More Farm Fun

Our Morning

Elijah has been in preschool this year, which has meant 8 months of mornings with just these two.

Being that my oldest is also the loudest of the group, it has meant quiet, slower paced mornings as well.

(Sometimes running errands is just plain easier with two kiddo's in tow).

But today we played outside.

Ella takes her role of "big sister" very seriously. She helps get him everything and anything she can think of that he might need.

We pulled the car out of the basement for Jude, and it has been a huge hit with all the kids. 

Who knew putting a toy away for a year would bring so much excitement when it is rediscovered!

Jude rides around saying, "Beep beep!"

One kid with brown, one kid with blue, and this kid with pretty hazel eyes. 

What a HAM.

Ella recently learned to ride a two wheeler.

She was just as determined as her mommy was to ride when she was her age :)

This is very exciting in the Hess house. Daddy is building a "tree" house for the kids in our tiny back yard. 

To say everyone is excited would be a major understatement.

They have big plans to host birthday parties and sleepovers in it. 

I have big plans for a cedar shake roof and painting it light yellow. 

Just wait until it's finished. I married a very talented man.

Oh, and it's all from his stash of saved materials. We haven't spent any money to build it! Once again, his borderline hoarding comes in handy.

I love our tiny backyard.

Fun on the Farm

My younger two come alive outside of the city. They love the space to run and play, and the freedom to explore farther away from mama. 

They also both love animals. 

They are fascinated by all kinds of animals, so a day at the farm is very exciting for the both of them. 

And two farms in the same week?

This week we walked with sheep in the pasture, gathered eggs from the hen house, observed peacocks in their pen, played with farm cats and threw stones into ponds near the ducks and swans. 

Very exciting. 

Bubbles, Sidewalk Chalk & Picnics

I love how our backyard comes alive in the spring. 

Our tiny square of earth in this small city. 

We make the most of what we have, taking advantage of a safe space for my kids to run and play. 

When the weather gets warmer, our kids begin to live out there. It's as if our tiny house grows a huge playroom off the back. 

It's only April, and we have already enjoyed lots of meals and picnics outside, water balloons, riding bikes through the sprinkler and lots of playtime in the sand box.

In our old, city house, I enjoy spring and fall the most. Summer brings the loud air conditioning units, and although I love our cozy house in the winter, there's something about having the windows open that make it feel as though we really do all share a space in this city.

To some, that's probably a negative thing. But we love it. I love the sense of community. I love hearing kids playing and the church bells ringing. I love being around people, and having the windows open remind me more often that my own little world is much bigger than what is inside of these walls. It also makes my world feel smaller somehow. 

I love when nap time sneaks up on us. When every one is playing so hard and so dirty that we lose track of time.  

Like the fun is just getting started when we realize it's time to rest. 

I always would have imagined living in the city would make me feel trapped. Trapped within buildings and concrete. But having a child friendly, fenced in space and the ability to walk anywhere to find an adventure makes city living exciting to our family. 

I look forward to the day when we have a big green space to run and play in, but also will really miss this space we have. 

Maybe we'll just stay forever. 

We are working on a tree fort for the kids. Sometimes I wonder how much we will try to squeeze into this small little backyard. But I'm excited for them to have a special hide out and place to use their imaginations. 

More recently I have had a deeper sense and love that this house is home. It's always felt like home, but the more we are here and settled, the harder it will ever be to leave it.

It's like carving your initials in a tree in the front yard of your child hood home. You watch the tree grow, your initials change, and the thought of leaving that simple memory makes you sad.

We have watched our house transform and change, our plants and trees grow. We've added memories and brought home babies. We've watched those babies grow.

I love this house. 

We don't have plans to move, not even a little. But it's funny how a house that can frustrate me so much (hey, it's 160 years old, it's bound to have a few "quirks."), can also be such a peaceful, safe place. 

So right now I feel all full and satisfied as the weather changes. My spirit is lifted, my camera comes out more often, there are fresh flowers in vases, curtains blowing in the breeze and that stale old house smell is harder to detect.

When you aren't cooped up inside, your house doesn't feel as old and stale.

We are soaking it up. The simple things in life are truly the most enjoyable. Water balloons that keep my kids occupied for hours. Sidewalk chalk. Roasting marshmallows. 

Bubbles.

Oh, the bubbles (I think Jude has dumped 3 full bottles already).

Life moves a little slower these days. Less to get done, more time to play. 

The anticipation of a tree house to play in, another touch of "us" on this small piece of land.