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watershot

September 5, 2014

this is a Watershot Phone case for using your phone camera UNDER WATER.
we have the basic model.
you open the case (shown above) and set your phone inside, close it up and it seals it in tight-tight-tight.
i was nervous but it worked perfectly. 🙂

there are different models depending on what kind of smart phone you have.

we wished we would have gotten it at the beginning of summer because this thing is SO MUCH FUN!!

the last time i went underwater…. may have been years ago.
but this camera made me want to play with my kids.
it was fun to get silly with them again.

and now we are figuring out how soon we can go swimming again!

the Watershot is AWESOME!

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julie - meg, you look awesome underwater!!

Laura h - Crazy fun!! I could never open my eyes under water!!! Jealous of people that can do that! What great family bonding!

Mindy - How fun are these pictures?! Oh I wish we would have had one of these when our daughter was small. Technology is amazing…

Kristi Rediske - Great pictures-i just can’t believe how great everyone of you look under the water! I am checking into this case! I want one! Oh-what phone do you have-it works good.

Stephanie - These shots are SO cool! I’m gonna have to look into that before our (possible) trip to Hawaii! Love it!!

Kathryn - MY question is what was your husband about to grab that you had to hold his hand with that apparent deadgrip?! 😉

Jenny B. - That looks like so much fun! My MOST favorite picture is the one of Talby’s smile with her braces. SUCH a great shot!

Hanny Norton-van der Valk - Love the photo’s, but what is your husband doing with his glasses on under water?????

Charlton - That looks like so much fun! I bookmarked the website to show my husband later. I think we might need to invest in something like that for next summer. I’m always so afraid to take pictures of my girls at the pool for fear of dropping my phone! This would be perfect!

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long weekend.

September 2, 2014

i had a lovely weekend.
we worked HARD but had fun too.
we watched Mrs. Doubtfire and stayed up past midnight.
we grilled burgers and brats. (and i made these turkey spinach &feta burgers for me… YUM)
we shopped at lowes and even the kids liked it!
we went to a HS football scrimmage.
craig made homemade ice cream.
our kids played basketball together.
we sat outside, listening to music on the deck and enjoyed the view.

i found the biggest grasshopper i have seen in my 38 years of life.

we had beautiful weather and terrible thunderstorms all in one weekend.

i got crafty for Camp CREATE.

we gave away the last of the kittens and are down to just two cats again. 🙂

i scored the best quilt E V E R at our local thrift shop.
we got take out pizza for dinner…meaning i didn’t have to cook.

annie and i made bunting past her bedtime.
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i texted with friends i miss a whole bunch.
i finished a book.

i found out that i REALLY like this premade coffee and i REALLY like this almond coconut milk.

we went to our favorite pool on the last day it was open for the year.
and played with our new Watershot underwater case for my iPhone… AWESOME!!!
(i will post all the fun pics later this week… SO MUCH FUN!)

craig and i worked all day saturday and all day monday at the craft house.
yard work and pressure washer and gutter cleaning and painting and furniture moving.
we were so tired.

so i made margaritas.

this space doesn’t look like much now… but it will.
our swingset used to be here but we gave it away.
we cleared and cleaned and it’s ready for a facelift this week.

and my sweet husband sold his pool table for me.
it was a little sad to see it go but Craft Weekend just got a little roomier.
(don’t cry for him too long… our new house has a pool table so he can still play)

how was your long weekend?

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Tiffany - What a fun and productive weekend! My favorite kind! I’m excited to see your outdoor facelift! It will be amazing, I’m sure.

Mindy - Beautiful picture of the cornfield and that grasshopper is a big one – what a gorgeous green color he is!

Jenn - I think we should always have Mondays off. Its just nice to really relax on Sunday with no worries of Monday.

Ali - Great weekend ! Can you teach on the blog how to make a bunting !?! Such a great craft !!

Barbara (WA) - Great weekend beginning with dinner with friends and then major work on our office/library, yahoo!! Just wanted to say I immediately noticed the Red & White sign. I have a friend with a huge collection because family members owned one of those groceries.

Angela - Well, my husband is deployed, so my 8-month old son was my date to an out-of-town wedding, and we also did about 5 billion little projects around the house with my lovely grandparents.

In other news, I’ve just started sewing and I made my first bunting. I’d like to make one similar to the ones you and Annie made, but I don’t really have that much fabric. I need to go fabric/remnant shopping, but I’ll probably end up finding a ton I love and buying, you know, all of it. Whoops. 🙂

tasha roe - im so excited for your new adventures at the craft house!!
where did you find the coconut flavored almond creamer?!!!!! I’m kind of twitching over how awesome that would be.

Janet - The craft house is coming along! i love all your photos especially the one of your dog!

Jenny B. - So many lovely photos! 🙂 I am in love with that yellow tray from the thrift store!! I hit one flea market this weekend, and I was on the hunt for a tray, but came home empty-handed. Any chance you want to sell that one?? 😉

danielle - I need to thrift shop more! That quilt is beautiful! Looks like a fun full weekend! We hiked, biked, went to church, and did our first day of school 🙂

Kerri - That is a gorgeous quilt!

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this was weird.

July 17, 2014

we were on our way to sean’s basketball tournament in kansas and we saw ostriches.
like… 50 of them on the side of the road.
????
we said “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT PLACE?”
so later between games we found out.
It’s called Hendrick’s Exotic Animal Farm located in Nickerson, KS.

we got out of the car and there were all these giraffes…that you could just… PET.
you know how all your life you go to the zoo and everything is really far away and there are signs everywhere to stay back and don’t touch?
this is opposite!
and suddenly we were petting a giraffe!
our minds were blown.

^^^^ my picture.

^^^ talby’s picture.

check out that gorgeous profile!

then i tried for a selfie with the giraffe… and i think it has done this before.
because as soon as i turned around it licked my head.
and wrapped my hair around that tongue.

we loved the giraffes.
but none of us were liking the ostriches up close.
it was WAY too close.
WAAAAAAY.
have you ever seen one really close?

do you see the ostrich on the far left… see how the wing feathers are blowing up from the wind?
LOOK!
THEY ARE NUDE!!!
so creepy. and their eyes bug out… the necks? the half open beak?! the huge middle toe claw?!! oh my word.
later that night when i was going to bed i told craig “i am honestly worried about having nightmares about those ostriches today”
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i love watching the girls explore with photography.
🙂

this was a really fun completely unexpected stop.
we were just looking for a park to run around and we ended up hugging a giraffe!

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Kerry - This is SO cool! Can’t believe you could just pet them! That giraffe selfie is amazing, and great blue tongue shot too Talby!

Cathy - that is so cool.. if I ever get out that way ..from OHIO I will have to stop. So how did it feel when he licked you. I was reading and saying ewwwwww….

Lorieloo - Also. An ostrich peeing might be the most disgusting & horrifying thing ever.

Lora - Those giraffes are the cutest!

Kerri - Isn’t it fun to discover something special in your own backyard, so to speak? Hedrick’s has been there for many years. School children from the town we used to live in in central Kansas go there for field trips.

Ashley Tiburcio - this is awesome! we are planning to go to Kansas next summer…I’ve never been and neither has my hubby or kids….We are going to go to Schlitterbahn but are wanting to explore to so we may just have to stop here too! Do you have any more places that might be interesting stops? I love exploring and we are going to have 4 days to do just that….

Tiffany - Meg, I love these posts of yours. For the few minutes I’m reading it, it’s such an escape to a happy place. You make me laugh, and tonight I shared some pics and part of your story with my husband and it had us both laughing. Thank you for that. Also, looked like a goat was getting fresh with you. 🙂

Jennifer - Oh my goodness…how fun!! The giraffes are so beautiful and boy, the ostriches–they are creepy!

Kari Bobari - I just found out I am pregnant yesterday. Here’s how I know it’s true… these pictures made me cry and tell my husband, “I love giraffes so much. I just want to move there so I can go see them every day.”
Haha. Wow! First pregnancy, things are weird!

Dara - I love that place!! we’ve been there twice. I love the giraffes.

Suzelle - Those giraffes are SO dang COOL !!! You got some amazing photos 🙂 Your expression with the ostrich is hilarious 🙂

Stacy - Oh My Goodness. I’m dying from the giraffe cuteness! We have something similar in Pine Mountain, Ga, but I don’t remember petting the giraffes! So glad ya’ll stopped AND shared the awesome pictures! I’d love a LARGE print of the giraffe close-up!

Haley F - Talbee’s picture is soo cool! this post is amazing!

Heather S. - My mom took my girls here about 5 years ago and they stayed for the weekend. They rode a camel, fed baby kangaroos, and generally had a fabulous time.
Have you ever been to Tanganyika in Goddard? Been twice now. I have the BEST pic ever of my then 9 year old hugging a giraffe! So sweet! And the lemurs? It’s awesome to just sit and let them climb all over you. We love that place!

Carol S. - We have TWO of these in Knoxville but I haven’t been there yet. They get rave reviews from all ages. Fun fun pics! You are fun parents.

Jenny B. - Awesome! Talby’s giraffe picture is so great! There is a drive-thru safari near where we live, and the ostriches (or emus maybe?) come right up to your car window and stare at you. It is freaky! 🙂

DebbieLynn - I am crying…I am laughing so hard right now! Real tears! The ostrich! Your expression! I have LIVED that! I am a huge animal lover. I am vegan because I love animals so much. Last spring we went to a wildlife safari. Saw bears, lions, zebras, etc. So cool…BUT..we were able to buy a cup of food to feed the ostriches that were able to walk up to the car. I was SO excited!!! At FIRST….soon as they walked up to me and got close..i screamed my head off, and just threw the whole cup of food out of the car. I almost cried and had an anxiety attack. They are SO creepy!!!!(poor things..lol). But I love the giraffes!! 🙂

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the lake

June 21, 2014

lots of fun today out at the lake i used to go to when i was a teenager.
it has to have been 20 years since i’d been there.
it almost made me want to think about camping….
almost.

we were invited to go on the boat with the family.
SO FUN!
i tend to get sick in anything moving crazily (bad traffic, bumpy boats, roller coasters) but i did ok today!
the kids all tried out the tube and LOVED IT.

there was not room for all of us on the boat at once so there was down time to skip rocks, talk and find disgusting dead fish.
HA!

our youngest girls are back from their camps they went to last week.
they were at different camps but happened to be on the same week.
this was a really fun way to celebrate them coming back.

i hadn’t thought about the lake in a really long time.
i had all kinds of memories coming up… the smell of the boat… the water… the waves…the engine… whipping the boat around to pick up the person who wiped up…
it was so good to remember that stuff!
i miss it.
i used to water ski!!!
i could cross the wake! more than once!

i was an excellent Zip Sledder! check me out! i would guess this is 1980.

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so long ago.
but it all smells and sounds the same.

🙂

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Julie Schmidt - OMG, I grew up in Michigan. We had a Zip Sled too. My brother and I spent many hours being dragged around on that thing on Lake Charlevoix. My dad would drive in circle to make a “soup” of giant waves. Then he would pull us straight put of the soup and we would fly in the air over the giant waves. Some of my best childhood memories!

Sami - We bought a boat because we want something that our family will always be able to do together. We want our kids when they are teenagers to actually want to be with us. 🙂

Carrie - You’re in a rainbow bathing suit?! Ha! Awesome!

I love your blog, pics, “voice,” etc. Thank you!

PS LOVE lakes. Awesome lakes in New England where I am!

Laura H - So fun! My Grandparents taught me how to water ski on Barbie lake. I believe it was in Indiana…one of my sisters would never let go of the rope when she fell, and we would all be yelling from the boat-“let GO of the rope!”
Ha! We still tease her to this day! Have fun making memories!

Tiffany - Look at you cutie pie!! And that white swim suit cover-up is darling! I love when events stir up old memories! I had that this weekend too and it’s just the best being reminded of those times!

se7en - That sunshine looks glorious from a cold wintry Cape Town… and were you not the cutest little gal ever!!!

Sarah{Handbags*and*Pigtails} - My parents have owned a small cottage on a small lake since before I was born. I’ll never forget the year my dad taught me how to water ski. I was about 9. I kept wanting to quit but he wouldn’t let me. Before the day was out I was skiing successfully.
The lake is still one of our favorite places in the world. Theres just nothing like it.

Kirsten J - That looks like so much fun! I used to water ski too….

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our best father’s day gift

June 10, 2014

of course i have no ideas about what to do THIS father’s day for my husband but i thought i would tell you the BEST gift we have ever found for Craig in past father’s days.

he loves ice cream.
L O V E S.

about 4 years ago now… we got him a homemade ice cream machine!

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he is not into gifts or celebrating really but he was surprised and very happy with this gift.
which made me so happy!
(i AM into gifts and celebrating so when someone loves my gift… it’s a gift to ME!)

he makes really yummy ice cream too!
we even took it on vacation with us so we could make ice cream there too.

it’s the kind of machine that turns & turns, is really loud and you fill the outside with lots of ice and salt.
it is the sound of summer.
does that make you think of your childhood?
i don’t even remember WHERE we had homemade ice cream when i was a kid… but i remember the machines.
i have one memory of an ice cream party outside the library in the town we moved from when i was 7.
i can see it from a short 7 year old’s perspective… everyone is tall… the building across the street is tall… and there is LOTS of ice cream right at eye level on folding tables.

🙂

anyways… back to the ice cream MACHINE.
i chose the White Mountain Ice Cream Maker based off reviews from my friends of what is “the best”.
also because we have a big family so 1 – 2 quarts of ice cream isn’t even enough for each of us to get a bowl.
so i went for the big machine… that is electric… not hand crank.
this machine is pricey but from what everyone says, they last forever.
i wanted it to last through my kids childhood. i wanted to create a memory for them.
making homemade ice cream, outside on the porch, on a summer night… that’s the good stuff.

if you wanted something quieter, smaller, sleeker and i guessing much less messy… you could try this one.
it makes 2 quarts each time.

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Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

this one looks similar to the white mountain one but the motor attachment is plastic instead of metal.
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MaxiMatic 6-Quart Old-Fashioned Ice-Cream Maker

then this one i have seen at walmart and all over.
could be worth a try?
it’s about the cost of 5 gallons of ice cream.
and it makes FOUR quarts… that is pretty good!
anyone have this one? does it hold up?

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Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Ice-Cream Maker, White

and then i saw this?!!
WHAAAAAT?
an in-home soft serve ice cream maker???
ummm….. my kids would think this was THE COOLEST thing ever!?!!

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Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker

there is also an attachment you could put directly onto your KitchenAid mixer that makes ice cream?!
did you know that?

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KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment + Bonus Soft Thumb Release Ice Cream Scoop

and this has nothing to do with ice cream machines but don’t you think this green mixer belongs in my new kitchen?
it is gor-ge-ous!!!

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KitchenAid5-Quart Mixer – there are a million colors but this green is just the best!

i was looking for recipes and came across these books.
i am a sucker for a beautiful book cover.
this one is just that.
out of curiosity…. are you a fan of waffle cones, sugar cones, regular cones or NO cone… bowl only?

Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones: 90 Recipes for Making Your Own Ice Cream and Frozen Treats from Bi-Rite Creamery

the thought of a cute ice cream shop in brooklyn just seems dreamy…

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Ample Hills Creamery: Secrets and Stories from Brooklyns Favorite Ice Cream Shop

and hey… even if you are dairy free there is still ice cream to be enjoyed!
woo-hoo!
everything in this book is based off coconut, almond or cashew milk.
i would be up for trying that!

Dairy-Free Ice Cream: 75 Recipes

we made milkshakes the other night and annie requested Oreos in chocolate ice cream.
i tasted it.
it was U N R E A L.
how is that not a flavor in the store?!!!
how are they not making millions off of Chocolate Cookies & Cream?!!
what is wrong with the ice cream makers of the world?!

🙂

what is your favorite flavor ice cream?

and help me…. what should i get craig this year for father’s day???

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Whitney - What a fun gift! Our summer bucket list includes breaking out the ice cream maker. As for ice cream flavors- The Ice Cream Factory in my hometown in Maine makes Chocolate Fudge Oreo (chocolate ice cream with oreos and a fudge swirl) it’s my favorite! And makes an awesome milkshake! (They also have terrific flavors like Cherry Seinfeld- chocolate ice cream with white chocolate chips and bing cherries! Yum, now I want to drive the half hour to them and make my own sundae with chocolate fudge oreo!)

Valerie - I have the Sweet Dreams and Sugar Cones book and I really like the recipes I’ve tried – salted caramel and the chocolate using dark chocolate are my favorites. I’d like to try Jeni’s and the Perfect Scoop sometime because I hear them recommended as well.

marcie - Get him a gigantic (like laundry basket-sized) basket of every type of ice cream topping known to man and then y’all can try new combos and make memories all Summer long! My dad adores ice cream and the old-fashioned hand churn is a major Summer memory for me.BTW, my dad orders his hot fudge topping by the case from some fancy-schmancy place and he is not like that at all except when it comes to his ice cream – so go for the toppings!!! Happy Summer!!

Jermaine D. - I would add my FAVORITE cook book of all time: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. They are smaller batches, so you’d probably have to double for a big family, but they are SO GOOD! She goes into the chemistry of making good ice cream and these actually have a great texture after freezing, unlike the typical icy vanilla homemade ice cream, which is best eaten right away. She also has a new desserts cookbook out. I also have a bigger Hamilton Beach ice cream maker that has worked well for 5+ years! Hmm, I am already dreaming up which flavor ice cream to make next…

Tiffany - Oh, Meg… an ice cream post?! Just when I didn’t think I could like you more. 🙂

I’m into gifting experiences. We have enough stuff. We are taking my husband sailing. He has talked about wanting to do it forever. Not sure if Craig would be into that, but doing something special and unique as a family is such a wonderful gift.

Kim - We had a mixer similar to the Hamilton Beach for about 10 years until part of it got lost in a move. We now have the Hamilton Beach and it has worked well for about 3 years now (granted, we only use it about 3-4 times per year) but for our needs it’s great. Our first ice cream machine came with a recipe book and one of our favorites is the cinnamon ice cream! Yum!!

Sarah - You have just given me one more reason to want a Kitchen Aid! Why oh why did I not ask for one back when we were getting married. It’s so much harder to convince the hubby I need one now when I’ve already survived nine years of marriage without. I think the idea of just having an attachment to store for making the ice cream is such a great idea. I get kind of annoyed by large appliances taking up room on my shelves.

My husband’s favorite Father’s Day present was a root beer sampler I put together for him a few years ago. I bought a ton of root beer in glass bottles. I tried to get a dozen different brands, but couldn’t find quite that many. He loved it and it has become a yearly tradition (and shopping challenge for me). This year he just asked for music, but I am thinking about getting him a bunch of stuff to organize his tools and work bench area. Not looking at that messy eyesore every time I need to borrow a tape measure would be a great gift for both of us. 🙂

Sarah{Handbags*and*Pigtails} - I bought that 2 QT Cuisinart ice cream maker above from a neighbor’s yard sale a few years ago- 5 bucks! We made so much ice cream that year! So don’t forget to check yard sales. People clean out and don’t want unused appliances taking up space in their kitchen. Ice cream makers can be one of those if you don’t use it enough. 🙂 Happy creaming everyone!

colleen - So, I looked up father’s day gifts in kansas… u have to check this out! out!http://www.cloud9living.com/kansas-city/popular-experience-gifts
Personally I think the hot air balloon ride is a good one…. bet he’s never done it before!
so funny!

Julie - We really love homemade ice cream at our house too, but so far every machine has been a dud or more work that it appears to be. We had the Cuisinart soft serve maker, but a lot of the plastic pieces broke apart after less than a year, it was hard to clean and took up too much valuable space in our freezer — so it got dumped. 🙁
For your ice-cream loving husband, you could splurge for Father’s Day and order him something from ecreamery.com! Their shop is here in Omaha, NE, but they ship anywhere, and you can even “create” your own flavors and ice cream names. (If anyone is coming in to town for the College World Series, it is a fun place to stop!)

Cheryl Jaeger - Thank you for this post. I had no idea the KitchenAid mixer had an attachment for making ice cream. Where have I been?!?!

Tanya H - Sooo my grandparents had a tradition of making homemade ice cream for all birthdays, which ended up being a once-a-month event when I was a kid. My family had moved away so my dad carried on the tradition for us. He does raspberry, strawberry or peach, but the #1 requested by my mom and siblings is oreo. For my wedding, we were given a machine like the Hamilton Beach white that you’ve shown. My husband found a recipe book by Ben & Jerry’s and that was what we gave as wedding gifts for a long time- an ice cream machine and the book!
I think we went thru two of that style in the first 6 years of our marriage and we’re currently “in the market” for something better. The second one was broken when we loaned it out.
You can find the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Jerrys-Homemade-Cream-Dessert-Book/dp/0894803123/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402502245&sr=1-1&keywords=ben+%26+jerry%27s

Heather - LOVE homemade ice cream. My mom likes to remind us that “back in the day” they had to sit on top of them while someone else cranked them. If you haven’t tried some chopped up Snickers in plain ol’ vanilla, give it a whirl. It is yummy. I prefer waffle cones! And we got my husband a fishing cart and we are headed to the beach and pier to let him fish to his heart’s content. Maybe the family could take in a baseball game together and head to your favorite ice cream shop afterwards? I think experiences are just as good as traditional gifts sometimes!

Heather S. - LOVE ice cream. Too much. It’s my food achilles heel. I can turn down any dessert except that. The cake lady above? I’m her polar opposite. Hold the cake, just give me the ice cream. We should do birthday parties together. 🙂
Faves: mint chip, cookies and cream, espresso chip (my mother in law makes this THE BEST).
We have an ice cream maker we’ve had since we got married 15 years ago. Something is wrong with it and it’s no longer working. I took that as a sign that I should stop making ice cream, but now I;m eye-balling that Cuisinart one as you are the second person to mention it to me this week. I like that it makes *less* – that means less temptation.

Amy Huff - Summering with my Grandparents in Eureka, KS meant lots of ice cream outside but we got to crank it! Luckily there were a lot of Grandkids.

I have both of those ice cream books, I’m also a lover a gorgeous covers, but the best recipes I’ve found are in The Perfect Scoop book by David Lebovitz. So yummy!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Scoop-Granitas-Accompaniments/dp/158008219X

Jen - My husband actually asked for TIES this year!!

Malinda - Love the KitchenAid, but I think you could DIY it!

http://lifeasiknowit-blog.com/2014/06/paint-kitchen-aid-mixer.html

Jen - We have the same ice cream machine. It is loud (!), but makes great ice cream! We are on our second motor, however. I love mint chocolate chip, but we always make vanilla in our ice cream machine. My husband is getting a power washer this Father’s Day.

Beth Ann - We were on vacation in the Ozarks a few years ago and bought a cheapo sunbeam one while on vacation (it was on clearance at Walmart for like $10 or something crazy cheap, we were looking for pool toys). We made ice cream on the patio overlooking the lake. I had completely forgotten about it and it is sitting in my basement as I type this. I need to get it out today. My kids and I are going to a pick-your-own strawberry farm and I think that ice cream and strawberries sound great! I might need to whip up an angel food cake quick too! Does anyone have any favorite ice cream recipes they’d care to share?

Kirsten J - Ok (whispering here) – I really don’t care for ice cream. A taste here or there, maybe, and maybe fudge brownie something or other once in a great while. At parties I always say “cake only, please” and people think I’m nuts. But my family knows that little quirk about me. Also, smoothies make me gag. Although….you triggered a memory, and when I first started dating my hubby, 35 years ago, they had an ice cream maker. And I think that would be an excellent Fathers Day gift – off to check them out!

Tammy - Google how to make Crush ice cream. Trust me, it is delicious. Especially with pineapple. You are welcome. yes, it’s that good!

Heidi - I have a cuisinart and I love it. Another great ice cream recipe book that I loooove… The Jeni’s ice cream recipe book. Hers is the best base, hands down.

Amy Woods - We love making ice cream! It is definitely a summer tradition for us. And we always, ALWAYS, take our ice cream maker with us on vacation. Do you have Big Red soda in Kansas? If so, mix 1 can of condensed milk per 2L of Big Red. Not really ice “cream” but it is a favorite of ours. We’ve done it with Root Beer too! 😉

Dawn Gross - Mint chocolate chip! Or teaberry. Or choc peanut butter cup. We had an ice cream maker when I was a kid — that we only used in the winter. We used snow. It was LOUD.

Dawn

Jenny B. - Fun! We used to make homemade ice cream at my grandma’s house every year on the Fourth of July. It’s my favorite holiday. We had both an electric ice cream maker and an old hand crank one. Sometimes to get the best results, we would start a batch in the electric one, and then move it to the hand cranker. You had to sit on it and put ALL your muscle into it. We took turns. 🙂 It was always soupy, but oh so yummy. Nothing else really like it. When I was little and my grandparents still had their huge garden, all the kids would go pick strawberries so we could have them with the vanilla ice cream. YUM.

Jessica - We love making homemade ice cream! I got the ample hill creamery book for Mother’s Day. Lots of neat ideas & flavors. But I was disappointed with the amount of ice cream the base recipe produces. We have a family of 5 & it barely made enough for each of us to have 2 small scoops. Our favorite flavor is either vanilla or chocolate with frozen chopped ding dongs mixed in, delicious!

lorel - A couple years ago Kevin’s aunt gave us the Cuisinart soft serve machine -maybe I’ll have to bring it when we visit! It’s a lot of fun. Those spaces on the left hold toppings and as the crank turns, you open the spigot, and with each rotation, little portions of toppings drip out, along with the ice cream.

MollyL - Actually it happens to be my current favorite ice cream at Baskin Robbins. It is chocolate with chunks of chocolate and oreo in it. I LOVE it! We will have to try Oreos in a shake this summer.

Michelle Whitlow - I LOVE homemade ice cream!!! I have a cheapo Sunbeam one I bought at Target a few years ago and so far it’s holding up. I really want to get the Cuisinart one or the attachment for my Kitchen aid. I keep holding out for Mother’s Day but clearly my family hasn’t gotten the hint 😉 Cuisinart had a lime green colored one that I wanted SO bad but I haven’t seen it in a while so I’m not sure if they’re still making it in that color.

Deb Meyers - voila! paint your hutch the color of that mixer!

Jennifer - I have that white mountain passed downed from my grandfather which he used when I was a kid, so I’d say you can expect it to last!
Also, you need this cookbook! http://www.amazon.com/Jenis-Splendid-Ice-Creams-Home/dp/1579654363
If you haven’t had Jeni’s and ever get the chance, do it!

PaisleyJade - Drooling through this whole post! We have chocolate icecream with cookies in here in New Zealand! Mmmmmm!

Becky - I have the kitchen aid attachment and I LOVE it! It’s super convenient because it just hangs out in your freezer…you don’t need to mess with ice. It’s almost TOO convenient 😉

miranda - Just bought that soft serve ice cream maker for Father’s Day. I kinda want it too. Haaa!!

Kelly - Oh my goodness!!!! THANK YOU!! I am going to get my husband that kitchen aid attachment and one of the recipe books for Father’s Day!! Ice cream (and cooking) are his THING!

Fay - We have that exact White Mountain. My parents have the hand crank abd we love to use it when we’re visiting them. Best quality ice cream maker out there! Our favorite flavor is Milky Way – tastes a lot like a Frosty. YUM!

Stephanie - I love that you husband was thrilled with a ice cream maker!
My husband will be out of town for Father’s Day this year, and was two years ago too. 🙁 so I am looking for ways to make his day special long distance!
I am kinda horrible with knowing what to buy people. I hope you find the perfect gift for Craig!

april r - So ice cream that’s homemade, is it any healthier than store bought? I’m guessing it would be . . . that self serve machine is rad (and slightly scary)

Best wishes on finding a great Father’s Day gift.
My guy loves movies so we’ll get movie tickets. And a professional car wash is something that’s a splurge for him too. We live near the beach and sometimes that’s what we do instead of gifts – just spend all day on the beach.
Maybe thinking like that – events, concerts, service, etc will help you find the right thing this year 🙂

Tammy - You need to look up Jeni’s Ice Cream. She is an Ohio favorite and has the best unique flavors. I think she has two books out!

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sunshine is like… the best.

May 10, 2014

the trampoline has been set up once again.
this old thing has served us so well.
annie asked “can we just get a new one?” and both sean and talby shouted “NO!!! This one is perfect! It bounces so high!!”
🙂

everyone is enjoying our new back yard.
we are hoping to put invisible fencing in SOON because i need some peace of mind with these two crazies.
can you get a little closer please?that’s better.
spanky
i pretty much said i am not gardening this year.
i just want to see what comes up… what kind of sun/wind/water this house gets….
but then the flowers start blooming and the colors start to pop…
and i find myself thinking about going to the nursery later.
all this sun and warm weather makes moods much lighter.
people stay at the table longer when we eat outside.
sponge bob is replaced by games of catch and bike rides to sonic.
s’mores and campfires make up bedtime routines instead of “just one more show please mom?”
we spend more time together we are outside.
summer is so close!
the pool opens in 2 weeks!

there was even some talk about camping this summer? oh my.
why does that make me start sweating?
i LOVED it as a kid.
so we should probably provide them with some memories like that.
i guess.
hmmmm…. still sweaty.

1. do you love or hate camping?

2. are you a gardener? flower or vegetable or both?

3. can you smell stanley’s breath through your screen?

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meredith - Love camping! We are so excited because we are moving from a condo with no yard to a house with a big back yard. We plan on a camping night or two with the fire pit that the precious owners put in! 🙂 Our only child is 14 months, wish us luck. At least the door to the house will be close by. 🙂

Defiantly a gardener but totally understand not doing anything this year. I am going to pot some tomatoes, herbs and maybe some flowers for fun but other than that, I totally agree. Why? Wait til next year and have the ultimate plan.

I can smell Stanley’s breath, tell him it’s not too bad. 🙂

Lisa - I love camping!!! It really is so fun. All those things you mentioned about being outside and lingering at the table longer? Those happen camping. Ideally if you could borrow or rent a trailer or rv, it’s better for sleeping. But even tent camping is a blast. I’m high maintenance with my sleep so make sure you have a good air mattress or cot. Good luck!!!

Jenn - love camping
we went a lot as a kid and we just took our kids for the first time this past weekend
gardener…..veggie (sometimes) would love to be a flower gardener but they usually die

Jenn - i love camping. we did it alot as a kid and we actually just went this weekend. it was our first time to camp with our kids (tent camp at least)
we had such a great time
gardener……veggie (sort of)
would love to be a flower gardener but they usually die.

Kristin - My husband & I grew up camping, and continued after we got married. Best trip ever was to the Tetons with our kids. We haven’t had much time to family camp in recent years because my husband & son camp with Scouts once/month. I did get to camp once with them last year, and will again in June. THAT’S an experience…being the only mom with all of those males. Using the facilities (there AREN’T any) is interesting!

I garden…both flowers & veggies. Love, love, love being out in my garden.

Debby Benson - I LOVED camping as a kid. We went over every 3 day weekend and vacation. I grew up in Cali so it was usually Sequoia, Yosemite, & Lake Tahoe. Even the beach a couple of times. Nowadays, as an *old* lady, all I think about is the dirt and pit toilets lol. I’ve gotten too soft.

Gardening….I love the idea, but I’m afraid of flying buzzing things. i’m sure the neighbors would love the daily laugh of my gardening. “Hey, there’s our crazy neighbor running around slapping her head and screaming again!!” Kansas has some GIANT flying things. They skeer me.

And Stanley…I can smell his sweet puppy breath. It’s delicious! 🙂

Karina - I hate camping! Give me a few days at a rustic cottage – the shower can be on the outside, all meals can be on a bbq – but for heaven’s sake let me have a bed to fall into at night! I like having a wild garden – I will pull up the worst weeds, like dandelions and those prickly monsters that sprout under the trampoline, but that is about the extent of my gardening. OK, I came here for inspiration and now I feel very unaccomplished, at least as far as the great outdoors go. However, that photo of four of you and your husband smooching your happy face makes up for it! (Now please get back inside and tell me how you painted your banisters. 🙂 )

Tanya H - I loooved camping as a kid! It was always a favorite thing! I’ve gone two whole nights (separate nights) as a mom and um…not so much… it’s a TON of work and stresses me out. And my kids are way too old for me to be that stressed! 🙂
I’ve planted flowers but I wouldn’t say that makes me any kind of gardener… I am hoping to plant a few veggies this summer…like…this week… 😛
And really, I love that pic of the four of you all squished in and happy! 🙂

Stephanie - I loved camping as a kid! But now we live in Florida. Land of endless summers and bus sized bugs of every kind. No way would I go camping here in the summer. The late fall here is perfect camping weather and our kids have done it quite a bit in our backyard.
I am a veggie gardener mostly, but also have some fruit trees. I dream of having an orchard.
Stanley is SO cute. I have not had a dog since I was 3, but my kids are dying to have one. I think I am giving in. When I see your happy pups I think “it can’t be that bad…..right?”. 🙂

layla bb solms - love camping (never go, husband hates)
gardener – of flowers – in training
I wish I could smell Stanley’s breath! I LOVE dogs. we have a cat; I love him, but I need a dog. I would hug and squeeze and roll around in the grass with Stanley!

our trampoline has bounced its last behind; when school’s out in a few weeks, our kids will be disassembling it. the end of an era. boo hoo.

Amy Woods - 1. L♥ve camping! As long as it’s in an RV. We used to tent camp, but now I’m 41, and I want some A/C when I’m sleeping!

2. kinda both…well, mostly I pick out pretty flowers and help hubby plant and then forget about watering them. Luckily my 16 year old son is excellent at remembering to water! And the veggie garden…I’m more into the harvesting, but I help out the hubs and son with each step. 🙂

3. No…could you have him smile a little bigger? 🙂

Necole@seriouslysassymama - I love camping. We are planning something for this summer. I like to plant flowers, but living in Texas, there is always a drought, water restrictions, and everything dies. My flowers in the front flower bed are still blooming, and that makes me happy.

Jennifer B. - I love camping! My family had a small pop-up camper when I was a kid, and I begged my husband to keep it when my parents decided to get rid of it. At the time, we didn’t have a good spot for it or a car to tow it.

So now my 4-year-old son and I camp in a tent, and it’s a little more work, but I still love it. And he is growing to love it too! I keep it super simple and we only go for about 2 nights. Air mattress is a must-have for me. And I just bought us a new tent so we’ll have a little more room to spread out.

Your kids would LOVE it, and I bet they could entertain themselves while you relax/read/photograph. You might even find a place where you could rent an RV if you wanted to take a longer vacation.

As for gardening, I love the planting. Not much on the upkeep. I usually garden all Mother’s Day weekend, but we had other stuff going on this year. I just planted a bunch of container flowers to put by my front steps. The rest will have to wait. And I really wanted to try vegetables this year, but a bad sprain put a crimp in that plan. Maybe next year?

KATIE NC - what happened to Spanky’s kittens? and the chickens, when are they moving over to the new house?

Rebecca - Camping, in my opinion, is a Holliday Inn Express….Stanley…I can definitely smell your stinky breath. You need a Greenie!
I’m not a gardener either..I wish i was!

Mollie @Sprinkles of Life - What an awesome location and yard you have!! Seems so big and not surrounded by multiple other houses on top of each other!

Kristen K. - I consider myself to be “the queen of all things INDOORS” :-), but I married an Eagle Scout…so how did I think I was going to avoid camping? Our 4 kiddos are Scouts, so they camp a bit with them…but we go tent camping about 4 times / year, summer through fall. And I HATE HATE HATE to admit it, but we have made so many amazing memories by being together, unplugged, under the stars out in nature. I just wish that nature didn’t have so many bugs, poison ivy, and rocks that jump out of nowhere to trip us! You and your family are amazing, and God will be camping with you, too – I say, add it to your summer bucket list, and bail if it’s too crazy! (and bring a cot or air mattress…the ground is HARD!) 😉

Wendy - I have a vintage aqua and white trailer … kids love it just as much as I do. It is a lot a work, but makes some wonderful memories. ADVICE: Keep things simple and electricity is a must.

Meg - The last pic of Stanley. Oh my gosh. Love it! You totally need that as a print in your shop!

Tiffany - Meg, I just love catching up on your blog. You always put a smile on my face or make me laugh! Stanley is cute!

Chris - I love all these happy pics! Your new yard is so pretty.

Nikki - I have yet to camp with my kids. I loved it when I was a kid too! Except, I grew up in Colorado and it got super cold at night, that part I remember not liking. We just moved to Hawaii, though (military) and I find myself much more eager to camp here because the weather is good, even in the middle of the night. So maybe this is the year to get those camping memories going!

Andrea @ This Pug Life - I’m mostly a vegetable gardener. It still amazes me that a tiny little seed turns into a huge plant and produces FOOD all summer. I guess I’m easily amazed/amused. 🙂

Jenn - I only camp in a camper, no tents. I would love to be a veggie gardener, I’m not really a gardener at all. I plant around twice a year and that’s enough for this gal! I’m not a huge fan of the summer heat…it gets really hot down here in Texas, but I am looking forward to no homework and easy breezy nights.

Tracy - Oh no! I’m sweating thinking about camping, too!! Luckily my husband feels the same way…phew! Strength in numbers over here. Good luck with that!!

Marsha Kern - Your new yard looks beautiful! Looks like your pets are adjusting to the new place. Gardening all the way flowers and veggies both-it is may favorite, my idea of crafting. Have a great day.

Suzelle - fabulous photos !!!

Seamingly Sarah - I like camping, but camping with kids is such a hassle. They hate going to do it, yet rave about when we finally go back home. I don’t get it.

I LOVE to grow vegetables and fruit. I even got into fruit trees/bushes. We were so lucky to have bought a house with two apple trees that are young enough to train and prune properly! And we put in two blueberry bushes and there were already strawberries growing everywhere AND two rhubarb bushes!!! So excited for the fruit this summer. The only thing that doesn’t seem to want to grow for me is spinach. Go figure.

And doggy breath, yet another reason I couldn’t handle a dog right now. =)

martha - Camping is for Boy Scouts!! Only!!! 🙂

katie p - I grew up camping and really loved it and still do, BUT I really enjoy it when I can get in a good nights sleep. So if that means a camper, or an air mattress then so be it! Some say that’s not real camping and my response to that is, who cares 🙂

Lydia Davis - I grew up camping every summer with my family, and I met my (then) future husband on a big group camping trip! We just took our 7 month old daughter on her first camping trip last weekend, and she loved every minute of it! Take them. It’ll be worth it. 🙂

Laura H - Wonderful pictures filled with so much happiness!
I like camping for about the first 20 minutes, then I start to whine, and look for my Oprah magazine….
I love flowers, but they do not love me! I have been planting lots of succulents this year, and a fairy garden 🙂
Your dogs are so stinkin cute!! Also the kitties! Were these your outdoor kitties? You brought them with? That is so awesome!! xo
Happy Mothers Day to you!

Heather S. - Hate camping. I’m a hotel girl. In fact, forget the hotel and book me a nice condo please. I love to work hard and play hard all day, in the outdoors even. But then the night falls and I want a nice long shower and a cozy bed and air conditioning if the humidity is high.
Total gardener here. Flowers only. Vegetables dn’t bring me the joy my flowers do.
The breath – pretty sure it’s kitty breath I’m getting a whiff of right now, but that would be from the fur ball in my lap.

Jessica Johnson - I only camp in cabins. With showers.

And Waffle and Lincoln are twins.

Debbie - Hate camping. I’ll take Hilton over a tent any day.

Yes to gardening. Flowers and vegetables. We run our community garden after my dad started it years ago and passed away last summer. Our local rotary built a huge greenhouse on the property in his honor and we have no idea what to do with it 🙂 But there’s nothing better than home grown tomatoes!

Dog breath ranks higher than the wet dog smell for me. Ewwwww.

Great pictures and I’m loving the current Midwest weather. I’ll appreciate it even more poolside two weeks from today!

Jenny B. - I remember when Sean’s only birthday request was to have the trampoline set up at the farm house. 🙂 Your yard makes me want to move to Kansas. I do not love camping. I loved it as a kid, but now… not so much. Usually, the boys go, and then I drive out for the campfire, and then drive back home to sleep in my own bed. 🙂 I am not a gardener, but my husband decided he wanted to become a peanut farmer, so we now have cultivated earth in our used-to-be landscaping beds in the front yard. Peanut seeds (which are just peanuts, I think?) arrived in the mail last week, and he’s planting them sometime this week. So… we’ll see how that goes! 🙂

Shannon - I LOVE camping. Its my favorite! Did you know that at the major KS lakes you can rent a cabin? They are super cute, well stocked. It may be too late to get one for weekends during the summer, but I highly recommend them for your first trip! They are super reasonably priced and you get the “camping” experience without too much roughing it!

Shannon - My husband got us all set up to camp as a family two years ago when we were living in Colorado. I was skeptical….we have 4 kids (5th due any day!). BUT…after we got our routine down…and I decided to take flannel sheets, pillows & a down comforter for MY air mattress, I was a much happier camper! 🙂 And, wine…and coffee. Seriously, the comforter can roll up as small as a sleeping bag, so why not?! The kids LOVE the whole experience. In fact, one of our last camping trips was near Kenosha Pass where you had posted pics of your kids in a makeshift fort that my kids randomly happened to play in the very next day! Find a nice place with toilets nearby…and you should try it!

Laura - Love camping – not with a 2 year old though! In my heart I am a grower – in reality, not so much! I wish I could rub behind his ears! But seeing that picture of the girls on the trampoline – that is killer – it makes me wonder how long I’ve been reading, they look SO big! Putting away the exclamation marks now! 🙂

Becky - Our last attempt at camping (in the backyard, mind you :)) was fraught with disaster. Vomiting, sleeplessness, crying, coming in in at 5 a.m. We’ll stick to a camp out in the living room this summer 🙂

I wish I liked camping. I wish I wanted to like camping! Maybe someday…

Rhonda - I’ve read your blog for years, and think this is my first comment. Hi friend! I only check two blogs every day, and yours is one. 🙂 I hate camping. It’s probably my dad’s fault because he took our family “camping” in a big motorhome with every luxury. We tell our son, “Camping is for other people.” We’ve also told our son playing soccer is for other children. Living in Oregon, a mom needs to purchase a wetsuit to sit through soccer season. We love basketball. It doesn’t rain in the gym. I love to flower garden, and dabble in vegetables…enough to make salsa or pico de gallo. If you lived next door, I’d bring you fresh salsa. Happy Mother’s Day!

Julie - I love summer camping – especially when the weather is hot and sunny the whole time, and we can spend long days at the beach, swimming and boogie boarding. I don’t like midnight treks to the toilet though.
I am a gardener – flowers and vegetable – as we are coming into winter in New Zealand, I don’t get a lot of sun on my garden, so it is not as pretty or prolific as my summer garden.

Love your family shots, you always look like you have so much fun together, and are all so happy.

Ka - I do love camping, but it is a lot of work. But the memories are worth it. My wish is for a camper, so I can store my camping stuff in it. Then, just hit the store and go.

I thought about a garden, but I like Bountiful Baskets (bountifulbaskets.org) and we live so close to hutterites and they sell their produce locally. Why work so hard. HA!

Enjoy the sun. I got a sunburn yesterday and it’s raining today.

april R - lol Jenni “I only camp for Jesus”
Guess I have to do some camping to find out if I like it or if I’m on Jenni’s team 🙂

I love gardening but haven’t had a chance to try veggies yet, we move a lot.

and I can imagine Stanley’s doggie-ness bc mine does the same thing right in everyone’s face

yeah summer 🙂

Lisa - Love, love camping and our older children ADORE camping. We have found in our state (Vermont) that the state run campgrounds are cleaner, more natural and overall less expensive. Wonderful memories for kids!

Rachel S - I loved camping as a kid, now it just feels like work, which makes me feel guilty. But give me a fire in our yard with s’mores any night and that kinda feels like camping. 🙂 I really wish I had a green thumb. I love looking at everyone else’s awesome landscaping and dream of someday having that. Today is our first REALLY nice day here in northern Wisconsin. Spring was so late in coming – and now I’m ready for summer! Two weeks till I host our first graduation party. Tell me I will survive and it will all work out!

Barbara (WA) - I hate camping. Mostly a flower gardener. I’m a cat person so I love the photo of the kitties 🙂

Jenni - I told my husband yesterday, “I only camp for Jesus”. For real, the only time I can do it is for a big purpose, like a mission trip. Otherwise, book me a Marriott!

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it was a big week

April 21, 2014

oh my goodness we are tired.
but we are IN the new house!!!

my sons helped craig move every single thing.
this was a practice round a few days before the actual move… putting the fridge in the garage so there was room for the countertop guys to work.
they did a really nice job… and they were very talkative. 🙂
we choose quartz countertops. These are LG brand and the color is Cirrus.
it was the least busy of whites with gray that i liked.
and the least green hues in the gray.

the backsplash is sheets of 2×4 inch subway tile from home depot.
they had the same thing at lowes and menards but HD was the lowest price.

craig worked so hard this last month.
it makes me tired just thinking about how much he has physically done.
he is a hard worker at everything he does.
i think i could be the luckiest girl in the world.
(and it’s his birthday today!)

photo-51
and then it was time to move!
we had no school on friday and so we moved that day.
the girls and i stayed at the old house all day packing up anything that was in each room.
the boys and craig loaded and unloaded.

we were treated to lunch and dinner by friends and family.
it was so nice to not have to think about that in the day at all.
that was awesome.
these muscles got worked out big time all day friday AND saturday.
i am just SO PROUD of these guys.
those boys of mine are strong!

the chickens will be moving later this week… everyone has been asking.
but moving a chicken coop and chickens is not the easiest thing to do.
last family picture at the farm house.
we really will miss it. we loved it out here.

waffle and stanley were totally in the way and being total spazs.
they were just so excited and confused.
🙂

photo-52
this was what i started with….as long as this area was set up then i was all good.
the tile was grouted in white on friday morning as we moved in.
also the doors and drawers were installed as we moved in.

pizza hut for dinner on saturday after another full day of work.
first time ever we did not have left overs.
they were hungry! ha ha ha

we slept in the new house on friday night.
the four kids slept on mattresses in the basement… all together by choice.
they were talking and laughing till midnight.
it was such a fun day for them too.

sunday we met up with craig’s side of the family for Easter brunch after church.
it was so nice to take a break from moving and organizing and WORK to sit and worship at church.
ahhhhhh.
i kept sighing during the service.
in a good way.
loved by jesus. saved by jesus. thankful for jesus. in love with jesus.
happy to be there. happy to be done with the move. happy that my family was all together.
just happy.

and we were all able to find clothes to leave the house!
i wore the same thing i wore last sunday because i knew where it was and i didn’t have to think.

and now this week is all the clean up.
clean up the old house…. clean up the new house… continue to unpack… find places for everything.
painting.
painting.
painting.

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rebecca - I just reread this…I LOVE a front-facing kitchen!

Andrea - So glad to see that the move has gone well!!!! I love unpacking….finding a spot for everything! Have fun putting this new house together! Can’t wait to see more pictures and hear how the chickens move goes!

Katie - Your house looks wonderful! Could you share the source for the pendant lights over the island? They are great!

Karina - I am loving your new house decor choices and will eagerly check back for more detailed info when you have time to update us…I am also curious about the 21 Day Fix and will look into it. Congratulations on the move and Happy Birthday to your husband!

Sara - Meg, I have followed your blog for years and years. I am so happy for your family as you start in this new house! What a fresh start! I look up to you and Craig as you parent your children well. And you look fabulous!! XO

Julie - Hi Meg! Your new place is great ~ love the coffee station. 🙂 I can’t believe it has been a year since Kristen and I were privileged to attend CW. We went to a “Be Crafty” event in Tempe, AZ last month and were FAMOUS at our table because we’d been to CW ~ so fun! 🙂 Hope you are well.

Meredith - Congratulations on so many levels!
Beautiful home;
Strong, healthy, grateful kids;
Awesome husband {happy b’day Craig};
Sustaining faith and
Wow, do you look trim, taut & terrific:)
Looking forward to following your adventures in your new nest. M xo

cyndiloohoo - congratulations on the move and new home. from the pics I can really tell you have lost weight.

Ryan - Oh my…..your family pic at the farm house gave me goose bumps and brought tears to my eyes! Weird, I know, right! 🙂 And YOU my lady look awesome in those little spandex pants. I thought it was one of your older girls at first!! Good job on the 21 day/running thing!!

Rach - All I can think of is how much I loathe painting ceilings. Good job Craig! Cheers to you!

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - Oh I so love that new house. Love the way you are decorating it. I know moving was hard but it sure looks like there was some great memory making.

Erin - The new kitchen looks amazing!!! We have the exact same tile in our kitchen, great choice 🙂

Sara - It’s been amazing to see how quickly you guys have renovated the kitchen, painted, removed a wall, and moved!! Whirlwind! And a Craft Weekend thrown in there too! I admire your capacity to work so hard and make so much happen. The Duerksen family gathers no moss! It’s funny to not know you at all yet so enjoy following along with your family. You’re the kind of family that makes the world a better, happier place. Thank you for blogging! Looking forward to the continuing adventures in your new home. 🙂

Karen Gerstenberger - Congratulations, and welcome HOME!

Lisa - Good luck with all the final cleaning and organizing!

Jenny B. - P.S. For later… when you get a chance to post more about the kitchen… Cabinet paint color? Wall color? Is that marble trim at the top of the backsplash, or something made from the same material as the countertop? Again… no rush… as I’m sure you’ll be back with the details LATER. 🙂

april r - congratulations and just very happy for you all! and thanks again for sharing
(i especially appreciated that picture of the big wide open sky <3)

Jenny B. - Oh, I am just so happy for you!!! I am literally sitting here grinning and trying not to tear up because I am just overjoyed for you and your family!!! I’m amazed at your ability to tell your stories so succinctly. You don’t use a whole lot of words, but you really pull me in, and make me feel like I was there. You have a gift! (Well, I think you have lots of gifts, and that’s just one of them!). 🙂 Your blog is always a bright spot in my day/week/month/year. Thank you for taking the time to share!

Brenna - Been praying for your move and am so interested in seeing how you will manage the chicken coop move – I am renting now and will eventually have to move my coop too. Oh and Talby got braces!!! Congratulations on a successful move.

Elissa - Congratulations!

CathyC - Fantastic! so happy for you all! Love that the coffee station was set up so fast, made me laugh.

Jenni - So, I saw your last family pic at the farm house on Instagram. I TOTALLY THOUGHT YOU WERE LAUREN! Now that I’m seeing it on a bigger screen…IT’S YOU! You look amaze balls.

Patti Mullican - It’s silly I guess since I only know you through your blog, but I’ve been thinking about you all as you move into your new home. May it be filled with new blessings and more wonderful memories. Enjoy!

Brittany - Your kitchen looks beautiful!! I love all your choices! Can’t wait to see the rest 🙂 Also, side note…you look amazing! Trim and lean! I can tell you have been working hard.

patti - Love your kitchen and how your whole family works together!!! Are your cabinets HD as well??

Mel - Love your beautiful family pictures! I can’t wait to see how wonderful the new house looks once you are all settled.

Kate - This is off topic – but you look so slim and fit! You go girl!

Rach - Congratulations on your new home, I’m sure it will be a very happy one and it looks fantastic already! 😀

Lisa - I’m impressed! Everything looks great! You guys work fast. 🙂

jill - Your family picture at the end really touched me. I thought of all of the hard work you all did and then how you all paused to gather and worship. I love that. Thank you for sharing!

Alicia @ La Famille - I am so tired just reading this. Moving is such hard work!! But it looks like everything went great! LOVE your new kitchen! Can’t wait to see everything else!

Angela - Annie is SASSY! What a doll!
Congrats on your new home and Happy Birthday to your man! I have a hard-working husband myself, and I know what a blessing it is. Awesome that he is training your boys to be the same.

Stephanie - The kitchen looks fantastic! Did you ever mention what gray paint color you decided on? I have about 50 shades on my kitchen wall right now and still can’t make a decision.

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