It seems like forever since I've written a blog, and it also seems like there has been a whirlwind of activity in my at-home-dad life. I'm not sure exactly where time goes, but it has been going fast. Shelby and I have been running store visits, which are nice drives spotted with trips to Family Dollars, Home Depots, WalMarts, and Ace stores. There are the never ending chores of dishes, laundry, cooking, and cleaning, which are...well, never ending. But nothing extraordinarily time consuming. We watched our son Drake perform in the Greenmont fourth grade play last Thursday, and hosted two school Halloween parties at school yesterday. Which, as a side note - what the heck was I thinking there? I'm an at home dad and want to help with school things, but being a homeroom parent for two classes means trying to be two places at once for EVERY school party day. Thanks to Shelby and Kait for helping! So, anyways, it has been busy-er, but feels like a can't-catch-your-breath ki...

Living in Clearwater, Florida definitely tops the list of places we have lived. The two years that we lived there gave us so many more memories than seems possible for that amount of time. Being water people, we know of nothing more powerful than the call of the ocean, more peaceful than toes sunk into the sand, water overlapping occasionally, and nothing more exhilarating than watching the sun singe the horizon as it sets in an explosion of oranges, reds, and purples. Spectators applaud these sunsets...literally. The Pinellas County side of the bridge is laid back with no worries, and there are always, always plenty of activities going on for everyone to enjoy, often for free. When I close my eyes, I can feel the humid and salty ocean breeze, the dried salt on my skin and in my hair left after from a dip in this endless pool, and the cool fine grains of sand surrounding my feet. So, why are we here? Why, oh why did destiny bring us back to Ohio? I've heard some say that Ohio is a ...

The hardest thing to do right now is wait...I'm kind of done researching and planning until we know what we're researching and planning for, and I'm ready to live life like we love to do. But...the benefit of limbo is the reflection  of who we are and what we want. Today is a dreary, hum-drum day, and I feel like doing nothing. I will, however, take a moment to sum things up. What I want for us: At least 5 acres Off grid A well Awesome vegetable garden - totally organic Berry patch started with the raspberry, blueberry, blackberry bushes and grape vine we have now Fruit orchard including the apple, peach, and nectarine trees we have now Lots of trees, including the starts we have now (sycamore, hickory, tulip, maple, and pine) Water gathering and recycling features Composting and recycling capabilities - I'd like our trash to be minimal Bees 2 Goats, lots of chickens, 2 sheep, a cow, and maybe a pig Lots of outdoor living space Space for living, workshop...