Getting back into the swing

July has been a whirlwind.  It began with a 10 day vacation to see family in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  While there, we attended a baptism, a funeral, and a family reunion; needless to say, we saw nearly *everyone* on this trip. 

We also had the opportunity to get to know an amazing family of six.  The Cowperthwaite's have a traveling evangelism mission and they spent about a month living on the property just north of us.  We were able to share meals, play games, and encourage and inspire one another.  A lifelong friendship was formed this summer!  We were very sad to see them leave on Tuesday, but we know that God has great things for them and we wish them much success in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

My garden has been producing abundantly as have the squash bugs.  Yesterday, I admitted defeat and pulled out the infested plants.  All other vegetables are doing well.  We will have fresh green beans for dinner today. 

It rained 4 inches last night and it is just plain swampy out; today promises to be another sticky 90 something.  Fall can't come too soon for this girl :O)

Moments in the garden

Zinnias

Henry Hiding in the Pole Bean Tepee

Morning Dew on the Strawberries

I am loving God's creation!

Picklers are ready

This morning I canned 4 pints of dill chips.  Hopefully I will be able to do at least that many more later this week.  Soon the greenbeans will be ready too......YUM!

We have also been blessed with *a lot* of squash lately.  Hopefully some of that will make it into the freezer for leaner times.

Next year's garden plan is growing by the day :O)

Reshaping my views on nutrition

I have been a perpetual yo-yo dieter since I was 14.........sad I know.  As I get older however, it is becoming less about how I look and more about how I feel.  Enter Nina Planck.



Her book has totally changed the way I view food.   I feel liberated to enjoy butter, eggs, and whole milk again without guilt. 

We are a family who subscribes to the slower rural lifestyle and this way of eating just fits!

If you need help getting off the industrial food conveyor belt, READ THIS BOOK!

Other great resources that have inspired change are:
















*Just a note:  The majority of the resources above do speak of evolution as truth.  Even so, much wisdom regarding our food choices can be gleaned.  Read with a discerning eye.  Blessings.  

Making Hay

We are having the hottest days of the year here thus far, so one might think we'd be sitting on the front porch with cool glasses of lemonade in hand, but alas, we are making hay.   I snapped this shot of Allie and Henry when the hay wagon rolled in around 9:00 p.m.

One AWESOME Week!

Last week was VBS at our church and I am part of the coordination team. After several months of planning and painting, it was time to open our doors to the the 11 and under crowd. What an awesome and crazy week! We had about 100 kids having fun learning about Jesus everyday. Here are a few pictures. Sorry family, there are none of Caleb.....they all turned out blurry.....he just never stops moving :O)

Happy Birthday Dear Allie

Thirteen years ago today I gave birth to my first child.  A beautiful 7 lb. 15 oz. baby girl we named Allie.  Where does the time go?  Am I the only mom who cries on their children's birthdays?  I was looking through pictures of when we moved to the farm seven years ago.  Allie was six.  Now, my eyes are filling with tears because I realize that in seven short years she will be twenty.  What's a mom to do?
I just want to pause and thank the Lord for the gift of my precious Allie. 

"Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing me with an amazing daughter.  Help me to savor every moment that I have with her.  Give me the wisdom to raise her as a young woman who hungers for you.  Remind me daily that while the days are sometimes long, the years are ever shorter and being a mom is the most important mission I have.  I ask these things in the name of Jesus.  Amen"

Allie- I love you more than words can express.  You are my right arm most days and a treasure to our family.  You grow more beautiful every year.  May God bless you richly. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Love, Mom

Allie age 6

Allie now

Tree Project

Yesterday was a big day at our house.  We had a tree moving company relocate 20 trees, that we planted about six years ago, to our immediate yard.  WOW - What a difference!  Check out the "Before & After" shots.

Tree Project June 2010

In the Garden

We have lived on our 10 acres for 7 years now, and I am embarrassed to say that in all that time, I have never had a successful garden.  Oh, I could grow weeds better than anyone, but nothing else ever seemed to do well. 

I was determined that this year would be different.  I needed a new plan.  Enter my sweet husband :O)  with the solution to all my problems....RAISED BEDS!  I have the best garden I have ever had!

This morning it was just beautiful, so I went out early to get the weeding done.  It feels so productive to grow our own food.  I can't wait to enjoy the bounty.

The Glider Project

Today I got to sew for my son, but this was not your ordinary sewing project.  No clothing or quilts were made.  No, we made a replica of Orville and Wilbur Wright's 1900 Glider. 

Caleb has been fascinated with planes ever since he read Russell Freedman's book about the Wright Brothers, so today he asked if we could try making a model.  We brain stormed about ways to make it work and we finally settled on muslin and toothpicks.  I sewed small channels for the toothpicks to give the top and bottom wings body, then we used hot glue to hold it all together.  It may be too heavy to fly, but it was so fun making something with my son.