Pap And Poppaw Would Be So Proud

Game night!

While Pap and Poppaw are at the game, Bunny is cheering here at home.

Popcorn and a ponytail.

Let's go Mountaineers!!!

Aww... I think she's ready for bed... Night!

Trippin'

A week ago today, The Hubs, Bunny, and I were on our way to the beach. A ten hour car ride with a one year old is never something anyone enjoys, but the destination couldn't be resisted. We left at one in the morning and only made three stops the whole trip (Thank You God!).



My pouty faced sleeping baby...




Love the upside down phone!




Yummy organic cheddar bunnies...



Bunny did not sleep as much as I thought she would, but she was content to play with a few toys, snack, and listen to music most of the time. She only got fussy once, just before the North Carolina state line. We stopped at the welcome center a little after 6am to nurse and let her run around for almost an hour. Other than that, our stops were fairly quick.



Hanging in the back seat with Bunny, wearing my favorite sunglasses...





My view of Bunny's papa from the back seat...



We arrived at Ocean Isle Beach, NC before noon last Saturday and got back late last night. The return trip was about the same with one added stop and a little more fussing right before we got here. As much fun as we had on vacation, we are all glad to be home.

My beach baby...



My homebody...

 P.S. More vaca pics to come...

Back To Basics ~ Homemade Happiness

Sew Simple~

After one long, stressful, confusing evening of learning how to use my second hand Singer Simple sewing machine, I finally figured it out (thanks to some facebook friends who replied to my desperate post). It works like a dream. I have been coming up with new things I want to sew. A pillow case dress for Bunny has always been at the top of the list. I had two cute pillow cases that I bought at a yard sale. So I used them to learn. When she found out I had two matching ones, my 14 year old sister, Katie, begged me to make her and Bunny a matching shirt and dress. Katie is the only 14 year old I know who would want to match a toddler, and I lover her for that. So, after a trip to Joanne's Fabric, I spent a nap time and a late night figuring it all out. Finally around 11:00pm they were finished. It was really easy once you figure out what to do.

 

In Katie's awesomeness, she insisted they wear them to church to show them off.

The next day, I made another dress for Bunny.

 I couldn't find a pillowcase I liked, so I just sewed my own out some fabric I loved.

I used 1/2 a yard of fabric. This makes it big enough to last Bunny for at least a couple of years.

 I am pretty excited to finally know how to sew some. The Hubs picked out some camo fabric at the store and has been begging me to make Bunny a camo dress, so I guess that is next. I have decided that sewing will be part of Bunny's homeschooling when she is older. Katie is wanting me to teach her too. It is really a great skill to have and the savings can be remarkable. I spent about a grand total of less than $8 for all three pieces. Pretty cheap for such cute clothes!

Back To Basics: Backyard Farming

A few things have happened since I last posted about my chickens. 

1. We finished the coop (Ft. Cooper) and the fence. Though I would like to fence it with the picket fencing we built for the rest of the yard, at some point. There is a long roost inside, as well as two nest boxes that can be accessed through the hinged roof on the side of the coop.

The view of my Ft. Cooper from my back deck.

2. My chicks grew into chickens.

We ended up keeping eight out of ten (we gave two away), but I would like to go down to six at some point. All of them are hens, despite our worries at the size of their combs (the red mohawk kinda thing on top of their heads).

 3. We got our first egg!

Actually, we got a lot of eggs. They average about six a day.

 

Our first egg!



 The eggs are big brown and beautiful.

Bunny loves to carry them around for a bit telling everyone, "Egg!" , before we bring them inside.

 We feed and water our chickens twice a day. In addition to laying mash and kitchen scraps, we also let our chickens free range in the back yard for most of the day. We rake out the coop and fence about once a week, and clip their wings about once every two or three months (this is painless to the chicken and much easier that catching them every time they fly out of the fence). We also keep away predators (like raccoons and foxes). Other that that, they pretty much take care of themselves.
  

Feeding the chickens and yelling, "Bock bocks!"

It has been a lot of fun having chickens again.

Back To Basics ~ Homemade Happiness

I sewed my first... ANYTHING!

I finally decided to learn how to use my sewing machine. 

After some fussing, some fighting, and some fixing, I got it working right.

Sew... I made an awesome skirt for Bunny out of a yard sale shirt!

This is how I did it:

Step 1~ Find an awesome shirt at the yardsale.



Step 2~ Cut off the top.



Step 3~ Flip inside out and turn down waistband
(leave enough room for elastic).



 Step 4~ Learn how to use sewing machine, sew waistband, insert elastic,

and forget to take pictures (smack self in head).



Step 5~ Inspect work.




Step 6~ Add some extras.




Step 7~ Find a shirt in the closet to make a cute outfit.



Will add a picture of Bunny in her new skirt ASAP!