Winter Wonderland

This is what we woke up to this morning!

Poor Little Birdie

When we went out yesterday to the barn we saw this poor little guy stuck in the feeder! after taking these pictures we lifted the lid and he happily flew away!

Our Trip to Kentucky

We left the morning after Christmas to go to Kentucky for a visit with Alan's Family, it was a 5 1/2 hour drive to get there, we saw some very pretty sights as we traveled through Western Maryland and West Virginia. Ryan slept on the way down and on the way home!
We got to spend a lot of time with the family, Wednesday night we went to church and the family sang for the congregation, Alan's Family is so talented, Jodi played the Piano and the family sang together so beautifully. we went to see the Christmas lights around Ashland and sang some Christmas Carole's to some people that Alan's Mom and Dad knew.
We played games like Monopoly and pass the cup, we watched Facing the Giants and Fly Wheel and we ate a lot of food!
It was so great spending time with everyone and Alan's Mom and Dad did such a wonderful job coordinating everything and making us all very comfortable! It was hard to say good bye and we hope to get together again real soon!

Ryan sleeping on the way there!

Taking a break at a rest stop

Alan's Mom and Cameron

Alan and Cody Playing around!

Trying to give us all a heart attack!

Ryan and Shayanna were inseparable!

and Shared everything!

This is the Family, Debbie, Lawrence, Tori, Josh, Me, Alan,Robin, Ryan,

Gordon, Hettie, Shania,Shayanna, Frank, Cameron, Caleb, Cody, Shadawn and Shanda was taking the picture.

There were 18 family members who could not attend and we missed them all!

Ryan sleeping on the way home!

Merry Christmas

This is the last post I will be able to make until next weekend, We will be Celebrating Christmas with my Grand mother tomorrow and then we leave Wednesday morning to go spend a few days in Kentucky with Alan's family.

From our home to yours, We wish you a very Merry Christmas!

May the Blessings of Christ shine upon You and Your Families as we celebrate the greatest gift ever given to us,

The birth of Jesus!

Christmas with Dad

Dad and Debs Christmas tree!

My Dad and Cierra


Ryan Opening his gifts!
Ryan would not throw any paper on the floor, he would tear off the wrapping and place it in a trash bag!

Amanda, Linda, Kelsey and Bernie

Cierra opening one of her gifts!

Mamaw and Debbie

We Celebrated Christmas at my Dads Last night, I really enjoy the Family all being together, Debbie had everything looking very nice and we had more food to eat, than what we could handle!

Alan got a new jacket and I got a wonderful smelling candle in a perfect country arrangement and a very neat picture of Ryan that looks like the cover of a magazine!

Robin got a similar picture of Ryan and a Necklace which she Loved and some money!

Ryan was so cute opening up all of his gifts, he tried to be neat and would not throw any paper on the floor and he has been enjoying playing with his new truck and tools that he got for Christmas!

It was a very nice evening and Thank You to Dad and Deb for the wonderful gifts but, most important... Thank You for the time spent together!

A Few Christmas Crafts

I thought I would share a few Christmas Crafts that I made for My Self this year! I can not yet put a picture of the crafts I made for my family until after Christmas is over but, these I made for me!

Miniature Mittens for my small country trees!

The pictures did not catch all of the detail though.

I used vintage lace from an old dresser scarf that had seen better days.

And a few have buttons from Ryan's old baby clothes!

This is my first attempt at a crocheted scarf!

I will try to post more pictures after all the gifts have been given out!

I got some awards!!!!

Angelina at Country life gave me not 1 but 3 awards!!!!

These are the very first awards that I have been given for my blog and I am just so happy!

Thank You so much Angelina, I really love reading your blog and you have just made my day!
Here are the awards that she gave to me!

I would like to pass these on to;

Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead, I always look forward to reading your blog!

Kristie at Insomniac Scrapbook theater, My pal through Peggy's stocking swap!

Loretta at Nooks and Crannies My Best Friend for many, many years!

Woody at Woody's Rocky Ridge, who's writings are always a joy to read!

I would have given them to more but as I see some of you were already tagged, I love all your blogs and I look forward to visiting all my blog Friends every chance I get!

Thank You again Angelina, I am very honored!

12 Things about Me Christmas Hoopla!

I have been Tagged by Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead to take part in a Christmas Hoopla!

Here are the rules;

1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas.

2. Please refer to it as a Hoopla!

3. You have to specifically tag people at the end of your post, none of this "if you read this, you are tagged" stuff is allowed, then nobody ends up doing it. The number of people you tag is really up to you, but the more the merrier to get this Hoopla circulating through the Bloglosphere.

4. Please try and do it quickly!

Now here are my 12 things about me Christmas Hoopla;

1. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, I love to give and could really care less about receiving!

2. I love to decorate my house for Christmas

3. I love to bake cookies and make candies

4. I enjoy crafting home made gifts

5. I enjoying spending time with my Family and Friends at this time of year!

6. I am absolutely terrible about waiting to give a gift... I always want to give it before Christmas day!

7. I am not so good at getting my Christmas cards done and sent on time.

8. I enjoy taking rides to look at Christmas lights

9. I really love the church programs around Christmas

10. I listen to Christmas songs everyday starting the day after Thanksgiving and drive my family crazy with them.. tee hee hee!!!

11. I feel blessed that my Grandson lives with us and we get to see his face on Christmas morning!

12. My favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story!

That's my list of 12 Christmas things about me Hoopla, I probably could have listed even more!

I tag Loretta and Angelina!

Winter Barn Chores

It has been very cold here the last several weeks, we had an ice storm last weekend and today it is snowing. The night time temperatures have been in the low 20s, All these cold temps make my barn chores a little.... well I will be honest here...A Lot more challenging!

I have now started taking warm mash down to the barn in the mornings for the Chickens, Turkeys and Rabbits.

The chickens and the Turkeys got a mixture of oat meal and layer mash, mixed with hot water that I added some skim milk powder and a small amount of molasses with it for a little more nutrition and just a touch of a sweet treat, boy o boy did the chickens like that! they were all scampering, pushing and pecking their way to the bowl for some!
The Turkeys.... well, I think they have convinced themselves that I must be trying to poison them with any new food, they avoided it like it was something really bad and one of the Toms kept grunting and running at the bowl like he was trying to scare it away! I will give them a few days with it and they should start getting the idea of what it is and that I really am not trying to poison them!

The rabbits got a little warm oatmeal with the skim milk and molasses.

The warm mash gives them something to eat and drink while I defrost the waterers and refill them for the day.

I am going to make a treat for the rabbits today and thought I would share the recipe, I would love to take a picture but my camera has been temporarily misplaced.

Here is the Home Made Rabbit treat recipe,

like any other treats I would feed this in moderation!

1 small carrot, pureed
1/2 banana, mashed until really creamy
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup rabbit pellets, ground finely in a coffee grinder
1/4 cup ground oats, ground finely in a coffee grinder
Mix pureed carrot, banana and honey in a medium bowl. Add pellet powder and ground oats. Mix until blended. Knead in your hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll out the "dough" in 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick layers between sheets of plastic wrap. Cut into small cookies (about 3/4 inch across). Place cut shapes onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes (check to make sure they are not browning too much). Turn off the heat and let the cookies sit in the warm oven for an hour or so.

Happy Birthday to my Mom

60 Years ago today, an Angel was born!

Even though the miles separate us, I have been thinking about you all day!

This is such a special Birthday to celebrate, you are sixty years young today!

Though your age says you are sixty Mom, you sure do not show it on the out side!

May you have the day you hoped you would and know that we are all thinking about you today with loving thoughts!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Peanut Butter Munchies!

I found this recipe at Better Homes and Gardens and made them today, they take a little time to make but they are worth every bit of work!

Peanut Butter Munchies
32 cookies

Prep: 40 minutes

Bake: 8 minutes per batch

Ingredients;
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together
flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, the 1/2 cup granulated
sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/4 cup peanut butter with an electric
mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in
as much of the dry ingredients as you can with mixer. Stir in
remaining dry ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon. Form chocolate
dough into 32 balls about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.

3. For peanut butter filling, in a medium mixing bowl combine powdered
sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. Shape
mixture into 32 (3/4-inch) balls.

4. On a work surface, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top
with a peanut butter ball. Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut
butter filling, completely covering the filling. Roll dough into a
ball. Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and peanut butter
filling balls.

5. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly
flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the 2 tablespoons
granulated sugar.

6. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until they're just
set and surface is slightly cracked. Let cookies stand for 1 minute.
Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.

Makes 32 cookies.

To Store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight
container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze
for up to 3 months.

Look What I Got!

Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead had a stocking swap and My wonderful Partner was Kristie at Insomniac Scrapbook Theater,

Look at all the Wonderful things Kristie sent to me!!!

I am so delighted and Love it ALL!

Kristie had everything packaged with loving care and she had many little surprises tucked inside a beautiful red stocking!

This is the wonderful Stocking that Kristie put together for me!

Filled with so many great items, the cute little teddy bear was made from a dish cloth and had a hand written note attached to his bow!

This is a handmade card and an absolutely beautiful jewelry set that Kristie herself made for me!...I am wearing the bracelet at this moment, I just couldn't wait!

I would recommend a visit to Kristie's Etsy Store!

Kristies Kreations

Here are some wonderful handmade Christmas gift tags that Krisitie made!

Some goodies, a snack mix and candy!



Some candles, which I love and soaps, teas, a Christmas towel and some great potpourri!

Kristie, You gave me a great Gift and I love everything, It is such a wonderful stocking and I could tell that everything you added to it was put there with Loving care!

It's About the Cross - Christmas Music Video

This Christmas season, we want to remember what it is all about, Please turn off the music at the bottom of my page before you watch!

Tonights Sunset

December Sunset from our deck

Mobilize For Mike Day!

Today is Mobilize for Mike day

What is Mobilize for Mike day? you may ask,

well it is an Internet campaign to introduce people you know to Mike Huckabee a Republican candidate running for office in the next election.

Mike Huckabee is a man for the common people of the U.S.; People like you and I!

I am backing him for many reasons,

He is a Christian first and foremost and he stands strong for what he believes.

Watch his response to a question asked of him on the June 5Th GOP debate

Mike Huckabee is the only candidate who is proposing a "Fair Tax" Watch this video; Want to see the IRS disappear? to hear what Mike has to say about his plan for tax's, also watch Fair Tax Impact on Families.

I think he has clear goals for issues on Immigration, Energy Independence and keeping our Agriculture here in our Country!

Mike Huckabee supports our Second Amendment Rights;to keep our firearms.

I Believe that with a President like Mike, Our families will thrive, Our businesses will boom and jobs will come back to the U.S.

I encourage you to look at Mikes web site and check out you tube

for his campaign videos.

There are many more important issues that are just too numerous to mention them all here but also, I believe that you should see them

and make the decision for your self!

So Please visit Mikes Web site here! Mike Huckabee for President and Mobilize for Mike, get the word out!

America needs a President like Mike Huckabee!

Ryan's Snow Day

Ryans first snow of the Season!

Our First Snow!

We are getting our first snow!

There is something very magical about a snowfall,

How it covers everything and makes it all so beautiful.

I love to see the snow clinging to the branches of the trees and I treasure the silence that you only get when it is snowing,

The birds are busy at the feeders,

the snow is gently falling

and

I am admiring it all from the warmth of the wood stove,

later I will take Ryan out to play in the first snow of the season,

but for now, I am enjoying the splendor of a new fallen snow!

My Christmas wish list

This is my Christmas wish list!

Alan and my Family have a hard time knowing what I want, so I thought this would help and I thought it would be fun to share!

Click on the pictures to visit Lehman's Country Store!

The food mill would be very handy when I make my Spaghetti sauce and Apple sauce. As of now, I have been using my colander and a wooden spoon, I'm not saying that doesn't work... it did for me but, this would make things much easier!


I have been wanting this book for awhile now. I have read very good reviews about it and I think it would be an interesting read!

What Homestead would be complete with out the Fox Fire series of books!

Wooden Dough bowl

I know these are simple things but, they would help make life a little easier for me!

And for a more personal idea, I would LOVE tickets to see Gaelic Storm in concert!

Most important though, I enjoy spending time with my Family and Friends, and I would enjoy that more than any gift that could be bought!