Say WHAT!!!!

If you say to your wife "Honey, I've been thinking. Instead of getting you a new car, let's get a camper" don't be surprised if she isn't nearly as enthusiastic about your well thought out plan as you thought she would be. *This may or may not be based on a real life conversation that happened this morning around 11:45 am in our driveway.

Governor, please declare natural disaster. It’s raining

My children are mainly outdoor children, even more so now that we have a swing set, sandbox, trees and a “secret” hiding place. They get up in the morning, watch a show or two on PBS while Mommy adjusts to the land of the living; they eat, and go outside. Often they take their meals out on the picnic table and as the sun starts going down, they shower and go to bed.

We all agree that this is a good way to spend the day. It is however, not without fault. Extreme outdoorsyness can lead to increased stamina, becoming accustomed to wide open spaces and an apparent volume control malfunction. It can also lead to acceptable restroom facility memory loss, but I’ll save that exciting story for another day. *Hint, it involves law enforcement officers, several of them.

Today was cold and rainy. My children stuck inside is reminiscent to a chipmunk trapped in a living room. The sheer amount of energy enclosed in such a small space has damage and chaos written all over it. Add to the mix Mr. Fixit trying to sleep in preparation for his weekly trip to Boston, and this mommy is feeling some anxiety.

Mr. Fixit offered to let me go grocery shopping alone when he gets back, but honestly, I’m thinking a trip to Hobby Lobby has been earned.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you! Mommy's mowing."

Today Mr. Fixit granted me the sacred privileged of mowing the lawn. His lawn. It isn't really that he has never allowed it before; I just never had an interest. We had a deal, I did the inside stuff and gardens and he did the outside stuff and building projects. There was an incident in my youth that vividly sticks out in my mind as the last time I mowed. I was 12 years old mowing the lawn on my dad's rider and somehow, with my stellar tween driving skills; I lost control and backed into a pine tree. This hurt my pride more than anything, but I've never mowed again. Traumas like this, whilst trying to gain independence and act grown up, are not easy to overcome.

Today was the day. I wisely thought that I would mow while Mr. Fixit could make better use of his time doing things that I couldn't, such as lift heavy objects and do things with motor oil. You know, manly stuff. As I was mowing it occurred to me how AMAZING it is. It's exercise. I'm walking around breaking a little sweat and getting stuff done. Awesome! Then the most wonderful thing happened, Blue came up and tried to ask me a question and I yelled I couldn't hear him, so he ran off to play. Shortly after, Pink did the same thing. I then realized that this.... this simple act of exercising and beautifying our outdoor living space was a glorious vacation from whining, fighting, bickering and incessant talking. The kids could see that I was obviously busy and could not be talked to, unlike using the potty, talking on the phone and nursing Green to sleep. I could see them, but not hear them and really what more can a mom ask for? Needless to say, we are going to have a very well manicured lawn this summer.

Look at us now!

Two years later, my, things have changed. We added a baby. A sweet red-headed little boy who we will call Green. Blue, our eldest son is 6 and Pink, our little girl, is 3. We recently moved two states away to the border of New England. We live in a rural (seriously, I mean RURAL) agricultural valley 30 minutes over two mountains from town. Our house is much larger, our budget is much larger, our dreams have evolved.

I understand that "Journey to My Yurt" is more of a story of our journey rather than reaching the end goal. Today, as Mr Fixit and I were talking on the phone about all the projects we have going on at the new house he said "Your idea of a yurt is starting to sound better and better" GASP* So then I rambled on and on about the savings, yurt options, locations, composting toilets, alternative energy until his eyes glazed over and he mumbled he needed to finish shopping.