Hello All!! How are you and your families? We are doing well here. Very ready for Christmas!! We have put up our tree and decorated the house:) LOVE this time of year!!

My semester is finished and I have a nice little break. Very excited about that.

We just got 4 new hens and a rooster. All the chickens seem to be getting along. Duke (our dog) is loving them too. He runs around the coupe, pouncing....and puts his mouth on the coupe and lets them peck his mouth...LOL. He's a hoot!!

He too just got a new dog house. It's awesome. Someone gave it to us. It was built for a Great Dane, so it's really big. My boys can stand up inside of it! It will keep him nice and warm when he has to be outside while we're gone.

I hope you all have a very wonderful, Merry Christmas. I hope you stay warm, cherish the moments with your family, make lots of lovely traditions, and most of all remember why we celebrate Christmas. The Amazing birth of Christ. The most wonderful gift of all...along with His wonderful gift of Salvation.

Luke 2:9-14

~~~And, lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall bea sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

What a wonderful story....a wonderfully, true story!! We get to be with God one day! I am so thankful for His gifts!! May God Bless you all....Merry Christmas!!

Chickens!!

We have chickens:) My hubby and I just finished their coupe! They are very happy about that. Sorry I've been gone so long. Being in school full time, kids football and baseball, keeping up the home, trying to get in bed at a decent hour=very long days! I will try to post pics soon.
I am very thankful for the Fall weather:) It's one of my favorite times of the year!! We also got a new dog...Duke. He was a gift for my youngest....but he's graciously sharing him with us:) He's a full-blooded chocolate lab. I'll try to post pics of him soon too. Hope you all have a blessed day!

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others." ~~Audrey Hepburn~~

~Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1~

New Blog!!

Over at Big Dreams In A Little House there is an apron giveaway. It's one of the cutest aprons. She sews for Etsy and had a leftover apron. Go check it out here. Hope you enjoy her blog:)
Blessings to everyone!!
"These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Whole Foods

I've learned a lot from my sis and brother-in-law about whole foods this summer. They truly are better for you. I'm stilling learning more everyday. We are going to start getting meat from grass fed animals, raw milk, and many more different foods that are natural and/or organic. We are starting slowly because it does cost a bit more buying natural and organic foods. But it's worth it because the better you eat, the better you feel.

Check out www.kellythekitchencop.com to learn more about whole natural and organic foods.

I'm very excited about this Fall. We are getting chickens!!!! I've been talking to my hubby about it for at least a year now, but have had little luck due to us living in town and the worry of the stink they give off. However, his we spent a week with his sis on vacation and she was able to explain to him benefits about having chickens. I only want 3....and even though we live in town, we have a great size backyard that is fenced in. He is now very much looking forward to getting the chickens and building the coop. We have had a garden this summer. We had corn, but the ants got the best of it, we currently have 2 watermelons growing and growing, we got 1 cucumber..lol..it was very tasty and fresh (and organic), and we have a blackberry bush. It has really grown since I've planted it. Hopefully it will flourish and produce next season. We've also got a big batch of okra. The okra has done the best. We had trouble growing any tomatoes, cantaloupe or carrots....and our pear trees didn't produce this year. But, we were very excited for the way things turned out for our first garden. We plan on having a Fall garden and my awesome hubby is going to build a coop over the spring garden that can be moved to the Fall garden when it comes time to plant another spring garden. That way the chickens can fertilize each one. We are so excited that we will soon be having fresh eggs:)

This morning I made some amazing waffles, if I do say so myself:) They are good for you too.

Check out the recipe:

~1 1/2 cups white flour or whole wheat flour

~1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

~1 Tbsp. baking powder

~1/2 tsp. cinnamon

~1/4 tsp. salt

~~~~Mix the above ingredients together

~~~~Mix the below ingredients together

~2 eggs

~1 1/2 cups raw milk

~4 Tbsp. coconut oil

~2 Tbsp. brown sugar

~~~~Mix all ingredients together and pour in waffle iron until done.

**I say they are good for you because most of the ingredients I used were all natural or organic. You can top these yummy waffles with maple or all natural syrup, yogurt, jam, or fresh fruit. They really are delicious and my kids loved them as well! I plan on making a double batch and freezing them to pop in the toaster on school mornings for a quick, nutritious meal.

I hope you all have a blessed day!

~My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

Sounthern Homecooked Meal

This is more like a fall meal, but it's easy and yummy. Ham, beans, and cornbread (from scratch.) I am loving summer. We haven't gone on our vacation yet....but in some ways I'm missing fall already. I'm drinking coffee today, making this delicious autumn meal, and listening to my Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosy, (and many more great singers) mix of music. I LOVE it!

I was browsing through my recipe cards looking for my cornbread recipe that I got online months ago. I thought I had found it when I realized that it didn't call for sugar. It was another cornbread recipe that we had tried but didn't like as well. We like it a little sweeter. So I got on the computer and started looking for the long lost recipe. I looked and looked and couldn't find it. I was getting sad; so I went back to my recipe cards and I FOUND it! I was so happy. My whole family LOVES this recipe. It is the best cornbread I've ever tasted! We used to use Jiffy, which is great, but I love making things from scratch. I don't remember where I got the recipe, but here it is:

-Mix together....

-3 1/2 tsp baking powder

-1 cup flour

-1 cup cornmeal

-2/3 cup sugar

-1 tsp salt

-Mix with that.....

-1 egg

-1 cup milk

-1/3 cup vegtable oil

-Bake at 400* for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and you can stick a toothpick in, and it comes out clean....enjoy!!!

Hope everyone has a blessed evening!!

"You will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29"12-14

It's Been A While....Lots Going On!

Hello, All!!! How have you been??? Good, but busy here. Summer is here for me and my kiddos. The hubby is still hard at work. I feel so bad for him having to work in the heat. He's sure to drink lots of water, so not to get dehydrated. It's very important to drink lots of water.

I have been trying to keep the boys entertained. We have filled our little pool and they also love to play in the waterhose on the trampoline.

I have been using my clothesline so much this summer. I love it. I'm helping our earth as well as saving on our electric bill. I've also been keeping busy with our small garden. I'm so excited about it. It's getting bigger and bigger everyday. I'll post pics soon. This pic is of my homemade granola:) I was so very excited about making it. It is my first time making dry granola. I've made some chewy granola bars recently, but they didn't stay together very well. They were still very tasty though:)

This is the recipe in case you'd like to try it out: (It's very simple)

-3 cups old fashioned oats

-1/3 cup slivered almonds

-1/2 cup pine nuts

-1 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries and apricots)

-1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

-2 tbs brown sugar

-1 tsp vanilla

-2 melted butter

-Mix all together. Spray a cookie sheet, and spread the granola over the pan. Bake at 325*

-I took it out a few times and flipped it so it wouldn't burn. It was very delicious!

I've also been making dough for rolls and pizza dough and freezing them, and baking bread. I plan to make biscuits and pancakes to freeze as well. I'm trying to cut eating out altogether. I'm not big on it. But, times when I'm tired it seems easier to go and grab something that's already cooked. I hope I can do a little each day that helps me save money and makes me more appreciative of the things I have. Hope everyone has a blessed day.

~Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you hve, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

We have the feeling of Spring here!!! Yay!! I'm so excited! I love this time of year. Warm weather, gardening, getting ready to use my clothesline again, flowers, baseball, and many other things.

I hope you are having some warm weather as well.

I am looking forward to Easter. There are so many things in this life that distract us, when we should be focusing on the one and only Jesus Christ and His amazing love and gifts to us...His children. He died for each one of us...and He rose again for each one of us. I hope we all take time and reflect on all the blessings from our Father. Think about what really matters in this life. Living for God...letting our light shine for Him. Showing others kindness...spending more time with the love of our lives....Jesus Christ!

I hope you all have a wonderful God-filled week.

Blessings~

~"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

Farming On Faith Giveaway

Farming On Faith blogger, Carrie, has an awesome giveaway going on! An amazing thermometer! It is very easy to use and has excellent and precise results. You can learn more about it on her blog http://farmingonfaith.blogspot.com/ , or here http://www.temporalscanner.com/ to find out more on this product.

It is very easy to enter for this giveaway...just check out Farming On Faith for more info. I'm sure you'll find other great reads on her blog as well.

Thank you and have a Blessed Day!

~The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

Blessings From My Kids

I got a new dry erase board to help me with some school projects. My kids just love it. They've always loved to draw....and I think are great at it. I love their masterpeices!

One night, I was sitting at the computer and my youngest was sitting beside me drawing on the board. I looked over as he was finishing up and said, "What's that?" He told me it was a picture of Jesus dying on the cross...and the other men were the bad guys.

I just love how they think about God! I love knowing that my husband and I are teaching them about the most important person in life...our Savior! I love knowing they have Him on their mind! How innocent they are. It just makes my heart happy. I pray daily for my two blessings, that they will grow in Christ. My oldest one accepted Christ as his Savior earlier this year, and now I pray for my youngest. I have no doubt that he will accept Christ, when he is convicted by the Holy Spirit....when it is his time. I thank God for my family everyday....I am so blessed!

I will pray for your families as well....that we can all grow closer in Christ and be all He calls us to be for Him!

~Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

Need Some Encouraging?

Lately, I've been doing a lot of driving...to work and school, and wherever else I need to go:) My radio has many different music stations with different genres programed in...mostly country, classic rock, and Christian.

There are days when I need a little pick me up. I try to do a little bit of bible study everyday, but that doesn't always happen. So, when I'm in my car I will turn it to KLove Radio Station. It always lifts my spirits. I listen to the words the Christian artists sing and feel the Spirit at work. I can feel how much God loves me and my family....and everyone. I just wish some people knew how much God loves them and wants a relationship with them.

There are other positive things about KLove. They have people praying everyday. On their website there is a place to sign up for prayer request. I love when I hear them pray on the radio...I just sit and wonder how many of my brothers and sisters in Christ are bowing their head at that same moment, praying with them....lifting people up in their prayers. AMAZING!! They have a phone line where people can call in and share touching stories about how Christ has done His awesome work in their lives:) It always brightens my day! There are many other awesome things they do for the Lord....I encourage you to check out their website...I guarantee you will be encouraged too:) http://www.klove.com/

There's no such thing as perfect people~There's no such thing as a perfect life~So come as you are, broken and scarred~Lift up your heart~And be amazed~And be changed~By a PERFECT GOD!!!

~~Sung by Natalie Grant

~~You make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands. Psalm 92:4

~There are many people that blog, that knew of Hope. I met her a few months ago. She was the sweetest and strongest 14 year old girl I'd ever met. She had such a zest for life and didn't let her illness define her. Many of us got to know her through her Cancer Diary. Her mom eventually had to post for her because she was too weak, and we got to know her mom as well. We realized where Hope had gotten her strength. Her mom read her our thoughts daily. She said they brought her peace. She was so strong. You could see God's love shine through them both.

I miss her already...her bubbly, courageous, beautiful attitude for life. She and her mom knew she was in God's hands. Although, we will miss her....let's be thankful that our Dear Hope is in no more pain. She is with our Perfect, All-Healing Father. We will meet her again one day, when we are with our Amazing Father in Heaven.

Please continue to pray for Hope's family....that they may find the peace that only the Lord can give.

~~Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

~~The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Winter Wonderland

We had our Winter Wonderland!!!

Every year, I hope for one good snow. I don't even mind the ice....that means we get to stay home and spend our time enjoying our family. Even if the electricity goes out, we have two gas heaters that will keep us nice and toasty. I know others may not...I pray for those people, that they will stay warm.

We really enjoyed seeing the beautiful snow. We had some really yummy food for our cold days. One day for lunch we had tomato soup and grilled cheese and for supper we had fried deer meat, mashed taters, green beans, and bread. It was so good. I love to cook. Especially, when it's so cold. There's not much else to do....so I love to make our house smell yummy with food. I even baked a cake:)

The Lord blesses us with many seasons. I love them all. They each have a very special meaning to me. By the time winter is winding down, I'm very ready for spring. I love the thunderstorms, fresh flowers, green trees and grass. I also love summer...we love camping, grilling, swimming, and being outside. I use my clothesline all through the summer. Even when it rains. The rain is a natural softener....it makes your clothes very soft. Then comes fall....I LOVE the many colors of the leaves, the crisp air, drinking coffee outside, building fires, hayrides, and much more. The Lord is AMAZING!!! He makes the most beautiful things. I never want to take the little things we see in everyday life for granted. I am so blessed to experience these extraordinary things God has made. I know He is even more beautiful!!!

I wanted to share that my oldest child...KJ...got baptized last Sunday! We are so thankful and so happy for him. I've been praying for a while now for both my childrens' souls. I want them to know God. To have the most beautiful relationship with Him. To know that He is the most important. He was home from school one day and crawled in bed with me and told me he wanted to get baptized. (We had been talking about it for a few months now...on and off....and he had talked to our youth pastor as well.) And I told him he had to be saved first. He said how do you do that again? I told him all he had to do was ask Jesus into his heart. He said I did that last night in my bed! We talked about it a little more and then we talked to our pastor. A few weeks later he was baptized. It was such an amazing experience. I wasn't too suprised that he had done it on his own....that's just his little personality. He's very independent about some things. Now we continue to pray for his growth with Christ and for our youngest to be saved when it's his time.
I hope you all have a wonderful night.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." Matthew 8:12

Thunderstorms

I know it's been a while again...sorry. School is a lot more time consuming this semester....not to mention, a little more difficult. Prayers would be GREATLY APPRECIATED! Wednesday night I took the kids to church and I ended up sitting in my car writing a paper. Sad...I know...I wanted to go in, but I needed quiet time to write my paper. Praise the Lord I got it done!

We had some thunderstorms that night. I really love thunderstorms! Some people think it's so yucky outside when it's raining, but I find beauty in it. Don't get me wrong....I like sunny days too. (Especially when it rains for more than three days). My hubby and I took our kiddos to the lake last summer for a week's vacation. We all love the lake, camping, and nature. It rained ALL week long. Seriously.....ALL week long. It was nice that we were together with no other distractions though. There were maybe two days when it would clear up for a few hours and we would grab our stuff and swim...then the rain would come back. We were going to stay in a tent, but a friend lent us his pop-up camper...which was really nice, because the rain would've flooded us out! It was so nice to hear the rain on the roof. I remember when I was little hearing the sounds of rain on a tin roof...I love it! Anyway....my point was this....even though the rain keeps you from doing things outside that you want, I like to look at the positive side. You get to cuddle up and watch a movie with your family, you get to sit outside in the carport and watch the rain....I think rainy days are beautiful days too! God made rainy days, just like He made sunny days. I enjoy both...especially when I get to stay inside on the rainy days:)

I hope everyone has a great day! Remember to thank the Lord for all your many blessings!

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

It's been a bit since I've posted anything. Hope everyone is having a great New Year's so far. It is so cold here. We even have a chance of snow this week:) Yay!! We love snow. I had to go shopping this morning for some milk and flour. You know how crazy the store can be when colder weather is around the corner. It was really busy to say the least.

I've been cleaning alot. Trying to get things back in order from Christmas. I love Christmas....it truely is the most wonderful time of the year:)

Coffee is on and I'm making two loaves of bread. I would really like to make some biscuits and pancakes to freeze. Does anyone know how long they last in the freezer, being homemade?

I better go now....hope everyone has a blessed day!

"How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you." Psalm 31:19