Home life 1

Our first week was dedicated to my frantic need to unpack, organize, and get to a state of feeling "home". My feet were so sore every night from an entire day of running around in circles. My first goal was the kitchen and Julia's room. After that I unpacked all the random boxes. Several trips were made to buy long lists of random things like hangers and plugs and ant repellent and spray bottles and furniture felt pads. I hung art. LOTS of art. I shopped for food, and cooked my first meal in the new kitchen. it was a simple pasta, but there was lots of opening drawers looking for this or that that I just saw somewhere. I made bread. I put away clothes and sorted all the bathroom odds and ends. I bought a saw to remove a branch or two overhanging the porch and then went nuts trimming dead and excessive growth from the lilacs circling the yard. Two giant car-sized piles of branches later and I'm done with that for the moment. Our yard looks considerably bigger. We went to farmer's markets. There's pretty much one each day of the week around here. We got a chest freezer so we could fit more than berries in the house freezer. Dave started going to work. Julia alternates between being happy and content and whiny and clingy. I bought a drying rack and started hanging clothes to dry in the 90 plus degree days. I did dishes and changed toilet paper rolls and blissed out on the joy I felt doing it. It felt like playing house. Nobody should feel that excited about changing toilet paper rolls. May the feeling last a long time! I found a chicken coop on freecycle and we hauled it home. We debated where it would go and I found someone giving away chickens. We made a snap decision, placed it and whipped up a fence, as tomorrow, Julia and I go to pick up four chickens.

we eat lots of meals out on the porch

Julia plays in her pool. I soak my feet in it. 

We walked down to see the shore of the Columbia, and followed a path to a little beach.  

I thank the inventor of the BOB stroller. You are a genius! I get another flat from thorns and try out the magic tire repairing green goo. Whoever invented that is a genius too. 

We can't believe how beautiful it is

I looove my drying rack. 

Julia loves her little chairs, and her "buggy" blanket.

There's a quilt made by my Grandma Helen hanging in the stairwell

Julia's got an orderly closet!

She's got her books and table and chairs all set up. 

and her bed and a rocking chair for me to nurse her in. 

she likes her room 

She asks me about her friends, Celia and Cruze. I have to tell her that they are far away and she gets angry with me.
 We go to story hour at the library and hope that friendships will happen soon. 

Dave is starting to shape some landscaping and gardening plans. He plants more lavender. 

We go a mile up the road and pick beautiful peaches at a u-pick orchard. Cherries are over now, but we'll get them next year. 

We have wonderful guests, the Vegdahl-Crowell's. Julia latches on to the girls and cries to go with them when they leave. 

The table that my dad made when I was a kid is now in my dining room. 

despite my attempts to clean the house up for photos, Julia leaves a constant trail of litter. I can't catch up. 

Dave assembled the ikea couch that turns into a double bed, and it has been tested and approved. A rocking chair from my past and a rocking chair that Grandpa Dave made for me are in the living room. 

the kitchen is home already. 

the porch door stays open all day so Julia and I can come and go. There is lots of sun. 

I can peaches in 99 degree heat. It feels both insane and very necessary. I need more canning jars!  Pickles, tomatoes, salsa, relish, ketchup. I need to can it all!!!! (I may be a tad possessed.)  Dave calles me "Momma Dawn version 2.0"

Upstairs, we still need to get a bed frame.  

and a desk. The last remaining pile of boxes needs a desk to get organized on. We bought a  door at a resale shop to use for the desk top, but need something to stand it on. One end will be a file cabinet. The other is waiting to be discovered. 

My cedar chest is stuffed with quilts made by loved ones. More are still in totes! We can keep a lot of people warm at night, so feel free to come visit in groups. 

Julia fed her fish tortilla scraps sometime today. Lucky fish. 

Soon I'll introduce you to our new chickens!