Chef Messy: hello? anyone out there?

I have rewritten about ten sentences since I sat down here. What do you say after a six month break? (OK, who are we kidding, I've posted once since last March!) I had a good friend who, while pestering me about when I was going to start writing again, said I should not worry about catching up. But, you know? How can you not?

On the other hand, we've had a big year. It has been a big adventure. There's no way I'm going to get it all down here.

Instead, a highlight reel. And I'll do my best to fill you in on the rest as I go along.

So, the three major year's events:

1. Ryan got a new job!

Things learned in the process: Campaigning is for the birds. Politics are ridiculous. But if you want to move to a new town and get to know a lot of great people, running for office is the way to go.

2. Remember this farm shack? As it turns out, we were right--it really does need torn down. Not only are the floors sinking and the walls caving in (which we knew to begin with), it is also full of toxic mold, dysfunctional plumbing, and spiders. Which we didn't know about. Nevertheless, it was home for ten months.

It did not grow on me.

3. In the meantime, we built a new house and moved in last month. I feel like I'm on vacation. I keep waiting for the management to decide we are squatters and come kick us out, and then I remember, "Wait, this is MY vacation house!"

It's undecorated, and there are still a few minor things that aren't finished, but I am extremely happy to be in it. I am a very spoiled girl. I'll throw out some photos in a future post.

And for the rest of this update, six months worth of iPhone photos, part I...

Jonah is very happy to be living in a place where we can have kitties.

One from the "back yard."

From my kitchen window...

Our boys camped on the floor the whole time we were in the old house. They are VERY happy to be in real beds again, but they have definitely been troopers!