Fall ‘25

Preface:

I was recently asked whether or not "The Scoop from the Coop" was still active.  Ha!  The answer: yes, but with the caveat that it rarely reaches a priority level that allows for anyone to actually know it's active.  I also shared that I had a post sitting in "editing purgatory," because the holiday season had impeded my progress on it.  Here's that post:

This is slowly but surely becoming a seasonal blog, isn’t it? As I use it to document our life’s happenings, the timeliness (or lack thereof) speaks to the busy-ness and priorities of this season of life. All good things, but just a lot at once, and with little margin.

So, here’s a brief recap of some fall happenings:

Lydia turned 5! 
Here she is opening a couple gifts the morning of her big day. 

Her chosen theme for her first ever friend party was "unicorn, flamingo, ballerina."
We did what we could to accommodate. ;)

♥

Some of the last garden zinnias for the season and flamingo straws I'd had the forethought to pick up from Dollar Tree this summer both came in clutch!

Clearance ballerina stockings (thanks, Aunt Jami) and a unicorn/flamingo "duck" game rounded out the theme.

I'm always thankful for my brief stint in 4-H cake-decorating classes...

...and the ability to make cake dreams come true on a budget!

Pin the horn on the unicorn - recycled from one, if not two, cousin's birthday parties.

I also had a birthday!
Breakfast in bed is always a treat, but esp. with tiramisu French toast (Bryant) and gooey rolls (Dad)!

A most delicious cake was made, too!

♥

We took a quick trip to Lincoln to participate in the NWU Homecoming festivities this year.  Families were invited to a tailgate meal, band alumni were invited to perform on the weekend's concert, and there was even a music alumni trivia game (judged by a couple former (and since, retired) professors).  It was so fun to not only relive some of my college experiences with Bryant and the kids, but also some of Bryant and I's earliest memories together with our little family. 

It had been a while since we stopped in Rock Port for the traditional "meet in the middle" photo.

We stayed at "the coop" (this blog's namesake)!
The kids were obviously thrilled.  Me too!

We squeezed in as many favorites as we could that weekend, including a favorite coffee shop!

You know how I feel about a then-and-now...☺

Mannny hours were spent in practice rooms such as this, once upon a time.
This was a really sweet full-circle moment.

I used to give campus tours, so of course, we went in every building we could, including this - Old Main, where the university in its entirety was once housed.

So many feelings about playing on that stage again...but mostly: it was so fun!

The (almost) exact spot we first laid eyes on each other, and in the background, the first place he bought me coffee and the first place we ate dinner - all in the same afternoon/evening!

There is a lot I could say about these seed packets, but for now:
I collected a very large amount of zinnia seeds at the end of this growing season, because we were planning to (and did) do some work to the garden, so we couldn't just leave them to reseed like they had the last couple of years.  I ended up with way more seeds than I knew what to do with.  Shortly thereafter, I was asked to speak at a women's favorite things event at church where ladies would be sent home with gifts from a handful of different themes/topics.  The topic I was asked to share about: gardening.  And guess what I got to do with all the seeds the Lord apparently knew I would need to have collected?!  I got to share them with all the ladies in attendance after telling them all about why gardening is one of my favorite things!

Bryant and I were able to take an anniversary trip to Mackinac Island!  The island hold a special place in Bryant's heart, and as I had never been, it was exciting to have him plan this getaway and show me around.  Being there at the end of their peak season made for such a quiet, relaxing, and refreshing time.  We would love to share more about this trip, so please just ask, if you're interested!

There are no motorized vehicles on the island, so after we got off the ferry, we either walked or rode in horse-drawn carriages!

We spent a whole afternoon walking along the coast of the island.  While it was a bit chilly, the temperature and sunshine were above-average for the time of year, and for that, we were very thankful.

We love taking advantage of everything our proximity to a big city has to offer!
Pictured here: one of several symphony concerts for kids we have attended

Speaking of awesome field trips - we toured Arrowhead Stadium with our homeschool group!
(This was a really cool (free!) opportunity and such an interesting tour.  We were extra glad to have been able to take it after (months later) hearing about the Chiefs' upcoming big move!)

Again - this post is so very belated, but I am thankful for your continued unconditional interest, as well as the opportunity posts like this present for me to reflect on and remember (both now and in the future!) our life's happenings.  Time continues to pass at an alarming rate, and I try hard to not only enjoy and relish in the present moments, but also document them in a way that will allow myself and others to look back on them in years to come.  Someday, perhaps I will have something more profound, or at least timely, to share.  In the meantime, thanks for your grace.  ;)

Tardily yet happily,

Kensy

Favorites of the day:

the new coconut oil popcorn from Aldi

the opportunity to homeschool

this self-starting, hard-working girl
She asked for a box to paint so the noise-making kitten toy that is required to live in the basement could have a home.  I'd been saving a box for such a time as this, and we had the tail end of a can of paint, so she was in luck.  She asked to have her breakfast outside so she could "get right to work," and finished the job (really well) with no assistance.

Eureka Springs

I think I've told you, before: this blog is not only a vehicle to share thoughts and stories publicly, but also a way to document our life for posterity's sake.  So, if you're not interested in the minute details of our (somewhat) recent anniversary trip to Eureka Springs, AR, this post might not be for you.  ☺

Before telling you about our super-fun trip, I need to brag on my husband.  He took it upon himself to plan the whole thing, without being asked!  He found a cool destination within driving distance, arranged for childcare, researched must-see stops and must-try restaurants, made all the reservations, etc., etc.  In a season of life where I feel like all my brain cells are at capacity and I'm doing well to know what day of the week it is, his efforts meant the world to me.  

Headed out (sans baby - thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!).

Stopped in Bentonville, AR for lunch at this really unique restaurant!

We enjoyed our meal!  Interesting cuisine...we tried the fried artichokes appetizer and were glad we did.

See the bicycles in the windows?

Our next stop (and reason for going through Bentonville) was the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.  This was a free attraction that had been recommended to us by a few different people.  We don't necessarily consider ourselves "art museum people," but we really enjoyed our time here.  The grounds were truly awesome, the art was interesting, and the people were wonderful.  If you're in the area, or reasonably close, it's definitely worth seeing.

This is a picture of a picture - it's so hard to explain the amazing architecture, so I was glad to find an aerial shot to share!

Speaking of architecture, they had a Frank Lloyd Wright house on location.
This is a model of it.

We didn't wait around to take a tour inside, but enjoyed seeing it from the outside.

☺

The drive through Arkansas as the leaves were just starting to change was truly breathtaking.  The mountainous, winding roads and sweeping forest views were hard to capture, but will remain in our fond memories of the trip.

We knew we'd saved room for dessert for a reason.  What a fun surprise stop!
So yummy!  Check them out here.  They ship!
(That striped pole is the bottom of a huge candy cane.)

Our lodging in Eureka Springs was a tree house!  It was the perfect mix of seclusion, nature, quiet, charm, cozy, and peaceful.  Though there were other tree houses (as well as hobbit holes and castles!) housing residents, we didn't run into any other humans during our two-day stay.

Hard to tell, but dinner the first night was in a cave!
https://www.grottoeureka.com/

Glass chapel in the forest!

The drizzly, cold day ruined our hiking plans, but we were able to do some shopping downtown and were glad for a tip from one of the shopkeepers to go walk around a local hotel, even though we weren't staying there.  So, we did our "hiking" inside!

The Crescent Hotel & Spa

A fun night of karaoke and dancing was spoiled by a lack of indoor-smoking ban (allll the eye rolls), but we enjoyed our dinner beforehand and a full night of rest before our trip home!

Not the first time we've left our mark somewhere special...and won't be the last. ☺

Our penultimate stop was to see "Quigley's Castle: Ozarks Strangest Dwelling."  Strange was a good word...others we discussed were unique, weird, amazing, bizarre, concerning, and inspiring.  You can read more about it on their website, if you'd like, but in short, this house was a woman's dream come true.  She and her husband built it from lumber cut off their own land and "bricks" made from cement and stones collected over many years.  Because it was built during the depression, the family had to cover the window spaces with various materials for three years until glass became available.  There is a border of soil inside the home between the living space and outside walls, so plants can grow and thrive indoors year-round.  There is so much more to tell about this, but again - I'll let you read on your own.  Pictures don't do it justice, and even after having seen it in person and spoken with a Quigley granddaughter, I still have questions and don't quite know how to explain what we saw.

Last (spontaneous) stop was a yard "sell," because our curiosity was piqued.
Alas, we did not come away with any treasures.

This trip was such a wonderful getaway, and we're thankful to have been able to take it!  Thanks to all who helped make it possible (watching the baby, fur babies, providing recommendations, rescheduling lessons, etc.).

Thanks for your continued interest!

Belatedly (this trip took place over a month ago...haha),
Kensy

Favorites of the day:

time with family

my electric blanket

the fact that Panera has a drive-thru