The Cottage on the Hill

"Found a wren's nest built entirely of straw in the ivy growing up an ash-tree.  At the end of this month changed residence to Olton 5 miles further North." The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady  Edith Holden

After many talks between hubby and I, we decided to not sell our house and move into a travel trailer.  Instead, we plan on staying in our little cottage for at least another year and using this year to build equity in the house where we can and making it more appealing for buyers.  Let's face it.  The market for 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom houses under 1000 square feet is limited.  For now, I'm purging what I can to make the house appear more spacious.  Having a family of 6 in such a small house can appear to be a turn off to buyers as the clutter of daily living overwhelms.  There are other factors to consider, too.  My outdated kitchen, for one.  No dishwasher and an apartment-sized stove aren't very appealing to many modern buyers.  The original 1950's countertops and white enamel cabinets has limited appeal.  I've made lemonade out of my lemon of a kitchen by playing up the retro look and while it is cute for me, I would understand if a...

Several years ago, I tried an online virtual make-over where I could try out different celebrities' hairstyles.  I tried a curly cropped style (it was blond, though) and it actually looked pretty good on me!  Since then, I've wanted to try it and even recently considered purchasing a wig to see if I liked it, but I didn't want to spend the money.  I'm also wary about cutting my waist-length hair!  Well, if the Downton Abbey girls can pin up their long hair into finger-weaved bobs, I can curl and crop my long hair, too!  So, here it is! Hubby says its sassy and he likes it, though he's glad I didn't cut my hair. :)

Ribbon Memo Board Before Ribbon Memo Board After! Since I painted my kitchen that retro blue color, my old ribbon memo board no longer matched at all.  It was old, too, and looked dingy.  A trip to the fabric store and about 15-20 minutes of work and my ribbon memo board now matches my vintage-y kitchen perfectly!  

I was given a rare opportunity over the weekend.  Hubby was feeling under the weather, but needed to attend a meeting out of town.  I volunteered to drive him to and from the meeting and my parents volunteered to care for the older 3 children.  So, while hubby was at the meeting, I was able to put the baby in a stroller and leisurely browse the Barnes & Noble near by. My visits to Barnes & Noble are very few and far between, but one of my favorite things to do there is browse the bargin shelves. I bought: Thomas Paine's Common Sense  (for me and for homeschooling) Sun Tzu's Art of War  (for hubby) A book on Reflexology A Boynton book for the baby "Duck Dynasty" Season One on DVD (for hubby and I....c'mon, it was on sale!) 3 books on 1940's fashion they did not have. Several other books on my list were a little overpriced for my taste. However, I did see this coffee table book: It was way too pricey for my pocket book that day, but i...

It's just audio, no video. "Just Give Me a Reason" Pink I used to sing my heart out all the time.  I was a top soprano and soloist in high school and had my fair share of solos in college, too, but then I just stopped.  Every so often, I warm up the old chords and give it another shot.  My voice has changed a lot since I was at my peak at 16-17 years old, so it's neat to try different songs now.   I heard Pink's song "Just Give Me a Reason" today and I fell in love with it and decided to give the first verse and chorus a shot.  Pink totally owns this song.  No one can come near her, in my opinion, but it's a fun song and a beautiful song and I wanted to give it a shot of my own for the fun of it.

I am so fascinated by many different economical and environmental lifestyles that people have chosen to lead!  Finding blogs that speak of their lifestyle is like reading the best articles in the best natural home and garden magazine out there.  I love reading about people who: 1. Live in tiny houses 2. Live in small houses with large families 3. Live off the grid 4. Live as plastic-free as possible 5. Live as self-sustaining as possible 6. Live as waste-free as possible 7. Live on a tiny budget 8. Live debt free 9. Live in RVs 10. Live as naturally as possible 11. Farm not only organically but sustainably 12. Live a more old-fashioned/old-timey/vintage lifestyle My sidebar features some of these blogs.  Please go visit them with an open mind and a learner's heart.

A vintage tennis dress Or A vintage tennis skirt Also A Ballet Wrap Sweater A Trench Coat for Spring Ballet Wedge

Spring cleaning never works for me because I want to be outdoors doing yardwork in the warming sunshine after a winter behind four walls.  This year, I've decided to try my hand at Lenten cleaning and get the children involved as a lesson in giving up some of their playtime to contribute to the well-being of the household.  Besides, they make most of the messes, so why not clean them up?! This is going to be quite the challenge for me.  I hope I end up as proud and accomplished as the vintage lady above rather than like this:

Three things: 1. I don't always like to follow workout videos.  Sometimes, I just like to dance like a fool alone in my basement. 2.  Upbeat music is a need, but the workout station I typed into Pandora only seems to play music about the guy singer trying to get laid, usually in some brutal, disrespectful, using, objectifying way to women.  Hey, guys!  God called you to PROTECT women, not abuse them! 3. I'm a multi-tasker.  I'm almost always doing at least two things at once. Therefore, working out to worship music seemed like a great idea....but it can be hard to find worship music that has a beat upbeat enough to get a good sweat going. Here's what I've found: http://www.klove.com/blog/scottandkelli/post/2012/01/10/The-Scott-and-Kelli-Workout-Mix.aspx I also find Kari Jobe's " Steady My Heart " a great warm-up or cool down song in both exercise and worshipping! And my children's favorite:  " Days of Elijah ."

Hubby and I are considering downsizing.  That's right!  Downsizing!  Now, for those who know that we live in an 880 square foot cottage with our 4 children and dog, you are probably scratching your heads.  For those who have read this blog long enough, you know I've talked about our little cottage bursting at the seams.  So, why downsize?  Isn't that the opposite of what I've wanted? We are considering (still just considering at this point) having an adventure this year in a 5th wheel travel trailer before we find our bigger place to settle into and call home!!  Even though it is just a consideration and we go back and forth between "this is a great idea" and "this is insane," I'm purging anyway.  So, even if we decide that it's insane and we stay put in Taigh Beag a little longer, I'll at least have less stuff to deal with!

A week late, I know, but I only have one resolution this year: I resolve to live more deliberately. That means that I take more notice and more focus on all aspects of my life.  It covers grounds such as: Taking time to read the Bible and pray. Can something be reused, refashioned, repurposed or recycled before throwing it away? What can my children learn from this? Do I really need to buy this? I can either sit here and surf the net or get up and wash the dishes and go to bed more fulfilled. What can I learn from this? Is this just me reacting wrongly or are my red flags/offenses taken justified? Taking every thought captive. What needs accomplishing today?  Right now?  Later?  Or not at all? How can I make good use of the time and resources I have at hand? I spent much of 2012 in "survival mode" as I dealt with a difficult pregnancy and an emotionally and mentally difficult post partum.  I'm ready for a change up!

I was dreading winter.  The spring and summer were just so beautiful and easy (no wrestling small children into coats, mittens and hats) that I didn't want to give them up.  Autumn stayed warm late, too.  But now that the snow has fallen, we're past the Solstice and the sun shines bright through my south and west windows, I am enjoying winter.  Even in the sub-zero cold, I bundled up and blissfully listened to the unique creaking of the snow beneath my feet....the sound that snow only makes when it is bitterly cold out.

All it took was $2.00 and a few minutes, but I finally did it!  I finally got rid of all those junky, flimsy dry cleaning and store stock hangers in hubby and I's closet.  They were replaced with uniform, plastic ones from Target. It's amazing how such a little thing can bring a sense of organization to a home....or at least a closet.  The tangle of twisted, wirey metal, sagging shirt shoulders and lack of uniformity was annoying and really did add to a sense of disorganization and messiness. Now, those old hangers will be recycled and I move on to the next organization project!

Hubby bought me a DVD collection of Cary Grant films for Christmas.  The best part was the set contained one of my favorites, The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer , and it had other Cary Grant movies I've never seen.  One of them was Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House . I was busy attempting post-Christmas clean up around the house when hubby popped the movie in after a long morning of snow removal.  He started laughing soon after the movie started and asked me to come in and watch it with him.  Soon enough I was laughing right along with him. "Honey, it's like watching us," I exclaimed! The beginning of the movie shows Mr. and Mrs. Blandings in their cramped NYC apartment and how they go about their morning routine from sharing oddly organized drawer and closet space to a complete lack of privacy in the bathroom to shimmying around people and furniture just trying to move about.  We recognized the same thing with us and our little cottage and laughed rig...

In anticipation of the Christmas Haul that the kiddos are going to receive, I've started organizing early.  I purchased a bunch of plastic totes and labeled them to store the toys  I know they are going to get.  Hubby and I went easy this year and didn't get them very many gifts, but who knows what they may receive from relatives.  Last year, we could barely fit their haul from the inlaws in the back of hubby's truck! Thankfully, I unloaded a LOT of stuff this past year.

With the usual theme of the season coupled with the horrible tragedy in Newton, CT, I can't help but think about a haven of peace being so desperately needed for people.  The famous song, "Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Let it Begin with Me" by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson runs through my head.  Let it begin with me. Let it begin in the home. I am brain storming how I can make my home a haven the best I can.  What ways can I create a peaceful environment, a safe environment?  How can I give my children freedom from unneeded stress and fears? How have you created a haven for your family in your home?

For weeks I was planning to do a big ol' birthday celebration for myself.  The day came and I changed my mind.  Into my yoga pants I went after a long soak in the tub.  I then took advantage of a napping baby to tackle my basement.  Happily I went throwing away years of accumulated junk, reorganizing and sweeping.  It actually felt good to haul so much out of there! In the middle of my basement project, a friend and her sons stopped by to sing me "Happy Birthday" and present me with a gift.  What a blessed treat!  My oldest presented me with a lovely homemade necklace that I've been proudly wearing all day.  The baby loves it, too.  Something to play with while breast feeding! After a popcorn, fruit, cheese, and trail mix luncheon while watching "Beauty and the Beast," my toddler and baby went down for their naps and I returned to my basement clean out.  Did I mention how good it feels to get rid of so much accumulated junk!? Toni...

Christmas is in full swing at Taigh Beag.  The children indulge in those old holiday tv specials nearly daily.  Rudolph and The Heat Miser and Frosty tickle their fancy.  It is a nice diversion from many weeks of strange illnesses and mysteries. It started with my daughter having digestive upsets and quitting using the potty.  She is now on a strict dairy-free diet until just after Christmas to see if she improves.  If she does not improve, she may be tested for Celiac since it runs in the family.  I am so proud of her.  She's only had two small meltdowns about not being able to have dairy.  Otherwise, she takes the initiative to ask if it contains dairy and readily accepts the dietary changes. Then, the baby developed croup and pneumonia at the same time!  He remained happy-go-lucky, sleeping well, eating well, never a fever.  He had a little cold with a chesty cough, but nothing alarming at all.  I've been through colds with...