A Wonderful Giveaway!!!!!

As fall approaches, I always get really excited.  For a whole lot of reasons like:

• Lessons and Carols
• Fall Weather
• Christmas
• Thanksgiving
• Soccer on a crisp day

But, I also love fall and winter because two of the best days of my life fall into that category. 

My birthday and Christmas.  Two special days!!!  They're special for many reasons, but one of my favorite things about them is that its a great chance to get new reading material!

I love to read, I live to read, I love to read, end of story!  I love new, good books to curl up with and read.  Especially during the winter, by the fire, with a cat in my lap.  

I read all kinds of authors... Douglas Bond, Donita K. Paul, Agatha Christie, etc.  But, I have a problem.  As I've gotten older, I've come to realize that there are not that many really great Christian books out there!  And the ones that are out there are hard to find!  They are buried under all the horrible books.  Somewhere out there are some wonderful Christian books that are waiting to be read.  

These books are full of chivalry, homemaking, family love, and good old-fashioned family values.  

But where are they?

Well, I  have good news.  There are many websites that have started up to market and sell these wonderful family stories.  One of the best places is Vision Forum!!!  

And I have the best news!!!  Mrs. Kelly over at Generation Cedar is giving away $300.00 towards your Vision Forum shopping experience.  

You'd better hurry and enter.  It ends tomorrow, and Christmas is only 23 days away!!!!!

GO HERE TO ENTER!!!

Some Funny Pictures to Make You Smile!!!!

My family and I love to read Catalog Living.    Almost every single day there is a new update and they are always so funny!  The lady who runs it takes normal photos from magazines and catalogs and creates little tag lines about them.  The fictional couple who lives in the house is Gary and Elaine. 

Note:  Please note that some of the photos have some "implied" humor.  We recommend either the parents or the older siblings proof the photos for little eyes.  However, this RARELY happens.

Here are some favorites!

And so the tiny adventurers were launched into a journey known as “Around the Mudroom in 80 Days.”

Gary and Elaine’s Thanksgiving guests knew the drill by now: approach the host table and say what you are thankful for. If Gary and Elaine approve, grab a bale of hay and have a seat.


I don’t know why it’s so hard to find a decent mirror, Gary. Our old one made me look ten pounds heavier, and this one makes me look like I have paintbrushes dangling from my shoulder.

Food For Thought

The difference between management and leadership

Managers work to get their employees to do what they did yesterday, but a little faster and a little cheaper.
Leaders, on the other hand, know where they'd like to go, but understand that they can't get there without their tribe, without giving those they lead the tools to make something happen.
Managers want authority. Leaders take responsibility.
We need both. But we have to be careful not to confuse them. And it helps to remember that leaders are scarce and thus more valuable.

Fridge Art

For those of us who know us.... and wish they didn't... this is for you.

This is compliments of Erin and Ryan.  For about 3 weeks everytime I came into the kitchen the letters on the fridge had been rearranged to bear a new message.

As we are missing most of the letters and numbers the messages were somewhat choppy. 

Example:  Ryan l0ves M0mny.   Except one "m" was made of a "3" turned sideways. 

Then Erin would remove letters and make it Erin l0ves M0mmy and D2ddy.  You get the idea. 

They finally agreed on this. 

Cold Weather

As the days grow shorter, colder, and the fire seems more cheery inside... we have come up with a lot of interesting past times!!!   We also enjoyed some sunny weather on Saturday.  But on Sunday, Monday, and most of today... the rain continues to come down. 

So we went roller skating!!!  Well, just Michael.  He also discovered that your baseball helmet is the best thing for skating crashed.  That helmet is one of those things where it disappears and you think it's gone, but then in REAPPEARS!!!!

I really have not the faintest idea what they are looking at.  Is it a bug?  A snake?  Superman.

Sorry.... I couldn't resist!  :-)

The ongoing saga of the book shelves.  It involved a lot of time, effort, sweat, and planning for Erin to finally get her birthday gift from Rach.

Michael was sick for a day.  :-(

Well that's all for today!  Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

We want to wish everyone a very special Thanksgiving as we celebrate what it means to be thankful to the Lord for all his daily blessings. 

Top 10 Things I'm Thankful For:

1. My Parents - I would not be who I am if it wasn't for them
2. My siblings - They just mean the world to me
3. Color - It makes the world a better place
4. Books - Need I say more?
5. My violin - and music as well. 
6. Smiles - they brighten the day and cheer your heart
7. A Country where we can still homeschool and worship the Lord
8. Friends - here and far away, we are thinking of you today!
9. Laughter - the sweetest music on earth
10. The Lord - who sent his son that I might live with Him forever!

A New Truth

Taken from Franklin Springs blog

Fall Fotos

Two little cow girls ready for the barn dance

Michael leaves in the photo.... 

He's crying because he wants her hat on a certain way. 

She won't wear the hat... so he cries harder. 

Erin gets involved

Michael tries again.

That boy is anything if not persistent. 

Smile!

Peel the apples as fast as you can.
Erin and Michael made a delicious apple pie for the barn dance we attended. 

Sarah and I made a Peanut Butter Pie. 

At the end of the day, it's best to curl up with your brother and a good book!

A Month of Photos!!!

Hey everybody,  I hope we still have readers out there who are ready for a picture heavy post!!!!  We have been doing school, hosting friends, and preparing for winter.  If it wasn't for my friends (our REAL flesh and blood friends not the "facebook type" friends) I wouldn't keep posting on this blog.  But, because of you Farm Kids in Crocs is up and running still today!!!! 

Here in the South, you really have no idea what your weather will be like.  :)  On Wednesday I found out that a friend in Connecticut had been snowed in.  Their friends had power out for 9 days.  At that point in reading her email, I looked down at my bare feet and realized that we could never move any farther North than we are now.  We would FREEZE!!!  We love our warm weather.... just not the hot weather.

With that said, the month of October flew by.  One day it was green, and warm, and the flowers were blooming.  The next breath I took I was 18, the month was over, it was only 10 days until Rach and Erin's birthday and... you get it!

Here are the photos from October at our house!!!

Jessica

We added a shed for bikes and lawn equipment behind the barn.  Sarah and Emily eat their lunch up there now!

"Are you taking my photo?"

To cute for words!

Chocolate on his mouth, a boot on his hand, and a song in his heart.

At Cheaha State Park after our 5 mile hike for Boy Scouts

What a pretty lady

Mickles didn't do a lot of hiking!

A Scientist

You should have an Eeyore and Tigger to unwind from a long day!

Jessica

Hi this is Erin broadcasting live from... never mind.
I'm writing a guest post on Jessica's blog for her birthday because nobody else did!
Poor Jessica!!!
Now, I know this post is way over due but, better late than never, right?
Here goes:

Jessica
October 29, 1993

Caring

But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. ~ 1Timothy 5:8 NLT(I think)


Happy birthday to my favorite (and only) 18 year old sister!!! 

Okay fine, so the scripture reference isn't the best but it was the best I could find. Sorry.

Posted by Erin from Praise Him With Strings.

Rachel and Erin

Rachel

Industrious

A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 10:4

Erin

Cheerful

A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

Happy 16th Birthday to

Our Crazy Twins!!!!!

Love, Jessica

The Love of God

Today while reading the blogs of our friends, I discovered that someone had posted the words to one of my favorite hymns.  We sing it a lot at Bible Study (which his father leads) and I always enjoy it.  (Maybe we could sing it this week.. hint, hint!)  Anyway, I always forget what it's called and a lot of the words.  I always tell myself "email the T. family and ask them for the words", but I always forget to do that!

Anyway, this hymn always makes me really want to sing!  I love these words.  They are so sweet, simple, and powerful all at the same time.  I love to memorize hymns.  I just finished Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It.  I LOVE that one too!!!! :)

So, without further ado... I present the post that I stole from  Christopher T.  Stop by his blog and let him know you like it!

Jessica

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.


When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.


Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.


Chorus:
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Happy November!!!!!

Day 30: A motto or philosophy

My motto from the Bible:

“With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with^a thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

 
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,^b
and to walk humbly with your God?

 My personal motto:

Safety in Numbers

Power in Togetherness!

Day 29: Hopes, dreams and plans you have for the next 365 days

Hmmm... well there are a lot, but here are the main ones

• To graduate from highschool - proud of the work I did in 12 years
• To create and host the 3rd Plants and Pillars Film Festival
• To get the Store of Plants and Pillars running and operating
• To finish another year of violin - and feel good about what I learned.
• To pursue my love of children and prepare to work with my own one day
• To read through the Bible several times.  (it can be done and I intend to do it!)
• To read 300 books.  (100 was NOT a challenge)
• To prepare to be a loving wife
• To honor the Lord in everything I do
• To spend quality time making memories with my parents and siblings!

There you have it!!!  :)

Day 28: A scar you have and it's story.

I have a scar on the outside of my right pinky finger.  And that story is funny... but painful at the time.


When I was 9 and Rachel was 7, we were playing in the basement of our old house.  We had gotten kind of silly... shocking I know... and were having a ton of fun.  Rachel picked up a pair of scissors and open and shut them at me!!!  I asked her to stop and she did and turned around.  I then snuck up behind her and tickled her.  Little did I know that she still had the scissors open and she ripped them through my finger.  I didn't get stiches, but I probably needed them.  That scar is probably my most obvious. 

And that is my story.

Farewell!

Day 27: A physical feature you love.

Eyes.

Not just the colors that they come in.  Although, the different shades of green, blue, and brown are lovely.  I'm green eyed, as are most of my family.  Two of them have brilliant blue eyes.  The others have a marbled look.  Not quite green and not quite blue.

I've heard eyes called the window to a soul.  And that's quite true.  They express emotions.  Love, fear, caring, indifference. 

I always try to take off my sunglasses to talk to someone.  I tell others to do the same.  Maybe it's selfish, but I like knowing if they're really looking at me.  Really listening to me.  Eyes do that better than any other feature.

So there you have it.  Now you know.  Take off your sunglasses when you talk to me!!! 

6 Months

Time flies.  Happy or sad, mournful or singing.  Time flies. 

That is how God made it, but still at times I wish I could grab hold of a moment and savor it.  Drink it in for longer.  Smile and laugh just a little bit longer.  Laugh out loud til you can't laugh anymore.  Feel the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. 

There are other moments that are so happy, I wish I could remember them better.  What was it that made me laugh so hard?  Why did I smile?  Who hugged me then?

There are still others that, while painful, I want to remember.  They are still precious even though they are painful.  They hold lessons.  Lessons of spiritual growth.  Lessons of emotions shared.  Thoughts shared.  The memory of a tear running down my cheek. 

Because at certain times, you realize that now it is time to weep with those who weep.  And then to rejoice with those who rejoice.

To the families who lost homes or loved ones on April 27, 2011.  We are thinking of you on this 6 month anniversary.  Especially to our friends in the Valley.  We love you guys. 

Day 26: A childhood memory.

A childhood memory I have is playing at my grandfather's farm.  He lived on 100 acres (I think) and we would run through the fields, run through the woods, track deer, listen to turkeys, and catch fish. 

Also on his property was a little house that he had sold and then bought back (my grandfather was anything if not interesting), so we could go down there and "live".  With running water in a completely furnished house we played Little House on the Prairie.  We saw herds of deer run by the window.  We got attacked by some geese and and we ran over fields of green grass. 

My only regret is that my little siblings can't experience that feeling of freedom and adventure.  I tell them the stories and they don't quite believe me.  It seems to good to be true. 


Maybe it is. 


Then again... maybe not.

Day 25: A recipe.

A Recipe for Preserving a Husband

Be careful in your selection. Do not choose too young. When selected, give your entire thoughts to preparation for domestic use. Some wives insist upon keeping them in a pickle, others are constantly getting them into hot water. This may make them sour, hard, and sometimes bitter. Even poor varieties may be made sweet, warm, and tender and with kisses, wrap them in a mantle of charity. Keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream. Thus prepared they will keep for years.

~Unknown~