Ranch Rodeo Benefit

Yesterday was another first for us. We had the privilege of setting up a booth at the first annual Ranch Rodeo benefiting Tyler Type One, an organization dear to our hearts. We were thrilled to see our banner the night before the event and it all kind of  "came together" in our hearts when we saw the name of our farm in big print. I wrestled with that logo for weeks, but it does look kinda cool on a banner.

The weather was absolutely beautiful. I'd never been to a ranch rodeo but it was interesting and I do believe I could compete in the sorting event. Okay, not really, but it was fun! If we could afford horses, I'd invest in at least five, one for each of us. They're smart animals. The concert by Dave's Highway was a real treat. The smell of the smoky grill whisping through the air was the proverbial icing on the cake. Providence Farm was at a "real" event! It was almost surreal.

Aside from the farm's involvement, however, we were all doing something bigger than ourselves as the purpose for the event went deeper than crisp October days in Texas, and the smell of leather and grilled hamburgers. Educating parents and their children who are affected by Type 1 diabetes was the primary goal of the event and I was moved by the stories Faith's Mom told of the journey they walk every single day to keep Faith alive. I was standing next to them when their faithful diabetes dog alerted Sarah that Faith's blood sugar was off. Sure enough, it was climbing even after an initial dose of insulin had been administered.

"It’s a war,

and if we don’t get up and fight it every day,

we’ll lose."

~ Sarah Wilson

Buckets-O-FUN!

 It's ooey and it's gooey, it's slimy and it's sticky. And, it's absolutely Buckets-O-FUN!

"MOM, please say this is AWESOME with a hundred exclamation marks!" And you know what? It really is. - We received a free sampling of products from Buckets-O-Fun for our honest review and they certainly have pegged the name of the company. The ooey-gooey mass of yuckiness is definitely fun! The cost for your own Bucket-O-Fun starts at $16 for one pound and there's a variety of gooey-ness to choose from, for example:

When Snowy is added to water, it actually transforms into a snow-like substance. No kidding!

And Sticky is just that - sticky! It's be cleanest snot you'll ever play with. :-)



There's also Chunky, which transforms into ice cube-like pieces within 24 hours, and Saucy which forms an applesauce consistency within minutes. It's truly all very fun and I highly recommend these specific Buckets-O-Fun products for your next party or event.

 

It's yucky FUN! 

Foundlings: The Peleg Chronicles Book I

We received a complimentary copy of Foundlings, Book I of the Peleg Chronicles from Zoe & Sozo Publishing  for our honest review of this adventurous work. In all honesty, it didn't interest me, personally, but my 13 yo. son was thrilled because he loves stories of dragons, knights, and adventure. The story starts fairly slow with big, complicated words and no real action to keep the reader interested. Eventually, the plot becomes more exciting and it's hard to stop with just one chapter. We will definitely purchase Book II to find out how the saga ends.

As a Mom, I appreciated the introduction, summary, and explanation of various Biblical aspects sent with the book. I found learning the heart of the author even more interesting than the book, itself. Thank you, Zoe & Sozo for your steadfast heart in promoting a Biblical worldview in your literature. It's extremely hard to find this caliber of reading at this age level (7th grade & up).

The book lists for $11.95

Form the website:

Foundlings, book one of The Peleg Chronicles

is Historical Fiction that takes place in the

time period of Peleg, soon after the tower of

Babel dispersion. In its pages we meet

dragons, giants, false priests, the death hunt,

an under-city of the Dwarven Brotherhood,

and many memorable characters.

The story begins with Lord McDougal and his

faithful shield-bearer, Fergus Leatherhead,

departing their lands with giants at their

backs, while before them lie in wait denizens of

the bog-land and forest.

Ever ready to protect and serve others, they

er in tow an assortment of displaced

adventurers and find themselves embroiled in

a mysterious search for the foundlings:

orphaned Thiery with his companion Horatio

the white wolf, and Suzie who has been

deceitfully retained by the thieves Elvodug and

Flemup.

Others also seek the foundlings, and their

purposes are most sinister - Dragon Priests

who practice cozen sacrifices, and their leader

Count Rosencross who is torn by his God given

conscience and his pursuit of personal glory.

Onward toward the city of Hradcanny they

travel, meeting with treachery, beast attacks,

camaraderie and psalms of praise with an eye

toward the gospel. Though their battles are at

times fierce and the outcomes uncertain, the

author maintains the integrity of these noble

characters, who through weakness are made

strong by Him in whom they trust.

Foundlings weaves together the Biblical

principles of chivalry, truth, courage, duty,

faith and love within the framework of Genesis,

and a bold adherence to its historicity. It's an

exciting page turner that leaves you wanting

more, but more importantly it leaves the

reader with Godly heroes to think on and

emulate, and a young earth creationist view of

history that conforms to the Word of God.

No Magic - No Evolution - No Humanism

Vocabulary Cartoons by New Monic Books

Before we even got up the driveway, the package was opened and my son was diving into this book. He could tell from the cover it was his kind of book. We have had so much fun flipping through Vocabulary Cartoons, learning new words, and laughing at the cartoons. New Monic Books is on to something with this type of learning, especially for pre-teen aged boys.

The idea with Vocabulary Cartoons is that students will learn SAT words with a memory technique called mnemonics, which is basically learning a new concept, in this case SAT words, by linking it to a familiar name, place, or event already embedded in your memory bank.

I highly recommend this valuable tool for 7th grade students and up. In my opinion, it's best to be used as a fun game or conversational piece rather than a formal curriculum. With over 300 pages of fun, leave it on the coffee table you'll see your students scanning the pages for a funny cartoon they haven't yet read. We'll be using this book for a very long time. Thank you, New Monic Books!  

Vocabulary Cartoons lists for $12.95 on their website.

*We received Vocabulary Cartoons free of charge in exchange for an honest & fair review of this product.

The Back 10 Saga (con't)

Now, where was I?


Disappointed is a gross understatement when I learned Mr. G (the giant) had leased the Back 10 to his friends. It only made sense that he would offer the land to us as the only access is through our property. However, I can honestly say this was my selfish pride, in the end. After all, it was his land. - which just happened to be land locked behind my back yard, but nevertheless, he had every right to do whatever he wanted. When I later realized his friends were drug dealers it was even harder to allow Providence its way. The traffic went to and fro all night and all day; visitors only staying less than 5 minutes. One evening, we'd invited some dear friends for dinner and I decided, since the weather was so nice, we'd set the table outside on the back porch. It was truly delightful - until the backyard band started playing and our dinner was serenaded by an old man screaming a poor rendition of.... Lynard Skynard, I think it was. Another vivid memory is when a scantily clothed female came over screaming she was being beaten, her male "friend" following close behind. Now that was interesting. She was so high, I could hardly decipher her words. She needed a phone and a ride. Thankfully, my Mom & Phillip were both here that day so Mom took the kids inside and when Phillip heard the commotion, he came to rescue those poor souls from his wife's wrath for crossing the property line. Looking back, I'm sooo very thankful I didn't get shot that day.

God's amazing hand has covered me and my children through countless (lonely) nights here on the farm. Several nights I wondered if people were roaming the backyard/woods. The dogs would bark and I would sink deeper under the covers wondering if I really even knew how to load a gun. Phillip had taught me, and I knew Douglas knew but could we perform under pressure? New readers who do not know our family history should know that most of the time we've been here on the farm, my husband has traveled with his job. Many months, during this time period with these particular neighbors, I was alone. Hence the reason I say it was my battle to fight. Alone. God was completely faithful and it was I who changed, not my neighbors. I clung to the Lord and went toe to toe with the devil, himself. It wasn't pretty. Several times I allowed him to have the upper hand. Many times I cried out to the Lord, "Deliver me!!". So many times I felt I could not face another day. As I look back now, I can only praise the Lord for His steadfast faithfulness through those years. He had faith in me when I didn't.

NetFlix

About a month ago, we succumbed to the pleading and joined NetFlix. The relief from late fees sold me, initially, and the ease of the whole process keeps me. We've already lost a return envelope but Douglas addressed the DVD in a plain envelope to California and, within a few days, we got a notification it had been received. We're getting the hang of calculating the timing so that we have a movie every Friday night, which is generally movie & pizza night around here. This weekend was our (mine & Phillip's) turn to pick so we chose The Blind Side as we occasionally have "date night" here at home. We've been too tired to watch it but that's the nice thing about NetFlix. We'll keep the movie until we do, which may be this evening. There are over 200 movies in our queue and they can be rearranged at any time.

Unfortunately, there's a downfall but it's not with NetFlix. We are surprised and a little naive, to be honest, to discover all the filth that falls under the PG13 rating. A friend put it bluntly, "what a joke!". I have to agree. We've asked the kids to remove all of the PG13 movies from the queue. When they have a request, Phillip and I will then review it ourselves on PluggedIn Online and possibly watch it first before it's approved for the family. Are we too strict? I don't think so. Everyone's family dynamic is different so I can only speak for my family but we have an eight year old watching our family night movies. What is appropriate for our teenagers isn't always appropriate for her. I just think it's wise to make better choices.

And, with NetFlix? There's definitely a plethora of great alternatives to paying for filth.

Heaven

"Momma, I can't wait til we see Heaven. I see houses, like a neighborhood, with gold streets. We won't ever cry; we'll be happy all the time. And, we'll be able to just ask God a question whenever we need to..."

Good Morning!

One of the things that hinders my writing is the design of the blog template itself. Silly, I know. I've been working on it for two days and still can't seem to be content. I'm settling on the wood planks for now, but I'm not satisfied with the color choices. Truth is, I like all sorts of designs. I love flowers, barns, art, fields, the sky, sunsets, oceans, mountains, and .......music. Where is the template that meshes all that together? Hopefully, eventually, it'll be a cozy place to display my heart. Until then, hang in here with me. Blog design has never been my strong suit. If I could afford it, I'd pay somebody to do it for me. I dislike it that much. I'm creative in other ways, I suppose.  

So, I'm trying to step back into writing. It's good therapy for me. Sorry, if you thought it was for you. ;)
My heart seems to overflow with emotion and, quite frankly, there's not enough ears (or time) around here to listen to all my thoughts. I'm usually on the listening side in my real life, anyway. Three creative kids have LOTS of thoughts and we allll want to express ourselves. All. the. time. I only hope the good Lord uses us for His glory; even with all our quirks.

What else? Our community (all of East Texas) lost a dear man of God, yesterday. He was a physician in Tyler, devoted husband, dedicated father, solid friend, and steadfast in his walk with his saviour, Jesus Christ. He was a true example of godliness. He is now sitting at the feet of Jesus, worshipping. Praising. We mourn his loss, but he has gained everything. In this we rejoice!

Live Today

We aren't promised tomorrow



Live every single moment.
Wherever you are, be ALL there.

Late Pears

I was talking with a friend several days ago about the difference between early pears and late pears. I had no idea there was such, so it forced me to go next door to check the fruit trees to which we've been given free reign. Lo and behold, the pear tree was loaded with, what I assume to be, late pears! I don't think they're ripe yet, most were pretty small, so I'm waiting til the weekend to go check them again.

Leave a comment if you've ever made pear butter. I'd like to collect some recipes.

Friendship

Make new friends. . .

but keep the old; forever. 

The Back 10 Saga

I'm not finished with the Back 10 Saga. It'll continue as I have time and the mood strikes. The month of July has been super busy and school begins in just a few days for my kiddos. Tomorrow would be ideal, but I'm not sure I can pull it off with any success.

It's hot on the farm. We're seeing 100 degree days now in East Texas. With all the trees in my neck of the woods, the humidity makes it just about unbearable to walk outside. I'm longing for cooler days, campfires, and yes, work outside.

It's time to get ready for church. God bless your day!

Travel the World with the TOS Planner

My first assignment as TOS Review Crew member was to review the June module of the TOS Planner. It's specifically titled Travel the World. First and foremost, I was pleasantly surprised. Not having ever seen any of the TOS Planner material, I really had no idea what I was getting. The first aspect that caught my attention was that the table of contents was so well organized. I immediately thought, "these gals have done their homework". I was instantly intrigued.

The TOS Planner Modules are supplemental units specifically geared for older students; roughly 7th grade and up, but easily adaptable for families with younger and/or multiple ages/grades with a little creativity. The price for the entire year, which includes 12 monthly modules, activities, games, puzzles, quizzes, recipes, maps, handwriting practice, additional resource links, and answer keys, is $83.95. The June module was just $7.95; what a deal! It's WELL worth the price, in my opinion, especially if the modules are used for multiple ages/grades.

As a veteran homeschooling Mom of roughly 14 years, I greatly appreciate the fact that there is absolutely no 'fluff' in this module. Every concept, section, activity, link, and additional resource has value. There are maps, word searches, poems, songs, hands-on activities, handwriting practice for younger students and even ideas and reference materials for high school students are included. With answer keys and a pretty hefty list of additional resources, TOS has WOWed me.

I will definitely consider the TOS Planner when working through our lesson plans in the future.

For more information on the TOS Planner E-Book, visit The Old Schoolhouse Store where you'll find a plethora of homeschool curriculum, reviews, supplemental material, and encouragement for the journey.

*I received the June 2009-2010 TOS Planner Module free of charge in order to provide an unbiased review.

Nibbles the Duck

This is Nibbles,

one of the farm ducks.

Whenever he quacks,

Mom goes nuts.

- Laura Greenwell

TOS Homeschool Crew

I have been selected by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine to review curriculum and other various products from vendors who market material for 7th grade students and up. The deadline for the first test review is coming up shortly so I thought I'd take a minute to let my readers know what's going on.

For several years, I blogged over at HSB, which is the blogging platform for TOS. During my time there, I was blessed to meet some pretty amazing women (and a few men) and some of us are still friends, today. It is there where I learned I had a voice. What was even more unforeseen is that someone actually read what I was posting. One of my very first comments was from California. I could not believe my eyes!

I will never get accustomed to the complimentary encouragement about my writing. I'm humbled. But, over a number of years, I've grasped the fact that some are blessed by what I have to say. In my TOS reviews, I'll try to be honest, respectful, and fair in my assessment of the material. I'm excited about opening that first box of treasures to consume and, of course, the review is what I will find most enjoyable. After all, have you ever met a homeschooler without an opinion? Didn't think so. ;-)

Facing the Giant

It was my battle to fight. Alone. Our testy neighbor with a hostile redneck attitude became my giant. Had I known how long and hard the fight would be I would have given up early on but I kept clinging to the only hope I had; the Lord had given us this land. I could fill page after page of the small intricate details that worked out right before my eyes as I clung to the Lord's hand through the last ten years, but it's long and tedious reading so I'll stick to the highlights.

Between the time we purchased our property and the date we actually moved out here, the Giant began to rub me the wrong way on a consistent basis. We're using the same driveway/easement at this point so we saw them quite a bit. Seems he was always making his presence known on his 30 ft. and if that weren't enough, he dotted the landscape with his empty beer cans along the way. I go through seasons of time in my spiritual life where I'm an avid, down on my knees, prayer warrior. THANK GOD I was in that mode. I began praying day and night for that guy. I prayed for us, I prayed for the kids, I prayed for the garden, I prayed for the house we'd "soon" build, I prayed about homeschooling, I even prayed that God would show us which specific trees to cut down! Anything that came to mind, I offered it to the Lord as a prayer. ("Thank you, Lord, for dishwater, laundry....") You know what happened? His house burnt down. - Nooooo, I didn't pray for that. So, I gathered some of Phillip's old clothes and other things I thought they'd need and took it to them. He quickly bought a new house and much to my surprise it wasn't near the original home site, nor was it even on the Back 10 at all. Little did we know, he also owned, (or recently purchased) the 24 acres parallel to ours. The new neighbor with the new house were now .....gone. Or so I thought.

The Old Oak w/ our swings

The Back 10: The Beginning

There is a battle raging in the heavenly realm. Only those who live by the Spirit truly understand this biblical concept. My personal journey with this farm is spiritual but I'm not referring to some cosmic experience separate from the sovereign God of the Bible and the precepts found in scripture. It's difficult to express because there aren't mortal words for what the Spirit does within the human heart while conforming us into His likeness. There's something deep within us that is changed forever.

It was meant to be. We knew it. For about two years, two babies in tow, we'd traveled all over the country with Phillip's work. We were weary and ready to move forward with our original reason for leaving the Metroplex which was to build a house in the country. Phillip found the ad in the Thrifty Nickel and before we knew it we were proud land owners. We lived in town but planted a garden out here and came out to play almost everyday for months. Looking back now it was an overgrown mess, I don't think we even owned a lawn mower, but it was our little piece of Heaven. We had big plans.

We knew there were red flags from day one. A testy neighbor with a hostile redneck attitude met us at the fence one day feeling the need to fill us in on the neighborhood gossip and lay of the land, so to speak. Number one, he'd tried to buy our land but the seller wouldn't sell it to him; second, another neighbor had killed a fella; third, we needed to position our mobile home away from the fence line; and fourth, the easement was his 30 feet. At the time, he and his wife lived on the Back 10, along with his daughter and her family in a separate mobile home and the easement was the main access road to their property. Note to self and all of you reading: Never buy land with an easement. Just don't do it.

To be continued......

The Back 10

Romance

According to various publications and online venues, farm life is quaint and borderline romantic. Depicted as a dreamy place of harmony, the Farm is usually expressed with some type of barn, either stately or humble, strategically tucked into a manicured landscape. Skilled artists express a tranquility in their paintings of rural living and Southern Living Magazine goes as far as suggesting delicious meals made from the very veggies and herbs planted on said magical kingdom. Perhaps we should throw in some freshly squeezed lemonade for good measure; with a sprig of mint, of course.

But then.......there's our farm.

Keepin' it Real

* my life is based on a true story.

You know you're in love with photography when these type photos crank your tractor. :)

The Land

As I was saying, we bought the original 24.5 acres 10 years ago. Topographically, our farm is set within the rolling hills of East Texas, southeast of Dallas. The land is filled with a mixture of hardwoods, pine, and cedar. Most folks say it's on a hill, but actually our driveway begins in a valley so it only appears that way. Once you've made it up the craggy pig-trail we call a driveway, the beauty emerges. It's my refuge.

Last year, we were also able to add the Back 10, which is like adding a square onto the end of a rectangle, bringing the total up to about 35 acres. If that weren't enough for my husband whose favorite quote is: "I don't want ALL the land, just the land that touches mine.", we also lease 16 acres to the east. The Back 10 comes with an incredible history and testimony of God's faithfulness to a couple of people who feel like they mostly stumble through life. Thankfully, that lands us on our knees. I'll be sharing the Back 10 story in a separate post, eventually. I've got to get my brain wrapped around expressing the magnitude of the testimony and, frankly, there aren't any mortal words. But, I'll try.

The land will teach you a thing or two about yourself if you're honest enough to admit it. I remember one time we called the vet out to check our pregnant cow and he asked, "are you here to take back the land?" I'll never forget it because in my mind, the land was, and still is, breaking me, not the other way around. It's a mighty force to be reckoned with and I'm not sure who wins in the end. There are discouraging setbacks, but rewarding triumphs and significant satisfaction, as well. In the beginning, I wanted everything all at once; farmhouse, garden....But it truly is more about the journey than the destination. I wouldn't be the person I am today without the hardships I've endured while taking back the land. I'm forever grateful it's taken me.

God's glory over the land