Palin and the Pulpit

Who's walking who?

Greetings from Watchthesky family farm! :) It feels like forever since I have found the time to say hello in blogland... almost a week!

#59 is doing good. She is a very nice cow and I am growing fond of her. Shocking, I know. Me, the animal hater actually thinks having a big moo-ing animal in the backyard is a good thing. The dog on the other hand... we're trying to get rid of her. No takers yet but I'm still hopeful. :{

Anyway, back to Twink. She had enough of her fenced in pasture and thought the grass on the other side was much greener (which it was) and tried her hand hoof at getting to it. To make a long story short, she broke the fence, hubby noticed what was going on from a window upstairs, and the whole family took action to get her to chill a bit.

1st step in keeping a cow from pushing down a piddly little fence is to spray water toward the broken part. I guess cows don't like to be sprayed. It worked for us anyway.

Secondly, the whole family starts cutting long grass wherever they can find it, for a good 1/2 hour, to throw to the cow to keep her busy and happy and away from broken fence while hubby digs a hole for a new post. ( You only do this if you do not realize you could have just put her in the barn until hubby was done).

Thirdly, once hubby has a post to chain her to out in the new pasture, you take her for a little walk & hope she doesn't have a mind to run. (Turn your volume up for this spell binding video). :)

Did you hear my humble and wise suggestion? Yep, I'm pretty smart... and helpful.

Fourthly, when the cow gets two legs all caught up in her chain while grazing in her new pasture and you think she's going to break a leg or have a nervous breakdown, you forget you have neighbors and start yelling like a crazy lady for you hubby to "COME RIGHT NOW..... PLEASE!!!" I'm sure I sounded very calm, cool, & collected. I'm sure we put on a good show for all our neighbors and passerbys as well.

And lastly, holding a large container of grain you just lead your cow back to the barn and lock her up until you can get a proper fence in place.

Life on a farm when you don't have a clue what you're doing can be very interesting....and make for a few good laughs at the supper table.

WIll you join me??? Please!?!?!?

I decided to move sooner rather than later. Once I get something in my head it is hard to ignore. I have posted a Mr.Linky of sorts at my new home on the web for anyone who cares about BRF. It's a little funky but I'll get the bugs worked out sometime.
My new address is....

www.watchthesky.wordpress.com

Hope to see you there!

double dog dare

Tomorrow is Book Review Friday ladies. I am DOUBLE DOG DARING YOU to write a review to add to Mr.Linky tomorrow. If you haven't read Romans 14-16 yet go do it RIGHT NOW so that you actually have something to say. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out my sidebar to see what BRF is all about. To be able to link to my Book Review Friday post all you have to do it read the chapters I chose for the week and write something about it. Your favourite verse from those chapters, a 'light' that came on as you read something, a verse you chose to memorize and why, all of those being very good ways to write a review. Hey, Even if you just link and say, "yep, I read it!", I'll be so excited. Short & sweet or long & deep, its up to you. :)

Also warning y'all that I just might be switching my blog back to wordpress in the near future. Will you all be willing to follow me around?

Left undone

I left my little guy at the kitchen table to finish up his math drill sheet. When I came back from doing some laundry (or checking my email) I found this.


Notice half of the math problems left undone beside his cuisenaire rod masterpiece.

My little guy was out by the barn with daddy by this time having a great time and I didn't have the heart to call him in to finish. It was the first beautiful no-jacket day of the season.

We'll work on the math tomorrow. You're only 6 for so long ya know. :)

Dyslexia can be cute :)

We have come a long LONG way since realizing that my daughter has dyslexia, that was almost a year ago. Up until just a few months ago she didn't even want to try writing anything. She just couldn't read or write, too frustrating. After just a week of doing our reading differently in school we saw drastic improvements and she enjoys things much more now. So glad!

I found a story she had written on her own one day. You'll notice that although I'll tell you she can read pretty good her spelling is way out there. :) Too cute.


My favourite part is the beginning word(s).


And the words all drawn around that cutie little clown.

Maybe I should give you all the interpretation?

"Once upon a time there was a clown. The clown had big feet. He always thought there was always rain so he always went with an umbrella. He always did funny shoes. He even had a toy clown."

And then yesterday I was also proudly presented with her newest drawing of our favourite cow Twink, otherwise known as #59.



I think these are frame worthy and will be putting them up somewhere sometime.

Spring has come to Watchthesky!!!

Book Review Friday: Romans 11-13

If would like to know what Book Review Friday is please see my sidebar. Each Friday (or Saturday....or Sunday, if I'm busy) my book review will be updated and I'll let you all know what we're reading for the next week.

My mother called me today begging me to get my book review post up for you all. Begged I tell you. I have hundreds of desperate ladies emailing me everyday wanting to know about my Bible reading system and all that its done for me.

Okay, so I've never gotten an email with someone asking me about my study time, and my mom just casually asked me what we'd be reading this week. Actually she thought we were reading 11- 16 this past week, so she's good to go. I told her she was off the hook this week and didn't have to pick up her Bible at all since she did double duty the past 7 days. But moving on... moving on...

First things first, we'll move on to finish up Romans this week. So Romans chapters 14-16 until next Friday ladies.

I shamefully realized when I read to the kids at bedtime I had only read chapters 11-13 once this week. How can a person get so sidetracked?!?! Especially when they are the host for BRF!? So I promptly read 11-13 to the kids and then again before writing this review. This coming week I will be more diligent. I have a plan. :)

I loved all 3 times I read this passage!!! Love it.

I totally see election in the first few verses in chapter 11. "but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded." vs.7 I also saw a bit of free will in there but can't remember where. It amazes me how there can be both, but I see it all through the scripture. Someday I'll understand. Someday.:)

Also in chapter 11 in all the talk about the branches, roots, and grafting I was humbled. Even when i do something good. Even when things go well with me, it's all because of my root system, not me. If God hadn't chosen to graft me into His amazing root system I would be capable of nothing. What can a branch do just lying on the ground beside a tree?? That would be me without Christ. But then the Ultimate Grafter comes and picks me up and decides to use me. How could I boast of anything that is accomplished through me. I'm just sitting on the tree showing what kind of tree I'm on.
In chapter 11 Paul also reminds people that they can be chosen or thrown away. God is One to be feared, so tread lightly. vs 22 says to 'consider the severity of God.' Another Romans reminder to live like God is God. Don't be a fool that does not 'glorify Him as God'.

After considering all that we are and all that God is, how we are indebted to Him for everything, and the fate of our eternal soul rests in His hands, we are to offer ourselves as a sacrifice to our God. After reading those chapters how could we want to do any less. But it goes back to the 'doing what I will not to do, and not doing what I will to do' situation. When push comes to shove it's hard to follow through on this. If I give myself to be grafted into His tree in the way He wants I will prove what is good, holy, and acceptable just like the verse says. All that because of the roots I'm drawing from. I cannot think of myself more highly than I ought to think, because there is nothing to think highly of obviously. These verses are a great reminder of that fact.

Now verses 12:9-13:10 were even more humbling. All the evidences of a branch that has sacrificed itself to be grafted. I don't see much of those evidenced in me here at Watchthesky. And I'm thinking that the grafting process probably hurts. But nothing good comes from a branch laying on the ground. No pain no gain.

And quickly because this is long and hubby is ready to sit and chill... I loved the last few verses. I just might have to find time to change my blogs theme verse. "...it is high time to awake out of sleep...The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." 13:11,12 Love it.

I have to run. Might not even have time to spell check. Please add your review to Mr.Linky if you did one. I'd love to check it out.

Keep reading.

$2.00

Here is a little something I found at a second hand store.

Love it.

I'm glad he likes it.

It is no secret that I am not an animal lover. If you ever drive by my place and see our chickens, cow, and dog, do not assume that they are there because I enjoy them. I was grossed out by the fact that I had to touch our dog for the first time today. Almost made it 24 hours without needing to make contact. I washed thoroughly directly afterward. I don't even touch her leash if I don't have to. :)

So, I don't like animals. But my hubby and children do. They have been in heaven almost all day chasing, patting, wrestling, feeding the dog. It was even a group effort to walk her out for her bathroom break. The birthday boy is lovin his life big time with his new responsibility.
But there was a few moments of heart ache this evening. My son proudly got the leash down to take Chica out for a walk around the property alone. Hubby was away and b-day boy was so excited to be strong enough to keep her from running away all by his onesies. Well, something happened to the collar and she got away. I had an almost 10 year old boy who finally got the dog he wanted for so long, running through the township with tears on his cheeks begging the dog to come back. He thought she would be gone forever. That made me sad. But brave young sister finally got close enough to grab hold of the collar once again and saved her brothers heart from being broken.

Oh the drama.

All is well yet again. I still have a dog. Ewww. But I have a very happy family.

Keep your dreams to yourself.... please.

Since we moved into our country home on all both of our acres much of our lives has changed.
Have you ever heard of the book

Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow

? We got it from the library on our last book run.


I am Mrs. Wow. Totally. It is a silly little story about a woman who never wanted a cow but found out that a cow would actually benefit her in many ways. (That is a totally paraphrased version and I suggest you looking it up for yourself if you would like some light reading sometime.) :)

I never wanted a cow. In fact, I always said that I would never marry a farmer because of the stink I would have in the backyard. It's true. And here I am with 24 chickens and a cow. Fancy that. And after telling all of you out there in the blogging world about our great #59, I had many people let me know that we were living their dream. Well I have one thing to say about that: Apparently I am living your dream cuz it certainly ain't mine!

We are getting a bit better with the routine. I still think a cow is a great addition to our little Watchthesky farm adventure. #59 is supplying Seven & her clan along with our family with more than enough milk. We all think its great.

Now I'll let you in on something new. I have officially lost my mind. I caved and gave the go ahead to hubby to get a dog for our son who is having a birthday this week. I, the submissive wife that I am, let my husband bring a dog home.
Here she is.



Her name is Chica. She was named by her former owners and the birthday boy likes the name so it stays.

As soon as she walked through the door the training began. I am a newspaper trainer.

Again, the submissive wife that I am, let hubby know that his newspaper training wasn't good enough for me and I took over. I've been down the doggy road before and I will not repeat the same mistakes. No no. Chica isn't allowed past the kitchen and this rolled up newspaper is serving as a little reminder for her. I love it when things are black & white. :)

So here we go again. I'm sure I'm living someone else's dream. :)

Book Review Friday: Romans 7-10

If you do not know what Book Review Friday is and would like to check it out, you can see my sidebar for all the details. Feel free to jump in and join us where we are. :)

First things first, we will read Romans 11-13 until next Friday. Please forgive me if you have been waiting to see what chapters we would all be on. This really is the first moment I've had to let you all know. If you would like to be reminded of all my woes and complaints as to why my timing is off for everything in life please check out my 'Confessions of a milk maid post' and you'll hear it all. :)

I'm so glad that as I read these few chapters this past week that I had a pen and paper beside me. I didn't know that I would be just as squeezed for time this week as last week, and that means that book reviews can get lost in the shuffle. This won't be anything special but here are a few points I pondered in chapters 7-10.

(I would like to say flat out to y'all right here that I really have no clue if I'm understanding all this law stuff right. If there are any Bible scholars reading this please understand, I am just a regular wife and mom reading her Bible, excited about it and desperately trying to learn much. Forgive my lack of spiritual understanding if I'm getting it all wrong, please!)

Glad to get that out in the open. :)

Romans 7:6 "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."

When we are saved the law becomes written on our hearts. The law doesn't change, it becomes part of us so that we don't live by it, we now have the perfect law with in us. We are the law. (Romans 2:14,15)

Romans 7:25 "I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but wit the flesh the law of sin."

The 10 verses before this all talk about knowing to do the right thing but always ending up doing the exact opposite of what you know you should, and want, to do. I can so totally relate. It is one thing to know what is right and talk about it and tell other people, and a completely different thing to live it. It is just like 1:21-23. Did I mention that one before??? I loved it so I'll tell it to you again.

"...although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to b e wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man"

We can know who God is. And then we can live like it.

And because of verses like these I am humbled. I get caught up in my own wisdom and knowledge forgetting that I have it all yet to learn. My heart is deceitful and we cannot trust our own wisdom. Remember 1:22 again and how we 'know' who God is and therefore think we've got it all figured out, but we do not glorify Him in true belief. We take things into our own hands and do not live like God is God. We do not submit to His righteousness because our righteousness has overtaken.
We aren't so smart as we think we are.

And after that lame review (but I finally did one) I would love it if anyone else had a review to add to Mr.Linky 2 days late. I doubt it since not one soul mentioned it at all even though it was sooo late. What do you think girls, is it going to take a while for Book Review Friday to take the world by storm? :)
Here's Mr.Linky.

Perfect harmony.

I love country music. I love harmony. I love The Martins. Enjoy!!!

Good music, good words.

Confessions of a milk maid.

Since purchasing #59 life has taken on new flare.
Would it be extreme to say that life is out of control??
No, I think not.

Something has to change and I've been desperately trying to think of some other way to change besides what I know is necessary. No, I'm not quitting blogging. I don't do that much anymore anyway. Really I'm the one that should quit and

the one who really knows how to write and spell

should be blogging instead. But we've got it backwards. :)

When we brought that cow home everyone told us how much work it would be. It is true that it takes a chunk out of your day, but taking care of a cow is not that hard, especially if you are sharing the work between two people. It is the consumption of time that I'm having a hard time dealing with. Here's a list of things that are falling by the wayside just because life is busy and I'm getting tired:
*Early risers are not known around here anymore. I love the idea of being up and my day started by 6:30am, but I'm just lazy in the morning. That chilly winter morning air doesn't help either.
*Housework is becoming more and more of a chore. Would someone please tell me where I can get some very cheap help for household duties!? I already know the answer to that one and my next problem will explain it.
*I've lost my ambition to keep my kids busy and train them in their jobs around the home.
*School is very hard to get started each day. The mornings that I take care of the cow means that school may not start until just before lunch.
*I've been getting lazier and lazier with meal preparation. Cooking is not one of my favourite things to do in the best of times, when time is limited and there is already a mess in the kitchen from lack of housework being done I really don't feel like pulling out the pots and pans.
*Reading the Book Reviews Friday Bible reading with the kids hasn't happened for a while. Daddy reads Proverbs with them each night, but that's all they are getting. Not good. I also am reading less and less. I just get tired.
*And of course, because of all of the above we are seeing really bad attitudes making their way into our home. Everyone is grumpy because mommy is tired and grumpy and not doing all the things she should.

Happy happy thoughts eh!? It hasn't been all misery. I'm just noticing these things are starting to take root and I'd like to nip it in the bud. All these things were there, and I knew it. It was in reading Romans that I saw things even more clearly. (See previous post).

Now the things I know that have to change is this:
*Mommy needs to get up early and get right to work whether she wants to or not.
*Mommy needs to do her Bible reading with the kids, and not only will they be learning Scripture as they should but mommy will get her reading done at the same time.
*Mommy needs to make a game plan for each day. Give each child the chores they need to do and see to it that they are done properly.
*Mommy needs to plan ahead and get back into the habit of bi-weekly menu's and grocery lists.
*Mommy needs to plan ahead for school and have lesson plans all drawn out the night before.
*Mommy needs to have a great attitude and pass that same attitude on to her kids.
*Mommy needs to get really fast at milking #59. Hubby can do it in 13 minutes flat. Mommy hasn't timed herself but is sure that she can do it that quickly too. :)

Life is busy. I'm not complaining, its a good life that we've chosen. #59 is just another way God is stretching us and preparing us for future use. I just need to get orgainized so that I learn my lessons from God faster.

Book Review Friday: Romans 1-6

If you would like to know what Book Review Friday is please check out my sidebar and feel free to jump right in where we're at.
If you have a review of your own please add your link to Mr.Linky at the bottom of this post.

But first things first, we'll move on to Romans chapters 7-10 until next Friday. I will be reading 6-10 because I never did make it in any of my reading all the way to chapter 6.

Heave duty book. There is A LOT in here and most of it I do not understand. I really really wanted to read chapters 1-6 again. I need to. So I guess I'll do my best to make some time to study it out some more while doing this weeks reading as well.

I don't understand much of what was being said about the law. It seemed to go in circles as I read. I followed it so much better when I read it aloud to the kids, so that will have to become a habit again for me. There was something that stood out to me because of a conversation I had just last week about the law. I had remembered all that we had read in Leviticus and knew that the law was very important, heavy duty important. But that was Old Testament stuff. Now in Romans we are seeing that the law was just as important, but in a different kind of way. Or is it different? This is where I get hung up. I really don't understand. But that verse 3:31,

"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law."

tells me that we still live by the law as Christians now. I'm understanding that it is through our obedience to the law that our faith is made known. Man, I really need to do some more studying!

I was very convicted with 3:10-18. For quick reference this is what it said:

"As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one. There throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit; The poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes."

These are things that I have noticed are growing within my own family. I could make myself feel a little better by convincing myself its just a case of the winter blues, but I know better. We have been turning aside, getting sidetracked. We've been liking each other less and less. I hear hateful, frustrating words from one child to another or even from mom. We don't 'curse' per se, but we might as well in the looks I see going around. Never having a good thing to say or do. We are getting very swift at doing our own thing without thinking of our family first. And because of it all I see the destruction and misery taking root and making for some long and unprofitable days. Folks, we have work to do here at Watchthesky!

I know there is so much more to Romans and so much more to be convicted by, but that's where I'm at right now. God wants me to get the family back under control so that Daddy will have a nice place to live and he'll want to provide for and protect us.
Also, forgive me for not getting the Book Review going yesterday, I took the day off. I went to the Good Friday service at church, watched The Martins on Youtube, played Sorry with the kids, and took a nap. Priorities you know. :)

Here is Mr.Linky for anyone out there brave enough to use it. :)

Contest worth entering.

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To win this most excellent program — in the language of your choice — copy these paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post – then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/ and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it. And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it. And good luck! The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg. And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win. Yay for free stuff!

Happy Spring!

It is the first day of spring and of that I am tremendously glad. I find each new winter the hardest. I am cold. I am always cold. I am tired of being cold.

To celebrate this new day full of hope of the warmer weather to come I will share a couple of pictures of what our first day of spring looks like here at Watchthesky.




Not looking so sunny and warm, but Happy Spring to Y'all anyway!!

book love

Seven allowed me to borrow her book. I love it!!!! Mister Man it is a good one and I want every lady I know to read it. Seriously.
The book, So Much More by Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin, is amazing. Just to wet your appetite I will give the following quotes from their book. I wish I was reading my own book so I could underline, highlight and write notes in it but for now I have to settle for putting sticky notes on some favourite pages. Here are a few, and a very few, great quotes from So Much More:

(Page 75)But so seldom do we hear of a godly woman - or of a godly man either, for that matter. We believe women come nearer to fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife, than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realms of morals to be old-fashioned, than to be ultra-modern. The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than socially correct.
~U. S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall

(Page 119)We should not be asking ourselves, "How unbiblical is it for a woman to get a career?" or "In what circumstances would it be permissible?" These questions amount to "How far away can I get from God's perfect will without crossing the line into technicalities of sinning?" Isn't this kind of "testing the limits" the course of passive rebellion in itself?
Rather, we should be asking, "How can I run further and further from the fire into a realm of greater godliness? What decisions can I make with my life right now that will encourage God's blessings on our society instead of curses? How can we retake this culture for Christ?"

(Page 124)Rather than a sign of "progress" for a nation to have women rulers, it is a sign of God's judgment and displeasure with that nation! Women holding seats of authority, whether it be in business, church, family, law, or politics, is one of the distinguishing marks of a society under God's curse.
Rev. Einwechter again: "It is weakness and a sin (on the part of the men who allowed it) because it is an abdication of their responsibility to be the leaders God has called them to be...it is a sign of confusion and judgment. It is a sign that men have utterly failed to exercise the leadership required of them."

(Page 154)Close reading of tough-minded writing is still the best, cheapest, and quickest method known for learning to think for yourself...Reading, and rigorous discussion of that reading in a way that obliges you to formulate a position and support it against objections, is an operational definition of education in its most fundamental civilized sense...Reading, analysis and discussion is the way we develop reliable judgment, the principal way we come to penetrate covert movements behind the facade of public appearances.
~John Taylor Gatto

(Page 160)Besides, home education is not about schooling, it is about education. It is about helping your children learn to think, about "treating them seriously when they are little, giving them responsibilities, talking to them candidly, providing privacy and solitude for them, and making them readers and thinkers of significant thoughts from the beginning." Home education tends to follow the Smithsonian Institution's recipe for genius and leadership: "Children should spend a great deal of time with loving educationally minded parents; children should be allowed a lot of free exploration; and children should have little to no association with peers outside of family and relatives."
~(quotations take from "The Public School Nightmare." & The Well-Trained Mind)

(Pages 166)C.K.Chesterton likened wifely duties to those of a monarch, a powerful merchant, and a teacher of theology, manners and morals - all performed simultaneously. "I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it," wrote Chesterton. "How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about (arithmetic), and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs.Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness."
~ Cheryl Mendelson

That's all I'll pass along right now. The book is full of the real truth behind the whole feminist movement and if you read it you'll be shocked that you are undoubtedly a feminist. I was.

Read it.

Book Review Friday: Nehemiah 11-13 (Edited)

First things first, we'll move on to reading the book of Romans. A mega book, I know. :) Let's start with Romans 1-6.

Edited to add:
As for my review, there really won't be anything new to report. Since it was 'one of those weeks' I was only able to read the last chapters of Nehemiah 1 1/2 times. I found out that it did end the way I was hoping it wouldn't. The Israelites messed up again and Nehemiah remained faithful and led them through it. Of all of this I have no further comments, its just too bad.

But more came to mind about the story as a whole while I was laying around moaning this week. When Nehemiah and the people started rebuilding the wall they had no idea how it would all really turn out. They didn't know that God's plan was to let them finish it and also be saved from their enemies. Maybe God would choose to kill them off and have others come and continue rebuilding. Maybe God had other plans. Maybe they would fix things up only to have others come in and tear it down again and again before they succeeded. They had no clue how the great book of Nehemiah finished. They didn't know they were even going to be in a book! These people dove into the work through faith. They made their hands busy with what the believed God wanted them to do and let Him deal with the results. If God wanted them to be okay, they would be okay. If God wanted the wall to stand, the wall would stand. As if they could do anything about it anyway.

Now for the 'me & and the Israelites' comparison. There are those things in my life that are just way larger than me. (If you want to be annoying, everything is out of my control, yes I know.) I mean that there are those spots in each of our lives that we have a hard time giving to God. What may be easy for you to leave in the Lords hands may be very VERY hard for this girl here at Watchthesky. Thinking of building the wall at Jerusalem was encouraging to me. I need to set my hands to work on what I believe the Lord expects of me and let Him secure the wall. The work I do is given by God, the strength to work is given by God, and it is God who allows to wall to remain and the enemies to be kept away.
That's what struck me. We do the work, God keeps the wall up. We trust God, obey His leading no matter how crazy and dangerous it may seem, and trust Him to defend us. He is our wall. He is our defense.

That is all I shall write this time around.

I have actually be very ill for the last 5 days. This is my first day (Friday) that I could be off the couch and away from my many blankets. I am thankful to be getting around a bit again, but my review will still have to wait for a bit.

Please put up a review of your own if there is anyone out there who is reading with me. Remember ladies, this doesn't have to be an essay or anything. If you read it once or a million times -if you have just one verse out of the whole book you'd like to say two sentences about, or if you just can't seem to stop writing about everything you read, do it! Either way, its a good thing. :)

If you don't know about Book Review Friday just check out my sidebar and join in with me and a few other girls. :)

Here's Mr.Linky for y'all.

The best things don't come easy.

All tuckered out.

What we are attempting here at Watchthesky is a good thing, of that we are sure. Its just that I'm finding out how hard it is to get it all done. Sunday morning was a little difficult. It was my first Sunday that I would have to get up and milk #59 myself. We also lost an hour because of the time change. And we ended up having no hot water. Fun.
But its not just Sundays that are hard, every day we are starting school as late as 10:15 or later because of the chores. Much too late for my liking. We are still working on simplifying and creating a good routine and work habits with the children. We will get there someday.
Nothing worth anything is easy, at least that's what I've heard. At Watchthesky we think that learning to work hard is worth something. We also think that whole milk is worth something. We think that purity, strong character, self control, strong family bonds are worth something. None of these come naturally to us and it is a constant struggle to keep our priorities where they should be, and some days it is a constant painful sacrifice to work at desiring the life we are attaining to. We're human, the good stuff isn't always fun.
But we're working on having a mind to work and loving the results of the small amount we've done so far. God is good and we're thankful for His blessings (no matter how tiring they may be). :)

My in-laws sent this little story to us this week. Hubby and I both enjoyed it. It reminded me too, that the best things don't come easy. :)

Many years ago, my father was visiting America, from Europe, for the very first time. He said he wanted to go with me to the supermarket, so I invited him along. As he went up & down the aisles with me, at the local Giant Food Store, he constantly asked me questions about products he saw. "Vas diss?? Powdered orange juice??" asked my dad (pointing at Tang). I said, "Yeh, Dad. You just add a little water, and you have fresh orange juice." A few minutes later, in a different aisle, dad blurted out, "Und vas dis?? Powdered milk?" (pointing at a box of Carnation). I said, "Yeah, Dad. You just add a little water, and you have fresh milk!" A few minutes later, in a different aisle, my dad yelled out, "Und give a look here!! Baby Powder!! Vat a country, vat a country!"

Smiles.

A couple weeks ago this nice lady I know and I had a conversation about makeup. I've been hating my makeup since the last purchase (no one normal likes orange skin), and she was telling me where she purchases her stuff from. Well, that was a couple weeks ago. Then last night at church she just smiled and handed me this and walked away.

When I opened it I found 2 new eye liner colors to try out, and at a fraction of the price I've been paying for my usual stuff.

How cute is that!?! This nice lady has lots of cool ideas, and I haven't heard of one yet that costs more than $5 total. :) Gotta love it.

Now don't y'all want to go out and make a cute card and pass a smile along to a friend real soon?!

BRF: Nehemiah 7-10

First things first, its the last part of Nehemiah for this week. We'll read chapters 11- 13 until next Friday. Nehemiah has been a big-time blessing this week. I've needed it. I was all gung-ho to get my stone wall started on. We have a lot to work on here at Watchthesky, if you'd like to hear all about it come on over some afternoon for tea, and hopefully I won't depress you. :) I really had no idea it would be so hard to work with my one hand and hold my sword with the other. No idea. The thing is I didn't fall apart, I could have, but I didn't. This is a good thing. Some of the last words of my review would come to mind every time I was on the breaking point.

"I need to remember this when I get to the tough spots in life and hear less than encouraging words from others. I need to remember Nehemiah when I'm called to build and everything seems against me and no one thinks its possible. I need to keep one hand on my sword at my side, and continue working with my other. I need keep plugging away and trust God with the results. I will remember. I must.
The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build."

Oh yes, I had my moments. It was a busy week with many things pulling for my attention. And yes, I cried and wanted to forget it all and just pretend my wall wasn't that important, but I couldn't. God is faithful, and He always will be. I'm so glad to be getting to know Nehemiah. So glad.

As for this weeks reading, it was hard to concentrate. I wanted to continue reading the first few chapters, but here goes for chapters 7-10:

Nehemiah had reorganized the Israelites and sparked their faith again. God was accomplishing great things through Him. Go Nehemiah Go!
The Israelites are always brought back to the law. God's law. It was important that they be brought back to the basics every time they repented and this time was no exception. The people repented and confessed their sin and showed great signs of changing their ways. They showed interest in the law and promised to obey. I do have a feeling though that the story will remain the same and they will fall away yet again before the book is over.
Although the Israelites ALWAYS fall away there are those few in all of our reading that give me tremendous hope. The very first time I read the new chapters this verse hit me,

"that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many."

It is a great encouragement to be able to find the Nehemiah's and Hananiahs in scripture. It is possible to live out a deep unwavering faith. Though this verse also says that you will be alone much of the time. Hananiah feared God more than many. It means that when He trusted God on that level everyone else thought he was a bit crazy, overboard, intense etc... A faith like that will separate those who think they let their faith make a radical difference in their lives and those who actually do. Their are those who believe, and their are those who live it. It's true. Nehemiah and Hananiah are those people. I hope us BRF ladies will turn out that way too.
These past 2 weeks of Book Reviews have been so good. Hard but good. I can tell that there is a battle going on with me and I am so going to conquer. Oh yes I am. I still say 'bring it on!', I'm just saying it a little softer than before. :)

And now, here is Mr.Linky for any reviews that make their way into blogland.

If you don't know about Book Review Friday please see my sidebar for all the details, and then join in with us.

BRF Take 2

Nehemiah has been going through my head ALL THE TIME. I just keep seeing things in the story more and more. The Lord must want me to learn a lot with this one. :)

Its so easy to let things slip and slide until they are in a state of disaster. That wall that is to be my protection can be ignored until I am left defenseless. Just like the Israelites were compelled through God working in Nehemiah's life to start rebuilding and getting back to the basics, I need to take a look at the wall around my heart, my family, my church. I have work to do. Its important. We all have a part to play and we must take it seriously. If I could literally see the state of my own heart, my own Jerusalem, would it bring me to tears? Would it bring me to my knees? Would I be driven to fasting and praying and then to action? This will be the test, for now I cannot plead ignorance. I know better, I've read Nehemiah.

Jerusalem was demolished, defenseless, and the work would be cumbersome and exhausting. It was a huge job that looked impossible. Nehemiah very wisely told them all to just work on what was in front of them. If every family did their best right in their front yard it could be done in record time. I love how it gave a run down in chapter 3 of the whole affair. It starts telling who worked where. The first ones named are Eliashib the high priest with his brethren working on the sheep gate. All the names follow through telling what part of the wall they were working on right to the end. The list ends at, "And between the upper room at the corner, as far as the Sheep Gate,". All the way around, right back to the sheep gate where they had started! Every part was taken care of with Nehemiah's plan. :) I'm putting a plan like this into action on Monday. I'll be drawing up a game plan for the family. Each member will be given their own part of taking care of our home. We will build new habits and character, and learn to care for our home as a family. I know, not terribly spiritual but its exciting to have a new approach to 'get it all done' taken from a Bible story the kids love. Good lessons in a very practical way.

Another picture in the story that I loved came when the enemies, Sanballat & his crew, decided to attack, kill the workers and stop all that was being done. Nehemiah told all the Israelites to remember just who their God is and all that He had done so far. God is in control. He can handle it. Nehemiah got them ready for battle but didn't stop working on what God told him to do. You see, God has different plans for different circumstances and times. Sometimes he calls people to be still and wait, sometimes He calls for people to go to battle and fight to the glory of God. Nehemiah was ready for whatever God planned, and continued working. I would have been scared silly, gone back in my house and waited to see what happened. I love it that the people set one hand to the work and one hand ready on their sword. I need to be ready, we need to be ready like that. We are always one step away from attack in our relationship with Christ. Satan is ever watchful for part of our wall left untended. Many of us, too many, leave ourselves wide open wondering through the streets of life aimlessly, never worrying about the shambles we're surrounded by. Meanwhile we should be like the Israelites, getting to work at what God has put in front of us, our sword/Bible at our side ready for action, and ever watchful and ready to fight the enemy for our brethren, sons, daughters, and homes.

Nehemiah was a man like Daniel who 'believed in his God'. He is one of the rare people who actually knew God on a different level, trusted Him with all his being, and led others to do the same. Don't give up, don't give in, do what God requires of you and trust Him with the results. Also there was never any doubt as to whom all the glory was due. Nehemiah understood that it wasn't about him. He knew that he was just a tool that God graciously used for His plan. A humble man leading the people to do what is right and constantly pointing to the Lord, not himself. When the wall was finished and the enemies looked on with their poor defeated little faces they knew all along why it was the way it was.

"And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God."

I need to remember this when I get to the tough spots in life and hear less than encouraging words from others. I need to remember Nehemiah when I'm called to build and everything seems against me and no one thinks its possible. I need to keep one hand on my sword at my side, and continue working with my other. I need keep plugging away and trust God with the results. I will remember. I must.

"The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build."

I'm gonna pray for a 'mind to work' and start buildin me a stone wall.
BRING IT ON!!!

Book Review Friday: Nehemiah 1-6

First things first, we'll move on to read Nehemiah 7- 10 until next Friday. So do your best to read chapters 7- 10 every single day, and more if you get the chance.

I have a new Bible hero!!! I want to have another son and name him Nehemiah. The first time I read these first chapters of the book I fell in love with it. It was a 'Mister Man' kind of thing. I can't even put my finger on one particular thing that was so awesome. It was all just so good. It made me want to tell people on the street corners about our awesome God. It made me want to start living my life in Christ with renewed vigor. I wanted to build me a stone wall! Mister man, what can I rebuild???!

bstone wall rebuilt. There is also a need for us as a body of Christ to gather together and get serious about rebuilding God's place in our lives. We have work to do. Do we have a mind to work??

These people, the Israelites, took such a difficult, labour intensive task and gave it their all. They had a lot on their plates and watched as God worked through circumstances to provide, protect, and give strength. I loved how many times Nehemiah called on his great and awesome God. I believe Nehemiah believed in his God the same way Daniel did. They knew God was in control. They knew what they had to do and that it had to be done whether it was dangerous or not.

Yes, after this weeks reading I wanted to charge hell with a squirt gun. Mercy! BRING IT ON!!! Go Nehemiah go! I can't wait to see what else is in store in this great book.

Due to busy days, Awana, homeschool outing in the morning, company coming for lunch and so much more, I only have time to write this short and not very deep review. It is Thursday night as I write this and I know I will not have time for writing tomorrow. I look forward to seeing names pile in on Mr.Linky.

If you don't have a clue why I'm writing a book review on Nehemiah but want in on the action please check out my sidebar and you'll catch up on all the latest BRF news. We are a small group, but oh-so-cool.:)

Now more than ever.

Mister Man I love this song! Its a personal testimony of mine right there its words and in what Gloria says. I really hope and pray that in many years down the road that I'll say "Now more than ever I cherish the cross. More than ever I sit at His feet."
Listen to one of my all time fav's and be oh-so-totally blessed!

Singing along.

The Booth Brothers are our favourite lately. We know pretty much every word to each song by heart and everyone likes to sing along. Including this guy. :)

To the lost lady...

Hey lady that was lost last night. No problem that you chose our door to knock on and our phone to use, I just wanted to explain a couple things to you. I don't want you thinking ill of us.

*First of all lady, my sunporch is looking more like a mudroom these days. I'd like to say it doesn't always look like that.... but we've got a lot of junk to get rid of. It's only there until April, honest lady. (Oh, sweet spring clean up day!!) You see lady, all that stuff had to be piled there because there is no room in the barn to store it. That brings me to my next explanation lady.

*We bought a cow. She has taken ownership of all of our previously used storage space in the barn. Yes, its embarrassing that we have so much stuff, but we're workin on it lady, honest. But that tells you why our sunporch is piled high and, you also may have noticed a slight aroma. Yep, that's barn smell travelled in on many coats and boots. That brings me to another explanation lady.

*All those smelly coats and boots are my children's. I have 4, and they all like to help daddy in the barn. They had just come in from doing their chores a few minutes before you arrived, hence the muddy floor and... um... aroma. You see lady, we were out a little late yesterday afternoon at a homeschool thing and it made for a late supper and chore time. And yes, that brings me to yet another explanation.

*We homeschool. So while you were phoning all your friends to save you from this messy smelly place, and looking around my living room, and seeing the pile of books and container of writing utensils, that would be our homeschool materials that we had to leave in the rush to make it to our afternoon engagement.

*Also lady, I've got to tell you how pleased I am that my kitchen was cleaned up. Really it was! Honest! That pail and all those big jars had just been disinfected and set to dry for milking time in the morning. If you had come a little later they would all have been put away too. You just had a bit of bad timing lady.

*And as for me lady, I was upstairs reading to the kids. That's why I didn't come down, we're reading Nehemiah. We're really into it, very cool book. Have you ever read Nehemiah lady?? You should. In fact lady, you should join up with Book Review Friday and get saved and.... and ....Well lady, that's all the stuff I would have said to you if I had answered the door instead of hubby, or if I caught you before you ran out the door to escape our crazy home.

That's what I would have said. Honest.

A mind to work...

I had to let y'all know that my sister over at

Seven Meadows

has finally posted again. She should post more often, she's good. She even knows how to spell and use punctuation properly. She is my idol. :) Seriously, go check her out. I'm even overlooking the fact that she totally offended me with what she said about my kids in her post. I'll get her back sometime. :)

Creativity

We had a homeschooling bowling adventure today. It was fun. We were all supposed to bring a snack for a social afterward. I had nothing but a coffee cake. A very good coffee cake, but what kid is excited to see that on a snack table?! I had no other ingredients to work with so I had to make the cake look inviting and this is what I came up with. A pedestal plate (cuz I have a thing for pedestal dishes), and scrapbooking paper (cuz I never have those cutie little doilies on hand).


I cut out a circle of wax paper so that the cute paper wouldn't get soaked with grease spots and it made it look cute. At least I think so. :)

Production is good.

Although her milk production is down just a bit from the beginning, which we were told would happen if we switched to hay instead of silage, we are still very pleased with all that #59 is giving us. She's a good cow as cows go. :) In fact I've almost stopped screaming every time I milk her and she moves toward me quickly. *hint* : not a good idea to scream when inside a stall with a big cow, they become a little nervous. But I'm making progress. :)

There is just so much you can do with all the milk a cow gives. Seven knows much more about it first hand. I haven't made my own yogurt and cream cheese and stuff yet, but I will. I've made butter a few times. Who can resist when you get this much cream????! Since the cream line is hard to see in the picture I'm pointing to it.

Yep, that's where the cream line is. Crazy.
And here is the one responsible for it all. Ain't she a beaut!

I deserve a medal.

I took my children skating at the pond around the corner this afternoon. Be proud of me. I hate being cold. I hate winter. I am totally out of shape. I don't even have winter boots. Seriously, feel sorry for me. But I took the kids out, me in my sneakers and them in their skates, and let them skate themselves silly. They've wanted to go skating with me many times before but I always had an excuse. Today they didn't even bother asking. When I suggested it they didn't believe me.

"Did Dad tell you to take us?"
"Are the cousins going to be going?"
"Did you really think of it all by yourself???!"

I finally convinced them I thought of it all by me onesies. How could I resist doing something so nice for them when they're just so darn cute!?!

Book Review Friday Continues

Hello everyone. I finished up in Leviticus and I hope you did too. I enjoyed the last chapters the most out of the whole book. I learned a few things and understand a few things more than before. I also have way more questions than I understand out of most of it. I'll continue to do some digging for answers. I'm pleased as punch with myself that I can finally say that I have read the book of Leviticus a few times through. It took me a number of years being saved to get around to it, but it's finally done. :)

Lets move on to another Old Testament book. I'm starting into Nehemiah 1-6. I would suggest doing a light reading of Ezra before you begin into Nehemiah. We've done Ezra before and its all tied in together. Ezra was so good I just want to do that one all over again. I keep reminding myself that I'll get back to it, there's undiscovered territory before me and I won't want to miss out on that. So Nehemiah it is! :)

Please join me in Book Review Friday and reap the benefits that you can only discover by becoming a biblical bookworm. I'll have Mr.Linky back up and running next week for everyone. If you have no idea what BRF is just check out my sidebar and use the links there. :)

Check ya later.

Who can resist a tag?

I've been tagged by Amy at www.ourdevinefamily.blogspot.com. I can't say no. :)

Here are the Rules: Post the rules on your blog, and then give your answers. List one fact about yourself for each letter in your middle name. Each fact must begin with a letter from your middle name. If you do not have a middle name, use your maiden name(or create a middle name).Once you are tagged, update your blog with your middle name and your answers. At the end of your post, tag one person for each letter of your middle name. Leave them a comment on their blog telling them that they have been tagged, and that they need to come read your blog for details.

E - Electrocardiogram : A machine to show how your heart is behaving. I've been hooked up a couple of times in my life. A small hole was found in my heart at the age of 16. While hooked up to the machine I was so proud that I could get that number on the screen up over 200 beats/minute. It's fixed now and sounds much more serious than it was. Fun times.
L - Lists : I am a list lover. I make many lists for all sorts of things. Whether I follow through on the items listed means nothing, it's the list that counts.
A - Arachnids : Deathly afraid of them.
I - Invite : I have been known to invite large crowds to our home. At one BBQ we decided to have there were a possibility of 76 people coming over. Since the church was invited why not invite the whole neighborhood?! Only half that came though.
N - Never : I once said I would NEVER own a cow.
E - Embroider : I want to learn.

I now shall tag 5 others to join in.

Erin

Jenn

Seven

Anne

Kristi

Amy B

Sweet things.

Making cupcakes is nothing new. I make them often. I like sweets and I usually have to do up a double batch of every recipe so that the kids will have a chance at getting some. Seriously.
This time when I made cupcakes I did some different stuff to them. I'm not creative so I have to copy all the cool ideas from you people out there. I copied this idea from the Nesting Place, www.nestingplacenc.blogspot.com , who copied it from someone else. I only had yellow and blue food coloring and I do not have any cake decorating stuff, so I put the icing in a plastic sandwich bag and cut a small piece out of a corner to squeeze the icing through. Here is my finished product. :)



Aren't they cute!?! I'm excited for the next baby shower or party to come along so that I can take some cutie cupcakes and cookies. But since there are no parties coming in the near future we packed some up on a pretty plate and shared them.

Maybe I should make another batch. Another double batch. :)

Passions

I plan on posting a picture of Twink in all her glory soon, very soon. My she's a popular cow. :) But first I have to get this other post written. It's been going through my mind since we read Psalm 1 in Book Review Friday just a couple of weeks ago. Mom & Seven, you have no need to read further since I basically said it all to you two yesterday. :)

Psalm 1:2,3 "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper."

What do you meditate on? What is your passion?

There is no focus on reading and studying scripture much anymore. I know that we as moms and wives lead busy lives. We have a lot on our plate. Life is exhausting sometimes. Many women out there are looking for a great quick devotional book to use in those precious 15 mintues of quiet they might find during their hectic days.

My friends listen up. If you only have 15 precious minutes in your day to use in study do not make the mistake of reaching for a devotional book or 'The Daily Bread'. Use those 15 minutes to saturate yourself with the pure unadulterated Word of God! Don't waste time on reading what someone else got out of a passage (and a small passage at that). Open up your own Bible and just read, get to know it a bit.

Happy thought indeed.

And remember, you can't say that you don't have time to study your Bible if you read a couple blogs a day or slept in this morning, or chatted with someone on the phone for a few minutes. If you don't have time to read your Bible then you don't have time to do all those other extra things either. Its the truth.

There are a lot of older Christian women out there who have been saved for years and don't know the Scriptures at all. Many are knowledgable of basic Christian principles and certain verses here and there, but they wouldn't be able to point you to any of them in writing. I love it when I see a Bible open up and there are underlinings and writing all over its pages. They are getting to know the Word!

We also need to study to show ourselves approved so that when we are called on by others going through trials we know where to point them. We know whether its Phillipians or Exodus or Psalm 27 that our friend needs to read, because we've read and studied them. If we know our Bibles we also can't be deceived as easily by false teaching.

If Christian women continue to lean on everything else but their Bibles for their spiritual growth they will lose focus and be led astray without knowing it and their children will be lost as well. It's the truth. Even if they read every book by solid Christian teachers and teach what they read to their children, they have completely missed the mark. We and our children need God's Word, it's the only thing that convicts and changes hearts. It's the only thing with a godly lasting effect. As good as Andrew Murray, John MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon, and John Piper are (and I love them all), they are no substitutes for the real thing. Don't bother with them until you've taken the time with the genuine article. You'll be amazed at how God works through a simple little habit of reading scripture all by yourself.

A couple weeks ago my sister listened to a sermon taken from Leviticus 10. the sermon was called 'strange fire'. She loved the message and wanted to tell her hubby about it when he got home from work. She thought she'd test him a bit first and she told him she listened to a message in Leviticus and asked him if he knew what chapter. He figured it was probably chapter 10. The she asked him what he thought it would be about. And he knew right away that it was probably about Nadab and Abihu and their strange fire.

I want to be like that. I want to study and know. I want to be gleaning knew insights and giving the Lord lots of ammunition every day to win the battle in my heart. The prospect of really knowing God's Word is very exciting to me. I love my binder and my other notes from Book Review Fridays in the past. They are a testament to what I have learned and also a great resource to use in the future. (check out the sidebar for Book Review Friday information).

I want to be like that tree in Psalm 1, firmly planted, getting fed by the river of God's Word, alive and thriving, giving fruit, prospering no matter what weather comes my way. The only way to do that is by delighting in the law of the Lord.

That becomes my passion more and more every day.

I have conquered.

I milked #59. Oh yes, I did. To all of you who thought I couldn't do it I took a picture of the finished product as proof.

I cleaned the stall, fed and watered the cow... and then it was time to milk it.
Really there was no problem getting the milk out, that was easy. It's my aim that I need to work on. That jar is supposed to be full and maybe a bit besides, and it would have been full but.... all the milk that is not in the picture is nicely soaked into the knee and sleeve of my coveralls and the shirt and jeans underneath.

Now don't roll your eyes at me too much over that, It's not entirely my fault. #59, or Twink I should say, has chapped teats that are causing multi-directional spraying while milking. It was as messy as it sounds.

But its done. My hands, shoulders, and legs are killing me, but the milking has been done 3 times in a row by yours truly.

John Piper on the prosperity gospel

Book Review, or the lack of...

Well ladies, I'm a day late and a review short. Just in case there was someone having a hard time coping because there was no Mr.linky to post a review for Leviticus on I thought I'd better check in and say hello.

I've been taking care of 4 sick chillins these past few days and there isn't time to think through and type a review. I'm not going to put up a Mr.Linky today, or for a while, but I'm going to keep reading in Leviticus 21-27 this week and finish that book up (phew!). I'll keep letting everyone know what I'm reading each week so you all can keep up if you want. I'd love to see reviews too, there just won't be a Mr.Linky to link to. :)

Please keep reading. It's sooo important. If you have time to read a Christian book, a magazine, watch TV, surf the net, then you have time to read your Bible. To read the amount that I usually put up here on my blog you only need about 20 minutes a day (if you're slow like me). :) Soon you'll find yourself engrossed and wanting more.

(I'm admitting to you all that my goal is to read the last 7 chapters in Leviticus at least 3 times completely this week. I'm not sure how this week will pan out and I just want to get this book done. Maybe that's my tiredness talking. :)

later gaters.

happy valentine's day

Okay ladies, it is time for our second annual valentine's list, 14 things that spark your day. Are you ready? I'm even using Mr.Linky for something other than a book review! If you blog about 14 things that spark your day please add your link to our amazing Mr.Linky friend down there. I'd love to check it out! :)


1. clear & clean kitchen counters.
2. chocolate
3. kids that think they are in heaven because they got a chocolate bar on Valentine's day.
4. book reviews on fridays. they really do. :)
5. french vanilla cappuccino.
6. any of the martins cd's.
7. fresh milk sitting in my fridge.
8. hubby doing devotions with the kids.
9. watching old movies.
10. country magazines.
11. warm blankets.
12. blazing fire in the woodstove.
13. packages in the mail.
14. whatever treat hubby gives me for valentine's that I'm not supposed to know he has. :)

Well, there are 14 of mine. Now let's see what's on your list...

Party details.

So, just how does one go about throwing a 'Have A Cow' party??? I thought you'd never ask!

If you ask my family to come to a party you really don't need to plan anything, they are the party. :) So we started by letting the Grandparents, cousins, & friends (the friends being the ones who informed us of a cow for sale in the first place) know when the cow was arriving, and then planning a potluck lunch directly after said delivery. The rest just took care of itself as you shall see.

The cow was due between 11 & 12. The cousins arrived around 9:30, no one wanted to miss a thing. Grammie arrived after 10 and the friends I mentioned made it just in time for the potluck to begin. I've already shared a couple pic's with you, but here are a few more. :)

Here is some dip that I whipped up before hand. Just beat 2 avacados, add a bit of sour cream to make creamy, and stir in 1 or 2 Tbsp of ranch seasoning mix. Mister man it was good!!

We have punch at nearly every family get together. If you want a fail proof punch recipe look no further. Just combine 1 can frozen juice concentrate (I like raspberry) and poor in 1 1/2 - 2 bottles of 7up. That tastes great, but to really make it yummy add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. It'll make it a sure hit. :)

We had lots of good food from everyone. My neice made the 'Have a Cow' peanut butter cake which you can see in my previous post. Soooo good! And, I flatter myself, my #59cupcakes were pretty good as well. :) Everyone was excited to bring cow-ish things....

Grammie brought some yummy squares decorated with a cutie cow. As everyone arrived she had them write their names on paper for a prize draw. The draw was for the cutie cow on the squares, which was really a 'grow a cow'. Shortly after our meal she drew a name out of our brand new milking pail and one of my little guys ended up winning. :)

Then #59's arrival is announced with happy yells and lots of chaos from 13 people trying to find their boots, coats, mittens and head outside so as not to miss any important happenings. It's not everyday a cow gets delivered to your door.

Then mysteriously all the cows on the cake disappeared. One cool aunt had planned a fun surprise...

...there were enough little cows for each of the kids to choose one to take home as a keepsake. Pretty cool I tell ya!


From that point on it was just tidying up, kids playing outside, ladies drinking tea, and visiting the afternoon away. All in all it was a very easy and relaxing day for most of us. Hubby on the other hand was shoveling his guts out just about the whole morning after the storm, and also getting the barn finalized, and milking the cow and everything else that goes with it.He enjoyed it all but... well...he was pretty tired by the end of the day. :)

Would you like to meet her???

Isn't she a gem!? I know you're really jealous now. Don't you all want to run out and buy one of your own?

We had a good day here. We love partying at Watchthesky and this was definitely an excuse to party. Here are a few pic's from our 'Have a Cow' party. :)

A day of grace.

We had a storm day. That's a good thing. It means that #59 could not be delivered until tomorrow. Although we were sorry to have to wait to have a 'cow delivery party', I am sure it was God's act of sympathy for me. Yes, that blizzard we received today was sent just so I could have an extra 24 hours to prepare myself for having a cow. I bet you didn't know it was all about me. :)

I am ready now. I spent my day cleaning, organizing, doing laundry, baking, etc...
Everyone knows that it is much easier to tend to a beast like we are getting if there are fresh cupcakes on the counter and the laundry is caught up, everyone knows.

We may not have #59 in our barn right now but hubby has milked her twice up at the neighbouring farm today. So we have had our own fresh milk today. It was great to open the fridge and see that jar with the cream rising. Love it.



Anyway, hopefully there will be a picture or two of our adventure tomorrow, which I am ready for.
I'm ready. :)