Hi there, friends!
How the heck are ya?
It's been awhile since you've seen me in this space. If you don't follow me on Instagram (@kirs10kay & @replantednutrition) I recommend you go give them a follow if you're interested in keeping up with my day to day. I really like it there because I can be much more in the moment about what is going on.
But...I am going to be back here on the blog too. I'm going to try my best anyway.
WELCOME TO A NEW SERIES!
SUPER SIX : where I talk about 6 of my favorite things from each month.
Hope you enjoy my picks and enjoy some of them yourself too.
MAY 2021
1. OUR MEXICO TRIP -
I honestly can not express to you how amazing this was. It was so nice to see the world coming out of isolation and showing their faces again. I don't know about you, but this whole mask thing was SOOOOO hard for me. Not seeing peoples faces, their smiles, reactions...it felt like robbery. Like every interation was so impersonal. It left me feeling agitated and empty most days. The trip was incredible and I will go into much more detail of our actual trip in my "Mexico 2021" blogpost but I just watned to touch on the fact that it was incredibly comforting to see the world wake up again. It brought me so much peace and cheerfulness. I hope, you too, are feeling that energy.
We ended up with a two bedroom, two bathroom ocean view room. It was AWESOME! This was our view.
2. OUR HOUSE SITTERS -
Let me introduce you to Dani and Kate : aren't they beautiful?
They are even more beautiful on the inside.
Every year when we go to Mexico, we have some fabulous ladies stay at our place to watch the house and our pets. This year we were no longer living in Iowa, but...the girls still came down and took care of all the things we love for us. I don't know how I got so lucky to have them in my life. When they were young girls I babysat them and now they are returning the love. & they are also just really good friends of mine too. How cool is that?! It is always hard (but good) to leave when you have responsibilities at home (& especially this year since we have more than we have ever had) but it always feels easy when the girls can stay. We don't sit around wondering what time somebody is going to drop by and do chores. We can just be on vacation and enjoy what is in front of us because we know that the girls have it under control at home. They took care of our 2 indoor kitties, 14 outdoor kitties, bottled our two calves and watched over the place. The house is always clean when I come home and my kids are well loved. Thanks a million Dani & Kate. We love you!
3. TEA
While we were in Mexico this year, I ran across this tea at a grocery store and picked it up. & OMG is it amazing. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend. Here is the link if you're interested. https://www.amazon.com/Heath-Heather-Organic-Chai-Liquorice/dp/B07JL646WM/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=heath+and+heather+oriental+chai+and+liquorice&qid=1622491599&sr=8-3
4. BOOK : WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING
Holy cow. I'm not one to pick up books that are super hyped. Mostly because they never live up to the expectation surrounding them. In my eyes anyway. I recieved this book for Christmas and started it in April. We had so much going on that I made it 1/3 of the way through and never picked it back up. Not becuase it wasn't good. It was. I just wasn't making time to read it. I picked it back up on our Mexico trip and I have to give it a 5/5 rating. IT WAS SOOOO GOOD! The ending. Woah. Was not expecting that. In the best of ways. Buy it. Read it. Keep it. Because you will want to read it again. Definilty in my top 10 now. Also, how cute is the author Delia Owens? I feel like I want to be her when I grow up.
5. OUR NEW BANISTERS & STAIRS
Our house has been a major passion project. Major. We have designed or made every single thing you see. Our blood, sweat and tears are literally engrained in the home. We had a young man in our town weld these banisters for us and then took them to a place to get powder coated. Then we installed them. As you can see, we still need to do the stairs. But our actual steps had to be done before they could measure for it. Which got done right before our Mexico trip (minus the platform - still waiting on that). As always, things take so much more time than you think. But especially when you're dealing with Amish contractors. Their daily chores are always more important than your buisness. So we wait. & the only reason we wait instead of hiring somebody else is because every single piece they complete is absolutley incredible. & custom. & I feel like they have read my mind. So, now we can call our banister guy back to measure the steps and finish things up. If you are interested in having pieces done (and you're in our area) by either of these men, hit me up and I will get you in contact. The young man that did our banisters was the greatest "contractor" we have worked with during the whole house build.
The stairs treads are made of quarter sawn white oak. The risers made out of maple and painted the same as our walls. Simply White by Benjamin Moore.
6. KITTIES
OMG. I have more kitties. Six more. & they are perfect and wonderful and scrumptions and beautiful and handsome. & I love them all so much. Mulberry (our momma kitty who showed up as a stray when we were just starting our house build) has had 3 litters now. We attempeted to have her spayed twice but she always winds up pregnant before we get her in. She is a fertile myrtle. So, this time, we scheduled for 4 weeks after the last litter was born. She went in at 4 weeks and 2 days. We brought all the little rugrats and Mulberry to the garage so we could care for them. The next day we took Mulberry to the vet. & I cried like such a baby. I was a disaster. I was so sad that I was taking her away from her kids. It hurt my heart so bad. So bad. But, I knew it needed to be done. She has given us three beautiful litters and needs a break. She just needs to be a cat from now on. (BTW - all of our other cats, her kids, are spayed and neutered.) We picked her up that evening and the vet said she could keep nursing if she wanted to. We were supplementing the kitties with kitten food, but the minute she got back she laid down and did her little cat call for all her babies to come nurse. How incredible is she? I'm so happy we have her. & she is the greatest momma kitty there ever was and ever will be. The kitties and Mulberry spent 3 days in the garage and then we returned them to the hay barn. They are thriving. & so cuddly. Mulberry makes the best kitties!
Here is sweet Momma Mulberry.
& her babies!
Pastrami, Marshmallow, Tangerine, Oreo, Arugula and Butterfinger.
Hope you have a great day, friends.
Feels good to be back here in this space.
xoxo
Kirsten ☀️