Small Town Living

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It was an adjustment moving to a small town when we first got here. First, there were the comments "Oh, you're not from here? You won't stay." That attitude is not condusive to making friends, let me tell you. Then there are the ways people give directions- landmarks are homes of people or places where there used to be a home but it burned down 15 years ago, neither of which is helpful when you have no idea who those people are. 

When we decided to move here, childless at the time, but planning to raise a family, make memories here, make this community our home for the long term, it was a decision that was not taken lightly. And it was the right decision for us. 

We've been here six years and it feels like home. I like it here. We have the conveniences we need and the outdoor activities we enjoy both available to us. I appreciate the simplicity of small town living. We don't spend time stuck in traffic. We dont have to pay to park. I know my way around. I can stop at home on my lunch break (oh, how I love my hour at home alone). The crime rate is low. We are not far from the grocery store, our jobs, or schools. We can walk to get a gallon of milk or walk to a restaurant for date night (oh, how I love that too). I can walk, run or bike to most of my friend's homes, the grocery store, the library and my daughter's school. We can spend time giving back and there is community support for the organizations that are here. I know my neighbors. It is peaceful. I run into people I know often. I feel safe.

It has been fun to explore the restaurants and shops to find our favorites, making memories in our own corners of our community. I'm not talking about our home or offices. There is the restaurant we ate at on our first date here, and the new roads we found while on our exploratory runs together, the same spot on the country road my husband hit a deer and I slid into the ditch one winter, the church that we joined together, the hospital I gave birth to our daughter at, the first park we took our little girl to.

We joke that when we go for runs, we don't always get the workout we intended because we run into our neighbors/friends along the way. But we don't mind. That is another part of the charm of small town living.

Today was just another reminder of just how nice it is to live in a small town. While trick or treating with my little girl, unbeknownst to me, I lost my phone. The person who found it searched through my contacts and recognized the names of my family members and friends and called my husband to let me know she had it. How lucky is that?!

~Angela

pumpkins!

Since my daughter no longer fits in a pumpkin like she did a couple years ago, this year we visited the pumpkin patch and picked out our own pumpkins instead of put her in one.

I love that my little girl picked out her "perfect" pumpkin...the one that has lumps all over it and no one else wanted. It does not have to be perfect, to be beautiful.

Daddy with his little girl and the giant pumpkins

 

A hayride together at the pumpkin patch

 

Tonight, we decorated pumpkins as a family that we will bring to a nursing home in our community. What a fun way to spend the evening, each of us working on our own pumpkin, yet working together.

oops...we got a little messy

A little helper was giving me advice on my decorating

My husband concentrating on his carving

My huband's pumpkin



My pumpkin (left) & my little girl's pumpki (right)

 

 It is a good thing we are not dropping the pumpkins off for a few days as my little girl put so much paint on hers, it will take days to dry- literally.

 

~Angela

Playing under the bed

When I was a little girl, I loved to play under my bed! Even as a teenager, I can recall falling asleep under there (weird, I know). Anyway, we still play under our bed- yes, all three of us fit under there...

she found me...I was hiding under the bed!

searching for the much loved General Lee Car

 

This is one of my little girl's fave place to play! Just goes to show, the simple things are those that kids like best!

 

~Angela

Birdhouse: A Homemade Gift

this is an old post that I never published...hence why my little girl looks so young!

On a recent trip to Michaels, Bundle latched onto this little birdhouse and carried it around the whole store. Not being one who allows my child to get something each time we go to the store, I told her we had to put it back when we were leaving. I was prepared for a fight after a recent trip to Michaels ended in a bit of a tug-of-war between Bundle and I. She simply said, "No, Uncle Matt."  I asked if she wanted to buy it for him and she said yes, so we also picked out some paint and paid for it. She did not forget we got it for Uncle Matt (nor did she let go of the birdhouse) for several hours.

A few days later after I painted a base coat with the blue she picked out I asked her again what we were going to do with the birdhouse. "Uncle Matt." was her response. Bundle painted it with white (her choice) washable paint at her craft table.

Uncle Matt loves his birdhouse!

She loved this project so much and we made several more as gifts for people we care about, at her request.

~Angela

How to Make Play Makeup

My little girl loves all things girly, but I do too, so I suppose that is where she gets is from. The sparkly shoes, the ribbons, the nail polish...she loves it all.

Lining up all the nail polish is a favorite activity

So it is no surprise that she loves to put on makeup with me, just as much as she loves to organize it (hm...wonder where she gets the need to organize from?) She sits on the bathroom counter and duplicates what I do.

However, as you can see from the photos, the makeup I wear is not so flattering on my little girl as she applied it to look like she had a black eye!!  (I hope I did not look like that on this particular day!) 

After we got that cleaned off (Baby Oil- a miracle invention!) I thought maybe she needed her own makeup. I gave Bundle her own brushes and empty containers, however, that was not exciting enough. So I made it more realistic by giving her colored "make up."

I have an abundance of nail polish and thought I would use some of the mostley empty bottles up

All I did was pour the nail polish into the containers I already had and let it dry (this took about a whole day), careful to remove the metal balls that also poured out of the nail polish.

 Now Bundle's "make up" is much more fun!  She loves it!

This was a huge hit and very simple! It took more time to blog about than to actually make them!

 ~Angela

Autumn Gifts

I am glad to live in the midwest where we get very four very distinct seasons. I enjoy all of the seasons, but this fall- the warm weather (up until a few weeks ago), the colorful leaves, some still in the trees and some underfoot- was pure bliss. We have taken full advantage of autumn this year, slowing down and filling our days and evenings with nature walks, jumping in leave piles, bike rides, runs, hikes and boat rides around the lake. Armed with my camera, I've been able to capture the trees bursting with color, the hidden but beautiful trail behind our home, dates with my husband and the delight of my little girl as we've taken advantage of these simple gifts of autumn.  Most importantly, I have captured my family and our friends soaking up nature the best way we know how- together...

 

 

 

 

 

My little girl with "nature" in her hair, worn proudly by someone who truly loves the outdoors.

~Angela