eight and a half acre farm

Thanks to all who come here and read my posts. I love writing and this is my way of practicing the craft and making fun of my life all in one stroke. I have begun a new adventure thought. As I edge closer to 40, I feel it is time to figure out what I want to do with my life. If you have ever tried to answer that question, I hope you agree with me that it is not an easy task to do. I feel it is especially hard since I live with a man who is doing what he loves and is really really good at it. I am hoping that this next step leads me in the direction of finding out what I want to do, and I hope that you still follow me, post comments, and pass on my link. So here it is: http://www.eightandahalfacrefarm.com/ My new website, and location of my blog. Please visit and roam around. I took all the things I love to do and combined it into one site. Interior design, cooking, writing about my family and getting my hands dirty in the garden. I also joined forces with my mother since she is...

When I was little the big thing I always looked forward too on my birthday was the cake. Ok, presents were always good also, but the cake lasted and was always homemade and delish. It was also always a given that the person the birthday cake was for got the first, and last piece. If it wasn't a rule, then I at least followed it. My birthday was this past Saturday and my husband came through with a Mrs. Goodman's cake. (I am still waiting for the year that he braves it and makes a cake from scratch with the kids for me.) Luckily he got a small one, because I ate a slice after my kids sang to me, then I ate a piece after they went to bed. The next day I ate three slices, yes three. I can't stay away from cake it just pulls me in. Besides, birthday cake tastes better than any cake, any day of the year. Monday was Kadence's birthday. There was once slice of my cake left so I saved it for the next day and ate the cupcakes I got for Kadence's family celebration. You...

I had to share this post from Facebook by my cousin Bailey. His words ring very true, and I stand by them. I feel as a society we need to move forward and not backward. Learning to accept everyone for who they are and not forcing everyone into what we feel they should be. Bailey's post: Just in case the Georgetown Times doesn't post my response... Mr. Brock, Your recent opinion article on the topic of same-sex marriages saddened me. Not only as a gay man, but as a forward thinking American citizen, I whole-heartedly disagree with you on your views. No matter what kind of intentions President Obama had for announcing his support of same sex marriage, he will be relieved one day when he finds his beliefs to be on the right side of history. You say, “The biological premise of the joining of one man and one woman is propagation of the species.” If that’s true, why should elderly people be allowed to get married? Or heterosexual couples who can’t conceive children? Should th...

Mornings can be very interesting. This morning did not disappoint. Jakob and Kadence wanted apple juice for breakfast instead of milk. Rick didn't want to give them apple juice because he felt that was just weird. He wouldn't drink apple juice for breakfast, so why should they. I laughed and told him that this isn't Rick's world and it doesn't revolve around him. "what!?" Rick turns to Jakob and asks: "Jakob, does the world revolve around me?" "No." was Jakobs reply. So Rick decided to ask him who the world revolved around. I was minding my own business making my breakfast when I heard Jakob say "mommy." Let me tell you, that is one smart little kid.

I had a stroke of insanity today and took Kadence and Jakob with me to Easton so I could return a few items. We went to Macy's and the cashier gave them both a square of bubble wrap to pounce on while we did our exchange thing. We held hands and walked across Easton to the train exhibit so they could run back and forth, back and forth, back and forth to watch as much of the train as they could. We rushed into Barnes and Noble so they could both go to the bathroom, even though as soon as they walked in both said they didn't have to go. Yes, I was that woman sounding exasperated as she pleaded with her kids to "just try to go", yes I was the woman who it must have sounded like I was abusing my kids as they said "stop it mommy! Leave me alone mommy!" as I coaxed them into going to the bathroom because not 10 seconds ago they both grabbed themselves and shouted "I have to go!!" We said goodbye to the train and as the both started moaning about how hu...

A couple of weeks ago our dishwasher was a loud raucous annoyance. It didn't used to be, it was one of those "quiet" dishwashers. Well, we use it so much I think we kind of slowly started killing it. It got louder and louder as the years passed, till it was at the point it was a couple of weeks ago. I am not kidding. It was so loud I would only run it when I was leaving the house. You couldn't even watch a movie because it would over power the movie. Then one day, we noticed it was back in it's quiet mode. Dishes looked clean, and they were...for a week. Yesterday I opened the dishwasher to put the dishes away and noticed they weren't even close to clean. There was a big pile of detergent just sitting on the bottom of the washer. Doesn't the soap know that it needs to get up into the dishwasher to clean? So this is my thought. Screw calling someone to fix it. We know that story, it costs just as much to fix it than to buy a new one. I say we buy two ...

The windows are open, the weather is beautiful and the breeze is flowing. I call this a spring cleaning day, plus I have to start putting away clothes for a road trip so what better time to clean up. That is when I opened up Kadence's closet and was slammed in the face with a smell that is absolutely repulsive. Dead Animal. shit. (no, not dead animal shit. Shit, I smell a dead animal.) Now, I live in the country so it isn't unusual for a mouse to get into our house, or a bird in our attic. The thought of one in my daughters closet is very unsettling though. I begin by emptying everything out. shaking blankets, horrified at the thought a dead animal will fall to my feet at any moment. After the closet is empty, nothing but the smell. It must be in the walls then. And for that...there is nothing to do but wait it out. UGH! Of course I call rick up and he smells nothing. Why would he? he never smells the bad things I do...it must be a man thing. Fun. Nothing cov...

I have seriously been thinking about shutting off the tv and cancelling Netflix for the summer. From June 1st-September 1st...no tv. The question is, can it be done? Would I go as far as even cancelling our cable so there isn't that "temptation"? I could go in completely sane...and come out the other side completely insane. Not that I would consider myself completely sane anyway. The funny thing is... I don't really have shows I am attached too. Ok, the walking dead is my show, but it doesn't start back up till October, so I am perfectly safe there. Honestly, after a couple of weeks, the kids wouldn't even take notice I am sure. They would adapt pretty well. So here it is: The Summer Challenge: No tv for summer! No netflix all summer! Care to join? I am interested in what things will be learned with this "experiment"

My little Jakob is dead set on being a cowboy. I think I hear it about 20 times a day. The other morning he woke up, looked at me and said "I want to be a cowboy." my reply: "And I could be your cowgirl."(you know, that 80's song...by Boys don't cry) Jakob: "No mommy, Kadence would be a cowgirl." hmmm. This morning I asked if he wanted blueberries in his cereal. His reply: "I want to be a cowboy." my reply: "And I could be your cowgirl." He wasn't in the mood for that game, we will leave it at that. As he left for school I told him I loved him and to have a good day. His reply: "I want to be a cowboy." I went upstairs and ordered him a cowboy hat, and cowboy boots from the ol' internet.

I have recently become a fitness addict. Since the beginning of February I have been working out 5 times a week. Why does everyone seem so surprised when I tell them that? "Oh wow...really?" Yes...REALLY. And I am about to add another day to fit in more cardio. Not much to my surprise, I had not lost any weight. I am a sweet tooth fiend. Any cake, cookie, brownie, cupcake, m&m calls my name. And calls...and calls...till I give in and go nuts. Right now I am having to answer to a trainer about my eating habits. She is putting me in my place and I can't believe how little amount of sweets I have had, but I crave them all the time! Even after she said once I up my protein intake I shouldn't crave as much (maybe I didn't hear her correctly) Then comes an article I read in my Weight Watchers magazine. Dr. Oz, whom I guess is a big TV personality with his own show, has an article in there. Something about seven secrets of healthy living. I get to number 4....

I am not a morning person... so why is my goal to wake up, get ready for the day, make a cup of coffee... and go out on the porch to watch the sunrise? I have tried this the past two mornings... I have failed. The sunrise happens earlier each morning, so if I can't do it today, what is to say I can do it tomorrow when it happens 2 minutes earlier? How hard can this be? obviously for me...very difficult. I JUST WANT TO SEE THE DAMN SUNRISE! Maybe I should just video tape it...

The weather was beautiful, got to go out on a date with my husband, and got in my garden for some therapy. How much more perfect can a weekend get. On weekends like this my mind wanders (ok it always wanders) and I have specific thoughts that sometimes stick out like neon lights. Musing #1 I can not wait till the day where the only butt I have to wipe, is my own. Musing #2 In three weeks, if it is meant to be...we will have a new family member. (baby puppy..said in the most baby of voices...EVER!) Musing #3 If I had the money, I would hire Martha Stewart to organize my home from the basement on up. (She would be horrified by my current state of organization.) Musing #4 Amazing, I take my husband to a healthy restaurant, and he finds the most unhealthy thing to eat. Musing #5 I am going to wake up at 6:30 so I can get ready for the day, make my cup of coffee, and then go out and watch the sunrise. (that one is pretty funny. I can't remember the last time I actually ...

Finally am over a virus that I got over the weekend. I won't go into details... The one weekend that my mother-in-law has the two little ones and I have the whole day to myself until Krischan comes home from school...and I am sick. The one weekend that my mother-in-law has the two little ones and have the chance to do something with Krischan by himself...and I am sick. The one weekend that my mother-in-law has all three for the day and I have the chance to do something with Rick...and I am sick. Couldn't my sickness have made plans to visit another time? Like when I had to go to the dentist or something?

I will warn everyone ahead of time. There is a ton of TMI in this and talk of girl parts and such. Don't read if you have no sense of humor and get offended by things. Rick surprised me this morning by having his mother pick up Kadence so that we could ride on our new tandem. (well it isn't new, but that is another story) It has been at least 8 years since we rode our last one that we had to sell. We are good to go and walk down the end of the driveway. (I am a bit particular and refuse to ride on our gravel driveway.) We hop on the bike and Rick and I know immediately that the seats are all wrong. (I am not talking position, but comfort) I know...you are saying that there is no way a bicycle seat is comfortable to begin with. You are wrong, they can be completely comfortable. Make sure you have some good cycling shorts on and you are good to go. My queen bee bike for example, I could ride for hours if I chose and would be most happy at the end of the ride. About 20 m...

It is a well known fact that I am not a morning person. I grumble and groan and if woken up before I really want too, will take a nice size bite out of whomever's head dares to wake me. Even when said person is told by said person to make sure said person gets up. Hence this morning. Yes I wanted to get up at 6:00 to catch up to my procrastinating ways. No I didn't. Yes I bit Rick's head off. Yes I dragged myself out of bed to sit in front of my computer. And Yes, to prove his love, he brought me up a cup of coffee. How did I get so lucky? Bite someones head off and they still bring you a bit of love in a cup. It is also a well known fact that Rick is a breakfast (and morning) person. No cereal for that man, he wants eggs, ham, toast, bacon, sausage, omelette with mashed potatoes inside, hash browns and a large glass of chocolate milk. Not necessarily all that food, but some mix of one or the other. This morning was no different, ok it was. I went down to cook break...

I don't know why we have so many beds in our house. We don't use them, or I guess we do, it's just a song and dance throughout the night. Krischan has a bed. Jakob has a bed. Kadence now has her "Big girl" bed. (sniff* she is growing up...) and Rick and I have our bed. Krischan sleeps in his own bed, now even through the night. Kadence falls asleep in her bed and wakes up in mom and dad's bed. Jakob either falls asleep in Krischan's bed, or like last night Kadence's bed. Wakes up in the middle of the night and has dad come and lay with him in his bed. Sometimes Kadence crawl's into our bed, then Jakob crawl's in, then Rick goes and lays in Jakob's bed because ours is so crowded. Every once in a blue moon, Rick ends up sleeping with Krischan in his bed because "daddy, you never lay with me." says Krischan. Last night I started out in my bed, went to lay in Kadence's bed because Jakob wanted to lay with daddy a...

I found myself washing an egg shell yesterday morning after breakfast. I walked around in a circle several times from my living room to foyer and back again, not really knowing what I was doing it for. Put the nesquick powder in the fridge. (everyone does that) Went out into the garage to get a coke and got in my car instead. Looked at the wall in my bedroom and decided I was going to try a handstand push-up. I got the handstand accomplished, not the push-up. Freaked out when I tried to wake up my computer thinking it had died when I realized that I had actually shut it down the night before. Rubbed lotion on my legs wondering why it felt so weird. Till I actually looked at the bottle and saw I was rubbing body wash on them. I still have the crayon wrappings from when we made easter egg crayons. In my mind I keep looking at them thinking: "I can do something with that paper, why throw it away?" What an interesting life I lead huh? I always end up wondering... ...

My husband has a bit of a competitive streak in him...so do I. (I have a friend who beat me by 20 minutes in the last two duathalons we did and I want to fix that.) I never beat Rick...in anything. He doesn't even let me win, or the kids for that matter. (ok, I think that is actually good, what are they learning if they win all the time?) I joined a gym in the beginning of February and have been going 5 days a week. When it is your "me" time, it isn't hard to get there so often. When I started I could barely do 1 push-up, now I can do a lot more... ...which brings me to a conversation Rick and I had this morning. It was about health and being around for a long time. I have been doing things to make sure I am becoming more healthy, taking vitamins, eating/cooking better, working out more. I was teasing him about the fact that I want to go places with him and ride our bikes when we are 70 and not push him around in a wheelchair instead. So came the challenge.....

I love my son Jakob's hair. To say I love it is really an understatement. It is curly and wild, and matches his personality to a tee. I know when Kadence gets older, she is going to hate Jakob for that hair. (She has stick straight hair.) Which brings me to my question. Is it really my responsibility as a mother to make sure it is all in place? What brings this question up is this picture. As I was sitting across from him, I said to myself... "Wow! Jakob's hair is insane! should I have brushed it before we left?" And as I kept taking pictures, I realized that it has a mind of it's own, I swear it kept getting nuttier and nuttier. Maybe it was the milkshake making it stand on end. Krischan's hair was in place, so was Kadence's. Jakob's just has a mind of it's own. Should I start carrying a comb around with me? Maybe I should start using that glue hair gel that will keep it in it's place....Nah. But really, is it my responsibility ...

By a happy mistake I scheduled two doctor appointments today. One with my dermatologist, and one with my masochistic Dentist (thankfully that was the last appt for my root canal and it was simply too put my cap on.) So I bet you are wondering what the happy part is. It was the fact that there were 3 hours in between each appt... Easton, here I come. It was so nice, the weather was beautiful, it felt like spring, and because I was there at 9:30 nothing was open yet(except Barnes and Noble) and no one was there. It was like I had the whole place to myself! Bookstore browsing for a whole half hour without a kid in tow, without a husband wondering when I was going to be done looking around, just me and the smell of brand new books. I could deal with this kind of thing lasting forever... But alas, I do have other stores I need to go to. Every once in awhile I can treat myself and Aveda was that place for me too do that in. Ahh, no kids to keep from touching things and no husband...

As I have said before I am behind the 8 ball most of the time. I knew of Pinterest, but wasn't doing anything about it. I don't need one more thing to keep me at my computer. Well, I finally gave in and requested an invite. ...Not sure why you need an invite, but oh-well... HOLY SHIT!!! I am soooo addicted. I have to pry myself away, and the weird thing is, I did this anyway. I just dragged photos off into folders or printed out the images and pasted them into my sketchbook. (This is one of those why didn't I think of this things) It not only makes me realize that I have no time for anything and that I have a severe case of ADHD. My brain is just going everywhere, from home ideas to cool design inspiration to fun things for the kids to do, to cooking, to travel destinations, to...overload! I did make time to get the kids involved in a melting crayon activity I saw. We have the typical coffee can full of broken deranged looking crayons that makes me groan every time ...

I have been meaning to go into a store in Newark for awhile now called the Old Crow. I finally got in there after my work out yesterday. It is a mostly country decoration store, but as I rounded a corner I found the most wonderous thing! And it isn't just a cute girly hammer. It is a multi-functional girly tool. Now I know these things have been around for a long time. My mom has one that I remember from when I was a kid, but this one has a cool design on it. It is also a screw-driver. and a philips and another screw driver. and another ity, bity, screw driver. The best part? as if I haven't shown you enough... I can display it as art.

So I have recently discovered Nutella. Ok, so I might be behind the 8-ball on this, but I am with most things anyway. I had one of my cravings the other day. You know the ones, need something sweet or else I will strangle the next person that talks to me kinda craving. Anyway, I had angel food cake, strawberries, and nutella on hand. Thinly slice the angel food cake (two slices), like a slice of bread thickness. Spread nutella on one or both pieces. Layer chopped, or sliced strawberries into the nutella. Then put together like a sandwich. Now, butter a pan and grill the angel/nutella/strawberry sandwich. Eeweey Gooey Goodness!!!!

Once upon a long, long time ago (23 years) there was a little girl who dreamed of becoming an actress. She loved pretending, acting, watching movies, and acting along with the movies she watched. She was in her school plays and belonged to a junior theater group. To be in the movies, to be anyone and everyone you have ever wanted to be. To dive into a character and live that life for a little while, to become that person. Dreams can get lost, or left behind, but can they ever be picked back up? Can you ever go back to them? Is that the reason I wander though life wondering what I want to do when I grow up...still? I left those dreams behind because I let a couple of people effect me in a negative way. I was young and stupid and probably didn't tell anyone how I felt or why I left the idea of acting behind. Because I am sure if I said something, someone would have encouraged me to quit being stupid and worrying about how other people are, directing me back to my path. Once a...

Joined a gym about 3 weeks ago. Have been going religiously, unlike church, but that is a different story. I do pilates twice a week and this kill or be killed bootcamp class three times a week. Last night was an all body round and the only place I am sore are my shoulders and butt. My butt is so sore that even when standing I feel the muscles working. I have never been so aware of how the muscles work in your rear end for every little move you make like I am today. Although it does make me feel like I have a tight ass.

Went in to get a root canal done today. Not a fun experience. Not much to say about it other than I had an anxiety attack in the chair, heart was racing, body was was shaking and after I started crying, he decided to give me nitrous. Who has anxiety attacks in the dentists chair? I can't believe I actually started crying. I hate getting dental work done. Always have, always will. And to top it off, he wanted me to look in a mirror at my hollow tooth. Oh God, and I have to go back in two weeks to get it finished. Why can't a root canal be done in one appointment? C'mon!

To make our lives easier there are things that are convenient to us. Don't want to cook dinner? Go through a drive through, someone does the cooking for you. Don't want to open a door, step on a pad and the door opens for you. Don't want to go to the store and buy something, order it online and it will come to you. Don't want to spend hours scrubbing clean your oven? Then use the oven clean setting. Hmmmm. Shouldn't you be able to cancel that? Why you ask? Have you ever cleaned your grill? The easy way? Turn it on high, all burners, and let it burn that shit off the grates, then once it is all burnt to a crisp you just have to take a brush and poof, it brushes off. Yup, that is also what the oven cleaner does. I had the bright idea of turning it on tonight, with the top stove grates in the oven cause they were awful dirty. Our fan thingy above the stove, doesn't work very well. Our fire alarm is going off. I have the front door wide open, a ...

I have often laughed at my boys because they hold themselves, dance like crazy, and chant "I have to go, I have to go, I have to go." Then you hear them in the bathroom and their feet hit the floor faster and faster, then stop. Success as they make it to the bathroom, and don't pee themselves. One thing I don't laugh at is when I have to go and before I go, I have to clean all the pee off of the toilet seat because they decided to not go in the toilet, but around it. Fun. Well, today I think my littlest boy couldn't figure out which the toilet was. I notice the floor is awful wet, and the biggest puddle is under the wicker trashcan. Damn, if he didn't pee in the trashcan, just like fraternity boy who is so drunk he can't figure out if the trashcan is a toilet or not. I decided it was because he was half asleep and let it slide over...until tonight when he did it again in the upstairs trashcan. Everyday that I go into the bathroom and have to clea...

I have a few quirks. Ok, maybe more than a few, but I won't be talking about all of them today, just one in particular that I thought about this morning. What falls into my quirk category is irrational fear. Irrational meaning not logical or rational. Emphasis on logical. One (yes I am saying one) of my irrational fears is that I am going to drive away and one of my children had decided it would be cool to sit on my fender or on top of my car, me somehow not seeing them. I know, the insane asylum is in my future, but we aren't talking about that right now. Who would not know a child was hanging on to their car anyway? What child would do that anyway? I always picture a screaming crying child hanging on for dear life, eyes wide with fear, me completely oblivious that they are about to become road kill. I think I got this fear from National Lampoons Vacation. No, I do not tie my children to my car, but that is the only logical (that might be an oxymoron in this p...

Sometimes I look into my future, and see a very lonely woman, sitting by a window, watching the world go by. I had a "human moment" today, and it seems that I have a lot of them. (Calling it a "human moment" makes me feel better, makes it sound like it happens to everyone.) When I get old enough and Senile enough, I will be put in a nursing home and forgotten about, and before then excuses will be made why family can't come over too see me, or why I can't come to visit them. My children will be in therapy before they are 15. I should just start drinking now. I hate January. When's spring. I will feel better then.

I DVR The Martha Stewart Show on the hallmark channel every day, and I watch it at night or on the weekend when I am folding clothes. This past week was beauty week. So many cool things that are just items you can buy in the grocery store or grow in your garden, and I have made a very Martha decision today. I am going to start making my own beauty products. Com'on! How hard can it be? So I started tonight. I made a hair mask. Now, as I have mentioned earlier, as soon as I turned 37 my hair freaked out. I even have my first grey hair!! It sticks up and shouts out like a sore thumb, even though my husband denies being able to see it. My hair dresser has helped me with my hair, hooked me up with products that repair my hair and products to put in my hair to help it. So in all, I have 5 products that I put in my hair almost every day!! 5, count it out 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. crazy!! (Jakob would count 1,2,3,4,9. so damn cute) With all 5 products I can let my hair air dry, which for my...

Now I can brag that I have two genius children. (The jury is still out on Jakob, right now he is just plain cute.) I was going over colors with Kadence today. She was wearing a purple top and I asked her what color it was. Her reply: "Red and blue" Red and blue do make purple, so she was not wrong and chose to answer the question quick-witted. I am pretty sure she rolled her eyes at me and said "Duh mom" in her head.

There are just some days, or several days, that you really feel like a crime scene...something. (If you have seen No Strings Attached you know what I am talking about.) It took me a day to figure out what I needed. Oatmeal cream pie? no, not rich enough, red velvet cupcakes? Didn't want to have to scour Columbus for a really good one. Mrs. Goodman's cake? Didn't want to drive that far. Some dessert coffee and goodie from a coffee house? No, definitely not something that was pre-frozen, then thawed for our...eh-hem...pleasure (what a waste of some much wanted calorie intake). Then I figured it out. Thank God I know the brownie queen, the global brownie ambassador, the one who makes brownie delectables from a box. http://outoftheboxbrownies.com/ Thank God to her because I had a boxed brownie mix in my pantry. One that I had planned on making her peppermint bark brownies with. I made a batch for my neighbor and planned on treating myself to those Christmas eve. That neve...