Spring, we all love.

Royal had not seen this thing in bit. 

Just a delicious burger and fries shared outside on a warm day.

Our friends, the Douthitt's, invited us to their family's cabin for  a night. It was a great time.

We definitely made s'mores in our living room.

This is the time of year that we all yearn for. Finally made it through the snowy, windy gray days. We put things in the grounds and nurse them as they were our children; Anticipating some future homegrown meals. We have eaten many spinach and red romaine salads with the new addition of sugar peas. Royal bats at the little seedlings and giggles at their movements. He is truly enamored with plants and trees and flowers. Give him a stick with some leaves on it and he will be entertained. 

We have had some great times this past month, cabining with the Groces, sleepovers with the Criglers (like ol' times), farmers markets, walks in Cherokee Park, and mothers day was a treat!

Next week, we are on our way to FL to see Tyler's grandma and beach-it-up. It will be a real quick trip, just 4 days. Next month we will be going to WI to see my grandma for her 95th bday!

A one Year Old!

A year has passed since the birth of our smirky little boy. Not so hard to believe actually. We had a party in the park with blankets, kites, balloons, food, family and friends. It was really a good time, the weather was perfect and so were the people. Tyler held a man challenge which included tree climbing, baseball throwing, nail hitting, cornhole and bottle topple. I was pleased to have my mama and seester here with us to celebrate. It would have not been the same without some representation from my family. 

 

Royals stats:

25 lbs

8 teeth

crawling

stair climber

grinner

a busy January

Here's the salve that I made! It turned out great except the scent was very light. More essential oils next time. It does cure those cracked wintery hands.

We also made soap! It proved to be more work than we anticipated. I got the flu the morning we started so I didn't do much! But Tyler and the Groces stuck it out and made it happen.

Here we are at the awards banquet for Tyler. He had 3 pieces receive recognition! Two of them got gold and one silver. We heard that the judges were pretty strict on the ones they let in. 

I made walnut-orange tartlets for New Year's. They were real yummy, the crust was so flaky and pastry dough-like.

Oh, just this guy being tough and standing with one hand. 

Hard to believe, but we celebrated Izaak Criglers 1st birthday on 1/11/11! He was a bit under the weather and wouldn't eat his cake!

The rest of this month is filling up quick with many things. We leave tomorrow to see my family in Wisconsin. Soon as we get back we have a wedding to celebrate with 2 parties, babysitting for four days in a row (including overnight!) than a wedding that I am in the first weekend in February! We continue to seek the Lord in our family, marriage and relationships. We are always amazed when we reflect on the ways that we are taken care of!

New Year.

I was excited to be able to use my birthday money to order seeds for our garden. We skipped out on it last year so I am doubly stoked on this coming season. I ordered from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. They have so many beautiful and interesting varieties it was hard to choose. Here is what I decided on...

-atomic red and lunar white carrots

-parisian pickling cuke

-blue curled scotch kale

-cimmaron lettuce

-may queen lettuce

-coban orange flesh melon (from coban, guatemala, where we have been!)

-sugar ann snow pea

-robertos cuban seasoning pepper

-coban red pimiento

-gigante d'inverno spinach

-buttercup squash

-purple coban tomatillo

-royal chico tomato

-orange fleshed purple smudge tomato

We still plan to be involved with a CSA; but my hopes are to really preserve some food this year. I was able to save (by roasting or blanching and freezing) only a small bit last year. Salsa, sauces, chutneys, pickles, and lacto-fermented veggies here we come!

Royal is getting around by rolling, sliding, twisting and turning but not so much crawling. He does this london bridge type thing where he sticks his booty in to the air, as if he wants to stand. He attempts to pull himself up but we all know he isn't going anywhere just yet with those weak arms.

This month Tyler and I will be fasting one day a week to focus on praying and thinking about our next step in the adoption process. We have been stuck in the same spot for awhile: Not knowing where to adopt from. I have not stopped loving the idea of Latin America but honestly, there are so many orphans everywhere it is difficult to narrow it down!

We are on our way to wisconsin in less than 2 weeks to be with my family for our christmas celebration. Royal has not seen them in about 3.5 months. It is hard to be away from them when Royal is changing so rapidly.

Lastly, we entered some of Tyler's designs in a city-wide contest to see who is the awesomest designer. Well, he was chosen and now his work is going to be shown at a pretty serious gallery. Basically, he is awesome and is one of the best designers in Louisville (just braggin). So this friday we are gonna go and pay some good money to see the work displayed. He will also be getting an award. If anything, it's good publicity and an opportunity to have more relationships with people outside of our church family. Tyler loves talking to people and he is real good at it to!

more family photos and proyectos

We have had lots of snow for these parts. The most, I think, since I have lived here. Makes these pics look nice with the sunshine and tank tops. Our house has been in disarray for over a week now: I am patiently waiting for our kitchen to be finished. Patiently. I am also reminded that it certainly will not make me more complete as a mama/wife and homemaker. It is hard not to be complainy and I give credit to Tyler in this time for putting up with me and showing me what patience really looks like. 

Today Royal and I went to the Seminary to have brunch with Tyler and his co-workers. I made a quiche, crust and all, that was yummy. It was also a hit! Eggs, bacon, leeks, broccoli, sun-dried toms, mozzarella, sage, pepper, raw milk and cream baked into greatness. I normally don't like to make things that involve crusts because the crust part takes extra time. But it is rewarding to make your own, flaky, tender, flour, butter and ice cold water. 

My exploration of handmade products, ie deoderant, shampoo, face wash, conditioner (just use apple cider vinegar, leaves hair shiny and snarl free!) continues as I attempt to make a hand/body salve. I started with 1/2 cup mixed rosemary and lavender from the backyard along with calendula in a glass mason jar with 1 1/2 cups olive oil. Placed in crockpot on top of towel and cover, set on lowest setting. Let olive oil infuse for a couple days than strain out herbs. With double broiler, melt generous 1/4 cup beeswax pastilles than slowly mix with olive oil! 

Merry December

Right now, the snow is falling gently, like a giant is shaking his dandruff laden head in slow motion, only pretty. This doesn't happen too often in Kentucky so I try to take it in. I am sitting next to a fire and drinking homemade hot chocolate waiting for Tyler to return from Kmart. Yep, they still exist and the only reason I know that is because our neighbor across the street occasionally knocks on our door requesting a ride to pick up something that has been put on sale. Last time a boombox and Pepsi, this time a space heater "that more or less (his fave choice of words) is only $44.95 today."

We all are a wee bit under the weather, but that comes with the cold. I attempt some "witchcraft" like eating raw garlic dripped with honey, steeping elderberries, rubbing Royal with olive oil and eucalyptus and keeping the humidifier going, but the noses continue to run. Our bodies can handle it, we just need to give them a bit of encouragement by resting.

Our kitchen has been under construction this week, drywalling in prep for new cabinets. I have not been able to cook much, which has led to a pretty relaxed week. It is amazing how much time I spend in the kitchen. Didn't realize it until now. I do enjoy it and it is a practical way to take care of my family: with some good food.

Love the Christmas season. Thinking a lot about traditions to start with our family. Exciting.

Happy 4X!

Last week we celebrated our 4 year anniversary. Celebrated. It was a memorable time for me, riding my bike for the first time in 13 months. I missed it for certain and felt like a million billion bucks as we whizzed by cars on Bardstown Road and flew down Baxter Avenue hill towards the downtown city lights.  The weather was great and the company was superb. Tyler took me to Palermo, an Argentinian restaurant where we ate meat and drank Bombay gin and tonics. Then we saw the Mystery of Irma Vep at Actor's Theater. We enjoyed ourselves like we were in our first year of marriage when we had no car. Biking was it! 

(The pictures of Royal are for those of you that only really look here for him, Grandma Ann.)