Faith, Family, Farm & Food: 2013

Monday, December 23, 2013

Saying Thanks

Random thought for the day...

Sometimes the best way to say thank you is to be the best you. To work hard, to achieve your goals, to believe in yourself. To be someone that the people who were behind you can be proud of.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

The day before Easter

Easter~ The more I think about it, the more I realize how important this day is... maybe more important than even celebrating his birth. Don't get me wrong, I know that without Jesus being born, none of this would have happened. This Easter time period in his life is when he knows and decides it is his time to die, and then the most amazing thing of all, rise up from the dead. After he rises, Jesus tells his diciples to spread the good news and make disciples of all the nations. These words have given me the grace to be among the saved. We have been doing the 40 days of Easter bible readings with the kids. As we get to his sacrifice, his death, I find it hard to explain to my 4 year old why Jesus had to die. Jesus who loved the children, Jesus who fed 5,000 and performed miracles. Someone to her who is magical, and a best friend all in one, someone so full of love for us. It hurts me deep inside to read the story of his death to her, about the pain he had to go through for us, the separation he felt from his own father while on the cross, the weight of our sin that he put on himself. Rylee's bible isn't nearly so harsh, mine on the other hand talks about Jesus being crushed for our iniquities, wounded for our transgressions. We aren't talking about the Romans hurting him, the bible clearly says the pain Jesus is feeling is because of us. Everything, every story in Rylee's bible has led us up to this very moment, Jesus's death. I'm sure her mind is full of so many questions listening to this, feelings she can't yet understand or put into words. It's a long day before we get to the next story. I know her mind is not meditating on these things, she is thinking about the warm day, the excitement of easter egg hunts, and time with her friends and family. I on the other hand keep thinking about this great weight Jesus put on himself. I think about being a parent and what it means to know your child is going to die, but not only you child, your perfect child. Your child that is choosing to die to save all your other lost children, I think about how amazing it is that God loves us all as much as Jesus because I know I am far, far, far from Jesus's perfection. This train of thought eventually leads me from great sadness and hurt from knowing what Jesus took upon himself for us, to the gift of what Jesus gave us. Being forgiven, giving us our salvation, the gift of the new covenant. One day, I will join Him. One day I will be free from the hurt of living in this sin filled world and know only love. What an amazing love that God loves us all with, what an amazing gift we have been given. I can't wait to read Rylee the story entitled 'God's Wonderful Surprise'. I can't wait to share with her the angels message to Mary Magdalene "What are you doing here? This is a tomb and tombs are for dead people". I can't wait to tell her about Mary's heart leaping with joy and the message Jesus gave her to tell the others He was ALIVE! What a gift I have been given! What little blessings I get to live with every day. What a great reminder to live joyfully.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Spring!

Every warm day God has given us this winter we have spent outside playing, and enjoying. Now the promise of plenty of warm days has finally arrived. We couldn't be happier around here that we can finally call it spring time! The past few weeks have been busy, but so happy. We have started getting the garden ready for spring, placed our order for carrots, lettuces, radishes, chamomile, and snap peas. We also bought some sunflowers, some just for decoration and some to grow out by the chickens. They will greatly enjoy the seeds. Rylee is so very excited to get the sunflowers planted. I have also had some get-a-way time with the ladies from my MOPS group this past week. It is always so refreshing to be around them, each of us so different, but everyone so strong in their faith. It just always leaves me feeling more inspired. What a blessing to know such great women and be able to call them friends. Josh has been busy doing miscellaneous keep up things and got to shoot skeet a couple times since this nice weather has come, but mostly work, and more work. We sure do appreciate that daddy works so hard so we can have so much together. The kids have been busy riding on the 4 wheeler, digging in dirt, sliding, swinging, picnicing, exploring, getting all sorts of messy, and having a great time doing it all.

Picnic! Ryder looks so long in this picture, he is certainly growing up!

Rylee LOVES to have a picnic as you can see.

Houser getting in on the fun!

Chickens, dogs, children. Ryder is hiding with his cookie. He has learned
about begging dogs, and begging chickens.

My artist.

Dig!

So happy

So beautiful

So dirty

So much in love with life!

And how can you not be with a cookie in hand!

This cute little face was waiting for me on my camera. Dad and Ryder had
a boys pizza night while Rylee & I were at her gymnastics class.

Happy Spring!

Monday, February 4, 2013

Tea Party, Outside Play, & Nap Time

We have had some warm days in the middle of winter. Not nearly enough in my opinion. I can't stand a day when we can't go outside and enjoy ourselves. On one of these warm days, Rylee was wanting to have a tea party. How could I possibly say no?!?

This happened to be Ryders first tea party. Boy, tea party??? Some might be saying, well he has a big sister and tea parties are quite enjoyable, especially when there is yummy things to eat. Which may be Ryders favorite thing ever.

We even decided to give him his own Tea Cup, with water.

He had a great time trying to drink from it.

More warm day fun!

All done playing, all done reading. Nap time!

Seriously??? Everyone is sleeping.

How I do love my playing kids, but I also so greatly enjoy sleeping ones.

Time for me to have my fun while they nap. Gathering eggs, and baking some

bread.

This bread is amazing. The best thing about it is you can make the dough ahead, keep it in your fridge and just rip off some dough when you need it and have freshly baked bread. It makes several loaves. I highly recommend it.

Here are some misc. pictures to finish off January.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Snow!

So for the past couple of weeks (feels even longer) we have been getting a lot of rain.

A lot of rain!!!
Over night, it got cold. And wouldn't you know it, down came the snow. Rylee, being my child, loves snow. She could not wait to go out and get in it. So right after we laid little brother down for his nap we went outside. What a snow it was, one of the real pretty ones that sticks to the trees. Rylee and I went straight to work and made a snowman. One of her favorite books is Stranger in the Woods, where two little kids make a snowman out of things the animals in the woods like to eat. So we made ours from nuts, birdseed, and a carrot.

The wind started blowing pretty hard so we decided to go in. When Rylee and Ryder both woke up from nap we decided to let Ryder enjoy some snow too and Rylee had to show him the snowman of course. I couldn't even begin to imagine what Ryder had to be thinking. He went to bed with nothing on the ground and woke up to the outside world looking like this

So after meeting Rylee's snowman, a snowball fight with dad, and some general walking around we all came back in to get warmed up before we got cold again. We made some snowcream which the kids (and dad) all enjoyed!

Rylee was back outside this morning enjoying the last of the snow. We have a sunny day with temps in the 50's today so I knew the snow would not make it through the day. Not quite sure when we will get another blessing of snow so as any good mama knows you need to enjoy the pleasures in life while they are here.