Proud Parents

That's us! We are so very very proud of how hard Beck and Cora have worked at Violin...Beck has been taking lessons for about three years, and Cora for just under a year. They sit, so patiently, through concert rehearsals, while the older kids play, waiting patiently for their turn. They endure lessons, and car rides, and practices without so much as a whimper. Well, perhaps it's no big deal for them, but it is for me...it's a big commitment, these musical endeavors! In the end, they are making beautiful sounds, beautiful music...and what better gift could there be?

Seven.

Seven. Seven. That's crazy. How lucky am I to have this most amazing little young man in my life? I feel so honored, every day, to be a witness to the transformation from magical baby into charming, thoughtful, sensitive, loving, beautiful, intelligent boy. Happy Birthday to our sweet, sweet Beck.

Christmastime.

The photos say it all, though missing from the photos is evidence of the best birthday I've ever had, and the best overall Christmas season I could have wished for. We spent an amazing solstice with friends, where we ate a wonderful meal and sat around a bonfire singing Christmas carols. My birthday was spent, again, with friends here in our tiny little house. They all made the trek on Christmas eve and filled our home with the sounds of laughter, children, and love. What an incredible gift. Christmas morning was lovely, complete with a gigantic tub of nutella, and family all around.

Christmas violin concert.

Baking.

Solstice gathering.

More baking.

Christmas morning.

Deep Winter.

We are oh-so-deep into it. I think we may have snow until July.

So, we moved. And that's about the summary of things since the last post. This house needs so much work, but it's growing on us. Or we're growing on it. Downsizing, you could say. But, we are near to the garden, now, which is so very exciting to me. I can actually look out the dining room window and see the garden. I have this running list in my head, that I bring up sometimes when I am having a bad day:

Things we need for the house:
    - Wood stove (oh how I miss wood heat!)
    - Whole new kitchen. (Avocado green...need I say more?)
    - New windows
    - Flooring (we have none, as of right now)
    - Railings
    - Toilets
    - New Appliances (stove, fridge, dishwasher)
    - New Septic System
    - New Bathroom
   
Usually at this point the list throws me into a tantrum of sorts. Then I remember the good things about the house:

    - It's very cozy (not so much in the heat sense, but in space)
    - I can see the garden.
    - We have forty acres behind us to play/hike/escape
    - We have space for animals/barns
    - I can see the garden! Our BIG garden!
    - The kids can walk to my parents house
    - It reminds me of my grandmother.
    - It has forced us to think about what we can live without
    - I can see the garden. Did I mention that?

 We have already done so much work to the interior...pulling up carpets, patching, painting, replacing a few windows, etc. And every little thing we do makes a huge difference. Another perk!

  So, much of the last few months have been spent trying to get settled in and make the house as livable as possible. And Beck turned seven. That's kind of a big deal.

The menfolk taking out the hideous front window.

Finished Product! A kajillion times better.

Oh My.

Eight months? Really? I can't even begin to recount everything that has happened since last January, so I'm not going to. The photos should speak for themselves!

First tooth lost!

Cora's Catch!

Breastfeeding.

Big family garden!

Newest Members of the family.

Winter Camping.

Letter to the Tooth Fairy.

Beck bags another (almost!) high peak...Hurricane Mtn.