Slacker Blogger update | The Nerdy Home stead

I have been a terrible blogger.

I feel each day like i want to sit down and write so much. 

But the days are just not long enough at times

We have moved into our new home and are absolutely loving it here. Its taking some time to officially feel like home but we are getting there. Jer and i have both been so swamped with work we have had zero time to put in on the personal touches. I am hoping as the colder days come maybe we will spend more time inside and get each room done. 

But for now we are enjoying the yard space and are about to head out for a week long adventure between heading up north to the beach for a few days and then off camping with my good friend.

I'll leave you with a few photos of the antics we have been up to.

The kids seem so much happier here. Much more wonderment and imagination can be drawn out of them here. SO happy for the decision we made to move. 

WE made our own teepee to take to the beach this week. 

We did a test run just to be sure it worked :)

LOVIN this yard!

I seriously love this kid.

Sidney turned 15!!! Not sure where the time has gone!!

Nerds are on the Move

Well, it is happening! We are moving!! YAY! It will be just across town but the home is better set up for our family. We have just completely outgrown our current home. We are extremely excited and nervous too. 

The new house is a whole lot more house than we have now. But i can already see a whole lot more joy there too. Everyone has a room, we have a playroom, i have an office. There is an actual normal size living room AND for the first time in many years we will have a dining room table that we will be able to eat at as a whole family. No more tv trays. No more eating in shifts on our two person couch. I can already feel the family bond getting stronger at the thought of that! Oh my heart.

The yard is quite a bit larger too. We are set back off the street so that means the kids can play without worry of traffic. There is room for bike riding, chalk drawing, garden planting and tree climbing.

No more huddle up inside bored to bits!

The goal is June first but here is a little peek at the new place.

The kids love the alley and all the pavement to ride bikes.

With getting this new place comes all those scary thoughts of finances.

So we have really racked our brains on any places we can cut costs. I think we have really knocked quite a bit of waste out of our budget with very little effort already so i know we can do it.

I started making Evelyn's baby food which cut a bunch out right away. I spent about $5 and made about 3 months worth of veggies for her. Usually its .80 a jar and she eats 2 jars a day some times.

I just cooked things like squash, spinach and sweet potatoes all in one day. Blended it in the blender and then froze it in an ice cube tray. I then took them out and portioned them into bags labeled with the ingredients.

I stepped up the stocking up on things like toiletries and birthdays and christmas stuff. Our local Meijer has some really awesome sales on toys right after easter so i bought a few. Spent very little but now am set for upcoming birthday parties the kids are invited to. I still have polly pockets left over from when i scored a bunch for free last year. Those have been a heaven sent for last minute birthdays or prize items. And who does not love free?

We plan to again plant an Urban Garden. I am hoping to actually be able to take items to the farmers market and sell them this year. The kids have discussed making artwork and selling that too. They LOVE selling items and making their own money. 

A lot of our seeds are left over from last year so we don't really need to buy many this year so that saves a little too.

I have been stocking up on clothing for the kids for summer since the end of last summer. Looks like they will be set for summer and i have only probably paid maybe $30 out of pocket for all 3 of the little ones. Pretty pumped about that! Just got all of these for the little girls and spent $14. They are all brand new and i got them at goodwill. SCORE!

I am researching many ways to really cut our costs a ton. I think we are doing pretty good so far. Feel free to leave any ideas you have in the comments section. I am always looking for new ideas. OR link to your blog there too if you have tutorials etc on this!

DIY Handmade fishing game | The Nerdy Homestead

Welcome to my first official tutorial here on The Nerdy Homestead.

For Christmas this past year i made a lot of handmade gifts. I love nothing more than a handmade gift. Seriously, give me that over something store bought any day.

For our 3 year old Adeline i decided to make her a fishing game. This is super cheap and easy to make. And the kids have enjoyed it SO much.

Materials needed

*Scrap fabric of any kind

*Embroidery Thread

*Sewing Needle

*Batting of any kind really

*Round strong magnets (i made the mistake of buying cheap ones)

*Small washers from the hardware store

*Twine or string

*2 wood dowels at your desired length and width

*Hot glue gun

*Super glue

                       

First draw a fish shape on the inside of the material that way your lines wont show. Be sure to make 2 cut outs for each side of fish.

 After you make your cuts lay them on top of one another right sides facing out

Begin to stitch them together in whatever stitch you prefer. I chose this one because i liked the whimsical look of it.

 When you get to the last part of the stitches begin to stuff it full of batting. Be sure to work it into the tail area as well.

 Finish off the stiches and TADA a fish!

 I then stitched the washer to the end of the little fishies mouth.

Place a small amount of hot glue around the end of your dowel and tie the twine right on to the glue. I found going back over the twine with the glue afterward help secure it. Cut the length of twine desired. Place some hot glue on the magnets and make a sandwich with them with the tip of the twine in between.  The hot glue didn't hold up for a long time so i then added super glue to the magnets at a later time. But the hot glue makes for a better service to apply the super glue to rather than straight on the magnet.

TADA super fun fishing game for your wee ones!!!

Snow and Cutie

Evelyn Jean is growing quite fast! 

She is already heading towards 6 months old and it makes me so sad. 

Yet so excited too.

 I am already thinking about all her first adventures coming up this summer. 

First beach, first camping first EVERYTHING. And i just cannot wait.

 I took her out today for some early 6 month photos. I have been day dreaming about this exact set up in the snow since before she was born. 

A great knitting friend made her this most amazing bonnet and sweater set.

I didn't want to wish her bigger but i have to admit i have just been itching for it to fit her. Its still a little big but it worked just right for our quick mini session today.

My heart just swelled. 

I love when things you create in your mind during late night pregnancy insomnia come to light.

Oooo i just love this butterball!

The Plaid Couch and other adventures

I know, I know.

I have been a naughty blogger.

Life has gotten so busy around our little home.

A new baby keeps you so busy...who knew?!

Miss Evelyn turned 5 months old the other day. WOW!

She is nearly 17 lbs and well she never misses a meal.

She is such a joy. Her siblings just adore her.

And she has daddy wrapped around her chubby little finger...Ok mommy too.

We have been working really hard around here. My photography business is picking up quite a bit and we started a new little venture!

The Plaid Couch

Its an etsy store/facebook we will be packing full of vintage housewares, frocks and finds and other unique items that we pick up on our thrifting adventures. We are hoping this extra boost in income can get us get closer to a home that better suits our family. Our current home has been long outgrown. 

Here is to BIG dreams and new ventures!!

In other new adventure news...

It took me some time to come up with my new years resolution. I always break them. And for the most part they tend to fizzle off. So i wanted to be sure this year that i didn't spend energy on something that wasn't going to lead anywhere.

This year i have decided i want to get back to the things i love. Things that bring me joy, but also things that bring others joy. I miss my friends. I miss real non social network relationships. I miss real cards, not E cards. I miss handmade invites not Facebook invites. So this year i am tapping back into real. Real moments, real gathering, real relationships.

I miss those things so much.

I feel so disconnected from the people i love most.

SO i started collecting ideas via pinterest and just well common sense haha.

I am currently planning real get togethers with my friends and family. I picked up new stationary and i am collecting actual mailing addresses. 

We all know i love handmade anything and i also LOVE getting mail. I know others enjoy these things too. So i want to mail more things and make more gifts. 

So there you have it! My new years resolution! 

Do you have a link to great get together ideas, handmade ideas or cool projects?

Please share in the comments section!!

DPP: 2012 { Day 9 } Wild Tree

We put our tree up tonight. Jeremiah and i played around with the camera. This is my wild son with our wild tree.

DPP: 2012 { Day 7 & 8 }

I got a day behind. It's harder for me to spend much time on the computer on the weekends with the kidlets running about.

I am working fiercely on finishing up handmade Christmas gifts. Here is the last leg for Adelibes hippo I have been knitting for like a year. Bad mama.

My good pal Carli and I loaded the kids up in the van with some popcorn and cotton candy and headed out for a night of Christmas lights. We had a blast driving around checking out everyone's lights. Super excited to add this tradition to our family.