April was the month of productivity! So much happened I decided to break it down into parts for you.
The Kitchen Renovation:
The tile backsplash is in! It’s a lot of steps and stages that need time to set and what-not so it was a drawn out process, but it’s in, it’s done and I can put things on my counters again! I also completed a little project by installing a DIY drawer divider in the large main drawer. Now, we can actually find the forks again. It’s the little things, man. What’s left on the list? New sheet rock the walls extending from the cabinets (on all sides, and eventually the dining room), finish the wall above the sink, Then paint those walls, install recess lighting around the kitchen, put a new light fixture in the dining room, and finishing touches.
The Chickens:
We (by that I mean Chuck and my dad) built a whole new coop and run for the ladies. They also got a nice new privacy fence, feeders, waterers and even some cute accessories. They are living large these days. I’m so thankful that the weather was willing to cooperate with us, so we could get all of this work done just in time for them to reach maturity and be able to go outside. I can’t get over how much they have grown in just the 6 weeks that we have had them. I’m totally excited to have them outside with more space and freedom. I won’t lie though I’m also totally excited to not have to change their bedding all the time from their small crate living. Oh, man was that disgusting.
The Gardens:
While Chuck Toiled away on all the other house projects (he’s a real trooper), I got started in the gardens. There was compost and new soil to be moved, mulch to be pulled back and spread, seeds to be planted, and others to start (or restart in some cases). I got one whole bed planted (with onions, beets, carrots, radish, and spinach) as well as an early planting of peas (they will be moved out when the heat comes to be replaced with hot weather plants) and some potatoes. I also started some lettuce in pots. I will plant other rounds of all of these later in the year also, but I like to stagger the harvests so I actually have time to process everything and we don’t get overloaded with just one type of veggie at any one time.
The Brody:
Yeah, he gets his own section this month. He’s been such a good boy putting up with mom’s (my) sickness and lack of energy. He’s missed so many walks and hikes these last few months that I’m pretty sure he was starting to lose it. The change in the weather has been just what he needed. Like us he’s spent every single day outside, soaking up the sun, and wearing himself out. It’s good to have a tired puppy at the end of the day again.
The Podcast
Did I mention that I’m part of a podcast now? Chrystina and I have started The Gatherings Podcast. I was supposed to launch on April 1st, but we had some technical difficulties, and it didn’t go live for a couple weeks. It’s live now, and you can listen to episodes 1, 2 & 3 (launches today) over on GatheringsPodcast.blogspot.com.
The goal of this podcast is to create a space where we talk about bringing people together, the rules (or non-rules if you will), tips, tricks, and so much more. We want to emphasize that people are important and in our busy society it’s really important to connect with people face to face not just from behind screens.
The Social Calendar:
We didn’t get out a whole lot this month, as you can imagine. Early in the month, we hosted two awesome couples who were passing through on other trips. I love that people feel comfortable enough to come stay for even just the night. I still get to see them and they get a soft (and cheap) place to crash, and I don’t bother cleaning my construction debris. I’m considering putting a hostel sign on our guest room though since it happens a lot. We went out for dinner at a hip little bar in Schenectady after Chuck had a round of golf with the boys. We had some friends over for dinner in our half-finished kitchen, sometimes you just have to let the dust be and have people over. We needed more people time in our lives. Also this month I ventured to Philadelphia, PA to hang with Chrystina and attend The Blog Connect Conference.
You guys it was a full month, and while I’m exhausted. I also feel so incredibly happy. Being productive is good for the soul I tell you. We are making moves toward the family and lifestyle we truly want to have. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be on this crazy little roller coaster.
Side Note: I entered the third trimester this month also (more on that soon), so we are in the home stretch of this pregnancy thing. There is still a lot to be done, but I have faith in us.
Stats:
Spent on Groceries in January: $434.36 (still higher than I’m used to, but I’m putting my money where my mouth is and buying more organic, free-range, non-GMO, etc. stuff, sometimes this stuff is cheaper, sometimes it’s not. We also only ate out/ordered food once the entire month (minus my philly trip), and we call that progress)
Cost of Garden Supplies 2017: $69.57 (This month I purchased potato and onion starts. This number includes all of 2017)