Lots of This...

I have been spending lots of time here lately, on the couch.  I am working on weaning Abraham so I let him fall asleep in my arms instead of nursing.  It gives me a perfect opportunity to rest.

Warm wishes,

Tonya

Slowing Down

Thomas baking cookies - can you believe I cannot stand sweets and even baking doesn't appeal to me except I do make our daily bread still.  Thomas loves snickerdoodles and knowing I wasn't feeling too up to it, went ahead and made them, asking me what to do each step of the way.

The past five weeks have been very hard for me.  The sickness and simply the exhaustion has been more than I have ever experienced.  Perhaps it is my age, at 41 years I am getting on the older side of having children.  Maybe it is something else completely.  But, I have not been "there" for my family.  I am usually a high energy person that is on-the-go all day.

I have had no choice but to slow down and accept help from my husband and children. I have had no choice but to expect less of myself and to not try and get so much done each day.

As a result, I have had to really consider what has to get done and who needs me most.

Which has got me thinking - maybe slowing down should be reflected more in my life even when I am not so sick or tired.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Yarn Along and Knitting for Baby

Joining in with Ginny again today to share a little something on my needles ~

From Vintage Knits for Modern Babies, I am knitting this Crossover Jacket for

Baby #7, who will be welcomed into our family somewhere around the first or second  week of September.

Working with White

with all the snow and the warmth of the sun, it has been wonderful for the children to play outside

visiting with a chicken

I have been inside playing with birch bark ~

Warm wishes,

Tonya

Outside and In

Blanketed with a layer of deep snow with the sunshine shining brightly, there is so much beauty around us.

And inside ~

Abraham brought down How Things Work from his brother's book shelf. 

Enjoying a warm bath.

Crafting with odds and ends.

I am excited to be going to town this afternoon.  It has been awhile and I am looking forward to visiting the consignment shops and stocking up on some staples. 

Warm wishes, Tonya

Yarn Along

Joining in with Ginny at Small Things again this Wednesday ~

~finished a snuggle gnome in pink with a needlefelted heart~

~ working on another in yarn from Peace Fleece ~

~ while the snow is falling outside, I am making my final seed lists, which I really need to get in the mail~

Warm wishes,
Tonya

Tax Time

Spending more time at the secretary than I like, figuring out our income from our businesses.  We have two etsy shops, Vermont Branch Company and Natural Earth Farm,  and Mike does a bit of property maintenance. 

I prefer not to use a calculator and instead, add all of the figures by hand.  I do hope to be better, however, about doing this at the end of each month instead of waiting until the end of the year.

 

I hired Abby to help sort the receipts which was a wonderful help.

Not my favorite part of having our own businesses, but certainly necessary.

Warm wishes, Tonya