Homestead happenings

Well things have been pretty busy around here lately.  I am still struggling trying to recover, but hopefully I will have my strength back soon.  We had a pretty busy week last week.  My mom came for a visit for a few days.  I was so good to see her.  We have not seen her for over 2 years, and that is a long time.  She got to get lots of little kisses and to feed little Cora.  She was also able to help me put up at least one batch of our corn.  I have done one more since she left and have I know one more to go.  Little Cora is doing well she is now weighing 9.1lbs and she is 20.5 inches long.  Cora has decided she likes the nighttime better than the daytime.  She has gotten them a bit mixed up.  One night this week, she didn't go to sleep till 5:30 in the morning,  that happened to be on a day we had somewhere to be that morning.LOL.  Here are a few pics of our little sweetie.

 This is what little Cora looks like at 3:00a..m..  It's like hello mommy I am ready to play.

 My mom with Cora.  It was bitter sweet when she had to go back home.

I just love this little pic.  I think green might be her color.

God bless ya,

Tara

Well everything here on our little homestead has been very busy.  Our sweet little Cora Mae made her grand entry into this world last Wednesday.  She weighed 8.11 lbs and 19 inches.  Here are a few pics of the great event.  

Elizabeth was with me in the operating room.  I think she liked it, or at least wearing the scrubs part of it. 

 She let us know she was in the world very quickly, they did

not have to worry about her lungs! Like mother like daughter.

 All the nurses couldn't get over how sweet and fat she was.  

You couldn't even see she had eyes for her sweet fat little cheeks.

 How precious to have Elizabeth in with me and for her to get

to see the birth of her sister.

 Look at all that dark hair!  She has a head full!

 Look at that sweet face and chubby little cheeks.  She looks so much like

J.C..  She has his little chin and nose.

 We were getting ready to come home.

I think big brother is very proud.  

In fact J.C. can't stay away from her.  Since we have gotten home, he

goes and looks at her or touches her every time he passes her cradle.

Today is also my birthday, and what better gift could I have ever gotten than this precious little angel.

God bless!

Homestead happenings

We have had a pretty good day today.  It has been a busy one, but a good one.  I received lots of encouragement from a dear sweet friend this morning.  It is always nice to know that you are not alone  and that there other ladies out there that struggle with the same issues that you do.  I believe that the Good Lord has sent her to me for blessings and encouragement.

 Jeff and the boys did a little cow work this afternoon and wormed a few momma's and moved them to the big pasture. They also had several little jobs at the house that needed some attention.  Dear hubby will be off work next week and I have a list a mile long for him HA< HA:  Everything here is so pretty and green right now.  We have been blessed with a lot of rain.  This time last year we were already about to blow away.  We are even still having nights in the 30's and 40's sometimes.  The garden is slowly coming along.  We got some tomatoes and peppers out, but not all of them.  JC enjoyed his afternoon of riding little Checkers around.  

Little checkers!

 In baby news I am still struggling with my sugar levels, but i am determined to keep it at bay.  I am living off of salads these days.  In fact for supper tonight I had some fresh butter crunch lettuce and green onions from the garden.  I got to finish the bumper pads and the skirt for the cradle today and next I am going to make a couple of new sheets and a blanket for it this week.  I happen to find some cute material in my stash and am going to use it.  It is not baby material, but it will work and plus I didn't have to buy it!!!!  Then I will work on the crib stuff. Maybe I can post some good everyday pics soon.  I still have not gotten a new camera yet.

God bless,
Tara

We have been pretty busy around here this last week.  The circus came to town last week and the kidos and I got to go.  We had a pretty good time.  We had a pretty good turn out considering out little town.  

In farm news, the baby chickens have finally been moved out of the house and down to the brooder box.  Now to get the chicken tractor fixed so they can go in there when they get a little bigger.  All of our cool season things are growing and doing well.  Our potatoes are finally popping out of the ground.  Dear hubby buried them so deep I am surprised that any of them have come up.  He got a new plow that had hiller disks on it and was trying to learn how to use it.  The corn is up and looks like we won't have to drop much.  Most of all of it came up.  I told dear hubby someone else was going to have to help him reseed the spots that didn't come up, I was on strike!  We had to plant the beans twice, but I noticed this morning they are trying to finally come up.  We have been fighting the crows and the weather with them.  We are expecting a frost Saturday morning, so  I am glad that I have not gotten my tomatoes and peppers out yet.  This should be the last frost of the year and we can get them out next week before the next round of rain.

In baby news, everything seems to be going well enough.  I am fighting my sugar right now, and that has been very tiring.  It is sapping the strength out of me, but I keep telling myself that this is only for a season and the new little one will be here before I know it.  I have got to get on the ball and get started sewing her bedding, I finally got the material the other day and now to find the energy and time to do it.  I also have kitchen curtains waiting to be sewn.   If any one wants to come on over and help one day you are more than welcome too.  

The kidos broke my camera this week and now I will have to get one pretty quick.  Here are a few pics of last week at the circus.  
Until next time
God Bless ya,
Tara

An elephant ride is always a must and the circus!

Best part of the show.

 

http://www.oursimplefarm.com/

 I encourage you to go over and visit this blog  and see what this challenge is all about.  We have been trying to do this with our garden for several years, but the weather has not cooperated very well with us the last couple of years.  Last year was really hard for  us money wise and our food and household supplies were lets just say a challenge.  I want to encourage you to join me in this challenge, I am determined that this is going to be a better year for us.  I would love to be able to just go to the store once a month for the bare essentials.  Besides not going very often, there will be health benefits to a more whole foods diet.  I don't think the Good Lord intended for us to eat a lot of what is being put in our food.  All we have to do is look around us and see all the sickness we have.  I will try to post my progress along the way and maybe we can all benefit from this challenge.

God Bless ya,
Tara

Well we are now back on line Yaa--hoooo!  It is beginning to get a little busy around here.  The new baby will be here in about 8 weeks and I am no where ready for her yet.  In farm news, we have all the cool stuff planted and just waiting another week or so to get out the tomatoes and peppers.  The baby is going to be here right in the middle of canning season.  I need everyone's prayers to see me through it.  JC got his 4-H baby chickens in last week and currently they are residing in the house with us.  I don't here them during the day, but boy at night you can.  Most women would kill over having a big tub of chickens in her home, but not I it just goes with having farm kids.

JC scrubbing the tub getting it ready for his chicks.

The new chicks!

These are some carrots we found in the garden when we turned the cows out into it.

 

This is our 4-H coffee that was held to recognize journal winners.  Josh won district also.  

The journals are so much work, but they are worth it. 

4-H robotics class.  JC came home and tried to take everything

apart to get motors to try and make his own robots.

A trip to the science museum on a cold wet day!

 The gang!

 God bless ya,

Tara 

It is a beautiful day here.  We received about an 1 1/2 inches of rain this past Sunday and now it is a beautiful blue bird day.  We have been busy working on getting everything ready to plant.  Hopefully this week we will be able to get quiet a few things done.  My list keeps getting longer and longer.  We have baby chickens coming at the end of the month and we still have to get everything ready  for them.  The pigs are growing well.  We have one that is beating the rest off and it is a lot bigger than the other ones and we may go ahead and take him to get slaughtered and so the other ones can try and catch up.  I think we will go ahead and get some more piglets and get them started. 

In baby news, everything seems to be going well and I now have more weeks behind me than in front.  I need to start getting things together.  It has been a long time since there was a baby in our home, and I am going to have to get  a little bit of everything. 

Hopefully as soon as I get our internet situated I can post some pictures.
Untill next time,
God Bless,
Tara

Well everything seems to be going at a snails pace around here.  I seem to have the winter blues or baby blues or whatever you want to call them.  I am ready for spring weather.  Believe it or not my old fashioned jonquils are blooming already.  The weather here has been crazy for sure.   Yesterday we were battoning the hatches down for tornados and it was almost 80 degrees.  Today it is cold wet and windy.  I'm praying for the Lord to lift me out of this fog and get me motivatied for this new little one.  I am halfway there and have not gotten anything done for this new one. 

In farm news there is not much going on here either, just feeding hay and checking on everyone.  We took two of the heifers to get bred this week, and hopefully we will get some good heifers from them.  Our hay is about gone and we will have to buy a little more before the grass gets going.  I wish we had a barn full of calves right now because they are sky high!!   It is good for those selling, but not so good if you are buying.  

  Well that is all for now.

God bless ya,
Tara

Christmas Greetings to all!

I hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas season so far.  Don't forget to take a little time this year to remember the reason for the season.  We have a tendancy this time of year to be so busy with all the parties, functions, decorating, baking and gift buying that we loose foucus.

I encourage you to add a tradition to your holiday going ons.  It will be a wonderful thing for your children to remember and to carry on to their families. It could be anything, and make it your own.

Remember ladies we don't have to be Martha this time of year.  Everything doesn't have to be perfect.  This can be one of the biggest stressors that we give ourselves and there is no need.  Remember if momma is unhappy everyone is unyhappy.   Everything doesn't have to be perfectly decorated or tons of homemade goodies baked at all times.  Do the best you can with what you have.  Praise God for his gift to us, for BEING THE REASON FOR THE SEASON,  and enjoy your family.

Now for a bit of farm and family news:

There is not a lot of things going on here this time of year. Everything tends to slow down.  We have been doing basic feeding and getting the new show calves ready for the new show season.   We have lots on our list to do this winter.  We are trying to get lots of brush and junk cut up and burned and we need to do some repairs to the barn and fences. One of my things to get made this winter is a new chicken tractor, for spring chickens to arrive too. It was to dry this summer to do any burning for sure.  

For bigger news, we are expecting a new baby in our home this up coming new year.  Yep, you heard me right.  I am expecting.  After getting over the surprise we are very excitied.  So far everything is going well.  I am only 13 weeks today, so we have a ways to go. I could use all of your prayers.  The Lord has a way of showing us that He is still in charge and that all we need is faith!

I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas,

God bless,

Tara

 



We have been very busy with fairs this past month.  Elzabeth won Grand Sim solution  and Reserve Suprem heifer at our district fair last week and we could not have been happier. Josh won Grand English heifer and Overall Grand commercial heifer.  Congratulation to them and lot of thanks to Riley for all his help.  We couldn't have done it with out him.  Hard work does pay off!

 

County fair was great, but exhausting.  The kids did so well this week.  I could not have been any prouder than I am now.  Elizabeth won Grand Sim soulution, Grand registered heifer, and Supreme heifer, and reserve showmanship.  Josh won Grand exotic commercial heifer, grand over all commercial heifer, and reserve suprem heifer and then he won showman ship over his sister.  You did not want to come home with us that night I promise you. JC did real well with his calf and he is counting the days when he won't be a Pee wee showman and can compete with the big ones.
                                  




 
Gumdrop and Josh

                                          
                                              Cali and Elizabeth.

This is JC muttin busting, His favorite thing to do each year.  Next year he will have to ride a calf.  He is getting to big for the sheep.

Homestead happenings

It's been a busy time around the farm.  The kids have been attending different camps and 4-H activities.  Their livestock skills team won 7th in the state.  Not bad for their first time going.  I have still been very busy with all my canning.  The garden has slowed down now and I am only getting a few things here and there. We are about to start turning everything under and planting for the fall.  The drought has hit us really hard as usual.  We are already hauling water for the wells at the house and the barn.  I tell ya, all the Good Lord has to do to get our attention is one little thing and that is turn off the water spout...... Our country is about to face a crisis in many ways.  Food prices are about to hit the roof.  We can see it coming.  We are determined to have a fall garden of some kind.  Also our county fair time is approaching fast, and we know it is coming every year, but it seems to get here faster with each year.  I hope everyone's summer is going well, ours is flying by fast.

Kids all dressed up for their banquet.


God bless, Tara