Diary No. 2
Hey there! It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a whole year since I’ve written a Hello Thoughts post. But, I’d like to think I’ve been keeping you updated all along, even if the posts haven’t been titled under the same category.
Last week the fam and I set out on a road trip upstate. We’ve been trying to get in a few small trips to prep for our big road trip to Colorado for the holidays. And, the girls are doing surprisingly well during our journeys. Which, I’ll admit, is weird because if it takes longer than 10 minutes to get somewhere on a normal day, Sadie starts asking the dreaded question…“areeee we there yet?”
Hitting the road was just what our family needed. We were just 2.5 hours away but, it was different from our usual day to day and everyone was excited to explore. The truth is, Justin and I are thinking of moving upstate within the next year or so. When you head off of Long Island your money stretches a little further.
Our goal is to find a home with more land so we can spread out and the girls can spend a lot of time outdoors. After that, we are prioritizing a slightly larger home so that the girls can have their own bedrooms, have a dedicated homeschool room, and maybe even a guest room for our friends and family to come visit.
CAN I TELL YOU A SECRET?
We found a pretty amazing farm house; on quite a few acres that we fell for the second we toured the property. And, I could tell by looking at Justin during our walkthrough that he had the same vision for the home that I do.
So yes, we started the preliminary stages of the home buying process…prequalifying (which we probably should have done before touring the farm house). And, we are also speaking to a local realtor to get some feedback on whether or not the property is worth the investment. Justin and I think it is but, at a more conservative price considering all of the systems updates (electrical, septic, etc), and renovations (repairing the wide plank hardwood floors, fixing the roof,etc.) that would need to happen within a very short period of time.
We are doing our best not to freak out as we make our way through the whole process…keep your fingers crossed for us that it all works out as we hope it will!
AROUND THE WEB
What I’m Reading: Since we’ve started homeschool again for the 21/22 school year, I’ve found a few resources I can’t wait to dive into. The first is the Handbook of Nature Study, by Anna Botsford Comstock. I’ve just started but, I love what I’ve read so far, and I cannot wait to incorporate the lessons within its pages into our nature walks.
What I’m Watching: I am on a huge YouTube kick. Two of the channels I love to watch right now are The Oglesby Ohana (a wonderful glimpse into homeschooling life), and Farmhouse on Boone (for all of the “from scratch” recipes).
My Favorite Essential Oil: With Fall right around the corner, I have been reaching for OnGuard, Clove, and Harvest Spice. Oh, how I’ve missed you harvest spice, and I can’t wait to try out Clove in my pumpkin bread recipe in the next few weeks.
Air fryer Recipes: Have you seen my latest Cook With Me video? I share three recipes that are perfect for your Ninja Foodi/Air fryer – Sausage + Peppers, Chicken Fajitas, and Spaghetti + Meatballs. You should definitely check it out!
