Last blog of 2012.

It's been 10 years since we spent Christmas Day with my husband's family.  We usually switch years with my family and his but we always have Christmas Eve and morning in our own home.  This year we traveled to Ft. Worth, Texas for a cousin holiday.  We have 12 kids all together.  It's a bunch of little people.  (Some are not so little anymore.) 

 

We had so much fun.  Nothing fancy.  Just time together, cooking meals with the girls, playing games, talking, singing and telling those kids to be quiet!!  We really didn't see much of them.  They all found their group and stayed busy.

 

It was a very merry time.  So blessed with families who love each other.  It makes time together so special. 

 

This is the oldest cousin Ethan with the almost youngest cousin Levi.  Levi thinks Ethan is pretty special.

It was definitely a house full.  But we all seemed to fit just right.

On Christmas Eve, Uncle Brad read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.  It was pretty sweet.

Cody, "The Fonz" and Kyle.

Micah got to be a little (chubby) girl reindeer.

There were some Just Dance competitions going on.

Ever played Minecraft?  It's a little boy's dream.  Building and creating then destroying.

Caught you Kyle!  Bust a move.

How that girl loves her Daddy.

Asher needed some space the second night we were there.  I told him he could move into the other room and sleep under the tree.  So he did.  Literally!

As 2012 fades out and 2013 dawns, I pray peace and blessing for you all.  We here on the Prairie look forward to new things.  New gardens, new animals, new paint, new adventures.  We will bring you along with us as we go. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May he make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.  May the Lord grant you peace. 

Just pictures. No time for words. :(

 

 

 

 

What an egg should look like.

Most people seem confused as to why we would have chickens when eggs are so cheap at the store.  I always tell them that chickens are easier to keep than a dog, they make less mess, they eat bugs, they are very entertaining and they give you beautiful, delicious, healthy eggs. 

 

The eggs you buy in the store are just so-so.  The pale yellow yolk shows the lack of variety of diet and access to greens.  Most commercial eggs are produced by over-worked chickens who spend their lives indoors under artificial light.  They are crowed into small spaces and only have processed food in their diets. 

 

If you buy free-ranged chicken eggs, you pay a lot more money and still aren't guaranteed that you would get the benefit of true free-ranging. 

 

Our girls are happy as they can be.  I don't even have to supplement their food right now.  Everything they eat comes from the ground.  They are laying giant eggs with great hard shells.  And the taste is like nothing else! 

 

This is one of our eggs cracked into a bowl of cheese that I use in a baked pasta dish.  See the color?  ORANGE! 

 

 

 Here is a link to Mother Earth News that shows the actual benefits of fresh, free-ranged eggs.

 

 

On another note, my blog friend Kendra, at New Life on a Homestead, is doing a giveaway.  So head over to her site and leave a comment about the book she is giving away, Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden.  Looks like a great addition to a homesteader's collection. 

 

 

Oh yeah and this too...

 

Hee hee.  Micah B is 7 months old now! 

 

A day for thanks...

Whose bright idea was it to host Thanksgiving in her home just a month after moving in???  Oh, that would be me.  And it was a bright idea.  It gave us major motivation to unpack boxes and get some stuff hung on the walls. 

We would have been in trouble has it not been for the family all pitching in to make Thanksgiving Day so easy and fun.  Everyone brought something for the meal.  Then everyone helped clean up.  That's the worst part!  (A special thanks to my pregnant sister who worked harder than anyone to help get everything ready.  Heather, you are an amazing mama and sister.  I am so thankful to have you in my life!)

We had 20 of our nearest and dearest share our home for the day.  God blessed us with perfect weather so we were able to sit on the porch some.  The guys, and my baby sister, shot some skeet.  The kids ran everywhere!  And the ladies got to just sit and enjoy each other's company. 

Blessed I tell you.  Blessed beyond measure.   

Ava Grace and Micah B.

Papa Joe and Halie Kate!

Up to no good.

See.  Cousins can always find trouble.

You take my breath away beautiful girl!

Grandma giving Ava some love and wisdom.

I could eat you little butterball.

My sister and mom putting the finishing touches on dinner.

As we gather round to pray...

we give thanks for one another...

we squeeze each other tighter because we know how blessed we are.



My mama and sister.  So stinkin' cute.

You too mister.  How did you get so cute?  Must have a cute mom.  :)

 

 

Sisters in every color.  We planned it that way.

 

 

Grandma and Pa joined us.  We loved having them!!

Papa and Grandma were there too.

A rather precious picture of Pam and Daniel.

Not sure about these two crazies.

Papa Joe on baby duty.  He and Micah have a delicate relationship.  As in, sometimes Papa is hilarious and sometimes he is scary.

Liv needed a buddy to bounce her.  Nana took on the challenge.

Beautiful Nana.

Sweet baby Liv.

 

Oh daughter, why must you grow so.  I guess I'm even thankful for that.

 

Our Home Sweet (new) Home.

I have been non-stop busy with moving, kids and...well, more kids.  My blogging life has taken a hit.  But I do want to share a bit of our latest adventure.  Matt and I have aspired to country living for as long as we have been making plans together.  We have been fortunate enough to have had a couple of years in the country via temporary housing.  That did little to quell our desire for full-time rural living.

 So when we found this little jewel, only 10 miles from town, we jumped on it.  It has everything that we had wanted.  Trees, a cute house with a yard, a barn, a few acres and did I mention trees???  Plus, we get to stay connected to the only community my kiddos have ever known.  I say the Lord heard our hearts and gave us a precious gift.

To make things even better, the realtor that sold us the property was also the owner.  We have been given every bit of information we could ever want about this place.  He even came over the other day just to tell us where the pipes and electrical were buried.  We have gotten to see pictures of their family loving this home: grandkids playing in the yard, folks sitting on the porch.  (Did I mention the porch?  It is fabulous!)  We feel like we have gained extended kin.  I hope their history draws them back here someday to share in the sweetness of this place.  And I pray that we honor their memories with our living.  

So get ready for lots of posts updating on the house or on the many adventure we plan to have here.  We have an extensive list.  Fruit trees, breaking ground for a HUGE garden, grapes, bees, goats, more chickens, and maybe even a tree bed.  (The past owner slept in one under the big cottonwood for many years.  I would have never thought of it but I love the idea!) 

Please enjoy the tour...

      

Here it is!  Our new little home.

It was built in the 50's and has been lovingly care for.

Our sweet little farmhouse.

With amazing views!

It's like we live in the middle of a park.

Our barn at the back of the property.  So big with so much potential.

If you have never been to our part of the world, this is what it looks like.  Now you know why the trees on our land our so important to us.  They are rare and precious here.

I love the view from my kitchen window.

Don't look at me like that you little toot.  You have peas on your face!

We have such a cozy living room.

Look at all of the space in my kitchen!  Tons of storage.  We will update eventually but for now, we love it.

Lots of time will be spent right here.

Up the stairs to our attic rooms.  I cannot show you those.  They are not presentable at the moment.

Ever watch the sunset from your second story window?  It's the best place to be.  Goodnight!