tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8860361343147459612024-03-13T05:14:56.400-07:00Heap to HomesteadToniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-11788054140415281882020-10-25T18:12:00.002-07:002020-10-25T18:12:48.812-07:00The Bathroom Remodel<p> You probably won't be surprised when I tell you a lot has changed at the Heap since I last blogged. Nearly 20 months has gone by since I revealed the kitchen remodel. Since then, we've made some decisions about homesteading and our lives in general which include a refocus on the Heap and the lifestyle we were so excited to embrace in the beginning. But, I'll share all that later because let's be honest- you just want to see the BATHROOM!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UxmPB9XCAzs/UfBshsZXKeI/AAAAAAAAAC4/nN4oo-3FaeMryRzE_OSpo0KN47paomlFwCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/100_3640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UxmPB9XCAzs/UfBshsZXKeI/AAAAAAAAAC4/nN4oo-3FaeMryRzE_OSpo0KN47paomlFwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/100_3640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjKzbfCOZzQ/UfBsidOFmkI/AAAAAAAAADM/IC5MVEImf5UBPwU18quibVqrejAb1d77ACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/100_3642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjKzbfCOZzQ/UfBsidOFmkI/AAAAAAAAADM/IC5MVEImf5UBPwU18quibVqrejAb1d77ACPcBGAYYCw/s320/100_3642.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>You may or may not remember the lovely bathroom pre-remodel. After seven and a half years at the Heap, I had gotten used to it. In the beginning, I was super creeped out by the grody floors and disgusted by the wallpaper walls that could not be cleaned because getting them wet caused them to start to disintegrate. But, over time I just didn't really notice too much anymore. We fully moved into the space, I maximized storage to the best of my ability, and we just had the bathroom we had. No biggie. I didn't really expect the bathroom remodel to happen any time soon and I was fine with that. <div><br /></div><div>In July, the Hubs lost his job. After a little bit of shock and, maybe some dismay, we quickly decided to embrace this change as a gift. If he was not working, he'd have plenty of time to focus on a remodel. The bathroom was the last room in the main part of the house that needed done and we had avoided it because we really couldn't be without a bathroom for months and months. A month or two, we could totally manage, though, and if you're going to have to use a port-a-potty for awhile, the warm summer months are the perfect time to do so. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inf_tUy_AMU/X5XkKRsugMI/AAAAAAAACPg/L-cJ0K_HPPsp5jcmml148CW0MpeBK4qAQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG-2445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inf_tUy_AMU/X5XkKRsugMI/AAAAAAAACPg/L-cJ0K_HPPsp5jcmml148CW0MpeBK4qAQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG-2445.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PMACDwUCSAs/X5XkHhcuMxI/AAAAAAAACPU/zEuSPuQD0qQBRoD2QSsiBTWEQzLTXA1GwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG-0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PMACDwUCSAs/X5XkHhcuMxI/AAAAAAAACPU/zEuSPuQD0qQBRoD2QSsiBTWEQzLTXA1GwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG-0013.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The original plan was to rent a port-a-potty, take wipe down baths most of the time, and rely on neighbors' hospitality for a weekly shower, but the Hubs is smarter than that, of course. He quickly realized that he could rig up a temporary shower in the cellar. It wasn't the prettiest environment to shower in, but it worked perfectly, and I did not have to go even one day without access to a shower. As usual, I'm so grateful for my Hubs and his resourcefulness. The port-a-potty came in handy for having a bathroom to use while work was being done, but we only had to rely on it completely for about two weeks. The rest of the time, the indoor toilet was operating. The Hubs really did everything possible to make sure I was comfortable during this remodel. He loves me.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j-dwk_JWdhQ/X5XpjUoANVI/AAAAAAAACQk/ogwYl2DnWxIWg3QBhqGiyfDxsTl92PtGQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG-0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j-dwk_JWdhQ/X5XpjUoANVI/AAAAAAAACQk/ogwYl2DnWxIWg3QBhqGiyfDxsTl92PtGQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG-0004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qzd92T1KqNA/X5XkIEiwMJI/AAAAAAAACPo/ZYcoZyjl-zALN43XPGk75rRHKpN7Ec6agCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qzd92T1KqNA/X5XkIEiwMJI/AAAAAAAACPo/ZYcoZyjl-zALN43XPGk75rRHKpN7Ec6agCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first thing to go was the window. The original window had, at some point since we moved to the Heap, been hit with a rock, breaking a hole into the outer pane. Bugs flew into the hole and couldn't find their way back out, which created this horrifying shadow box of dead bugs. It was disgusting. Now, there's a brand new, clean, window. It is not disgusting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cK5KjL4Vf7w/X5XkIdRqMRI/AAAAAAAACPs/FjhwbTm89bcUcl3kDhafrrYq2Gb12ybcACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cK5KjL4Vf7w/X5XkIdRqMRI/AAAAAAAACPs/FjhwbTm89bcUcl3kDhafrrYq2Gb12ybcACPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0003.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-62dlmWleZbk/X5XmtVK9r4I/AAAAAAAACQU/1vKd6_r_FrQpXjJd9jUxQInryttswasqgCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-62dlmWleZbk/X5XmtVK9r4I/AAAAAAAACQU/1vKd6_r_FrQpXjJd9jUxQInryttswasqgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0028.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIyUprrj7Q8/X5XryAy47jI/AAAAAAAACQ0/GzfGDkIVONIvenvQnwjcFTwB7dGPCKiZwCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIyUprrj7Q8/X5XryAy47jI/AAAAAAAACQ0/GzfGDkIVONIvenvQnwjcFTwB7dGPCKiZwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0109.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would have loved to have been able to put in a separate shower and tub, but try as we might, we just couldn't make that work in the space, without losing a lot of storage. In such a small house, storage is just too precious. So, we kept a tub/shower combo. I really wanted a deeper bathtub, which was surprisingly difficult to find. I also wanted a tile surround, but the Hubs was adamantly against it. In the end, we compromised with a special tub, that is several inches deeper and has a curved edge and a fiberglass surround. It's pretty and clean. I'm happy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAuiRQSl9PE/X5XmsyUW7VI/AAAAAAAACQc/RvXWR2qabnIL8UijNFwhmYFen3qWv2NrACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAuiRQSl9PE/X5XmsyUW7VI/AAAAAAAACQc/RvXWR2qabnIL8UijNFwhmYFen3qWv2NrACPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0029.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ImHfNWqNW3I/X5Xmwb5T8EI/AAAAAAAACQY/39atw5ZQYj0F2lnUI04uDbKIA7nZpQGcwCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ImHfNWqNW3I/X5Xmwb5T8EI/AAAAAAAACQY/39atw5ZQYj0F2lnUI04uDbKIA7nZpQGcwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0067.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>One of our first purchases for the bathroom is one of the things I am most excited about. I never thought I'd get so happy about a toilet, but getting old changes you people. This is an awesome toilet. I knew I wanted a toilet that did not have seat hinges on the back of the toilet- they get grimy and gross about 3 hours after you put the new seat on. I also knew that toilets can be made without those hinges because the toilets in the hospital, and many commercial locations, do not have them. But, I wasn't sure if I'd have to buy a commercial toilet to get what I wanted. I was delighted when we went to Menard's to look for toilets and there it was- the perfect toilet! The hinges are located on the side instead of the back, so no little knobs of dried pee and poo to deal with! Eureka! If nothing else happened in this bathroom, my life has been improved exponentially. I love my toilet!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAR17tW49E8/X5XmtWKOXTI/AAAAAAAACQQ/OyvA_fcQV2Q0_7rV4AE3yxM_wwLi2fsXQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAR17tW49E8/X5XmtWKOXTI/AAAAAAAACQQ/OyvA_fcQV2Q0_7rV4AE3yxM_wwLi2fsXQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0030.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div>One of the most delightful parts of this remodel has been watching the Hubs and our son work together. Noah has become more man than boy in the past year and he is able to keep pace with his dad. He has learned so much and will be well equipped to care for his own house and family one day. The two of them did almost all the work on the bathroom with very little help from Jenna or I. I had time to work in the kitchen, taking care of canning and meal prep. This remodel was much less stressful on me as a result. I sure do love my guys. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VdjmL-H7BBg/X5XmyXhPEeI/AAAAAAAACQc/enu5kNHhpEovF6gpC-s4zrb1TrczaAMXQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VdjmL-H7BBg/X5XmyXhPEeI/AAAAAAAACQc/enu5kNHhpEovF6gpC-s4zrb1TrczaAMXQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0106.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AuG_hW8gr6U/X5XmybMkdaI/AAAAAAAACQc/zgGPpwWtda4Z4Sgnb8o57osfsnmSmrOqgCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AuG_hW8gr6U/X5XmybMkdaI/AAAAAAAACQc/zgGPpwWtda4Z4Sgnb8o57osfsnmSmrOqgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0107.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NAvSvx7H0XM/X5XryTJD4zI/AAAAAAAACRA/Md9iMnQvFVkgn4zeFYEqzfU8QaCZ_SWxgCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NAvSvx7H0XM/X5XryTJD4zI/AAAAAAAACRA/Md9iMnQvFVkgn4zeFYEqzfU8QaCZ_SWxgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0108.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZMnzUDvqBk/X5XrxtEt8EI/AAAAAAAACRE/MmOKUvdKYVwTwm8jFwICWME9fFhspKldACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZMnzUDvqBk/X5XrxtEt8EI/AAAAAAAACRE/MmOKUvdKYVwTwm8jFwICWME9fFhspKldACPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0110.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xLpb1p1gAh8/X5Xrz3kQP0I/AAAAAAAACRI/9PGUMEq_VIkH1Wzt_7JYwnNERbnMeRHUACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG-0111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xLpb1p1gAh8/X5Xrz3kQP0I/AAAAAAAACRI/9PGUMEq_VIkH1Wzt_7JYwnNERbnMeRHUACPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG-0111.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><div>I decided to take one of my accent colors from the rest of the house and make it the star in the bathroom. I think it makes the room look bright and cheery, but also crisp and clean. I stuck with my usual minimalist farmhouse tendencies for decorations and ended up with a beautiful, simple bathroom. Noah told me it looks like a hotel bathroom. I'm choosing to believe that he means it is stunningly beautiful and he feels so lucky to get to shower in there. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, what now? Well, like a lot of people, we've had plenty of time to reflect on our lives and spend more time than usual at home. We like it. We had really lost focus in the past few years and homesteading had steadily fallen to the back burner. Some things needed to go, but there's a lot we still want to do and providing as much as we can for ourselves is still important to us. Right now the Hubs is working at home. He has time to focus on projects around here that will push our homesteading forward. We don't know how long he will do this, but it's an awesome opportunity right now and I'm excited to see how our homestead comes together. I am working outside the home, at a job I adore, but I have let go of the extras. I no longer teach or lead for AHG. I have more days at home than I have at work. This allows me time to get back to homesteading. I had an amazing garden this year, with plans for an even bigger one next year. Along with gardening comes canning and food preservation that I need time to be able to do. I've also been on an intense health journey and time outside, doing things I love, is a big part of my healing. I hope to get back to blogging with more purpose, but you'll be seeing the blog change a bit. We still have some remodeling to do, but now we're more about settling into a permanent homesteading lifestyle. We've experimented a lot, found out a lot about what we can and can't do. It was all a fun adventure. Now, we have to embrace the things we want and need while letting go of things that are too difficult, too expensive, or just not good for us. I'll be posting more about my health journey, gardening, and homestead life. I hope you'll stick around for this new phase. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: Caveat; font-size: x-large;">Tonia<br /><br /></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-5656230767578730012019-02-07T14:39:00.000-08:002019-02-07T14:39:31.768-08:00The Kitchen Remodel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's hard to believe we've been at the Heap for nearly six years. The kitchen was one of the biggest adjustments I had to make when we moved out here. It was so small that I had to get rid of a lot of my specialty cooking items and, as the center, of the home, it was pretty hard to disguise the old and yuck of it all. But, over the years, I've learned how to cope with it and make it work for me. I was actually feeling pretty content with the situation when the Hubs decided it was time to conquer the kitchen remodel. Now, don't get me wrong, I have been dreaming of what my kitchen would some day look like since we moved here. I wasn't opposed to remodeling, exactly, I just wasn't completely in the right frame of mind for it. I had recently started my full-time job with cardiac rehab and I had taken on the job of teaching high school Biology at our home school co-op. Being very busy and chaos don't play well together for this Type A girl and I wasn't sure I could handle it. But, when the Hubs decides to take on a job, you change into work clothes and get ready, so that's what I did. It was a rough go, but the results are pretty fantastic.<br />
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Demo took about a week and created an epic mess. Pretty much everything had to go- the walls, the cabinets, the appliances, the old and gnarly insulation in the walls. We decided to just cover over the ceiling rather than ripping it down, but everything else was removed and carted out. The Hubs wanted to get rid of the arch between the kitchen and dining room while we were at. This gives us a bigger opening for getting things in and out of the house.<br />
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The dining room became the makeshift kitchen and everything from the dining room and kitchen that wasn't imperative was stored in the living room. For the entirety of the remodel we had no table to eat at, no couch to sit on, and no area to hang out together as a family. In addition to chaos and extreme mess, I had to deal with a rather disjointed and disconnected family. It was hard. Really, really hard.<br />
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This remodel was different because, unlike previous jobs, we did not do most of the work together. My other commitments kept me out of the house a lot of the time or frantically trying to put together lesson plans, while the Hubs and Boo worked. Then, as we neared the finish line, Bug and I spend time painting and decorating while the menfolk worked outside or rested. Everyone got used to being in separate areas, doing different things, and we are still recovering from the shift in dynamic.<br />
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Cooking wasn't impossible, but it was very inconvenient. Cleaning up was even more difficult. In the end, we ate a lot of junk and tolerated a lot more mess than usual. </div>
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The Hubs did an amazing job of thinking of everything. I approached the remodel with no expectations. I did not think the kitchen would change much as far as layout or usefulness, it would simply be prettier. The Hubs really saw the opportunities and made changes that have ended up being invaluable. One of those things was an attic entrance. Previously, there was an attic fan in the kitchen. Because of significant seasonal allergies, we were never able to use it, so replacing it wasn't on the agenda. The Hubs decided to widen the opening a bit and put a new attic ladder in it rather than just letting it go to waste or be covered up. Now, we have an attic ladder in the house already, but it is located in our bedroom, directly over our bed. Anytime anyone needed to go into the attic (which is way more often than you might think) we had to move our king size bed out of the way. And, of course, there was always a mess from the work being done too- right on my bedroom rug. Now, we have a way into the attic that requires no moving of anything and an easy location for cleaning up the mess. I am very happy with that.<br />
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The ceiling was a design feature I requested. Throughout the rest of the house we have paneling, which we have opted to paint rather than try to completely remove. This gives a nice texture to the walls and makes the house feel sort of cottage like, I think. But, in the kitchen we had to remove walls and put up drywall, so there was no texture. This gave me the chance to put texture somewhere else and I chose a plank ceiling. At first, the Hubs wasn't a fan, but once it was done we both agree it looks really, really good. I love it and I think it keeps the general feel of the house intact, which is important to me. I want it all to feel cohesive and as though it was all done together.</div>
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It felt like forever before we were really ready to start putting things back together. There was a lot of electrical work that had to happen and each step always took longer than I thought it was going to. Hanging a light fixture might take all day if it involves rerouting lines and going into the attic to put new junction boxes. Almost every outlet had to be moved and rewired in some way. Exterior walls had to have new insulation put up before drywall could go up. New water lines and gas lines had to be run. In between the necessities, I would get teasers- going to order cabinets or appliances. I tried to take joy where I could and wait patiently, but some days I was pretty sure it was never getting done.<br />
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Once we had walls, doors, and flooring it was time to bring in the cabinets. Once again, the Hubs thought bigger than me. I had planned on having cabinets in the same configuration as before, but the Hubs suggested we move the refrigerator to the opposite wall and flank it with cabinets. This would allow us to have cabinets go all the way down the wall and around to the door, which would leave us room for a dishwasher and a lot more cabinet and counter space. I had resigned myself to several things- never having enough cabinet or counter space, never having a dishwasher, and never having enough room in my refrigerator. With one wave of his hammer, the Hubs fixed all those problems and several more. I now have a dishwasher and a beverage refrigerator and all the counter space. He's a smart guy, my Hubs.<br />
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Another design element I was very insistent on was my sink. I wanted a farmhouse sink, no matter what. The thing about these beauties, though, is that they are crazy heavy and they don't just go into a regular cabinet. Because we went with the, ahem, frugal option of cabinets, the option to buy a sink cabinet designed for farmhouse sinks did not exist, so it had to be modified. I think my marriage hung in the balance for a few days there, but the Hubs did a wonderful job and got my sink in. I love, love, love it. I'm really glad I did not compromise on it because I think it is absolutely perfect, but it was a pretty serious source of tension for a while. Not that I blame him really, it was a total pain in the rear to put in, but seriously, it's so beautiful!<br />
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The flooring is the same tile we have throughout the house. It's perfect for a farmhouse. It hides spills and track throughs pretty well and it's not too fancy or perfect. As with a lot of things in this house, it's not quite what I would have picked, but I really love it.<br />
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After five months, it came together. We were able to move into the kitchen and get our living room and dining room back on Christmas Eve, which was a combination of answered prayers and perseverance from the Hubs. Over several more weeks we finished little jobs and I put all the little touches I wanted in place. I think it's beautiful and I love it. In all honesty, it is not the kitchen of my dreams. If I had more money or more space I would do things differently. I don't like having all the stuff on the counter tops and I would never have picked white cabinets if I had any other suitable choice. But, it is perfect for the Heap. It is a small farmhouse kitchen, just what should be in a small farmhouse. I love cooking in it. I even love cleaning it up. I am beyond grateful that we were able to get this large project done on budget, with not one cent of debt. The Heap is really becoming a home and home is really where my heart is.<br />
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<span style="color: #ff0066; font-family: "Lucida Handwriting"; font-size: 18pt;">Tonia</span><br />
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-90397066639561896602017-03-05T13:09:00.000-08:002017-03-05T13:09:15.332-08:00Holding On LooselyIt's hard to believe it's been nearly a year since I last posted anything. I never meant for it to be so long. It's been a year full of high points and hard days. Life doesn't look like what we had pictured when we moved to the Heap four years ago and there is still a certain amount of struggle as we try to figure out our priorities, but the rewards are worth it.<br />
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We spent the year learning how to be beekeepers. Although the scholarship was awarded specifically to Bug, we have all attended classes and meetings and helped to check the hive and harvest honey. It has truly been an incredible experience. Bees are way cooler than you realize. We were able to harvest about 5 gallons of honey, which Bug was able to sell. She won ribbons at three different fairs as well. The plan for 2017 is to split the hive into two, hopefully doubling the honey harvest. You can find <a href="https://www.facebook.com/heaptsteadhoney/" target="_blank">Heapstead Honey</a> on Facebook and follow her progress there. She so appreciates your support. I'm hoping to have her do a guest post here sometime soon. </div>
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We raised and butchered our heritage hogs. It worked quite well to have them on pasture and we were pleased with how well they grew. The pasture has a few places that need new seed, but overall they didn't do tremendous damage so that seems to work well for us. I feel like the resulting meat is a little bit off, though, so we will have to evaluate a few things before we raise more hogs. Because we raised a heritage breed and left the animals intact, rather than castrating them, it is hard to know exactly where the difference lies. </div>
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We have two grown sheep now- a (hopefully) breeding pair. Dodge and Annie are pretty low maintenance and are quite happy on the pasture, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of romance happening out there. We have no idea if this means they don't like each other or they just prefer the privacy of the barn at night. We're praying for lambs this spring. </div>
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A new freeloader joined the family this year. Nalla came to us from my mom, who couldn't care for her anymore. She's a sweet girl even if she doesn't contribute to a job here at the Heap. She's so cute I can't help but forgive her for the extra work she creates</div>
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Most of last year was spent working hard to make a special family vacation happen. We decided to funnel our funds and resources into a trip to Disney World rather than work on things at the Heap. Even though we did not make any progress on the house or homestead, it was so worth it. The time spent as a family was so absolutely perfect and wonderful memories were made. </div>
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This year, we plan to turn our focus to the house remodel. Homesteading is going to take a back burner for awhile so that we can use our time and money to make a comfortable home for our family. We will maintain our laying flock and the sheep, but we won't be bringing in any other babies this year and we'll take a break from butchering and intense gardening. It has been necessary for me, in particular, to really stop and evaluate priorities. Between working and being in school, I don't have much more to give and homesteading was beginning to stress me out way too much, so we are going to take some time off. In the meantime, expect to see exciting things happening inside- I cannot wait to make this house pretty!</div>
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Time marches on. It's hard to believe we've been here almost four years. So much has changed, but there is still so much to do. I think I'm starting to realize there always will be and that's okay. We'll take each moment as it comes. </div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-56154651569740854652016-05-01T16:46:00.000-07:002016-05-01T16:46:09.342-07:00MarathonsOne of the babies died yesterday.<br />
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It was the last straw. I sat out on the brick pile and looked out over the pasture and sobbed. Not sniffled, people. Ugly cried. .......and said naughty words in my head while thinking how much I hate everything. Everything.<br />
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The Hubs came out to me eventually and said, "This is the suckiest part about having animals, huh?" He's right, of course. Watching animals, especially babies, suffer and not knowing what to do to fix it is definitely the worst part of raising animals, but my breakdown was coming long before poor little Taz developed bloat.<br />
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I. am. tired.<br />
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I really, really love my job, but going back to nursing has definitely complicated an already full life. I'm not even close to having some sort of balance figured out. After a good cry and a long nap, though, I'm thinking I'll keep trying.....I don't actually hate everything. I might even kind of love some of it.<br />
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I love knowing we're raising high quality poultry for ourselves. The meat chicks are fully feathered now and have been moved out to the tractors. Last year we raised the typical conventional meat breed, Cornish cross, and decided they are gross and definitely not normal or healthy birds. This year we're raising Freedom Rangers and we're super excited about them. They are growing faster than the laying birds, but not in a freakish kind of way. <br />
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I love having fresh eggs from happy chickens. The new layer chicks are growing well and the turkeys are too. We realized this winter that we need to be a little more aggressive with culling the flock. Most of the winter we only got 1 egg a day, which isn't enough, and it's because our layers are too old. So, we will replace about half the flock each year. We are going to keep to just a couple of specific breeds each year as well so it's easy to know which ones are the ones that need to go. This year our chicks are Buff Orpingtons and Americanas.<br />
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I love watching babies grow. Annie, our bottle lamb, is so sweet and cute. She adores Bug, since she's usually the one feeding her and follows her around bleating. She's lonely without Taz, though, so I'm hoping we'll get another one to keep her company.<br />
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We got a new puppy this spring, too. Codi, is a border collie/lab mix and she's growing like crazy. She's very sweet too. She's been sleeping in the chicken coop so she learns chickens are part of her pack. It seems to be working quite well so far. Sophie loves having a playmate, which is the biggest reason we got her.<br />
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I love cooking up a dinner made with pork we raised. I love watching animals live good, clean, happy lives and knowing that they will provide us with healthy meat.<br />
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Our first pig went to butcher a month ago and provided us with about 170 pounds of meat that has my freezer well stocked. For our first go we just bought a conventional breed and raised him in the corral and barn. He was never on the pasture, mostly because the Hubs was still working on the fencing. It wasn't our ideal, but it was a good first experience.<br />
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The new pigs are a heritage breed called Red Wattle. We chose this breed because they are supposed to be pretty good foragers and because we found someone who had them within driving distance. You'd be surprised how difficult it can sometimes be to find heritage breed animals! B&LT are growing like champs. They went on the pasture this week and after a couple of days of nervously pacing by the barn they've really settled in. They love digging around for roots and will come running to the fence when called, in hopes of getting a treat. They follow us into the barn at night easily, when they get fed a ration of grain. We're still waiting to see how much they tear up the pasture, but so far it seems to be going really well. Yes, they root, but no, they don't destroy. We're hoping it will continue to be a positive move.<br />
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I love learning new skills and watching my kids do the same. </div>
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Bug won a beekeeping scholarship this year and in April the bees came to the Heap. It's been super exciting to watch and everything is going fantastically so far. She checks the hive at least once a week, looking for eggs and larva, which show that the queen is still in the hive and doing her job and that the other bees are doing their jobs, raising more bees. God willing, we'll be able to harvest some honey this fall. We've all had a great time going to the bee keeping association's meetings and learning all about this new venture. </div>
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I love watching the Hubs work on a project. He is seriously the best. He's so diligent and careful and everything he takes on ends up being more than we hoped for. Right now he's working on a tree house for the kids. It's a project he really felt needed to happen now, before they get any older and won't enjoy it anymore. They're helping him build it and they are so excited. </div>
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I love knowing tomorrow's a new day and I can just keep trying to get it all figured out. I'm realizing that this whole homesteading thing is a marathon, not a sprint, and I'm going to have to pace myself. I'm reassessing some of the ideals we came out here with and working out which ones are truly non-negotiable and which ones can be discarded. I can't do everything. I can't even do 1/2 of everything, so I'm going to have to choose what really matters. That's hard for me, but heaven knows I'm strong enough to do it, so I will.......after another nap.</div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-60800176679870164872016-01-18T14:17:00.000-08:002016-01-18T14:17:37.530-08:00Sharing the LoveWe really love our little homestead and the self reliant life we're working toward, so we were excited to find out this fall that American Heritage Girls has added Sustainable Living to the badges girls can earn through their program. It didn't take us long to work out the details and invite our group of Pioneers and Patriots out to the Heap to learn more about what we're doing. Bug was particularly excited to share her life with her friends. Over two days the girls camped out on our land and learned all about homesteading and sustainable living. They had a great time and we loved having them here.<br />
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The beautiful pictures are courtesy of my sweet friend <a href="http://www.michellegeis.com/" target="_blank">Michelle Geis</a>. What a blessing it is to have a chaperon who also takes amazing photos!<br />
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The girls started by setting up their tents in the area behind the garden.<br />
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And, of course, they had to get a fire going.<br />
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Then, they took a tour of the Heap and our 3 acres, while we discussed why we moved out here and what sustainable living means. Next up, it was time for a yummy dinner cooked over the camp fire. We had chicken chili made from several ingredients harvested right at the Heap including the chicken, onions, and tomatoes.<br />
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Before night fell, the girls got a chance to help with evening chores. They fed the chickens, geese, and turkeys and helped move the tractors to fresh grass.<br />
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The evening was full of fresh air and tween girl shenanigans. They ran all over the place playing lightning bug tag and took full advantage of the tire swing, zip line, and trampoline. Michelle and I sat bundled by the fire and waited patiently for the magic hour when we could tell them they had to go to bed.<br />
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After a breakfast that, of course, included fresh eggs from the hens, the girls learned all about my food storage and tried their hands at making strawberry jam.<br />
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We had saved the quarterly cleaning of the chicken coop especially for them so they got to experience the sights and smells of the coop as they scraped the roosts and shoveled out old bedding before replacing it with new fresh wood chips. It's not a glamorous job by any means, but it does do a good job of showing the reality of life out here and the responsibilities we have. The girls were amazing- not one of them complained or uttered one, "Ew" or "Gross". I was crazy proud of them.<br />
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We also spent time talking about things that we aren't doing at the Heap yet. Some of them, like beekeeping and permaculture, are among our goals. Others, like alternative energy sources will probably never be practical for our life, but are still good to understand. The girls got a chance to meet the neighbors cows and pigs as well- and we talked about the housing and feed requirements for all the different animals we could keep. My friend and fellow homesteader, Holly, shared some honey with us and the girls got to taste the difference between real, raw honey and the stuff you buy in the store. I think they learned a ton and it meant a lot to us to be able to share our life and teach others about all that we're doing.<br />
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We had such a good time sharing the Heap that we decided to offer the experience to others who might be interested in learning about homesteading and sustainable living. We have two more camp outs scheduled for the spring and are hoping more groups will decide to book some time out here as well. We believe it's good for kids to see where their food comes from and how much work it takes to produce it. Even if they never decide to homestead themselves, they can live with a deeper gratitude for what they have. Of course, nurturing future homesteaders is good too...we love that.<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Script', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tonia</span><br />
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<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-1664120336657208642015-12-30T14:41:00.000-08:002015-12-30T14:41:35.605-08:00Taking Stock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first snow is on the ground and we're finally able to stop for a moment and look back over the past few months and all that we've accomplished. I have to admit, before I sat down to write this, I was feeling like we hadn't done all that much. This working season has been about a lot of smaller jobs rather than one big project, but all those little jobs do add up to some significant movement forward.<br />
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We raised three turkeys to butchering age and got them put in the freezer. It was exciting to eat our very first turkey for Christmas dinner and I have to say, it was also delicious. I was a bit concerned because pastured animals tend to be smaller and tougher than their factory farm counterparts, but it really is just a matter of learning how to cook them.<br />
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For the first time, we allowed broody hens to sit on eggs and raise the resulting chicks. We ended up with nearly all roosters, which was a bummer, but we learned a lot and were able to see that we truly CAN keep the flock self sustaining if need be. Plus, it turns out it is super cool to watch a momma hen care for her babies.<br />
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Two geese made it to the freezer. It remains to be seen if we even like goose, but they were fun to raise and by far the cheapest animal we've raised so far. They are very good grazers and got quite big and fat just on pasture, which makes them ideal for homesteading.<br />
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Inside, the Hubs installed all new windows, a new front door, and built out our bedroom closet. It has been easy for me to get down about all that still needs to be done in the house, but if I'm fair, these improvements are huge for us. We can't hear the wind whistling through the house anymore and they really look nice. We've got a long way to go, yes, but we've come a long way too.<br />
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One of the big jobs that we've been needing to do<span style="text-align: left;"> finally got done this year. We had no idea where the septic tank was or what kind of condition it was in so we had someone come out and find it for us. Then the Hubs dug it up and had someone else come out to look it over and pump it out. We were thrilled to get the news that all is in good working order. Before it got buried again the Hubs put a riser on the lid- now it will be easy to find when it's time to clean it out again. It's one of those jobs that has no aesthetic value whatsoever, but it's a pretty important part of our life out here and it's a relief to know we don't need to worry about it anymore.</span></div>
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My garden was definitely a challenge this year, but despite that I was able to harvest a big crop of garlic, tomatoes, carrots, and green beans that I then put away for the winter. I also went to the produce auctions a couple of times this year with my friend, Holly, and we spent days canning. In the end, I put up about 300 jars of food this year, plus a bunch of things that I froze rather than canned. We've still got quite a way to go to be even remotely self reliant, but every year we make progress.</div>
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The Hubs has been working on creating a barn out of the existing loafing shed and putting animal pens and a corral up. He's getting close to having it ready for our next adventure- hogs! We hope to bring them home very soon.</div>
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In the midst of all the work going on here, I went back to working outside the home. After nearly 6 years away from nursing I'm back at it. I love my new job and the small hospital I'm working at, but it goes without saying that this has added a whole new layer of challenges to our life. The income is very welcome and allows us to start getting serious about some of the improvements that need to happen at the Heap, but the time I have available to help work on those improvements has been drastically cut. It's a balancing act that we're still trying to figure out.</div>
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It's been a productive and busy year. We're all ready for a little down time, I think, but we're already dreaming of spring and all the things we're going to work on next year!</div>
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<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-72011882541040804872015-08-06T19:28:00.000-07:002015-08-06T19:28:39.555-07:00PerfectionIt seemed like a normal day. We didn't do anything special, didn't even leave the house, but as the sun began to set I found myself reviewing each moment, etching it into my memory. It was a rare, perfect day- the kind of day that we envisioned when we bought the Heap. Someday, when I'm old and gray this is the day I will remember.<br />
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The kids did their schoolwork while I did some much needed cleaning. There was no fussing or fighting and they even worked together on their science and history assignments. I love it when they cooperate on work, there is seriously nothing sweeter. When they needed help, I was able to pause my work and help. School was done shortly after lunch and they happily headed outside to play.<br />
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In the afternoon, after some quiet time spent reading I allowed them some screen time while I grabbed a little catnap. I'm still recuperating from camp and that little power nap was so amazing.<br />
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The alarm buzzing told me my hour was up and it was time to light the grill for dinner. The kids came out to help me harvest a huge amount of fresh goodness from the garden including green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and corn while the grill warmed up.<br />
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While the steaks, chicken, and corn grilled the Hubs played catch with the kids. The chickens clucked and foraged at my feet, hoping I'd drop something. It was a beautiful, warm, breezy night filled with the smell of dinner cooking and the sounds of kids playing- absolute perfection.</div>
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Dinner was delicious and beautiful, filled with fresh veggies I'd picked an hour earlier. We're still a long way from that being a normal occurrence, but when I'm able to serve a meal made from only things I grew it literally makes me giddy.<br />
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The kids cleaned up the dinner dishes while the Hubs and I went outside and strolled around, discussing plans for fencing and the garden. When they joined us, the three of them went back to playing catch and I snuck away for a shower, but while I was showering I realized I really, really did not want to forget this day so I hurried back outside with a wet head, in my nightgown, to grab one more picture.<br />
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What could perhaps be called normal or mundane has absolutely filled up my heart today. Thank you, Lord, for perfect days.<br />
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-68862166609629992502015-06-28T17:32:00.000-07:002015-06-28T17:32:20.707-07:00Ups and DownsThis spring has been full of ups and downs. Though I still love the Heap, there are definitely things that are difficult. I've found myself stretched to the limit in so many ways. I'm tired and overwhelmed, but still grateful and content. Life here has just really gotten "real" and we're all adjusting as the infatuation fades and commitment kicks in.<br />
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Early spring brought lots of babies- goslings, turkeys, chicks, and kittens. We all love the babies.They are so sweet and really just steal your heart. Unfortunately, the reality is that babies don't always survive on the farm. This is hard on all of us, but especially on the kids, and what is hard on the kids is hard on Momma too.</div>
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In the end, we lost 1 turkey, 5 chicks, 1 gosling, and 3 kittens. The heartbreak is eased by the enjoyment we get from the remaining brood- 5 turkeys, 33 chickens (meat birds), 2 geese, and 1 precious kitten named Milo.<br />
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The Hubs spent a lot of time building tractors for the meat birds. Tractors are mobile cages that allow the birds to graze and still remain safe. They are awesome and he did such a great job. The cool, wet spring we had really messed with our timing, though, and we just butchered the first batch of meat birds, when we really should have been doing that a month ago. Our plan had been to do two batches, but I really, really don't want to be butchering in November so we're only going to get one batch in this year. </div>
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Phase two of the garden has been fenced in. There is also a four foot wide area along the back side of the garden. This is where my perennial plants are going. I now have about 800 square feet of garden space, which is amazing. It is also a ton of work.</div>
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The more gardening space I have the more I'm learning about my mistakes and what I need to do differently. I definitely plant things too far apart, leaving way too much opening for weeds- which I am constantly battling. I recently stumbled across a gardening method that makes a lot of sense to me and I plan to do things using the "deep mulch" method from now on. Unfortunately, trying to catch up when things are already in place is really hard. Despite that, I have tons of things growing and thriving. I've harvested lettuce, herbs, peas, snow peas, and carrots so far with the promise of lots more. I'll take my mistakes and learn from them next year.</div>
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Five blueberry bushes have gone in this year too so we're beginning to build a permanent crop, which I'm excited about. The future orchard has been mowed and is ready for fruit trees to start going in as soon as our budget allows for buying them.</div>
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We had a broody chicken that sat on eggs earlier this spring. After nearly a month of sitting, only one had hatched, and it died before it got out of the egg. That chicken sat in the layers coop and the other chickens bothered her a lot, sometimes even stealing her eggs and putting their own under her so we think that is why it didn't work. Now we have a new chicken sitting and we put her in the infirmary where she won't be bothered. We're all praying it goes better this time.</div>
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One thing remains the same- it's still beautiful and peaceful out here. We are confident that despite the challenges this is the right thing for our family. I really do love our life even when I'm tired and overwhelmed.</div>
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We still have a lot to do this working season. New windows will be going in soon. The Hubs has lots of fencing to put up so we can get ready for pigs next year. I still have canning and preserving season ahead. We're excited to see things continue to come together out here and I still plan to share as they do, just maybe not as often as I did at first. Thanks for being a part of this adventure!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonia</span></span></div>
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<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-51979354856094849112015-01-21T13:19:00.000-08:002015-01-21T13:19:44.686-08:00Bartering for Beauty {And the Giveway Winner!!}<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Congratulations Lisa Thomas! You won the hand knit scarf!</span><br />
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What do you do if you need something done that you really can't do yourself, but you have no cash for it? Barter, of course! Although most of the younger generation hasn't really made use of bartering to get needs met, our grandparents and great-grandparents did it often. I was pretty excited to find a group awhile back who is trying to bring bartering back so I joined.right away. I've been able to barter some pretty cool things:<br />
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I traded some glass water bottles we weren't using for a cast iron griddle just like my daddy used to make pancakes on. I've wanted one for a long while, but couldn't justify spending money for it.<br />
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I had a freezer full of grass fed beef that was way more than I needed, so I traded some for pantry items I needed. I filled up my pantry with several months of essentials- flour, rice, peanut butter, chocolate chips, etc.<br />
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But today, I'm going to share my hands-down favorite barter so far.<br />
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When Whitney at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Handcrafted-A-Photography-Design-Studio/126256104071469?ref=hl" target="_blank">Handcrafted</a> posted that she wanted to barter photography for grass fed beef, I was giddy. It had been a long, long time since I'd had professional pictures of the kids done and even longer since we'd had family pictures done, but such things are just not in our budget. </div>
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I've always loved pictures where old, rustic things look beautiful and meaningful and I hoped that the Heap would provide that kind of background.</div>
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I'm not going to lie. There was a bit of nerves about having someone we didn't know come out to the Heap- there always is. As much as I'd like to say I'm just completely comfortable where I am, there are still times when I feel embarrassed about how things are and wish like crazy for how they will be....someday. Would she see the beauty we do? Would she see our purpose and our passion?</div>
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All those worries melted away when we met Whitney. She was so sweet and friendly and she saw potential when she looked at the Heap- everything I prayed for. She spent time just walking the property and looking for the perfect places and when she started shooting she made us feel comfortable and like our lifestyle was amazing and lovely.<br />
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Her pictures are so gorgeous and I couldn't be happier. They show the Heap for what it is- home. Home, where my family is being knit together like never before and life is becoming more than I knew it could be. I am so grateful to have these amazing works of art.<br />
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Thank you Whitney!!<br />
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<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-16153655206038618002015-01-14T15:21:00.001-08:002015-01-14T17:01:01.661-08:00A Handmade Christmas {And a Giveaway!}Because of seriously tight finances, Christmas this year was a handmade affair. At first I was pretty bummed about the whole thing....and a little embarrassed. But, as the gifts came together, I started to really appreciate the situation. I don't know how to explain it, really, but it just felt right......like somehow, we were suddenly really getting the point of Christmas in a way we never had before. We've always said the holidays were about family and the time spent together and I think we've always believed that, but this year was just different. I liked it. A lot.<br />
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There were aprons for my nieces and a jar cookie mix so they could bake with their Mommy.<br />
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There was homemade rub mix and BBQ sauce for my brothers and Dad- plenty there for a family cookout!<br />
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I made these fun jar cups and wraps as a test run for future craft sales. I loved them enough that several people got one for Christmas.<br />
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The darling jewelry holder was a perfect gift for Jenna's BFF.<br />
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I even made myself a little gift and I thought it was so cute I made one for my mom, too!<br />
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Knit dishcloths are a huge hit for my mom and my mother-in-law so they were gifted all around.<br />
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The thing about handmade is, there is no way to make someone a gift without really thinking about them. You can still give them something they don't like or won't use, of course, but you can't give them something that lacks thought and love when it's homemade. That's just the nature of making something for someone....you give a piece of yourself, too. And that, I think, is what it's really supposed to be about....the whole reason gift giving ever became a part of the celebrating. It was minimal, but meaningful. Like so many aspects of our new life, it's something I intend to keep- even when I don't have to.<br />
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And speaking of gifts- I have one for you!<br />
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One of the goals I have for 2015 is to get the blog reaching more people and to do that I need your help. Follow the blog for an entry in the drawing, comment here for another, and share on Facebook for another- a total of three chances! Make sure you let me know each thing you've done so I can give you credit. I will draw a winner on Wednesday January 21.<br />
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The prize? Something handmade, of course!<br />
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I knit this scarf using a rayon/metallic blend in a falling waters pattern. It has a lovely gold thread winding through it and it's soft and light- perfect for spring or fall.<br />
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Simple, purposeful, meaningful.....our goal for life at the Heap, may you find it in your life too!<br />
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-66659880550653801082015-01-07T16:20:00.000-08:002015-01-07T16:20:57.865-08:00Bathroom BluesOooh, I can't wait to show you this! The bathroom was the last room I needed to get organized and truly moved into and this past weekend I was finally able to get it done.<br />
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It might have the grossest floor in house, but one good thing about this room is that it has some seriously rockin storage. I mean, like a whole wall of cabinetry. Which is wonderful, of course, but also means there is a lot of room for things to just be thrown in and messy. It was out of control pretty much as soon as we moved in and it has been driving me crazy just about that long.<br />
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The top cabinets didn't change all that much. They are too high for anybody but the Hubs to reach without help so they just house things that are used occasionally. From left to right there is: the vet box, the dog clippers, extra paper towels, and my essential oil business stuff.<br />
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This cabinet was the most offensive. Since everyone in the house uses it, it pretty much is a major hot spot for trouble. There was a ton of stuff that just needed to go and then I was able to bring some organization to the rest.<br />
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The top shelf contains the first aid kit, minus the essential oils, which are all housed in the medicine cabinet above the sink. There is also a basket with travel hygiene needs and another with the sunscreen and bug spray products. The second shelf is the Hubs' shelf. He resists any attempts at organization so I don't really even try anymore and instead just give him a basket to throw everything in. The basket looks nice and I don't have to think about the fact that everything is just rolling around inside it. The third shelf is the toothbrushes and toothpaste. The basket contains 4 small squares so each person has a spot for their toothbrush (inside a cup) and then there is a spot for the travel boxes and toothpastes.<br />
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Ever since I laid eyes on this middle cabinet, I have had the dream of making it into a little contained vanity area, so I asked the Hubs to make me a table top that would fit inside. He had an old headboard that fit the purpose perfectly so he cut it to size and mounted it in.<br />
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He was also able to put a better sized shelf at the top so I had more room for baskets of stuff. Now, I have my own little room within the bathroom and I couldn't be happier with it.<br />
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As with all things at the Heap, making it pretty will hopefully come later. I'm a Martha at heart and love to have everything in matching baskets and all that jazz, but for now, it's organized and functional and that is fantastic enough for me!<br />
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<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-3983305974474713512015-01-03T20:28:00.000-08:002015-01-03T20:28:13.795-08:00Resolved<b>Resolved</b>: <i>I will acknowledge technology as the tool it is meant to be. I will not allow it to distract me, destroy my peace, or create feelings of discontent and/or disharmony.</i><br />
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I've come to really appreciate Paul's instruction in Titus 2, that younger women should be "busy at home". When I'm working on things that really matter I am more content and more peaceful. When I let Facebook distract me I end up with hurt feelings or I find myself judging people and feeling disgusted with them. These are not qualities I want to feed. Over the past few months I've changed how I deal with Facebook, emails, and the internet in general......<br />
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* Anyone who isn't immediate family or someone I interact with on a regular basis is "unfollowed". The brutal truth is I don't need to know where the girl I sat behind in high school history class went on vacation and I sure don't need to know she thinks all conservatives are brain dead and should be shipped to a desert island. Facebook can be useful for knowing the day to day details of close friends....and using that knowledge to help them, but when it takes me an hour to check in with everyone and I leave with a pain in my heart, things have gone too far.<br />
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* Notifications in all groups are shut off. Only groups that serve a very specific purpose are followed at all. If I have a specific question about a specific topic the groups I am a part of can be very helpful, but they can be a huge time waster otherwise.<br />
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* Emails and Facebook are checked twice a day- morning and evening. I'm not nearly as important as I like to think I am and anybody who needs an immediate answer from me should have a more direct way of contacting me. When I'm on the computer I'm not doing something else I could be accomplishing. All of real life happens far away from the computer.<br />
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<b>Resolved</b>: <i>I will live in peace about my decisions. I do not need to justify them and I do not need to convince anyone that they are good. As long as I'm walking in God's will I am free.</i></div>
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From homeschooling to drinking raw milk, every decision we have made for our family has been made thoughtfully, prayerfully, and after much research. I have spent way too much time carrying the baggage of other people's judgement and it steals my peace and my joy. At the end of the day, that's not their fault- it's mine. I can live in gratitude and contentment or I can live on the defensive- I choose gratitude.</div>
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<b>Resolved</b>: <i>I will make the most of every day with my children and treat this job as the calling it is. I will not apologize for investing my time and energy into them- these moments are fleeting and the most important things are happening right now.</i></div>
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What I do day by day is making all the difference to two people in this world. It's not wasted time and it's not unimportant. It also impacts an infinite number of others in ways I may never know. I have a necklace that says, "Raising Generations" on it- and that's exactly what I'm doing. What my kids learn today they will teach tomorrow. With everything I have I will teach them to love God, love family, and live in gratitude.</div>
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I'm excited to see what 2015 brings for the Heap! Blessings to you and yours in the New Year!</div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-34850880773347473862014-12-02T17:38:00.000-08:002014-12-02T17:38:57.494-08:00Daddy's Shelf- a furniture revivalSomething about life at the Heap has made me a lot more sentimental than I used to be. Not just about family heirlooms either. I love things that come from a simpler time, when life looked more like ours does and no one thought that was weird. So when my dad asked me if I wanted a shelf that he made for his grandmother it was a no brainer. Of course I do!<br />
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The shelf is made of metal, with lovely cast metal panels and glass shelves. It was also rusty and in need of some TLC. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. It's a pretty simple redo, really- just a coat of paint and some glass cleaner had it fixed right up.<br />
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It's beautiful, if I do say so myself. I love the bright, fun color and the extra storage space is pretty fantastic too.<br />
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And speaking of sentiment- see that Bible? That was gifted to my parents when they married 39 years ago. I love having it.<br />
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All decorated for Christmas- isn't it pretty?<br />
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Script, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Tonia</span></span></div>
Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-55209080103467164672014-11-19T15:52:00.000-08:002014-11-19T15:52:17.653-08:00Truly HomeSomething a bit unexpected has happened over the past few months. I have discovered that I'm no longer living in the future and have started really living in the Heap. I know, you thought I was already doing that, didn't you?<br />
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Wrong.<br />
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When we first moved to the Heap I was able to cope by keeping up a constant dialogue with myself about how things would be "soon". I did without things, danced around piles of boxes, and generally lived in denial about reality. I was relatively happy, but I wasn't content. Not really.<br />
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The change snuck up on me so I can't really pinpoint exactly when it happened. One day I got tired of moving the wall clock around and decided to put it up on the wall. Then, I decided to stop avoiding company and hosted an essential class. I cleaned out my bedroom and organized everything, getting rid of all the boxes. All of the sudden, I looked around the house and realized I didn't feel a sense of shame. I wasn't thinking about tomorrow or when things were perfect. I was not only happy, I was truly in the moment.<br />
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Content.<br />
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Ready to move in.<br />
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Yeah, I still have dreams about how we'll fix things up. It's not that I don't see the way things are or that I don't care about making improvements. It's just that I'm truly okay with how things are right now. We are safe. We have everything we need. Life right now is really good.<br />
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It's also a mess.<br />
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If I'm going to really live here I'm going to have to get my usual organization in place. Turns out I can live with ugly, dingy, and broken, but I cannot live with disorganized and cluttered. I started moving in when I cleaned out my bedroom and that was a great warm up, but now it was time to tackle one of the real problems.<br />
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The kitchen.<br />
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One of the biggest problems in the kitchen is the lack of cabinetry. We've had a couple of shelving units for awhile, but they are difficult to keep organized. There is no way to completely eliminate them, but I knew moving some things around could help.<br />
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I don't have a pantry either so a lot of my available cabinet space has been used up with food. I knew I could move some of it out simply by moving unopened, stockpile items to another location. I have a ton of spices and vinegars too and I seriously needed to find a way to make them easier to get to.<br />
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What is it about the top of the refrigerator? It's so easy to let that space become a dumping ground! That's exactly what had happened for me- if I had an item that didn't really have a home I'd just toss it on top of the fridge. It didn't take long for it to become a hot mess-a hot mess that fell on top of anyone so foolish as to try to get something from up there.<br />
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My mom gifted me a new cabinet so I decided to use it for my spices and baking supplies. I alphabetized the spices so they'd be easy to find and grouped like things together- top shelf, spices; bottom shelf, flours and sugars. I can close the doors and it looks so much nicer than the second open shelf did. The remaining shelving unit houses dishes I couldn't find a spot for and appliances that I use very frequently.<br />
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The cabinet that used to have spices now has dishes. It's amazing how much stuff fit into that one small space!<br />
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I moved out any pantry items that weren't opened and put them in a new storage area that I created with the shelving unit I no longer needed in the kitchen. The remaining items got grouped in ways that make sense for our family. We have a beverage area, with our teas, cocoa, etc. and a box with all of our sprinkles and cake/candy decorations. The very far upper corner is difficult to reach so I put something I use pretty rarely up there.<br />
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In every kitchen there are those things that just do not lend themselves to being organized. I decided to quit trying to fight it and just put them in bins- one for small tupperware and one for various utensils. The bins make it easy for the kids to put them away and keep them looking mostly organized.<br />
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TaDa! I'm officially moved in to the kitchen. Every box that was labeled "kitchen" has been unpacked and everything has a home. It's not pretty, but it's very functional and organized and I'm.....yep....content.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #676767; font-family: 'Segoe Script', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 27px;">Tonia</span>Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-30910799308605236242014-10-27T19:27:00.000-07:002014-10-27T19:27:25.372-07:00House of HorrorsI think I mostly do a decent job of keeping it positive around here. I really do love our life and the Heapstead and really, who wants to hear me complain about a life I've chosen? But, if we're being completely honest, there are some things about the Heap that seriously give me the heebie jeebies. So, today, I get a little more real with you and share the top horrors I deal with every day.<br />
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<b>The saggy ceiling:</b><br />
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There is a section of the ceiling- right over MY seat at the table- that sags dangerously. It totally creeps me out. I'm just sure that any day now it's going to collapse and that collapse will most certainly happen while I'm sitting at the table. When I let my imagination go, I'm also pretty sure that when it does cave it's going to spill goo and slime all over me, sort of like those Nickelodeon dare shows I used to watch as a kid...only this goo will have dead mice and other disgusting things in it. I will never recover from the trauma and need to be institutionalized.<br />
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<b>The laughter of beasts:</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIYuyiJrkac/VE7yligTrsI/AAAAAAAABG8/-nt5rMZQu2A/s1600/coyote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIYuyiJrkac/VE7yligTrsI/AAAAAAAABG8/-nt5rMZQu2A/s1600/coyote.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from wdfw.wa.gov<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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As the sun goes down they start. Seriously, they sound like they are just beyond where the light from the porch light reaches and they are having a convention about how they will tear me to bits if I'm ever stupid enough to walk out of the light. And then I look over and realize that, shoot, I forgot to close the door to the nursery coop....which, of course, is out of the light. There's nothing quite so fun as trying to act cool, kids watching, while your heart is pounding and you just know tonight is the night the coyotes are going to get you. Creepy, I tell you.<br />
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<b>Ugly couch:</b><br />
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Ugly couch is a relatively new addition to the Heap and truthfully, I'm thrilled to have a full size couch again. We've only had a love seat since we moved out here and it was uncomfortable and way too small. But, the fact that I am so happy to have Ugly couch sort of freaks me out a bit. Once upon a time, I was known as a stylish gal, one who kept a lovely home. I think my evolution is a good thing and I know learning contentment and to live simply are serious improvements to my character, but every now and then, I do look around and think, "What in the world has happened to me?!" And, sometimes, in my weakest moments, I mourn the loss of who I was- not the selfish, self-absorbed part, but the rest.<br />
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<b>The grossest floor:</b><br />
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All the floors in the Heap are gross, but the bathroom takes the cake. I have to seriously go to my happy place when I look at this floor because if I let myself think about what's been on it, well, I'll never go in there again. We do keep rugs in there and I can sort of leap from rug to rug, but every now and then I accidentally miss the rug and then I entertain the idea of soaking my feet in bleach. I've read before that kids who grow up on farms are often healthier because they are exposed to so many things and it really strengthens their immune system. If this is true, my kids must have some rockin immune systems because who knows what they're exposed to when they walk on this floor....Eww.<br />
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Thankfully it's a good life with a few horrors sprinkled in instead of the other way around. It's amazing what sort of things we can learn to live with when we are surrounded by love and joy. Gross floors and laughing beasts aside, that's what the Heap is for us...our family. And it's good, really good.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #676767; font-family: 'Segoe Script', sans-serif; line-height: 27px;">Tonia</span><br />
<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-53075163352476454402014-10-07T18:14:00.000-07:002014-10-07T18:14:59.680-07:00Storing UpThis is where I should have photo after photo of a thriving garden....amazing harvests....canning equipment....<br />
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I don't.<br />
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Since being woefully unprepared has sort of been my theme when it comes to life at the Heap, I'm going to guess you aren't really surprised.<br />
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We came to the Heap in late summer/fall. We were so busy cleaning up and working on the many, many projects we had available .I was physically exhausted and mentally challenged in ways I've never been challenged before. I thought maybe this was the most challenging season.<br />
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Then came winter and my core body temperature dropped to about 40 degrees. I was freezing, unmotivated, isolated, and miserable. I was wrong about fall- winter is surely the most challenging season.<br />
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Along came spring and the pace of life picked up so suddenly and so frantically I was completely thrown off. In the midst of trying to finish up a school year and an AHG year, I also had to get a garden in, take care of new chicks, and try to help with all of the projects that had waited through the winter, but could wait no longer. Surely spring was the most challenging season.<br />
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But none of that prepared me for what was just around the corner. I'm a little embarrassed by how blissfully ignorant I was as I tended my "little" garden and watched over those baby chicks, thinking myself so very busy.<br />
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Harvest.<br />
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Oh. My. Holy. Homesteading. Ignorance.<br />
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Harvest.<br />
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In the blink of an eye stuff started coming in from the garden and the apple trees and the produce auction and friends' generosity....and every speck of it needed put up. Right now.<br />
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And so I found myself standing over a hot stove day after day canning. I chopped and bagged and froze. I dehydrated. I pickled. I stayed up unthinkable hours and I put it all away.<br />
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What I didn't do was take pictures.<br />
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So, all I have is some pictures of the resulting bounty, which I will admit, I'm mighty proud of.<br />
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I managed to put up way more this year than I would've expected. Not all of it came from my garden. Some came from friends sharing their harvests, some came from a visit to a produce auction where I picked up huge quantities for cheap. I managed to can:<br />
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Assorted jams and jellies<br />
Tomatoes<br />
Pears<br />
Salsa<br />
Assorted Pickles<br />
Green Beans<br />
Apples and Applesauce<br />
Sauerkraut<br />
Peaches<br />
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In addition to the canned goods I also put a lot in my freezers. I originally had a plan for being somewhat organized, but at some point I just started tossing it where it would fit.<br />
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In the freezers I have:<br />
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Green peppers<br />
Onions<br />
Peaches<br />
and about 40 chickens along with the giblets.<br />
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I also have bags and bags and bags of tomatoes that I will eventually process into sauce and can. This will free up desperately needed freezer space. For the moment, though, I'm just catching my breath.<br />
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It was a good season. I learned how to butcher a chicken. I learned how to use a pressure canner. I spent hours in fellowship with a homesteading friend as we canned more food than we thought possible.<br />
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It was exhausting, but it was good.<br />
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I am no longer delusional though....on a homestead every season brings a new set of challenges. They also bring some pretty amazing moments and I'm grateful to be here.<br />
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Now to figure out how to get pictures as I'm working my tushy off.....<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #676767; font-family: 'Segoe Script', sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;">Tonia</span><br />
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<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-25330828552066449122014-07-20T15:30:00.000-07:002014-07-20T15:30:40.412-07:00Phase OneI was a bit late getting the garden in, but it's been planted and going strong for a couple of months now. As with everything out here, there are some high points and some, well, less than high points.<br />
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Three weeks ago I had cucumbers, tomatoes, popcorn, zucchini, onions, spaghetti squash, brussel sprouts, okra, and herbs growing. We were just starting to get some good zucchini and a few cucumbers. There had been some minor squirmishes with bugs, but nothing a little peppermint spray hadn't taken care of. I was feeling good.<br />
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The corn seemed to be thriving.<br />
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I was delighted to find a sweet little baby spaghetti squash starting to grow.<br />
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The tomato plants had a ton of flowers and I spotted the first fruits taking shape.<br />
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And the apple trees had a ton of beautiful, healthy fruit on them.<br />
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It's easy to forget how fast things can change out here. In three short weeks we've had numerous rainy days and even more sunny days. My plants have either grown by leaps and bounds or they've met their untimely demise- all in the blink of an eye.<br />
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The cucumbers have taken off and I have already canned enough pickles to feed a small army. I'm only partly joking when I tell my family pickles are to become the standard veggie for every meal.</div>
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The tomatoes are as tall as me and have put on a ton of fruit, though nothing has ripened yet. I'm still holding out hope for jars and jars of spaghetti sauce and salsa.</div>
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Once one squash bug showed up my precious squash plants quickly started to decline. The zucchini is pretty much toast and the spaghetti squash is barely hanging on. It remains to be seen if the spaghetti squash can hang on long enough to allow the few good sized fruits to finish ripening. The amount of eggs and adult squash bugs in my garden boggles the mind. This is definitely one of the areas I must reevaluate for next year.</div>
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The corn is starting to flower. I'm hoping there are enough plants for successful pollination to occur. If we're very lucky we'll have popcorn to harvest in the fall.</div>
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Both the okra and the brussel sprouts have battled caterpillars and while still alive they are very stunted. I have managed to get rid of the critters with peppermint spray, but I'll just have to wait and see if the plants can catch up and put on some fruit.</div>
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The apples are still growing and starting to put on a lovely pink blush. I'm beyond excited that we're going to have some apples. It looks like we have one red variety and one green variety so I should be able to can applesauce and apple pie filling both.</div>
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This year's garden is just phase one. I have plans to expand into the other half of the fenced area next year and to put in a berry patch. This fall we will plant three more apple trees, too. I still have a ton to learn about maximizing harvests and minimizing bugs and loss. Eventually, I will have two more 25x25 garden areas and lots more veggies. I'm grateful for the successes and the failures- they're helping me learn!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Script, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonia</span></span></div>
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<br />Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-42988189222358129712014-06-10T14:09:00.000-07:002014-06-10T14:09:29.646-07:00Chicks!We have enjoyed the chickens so much that we were quite excited about bringing in chicks this spring. The Hubs was very serious about the actual chicks, doing all sorts of research on what kind to buy, which breeds were best, and where to buy them. I, on the other hand, was more concerned about ME- what do I have to do, what might go wrong, what's the proper procedure in raising chicks? In short, what might happen when I mess this up terribly? The kids were just giddy and didn't really care about anything except when the chicks were coming.<br />
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April 24 was the big day. Armed with a list of requests, we went to the hatchery and picked up our babies. There were two batches- the layers and the meat chicks. It is very difficult to figure out which chicks are females and which are males so we bought more than we'd need. If we are lucky, we'll end up with 50% layers- only one rooster will stay and the rest will go into our freezer. If we are very lucky, we'll end up with mostly layers and have some laying hens to sell. The meat chicks, of course, are all destined for the freezer.</div>
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Once we got them home, they went into their brooders, which is nothing more than a "nursery" pen. Chicks can't keep themselves warm so they need heat lamps for that purpose along with food and water. The different kinds of chicks need different kinds of food so that is our biggest reason for keeping the two groups separate. The Hubs used silt fencing to create our brooders this year, but within a couple of hours we realized this arrangement is incredibly inconvenient.....by next year we'll have nice brooder boxes that are raised instead. Then I will be able to check on and deal with tiny chicks without having to get on the ground.<br />
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Despite all of my reading, I still wasn't prepared for how high maintenance chicks are for the first few weeks. Right when we got them home we needed to take each chick and show it where the food and water was. Bug got that job after I climbed into the brooder and struggled with trying to sit down without crushing a chick and then struggled with trying to get back up without crushing a chick. You probably don't need to be told this, but crushing a chick would be very bad. It was decided the danger was slightly lessened by having a little person get in the brooder instead of me. Good call.<br />
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After the initial orientation of the chicks, they have to be checked on quite frequently. Are they warm enough? Too warm? Are they eating? Are they pooping? Has that poop collected on their little furry bottoms and created "pasty butt"? Who is going to clean off those poopy little bottoms? Oh wait, that last question was never asked- obviously, that was my job. <br />
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We lost several chicks in the first few days and even though that was an expected complication it still stressed us out. Were they going to die no matter what or did we do something wrong? We finally settled down a bit when we had a couple of days go by with no lost chicks. In the end, we ended up with 20 layers and 30 meat chicks to raise.<br />
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It didn't exactly help our anxiety to find chicks looking like this. Turns out this is what a sleeping chick looks like. They literally just collapse like they cannot move another step. When you touch them, though, they jump back up and run around chirping away. After about a week of constant worry we realized this was normal and all was okay. I'm pretty sure I developed an ulcer in the meantime.<br />
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The Hubs started working on the nursery coop right away and within 3 weeks we had two lovely nursery coops that will serve us well for a long time. We also had gigantic chicks who were changing colors and developing feathers. By this time, the chicks could flutter and fly around a bit. They had also started working on establishing their pecking order. The tiffs and disagreements were, and still are, pretty entertaining to watch.<br />
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At 6 weeks old, the Hubs has finished the work on their runs and they are now really looking like chickens. They are fully feathered, running around, and eating bugs and grass. At this point the discussion has turned from how to keep them alive to how to properly kill them. This is not an easy topic for me, no matter how much I like fried chicken. I mean, I cleaned their poopy bottoms for crying out loud. Now, I'm going to chop them up and eat them? Well, okay, yes I am, but I'm going to have to go to my happy place before I can make this happen. The Hubs has no such qualms. He has been watching Youtube videos and recruiting help in preparation for butcher day. We'll actually have two butcher days. The first will happen in a few more weeks and will involve the meat chicks. The second will happen after the layers have grown and matured enough to identify the roosters and the hens. The extra roosters and any "older" layers who aren't laying well anymore will be taken care of. The resulting meat will fill my freezer and should be enough for the entire year until we're ready to do the process again. We'll also have new layers who will start laying in the fall, hopefully. <br />
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So, now we've raised chicks. I'm pretty proud to have another homesteading must under our belts. Now for turkeys, pigs, and sheep.......<br />
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Script, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonia</span></span></div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-1325840943602548122014-06-02T08:48:00.000-07:002014-06-02T08:48:26.729-07:00UnrecognizableThe amount of work we've (okay, mostly the Hubs) gotten done this spring is absolutely amazing. Our little piece of the world is really starting to look good and, unbelievably, feel like home. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have dreamed that possible when we moved in last August.<br />
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A zip line, with a cool platform and rope ladder, has gone up and quickly become a favorite with the kids.<br />
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An empty section of the tin building has become a beautifully done nursery coop, complete with automatic feeders and waterers.<br />
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Unhealthy, uncared for, apple trees have been pruned and thinned and sprayed with neem oil. We're watching the baby apples with anticipation.<br />
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The planned garden spot has been fenced in, tilled up, and planted. God willing we'll have popcorn, cucumbers, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, zucchini, spinach, kale, okra, spaghetti squash, onions, and plenty of fresh herbs through the summer.<br />
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Needless to say it's been a very busy, very tiring past couple of months. But, I'm happy and so excited to see things coming together. And I should mention here that I really, really love my Hubs. He has been working so hard to make this place wonderful and I'm so grateful I'm on this journey with him. <br />
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So, what's next? Runs for the chicks, an infirmary coop, a berry patch, a retaining wall and concrete pad in front of the coop, an expansion on the chicken coop, a pig pen..........yep, I think we'll stay busy through the summer!<br />
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-42284867728925282562014-04-28T19:58:00.000-07:002014-04-28T19:58:05.977-07:00Super HubsWhile I was falling apart like a big baby this winter, the Hubs was working away on a "little" project. <br />
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Remember this?<br />
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The cellar was gross. I had assumed that it was going to always be. It is, after all, a cellar. I was okay with that, really. We removed all the trash that was down there and replaced the plumbing- I figured that was about as nice as it could get. I was wrong.<br />
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I wanted to set up a grow area for seedlings down there so I picked up an old table and asked the Hubs to hang some lights for me. I didn't really think about it again until he told me he was just about done.<br />
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Imagine my surprise.<br />
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He patched and painted the walls and the floor. He even painted the poles and the stairs. It is beautiful. Then he hung the lights, giving me a lovely little seed starting area.</div>
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I am a very spoiled wifey. Who needs a super hero when you have a Super Hubs? Not me. I'm totally keeping the Hubs.</div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-32491076964669352792014-04-11T21:09:00.000-07:002014-04-11T21:09:36.066-07:00The End of the HighYeah, I know.....you've been wondering what happened to me, right? I wish I had some cool, witty story to share about how I've been so busy transforming the Heap that I wasn't able to blog, but alas, there is no such story. The truth is- I sort of fell apart this winter. Not everything about this new life is fun, or rewarding, or even normal. Some days I kind of hate it. There, I said it.<br />
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I don't like to be cold and this winter has been a record breaking cold winter. But, cold at the Heap is like nothing I've ever had to deal with before. I'm not talking about, "Brrr, it sure is cold out there." It's more like, "There's snow IN MY WINDOW" cold.<br />
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The cold wind literally blows straight through this house. The siding and windows need to be replaced desperately, but those are expensive propositions and have to wait their turn. The central heat is incredibly inefficient and drinks propane at an alarming rate. When propane costs skyrocketed mid winter we had no choice but to turn it off and rely on space heaters. I have been so cold for so many months that I was starting to think I'd never thaw out. And when I'm cold I become tired, cranky, and apathetic......it's not pretty.</div>
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Chores are no fun when things look like this. Everyone still needs to eat, though, so it doesn't matter if it is 10 below, there will be a trip outside first thing in the morning. There were a lot of mornings this winter when I questioned my sanity. Why did I want chickens so badly again?</div>
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I enjoyed the first time we were snowed in, but after numerous times of being unable to leave for days on end, it seriously lost it's appeal. Trips to the grocery store became cause for celebration, which is just sad, really.</div>
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Spring is here, though, and already the pain is fading. We have plans for a big garden, new chicks, and possibly pigs this year. The Hubs has been working hard on new fencing and other outdoor work. We survived our first winter at the Heap and it can only get better from here.</div>
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So, stay tuned, friends- I'm back and we're going to have lots to share!</div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-37981007921693031372014-02-09T17:31:00.000-08:002014-02-09T17:31:02.812-08:00Kids' Room RevealedIt's done! <br />
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This has become.......<br />
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lovely.<br />
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Beautiful gray walls, amazing wide trim, old floors redone.........</div>
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A space for each kid to call their own.......<br />
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And a special area for the growing girl......<br />
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And that's that. Short and sweet, because, frankly, getting this room done wore me out. I'm too tired to even plan the next room and that my friends, is very, very tired.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Script, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonia</span></span></div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-67580864807232180592014-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:002014-02-01T18:16:58.455-08:00Kids' Room- MORE sneak peeksWe are getting so close! I'm trying not to get to impatient, but seriously! I just want this room done!<br />
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The painting has started in the room. Everything has a coat of bonding primer on it (or two in the case of doors and trim) and it's finally time to start painting the colors....creamy white for the trim and gray for the walls. I expect that it will take me the rest of this week to get it done. Homeschooling, AHG, and church events come first so I have to paint when I have time, which is hard to come by sometimes.<br />
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I started the painting work with the freebies and thrift store finds I had gathered so they are all ready to go into the room. Forgive the lack of "before" pictures- my camera battery was dead and I didn't want to wait to get started on things so all you get is "after" pictures.<br />
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We picked up the table and chairs one day while we were out and about. Someone had thrown them into their yard with a "Free" sign on them. The table was a circle table with the expandable track to hold a leaf so it was easy for Hubs to split it in half for me. I spray painted it yellow and then covered the top of the table with the same fabric I used to make the headboards. This was accomplished by using spray adhesive to attach the fabric and then covering the fabric with several layers of polyurethane. I think it looks great and I love it, but the top of the table is not smooth like I would've hoped. I've since learned that you should coat a table like this with resin so when I make my side of the table that's what I will do. The chair got several coats of spray paint too. Everything was then coated with a clear top coat. The table will be mounted onto a board attached to the wall so that it is secure and then it will become Bug's make-up and/or sewing table. She is delighted, which means I am too.<br />
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The nightstand came from a thrift store where I found it for $10. It was a typical wooden nightstand so I gave it a couple of coats of the same color that will go on the walls after I spray painted the bottom opening. It then got a coat of clear top coat. This piece will go by the table and hold Bug's hair and make-up things. This is her favorite piece for the room so far. I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of it.<br />
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This is the inspiration piece for my next project. I saw it when I was browsing in Gordman's one day. Even in a "discount" store, this piece was $40! I thought it was very cute, but I was pretty sure I could make one myself for a lot less.<br />
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So, I dug through the huge pile of pallets that the Hubs had brought home for me until I found the perfect one. You can see how it has the ideal place already there for me to cut it into pieces. I cut through the bottom pieces to separate the two ends (which I'll use for shelves somewhere else) and then I cut the remaining middle piece in half.<br />
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And ended up with these two pieces. I had to add a piece of wood to the end so it would have support, but that's it.<br />
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I then took each section and painted it the gray color I'm using for the walls. Next up was a coat of the creamy white I'm using for the trim. After that, I gave the pieces a light sanding so that the gray color would show through some and it would look aged.<br />
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For the different sections I had the Hubs cut out pieces of scrap wood in the appropriate dimensions and then I spray painted them according to the colors each kid wanted for their board. To one piece I attached a paper clip, to another piece I attached a clear picture frame, and to the last piece I attached a cork board.<br />
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My piece cost about $8 total to make and I think they will look great above the kids' beds. I am still debating about putting their names on the blank spot on the board- I hate to try to do that and ruin my work, but they do sorta look like they need something still, don't they?<br />
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Another huge milestone was hit today....I got the kids' clothes put into their closet. This got rid of three giant totes in the communal bedroom. I am seriously giddy.<br />
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Unfortunately, it also forced me to see that despite our purging we still have too much stuff. Looks like I'll be getting stuff ready for a consignment sale very soon. But at least it's off of the floor and out of bins. Oooh! Soon the Hubs and I will have our own room again! {Swoon}</div>
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Script, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonia</span></span></div>
Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-71173714567268007652014-01-18T17:48:00.000-08:002014-01-18T17:48:08.984-08:00The Kids' Room- Sneak PeeksThe work on the kids' room is coming right along and I figured some of you might be anxious to see something done. I know I sure am! I'm really looking forward to a full reveal, but that is at least a couple of weeks away so for now I'll give you a little taste.<br />
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The floors are done. I'm mostly happy with them. I did learn a lot from this first room and there are things I will be doing differently next time, but over all they are lovely and with the room full of furniture I will not notice my mess ups so much. The floors had to cure for a full 7 days after the last coat of polyurethane so for the past week I've been spending my time working on components for the room instead of on the actual room.<br />
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I have been cruising through thrift stores looking for things to repurpose- like picture frames. All it takes is a little spray paint and we have fabulous, colorful pieces for the room. I am proud to say I have kept us at budget by re-using, recycling, and re-purposing. And by budget I mean, I've only used the money the kids were gifted at Christmas by their grandparents. This is a huge accomplishment for me...you have no idea.<br />
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Thus far, this is my very favorite project for the room. Using wood we already had the Hubs and I made two identical, upholstered, and tufted headboards. I think they are gorgeous and I cannot wait to see them up.<br />
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The Hubs has been putting trim up all day and the painting will start tomorrow. That is going to be quite a job. I have the room, trim, and doors to paint, of course. But, I also have a chair, table, and nightstand to paint. I figure in a couple of weeks I'll have it all done and be ready to put the room together. Here's hoping!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Script, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonia</span></span></div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-886036134314745961.post-22634076091542445542014-01-05T19:08:00.000-08:002014-01-05T19:08:59.030-08:00Ceilings and FloorsMost of the work we've been doing isn't very picture worthy- like filling the attic with insulation, for example- so I'm excited to have something to show you. Work on the kids' room is coming along and the hope is to have them in their room by the end of the month. It will have been a full 6 months that the whole family has been sleeping in the same room and while it has certainly brought us closer, I'm ready to get them out of my room, er, I mean, into their own room.<br />
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We had originally planned on putting in a new ceiling. The original ceiling is a drop tile ceiling and it was very yellowed and aged. But, as the budget got tighter and tighter we decided the money really is better spent elsewhere and we chose to paint it instead.<br />
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I'm not going to lie. Painting it was brutal, but I was surprised how effective it was. It's still a drop ceiling, but it ended up looking pretty nice.<br />
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Now the room sports a lovely new light fixture and a white ceiling. Much better.<br />
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Next up was the floors. You might remember that we pulled the old, nasty carpet out months ago and then had someone come to give us quotes for refinishing the floors. Since that turned out to be too expensive we decided to refinish the floors ourselves and I will admit I've been very nervous about that decision. The Hubs rented a sander for the day and got to work. It didn't take me long to see that it is very easy to do and that there was no need for being nervous. <br />
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In just a couple of hours we had these amazingly beautiful floors that are now ready for stain. I am beyond excited. They are just so lovely and charming. They are not new or perfect, but I think that makes them even better. I cannot wait to see them all finished.<br />
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So, the walls are up, the window is in, the ceiling is done, and the floors are on their way. It feels so good to be getting something done inside the house.<br />
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Last, but not least, I've got something fun to show you. The paint palette for the room!<br />
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The trim and doors will be the cream color. The walls will be grey. The other colors are the accent colors for the room so I have the paint chips mostly for reference when buying pillows, lamps, and other accessories. <br />
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We found a free table and chairs yesterday while we were out and about and I plan to do something fun with that for the room- I can't wait to show you , but you'll have to wait for a bit longer on that one. For now, I'm feeling hopeful and content- and that's a good place to be.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Script, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tonia</span></span></div>
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Toniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733869230670896974noreply@blogger.com0