Our family....

.....on an amazing day!

Busy days...

Life here has been a big blur lately, so much that needs doing, so much that doesn't get done....updating my blog is one of those things that has been left undone.

We've been busy with baby goats, putting in a garden, trying to stay on top of the weeds (the weeds are winning in some areas of our place), wrapping up our school year and trying to enjoy every ray of sunshine between the showers. It's been one WET spring...some say the wettest in 100 years, I for one believe them! The upside to all of the rain is things are growing...huge change from last year's spring where most of the garden and plants around it drowned in the rain and cold. It's been a bit warmer than last year, I think, and that has helped things grow. Gives me hope for our garden this year.

Another project that has demanded some attention is our pasture...we are expanding it! YAY!!! The hope is that we'll have our electric fencing up and functional in a matter of weeks, between my husbands busy work schedule and the rain, we are working slower than I would like. The fence posts are set and waiting the wire...all in due time. :) Once this pasture is ready, our goats will have even more forage to enjoy and hopefully will save us a bit on our feed bill this summer.

Our goat numbers are going to be going down soon, Lord willing. We've decided to downsize our herd and focus more on the smaller breed, Nigerian Dwarf. Our beloved Minikin will stay...she is the queen of the barn and none of us could bare the thought of her leaving. She'll live out her days here. Tinkerbel and her babies will all be sold. The hope is that we can cut back and save for a Jersey milking cow. While I LOVE my goats, we don't enjoy the milk as much as we do the cows milk....so we are transitioning our focus a bit. Who would have thought it would be so hard to sell a silly goat....some think I'm nuts, but I simply love my goats.

We've raised them for 7 years and they have become apart of our place here, apart of our lives. While I don't want to raise them for milk, we will keep the smaller Nigerian Dwarfs to fill the "goat need" and give us an animal we can breed and sell each year. If it doesn't work out, we are out very little in the end and have much of love in the mean time from these sweet animals. :) Thankfully, my husband is fully on board....he knows how much I love my goat babies. :)

Now the search for just the right cow for us will begin. I don't see us adding this animal to our place any time soon, but it is on the horizon...maybe in a year? I think we'll have a steer before we have a cow, and that's fine. Beef in the freezer is always a good thing!

So, while we've been busy planting, weeding, schooling and trying to keep up with the other household chores, it is suddenly June! Where did May go? My goodness! Praying your spring has gone well, that your gardens are growing and that you have a bright and sunny summer coming your way! School is out, for the most part in just a matter of days here. While we will be doing some school through the summer, we are all ready for the summer break. :)

Thankful for Friday!!

What a week! Have you struggled this week to find Joy? Finding it hard to be thankful? So much out there tells us that things are hard, bad and gonna get worse....even here I've talked about it. Yesterday, I had to fill up my gas tank in my Yukon. I LOVE that vehicle, but dread filling the tank with today's prices, let me tell you! Gas here has gone up $.20 in just a couple of weeks. I heard one report yesterday that it went up $.11 in ONE NIGHT locally. Does that just fill your being with dread? Do you see dollar signs and feel a cold sweat just thinking about how to continue to fill up your tank to do what you need to on a daily basis to survive? UGH! It makes me want to run and hide, to be honest. Those gas prices are going to be reflected in everything we buy...food, clothing...EVERYTHING!

Yes, this is my "Thankful for Friday" post, and the opening was less than thankful filled, I know. We all know how hard things are getting, how much harder they are bound to get. The key here is to remember that God is still in control and cares for our needs. He hasn't left us just because the gas prices are skyrocketing! THAT is where I find my joy, where my thankful heart rests. I am NOT alone here. He hasn't put me here and then left me to struggle through the mess on my own. It may feel that way at times when our focus is not on Him and being thankful. Finding joy in the moment, even a moment of stress or sorrow!

We recently found out that a dear friend of ours lost his mom to cancer. Heartbreaking news, but we knew it was bound to come. It's hard to see someone you love suffer and die, it's hard to see them suffer at all! Hard things happen, hard times come, that is not going to change. It is in those times that we often have to purpose in our hearts to FIND JOY! To CHOOSE to be joyful, full of thanksgiving even if it's for our very breath.

So, I challenge you to remain thankful, even in the midst of hard times. Stay focused on joy that can only be found in the Lord. This week, I am thankful for much:

• I have been blessed with an amazingly hard working and loving man. He brings me so much encouragement, love, friendship, and support every day. I know I say that often on my thankful list, but it's so true...the Lord has blessed me with being married to my very best friend and I am so thankful.
  
• Being able to homeschool my kids, learning with them and from them every day!
  
• So many great friends that share their knowledge with me on so many topics...I learn something new every day about how to be a better wife, mom and steward of all that the Lord has blessed us with.
  
• Being able to sew new things...I made a pair of flannel pants for myself this week and also was able to buy some fabric for some shirts for my daughter and I. We have some work ahead of us, but so rewarding.
• Our hens are laying well, we finally have enough eggs to share and sell again!
  
• Fencing money....I was able to save enough to buy the last of the fence posts for our pasture expansion (at least we hope it was the last of them) while they were on sale!
  
• Continued work for my husband. Each week he has more work we are thankful!
  

So much more that I could share, we have been truly blessed! I don't have to look hard to find things to be thankful for. Sure, we are struggling as much as the next guy...things are hard and are setting themselves up to get harder. I struggle often with letting it get to me, letting the stress be my ruler and not choosing to be joyful or thankful in the midst of it all. It's VERY easy to let the stresses around me rule my thinking. I often have to be very deliberate in my thinking, moment by moment. We have SO much that we'd like to do here, and only so much money to do it with. So much that we want to do and need to do...things that would make it easier for us to live this life...but we have to take it one thing at a time. That is life...it's all a process.

Choose to be thankful! Choose to find joy...even if it is just being joyful and thankful that the sun came up another day, that you have life and breath.

Avoiding the grocery store

Last week I posted about the rising food costs and how we are changing some things to avoid a rising food budget crisis. While not all of us can have huge gardens, a milk cow or goat, chickens, pigs and such, there is always more that we can do to cut costs. Sometimes it takes more time on our parts, more time spent in the kitchen baking, canning produce you buy from a local produce stand or any number of other things.

For me, spending time in the kitchen is something that I love to do. Making bread is not a chore for me, baking cookies, canning peaches or making tortillas. Sure, it's work, but I'm not one that is turned off by a bit of effort to save some money to trim our budget. There are some things that I make that don't even save me much money, but it's worth it just to avoid buying what someone else has made...and the added items that ALWAYS end up in my grocery cart while picking up those items. Doesn't that just drive you nuts? You go to the store for milk and bread and end up spending twice as much on things you "forgot" you needed. In reality, MOST of those "needed" items are not really needed at all. You could easily do without them.

One thing that I thought about in reading comments left on my last blog entry about this subject was that not everyone CAN grow everything. I know I can't. Tomatoes are a favorite here, but something that I have struggled to get to grow well here. This year, I'm going to try a few "tips" I have read about, but I'm not going to count on growing enough to provide us with our needed total for the year. This is something that I watch for at local farms and produce stands. Even canning tomatoes that I've purchased from someone else is better than relying on an unsteady market to always have them on hand. Honestly, if I didn't can them myself, I'd be stocking up on canned organic tomatoes somewhere else...like Costco or where ever I could find the best price. Buying in bulk is what keeps me from having to shop all that often.

Network with local farmers, or others that are able to grow what you can't. Find a neighbor that has chickens, trade with them or buy eggs from them. Raise a few broilers for your freezer, or find someone that does...worst case, buy in bulk when chicken goes on sale. The key is to look at what you CAN do and work with that. For my family, I don't want the GMO food, the poorly raised meat full of hormones and the fillers that they feed the animals. So, we choose to raise most of our own...often at no better price than I could get on sale, but much better product for our time and money. I like knowing where my food comes from and NOT supporting a food industry that likes to play God...or feels that they know best what is "good" food.

I could easily go on and on about what you "could" do, or what we do here. Everyone has to work with what they have, make choices based on preference, limitation and availability in your area. The key is that you CAN do something, even if it's just a few things here and there. Not everyone can be self sufficient in their food needs, but for my family, that is a goal. My encouragement is to do what you can do. Trust in the Lord for what you can't...He's never let us down...we have always been provided for. We just feel that there is always more that we can do to be better stewards of what the Lord has blessed us with!

If you are feeling lost as to where to start, you know you need to cut back on spending, you can't grow a huge garden, can't raise a cow or a pig...start by looking at what you buy now. Can you make your own bread? What about skipping the frozen dinners? Make more of your meals from raw ingredients, not prepackaged mixes and such. I have found that many of the products I thought I needed....BBQ sauce, syrup, pancake mixes, bread, buns, tortillas, even chocolate syrup....can be made at home from things I already had in my pantry! Start by looking at what pre-made foods you buy now and try to find alternatives. It doesn't take a total change in every area of your menu, but most of what you "think" you can't make is easily made from scratch with ingredients you already have on hand. Sure, it may take a bit more time, but planning can help solve much of that problem. I'll be trying to share many of my family's favorite recipes, things that I make all the time that help me avoid the grocery store. If you are looking for something specific...leave me a comment and I'll see what I can find. :)

We are all in this together...and many hands (or minds) can often make light work in a tough situation!

Thankful for Friday!

The past week has been a true test of my thankful heart. Our family has been seeing quite a few struggles lately and the strain of it all has really worn us a bit thin, I'll admit. Some days you just have to pull yourself up by your boot straps, as they used to say, and determine in your heart to be thankful. Ever feel like that? Boy howdy, I do!

I have been continually reminded in various ways that we are truly blessed, even in the midst of turmoil and stress. We were never promised an easy road, there are GOING to be bumps along the way, we are going to face really hard things. If we aren't, then we are either not living or living in a dream world unaware of real life. One thing we ARE promised is to have peace during the storm, right? Often times that peace is hard to hold onto in the midst of a big storm, we may loose our grip on the peace that surpasses ALL understanding, but it's always there!

We are SO blessed to be able to see the blessings, the silver linings if you will, in any situation. Sometimes we have to look a little harder than others and sometimes we even have to just trust the Lord that they are there. I think that's where a bit of old fashioned faith comes in. :) God is SO good to us and has blessed us abundantly...we just have to purpose in our hearts to see it.

My blessings this week have been many, though there have been moments that I almost missed them!

• I serve a loving God that sees all, knows all and CARES about it all!
• My husband is truly my best friend, and I am his.
  
• My kids are healthy and growing, learning to lean on the Father in the midst of hard things.
• My pantry is full, my freezer is full and my hens have started laying again...YAY!
  
• The Lord has blessed us with amazing friends that know how to pray, know how to listen and know when we just need a break.
  
• My hubby and I get to have a quiet weekend alone...thanks to some very dear friends. Something that we both desperately need!
• MOST importantly.....GOD is in CONTROL! I don't have to be, I don't want to be and He does a much better job at it anyway. :)
  

WE ARE BLESSED!

The twists of this life we live.

For my family, life has been a bit on the crazy side for a couple of weeks now. My blogging time has been cut down to next to nothing...hence the lack of posts here. :( Between schooling with the kids, grade posting for the school district that we are a part of (though, this is becoming more and more difficult, I must admit), preparing for baby goats to appear, my work for Gling, a family issue or two and just trying to keep up with the every day, I've been stretched a bit thin.

Despite all of this, I have felt peace. Finding peace in the midst of a storm is not always easy, but thankfully the Lord is faithful to provide me with the peace I need and the strength I am lacking when I need it most.

No babies in our barn as of yet, but we are expecting some in the weeks to come. I can't wait to have all of that fresh milk, cute little babies and all of the activity that they both bring. A couple of weeks ago, my son built me a cheese press. I'll have to post pictures of it later, he did such a great job! I made my first batch of farmhouse cheddar the day he built it for me. Such an easy cheese to make and it turned out WONDERFULLY! I can't wait to try it with our own fresh goats milk. :) One more thing I can take off of my grocery list if I can perfect it and work it into my weekly routine.

We've been developing a new routine around here. I've been assigning more chores to the kids so that we are able to keep up with the daily list of things. My calendar is my "brain" some days and it's helping me to stay more on track. What a blessing it's been to have meals planned, dishes assigned each day and laundry as well. Taking the time each week to plan out our week out has saved us so much time and frustration. It's amazing, we haven't removed anything from our schedule, but we're able to get much more done. Feels good!

Praying you all are having a blessed week so far. It seems everyone around the country is getting the snow we are praying for. :) Enjoy it if you have it and all of it's beauty. Snow can be a mixed blessing, I know. I choose to focus on the beauty it brings and trust in the Lord to help in the areas that it complicates. :)

Thankful for Friday!

Wow! Am I late in getting this posted this week. Oh well, better late than never. It IS still Friday, after-all. :)

What a week this has been, from snow on Monday, to horrible rain and warm temperatures, we've had a bit of everything it seems. The rain was such a bummer for me, for some reason. I think much of my mood was due to the lack of predicted snow. They had talked and talked about this storm for a week, saying it was going to be a "good old fashioned snow storm" with a foot of snow possible in one evening. Well, as you already may have read, we didn't get anything. Such a bummer! :(

Beyond the weather woes we've had a good week. I've been working since the first of the year to purge out the clutter from our home and really get on top of the daily tasks around here. It is so easy to let things slide, let little things go and eventually they grow into a mountain. At least that is how it's felt as I dig out from underneath it. :)

Another area that has seen some attention from me this week is my quiet time. I don't know why, but doing a daily devotional has always been a struggle for me. I LOVE the idea, but rarely finish or do it faithfully every day. As much as I know my walk needs this daily time with the Lord, life tends to get in my way. This year, I have decided that I need to make it more of a priority. Just as I make time for my kids, my husband and my home, I also need to make time to be with my Father. Relationships take work, communication, listening, attentiveness and the willingness to put yourself aside a little for the good of the relationship. My walk with the Lord should be no different. So, I've decided to make it a priority this week and have LOVED every minute I've gotten to be alone with Jesus!

This time has given my days a focus, a peaceful start and my prayer time and reading have given me things to ponder as I work through my day. My focus has been so much more on how God would want me to respond, work and be in all aspects of my day. Such a great way to spend a bit of time each morning, like having a nice lazy cup of coffee with your husband before he leaves for work in the morning. My devotion time has set the tone for my day. No better place to start, as far as I'm concerned!

So, what am I thankful for this week? Oh my...to list it all will take up too much blog space. I'll jut list a few to give you an idea of where my heart is....

• My quiet time each morning...are you surprised? :) This time of reading, praying and truly listening to the heart of Jesus has been the best start to every day.
  
• My hard working man that gives so freely of himself for our family, working so hard even in the freezing cold snow and drenching rain..all for us. Love that man. :)
• My kids, and their willingness to help when I need it.
  
• Our home, as cluttered and out of control as it seems right now, it's home...the place where my family gathers and memories are made.
  
• Being able to be home with my kids, teaching them, watching them grow and learn...a true privilege!
• The word study I have started doing on "Grace". Such a powerful word study...only one day in and I am loving seeing the heart of God, the grace He bestows on us...undeserved.
  

A very blessed week...loaded with many blessings, challenges and trials, but God is faithful. I have SO much more to do in reclaiming my home and a routine that will bring more peace to our family, but one day at a time, one room at a time I will get there. :) I have no doubt. My craving for order and organization in my home is HUGE...almost as much as I crave chocolate. :)

The calm before the storm...

Good morning! Our area is gearing up for a "good old fashioned snow storm" according to the weather guys. It's gone from a HUGE event, to a more mild one...either way, we will see snow this week. Depending on who you listen to, we could see anywhere from a trace of snow to a foot. Not sure how so many different people can have so many different predictions, but at least they all agree it should snow. We got a bit over the weekend, but it's all gone now.

So, what does this mean for me? Well, my Yukon will not be going into the repair shop just yet. It's our only 4-wheel drive that we all fit in and as long as the snow fall is minimal, we do have classes to attend this week. That's OK, the repairs can wait. :) I am looking forward to the snow. So are my kids.

I did my grocery shopping over the weekend and made sure that this time we were ready for anything. Who knows, perhaps the weather guys will be TOTALLY off and we'll get a storm that will look much like the one we had our first winter here. That year we were snowed in for almost 3 weeks with just over 2 feet of snow! We were not ready for it and we all about went nuts. This time, we are ready! Most of us are almost hopeful we get a "good old fashioned snow storm" but know that it's not likely.

Praying for a restful week, as we are all recovering or suffering from a nasty cold. Praying my dear husband doesn't get the dreaded cold. Also praying the snow doesn't keep him from being able to work. Thankfully, God knows what we need and we can rest in that.

I'm looking forward to the snow falling and being able to sit with a hot cup of tea and watch our world turn white. I LOVE the snow, love the way it transforms our homestead and lightens moods. I've got plenty of sewing, crocheting and knitting to keep me busy if we do get snowed in. :)

Thankful for Friday!

Wow! I'm a bit late in getting this Friday post up, but it's been a VERY long day. What have I gotten done...absolutely nothing, or so it would seem. That's OK though, everyone is entitled to a day like this from time to time..or so I'm told. :)

My day started today with a VERY early drop of of a little boy I baby sit from time to time. Jack got here at about 4:15 this AM. Thankfully he is a snuggler, so I got some snuggle time in on the sofa. After a couple of hours, he was ready for a nap...and so was I after a night of very little sleep. We napped, let the rest of the kids (some of whom have been sick all week) sleep in. Oh the blessings of homeschooling, being able to be flexible like this. I love that!

Today has been a very laid back day for us with school as well. A much needed lazy day after a week of nasty colds and trying to keep up despite feeling rotten. The main thing we did for school today was to watch the movie Food Inc. I'd already watched it, but wanted the kids to see it as well. The older kids took notes and it will count towards their health requirements...gotta love that! If you haven't had the opportunity to watch this movie, I'd highly recommend it. If you care about what your family eats, where it comes from (if it doesn't come from your own farm or homestead) you will want to see this. Even if you don't really want to know...you should watch it!

So, what am I thankful for this week? Oh my, where to begin...let's see.

• As always, my hard working husband and his ability to work in a struggling economy when so many are not able to. We've had our scares, our down times, but we have been blessed.
  
• My kids, their readiness to learn, and understanding of why we live the way we do. For the most part, they "get" it, may not always like the chores required to live this life, but they at least understand why and appreciate it.
  
• Our place here where we can grow a good portion of our food, have room to move around, have God's beauty all around us and are blessed to live this life.
  
• The relationship I have with my husband, he is truly my best friend.
  
• Having the time and desire to be creative...crocheting, knitting, sewing and such has become a part of my daily life. I went too long not allowing myself that time, now I can't do without it. It's also nice that my husband supports my endeavors and encourages me to do as much as I feel like. :)
  
• My Yukon will soon be in the repair shop, it's been a month next week since I was in my wreck and I am SO tired of the daily reminder and questioning looks from people...as if I don't already feel rotten about it all. :(
  
• Charlies Laundry Soap that I ordered from Marmee Dear. I absolutely LOVE it! Even with our horrible hard water, our clothes are just plain CLEAN! May be a silly thing, but for this mom it's been a wonderful blessing. :)
  
• My Shark Steam Mop that my wonderful hubby bought me for Christmas....works like a dream and my floors are CLEAN! :)
  

Can you tell I've done a lot of cleaning lately? :) I'm trying so hard to get back on top of my house after a long month of preparing for Christmas, all of the running and everything else that the end of the year seems to bring. It was all good, but my house suffered because of it all. All in all, it's been a good start to the new year.

Happy New Year!!

Can you believe that 2010 is coming to a close? I am just amazed at how quickly this year has gone. My husband and I sat and watched the morning news before he went to work this AM. They did a "recap" of big news making stories of the year and you know what, there were very few "happy" stories to be told. Not a very positive look back to our year, that is for sure. So sad that the focus this year was on so much sadness, devastation and heartache around our nation and the world.

What about the happy days, the good things, the blessings, the acts of kindness and amazingly wonderful stories? WHY does the media insist on focusing on the horrible sadness that consumes the airways? Sure, it's been a really tough year, it's been a tough several years. Has it all been horrible, bleak and hopeless?

Not in my house? We have been continually blessed. We've seen growth in relationships and watched our family come together in a tough season to see a better tomorrow. Are we alone? Is my family outside of the norm? Obviously we are not...just read a few blogs or talk to a few people that CHOOSE to be thankful.

I think that is key, choosing to be thankful, going out of our way to look past the struggle and see the many blessings that we do have even in the midst of trial. This has been a tough year, I won't lie. I am thankful to see the struggles of this year behind us. I know they are far from over, this world has just changed too much and struggles are all around us, but my hope is NOT in this world. It's in my heavenly Father who sees all, knows all, and provides for all.

So, this "Thankful Friday" post is not my typical thankful post. There is just too much that I could share BECAUSE I choose to be thankful, I choose to put my hope in the hands of the only One that can truly effect change or bring peace to my weary mind. If I were to stand on my own power, try to get through these hard times with my own strength, I'd be just like the media...hopeless. My hope, my peace, my thankfulness, my joy, my future rests in the hands of the Lord.

Happy New Year my friends! Make 2011 the year you CHOOSE to be thankful. The year you CHOOSE to hope. The year you CHOOSE to have peace. The year you CHOOSE to have joy. All in the midst of the storm. Having all of those things in the calm places of life is easy, the test is when you can have all of those things in the midst of your storm.

Praying for a wonderful new year for you and your families.

Christmas blessings!

This year, I purposed in my heart and mind to simply enjoy all that the Season had to bring. To not let the stresses of all of the "to do's" get to me and rule my days. Instead I focused on the people that are reflected on my many lists of things that needed to be done (just a few of them are my kids...Rachael, my oldest son's girlfriend, Anthony, Dylan, Brandon and Alyssa). Was I still busy? Of course I was! Was it enjoyable? You bet! :)

Our family enjoyed many relaxing evenings watching our favorite Christmas movies, looking at the lights on our tree and spending time with family and friends. I often had crocheting in my lap during these family evenings, making hats for nephews and our niece, or making folded fabric ball ornaments that would be added to gift bags for family members. I kept busy with hand work and such, but enjoyed time with my family at the same time.

The kids and I worked on making candy to be added to the gift bags for family. Something we've never done before...molded chocolates on sticks and candy canes. What a fun project that was! Brandon worked hard on his snow men...they turned out great.

We also made sugar cookies...though they never ended up getting decorated, Dylan enjoyed trying his hand at rolling and cutting the dough. He did a great job too!

My husband's VERY talented brother does chain saw carvings. This year, he carved a bear for each of the kids. Dylan was so excited about his...they all were! Such a wonderful gift.

This year we decided it was time to splurge and get the family a Wii game system. We avoided doing this until this year, but I am so glad we went ahead and took the plunge. We've had such a good time playing games like bowling and tennis rather than just sitting around in the evenings. So much fun for all of us! I don't typically get into this kind of thing, feeling like there is just too much "screen influence" most of the time, but this was a fun addition to our home.


Brandon asked for one big thing this year...a shot gun. He LOVES hunting and even just target practicing. It was the perfect gift for him this year. The look on his face was worth it all...he was thrilled!

Alyssa LOVED the bulletin board I made for her. The fabric that covers it is a horse scene with trees and water. She was so excited...a simple gift, the fact that my kids appreciate the simple things they receive makes me so happy! They appreciate the effort in the making of the gift and don't need the pricey commercial trappings that so many kids these days get caught up in. Oh sure, they still want some of the other things, but the simple things are often their favorite things. :)

You know your baby has grown up when a box of socks brings a smile like this...he is forever looking for his socks. :) Our oldest is now over 20 and understands the value of a drawer full of socks. Bitter sweet, I think...though he did have a huge smile on his face when he opened the gift from his dad...his paintball gun that he had sold to his dad when he was in need of money. Wade had saved it and then gave it back to him for Christmas. :)

My parents came and spent the day with us on Christmas day. We had a wonderful time visiting, eating and watching the kids play the Wii. Times together are few and far between these days, it was nice to have a relaxing day to just "be" and catch up a bit.

One of the best gifts we all got this year was my sister...she has been away for too long. We had a fun day, catching up, playing the Wii and just enjoying time together. I think time with family was the greatest gift we all received this year. God truly blessed us with lots of time, relaxing, good food and many laughs. None of the material things from this Christmas really mattered much, even to the kids, we all just really enjoyed being together.

All together!

In this photo, from left to right: Alyssa (daughter), Jenny (my sister), Dad, Mom, Wade (hubby), me, Dylan (3rd son), Anthony (1st son) and Brandon (2nd son).

This Christmas, my whole family was together for Christmas. This is the first time in 5 years that we have all be in one place for Christmas and it was such an amazing day. We had so much fun playing cards, playing the Wii, eating tons of goodies and good food, visiting about our lives and just enjoying the time together. Such a blessing this year, my sister was here and we had a great time reconnecting! I've missed her. :)

So many blessings from this Christmas season, this is just one. Praying you all had wonderful blessings this Christmas!

Are you ready?

This week is a full week for me....so much to do to be ready for Christmas. I've still got sewing to do, knitting, jewelry making, crocheting and baking to do. Thankfully I am not stressing, not worried. What needs to get done, will be done. If it doesn't, that's OK too.

My focus this year has been to simply enjoy the season. Enjoy time with family and friends. Soak up the true meaning of this season and the "who" that is on my list, not the "what". After all, it's not about the "stuff", it's all about the people that the "stuff" is supposed to be for. Right?

So, while I'm crocheting, knitting, baking and sewing....I'm soaking up the time with my family and friends. THEY are my focus, not the task at hand. Not the never ending list of "things".

How about you? Is your focus on the "what" on your list? Are you able to look past it all to the "who" that truly matters most?

My kids asked me the other day what my favorite Christmas gift ever was. You know, I could think of several gifts I'd received, but nothing that really stood out as my "favorite". What I remember more are the moments, the laughs, the special memories of family and friends. Watching my kids excitement on Christmas morning, reading the account in the Bible of the birth of Jesus, singing Christmas carols at church, baking cookies and blessing my family with special treats. That is what I remember more than the gifts I received.

Enjoy this time with your family, friends and loved ones. Remember to focus on the REASON FOR THE SEASON!

Rain, Rain....turn to snow!

Happy Monday! I am completely shocked that it's Monday already, how did that happen? We had a VERY wet weekend here at Tanglewood Hills. The whole Pacific Northwest was rather soggy this weekend. I haven't heard any official rain totals, but the forecast on Saturday was for 3 inches of rain in Portland. While we are not in Portland, much of our weather comes from there. I would not be surprised one bit to hear that we exceeded that total. So much rain fell on Saturday! We were all wishing the rain was snow...we are all ready for a good winter storm here. Snow would be a welcomed way to start our Christmas season next week...we are praying. :) I know that those of you in the mid west who are experiencing major snow events are thinking I'm nuts. Snow is just a welcomed and rare event here most years.

We were snug and cozy in our friend's home. Saturday was our cut and wrap day for our steer. He was a big boy! We split him with our friends, something we've done the past three years or so. Doing it all ourselves from the kill to the cut and wrap has saved us a lot of money. We spend a day getting the meat all processed and ready for the freezer. I am SO thankful to have this meat in our freezer. Between the beef and the chickens we butchered a few weeks ago, we are going to have plenty of meat to see us through the next few months. YAY!

This is the last week before Christmas break and it is going to be crazy! Between parties, activities and events for the kids I'll be doing a lot of baking. Bread baking, a bit of fudge, cookies and maybe some cinnamon rolls. The rest of the week will be busy making scones, cookies and other goodies for the kids to share at their events and parties this week. I also have some craft type things to work on and a party for co-op to to plan crafts for. All fun and good stuff, but makes for busy days for this mama. :)

Praying you all are having a wonderful week. Find ways to enjoy this season and not be so wrapped up in the "to do list", I'm talking as much to me as anyone. It is SO hard to not focus on the "to dos" of the day and not on the "who" you are doing it all for. My pastor yesterday shared that very thing and it really hit home with me. So, even though I am SO super busy this week, my focus is on the "why" of it all. I want to enjoy the baking, the time with my kids and why I'm working so hard this week. We are SO blessed, I LOVE this season and I am SO thankful for all that we have.

Have a wonderful week!

Thankful For Friday!

So much to be thankful for, so much I could share, so much I could ramble on about....but won't. Today I am SO thankful for the blessings the Lord has given to us...

• My family
• My hard working man that does all he can to provide the very best for our family
• Friends near and far, in real life and online, that help me see things in new ways, and give me food for thought. Friends that listen, don't judge, love me for who I am and where I am and pray for me and with me to become the wife and mom I so desire to be.
  
• This season of remembering the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The baby that came and changed this world and that continues to change our world.
  
• The many military men and women who serve our country, away from family and friends this season. Men and women that won't have time around the tree with their loved ones, who will be and are fighting for our freedom and way of life. The sacrifice of not only the one in uniform but also the families that they leave behind that continue on with life...missing their loved ones, holding down the fort and keeping the home fires burning.
  
• Time to give thanks, show appreciation and remember the many blessings we have.
  
• The fire burning in the wood stove that warms our home.
  
• The lights on the tree, that give off a warm glow in the evening.
• YOU...for visiting this blog and sharing my life here. I am blessed!

Enjoy this season. Take time to relax and enjoy your family and friends...all of the blessings you have received. Remember WHO is the reason for this season....Jesus Christ!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

It's a chilly 30 degrees here at Tanglewood Hills and snow is on the ground. That has been the norm here for this past few days and we are loving it! What a wonderful way to spend our Thanksgiving morning, looking out over the snow covered ground in our warm home. We have SO much to be thankful for. God has really blessed us!

Today, we'll be driving north to my parents house to spend the afternoon with them. There will be tons of good food and lazy conversation, I'm sure. I'm looking forward to just being able to relax a bit. I did my baking yesterday, a gingerbread cheesecake and two pumpkin pies. My mom is doing the rest, but we are keeping our meal simple. :)

Our morning will be spent enjoying having our kids all home, drinking coffee, enjoying the fire and having a nice slow morning. I LOVE that!

Praying you all enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving with your family and take time to "count your blessings" as the old song says. We are ALL so very blessed, have so much to be thankful for. Sure, we may be facing hard times, have struggles in our lives, but really...we ARE blessed!! Beyond measure!

Blessings to your family today and throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas season!

Thankful for Friday!!

Good morning! Here we go again, another Friday and I haven't posted since last Friday. How boring is that? So sorry. Life has been non stop and to be honest, not entirely fun this past week. Once again, I'm VERY thankful to see Friday. There have been ups and downs all week, bad moments and really good ones...and always busy!

The bulk of my "busy" this week has been kid focused. School, dentist appointments, baby sitting, lesson planning, math paper grading, class planning and laundry. Oh, we did do a couple of hair cuts in there too. :) A never ending list of "need to do's" can make for a long week. Did I get it all done? NO! Am I OK with that, sure...I am, after all only one person. :)

This week, it was NOT hard to focus on the positive, the many blessings that the Lord continues to bless us with. Even in the midst of the stressful moments, the blessings were always easy to see.

So, what are they? Let's see:

* I was given a laptop by a dear person. She has NO idea how much of a blessing this is to me, how very needed it was! This person just wanted to bless me....and BOY DID SHE! I have wanted a laptop for YEARS, but as with many things, it was never in the budget and I could easily justify NOT buying one. We do, after all have a computer in our home and we just need to budget our time on it...right? That has worked for a long time, and would have continued to work, to be totally honest. Having this laptop has been so nice though...being able to work, plan school and life here when I don't have access to my computer in my office has been such an amazing gift! Something COMPLETELY unexpected...I had NO idea she was going to give this gift to me until the FedEx truck delivered it. Even after I opened the box and read the letter, it still took me a day or so to process it all. :) So amazing!

* My hard working husband is still working and things are looking good on that front. For now, there is work...we know, however, that anything is possible. The coolest part is that I am no longer "worried" about it. Sure, I want him to stay working through the winter, but I also have a complete peace that God will provide regardless of his employment. What a great place to be!

* Hunting season starts here in a week...we are praying for great success for our hunters this year! I'm excited to see how the Lord will bless us this year. Even if my guys don't bring home anything, I'm excited to see them go and have some fun! They've been pouring over maps, making plans and are as excited as little kids on Christmas. THAT is a blessing....they will have fun regardless of the harvest, I am sure! They need this time, time to go out into the woods and just have fun. A bit of recharging time, as crazy as that sounds. I'm excited to see them get that time.

* We had our first fire of the season in our wood stove this week. I LOVE how cozy it makes our home feel, brings us all into the living room and we all just enjoy the warm glow. SO inviting! It's been days since we needed a fire, but I've wanted one. :)

* My boys harvested the red potatoes from the garden last weekend and brought up 2 1/2 buckets full of huge, beautiful potatoes! So tasty! The buckets are 5 gallon buckets, so I think we did pretty well this year. We waited a bit longer than I think we should have to harvest them, several rotted in the ground. We've had quite a bit of rain this past month. I'm happy with the harvest, regardless of the lost portion. :)

* We were given a load of fire wood earlier this week by a dear friend. We have PLENTY of wood for the next two years now. YAY! Love those kinds of blessings. :)

* My hubby and I get a little date night tonight! The kids all have other plans and we will have time to kill in town after dropping them off...so we get to have a date! :) It will be simple, at a local hamburger place we love. I'm looking forward to a freshly made pumpkin milkshake! YUM!

* I FINALLY got the broken part on my blender fixed! YAY!! It's been broken for MONTHS and I finally decided to just order the silly part. I was able to make smoothies IN THE BLENDER for my kids yesterday afternoon. :) Simple pleasures. :)

Have an amazing weekend...look for the many blessings the Lord gives to you and your family, after a while, you won't have to look very hard to see them. :) Staying thankful is one of the best ways to get through tough days. :)

Thankful for Friday!

OK, I won't say it....you know, the opening line I use for EVERY Friday post. Yes, this week went by quickly and I can't believe it's Friday again already....but I won't say it. :) How was your week? Life around here, as usual, has been non stop. Good, but non stop. We've seen some struggles this week...sick kids, sick mama, mountains of laundry, a kitten dying and a cranky baby...but it's life! We are blessed despite the struggles and THAT is what I try to stay focused on. Am I always successful? NO! I'm only human....but I DO try!

So, what am I thankful for this Friday?

* My hard working hubby and his job....we are blessed to still have him working. Also blessed that things are "starting" to look up in that area of life, S...L...O...W....L...Y we are seeing signs of a busy season ahead.

* Our kids and how much they are learning this year in school.

* Our adviser at the school....so helpful and is making this year's homeschooling so much easier with her tips and advice! Having two high school age kids has been a bit overwhelming for me, but we are doing great so far...thank the Lord! :)

* Answers to prayer in a tough situation....won't share more, but had to share how amazingly faithful our Heavenly Father IS!!!

* Canning season coming to an end for this year....there is more I COULD do, but I am feeling like I can be done with the bulk of my canning. :) YAY!

* A steer growing and soon to be in our freezer....chickens too!

* A weekend getaway for me...a much needed break.....quilting with a bunch of ladies! I just confirmed my quilting weekend with my mother-in-law. A group of women, getting together at a local lodge to quilt away the weekend....no kids, no laundry....just relaxing, laughing, good food and quilting! What could be better? I have not done this EVER and need the break SO badly! My amazingly wonderful hubby encouraged me to just go.....so NOT my normal behavior, but I am going. :)

* My grain mill...and the amazingly tasty bread that I am able to make with the flour I grind. Only down side is that I can't keep enough bread in the house most of the time. :)

* A dear friend that is going to give my kids riding lessons....gives her horses some exercise and fulfills part of my kids PE credit for school! Plus, my friend and I get time to visit. :) My kids are thrilled. :)

Enjoy your weekend! Praying you had an amazingly wonderful week...even if you didn't there is still SO much to be thankful for....WE ARE BLESSED!!!

It's here....Can you believe it?

It's here....it's here!!! I am SO excited! Are you excited? :) In case you haven't heard yet....FALL IS HERE! :) Today...well, tonight really, it will arrive. :) After the summer we had in these parts, I am welcoming fall with open arms. Our summer was less than a summer and I am ready to put it behind me. :)

I wish I had some glorious picture of fall color to share, but sadly I don't. I don't even have a pumpkin to take a picture of. :)

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. The smell, the cool air, apples, pumpkin...yummy foods that just scream fall. Burning candles, baking tasty treats, hot cider, cool crisp mornings, fall color all around and the smell of freshly cut wood. I LOVE it all! I look forward to the weather turning colder and having a cozy evening in front of the wood stove, a hot cup of tea in my hands, my family cozy around me and a good book.

Yes, I am ready! Ready for all that fall brings...even the rain. :) Around here, rain is often what we get...along with the mud, wet leaves, and lots of wind. I'm OK with that this year, I am ready!

School schedules and canning...trying to fit it all in.

School is in full swing here this week and it has been a crazy, busy week. In a perfect world our lives would be busy with only school at this point, save a box or two of pears or apples to can. Not so much this year....all of the summer crops were late here this year, so I'm still in the process of canning tomatoes.

This week has been a busy canning week with Monday and Tuesday being filled with peaches and pears. Thankfully, I am officially done with peaches for the year. YAY!! :) Pears are another story. I have about a half box left to go here and a friend of mine is giving me more pears next week. We'll see how many we get out of those and decide from there if we need more. My hope is that we don't. :)

I'll be starting on my next 100 pounds of tomatoes today and tomorrow. Some of them will be canned and some will be made into tomato soup. The recipe was posted on a friend's blog this week and I have GOT to try it! My family LOVES tomato soup and I refuse to buy canned soups. Having some on hand that is just as quick and easy to prepare as the store bought variety will be nice on those busy fall and winter days. :) My kids are excited too.

Beyond that, choir started for my daughter last night and the kids returned to youth group at the church. We shall see how long we are able to keep going between busy schedules and weather, I'm praying about our involvement there. For now, the kids are enjoying the time there. Dylan also had his first co-op classes yesterday too. They went well and he had a good time making new friends and connecting with old ones. :) Yes, school has officially started!

Life is busy right now, and I am looking forward to the slower days of winter. At least the end of a crazy canning season. I've been trying to update my canning totals on my kitchen page, I know I've missed a few jars in my counting, but it's a general list. I also have apples to sauce this weekend and I'm hoping to have a couple of boxes of apples to work on next week. There is also a bunch of chicken parts in the freezer to make stock with and a few beef soup bones as well. Those will all need to be processed before our chickens are ready to butcher and we add any other meat to our freezer. Yes, it's never ending at the moment. Not complaining really, just busy. :)

We have been so blessed and even in this busy season it's good to be able to recognize that fact. My hard working man is still working, we have a pantry that is filling up by the day and will soon have chickens that are ready to find their way to the freezer. Hunting season starts in less than a month and we are praying for a couple of deer in the freezer as well. :) Maybe even an elk or two. We will be eating well this winter. :)

It's time to resume my crazy routine...I just wanted to check in and say hello! I miss being able to post about life and all more often. Thankfully, I know you all are in the same boat that I am in...trying to adjust to a new fall routine and care for your families in the mean time. :)