Another snow day

When im stuck inside for a second day in a row, due to a big snow storm, i have to remind myself of the things that im thankful for. We had to miss play group (which is also a moms group), grocery shopping, and various errands. These things keep me sane when for 4 days a week, i act as a semi-single parent...from 7 a.m until 8 p.m (robert isnt even home until 9:30 though). Living in the woods is really difficult on me some days. Everything i need to go and do takes a lot of planning because its so far away. Feeling like im part of a community takes a ton of energy and effort. Things like snow days happen (even though i could drive 10 min away and snow wont exist). Things like HUGE lizard creatures crawl on my deck when we play. Bugs are INSIDE the house!
Creatures roam everywhere, under my house, and on my deck. I like nature, but im a "fake nature" person. Meaning, when i want nature i would like to take Forest to a park or something, but then go back home when im done with it. Its beautiful out here, the goose pond is awesome, the fox that walk around are cute, Forest loves "his" Geese; but its a little bit scary for me to play outside for long periods of time.
So, on days like today, i have to remind myself of how thankful and blessed i actually am to be out here. God really has answered my prayers, he just chose to answer them along with putting me way out here! I prayed that we would get to move to a place that had carpeting before Forest started learning to roll everywhere and crawl; our place has carpet everywhere! Including our dining room where you can now find smashed beans, tofu, avocado, etc. thanks to Forest. He started becoming mobile a week after we moved!
I prayed that Forest would get to have his very own "baby room" set up and decorated how i always wanted, by at least his 1st birthday; he has his own room, and its almost decorated how i had planned even before he was born...his birthday is in two months! That might sound trivial, but to a first time mom, missing out on setting up a baby room is pretty crushing. And realizing that the house your bringing your baby home from the hospital to isnt yours at all, and the hospital provided more privacy that the home, really kills you inside. Missing out on those first special weeks alone with your baby is something that takes time to get over as well.
I prayed that I would get to start raising my son without other people living with us and get to enjoy some moments between just the two or three of us, that i missed out on when he was a newborn; God gave us our own place, which is very removed, which gives us plenty of family alone time. However, I still am drawn towards communal living if its done the right way. Which i have experienced before and still see major benefits to. (btw: what i referred to above was not when we lived communally. I was referring to when we HAD to live in some one else house.)
I prayed that my stress i felt for a long time would be able to leave; living out here has forced me to chill the hell out. (sorry, just keeping it real).
Robert and I both miss the faster paced lifestyle,(ive never felt more in my element and more contentment in all my life than when i lived in S.F) and we hope to return to it one day in the future, but we are embracing this time we have out here since we dont know how long it will last. Its been wonderful to get re-focused on us as a family, for me to try to get the hang of taking care of domestic things (haha, im even baking brownies today since Wednesdays are our Fridays), and for us to really notice the little (and huge) things we are thankful for.


The day before the snow hit, we had incredible weather! Forest and I like to meet up with my sister Liz after our Monday play group. So we met at the park for lunch and Forest got to try out a swing for his first time. We knew Robert would be upset to miss out on the big moment, so Liz took some pics for us. Here are a few!