Quick Takes : only delayed by a year or so

Well, well, well. 

It's been a while, huh? 

I'm back (for today, anyway), coming atcha with some quick takes from this week. 

Seven Quick Takes : still staying home, blessings everywhere, sourdough starter, long-standing projects, and more staying home

Well, well, here we are. Still. We're still here. At home.

Like I've said before, for a stay at home mama homebody, there really weren't too many changes to my daily life. Trevor still goes to work... he's not really exposed to people at work this season of the year, anyways... It's pretty steady-as-she-goes around here.

But now, more than a month in, cancellations are starting to make an impact on us.

Four Quick Takes : growing boys, small successes

And ack, it's been a month since I've put pen to paper (or, well, fingers to keyboard) for this little space.

What a month it's been.

But we're not going to go into all that.... let's take small bites, shall we, and just talk about this week.

This week!

7QT : imperfect progress, porridge, and grippy feet

So what's been going on around the ole Ally-sphere, you may be wondering.

Well lucky you, I've got mundane-life-type stuff to share!

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When last I wrote, I was explaining my goal for 2020 -- to be JOYFUL. And then telling you what I thought through in order to get me on the right track.

And of course, the very next day, I found myself knee deep in a Not So Joyful afternoon. Sigh.

Working on it. Progress, right? Small steps. But yeah, parenting is hard and marriage can be hard and life is just hard. Those are my wise words for today.

Seven Quick Takes : two year old woes, apple crisp, slide rafts, and a house plant

Just seven little things about our week!

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We've been getting to the little public library in town about once a week or so lately, and this week was no exception.

Rocking Chair Revisited

It's almost seven thirty when I rush upstairs to the drawer full of pajamas. I'm behind. It's late. Bath time, then a story and a song, hugs and sloppy toddler kisses, and then I'll clean up the kitchen quick and hopefully the baby won't need to nurse just yet...

And in the middle of the routine checklist of my thoughts, I notice it.

It's covered, at the moment; several toddler sized button up shirts that I need to hang and put in the closet are draped over the back, and there's a toy tractor tossed on the seat. Wedged up against an armrest is a book - "Big Bulldozer!" embossed across the front. (I've got that bulldozer book memorized.)

It's the rocking chair.

This Week: An Announcement! {BIG NEWS! "This Week" Is Moving!}

If you've been reading here for any length of time, you are probably familiar with my chatty weekly round up of pictures and blessings and links.

It started up as Blessings this Week, and then changed to This Week, and now it's changing again! 

Sorry to be jerking you around.

I haven't been writing much (focusing instead on learning how to mom and other projects), but I really miss writing here. I need to get back into it. But I've been... overwhelmed. And I needed to make some changes.

Small Wonder

In this moment...

I could worry about germs

I could be concerned about splinters

I could think about how I really should sand and refinish our front porch

This Week: 05.18.2018

Grateful For: A wonderful Mother's Day weekend!

We went camping-- the first time camping with little E-- and it was just such a great weekend. Despite the rain and cool weather, we had a really great time.

This Week: 05.04.2018

And just like that, it's May already! Wasn't it snowing like 20 minutes ago? How can it be May?!

This Week: 04.27.2018

Grateful For: A caring family, sunshine, warm days, my husband's currently flexible work schedule.

This Week: 04.20.2018

This Week: 04.13.2018

My totally naive self thought that after having this baby, I'd still be writing as much as ever.

Maybe more, even, I thought...  since I'm not really working anymore. Being a "stay at home mom" would open up hours and hours to spend thinking and writing and reading, right? HA.

I sorely, sorely misunderstood the time commitment and intellectual commitment my little miracle would bring along with him. I kind of knew that having a baby would be work, but I don't think I realized (and I'm not sure you really can realize, until you're in the thick of it) just how much brainpower and energy would go directly to loving and caring for my little fella.

Soooo. Yeah, not writing as much as I'd like to. By any means.

And so, after doing almost no thinking about it, I've decided to use these Friday posts in a more all-encompassing way and fit a whole bunch of things into one quick, chatty blurb. We'll see how it goes. Let me know what you think.

It seemed nearly impossible, but we've burned through the huge stockpile of wood that was cut and stored in a shed already when we bought the house. Trevor's been going out and cutting up the dead fall in our grove, so the fireplace is still a-goin'. 

Blessings this Week: 01.19.2018

Raccoon tracks by the barn

Well it certainly has been a while since I've written a blessings post, and I'm tempted to go way back and recount all the many, many blessings from weeks past... but that's an overwhelming thought, because there have been so many!

Instead I'll just jump right in on this week!

Blessings this Week: 10.20.2017 and 10.27.2017

I'll be totally honest... these past two weeks have had their great moments, but they've also had some hard moments. 

And while in the middle of it, it's difficult for me to see the blessings and trust the One who sends them. But just like this earth He's created, there are seasons for everything- and when sorrow lasts for the night, He promises joy in the morning. 

The fields are emptying- no more soybeans by my house! It's incredible how the landscape changes after harvest.

Blessings this Week: 10.13.2017 Edition

It's somehow Friday again, and it's somehow already the middle of October, and I'm not sure where the time went or how this week has flown by, but the leaves are changing colors all around me and sometimes I feel like I'm missing it.

Counting blessings helps me cling to each moment, noticing, being present before it passes by.

Because goodness is it going fast.

Blessings this Week: 09.29.2017 Edition

I can hardly believe that this week is already over- after last week's craziness, I thought this week would seem much slower. But that hasn't been the case at all. In fact, this week almost seemed quicker somehow.

Our baby is changing every day, and it seems like I'm having trouble keeping up with all the changes- his expressions, adjustments to his care, challenges of being a parent, new things I'm learning daily.

But I'm trying to just stay present in the moment, to enjoy every minute of this new life we have. I still can't believe how blessed we are.

Blessings these Weeks: 09.15.2017 and 09.22.2017

(Just a very quick post today-- there have been so many blessings, but my biggest blessing is taking up a lot of my time and attention at the moment!)

Thirty-two weeks of pregnancy with our little one

Blessings this Week: 09.08.2017 Edition

And just like that, it's September.

Summer is definitely changing to fall, and I know that pretty soon, our Iowa landscape will be changing, too- the corn that grew into hedges will soon be gone and the views will suddenly open up again to miles and miles of sky.

It's the one thing we can count on, it seems- this change.

And it feels like there are so many changes coming and so quickly, and I don't feel at all prepared.

It won't be long until our house gets a new roof, it won't be long until we're holding our baby in our arms, it won't be long until we're packing up to move back to Colorado, it won't be long until we're incredibly busy again with snowmobiles and phone calls.

But for now, I'm trying to be here. To enjoy the blessings of this moment, before everything changes and new blessings come.

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Sunsets and windmills. 

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There have been hawks everywhere for the past few weeks- I see them as I drive home, as I walk the dog, in the trees in our grove. I know they're hunting field mice (and I'm so grateful for that!), but they look so graceful as they glide, like a dance. 

(Oh, and I saw one hawk flying with a snake in its beak the other day- pretty neat to see)

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While Trevor's working on the heavy stuff (like moving piles of gravel and measuring roof lines and hooking up a washer and dryer), I've been doing little projects around the house, too. 

Like decorating above the kitchen cabinets, finally weeding my little flower garden, and cleaning antlers to put by the fireplace. 

Those little tiny changes make a difference, and they make me happy.

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This happy dog who's always ready for a walk (and a treat- which is how I got him to "smile" for this picture). 

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(Because I missed the pictures from last week...) - 30 weeks pregnant, and...

31 weeks. 

Baby is coming so soon! We had a bit of a surprise shower with some dear ladies I know from Camp- they brought toys and books and blankets, and a very cute burp rag big enough for Trevor's burly shoulders (he was a good sport modeling it for all us giggling girls!). We're so blessed by these ladies who love us so well. 

Our little baby doesn't feel near so little anymore- I can feel him pressing on me all the time now, and it's fun to be able to watch him move as well as feel him. Just another change that means we're getting closer to meeting our little one!

Have a wonderful weekend, and count the blessings!

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Blessings this Week: 08.25.2017 Edition

We spent the last couple weeks out where the buffalo roam... or in our case, where they remain lying down and swat flies off of themselves without paying any mind to the motorcycle passing by.

Our annual Black Hills trip is always something we look forward to- ten days camping with family and friends in the beautiful mountains- who could ask for more?