The Homestead Way of Life

Gettin' Closer

Well, its official--we will be moved from here by April 1st! I am so excited even though there is soooooo much to do to prepare for the move to our 18 acre farm!! Hubby and I are working on a plan for a home, since the land does not have one on it--we have some things in the works--we were really hoping that this place(my dads home) would sell and I could take the money he was going to pay me commission and either buy something used or use it for a down payment on something--but it doesn't look like its gonna sell--so we feel its time to just come up with plan number 2-- We are still trying to sell the place, but we are not gonna 'bank on it' anymore--I am just so excited about the moving on all that land with all that potential--LOL--yes, it needs work, but with time we will get it done!

~Kris

my misery

Big Bang Theory

So, the bigger the bang, the bigger the buck?    Hey, as long as the gun brings in the bacon, er, the venison, we can live with earplugs.

Tom had his brother Dan  and two of his kids came out today to site in the guns.  Another great day, better than last year.  Poor guys came out last season  to a very wet, very cold Muddy Boot. 

Kacie knows to check her gun.  

A little father/son guidance before  shooting the .25 automatic. Not as loud, but can be just as fun!

O.k.  So I said I would  tell you all, "this was at 200 yards!"  (There are holes all within the target)

Me?  I stayed inside for the most part baking the bread, cookies, and yet another pumpkin pie dessert to munch on.   And hey, it didn't take long after a few gunshots for Stanley to return from his mysterious jaunt this afternoon. 

Stuff to die for?

As I watched my evening news and heard of the tragic death of a wal-mart employee it made me sick! A human being trampled to death by shoppers! Is stuff really that important--that other people could kill someone for it?? I don't get it--Have we as a society have lost so much of our roots and grounding in the word that we have all but lost sight of the holiday season?? I guess so!--I totally get that Christmas is not even when Christ was born--but aside from all of that it is a day that some of us have set aside to observe Jesus' birth--again I will reiterate I am a simple person, with a simple life, on a simple little farm, with simple little critters, that simply love the Lord--STUFF is not my cup of tea--for pete's sake a man was killed for material possessions--Wonder if the plasma t.v. or the ipod was worth his life??? People actually got angry when they were told the store had to close due to an employee death!!--WOW! -- Sad thing is--the family of that man will not have him this year--but the people that killed him will have their families and their stuff!!-- I guess I am more simple minded than even I care to admit, because I truly just do not get all the hub-bub with shopping and great deals-- Its just possessions--when we leave this ol' world to make the trip to heaven it can not come with us, so what is it gonna matter?-- Many purchase expensive gifts for their children on credit cards and are still paying on it well beyond next Christmas-- We pay hard, cold cash-- We have taught our children that if you don't have cash, you don't buy it--if its that important to you--save your cash for it-- Black Friday sales are really kinda silly--they mark down 'stuff' to get shoppers in to purchase it--people buy it and in 6 months no one remembers they have it--LOL--This year someone lost their life for worldly possessions--This is not taking into account the people shot to death at Toys-R-Us--We have got to get our priorites in order--time is short--stay home--hug your children and tell them you love them--that my friends will mean more later down the road than any package under the tree!!! And the best part--It's Free and no crowds to kill ya!

~Kris

Black Friday Observations

A Lot of Changes

A Great Thanksgiving Day

We had a super great Thanksgiving with most all my love ones here. Our new little granddaughter sure made for a special time. I didn't get to hold her much b/c of cooking but GreatGrandma sure did .

We had 14 people in all, 5 being our grandkiddies, our new SIL parents even shared our Thanksgiving with us, what fun. His Mom got right in the kitchen and help make gravy while her DIL (our DD) was helping with the other goodies. I loved it.

Lots of food and of course we overate. In the warm afternoon we all went walking on the trails (except new grandbaby, mommy and greatgrandma) and checked out the Outpost. In the 50's, I was sure tempted to camp out but I will wait for the snow.

Heres our cutie,she changes a little bit each time I see her.

We have the cradle which my Dad gave me for my babies, in the living. Not knowing at the time how many more beautiful babies would be sharing a sweet nap. A ture Blessing.

I did some junk store finds and found this neat hat holder with hats, perfect for the kiddies playclothes in the spare bedroom. I'm decorating it up Christmascy for them this weekend.

Here they all are in their new/old dress up clothes, hamming it up for gandma. The littlest guy didn't have any playclothes so he found a knit hat to put on, thata work. So I will be looking for lots of play clothes for them.

What fun they have dancing and singing in the living room.

Tomorrow DH and I will go to town and find a Christmas Tree. We use to take the family out to a Tree Farm and cut the most beautiful tree on the farm, (we always told ourselves this). Some would be whoppers up to 14ft tall , using extention ladders to decorate. But we have scaled down to 9ft and 10ft trees after the kids left home. Last year I think I got a tree leaning against the Hen House store while my sister looked on in the warm truck. This could be payback from a time when Mom, sis and I were getting a tree and sis got out in the rain as we had thumbs up or down for the perfect tree. Poor wet sis,

Oh and all the orange comes down, orange wreaths, orange pumpkins, oranges decorations and even the orange slipcovers in the living room. Its red and green time. Inside and out. And speaking green we are scaling down the lights on the house this year, kinda sad but DH needs a break. I put up the garlin and lights over the front door and will be putting out the sleigh and iceskates and pincones. But if I get a second wind I might put up more lights and light the trails. Just not sure yet. Less is more but then again someone told me more is more and less is really less. And then we got the being green going on too.

Chickens:

Oh boy are they doing well, up to 20 eggs a day. Nothing like cracking an egg for the Thanksgiving peacan pies, just freshly laid that day.
Go Girls Go!!!

Just for fun:

In some past post I share of a group I have joined late this summer. Mary Jane Farm Connection. I was new to the magazine and new to the forum. What a great connection from the get go. This "get er done" Mary Jane inspired me to make up my Outpost, she and other "out their women" inspired me to camp out for 13 weeks in my own Outpost. Make a reading tree for my grandkiddies and take a bath in the woods again like I use to.

Now I'm on a major cleanup here on the homestead, when you got a big roll off dumpster , its major clean up. One thing that I was going to toss out was my kids Barbie dolls, oh they were a mess and no way I want my grandkiddies playing with these , so why would I give them away to good well. Yucky, I tell ya, they were in very bad shape.

Now just before the toss I had a moment, a moment that I could not do, I'm throwing away my girls dolls : (, how could I do such a thing. Then the light bulb came on, I thought how Mary Janes Farm and the sisterhood is all about women Who Can and to raise little farmgirls Who Can as well. So why not clean up these dolls and make farmgirl Barbies for my own gandgirls to play with, a good wholesome image and recycle at the same time. And there it was, Farmgirl Barbie, Mary Jane style.

I shared with my farmgirl friends in Mary Janes forum and it was a hit, with the thread stating "What do you do with a big bag of wild-haired naked Barbie dolls?" Many ideas and others wanting to do the same with their DD Barbie dolls, and many wish they had not thrown their dolls away.

Heres a picture of one of those dirty wild-haired Barbie dolls that I cleaned up and made an apron for her (Mary Jane believes in aprons, there is power in an apron).  She is called  Farmgirl Barbie the Herb Gatherer

Barbie cleans up pretty nice.

Now all this gets even better.

Mary Jane herself has an artical about this in her Nov /Dec magazine.

I was so surprise that she liked my idea that she featured it heading and all "What do you do with a bag full of wild-haired naked Barbie dolls. Her write up was wonderful and I'm so honored to be mention in your magazine. Thank you Mary Jane .

This is a wonderful magazine so do check it out. I got my copy at Borders but you can also subscribe. Check out her forum to Mary Janes Farm   , lots of wonderful Farmgirls, all ages from all over the world, country and city. Talk about Kindred Spirits. You will find many there. I sure did.


Happy Holidays to you all , thank you for stopping by.

My heart and prayers go out to those in India. What a sadness this brings. A sadness for the loss but also a sadness that many have so much hate in their hearts to do such things. May Peace On Earth happen soon.

Blessings
linda

The Post-Thanksgiving Lull...

Thanksgiving is over and not only was it a day to be thankful, but I am thankful for how it went.  In this cold but sunny day, I am so grateful with how the Lord answered my prayers and calmed some odd family dynamics.

I awoke between 7-7:30a.m. and got a batch of fresh herb bread dough going and then prepared and set the turkey to baking.  As my family woke and after they had quick breakfasts of cereal, I set them to working!  lol  All the last-minute dusting, sweeping and toilet cleaning for my mom's inspection - er, uh - I mean, everyone's comfort and enjoyment!    

But we had a great day.  Some friends of ours who have to drive past our home to have their Thanksgiving at some relative's who live 1/2 hour past us came and visited us for about an hour.  I enjoy talking to friends while I cook, it makes the time go faster and more pleasant.  Just after they left, the first of our guests for the rest of the day arrived - a friend of our 2 dd's who has a new baby and our family (and another family from our church) are ministering/mentoring her, and other friend came, too.  Just after they arrived, my family - mom, brother and his girlfriend - came.  I have to say that - THANKFULLY - my brother was on very good behavior and only one quick little attempt at an opposing politcal comment was made but I told him that I didn't want to have those conversations today and (wow!) that was it.  PTL!! 

We had so much wonderful food - truly a feast:  I made the turkey, the obligatory green bean casserole, salad, homemade herb bread, cheesecake, veggies w/my homemade dill dip (better then store-bought, if I do say so myself!  lol), cheese tray and homemade punch.  My mom brought the stuffing, cornbread, mashed potatoes w/sour cream, chives and cheese (!), red velvet cake (homemade!), home-grown corn and sweet potatoes, while my brother brought shrimp and cocktail sauce.  It seems like I'm missing something, but believe me, we DID NOT lack anything good! 

I would also like to tell you all that I am thankful for all of you who take the time to read, to comment and to leave messages and/or e-mail me.  I praise the Lord for the miracle of the internet and the fun of blogs that have brought us together and the friendships made.  You have made such a precious, comforable nest in my heart.

Blessings to you all...

Kim Wolf<><

What a wonderful day

Our Thanksgiving was all I wanted and more--quiet--relaxing--and blessed--the day outside was beautiful with the temp in the high 60's almost 70! We enjoyed a traditional holiday meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, homemade cornbread dressing, corn, green bean casserole, homemade hotrolls, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, apple pie and sweet potatoes!! Yummmm, yummmm--My mom and step-dad were here with us--my oldest dd wound up going to her dads with my blessing--this is the first year he has done a dinner and so it was with my blessing that she spent time with him--I am so grateful for the wonderful day we had--not sure it could have been any better!!! I hope you all had a blessed day as well!!

~Kris

Giving thanks

It was a beautiful day outside today.  We are so blessed, more than we remember or realize at times.

There is still snow on the ground, but the weather was fairly warm.   A good day to take a walk in the woods and start tracking deer for Monday morning! 

Thanksgiving dinner came and went fast.  I am glad that I do most of my cooking a day ahead.   This year I made my own stuffing.  I used hot dog buns that I dried over the stove and crumbled up.  I found a recipe that made a sauce from celery, mushrooms, onions, carrots, broth, and seasoning.  I was plenty!   I also pulled some of the bite size rolls I made from sweet potatoes last week  out of the freezer and warmed them.  The family was so full that they didn't get to the pie until after dark. 

Lounging on the couch, Tom rented the new Indiana Jones movie for the family for the night.