Tradition

At this point I am sure that there are a few people out there who might have a song other than a Christmas tune in their head now, I know I do. lol

Tradition is a very important part of our family. In one way or another we all stick to it. Some of us are a little loser when it comes to tradition, thinking that maybe a twist here or a twist there is lots of fun and what we need to keep the tradition going in our family this year. While some of us stick to the old way and don't want it changed at all.

Some traditions we have had since before I was born, while others have been made a tradition in the past few years, and then there are those traditions that been around forever but changed to fit our family.

While there are some traditions I can't wait to do, such as playing Christmas music first thing bright and early to wake everyone up the day after thanks giving. There are those that are hard to wait for, like waiting until the day after Thanksgiving to listen to, play, and sing Christmas music (esp. when now a days they are playing Christmas music days before thanksgiving!!).

Then there are others that I enjoy but wouldn't mind if well...If there wasn't so much work in it, such as bring mom and dad breakfast in bed while trying to get every child involved in the whole process on St. Lucia day.

The reason I am talking about tradition is because December is a month in which we do many different traditions. Starting from the day after Thanksgiving, (yes, I know that day does not fall in December) and lasting until New Year's Day (again, yes I do know that New Year's is not in December).

With traditions from Christmas music, to cooking, from decorating, to lighting candles, watching movies, to listen to Messiah. And as each and everything is something that is important to us, hardly a day will pass by this month in which we do not do a tradition of some sort.

As more times than I care to count I have been accused of being a traditionalist, I talk about the traditions we do all the time, and I am hoping to share some of our traditions here, but only as they happen. :D

Wednesday--I'm Thankful For.....

As I am busy cooking and directing people in cooking, cleaning, and child watching (the parents have gone to get animal feed), I don't have the time to upload pictures. So, today it's just a list of the things I am grateful for...

Stove and oven, even if they are are electric and not gas.

Running water and electricity, both of which I don't even think about until the power is out or the well is off.

Pre-made clothes

Sewing machines

Computers and Internet,

MP3 players and radio

Cars

Tuesday--I'm Thankful For.....

I'm thankful for God's many blessing to our family, starting with...

The goats, the girls that give us milk, both for our family and anyone in Houston who is interested.

The Dairy...In which it is made possible for us to pasteurize milk, make yogurt, chocolate milk, capracino, kefire and cheese.

Our small vet pasteurizer, that made it possible for us to make all the products mentioned above. And so that dad can now work from home and spend more time with us all!!

Monday--I'm Thankful For.....

My parents--Tim and LeeAnne

My Siblings.....

Christin and her sewing abilities




Grace and willingness to teach about horses

Sara and her corny sense of humor

Linnea and her flare for dramatics




Emma and her ever ready smile and helping hand

Timothy and his enjoyment of everything




Liberty and her sweet attitude




Noah and his dare devilish ways (Don't let this picture deceive you!!)




Judah and his every ready smile and hug




Seth and his laugh

Thanks.....I Think

As I'm sitting down for dinner, I notice that I don't have a roll. I look at Sara who was serving the rolls and asked her where mine was.

She was sure that she had given me one, but it wasn't there on my plate. Oh, wait yes it was, with a little hand on it as well. :D

Judah looks up at me with that impish grin of his and says, "There was sauce on it, so I licked it off for you, here's your clean roll". (Mind you that was three year old talk, with a little lisping here and there, and a laugh at the end.)

Sure enough, there was a little sauce left, after he had "cleaned" it for me. I feel so loved, to have a little brother who cares enough about me to make sure I have a clean roll. lol

Baseball

Right about now is when I start going into Baseball withdrawals. This is the time of year when after a long hard day of farm or house work I would love to curl up on the couch with a nice cup of extra strong, dark hot chocolate and watch the Astros play.

But, I don't get to. This is the time of year where I either curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book or curl up on the couch and watch TV with my sisters.

The only problem is all my sisters are growing up and they all know how to handle a remote control or what they want to watch. So, if I don't get the remote first then I am stuck watching ranch life on RFDTV, or What Not To Wear on TLC, when I would rather be watching the History channel, Food Network, or sometimes when I can catch it Mythbusters.

But, more often than not the girls are a lot faster than I am and I am stuck watching women dress up or large families. (As if we needed to know how it feels to live in a large family. lol) So, this year when ever the baseball withdrawal hits (which it has been a lot lately, it's like when a good friend moves away!!) I am normally found in my messy room with a book, whishing that there was a game I could watch and counting the days until the winter Olympics.

Missouri

Next on the list is Missouri, I love this state. There are very few states (two that I can think of right now) that would tempt me to leave Texas of my own choosing and Missouri is one of them

Kansas City

The Missouri/Kansas border.

Some of the many fields of some sort of crop
(in this picture, it's corn. :D ).

Some of the landscape that we saw.

.

Circus

A week and half ago the circus came to town!! And we got to go!!

I'm sure that everyone is thinking about Barnum and Bailey and that they came to Houston. If so, you are incorrect. :D We went to the Carson and Barnes Circus, in Waller Texas.

It was a Monday morning, and mom and dad were out of town still (they asked for the weekend off in Austin, and Christin and I said "Sure why not?"). And I had to get the younger three boys and Liberty out of the house so the older girls could get the house cleaned for mom and dad. Remembering that they were setting up the big tent that morning, I loaded GrandDavid, Seth, Noah, and Liberty in my car and asked my neighbor if they could take Judah (as I already knew she was going with her two children and had a spare seat).

I didn't think we would be able to go as it cost over $150 for our entire family, but I thought this would be a great way for the youngest four to see some of the circus fun and for GrandDavid to see it and remember when he went when he was a child.

So, we went and saw all the sights, watched the elephant help put up the tent and left. As we get in the car GrandDavid asks how much it would cost for our entire family to go, thinks on it for ten minutes and says "Let’s get the tickets, I think everyone will LOVE it!!". So we got the tickets, and the younger’s are ecstatic and the older are excited (Chris and I being the only children who had seen a circus, 17 years ago, were the only ones not talking about their first time at a circus).

All in all it was so much fun, the kids loved, the dogs, the olders loved the trapeze act, and of course the elephants were a hit with everyone. :D Even if Seth was way too tired and Judah decided that that was the best time to be sick all over dad.

"I'M GOING TO THE CIRCUS!!!"

"I'm not so sure about this circus thing, I saw those animals that are larger than my house and could eat me for dinner. Isn't there something else we could do tonight?!"

"Please hurry up and open!!"
(We got there 45 minutes early as it was a first come first serve for the seating and with the amount of people we have and all the littles that we have, we wanted to make sure we could all sit together at a "lower" level. Thus, making for a long wait and some impatient toddlers. lol)

Everyone waiting for it to start.

Oh, look Seth likes cotton candy. Two weeks before at our church's Reformation party, he wouldn't touch cotton candy with a ten foot pole (as he had his hand over his mouth to make sure no one would force him to eat it.) But at the circus, he loved it. lol Go figure.




The Elephants




The trapeze act

Look At That!!!

Dad reads my blog. lol

I was wondering if he read it, as with each new post that comes out I tell him about it and I have never really had him comment on what I post about (which I thought he might do, but didn't).

But today dad commented on one of my post (I think it had something to do with spelling, go figure. lol) and I remembered that he has read my post and has commented on them before now. Only, he's always at least one week if not two weeks behind. lol At least he cares enough to read my blog and comment on it.

I love my dad!!

Iowa

I am finally getting around to posting pictures from out trip to pick up goats a couple weeks ago. :D I'm going to show the pictures "backwards"--state by state in the order that we were in each state on our way back. Each state plus the Mississippi river will get its own post, enjoy! :D

Starting with Iowa--

I have to hand it to Iowa, it's a beautiful state. The only drawback it has is a major one--It snows there, and not only does it snow there it gets VERY, VERY cold there. My dad says that the coldest he ever got was in Iowa, where it got to something like 40 below zero. That's WAY too cold for me. :D But I did enjoy the scenery, barns, and hills. :D

Iowa also has some of the prettiest, older churches I have seen (not like I have seen that many). We did not get to go in them, as we were flying by most places and had about three minutes to try and get some drive by shots, (not counting the steeples that we saw from miles away), but even the quick three minute look was beautiful.

And here is the proof that it was WAY too cold--On the 5th of November I had to scrap ice off our windshield. And here is how southern I am. I didn't have an ice scraper, I've never used one. I ended up using the lid to my coffee cup. (Only to be told that my driver’s license or a credit card--which I don't have--would have worked better. lol)

It's kind of hard to see, but this picture was taken around 9 am, south of Des Moines Iowa. That white stuff in the field that looks like it a reflection of the sun off my windshield is actually frost!!

We kept seeing these signs all throughout our trip and we were wondering if the deer read them and knew they were only to pass in that stretch of the road. Guessing from the number of GIANT deer that we saw lying along the road outside of those stretches, they either did not read them or decided they knew better then the people who put out the signs. lol

Sunset, just northeast of Des Moines

A Post From An Over-Caffeinated 21 Year Old

>You know you've hit the country when driving down the freeway the street lights go from every 100 yards or so to only at the exits.

>How much coffee would it take to kill someone? (So asks, the person who 12 hours later is still getting over one espresso shot and two cups of coffee).

>Do people get grays hairs from stress, age, or is hereditary? (I think the latter, as both my mom and her brother are already gray headed, and both are so before they hit "an old age" and mom found two gray hairs attached to my head last week!!)

>Why is it that younger siblings (esp. younger brothers) goal in life is to see how much they can embarrass their older siblings?

>You know you've done too much driving when you close your eyes and all you see is cars!

>You know your over caffeinated when one of your younger siblings read this post, nod their head and say "Yup, your over caffeinated!!"

Living In My Large Family--Your Turn

Now, that I've shared six posts and am starting to run out of things to post about (that will only last for the next hour or so and then more ideas and things to post about will come to mind. lol) But as I am sitting here with nothing to post about a large family, I thought I would give y'all a chance, since I know there a lot of people who have questions.

I thought I would ask y'all if there was anything that you wanted to know about that I haven't covered. If so, here's your chance you can take it or leave it, it's up to you. :D Just leave a comment with your questions and I will post all questions and answer them as best as I can with the next "Living In My Large Family" post next week. :D

Whew!! Another Day On The Farm

Make that someone else’s farm. lol

We have this work group going where every other month four to six families from different farms gets together at one farm and does as much work as they can do in one day. With the idea of knocking out those jobs that takes more than two people to get it completed.

Yesterday we went to Tranquil Farms, some very good friends of ours. We are always visiting back and forth, and if you remember back to June when I talked about farm sitting, it was at their place where I was chasing the cows around.

Yesterday's project was one of my favorite. :D We installed insulation and drywall. It was such a nice feeling to look at that place in the morning and see a job half completed and by the time we had left have the entire place insulated and 1/4 of the ceiling dry walled.

And Yes, I love doing that job, in fact I love doing all sorts of house repair jobs. When it comes to a job on our place such as painting walls, pulling up carpet, putting down flooring, etc.. My sisters have to fight me for the job. Honestly I think the only job I prefer to house repair is cooking. :D (Yes, my sisters do have to fight me for cooking rights sometimes.)

But there is a drawback to house repairs. With insulation is that itchy feeling you get. I firmly believe that installing insulation is a job that should only be done on the coldest day of the year, with all the windows open so that you HAVE to wear long sleeve shirts and face mask. lol One of my sisters said they felt like a flee bitten dog. (How, they knew what a flee bitten dog feels like I have no idea, but that's what they said. :D )

And on our farm yesterday we flavored cheese, made Capra-cino, and yogurt. (It helps to live in a large family!!), and one of my sisters milked for some friends down the road. :D

Now to rest before tomorrow, where we have four markets and a birthday party. :D

AOR

AKA--Area Of Responsibility--That is the title of each child's responsibilities (O.K. not just child, as I get my monthly chores at the age of 21, when I am saying child, I am talking about each of my parent’s children). We are given them at the beginning of the month; sometimes we get them for one month, while other months it's for two months.

It all depends on what is going on in the family that month and how each child does their chore for that month. If we do our chores that month well and without complaining then we have a better chance of moving on or picking which chore we get for the next month. If we do the job poorly or gripe and complain the entire time, then there is a high probability that we will have it again.

My parent's goal is to make sure that each and every child can do their job without complaining and do it well, so that if someone gets sick or has to leave, then another person can step in and help with the chores. It's also to make sure that when we leave the house we know how to work hard, without complaining and to be able to fend for ourselves in all house hold chores.

For the past couple years, I have not really had any inside job. A couple times I have been giving the job of helping a younger child with the main areas, but if wasn't done then it was the younger child who was held responsible, my job was to teach not clean. I have also had the job of rotating laundry, and that was to give me a slight break. All I had to do was make sure the washer and dryer were always running. Nothing new for me, that was almost like telling me to make sure I kept breathing. lol

In the past year I have not had an inside job. I have either been working in the dairy or 'taking breaks' which means rotating laundry, watching the kids when needed, and helping in the dairy when needed (But that only happened once this year).

Then November came along, and I was reminded what my November job is. :D For the past five or six years, I may have gone the entire year without getting the kitchen as a job or for that gone without any inside job (which happened this year) until that wonderful month of getting ready for the holidays...November...Thanksgiving dinner planning, cooking, traditional Christmas Advent meals, and cookies. All fall on my shoulders, with mom's help.

Sometimes I have to ask why? Why me? Until I realize...Five years ago, I asked for it, loved it and did way to good of a job. And I have asked for it once since then, other than that I always get it and always love it, even with curve balls thrown my way.

I enjoy it way to much!! Cooking is something I love doing--The planning, the preparation, and the cooking is all so enjoyable (even if it is tiring). Which is why I am always getting the job, even if I don't ask for it...My mom knows I LOVE doing it. :D

And like I said there is always a curve ball. Most times (if not all the time) they are good curve balls. And what is this year's "curve ball"? I get to plan a Thanksgiving dinner for at least 35 people. :D

I wonder how many turkeys that will take and if I have enough space to brine them all. lol This is going to be way to fun!

Uggg!!

I don't know if I should title this post with "SIBLINGS: How They Sometimes Drive Me Nuts!" or "Electronics: How They Are Ever So Troublesome!".

Seeing as at this point I am frustrated with both of them. I am trying to print up a recipes, `I tried three times each time getting a "Paper Jam" massage and each time I checked where the paper jam should be, but wasn't.

What is going on here? I hate it when electronics think that they know everything and yet most times I'm the one that has to fix things for it to work. Grrrr....What's up with that?!?

So, the third try I decide to pull out the paper try and see if it is giving me the wrong massage, for all I know it might be out of paper and I read it incorrectly (which has happened). So, I open the paper try expecting to see no paper and what do I see, but a CD case at the back which is causing a paper jam (as another massage pops up saying I have a paper jam in my printer). Siblings! Something tells me that I know which sibling is at the bottom of this ''prank''. lol

Now, I am off to cook. :D

Scents

If you've followed my blog for any length of time or if you know me then there's a good chance that you know I own a business. I sell goat milk soap and super scented 100% soy candles.

I love making both, they are about the only creative outlet I have, and even then it's not really good. :D No colors, no swirls, nothing fancy, nothing overly girly or attractive about them. It's just a bar of soap that does it's job by moisturizing people's skin or a candle that pleases everyone with it's fragrance. It's Just lots of fun to see ingredients come together to make a product that works (it's a lot like cooking).

There's one problem with this entire gig. In making candles and soaps you are around things that have scents to them. Be it a sweet, sour, strong, light, or pleasing scent it's still there. :D

In the past few months I've noticed a very disturbing thing...I seem to be sensitive to scents. The stronger they are the worse off I am (well, duh!!). But even some mild scents can cause a headache bad enough to make me want to quite the business.

It's enough to make me want to cry and ask about the fairness of life (yes, I know life is never fair). Couldn't one of my sisters who doesn't have a business in soaps and candles be the one who is sensitive to scents? Or the brother who could care less if his soap smelled like leather instead of a flower be the one that in the very near future might need to start keep unscented soap in the kitchen instead of cranberry marmalade? Oh, the injustices of it all!!!

Trying to decide if I should use a new scent can be a little on the side of torture and soaping some scents is enough to confirm for me that I HAVE lost my mind. But do you want to know want the worst thing out there? Worst then soaping, worse then make three large batches of soap, worse than breaking a bottle of fragrance oil in my door way? Walking within 20 feet of Wal-mart's craft or seasonal section. I think that overwhelming scent could give anyone a headache. That is if it doesn't kill people first. lol


there’s your warning, if you are sensitive to scents I would HIGHLY suggest you stay away from the craft section of Wal-Mart!

Living In My Large Family--Odds and Ends

Here is a list that I have gotten used to; some of these things I know come from living in a large family, while the rest come from...Well, living in a family. lol

>You should be prepared to be called by at least three different names before the person calling you gets the correct name (Yes, this includes family members as well).

>You should be well prepared to go searching for your clothes if you don't do your own laundry as we all tend to where the same style and no one can remember who wears what size.

>Trying not to fight over what music, movie, or game you play is not a rare thing, but something that helps your sanctification.

>Getting more than five minutes on the computer in one sitting is about like asking for it to snow on Christmas Eve in Houston. (This means every one of these post takes anywhere from three hours to three weeks to get completed.)

>Things NEVER go as you planned!! Chores take three times longer then you wanted them to, movies are always getting stopped and rewound because someone missed a part of it, you are always leave thirty minutes later then you wanted too (or so it seems).

HI!!

Well, we're back. Got home about an hour ago.

But first, the trip was great, we had lots of fun seeing parts of the US that we hadn't and like every other trip learning and relearning many things. Such as--There's no place like Texas!! When going to Iowa after November 1st, always bring an ice scraper even if you don't think you will need it. Only eat southern comfort food in the south!! Kansas is REALLY, REALLY, flat. and the US is a BEAUTIFUL country!

Now, I'm off to get ready for markets tomorrow and go to bed REAL early! Hopefully in the next couple of days I will have some pictures of all the land that we saw. :D

Bye!

Well, for the first time in three years I'm going out of state. The last time I went out of state was to Louisiana, to pick up some goats. The only reason I went was to help driving, and why am I going this time? Why else? To help milk goats and drive! :D

I'm heading out very soon with mom, GrandDavid, and a younger sibling. :D Our plan is to be in Iowa tomorrow and back home Thursday at the earliest, but no later than Friday as Mom, myself, and my younger sister are the people who do the Houston markets, so we have to be back in time to do them. :D

So, please pray for us! As this is my first time driving the van with the trailer hooked-up father then one mile! Oh, and please pray that mom won't go crazy as Sara and I sing all the Iowa songs we know while in Iowa. lol

Reformation Party

Every year our church has a Reformation Party and chili contests on the 31st of October. It's the day that we celebrate Martin Luther posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517.

We've been doing this at our church for 7 years now (in fact it was the second time we ever went to this church). Each year the kids have tons of fun, playing games, eating candy, being with friends, and trying to see who can kill all their taste buds first with the chili.

This year with the party being on a Saturday it took a little more planning on our side since we had four markets to be in and couldn't bring all the kids with us to market. It worked like a dream, even though the adults of the family were running purely on coffee by the end of the day.

This year the girls also dressed up. They weren't too keen on dressing as bible characters as that would mean they would have to make entire new outfits. So they went as the wife’s of reformers or woman who is very rarely known and who helped translate the bible. The girls loved dressing up and were very disappointed in me as I was a "spoil sport" and wouldn't dress up like the rest of them.

I have to say that even though, by the end of the day I was really only running on sugar and coffee it was very enjoyable and I wish we had far less candy and desserts in the house right now. lol