Redefining Normal: July 2010

As you can see, I've taken a little (permanent) break from the Whole Foods posts. At first it was a "I'm moving and living in two houses and have no time to make anything creative for my own family let alone find new recipes to try" kind of break. I did still read a few blogs- many of them are food related- and I really think there's enough floating around the internet on food without adding my two cents. See my blogroll for the best finds (maybe one day I'll update it).

But really, you didn't come here to see recipes today. You came because I have a pulse! I'm alive and so is the rest of my family (which is growing...see announcement below).

I'd better make this "below" because I could say a million very important things and you would just skip to the end to hear about the family. First off- we are expecting... Eggs in a few months!

WH and Coop check on the chickens early this morning

We now have four chickens and a rooster, thanks to a friend who had too many and was happy to get them off his farm and away from his tomato plants. We had a chicken date last night (there are so many firsts I'm glad I saved to share with my husband!) and left our children with my sister, who is staying with us for a month. First stop: Tractor Supply. How romantic. In my summer skirt and chacos I was debating with WH over the best chicken feed. Next stop: the little gelato bar. It is nice to sit with one's spouse and talk without being interrupted (with gelato, no less). Then it was on to the farm to pick up the chickens and the chicken tractor in the dark of night so as to make the transition as easy as possible for the girls. It was an unusual date night, to say the least.

Their new outside world

Taking a break from blogs (and the computer in general) was just what I needed to realign my priorities. It wasn't a conscious decision; there was just too much to do and no energy at the end of the day. Since we moved three weeks ago, we've taken a trip to Charlotte to visit family (and IKEA), and a trip to visit my sister and her new baby in NC. Fortunately, my family (7+ people) will be here for 5 days starting next week, so we have a deadline to get things in shape around here. There will be plenty to do after they leave (and while they are here...I'm not hanging anything until my Mom comes) but some of them will be staying here so that's motivating me to at least get another guest bed set up.

In NC, visiting cousin Elijah and baby Sophia

She's in love- and almost every day she nags me, saying, "You and me NEED a sister." Since we're the only girls in the family, she thinks a new baby will be a sister to both of us.

Here are a few pictures (mostly to satisfy my mother) of the house...