cooped up antics...

OK I just couldn't help myself with the header. This was not as bad a winter but their was lots of chicken daydreaming during the cold months. I can not convey the amount of obsessing I have done over the last several months about finally owning chickens. I even started a Pinterest board over it. I have seen some of the most adorable coops at Sam's Club and think to myself how wonderful would that be.

 I have been researching online about the topic and all I will need to get started. Luckily for my one of my best friends had chickens, goats, bees the whole nine yards and there will be lots of info she can share .

Just look at how amazing this is ... would be slightly more amazing if the door was a wonderful shade of robins egg blue... maybe a doily bunting and an old watering pump to hold my egg basket.
I am eagerly waiting for our dream home to become available. Definitely not patiently waiting.

My research has also led me to the path of duck eggs. I am ooh so curious to know how they compare. Apparently ducks are healthy and lay more eggs each day. Much more resilient to heat and cold temps. Also nutritionally outweigh chickens. Down side to ducks is that snakes like them as well. I'm not sure I can handle the idea of snakes especially since I have little children so we shall see. Fox's and coyotes like chickens for the same reasons so its like making a choice on election day...

Anyone out there with any insight ?  I am hoping by next spring to be all settled into our new home and hopefully will be able to venture confidently into duck/chicken raising. 

In other news my fab new planner came in super quickly and I can't wait to share it. 

Spring Break is just around the corner and there will be lots of planning to get done to make the most of these upcoming days of leisure. 

Can pink ever be wrong?

Lately I have been slightly obsessed with adding more pink to my life.

I even ordered this pink planner from Australia last week.

The plan is that this organizer will help me schedule in the time I need to be creative and organized all at once...well thats the plan anyway.

The other thing on my turning 36 bucket list is to do something daring...

I may regret it later but I'm gonna go pink...

I feel like hair will be a safe change since I can change it back.

Here's to enjoying all the moments that may seem silly later....

Farm House Dreaming

It's cold and brisk. A day of reflection. This Monday morning has been full of wanderings and dreaming. The list of things to do is long and daunting, but I am currently unable to find the motivation . A day of pandering with my littles is essential . 

(pinterest)

This is the beginning on a long journey for my family. The decision to move to the country to have our own place for peace and tranquility comes at a time in life when connections matter most. I long to feel connected to the nature around me. I want to be able to let my kids play and roam. I have finally accepted that my life will be a quiet one. I no longer feel the need to have a handful of people around that do not enrich my life. 

I also have been able to accept that somethings just need to be simple. I realized while looking at older homes that I will need to make priorities in what will make it to the new home. I feels so good to purge the excess. I wonder sometimes what was I thinking. Shopping out of boredom is futile. I think about all the better things I could have done with my time. 

My priorities have shifted. I no longer need have the newest things. I realized I was obsessing with the things I saw others sharing. Comparison is one of those things we do not realizing that each life is separate. I am trying to be happy with me and my life and comparison didn't help me. The truth of each life can be shared in pictures.  We are all real and every real moment will never be captured. 

I have gotten back to my original pastime loves of painting and sketching. It brings me joy and a sense of tranquility.

(hgtv)

 I am looking forward to this journey for my family and I. If the weather holds we will be looking at several properties over the next several weeks and listing our home as well. So many adventures to document. 

"you live until you are alive"

Warm Comforts...

The cool brisk wind moved across the flat plains this morning as I arrived to delivery D (my son) at preschool. This winter has been incredibly mild compared to last, and although my mommy list didn't disappear, I decided to bake some banana bread. It's always a good thing in my book to do something that you enjoy even if it means everything else can wait. 

This Banana Bread recipe is a tweek on several I have come across. It is moist and it doesn't use loads of sugar. To me really ripe bananas are already sugary sweet and essential to this recipe. 


Ingredients
4 medium extremely ripe bananas. (the ones that look like not so pretty are the best)
1 stick of unsalted butter ( leave at room tempt over night is best)
1/2 cup organic sugar. 
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon aluminum free baking powder (I like the Trader Joe's brand best)
1/2 teaspoon iodine free salt (This is what I use but I'm sure table salt will work)
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour. ( Wheat is also very yummy, I often do half all purpose and half wheat)
3/4 cup chocolate chips  ( semisweet ) 



Now for the fun part that tiny helpers can do. I use a potato masher and let the kids go to town on those bananas. I also add the vanilla to them before mashing.  Also smash the butter and sugar  into the wet mixture. Then add the eggs and mix until incorporated. 
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add your dry ingredients to the wet slowly and do not over mix. Add the chocolate chips and then pour into your loaf or mini loaf pan. 
Bake at 350 degrees until golden . One big loaf can take up to 50 minutes. The smaller loaves take around 30. You may not get a clean toothpick if you have big chunks of banana in your mixture. 

I love to share this homemade goodness, so I often make mini loaves. Truth be told it keeps me from eating an entire mega loaf.  This bread also freezes well. I wait until they have cooled completely before freezer wrapping. 

Now onto the best part....eating it. I always make a small cup of tea or coffee to enjoy with it. I am really digging the organic wake up blend from Trader Joe's right now. I hope you can enjoy this recipe with your loved ones. 

Even finding time to document this small moment makes me smile. I almost forget some days that I just need to get dressed and it can change my entire focus. This year my gears are on focus. Focusing on the things I feel will make me happier as a person and a mommy.  

Fluff and Finds...

Do you have moments when you just need to shop..? I had one of those moments this weekend. A long fall break with the littles gave us time to sleep in and just play. I had forgotten how long the days are when the littles are home all day. Luckily for me my hubs gave me a much needed weekend break of shopping to recharge my mommy battery.

I decided to drive south and hit several antique shops. Although I didn't find a ton of things, what i did find was enough to make my day. This chippy mirror is already painted in my fav color!

This green wire basket was on my list ! Can you believe I found something that was exactly what i wanted? I about did the happy dance and will hit that shop again. 

Millinery in all its glory! Yup another must have and the price was amazing. 

Then on Sunday I went grocery shopping without the littles and spoiled myself with some roses. The fragrance and color  was just what I needed to spruce up my dining table.

 

This weekend was all about trying to savor each moment and truly relax. This week will be focused on project completion so that Thanksgiving break will go much smoother. 

XX's 

Tabitha 

Welcome

Hi ! To all of you who don't know me yet I'm Tabitha. Momma of four littles looking for the magic in each day. I say magic because most days it is magic that I don't forget my brain somewhere. 

I want to pretend we are already great friends and let you know that I plan to share! Share what exactly? Well all the crazy bits of my life that make up exactly who I am . Don't be afraid to ask questions either since, like I said I like to share. 

This week has been full of decisions. Decisions about our home and all sorts of grand things for the future of this family. But most recently this decision I made to start this online journal was forefront in my mind. It has been something I really wanted to accomplish for 2014 and I am glad I can scratch it off the list. 

My DH calls me the queen of unfinished projects and I really want to abdicate the throne. I am hoping the ability to share my progress and eventually finished projects will motivate me to move quicker. 

Possibly this weekend project is to add a canopy above little G's bed. My two years room is in the midst of a makeover . I have been supplying these projects with thrift store finds,elbow grease and a touch of paint. 

I really would love for the finished project to have a similar feel with maybe some twinkling lights to add just a touch of magic. 

xx's 

Tabitha 

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