Category: Uncategorized

While we created this space to keep our loved ones up to date on our long-term dreams and goals, it is sometimes difficult to find material to write about when our day-to-day lives fill up with finite and menial things. That, combined with our busy schedules has meant that updates have been on the back burner for a long while now. Though the past 6 months have been busy and full, not a whole lot has happened pertaining specifically to our goals of owning land, building a home, and living the simpler life. We have continued to learn all that we can and strive to simplify our life, but alas, it seems the day-to-day business of work and school has taken precedence. Sometimes it's hard to realize that 2014 is…

Twenty-thirteen was good to us. Here's a quick review: We bought a dump truck in preparation for owning property We had a small but moderately successful balcony garden We helped clean up the property of some friends—good practice! We continued saving for a down payment and started looking at properties We started drawing up initial house plans Ari worked toward starting her wedding planning business Perhaps most exciting of all, we spent three weeks in Europe in December! Twenty-thirteen was good to us, but we have a lot to look forward to... In twenty-fourteen, we plan on continuing to live well within our means, doubling down on savings, and eating as healthy as possible. We got permission to use the small yard in front of our apartment for a garden…

For anyone who knows me, it's no secret that "patience" is NOT my middle name (though my mother always regretted it!). Lately, the slow process of working on my vintage '67 Bug has been excruciating and things like difficult puzzles or long books often lose my interest. With the multitude of changes in the last couple of weeks - changing seasons, changing schedules, changing weather - I have felt a deep longing and hope for another change: to finally move onto our property and begin building our home. Especially this week as my kitchen was overtaken by Ben's homebrew setup, this desire for more space (or at least a separate cookhouse kitchen!) was definitely heightened. As I've watched so many friends post photos this week on Facebook or update about their…

Do any of you ever feel like eating is a chore? I definitely used to feel like this when I was young and in college. I could go through my entire day, attend classes, study, and work my shift at the restaurant in the evenings without hardly eating a bite. It was hard to remember to eat, and when I did, it often wasn't the most healthy. A slice of coffee cake (or if I was feeling healthy, a Starbucks Protein Box) and a soy chai latte was my meal of choice. Thanks to lots of growth and knowledge and a hefty paradigm shift, I have come to view food as much more of a blessing or a privilege, especially when it is natural, organic, GMO-free and fresh. I believe…

Though most of us like to take a break from work to enjoy Labor Day, Ben and I traveled about an hour south to the home of some good friends who are in the process of renovating their house. They purchased their lovely farmhouse on five acres a number of years ago but then needed to move out of state for work and subsequently decided to rent it out. After five years of being inhabited by less-than-ideal renters, it was almost heartbreaking to see how much work needed to be done to restore their beautiful home to regain its prior charm. God is always good, though, and while the work seems slow-going, it has made for some very enjoyable work parties often followed by roasting s'mores around the bonfire. Though…

I suppose with publishing of our new website (isn't my hubby amazing?!) it might be nice for us to articulate why we feel the need to add our life experiences to the internet. Some days even I question why. Just the thought of the whole world potentially knowing our struggles and failures makes me doubt and rethink every thing we post on this site. Lately I have even felt myself pulling away from Facebook, I rarely use my Twitter account anymore, and Pinterest has all but lost its luster. Aside from watching shows on Hulu or Netflix while I'm working in the kitchen (which, thanks to The Sustainability Snowball, seems like a lot of time lately!), I really don't utilize Internet much these days. So why invite the entire world…