Ready or not, spring is around the corner and farming is coming in hot. Everything seems to bottle-neck this time of year. (Or maybe I say that year-round?) But February and March always feel very intense. It's probably because I'm not quite ready for the busyness and so when it hits, I feel shocked. Also, farmers have a tendency of not ordering flamers until February or March, so suddenly James is rushing to fill orders right about the time he's needing to get his equipment ready to start a new farming cycle. While it has felt rather crazy, we've also had some opportunities to do some really incredible things.
I'm kicking it back to Christmas to start this um.. monthly, turned quarterly, update.
Christmas
We kicked off the Christmas season with the annual church Christmas program. Myla worked her sparkles throughout the entire program, blinding everyone in the audience. But it was CUTE. When she saw that outfit in the store, she said, "MOM! Just look at it! Can I have it?!" I was going to say no.. Actually, no I wasn't. I was going to say yes the entire time. I mean, look at her.
Then began the family celebrations.
This was the first Christmas without my Grandpa. He loved Giltner pizza, so we started a new tradition of eating Giltner pizza after our family Christmas in his honor. These second-generation cousins act more like they are first cousins. But I suppose that happens when my cousins felt more like siblings growing up. It's been so great being raised in the Nuss clan.
When your teenage boy cousins play Princess Candy Land with you. The best.
Mack's first Christmas
A baby makes Christmas even sweeter.
We had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day home together again this year. It was such a refreshing and life-giving time. These people bring my heart so much joy.
Myla is easily the most excited person here. She thinks every gift she opens is her new favorite thing. She thought it was awesome that she got a Magnolia mug that matched mine. Twins.
It feels impossible to soak in all of the special moments during the Christmas season, but we sure tried!
Snow Days
It's been quite the winter. Snow, snow, and more snow. And cold. But our wood stove has gotten a lot of action and homeschooling doesn't care how much ice is on the road.
Lots of days playing in snow, sledding, and snowmobiling!
After schools closed for what felt like the 5th snow day, we finally decided to take one as well. I made donuts (one of my favorite things to do on snow days) and we invited Trevin's friend over to sled.
They had so much fun and were frozen by the time they called it quits. I had hot chocolate waiting for them, just like any good mom would.
I've really enjoyed not having to get out on the icy, snowy, (and muddy) roads every day. Homeschooling has had its perks. We've just hunkered down in these snow storms and lived our normal life. The snow has been beautiful on the farm, but I have to admit, it was exciting to see the green wheat poke through the melting snow. Spring is on its way.
School
We finished out the fall semester strong, making it through over half of our curriculum before Christmas break. We hit January hard and are well on our way to being able to finish the spring semester in April. We changed up our science and history curriculum over the break and we're both enjoying it a little more.
With all of the freezing temps, we spent a few days doing school by the fire. Is there a better way to do this? I don't know that there is.
Macklin has made preschool difficult for Myla lately. He stands up to her desk every chance he gets to "help" with whatever she's doing. She is very patient, but it's only a matter of time until he makes some real trouble. I think we'll need to invest in a big desk for her soon.
Myla flew through her preschool book last fall so I started the pre-k book with her and she wrapped that up in no time. She's mastered the material and is starting to read. She's taking to it really fast and she's excited about it. I've decided not to order more curriculum for her for this year, but I'm hoping we can do a few things that keep her excitement up into next year.
I was able to attend a homeschool conference with a couple friends last weekend. There were some big takeaways and encouragement for me. Some things weren't quite up my alley, but it did boost my confidence in what we're doing.
It has shocked me how much we've loved being home this year. It's not for everyone, and there were a lot of years that I didn't think it was for me either. Yet, here we are. Some days are hard. Some subjects are hard. (Why do we need to know science? Why? Bleh.) But some lessons are invaluable. Some conversations are irreplaceable. Some moments are beautiful. And that makes it all worth it.
Call me crazy, heck, even I think it's crazy, but we've loved it so far.
Terry Peak
James's immediate family planned a ski trip to Terry Peak in February in lieu of Christmas gifts.
The kids traveled really well and we made great time. Myla got carsick twice on the way there and Trevin got sick once. It was a Huenefeld trip - it was fitting that we started it with carsickness.
James snowboards and Trevin really wanted to try because he's a pro on his ripstik. Myla tried her hand at skiing for the first time. My plan was to stay at the house with Macklin and I wished James the best of luck taking them both by himself.
Unfortunately, our trip overlapped with the intense freeze that swept the midwest. It was a high of 10° while we were there. The first two days felt warm on the mountain because of the sun and very little wind, but the last day was frigid even for the diehards. Cloudy and breezy and brutal.
Trevin did a half-day of ski school and had help from James and Adelé the rest of the time. He made improvements each day, but usually ended up back at the cabin to sled for more hours than he snowboarded.
Myla also took a half-day lesson to help her learn a few things. James just ran down the bunny slope with her the rest of the time. She's four and it was freezing. We knew she wouldn't last too long each day.
She faced it with a smile, but when she was done, she was done. Thankfully, our cabin was right on the mountain. We were able to ski right to the yard. The kids really enjoyed the hill out back where they spent hours sledding.
My history with winter sports is a brief one. I tried skiing when I was 5 and cried down the mountain. Then I tried snowboarding when I was in high school and cried down the mountain. We've gone on several ski trips since we've been married, but they always manage to plan them when I'm pregnant or have a small babe. So I've sat in the lodge a lot. I had a window of opportunity to get back on the slopes one afternoon this trip and I'm so glad I did. I just borrowed James's snowboard and tagged along with Trevin. Everything came back to me much better than I thought it would.
Trevin gave me all the tips about getting on the magic carpet and chair lift. We only knocked each other over once getting off of the lift. Once out of two times.
It was a great memory and I'm looking forward to trying it again. Maybe it'll help if there's not a decade between attempts. Or maybe it won't, but whatever makes me feel better.
James came back looking like the abominable snowman every day with icicles hanging from his beard.
This was the first family vacation in years, long before I was even part of it. It was special to gather together and watch the kids make incredible memories.
Oh, and Bernie made a quick appearance.
Macklin was a champ for the whole trip. He explored the house and let everyone hold him. He napped great played really well. It was fun to see everyone interact with the baby of the family.
Myla had the best time playing with the girl cousins she's sandwiched between. There's a big group of boys in the middle, so it was special when these three girls showed up in a row. Honestly, I didn't see much of Myla because she was off and running for so much of the trip!
The girls really wanted to try the hot tub, but we opted for Grandpa and Grandma's jacuzzi tub instead.
Some of my favorite moments happened when we were gathered around the table.
The trip overlapped with my birthday, so they were sweet enough to celebrate me.
James's 5-year-old niece asked me one day, "Aunt Megan, how old are you going to be?" I told her I was turning 28. Her immediate response? "Yikes!" I told her I agreed. Then I told her to go ask how old her dad was. That made me feel better.
This family has been through so much in the past 10 years. I still can't believe everything that they've/we've been through. This trip felt like the turning of a page. A new era. A fresh start. It felt precious. A family that has stood together. A family that loves deeper than I could have ever imagined. The trip was truly a gift.
We ended up leaving for home VERY early because this guy was up and ready to party by 4 AM. Our original plan was to stop at Mt Rushmore and Evan's Plunge on the way home, but the freezing temperatures and exhausted babes convinced us otherwise. We came home on my birthday and the greatest gift was sleeping in my own bed. I've gained so much maturity in my old age.
My precious daughter is so very subtle. Before we left on our ski trip, she told Ashton, "Go to our house while we're gone and leave us a surprise!" So, Ashton, being as cool as she is, snuck into our house and left surprises for us when we got home. Valentine's and birthday gifts were a fun thing to come home to. I hope you all have an Ashton in your life.
New Paint
Myla had been begging for quite awhile to paint her room. Trevin's room was needing a fresh coat as well, so we jumped in with both feet. I took them to the paint counter and let them pick their colors, because I was trying to be a cool mom. I was shocked when Myla picked blue. I was hesitant to let her get it, because I thought she'd want to change it as soon as we got home. But she seemed excited, so we went with it. Trevin wanted green and I felt like we found a great color for him.
I love to paint. It's relaxing to me. We're hoping to start our main floor remodel in the next year, so this was a project I really wanted to check off before then.
Baby Kittens
We noticed a month ago that one of our cats was plump. That wasn't supposed to happen. Whoops. Well we figured we had a little time before the kittens would arrive, but they came much sooner than we thought. 5 babies. And so begins the cat farm.
No names have been decided yet, but there's been some interesting ideas thrown out. Their eyes are now completely opened. I can't wait until Macklin and the kittens chase each other around this spring. That's probably all that I will get done in the next few months.
Sedona, AZ:
James and I hopped on a plane with some friends for a long weekend getaway at the beginning of March. We shared an Airbnb in Sedona and were sure to eat some of the best food with some of the best people!
Our Airbnb was a cute little place with a beautiful view. Off of the back deck there was a charming path that led to a serene stream.
It was quiet and secluded and a perfect place for this farming crew to make camp.
The guys made a quick stop at the grocery store for some things for the house. James got me fruit gushers and I kissed him very hard for that.
We were only a couple hours away from the Grand Canyon, so we made the trek to see it since several of our friends had never been there. James and I had only been on Travel Camp when we were young and in love, so we were excited to see it again.
Unfortunately, it was brutally cold and windy. We shivered our way up the boardwalk and I tried to ignore my throbbing ears. The wind was brutal. A lot of pictures with my hair looking like this:
We came. We saw. We were mesmerized. We froze. We left.
The drive to and from the Grand Canyon included almost everything we could have wanted to see. Desert, snowy mountains, forests, bluffs, cacti, rocks... it was cool to see.
The next day we stayed around Sedona and did a hike that ended up being my most favorite part of the trip.
Jacqueline and Whitney mapped out all of the best restaurants to try. Emily planned our hiking and outdoor activities. And I just came along for the ride. The food was incredible and the sights were unmatched!
These friends have been a true gift in the last couple of years. Farmer wives, moms, Jesus-followers, and friends. We are all SO different, but we have those things in common, and it's been just a fun ride doing life alongside them.
Expert hikers on the trail.
The goal of the hike was this view. And man, oh man, was it worth it.
Devil's Bridge was much wider than it appeared at first glance. I wasn't nervous to walk across it. It was a really cool experience.
My only regret is letting my husband hang out with my family too much - cue the photo bottom right.
That's not the first time he's pretended to pee in a picture.
We showered off the stink from the hike and dressed up for a fancy dinner. They would only sit 6 to a table, so we split up men and women. (That's how we're used to sitting anyways.) The four of us girls sat at a table and talked about life and jobs and family, and made googly eyes at the cute boys sitting at the table next to us. Then they bought our dinner and challenged us to a pitch tournament, in which Whitney and I became the pitch queens. You don't want to know how many times I led with a 6 and got my bid. It was a lot of times.
The desert was a beautiful place. We had a great trip; I think everyone would have done another day, probably just so we could have breakfast at that killer spot the girls found. (I still think about the biscuits and gravy that James ordered.)
Yes, the desert was great, but video chatting wasn't going to cut it for me any longer. I was excited to get home to my babies. This was my first time actually away from Macklin, and it went really well, but I was missing those cheeks something fierce. A huge thanks to my mom and dad who kept the kids! They're the real heroes of this story. Especially since the kids came down with colds while we were gone. Macklin now adores my mom and reaches for her whenever she's around - probably the best reward she could have received for her labor of love.
Even the most amazing vacations still make me glad to be home.
Other Highlights:
This season has included lots of play days with our friends!
Renley got to come have a sleepover one night, too!
And we also got all dressed up for a Christmas party with our friends.
We made sure to spend plenty of time at the bakery this winter. The service is hard to beat - there are always arms willing to hold a baby.
The kids have set up several sleepovers with each other this winter and it's been fun watching their bond grow.
A blanket fort invaded our basement for a week. The kids spent hours playing in it. Macklin loved crawling around in it!
I got a Nordic Track stationary bike for Christmas. It took me a solid two weeks to not be sore from the seat. Ouch. But since then, I have really, really loved it. I've always enjoyed athletics, but never enjoyed "working out" as an adult. I do love biking so I was excited to give it a go. It's truly been a source of joy for me over the last couple of months. Now to figure out how to add more hours to my day so I can ride it longer...
Trevin and I put the net to our trampoline back on so I could use it as a playpen for Mack when I'm outside working. It lasted a week. Then the rainstorm took it and folded it into our light pole. So that got added to the list of James's welding projects.
We also got to spend an afternoon with some friends at Spring City. I feel like we did winter right this year. So many fun things got packed in!
We're looking forward to more warmer days ahead!
Trevin:
• He's quick with his wit and pulls one-liners out in every conversation. He's been accused of sounding like an old man. He loves making people laugh.
• Trevin has continued in guitar lessons. His teacher moved to Kearney, so right now we're making the trip several times a month. He's still showing improvements and enjoying it when he masters something. He's very excited that he has passed both James and I in skill already.
• Every so often, we see a jump in maturity in each of the kids. Trevin is going through another jump and it's been such a joy to watch. He's becoming capable and much more willing to help out. His perspective is shifting and he's showing some real maturity lately. My baby, turned toddler, turned little helper, is now a big helper and it's unbelievable that it's happened so quickly.
• He started doing his own laundry and is intentional about checking the kittens every day.
• He still spends a lot of time doing Legos, reading, playing outside, or working with James. His latest Lego design was a restaurant; can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
• He's obsessed with the song Amos Moses, thanks to James. He turns it on any chance he gets. Thus, Myla is also obsessed. You'll be in for a treat if you ever hear them singing it.
Myla:
• Myla took an interest in gymnastics when I found my old leotards. She even fit into a few of them! I taught her a few things and for awhile she was "practicing" every day.
• She's learned how to spell the names of everyone in the family, so she's constantly drawing family portraits.
• She also loves making cards, so she's been making dozens of birthday cards for anyone that she can think of.
• She's as goofy as ever and can be totally content playing in her room for hours. She has loads of energy and brings joy to the room.
• She loves doing my hair, but, in my opinion, her use of hair clips is excessive.
• She's the sweetest big sister, often asking if Macklin can play with her in her room.
Macklin:
• Macklin was dedicated in November. He was supposed to be dedicated on Mother's Day last year, but it was delayed because of Covid. What a special day it was committing him to the Lord!
• He started crawling right before 8 months and hasn't looked back since. He's into everything.
• He loves bath time! He comes "running" whenever he hears the water turn on.
{8 months}
• Teeth #3 and #4 came through right before 8 months and #5 and #6 right before 9 months. It felt like 3 solid months of teething from November-January. He didn't sleep great, he was pretty serious and often fussy. I was getting worried that I had an angry baby. But we turned a corner in February and he's been back to his cheerful self. Tooth #7 made its way up and down multiple times before finally popping through last week, right after he turned 11 months.
• He figured out how to pull his diaper off a couple months ago, which can make diaper changes a challenge. He also thinks that it's supposed to be a wrestling match, so I've been known to break a sweat wrangling him.
• He waved for the first time on New Year's Eve at Hobby Lobby. What can I say, home decor gets him excited.
{9 months}
• He stopped sucking his thumb altogether. I'm not sure when it happened, but suddenly he's just a big kid that has done away with those baby things.
• He pulls up to everything and climbs up on stools. Busy-bodied boy. The dishwasher is one of his favorite things. Whenever I'm at the sink, he crawls into the kitchen thinking that the dishwasher is open. He's got an ear for water.
{10 months}
• Mack has started to stand on his own. Not taking any steps yet, but his balance is coming along!
• His favorite pastime is throwing toys. He's really good at it, and sometimes it hurts. He's just starting to clap, because by the third kid I kind of forgot the things I'm supposed to teach a baby. I'm too busy making sure Trevin knows his multiplication tables.
•He's gotten to be so silly in the past couple of months. He gets incredibly excited when he gets to play on the couch. He loves being chased and giggles whenever he's caught. He's also a big fan of peek-a-boo and singing. He gets really silly right at bedtime and crawls around like a maniac. He's always making a mad dash for Trevin and Myla's bedrooms if their doors are left open. He knows where the good toys are. Oh - and he loves my plants. I love them, too, but I don't try to eat them.
• He started really saying "mama" at 9 months. He's mimicked "uhh boo!" and this week I'm almost positive he's saying "no". And it's certainly in the proper context, so that's cool.
{11 months}
• He gives kisses, but usually just for Mom. He's not a fan of Dad's beard.
• Big buddy still loves to be held. (I'm seeing the chiropractor regularly now.) Cooking supper almost always looks like this:
• He understands several words now. When her hears "bottle" or "baba" he starts a little sad puppy squeak/whine. That's how he confirms that he wants the bottle. It might be my favorite thing right now. He's taken a hard left on food and it is becoming much more difficult to feed him. The things he loved last month are no longer allowed in his mouth. He loves his bottle, so it'll be a rude awakening as we start transitioning out of that stage shortly.
But gosh, I just love his little chubby features. Butter-ball baby has by heart.
•Macklin is consistently sleeping from 7:00 PM until 5:30-6:00 AM. He takes a bottle at that point and goes back to bed until 7:30-8:00 AM. The months of teething included a nasty sleep regression, and then he had a cold this month, too, which contributed. (We can always tell if he's not feeling well because he wakes up at 4:00AM consistently.) But we're finally healthy, happy, and sleeping like a champ. He's also taking two naps a day, 1-2 hours each.
Macklin turns one in a few weeks and I can't seem to comprehend it. This year was bizarre, but he made it so much better. We love you, Mackey!
Kids' birthday season is upon us, and then James and I will celebrate TEN YEARS of marriage in July. Bring on the celebrations.
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