eating eggs

Lots of eggs that is...we have been blowing eggs left and right- and not just chicken eggs.. duck eggs too! And let me tell you...duck eggs require lungs of steel.  All of course for the sake of decorating!  So far we have decorated our eggs with bits of tissue paper and watered down glue...with a little fairy dust (glitter) too.  Below you can see them nestled in our grass easter basket we made a week ago.  Which was also super easy...just soak some wheat berries in water over night and then plant in a basket...presto...a super sweet easter basket (sans plastic grass)!

aaron attempting to blow a duck egg

let's be clear...I am the one with steel lungs...(even with few embarrassing & stupid years of tobacco use)

Isabelle and I have started to go to a new waldorf inspired home school group once a week (maybe more on that later) and this week I led....so I blew duck eggs for the masses and the tissue paper decorating was a great success for a group with small fingers.  And don't worry...we didn't waste one egg...they were all eaten in frittata, baked goods, and in every which way I could think.  Just getting us ready for in a few months when our ladies will be producing way more eggs than we can possibly eat I suppose.  And speaking of ladies...a few glamour shots of the girls:

Isabelle has named them "all" cinderella... which amazes me because we loaned a version of cinderella from the library months ago and she has never once talked about cinderella until now...

Isabelle is really into having her face painted lately (notice the enhanced eye brows...)

(we use the Lyra face pencils)

we believe we have a mix of barred rock, araucana, ri red and maybe a maran...
they came from a friend who got 25 "rainbow layers"
*we were also able to replace the one we lost...fingers crossed the rest will live!

and then there is sid...waiting ever so patiently for us to let him have "his snacks"...

the ladies have arrived

Many, many, more pictures to come...we are letting the ladies relax for the first few days before we get too camera happy with them.  Unfortunately we lost one overnight but we may be getting it replaced today.  This is all very exciting.  Slowly but surely...with one foot in front of another...it is happening and will happen.  Someday I will have my big red barn....

defying the odds

Yesterday I did, I defied the odds- and crafted.  I finished two pairs of reversible trousers that I started...oh I don't know....maybe a month ago.  Anyways they are done...which means I can pack...yes PACK...my sewing stuff.  The word pack sort of makes me vomit a little in my mouth but at least I have a few cute pairs of pants to look at in the mean time.  Seriously...thinking about packing...ugh.

One pair is headed to cousin and the other is shown off by Mr. Owen.  Other exciting news in the works...we are getting our chicks today!  Yes...lets just add something else to the laundry list of things to do...why not...we love chaos!  Anyways, all that means is that there will be plenty of cute chick photos to follow!

mama brain

 

 I think it is normal - this condition known as mama brain - but it wasn't quite as severe until Owen was added to the bunch.  I am finding myself struggling to interact in public - never 100% in a conversation with anyone...my brain instead is flashing glimpses of spit up, diapers, laundry, ideas for isabelle, nursing, the sleep I really could have used the night before...and so on.  I find myself trying to repeat over and over a fraction of what someone is trying to tell me in my head in hopes to remember to interject with something rational or related to the conversation.  Sometimes I find myself in the middle of a conversation and have no clue what I am talking about.  I know mama brain won't last forever and someday I will regain partial control over thoughts and conversational skills...but until then...bare with me...I'm only 50% there.

keeping isabelle preoccupied...dress up and coloring...a regular combo

(new tutu made by grammy!)

trying hard to avoid this...

and keep the peace...

(as much as it may appear so...Sid is just pressed firmly against Owen...not on top of him)

~

50% in a conversation and 100% into my kids that is...

~

Oh and for all you who know my fat cat dilemma (never have I EVER had a fat cat...)...I reluctantly and shamefully brought my fat duo to the vet yesterday and Furio weighed in at 13 lbs (2 lbs over weight) and Sid came in at a WHOPPING 17.6 lbs...yes he is a big cat but now he is just a big fat monster cat....can't wait for them to go outside!

weekending

This weekend was full of crafting, planting, and baking.  We have been working hard here to get our seasonal table going again...something that seemed to get lost over the holidays and baby action.  Our seasonal space is hands on - I know some keep their space for eyes only or gentle play...but ours needs to be user friendly.  Isabelle loves to play with her wooden animals, fairies, and gnomes in this space as much as I like to look at it.  This weekend we made some tissue paper fairies together and I made my first ever felted doll, mother earth of course... I am so pleased with the results!

our spring space

Owen also got his weekly bath, aaron baked several loaves of sour dough bread, and we even started our seedlings!  Even though the weather was less than ideal it sure felt like spring....inside anyways!

clean baby

sparkle skirt... a gardening must have...

rolling

Owen has a new job: rolling....and via rolling he gets to where he needs to be...right in the action.  Is it possible that these baby days are passing us by ... it seemed like it took you forever to get here owen...slow down bub!

rolling towards sister to get a good look at that book

oh yes the view is much better from here...

owen started where the block is...and two rolls later...

...he is right next to mama

As much as it might be lovely to sleep all night or not carry a baby all day I really wish I could pause and stay here...right here.  And then there is my Isabelle...who wants to get big so she can cut with sharp knives....?....no getting big allowed.

chariot ride for two

Many, many months ago we bought the chariot - the bike trailer for two that doubles as a stroller - because growing inside me was baby Owen and we knew that come spring of the following year we would need a contraption to fit two babes at once.  And well here we are: spring, chariot, and two babes. My my how time flies.

At first Owen was not a huge fan, but sister sang him songs and held his hand until he dozed off...and she soon followed suit.