Happy New Year

Another year has come and gone and I am still wondering how it went by so fast. All the things I wanted to do in 2007 seemed not to get done. At least I won't have to make any new resolutions. I can just keep the ones from last year. This past year has brought deaths, births, marriages, divorces, graduations, first days of school, happiness and sadness to our family. Through all the ups and downs I was very blessed. I am kinda afraid of what 2008 will bring but I am also excited to start a new year and discover all the adventures waiting for me. I am hoping 2008 will see our family intact at the end. I think we have had enough deaths in our family that we can skip that in the new year. Whatever God has planned for me I hope I face it with a smile, strength and remember to count it as a blessing. May all your adventures in 2008 be ones faced with a smile and may you have many blessings!

I Have Been Tagged

Here's how it works:
Link to the person that tagged you (Perri)
Post the rules on your blog. (done)
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, (see below)
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. (I will try)
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. (if they don't ignore me :))
Random Facts about Peggy
1. I am still looking for gifts I purchased for Christmas gifts this year. I can't remember where I put them. The good thing is while searching for this years gifts I found a couple I had purchased for last year and gave them instead!
2. I could live without a phone, TV or being around people as long as I had my computer to check in with the world once a day.
3. When I was 16 I complained because I had to put 45 cents of gas in my car after my brother borrowed it so I would have enough gas to drive to school for a few days.
4. I buy calendars every year with the intentions of putting everyone's birthday, anniversary, etc on them and never get around to it or if I get one marked I forget to look at it.
5.My favorite gifts from my daughters and grandchildren are the handmade ones. I just love it when they think of something special to make just for me.
6. I love Mt. Dew but haven't had one in 4 months. I am now drinking diet caffine free pepsi and vanilla zero coke. I am losing weight but boy do I miss my mt. dew.
7. I just went out in the rain to put 4 young hens on a roost to stay dry. They were sleeping out in the rain and I just couldn't rest knowing they were getting wet. William says we are the only people crazy enough to get wet making sure chickens get dry.
Now - to comply with the rules set forth above, I hereby tag:
1. Hope
2. Mary
3. Jeannette
4. Sandy
5. Terri
6. Lib
7. Melody

Okay Perri, I did this just for you now can I have a piece of cheese cake?????

Rainy Saturday

With the high today being 75F I guess this is the only kind of snowman we are going to have around here. We do have rain though so of course there was no work being done on the fence or shelter for the new goats. Its suppose to rain all day tomorrow too. We did get Diva's boys tattooed. I was going to take pictures but I ended up having to hold them while William tattooed. Needless to say both the boys and William had green ink on them. The boys look funny with green spots on their ears and head. But now they are ready to be put up for sale. I agreed that we would list them for sale and if no one purchased them it was meant for me to keep them. Its really better if they do find a new home as Diva and Sammi will be kidding in a couple of months and two of the new goats we are getting are due to kid in March. I am sure some (I hope not all) will be bucks and we just can't have a lot of bucks here on our small farm. But we shall see what happens in the next couple of months.

We went thriftstoring today. First store we got 2 nice big wooden shelves, a plate, 8 baskets, picnic basket, pair of shoes, levi jeans, 5 solid wood flower bed fencing, 2 new board games, flashlight, and 2 picture frames for $17.08. We went to another thriftstore where the white, tan and blue tags were 50% off and red tags were 25% off. We got refrigerated cooler for William's truck, wooden growing chart with picture frames, 14 flower boxes, vintage glass mix and pour bowl, a big bag of army men, tanks, planes, trucks, etc, banana stand, key board for my computer, tent cover, and a basket for $21.52. William loves thriftstoring even more than I do.

Ms. Fran got to sit out on the porch today and enjoy the warm weather. William did some physical therapy on her legs while I changed her bed. She had lots of visitors today so hopefully she will be tired and rest good tonight. She is worried she won't ever walk again but I think she will. Right now the hard part is finding something she wants to eat. She says nothing tastes good.

I delivered a big soap order today and have another one to deliver Monday so tomorrow will find me in the soap shop. I also need to revamp my etsy shop for the new year with my new spring scents. I also have to pour candles as several people have stopped by and I am completely out.

Hope each of your are having a good weekend. Don't forget to count your blessings! My friend Patricia got what I ask Santa for ( a positive on her test). Please keep her in your prayers that she will have a healthy pregnancy and delivery. She has gone through a lot and I can't think of anyone that would make a better mom. That baby will be very blessed.

Its hard to believe we have had a severe drought all spring, summer and fall but now that we need to be outside building goat shelter and putting up fence it has decided to rain every day. Wish it would at least be cold enough to snow. We did give the goats their vaccine that was due. We moved the ducks to a different pen as they were pulling the feathers out of the hens. I have started taking down some of the Christmas decorations but don't seem to have enough time to get things done. Spending some time each morning and evening helping Fran and making sure I am near the phone if they need me to help with her any other time seems to make my day go way too fast. William has been a big help with getting her in and out of bed. When he goes back to work I don't know what we will do. Fran's daughter Vicki had a stroke several years ago and has no use of one arm and has to walk with a cane and leg brace. Her other daughter Wendy that lives with her is in a wheel chair so can't do alot to help her mom. Fran's granddaughter helps alot but she lives a hour away and has 2 children. Think we all (Fran included) are just tired and need a little more time getting adjusted to a schedule that will work. We hope to tattoo Dan and Robyn tomorrow. We have tried to get to it for several days. Belle and Nitro seem to be happy together and we think they "enjoyed" theirselves early this morning. Hopefully Belle will be going home pregnant. Its suppose to rain tomorrow and Sunday so it will be time to work in the soap shop and get some things down inside. Monday we hope to get back to fence and shelter. Things are busy on the homestead but we are blessed to have so much to keep us busy. Have a blessed weekend!

Ms. Fran

William and I went over this morning and helped Fran get out of bed and into her chair. While there We did some physical therapy on her legs and arms. William had her standing on her own weight with a little support from him. We worked with her for at least 30 minutes. Her granddaughter spent the day with her and she exercised Fran's hand. When we went back this evening to help her back to bed she was very tired. She was afraid we were there to do more physical therapy and wasn't too happy. Once I told her we weren't she was ready to put that smile back on her face for a picture. She is wanting me to keep a photo record of her so she can look back and see how far she has come. I think she will be walking with a walker in a few weeks. Last week she couldn't even feel her left leg and now she can bend her knee and put her foot on the floor with no help. All the prayers have really helped and meant a lot to her. Thanks everyone!

More Goats!

No, no babies yet. Diva isn't due till Feb 19th and Sammi is due the first of March. They are getting huge though
What we are getting is 6 more goats! Rosie is being kind and selling us 5 of her goats at a really great price and giving us another one. Sonya and DiDi are due to kid in March. There are 2 young does ( Rose and Blanche) that are just the right age for Frosty Dan and Brown Robyn. There is a nice buck named Leonard that will help Nitro keep the girls happy. And then there is Blinkin. She isn't purebred but a great milker and wonderful mom to her kids. William is planning our new fence and we have Wayne ready to build a small barn for our new family. Can't do anything but plan because of the rain. Hopefully it will pass and this afternoon will have everyone out getting all this in place. Very soon there will be lots of milk for soap, cheese, drinking, ice cream and yogurt. I can't wait to see if they will let me dress them for a Valentine photo!!!

Life Goes On

Even on Christmas day life goes on around the homestead. I sat up with Fran last night as she wasn't sleepy and as she said couldn't shut her mind down for the night. We sang Christmas carols, I decorated her Charlie Brown tree, she told me about Christmas when she was a child. We just enjoyed the night. This morning it was exchange gifts with our neighbors and cook Christmas dinner. We had our hired hand eat with us and gave him his gift. Fran's granddaughter came by and brought us a nice Christmas tray with homemade goodies on it. We took the dogs for a walk and then it was time to feed again. Its getting pretty bad when the animals think you have to wait on them and feed them personally out of their own dish! The day didn't slow down at all for Christmas and now its come and gone. Hope yours was a very blessed one!

Christmas Present For Nitro

I got a call last week asking if we would let Nitro breed their goat. Her name is Belle and she is a cute little 4 yr old doe. She will be vacationing here for 2 weeks while her family are in Florida and hopefully Nitro and her will hit it off and she will go home pregnant. Nitro is in heaven! He loves having a new female around to show off for and to court. Nitro and Belle are in the honeymoon pen and cottage (stall) while Diva, Sammi and the boys are in the pasture and sleeping in the stall there. The boys aren't happy that dad got the girl and they didn't but we have promised them girlfriends for the new year as we hope to purchase Rosie's does, dolings and buck. But for now Nitro is enjoying his Christmas present very much! Wasn't Belle sweet to wear a santa hat for a picture!

Christmas Around The Homestead

More Bunnies

We had a bunny running free around the homestead. She didn't like being in a pen and would come up to us at feeding time to eat then go under my soap shop to sleep. A few days ago our hired hand caught her and put her back in the pen. What we didn't know is the neighbors rabbit that comes down to visit each day was a male and there were baby bunnies under my soap shop. Baby Kitty found the first baby bunny and sat with it keeping it from going back under the shop until we saw and picked it up. We brought it inside and I gave it a bottle. A few minutes later and Baby Kitty was sitting with another. This happened 8 times. We now have eight beautiful baby bunnies. The babies were coming out because they were hungry. Momma bunny since being in the pen and not nursing no longer had any milk for them. They took a bottle for a couple of days but now don't want it and are busy eating rabbit food, apples, carrots, hay and drinking lots of water. These are the cutest we have had here at the homestead. The colors are so different.

Merry Christmas and God Bless You Everyone

Ms. Fran is home and getting better every day. She still has a ways to go but is doing her physical therapy everyday. She says no pain no gain and does everything ask of her. This photo is right after we gave her a bath and got her ready for bed. She wanted me to tell all of you thank you very much for the cards and prayers. She wishes you a very merry Christmas and hope God blesses each and everyone of you. My friend is doing really well. She is talking and eating good and can move her legs a little. Her left arm and hand are still swollen and hard to move but she can use her right hand normally. This morning she and I talked like we did before her stroke. This evening she helped turn herself for her bath and talked to me about things that I had told her years ago. We took a baby bunny over and she snuggled with it for a long time. I got a very special Christmas present this year. I got my friend back!

Dear Santa

God has again blessed me with so much that there isn't anything I really need for myself. So Santa I am again asking you for a few things for my dear friends and family. I know you are a very busy man and I am getting my letter to you a little late this year but could you and the elves see what you can do?

For my dear adopted Sis, Pea I am hoping you have a little bag of magic you can leave in her stocking to take away her fear of flying. I would really love for her to visit me and Diva. It would be such a wonderful gift to have her here at the homestead!

For my Farmer Blu's wife Down on the Farm would you leave some special chew toys for her dogs Dixie and Star? And maybe a nice book and special blend of tea for her to enjoy by the fire?

For my friend Annie it would be nice if you could give her and her husband Allen a nice dinner out and a break from the chores for one evening. They would love it I am sure.

And Santa for Sue over at Country Pleasures could you please give her the desire to write a book? She has such fantastic crafts and decorated home ideals that she needs to share that gift!

Santa could you make sure the electric stays on over at Crazy Cow Country Farms? If not she might just really go crazy if she has to go to her brother in laws to do laundry!

I just know that Farm House Style would love a white Christmas Santa. That would be a easy one for you, don't you think?

For my dear friend Ang over at Eclectic Farms could you put a couple cases of organic similac under her tree. That stuff is really expensive and she would be very appreciative.

Lib has been such a blessing as a blog neighbor and friend. Santa she is wanting to help her neighbors and friends more in the coming year. Could you put some extra specials things under the tree that she can use to help those in need around her part of the neighborhood?

Santa, Patty over at Morning Rambles has given me food for thought almost every day. She lives her simple life to the fullest and counts every blessing. Could you find a plane ticket in your bag of gifts for her daughter and son in law to use to visit her? It sure would put a smile on her face if you could.

Could you find a buyer for Julia's Oak Spring Farm? She is ready to start a new adventure and though we will miss reading about her farm life I know that would make her very happy.

While we are still on that subject Santa could you also help Amy find a buyer for her home? She is wanting to move to her new land so she and her family can live a more simply life and have enough room to grow more gardens and have more animals. I just know you have someone in mind you cute little man.

Rosanne is a fantastic writer Santa. I really think a contract with a publishing company for a series of books would be the perfect gift for her. You should read some of her stories, you can't stop until the end and then you are sad because you finished it!

All Philp has ask for this year is books. I think you should leave him a box of books under the tree but also make sure his water pipes and pump don't freeze this winter. Hate to think of him having to get out in the cold cold weather trying to haul water or fix his.

Santa, could you possibly help Woody over at Woody's Rocky Ridge? He had a fall and bruised his tailbone and is having a hard time sitting and doing chores. Hope there is something in your bag of tricks to help him out.

Copper's Wife is such a blessing to everyone. There is very little this sweet lady needs but if you could take away the virus on her laptop and keep all her computers virus free I know she would be truly thankful. Bet she would even bake up a batch of cookies just for you!

Rhonda at Down to Earth has an almost perfect life. She is living the simple life and is sharing what she learns with those of us wanting to learn more. She never asks for anything and is always giving her time and energy to help others. On Christmas morning Santa she, her family and others in the community will be serving and sharing breakfast with those in need and everyone that wants to stop by. So Santa what I am asking is if you could talk to the Big Guy upstairs and make sure that every single person at this breakfast goes away with a happy heart, full tummy and a special blessing to carry them through the New Year. I think that would be a awesome gift for a awesome lady.

Donna, got a really nice camera as a early Christmas gift. Could you possibly help her find all the buttons and gadgets easy to learn and operate? She would be ever so happy.

Dear Santa, Rosa has been doing some remodeling in her kitchen so things got kinda crazy around her house. Could you bring her some peace, quiet and relaxing time? Oh and a plumber if you have one handy!

Lady Laurie has been so patiently working on her home since the hurricane. Could you help things move a little faster for her so she can get back into her home and enjoy the New Year?

Santa could you make sure the weather is clear so Terri's sister can make it home for Christmas. Put some extra special love under their tree as it will her first Christmas without their dad.

For my dear friend Robyn, Frosty Dan and Brown Robyn have ask that you bring her something extra special under the tree. Could you also fill her heart and home with the best Christmas magic she has ever experienced?

For my friend Lisa could you add a few neat looking birdhouses and feeders under her tree? Maybe pass the word among the birds that she has the best bed and seed in the states. And maybe some craft supplies in her stocking would be nice.

For my very special friend Mary I ask you to bring her the love of someone special. This lady is one very special, caring, devoted person and I know there is someone out there waiting to sweep her off her feet.

And over at Patricia's could you make the test come back positive and deliver her special package in 9 months? That would be the best Christmas present ever! And I am sure you have a little something in your sack for Indi too.

Over at Jeanette's she keeps us laughing with her jokes. I think she would enjoy some shrubs and plants for her backyard and maybe a joke book or two since I know she will share them with us.

My sweet friend Jeanne would love to have a free unlimited call from her children overseas. Make this Christmas extra special for her and let her know Mom is watching over her.

I think the perfect gift for Meggie would be more time as she seems to not have enough and a beautiful garden and lawn weed free and safe from anything or anyone digging it up! And a up todate bottle of alcohol in her stocking wouldn't hurt.

I just love visiting Mary's blog! She has the best decorating talent. I would love it if you could give her a ticket to fly to England that could be used over and over whenever she wanted. Just make sure its round trip cause I want her back!

Give my friend Judy a Christmas Day filled with memories. She is so good about sharing with us I want her to have lots of memories to share over the next year.

I hope you find a way to slow time down for Nicole. She has so many things going on with all her talent we don't get to visit with her very often. I think she would love a break no matter how short.

How about we give Baba a nice book, a rainy day to read it, with a bowl of fresh raspberries and whip creme to enjoy.

For my bud Kristie could you drop off a big package of my soaps and lotions to her? I want to make sure she gets the first new ones I am listing after the holidays.

Kathleen would appreciate having her back pain go away. That would bring her joy as she could play and pick up her grandbaby freely.

For my very very dear friend Sandy, I would truly like it if you could find a very special minister for her church. I can't think of anything that would make her happier except more memory making time with her grands.

Santa, Rachel has been a good little elf and been feeding stray kitties. Could you leave some big bags of really good tasting catfood under her tree. She would make sure all the little critters got plenty to eat. And maybe a unlimited gas card as she drives to a farm to feed them.

I would love if you could give Terry and Carol a stressfree, funfilled wedding rehearsal for their son. And maybe throw in a plane ticket back to Hidden Haven for another visit. Make it for when the dogwoods are really blooming!

For my awesome friend Perri that always makes me laugh or gives me ideals to use on the grandkids could you pretty please stop at a truckstop on the way to her house and pick up that special wallet she is wanting? And you can even keep the reward!

I have a new blog neighbor and friend Hope that I hope you could find some Celtic cd's for and if you could also ask the Big Guy upstairs to answer her Christmas prayer that would be great.

Santa for my other blog neighbors and friends would you put a special package under their tree that when opened will fill their home with Christmas magic and the spirit of the season. They have been wonderful friends and neighbors to me and I want their Christmas to be extra special.

For my family Santa please spread some magic over their homes that will fill each one with the knowledge of all the many blessings that they share. As they celebrate Christmas may they remember to count those blessings one by one. And love, honor, forgive and respect each other as family is a very special gift not to be taken for granted.

That's about it Santa. I hope you have time to deliver my gifts to these very very special people. As for peace on earth and my other requests I am headed now to talk to the Big Guy upstairs myself.

Have a wonderful Christmas Santa and be sure and give the reindeer's the treats Diva, Sammi and the boys have left out for them. I am leaving you some cookies and goat milk next to the rocking chair so you can relax before heading back to the North Pole.

Merry Christmas Santa,

Award and Chocolate!

Lib surprised me with this awesome award. Thanks Lib! I just love all the wonderful friends I have made in the blog neighborhood and Lib's blog home is one I enjoy stopping by everyday.

Pea had a contest and I won! I won some of her homemade delicious chocolates!! William got a few before I was able to hide them but I am loving every single bite. Thanks Sis!

Stop back by later today as I will be posting my annual letter to Santa and you might just find yourself mentioned!

12 Christmas Things About Me Hoopla

I have been tagged by Hope to take part in this 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' and not the dreaded 'm'-word. I suppose that refers to the 'M'eme list.

3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done. None of this "if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged" stuff is allowed...then nobody ends up actually 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 blogosphere.

4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible.

And here are 12 things about me and Christmas.

1. I go way overboard on Christmas. Not the money part of it but the making memories part. My girls have great memories of our Christmas' and I want the grands to have even better ones. I try to do too much in too short of a time.

2. I love the smell of Christmas trees but have fake ones in my home.

3. I miss seeing the expression on young faces Christmas morning when they see what Santa left.

4. I love watching White Christmas every year even if no one else likes the movie.

5. I love finding that perfect gift and have a hard time keeping it a secret from the receiver.

6. I always get teary eyed each year when we read Happy Birthday Jesus. This year more so when the grands wrote one thing to Jesus they were thankful for and burnt their message so the smoke would carry their thank yous to heaven.

7. I enjoy having our family Christmas weekend early so that I can just relax and watch Christmas programs on Christmas Day. Its a day to count my blessings and just enjoy the reason of the season.

8. We didn't have a lot of money growing up but we always had a fun and magical Christmas. Santa always found a way to make our Christmas filled with surprises and laughter.

9. My favorite carol is O Holy Night. I sing it all year to myself. ( I can't carry a tune)

10. I love finding new things to use for gift wrap. This year I wrapped everyone gifts in newspaper and tied with ribbon I had in my craft stash.

11. I love finding things and filling the 20 stockings each year. Seeing the stockings hanging makes me feel very blessed to have such a wonderful family.

12. Hearing my daughter read the Christmas story each year and the look on the grands and adults faces as we sing Happy Birthday Jesus is the best part of every Christmas!

I hope Mary and Annie will join in this hoopla and pass it on.

Time To Say Goodbye

Ray and Sharon had to leave last night late to go home to take care of their animals. My batteries were dead so I didn't get a photo of them. Had fun with you guys! Sharon don't break Ray's leg lamp. Maggie got Ray the leg lamp from Christmas Story. That's Ray's favorite movie but don't think Sharon wanted the lamp. Wayne hope you had fun and look forward to your coming this summer.

Maggie and Brannon had to head back to Tennessee right after breakfast. They have goats, dogs, cats, rabbits and also take care of rescue wild animals and needed to get back so neighbor wouldn't have to do the evening feeding.

Goodbye Maggie. Brannon, Kristine and Raigun. I already miss you guys! When I ask Raigun what her favorite gift was she brought tears to my eyes. Her answer was all of us being together. What a special little girl!

Next to leave was Megan and kids. Brian and his mom had to leave early so she is borrowing my van and make the drive to Franklin, NC with the kids.

Goodbye Megan, Quintin and Gabby. Sure do miss you guys and can't wait to see you again real soon.

Melody and her family arrived Thursday to help me get ready for the weekend and then stayed to help clean up afterwards. Thanks so much! You guys rock!

Goodbye Melody, Joseph, Woody, Hope, Zack, Julie, and Justin. Every picture I have of you guys leaving you look like you are sad to leave. LOL Can't wait for your summer visits so try to come back real soon.

We had a wonderful weekend but a busy tiring one. Counting down till next year and PopPop is already working on next years treasure hunt. I enjoyed having all my family together and love you all.

Christmas Concert

Hope plays flute in the middle school band. She missed playing in her Christmas concert to come here so asked if she could play for us. Her mom played the flute in school and Hope reminded me of her mom while playing. She is very talented. She even tried to give grandma some pointers on playing handbells.

Red and Green Pancakes

Its tradition that we have red and green pancakes the last morning of our Christmas weekend. PopPop took over the cooking of them this year. I was busy passing out plates and pouring milk and juice. Our last morning together seems to be going much too fast and I can't stop the clock.

Rained Out Christmas Caroling

We have not had rain in forever. We have been going through the biggest drought in history. The weather all week has been in the 80's. We get ready for our hayride/caroling event and it starts to rain and is freezing cold. William and the guys rig a tarp over the trailer. Megan puts hay and blankets in and we all figure out where we will sit. Off we go in the drizzling rain singing our hearts out. We get to the first neighborhood and it starts pouring the rain. We make the round to all the houses, call it a night and head back home. We sing all the way back but our annual caroling hayride was a washout.

Present Time

The grands presents are under the tree in the diningroom. The paper is flying so fast its hard to see who got what or get many photos.While the kids are playing and enjoying their new stuff the adults move into the livingroom to open their gifts.
Of course since the girls all think they are my favorite daughter I had to get them ornaments that said: Oldest daughter (you are my favorite) Middle daughter (you are my favorite) Youngest daughter (you are my favorite) They really got a kick out of those. We had to come up with something for the guys to play a trick on them. Thus the matching shirts. They opened them and loved them until they saw the other guys had one too. It was such a hoot seeing their faces.I was bad and didn't get pictures of everyone opening their stockings. I was trying to get dinner on the table and enjoy opening my own stocking. Megan filled mine and Williams. It was a nice surprise. I loved all my gifts and will show photos later in the week.