The weather is taking its toll on our homestead this year--with temps in the single digits, freezing rain and a bit of snow our critters are not fairing well--I have lost 15 chicks even though they are in a brood box outside they have 2 heat lamps on them--but we figured it was just not enough and added one more and begin medicating them, something we rarely do--My 4 year old buttercup rooster died--our buckling(not real sure what happened to him--he was doing so well--Many of our critters have not experienced temps like this--I am not fairing well in these temps--LOL--for those of you up north--I honestly do not know how you do it--I told hubby I am seriously considering moving to the 'very deep south'--LOL--my old body just does not do well with single digit temps!--

On a better note--all my Christmas shopping is done--it is a very simple Christmas this year with several homemade gifts--we will celebrate with our children and grandchildren christmas morning and enjoy our traditional breakfast--then open gifts and listen to christmas carols--I have enjoyed this season so much more than in past years and I truly think its because we did not buy into the commercialism of it all--we have tried very hard to keep our focus on Christ and HIS gift to us--Salvation--

We are still very busy with the critters and making preparations to move in the early spring--we are still keeping odd hours with hubbys 2nd job--but we are blessed beyond measure so complain we will not!

Take care--Stay warm--and bless someone this Christmas season!

~Kris

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Right now it is almost 70 degrees here in Arkansas--BUT by morning it will be in the 20's with light freezing rain--or so they say--we shall see--the weather here is just crazy--has been for the past several years--the wind is awful--we are having wind gust to 45 mph--you can tell its blowing in something--Such is winter time in my neck of the woods--hopefully we really do not get the ice they are forecasting--will update later!

~Kris

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This year I seem to be running a bit behind in getting my 'Christmas" stuff out--But finally yesterday we pulled out the artificial tree--I really wanted a real one, but we just decided that at least one more year we will do the artificial one--we are not doing outside lights this year--time is just really an issue this year--We did spend the afternoon yesterday decorating the tree--sipping homemade hot cocoa--and listening to Christmas music--how blessed we were--Our tree is nothing fancy--but we do have a theme for our tree--I have done this for several years--Our tree is decorated with white, gold, purple and red--each color has a meaning--Below it is explained--

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There is one tree in our home representing that we have 1 God who stands firm, upright and sovereign

The Purple represents the royality of Christ

The white reminds us of his virgin birth and his pure and sinless life

Gold is the color of kings--He is the king of king and Lord of Lords

The red represents the blood shed on calvary

I also add little candles to my tree they are representive of the light Jesus brought into a dark world and also a reminder that we are to be a light in this old world.

Our decorating is at a minimum this year--again the theme of simplicity--Will try to share a picture later--

~Kris

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Sometimes we get so busy and out of sorts with our circumstances we have trouble finding the blessings in our life--Hubby's job slows alot in the winter and it becomes difficult at times to make ends meet, but the Lord has ALWAYS provided in so many ways for us--this year proved no different--My oldest daughter got a job as a newspaper courier--and within a week another route came open and hubby was able to get it--The hours are hard--the money is good--I have been helping him when I can--we go in at 2 a.m.--roll our papers--head out for the route at 3a.m.--the route is usually done by 6a.m--this is 7 days a week--rain, sleet, snow or shine.--This time of year the tips are great--Not just money--the other morning at 5:30 a.m. an elderly lady came out in the cold just to give my husband and I warm, fresh from the oven, homemade peanut butter cookies!!!--Yum,yum--Some people choose to tip with cash--we didn't even know newspaper couriers got tips--LOL--we don't subscribe to the paper--anyway while not ideal--and not a job I would want all the time--God provided us with an extra income in a time when many are losing their jobs--If that isn't a blessing I don't know what is!!--When I am dragging my rear-end outta bed at 1 a.m.--dealing with a grumpy special needs 12 year old, trapsing out in the 19 degree temps and losing sleep it becomes hard to remember the blessings but I am trying hard to remember thiese things daily-- its not bad money, we homeschool so the lost sleep for dd isn't something we can't work around(she sleeps as we deliver), we have a job and an income, we are contract labor so we can do our route however works for us, tips are great, especially the homemade cookies--lol--we have a job in a time many are losing theirs--we are better off financially this year than we were last year--its only a temporary job for us--But most of all I am grateful that the Lord see's fit to provide for our family, even if its not ideal--God is good and if we look around we can see blessings all around us--even in times of trial and tribulations!!

~Kris

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We have put up an artificial tree for years, but am thinking this year we might do a real one with homemade ornaments--I think it would just be something different and fun--I have not even begun to decorate for Christmas this year--I am going to keep it very simple--simplicity seems to be in the air at our home and in our life this season--so as with the rest of life our Christmas will also be a no fuss, focus on Christ, keep it simple kinda holiday--I am actually enjoying this season much more this year than in previous years and I liken that to the fact we are not getting all caught up in the 'commercialism' of it all--we are just enjoying the season for what it means--such blessing in that!

~Kris

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I woke to snow falling from the sky this morning--not something we see very often in my neck of the woods--I am not a snow person and would like to live further south where there is no snow--But since I don't I will have to deal with what we get here--The snow is pretty, but I do not like the cold temps--for those with muscle/Joint issues its really hard on them and I fall into that category--if it wasn't for illness I might enjoy it more--Not sure how much accumulation if any we will get--most likely none since the ground temps are so warm and Thursday it was almost 70 degrees here--LOL--now snow--and highs this week reaching almost 60--we have such roller coaster weather--I did snap a few pictures of the snow will post them later--of course to those of you up north they will seem trivial--LOL--But for us southern folks any snow is something to photograph!!

~Kris

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