From My Front Porch/Bits and Pieces

  We are at the end of December! The Johnson family has been enjoying the last days of 2017.  Jeremiah has been home on vacation. Yay! It's always enjoyable when he is home. ☺

   Our Christmas was easy this year.  We spaced out all the running around.  We went to my mom's on the 23rd.  We hosted Christmas Eve dinner here and then went to Jeremiah's parents on the 25th.  That day was a little out of sorts due to scheduling conflicts with his siblings.  We had decided to have a family dinner this weekend so that we could all get together at the same time but several people from each family was sick!  Mostly head cold type issues but I definitely do not want it so I was happy to cancel! We will try again next weekend.

   We are experiencing a lot of the bitter cold and snow that is mentioned in the news.  We have about 6 inches of fresh snow. I'm not sure how many inches were there before and it is still snowing.  Jeremiah and Ryder are excited and they have been on the snowmobiles a lot. The township hasn't plowed our road much but Madi made it to work without issues...Oh, except she forgot her glasses!!! Jerm and I ran them down to her. Here are a few photos from the front porch. It is 14* outside as I type this!

   I tried a new recipe...they were called Sprinkle Cookies.  I like happy cookies and enjoy making them. I think these cookies are pretty but I am not sure that I will make them again.  They weren't winners with everyone in the family. 

   
   Madi got me a pair of slippers for Christmas.  Little lamb slippers! Meep!  I love them.  They are so soft and warm.  I need them when the temps aren't above 20 degrees!!!  Jeremiah said that 20* was a warm spell for us!

    I hope everyone reading this has a Blessed New Year!  Lots of love from the Johnson's in 2018!  I'm excited to see the Lord's blessings this coming year!  

First Snow of 2017

  Last night we received our first snowfall.  When we got up this morning our little forest was covered in the fluffy, white stuff.  The sun hadn't come out yet and the world still had the dark, forlorn look from the storm. 

   The wind picked up and blew some of the remaining leaves from the trees all around.  I didn't think to take a picture this morning to document the first snow.  I just looked at it and enjoyed it from inside. 

   Both kids went out and enjoyed it.  They rode the golf cart and 4-Wheeler around in the snow.  It wasn't much but they enjoyed the little bit we got.  There is more to come! 

   As I write this; the wind is gusting around 40-50 mph. The sun is on "full shine" 😊 and the snow has pretty much melted.  The temp went from the 30's last night to the mid 40's. 

   I had been using the oil furnace to keep the house warm but this morning called for a wood fire.  I started a fire and the house is toasty warm again. 

   I decided that I needed to put something in the crockpot to give the house a savory smell.  I put chicken breasts in with some small, whole potatoes, corn and some seasonings.  I have some homemade bread to go with it also.  I may make another side dish and/or serve it with some red beets.  Depends on what we want to eat tonight.

  I used to menu plan on a regular basis.  I found that I didn't want to eat what I had scheduled for that day.  I decided to just have a list of foods handy that we all like and could be make rather quickly.  This system seems to work best for us.  I keep the freezer and cabinets stocked with all the basic items I need to make those meals.  This is the way my mom cooks so I guess I'm just used to that style.  Plus, I don't do so well following recipes.  I like to change things up and add in leftovers.

   That's it for now.  I started this post to talk about the first snowfall and ended up on a rabbit trail that has me talking about menu planning!  Oh, this will make Madi happy when she reads it.  She says that I write like I talk and apparently, I don't stay on subject!  HaHa!

   Have a blessed day and enjoy the weather you are receiving today! If you don't want to enjoy the weather, make a menu!  😊

  

Pumpkin?? Fall Only??

   Are you a person who only craves pumpkin in the Fall?  I enjoy pumpkin all year long. I have a pumpkin sheet cake recipe that is so good you have to eat it whenever you want, no matter what season it is!  I understand the whole eat in season thing but I don't care when there is canned pumpkin on the shelf!

   Jeremiah requested pumpkin gobs back in the middle of summer.  I made two batches of those gobs!  They ate it them so quick that I only got two out of both batches.  I found that recipe when the kids were little and I wanted a recipe to supplement our Thanksgiving studies.  They were called Pilgrim Pies and I couldn't pass that up. Perfect!

   Since I am a person who can eat pumpkin any time I am all about eating Aldi's Pumpkin Tortilla Chips!  Oh! My! Gosh!  They are so, so good!  I could eat them anytime.  I got this bag two weeks ago and I ate almost every single chip myself!  I don't even feel slightly guilty about eating all of them either. I wish they had them more often than in the Fall but I will get them when I can. 
 

   Do you like these chips?  Have you ever tried them?  I hope I'm not the only one. 

 

 

Peek Into My Life

   At church several weeks ago before starting his sermon one of our pastors announced that the church cleaning crew found a note where a lot of the teens sit. 

 

 He read, "If you keep staring at her, you'll go blind."

   I personally loved this!  My "romantic heart" thought this was so awesome.

 

 Teen boy smitten with the lovely teen girl... Ahhh....  

  
   When we arrived back home I teasingly asked Jeremiah if he ever stared at me while we were dating?

Jeremiah: Yep, all the time!

 

Me: All the time? You must not have stared enough because you aren't blind.

 

Jeremiah: I stared enough. I wear glasses now.  ~wink~

 

   Let me tell you, that was one of the sweetest things he could have said to me! Yes, it falls into cheesy but it melted my heart!  ~Dreamy Sigh~  

 

Random Thoughts and Updates

   It has been a quite awhile since I visited the blog.  I wasn't trying to avoid posting or writing but I was just plain ol' busy.  I decided that I wasn't going to push to get something written even though I have been very aware of the time that passed. 

   We are currently experiencing some warmer weather but not hot.  It has been in the lower 60's and I can definitely handle that. I am usually not in a hurry to rush warmer temperatures but this year has been different and I am (im)patiently waiting for warmer weather.  I am ready to get back to shorts and t-shirts. 

   Madi brought this little kitty home from the store about 2-3 weeks ago.  Someone dropped off/abandoned this little kitty and she was bones covered with skin. The poor little thing broke Madi's heart and she called me to ask permission to bring her home and try to nurse her back to health.  Madi named her Buffy and she is thriving and growing like crazy.  She feels like silk- so smooth.  Buffy is such a sweet and loving kitty.  She is a cuddle kitty too. She loves to nap and snuggle right by you. 

                                            ~~~~~~~~~

   Ryder celebrated a birthday recently and he made it easy on me.  We met with family at a little local eatery about 5 minutes away and then returned home for cake, ice cream and gifts.  I only had to clean and make two cakes.  He wanted a Funfetti cake and a butter cake with chocolate icing.  He asked my mom to make him a pineapple upside down cake also.  I told him that I could make that cake but he said that Gam's cake tastes better!  I had to laugh because I learned how to make the cake from her and make it exactly like she does.  Oh well, it saved me the work and the cake did taste awesome! (I did take a small bite and it didn't hurt my stomach.) My mama does make a good pineapple upside down cake!

   One of the gifts Ryder received for his birthday was a drum set.... Yes, a drum set and Jeremiah and I were the ones to give it too him.  I have regretted that decision several times already BUT since he has been playing them and Madi will play them while he plays his electric guitar it is starting to sound so much better and not just banging.  I am quite impressed by how quickly they have both picked up playing them.  It will actually sound pretty good with some more practice. 

   We have not been parents to shy away from giving our kids musical instruments like recorders and flutes or xylophones and toy drums when they were little.  I have always felt that music was good for brain development.  Both of the kids were introduced to classical music at birth.  Madilynne doesn't care much for classical music now but Ryder still enjoys it and will occasionally listen to it before bed.  Jerm played guitar for both kids all the time and later he encouraged them to strum guitar along with him once they were old enough to follow simple instruction- around a year old or so.  We also sang a lot to them when they were little. 

   Our kids enjoy playing acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, keyboard, harmonica, violin and now drums.  They both started formal instruction on violin and branched out from there on their own.  They are self-taught on the remaining instruments for the most part.  They received some instruction on guitar from some family members but not much.  I probably couldn't afford lessons anymore!  LOL  I'm glad they have a good base knowledge of music to teach themselves. 

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   As for my digestive issues... I have been doing really good in watching what I eat but I have sampled some foods that contained gluten.  I have only experienced a bellyache once but that was because I knowingly ate more than I should have.  I have found that if I only sample something it is ok but more than that isn't good for me.  I am hoping that I am getting better because I wasn't able to sample before without getting sick.  I just need more time. 

                                               ~~~~~~~~~~

   I have been clearing away a lot of junk and clutter from our home lately.  I am gearing up to do some Spring cleaning soon and I need to get rid of the "stuff" first.  I feel so much better getting rid of it.  It just took up space and made everything look messy.  Much to my surprise, a lot of the clutter was truly junk that just needed pitched.

   Well, I figure that's enough stuff to write about until the next time... Have a blessed day!
 

Random Thoughts

   I have a bit of randomness going through my brain today so I decided to just do a weird blog post of those thoughts.  Random and jumbled- my specialty! 

   ::Am I the only person who can't wait for the election to be over?  I am all about going and voting and such but I get so tired of the bickering and the TV ads constantly ripping the opponent apart.  Ack! What irritates me most is that they pick a small section of wording and use a sentence fragment in an attempt to make you believe a lie.  I know it's part of politics but I dread it!  

   ::I made tomato soup again yesterday.  I ended up with 29 more jars.  Madilynne is thrilled with our supply.  Actually, I will say that we are all happy that the shelves are filling up.  I am thinking that I will attempt to make a V-8 type drink next.  I am not sure how this idea will turn out.  I need to look into a recipe for that.

   ::I need to make grape juice.  Our grapes are finally ready to harvest.  I may make some today actually....well, after I clean my messy house....keeping it real for ya!  :-)

   ::I am enjoying the cooler evenings.  We have pulled out the long sleeved shirts/flannels. Jeremiah is itching to build a nice big campfire!  We haven't had many campfires this year but only because we have been pretty busy. We need to slow down and enjoy our time together.   

   ::I have been focusing my time on being at home lately.  I still run Madi and Ryder to work.  Madi is working 3-4 days a week at a local discount store.  She is still really liking it.  She runs the register, stocks shelves and does some cleaning.  Ryder has several mowing jobs that keep him busy along with odd jobs when someone needs a helping hand.  He is gearing up for archery season because deer season is coming soon.

   ::I am so glad we homeschool. The kids are really gaining a lot of life experience and are able to keep up with their school work. They are learning how to handle money and make decisions on how to spend it wisely, save and tithe.  Our hope is to educate our children to be wise adults and not so much about being "smart kids" on paper.  Let me clarify that there is nothing wrong with smart kids but they need to know how to use those "smarts" in real life situations or it isn't going to help them when they leave home.  If you have an interest in home schooling, I would definitely encourage you to pursue it.  It has been wonderful for us. 

   ::Our chickens have been giving us many eggs!  I have been using them up quickly and even have a few people willing to buy them from us.  It isn't going to make us rich but it pays for the chicken feed!  :-)

   ::I have been eating way too many bologna and cheese sandwiches lately! I am not even sure why... yesterday I ate two, two people!  I don't even know if its real meat but it tastes-so-good!

   Well, I think that I will wrap this up.  I have much to do today. And maybe I need to make a sandwich....

   Be Blessed! 

  

Trust

   As I sit here typing this the skies are trying to shine bright.  The clouds keep coming in to cast shadows on the ground.  I don't realize how sneaky those clouds are until the house fills with bright sunlight and I see the sun's full potential lighting up the room. 

   I was trying to decide what to write about today.  It has been a few days since I posted and while I have lots that I want to write about, I just haven't had much time to sit and type it out.  One thing that stands out the most is about a innocent exchange between a dad and his little 4 year old son....

   One evening several weeks ago we met with some friends and family to swim in my in-law's pool.  The kids were having fun as usual and Ryder was jumping-not diving- into the pool from the deck.  The little four year old wanted to jump in also and while he is wearing his floaties he's a bit intimidated by the thought of jumping in. 

   He takes timid steps to the edge and looks to his dad to catch him but he still has that "scared to death" look on his face but the will inside that he really wants to jump like the "big boys".  He jumps in and his dad catches him immediately.  His face doesn't even go under the water.  They repeat this action several more times and then he wants to go under the water. 

   He hasn't put his head under the water once since they got in the pool. 

   He goes for it...he takes off the floaties and stands at the edge.  He looks full into his daddy's face and says that he can't do it, he's scared.  Understanding his fears, his dad says back, "Trust me.  I got you."  He immediately jumps in and sinks his whole body under the water!   His daddy's protective arms are around him the whole time he is in the water.  He pops up out of the water, fear is gone, and excitement takes over.  "Again! Again!" he yells.  He keeps jumping into the water over and over knowing his dad has him each time. 

   I was watching this play out and cheered for him every time he made a leap of faith and came to realize that this situation can be applied to my own life. 

   How many times has God said to me, "Trust me. I got you." and I stand at the edge and say that I'm scared.  I think back through the years at times when He had me. 

When I graduated from high school

My first day of college

 My first day at a new job

 Walking down the isle on my wedding day(thrilled and excited but scared)

 Signing the loan papers for our first home

 Announcing that we were expecting our first baby

 Bringing that baby home from the hospital

Deciding to homeschool

 

"Trust me. I got you."

 

   The list could go on and on. I need to remember that God has my back. He will never leave me; especially in my time of need.  I hope this post will encourage you on your walk today and that it will cheer you on to continue your journey.  Have a blessed day!

 

 

 

  

Bits and Pieces

   Happy Independence Day to those of us in the USA!  Celebrating the 4th of July for us is picnics, BBQ, swimming and family everywhere.  Some new friends and the start of some new relationships are introduced. It is so fun to see how much the babies have grown since the last picnic (Memorial Day) and how big the mama's-to-be bellies are getting! The skills that the toddlers and younger kids are developing and how fast those tween and teenagers have shot up, they are going to be so tall!!!  Where do those boys put all the food?

   As much as I enjoy visiting will all the family...

   I am not fond of the questions of why we homeschool.... We have been homeschooling for over 10 years and we do NOT plan on stopping.  We love our life and our kids are not anti-social or under-educated.  I am not questioning why you are sending your kids to public schools nor am I asking questions about what those teachers are teaching them. This list could go on and on and on...

   I always hate to have someone ask me to try the new food they brought and ask me what I think of it.  I am happy to tell them if I like it but it is hard to tell someone that it isn't something I like.  I have to be tactical in my approach in telling them that it isn't my favorite thing to eat!  I don't lie about it but I also do not want to hurt their feelings.  I like to have the truth told to me so I try to tell others-politely...

   Oh, what list would be complete without listing the family gossip!?  I will admit, complete honestly here, that at one time I was into the family gossip and drama.  That was long ago and I have since discovered that those same people also like to talk about me when I am not there.  Oh, I KNOW that I have been under fire for being different in the family for years. 

Try being the

A) only home schooling family

B) the family concerned with the safety of vaccines (we have dealt with reactions)

C) the family into natural health approaches and using essential oils

D) trying to eat mostly organic in the group. 

   I have learned not to partake in the chitchat anymore.  I am not perfect in that but at least now I am more aware of what I say.  We should try to build each other up, find the positive, that's what family does, right?  I think age/time/experience brings wisdom but then again....some of the partakers in the chitchat are older than me!  Maybe I learned my lessons faster...must be because we homeschool!  Haha! 

   You know, we don't have to like everybody in the family but we do have to show respect to each other.  Every person has a different personality.  We aren't all destined to be best friends but there is no need to not like someone because they are different. 

   I love my family and enjoy visiting with them each time I get a chance.  I know that I am blessed to have family and this isn't written from a mean spirit. I just hope that you see this as an opportunity to love your wonderful family, flaws and all.  Build each other up and take the criticisms in stride even if "Auntie Mae" tells you that you have a big backside or that the shirt you are wearing isn't flattering to your skin tone!  :0)

   We have another afternoon of food and visiting.  I hope you all have a blessed day and enjoy the crazy family you are part of because I will certainly be enjoy mine. 

  

More Q & A

   Meredith at The Journey Starts With Imagination has nominated my little blog for the Liebster Award.  Since I have already done this before I decided that if I answered the questions she asked you could get to know me a bit more.  Well, and let me be honest, it was a really easy post idea.  However, I personally think that some of these questions are a bit hard.... I had to really think!  LOL


1. What is one of your favorite novels? I don't have a favorite novel. I enjoy reading but not a particular novel. 

2. What is your favorite recreational activity?  As much as it pains me to type this (wink), I have to say it is taking the boat to the lake with the family.  It really is relaxing to read and talk with out distractions.  We pack a small lunch or snacks and drinks and enjoy our time together.

3. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why? Alright, this is hard to decide between... I will preface that I do NOT wish to travel outside the US only because I don't like to travel much... I will fly short distances but not a fan of it in general and would rather drive there- sooooo.....  I really want to go to the Creation Museum and I would like to go to the Charleston Tea Plantation.  We do plan on visiting the museum at some point this year.  As for the Tea Plantation, well, that would just be me and I don't think that will be in my future anytime soon.  :-) 

4. What is your favorite breakfast food?  I am not a fan of breakfast.  I don't care much for any breakfast food but since I need an answer I will go with waffles with real butter and real maple syrup- nothing imitation.

5. What is the last song you listened too?  It would have to have been a song from church yesterday.  I couldn't tell you which one though.... I have the radio on all the time but I haven't paid attention to what was playing recently.

6. If you could pick one person that you would say, 'really gets you' who would it be? To be perfectly honest, I don't think any one person "gets me". The closest person would be Jeremiah.... 

7. What is the scariest thing you have ever done?  Scariest thing- would have to be bringing Madilynne home from the hospital as a newborn.  We had a good idea of what we were getting into but it was scary none-the-less.

8. If you could go back and do one thing differently in life what would it be?  IF I could do something differently it would have been to have more kids. Not a dozen or so but maybe two more....  ;-)

9. What is your favorite sandwich?  I am going to go with a BLT minus the T.  Lots of Bacon, Lettuce and Mayo!   

10. Tell about one time in your life when you have been really excited about something and when it finally happened were slightly disappointed.  This is going to sound ungrateful but I am going to tell it anyway. 

It was Christmas many, many years ago. 

Jeremiah was hyping up this wonderful gift he got me. 

I was going to love it! 

 I needed it!

I wanted it!

 It would be so happy with this gift!

 

Christmas morning dawned. 

I excitedly opened this "wonderful" gift.

It was a hot pink cell phone.

I didn't want a cell phone

and I certainly didn't want one that was hot pink!

 

You have to remember that years ago, (young readers) not everyone had cell phones.  :-)

He gave me a gift that came with a monthly bill!

We took that cell phone back and I got a silver instead.

All was well...

11. What is your favorite holiday memory?  Jeremiah proposed on Christmas Day 1994!

Wind chimes

   Several posts back, I answered some questions for the Liebster Award. Here is one of those questions is here with my answer: 

5. Would you hang windchimes on your porch? Would I? Yes. Do I? No.  At one time I had a small set hanging.  The set that I currently have was given to me when my aunt passed away several years ago. I do not want them to be ruined so they hang in the corner of our playroom by a siding glass door.  When the wind is strong it will ring them.  Each chime has a verse of "Amazing Grace" on it. 

 

 

I wanted to expand on my answer.

 

   Many years ago when we moved to the farm, I had a cheap wind chime set hanging on the front porch.  It didn't take long for it to be ruined from the wind that whips along the front of the house.  This particular set has too much emotional attachment for me to be destroyed. 

 

   My dad's side of the family is small.  My grandfather passed away in 1970's and my grandma passed in 2005 so that left my Aunt C and Uncle K ("Unc", Dad's brother). Several years ago Aunt C went to the beach with her sister and best friend as they did every year.  (She LOVED the beach and was the first person to take me to see the ocean in my teen years.) When they arrived at their hotel room Aunt C said she didn't feel too well and  that she was going to go to bed.  My aunt never woke up. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon in September when Unc called and told me that she had passed away very unexpectedly in her sleep.  It shocked me to the core as she was ONLY 50 years old, thin and appeared to be in good physical shape!  Not someone you would look at and think would die young.

 

 

   This set of chimes was given to me from Aunt C's mother and sister.  They weren't here to help Unc handle the funeral arrangements as they live 1.5 hours away. I walked through the process with him and it helped to have something to do with my time and a way to grieve myself. I think it helped him to know that he had us to lean on also. My aunt and uncle did not have any children; it's only my two brothers and me in this generation.  

 

   I don't write this post to make you sad.  I loved Aunt C dearly and she is in a much happier, better place- heaven.  I tell you this story because when I see my lovely set of wind chimes hanging in the corner of the playroom I think of her and I am reminded of how loving and sweet she was to us. Her love of sports, especially football and tennis and how she hated green beans!  I can remember the sound of her laugh. Many good memories come to mind when I see or hear those chimes. 

 

   I also remember that our time on this Earth is limited and we would do well to spend our time well. We do not know when we will breathe our last breath or spend time with loved ones.  Make the most of each day you have been given. Make memories with those you care most about. 

 

Live (Galatians 5:22) 

Laugh (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

Love (1 Corinthians 13:4)

 

   Each chime has a verse to "Amazing Grace" written on it. 

 

~Amazing Grace~ 

John Newton (1725-1807)

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

 



Questions

   I thought that I would answer my own questions from the Liebster Award post.  I was going to do this earlier but life interrupted. :-)  Here is another small glimpse into my world.

1.  Do you prefer to ride in a vehicle with the windows open or the air conditioning on?  Definitely use the air conditioning!  I do not enjoy the wind whipping in the windows and messing up my hair....shallow, I know!

2.  Do you prefer to swim in a lake or a pool?  I enjoy the pool.  I am not a fan of swimming in lakes. My in-laws purchased a pool when Madilynne was 2 and Ryder several months old. 
 
3.  Favorite food to eat when you are hot?  I don't have a favorite food to eat when I am hot.  I prefer sandwiches and chips over making a meal though.  I will not pass up some good sweet tea either! 

4.  Your favorite candy bar?  I am a plain chocolate eater.  I prefer a Hershey bar.  When I was younger I loved to eat Zero bars. 

5.  Cats or dogs? Cats all the way!  I am not crazy about dogs.  If I would have to choose a dog it would be a poodle but even that is pushing it.

6.  Do you prefer board games (like Monopoly/Scrabble) or card games(like Phase 10/Uno)?  I am not a board game fan but I enjoy playing Battleship with Ryder and Madilynne.  I enjoy card games like Skip-Bo and Uno.  Jeremiah loves to play games. 

7.  At home are you barefoot or wearing shoes?  Barefoot!  I don't care much for wearing shoes.  I kick my shoes off as soon as possible.

8.  You're going to make supper. Do you chose chicken or beef?  I would choose chicken. Here is a quick recipe:  I like to take a 13 X 9 pan and arrange chicken breasts on it, place uncooked bacon strips on the chicken and bake them for 30 minutes.  Add BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese and bake and additional 15 minutes. Easy dish to make.  I will pair it with mashed cauliflower or mashed potatoes.

9.  Relaxing outside, do you prefer to sit in the sun or the shade?  Shade!

10. If you were to go camping do you want a tent or a camper?  Camper.  I have done both styles of camping and hands down would go with a camper! 

11. Country or city living?  Country living!  I am NOT a fan of the city.  I don't enjoy it even to visit a city.  I would not want to even live in a small town.  At one time we lived in a small village where the neighbors were close.  I prefer my country life so much more!  

Catching a Breath!

   After a whirlwind week, I am happy to catch my breath today.  I was able to stay home all day and not have any running to do.  I enjoy days when I can just be home and not have places to be at a certain time.  Do you enjoy those kind of days too?

   Our homeschool group has finished for the year. We had a Variety Show to celebrate.  This showcases our kids talents.  I am an advisor for a group of kids who enjoy doing black light. We put many hours into an 18 minute program! If you aren't familiar with black light there are many videos on YouTube, just type in black light and you will see some examples of what we do.  This is probably our 5th or 6th year of doing it but I honestly can't remember when we started.

   Saturday we celebrated Madilynne's birthday.  It was a lovely party and I had a hard time holding back tears as I held my 2 1/2 month old nephew while watching her open gifts.  It doesn't seem that long ago I was holding her at that age. I wonder where all the time went?

   I remember my grandma telling me that the days flew by.  She would chuckle and say how when your a child the days are so long, as teens they go by quicker but then when you become an adult the day just seems to fly.  I used to joke with her and ask if it felt like she just got out of bed to go right back to bed since she was in her 70's!

   The lilac bush is blooming beautifully.  I picked a small bouquet to bring into the house.  I put them in the living room and the whole room smells wonderful.  Lilacs are one of my most favorite flowers.  I wish they bloomed longer!  I made a bouquet to give to my mom for Mother's Day.  Her bush has been crowed out by trees and doesn't give many blossoms anymore.

   The cows have returned.  I don't have a picture to share yet.  It hasn't been very nice weather and I really didn't want to go out in rainy, cool weather to get one.  I think there are 18 cows here at the moment.  My dad said he believes more are coming at a later date.

   Well that is what's been happening around here lately.  Hope all has been well in your area. 

What Was I Thinking? 10 Chicks!

  

 

 We decided to get several chicks.  My thought was 4-5 chicks. I figured we didn't need anymore hens than that until we saw them!!  These chicks will grow up and lay eggs (usually around 18-20 weeks old) and I didn't think we needed more eggs than that per day but....the cute factor outweighed need!  LOL

 

   As all things go, we arrived at the feed store and looked at those cute, adorable little peeps and Madilynne fell in chicky love!  She picked out 6, Ryder (who didn't want any) picked out 2 and I got 2 for Pappy B.  They are so sweet! 

 

        The totals are:

        4 Buff Orpingtons

         2 Barred Rock

         2 Cuckoo Marans

         1 Red Sex Link

         1 Rhode Island Red

 

  These little chicks are adored already.  Watching the chicks grow is fun and they really are cute. We are enjoying our little additions!

 

 

 

This chick is Madilynne's favorite.  Her name is Egythba.  Don't ask for a pronunciation because I can't say it!  LOL  She will be known as "G"! 

She will fall asleep in your hands. 

 

Here G is almost asleep!



 

Now this picture was on the "I'm not sure I should post this but...." list.  I decided to post it anyhow.  If you look closely behind her little leg.... she left a gift on the car hood! 



Chicks?

   Madilynne has been debating getting more chicks.  We have been having discussions about purchasing them lately.  I am so torn.  I want the chicks because they turn into chickens that lay eggs but they are work and they do have an expense.  Madilynne will be the one taking care of them for the most part and Ryder will help when needed but it is still work.

   We have three hens at the moment but they are getting older.  Henny Penny is the oldest and I think her egg laying days are almost done.  We will keep her though because she is more of a pet than anything else.  ;-)  The other two hens are each laying an egg a day.

   IF we decide to get more chicks we have to keep the numbers low. I am thinking no more than 4-5 but we haven't made a decision on that yet.  I guess we will have to see how cute they are when we go to get them!  I will update with some pictures if we decide to get more chicks!

Enjoying Life

To say that it has been awhile since I posted would be an understatement!   I think it was Feb. 17 when I last appeared on here.  I have been preoccupied with living life.  It has been a busy season for our family.  Lots of visitors and running here and there but all has been well! 

I will admit that another reason I haven't been online much is Jeremiah gave me a new Kindle.  Our old Kindle was shared between Madilynne and myself and it stopped working.  I didn't stop reading, I just went back to reading actual books.  Yes, they do still make actual books and I can go to this nice building and borrow them!  It says "Public Library" on the sign outside! :) Madilynne loves the smell of new books.  She will flip the pages and breathe deep! 

I have found that it is harder to read in bed before going to sleep when reading an actual book.  It requires light and I was using a small flashlight that wouldn't disturb Jeremiah too much.  The new Kindle has a black background option so all is much better at night.  I also like that I can just push a button and shut it off and it will keep my place.  Another thing I enjoy the dictionary feature.  I just touch the word that I am not familiar with or want to know what the actual definition is and it will pop up.

There are downsides to reading on the Kindle.  It has to be charged up occasionally and I am not a fan of buying many books so I just usually download the free books.  Many are good but I think some of them are self-published or something and they didn't take the time to proofread.  I don't enjoy reading a book and feel like I need to draw a red line at all the mistakes! For the record...I don't think this blog is perfect either! I know there are going to be mistakes, but you dear reader are not required to pay anything to read my mistakes and ramblings and it won't cover 100's of pages!  HAHA!

A book that I just finished reading was co-written by a well known historical fiction author and was well written.  I enjoyed the book a lot, however, I do not like to read a book that leaves me hanging with what happens to the characters. I understand that authors need to sell books to make money, I get it but honestly, I just read 336 pages for you to leave me hanging on what happens next.  No closure at all and I don't wish to spend $14.99 to find out in the next book because it is a series of like 3 or 4 books.  It probably won't tell me anything until I get to the last book and I am out $44.97! I just don't care enough. 

I don't know how my ramblings ended up with a whole post on my thoughts about my Kindle but it did! ;)  I was just going to touch base with a post on enjoying life and not worrying about posting.  I do have some other posts bopping around in my head so I hope to post more soon! 

Blessings to you and go enjoy living life!

It's a New Year!

It is time to say goodbye to 2015 and invite 2016 in.  I am not a fan of resolutions. They are promises that you make to yourself that you will break in a couple days to a couple weeks time.  ;-)  I think that a goal is a better way to do it.  By using a goal mindset, you can break down your plans into an easier way to achieve your goal.  Example- Resolution: Lose weight; Goal: Lose one pound a week.  See? You can have a better outcome in my opinion. Now if I would actually do this, right?

Now enough about that... Here are some things that I do every year.  I have been doing these for many years.  I am not going to say that it helps with anything but, hey I do this stuff anyhow!

::I like to completely clean my house and have all the laundry done before the new year arrives.  It's weird- I know.  I have been doing this since 1999/2000 when the whole Y2K thing was going on and I didn't want a messy house if things went bad.  Haha!   We would need clean clothes and dishes. Is it just me or when the electric goes off I want to clean??  We do a lot of running with Christmas and New Years and our house can get a bit on the messy side.  I found that I really liked bringing in the new year with a nice, clean and tidy house.  I have been doing it ever since.

::I buy a new calendar in December and right after Christmas, I transfer all the important info from the old one onto the new one. I list the birthdays and anniversaries and add the new births and wedding anniversaries.  I also add how old the person will be on their birthday if I know it. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of the younger kids!

::I will write 2016 on several checks so I don't mess the date up! 

::I start to take down our Christmas decorations on the first Monday into the new year; one section at a time with the Christmas tree coming down last.  Ryder and Jeremiah don't like it when they come down.  They love Christmas and hate to see the season come to an end.  I usually start with taking down the Christmas cards. It seems to be the easiest transition.

This is just a bit of what we do and a glimpse into our little home.  We will be starting back up with school on Monday also.  We had a nice break but now it's time to get back into our routine. 

I hope that you all have a blessed New Year! 

December Rush!

December is such a busy month.  I think it ranks as number one for activities that happen.  I love the busyness of December. Sometimes it can feel too rushed but overall, I am totally loving December.  We are happily making gifts and writing cards.  The best part is we are not doing much shopping unless it is for food or online!

Friday we had our homeschool variety show. The kids played guitar, sang and performed with our black light squad.  It was so much fun. We are already coming up with ideas for our next production. The kids will be doing their show again for the church senior meal this week. 

I looked at the calendar for this month and we only have five days that we don't have something scheduled.*  We have helped family, visited with friends who came to our home, celebrated/will be celebrating friends and family birthdays, etc. Jeremiah's sister and her husband will be moving back to our area this weekend so we will be available to help them with that process too, if needed.

I even have my Christmas Eve menu planned.  Now, those who know me, know that I don't usually plan the meal until right before I need to go shopping for the food!  Normally my menu does not contain traditional foods like turkey or ham.  As a kid we had ham pot pie frequently for Christmas Eve. I tend to choose chicken, meatloaf or lasagna.  We have many meals to eat over Christmas so I tend to change up my menu for some variety. 

This year we will be having a chicken casserole, lasagna, salad, applesauce, red beets, rolls and my uncle decided that he is in the mood for ham so he is going to bring a small one.  It will be the first year for ham. Family will bring deserts and drinks.  I have some ideas for appetizers to hold us over until the meal but not certain which ones I want to make.  We will host about 25-ish friends and family this year.  Our smaller home will fill up fast and it will be great!  Mildly chaotic but still wonderful! 

I will be ready for the peace and calm of January when it arrives but until then we will be busy and celebrating each day God gives us.  My hope is that Madilynne and Ryder learn to help and serve others instead of focusing on material things or themselves. (not that I think they are selfish kids)  Gifts are certainly nice and I am not discrediting those but how we spend our time is also important. 

*Also just putting it out here... I do say no to things/activities that we don't want to do or would make life too hectic.  Our calendar isn't packed so full that we are getting burned out.  We are doing what makes us happy.  I hope that you can find your own peace and joy in this season. 

Jesus is the reason we celebrate!

Childhood Memory -Lady the Milk Cow

   I was taking a stroll down memory lane trying to remember different parts of my childhood that my kids aren't going to experience.  There are differences but there are also similarities like raising chickens and having a large yard to play in.  I had a good childhood but we weren't exactly in the higher income spectrum...
 
We weren't "poor" but extra income wasn't there.
 
Our needs were met but we didn't live a life of extras.
 
   I know that my parents did the best they could but vacations for us weren't like they were for my childhood friends. Dinner was made from scratch and eating out at a restaurant was almost unheard of (!) however it was all good! I had a great childhood with a balanced mix of work and play and knew that I was loved- THAT is what is important.
   We lived on what I would call a "farm-ette"...I don't think that is even a word. :-) My parents raised or grew a lot of our food.  We had a huge garden, grape arbor and fruit trees so my mom canned, juiced, jellied or froze much of the produce. We also raised much of our meat. We were a family of 5 (my parents, my two brothers and me) and as many of you know, kids seem to drink a lot of milk. Since we already had several other animals my dad felt that it would be a good idea to get a milk cow.
   He came home one day with a small, gentle, brown cow. Her name was Lady and she was a Jersey. She wasn't easily spooked and that was good with 3 kids in and out of the small barn.  She would look at us with her big, brown eyes like she knew her milk was helping us to grow healthy and strong. I was probably about 7 or 8 years old and could help a bit with the milking but my dad usually did it while I was helping mom with my little brothers.  I can remember him bringing the big milk pail into the kitchen and mom had a stainless steel filter/strainer that he would dump the milk into. I can remember standing on a chair watching the creamy liquid slowly flow through into another container. 
   Mom would take the milk and put it in the fridge. After it cooled and separated she would skim the cream off the top with a spoon that she had bent into a ladle. She used the cream to make butter!  Oh my! was that good on a piece of homemade bread fresh out of the oven! 
   I make bread and I have even made butter so Madilynne and Ryder have experienced that.  We currently have cows on the farm but we don't milk them.  They are here to keep the grass down and fertilize it as they go.  I am not exactly sure how long we had Lady or what ever happened to her but I do remember her being a big part of our food supply for a while.

Blogging should be easy, right?

   When we started this blog, I thought it would be easy, like journaling. Well, I have come to a different conclusion---this is harder than I thought.  I have a journal that I write in almost daily.  It is fun and easy to do. I think that it is because I can write whatever I want and not feel judged. They are my thoughts and I write like I "think" and talk. I don't worry about people reading my journal and thinking that I am using improper grammar or that I used a word out of context.  I have read nasty comments on other folks blogs where people feel the need to correct the blogger's grammar, call them names, tell them they shouldn't be a blogger, etc.  OK, I may think that it was wrong wording/spelling but I would NEVER, EVER post that in a comment.  I feel that is rude, plain rude! If you don't like their grammar....DON'T READ IT!!  No one is making you click on their blog.

   OK, I will step down off my soapbox....Back to my original thought.

   I really did think this would be easier.  I didn't have any great ideas of writing a blog for money or to get a huge reader base....hey, that would be nice but not the reason behind it.  I just like to write and thought that I would give this a try.  I have posts in my mind and when I go to type them out they change somehow.  They don't sound like they do inside my head. I have music and drumrolls and bells ringing in my head.  They add dramatic flare to my thoughts.  I always seem to have a party going on up there and that doesn't come through in blogging. 

  I realize that am not going to take professional perfect pictures like some of the ones on popular blogs. I gave up that pipe dream long ago.  I take pictures that I like without all the filters and backdrops. I have zero interest in that. I leave that up to photographers who make a living snapping awesome pictures.  I will stick to my little camera and take a chance of getting a cute picture that will make me happy.  You can see by the pictures that I have posted that they are simple, easy shots focusing on the intended object and by all means, not perfect, but then again, neither am I. <-- How about that sentence?  HaHa!

   So anyhow, I thought blogging would be easier.  I am going to keep trying and will see how this goes.  Flaws and all!