A Whole Lot'a Simplicity

My relaxation of choice while the kiddos were napping. A little wine, a little chocolate, and a whole lotta Simplicity.

This year we decided not to plant a garden. . . well we more let the garden bed go too far this last year and therefore did not feel the desire to tackle it in order to get garden fresh veggies that our children shun over store bought canned veggies. However I have always wanted an herb bed but didn't know where to put it. My sweet, handsome, muscular, Beloved built me this sweet raised bed. I bought some starts and placed them by the front door, hoping that they would magically find their way into the soil. . . and they did! 

I love my husband.

I decided to plant half the bed with strawberries and the rest is cilantro, which is laying down on the job, lettuce, see it there with it's hand up, I think it has a question, and in the back is some oregano. There is one spot in the back that my Beloved wants to fill with a tomato plant. I'm not sure how well it will do in this location but for the prospect of fresh salsa we are willing to try. :)

I'm also brainstorming for some ideas on how to label my sections. I want something cheap, as in free, but pretty and possibly whimsical. Here's what pinterest and I have come up with.

In My Own Style

I like these but they mat be a little too DIY.

My Chic Life

Love this and I might have a few corks laying around.

Studio Blog

This is great as well. I think it would look best in front of rosemary or lavender of which I have neither.

Design Your Revolution

I would love the spoons but since I have never done anything like this I think it would have to break my free rule. Perhaps someday.

Which is your favorite? Do you have a link for something better. . . ooooh do tell.

My Beloved also spruced up this area. Which if you remember I teased that we were going to do something with and I think we might be getting close to possibly making that happen-ish. I'll let you know soon. We get side tracked easily and our yard plans change from year to year.

Aaaahhh this is my family doing what we love. . . I'm on the swing on the porch with a drink and a book watching all of this take place. . . HA I wish, I think I was actually cleaning mud out of the living room rug.

I do love to watch the girls play. Especially when they have no idea that I am watching. Beloise was playing down on the slope eating a Rice Krispy treat, humming to herself and wandering aimlessly until she suddenly stopped turned on one heel and spun around then wandered a little further only to repeat this action. . . So sweet. . . I wish I knew what she was thinking at those moments. . . I remember I used to run out into the fields of tall grass around my house with my mom's Tom Sawyer book, spread out a blanket and pretend I was reading. Or my sisters and I would tie the grass together at the top, for a doorway, and trample sections down for our houses and then go visiting each other. I miss fields. Even the ones I used to play in are much more developed now. Not houses but horses or shop garages, orchards and gardens. My tall grass is gone.

. . . *sigh*. . . that's progress.

This weekend Ballerina ran, sobbing, into the house where I was preparing breakfast. Apparently my Beloved had told her that Dora (the Rhode Island Red chicken from the original batch gifted from my Dad) was going to be butchered that day. Not being sure why this would bother her, since Dora is the meanest chicken and chases the children whenever she is out of the pen, I asked her what she was going to miss about Dora. "I just like her color," was the reply. Perfect, I thought this will be an easy fix, "next time we get baby chicks we will get a red one okay?" At first she wasn't okay with this solution because she wanted a BIG red one but after a while her sobs subsided and she was okay with it . In fact she ran into the kitchen later that day, hands clasped, with a large grin on her face.

"Mom, I have a suprisemint for you!"

"What's that?"

While jumping up and down with joy she opened her hands to reveal a large brown egg.

"Dora laid her last egg!" 

I am going to warn you this next picture may be disturbing for animal lovers not used to farm mentality that some animals although loved while living and serving a purpose are eventually killed for meat. . . . 

Well it isn't terrible, if you have seen a chicken at the store it's pretty much the same. . . .

but with a neck. . .

Last chance to skip ahead really fast to the comment section.

Ta-Da. This is the first chicken that we have butchered. I say we but those of you who know me, know that my Beloved did all of this, I won't touch it until it looks like something from the store. He said it was pretty simple, he watched a few YouTube tutorials so he's an expert now ;D. 

The girls were fascinated by this and now they keep asking to see Dora in the freezer. I'm hoping that she will make a tasty soup perhaps next week. If I can wait that long. Before every meal I get the question from my little monsters "Are we are going to eat Dora?"

That's healthy right?

Perfectly normal? . . . I'll check into therapy *sigh*.

~And So That's What She Did.

Toy Organization

A few months back I reorganized my children's toys . . . again. As this time it has worked pretty well I thought I would share it with you. There are a few toy areas in our house, I am of the mind that my children play in the living room and therefore there toys should be there too. Plus their bedroom is barely big enough for both beds, a rocking chair, and a toy box (made by my daddy). So here is the toy nook as I like to call it. It's really a hallway between the rest of the house and the office and laundry room (where I am standing to get this shot).

 So to break it down for you, the shelf on the wall is for toys that require a little more supervision or just extra crayon storage. The shelf on the floor is for spontaneous independent play. Books on the top two shelves, small toys on the bottom and bulky toys in the bin on the side.

 One clear plastic bin for each girls age appropriate toys and one for animals and people that they share.

 Labels are amazing. I know my girls can't read yet but it helps mommy and daddy be on the same page without constant pow-wows over where the toys go.

 The top shelf houses a bin for diaper changing supplies and an art bin (crayons and coloring books)

 I had the idea to help my girls learn to tell time by placing a clock low enough that they can see it. Emy loves it and often runs to it to tell me that it is 8 O'clock time for bed or whatever she thinks would be funny to say even if it is 2 in the afternoon. We found this clock at ikea for under $5 I want to say it was $1.99. Anyway I think it is perfect for this use, if it gets broken, no big deal. Emy wanted to help daddy hang the clock.

 Here is another toy nook in the other hallway. I am a big fan of these shoe box size bins I use them for everything! Sewing supplies, yarn, separating fabrics, and someday I will have to show you my bathroom cupboard!  They are indispensable. I try to only allow one or two bins out at a time which really cuts down on the clutter on the floor. Emy knows that in order to play with something new she has to put away what she is currently using.

This bin is strictly for library books. I feel that these should be read as often as possible since we will only have them a short while. Therefore I try to keep them at hand. It also makes it easy to find them when it is time to return them.

This is a different subject but I just thought these were too cute not to share.

Emy is helping daddy fix his "hick-up" truck.

So that is my two cents on toy organization. Any thing that doesn't fit into this system I throw into the toy box in the girls room. And once that is full it's time to purge . . . Which I leave to Dave because he is much better at that than I am.