In 2017, I started this blog when we bought the farmhouse.

I so enjoyed sharing with my readers the transformation of certain rooms, as we moved in, painted, and even added a bathroom upstairs.

I loved to share parenting stories, marriage joys & struggles, and decorating ideas.

There were some weeks during the last year and a half that I was blogging every single day.

Every. Single. Day.

And yet, when I opened the blog today...my last post was in June.  JUNE. 

That's SIX months ago.

However, a few days ago, I wrote a blog post to share as a guest writer on our minister's blog.

And it sparked something in me.

I realized how much I had missed sharing in this way.

Blogging feeds my soul.

So in 2020, I'm committing to a weekly blog post.

Not only to pour into my readers' lives...but for myself.

Happy Last-Week-of-the-Decade, friends.

Love from the Farmhouse,
Hannah

​❤️🏡❤️

Four whole months.

That's how long it's been since I posted over here on the blog.

It's like spring break got over and all the sudden, we were flying 80-mph in a 55-mph speed limit zone to the end of the school year.

Today is my first official day of summer break.

Sure, I'll be back at work once a week or so to tie up some loose ends and to do some preparation for next school year, but officially, I can stay home if I want to.

I'm reading a book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

It's all about doing little things each day to contribute to happiness.

Inspired by Rubin's book, I've decided to embark on my own "Mini Happiness Project".  

I'll chronicle my plan and progress here to share, starting today.

So let's just jump right in.

Rubin's happiness project was a 12-month endeavor.  

I'd like to start TODAY and have my first little leg of my happiness project go through September 30th.

I'll do some of the prep-work right now in June to allow me to be prepared to do a 3-month focus with my Farmhouse654 friends from July through September.

My Daily Focuses for the Rest of June will be:

• Deleting or sorting 50 emails in my email account every day (that tells you how many are in there -- at least they've all been read!)
• Make My Bed
• Stay under 20 carbs a day
• 30-minutes of exercise
• Catch up on my own Farmhouse654 12-Week Challenge one-a-day tasks
• Mark off one "nagging task" from my procrastination list each day
• Go through one shelf or drawer and declutter
• BLOG or focus on the blog, even if I'm not posting that day (check this one off the list today!)
• Do something fun with the girls

I've got some new readers, so I thought I might take the opportunity to introduce myself a little more formally and give a little background on life as we know it.

My name is Hannah and this is my blog...Farmhouse654.

I've been married to Mr. Farmhouse for almost 14 years.  We started out life in an adorable two-bedroom home in town and stayed there for over two years, before moving to a ranch-style home on four acres outside of town.  We did lots of updates to that home and property and absolutely loved every minute there.  We were completely content, except for the fact that our three girls shared two bedrooms and it was getting just a little bit tight as they continued to grow.

We had so many great memories in that house. 

We brought all three of our daughters home there. 
We raised bottle-calves, pigs, and chickens there. 
We spent 10 Christmas mornings there.

We made updates to the house, added a few outbuildings, and even survived a tornado that picked up one of our barns and threw it to the other side of the property.

Our second home was such a special part of our journey.

However, in May of 2017, an opportunity presented itself for us to sell that home and buy a farmhouse on ten acres.

So in July of last year (after some bumps in the road), we made the farmhouse our home.

And that was the start of Farmhouse654.

Now...a little background on the wife & mom of the family who lives here.

Mr. Farmhouse and I grew up right here in this town. 

We are hometown kids and I can't imagine raising our girls anywhere else.

Our girls are eleven, (almost) nine, and three.

They are so alike and so different in so many ways.

We love Jesus and love our church.

We believe that God's calling for us is to love Him and to love people.

We try hard to do this, but fail miserably a lot of the time.  We're thankful for grace!

I've been a teacher for the last twelve years and will be leaving the classroom in May to move into the position of the Director of Special Services in the district where I currently teach.  I run a photography business on the side and work for my parents, who own group homes for adults with disabilities.

We are busy and blessed.

The girls are involved in our church, play sports, take dance classes, and enjoy piano & guitar lessons once a week.  

We love to be outdoors and spend time often just sitting around in lawn chairs in the back yard watching the girls play basketball or shoot skeet.

When I have some free time, I like to document our journey through this blog.

So there you have it.

Some of where we've been and where we are now.

Someday I'll tell you all about where we're headed...our goals and dreams for the farmhouse.

But for today, I'll just go rock our sweet Mattie-girl while we watch another Barbie movie.

Make it a great Monday, friends.

​❤️🏡❤️

November 12th.

That was the last date that I wrote a blog post.

I was going through life, keeping up with this fun Farmhouse journal and then BOOM..off-track.

Off-track.

Overwhelmed.

Treading water.

Survival-mode at home, at school, at Newkirk Photography.

I had things I wanted to share.

Inspiration I wanted to give.

Encouragement I wanted to pass along.

And instead...I just stopped.

Just stopped.

However, a lot has happened since November 12th.

Deer season (I got two!).

Our first Thanksgiving family dinners at the farmhouse (can't wait to share about that someday!).

And we've almost made it halfway through the school year...WHAT!?!

So anyway...I'm back. 

I'm feeling refreshed and looking forward to sharing some Farmhouse654 updates with you sooner than later.

Happy Friday Eve, friends.

​❤️🏡❤️

June 5, 2004.

06-05-04.

654.

Many people have asked me or made guesses about where the "654" on Farmhouse654 came from.

It's not our house number.
It's not our street number.
It's not the number of dollars we have spent on the farmhouse, so far...I wish it was only $654!

It's our wedding anniversary.

Mr. Farmhouse and I went on our first date in September of 2000, to the Homecoming bonfire.

As a junior cheerleader, I needed a football jersey to wear and as a freshman football player, he had one.

From that point on, we were pretty much inseparable.

I married my high school sweetheart two short weeks after his high school graduation.

People thought we were crazy.
Too young.
Immature.
Settling for each other before really "seeing the world".

But while people thought we were crazy...we KNEW we were crazy.

Crazy for each other.
Committed to each other.
Excited to grow up together and grow old together.

We got married on June 5th, 2004.

And we just celebrated our 13th anniversary.

654 is the day our married life begun.

We've had ups and downs.

Good days and bad days.

New jobs, new homes, and three beautiful daughters added to the family.

654 was the start of everything we know and love.

And that's what I think of every time I write for Farmhouse654.

​❤️🏡❤️