Library Love

This is the current stack of books we have checked out from the library, and that was with me limiting what we brought home. 

His current favorites? 

The giant picture books on the bottom. 

He loves them!

I love my little reader. 

Hot Air Jubilee

My favorite event in the summer is the annual 

Hot Air Jubilee.

Levi called them air balloons this year. He especially liked the fire. He also asked when he could go up in a balloon. We told him he had to be a little bit bigger. :)

A fun night had by all.

Food Inc.

Mike and I have been working more and more towards eating more locally, homegrown, food for quite a while. It all started with our, on a whim, garden, 6 years ago, and our love for it has grown over the years. My love for canning and preserving has grown over the years, and this past year, we've done even more with watching what we buy, eating more organic, more local etc.


Last night we started watching the documentary Food Inc. If you want to change your view of food... watch it. or at least be prepared to want to change what and where you buy your food. We watched it on Netflix by the way. It was one of those, this could be life-changing, kind of shows. It was so disturbing to learn more about where our food comes from, how animals are treated, how farmers are treated by big companies. It was eye-opening to say the least.  A friend of mine was telling me that we've been duped into believing that $2\lb beef or chicken is a good buy, but in reality, if we want to buy ethically raised meat, then we should be prepared to spend more like $6-7\lb. That's realistic. Not $2\lb. 


I went to bed thinking about whether we could afford grass-fed beef, that maybe we should just become vegetarians, or whether we should pursue our dream of having a big sustainable farm. wow. that was a lot to think about while I drifted off to sleep.


This morning, I just keep thinking about how the Lord commands us to be good stewards of what we are given, and last night, as I watched this documentary, I knew in my heart that we are NOT being good stewards of what we have. We as a society are laced with consumerism, and demand what we what it, when we want it. Red tomatoes in January? Absolutely.  Who cares where they come from, or how they got that way.  We all fall victim to it, but this morning I am challenged to think outside of that box. How can I change what we do as a family, in a sustainable, affordable way.


I don't know the answers, but I do know that it's something we'll be talking a lot more about as a family. I challenge you to watch the documentary, and change our world, for the better.

Accomplishments

This week Ruby did this... 

and Levi drew this... 

(a lion, in case you're not sure ;)

I love them both more than words can say.

We are blessed indeed.

7 months and growing...

Dear Sweet Ruby..

Today, my love, you are 7 months old.

7 months.

I don't even know where the time has gone, but I do know that we've grown more and more in love with you since the day we met you. Your brother is smitten with you, and especially is enjoying this new crawling bit you're up to these days. He thinks it's fantastic fun to put an object several feet in front of you, tap your butt and say..crawl, ruby, crawl! :)  Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find a way to pay him back soon.

So at 7 months

 

• You weighed in at the doctor at your 6 month (a month late) appt at 15lbs 8oz. you're such a little peanut. 
• You love your exersaucer, you'll spend as much time as I give you. 
• You love to stand up. Sitting is no longer an option for you, and you're quite particular about it. If I try to set you down, you let out ear piercing shrills until you're left in a standing position. 
• Speaking of standing, you pulled yourself up to a standing position this month! 
• You also started crawling. You seem to enjoy your new found independence. Mama is mourning it.
• We finally started food for you. You've enjoyed most anything I've given you, with the exception of blueberries. 
• You're doing pretty well with sleeping these days, mostly sleeping from around 6:30-4 or 4:30. I'll take it. 
• You have 2 teeth? Did you have those at 6 months? I don't remember. Maybe you had 1. This is why Mama writes these things down. :) You have 2 bottom teeth. You were a gem about them coming in. thank you for that! :)
• You've decided that Mama is your favorite as of late. You are not a fan of anyone else holding you. Mama is NOT a fan of this trend. Let's change that by 8 months, mmmk? ok.
• You've gone swimming, toad catching, zoo-ing, camping, snake chasing, and all sorts of other things this month. :) okay, so maybe not, but you've certainly been along for all of those things, whether you realized it or not. 
• Your nicknames are still developing, but I often call you RubyQ, Rubykins, Roobs, or Bug... why bug, I have no idea. :) 

We love you baby girl, and I'm so delighted that the Lord blessed our lives with YOU.