It’s been a minute! So much has changed since I last connected with you in March, and I’ve missed sharing our adventures on this blog. We’ve been living through a season of major shifts, exciting new chapters, and even a few role reversals, and I finally have a moment to catch you up.

Continue reading to learn about my new dream job, Charles’ semi-retirement, and his new role in our family. That’s not all! Cole has had some big milestones as well! Find out what has been going on at the homestead and how we are preparing for the long Vermont winter. I can’t wait to share it all with you! So grab a warm pumpkin spice something, settle in, and let’s catch up!

Career & Home Life Role Reversal

My New Dream Job: Engagement Manager

Last time we chatted, I was working two days a week from home, juggling marketing for a sweet local store and laying the groundwork for my own digital marketing agency. All of that changed in June when I took a chance and applied for my dream job. I knew deep in my heart I could do the work, marketing, communications, and financial development at a local non-profit dedicated to providing and maintaining affordable housing in our county.

After a few rounds of interviews, I was offered the position! I’m now the Engagement Manager at this non-profit, spending 20-30 hours a week out of the home. I’m raising money, organizing events, writing blogs, managing social media, and creating graphics for a cause near and dear to my heart. (I’ll save all the job details for another post, but just know: I am thriving!)

I can’t even begin to tell you what this position has done for my self-confidence. I feel so valued and get to literally do my dream job every single day. The best part? I have the flexibility and creativity I craved, but now with the security of a consistent paycheck!

Charles: The New Stay-at-Home Parent

My working outside the home has brought a major shift, but it’s afforded us the flexibility to try something totally new. Our next big announcement: I am now the breadwinner, and Charles is the stay-at-home parent!

This is something we never thought would happen. After selling his share of his automotive business last year, Charles took a few jobs that just weren’t the right fit. After walking away from his last role in June, he decided to take the time he truly needed: a moment to reflect on how he wants to best use his gifts.

He has been keeping busy! He still does side jobs in his on-site auto shop to bring in some extra cash, but mostly he’s been tackling all those projects he never had time for:

• Relocating and expanding our 2,500-square-foot garden.
• Finishing my dream car.
• Starting work on the pond we’ve wanted for years.
• Fixing a major electrical issue where the main power pole connects to our home.

In the meantime, he’s taken over most of the household chores—cleaning, cooking, and caring for the animals—and helping Cole with his schoolwork. We don’t know what’s next for him, but we trust God has a plan and will reveal it in His perfect timing.

Cole’s Milestones

Charles and I aren’t the only ones with new things; Cole has had some changes as well!

Permitted Driver & Safe Roads

As of February, we have a permitted driver in the house! Cole passed his permit test, completed driver’s education this summer, and is now logging those hours until his road test in February 2026.

I have to say, having a teen driver is a lot less stressful than I thought it would be. Cole is an excellent driver! He’s been handling motorized vehicles since he was about two years old, so he’s had plenty of practice. Driver’s ed helped him master the rules of the road, and I actually enjoy having him cart me around!

Thriving in Online High School

Cole also started his sophomore year of online high school with Liberty University’s Online Academy. It continues to be a great fit for our family.

He works completely online and on his own schedule, without the pressure of live classes. This flexibility is key! Just last Friday, when we were without power due to the electrical work, Cole was able to help Charles with the guys working on the lines, complete half a day of school in the afternoon, and finish the second half on Saturday morning. This schedule will be especially helpful during hunting season, allowing him to fit school around our family’s goal of harvesting meat for the year. He’s thriving, his grades have never been better, and he continues to learn from a faith-driven curriculum.

Seasonal Preparations & Homestead Happenings

A Bountiful Harvest

The new 2,500-square-foot garden plot Charles tilled was amazingly bountiful! Despite the wonky Vermont spring and our not getting things in the ground until June, we had an incredible harvest. I had purchased a large number of transplants from a local greenhouse, and they did not disappoint. I’ve been super busy preserving it all:

• We shredded and spiralized a bunch of zucchini and summer squash for the freezer (muffins and bread, coming soon!).
• Our rattlesnake beans went insane! After eating them for a week straight, I canned 32 jars and turned the rest over to the chickens.
• I turned about 15 pounds of grapes into jelly.
• I made nine jars of pepper jelly today, and we still have many peppers ripening.
• We’ve got a couple of pumpkins decorating the porch, and I froze about a dozen acorn squash.

Tomorrow, we’ll be working on freezing a second batch of zucchini and pressure canning a bunch of butternut squash.

Home & Flock Updates

In addition to his electrical work, Charles and Cole have been busy buttoning up the rest of the house for winter:

• They have a bunch of firewood chopped and stacked.
• Charles cleaned the pellet stove and stacked an actual ton of wood pellets under the lean-to.
• The boys removed and washed all the window screens (though they had to reinstall a few after another surprise stretch of 80-degree days!).
• Charles deep-cleaned, vacuumed, and oil-undercoated my winter drivers.

We also expanded our flock by two chickens! We had five older ladies (four are seven years old!), who are surprisingly still laying almost every day. In August, we welcomed two young barnyard mixes—likely mostly Auracans—from a friend’s hatch. As Star Wars fans, I fittingly named the brown one Princess Egg Lay’a, and the black one naturally is Kylo Hen. They have integrated pretty well and should start laying by November!

Ready for Hunting Season

We are also preparing for a successful hunting season. We have blinds cleared out, posted signs set, and new cameras installed. We’ve already seen some action, including five deer in the yard just last night!

With the flexibility of my new job, I’m planning to take the first week of deer rifle season off to hunt and work from home. Cole’s flexible school schedule, Charles’ semi-retirement, and our collective efforts mean we’ll be putting in plenty of hours. This isn’t just a sport; we rely on the venison we harvest to feed us for the year, use it to barter for stone fruit and other goods, and supplement our dog food.

Speaking of having a freezer full of venison, I’m currently inventorying our two deep freezers and making plans to use up what we have to make room for this year’s meat. Stay tuned for that adventure!

Conclusion: Looking Ahead

While we are working our way through this organized chaos, we are so positive about this new phase of our lives. It has taken some adjusting, but we are learning to navigate this new chapter better each day.

What have you been up to this summer? I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to share your favorite summer story in the comments.

Until next time!