One step closer

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."~ Elenor Roosevelt
I love this quote, and it resinates with me so deeply right now. We have some family and some friends who are not especially happy that we are moving, but luckily, mother is my best cheerleader. She recently told me that she is proud of me for going after my dream, and for not giving up, even in the midst of madness. It is just what I needed to hear to keep a positive attitude. People will always have opinions about your choices. They will always judge and you can either let it bother you, or just hold firm in your decisions. It's life. And I have certainly learned in my 42 years, that I can't worry about what people think. Life is short, and I want to make the best of it.
We are so excited because our offer on the new house was accepted! We are now one step closer to closing. We are just waiting to set a closing date on our Franklin house and then set a date on the new house. We will also be moving our things out of Hentennial in the next 2 weeks. The new owners are wonderful and love the house as much as we do. They have horses so the barn will now have two new residents. It will be lovely to see people living there and enjoying it's beauty.
So, with emotions running high, I am trying my best to keep a level head. To not let the stress get to me, and to keep our homelife as normal as possible. It's not easy. I want to celebrate, but I can't until we actually close. I am very superstitious that way. The popping of the cork will have to wait a few more weeks. But until then, the planning, the decorating, the ideas for the outbuildings, are all consuming. It will be a the beginning of our new adventure, one that is long overdue...

Bittersweet symphony

Well we have two deals on the table, one PA on the Franklin house and one offer on the Metamora house! I feel very lucky that we are able to do this "by owner" and not pay any Realtor fees, and that it only took a couple of weeks to get offers on both homes! So now we just have to hope that the first deal closes, and then the second, and that we can maneuver moving out of both simutaneously, and have a new place to go! We think we have a good plan, just hoping nothing gets screwed up. As it turns out, that little farm in Metamora was a wonderful investment! Not only did we get to enjoy it, many, many times over, but the work we did to restore it will certainly pay off! I learned all of my real estate skills from my parents. My dad was an amazing deal maker and made lots of his money by investing in real estate. And my mother, brother and myself all had our licenses in the field. We even have an in-house attorney with my mom. So, that comes in super handy!
It will be bittersweet to say goodbye to both homes. The Franklin house is where I raised my babies. It's where we grew as a family and where we have called home for the last 9 years. We have formed lots of friendships here and love our neighbors. It is a small, tightly knit community and we will miss that. And the farm, well, it was a labor of love, and a door to a new beginning. But I know the new owners will love her even more than we did. So, there will probably be some tears, but there will also be lots of excitement about a new start. I think we found the perfect place for us, it's just what we have been looking for. Very old and stately, lots of room, lots of property, big old barns, a great area, and mostly, tons of character. It will be a great place to continue our journey on our quest for a life less ordinary.
So right now things are quite hectic, two deals negotiations, managing the kids schedules, work in full force for both me, and Roger, and just trying to keep all the balls in the air! It's a circus, but I couldn't be any happier. I feel like my father is looking down on us and he is very proud of our ambition. It was just the 11 year anniversay of his death and I feel him closer to me than ever. Thank you daddy, for all you taught me. Especially for teaching me to live my life to the fullest! You continue to inspire me on a regular basis. xo

Greener pastures

When you find yourself in the midst of trying to make a dream, (a really BIG dream) a reality, it can be quite stressful. S-T-R-E-S-S-F-U-L!
Things are certainly stressful around here lately. We had a what seemed like a forever long break from school. So, with all of the holiday madness, and no real schedule, I did not have much time to blog, or do much of anything productive. And I don't do well with too much downtime. I like being busy. I like having projects. I like it when the days seem to just fly by. But now we are back on a schedule, and we have taken on a whole lot of productivity. We started with a major house cleaning, purging, organizing mission. All the closets, all the rooms, etc...It was a huge job, but I felt great gratification afterwards. Then we took on some long overdue painting projects. We painted the boys room, the living room, and the front hall in two nights. Now we are prepping the kitchen and great room and back hall. Then we will finally tackle the master bedroom.
I have also done some major decluttering, and I must say, it looks great! We are hoping to sell the house soon and move to a big, old, character-filled farmhouse on some acreage with a barn. We already started our search and have found a couple that we really like. This weekend we will go see some of them. I am so excited! I LOVE house hunting! In the meantime, our house has gotten some interest and we may even close a deal soon! Thus, the source of the stress, especially for my husband who just isn't quite mentally prepared for such a major ordeal. He's ready in theory, but I think it's happening sooner than he expected, than we both did, and it's a lot to take on. We also have our fixxer farm for sale and have had a few people look at it. We may have a buyer for that soon too!
For me it's all "good" stress. I have waited for this for 10 years. I have dreamed of our life on a farm many times over. I have even made two different vision boards. One was destroyed in a moment of frustration and despair, but I eventually made a new one at the urging of my husband. He knows how important this is to me, and he wants the same things for us. He just doesn't feel the urgency that I do. But I think part of it is because I am so decisive. When I decide I want something, I want it. I go after it. And I don't quit until I get it. I am very determined, and I don't give up easily. And this dream has been holding strong for over ten years and it hasn't waivered for one moment. Also, I think that the time is right. Our kids are older, they are on board, and we are at a good point in our lives.
So, I imagine the next couple of months there will be lots of stresses. Lots of frustration, heartache, headaches, and hopefully some joy thrown in. In the end it will all be worth it.
I will keep my positve attitude and be patient.
We are closer to achieving our dream than ever before, so for that I am grateful.
Here's to greener pastures...literally.

The most wonderful time of the year

It's that fun time of year again, and it's not Christmas. It's time to order baby chicks for Spring! I love choosing my new baby chicks and putting their mail delivery date on the calender. If I order early enough, I can get them delivered during the week of my birthday in March, so it's really like two gifts in one, Christmas and my birthday! And I can't think of anything I would rather get than chicks! This year I chose one Easter Egger, one Coocoo Maran, one Salmon Faverolle, and one white Silky Bantam.
I love having a variety of egg colors and of course a variety in cuteness and temperment! There really is nothing cuter than a white Silky Bantam hen! With the fluffy soft plumage and the feathers on their feet, they don't even look like chickens, more like a little Dr. Seuss character! I have had each of these breeds in the past, so I have come to know what I like. And with the click of the mouse on the computer, my husband's holiday shopping is done! Thanks to www.mypetchicken.com.
As for the farm, we put up our little country tree, hung a huge wreath on the barn and shut off the water for the winter. We won't be spending a lot of time there, except for snowmobiling, so it saves us a lot of money to shut the water off and keep the heat off in the cold winter months.
We haven't done more work on the kitchen or bathroom, but we hope to make some progress in the Spring. It is still a labor of love and it has helped us realize that we really would prefer being on a farm full time. The best parts of farm life are the parts that require time. Time playing outdoors on the dirtbikes, or snowmobiles, gardening, picking pears, watching the chickens forage aroung the barn, enjoying the sunset from the white rockers on the porch. Those things that make us the most happy, the most appreciative, they are things that can and should be done on a daily basis. We have learned that we are all happier in that environment, and we become our true selves out there. Whether the kids are climbing in the trees, or searching for salamander's, or swinging on the chairlift swing, they are in their element. And when Rog and I are driving the tractor through the fields of firefly's on a warm summer evening, or laying on a blanket under the apple trees, or admiring our work on some part of the house, we are all at our purest, most natural place of joy. It is who we are and who we have become as a family. And it is better to understand where your heart lies than to spend your life never knowing. Once you find it, live it. Whatever that dream may be. Here is a quote that I love by Oprah, "When you're honoring your calling, there's an undeniable sense of stimulation and exhilaration. It just feels so right."
I look at that quote every day, and it keeps me moving forward in the right direction.
Happy Holidays!

Does our past define our future?

Lately I have been doing some self therapy by taking extra long walks with Ozzy, my loyal walking companion. And during my "self therapy" sessions, I reflect. I try to focus on what I want in my future, what is holding me back from my past, and how to forge ahead. Of course, I'm not entirely sure what an actual therapist would say to me during my "sessions" if I was actually paying him $80/hour, but I can probably guess due to my many experiences with real therapists. Therapy is NOT a bad thing. It's fine if it helps you. If not, then do something else. Exersize. Eat healthy. Get spiritual. Find religion. Whatever works. I'm just sayin, since I can't really afford real therapy, I choose to do it for myself. By walking. Long, 5 or 7 mile walks on a crisp fall day with my best walking buddy ever, our Papillon, Ozzy. He can go as far as I can, and then some. It always amazes me, he never gets tired. So, during these walks lately I have come to realize that a lot of my past history is a huge part of my future. And by that I mean, that it's better to come to terms with your past. Let go of hurt and pain and regret. Forgive and move on. Free yourself to be a better person for your the next half of your life. Don't let your past predict how your life will turn out. Not that I could really do that. I was raised in a very absurd, and priviledged lifestyle. I was adopted at birth to a wonderful loving couple who really wanted children but could not have any of their own. And in the late 60's, adoptions were closed. No medical history. No information on the birth mother, aside from basic facts, age, race, height, etc...So into this wonderful life I was welcomed. I was raised Jewish. Had a very warm and loving early childhood. I never felt resent or anger about being "given up." I thought it was a brave and selfless act on my birthmother's part. And still do. So as I grew up, my father became extremely successful. He built up his many businesses and went onto Broadway to produce plays and musicals. He eventually won a few Tony Awards and owned a famous restaurant in N.Y.C. We hobnobbed with celebrities and had a jetset life. We had houses on all coasts. But with the success came a lot of craziness and grief and the end of my parents marriage. So, as years passed and I grew up, I had a hard time trying to figure out who I was. Who was I going to be. I had some rough years. But once I met my now husband, and had a family of my own, I realized that life is what you make, it is not defined by your past, or your parents, or even the path you took to get to where you are. It is who you dream of becoming. It is who you envision yourself being and setting out to become that person. I am a nature lover at heart. I have always sought refuge in nature and animals. Ever since I was little I would find peace laying in the grass or holding a kitten on my lap. I would smell the flowers and play in the stream and climb trees and lose myself in the clouds. It is a big part of who I still am. I still find serenity in nature. And with animals. In the garden, or hiking up a mountain. I feel free and calm and close to a higher power. My husband shares my affinity for all things natural. We both love being outdoors and being somewhere far removed from the stresses of every day life. So, we bought our small farm in Metamora. It is a project that is still only half way there. But it's ok. It made us see the real joys of being in the country. It made it tangible, and now I have a new level of yearning to be in the country on a permanant basis. We always thought we would do it one day. Make the move from the suburban jungle to the wide open spaces of horse country. And we almost did about 10 years ago. We had a signed deal on an old farm house in Milford, with a horse barn, dairy barn, and a chicken coop. The house was stowic. Grand, old, white, and worn by years of living. I fell in love. But to our dismay, the home inspector found termite dammage in the basement which jeapordized the stability of the home and we had to terminate the purchase agreement. I was devastated. My dream died that day. But years went by, babies were raised, one after the other, and the urge came back. Full force. Like it never had left. I still wanted, needed to be in the country. Why? I didn't understand my desire. I am a girl who grew up, silver spoon and all, in the heart of suburbia. Why was I being pulled like a giant vaccume to make a life away from all things familier? Was I running from my past? Trying to re-invent myself? No. I always loved all things farm related. Barns. Farm animals. The smell of dirt, grass, dust and manure was something in my soul. Maybe even in my blood. But I knew that it was real. And it was pressing. So, it became evident that a better plan had to be put into place. The small, fixxer-upper farm is not enough. It only made me want to do it full time, permanantly. It gave me a taste, but not a whole bite. But it did show me that it is possible. So, my therapy sessions led me to this belief:
Realize your dream. Develop a strategy. Be realistic. But don't give up.
Your dream may have everything to do with your past, or nothing at all. It can be something to heal you, or something to change you for the better.
Just make it happen. We are only here on this Earth once. We get one chance to do it right. Listen to your heart. Use your head. And do your homework. But never, never, let the dream go. No matter what.

Makes me wanna take a back road...

In Michigan we have the most gorgeous Indian Summer's. It's the time when the weather stays warm and the sun comes out and the trees are all transforming from green to shades of burnt orange, red and gold. It's when you can smell burning leaves in the air, feel the warmth of the sun on your face and absorb all of the colors bursting around you. It happens to be my favorite time of year here. It's a time that is full of hope and renewal. It is the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, and Yom Kippur. A time to make apologies to those you have hurt, and to pray for forgiveness and to start fresh. A time to buy pumpkins, and mums and to rake leaves. It is a time for Halloween, and Thanksgiving and visisting cider mills. It is a time to go for long walks and admire the beauty around us, and to breathe long, deep breaths and give thanks for being alive. The days get shorter, and the nights get colder. So snuggling with the kids, or dogs, or loved ones becomes are priority. It is a time to cook more, bake more, and sit longer after the meal is gone.
Change is good. Change is renewal. Change is a time to reflect and improve and to feel energized. Season's give us change. Season's define so many parts of our daily activity. So, in the Fall, we prepare for winter. We cut back our gardens, empty the birdbaths, fertalize the lawn, and put away our flip flops. We get our our scarves, and hats and Uggs. We open the windows, and sleep in the cool Autumn air. We let the freedoms of Summer slip away and refocus on work, and school, and a schedule.
As I drove home from dropping my kids at school this morning, I noticed the sunbeams streaming through the tall pines, each one like a beam of golden glitter. It made me stop, just to admire it's beauty. The beauty of a crisp fall morning that couldn't have started any better. These Michigan fall days make me wanna take the back roads, just like the song, by Rodney Adkins. That song, "Take a back road," and an Indian summer, have a way of just recharging your soul. If you get the chance, take a back road. You'll be amazed what it can do to lift your mood.

On the road again!

Well, we did take that trip afterall. We loaded up the old airstream and hit the road to Cave City, KY. It was a long drive, lots of stops along the way, but we made it there in one day and spent our first night at Jellystone Park, in Cave City. It's a great park for young families. Lots of activities for kids, clean, and close to all of the area attractions. We got a nice spot backing to a big open field, with a cow pasture beyond that. So just before dawn every morning we would hear cows mooing in the distance. Not a bad way to wake up. The park had a nice pool, a waterslide, an arcade, a store, a fishing pond, and golfcart rentals. The second day there we rented a golfcart and had the best time booking around the park for 48 hours. They also have Yogi himself walking around each day to greet the kids and take photos with. Quite a highlight for the little ones! So, I recommend that RV park to anyone traveling with kids. They also have nice cabins and cottages to rent if you don't have an RV.
Cave City is really interesting. It is a true time capsule, not much has changed there in the last 50 years or so. Same roadside attractions, same old shops, same old motels, pretty much stuck in 1970 for the most part. But it gives it that old feeling of traveling from when I was a kid. It's an adventure. We stopped at a small go-cart track that also had the old alpine slide. It was something I remember doing as a kid. And I don't think there are many left these days. So, both of my boys decided to do it. We rode the chairlift to the top of a small foothill, and from there you sit in a little flat cart with a lever to slow you down. Then, you basically just ride down the mountain on your cart on a cement track. No helmet, no safety to speak of actually. Just the hopes that you know not to take your hand off of the break! And the locals who work the slide, the chairlift, and the other parts of the park are all characters right out of a movie. They ALL chew tobacco, they all look somewhat dirty, and the one at the top of the slide even had a twitch, probably from too much tobacco! Plus they all have a very strong southern accent, which my 6 year old daughter can now recreate in perfect dialect! Pretty much everywhere you go in Kentucky, the accent is the same. You get quite used to it after a week. And we didn't meet one person who was not completely hospitable and kind. We also toured Mammoth Cave, which I highly recommend! The tours go all day, every couple of hours or so, and it's good to call ahead if you are there during their busy season. But they are guided tours that are about 1 to 3 hours long depending on your preference. We did an hour and a half tour of the New Opening. It was really wonderful, and the kids just loved it. We also toured the Lost River Cave, which takes you on a boat tour into a short cave and tells the stories surrounding the Lost River and Jesse James and his gang. There are lots of different caves to see and tour in the area and they are all amazing. There is also a lot of antiquing in the area, which we did a bit of, but it paled in comparison to the caving.
So, after 3 nights at Jellystone, we loaded up and drove to Cumberland Falls State Park, which is outside of Lexington. Cumberland Falls is called the Niagara of the South. The falls are really impressive and there is a lot of history about them which you can read about at the tourist center and viewing areas. The campground was more rustic. But still we had bathrooms and showers close to our site. It is black bear country there, so there are lots of signs around about being careful with your food. Of course the first night there, my husband carved a mellon and threw the insides into the woods next to our Airstream! Within minutes, we had a raccoon hanging out under our picnic table looking for more free meals! Not the most brilliant move on his part! But luckily, no bears.
We decided to go horseback riding through the mountains the first day and the kids loved it! It was a huge highlight for me too. The next day we heard about a hike that leads you to a smaller waterfall that you can swim in. So we found the trailhead and went for it. The kids did the hour long hike like pros! And it wasn't easy, lots of tight areas, narrow spots and huge rocks to climb over. But when we reached the falls it was breathtaking! We had it all to ourselves. We all jumped into the water under the falls and cooled off. The kids were awe-struck! Just us, the water, the rocks, the river and the views of the bigger falls in the distance. It was the highlight of the whole trip! So, we stayed there for a while and took lots of pictures before hiking back out. It was one of those moments in time with your family that you know you will cherish forever! The ones that stay with you, long after you go back to the daily grind.
So we spent two nights at the State Forest. We also ate dinner one night at the old Dupont Logde which has rooms for rent and a nice restaurant with sprawling views of the forest and valley below. When you eat dinner there, the racoons come up to the windows and eat birdseed outside, so it's really fun for the kids to watch them. And they have really good berry cobbler and banana pudding! We also spent an afternoon swimming at the Dupont pool which is only $2.00/person if you stay at the campgroud. A nice way to cool off and relax before heading out to see the Kentucky Horse Country. It was something that I really wanted to see since I had heard about it, and seen glimpses in movies. And Lexington had the most unbelieveable equestrian estates around! The properties are amazing, prettier than I've seen in movies and the Horse Race Museum is fun to visit too. They have tours, but not on the day we were there and a nice gift shop. But we did do the scenic driving tour which takes about an hour and drives you through all of the fanciest estates. Wonderful!
Then, it was time to head home. But on the way back we decided to surprize the kids with an impromptue stop at Cedar Point. There were beyond thrilled, so we settled in at the campgound for the night and woke the next morning to spend the whole day at the park. It was really hot, so we spent most of the day at Soak City which was a perfect way to end our vacation. I must admit, nothing beats floating down the Lazy River on a 90 degree day in August! By 5 pm, it was time to hit the road, and drive home to Franklin. We were all cooled off, tired, relaxed and happy. Our second Airstream adventure may have even topped the first one to the Adirondacks, or at least it tied for the best. But now Maryann is parked back at Hentennial Farm where she will spend the winter, and await our next travel destination....