Sunday, May 23, 2010

Changes...

SWIMMING AT THE LAKE
KATIE AT THE FARM


OUR NEW BACKYARD



It seems like I've been neglecting our blog for a while now. Well...not really. I have been thinking about it a lot....mostly asking myself how on earth can I possibly update everyone when soooo much has been going on? I'm not sure I can do it in one post but here's my try! (and certainly not in the right order!)

Our biggest news is that we found a house. We are so excited to have found such an amazing place and are counting the days until we can move in. We certainly worked hard to get this property...I found it by chance and we all fell in love with it the moment we pulled up. It is an 1860 farm house with a few additions, a big barn, garage, workshop, a separate artist studio, paddocks and lots of pasture. There is a great swimming pond for the kids and 34 acres for the kids to roam. Our dream to have a farm has been a topic of conversation with the kids for so long and now it is a reality. The kids are already planning for animals...talk of chickens and goats, miniature ponies and even snakes have been floating around. And I am seeing a nice big garden in my future! All of this seems too good to be true but there is more!! For our first year on the road our travelling partners (the Goodman-Caines family) became part of our family. We realized that we all really like being together. It's as simple as that. So when this property had the benefit of actually having two homes it just made sense for all of us to be together again. Fun times ahead!



Right now we are staying in a house(hmmm...i use that term loosely) in Innisfil while we wait again for our motorhome to be fixed...the first week we had it back we had a flood and now it is being reno'd. So many moves and changes...another reason we are looking forward to a permanent home again!

What else have we been doing? The kids and I have been volunteering at a local organic farm every week with Laurie and her boys. It is such a great relaxing environment to be in...everyone helping each other, chatting and laughing. We've met some wonderful people doing this. The kids have been able to watch baby chicks grow up, plant seeds, plant herbs and vegetables. They are learning so much about gardening and what it takes to run a farm. And they get to do it all with their friends.

We also just came home from a week in Tennessee. We had been looking forward to attending ARGH (Autodidactic Radical Gathering of Homeschoolers) for a long time and we were not disappointed. It was a four day gathering in Roan Mountain State Park with thirty or so other unschooling families. Imagine that...being with so many children and parents in such a relaxing and welcoming environment. We met so many wonderful people and the kids are already asking to go back for the next one. Who could blame them...it was never ending nerf gun wars and late night socializing with old and new friends. I think we'll be back!

Through out all this the weather has been great so we have been spending time at the beach and park with friends just hanging out. Too many sleepovers, campfires with friends, late night gaming, visiting with family, homeschooling fieldtrips....well..lets just say we have been busy!!