Meet the horses

The kiddos love hanging out and taking care of "their new horses". Sable (she has a star on her forehead) is pregnant and due next June, Amar is the father. The kiddos are excited to be a part of that. We've been working feverishly to get the pasture behind us hot wired and ready for two more. We will be working on "project scrub oak remediation" soon, I'm sure. We will be getting two more geldings tomorrow for the back pasture and in a couple weeks we will be getting a colt and one of the two-year olds. The next thing we will have to do is build a make-shift barn for the little guy. More stories, I'm sure.

Snow!?

We got snow today for the first time this year. It looks like when it is all said and done we will have about an inch of snow. And the trees just started turning yellow a week ago! What is up with that? It's about 39 degrees and we have a fire going. It is getting a little too toasty in the cabin, now. That bodes well for a nice, warm winter! All we need now is a hot cup of cocoa! We just put up the kids' new bunkbed and you would think it was Christmas! They are BEYOND excited! Maybe they are just glad they don't have to sleep with the snake, anymore! HA!

The four day is already GONE? So is the snake!

So, I asked MacGyver what he was doing earlier. "Looking for the snake" was his response. I can't believe he ever had to speak those words. The kids found 2 lizards and a lined snake today and decided to keep them. Obviously they didn't realize the snake could climb and left him in an open container in the living room. The next thing I knew the kids were asking me for the flashlight and telling me they were dead. The snake is missing and the kids are still sleeping on their mattresses on the ground. One day we will put there beds up but right now they will have to sleep with the snake. They were told to check their beds for snakes but Izzy thinks that was "just not right!" Oh the adventures in the Rocky Mountains!!!

Moving In

We are finally getting most of our stuff moved in. We still have a lot of work to do, but, it is nice to be in a home. The phone company finally decided we needed SOME contact with the outside world and the propane arrived after much waiting and watching so now we can actually cook and take long, hot leisurely baths and catch up on some of that school work (since our kids are on-line homeschooled). We also bought a fridge so now we can stop using the camper's icebox, of sorts. Clawfoot tubs and high-speed internet. This is where the 19th century meets 21st century! God is so good to us!

Caretakers

I guess some of you are wondering where we are and what we're doing. Just so you can stay on top of our crazy crew, we have taken over a position as caretakers for a man that owns close to 300 acres of horse property up in the mountains. The little cabin you see is our new "caretaker's" house and is about 1/4 size of our last house. Yes, we are definitely still in the process of minimizing and in fact have created a couple boxes of paperwork today that we can use for firestarter! We (I use the term "we" lightly) have been busy cutting and splitting wood for use this winter because we have no central heat and will be using our wood stove to keep us warm this winter. We have a brand new chainsaw with nothing but time in our way now. As caretakers, we are responsible for caring for several horses and mending any of their fencing, including hot wiring new areas as necessary. We will also have to keep the 1/2 mile dirt road to our house cleared so Adam can get in and out for work, even in the blizzards. We are also responsible for general maintenance and care of our house, as well as any pasture clearing and even some light horse training. We have no clue how long we will be here, but are LOVING it. I realized a few days ago that one of the questions I answered in my "things you never knew about me" on Facebook, months and months ago stated that one day we wanted to live in the middle of nowhere in a little cabin with a woodstove and live off the land. Too funny! Be careful of what you wish for!

The Latest Adventure

We have traded the camping lifestyle and joined civilzation again, sort of. We have just moved into our new cabin in the woods. It is a lot smaller than our last home, but much larger than the camper. Ike and Izzy are enjoying their freedom and stay busy building forts and checking out the woods. I'm loving the peace and quiet. As MacGyver is busy fixing everything!

Leaving the burbs!

After 3 years with our house on the market, we have FINALLY sold it in God's perfect timing. So, this summer we left our beautiful house, spent 6 weeks in our camper in the Pike National Forest 2 hours from civilization, and then moved into a cozy, little cabin in the mountains. At first, I missed my never-ending hot water and long, leisurely baths and comforts of a 21st century home. But I don't miss all that a home in suburbia implies. As I have matured, I have learned there is a cost and payoff for every decision I make. And as I can tell, we've had both in our little cabin. We've had roof leaks, skunks, snow, rain, sun, snakes, elk, deer, horses, (have heard rumor of mtn lion and bear), fires (the good kind in our wood burning stove), wood cutting, fence mending, and stinging nettle (the kiddos were introduced to this first). I could do without the roof leaks and nettles and am desperate to get rid of the skunks, but all in all, the payoff still outweighs the cost. God has brought us to a wonderfully isolated place on our very own mountainside. Who could ask for more?

Names changed to protect the innocent (and the not so innocent)

I thought I'd post some pictures of our crazy crew! Of course, there is a picture of MacGyver, Me, Ike and Izzy at Rocky Mountain National Park. And there is Molli, the chocolate lab, Mac, the black lab, and Tank, the yellow orange lab. And last, but of course, not least is the one who thinks she rules the roost, Maggie, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and boy is she in her element!

Random Fun Family Photos From Years Past

Kids' first 15 mile hike - Philmont (2007)

Izzy chilling at 18 months

Destin, FL

Camping with fam

After a day of sledding

Beach photo op

Summer trip to Mt. Rushmore

Monkeying around at Rock Ledge Ranch

Snowshoeing in
Steamboat Springs

More snowshoeing in Steamboat

All Snuggly

On a Tree Hunt