Frugal Tip

I've been using Swagbucks to search the internet instead of a regular search engine for the simple fact that I earn points to redeem prizes as I search. If you'd like to check it out, click on the icon on the left sidebar. My favorite thing to earn is a $5 amazon.com gift card; they always come in handy!

Changes & Update

Well, as you can tell, things have changed around here. Names, design, focus. Over the last few months I've become quite convicted to live a more simple, less distracted, focused life. I'm certainly not anywhere near that goal but I am making changes to get there. That is what I want to blog about, those changes. They are not only physical, but mental & spiritual as well and I'm excited to share! But since I am striving for a simpler life, my blog will not be at the top of my list. I will blog when I feel I have something worthwhile to share or maybe a practical tip I've come across or an interesting story about the family; that might mean everyday or not so much. =)

Since I have you here though, I will give an update of what's been happening here at the Farm:

July- this was my last month of working part-time; Peter Pan celebrated his 7th birthday with a party & 5 of his buddies. Unfortunately it rained & I was trapped inside the house with all of them! Wow.

August- we traveled to Dauphin Island, AL for vacation & had a fun, relaxing time. We also found out that we are expecting baby # 3 (who will be affectionately known as Jif from now on) in early April. We are excited & so are the boys.

September- the first full month of being at home full-time. Love it! Also the first few weeks of 1st grade for Peter Pan.

October- am totally convinced this baby is another boy! I finally have managed to create an organization tool to help me stay on track with everything here. (Will share about that later!)

**Coming next: What the heck do those names mean anyway? =)

Please do not be afraid to leave a comment about what you think of the changes! I would love to hear from you.

Not Me! Monday

Not Me! Monday is created by super-cool MckMama over at her blog; go there to check it out!

Ok, so it hasn't been almost 4 months since I've written a blog post! I would never be so cruel as to subject my small band of blog readers to the pain of not being able to read about my oh-so-exciting life!

I did not look out the window to see our #1 son in the middle of our driveway relieving himself after he got off the bus. And #1 would never have done that when said bus was still in sight.

I really did not feel terrible that #1 had to go to school today, when he was crying that he was so tired because we are not bad parents that are too lazy too enforce an early bedtime! I mean, I really, really did not feel like a mean mama!

I finally did not write a Not Me! Monday post (or any post for that matter) because there is an awesome prize to be won! And there certainly won't be another post coming in the near future here so....don't wait for it!

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not spend 2 almost entire days weeding my flower beds. I would NEVER let them get so outrageously overgrown! And because I didn't weed all of my flower beds, I certainly did not spend hours spreading mulch on the newly bare ground. I also do not have a sunburn on my back while my front is as white as a ghost. You know, from all the weeding & mulching I didn't do. I am totally not still having a blast taking pictures with my new dSLR. And I'm sure I didn't annoy all my extended family while taking pictures of them this weekend. I absolutely, positively DID NOT scoop a dead groundhog onto the loader & bury it in the manure pile. I wasn't almost throwing up, crying & hyperventilating all at the same time. I would never be scared of getting that close to a dead creature!

Bits & Pieces

Here is #1 enjoying his ice cream after the last game of the season. Found a bike that #1 could easily learn to ride, unfortunately it was pink. That was definitely a faux pas (?) so down to Papa's shop it went to get a new paint job. #2 loves to eat butter straight out of the container. (((shudder)))

At my cousin's wedding.

My garden girl.

#2 found his Clifford who we thought was lost forever!

Have I introduced you to any of our cows? I haven't? Well, let me introduce you to Big Mama. Big Mama, my blog readers. (Boy, that makes me feel better, I've been feeling horrible about this for a while now.)

*Great Grandpa Robert-see you again Someday*

My new toy

The UPS truck dropped off a box last night, a box that contained my much anticipated new Canon XSi camera.

I. Am. So. Excited.

I popped this lens on it today:

and these are some images I've taken with it so far today.

I am having so much fun! In fact, I feel so much like MckMama with this camera & lens that I took pictures of our lunch today:

On Saturday I broke out the canner and made some strawberry jam.

That's all for now! =)

A blog post? What's that?

Whoa. It's been a while. Thanks for sticking around!

Without further ado... here is what I've been up to! It's easier to show you than tell you.

#1 is in his first year of t-ball. How cute is he?!

Gardens are in. (Yes, gardens plural and yes, there are 20 tomato plants!) These 2 pics are only a small portion of our gardens by the way.

I love flowers too & this year I went crazy. Their are pots everywhere!

Even though I've been working my butt off, (Well, not really. There is still plenty back there.) I still have LOTS to do around the yard. This is the year it all gets done!

Yes, those are weeds. Weeds, weeds everywhere!

This last weekend we went from this.......

......to this.

I've also been wrestling with some other stuff too....

*my glaring sinfulness/humanness

*lack of self-sontrol & self-motivation

*disappointment

*desire for treasures that rust & that moths destroy

I'm hoping things will slow down but I really don't see an end in sight just yet. Praying that God will get me through!