New beginnings

No, I'm not pregnant. 

It's the END of August, folks. I'm just the girl who used to blog sitting here a month after my last post jumping back in like nothing happened, but it has. A whole month has gone by. 

O & S went back to school this week. We were pumped. We had a few new clothing items, some nicely done hair, newly made lunches each day, new teachers to love and learn from, a new season of soccer to dominate. 

(A disaster of a house, a leaning pile of papers to sort through, shoes and clothes and soccer balls strewn throughout the universe. Food on my carpet and no one with time to vacuum. Realizing I'm a mom driving a mini van to soccer practice and that makes me a......)

There's a flip side to everything, see.

However, I do love the minivan. 

We can do this, right?!

Just look at them. 

Aren't they huge?

We were late on this day. I wanted to drive them to school but time was short. We were already in the van and buckled and we were leaving the driveway and then I shouted, "PICTURE!!!" So we jumped out and got in front of the house just like we ALWAYS HAVE, because, I thought...we might not have that backdrop by this time next year so it was ever so more important that we did, and here it is. Not much to the unknowing eye, but E-V-E-R-Y-THING to me. 

These are my big girls. The ones who were babies yesterday and big today. And every year they are bigger and bigger and bigger. 

See?

 

One year goes by, one month does too.

Hang on tight. 

New adventures

There's a sign in our front yard. 

FOR SALE

That's what it says. 

When it went up I cried. I knew that we were doing this. I actually chose this. But I still cried. Was this a mistake? We are happy here, after all. 

For years Steve and I have dreamed of living in the country. I have LIW in my bones! Anyone???

Answer: Laura Ingles Wilder. We'll refer to her as LIW from now on. 

I desperately want land to plant things and grow them. I want to grow our own food. I want to learn how and teach my girls how to can and cook and save and grow. I want to watch them run free with Rosie Posie Clark. No fences needed. The best view for the best sunrises and sunsets in the world courtesy of Iowa. A front porch to sit on. Stars brighter than you've ever seen. 

This is what we dream of. 

After some decent self reflection, I've come to understand why I want these things. It is not simply wanting things or different things in different places or my ongoing wish to be LIW. It's a lifestyle I want to achieve. It's simplicity and self-sufficience. It's to offer my kids what I want them to remember most about their childhood. Hide and seek, bugs, trees, forts, tag, gardens, animals, dirt, beauty. And I believe the back drop for that (for us anyway) is out there, surrounded by corn stalks. 

 

Up until now, we've been all talk. But recently, the time just seemed right. If it is childhood memories we want to give to our kids, we better get crackin. Have you seen Olivia lately? Lord, help us. 

Let me clarify too. We have it so good here in our house on Phillips Street. We have the best neighbors in the world that have provided our girls with best friends and a good home to be in every summer. We have more than we could ask for here. But the time is here to try. We can't talk about it forever. We have to try. And this is what we're doing. 

We found a place around here. It has a blue house on an acre of land on a gravel road outside of a small town. Did I tell you I used to say I'd live in New York and be a journalist? Irony. 

We love the blue house. We love the grove of trees and bushes and the fire pit and fenced in garden and machine shed (also blue) and front porch and flowers. 

We hope that this works out for us. In fact, we've chosen to believe that it will. I've said it here and I hope it doesn't jinx anything, but I needed to say it here and make it real, because that's ALL that is going on around here lately for us. That's what this blog is for. I document our lives here. So how could I leave this out?

Do you know how hard it is to keep an immaculate home with three kids? I had no idea until I had to achieve this for none other than strangers I'd never set eyes on. But here we are and this is what we're doing. 

I believe God has a plan for us. I know it's not life or death, or world changing or significant to most. But it is a path that we hope God will bless for us. And if not, well, I suppose that will be for another time and day. For now, we believe this little blue farm was made for us.

We pray for a buyer for our house. Someone that'll love it like we do and be good friends to our neighbors. We pray for someone to see it like we do and enjoy it like we have. 

We pray that the timing is right for us and our efforts won't go to waste. 

We pray for Blue house. 

As my mom would say during any unpleasant or unclear situation or event...."Think of this as an adventure!" 

We used to roll our eyes at this. I know we did.

But now, age 30, I know this to be true:

Mom advice = good advice.

Phillps: You are adorable in every season. Here's to new adventures.

3-0 and 2

I turned 30. We went camping to celebrate.

It was a big deal.

Not because I cared about turning 30. It was because my family made it a big deal.

I have never had a party this awesome. I probably never will again, and that's fine....because I'll be too old anyway. Ha!

I received 30 presents for my 30th birthday from my mom and sister and family. Can you believe that? Leave it to my family to waaayyy overdo gifts. You should see our Christmases! For all you grinches out there, stop with the commercialism lecture quick and listen. Some people speak the language of gifts. It doesn't matter how small or how big, used or new. If it was given to you, it means something. It means a lot. And that's the type of person I am. So this was BIG for me.

I unwrapped the makings for smores the first night. Each ingredient was wrapped, so yes, I did unwrap a box of graham crackers. I also unwrapped a telescopic marshmallow stick. Believe it. It's extendable.

Coffee, mugs, wine, sunscreen, lotion, lip stuff, lanterns, beach umbrella, 7 tickets to SkyZone, which we used immediately. It was the greatest day ever. Gift card to Panera, framed pictures of Eli and me right before his birthday party began, and so much more.

It was about living in the moment, having everything you need and more, and spending the weekend with the ones you hold dearest to you. What more could I want?

We celebrated Eli's birthday too. The big 2. We can home from the hospital on my birthday. It's you and I buddy. 

Another homemade cake masterpiece

 A BIG thanks to all of my friends and family that came out and surprised me and helped us celebrate the day! And an HUGE thanks to my hubs, mom and sis....thank you from the bottom of my 30 year old heart. I'll never forget it.