Damian & Katerina = How To [vil-helm] #111

Alyce is getting ready for her first plane ride to the Czech Republic, where she'll meet her family and have many new adventures, with Mommy and Daddy packing everything she needs. Damian and Katerina are starting their plants from seeds this year, inspired by the Three Rivers Homestead channel, and are excited to share their gardening adventures with the Vilhelmians. Boujee and Dapper, the French bulldogs, had a fun week with Kat and Alyce while their dad was away, enjoying cuddles, snacks, and each other's company, and are now happy to have their dad back home.

Tiny Tales from Alyce's Weekly Wonders

Hi there! I! It's me, Alyce! And guess what? I'm getting ready for something SUPER exciting—my very first plane ride! I'm going to meet some of my family in the Czech Republic for the first time. I can't wait to see my Dida, Babi, Tete, and Charlie again and meet my other Babi for the first time!

Mommy and Daddy are busy, busy packing. They're making sure we have all the things I might need—like my favorite books and plenty of snacks. I've heard that some airports have special lines for families with little ones like me, which sounds awesome. And on the plane, I get to sit on Mommy's lap, which means lots of cuddles!

Speaking of snacks, Mommy says it's a good idea to bring lots of them. She read that having a variety of toddler-friendly snacks can help keep me happy during the flight. Things like mini brioche, tangerine, cooked pasta (shapes that don't need cutting), and pouches are some of my favorites.

Oh, and guess what? My nurse, Devleen, has been taking care of me for a whole year, but this Monday is her last day. I'm going to miss her so much! She started with me by saying she'd never taken care of a baby before, and now look at us: we've laughed, cuddled, read books, and even run around together! Thank you, Devleen, for all your love and care!

Now, back to my big adventure! I'm getting ready for my Easter trip to see my Czech family. I hope Boujee and Dapper can come too! I'll bring snacks to share!

I know traveling can be a lot, but I'm ready for all the new sights, sounds, and people. I can't wait to tell you all about my adventures when I get back!

Love, Alyce 💕

Sowing the Seeds

Hello Vilhelmians,

Get ready to get your hands dirty! This year, we're ditching the greenhouse... For years, springtime has always meant a trip to the greenhouse to buy seedlings for the garden. But this year, we're trying something new: starting our plants from seeds! I've always wanted to try it, but usually, life gets in the way, and suddenly it's May, and I'm thinking, "Oops, should've started those tomatoes back in February!"

Earlier this year, I started watching the Three Rivers Homestead channel on YouTube. This sparked my interest in becoming more self-sufficient and eating healthier, and I’ve become increasingly inspired by Jessica who runs the channel and others who're living off the land, growing their own food, raising chickens, and cooking healthy meals.

And while Jessica and I live in very different worlds, her dedication to her family really hits home. I mean, her ability to nurture, teach, and grow alongside her ten children is just extraordinary! I’m also inspired by how willing she is to share her knowledge, demonstrating the power of passing down skills and wisdom to an entire community. It's a reminder that generosity of spirit and a love for learning know no borders. These values—creativity, slowing down to appreciate the important things, and sharing knowledge—are ones I want to honor in my own life. Ultimately, Jessica’s example proves that even in our different worlds, we can all find meaning in both the simple and the profound.

This inspiration, in turn, has led us to try our hand at starting our own seeds. Now, don't worry, we're not about to move to a homestead! But there are many valuable tips to learn, especially about life. After all, our society has become so reliant on grocery stores and pre-packaged foods that we've lost touch with many traditional skills, like food preservation, baking, cast iron cooking, and canning. Everything comes in a box these days. While that's the reality of modern life, it's been pretty refreshing to watch homesteading channels like Jessica’s.

Speaking of new ventures, just last month, Jessica was talking about starting her garden under grow lights. I realized I had grow lights for my orchids, and I wondered if this could be the year we finally started from seed. I discussed it with Katerina, and we headed to the store to pick up some seeds and try our hand at something new.

To my surprise, Katerina has really taken to the process and has taken over this year's early batch of seedlings. Could this be the year we get her into the garden?

What have we planted? Well, that'll be a surprise for a future newsletter. For now, we can tell you that we hope what we sow in the spring will allow us to reap the fruits of our labor!

Ready to get your hands dirty like us? We'd love to hear about your gardening plans! Share your seed-starting adventures with us in the comments or on social media—tag us so we can follow along!

With love and curiosity,

Damian & Katerina

Woof Woof! 🐾

Bonjour, les amis! It's us, Boujee and Dapper, your favorite French bulldogs, here to tell you all about our week. Our dads left for another of his "business trips" to Chicago. It was a short one, but let us tell you, we made the most of it!

While he was away, we had the pleasure of spending time with our favorite humans, Kat and Alyce. Oh, what a week it was! We spent our days cuddling, basking in the warmth of their affection, and indulging in the most delicious snacks. Alyce was especially generous, always dropping tasty morsels on the floor for us to gobble up. And when Alyce went to sleep at night, Kat stayed up to keep us company. It was pure bliss!

But as much as we enjoyed our time with Kat and Alyce, we couldn't help but miss our dads. When he returned on Thursday, we greeted him with our best giggly butts, wagging our tails like there was no tomorrow. He may have been gone for a few days, but it felt like an eternity to us!

Now, let's talk about the weather, shall we? What is going on with all this rain? I, Boujee, absolutely hate the rain! How am I supposed to go out and show off my fabulous self in this wet mess? On the other hand, Dapper doesn't seem to mind. He'll go out whenever, rain or shine. I suppose some dogs are just built differently.

All in all, it's been a week of cuddles, snacks, and a bit of weather-related grumbling. We're just happy to have our dads back and to be able to share our adventures with you.

Until next time, keep your tails wagging and your bellies full!
Boujee & Dapper ❤️