Last Day of School June 2020

The end of the school year 2020 was nothing like we expected.  We started the school year off with so much excitement and growth and then were sent home in March and no return for the rest of the year.  Families scrambled, teachers scrambled, and districts scrambled to try and keep learning going while being forced to isolate and work/school from home.

So we did our best, tried to stay positive, and tried to continue to keep learning going.  we had weekly zoom calls (full of so much technical difficulties), lots of busy work and not a whole lot of direction.  There was frustration but also joy in being able to spend extra time together.

Ellie continued to roll with the punches and was able to adapt to her ever changing world.  Despite the lack of socialization and so many activities being shut down, she continued to stay positive and found joy in the little things.

All my feelings aside, Ellie completed 1st grade and is still hopeful for a return to school for 2nd grade.

Ellie, I am SO PROUD of you and your accomplishments.  You are so smart and driven.  I want to encourage you to continue asking questions and loving learning!

XOxo, Ashley

The Greenhouse - 11 years in the making

 I have been dreaming up a Greenhouse for the past 11 years. Our first spring on our property (2009) we made a vegetable garden in our front yard and fell in love with growing our own food.  Each year since we've learned a little more, changed things up, forgotten things, and have a great appreciation for growing some of our own food.  Each year I have dreamed of adding a greenhouse to improve our learning and yield. Each year, we put off getting a greenhouse in favor of other projects: barns, chicken coops, goats, covered decks, traveling, kids...

Deep down I knew we were going to have to build one from scratch rather than spending the big bucks for the pre-fab ones I oogled over at the Flower and Garden show and on Pinterest.  I loved the look of the greenhouses made from salvaged wood and old windows and hoped to one day create one of my own.

After the success of The Coop and the ridiculous extension of our stay at home orders, I decided to just go for it and build myself my Greenhouse. 

 

When we rebuilt our deck several years ago, I couldn't bring myself to part with all the deck boards so we piled them up in a corner of our property, just waiting for a project to use them. They were 2x6x12 and I wanted to make the most with what I had.  The Greenhouse measures 6ft wide by 8ft long and 6ft tall (plus the pitch).  I planned for the door to go on one of the 8ft long sections, originally planned for the center but my measurement was off and so I went with the door being on the side.  It actually worked out better because then I had to do less cuts for the walls which made it so much simpler to build.

I had two windows stored in our garage that I picked up several years ago that I had planned to use on the two 6ft sides.  So I measured them up and built the framing around the windows. To protect the wood from all the water it would come in contact with, I chose to paint the framing.  It was so much easier to paint before I put up any siding or windows.

For the flooring, I laid down an old ripped tarp that fit perfectly in the space.  I went back and forth trying to decide if I should leave it down and lay pavers over it or remove it...but I didn't want any grass growing up so I kept it down.

I grabbed the cedar boards we had stacked up from removing our fence and began measuring, cutting, and installing it as my siding for about 1/3 of the way up the walls.

Next, I gave Thomas the job of figuring out how to do the pitch of the roof and install that 😂, it wasn't pretty but it was perfect. So we got the pitch completed, the cross boards installed, I finished up the siding, and we used the old roofing (corrugated plastic roofing) from our covered porch that we dismantled last year.

 

again, I was faced with the dilema: to paint or not to paint.  I sat with that for a good 4 days and then decided to just paint it and I am so glad I did. It is so much brighter and cleaner.  After I finished painting, I went over to our pile of pavers that we had stacked up against the fence and began laying them out on The Greenhouse floor.  I made up a pattern and got almost all the way done....when I realized I had laid it all down backwards 😩, so I had to pull them all up and re-do the entire floor.

The next step was to install the clear siding to make it a greenhouse.  I didn't like the look of the corrugated plastic...but it was so cheap and easily available. When I was watching YouTube videos on how to build a greenhouse, one of the videos used polycarbonate siding.  I loved it as an "easy fix" to not having enough salvaged windows.  I went to my local Home Depot and was so lucky to find it.  I measured it and went back home to measure The Greenhouse again because it is expensive. With my measurements I figured I could get away with three panels.  Thomas helped me measure, cut, hold up, and screw them in. Once we got them up, I couldn't believe how good this project was looking.  It was turning out so much better than I envisioned and I loved how it was evolving as I was building it.

 Lastly

 

Finnley’s Forever Day

 These days are always so special and while we’re not spending it how we would traditionally, we're doing the best we can to make the most of it.

 

In true Finnley fashion, we just laid low and spent time together and doing her favorite things.  We go off the cues of our children and being together and playing is just what Finnley wants. No big to dos, no over the top gifts, just the simple little things are what she loves.

My dear sweet Finn, we are so forever grateful for you.  You came into our lives and joined our family after one of our greatest losses.  You brought us hope, love, and so much joy.  Your kindness and sweetness brings us so much happiness. You are fierce and a force to be reckoned with.  We are forever learning, adjusting, and trying out new strategies to best support you.  You challenge us, fill us with laughter, frustrate us, and make us overflow with love.  Our very own Sour Patch Kid, that has led us down a path of learning, advocating, making changes, embracing, questioning, and knowing better so we can start doing better.

Our life is so much more colorful with you in it. Your love of rainbows and unicorns. Your excitement over the little things. Your sweet gestures and willingness to be a team player.  Your desire to be a helper and abundant love for your family.

Happy Forever Day, sweet Finnley.  I am so glad you are mine, I love you so.

XOxo,

Ashley

Ellie is SEVEN

 Welp...another birthday during quarantine 😭😭 I really thought that we were going to be back to our lives by now, the kids could play together again, and that we could plan a party for Ellie.  Thankfully she has accepted whatever this is and was able to enjoy her birthday.

She wanted to spend her special day in Ellensburg, so we headed over the day before so we could wake up and have a wonderful day celebrating her and doing her favorite things: riding bikes and playing at parks.  If I took a guess at her top two love languages they would be: Receiving Gifts and Words of Affirmation.  Watching her grow and become who she is has been so perfect.

Last photo as a Six year old

 

We got up in the morning, had doughnuts and opened her presents.  She was so excited about all of them and couldn't wait to test everything out...unfortunately we had to head back home because Thomas started feeling very unwell and needed to get into the doctor.  So we packed up all our stuff and made the drive home.  While Thomas was at his appointment, I got Ellie's tent all set up and ready to check out and play in.  It was a total hit for all three kiddos.  Thomas got back home (he ended up with a uti) and we finished up Ellie's birthday celebration.  We apologized to her for having to change our plans for the day and promised her we would return to The Grey Cottage as soon as we could.

a couple days later we made good on our promise and she got to go out fishing with Dada for her very first time! He said she did so well, was very careful and a good listener.  She caught her first fish with Dada's help and was just thrilled with the whole experience.

 

Sweet Ellie, I am so grateful for you.  You are kind, adventurous, a thrill seeker, silly, inquisitive, and personable.  You have a zeal for life and thrive off of being around others.  Your light shines when you are being praised and you are always wanting to have attention.  You are strong willed, sassy, and love to be in charge and ensure that rules are being followed, we call you "the enforcer".

I love you with all my heart.  Happy 7th Birthday my Ellie.

XOxo,

Ashley

Mother’s Day 2020

For Mother's Day, we usually go on some sort of adventure and most often its Garden related.  Since the world is still going mad, we stayed home and I got to work outside and cross some things off my list.  I've been keeping myself pretty busy on the farm.  With the chickens, building their Coop, building the Greenhouse, and completing some raised bed boxes to start our garden this year.

So grateful for these three beautiful children that made me a Mama. Life would NOT be the same without them.  I am constantly reminded of how special they are and how the choices I make for what comes into our home and what they are exposed to will affect them and all I want is the best for them.

We released our Butterflies that the kids got for Easter.  They were painted lady butterflys and so pretty.  it was so much fun and we definitely plan to do it again next year...multiple times.

 

I "finished" The Greenhouse and moved in my collection of pots I got from my mom.  The soil test is still going well.  I am loving this space so so much and am so happy that after 11 years its finally here!! I still want to put up some shelves and will decide what else needs to happen in here the more I use it.

 

and today....I got to get outside and build some more boxes for the garden.  I am just thrilled with how this is coming along and am loving our property so much more now that we've figured out how to utilize it better. We miss our horses but this is so much better for us right now.

 

I have two of my boxes already filled with some soil/compost and wanted to get the other four completed today so I can run out and get more and get to planting them up. Thomas was a great help, he took care of the kids so I could get out there and accomplish my goal and he dug the holes for my boxes to get into their permanent spots.

We finished off our afternoon with an injury.  Thomas was out front with the kids trimming our Maple tree and the clippers flew out of his hand and stabbed him in the leg.  I got to practice my First Aid skills that I used to teach, grabbed our oils, and got him all "fixed up".   I think he's going to be okay 😉

XOxo,

Ashley