Our First Year in Pictures

It started with a kiss.... 

Then we were the Rolands! All of us :)

We were Cowboys & Cowgirls...

We flew high.... 

And came back to make our house a home!

We rescued them.. and they rescued us.. from mice, bids, and snakes...

We worked together as a team!

 And got our first X-mas tree...

Took our last trip as just the two of us... and came home with a BIG announcement!

We raised livestock in our bathroom...

And steamed into History...

Now we wait for the next stage of our adventure to arrive :)

Baby Rol Meet conservation... Month 6..

It's pushing 90... they say pregnant people should stay inside.. well.. ok... thanks for that advice! I decided to head to the swamp! I've got a little one to raise up strong from the get go!

I'm a nerd...I'm married to a nerd...  and I'd like to think I'm growing one too! :)  While watching Maryland Public Television Nate and I saw a program about a woman who was raising White Turtlehead Plants. They are a native plant to Maryland and are the host plant for the Baltimore Checketspot Butterfly to lay it's eggs. 

Here is some more info so you can get your nerd on: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/naturalresource/fall2008/mpt.pdf

Our farm is home to many conservation projects like this stream crossing and Dad recently enrolled in a pollinator project to help produce food for the dwindling population of pollinators including our beloved honeybees! Our waterways are now pollinator food, so these Turtleheads will be part of that project. 

Kelly recently took a job with a "swamp farm," these plants were destined for the compost pile. So Kelly brought them home for our project.

So I put on my boots.. (oh yeah feet arn't swollen and they still fit) and I headed to the swamp and planted about a dozen of them at the stream crossing. 

 And... Baby Rol even got a little dirty :)... Finding a "Baby Bump" makes a great shelf...

So Baby Rol has officially participated in his/her first "nerd" event! Just like I'll get to watch my little on grow I'll also get to watch these plants grow and hopefully we'll save a few butterflies in the process.

Till next time.. 
Get your nerd on!
~ Amy ~ Nate ~ Baby Rol 

5 month update...

For the bump stalkers far away.. here's your 5 month shot... Pictured with Auntie The Great (Kim) and Aunt Kelly ( who has yet to select a creative name). So for the frequently asked questions:

1- Still not going to know if it's a boy or a girl till September... We could have found out 3 weeks ago.. but alas we like the suspense!

2- Feeling fine.. slowing down and have to act a bit like a turtle from time to time to get myself up and down.. it's quite a show! The ground gets farther away.. Have a lovely rash known as PUPPS 1 in 200 pregnancies with 70% of those resulting in boys have it.. I enjoy a daily oatmeal bath which makes me hungry for cookies!

3- Cravings- Not really. Still in love with fruit and veggies which has helped me keep from packing on the LBS.. for now.. HA!

4- Baby's room has some shelves and nightlight.. Work and the last 6 weeks of Grad School are winning the priority war... 

5- yes we have names... you must inquire to know them otherwise you get to be surprised about those as well. Let's just say they are strong names from our families that represent our love of old time ways.

This was my first "mother's day" Nate surprised me with this GIGANTIC bouquet of sunflowers on Mother's Day morning. Love to see my flowers from Space!

Baby Rol had a few items that had to be unpacked. For those that know my grandmother was a professional storyteller. When she passed I packed these away, never quite able to listen to them... I promised myself they would stay in the box till I was ready.. I decided that they will be the perfect bedtime stories for our little one... It is such a blessing to know that even though she won't be here in person her voice and her stories will be something our little one can grow up with just like we did. Grandma finds ways to make her presence known... like the Indego Buntings ( her favorite bird and not a backyard regular) who sat on the post at our wedding and who has been in the yard for the past few weeks just watching from the tree. <3

And.. the Baby's room would not be complete without re purposing some yardsale finds... If you remember Froggie Rol he got a home on the shelf total project cost $2. :0) Those Vaughan genes are all about thrifty re purposing so they better get used to it! 

THanks for stalking/ checking up on us!
We are well and enjoying growing our little family...
Much Love,
Amy, Nate, & Baby Rol

It just isn't spring till there is livestock in the bathroom!

Some people think you are a real woman at 14.. others the day you get married... today I feel like a real rural American woman.. because... I GOT MY CHICKENS!

 Today was the Mud Sale in Airville Pa, it's like adult Christmas... You spend some money leave with awesome stuff, eat way to much... and make memories with your family!

We've been pricing chicken houses and they are well over $1,200 at all the local places. Today at the mud sale we got one exactly like I wanted for only $400! Nate said it was worth every penny how excited I was.. I quickly headed down to the livestock tent and found these little fellas with 78 of their brothers and sisters up on the auction block, and claimed 10 for my very own! It's a gamble because they are straight run ( meaning you don't know if they are roosters of hens), but any roosters will taste dandy!

 I come from a long line of chicken women in this family! Mamal Jones grew up raising peeps and she  and my Mom had hens in Aberdeen when my mom was growing up. An old trick is when your peeps first get home you mix a little sugar with the water to give them a little kick start after they have traveled.. then you dip their beaks in to show them how it works...

 Next you get them some chop and pick at it with your finger, they will immediately imitate your behavior and realize yum yum this is good stuff.. Another trick is to put the feed in something shiny like this cookie tin lid, then they stay interested after you leave them.

 So at your house it might be spring with Easter Eggs and the like.. But as a child and now as a grown up...

 It just isn't spring till there is livestock in the bathroom!

Here is my beautiful new chicken house where my babies will go once they get their feathers in!

So from our growing homestead to yours! Happy Spring!

Much Love,
THE ROLAND FAMILY

Driver Coming Soon!

So... in case you missed it.... We're having a baby!

Nate and I as well as our families are thrilled!

It's been a fast 14 weeks and I never got sick probably because I slept for those first 9 weeks. :) 

 When we first found out we were expecting I found this little guy in one of my consignment shop trips. He's the exact match to the one I bought my beloved Sam when we found out he was going to arrive. Early in a pregnancy it's hard to feel pregnant and push through the yicky stomach, the complete exhaustion, sooo that is where Froggie Rol comes in... Froggie Rol gave me a focal point, a goal, he reminds me to step away from the ice cream and have some fruit instead, and to look forward to the day Baby Rol and Froggie Rol meet for the first time.

 Things I like to eat, salad... lots of salad... things I don't can't and won't even consider... deer meat.. weird... After polling friends and at the advice of the midwife... milk from the farm is a no go for the next nine... so for the fist time in my life I am stuck with store bought milk.. ugh! How do "normal" people drink this.. oh they put chocolate syrup in it... I get it now... It's just 9 months Amy and then you can raise Baby Rol on the good stuff...

If you know me well... I find ultrasounds weird and a little gross... I will admit I do love to see our little one and I have the pics in my wallet if you ever ask to see them, otherwise... in the words of Pop Pop Danny... if you were meant to see in there they would have put in a window. So... Froggie Rol can give you this week's insight into Baby Rol's development... According to the web, Baby Rol is the size of a cell phone. So here is Froggie Rol hanging with his buddy...

Till next time...

Much Love from our growing family!

Amy, Nate, Baby Rol, & Froggie Rol

12- to 2012

Celebrating the end of 2012 and amazing year for Amy Vaughan who became Amy Vaughan-Roland.
To celebrate all the year has meant to us at 2950...
Here are 12 photos that best describe life in the year 2012

 

We drank a boat load of beer... literally! 6/30/212

 

I married my prince charming! 6/30/2012

100 Wish lanterns all to come true for me & you! ALV <3 NJR

 

Spoil the nephews and nieces... Gold fish and LOTS of cotton candy!

Seeing the ponies swim as Chincoteague Island and getting to help/ become a Salt Water Cowboy by loading them for the sale... Livestock knowledge comes in handy! ALWAYS!

 

5 Museum trips, and the honeymoon of our dreams.. including para sailing!

We hosted 300+ guests at the farm for Farm Visitation!

 



We welcome 2 little kittens to the family Tippy & Moe!

 

 

Master Samuel Sham Wow Thor Wilson the First celebrated his first birthday Aunt Amy Style!

 

My beautiful god baby "Short Stack" turned 1! I had the honor of making her cake!

 

We had a private air show in the front yard one Sunday when our neighbor brought his plane and landed in the yard!

And in 2013 just like 2012 may we remember the wishes of our dear friends "The Mayberrys"

 

 

Love to you!

Nathan & Amy Roland!

Ravens Fans in Packer Nation

We may be Ravens Fans @ 2950... but it's true we've joined the Packer Nation!

Lunch Packers that is!

 Living on a budget with hopes of paying off my car, student loans, and some credit cards in the very near future we are doing all we can to save more money.

 

Sometimes with my busy schedule tutoring I'm packing breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it is keeping us on a strict food budget. We've also been shopping at Aldi and have cut our grocery bill! WITHOUT cutting Coupons cause let's get real... I don't have time for that!

 

 

This Coffee Area in the kitchen also keeps me from stopping for coffee in the mornings. It also helps to make sure that I am not loading up on caffeine to get through the day and is limiting me to one cup a day, a much better choice!

 

Oh yeah, It's all John Deere, I mean who would not want a handsome farm boy on a John Deere Making your Coffee.. DUH!

 

Getting chores done during the week is essential since every second of the weekend is always packed with family time since Nate and I are on opposite schedules all week

 

. By putting all the weekly chores on Popsicle sticks Nate and I choose a few a day, from the Un Done jar, and then they move to the Done jar. It shares the chore responsibility and makes sure the whole house gets clean every week!

 

 Doing this ensures that by the weekend all the chores have been done, there is not looming sinks of dirty dishes... and that DAMN laundry does not pile up ( I loath laundry!)

 

There is also a certain excitement (lame I know) about choosing a chore at random to do. Makes it feel more like an award or something.

 

Tonight I receive to coveted Wash Dishes ( only use Palmolive it was the only thing Grandpa Vaughan would allow in his kitchen!)

 

And.. the prestigious clean downstairs bathroom....( still like scrubbing the toilet more than laundry!)

 

 

And... wouldn't you know it.. I jinxed myself... just drew a laundry stick... damn!

Till next time here are some things that this little wife are finding to help have a smooth running household where we get it done... even the laundry!

Much Love,
Said Wife