Life on our Farm

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

Pregnancy Update ... catching everyone up

Well, it's out in the open now. After nearly three weeks of taking it quietly easy, the baby dropped low yesterday. So now everyone in-real-life knows that I'm essentially on bed rest now. So I'm free to blog about it now, and that's a relief.

It's crazy; my belly is so small now. I can certainly breath easier, though I never would have termed it really difficult to begin with. The little feet I felt under my ribs for a short while are well beneath my ribs  now. I have a small, rounded baby bump and I look far less along than I am.

Until the baby dropped, I had several people ask me when I was due and express shock when I responded with my January 20th due date. I've had two people ask if I was carrying twins. Well, I doubt anyone would respond that way now!

At times it feels as if I've already had my baby, except for the times of jabs, kicks and squirms on the inside.

It's such a weird feeling!

Besides the baby settling low, I don't have any other real symptoms of labor, besides a smattering of contractions yesterday that were perhaps due to mild dehydration? What do you do? Keep going like you just know the baby is going to stay put? Or take it easy? How easy? Fortunatly for me, my Jonathan has made the choice for me. Until I'm full term, I'm not supposed to do anything.

I'm going to go stir-crazy. I like to move, to walk, to keep my house and just mother. I have a vision in my head of who I am, and that has never come remotely close to anything resembling weak or needy or . . . stagnent.

Yesterday, I was pondering my change in lifestyle, and the verse that came to mind was Second Corinthians 12:10 - Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

I'd like to re-write this verse to read "when I'm strong, then I am strong." It'd be lots more comfortable for me!!! Unfortunatly, this is the way it is. I'm weak. Can I take pleasure in my infirmity? In my necessity and distress for Christ's sake? Can I sing praise from out of the "prison" of my couch?

The Bed Rest Chronicles have begun . . . . . 

One day down, about 21 more to go . . . . 

What to do with Turkey Leftovers

Friday on the Homestead

Well we are in Thanksgiving home recovery mode today! LOL.. Time for clean up and then bringing out the Christmas decorations. I have already decorated my website and blog!  

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. It was just the kids, Tobin and me and Tobin’s dad came too. The food was delicious. We ate dinner at about 3:00 and then I took a nap.. Funny how turkey does that to a person  . While I napped the kids and Tobin played Taboo. Then we moved onto pumpkin and apple pie. Emily was in charge of table decorations and she did such a nice job. Here is a pic of the table and place settings…

 

 

And one of Isaac being his silly little self

 

I ate leftovers for breakfast!

Everything went OK yesterday, the turkey was a hit. I saw on one of the shows on the Food Network, they put a sliced orange and a sliced lemon in the cavity of the turkey to help it stay juicy. Well it worked! I also used some cajun injector for seasoning the inside of the meat, that too adds so much flavor. So it was a hit, thank you God, lol.

I, as usual, made too much food. I sent some home with my daughter, fed some inlaws, twice, ate supper, fed strangers that stopped by to say hello, and STILL had tons of food left.  The strangers were only strangers to me, my dh knew these men from work. Grinding keeps going on 24/7 here, there are no holidays as for as the mill bosses are concerned. Things keep running. So there were truck and tractor drivers that were stopping by the house to say hello, and I felt bad and fed them.  My husband did put his foot down on not giving away the coconut cake tho, lol.

So what do you do  with all the cornbread dressing you have left, you eat some of it for breakfast.........and lunch.............and supper. If there is any left by the end of the day, I may have to give some it the cats. LOL

I will be heading out later to face the crowds at Wal-mart, ONLY because I need a new toilet seat and some packing tape. Otherwise, I wouldn't face the crowds. I'm not one for all this shopping madness. Besides, I looked threw all the sales papers, and there wasn't anything that I wanted, lol.

Have a good day, and be safe if your out in the craziness.

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

What I'm Thankful For

At the very very tippy - top of my "thankful list" ... waaaaaay above everything else, are these guys:

And my Bible.

I am a beloved wife. I am a needed, love mama. We have Scripture, in multiple copies, in our own home, in our own language.

God has so richly blessed me.

Everything else . . . and I mean everything else in my life is just . . . "fluff".

"Me" time is fluff.

Storybooks are fluff.

My pretty clothes and food to eat are all tremendously extra, rich blessings.

Seriously.

I am so incredibly blessed to be pursued by little sticky fingers and a husband that loves to hold me.

Thank You, Jesus. May my humble life somehow bring You honor and glory.

~Ashley~

From our family to yours...

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving!

"Over the river and through the woods
Trot fast my dapple gray.
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound
On this Thanksgiving Day, Hey!
Over the river and through the woods
Now Grandmother's face I spy.
Hurrah for the fun,
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie."
- English folksong

In just an hour or so, we'll pack up our baskets of goodies and indeed be heading "through the woods" to Grandmother's house. Of course, it's now my sister's house, but it still brings those wonderful memories of gatherings and meals that Gram prepared for us. We have much to be thankful for, as always. Thank you for your visits, your sweet comments, friendship and prayers. I count you among my blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving !

I wanted to stop in this mornin and tell everyone Happy Thanksgiving !!!!

We have alot to be thankful for today, I hope that everyone has a blessed day filled with love and the company of family and friends. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Blessings

Linda

A GREAT deal for Homeschoolers

As I'm sure most of you know, I love The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. For homeschooling families, it is a must have resource. If you have always wanted to try it, now is the time! Of course, if you already subscribe, it's also a great time to renew because...

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are drastically reducing their one-year subscription price to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore!

This is their lowest price ever on the magazine and they want all of you to take advantage of this offer and share the info with your friends. Please don't miss out. Your one-year subscription will pay for itself time and time again as you receive practical tips and Biblical encouragement to keep going strong in your commitment to homeschooling and to the Lord. Since it's a quarterly magazine, they even have a monthly subscriber's only E-Newsletter called Teacher's Toolbox that will give you seasonal teaching ideas and a free E-Book download! It's like joining a unit study of the month club! The free E-Books alone are valued at almost $250/year. It's really perfect for people who are homeschooling on a shoestring or just wanting to add in some little extras to your teaching.

Plus during the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home.

AND, their Win Big contest is going on so if you just happen to be customer 67,000, you will receive a prize package valued at almost $500 which includes a $150 gift certificate to the Schoolhouse Store! Who couldn't use that? And you can qualify to win it no matter how much or how little you spend!

Mark your calendars for November 26 - 30th and do a little shopping from your seat, not your feet at the Schoolhouse Store's Black Friday Sale!

www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com