BRRRR!!!

Wow it's cold! I know there are many folks across the country that are experiencing way more snow and cold than we are...but THAT's why we live in Texas and not Alaska! It is already after noon and it's a whopping 28º right now.

We had a microscopic amount of sleet last night, you have to look really hard to find any accumulation...but we have our first icicles of the year!

Last weekend we had our first BBQ of the year, and now we've got icicles. Only in Texas!

Motley Crew

I am showing mom how to upload pictures to her new blog, so everyone hang on....here is the last family picture we have of us all together (Christmas 2006). Now you see why we don't do this more often. Can you say torture anyone?

What a hoot and another new kid

I don't know how I took this shot, but I thought it was such a hoot I added a caption to it.

Our second doe freshened this morning with a set of twins, a buck and a doe. Unfortunately we lost the little doe; but the buckling is doing great and weighed in at 6 pounds. We've named him Derby.

What a Blessed Day! Starting The New Year Off Right!

What a banner day we had! Our plans for yesterday included a friend coming to help me clean out the milking parlor. Each year it gets insanely filthy, so once a year we pull everything out, clean the building, and put everything back in. It's a big job, which is why I'm thankful to have such a dear friend to come and help.

Also on the list of things to do was to get our 4 holiday chickens into the freezer.

I have been so incredibly blessed. I have the best husband in the world, great kids, and we have been given the great opportunity to live the lifestyle that we do. I have been able to stay at home to raise my children, had an opportunity to answer the call of homeschooling them, and we are able to witness God's blessings in every aspect of our lives.

Despite our daily plans and best intentions, sometimes we get sidetracked from the task at hand. My day was planned...I was going to work on my new project room (nearly done, pics coming soon!) until my friend arrived; then we would clean the milking barn to get ready for kidding season, then we would do-in the 4 meat chickens. That was the plan.

During my morning chores, I noticed that Blessing was showing signs of early labor. I continued with my chores and then started unpacking and organizing the new project room just as I'd planned, stopping on occasion to look outside to keep an eye on Blessing. Within an hour I noticed she'd gone into the barn and was staying there. Another hour or so later I decided I'd better check things out, and look at what I found!

Blessing has never failed to live up to her name! She popped out a set of twins (1 boy 1 girl) with no complications. This is a "D" year for our goat kid names....and when I saw this little girl my first thought was a Bible verse that I learned as a child. Psalms 1:2 "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night". This little girls' name is Queenacres Delight....

I am not sure what the boy's name will be. He has already been sold and will be going to his new home on Monday as a bottle baby. Until then, Rebekah will be spoiling him rotten...

And by the way, we never did get the milking parlor clean. The project room is coming along nicely, and we got the chickens done. Other than that, we enjoyed our new blessings...

Goals for 2009

5 Family Goals

1. Stephanie's graduation. I am hoping that she has graduated by the end of 2009.
2. Fill out the girls' recipe memory books and have them finished by 2010.
3. Decorate the girls new bedrooms.
4. Spent some time each week with the boys, even though they're all grown up now.
5. Have date night twice a month with Bob.

5 Financial Goals

1. Make double house payments this year.
2. Pay off any debt besides the house.
3. Build a fatter savings account.
4. Stay on budget.
5. Reduce our energy usage (electricity is our highest utility expense).

5 Homesteading Goals

1. Raise a ton of food. That's right, 2000 pounds of food that we will produce, hunt, or preserve.
2. Make cheddar this year.
3. Raise 2 pigs.
4. Use both garden beds this year.
5. Start growing grains for feed.

5 Emergency Prep Goals

1. Raise our 3 month supply level to 6 months.
2. Increase our water storage capacity.
3. Put together a more complete first aid box.
4. Keep the propane tanks filled.
5. Keep the gas tank at least half full all the time.

5 Personal Goals

1. Lose 12 pounds in 2009. That is just a pound a month. I can do that!
2. Keep my desk clean.
3. Walk 1/2 mile every day.
4. Keep the milking parlor clean (I am a horrible slob)
5. Eat 5 fruit and veggie servings a day.

5 Project Goals

1. Build a smokehouse.
2. Build a buck barn.
3. Build a pig pen.
4. Re-do the floors in the house.
5. Remodel the bathroom.

There. If I get all of this done this year, it's gonna be a busy one! We'll see....I managed to meet all my 2008 goals, lets see if I can meet the ones for 2009!!