I have the droopsies about Christmas so far this year.  I just get so frustrated with all the whoo-haa this time of year.  It just seems every year it's more and more about the stuff.  Take that black Friday thing, people staying out all night and into the next day getting into fights, or being hurt by someone else, pepper sprayed in the face, knocked over and the likes for what? MORE STUFF!!  Even the stores around here were already putting Christmas stuff out before Halloween ever got here.  I would just love to have an old fashion Christmas when we focus on Christ and each other.  SSSHHH don't tell my kidos but I truly wish we had never begun Santa.  I know with some people this is a touchy issue, but it really takes all the focus away.  We always do the Christmas story on Christmas eve, and there have been years I made a birthday cake for baby Jesus, we were involved in the plays at church and the caroling but it still seems to center around all the stuff that we can give or receive. Maybe soon, this  mood will pass and I will become my usual Martha  wanta-be LOL.  
God bless ya,
Tara

Homestead happenings

Elizabeth with her Reserve Grand Champion Sim Solution heifer @ the AJCA Thanksgiving Classic

 

 

 

                 

 

                          

 

 

 

It has been rather busy around here lately.  We have been busy trying to do school work, fight a nasty cold bug and the holidays.  We had a really good Thanksgiving with all the trimmings, but while everyone  else was out shopping on Black Friday we were out livestock showing.  We had a big show on Thanksgiving weekend and the kids and calves all did well.  We have another show this upcoming weekend and that should be it till after the first of the year.  We have so much to be thankful for this year.  God has been so good to us.  Everytime we have needed something He has just been right there for us.  I don't know how people who do not have a close relationship with the Lord can make it.  He is my rock.  This is going to be a long winter for us, because of the shortage of hay, but I know He is going to see us through it somehow!  The Lord is also working in different areas of our lives right now, He has been dealing with us about where we attend church or as of lately not been attending.  We are struggling so much with this right now.  I pray we do His will and not our will, but sometimes that seems like a mighty hard thing to do. We covet your prayers right now.   Other than those things all is well on our little homestead. 
God bless ya,
Tara

Lovely weekend

Civil War days at a local state park. These two pictures were taken year before last.
And we all know why I don't have new pics;(

We had a great day Sunday at Civil War days. Got to see a re-enactment of a battle and of course JC loved it. We toured the old homes, dipped some candles and enjoyed the afternoon.
I also met some new friends, some other homeschool mom's and some that even blog! I am hoping to get to know them better. I love meeting other like minded folks! Last night after we got home we left out and went and picked up Josh's new show heifer. She didn't come off the trailer to well last night, knocked down all the fans and just was not happy, she seems to be somewhat better this morning, so maybe just maybe she will be calm enough by this evening to start working. We plan on staying home this week and working on school work and new calves. I have a new recipe to try this week and it is a banana peanut butter muffins. If they turn out well I will post the recipe.

This weeks menu:
Monday: Chicken strips, macaroni and cheese, and green beans.(all from scratch of course;)
Tuesday: Taco soup, cornbread
Wednesday: Deer steak, fried potatoes and cabbage
Thursday: BBQ sandwiches and chips. (made from a pork roast that will be cooked in the crock pot all day)
Friday: Hamburgers

Not to fancy of meals this week for sure. I want to really get a lot of school work done this week, and I wanted meals to be easy.
I normally don't plan a menu for breakfast or lunch because we normally have the same things toast, cereal, oatmeal, grilled cheese, or grits for breakfast and lunch is normally left overs from the night before or salads. This week though I did plan on making a big batch of Chicken salad for us to have for lunch and guacamole dip too!!!

I also am going to make a batch of those muffins and a batch of sausage biscuits to put in the freezer for my hubby to have to grab every morning to eat on the way to work.
God bless ya till next time.
Tara

Homestead happenings

Well today was another typical busy day in our household. This week we have been home quiet a bit and I have loved it. We have been busy with school work and trying to catch up somewhat. J.C. and I did a nature walk this week and did a leaf collage and studied why God makes the leaves change colors. We have just been doing normal everyday feeding of cows and calf watching. We still have two that have not calved on their dates and I am concerned that maybe something has happened, I will probably take them in another week and have them pregnancy checked. Elizabeth is working with the new heifer and we will pick Josh's up sometime Sunday or Monday. The boys have been busy hunting and Josh got the first deer of the season. I bragged on him that he is growing up and helping to feed his family, he thinks it's just fun, but I on the other hand love the idea of fresh meat in the freezer. He is even learning to process and wrap it. I would have pics, but we all know why I don't have any LOL;(
This is the season of thanks giving and we have a lot to be thankful for this year. God has blessed us with so much it is too numerous to say. I hope that you take the time and think about and thank Him for all he has done for you and your families. May God bless ya,
Tara

Busy days and State Fair update

We have been very busy around here, nothing exciting just regular stuff. We made it through State Fair ok. We were there for 6 nights and boy were we glad to get home. Unfortunately I do not have any pics because while there I lost my camera. The shame I know. I have been sick ever since we have been home over it. At least everything so far this year had been downloaded to my computer and the only thing lost was State Fair pictures. The kids did well, both got 2nds in thier classes, both got pulled in for the grand drives, but to no avail no reserve grands. Josh did however get 3rd in commercial heifer showmanship and we were very proud of him for that. Jeff's truck is currently in the shop right now. He was trying to change the plugs and broke one off into the head and so needless to say we had to put it in the shop. We already have one of the new show heifers and are working on getting another one. We are not going to get much of a break we will have a Thanksgiving show to attend and the kids are very excitied about this one.
This is a month of thanks and I thank God for all His blessings he has poured on us this year. God bless ya,
Tara