~Spring Happenings~

Seeds have been planted, chickens are fully feathered, the sun is gradually warming up our days and my break is drawing to a close. We have truly enjoyed experiencing the season here in NC. It's so beautiful to see the new life springing up everywhere we go. Here's some of what's been happening around the Taflan household...

I planted some seeds for our future garden a few weeks ago. They're growing a bit too quick for me because we have yet to get a piece of yard ready for them to grow! Squash, cucumber, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and green beans are some of what's been planted. I sure hope they make it! Herbs are next.

Haven't they grown? Oh, and notice how there's a white one in the mix? Yep, she surprised us and ended up being an Americauna, not a Buff Orpington like we had thought. She'll lay greenish blue eggs... interesting, right? The Ladies eagerly await the completion of their coop that Matthew has been constructing. It's going to be great when they have a place of their own...outside...where they can roam free and use the bathroom wherever they'd like, as opposed to taking up half our sunroom! Would you believe that Matt is building a coop large enough for more than just our 6 chickens? You know what that means... either he's quite taken with the Ladies or he's planning on being greedy for eggs! We'll try to make it through this year with our 6 and see what happens next spring. So far they've been healthy and entertaining to watch :)


This is the lovely wind chime we have enjoyed hearing on these windy, spring days. I would like to find a smaller one for the other side of the house. The first time we really heard it ring we both had the same thoughts... it just makes our place feel more like home.


We've done some traveling lately too. Here's Matthew in Barbados... yes, he went on an amazing Silver Seas cruise without me for an entire week! Of course, it was all business related as he filmed different events and photographed for work. We missed each other a great deal and he certainly wished I could've been there too. Next time maybe?


The day after Matthew arrived back from the islands, I caught a flight with my mom and youngest sis to NYC for a few days. Here we are on the double decker tour bus as we learned about Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Harlem. We were able to see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Daniel Radcliffe and Chicago with Christie Brinkley on Broadway. Great memories!

Coming up we have Easter with the family, Matthew's birthday, and hopefully more time to spend outdoors working on projects and enjoying the warmth!

Oh,

P.S. We just may be closing on our first house this coming week! We're staying prayerful - details to come!

Meet the Ladies...

Introducing our newest feathered friends...

Meet:
Lucy
Ethel
Laverne
Shirley
Lizzie (after Sanford & Son's, "You hear that Elizabeth? I'm coming to join you!) and...
June (after June Cleaver, of course!)

Friends already - just few days old

They look alike!

Almost 2 weeks old - taken while I was cleaning our their cage today. Pardon the chicken rear, she's shy ;)

We brought home 5 on Thursday the 24th and they were so cute! Unfortunately, we lost one this past Tuesday night due to what I believe was a respiratory infection. She was clicking quite a bit while breathing and was so lethargic! That brought us down to four little chicks and the man at the feed store replaced the previous chick with not one, but two buff orpingtons free of charge! We now have 6... oh my. I am learning that raising chickens is a bit more complicated than I originally thought, especially after reading things online about all that can go wrong! We're hoping the rest of the chicks don't come down with anything and stay their healthy, little peeping selves.

I'll be honest, I can't tell some of them apart. Actually, when I introduced the two new ones into the cage with the others, I lost track of who was new! There are two that are easy to tell apart, aside from the black one, but that's it. I'm hoping as they grow they'll have some more distinguishing features because I want to make sure each chick gets the right name. Matthew is ready for their production of yummy, brown eggs, so he's having to work on his patience. We're having fun with them, learning as we go!

We're Alive!

No, North Carolina has not devoured and swallowed us whole... we Taflans are just now slowly rising to the surface of the craziness of life. And by life I mean moving in with mom and dad, boxes everywhere, moving again to our little white house, more boxes everywhere, adjusting to work life 45 minutes away in opposite directions, working busy schedules, and just trying to get a grasp on these last 5 months of North Carolina living. I think it's safe to say our heads are now above water! Boxes are disappearing, our house is looking more like a home, and work is a bit more of a routine now and not so new and stressful (a job update will definitely be a future post). If it weren't for God's promise to provide, the love of a spouse, and supporting family just minutes down the road, then we probably would be swallowed up by all that's been happening!

Without further ado, welcome to our Little White House, as we so lovingly call it. This 1940s/50s home was quite a surprise and blessing to us and we eagerly spend each spare moment we can settling in. It's charming and sits on about 3 acres (are chickens in our future? bok, bok) and is the perfect size for us. The yard is a major plus, as well as the shed, sunroom, and many old windows for natural light. The house is not without its quirks though... for example, the landlord likes to keep everything white, and this means globbing it EVERYWHERE to the point that it has dried dripping down walls in some places (yikes!), there's no overhead lighting in the family room, the kitchen ceiling is only 2 inches taller than my dear husband meaning he has to remember to not walk under the light fixture, and our somewhat private lot happens to sit directly across from a gas station on a somewhat busy highway. Nevertheless, we are pleased and blessed and excited.


Plan to see updates on our little rental as we tackle projects here and there. We can only do so much given that we are just renters and not owners... but we are excited to add some color and beauty to the place. For now we just toss around ideas and will wait until the weather is warmer and our work lives are not as time consuming before we set to work on some things that better be easy on the wallet :)

We have much to be thankful for this year... Happy Thanksgiving!

Thoughts here and there...

I have several things I wish to write about, each of which could be a separate blog post of their own. I have been putting off blogging because lately I've been quite wrapped up in reading these other blogs I have found. Amazing craft blogs, thrifty blogs, and sewing blogs have found their way into my bookmarks folder making it all the more tempting to read and set out on a creative craft adventure instead of using the time to blog myself. Tonight I will attempt to type all that I've been meaning to blog about and to do so in a concise manner, I think I'll post a photo and write briefly about each. With my almond cookie tea by my side (definitely a good purchase on my journey to acquiring a taste for hot tea), I'll begin.

This is me and my wonderful mom! She came to visit me a few weekends ago. Mom was able to come in and spend a day with my class and what a big help she was! She took down winter things in the classroom and helped put up my spring items. Mom also worked with my students, met other K teachers, and the kids loved having her there. It was amusing to them to have their teacher's mother there that day. It was special having mom come see and experience my very first classroom! The weekend followed with some relaxing, Sonny's BBQ, and shopping. Boy do I love and miss my momma :)

Remember the scrapbooking software I mentioned? MemoryMixer arrived the other week and I eagerly set to the task of scrapbooking our first year of married life. This photo here is only of the first page. Yes, it may be plain but I'm only a beginner ;) I'm working on understanding the software and sorting through page selections and embellishments can be quite a task itself! With so many options I tend to take a looooong time sorting through and deciding what I'd like to use. I told my husband I'll probably change every page I make a hundred times before I decide to get it printed. Actually, looking at this one now I think I've decided what needs to be tweaked a bit. Anyhow, it's quite exciting and I look forward to creatively scrapbooking future photos.

These two photos are our latest garage sale finds. The neat lanterns were $1 each and I'm still looking for good place for them. Apartment space can be a bit low. The pretty glass made them unique. For $2 we found this plant stand that we bought flowers for the next day. I love having color outside our apartment door. I also found a rolling chart stand for my classroom. I've been wanting one of these for a while so I can hang poems, songs, etc. that we've learned throughout the year and the kids can have easy access to it during centers. This lady had one for $8 and it works great in the classroom!

My middle sister Hillary and dad flew back to NC today. Dad happened to have meetings here in town and Hillary came since it was her spring break. It was great seeing them both! We went out to dinner, saw Alice in Wonderland (a bit strange), and went out to Inlet Harbor - a great restaurant on the coast. This is us on the jetty at Ponce Inlet. Notice the windswept hair? The weather was quite awful while they were here and that particular evening the rain had finally subsided but the wind was still blowing. I'm glad Matt & I were able to spend time with them both. Now all that's left to visit is my youngest sister :) We'll see...

North Carolina here we come! Well, not for a few months anyway. It is official - the Taflans will be relocating to NC this summer :) The what-ifs, hows, and wheres are numerous, but we know God will surely provide. We feel at peace about moving there to be closer to family. Our prayers are for guidance and job-seeking. I'm in the process of getting my teaching license in NC and he's already made contacts in the Raleigh area here and there. I got side-tracked tonight looking at apartments online. Thankfully, if no jobs turn up by the time our lease is up here in mid-July, my parents have graciously opened their home to us until we are able to locate jobs and get back out on our own. I can't wait! Family will be close again and his family will be only 7 1/2 hours away as opposed to 17! I just need to continue praying and remain patient.

I think this is all I'll write for now. It's getting late and my mind is not focusing so well - probably due to our squawking bird... poor little guy had to have his wings clipped today after a not so nice flight into the closet door. It was then that we said we'd had enough and didn't want to risk injury. I think I'll go get him and sit with my hubby on the couch as we wind down before bed.