Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Picture Journal...

Well, my husband fiddled with my computer and fixed it! I'm so delighted with him and so thankful that he took the time to work on my computer - it really blessed me!
This brings us to a much promised photo journal...it's a long one and I hope you enjoy the update!
This is what most of our potatoes look like...huge!



Just Dad and the birthday boy out for the birthday breakfast...look at that huge grin!
Birthday Hike.
Ahhhhh....love my hat!
Our silly cat Margaret Thatcher went on this loooonnnngggg hike with us...silly cat!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Our huge 50lbs turkey...see the pans holding up the racks and catching all the drippings...what a mess...what a delicious turkey!
Giving a horse report...all on her own she researched and wrote down facts and wanted to present it...funny girl!
Just look at this beautiful stove! We would love to build a farmhouse with this stove as the center...I just love it!
Our Christmas Tree...a much loved tree!
Last week I wrote about my traditions and disappointments....this week I feel that the Lord reminded me that He only inhabits the praises of His people...and that complaining is as witchcraft...convicted and my shame brought to light I asked for forgiveness and thanked him for the hot water I was enjoying...and our little place...and our little tree!
I hope you all enjoyed the update...may you find praise for our Lord everyday...all day!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Merry Christmas

Hello All,

This holiday season brings us to a new level of trust...and frustration...and fighting "tradition" depression...I'll explain.

For as long as I can remember, the day after Thanksgiving we have always gone out for our tree. This is something my mom and I did and I carried this into my married life...it has been something we look forward to all year as I make a huge deal about it. My husband has always picked the most unusual tree and the children would each get a turn sawing it down.

We'd bring it home, hose it down and set it up to dry while we ran through the house putting up all the other decorations and getting hot cocoa and treats ready for the decorating event....

I was certain that we'd be in our own farm by now and truly expected getting our tree and doing the tree tradition...I was wrong and have been fighting depression and hopelessness...

Through this I feel as the Lord is saying to me "trust me"...and this is hard! I feel as though He is showing me that I have put a tremendous amount of faith, trust, and hope in my "traditions" to make our family have a wonderful Christmas instead of the real reason for Christmas!

To our delight, the friends we are staying with had a surprise for us! The day after Thanksgiving they had us come over to pick up our tree! They had pulled out of storage a mini table top tree! I was overwhelmed and was filled with joy as I saw my children light up with enthusiasm and planing which one of their ornaments they would pick to go on the tree.

We cared our humble little tree back to our "home" and set it up...it took all of five minutes! I thought now what? We found our Christmas movies and popped one in and started off our holiday - maybe not what I expected or wanted but I'm willing to see what the Lord wants for us during this time. He is gracious and will comfort us through this time and show us what He wants to cleanse us from and show us what the truth about this holiday is.

I fully expect to be filled with His joy and strength. I truly am looking forward to our family being a blessing to those who need hope and joy and strength!

We decided to choose three families whom we've gotten to know a bit and, with our friends we are staying with, will be blessing them with caroling and gifts of food. We are all looking forward to this - probably me the most as a new tradition might just be being started. (I have to give credit for this inspiration to some dear friends of ours. They never failed to show up at our house to bless us with caroling and gifts of food - it really blessed our hearts and made us feel so loved and cared for...so we are caring on, here in Eastern Washington, with their gift of giving of yourself)

May you find ways to bless others this Christmas season...maybe a smile and a heartfelt "Merry Christmas" to the store clerk who is really tired of saying "happy holidays"....maybe a hug to someone...maybe a gift of food...the Lord will show you ways to bless others in His name!

May all the joy and peace of this season fill your hearts...

P.S. - unfortunately my computer is now needing to go to the computer hospital and I can not upload any pictures....so as I promised before, weeks and weeks ago, when I get this new problem fixed you'll have a lot of fun pictures to look at...the latest our mini-tree!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

We Are Here...

Hello Everyone! We are anxious to fill you in on our last few weeks...so hold on to your hats - here we go! Our last few weeks have been interesting to say the least. Unfortunately, I can't find the camera so I'm unable to "show" you our adventures, so you'll just have to imagine....


We started off with our very first bareback horse riding lessons. What a thrill that was. Where we purchase our hay from we were able to each ride a horse and go off on our first trail ride. We are all anxiously awaiting the time when we will own some of our very own...we have all the names picked out and now are just waiting...


A few days latter our littlest guy was put into the NICU at Sacred Heart for what they thought was swine flu. We were there for three days and at the end of the three days we were told that they didn't know what was wrong with our boy. The tests all came back negative for swine flu - which we were so very thankful for that!


The next day my husband did not put our truck into gear and off it went, down the hill, into a tree...thus why we have not been able to call, e-mail, or blog...oh, it's been a very looooooonnnnngggggg last few weeks without being able to contact anyone. We are safe and doing well.


The best part of our last few weeks...and with much joy we celebrated our little guys third birthday. His ever growing, ever loving sister baked and decorated his cake. I wish I could show you a picture as she did a marvelous job complete with a tractor, road and a field! It was so much fun for her and she was beaming with joy!


For his birthday we packed our lunch and hiked up the mountains behind our "home". What a glorious day. We found this huge rock and had our lunch. The best part about the hike was that our silly cat "Margaret" followed us all the way...we had our to share our lunch with her for being such a good hiker!


As you can see all is well and I hope to find our camera soon so I can share all the excitement with you! So look for the pictures to follow!

Much love and hugs to all of you!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Gross...Grosser...and Grossest

Gross...
This is a fly strip that was hanging by our front door...gross right? I had to cover everything. I'm so thankful for this cooler weather as the little pests have left!

Grosser...
Look at these two "piles" of scat...we found these two piles just a walk away from our place! Can anyone say grizzly! We haven't heard the grizzly or found any more piles....but are being very cautious and making sure we take the dogs along.




Grossest!!!!!!!
This Jerusalem Cricket was "crawling" along the garden path and so my older son had to have it for his bug collection! Here is why I deem it the grossest: He put it in a jar and put a wooden cover over the jar...we went to bed and I had bad dreams about that nasty thing...I dreamed it was crawling on us...eeeewwwww! It gets better keep reading....anyway since I had such horrid dreams I decided to check the thing and discovered it was GONE...no where to be seen! I searched everywhere...under the chairs, on the table, under the dresser...etc..., I couldn't find it and gave up hoping that it crawled out the cracked door (we keep our door adjar at night as the wood stove just gets sooooo warm)! So I started getting my bed ready(we put our bed up and down each day)...anyway I started getting my bed ready to be put up and moved my pillows and guess what I found...yep this nasty little thing crawling around where my pillows were...I screamed....and screamed some more - I was horrified! My older son just loved this morning story...he was out milking cows as all this drama was going on...he could barley breath he was laughing so hard!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Flexibility...

Flexibility...now who knew that the Lord would have me work on this. If you were to ask me if I was flexible I'd say "somewhat"...ha ha I can hear some of you chuckling as you know very well I'm not flexible at all... I didn't think it was such a huge deal to be flexible...but the Lord has shown me otherwise...

I am finding what a blessing it is to others when I'm joyful and content with change. Change is the story of my life these days...things are always changing or plans being changed. If you know me, you know how much I dislike change and usually have an attitude that isn't so sweet if change happens...but the Lord is showing me that I can be "flexible" and "joyful" at the same time...who knew...

My new motto: (do I dare print it?)..."Change is good"...I think the Lord needs my vessel clean and refined so He can give me more of His Joy...so I can give that joy to others as they come into my life...

Thank you for stopping by...

Friday, September 25, 2009

National Lampoon's Farming Vacation

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Howdy Pardner...

She is in heaven...just look at that smile!
Meet Houndo...named after a John Wayne movie.

The people we are staying with have two of the most beautiful horses I've ever seen. They often ride by our "camp" and pick up a child or two for a quick trip around the driveway. My children are so thankful for this and look forward to the ride...



The boys enjoying morning reading in our Knights bunk bed...which my husband creatively made. The beds fold up during the day to allow for more room for daily things...I am so thankful for that space!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Lessons along the way...

Things we are learning in this journey:
I can cook in a really really really small space
I don't actually need have a shower every single day...but oh, that is a luxury I will hopefully have one day again
I can home school in a really really really small space
I can eat store bought food for connivance and not "die" from it...tee-hee
I can go a week without chatting on the phone to anyone or emailing or blogging...although it is an adjustment
I can choose to wake up happy or grumpy...and most days I'm choosing to wake up happy which makes life for everyone so much better
I can do all of my laundry in two loads and well it's actually just fine...really!
We really aren't farmers...but are working on it!

I hope this post finds you all doing well and learning in your journey as well...
You are cherished and loved and missed...
Hugs from us -

Friday, September 11, 2009

New Address and some fun pictures

Finally a mailing address...1250 N. Hwy - PMB #201 Colville, Washington



This was an incredible storm that we were able to watch i roll across the valley.




Since the winters are so harsh we have to really stock up on feed for the girls...and so we thought the best place to find a good hay farmer was at the fair. We went to the little Colville fair and found a very helpful family that had what we needed. So we set up a time to pick up our first load of hay and here are some fun pictures of the "city slickers" as she teased us and the lady and her little guy...let me tell you she just picks those bales of hay up and throws them into the trailer like they were a piece of tissue...she helps her husband plant and harvest the hay and is the one who manages the customer side...she was so full of energy and told me "sweetie, I'll make a farm girl out of you yet..." - I loved it and my farm girl heart was delighted! She is willing to have our older son over whenever so he can learn the farm trade - meanwhile I'll be flinging hay and other things I'm sure...tee-hee - and we thought we were "real" farmers back in Yelm - what a hoot!
Thank you for stopping by...I'll chat next week!

Friday, August 28, 2009

A Breathtaking View

Just look at this snake that one of the children found...eeeek!
Able to ride and play and be children.
Just look at this view. This is just a stones throw away from our place - wonderful isn't it!
On a hike in the woods we found this rock...makes us think about the flood and proof for creation.


This is what we see everyday...isn't the Lord good to give us a beautiful view! Dave is still looking for work and becoming a bit frustrated.
Thank you for stopping by...I'm enjoying your comments and miss you all so very much. Please keep us in your prayers as it is a struggle to keep praising the Lord through all this...even with the glorious view!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Praise Him through it all...

Clay costumes...



Daring one another to jump into the deep...

What fun we have been having at Fort Spokane. It looks cold but it was actually 85 degrees and the water was so refreshing!

Best meal I've ever had...well except at Mrs. Taffy's of course! The meals were large and wonderful...and where else could you eat right next to the nail bin and hardware store....Good coffee also!
As you can see we are enjoying life and places around here. I will send more next week of the breathtaking views from our front window...
Hugs to all...we miss you tremendously and hope all is well with all of you!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

We Have Arrived

Just a quick post here to let everyone know we are well and safe. We found a great lake to play at and will be spending lots of time there and posting lots of pictures.

My husband is still looking for work and we would appreciate all of your prayers.

Thank you for stopping by - I'll post next week...maybe even put in some pictures.

Hugs to all...

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Gotta Love Berry Season...

Yummie! These are from our berry patch. We have salmon berries, raspberries and logan berries. This is my favorite way to eat waffles...piled with fresh berries, caramel sauce and topped with powder sugar...oh, yum!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Baker and Beetles...

This is a moment to put in our history books...well at least our family history books! Here our maiden has gone from needing my help to not needing me at all...it was a bit strange and I didn't really know what to do...I found myself wandering around the kitchen...but she was reading the directions, and following them...She even let her little brother "help" frost the cake....



See little man's finger...yep he's a helping...
She picked these raspberries to decorate her cake with - it was so wonderful to see her blossom in this area...amazing!
Buddies and Beetles...
Here is a great picture of our "cow"boy and little man...."cow" boy had found a large beetle and gave it to little man - squeals of delight and laughter could be heard...our oldest son is a wonderful young man and takes the time to enjoy his little brother - I'm so thankful for that!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Sheared like a sheep...


So the story goes like so...my older son told me that he could do a really good job cutting his hair! He kept pestering me about it...for several days! I thought hmmmmm I could use this "over confident" moment to teach him something, so I let him cut his own hair...the result was very funny! He came out sheepishly to show me his "very good" job...he had forgotten the fact that he would not be able to cut the back of his head...and well it produced a uneven mess...I should have taken a picture but instead got out the clippers and this is what I was able to do...almost a baldy for the rest of summer.


This whole "close" shave thing must have inspired my husband as he felt the need to shave his "goe-t" ( I have no idea how to spell that). We are all hoping that it grows back fast as it has been close to five years since he's had a clean shaven face and I rather like the goe-t look...and the children are having a really hard time taking him serious as he has such thin lips and doesn't look very intense without the goe-t...we've had a few moments of break-out laughter!


Good thing I didn't get inspired eh!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Do you recognize them?



Why it is Daniel Boone and his trusted friend Mingo.
We have been watching the Daniel Boone DVD series for about a month now. Our friends lent us the videos and we are loving them.

We highly recommend them - they are great for young men and do not have any "stuff" in them.
Enjoy!

Pslams 144:12 -

That our sons may be as plants
and our daughters may be pillars sculptured in palace style.


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