Growing Like Weeds.

If I'm not careful, Spring can bring with it a heaviness.  Weeds, concerts, travel, parties... The list of things to do grows as quickly as the dandelions in my grass.

I tell myself daily that God designed weeds.  He blessed us with life so that we can learn to work.  Our goal should not be to get to the point where we're finished.  Our goal should just to be pressing our "way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron." (1 Nephi 8:30)

When I take away the guilt that comes because I haven't already done something, and the pressure I have to get something done for some nebulous deadline that I'm missing, I am happy in my state of pressing forward.  

The secret of life is that life is a journey.  You never "finish" you just progress from thing to thing.  So, enjoy your thing.  

My kids are growing as quickly as my chickens!

This is my baby Wyandotte.

 This is my freedom ranger.  Those two chicks were born on the same day.  Broilers grow so fast!  They're beasts.

Here is one of our cute turkeys.

(Ignore my double chin-- it's just the camera angle.  Ha.)

We have the chicks in a stall in our barn.  The kids have been so creative setting things up for them.

They made their own baby gates out of plywood.  Freedom Rangers on left, turkeys on right.  The turkeys fly more so they're covered with netting.

We cut notches in 4x4s to hold up the plywood.  I love Drew's hammered on safety additions.

I've been playing with spray paint, refinishing a little table to put our bunny on.

Before.

During.

A giraffe family.

A giraffe eating.

My life is busy but dreamy.

I love that my kids are learning to work hard and play hard.

I sure love this messy-faced kid.

These girls swell my soul.

When my big kids get home, we all head out to the garden beds to weed and mulch.

I'm so impressed at what a good job they do.

It's coming!!  We literally have done 1/20th of our yard.  If you really knew what a busy time of the year this is for us, you would be equally impressed.

Honestly, they key to maintaining mental health when you have a lot going on is not letting yourself worry about your list.  Just prioritize and walk forward.  I'm amazed at how much I can accomplish when I'm not freaked out at how much I need to accomplish.

Of course, it helps that I have a large family.  My older kids are SO helpful.  

It has been a blessing that sweet Lily is home sick.  Her touch in my life is orderly and sweet.

She rainbow-tizes my ponytail holders and picnics with my little ones.

You might gasp to know how excited I was to surprise them with Fluff and peanut butter sandwiches.  Their delighted squeals compensated for the fact that they were eating mystery substances.  

Ha!  11 is fun.  Ellie is fun.

Sometimes life is hard, sometimes life is picturesque.  Sometimes you are laying on your back unable to do, and sometimes your list is long and your nails are full of dirt.

The ebbs and flow of life are beautiful.

There is a time to rest and a time to work.

These are my days to pull weeds.

And I can't tell you how grateful I am for every silly weed I pull.

Life is beautiful.

Even if your days are numbered.

Just ask Thanksgiving Tom!

He's enjoying today and doesn't care a wink if I have a double chin... :)