Falling In Love With Country Life

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I've always thought I was a "city girl". I love the energy and accessibility. The people. But now? The "country" has captured my heart. The houses in the city seem so close together. And the traffic so much louder. :)

On Saturday we went out to the farm to drop off our disassembled play structure and ended up staying awhile...chatting and learning more about the property. The photo above is the view from our road looking north. I'm in love.

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After reading so many books and blogs about chickens, I found great joy in just sitting and watching our future chickens hanging out. I keep forgetting to ask what breeds they have...so feel free to educate me in the comment section!

I took a little video of our girls for you! :) It's safe to say I'm a little smitten. Can you see our duck?

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I may change my official title to "chicken photographer".

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We caught a little glimpse of how different country life is for a child...there is so much to do and see. Lucy was such a big helper and wanted to know everything that was going on. But her favorite spot is still on the trampoline :)

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Here chick chick!!

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This is the official "before" photo of our garden :)

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We will be setting up some "work days" soon so that we can get out there and plant and start taking care of everything!

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Our neighboring horse came over to say hello.

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More work and play.

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As we pulled out of the driveway, a wave of gratitude and awe swept over me. I am SO READY for this adventure to begin! I want wide open skies and rich dirt under my fingernails. I want roosters crowing and goats playing. Exactly 2 months from today we move in...so for now, I will start by packing boxes. :) Happy Monday everyone!

Farmy Farm Farm + Jesus

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I have an ABSURD amount of books from the library in my home right now.  So many trips to the library. So much learning. Loving Ashley English.

come to me llama

Yes. This is an actual saved search on my Craigslist app. I cannot even tell you how happy that makes me.

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Because...seriously. Who wouldn't want to look at this face every day? I may or may not be stalking the #llama hashtag on Instagram. (photo credit.flickr.swaimbu)

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After reading Made From Scratch, we took notes from author Jenna Woginrich and headed to the antique store yesterday to search for a few kitchen items that we needed. Her take is that you should first search for older, well-made pieces before dashing off to Target to buy it's plastic, soon-to-break counterpart. I do this at thrift stores, but it was a lot more fun at the antique store :)

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We found a cheese grater to replace our broken one. And a meat tenderizer, a ladle, a spatula, and...drumroll....a Le Creuset lavender pitcher! Eeeeep! :) Everything was really reasonably priced. We will be making many return trips to Front Range Mercantile! Matt had to DRAG me out of there :)

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Oh, and I can't forget my $16 hand crank burr coffee grinder. I would love one of these someday. But this is going to be great for now!

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I'm a little bit in love with this new online magazine...From Scratch. Pretty pictures. Great articles. Instant gratification! It's free and online only...so go check it out!

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Homesteady goodness.

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Speaking of magazines...I ordered up some back issues of Backwoods Home on eBay. OH the joy! Total homesteading/survivalist geekery.

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I asked for your advice on Facebook and you delivered! 68 responses to my garden help pleas! :) As of this very moment, I still only have tomato starts and I'm picking up some alpine strawberry re-plants today. The majority of you seem to like Baker Creek Seeds...so I think I might order up the rest of my seeds from there. I cannot WAIT for the warmer weather to stay so I can get out to the farm and put my hands in some dirt! Next on my gardening list is to watch Back To Eden, which several of you  recommended.

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My mind continues to be in constant motion. Thoughts of feeding goats, kissing llamas, decorating a new house, and waking up to mountain views all compete for attention with three girls and nursing and cooking and cleaning and packing up our current house. Oh, and throw in working for my parents and excitedly welcoming 10 different guests into our home in April. Woooooo! Life is FULL right now. BUT SO GOOD.

A few days ago in my Jesus Calling book, I was reminded of this big truth (love the words in bold):

Be still in My Presence, even though countless tasks clamor for your attention.  Nothing is as important as spending time with Me.  While you wait in My Presence, I do My best work within you: transforming you by the renewing of your mind. If you skimp on this time with Me, you may plunge headlong into the wrong activities, missing the richness of what I have planned for you.

Do not seek Me primarily for what I can give you.  Remember that I, the Giver, am infinitely greater than any gift I might impart to you.  Though I delight in blessing My children, I am deeply grieved when My blessings become idols in their hearts.  Anything can be an idol of it distracts you from Me as your First Love. When I am the ultimate Desire of your heart, you are safe from the danger of idolatry.  As you wait in My Presence, enjoy the greatest fight of all: Christ in you, the hope of Glory!!

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.  ~Romans 12:2

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ~Revelation 2:4

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ~Colossians 1:27

It's so very easy to allow the farm and my busy-ness to become "idols" in my heart. So easy. If I pick up my chicken books and my Backwoods Home Magazine the first thing in the morning before I pick up my Bible...I know that something is out of balance. This week I will be working on RETURNING TO MY FIRST LOVE. Asking for His guidance throughout this process. Walking alongside my Creator, my Father, my Friend.

Have an amazing Easter weekend my friends!

Colorado Arrivals

If there is one thing I know for sure...it's that I have amazing friends. They have shaped me. Changed me. Blessed me. They are each inspiring in their own way. I am so so so excited that a bunch of them are coming to see me in Colorado in April!

Monica arrives the 19th and Sarah will be around these parts for a couple weeks visiting family. Natalie, Jen, Jen, Jennifer, Khrista, and Rachel arrive the 26th from all over the country for one craaaaaaazy weekend. :) Many of them have never met each other...they only know each other from Instagram, so it will be awesome indeed. Get ready Colorado!

Their blogs and Instagram feeds are on my list of "daily check-ins". I know you'll love them too...so I just have to share! I could write LONG, separate blog posts on each of these women. Yes, they are all that cool. Click the photos below to be taken to their little worlds...

(sweet rock magnet created by the talented Amy Komar! card given by my dear Jess, who just visited me in Colorado herself!)