KEEP OUT update!

On Mother's Day we drove by our land as we were heading to Bible Study.  I glanced at a home just down the road from us as we sped by.  I spotted something that I thought might belong to me.  Could it be my wire baskets?  Pete proceeds to pull into the drive-way and we checked them over.  I was pretty confident they were mine.  Pete knocked on the door and no one answered.  On Monday my super hero stopped by the home again and inquired about my baskets.  The women was mortified!  Caught red handed!


Actually, she informed Pete that her neighbor "found them" and had given them to her.  Pete explained what we would really appreciate back was my terracotta pots.    (See, my mom had given me the terracotta pots filled with flowers the first spring we lived on Mackinaw Cove and since my mom isn't alive I tend to cherish things she's given me.)  The women told Pete she would call the neighbor and have him call us ASAP.


Pete was home about an hour when an older man called to let us know he had my baskets and we could come over right away and pick them up.  Superman went right over and retrieved my baskets.  The man was very apologetic, said he didn't realize they belonged to anyone.  I'm not sure how he didn't notice the survey stakes,the new drive-way and two acres mowed for the first time in 25 years, not to mention the pots were a 1/4 mile off the road.  


What I do know is...I did marry Superman!  

The Next Step in the Journey

What a roller coaster ride we have been on this week.  We have a signed purchase agreement on our home.  I thought I was ready, but when it came time to sign the paperwork,  I freaked out!!!  We are seriously selling the home I brought all my babies home to, leaving such wonderful neighbors?!  People sell their homes and move across the country and survive,  I can survive moving .5 miles away, right?

After three sleepless nights and the BIG decision to sign the paperwork awaiting me, I decided to put on my running shoes and see if I could sort through my feelings.  I shuffled my Christian music on my I-pod and headed out.  This is the message I heard, "Fear not" & "It doesn't matter what you've heard, impossible is not a word" & "Everyone is scared to death when they decide to take that step" & "If our God is for us then who could ever stop us".  I was getting my answer with each step I took.  Pete and I have prayed together as a couple over this decision more than any decision in our marriage, I couldn't let fear keep me from something we have been dreaming about for almost 22 years.

We are stepping out on Faith and moving forward.  We need to find a place to rent ASAP, please keep your eyes pealed for rentals in Mattawan Schools for us.

I did name this Blog, The Hoffman House Building "JOURNEY"?

House Plans are complete!

 The Fired-up Farm House!

Our house plans are compete.  We hired home designer Phil Bonine to be the third party, and someone not emotionally tied to the project to help us pull our ideas together.  He asked us to bring all our ideas to our first meeting with him.  I pulled out two 3 ring binders, one large file folder and another file folder with printed images from Pinterest and various other websites.  This was almost 20 years worth of design ideas I have been saving.  It was interesting to see how my taste had changed and my desires with a family of 5 are much different than when we were DINKS.

Pete and I analyzed how we live in this house and how we entertain.  I'm giving up the eating area and formal dining room.  Currently my dining room is so under utilized.  Our kitchen will be bigger and the dining room adjacent to the kitchen.  The mud room is large with a cubby for every member of the family.  Pete will have the office/den to himself and my desk will be part of the built-in's in the mud room.  I will put my degree in BACKPACK management to work.  I'll have a small window overlooking the neighboring vineyard.  I want just a small desk, because I'm rather messy when it comes to my desk and I have found the more space I have to spread out the more of a mess I make.  Our master bedroom is upstairs with the kiddos.  We labored over this decision, but I want to be by my babies.  I figure by the time I can't walk-up a flight of stairs to my bedroom I surely won't be able to take care of 9 acres.  Pete's den on the main floor can convert to a bedroom if needed and we designed in a full bath off the mudroom.  

Well, I could go on and on about all the things I love about this floorplan, at least on paper.  Now, we patiently wait for our house to sell.  Anyone want to buy a house in Texas Heights???

Ticks, Asparagus and KEEP OUT!

Trying to get use to this rural living!  Snakes and Ticks might do me in!  Since the winter was so mild the tick population appears to be rather large.  Yuck, yuck and double yuck!

Look, farmer Pete can grow asparagus without even planting a crop.  

We transplanted some of my favorite perennials on the back of our land.  I have hosta and lavender from our home in Grand Rapids. This photo shows the Rose of Sharon my mom gave me many years ago.   

This is my mess of baskets that we laid on their side so water wouldn't freeze and bust them.  

 Unfortunately, someone helped themselves to my wire baskets and a few of my terra cotta pots.  These baskets are at least a 1/4 mile off the road.  I couldn't believe someone stole them.  I'm not a KEEP OUT kind of girl, but I placed Keep Out, and No Trespassing signs down one side of our property line.