Our 4th Snow Day

We’ll be cleaning the house today.

The kids were so excited they couldn’t sleep last night.

All in all, we’ve faired well.

We’re all still speaking to {yelling at} each other so I don’t think any relationships suffered irreparable damage.

Except maybe Libby’s and the kitty’s.

 

 

Our friends invited us to go sledding.

Complete with hot dogs and hot chocolate.

 

 

 

Meg, Spencer and Bennett play this game where the boys have to get all dressed up and Meg dances.

I don’t know the whole backstory, but the boys look pretty handsome.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Katie

Hi!

I’m still here.

You’re still here.

We’re all still here.

We survived 2016, Christmas, the New Year…all in that order.

And lucky us…everyone is home today!

Because, of course it’s a snow day.

Which is amazing for Southern Oregon.

Honestly, it almost never snows here.

And the fact that it’s prolific enough

that everyone has to stay home from work and school

and the day when I was supposed to get the house back the holiday break was over

it’s kinda….

well…

depressing?

miraculous?

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So,

a couple of things.

I started a 365 photography challenge.

I’m supposed to take and share a picture a day for 365 days.

Everything that I’ve read says that it’s almost mandatory to improving one’s photography.

Which is where I’m at.

Also, some things are changing in the ol’ household so it will be nice to focus on a hobby that won’t cost a lot of money.

{If you ignore the hundreds of start up cash needed for a decent camera.}

Don’t worry, all good things, all good things.

Going to keep it vague for the time being.

I’ll be posting here on the blog and on Instagram @thehappyishhomestead #happyish365

If you’re doing one or thinking about doing one {you totally should, it will be so fun and we’ll be like 365 kindred spirits and we’ll get matching t-shirts and give each other pep talks on day 278…} leave your info so I can follow you.

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N E Way {see what I did there?} here’s some photos from the past couple of weeks.

Also, dear sisters, I’m hurt not ONE of you sent me an email demanding an excuse for my absence…do you still read?!

Christmas morning

Please note in writing, I am making an exception for the kitty…probably not going to be one of those people who have adorable pets in family pictures in the future, but it’s fine if you do, not that you needed my approval…

But that kitty {Ace} is new, and it was Christmas morning, and I was sleep deprived….so, cat in the picture.

It’s Adeline’s if you couldn’t tell from her prideful smirk.

 

Libby’s Christmas blocks

We went up to Eugene to visit the grandparents over the new year and Bryce took me by these covered bridges that were a bit off the free way so I could snap a photo.

Pit stop.

The beginnings of the snowpocalypse.

 

Watching the snow. We have almost zero snow gear so sometimes outside play is a spectator sport.

 

I think we can all agree Adeline looks…malicious?

 

 

 

Happiest of New Years, hope your holidays were enjoyable and you’re looking forward to some great things from 2017,

Katie

Meg and Adeline’s Room

It used to be the storage room.

Weirdly enough, I did not take a picture of it crammed with toys, Christmas ornaments, fabric, tools, paint, and a pump for our never-worked sprinkler system.

So, this is the closest thing I have.

Super dungeon like.

My friend asked if Meg and Adeline felt unloved because they were being moved to a room previously filled with spiders and falling off plaster.

Insulting.

 

After carpet but before baseboard and wall touch up.

Here’s to my first carpet purchase in my career as an adult.

See how cute it is?

I mean, there’s pom-poms.

And nice looking boys in cardigans who may or may not be the ‘poster’ children for bad posture.

I picked up the little cart at an estate sale, in their dump pile.

Our friend welded on new casters and it got a good sanding and new paint.

I picked up the matching metal beds from our local Re-Store for….$16!

It has a little space heater since the heat isn’t connected to this room.

The girls actually stay pretty toasty.

They claim they have the coziest room because they have carpet AND their own heater.

 

And a transom window.

 

 

 

And for all you locals who have been to our house and are curious about where the storage room was/new bedroom is. {Since I probably just whisked you by it, along with the basement, on the house tour.}

It’s the space off the mud and laundry room at the back of the house.

 

 

Christmas Break is next week.

I’ll probably have loads of time to write up blogs while I’m hiding in the bathroom drowning out the crying with Christmas carols and chocolate.

Katie

Holidays at the Homestead

Which is what I’m calling this Hallmark movie, I mean, post.

Doesn’t it sound so romantic?

And not like there’s been rain, rain, sickness, rain, crying and broken ornamnets?

See?

I am a great marketer.

There’s an excessive amount of pictures, cuz {don’t tell my grandma I use that word, or still have terrible posture}I don’t know if you heard…

BUT I GOT A NEW CAMERA!!!

So…

I’ve been trying it out.

I naively thought I’d pick up the in’s and out’s faster since, generally speaking, I know how cameras and the various buttons work,

however, that has not been the case.

I’m trying to not get discouraged or feel like I’ve blown my hard saved money.

{Generally one would say ‘earned’ in this situtation, but apparently Bryce earns the money in the household and is therefore loved more, according to Meg…losing my ever-living mind.}

 

I know hot chocolate trays are very kitsche but I’m so glad we did one this year, it has been simple and super fun.

Colorful IKEA straws and deer certainly don’t hinder the cause.

Sometimes I feel like I go a bit overboard with the decorating, but I heard Elizabeth tell her teacher that our house looks magical at Christmas time, so….it’s worth it.

Even if I never convince Bryce that a third tree is a necessity.

 

 

 

 

OK, guys, that tree, the one in the next photo, is seriously leaning.

I’m getting our nine year old’s eyes checked.

You know, the one who was consulting while Bryce was holding it steady, and I was securing it with screws.

This tree is a lot of things, straight is not one of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katie