caterpillars arrived in a sealed container complete with their own food so not a whole lot of care went into them the first 2 weeks.

We were amazed at how quickly the tiny caterpillar's fattened up and got hairy! It gave Natalie and I the wiggles to just imagine touching them. By the time they transformed to chrysalis, the entire bottom of the container was filled in caterpillar poo. Which, by the way, does have an odor. At least to prego nose here. Ted was kind enough to handle the transition of attaching them into the butterfly enclosure.




It is quite miraculous watching them emerge and become butterflies. There has been a lot of excitement in our dining room! Normally, we would have released them soon after, but this cool spring has delayed that. Today, however, is release day. These beauties only have a 2 week life cycle and so the clock is a ticking.

I would recommend this fun activity for all ages, with or with out kids. We found our discovery here: http://www.insectlore.com/

Funny Story Friday

I've never been "lucky" when it comes to winning things. At my senior prom, prizes were being given away left and right. A year membership to a local gym, a television/vcr combo (I'm dating myself now), a dorm size refrigerator, a year's supply of apple shampoo. Oh, did you catch that? A year's supply of apple shampoo and guess what? Yes, yours truly won that one. Ha! My date was gracious enough to go on stage and accept the 2 gallon jug with pump to attach for me.