• Mammoth Cave National Park

    June 24, 2020

    It is a unique experience to go somewhere during a pandemic. I have been very concerned about my child getting sick and ending up hospitalized– because we were there a year ago. You can’t get much more distant than tent camping and visiting a massive national park, so we went, and I am so glad that we did.

    Let me just start by sharing the precautions that they are currently taking. The information desk is outside. The rangers are under a small canopy to answer questions, hand out maps, and give junior ranger workbooks and badges. Should you need to go inside, traffic is one way. Everything is incredibly clean. They even moved a gift shop outdoors. There is plenty of open air. They only have one cave tour open, and they altered the route because the usual route didn’t have enough air flow to be safe during this time. So, rest assured.

    Scott and I have been talking for some time about wanting to visit all of the National Parks. We want to visit as many as we can while the kids are still with us, and after they are grown I hope we continue to explore. It’s something we have always loved. He suggested that we go camp and visit the closest park to us, which is Mammoth Cave National Park. We left on Saturday and came home on Monday.

    The entire park was so beautiful. Yes, there are MILES of beautiful cave to explore. But, they have also preserved thousands of acres of forest. There are places to camp and trails to hike. It rained on us the whole weekend. In the forest, there are so many trees that you don’t get as wet as you would expect.

    tank top

    We signed up to to the Extended Cave Tour. Like I said, everything was different for us. It is usually a guided tour. For safety reasons, that was not the case this time. They did have rangers all throughout the cave off of the path that would explain things to you and answer questions. They also limited it to groups of fifty for each tour. We didn’t get to see everything that I was looking forward to, but that is just incentive to go back!

    The entrance and exit were so beautiful. You could immediately feel the cool cave air as soon as you hit the top of the steps. The cave is consistently in the 50s, which was such a nice relief from the heat and humidity. Pack a jacket! Your eyes adjust to the darkness and you can see every detail of the cave. I had to laugh when I looked through my pictures. So many of them were just black photos, and I wasn’t sure what I could see at the moment. I do know that I said “wow” a lot. I’m so glad that we did it!

    rucksack— on sale!

    There were so many trails to hike. Since we were only there for one full day, we didn’t get to do very much at all. There are lots of hills. I think my fitbit said I ended up doing 36 floors that day between the cave and the short trail. I had over 16,000 steps. The kids did great!

    Most of the parks do a Junior Ranger program. Once we set up camp on Saturday, we went to the park and picked up the workbooks for the kids to do. For this program, the kids had to earn “bat points” based upon their age. Each page was worth a certain amount of bat points. Once they had earned enough, they could go back and get their junior ranger badges. We all learned so much from these books!

    Patagonia jacket (similar)

    I am so passionate about our National Parks. I was fortunate enough to visit several of them when I was younger. Their efforts to conserve nature and history are so good. They offer so many resources for educators. They are passionate about getting kids outdoors. There is so much to learn! We were looking at where to go next while traveling home. This book has been so good for planning. (I didn’t get my passport stamp and am so sad.)

    I’ll share about where we camped tomorrow!

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  • Sun Trail at Friends Creek County Park

    June 15, 2020

    We spent another weekend camping in our tent. If you remember, a sudden severe storm took out our 12 year old tent, so we broke in our brand new tent. It felt like a mansion!

    I discovered this app called All Trails, and we went for one of the most scenic hikes within a certain distance of us. We wanted to stay in Central Illinois because we have something extra fun planned for this weekend! This trail was Sun Trail that is located at Friends Creek County Park. There are a few trails to choose from there. This one was the longest at 1.9 miles.

    There is a small parking lot to park and start your hike. We only encountered one person on the trail, which was really nice. We stopped many times along the way to look at butterflies and snails. It took us a little over an hour to complete this trail. We always look for loop trails when we are hiking with our kids.

    The trail was so beautiful. We had perfect weather for the hike– so much so that it was actually a little chilly in the shade.

    The kids all declared that this was their favorite trail we’ve done so far.

    If we remembered correctly, this bridge is from 1905. The girls love to play Pooh Sticks whenever we cross a bridge over water. Is anyone else a Pooh Bear fan?

    If you are hiking with kids, always bring a snack. There will be a point when they get hungry. They are kids after all. Our go-to snack is always Clif Kid Zbars. They are a special hiking-only treat that the kids always look forward to.

    This trail is very family friendly. You do gain quite a bit of elevation, but nothing that’s too difficult. The trail is wide and well maintained. There weren’t any picnic tables or bathrooms near the trails– you have to cross the street and enter the campground for those. There are also several small towns with parks that you can picnic at that are nearby. If you are in the area, definitely stop and visit!

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  • Growth

    June 5, 2020

    The garden has been planted. The chicken coop is clean and repaired. We just have to put some more wire around the outer edge to prevent predators from digging their way in.

    This time is nice. Most of the hardest work is done. Now, we continue to pull weeds, faithfully water, and watch as our seeds sprout and slowly grow. We discovered that seeds from a pumpkin we tossed had sprouted. That may be the most exciting thing for us! We tossed a white pumpkin with the others, so we are curious to see which color grows.

    This has all been a lot of work. But, work that we love. With the tiny baby chicks, you have to clean their bums or they get an intestinal blockage and can die. The stock tank needs cleaned often. Their water is constantly full of wood shavings. In the garden, you can’t just throw seeds in some soil and expect positive results. There is a lot of planning that goes into a garden.

    I got to pick the first tomato from my spaghetti and salsa garden yesterday! Thanks, Mom! I love seeing the fruits of our labor. Our garden is growing. Our chickens are growing and healthy. Our children are growing and healthy.. aside from one of them getting an ear infection from floating in the pool, but even that is on the mend.

    It can be scary when you see a dream start to come to life. What if the reality isn’t what you thought it would be? What if we end up being terrible at homesteading? We are still in the early phases, so those questions still feel unanswered for the most part. So far, the reality has been even better than the dream and we are so thankful.

    I hope that next year I have much more information to share– more than just my thoughts. Scott and I are still learning and growing through it all. We are reading books and blogs; watching youtube videos and listening to podcasts. I’m so thankful to live in a time when so much valuable information is available at the tip of my fingers.

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  • Book Outlet

    June 1, 2020

    Janssen from Everyday Reading introduced me to book outlet. This could be a dangerous discovery for me. So, in true Ashley form, I’m going to share this dangerous discovery with you!

    All of the books are new and extremely discounted. There are so many great deals to find– even on kids activity books. I bought several sticker by number, scratch and sparkle, and coloring books to have as entertainment this summer. These also keep the kids quiet and happy in the waiting room of doctor, dentist, etc. offices.

    I really like checking the new release section each day just to see what is new. It’s like browsing the library shelves. I enjoy online “window shopping”. I found some books to tuck away for the upcoming birthdays in our family.

    I will say that shipping does take a while. It took over a week for my order to arrive. If you are buying books for gifts, then you definitely want to plan in advance.

    If you shop using this link, you can get $10 off your order of $25 or more. Shipping is $5 flat rate and free if your order is over $35.

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  • Friday Favorites

    May 29, 2020

    The flowers are blooming all over the farm. It’s so beautiful and smells delightful. Flowers are always my favorite.

    My hydro flask bottle (or tumbler) goes with me everywhere. I’m trying so hard to drink more water, and this makes it so much easier for me. Does anyone else find that they drink more from a cute cup/bottle? **It is pricey, but has a lifetime warranty, so it’s worth the investment in my opinion.

    Look at this tent! I’m so disappointed that our tent had a pole snap. I’ve searched for weeks, and can’t find a pole that size. The tent is so old that Coleman also doesn’t have any replacements for it. So, we are tent shopping. I really don’t want to shy away from the Coleman brand since I know the quality. Does anyone have an Ozark Trail tent?

    I made this corn dip, and it is so delicious. I subbed plain greek yogurt for the sour cream. I also didn’t have any jalapeños or green onion. It would taste even better with them! It makes a TON– perfect for a summer cookout.

    This mayonnaise cake recipe is so good. Have you ever had it? I’ve made it twice during our time at home.

    I hope that you have a lovely weekend and enjoy some sunshine!

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  • A Quiet Peace

    May 19, 2020

    I love this view. These sunsets are so beautiful.

    I’ve been quiet. I don’t really know what to say. My mind is swirling with so many thoughts, and it has left me so tired. This pandemic has brought out the worst in people on all sides. My mind camps out where I’m thinking about my five year old daughter that often needs help (breathing treatments, etc.) if she gets any sort of respiratory illness. The thought of having to drop her off at the hospital and not be with her if she gets sick is TERRIFYING and makes me sick to my stomach.

    It was just a year ago that she was hospitalized because of some mystery illness. I will never forget the way she sounded while trying to breathe. I’ll never forget having to sleep in the hospital bed with her because she was so scared… the thought of not being there is just too much. I just want to keep my family safe until I know I could be by their side if they end up in the hospital…Scott and I both do. I’m disgusted by the way people on all sides are behaving. No matter what you think, people are getting sick and dying from this– even if it’s not as many as are being claimed. I’m just thankful this world is temporary. This isn’t my home. The worship of our country over our Savior.. I will never understand it.

    This is why I stay quiet.. moving on…

    We have 22 lessons of school left. We are so close! I’m ready for the end of this school year. We started while I was still trying to unpack and get us settled into this home. I feel like I’ve been running trying to catch myself since September. The girls have all grown and learned so much this year. I love getting a front row seat to their lives.

    Scott has been taking all of the overtime offered to him since the future is so uncertain. I started working on the new placement of our raised beds while he was at work. The old placement was in a low spot that we didn’t realize until a heavy rain came and flooded the whole thing. He joined me when he got home, and I’m so thankful. He is much faster than I am. We were able to fill in where the old beds were– just in time because everything flooded the next day. We also filled in a huge hole that was in the chicken coop area. We may need some more dirt as it all settles into place.

    The chicks are growing. Thankfully, we haven’t lost any yet. They won’t be big enough to sleep in the coop for several more weeks. They still need more warmth than what the outdoors has to offer. They are feathered babies– eat, sleep, poo. They are trying to fly now, so that’s getting interesting.

    On Sunday, we had a sudden tornado warning. The girls and I took shelter, but thankfully it didn’t last long. I had rearranged the big girls’ bedroom and just called them upstairs when the warning was issued. I had to rush them back down the stairs. It was probably quite comical. We had so much rain fall that our whole yard and the field were flooded. The girls loved it. They were swimming in the ditch and splashing everywhere. They were covered head-to-to in mud. Harper started yelling that she could see a rainbow. Sure enough, there was a full rainbow in the sky with a second rainbow forming. I’m so thankful for the visual reminder of God’s promises to us. Those promises are my peace.

    …“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
    The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
    but the word of the Lord remains forever.”    …
    1 Peter 1:24-25

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  • Bedroom Inspiration

    May 12, 2020

    bed // rug // end table // wide dresser // tall dresser // lamp // throw // mirror

    Our bedroom has become my next obsession focus. Our furniture is a hodge podge of thins that family has given to us and things purchased at garage sales. Nothing matches. It’s not cozy. I know that’s a lot of white in the picture, but I love white.

    We bought a four post bed and matching dresser at a garage sale. They are beautiful, but don’t match. The bed frame actually takes up SO much space in our small bedroom, and I’ve been asking Scott if we can just put our mattress on the floor. If I carry anything in between the bed and dresser, I run into something and end up bruised. I’ve been eyeing this bed frame for so long. But that price is the obvious reason that we have never bought it. But, that upholstery.. the way it wraps around like a hug.. the color.. it’s so beautiful!

    Our dressers are both similar to the ones in the above picture, but they are different stains completely. I’ve been toying with the idea of painting them both so they match. I love distressed white furniture. **distressed because it will get banged up anyway** The bedroom is small, and white furniture would help it feel lighter and more roomy. Our wide dresser is the kind with the hutch on top, so it really takes up a lot of space visually. I love it, but it does feel overwhelmingly large in the room.

    The rug is one that we bought for our living room. It won’t lay flat on the carpet and kept tripping everyone. So, we moved it into the bedroom and I’ve really loved having it to put my feet on in the morning.

    I’m realizing how nice it would be to have a bedroom that felt like a haven… a place to rest WITHOUT kids climbing all over me and asking me for 96,000 snacks. A place where Scott and I could rest.

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  • Quick Kitchen Update

    May 8, 2020

    Our kitchen is where we spend most of our time. I love cooking. My family loves eating. We were asked to not paint the cabinets in here when we moved in, which is fine with me. White kitchens look beautiful, but I would not want to have to scrub them every day. I love the look of natural wood, and the cabinet color is pretty. The hardware is very dated though. I started looking at options, and found these. I love the style. They also could be spray painted so easily if you wanted a different color.

    Eventually, I really want to update the drawer pulls to these. I’m also going to get some of these grout pens to use on our backsplash to freshen it up. Just small and affordable updates to make the kitchen look so nice. Maybe no one else will notice the difference, but it does make me happy. The girls love when we do any project like this. They are big Fixer Upper fans, so there is always talk of us fixing up our fixer upper.

    Spending all of this time at home really makes you discover projects that you want to do and changes you want to make. What is a project you are doing around your house?

    cabinet handles // produce bags // instant pot // mixer // storage jars // dutch oven // diffuser //

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  • Peep This

    May 7, 2020

    I’m officially a chicken tender. A crazy chicken lady. Obsessed with these fluffy babies and their cheeps.

    Scott and I finally decided to take the plunge. There is only so much research that can be done. We landed on a few breeds that we really wanted, and got what was available. Right now, we have Lavender Orpington chicks, and Red and Blue Wyandotte chicks. We still want to add some Barred Rock chicks to our flock, but they sell so quickly.

    The girls are over-the-moon excited, and we are going to need more soap from all of the hand washing that is happening.

    They are so cute, and so fluffy. Hopefully down the road we will have lots of eggs.

    Here’s what we made sure to have to set up our brooder:
    2X2X4 stock tank
    Pine shavings
    chick feeder
    chick waterer
    chick feed
    heat lamp

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  • Front Yard Camping

    May 4, 2020

    This weekend was so beautiful. We had been planning to camp in the yard if the weather was good. We had a ton of fallen branches to burn, so we got to roast marshmallows and eat s’mores. It started sprinkling, so we got in our PJs and went in the tent. We played a late game of UNO before going to sleep some time around 10. Harper giggled herself to sleep, which was the cutest thing ever. The rain was so relaxing to listen to. I put twinkle lights in the top of the tent for some extra light. It was magical.

    It got down in the 50s that night, so we had a ton of blankets and our warmest pajamas on. Everyone slept so well, and we were all up by 6:30 the next morning. Waking up to the sound of birds chirping is the best way to wake up. We made scrambled eggs for breakfast– not over a fire because we don’t have that setup. We still used our cast iron just to pretend we were doing it the authentic camping way.

    The girls played outside while Scott and I packed a lunch. We headed out for a hike. I’m so proud of these kids. We frequently go on long hikes during the spring, summer, and fall. This one was a two mile hike, and it was fairly warm. No one complained or whined.

    Once we finished our hike, we came home and set up lawn games and played while Scott grilled hot dogs. The girls especially love playing corn hole and bocce ball. We don’t use them nearly enough. That is going to change.

    Eating all of our meals outdoors, and sitting in a tent reading while the breeze blew through made for such a fun day. It was great practice for the day we get to be at a camp ground. Everyone slept really well the next night. We would have camped a second night, but the forecast called for more rain. More rain ended up being a sudden severe thunderstorm, but that is a whole different story.

    If you have a tent and a yard, I highly recommend setting it up and enjoying a night (or a few) of sleep outdoors. The fresh air is so good for us all.

    Camping supplies:
    tent (similar– ours is 12 years old)
    air mattress
    twinkle lights

    Hiking supplies:
    mist spraying fans
    bug spray
    water bottle

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