Gold Money

That is the name of one our newest family members! We have Gold Money, Fireball, Sadie, Chocolate Chip, Levi Jr. and Nutsy. Our chicks arrived yesterday and are happily pecking away in the brooder.

The kids have not left them yet.

I had to put a limit on the handling because new chicks are delicate. They might just fall over dead from the fear of a child-style mauling. So we have 3 daily handling times and that has worked well. They still sit obsessively by the brooder watching and laughing. It is very cute!

We will, in the next few weeks be building a coop and yard for them. I will update fo sho!

In other matters, home school has been sucking the life out of all of us. We are very ready for a break. I think I am the most ready. I guess I am just tired of being bossy mom AND bossy teacher. I am ready for some no-stress fun. I want to be the playful parent instead of the heavy. Do you ever feel like you are always the heavy? It's kind of my personality I know. But every now-and-then, I would like to be the one bending the rules and being the favorite. So I would like summer to get here soon. I am in the mood for the pool, late nights and lazy days. All those in favor say Aye!

Anyhow, I am so happy we now are complete with our gangsta rap chick g-money and our super hero chick Fireball! There is nothing else more beautiful.

Apparently I don't have time to run a good blog.

The days just get away from me. I think about blogging and then I continue on to my 5000 other things that I have to do before I sit down. Then when I finally sit,(at midnight!), I don't want to think. So I am sorry that I have not paid any attention to my blog family. I still love you the same and think about you often. Please don't break up with me!

I will update you on my little plant babies. They are growing and doing as they should. I am rather shocked! I have not been the best seedling mommy. I got brave and put them out in the sun one beautiful afternoon. I burned them. I wanted to cry. They were all sad looking. The healthy green color they had displayed had been replaced with bits of gray and withered edges. I prayed that God would restore His creation and it looks like He wanted the same thing. It's been a few days and they are all still alive and putting on new leaves!

Second, for those of you who don't believe in child-labor, I say, give it a try! (As long as the children belong to you or are borrowed from a source that you trust.) They can really do some good if given the proper direction. These little loves were helping to get all of the grass out of the garden so that we could lay a straw mulch. They did a great job! Of course they all trailed off one at a time until I was left alone. But it was good while it lasted.

These are my greatest flower success! They should be bright-orange marigolds here shortly!


This is lettuce! I can't wait to have fresh salads.

The garlic is on the left, onion on the right.

This weedy looking thing is the plant that grows from those little seed potatoes! I had given up on them but they finally came bursting from the ground.

Just pretty!

I love these little boogers! So glad to see them here!

My oregano came back. It was the only herb to return. Boo.


This is the jungle in our backyard. We are saving it for our little chickie-babies who will be here next week!


Wild garlic that has bloomed!


My own busy little bee!

Pesach Seder

My family and I, since September, have been part of a group in our church that is studying the Torah. Now the Torah is a Jewish text. It is fundamental to the Jewish faith. But it is also fundamental to the Christian faith in being the very word of God and the first five books in our Bible. In studying Torah and the Jewish foundations of our faith, we have discovered the Feasts of the Lord. These are times during the year that the Lord has set apart for certain purposes. This time of year is set apart for the Passover or Pesach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Though thought of as a "Jewish thing", it was commanded by God to be celebrated every year as a remembrance of the Israelites deliverance from Egypt. To believers of Messiah, the Pesach is a time for us remember His sacrifice on the cross. Both were miracles of God and both are salvation stories. To attend a Messianic Pesach Seder is to understand how beautifully and completely the Old Testament foreshadowed and prophesied of Messiah. If you ever have a chance to attend one, I would recommend it! This is the 3rd one we have been to and it just gets better every year! Here are some pictures.

3 of my babies at the Pesach table.
Looking down one of the tables during the seder

My sweet boys wearing kippahs or head coverings worn during special times of prayer.

Our sweet Pastor Roman teaching us the way of our Messiah. The washing of feet.


Dipping the parsley/cilantro into the saltwater.

The children reading the four questions. Jolie got to read!

Asher eating the bitter herb. (horseradish!!!)

I know they look sweet as heck but watch out!!!! (Zaddok and Judah)

They got to check for Elijah but ran to the wrong door so I was not prepared for the pic! BTW, he wasn't there.


That was just a peak into our night last night!

Spring garden 4

I know, I'm ridiculous. But I can't help it. I have to show you all how fast these seeds are growing. The cucumbers (the biggest seedlings) might need to be transplanted sooner than I would like. Praying, watering and obsessiveness. You need lots of obsessiveness! Okay.
The sad day of culling is upon us. I must choose the plants that will move forward into the garden and those that must be cut down. I hate it. It is so against everything I believe to destroy a plant that I have so gingerly cared for. But it must be done for the good of the others. The sacrificial plant. So fitting this Passover week to talk about sacrifice. Thank you Yeshua.

This is lavender! Oh how I love thee, smelly good plant!

Some other flowery thing. I pay more attention to the veggies.

Tomatoes!!!!!!!

Stout and hardy cucumbers.

This is how different Matt and I are when we relax. My shoes are always off. His? Always on. See here. We were cuddling on the couch after the kids were in bed. It really bothers me. Take 'em off and let those toes breath! Seriously! He thinks I'm weird. Lots of people do. But at least my toes have seen the light of day!

Spring Garden 3

Many of you will get sick of garden talk and pictures of little green things. To that I say, tough! I posted pictures of dirt a few days ago. As of yesterday we are actually seeing some progress! They are even bigger today! It is always so exciting to find little frail seedlings peeking through their damp, dirt cocoon. I have been obsessing about keeping the seed wet and making sure they were warm. It is nice to see a little payoff.




Here is my garden hero! He does all the hard work.

Just look at the expert way he breaks apart the dirt.

But this is my favorite thing that he does!

Spring Garden 2

So I am a little late. No, no, it is not what you are thinking. I am late planting my seeds. My plan was to plant last week. I don't know why but things just don't go according to plan around here. So tonight I finally did it! I started my tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and a few different flowers. I planted then I prayed. I know that whatever comes up is by the Father's hand. It amazes me that he has given us seed and the ability to grow food and beauty. Have you ever thought about that? Flowers really have no purpose. They are just beautiful.

My planting began with seeds!!!! Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. was introduced to me by my darling friends the Emmitts. Get the seed catalog just to look at. It is one of my favorite winter activities. Additionally, they have some really unique varieties and a cool story to tell. Here is the link http://rareseeds.com/blog/



Now I know this looks just like wet dirt in an egg carton. But just wait. I hope!


This, my friends, will be teaming with little green life in a few weeks. I can't wait to show you. I pray!


This is one of the bigger planting projects going on at our home. Trees! Plus a few grasses and shrubs! Look at Asher and his daddy work.



So I know it was freezing and we were all wearing jackets but we had our first meal outside this week! Gooooooooooo Spring!


Finally, oh my goodness. This makes a mama melt and fall into a puddle of goo. Not gross goo but sweet, little, chubby baby in my heart goo.


Blessings to you all and may Yod Hey Vav Hey be with you this Passover season. Shalom!

Spring Garden 1

Oh joy and happiness! It is planting season again! I love the newness of all things green. I love the smell of dirt that has been cradled beneath a crust of winter. I just stinkin' love being outside! I want to share with you, what I do in my garden to prepare and grow the most wonderful of God's creation. Fooooooood!

This time of year is cool-weather crop planting and warm-weather seed starting. I am not quite ready to start seed but for the first time have planted onions, potatoes and garlic. I am very excited to see how they grow. You know, no matter how many seasons I plant, I am always amazed when stuff actually grows. It seems like magic. Not magic, just a Creator who is very consistent in his design. Amazing that a little seed will use dirt and water to make something delicious to nourish our bodies.
These are seed taters.

Now they are in their new dirt home!

These are onions. In a month I will pull up every other one for green onions and leave the rest with more space for bulbing.

Here they are in the really not straight row that I lovingly planted. Who cares about straight?


Here are some other spring beauties to enjoy. I hope all of you are considering doing even a pot of herbs. If you can start small you can build as you learn. I add something new every year!







Doesn't he look like a child from the old days? I just loved this.

And here he is. I just love him too!


Tell me what you are planting this year!!! I would love to hear.