a birthday and goodbye party

IMG_8385IMG_8380 IMG_8382 IMG_8389 IMG_8393 IMG_8394 IMG_8398 IMG_8400 IMG_8401 IMG_8410 IMG_8412 IMG_8413 IMG_8415 IMG_8435 IMG_8436 IMG_8442 IMG_8458 IMG_8460 IMG_8461 IMG_8463 IMG_8467 IMG_8469 IMG_8471 IMG_8478 IMG_8482 IMG_8486IMG_8491 IMG_8492 IMG_8494 IMG_8498 IMG_8506

 

Friends are the spice of life and we were lucky enough to have many of them come to spend the day with us on Saturday.  We spent the first half of the day celebrating Matthew’s 1st birthday.  A whole year of kisses to this sweet little boy we have been given and laughs at all the funny things he does that make our life even better than before he came to us. A year that started (at least for me) with his birth and enveloped the marriage of our oldest beauty, welcoming our first grandchild and finding out that we would be leaving our homestead.  I can’t think of a fuller year…ever.

The second half of the day was spent with friends and family remembering good times we have shared here, enjoying each other’s company and saying goodbye.  We have had so many parties here.  It was sad to think that this would be the last.  Of course we will spend New Years here together but it will no longer be OUR house, it will be Lewis and Alex’s house.

If your remember by this celebration, Matthew (Mateo as we call him) turned a year old on the 11th but with Alexandra having baby Lewis just 4 days prior, we decided to wait until she was up to partying with us and then we realized there would not be enough time to have a birthday party and a goodbye party.  Poppa had the idea to do it all in one day.  One long but good day.

I again made his honey cake, as I made this his recipe.  With still so much basil in the garden, the frosting was extra lemony and basil-y.  This is by far the simplest party I have ever done.  With everything being packed away and so little time, simple was better and since I had so little to make for the birthday, I woke up with the idea to make him a special birthday outfit…again.

Another pair of Farmer Boy pants were in order.  Made again from another one of Poppa’s torn suit shirts.  I remembered that I have had a piece of fabric with candles on it and quickly found the box of fabric in the garage.  I added the pockets to the pants like I usually do but also had Poppa pick him up a new tshirt and added a pocket to that too.  It took about 30 minutes and he was wearing a new birthday outfit.

I made him a little people candle holder, I think the hair should have been darker, but to me it looks like my little Matthew.  The hand dipped beeswax candle his siblings made on his birthday was used and it completed once again, the honey cake.  On the table is the painting I made right before he was born from our favorite bedtime story and we pulled out some of his favorite vintage Little People toys.

Friends brought food to bless us with and my beautiful friend Peggy brought flowers too 🙂  We are lucky to have these people in our lives.  They have enriched us with their love and knowledge and we will miss them.

Nate and Charlie spent the whole day and night with us in our last official sleepover which could not have made the kids any happier.  Charlie brought her camera and the following pictures are the party through her camera lense.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

To all of our friends and family who spent Saturday with us, thank you!  You are part of the fabric of our family.

Comments { 6 }

not myself

I’m supposed to be packing, but instead I just want to knit.  Actually for the past few days I just have not felt like myself.  I have no energy, no patience, no get up and and go.  I have bouts of feeling blue and I have never really experienced this before.  I have asked friends if it sounds like the D word.  Some say it does sound like depression and other tell me it is just the way my body is dealing with all the changes that are happening to us all at once.  Bummer.  Allow me to apologize for I am sure you came here for refreshment and not to be burdened.

Truth be told, I only really have patience for Matthew right now.  I guess it’s because he is so cute.  I stayed up last night thinking about all the changes that are upon us, moving to Kentucky, Alexandra and Lewis having baby Lewie, leaving our farm, packing up our life and I think I know now what is the problem.

I am a creature of habit.  I need to know what I am doing, where I am going and I pretty much do the same things over and over.  It’s the rhythm of my life, Rhythm makes me happy.  Right now there is no rhythm to anything and I find myself saying there is no point in doing xyz because we are leaving.  If you pray, prayers are appreciated.

Matthew is on day two of fever, low grade fever.  Just enough fever to worry this worry wart momma.  We try not to medicate a fever and instead offer lots of liquids, snacks and rest.  Matthew has been sleeping on all of us around here.  Watching him, bathing him, kissing him, that is our medicine for now.  Today he has been back to touching anything and everything with a button, eating everything in sight and playing with all of us but still a little fever.

Tomorrow, we will have an entire day of celebrations.  Last celebrations here at this home of ours.  The morning will host Matthew’s official first birthday party.  I am baking once again his honey cake but that will be the only homemade thing that will be served.  It is very strange to serve people we love processed, store bought food but that is what will be served and there is little that I can do about it with everything being packed away.

The evening will be a going away party.  A chance to say farewell to many and see ya in a few months to some.  There is no garden to see as one will not be planted this fall, there is no cow, or pig, most of the chickens are gone and our sweet Fiona (live stock guardian dog) has gone to a new farm home, belonging to a fellow farmer and friend.  We will just eat, and drink and try to make merry and not think of the harder days to come ahead.  16 days….

So, for now, I will just press on and try to see the things I should be happy about and somehow get excited about the adventures that lie in the future.

IMG_7602 IMG_7637 IMG_8073

 

Comments { 6 }