Posts by Rebecca Simmons

posted on January 13, 2015 by Rebecca Simmons

Checking for eggs!

I didn’t expect our chickens to lay eggs until Spring. They are five months old now. Days are shorter and last week we had a frigate snap where it didn’t get above freezing for several days. So I have not bothered to look for eggs this winter.

I went out to check on the chickens because it was so cold. I found four out the five yard birds. Out of curiosity I opened the egg box to see if there was a chicken in there, trying to stay warm.

Much to my surprise – I found two eggs!!! The chicken who laid one was inside the coop resting. One egg was frozen solid with a cracked shell from the expanded frozen innards. The other one was perfect.

I carried the two eggs inside excited to tell the girls. My middle girl took the non-frozen egg from my hand and jumped around the kitchen so excited to have an egg from the backyard, that she accidently dropped it on the floor and it went splat. Opps. We laughed. Because what else was there to do?

My oldest girl was certain Dad, or the neighbor, was playing a practical joke on us. Our neighbor has backyard chickens two months older than ours and they just started laying. I figured we were two months behind them. I was wrong.

So now we know to look for eggs! And we have been every day, sometimes several times a day!

Since then we have gotten three more eggs, from two of our chickens. The Orange Buffington and the Ameraicana are both laying. It amazes me they they use the egg box, instinctually. Our perfect egg box designed specifically for kids to easily check for eggs.

The chicken duty chore just got a whole lot more fun!

posted on January 11, 2015 by Rebecca Simmons

Christmas is done. Welcome 2015

Hello! As you’re probably noticing, the site is getting a facelift for the new year. I’m still trying to figure out exactly how I want it to look and function. So bare with me a bit longer. I work on it when I can because I love it. But I don’t love it when it takes over too much of my time. So I find the balance. And when it’s done, it’s done. I’ve accepted that’s the way this blog is going to roll. It’s my space where I share inspiring things with you, without the distractions of things that shouldn’t be here. That’s a nice way to live life, right?

We are settling into our new year here. And honestly I am thankful to have the holidays checked off my list and the decorations pack up. This year it all just seemed like a lot to me. The holidays are a lot of work, a lot of stuff that adds to our daily clutter and a lot of efforts to hone distractions from the simple days I appreciate most with my family. I think that’s just the way the way it goes for moms in this season of life.

To counterbalance the uncontrollable busyness of the season, I didn’t plan any big holiday todo items or events.

We didn’t all crawl into the car in our PJs and drive around looking at Christmas lights like I thought we would. We didn’t know if the girls were going to be in the church Christmas Pageant until we got there. Piano recitals were postponed until February because their teacher (a mother of three) must have been feeling overwhelmed as well. Decorating gingerbread houses went to the side of history, because even if I limit sugar during the season there is WAY more of it creeping in from every direction than we need. Everything we did was smalltime local – from the children’s theatre production we attended, the holiday orchestra and craft markets. It was all spur of the moment.

Most handmade gifting was outsourced to other local crafters and purchased at craft markets. Several gifts came from my favorite antique/thrift stores. All other shopping was done online. We wrapped all presents with store bought paper! The girls’ matching Christmas nightgowns I made last year were worn again. We ate frozen pizzas for dinner on Christmas Eve and ate Christmas dinner prepared from Fresh Market. I took a three hour nap on Christmas Day. And you know what? Our house was still filled with joy, merry, song, dance, holiday movie snuggles, hot chocolate by the fire and lots of love. It was a wonderful Christmas season. I felt peace in my heart. And it was pretty uneventful, for blog world.

In mom world, moments like these make it all worth it.

Along with finding a manger scene made from American Girl dolls, complete with angel, wise men with gold and sliver….

When New Year’s came, the decorations were packed up and I was ready to move on. We invited best friends over to spend the night and for the first time my girls stayed up until midnight to ring in the new year with sparkling apple juice, noise makers and store bought party hats. The same friends hosted us at their house to celebrate Christmas Eve brunch. While it’s hard not having family in town, it’s lovely having special friends to share the good times with at home.

I’m looking forward to 2015. Both 2013, and 2014 were the most challenging years for me yet. I feel a deep, inner peace going into 2015. I can’t really explain it. It’s just a good thing.

I don’t have New Year’s Resolutions this year. Instead I’m going to focus on living in the moment, creating daily peace in our home, being present, thoughtful and authentic. It’s really an ongoing goal for a of a way of life. It’s not always easily achieved and something that takes mindful practice everyday.

posted on December 16, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

An easy 8 birthday party

My middle girl turned eight earlier this month. Last year we had a holiday party of crafts and wonderland including gingerbread house making with 15 girls. This year I felt like eight was meant to be easier, more intimate and something special with just a few friends.

Plus this way we got to drag it out the celebrations a few extra days. Which is what this mom needed during this busy month, to slow it down and savor it just a little longer.

Eight is a birthday that feels stuck in the middle (as she is). But young enough for me to still feel like it’s my birth-day too. Opposed to when my oldest turned 10 in October and she owned that – practically planning her own party. It felt big, as it should be. Eight still feels angelic and sweet. As it should be.

When I asked my middle girl if eight felt older she said not really.

“I feel older than I did when I was seven, because that’s close to six, which is still kind of small. But I don’t feel as big as 10. Just eight,” said the awesome middle kid.

On the eve of her birthday she had a neighbor pal spend the night and we went to a local children’s production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Followed by dinner at her favorite restaurant and lots of toenail polish painting at home.

The next morning we celebrated her birthday with a big breakfast and cake before lunch. Presents were opened by the Christmas tree, because she is a Christmastime baby. And she loves that.

To extend the celebrations, after school a few days later I took her and three of her friends ice-skating downtown. They tore into presents in the car. We ate leftover cake outside where it was too windy to light a candle. No one sang happy birthday (that day) and she thought it was the best party ever.

Here are the snapshots from the easy Eight year for the middle girl.

posted on December 3, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

Perfect holiday photos and snail mail cards

We’ve been taking annual professional photos so long that my children have almost gotten used it. Through that experience, I’ve adapted a “let it go” philosophy and learned the secrets to getting great photos. That does not mean they are always perfect and everyone is thrilled about taking them. A part of me accepts I might not get the perfect photo I dreamed up in my head but I know I’ll get something cute out of the deal. Because they are my kids right?

We use our photos every year to send out traditional snail mail Christmas cards. My husband and I sit by the fire after bedtime watching It’s a Wonderful Life while addressing Christmas cards by hand.

Our family loves getting them and we enjoy connecting with old (and new) friends. We have folks on our address list that we haven’t talked to in years. But we still exchange cards. When going over our lists each year we always agree, we can’t break the string. They must feel the same. And I LOVE that.

During the holiday month, my girls get excited each day to visit the mailbox and open the cards we recieve in return. It’s tradition. And it’s lovely. Old school, touch and feel, hang and see cards really are the best. Yesterday we got our first card in the mail from my cousin in Michigan who the girls have only met once (at least that they can remember). Now it’s proudly displayed where they can look and talk about seeing those two sweet, rambuctious little boys again one day.

Having photos that perfectly depicts our family on the card is a must -be it snapshots from the beach or professional photos. We have a photographer who has been taking our pictures for six years. She runs specials where we book a 30 minute session and all the photos are included in the sitting fee cost. Places like Shutterfly are great for ordering cards, as well as other photo gifts for the holidays.

Two years ago I wrote a post on Tips for taking professional photos with kids, which is still one of my most popular blog posts. Below is a little update from doing our Christmas shoot this year.

Make it fun – This year we brought out extra cheer for our holiday photo shoot. We had banners, hats, a red Christmas tree, a Nutcracker, a red lantern, a vintage red camper and more. I had a tote of props for the girls to choose from and use in the photos. They were begging to decorate for Christmas, two weeks before Thanksgiving! So going into the basement to find Christmas decor made them happy. And I told them after the shoot they could continue by decorating their rooms. Two weeks before Thanksgiving – GASP.

About half way through we put the props up, took some non Christmas looking photos and then popped into the downtown coffee shop for the reward of hot chocolate (we even splurged for a cookie too).

Let kids pick out their own outfits – I try not fuss over what they wear. I strategically give them some options so our patterns and colors don’t clash and distract the backgrounds of where we are shooting. As they get older, letting them show their own style choices is a must.

This time my oldest girl had a new dress she received for her birthday that she wanted to wear, that dictated colors and outfit options for all of us. My middle girl put her foot down about not wearing a dress (literally stomping while standing in the store). She picked out an inexpensive pair of black jeans and a shirt that says “Sparkle is my favorite color.” It made her happy enough to look forward to taking photos. Which was a successful compromise for me.

They were all excited to have a new coat. It is the first time I have ever bought them dress coats opposed to multi purposing something we have. Which was a new fun treat for them.

They all approved of their outfits, the outing, the holiday props and getting to decorate their rooms as part of the gig.

The only hick up was my oldest girl was disappointed that it was sooooooooo cold, her coat covered her exciting new dress. And we had frustration over not getting an ear ring in right – which could happen any day. These are examples we just have to roll with on picture day.

Giving up control – I strategically placed seeds for the photos I wanted by selecting the props and let the girls run with it all after that. I had to let it go when my the head of the Nutcracker broke off right after I told my middle girl we could take the photo at the next stop, because she didn’t like the background of a plain white door. Then it broke. Darn, missed that photo I really wanted. I tried my best not to harp on the girls to act a certain way. It’s best to let their personalties shine through. And then I told them to follow the photographer’s lead, removing myself from the picture. I trust her. Plus, kids always listen better to someone other than their parents.

Thanks Lori Anderson, for these awesome photos.

posted on November 19, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

Teaching kids yoga at home

We have something new going on at our house this fall. It’s yoga Thursdays. My living room now doubles as a home yoga space and I have begun sharing my passion for yoga with my family.

What sparked it?

In September I started a 200 hour yoga teacher training certification program. Yes this is BIG.

I’ve done yoga since my early twenties, starting a few years before I became a mom. I’ve done yoga through pregnancies, in mini timespans between nursing babies and all though life between and thereafter. It’s always been something constant I come back to, where I find peace, calm and ground myself during this wild ride of motherhood and juggling family life. When I’m topsy-turvy, getting on my mat has always helped me make sence of what is gong on around me.

It only seems fitting that I finally share this part of me with my family and my children. That’s why we now have a mini yoga studio in our living room.

I’ve started researching affects of yoga for children, practicing with them (even using my techniques when they don’t even know it) and finding myself wanting to share more of it with them.

And since I feel that way, I thought I’d share some of the resources with you too.

All my girls’ teachers at school offer some kind of yoga to students at school. Which is awesome and my youngest feeds off the excitement of this “lesson” being available in her class.

I found the Yoga Journal article How yoga in schools helps kids de-stress – very true! We can do the same things at home. Siblings squabble. But a calm, peaceful envirioment at home makes for less squabbling – and a happier mom. Sometimes yoga does this for us at home. And the living room is always open for them to roll out a mat and shake out some sillies.

Taking it to the next age level, I’m finding my 1o-year-old really needs space and encouragement to calm the busyness of this age and the changes that I know are coming. SO I’m thinking ahead to teaching tweens and teenagers and also found the Yoga Journal article, Teaching Yoga to teens, to be inspiring. There are so many new emotions they are trying to figure out what to do with, and what to do with them when things don’t go perfectly. The practicing of yoga, in movement and philosophy, can help even out these feelings with acceptance and grace.

Two books I’m finding resourceful are Yoga for Children and Yoga Exercises for Teens. We also have a few books on mindfulness for children, by Thich Nhat Hanh.

We keep two decks of yoga cards available for the girls to browse and use in our yoga space. They are The Kids Yoga Deck, and The ABC’s of Yoga (the same ones used in the older and younger classroom at school, respectivly).

I’ve also started two new Pinterest boards for yoga. Yoga for Kids and Yoga for Dancers, because and during a recent parent observation class during ballet, it dinged in my head all the ways yoga could help my daughter with her dancing. I grew up wearing ballet shoes too, so this is fun for both of us! The other aspect I’m interested in for children is using yoga to improve concentration for children who easily get distracted –because I have one of those too.

During our first home yoga class I used a fall theme, spring boarding off an Autumn sequence I found here. I had new fall coloring sheets printed out for my youngest (which to my surprise they all loved doing after class) to occupy her while the older girls practiced some more advanced poses (and were more willing to listen to instructions). In the end my middle girl said Thursday was her new favorite day of the week. My little girl now begs to do headstands all the time, and my oldest requests “private lessons.”

It’s tricky mixing in the ages 5-10, at the same time. Thankfully this little one is good at entertaining herself, on her mat.

Unless she demands my undivided attention. Sometimes we all have to take turns deciding how we direct and recieve our attention. And there is much to be learned and benefited from that too. Like yesterday when my big girls occupied themselves with finger knitting after the little one requested a “private lesson.” It’s all a give and take, of time, and acceptance of what we have to give – on and off our mats. See? We are all learning more than we realize!

I was surprised how much the girls all enjoy the relaxation time at the end of our sessions. It just goes to show, sometimes kids need to be shown how to have some down time. Calm is very, very good. And putting the blanket over your entire head is ok too. We all have those days.

Yoga at home has been a success! As the weather cools outside, making these activities available inside has been perfect timing for us.

I often find them pulling out the mats and doing yoga for fun, by themselves. They love looking up photos of partner poses and figuring them out. Last week I was making dinner and heard, “Mom come look!” I found them in a triple downward facing dog pyramid.

Soon I joined in the fun. And we have a new family activity. Yoga used to just be for mom. Now it’s yoga for all!

posted on November 18, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

Snapshots of Fall

It snowed here yesterday morning, so it doesn’t feel like fall anymore. But there is a few quick things and memories I want to get down before they slip away.

This year we have after school activities down to a totally manageable pace. Piano lessons are on Saturdays two doors up from our house. Girls Scouts happens at school. Dance days are sometimes hectic, usually rushed and buns are never perfectly “just right.” But there is one girl in our house that loves it enough to make it all worth it. Plus a little sister who loves anything her oldest sister loves. After school activities are totally worth it when they are loved and appreciated.

Halloween came and went quick. I did very little for it this year. In early September my oldest girl found a flapper dress on sale at Marshals and begged for it when she didn’t even really know what it was. I told her I’d buy it but she if changed her mind before Halloween she was on her on for a costume. She stuck with it. The other two took it upon themselves to create costumes from the basement dress up vault. A Hippie was born and old birthday gift from a friend was unearthed. They all bought into the candy fairy again, because they know I’ll just throw it all away any way. And Halloween was over. And yes, our neighborhood kids rock! Missing are the three other 12 year-old Teletubbies.

The chickens are still awesome. Detective days are entertaining. Low key, nothing to do after school days are the best. With no technology, no screens and no apps! Sisters loving on each other will always melt my heart. No mater the season.

The director of the family hosted church in her bedroom when we missed on Sunday. It was very sweet.

Later in the day she asked me if she can major in dance. I said yes but you’ll have to get a double major in something else as well (thinking something practical). “Oh good, because I want to major in fashion design too,” she responded. Well then you’ll need an MBA to figure out what to do with all that after college. “Perfect, that’s just what I want to do.” She’s alway a girl with a plan.

Little Miss Independent loves to cook and the prep work is no longer considered cooking to her. She insists on helping with the real thing. And this girl does not take no for an answer. EVER! All we can do is teach her to go about her business safely, and with mindfulness. She’ll be the girl to do something totally awesome like go to Africa to sleep in tree houses and study Lions in college. And there will be no was we’ll be able to tell her no. She’s a girl who is going to do what she wants to do! The real picture of fall outside our back door.The is cat camping out on the heat vent because it’s now really cold! I never posted about the passing of our other cat, the beloved Feline Leukemia positive Fruit Punch. I will someday soon when we have a proper good bye party for the jolly young fella. We miss him dearly. But I must say Vera, who has been with us for 14 years does not. She is our sassy rescue cat who used to hang in alleys when we lived downtown Atlanta, tells the dogs on the sidewalk who is boss, and is one-hell-of-a-survior. So yeah, she can bask in the delight of being queen bee here again.

Plus she keeps my feet warm in the winter at night. Winter is coming…my girls are already begging to decorate for Christmas. Which has (ahem) started in small bits. All because we had Christmas pictures taken Saturday and I’ve been working on a hot chocolate smoothie recipe for the holidays. Official posts are coming soon that!

posted on October 28, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

Mt. Leconte tradition

October is nearing an end. But I didn’t want the story of how we spent October 1st to get lost in the shuffle of our days.

Our family has a five year running tradition of hiking to the top and spending the night at the LeConte Lodge. We go with family friends and it’s not always the exact same group every year, based on weather, age of kids, someone getting sick, someone being born…etc. This was the first year all five Brace family members, all five Simmons family members, my dad and his friend Byron all made the trek up on the same year. The dads and the one boy in the group have made it five years in a row.

The night we stayed at LeConte, our party of 14 had the youngest visiter and the oldest visiter at the dinner and breakfast table. The little girls were four (one now five) and Byron is 72.

We’ve taken them up younger – as two-year-olds. When mine was nearly three I hiked the five miles up with her in an Ergo on my back (in which she fell asleep on the way down and peed all down my back – not so fun). This year she walked 95 percent of the trip! Thank goodness.

On the way down this year we passed a group of four men who were hinting to the top and down on one long day hike. The oldest was 78.

“Byron, we are going to have emulate that,” said my dad (age 65) to his friend.

Some other really cute quotes from the trip were…

“Lets hike this thing like real women,” Brace sister age 8. This is the girl who hiked in dangly earnings and snuck a lotion bottle into her four-year-old sister’s pack because “you have to respect your skin.”

“I remember this log last time. I fell and scuffed up my knee,” said my middle girl about a steep log steps on the top half of the trail.

“Sometimes the best lessons are hard to learn,” replied my Dad.

I’m sure there were more. But those are ones that still stick in my mind and that I want to remember.

The moral is, you can do anything with kids of all ages. And anything in older ages too!

People at the top for years have been in awe of the young kids, and the amount of kids, we take to the top of Mt. Leconte. They kids really love it. And we love instilling a great sense of adventure in them. It’s not always easy, and it’s the dads that need credit for corralling everyone into this plan year after year and making it all happen.

Mt. Leconte is a magical place. It reminds me a bit of being at a youth hostel in the Swiss Alps that was only accessible by gondola. It’s a hard hike to the top but SO worth it.

Here’s a few snap pics of trip this year. There is a few spots with kids on the trail that makes me really nervous. This is one! I was just a step away to grab her. This was the view on the other side.On the top!And back down. These kids are not afriad to take on a challenge and are not afraid to pick up salamanders. We are so proud of them.

Here’s to strong mountain kids (standing in mountain pose) and the dads who are willing do what it takes for their kids – the 40 year old ones, the 65 year-old ones and 72. And to doing with great friends. Who remind me carrying a baby doll to the top of Mt. Leconte for you kid is just something we ordinary we moms do. We are blessed.

posted on October 20, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

Celebrating five walks around the sun

I can’t write about the oldest turning 10 without the writing about the youngest turning five.

When my oldest was turning five, her one birthday wish was not to have her sister be born on her birthday, and have to share her birthday. My due date WAS on her birthday after all. But I willed that little girl to come a week late so no one has to share a birthday. One gets the week before and the other gets the birthday week after that.

That’s why October is all about birthdays. Because for two weeks we celebrate the big and the little, turning older. With banners, photos of when they were little, cake, birthday hats, numbered chair covers and Waldorf style birthday ring candles being lit (several times and blown out). All because, you only turn five once. And FIVE is big!

This year her birthday fell on fall break. On Friday she celebrated at school. On Tuesday we partied at home on her birthday. On Thursday she wore her official 5 shirt to school because she wasn’t officially five until 11:45 on her birthday. She told one teacher at school she couldn’t wear her five shirt to school Friday becuase, “I wasn’t officially five until midnight.”

Yes my girls know all about their birth stories and exactly where babies come from. I’m kind of obsessed.

For Five we planned a backyard fairy party that got rained out. This year I did not make the watercolor invitations wrapped around a stick and hand delivered that I wanted to make, from a picture perfect book idea. We were not picture perfect at all. I texted the parents at school and neighborhood moms to come one and come all, for a fall soup, and backyard fairy party which I envisioned beautifully out of a kids natural party book.

And then it rained for four days. So I cleaned out the basement and prepared for my house to be ransacked by 15 five-year-olds.

I cooked for four hours. I was exhausted and trying to not be nervous that it was going to be complete mayhem with neighbors up to 10 houses away hearing all the little girl squeals coming from our house.

Remember the last post where I told you I was doing lots of yoga these days? The entire weekend before this second party, I spent at a workshop on backbends and inversions. It turned my world upside down. Literally. In the mist of cooking, party prep and my girls being home from school – I found calm in doing headstands in my kitchen. That’s right. Right in my kitchen. And let me tell you – it’s WAY better than coffee.

Come 5:00, all the five-year-olds started showing up (despite the fact I thought I had told people 5:30 -oops). We had face painting, lots of running around the house, lots of mac and cheese for dinner, cake, presents, lots of glitter making glitter pumpkins (parents thought I was brave) and the only thing fairy was the decorations, and the ribbon wands and flower crowns we gave the guests.

But it was perfectly five! It was not fancy. It was not mayhem, but almost. The parents DID have fun. We DID have wine (five bottles actually) and we were all glad it was fall break and there was no school the next day.

We balanced the fun, the prep and the joy of honoring a girl who turned five. I love a party on the actual day of a birthday. But there is a balance to not get overwhelmed in the action and forget the reason of it all. So I made sure I stopped, took time to stand on my head, and kiss the birthday girl 582 times.

Since my little is not old enough to object me posting cute birthday pictures here….I will indulge in sharing my little sweets – A LOT. Basement ready for the the rained out fairy party.

And that is exactly what FIVE looks like for this crazy girl. Love her to pieces. 582 over again, and again.

posted on October 20, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

Double digit days of motherhood

October is for birthdays here. It’s a busy month of fun parties and me processing my girls getting another year older. Another year gone by, too fast, for them and for me. The leaves changing in October are a beautiful symbol of this life cycle as we straddle two birthdays in seven days. Two girls getting older right in front of our eyes, like the golden leaves I see out my windows.

This year marked the tenth year of experiencing this. That is because my oldest daughter is 10 and I have officially been a mom for a decade. When I was in my early twenties, 10 years seemed more like a century. Now one season rolls into a next and before I get used to writing one year, 2015 is around the corner.

I feel like I finally have this mothering gig down. I’ve learned not to fret over the small stuff. I’m learning how to put myself first..sometimes.

I’m involved in a beyond-words-awesome yoga teacher training program where for nine months I stretch, grow and learn with a group of other fellow amazing yogis. I introduce this because it is changing how I approach some things…such as, birthday parties this year.

As you long time readers know, I LOVE kid birthday parties. I usually go all out with handmade invitations and things like decoupage gift boxes for takeaway treats. But I’m learning to let go of things – 10 years into this gig. I’ve realized something big – I don’t have to be perfect. And things turn out just fine.

The day my daughter was have a few girls spend the night to celebrate her 10th birthday, I knew I needed to do some yoga to keep myself grounded through the night. The homemade photo booth set up was not complete, I hadn’t hung the first decoration, yet I was able say – hey everyone, there is a yoga class this afternoon on seasonal flow and approaching fall with mindfulness – and I AM GOING.

There was noisy mayhem at home, and I still needed to go the store to get food to feed the crew. But I just hollered, “I’m leaving,” and drove away. It was the best decision.

After that, food was purchased, decorations were hung, some old curtains were clipped to the basement radiator pipes to make a backdrop for the “photo booth” and the party was a hit.

The photo booth was the best part. My daughter got the idea watching an episode of Junk Gypsy. I didn’t have it me to actually make a photo booth out from old doors and hang a chandelier in it. But we do have a clothing rack full of my old prom dresses, dance costumes, cheerleading outfits, Southern Belle dresses and more. And some old photo frames that were big enough to pose as a photo booth prop. So that’s what we did. Simple, impromptu and super fun. I took 150 photos of eight girls in different get-ups posing for the camera. I sent the photos for one hour processing at the drugstore and sent each girl home with photo book of their favorite party memories.

The big girls loved it. And after ten years of mothering, I was able to easily pull this off – and go to a two-hour yoga class that day.

Respecting my oldest girl’s privacy, and her request to not be featured much here anymore, I’m trying to not make this a birthday post about her. But I can not pass by the point that it was her birthday. Which always feels like my birthday too.

She was born at 12:17 in the afternoon after three hours and 17 minutes of pushing. It’s a tradition for me to tell the girls’ their birth stories every night before they go to be on their birthdays. This year her birthday fell on a school day, followed by Girl Scouts which meant she was doing her own thing all day and even forwent the annual tradition of the Walk Around Sun at school – a Montessori thing stories and photos are shared by the parents which the child walks around the sun one year for each year they have been on the planet. I didn’t see her all day!

When we did her family celebration that night I told her how much I missed her that day. Her reply almost made me cry.

“I know me too. At 12:17 I looked at my watch and was like, awwwwww.,” she said.

And that night, she heard her birth story for the 10th time.

Happy Birthday to the sweetest girl, and the first girl to make me a mom.

posted on August 28, 2014 by Rebecca Simmons

Chickens!

Our six backyard chickens are officially settled into the coop. The garden around the coop is still a work in progress. But you guys – we have chickens!

I still can’t believe my husband (with some help from my dad) BUILT our chicken coop. My dad is a super woodworker fellow who built houses for a living before retiring last year. My husband is a business guy who wore a seersucker suit to work today. During our first home improvement project as new homeowners in Atlanta, my dad didn’t have the heart to tell him he was wearing his new tool belt backwards.

For a wedding present my aunt even gave me a pink toolbox stocked with tools and poem in it about always calling my dad for builder guy help. And now, my husband built me a chicken coop! Fifteen years of marriage will take you a L-O-N-G way. And nothing shows how much he loves me more than the fact that he BUILT me a chicken coop. A darn cute one too!

This is The Balking Bungalow. Home to Orange Monkey, Polly, Cottontail, High Five, Lady and Summer.

I love their personalities so much. They are all different breads. Because if I was going to have chickens I was going to do it up right.

The black one staring at you is a Polish chicken, Polly. My oldest girl insisted on having Polish chicken, known for thier fun feathery heads. The white one is Cottontail. She is an Americana and known as Martha Stuart’s favorite breed because she lays beautiful blue easter eggs. The other breed I had to have was a Silver Laced Wyandotte. That’s Lady, because her description says she always dressed for a ball. Super fun! Right?

The baby chicks came from mypetchicken.com. We picked them up from the post office four days after we arrived home from the beach this summer.

Two years ago, when our city was getting it’s first urban backyard chicken ordinance I supported it and wanted to get chickens. Then, in the middle of a huge home renovation, while calming a still new dog, and adopting a second cat – my husband put his foot down and said, “It’s me or the chickens.” He even said he’d keep driving if he came home and found chickens in the backyard.

And now look. The backyard is full of sweeties in the Peck-and-Play (it’s called that for real). Kids included! Now who couldn’t love that?

I think he earned the title Mr. Simply Natural with this one.

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