In honor of Thanksgiving we asked our kids this week what they are thankful for and they were not short on kid answers to that question. Ava said she was thankful for her cousin Sophia (no mention of her brother), her pillow, her chickens, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Shepard said grass and tractors. Scott and I did go first in saying what we were thankful for to set an example, but I guess we missed a few important things. Nonetheless, we are very grateful for our family and the time we have to share.
This is what Shepard served up for our Thanksgiving meal.
I have had a hard time with this little stinker keeping a hat on his head until I found one with tractors on it. Thank you Tractor Supply!
We officially began our barn project this past weekend. We took a little bit down, but mostly have been game planning this project. We are well aware of how ambitious this project is. All I can say is It’s a good thing we are ambitious people!
This reminds me of my childhood barn I use to play in. I just love the history of these old barns. I could definitely see that same excitement in Ava & Shepard’s eyes.
I love the tiny windows!
There are a lot of these little barn door gates throughout the oldest barn. Every time I look at them, I picture incorporating them in various places in our future barn house.
This is the hayloft or second level. She is gorgeous! Can you see those shiplap walls?
It’s no wonder Shepard has such a love for tractors. His daddy is always on one. The pond is starting to take shape and hold water, so yay! No one is more happy about that than the ducks. I could just watch them all day when they get in the water. They are very entertaining and there is just something peaceful about watching them swim around.
Twinkies…it’s all about the flannel and facial hair/blueberry staches.
This Week’s Books
We may have a future fire fighter on our hands. Shep was obsessed with “Fire Engine No.9” It was the absolute only book he wanted us to read for him at bedtime every.single.night.
Scott’s favorite for the week was “Old Black Fly”. My personal favorite was “Dog on a Frog?”.
Ava’s favorite for the week was “Quick, Quack, Quick!”.
Gluten Free & Dairy Free Menu
- Buffalo Chicken Lentil pasta with green beans.
- Mashed sweet potatoes topped with ground turkey, guacamole, and broccoli.
- Pork roast with potatoes and carrots.
Ava’s new favorite sauce is buffalo sauce and that right there is how I know she is my child. She loves the spicy! One of our favorite combinations is mashed sweet potatoes with either beef or turkey topped with guacamole. We discovered this when we first transitioned our diet to GF and DF. Coincidentally, we have made a lot of discoveries with different foods after our diet change. Pork roast with potatoes and carrots was our Thanksgiving evening meal. Not our typical Thanksgiving meal, but that is fitting with an untypical Thanksgiving.
Scott found a creative way to encourage the kiddos to finish their dinner.
Farm Animals
Guess who else loves snacks? These girls get quite excited for some sweet quack snacks.
Holding our favorites. Ava says her chickens are soft and she loves holding them. The silkies are perfect size and gentle for Shepard.
And my favorite..who knew ducks could be so sweet! Meet Martha, our second biggest pekin.
And here is Bertha, our biggest girl. Shep is holding Thelma, one of our golden silkies. Not pictured is her golden sister Louise.
Workouts
Ava and Shep joined me for some workouts this week. They seem to enjoy the Bowflex HVT. As do I, it is probably my favorite workout equipment piece we have ever owned. We’ve had this for about 2 years now and it has definitely paid for itself versus paying for a gym membership. I love that it combines strength and cardio into your workout making it shorter but effective. I don’t record these workouts on my Fitbit, but I use it 3-4 times a week. If I can get the kiddos to let me have a turn, I can squeeze in a workout while they are doing arts and crafts in about 18-20 minutes.
On Another Note…
Every Christmas we each pick out a new ornament to add to our trees. This might be my pick for this year!
This Week in the Shop..
I wasn’t really looking for it at the time, but I found this green genuine leather and I absolutely love it! The brown patterned leather was also a wonderful find. If you are looking for a unique pair of earrings, check this out here in the shop!
I truly hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! God Bless!
