Some Beginning Notes for 2015

Please excuse the continued blog layout construction.  I think it is worth noting the primitive conditions in which I endure to blog.... for instance, my internet connection is through smoke signal and my computer is actually a typewritur.... oh lemons, where's the white out.....
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All that aside, we are off to a busy and exciting start here.

The basement is under construction: stud walls are up, next will be installing all the electrical.  This area is going to be the new playroom and storage.

 A meeting is set for THIS WEEKEND to see, for the first time, and review the design plans from our landscape architect.  We are super stoked and somewhat scared.  We look forward to having a nice outdoor eating area but fear the price tag that's going to come with it.  She is actually re-laying out all areas around the house but we plan to complete it piece by piece over a span of time (we try to pay for everything with cash).

Here she is doing some land surveying, and yes I took this picture of her secretly through a window (which is completely ok, if you are the one taking the picture)-

Other projects in the works or soon in the works:

• Completing the finishing details in the dining room (yawn, old news)
• Putting on window trim in the kids and living room
• Taking my Christmas decorations down (its on the list, but probably not blog worthy)
• Transforming the back entrance closet to a more function space
• Operation kid's rooms (more details later)
• Fence building/spring homesteading planning (we had this area cleared behind our property, see what happens when you are nice to the power company, it also helps them out)

 On the family front, the youngest turned 1 recently.  Since I like comparisons, here is the line up of each kid on their 1st birthday stuffing cake in their face.

Little man-

Little lady-

Baby girl-

All the above photos were taken with a 35mm camera and film developed at the one hour photo at Walmart (play along that it still exists).  How they got on the blog is magical, that is all you need to know.
:)

End of Summer in New England

Just a photo share of saying goodbye to summer in southern New England.  Glad we got to do it with family visiting.

Note: Fyi for my southern US friends (cause I get asked this alot), southern New England does have a real summer.  It gets just as hot and more humid than north east Tennessee, but a shorter season.  The beaches get plenty warm for swimming..... unless you're on parts of the Cape.
Another question I get asked alot by my northern friends, Tennessee has a winter.... and snow.... especially if you live close to the mountains.  Yes Tennessee has mountains.... and they are bigger than New Hampshire's mountains.

We had a family get together on Conanicut Island.  Here is where we stayed.....

And the view from the front porch.....
Overlooking the mouth of Narragansett Bay, Newport/Pell Bridge in the distance on the left:

Family get together pic last year in Upstate NY-

This year on the coast in Southern RI.
I'm looking short among this tall family-

Fun was had-

Last weekend of the summer was spent watching the sun go down.  Seemed appropriate-

Goodbye wonderful summer, looking forward to your return.

About That Smile... Third Edition

Baby girl has inherited her siblings' camera allergy.  Its a rare condition that, when a camera is pointed at you, you are unable to smile.  With treatment there is hope.

Baby girl likes to keep her tongue out these days.  Makes a good fly trap, and a source of lots of drool.

Big brother decided to crash the photo session.  Speaking of which, he has made great improvements.
(Past smile attempts- About That Smile, First Edition, About That Smile, Second Edition)

Big brother has taken the spotlight, looks like this third child ain't havin' it.  She has a weapon-

Little lady wants in now.

Yay!  A picture without her tongue-

Enter back into the picture big brother.  She does love him but guess she doesn't want to share the camera with him today.

Actually she is just infatuated with grabbing that soft, golden hair of his.

There's that tongue again.

Partial success, just need her to smile for the camera.

....but I know from experience, you don't push the buttons of a third child. ;)

Just Some Summer Happenings

Just a hand full of some summer photos-

A few more Jamaica photos-

Trip to Tennessee
(FYI, pics of a DEAD pig below)

Pickin' onions-

 Tram ride to Ober Gatlinburg

Chair lift ride to Alpine Slide

Smoking a whole pig.  I forget how many hours it smoked, 10 hours?  I know it went all night and Dad had to keep getting up through the night to put wood in it.

Dad and brothers pulling the meat.  Probably the most delicious and flavorful meat I have ever eaten.

My brother's dog Sterling.  He is a rescued pit bull mix and a big, sweet boy-

And photogenic-

This is my old dog Boss, still full of energy (we think he is 16 years old, but we stopped counting).  Mom and Dad are letting him live at the farm where he gets more attention than I am able to give these days.  Kids want him to come back and live with us though.

Another reason I miss home (this table is stocked by the church community, sharing with their neighbors from their gardens, I thought it was a great idea)-

Some pictures of us enjoying Douglas Lake-

Yes, little man was as hesitant at first as he looks here.  He ended up liking it though.

My Dad (he's 64) showing us all he still has IT.  My sister-in-law, Kalissa, was quite good too.

Back home, enjoying our pool-

First face painting experience-

Double piano lesson.  Baby girl doesn't seem to be paying attention.

Rest up, summer isn't over yet. :)