Wood Splitting

This is what we are splitting and stacking today and tomorrow.
We have three other trees to bring up to the house in addition to this.
So we'll be at it for a while. Tonight, we plan a bonfire and cookout.
I am following orders to take it easy (most of the time) and keeping an eye on Emily who has one mission: ride in the wagon on the way back to reload.
Brandon just came to me and said the hydraulics on the splitter just gave out so I need to see what is going on with that. :-(
Sounds like a call to Clint at work "Uh, honey, what do you want me to do?"

Joshua at Riding Lessons #2

Dee getting Joshua mounted and the stirrups adjusted.

Joshua looking tired at the end of the lesson.

Amanda on Tonto watching her brother's progress.

Dee talking to Joshua and Denny as Amanda and Tonto pass.

Joshua at Riding Lessons #1

Joshua wanted to try riding lessons. He went Monday. I couldn't go (HG issues) so Clint got some pictures for me.
He's grooming Denny, a 32+ year old horse who is verbally controlled by the instructor which makes him a very safe mount. He does not look or act like he's 32+years old. He's a gorgeous animal.
Amanda is in the bottom picture with Tonto.

Wife Swap Invitation #4

A few weeks ago, Wife Swap asked us to consider their show again. We turned them down..again. If you would like to be on the show, please contact us and we will give you the information.

There's More Than One Way to....

...Get That Berry!

Yesterday, Emily (15 months) was playing on the deck while I supervised the other children who were moving wood to the pile that needs to be split. She found a ripe strawberry in our planter but could not figure out how to pull it off. She'd pull, but the plant would not give. So, she bent over and chewed her prize berry off! :-)

Who Was That Masked Horse?

This horse had an eye infection the last time we went to lessons. The mask is to keep the flies out of his eyes and to keep him from wiping off the medicine. Funny looking creature, huh?

In the background, you can see a horse's butt up in the air where one is trying to reach under the fence to some green grass on the other side.

Emily and the Shelves Brandon Built

for the master bedroom closet. All I did was explain what I wanted and he made it happen in no time. He did a great job on them using odd pieces of scrap wood.

Emily does not like the feel of the heavier winter wardrobe and is always pulling her clothes off now.
She brings them to us with sweet baby talk which we are pretty sure means "I need my summer things back please."
On the chillier days, we are putting her in sleepers (zippers still elude her) or overalls.
I am wondering if she is skin sensitive to fabrics like I am.

Her shirt is dirty as this was taken before her bath :-(!

This was a huge pine that fell during Isabel. Amanda and her friend Matt called this their tree fort and spent many hours climbing on and crawling under it.

The children are further back than it appears on a solid part of the tree that is supported by big branches underneath. We would not let them be in any danger.

Caleb and Bethany wanted to check out the tree carnage!

At the end of our very long Saturday, I had six dirty children, one very tired husband, plenty of work to keep us busy for weeks (hauling, splitting and stacking the pieces), a sore little dog and happy memories of a day well spent with my gang.

Foolish Little Dog and the Big Tree

That's the scraggly old maple in the front yard. It had so much storm damage and rot, Clint felt it was better to take it down himself instead of waiting for it to fall on its own.

Right as this was about to fall, one of our chihuahuas (Buttercup aka Flea) sat under where the branches fell. We like Buttercup, but she has a stubborn and willful heart and rarely listens.

Brandon and I called her and she got that attitude where she thinks "Call all you want, I don't have to obey you." She sat down and just watched us with that haughty little look of hers. Brandon and I knew she could be killed, but we were not risking our lives by dashing under a tree that was about to fall. We were unable to get Clint's attention for him to stop sawing. There was nothing to do except say a quick prayer for her and keep back. The tree fell, smaller branches hit her in the back and knocked her flat on the ground. She was pinned and had to work to get out from under them. Other than the scare, she's fine. I imagine she is a little sore from it though.

It made a good lesson on obedience to our children.

God's commands are not there to limit and deny us, but to give us protection and freedom from the consequences of sin.

Big Old Tree

They wanted to play on the big tree one more time before Dad hacked it up.
This was a gorgeous, old tree. We do not know what kind it was, but we were sad to see it fall a couple of years ago in a storm.

Chain Sawing Lesson

Clint and Brandon worked on cutting up wood for our heat this weekend. They cut up two large trees that were down and cut down the big, scraggly, rot plagued maple in our front yard. Clint also entertained Caleb and Bethany by cutting down a skinny but tall pine tree so they could watch it fall.

What Is It Like To Be a Christian?

From one pumpkin to another!!!!!!!

A woman was asked by a coworker, 'What is it like to be a Christian?'

The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Thank you to Gloria for sharing this with our family!

Amanda receiving instructions from Dee on jumping.

Dee is showing her how to correct her position for the next jump.

Amanda and Cody about to jump.

Wall to Wall Children 2

Nala sleeps downstairs when the children do. When we took her to the parade a couple of weekends ago, we learned she can hear a little bit. She could hear the loud fire engines and rescue squads...or so it seemed. Her hearing problems have not slowed her down much.

Wall to Wall Children

On weekends, our oldest 5 children are allowed to "camp out" in the den if they have met certain requirements. (They must do well in school, chores, attitude and keep their bedrooms reasonably clean.)
We started this when Amanda and Brandon were 6-7 and they like it so much, it has grown into a tradition. I love going downstairs on a Saturday or Sunday morning and seeing all of them snoozing.

Miracle, Brandon's cat snuggled up in the bottom picture with Amanda, is not suppose to be in the house but she slipped by me when I opened the door about 2 minutes before I took the picture. She made herself cozy quick, didn't she? I am not sure where her cat Peace was, but she had probably slipped in too.

I am going to have the children name the next cats something like Blasphemy and Pride. It just does not sound right for a Christian to say "I do not want Peace in this house!!!" or "Keep that Miracle out of the house!!!"