Mutterings From The Homestead

Skyler had the flu Christmas morning but still managed to have fun. Santa had left him trucks,toys,books,balls, but the one thing he would not put down was his Duck Commander duck caller. Megan said he even used it while his brothers were reading the Christmas Story. He finally fell asleep with it and everyone got a break.

I am trying something different. I am dividing up my tasks into time slots. I give myself an hour cleaning around the animal pens a day. An hour cleaning up one certain part of the yard. An hour decluttering one dresser, closet, cabinet, etc. and the rest of the day is for everyday chores. Hopefully this will help me get things done without being overwhelmed. There is so much to go through and get rid of. I just need to keep William from bringing more in.

Have been working over the food budget. Going through pantry and freezers to see what we have and making menus from that. Using up what I have so I don't have to spend more at the grocery store. Having some really good meals with little cost. Tonight was flounder, crab cakes, slaw, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and blueberry pie. The flounder and crab cakes were given to us this summer along with other fish that I put in freezer. The slaw was made from cabbage given to me by friend with farmers market along with the potatoes. The corn I froze from our summer garden and pie made from blueberries  I froze this summer.

I added my reading list to my side bar. I have a couple friends asking what I was reading so thought I would put my reading list up. Will try to do a small review as I finish a book in case you might want to read it. Hopefully I will remember to add and remove as it changes.

The buck we borrowed has done his deed with 3 of our 4 girls. Buttons, Lil Vicki, and Rosemary will be kidding early April. Mammy didn't come in this time but will try to catch her next time and get her bred. Snowflake went back home to his family and things have settled down in the goat pen.

That is what is going on around the homestead today. Hope you are having a blessed one!

A Very Blessed Christmas To You

Wishing your Christmas a overflowing with blessings! I am sorry I have not been blogging. Things just seem to take my time and when I do sit down to blog I am at a loss on what to post. I seem to have gotten away from the animal stories and the frugal, homesteading things going on around here. My New Year resolution is to get back to blogging the way I did when my first blog was created. Thank you for hanging in and hope you will follow along as I post  (more often I promise) in 2014.

Heading Back To The Homestead

Heading  back to the homestead tomorrow. I have been up at the mountain cabin for a couple weeks enjoying the daughters and grands. We have our family Christmas weekend this past week and it was so busy but fun! It was so great to have us all together for the entire weekend at Melody's. We played family games, watched Christmas movies, made ornaments, made cookies and candies that we delivered to shut ins as we Christmas caroled one night. We had a scavenger hunt that was so hard but so much fun it took most of a afternoon and didn't end until after dark. We had tons of food, snacks, our annual red and green pancake breakfast , Happy Birthday Jesus cake. We started with the youngest opening presents so that took a long time but was so much fun to watch as each one opened their gifts. Love our family Christmas weekends!

Melody and I did some Christmas crafts and now the cabin is all decorated. We also spent a entire day decorating the church for Christmas. The pastor said the church had never looked so beautiful. That made my day as I was worried they wouldn't like it. I got to babysit Skyler today. He had a rash and Megan didn't want him going to daycare. We had a fun day. Walked down to visit the neighbors goats and spent some time outside. We read books, played with toys, put puzzles together and just enjoyed being together. He is such a happy little one.

William has been overwhelmed with firewood orders. Trying to cut, split, deliver, and stack wood along with all the other homestead chores is a bit much. He is looking forward to my getting back to help. Bella is doing much better and actually walking on all 4 feet with just a slight limp. William says the wound is healing. I am sure I will have lots of laundry, dishes, and housework to catch up on as well as helping with the firewood. This has been a nice break but now its time to get back and try to get things done so we can get up here full time.

Granddaughter Kristine is switching to East Tennessee University this spring. Grandson Woody leaves for Ft. Benning January 21st for bootcamp. Am so glad he doesn't have to leave until after the holidays. Granddaughter Hope finishes up her senior year in a couple weeks. She will still walk across the stage with her class at the end of school year. She just doesn't have to go to anymore classes. She has a fulltime job at Drakes Software and seems to enjoy it. She wants to go to college in Wilmington, NC next year. All the other grands are busy in school and after school activities. It was great having the weekend to catch up with them and just have fun.

We had one day where it snowed enough to cover the ground but has mostly been warm while here. Next weekend is suppose to be icy so guess its a good thing I am heading back tomorrow.

Hope your Thanksgiving was the best and that your days are overflowing with blessings!