My name is Kelly.  I am mama to 4 sweet girls. My hubby is sorely outnumbered by lovely females, but I swear he loves every minute of it.  As a family, we believe in simple, wholesome living.  I am a musician, a sometimes poet, and my faith in God is my anchor.  Coffee is my lifeblood and I believe in good chocolate.

Our family lives on a smallish, yet-to-be named acreage in the middle of America’s heartland:  Iowa.  After spending nearly all our lives as suburbanites, in 2012 we followed our hearts here to this little piece of heaven, aspiring to carve out our dream of living the life of homesteaders.  It’s much harder than it looks.  And more rewarding than we had ever imagined.

Sometimes, we get things right.  Sometimes we get them wrong.  Sometimes really incredible stuff happens.  Sometimes, really terrible things happen.  But in the end, we revel in the good, reflect on the not-so-good, and drown it all with coffee.

These are some of my favorite posts about our family that I think you might enjoy:

•  Nice Things
•  Musings
•  Balance
•  Mama Said
•  Just Plain Mean
•  Daddy Day
•  Dreams and Things
•  Unsolicited Kisses

 

This is my handsome husband, The Man.  He is my best friend and most days, he keeps me out of trouble. He is my partner in crime and craves a good cup of joe almost as much as I do.

 

 

 

My oldest, Peanut.  She is my perfectionist and loves to read and write.  She also has grand aspirations of being an astronaut.  Or a paleontologist.  Or a veterinarian.  She is sensible and analytical… nearly my polar opposite.

 

 

 

This is my little Ladybug.  This sweet angel lights up my life. She is sensitive, endearing, and fit for the stage!  She has more personality in her little finger than most people have in their whole body.

 

 

 

This is my ball of fire.  We call her Lovey.  She’s vivacious and cunning and I love her.  Lovey’s antics make all of our lives exquisitely interesting.  If I could commandeer even an eighth of her energy, I could save significantly on my coffee budget.

 

 

And this is Cupcake.  She is our oh-so-sweet snuggle baby and still rather new.  She is the little darling of the family and radiates joy just when we need it the most.  Bundle.  Of.  Fun.

 

 

 

The Man told me that someday we would own a male dog just so we can add some more testosterone to the family.  But then he came home with Holly Von H, our rambunctious Rotty.  We lost Holly in a devastating accident in July 2013.  When she was not burying my socks in the neighboring field, she was rather adorable. We miss her more than I have words to say.

 

But now we have Gunner, our disgustingly sweet Beagle who needs us almost more than we need him.  While terribly spoiled, he earns his keep by barking at rogue crickets, mopping the dining room floor with his tongue, and warming my feet on a cold morning.  Best.  Dog.  Ever.