I think he was in it just for the money!

OK, so maybe not! Just look at how cute he is with that tooth missing. Wonder when the next one will be wiggled out.


I must say that in comparison to the girls he is a wimp about pulling teeth! He worked on that one for days and wouldn't let me touch it and if I did whoa!

I will say that everytime he has a new first or does something a little pang goes off in me knowing that there are only 2 more following him with their firsts. Kind of wierd how that works!

Enjoy the toothless grin! :)

I think that I found Narnia...

Take a look at the yard. I wanted to post this yesterday however, the computer was acting a little slow I think due to all the ice and cold that we are having, finally!




I was going to take a few pictures today it looks like everything is glass. It is absolutly gourgous! However, everytime and ambulance goes by yesterday and today I am fearing that someone has been hurt due to the storm and the cold weather that we are now having!

OK...really not a huge post but just look at the picutres. The sun is trying to peek through can you see that?

Happy Birthday!

Cabot is 7 today!! What a great guy! I think his highlight of his day is that he can order his lunch at school today, unfortunatly Friday doesn't have much to offer Chicken parm sandwitch, chop suey, pb&j, chicken noodle soup or a green salad. What would you choose? He wanted a salad. Yesterday was pizza day too bad it wasn't yesterday.






What is he getting? not too sure...guess I need to head out today! Maybe God will provide some snow for him! I know I am making him a Pumkin Pie (that is what he has been asking me for since Christmas when his cousin ate HIS piece! oops)

ok...that is all, just didn't want to be told that I am not posting! :)

well...what can I say?

I have been a little busy lately. Sorry! here is a quick update:

The craft fair called "The Guest House" is finished I think that we worked a few weeks more than we needed to. However, we did have a blast doing it and meeting new people who will hopefully be back next year for it. We did learn a few things that we will carry into it next year. Eric was the only one to sell everything that he made! Way to go Eric! He actually ran out of pens and had to make a few more the last day we were open. I think it was worth his time! :)

Guatemala went well. They all came home without incident! My family was the only one not to get sick while they were down there. I guess there was a nasty flu that came on extremely fast and took over your body for several hours. Then slowly allowed you to return back to health. They had a blast "life changing" as Abby said when we talked about it. I know that Betsy is feeling the same way, just not actually verbalizing it that way. I read her journal entries WOW!! how encouraging to read that and see how an eleven year old views life in a different culture! she can't wait to go back, and Phil can't either. He is in the process of making plans for us to go down again in just a few weeks. We will be there for a visit and also a work trip. I hope that we are able to do it! Pray for us will you?

What else? Oh yeah, I am now home schooling Megan Yes! you read that correctly I am the person who has always said that I would NEVER do that. Well, what is it that people say about never say never because that is what God will have you do.
Actually I don't think I ever said "I will never" I think that what I said was I don't think that it would be a good idea. God knows me and He knows better than allow me to do it. Well...I guess that is about the same as saying never right? We had our first day yesterday. It went well. I am very excited about it and the rest of the kids want to know why they can't be home schooled...let's just say that right now is not the time for it! CCS is a great place for them to be! :)

So, that is it in a nut shell. Hope it was enlightening for all of you that read this. I am really not sure who actually reads this but for those of you that do...I hope it keeps you happy until the next one. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

what do YOU eat?

So, yesterday my Dad went out to feed the cows. I thought I would show you what we feed them. That way anyone who enjoys our cows can see what we actually feed them. My question has always been herbivores or carnivores...I guess I now know! :)









Think that we could send this in to the company that makes Boca burgers and have them use it for ads? :)

Enjoy the many pictures here...Dad has Broadband and that is where I am this week!!
Yes, call me a chicken I am staying here while my family is abroad!

I can't believe it is almost time

Well, tomorrow my husband and 2 older children will be boarding a plane and head down to Guatemala. You may remember I wrote about this trip back in the spring. I am a having a little twang of jealousy right now. I really wanted to go however, this time of the year is not a time to farm the rest of the kids out. Next year I am going and I can't wait to get back down there!

So, today is going to consist on getting loads of laundry done and packed for them. We are trying to remind the girls that it is a very poor country and they don't need to have so much stuff to bring with them. However, Dad needs to remember that he is bringing 2 of my offspring so lightly packing is going to be hard! :) (no tension here!) They were looking forward to the warm weather down there, and I was informed that they are having a cold snap. So not too many shorts are heading down with them!

Pray for the kids and the adults as they are distributing these packages. What a joy it will be for them to help give these necessities to these children and family's. (Maybe tour kids will see just how spoiled they really are) Pray for safety health and that they will see God honored through this whole process. I am so excited for them.

A lot of people have asked me if I am scared...My answer to that? Why would I be scared? God is in control, what better place to be then in the center of God's will? The place I wouldn't want to be is outside of that will. That would make me scared.
We know where they are going I have been there, Phil has been there and will be with them. I just wish it was me instead (or also)!!

Something else to pray for while they are gone. Me...Here with the 4 little kids. Meg would hate to hear me say that but...! I am looking forward not to have all the "extra" runs to school to pick kids up for sports or running to the basketball games. (yes, the season has started!) I guess I will sort of be on a vacation as well! :)

Well, I need to do some laundry thanks in advance for praying for this trip, and also thanks to those of you who have been praying all along on our journey!

Guess What!

Hey Everyone who reads this. Check out Nikkis blog. She is back YEA!! So, would you like an update on the craft fair? Well, the first weekend was a great success considering we really didn't promote it. We all had sales except for Dad, however he made up for it yesterday. He had the sales! Way to go Dad! And that leads me to the rest of us crafters, we all had a sale (yes you read that right A sale) not sales but, next weekend will be different! I hope. We are advertising in 5 local papers and putting more signs up to promote it. So, once again if you are in the area come on by. And don't forget to check out Nikki's blog while you are here!

For those who read this and are in the area...

I am having a fabulous craft fair here on Saturday Nov. 25 from 10am-4pm and then every Saturday until Christmas we will be having at least 7 people putting their things in. If you came last year you need to come back, it is going to be so much bigger (not the actual building!) and better! Stop by do some shopping, have a little cup of coffee a bite to eat. Enjoy the fire...

Who will be the crafters you ask? Well, Robin Williams (sure come by and see for yourself!) My Dad will be making some of his wonderful wood creations...Mom is making decorations for your tree and house, Misty will be making goodies such as felted wool bags, table runners, napkin holders...And so much more. Eric will be making his fantastic pens and Lorree will be making ornaments as well. Oh yeah, I too will be there with my jems :)

So stop by if you are in the area on any of those days. We look forward to seeing you! (and remember there is only 34 days until Christmas at this point!)

Post Secret...

Ok, not a huge profound post just something that I have seen and heard alot about lately. Post Secret. Have you seen or heard about it? I saw a clip on the news a few weeks ago. I stumbled across it a few months ago when I was flipping through blogs. Now there is a book.


The jist of it is for people to make a postcard of a secret that no one knows. One that you just want to share and get it off your mind. (hmmm....) The guy that started it did it just to see what people would send in, he said that he never imagined that it would be as big as it is now. Amazing what 100 postcards that he left in random places with a little description of what to do started...


It is heartbreaking to see it. Some of them are so sad, you really wish that you could find out who wrote it and let them know that there is someone out there for them. Someone who knows their hurts and wants to help them. As I was reading this I was very emotional and finding that I was praying for these poor people who feel that there is no hope for them. Some are fun...but most of them are so sad and depressed. Oh not to have any Hope how sad is that? Makes me want to make a postcard that says "Jesus loves you all the time, even when you feel that no one does!"


See, nothing profound!!

ok ok....I get the point!!

So, yeah it has been awhile!! Why do I get in trouble if I don't post and others don't post for a while and it is ok?? hmmm....just wondering? So, here is a picture of a little cutie for you all to admire...

So, until I can put a little more time and effort into this you will all have to look at Claire aka "Chicken Little" Enjoy!

Friday the 13th

What a busy day! First I had a field trip to the Stone Zoo. What a blast. I wish I was in first grade again! What a great time 10 kids, 7 adults. Lots of wild animals! (pictures to come tomorrow.) We had fun walking around looking at the cougars and the jaguars, spotted mountain lion, Himalaya mountain goats Canadian wolves...Reindeer(did you know they really can't fly?) llamas, boas...and a whole lot more. It was a great time, tiring time too. I think we walked 10 miles!

We came home to find out the girls soccer game was cancelled (secretly I was very happy!)

Megan is 10 today, and in our house birthdays are pretty special when you turn 10 double digits and all...so we went to the mall with Hannah, her very best friend in the whole world! and they had their pictures taken together in their matching outfits. (all the way to the flip flops.) Great pictures the photographer was having a blast with them, it was so much fun for them! We had a great dinner...then (drum roll please....) she went to get her ears peirced! oh what fun. A friend of the family Miss Crosbie came with us for the evening and she decided to get another set of holes done while we were there, so...Meg had company geting her ears done! what fun. (pictures of that will be up tomorrow too)

now it is almost 11:00 and they are still giggling and being little girls but I am very tired and going to go to bed! It has been a very long day~

Pictures will be up sometime tomorrow!! really once I can get it going!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN HOPE :-)

Leaf Peepers...

Well, we were off yesterday for our annual family adventure up to the White Mountains. Once again we are amazed at how many travelers come all the way to beautiful NE to check out the foliage. I was able to meet a couple from Valencia CA. That is just about where I was when I went to CA this summer! How cool is that? The lady took some pictures for us, Phil asked a random person to snap a shot of the family and she just happened to be a professional photographer. (ok, but when you are not in a studio that really doesn't help much!) Gotta work with what you have. :)

It seemed that when we were on the Kangamugas highway that the leaves were mostly gone. And unfortunatly that is where most of the pictures were taken :(

















We ate at a great restaraunt Banners it was wonderful! Outside they had some beautiful gardens and the mums were vibrant. The butterflies liked them too...look! They were covered with Monarchs and honey bees!

And this last pictures is a local picture. this is about what the color is like here at home, we are almost at peek! Beautiful!





I will get some more on later. Gotta go and read for first grade! :)

Deerfield Fair 2006 version...

Well, we went to the Deerfield Fair yesterday. I think that in all my life since living up here I have been every year with the exception of last year. (BUT the rest of my family went and I think that made up for my absence!) And let's just say that I have lived here for 28 years. (is that really right Dad?)

We take the kids out of school, I did ask one of the "in charge" people at school what I should write on the absent slip...He said "The Deerfield Flu of course" hmmmm...Sounds pretty good to me!

So, what so we do at the fair you may ask...Well Uncle Mike bought the kids arm bands for the rides yesterday. That gave them access to all the rides for about 5 hours. It was fun but I don't think we will do that again, we spent too much time on the midway and not enough time looking at all the great things. OH well live and learn right? The kids did have a blast on the rides!

We went to the pig scramble. Now that is fun to watch especially when your child is drawn for the lottery! :) YEP!! They called Betsy IN THE POURING RAIN...Well not really. It started to rain just when we got to the swine barn. We kept under cover and waited a bit, they called her and Phil and I went out to watch...She did great. That piglet didn't stand a chance! Well, the 3 minutes was up and there were still 2 piglets left so we waited. A big storm came through so we stayed in the smelly barn for a bit (10 or 15 minutes.) We had to wait for the next 2 names to be called, Betsy brought a friend with her he hadn't been to the fair since he was 4 of so. Well, you guesses it HIS NAME WAS CALLED TOO! So out he went in the wet arena for his chance at a piglet! And he bagged it right off! WAY TO GO!

We did the fair looked at fun things bumped into a lot of people! You know the ones you see only when you are at the fair! I even bumped into an old classmate. It was fun catching up with him while our kids were on the rides!

We ate GREAT fair food! You know the kind that you can only handle once a year! :) No one left hungry or lacking any of the fair experience.

When it was time to leave at 10:00 PM (with 8 kids!) We needed to get the piglets. hmmm...Imagine 2 bagged piglets in the back of the excursion! kinda smelly! Phil cleaned it out today! Thanks Honey!

and don't count how many kids and piglets were in the car. I think we must have looked like the circus!

All in all it was another great year at the Deerfield Fair! I will get some pictures up asap. My camera didn't get any of the scramble. So I will have to wait for Phils.

CAN YOU WAIT FOR IT?? :)

Bye for now!

ahhh...how cute

Nap time...I am not too sure who was asleep first Phil or Anna...my guess is Phil.

I think that there will be some stiff necks tomorrow! Just thought it was a cute Sleepy Saturday Nap time picture! Enjoy it...and let Phil know you saw him taking a nap at 3:30 on a Sat. afternoon! :)


  

Cammie and Larry

So, we have some new kittens. I know that some people think they are not the best kinds of pets to have but we have 5 girls. How can we not have kittens...we love them. I went out today and came home about an hour later and this is what I found!

  


YES!! that is a Longaberger basket that they are sitting in! hmmm...good taste!

If you have not figured out what there names stand for, just say it fast together and hopefully you will get it! and one more thing. Larry is Phils kitten. He was an anniversary present! That is how much he loves kittens! :)

Is Anyone Out There?

So, you see...I have been pestered of great lately to update the blog. And when I do it no one leaves me a comment. I am a little confused. Are people really reading this?? If you are just for my sake, let me know that you are reading it and I will continue! Beacause I do enjoy this!

Life is getting very busy again and I will be having more exciting things up on here. So, just let me know if you are really reading it...THANKS!

more jewelry coming soon! Parties, Parties, Parties! I am "teaching" beading at a girls night out AND doing a birthday party for an 8 year old! How fun will that be? And another one in progress but no details yet! Remember that is why I started this thing! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Well, the day is here. Claire is 2 today! What an adventure she has been. I can't believe it. From a tiny little peanut to well...a cashew! Glasses and all.

  


  

We have had an exciting past few weeks, and once again I did try to blog and put pictures up but I couldn't do it??? why!!!!!

But alas, they are on now!!


Happy Birthday Claire Mercy!

AND... IT'S A BOY!!

I can't be so jealous of Beth for having a little baby, I think that I may take this baby thing to heart too much! We seem to be overrun with females in this house...and well even ouranimal population seems to be more of the X instead of the Y. Go figure! Well, we had a little (big) bull born last night. These animals amaze me, one minute we are out there and nothing is happening and then you can walk outside an hour or two later and there is an animal nursing on his mom. I would love to actually see one born, but...that is the beauty of this type of cow that they can labor and deliver all by themselves. (I guess that is a good thing and we are not out there at 2 am delivering a calf right?) No weight measurements yet, name we can do, it is going to be Echo of Old Homestead Farm. Or the proper way is Old Homestead Echo. Is that right Phil? He is the cutest calf yet, ok so I think I am partial to the little black ones! We had one born in July and it is a bottle baby still, she is adorable and much more of a pet than a farm animal. I will get some pictures of her on here too. but for now I will put up pictures of Mocha the Mom, Lily the BIG sister and Baby Echo. (anyone who is anyone will know why Phil choose the name Echo.)



  

  

  


Click on the images to see them better if you would like and oh, Lily was born last year 2005 the week before Easter (that is why the name Lily) Notice the size of her? And look at the size of Echo not too shabby! (I didn't say shaggy)

ENJOY!

Update...

Well, I guess the exciting part of my summer was my trip out to CA. And I will just tell you that I am so glad it was a month ago and not this month...Have you seen the pictures of people standing in lines at the airports due to the new security? No thanks!!

So, my travels are bringing me to CT this weekend for the Women of Faith conference again. I hadn't even planned on going this year! I knew with all the other things that we have done this summer it was out of the question not to mention it is the middle of August this year instead of Oct. But, I had a ticket offered to me and the hotel everything is already paid for! All I need is money for my food and to help pay for the gas. I really did want to go but didn't even consider it. Isn't God so good in supplying us with all of our needs and our wants sometimes?

So, that is my short little post and I will hopefully be posting more next week about the conference!

And with that...Have a great weekend!

And Beth, don't have that baby while I am away please! :)

In N Out...

This will be my last California post, I needed to space them out. You know I didn't want to be needing bloggers anonomous. :-)

Nikki brought me to the best hamburger place in the west. (ok, so a little corny there but it was really good) I had been told that if she didn't bring me there then she would be in trouble. I guess that when someone was out of the country for a missions trip a few years back, when he was back in the states it was the first stop he made. Is that right Tim?

Well...we went to In n Out. It isn't really as fast as the name makes it sound. Actually I think they have to go out and heard the cows and then bring them to the slaughter house let the meat hang for a bit and then ground the burger cook it up, then they call your number. OK...not that bad, but certainly not "in and out" like the sign claims.

So here are a couple pictures of the place. and you can visit their online store at www.in-n-out.com hmmm...must be a good place to eat if they have a web site. I must say it was a great burger! and they made the potato fries fresh I even watched them slice them up! (french fries)

















Boy! I sure look tired in that picture!

Well, that is all the pictures of the trip that I am going to be posting! So, I hope that you enjoyed the trip, I know I did. Now next time, I am definitly going to see Tim and Leah! I promise (it may be 10 years or so BUT I promise!)