Hummingbirder

Back to Lancaster

2011-08-13T07:15:00.008-04:00

My birthday wishes came true as we went to the Lancaster, PA. area for the day. Mikey and Julia came with us this time and Mikey was thrilled to see all the farm animals and ride on a horse drawn wagon.

The Amish older fellow offered Mikey a ride up in the front with his grandson. I asked to take a picture of the boys since the Amish are usually ok with taking photos of the children but not the adults. The little smile on the boy's face was priceless and Mikey had the time of his life driving "Jim" and "Jill". I visited my favorite health food store and ate Greek for dinner. It was a great day!

P.S. Since there are so many tourists in the summer, I prefer to visit this area on the off seasons if possible. (Note to myself)

Julia's Birthday

2011-05-14T07:29:00.007-04:00

Julia turned 11 on May 1st! She wanted to go to the Mall with her friends and have a sleep-over. Rebecca made the birthday cakes while we went to the Mall. That was great!

Happy Birthday, dear Julia!!

I love you sooooo much!!

More doelings and other animal pics

2011-03-26T21:05:00.009-04:00

We were happy that our goat Siena had 2 girls also! I missed the birth again but Mikey was the first to discover the new babies and that was very fun for him. I love seeing all 4 of the doelings playing together out in the sunshine. They have all been joyful additions to our barnyard. We also have a lop-eared Angora rabbit "Scuffy" and guinea fowl to keep the ticks down (they are great).

Happy Spring!!

Doelings!

2011-03-06T22:03:00.006-05:00

Our goat, Carmella, gave birth earlier than expected. We didn't expect her to kid until mid-March but her babies came on March 4th.

The girls came running in to tell me and by the time I got to the barn, 2 doelings had been born. Of course, they are as cute as can be and , although I was disappointed to have missed the birth, I am thrilled that the mama goat is being motherly and letting her babies nurse and the twins are healthy.

The kids (my children) are enjoying them and checking on them regularly and taking great care of the goats. Tonight it began to snow and Rebecca went out in the snow to bring the other mama goat in with the others so they'll all stay warm tonight.

I love having goats and I am so happy for 2 more girls!!

Snow pics

2011-02-20T22:16:00.005-05:00

We had one nice snow (so far!) this winter. Here's a few of my snow pics that I wanted to share.

Grandpa Turner

2011-02-19T15:07:00.004-05:00

We were so thankful that Grandpa Turner came to see us last month. We hadn't seen him in 10 years! He came out here to see his wonderful friend in Maryland who he met in Mongolia.

We all had a wonderful time.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T09:02:00.009-05:00

This year we cut down our Christmas tree at a local farm and I loved the beautiful setting and experience

We had a wonderful Christmas Day and we are still celebrating Christmas. I love going to Mass and singing Christmas carols weeks after Christmas Day.

I cooked the turkey and the girls helped me with the Christmas meal and it turned out well.

The younger girls helped Michael with making beeswax candles for some of our Christmas presents. They look and smell wonderful.

And...a Christmas present for me was a red cardinal on the porch on Christmas morning. :)

Our 22nd Wedding Anniversary

2010-12-12T18:55:00.009-05:00

We got our first snow on Dec. 10th (our anniversary) and thankfully, it didn't change our plans of going up to Pennsylvania to an Amish area. It was a nice day there and I met and interacted with many kind Amish people.

We did our usual shopping and invested in a big quantity of raw honey (yum!). I don't like to take photos up there since the Amish don't want pictures taken of them but I got a few of our surroundings. Michael also enjoyed a trip to an Amish hardware store where we bought a lantern in case of a power outage. I really enjoyed our time up there and love being close enough to go and visit the Amish.

Mikey's Birthday

2010-12-07T22:45:00.003-05:00

Mikey turned 5 on November the 27th. He's still talking about his party and how Logan (his friend from school) was there. I tried to make the party healthy by making fruit snacks and a gluten free cake, etc. It wasn't perfect but there was a lot less sugar than we have at our regular parties!
I've begun to implement the GAPS diet with him and other than the obvious withdrawals, he's doing well with it. I'm happy that he is progressing well and playing with the other kids.
Happy Birthday to my boy!! XXXOOO

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T21:38:00.005-05:00

I have so much to be thankful for this year. Here are some of the things that come to mind...

getting to hear Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride at the Weston Price Conference (she's my favorite doctor in the autism field), Mikey doing so well in school this year, Hannah getting a job, Jonathan, Marianna, Rebecca and Julia. I'm thankful for Michael and our (almost) 22 years together. I'm thankful for our new Amish made table that we ate at this Thanksgiving. It's made of beautiful red cherry wood, it's sturdy and can seat up to 20 people if it is fully extended. My biggest thanks are to God.

That's the beginning of my list of things in my life that I'm especially thankful for this year.

Gypsy Love

2010-10-21T02:48:00.009-04:00

I'm crazy about Gypsy Vanner horses and we were blessed to get to go to a farm (an hour away) and see these beautiful horses. It was a beautiful fall day on the farm and the horses came right up to us and loved all the attention. It was such a treat for me to spend some time with these horses...thank you , Michael, for taking us there!

10/10/10

2010-10-10T22:56:00.009-04:00

Hi and sorry I've been so behind with blogging...I don't have a working camera so it makes it more challenging to post pictures. :) I borrowed Marianna's camera since it was a beautiful day (in the 80's) and the fall is so pretty here.

I caught a few pics of Mikey playing outside today and the goaties. We have a buck visiting and hopefully we'll have kids in the spring. Notice how much the billy goat looks like my goat.. they are a cute couple.

Jonathan and Mikey

2010-08-15T07:48:00.007-04:00

Jonathan got a new car by clearing someone's land for them. He's happy with his new car but he's a little too tall for it. Just kidding...he wanted to take funny pics of him in it.

Mikey is in Jon's car too. I like the pic at the bottom of Mikey's smiling face.

Catching up

2010-07-24T11:40:00.016-04:00

Here are some random photos from this summer. Becca has a new camera so she has given us some nice, clear photos, yeah!

We visited North and South Carolina and Mrs. Conley saw her family and I got to see my sister, Sherri and meet my new niece, Amelia. Sherri recommended the Billy Graham library which was incredible and inspirational. We also went to a huge Scottish festival in North Carolina which was so much fun!

Celtic Festival

2010-06-24T06:30:00.016-04:00

Michael did an excellent job organizing the Celtic festival. I was happy to have all our kids there too.. Hannah and Marianna helped at the gate and Julia sold bottled water. Rebecca sold ice cream for her club fundraiser and Mikey was there for a couple of hours. It was hot so Jonathan's dunk tank was a big hit. Michael got into his Scottish ancestry and wore a kilt.
Becca and Julia danced in the morning, thankfully before it got really hot. There were around 3,000 people who came and we all had a great time!

Jonathan graduates!

2010-06-12T00:21:00.018-04:00

Preschool Ceremony

2010-06-05T12:02:00.005-04:00

I was so proud of Mikey singing at his preschool performance and proud of myself for not crying this time! :) They always have a slide show at the beginning of the program that brings tears to my eyes.

Random photos

2010-05-30T23:08:00.008-04:00

Bird photos and Goaties

2010-05-07T09:43:00.008-04:00

I am enjoying the goldfinches at my feeder and these are actually my photos this time.

The baby goats went to a new home where they will be pampered like pet poodles. I am now milking morning and night and mama goat is giving me a quart each time. I love the goat's milk, nice and cold (I put it in the freezer for an hour after milking).

Our guinea hens are growing fast and Mikey's favorite past-time right now is catching one and watching it run around.

The hummingbirds are back and the Celtic festival

2010-04-27T06:42:00.002-04:00

Every year, I anxiously await the arrival of the beloved hummers. I thought they were very late this year but when I looked back on last year's post, it was the same date as this year...April 26th. I seem to have it in my mind that they return mid April not the end...but anyway they're back and I'm happy.

The Celtic festival which was a big success last year is going to be on Main St. this year! The city council approved it and I'm really looking forward to the Celtic fun and bagpipes downtown on June 19th. Come by and see us if you can! http://www.frontroyalcelticfestival.com/

Spring Kids

2010-04-20T11:11:00.006-04:00

Our baby goaties were born on April 14th and I had the privilege of attending the birth. I was surprised that Siena had two because she barely looked pregnant (except for her big bag, I wouldn't have guessed).

My two younger girls and three of the the girls from the neighborhood girls were there to see the birth too. No privacy for this mama. :) She had two bucklings who are so cute. They are great fun to watch since they are already so playful and frisky. I named them Romeo and Milano (I like Italian names).

Mikey pics

2010-04-14T23:16:00.006-04:00

Here's some of Mikey with his hair cut. I love my adorable boy!

Lexington Celtic Festival

2010-04-13T21:15:00.003-04:00

We enjoyed a beautiful, spring day in Lexington at their Scottish and Irish Festival. I especially enjoyed the young military group that played the bagpipes. They were a dignified group of young men and women.

Haircut

2010-04-13T21:10:00.004-04:00

Here's my wonderful friend, Shoana, cutting Mikey's hair. She's the only one that he will allow to cut his hair. He wasn't too happy about it (he kept saying "Oh bother!) but she got it cut and she did a great job. Thank you, Shoana!! (Haircut pic to follow)

Easter Sunday

2010-04-13T20:57:00.011-04:00

We had a warm, beautiful Easter Sunday. It's one of my favorite holidays because I love celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord. I didn't take many photos that day so I'm lacking on pics of all the children...here's a few of what I did take that day.

April is Autism Awareness Month

2010-04-09T20:41:00.005-04:00

A- Always

U- Unique

T- Thoughtful

I- Intelligent

S- Sometimes

M- Mysterious

Patience is the key. It's needed with all children but (I think) especially with those on the autism spectrum.

Happy Easter

2010-04-05T09:01:00.004-04:00

A happy and blessed Easter season to all! I love this time of year and celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. Alleluia, He is Risen!!

Big eggs

2010-04-05T08:57:00.004-04:00

The chickens are once again laying beautiful, brown eggs. Since they are pastured on green grass, the yolks are a nice, bright orange now. We've been finding some double yolked eggs as well.

Norwex cleaning

2010-04-05T08:46:00.007-04:00

One thing I love about Norwex cleaning products is that they really work and the kids can help without breathing toxins (which are in most cleaning products). Mikey has been helping me with the windows (with just water in the spray bottle and the window cloth). The dust mitt is a great way to get the kids involved with dusting around the house.

Since I had years of dust build up, the dust mitt got really dirty but it washed right out. I'm even getting around to cleaning projects that I haven't dealt with in a loooooong time. Love it!

Lovely Swallows

2010-03-25T00:12:00.003-04:00

The tree swallows have returned to the neighborhood. They are so beautiful and I love their cheerful sounds. Maybe some will nest in one of my boxes this year.

Today the weather was perfect so I stayed outside and cleaned windows, took the goat for a walk, checked on the chickens and played with Mikey.

Before and After Windows

2010-03-21T08:53:00.011-04:00

I am loving cleaning my windows now with just water and my Norwex cloths.

Here's a before and after of a window I did that is in the basement (that's why there's the cement wall there). It took me maybe 5 -10 minutes and the window was in the direct sun and I had no streaks.

Spring Cleaning

2010-03-17T00:00:00.007-04:00

I've been on a roll with cleaning lately because... I have found some great cleaning tools!

I was invited to a cleaning party at my friend's house and because she mentioned natural cleaning, I was interested. Since my first child was little (she's now 20) I have found myself gravitating toward good food, healthy cleaning , etc.

The products are made by a company called Norwex and I'm now a consultant with them!

I had my own party and earned $200 in free products. I love them all , especially the window cloths. We have a big room with 20 windows so this cloth really is useful. All you need is water and this cloth. My windows look better than they ever have with no streaks! and...it only took me 10 minutes or so to do them all. I've been cleaning everything and anything lately (which is a big change!). I usually only get real serious about cleaning when I am 9 months pregnant!

Their microfiber cloths are anti-bacterial, cleaning better than bleach but you only use water and the cloth. I am looking forward to getting their mop and I love the laundry detergent, dryer balls, micro-cloths, the dust mitt, the scrubbers and all.

Michael and I are approaching this new business as a team and we're enjoying this new adventure together. He's been impressed with how the products work and that I'm now cleaning !

The day I cleaned the garage siding that was green with algae, he was convinced. All I used was water and a half of a micro-sponge. He had tried lacquer-thinner on it and was having a hard time getting it off. I even cleaned the car which was filthy from the snow, dirt and salt on the road with only water and the cloths. I wish I could show you how detailed my car looks now.

This company had it's start in Norway and is making it's way into the states. In Canada, these are the biggest home parties that are going. It's the new wave in cleaning and I love it. Can you tell? Anything to get me motivated to clean the house is a real plus!

Here's a website http://www.norwex.com/norwex.php?lng=7&cnt=223 and ours in the making.

The Big Snowstorm

2010-02-11T14:07:00.010-05:00

The kids have been anxious for lots of snow since we moved here and this year we got it!

We have around 30 inches or so and more of it is on the way.

We all got out and played in it although it was hard to move around because it is so deep. We lost power for 3 days and are now more grateful than ever for electricity!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-17T09:00:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year!

I'm thankful for a new start and a fresh new year.

We still have snow on the ground from the big snow storm but I think it will be melting soon because of the "warm" weather (it's going to be in the high 40's this week)

This year, the March for Life looks like it will be much warmer day. Many thanks to all the people who take the time to witness to the fact that each life is precious and irreplaceable.

Update on Mikey: He's talking more ( his teachers have noticed this), he has a great new helper (Theresa) and he's saying "please", "thank you" and "you're welcome" without being prompted.

Pics are from Rebecca's 12th birthday party. Happy Birthday to our wonderful girl!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T00:05:00.009-05:00

This Christmas seemed to come so fast but I did get some time for Advent reflections. I have so many opportunities where I live to hear great sermons and attend beautiful Masses. I feel so blessed.

Here are a few more recent snow pics. We still have a lot of snow on the ground for a white but icy Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all!

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

More snow pics

2009-12-08T21:29:00.004-05:00

Snow Day

2009-12-05T20:50:00.006-05:00

We had our first big snow today. We probably had 7 inches of snow!

Mikey really wanted to get outside and throw some snowballs. He threw one at me and said "Bull's eye!" He's been waiting to do this for awhile now!

The girls got out there too and went on the new tire swing while throwing snow at each other (pics to follow). I enjoyed the snow too although I don't have the proper snow gear yet (boots, gloves and warm coats to follow).

Mikey's 4th birthday

2009-11-28T15:33:00.007-05:00

Mikey turned 4 on the day after Thanksgiving. He had a wonderful day and in the evening, some of his friends came over for his birthday party. We had a farm theme and he's really enjoying his new barn and the animals.

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Psalm 127:3

A Sentence...

2009-10-29T08:30:00.004-04:00

Mikey spoke a sentence the other day (without prompting)
He said "Sheep...eat...grass."
This may not seem like a big deal to most but around here...
I am so proud of him and so glad he's moving beyond putting 2 words together. He's also become very good at computer games (Dad taught him how to use the mouse), memory games and he's singing a lot of songs.

Skyline Drive

2009-10-22T06:50:00.005-04:00

Julia, Mikey and I took a drive up Skyline Drive on a beautiful, clear day. Mikey was thrilled to be back up on the mountain climbing rocks and he loves the museum there too. Unfortunately, we got there only a few minutes before closing and Mikey didn't understand that one. Here are a few pics from our outing.

Youngest and Oldest

2009-09-27T19:50:00.005-04:00

I love these photos of Hannah and Mikey. I love how Mikey is looking at the camera instead of away. His eye contact is better and he's improving a lot lately.

Coconut Oil

2009-09-02T09:17:00.016-04:00

My blog would not be complete if I didn't get on my soapbox about coconut oil!

Coconut oil has really helped my low thyroid problem and improved my energy level. I try to get around 2 T. a day of the oil and other natural coconut products. I originally found out about the benefits by reading an article in Above Rubies and through the Weston Price Foundation.

I think the coconut is one of God's greatest gifts to us (in the way of food). It's funny because I never liked coconut when I growing up because it was the fake kind! Once I tried the real thing, I loved it! My latest love in coconuts is the young coconut. They are super good for you. They different from the "old" ones. The young ones have more juice and the "meat" is soft. My younger kids fight over the "meat"!

Coconut oil is also great for losing weight because it speeds up your metabolism. The people in the world who still eat a lot of coconut and their traditional diet are some of the healthiest people on the planet! No cancer, heart problems etc.

My favorite way to eat coconut lately is with a little lemon or lime with salt. "Put the lime in the coconut ..."

Here's a recipe from Nourishing Traditions which I have used many times for an easy pie crust so I can get a good amount of coconut:

Coconut Pie Crust

1/2 C. melted coconut oil

2 Cups dried unsweetened coconut meat, finely shredded (I buy the bagged organic kind)

Mix coconut with the oil in a small bowl. Transfer to a buttered, floured 9 inch pie pan and press firmly and evenly against the bottom and sides. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

I fill it with homemade chocolate pudding. Yum!

Lately...

2009-08-27T22:08:00.025-04:00

I'm currently without a working camera

so here's some old baby Mikey pics

Lately, I'm loving:

cooler days

lots of helpers with Mikey

going to my new workout place

lots of hummingbirds at the feeder

great times with the family

fresh eggs from the chickens

good friends

fresh goat's milk

chocolate (dark)

walking to 7:30 am Mass

time with the Lord

What I'm not loving lately:

bad bug bites all swollen, red and infected

when kids are quarreling

vet bills

other bills

Hey, the good outweighs the bad! :)

Birthday Getaway

2009-08-09T11:57:00.013-04:00

Michael and I took a trip up to Bird in Hand, PA. to visit a Amish area for my birthday. We had a wonderful visit there and it was such a beautiful time of the year to visit! I love being around the Amish and they are so friendly and helpful. We bought honey, cheese and produce etc. I enjoyed going into Amish homes, looking at their quilts and seeing their gardens. They're amazing!

We found a great store run by the Amish called BB's. It's a discount store with "bents, bumps and a bunch of bargains". I could not believe the incredible prices. I would love to go there again!

Happy Birthday!!!

2009-08-01T20:34:00.011-04:00

Happy Birthday, Michael!

I hope you had a wonderful day!!

Love always from me and the kids

P.S. Some of these pictures really remind me of Mikey :)

New words

2009-07-19T21:32:00.009-04:00

I am real happy with how Mikey is progressing! He's been very interactive and seems to be picking up speed with his language. He's starting to put some verbs with all the nouns he knows. I'm so happy to hear "fox running", "lion swimming" and "Mikey's turn", etc.

He's repeating a lot of words that we say and recently went from "hippo" to "hippopotamus". He seems real proud of himself to say this big word. He continues to be fascinated with animals (especially wild animals from Africa).

I realized recently that he can sight read several words. I was writing some down and he started reading them off to me. He also goes around spelling words: fox...f o x .

I'll save the negative stuff he's been doing for another time :)

More Purple Martins

2009-07-18T15:34:00.004-04:00

I visited my neighbor's purple martins today. What a thrill to see so many martins flying in the air! Now to get them over my way...

July Pics

2009-07-06T15:41:00.007-04:00

My sister, Caryl, from Washington state came to visit me this past week! We had a great time (often talking until the early morning) and we enjoyed the 4th of July together. She's such a great sister and a help. She is like having my own personal Supernanny. She's helped me to see things with Mikey that I would not have seen otherwise. Thank you, Caryl, I love you!

I'm including some goat pictures. "Sweet-tart" is giving plenty of milk and I milk her twice daily. I took the pics when she was ready to be milked. She was telling me to stop taking pictures and get over here!

Marianna's birthday

2009-06-19T23:37:00.007-04:00

Marianna turned 14 this month! Here are a few pics from Marianna's birthday party and a few other random photos.

A visit

2009-06-15T16:11:00.006-04:00

We were so thankful that my aunt Sharron and Uncle Don and cousin Emily came to visit us from Sacramento, CA.

We hadn't seen them in 3 years!

They got to experience our hot and humid summer weather. Since then the weather has been California perfect (well, almost!).

The winner is...

2009-06-13T23:33:00.003-04:00

Miss Jenny Leding!

I have something special for you too, Jenny, that I will mail to you along with the dresses.

Congratulations!!

My Giveaway

2009-06-02T20:10:00.016-04:00

I'm giving away 2 gently used Laura Ashley summer dresses size 2T. I just can't resist buying Laura Ashley dresses that I find at the thrift stores even if I don't have girls that size!

One is a yellow and pink jumper with smocking and it ties in the back and the other is a drop waist jumper with a full skirt.

I'm sure they will look adorable on some sweet girl!

Seventh Generation Giveaway

2009-05-26T20:39:00.007-04:00

I'm trying to win a giveaway! Sooooooo. here's the link, etc.

http://spotsonmyapples.blogspot.com/2009/05/seventh-generation-free-clear-kit.html

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/

I'm a big fan of natural cleaning products and although I do make my own, who wouldn't love to win this nice collection?!

Brothers

2009-05-23T22:41:00.006-04:00

Mikey loves hanging out with "Jon" and playing basketball. Mikey says "basketball" now.

Mikey is standing on a big log here to try and get closer to the hoop.

Flicka

2009-05-13T14:20:00.012-04:00

Hannah's horse, Flicka, peacefully passed away this morning. Hannah and I were at her side as she slipped away. It was a sad and tender moment and Hannah handled it very well.

I'm thankful for the many happy times with Flicka and all the great times she and Hannah had together. Hannah showed amazing love and commitment to her horse, Flicka.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T07:52:00.009-04:00

Happy Mother's Day, Mom, and to all mothers!!!

My mother is in the gold outfit with us three girls (I'm in the middle). We're here with our aunt Robin and little cousin Milty.
My aunt Sharron has been like a mother to me and I love the picture of her pushing me on the swing.
I'm inspired by the birds who show such dedication and commitment to their young.

I am privileged to be a mother and thank God for this incredible gift.

Lovingly dedicated to the Blessed Mother, the greatest mother of all!

Purple Martins

2009-05-08T22:29:00.013-04:00

This morning I saw 4 purple martins! This made my day! :)

I've been trying to attract them to my purple martin house for a couple of years now and it's a big challenge since the house sparrows and starlings try to take it over every year. I kick them out, of course!

A couple of years ago, I got up real early (before the sun was up) and put on a tape which was supposed to attract them to the bird house. Can you believe that? I could barely believe it myself :0

Well, it's time to get the purple martin house out of the attic and try again. My neighbor said it took her four years but now she has lots of purple martins!

The Amish are know for their love of purple martins and almost every Amish farm we visited in PA. had great purple martin houses. I wonder how they deal with the house sparrows and starlings...

Giveaway!

2009-05-03T08:29:00.002-04:00

Our dear friend, Jenny, is offering a giveaway on her beautiful blog. http://www.blessedfemina.blogspot.com/

We've known her for I long time and here's a photo of her and my daughter Hannah enjoying the precious babies. Jenny is holding Julia :) I hope you don't mind me posting the old photo, Jenny!

Happy Birthday, Julia

2009-05-01T07:14:00.007-04:00

Julia is turning 9 today! Happy Birthday to you!!

Here are Becca and Julia doing a dance they made up for a talent show. This talent show was last weekend and it raised money for pro-life work.

Alleluia, they're back!

2009-04-26T15:08:00.002-04:00

The hummingbirds have returned!!

AND...

The Celtic Festival was a success!!

1,000 people turned out for the fun event.

Susan Boyle

2009-04-19T20:54:00.004-04:00

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0901753.htm

Most of you have probably heard of Susan Boyle. I just learned about her tonight and was touched by her innocence and simplicity even more than her voice. She does have a beautiful voice but I think her sweetness is what really moved the audience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

"Jesus" and Easter Pics

2009-04-14T09:16:00.013-04:00

Mikey has been recognizing the various pictures we have of Jesus in the house. Yesterday he saw a holy card and said to me "Jesus". I'm so glad he knows the Holy Name of Jesus!

We had a beautiful Easter Day and Vigil. Mrs. Conley entered the Catholic church with much joy. We had an Easter egg hunt at the park next to the church and Mikey participated for the first time. After he warmed up to the idea, he had a great time searching for eggs.

Happy Easter season to all!!

Front Royal Celtic Festival

2009-04-11T15:05:00.004-04:00

Michael is organizing a Celtic Festival which will take place on April 25th.
He has lined up Irish and Scottish dancers and singers as well.
There will be a fiddling, highland games and lots of good food.
It is shaping up to be a great event and Michael has put a lot of work and thought into this event.
It will be held at the Rivendell Commons on progress Drive in Front Royal.
For more info. check out:
http://www.frontroyalcelticfestival.com/

Dr. Laura

2009-04-09T10:35:00.007-04:00

http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=4275446&referralPlaylistId=949437d0db05ed5f5b9954dc049d70b0c12f2749 (Dr. Laura on Fox news)

She's written a book called In Praise of Stay at Home Moms. I haven't read it but I appreciate her bringing awareness of all the moms out there who are making a difference in the world by being at home with their children.

Autism Awareness Day

2009-04-02T20:58:00.006-04:00

Today is Autism Awareness Day and I am posting this article about a family with 6 children...all autistic. They didn't know for sure that they were all on the autism spectrum until the youngest was born.

I admire their faith and perseverance.

Living with Autism
by Karina Timmel
When Robin and John Kirton, of Salt Lake City, married 12 years ago, they agreed that they wanted a big family. They got it: Their six children now range in age from 4 to 15. What they didn’t plan was that all of their kids would have autism, a brain disorder that affects social and communication skills.
“When we first found out, we went through a grieving period and still have times when we feel overwhelmed,” John says. But despite the challenges of raising their unique family, the couple maintains a positive outlook. Here, they offer advice to anyone facing tough times.
There’s a reason for everything.“We believe that kids are sent to certain families for a reason, and God thought we were up to the task. We’ve gone from being depressed to realizing that there is a higher purpose,” John says.
Let go of what’s not important. “I used to like having things a certain way around the house, but when you have autistic children, you learn to let that go. Now I can enjoy eating dinner with my wife with a pile of clothes on one side and cereal on the floor, and just zone it out,” John explains.
Find joy in the small things. “I watch Ammon (age 5), for example. He loves playing with blocks and shapes. He can play for an hour and be completely entertained,” he says.
The Kirtons help parents of autistic kids make sense of their situation by blogging on their website, Autismbites.com, and responding to e-mails about the condition.
Keep your sense of humor. “Sometimes, if we didn’t laugh, we’d cry,” John says.

Autism is on the rise and I hope to do my part to help children on the autism spectrum.

God bless all dealing with autism.

Mikey is making improvements in this area. Today I wrote down words and he read them to me! He now knows his name and knows how to spell it :)

Springtime Scenes

2009-03-31T09:36:00.016-04:00

I've been enjoying the cheerful colors of springtime. The goldfinches are a brighter yellow now and we've had quite a few here. I just need to keep the thistle seed coming for them!

The beautiful bluebirds getting ready to nest and the blooming trees are spectacular.

P.S. The bird photos I found on Google images.

Tree Swallows

2009-03-27T11:19:00.013-04:00

I'm always thrilled when the swallows return! Well, today the tree swallows returned and were checking out one of the nesting boxes! (Unfortunately, it's a bluebird house and the bluebirds want it too).

I find the tree swallows so beautiful! Their color is an iridescent midnight blue with white on the chest. They nest in holes in trees and in bird houses.

Yes, the sparrow has found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Psalm 84:3

Nursing Home Performance

2009-03-25T17:05:00.006-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APY0oFb1qP0

Rebecca and Julia had some more Irish Dance performances. This time we went to 2 nursing homes and brought some joy to the people there. The residents loved seeing the children, the dances and listening to the music.

We curled Julia's hair and Becca just had her natural curls. We all had a great time!

Many thanks to their teacher, Jessica!

Spring

2009-03-20T16:34:00.008-04:00

Happy 1st day of Spring to all! The sun was out here but the temp. is only 50.

I'm enjoying the sunshine and the crocuses in my garden.

Jonathan took some pics of Mikey on the trampoline. This one he did on photo shop.

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-18T21:34:00.008-04:00

We had a fun St.Patrick's celebration at the college. The girls did an Irish dance performance. They were amazing! I hope to figure out how to upload a video of the dancing!

The girls enjoyed having all those bouncy curls :) Can you tell?

The girls will be dancing at 2 nursing homes next week.

Thankful

2009-03-14T14:19:00.006-04:00

On Thursday night I received a call telling me that my daughter had been in a car accident. We started praying right away and little did I know how serious it was. All four of my daughters were in our family car which went off the road and hit two trees.
Mrs. Conley and I prayed all night. Two of the passengers in the car went to hospital (one was airlifted) and all my girls were okay. When you see the totalled car, you see what a miracle it was that everyone survived the crash. Thank you, Lord, for life. May I be ever more appreciative of the precious children you have given us.

New Friend

2009-03-09T20:39:00.007-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3sARQWxkqs

We have a new tenant at our house. Her name is Mrs. Conley. She is 79 and is slowing down and her memory is failing but we appreciate her so much. She often helps me with the dishes which is a big help for me! She says that this is one busy cafeteria :)

She adds a special touch to our family that only someone of her age can offer. She is a woman of Christian faith and we share the love of Jesus and the love of old hymns. We both love the hymn Sweet Hour of Prayer and I Need Thee Every Hour, etc.

She is a retired high school English teacher and loves to hear the younger children read aloud to her. I love her attitude toward children. She very tolerant of them and she believes in encouraging them.

I feel blessed to have her here and it feels like we have (almost) all the stages of life under our roof!

Fun Facts

2009-02-28T11:09:00.009-05:00

Hummingbirds are one of my favorite birds (obviously!) . Here are some fun facts I found on the internet. .

Hummingbirds occur only in the Americas.

The smallest hummingbird, the Bee Hummingbird, weighs a little under two grams. The largest, the Giant Hummingbird, weighs 21 to 23 grams.

Hummingbirds eat plant nectar, plant pollen, and insects – but their diet is 90 percent nectar.

Like bees, hummingbirds carry pollen from one plant to another while they are feeding, thus playing an important role in plant pollination. Each bird visits between one and two thousand blossoms each day.

Hummingbirds can see ultraviolet light, which may enable them to identify certain varieties of plant.

Though we generally see them in flight, hummingbirds perch for most of their lives.

On average, hummingbird wings beat about 80 times each second, but in some species 200 beats a second has been documented.

A hummingbird breathes 300 to 500 times each minute while active.

The hummingbird heart is about 20 percent of the bird’s body volume. It beats about 500 times a minute. Heartbeats vary between different species and during different activities, and range from 30 to 1200 beats a minute.

Hummingbirds sometimes enter a state of torpor, usually during the night when they are not feeding. In torpor, metabolism slows down saving up to 60 percent of the bird’s available energy.
After feeding and doubling its weight,, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird flies nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico during migration. The flight takes about 20 hours.

Here's something I would like to do someday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2Gd1hU41_w&feature=related

Lent is Coming

2009-02-23T21:22:00.006-05:00

I am actually looking forward to Lent this year and I hope to grow in my relationship with the Lord by more Bible reading, more reception of the Sacraments, and more daily prayer. It's a great season of self denial, growth and expectation of the Resurrection.

I'm thinking about a real fat Tuesday since I want to give up meat, dairy, and sweets for Lent. Some friends of mine who go to the Byzantine rite Mass do this and I want to join them this year. I think this could be beneficial to my health right now too.

Beautiful day for a walk

2009-02-17T16:38:00.007-05:00

I am trying to get back into the habit of taking a daily walk. I live in great neighborhood for walking! The cold weather has been my excuse for awhile now but today I got out there and just did it! (Yeah, for me!)
Mikey was asking me for the stroller meaning that he wanted to go for a walk. We walked around the college campus and went in the chapel and to the library. It was a little nippy but the sun was out and it was a great day for walking.

P.S. I was noticing the bird calls and I'm happy to say that I can identify 3 or 4 by their call. I want to get much better at this over time.
Here's a few that I can recognize :The chickadee (well, I guess that's an easy one!...chicka dee dee dee dee dee), the red cardinal and the tufted titmouse.

P.S.S. Photos not mine. The photos are of the library at the college and a chickadee.

P.S.S.S. Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!

Last night's dinner , this morning's breakfast

2009-02-14T09:38:00.009-05:00

My favorite thing to make for dinner is stir fry veggies and rice. Last night I used onions, garlic, ginger, celery, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes and cilantro. I usually add bell peppers too. It's different every time depending on what I have on hand. Amazingly, everyone likes it!

I fry it all up fast and serve with rice and soy sauce. This dinner is fun for me because it's creative and a light meal. I add meat too on other days.

For breakfast this morning, I used my new juicer (I wore out my old one ) that I got for $4 at a thrift store. I juiced apples (organic), carrots, parsley and beets. Yum! It tastes great and is a great start for my day. I'm happy to say that 4 out of 6 of our children like fresh carrot juice :) too. Mikey usually starts his day with fresh juice.

I give the left overs from juicing to the chickens, goats and the rabbit.

(Photos are not mine)

Prepared

2009-02-12T01:34:00.006-05:00

I was touched by this front page newspaper article I read the other day. The story is about how a Kentucky Amish family helped many neighbors during the recent ice storm.
The Amish are way ahead of the game in being prepared for disasters.
God bless their kindness.
MAYFIELD, Ky.—When the wind died down and the ice storm had passed, Joe Stutzman gathered his spare lanterns and stepped out of his Amish farmhouse to lend them to his modern-living neighbors.
"I feel sorry for my neighbors who were used to electricity and all of a sudden didn't have it," Stutzman said. "I know that must be hard for them."
Hundreds of thousands of people in Kentucky have been without electricity for their lights, furnaces, ovens and refrigerators since the killer storm hit more than a week ago, and some spots might not get power back for weeks.
But Kentucky's Amish have been living that way all their lives. And when the disaster struck, they generously lent a hand to their non-Amish neighbors and showed them how it's done.
"Those folks are very good at sustaining themselves," said Master Sgt. Paul Mouilleseaux, a National Guard spokesman.
The Stutzman family and the roughly 8,500 other Amish in the state were essentially unaffected by the storm that knocked out power to more than 1.3 million customers last week, about half of them in Kentucky.
Stutzman, his wife and their seven children were secure in their toasty, two-story home amid corn and soybean fields and swampy stands of cypress in western Kentucky.
"We paid it no attention," Stutzman said Tuesday, relaxing in a handmade rocker as a wood stove across the room radiated heat on a windy morning with temperatures in the low 20s.
He grabbed a log, taken from a big pile out back, threw it on the fire and lit a kerosene lamp. The cellar was stocked with canned goods, the milk cow safe in the barn. Stutzman's wife and two of their daughters used the wood-fired oven in the kitchen to do their baking.
Stutzman, a sturdy 40-year-old with a traditional Amish beard and a black-brimmed hat, said he would not have even known the storm was coming if one of his neighbors had not told him about the forecast. He is a member of the Old Order Amish, a sect that shuns modern conveniences such as radios and televisions.
James and Beverly Hutchins, a non-Amish couple who sheltered nine relatives in their home, said they don't know what they would have done without the Amish family across the road from them, not far from the Stutzmans.
The neighbors brought over hot coffee every morning during the week the power was out, ("Best coffee I ever drank," James Hutchins said), provided well water, cooked a meal for them, lent them a kerosene lantern and fixed the one lantern the Hutchinses had.
"Best neighbors we've ever had, and we've been around a few places," 76-year-old James Hutchins said.
Beverly Hutchins said she told the Amish family that she would turn her porch light on when the power came back on as a signal so they would know they didn't need to bring over coffee. That finally happened Tuesday night.
Mayfield Mayor Arthur Byrn said many in his town of about 10,000 will live without modern conveniences for some time. Nearly half the town and most of the outlying areas remained without power, though utility crews were working around the clock to repair transmission lines.
In the meantime, many residents will depend on the kindness of the neighbors whose way of life they probably appreciate a little more now.
The Hutchinses said their week without electricity gave them a glimpse into how their neighbors live.
"I said I didn't know how they could do it," Beverly Hutchins said.

Messy Mode

2009-02-09T15:11:00.003-05:00

Mikey is into making big messes lately! He'll dump the whole box of cereal on the floor, etc. The sweet thing is that he says "Messy!" and goes and gets the broom and tries to sweep it up :)

Dreaming...

2009-02-05T21:43:00.006-05:00

If I could visit anywhere, I would choose Scotland!

I have this interest in my Scottish heritage and a love for things Scottish. Michael and I discovered (through geneology work) that we both have Scottish roots.

We both love Scottish music, etc. Michael recently found some good renditions of the Athem of Scotland on Youtube. Here's one I found : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfq7z9mkXZs&feature=related

Michael is organizing a Celtic festival which will take place in the spring.

Where would you like to visit?

Preschool

2009-02-04T15:00:00.006-05:00

Mikey is really enjoying preschool! He sits in his chair as soon as we get there and he says "Bye Bye" to me. That's good for him because he normally hates it when I go anywhere. The teacher says he's doing wonderful.
I finally got a couple of pictures of him at preschool when I went to pick him up today.

"Velvet"

2009-02-04T14:48:00.006-05:00

Our little goat "Velvet" has become somewhat of a house pet since her brothers went to a new home. She gets pretty lonely and cries the most pitiful cry when no one is around. The kids enjoy jumping around with her in the great room and carrying her like a baby.

Winter Wonderland

2009-02-04T14:40:00.005-05:00

We woke up to soft, powdery snow yesterday morning. Everything looked so beautiful covered in snow!

My bluebird house is opened up because other birds were building in there and this one is reserved for bluebirds only! By the way, I keep seeing several bluebirds coming around checking to make sure the bluebird house is still there.

More Snow!

2009-01-27T18:38:00.010-05:00

Today it snowed almost all day and the kids had lots of sledding fun. I enjoyed watching the snow fall, the kids play and the red cardinals.

Random pics

2009-01-26T14:36:00.009-05:00

We had a little snow today but tomorrow we are supposed to get 1 to 3 inches! The kids have been anxious to get the sleds out :)

Goat update

2009-01-24T11:54:00.011-05:00

The mama goat rejected her babies so we are bottle feeding them. I think it was part her fault and part ours. It was below zero so we brought the babies in (for a night)and she was engorged and sore and wouldn't let them near her.

Anyway, the mama didn't want me to milk her so she's at a friends house getting milked and we are trying to sell the bucklings.

Pope Benedict XVI

2009-01-22T22:27:00.012-05:00

The March for Life went very well...approximately 200,000 people attending. I found very little coverage on the news. Hmmm. I wonder why? People who went said it was peaceful and prayerful and even larger than last year.

Here's an article I found today. God bless the Pope!

Thursday, January 22, 2009 5:33 PMBy: Jim Meyers

Pope Benedict XVI has communicated with Barack Obama twice since the Democrat won the White House — but the first message almost never got through.
The Pope telephoned Obama shortly after Election Day to congratulate him on his electoral success, but the Obama staffer receiving the call didn’t believe it was actually the Pontiff on the line and wouldn’t put the call through.
Benedict was eventually able to get through, however, and he and the president-elect had a “cordial” conversation mainly about cultural issues, according to a Bush administration source with close ties to the Vatican.
When the Pope brought up the subject of abortion, Obama said simply: “We agree to disagree.”
But the source said that Obama did agree with the Pope on the controversial issue of same-sex marriage, saying the two shared a common view that marriage should be only between a man and a woman.
Benedict again contacted Obama by sending him a telegram on Tuesday shortly before presidential inauguration.
“I offer cordial good wishes, together with the assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will grant you unfailing wisdom and strength in the exercise of your high responsibilities,” the Pope stated in the telegram.
“Under your leadership, may the American people continue to find in their impressive religious and political heritage the spiritual values and ethical principles needed to cooperate in the building of a truly just and free society.”
Such a society, the Pope said, must be “marked by respect for the dignity, equality and rights of each of its members, especially the poor, the outcast and those who have no voice.”
© 2009 Newsmax

Shawl

2009-01-22T09:48:00.006-05:00

This beautiful shawl was given to me by my aunt Sharron. She does such gorgeous work! I love the delicate pattern on the shawl and it really is warm on those cold days. It was made with musk ox yarn.

Thank you, Aunt Sharron!

I don't think the photos do it justice, but you get the idea :)

Random Snow Photos

2009-01-20T10:33:00.009-05:00

We got some snow yesterday! It's not as cold as it was but cold enough to snow:)
On Thursday, the weather is supposed to fairly warm (for here!) which is great because Michael and the kids will be going to the March for Life. It's normally freezing cold each year for the march but thousands of dedicated people march anyway.
I'm staying home to take Mikey to preschool and hopefully will attend the prayer service at church for life.

Nourishing Hope

2009-01-17T23:08:00.005-05:00

I won a book! It's called Nourishing Hope. I have been wanting this book and I'm so thankful I was chosen to receive it. God is Good!http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/12/a-of-a-contest.html

Many thanks to the folks at Age of Autism!

http://www.nourishinghope.com/NourishingHopeBook.html

Thinking About It

2009-01-11T15:42:00.006-05:00

Mikey is thinking about getting potty trained.

He's 3 now so it should be soon, right?

I made sushi (California Roll) for Hannah

for her birthday. This was her special request and I thought they turned out well. Yum, I love sushi :)

P.S. I take the blame for Mikey's bad haircut. We've had horrible experiences at the barber so I do it myself. I hope to even it up soon.

Preschool

2009-01-08T22:04:00.007-05:00

Mikey's 1st day of preschool went very well. He was happy to go and play with all the new toys and when I came to pick him up, he was sitting in his chair nicely signing "Mommy". He gave me a big hug and came happily home.

Here's a pic of him on the way home. I haven't taken any photos of the classroom yet but it's very cute and the teacher is very kind.

He was happy to find 3 new baby goats when he returned home. Mikey is saying "Baaaaa!"

Baby Goaties!!!

2009-01-05T10:15:00.006-05:00

WOO HOO!!!!

This morning after taking Mikey to preschool, I came home to find that Sweet-Tart had given birth to 3 sweet baby goats!!! I missed the birth but I'm thankful that they are all well and it's not too cold today.

Hannah is happy that they were born on her birthday :)

They are sooo cute and fun to watch. There are 2 boys and 1 girl. The girl is all black. I'm thinking about the name Licorice for her.

Cookies and Goats

2009-01-04T21:45:00.011-05:00

We're still waiting for Sweet-Tart to pop! Maybe it will happen on Hannah's birthday (tomorrow).

I think it's so cute the way that goats snuggle up together and chew their cuds in unison.

I made some gluten free Snickerdoodles for Mikey's lunch for tomorrow. They turned out good even though they may not look too great. The cookies actually tasted like Snickerdoodles and Mikey loves them. I put a little chocolate chip in the middle.

Tomorrow Mikey starts preschool so I wanted something special for him to put in his lunch.

Can you find me?

2009-01-02T21:22:00.004-05:00

Here's my 1st and 5th grade class pictures. I had a Mrs. Johnson 3 times in elementary school. It's funny after all these years the faces are all still so familiar. I'll give you a hint...I'm tall so I'm always in the back row :)

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T22:16:00.004-05:00

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! I've been thinking about motto for 2009. The one I have so far :

Gonna let my little light shine in 2009!

Has anyone else thought of catchy phrase for the New Year? Any to share?

Soon

2008-12-31T09:09:00.008-05:00

Sweet-tart, our Nubian goat, is close to having her kid(s).

I'm excited and I hope to attend the birth (goat midwife). Michael just finished the milking/birthing room yesterday which I'm thankful for. I'll keep you posted... :) Any suggestions for names? I'm thinking about candy names like Kit- Kat, Skittles, etc.

Love Me Tender

2008-12-29T15:56:00.011-05:00

Mikey's wearing Jonathan's sunglasses and reminding me of Elvis with that little curled lip :)

Spinach/Feta Quiche

2008-12-28T22:53:00.005-05:00

This is what I made tonight to bring to our friend's house for dinner. I was real happy with how it turned out. It wasn't watery but creamy and rich. I love Greek food so I'll have to make this one again.

We had a wonderful time with our friends... singing Christmas songs,feasting and fellowshipping.

The Woodhouse Band

2008-12-27T22:33:00.005-05:00

I went downtown today to hear this talented family from our parish. We really enjoyed all their Christmas songs today.
In the Catholic church we celebrate Christmas for weeks which is refreshing in a culture that has already moved on to Valentine's Day.

Here's a few clips from their 1st CD. I listen to it all the time while driving and find it happy music.

http://cdbaby.com/cd/woodhouseband

Still, Still, Still

2008-12-25T23:11:00.011-05:00

Still, still, still,One can hear the falling snow.For all is hushed,The world is sleeping,Holy Star its vigil keeping.Still, still, still,One can hear the falling snow.Sleep, sleep, sleep,'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.The night is peaceful all around you,Close your eyes,Let sleep surround you.Sleep, sleep, sleep,'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.Dream, dream, dream,Of the joyous day to come.While guardian angels without number,Watch you as you sweetly slumber.Dream, dream, dream,Of the joyous day to come. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o454Yo-EZEw&feature=related

This beautiful, Austrian Christmas song was sung at the Midnight Mass . It was so peaceful and in front of me were children who were falling asleep. The song sounded vaguely familiar to me. I think the Von Trapp family sang this song in German.

We had a wonderful Christmas Day and the weather was so nice that we spent a lot of time outside. I didn't take many photos but here's one of the sunset from our house (on Christmas Day) and a couple of Mikey.