august update

food: 

wheatberries with yogurt, blanched peaches, maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cardamon... i was inspired by this breakfast bowl where she shares how to cook the wheatberries. excellent site for healthy recipes.

outside:

i feel like i'm managing to keep things somewhat green around here, but i think that's more the little sprinklings of rain we've had instead of my good intentions.

the chickens... oh the chickens... i have such mixed feelings about them. on one hand i just adore them and can't imagine being without their wonderful eggs. then on the other hand i can imagine being without their droppings constantly being left on my porches and the thought of my flower beds thriving without their constant harassment is quite appealing. we have lost quite a few of them over the course of the year to predators... and as that naturally progresses i will just resist the urge to get more... and eventually we will have no chickens and no ducks and i will let it stay that way until we are ready to make the chickens a (fenced) yard of their own.

my jasmine, which i think has been planted there for four years now, is finally growing up on to the porch... and the smell when you walk by is so heavenly. i plan to plant one by the back porch as well.

inside:

layla's room

layla's room does not feel quite finished. she is constantly moving the furniture around and i must admit it doesn't feel right to me either. something is missing i think. i would also like to paint some more of her furniture.

maiko's room

maiko's room is feeling quite complete though and soon i will fully reveal it to you.

eislee and ollie's room

their room is very far from complete. i still have walls to paint, carpets to clean, and furniture to repair and paint..... and i haven't even decided on colors yet. we went ahead and moved them in there, because i felt if they lived in there for a bit that it would help me choose the colors. the problem is i keep choosing the colors and then constantly second guessing and choosing different colors... constantly. right now i am thinking a gray for the walls, and a color called lagoon (somewhat of a teal) for the dressers, and a deep pink called dynamo (the same pink as that laundry basket above) for some of the accent stuff, and of course the beds and their cubby shelf, and the little table will be white. sometimes though i think i should do the same colors as layla's room because then all of their furniture would be interchangeable... she what i mean? tough decisions. color is very important to me (matt thinks i'm crazy to put so much thought into it, but i just can't help it).

odd corners:

we have a few little areas that feel completely useless to me. they just collect random homeless items and serve no real purpose to the family. i plan to try and make each and every little space useful in some way or another (have i been reading too many organizing magazines?) the little nook below i plan to make into a sort of "family command center" (see too many mags). where i will have folders for all of the children to organize their homework and all the various paperwork that comes home from school, and a family calendar and whatnot. i'll let you know what i come up with. matt laughs if i even mention "the family command center" he thinks it is absolutely hilarious.

my girls folding their own laundry. we have started a new routine. every time the laundry piles up i go through and sort it into piles and every person in the house folds and puts away their own pile. they each have their own folding method and no it is not perfect. but their laundry always ends up unfolded in their drawers eventually so i thought, who cares? learning to let go... it is a must with a family this size. maiko wasn't present in the picture because he already folded and put away his laundry.

this summer has flown by... i can't believe how fast it has gone. i have very mixed feelings about it. i will miss summer... it is such a special time... but i am feeling very ready for a change.... and very ready to be on a schedule again. i am ready for chilly fall days with a warm fire and tea... and sewing... oh yes... i am so ready for that.