Nothing says romance quite like casually talking through a project over morning coffee and somehow ending up at Menards a few hours later 😂 We were literally just trying to figure out where the ducks should live… and apparently that was enough to turn into a full-blown afternoon supply run. This is pretty much how every project starts around here: one of us says “what if we just…” and the other one is already mentally making the materials list. Anyway, duck house era is officially underway 🦆🔨 #ducks #duckhouse #duckcoop #diy @menardshomeimprovement

One of the features I knew I wanted to add to our coop from the very beginning was an automatic chicken door. 🐓 But when we first started asking other chicken owners for recommendations, I heard SO many stories about automatic doors that stopped working, malfunctioned, or eventually had to be replaced… and I knew this was one of those things I didn’t want to cheap out on. Enter @runchickendoor . 🙌🏼 Their Eternal Automatic Chicken Door consistently came up as one of the top-rated options, and after using ours, I totally understand why. It’s solar powered, made from aluminum, predator resistant, and designed to just… work. Which is exactly what I wanted when we were building a coop we hope to use for years. Sometimes “buy nice or buy twice” really is the answer. 😂 If you’ve been eyeing one for your own coop, I have a 15% off code linked in my bio! 🐔🤎

Five years ago, beekeeping was just a random hobby we decided to try because I came home to Luke watching beekeeping videos on YouTube and I said “why not” 😂 Now it’s something we do with family, something that has taught us how much we love learning new skills and doing things ourselves, and somehow even part of the reason this page is called Our Hidden Hive. The bees didn’t make us want to move to the country. That dream was already there long ago. But I do think they helped us understand what we loved about this kind of life. The satisfaction of starting with no idea what you’re doing, learning as you go, and eventually getting to hold something in your hands that exists because you stuck with it. And it really doesn’t matter what “it” is. Honey. Chickens. Ducks. DIY projects. A whole collection of random side quests. The point isn’t that every hobby needs to become something bigger. It’s just that following the things that make you curious can teach you a lot about the life you actually want. TRY. THE. WEIRD. THING. 👏🫶

Five years ago, beekeeping was just a random hobby we decided to try because I came home to Luke watching beekeeping videos on YouTube and I said “why not” 😂 Now it’s something we do with family, something that has taught us how much we love learning new skills and doing things ourselves, and somehow even part of the reason this page is called Our Hidden Hive. The bees didn’t make us want to move to the country. That dream was already there long ago. But I do think they helped us understand what we loved about this kind of life. The satisfaction of starting with no idea what you’re doing, learning as you go, and eventually getting to hold something in your hands that exists because you stuck with it. And it really doesn’t matter what “it” is. Honey. Chickens. Ducks. DIY projects. A whole collection of random side quests. The point isn’t that every hobby needs to become something bigger. It’s just that following the things that make you curious can teach you a lot about the life you actually want. TRY. THE. WEIRD. THING. 👏🫶

I cannot believe how fast these little buggers have grown! We’re getting ready to move them to the coop here soon, and I think it’s safe to say that they’re going to be thrilled to have access to their pool daily!!

Four things that save us money every month as a frugal millennial couple working towards being work optional while still enjoying our everyday lives. What are some of the things you do to save money monthly?

I’m not sure when “making it special” started to mean doing more. More decorations. More gifts. More things to buy. More pressure to somehow make every milestone feel like a holiday. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the beautiful things other moms create for their kids. But, I’ve also had to learn that appreciating something doesn’t mean I need to recreate it in my own life. For us, the first day of school is cinnamon rolls, the same little banner we reuse every year, pictures with the letter board, and me driving them to school. And that’s what feels special to me than trying to create something bigger just because I feel like I should. Which I held guilt around for a loooooong time. At the end of the day, I want my kids to remember that their special days felt special, but I don’t want them to associate special days with the accumulation or consumption of stuff. Maybe they’ll just remember that Mom always made cinnamon rolls, and that’s enough for me. 🤍

Happy honey harvest to all who celebrate!!! 🐝🍯

I am truly amazed at what curtains can do for a space. People talk about paint, wall treatments, and styling decor, but these curtains from @threegirlscurtains are what really pulled this space together! We’ve been slowly designing our dining room over the past few months, it started with our table, then our chairs, after a bit we added a rug. It was coming together, but it still felt unfinished. The moment these custom drapes from @threegirlscurtains went up, that changed. The room instantly felt warmer, softer, and more like the home we’re trying to create.  It’s funny how one detail can completely change the feeling of a space. Thank you, @threegirlscurtains , for helping bring this room to life. 🤍

Curtain Style: Lucy
Color: Light Khaki
Unlined, Memory Trained, pre-washed  You’ll find a link for a discount on your own in my bio 🫶