Windy Ridge Chronicles

New at Windy Ridge

Our patch of the world is buzzing (or roaring is more accurate) with activity.  We are wrapping up the siding and sheet rock is going up tomorrow!  I say "we" like I am somehow involved in the siding process, not really.  I have been buried in various swatches, drawings, boxes, and the like, trying to get the new "Cobblestone Collection" complete.

My dad and my brother Chad have been brilliantly designing and crafting the gourmet kitchen and I love to wander out each day (or hour...I fear I am becoming one of those pesky homeowners:) to see what they came up with.

A peek at the reclaimed metal roofing over my cabinets.

Windy Ridge's newest residents peaking from the drawer in our bathroom vanity

Insanity & perspective

Even though I vowed I would enjoy my summer in an organized, planned out sort of way I find myself dazed & confused (deja vu! I swear I've said that before?).  I liken this last week to falling out of a really tall tree, desperately grasping at branches on my way down.  A sure sign I need to relax.

Then this evening I heard that a little boy from our church was diagnosed with cancer and all my fretting seemed silly.  Remember to savor every moment with your babies.

Violet (a girl that never has a problem with perspective) admiring a giant dandelion Landon found in the field amongst all the little dandelions.

Campfire

It took me about 3 seconds of lying on plywood to realize I am not a kid anymore. 

I went camping with the girls and a few of the little boys.  When we got settled into sleeping bags Jace said, "this is the best day ever!" and I knew I had to stay.   I greatly suffered,  trying to tough it out, longing for the slightest hint of daylight so I would have an excuse to go home to my soft bed (and still say that I went camping overnight with the kids). 

It was dark by the time we got a chance to try out the campfire peach cobbler recipe, but we managed to blindly concoct the yummy dessert along with steaming mugs of hot cocoa. 

I had planned to force everyone to sing campfire songs, but when coyotes started howling, everyone was GONE.  "Too tired", they claimed, peeking out the cabin door.  Simon, the protector, was the biggest chicken of all.

Campfire Peach Cobbler

• fresh peaches
• box of yellow cake mix
• fresh cream or whipped cream
• butter

Make cake mix as directed on box. Melt butter in skillet over fire.   Fry peaches until soft & set aside.  Fry cake batter mixture (kind of like a pancake).  Layer with peaches & cream/whipped cream.  Pick out bugs, twigs or any other foreign objects that happen to land in your cobbler.

Heirloom Doll Armoire

Pint size armoire for her doll clothes.  The Heirloom Doll Armoire is a perfect piece for the luxury play house.

Harvest Days

It started out fine.  We were patting ourselves on the back for finding a parking spot right next to the action. After unloading strollers, bags & a whole herd of children we soon realize that the rides have been moved.  The action here is one solitary popcorn stand. 

We are given directions to the new location by a friendly vendor and I say, ever so optimistically, "That is just right around the corner, let's walk!”  Several hundred dusty miles (wee exaggeration) later we arrive. 

The strap on my left shoe disintegrated at the beginning of the journey so I walked around the carnival, barefoot, for 4 hours. Yuck.  Though somewhat liberating.

Wyatt gets into the rides.  He thinks he is winning (I think so too).  He yells "I am NEVER giving up!"

 

The trio, we refer to as "the big boys",  on a mission to waste their hard earned money.  I didn't even notice that Spencer was wearing two different colors of socks until he pointed it out in the photo.

Violet wants free!

"Hit the pallet with the mallet; win a treatie for your sweetie!"

Eventually, though dusty and near death,  we came straggling back to the van.  I am happy to report we have fully recovered with our sanity intact. Until next time.

Violet is wearing the Horse Range Tee & Cream Bella Pants.  Diaper by Huggies:-)

Fresh Salmon

Another successful fishing trip on Levi's boat.

Our "Norman Rockwell" boy.

Summer time

Summer is already half way gone.  I miss it and it isn't even over yet. I am getting ahead of myself again.

Amara

Today would be Amara's birthday so I was compelled to dedicate a post to her and her mama in hopes that it would be a comfort & inspiration to other mothers.  Benny & Darlene's firstborn daughter, Amara Diane, was stillborn 6 years ago. Darlene found out during an ultrasound and I remember thinking how much worse it was going to be once she met her baby girl face to face, my heart ached.  I can't even imagine how much she suffered, but she came through on the other side her usual joyful self.  Darlene, YOU are an inspiration & nothing short of my hero!

PS- Thinking of you too Benny, I think we sometimes forget how hard it is for the daddy!  I am glad Darlene has you!

{Darlene & Kyran}

This is an excerpt I stole from Darlene's blog (and also the comfort & inspiration part of this post that I mentioned above):

Not sure what to write tonight,  I've been feeling a little emotionally raw.  Amara's birthday is coming up on the 16th of this month.  I stopped by her grave on the way home from Ashley's shower tonight. I noticed someone took her flowers or they got ruined. Who knows? 

It's amazing how much I still hurt.  Every year I think it'll somehow grow faint or fade a little,  but the pain feels just as raw as the day I had her.  You know, I still can feel her soft cheeks and smell her.  She smelled like lavender (no wonder I don't like that smell anymore) it reminds me of the hospital.  I remember how she felt in my arms while I rocked her...hoping that God would perform a miracle and she'd wake up.  And the agony I felt having to let her go into the freezer over night.  Even though I knew in my head she was gone my heart still ached to see her get so cold. I remember her dark curly hair..it was all matted down from birth (a lil stiff like she had gel in it). I remember just willing her to open her eyes while I dressed her in the pink gown the hospital gave me.  But they never opened.

The day of her funeral was so hot...the drive up the gravel road to the cemetery felt like 3 years. I remember wanting to curl up in a ball, but I fed off my anger instead, for the strength to carry her casket to the gravesite.  We sang.  I just remember refusing to cry in front of all those people.  Then we lowered her into the grave. It was so final.  I had them write "In His time He makes all things beautiful" on her grave because I just knew that He'd make my life beautiful again, and someday I'd look back and see "good" from it.  But every year  I wonder ...                             

Still grieving but with Hope,

~Dar

 

The drive home

It is 10pm and the temperature is perfect, seriously perfect.  The day has been a blur of dusty children & fine beaded lace.  Mom & I have been working on a doll crib & linens for days now.  I joke that we will have to advertise a 25 step painting process and start charging 75k.  I messed it all up (mistaking the paint for glaze, etc.) but all has been corrected and the end result is lovely. 

Anyway, back to the dreamy weather.  Landon drove us home and stopped obediently every time I ordered "STOP!" so that I could try to capture the beautiful ride home. God is everywhere.  The dirt road lined with purple foxglove & fluttering moths is enchanting.  I jump out to get a better shot, the temperature is so perfect (I know I already mentioned this but it is worth repeating), I dramatically inhale the sweet, nature flavored air and try to save it for later (but it keeps coming back out my nose).  The last bit of snow on Mt. St. Helens is glowing in the moonlight. The crickets are chirping and the coyotes are howling in the distance, pure bliss.  I think to myself, "this is living". 

Then Landon lays on the horn.  I almost have a heart attack.  I kick the fender and shake my fist menacingly.  My darling children are rolling with laughter.

Kitchen island

My AMAZING kitchen island made the journey from Mystic Mountain to Windy Ridge today.  Here it is in all it's reclaimed & hand-forged glory.  I LOVE it!  Now it just needs the danish oil finish, copper sink, 2 dishwashers & counter top.  We are thinking zinc for the countertop but I would love ideas!

If you would like one for yourself,email us!