Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
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.
Friday, April 11, 2008
WIll you join me??? Please!?!?!?
My new address is....
www.watchthesky.wordpress.com
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
double dog dare
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?
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Left undone
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. :)
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Dyslexia can be cute :)
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.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Book Review Friday: Romans 11-13
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.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
I'm glad he likes it.
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.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Keep your dreams to yourself.... please.
Have you ever heard of the book

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. :)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Book Review Friday: Romans 7-10
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.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Confessions of a milk maid.
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
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 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. :)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Contest worth entering.
This is a $219 program (and believe me it’s worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.
This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking. Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they’re included! For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports.
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!
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!!
Monday, March 17, 2008
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.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Book Review Friday: Nehemiah 11-13 (Edited)
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.