Baby English Angoras

Pictures

Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese

Cheese Press from Hubby

Youngest and I Christmas morning

My Girls

Beginnings

Everything is quite around here today. The youngest three and I just finished the second Anne of Green Gables movie and now are off playing. Hubby and "the eldest" are in Indiana to take home his friend who has been staying with us. The last five days or so has been filled with games and food. We have had a great time. I have my 2# block of cheese sitting on my counter waiting to be waxed. I am soo excited to try it, but will have to wait about 4 weeks. I am posting pictures of the last week or so. Enjoy!

Happy New Year

We had a very peaceful and wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year. We have spent time at home today with Hubby and the kids playing games and I have been making Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese with the cheese press Hubby got me for Christmas! Our oldest two boys have a couple of friends over (one all the way from Indiana who is spending a few days with us) The younger ones and I watched Little Women today (the one with Wynonna Rider and Susan Sarandon) I love that movie! I am pretty sure now I was shipped to the wrong century:)!!! I know God has plans for me here though. Hubby has diligently pursuing publishing houses for his book the last few weeks, and this morning he was surprised with an invited to a web-cast (I think this is what you would call it) to a Christian Devotional site here: http://christiandevotions.us/hsss.html
He will be on at 7:00p.m. eastern time tonight to talk about the site (he has a couple of submissions sent in here) and hopefully be able to mention his book and our convictions on family. We are really excited, and this is right up his alley (with the talking thing LOL)!!!!!!!!! I have another batch of angora rabbits, this time it is English ones. I hope to post some pics yet this weekend! I have quite a few for sale right now. With the cheese making going on in the kitchen, Hubby is considering some goats for the fam! (my dream) Hope everyone has had a blessed New Year!

Merry Christmas

Hundred Fold Harvest Debut Album!!!


I made my goal and finished the four crocheted stockings to give as gifts with a day to spare:) The past couple of weeks have been so nice here. I can not remember the last time we had a peaceful time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have accomplished ALOT in the past few weeks. I was able to make some of the presents, our two oldest sons and their band "Hundred Fold Harvest" recorded their first CD and they spent hours getting that ready, but all the kids in the band are awesome and they just had a great time spending time together doing this. We are so proud of them. The music is just beautiful. Hubby was able to wrap up an almost five year long project last week with the completion of his first book! I am so proud of him. It is a family devotional based on our memories of the past and present. It is a really fun book to do as a family as there are activities that go along with each devo. There is also a companion book for families to write their own memories down each day. It has now been sent to a couple of publishers and we are hoping for the best. He also has had an individual devotion (one day) accepted on an on-line devotional site. He is really hoping this starts a new path for him. The girls and I have been baking up a storm, with the girls doing alot of it this year. It is so amazing to have daughters that I can ask them to help with almost anything and they usually jump at the chance, and sometimes do a better job than I do!!! I see all the years of training the kids in everything starting to shine through on all of them. We are able to spend time with both families the next few days, my folks and sisters and families tomorrow, and Hubby's fam on Sun. Our oldest son's friend from Indiana will be spending a few days with us over the New Year. Life is Good!

Rabbits

Winter Storm Watch

The first "big one" is predicted for the next 2-3 days. The only problem is that we live right in the "middle of the mitten" and what we get is never as much as what they predict. The kiddos are hopeful though that the snow pants and boots will be needed for morning chores. We have only had about an inch of snow so far this entire season (with Gr. Rapids getting over 10 inches in the same storm!) Things are continuing to be busy around here. The count down to Christmas (and break) has begun. School is going well, Oldest got his PSAT scores in the mail this last weekend and he did VERY well. We are so proud of him, although he would have probably qualified for the national merit scholarship, he is only a sophmore and you have to be in your junior year to qualify. As a homeschool mom with no "college teacher" training, this just continues to help me know that what we have choosen for our kids is so RIGHT! All of them show so many different talents, with music being the common bond for all of them. So far we have a pianist, an AWSOME guitarist, a flutist, a violinist (who has am AMAZING voice for a 10 year old), and....yup...a wanna-be drummer, time to invest in the earplugs and more hair dye for Mom! I have been busy spinning and crocheting up a storm. I have an angora shawl finished for my sister, and 4 Christmas stockings almost finished for family. I am hopeful they will all be finished by Christmas Eve, although I had my doubts at one point!