Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Kids House Wish List!

The kids came up with this list all by themselves. Some of the things they added to their house wish list surprised me. Hardwood floors? Metal roof? These are definitely our kids! 😉


Circle Drive for walking around and riding bikes 
Large barn 
Somewhere for animals - chicken coops/rabbit hutches/stables? 
Play area - lego play - basement 
Property - at least a couple acres 
Good climbing trees
Chicken eggs 
Fruit trees 
Good bedroom - hardwood floors, space for a desk
Place for camper 
Campfire area 
Place for all outside toys we already have - playscape, climber, airplane teeter-totter, trampoline, sandbox, pool & basketball hoop 
Large open grassy area 
Pool spot 
Trail through woods 
Area to ride go-carts
Dirt road 
Metal roof 

Good hiding spots in yard 

Monday, June 26, 2017

A Day in Dundee

Shortly after Chad and I got married, we fell in love with the feel of Monroe County. The farm land, open fields and the peace we got from taking a drive in the country. Everything. We have always wanted to move to Monroe County. We have stayed in the area we are in for Kaitlynne, so she could be close to her other family. Since Kaitlynne has moved out and is able to drive and is planning to move to Ann Arbor in the fall, for the first time in our married life, we don't feel tied to the area we are in anymore. When we moved into our house two years ago, we had every intention of making this our forever home. It was supposed to be finished before we moved in, then the month after. It's been two years and although much progress has been made, there is still has a huge amount of work to be done. Our house can't be mortgaged until it is finished, at this point, we aren't hopeful it will be finished. There are major concerns over the foundation and many other things. Our plan has been to stay and hope the house gets finished. Over the last few months, God has been working in both of our hearts to prepare us for another move. In my flesh, I wasn't sure I could handle another move. I wasn't willing to uproot my kids to move to a new house or city. After a lot of soul searching, praying and seeking Godly counsel from my mother-in-law, more journaling than I though was possible in a short period of time and reading some notes I took a while back from a great Andy Stanley message, we feel like this is our time to move to Monroe. We are not sure of a location in Monroe, just somewhere there.

Yesterday we spent the day in the Village of Dundee,  it's been one of our favorite areas for a very long time. It's a little further than we are hoping to move but the area  is perfect. It has the most quaint downtown area, a dam, a park and just 5 minutes away, you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere with nothing around but farm land and open skies for miles and miles! 

We are in the beginning stages of thinking this through but we did stumble into a conversation with our kids, at their prodding, about moving. I was very nervous to feel them out at about moving. Shockingly, they were all on board and happy about moving especially to the county. So we looked up the address of a house we liked that happened to be in Dundee and took a drive out there. The village is more quaint and perfect than I remembered. We went to the house we liked, got out and checked it out since it is vacant and then went to town to get pizza, ate it at the park and back to the downtown area for some ice cream before heading home. It was a great day and gave us a great feel for the area and what we are looking for and dreaming of in a house and town. Here are our pictures from the day trip. We didn't intend to get the kids out of the car except to go to the bathroom, so....they were decked out in play clothes from playing outside at home before we left. 

This is the little Christmas shop that I love. We've never been in but I love seeing it when we drive through town. 



This is the little two lane road that leads to the house we checked out


This is the front of the house, the little sun porch and metal roof are exactly what we would love to find when we find our house! 


I love this view - cornfields as far as the eye can see!








You can't tell in this picture but waaayyyy back there, there is a farm. I'm not entirely sure what is there but we saw cows, so that was neat!


The kids loved this tree, one of the things on the wish list that they made was more good climbing trees!


You can't see them in this picture but the kids are way down at the end of the drive 


Love this little area of trees off the back deck, as much as we want open grassy areas, we'd like some trees too!


This is the gazebo in the middle of the downtown area


This was on our walk downtown while we waited on our pizza to be ready


Chad went back to get the pizza but the kids wanted to walk to the park, so we met him there. They loved looking at the water fall over the dam. 




They all liked this historical building 



Pizza on the water


After we finished our pizza, the kids played on the playground then Chad played ultimate frisbee with them and some friends the kids made. They all had so much fun!

Then we headed back to the downtown area for ice cream before heading home!






Saturday, May 6, 2017

The In-Between

We've been steadily busy the last 6 weeks or so managing sickness and doing school. Although it's been a bit of a challenge having so many sick kids and keeping up with daily life, I've enjoyed all the small, quiet moments in-between.

Greysen and Maezy drawing on the boards while I read for school. 


I accidentally forgot to have the kids do their laundry for about a week. This is the result. The folded and hung while I read aloud. No one seemed to mind the piles and piles of laundry to take care of. 



While I read for school, the kids are free to do quiet activities. Screens are usually prohibited but I let them use their computers this day. Tristan was searching for Jeeps to buy when he has enough money saved and Bella was researching tiny house plans. Her and Husyn plan to live in a tiny house when they are older. 


After researching, here are the plans she drew up, with Hudsyn's input, for their future tiny house.


I ordered the kids dry erase lap board to make taking school outdoors easier. They have had so much fun using the dry erase crayons with them! 


Maze reading to Easton and Greysen


Snuggling and watching some Netflix on mom's old phone


While I am feeding Hensley people often ask me to read to them, which I am happy to do, but I need a little help turning the pages. ;) 


Maezy reading to me and Tristin on the swing


Easton snuggling with me during school


Maezy hauled all the paints out to the picnic table to create something beautiful! 


Easton decided to join her! 



There's been a lot of resting and snuggling. Easton loves to sleep in my bed with me!







Lots of outside play has happened!



Go cart repair with the neighbor kiddo! 


This day Chad and I were playing basketball together and decided to raise the hoop to 10 feet. It was hilariously high. Here the kids joined us and Bella is making a shot backwards! Lol! 


Easton loves this swing this year!




After a long day of play, he fell asleep before he could eat dinner


Greysen often gifts Hensley storm trooper lego men for her pockets. Every time I see her like this, I laugh! 


Sick sleeping beauty


Chad found a great deal on a truck and purchased it. The morning he went to buy it, he took the older boys with him. The girs and Easton stayed home with me. We went and got donuts and ate them on the swing together! 


The kids playing in the back of his truck the day he brought it home! 


The kids love playing in the bed of his truck. Here the girls are listening to an audio book back there earlier today. They had a whole set-up with blankets.