Pioneer Girl at Heart: 2012

Good Morning:) I decided I would finally do a lil update of our life. Felicity has done a few picture posts for me since I am no good with computer stuff and I can't stand trying to figure it all out.

The weather has been awesome so far this Fall. We are actually missing the rain a little. My kids keep asking when is it going to rain..I tell them don't you worry it will start soon enough and wont end for many months. It is very dry here though and rain would be nice, just wish that once it started it wouldn't rain for 9 months. The weather man is forcasting rain starting Friday and he is saying it will be a soaker. The kids and I have been stacking wood Leon and Chancy have split and cleaning up the yard etc. to get ready for rain.I went on a walk with my kids yesterday too...told them we need to get in walks outside while we can. It has cooled down now in the mornings so I have been having a fire burning in our wood stove in the mornings then I let it go out by afternoon. A few days ago it was 80* but the last few days have been upper 60's* to mid 70's*. We are thankful for a beautiful Fall!!

We are LOVING our van!! We feel so blessed everytime we drive it. We get double the gas milage with it and so that is a huge plus!! It is so nice to know our rig will start and that I don't need to wonder if the brakes are going to go out..the door shuts, windows go down and it is quiet:)

School is going good. Kids seem to be enjoying it for the most part. Felicity and LaKaysha are doing a writing course from Vision Forum together and American History. At first they said it was boring and they weren't enjoying it but now they are starting to more. They said they are finally getting to the good stuff.:) Yes,Felicity has her diplomia but we felt Penn Foster didn't really teach much and since Felicity enjoys writing and history we figured she could do the courses too. We also bought a Law and Goverment course that they haven't started yet. Liberty loves Math-U-See and Easy Grammer. She also has really picked up on reading and wants to read out loud everyday, especially from the Bible. Every morning the kids and I read aloud from the Bible and sing. I have been trying to just relax and focus on "Bible" time more. It is all that matters in life and then all else will follow...Chancy is still doing well in all his subjects and of course LOVES to read so I limit his reading time. He also spends hours "hunting" , and playing cowboys and Indians. Liberty joins him in his fun alot lately. I know it won't be long and that too will end. Chancy is a very vocal person...he yells,sings and talks non stop. I was just telling Leon as we listened to Chancy sing(yell) in the shower that it won't be long and that is going to stop:( All of our kids are growing up and I have been fighting the desire to have a baby again. (say a prayer for me if you think of it..I hate it when I get this way) Daminika will be 13 on Sunday. So we will have 3 teenagers. Crazy how time has flown. Daminika still loves to knit/crochet(doing blankets,flowers,hats,scarves and right now she is doing a teddy bear) and she also draws, and she draws very well!! LaKaysha sews and is getting better and better at it.Each thing she sews is better then the last. She sews skirts and aprons and they turn out very nice!!She also paints and draws too,and does it very well! Just a few days ago both LaKaysha and Daminika were dressed in their pioneer dresses running around outside in the wind. I was happy to see them doing that but I know those days are coming to an end.

It seems life has been full of changes. Marissa now lives with us and so life has changed. We love having her here, she feels like one of ours.... but it does make so life as it once was, is gone. Felicity and LaKaysha no longer giggle and goof off with each other like before. Makes me sad. I dislike change but I am trying to trust that God knows and sees the big picture. Felicity works once a week(sometimes 2x) and Marissa volenteers with Marita cleaning at Clarissa's once a week. Both girls have been babysitting for Molly and Debby off and on too. Running to Sharleens to work on a birthday gift for Kaysha and stuff so it seems they are never home anymore. I don't feel ready to begin having kids gone alot...but guess God figures I am. We don't charge Marissa room and board but I have a deep cleaning list that her and the girls have been doing for me. So my house is finally getting a nice deep cleaning. Course they do it on days they are home which doesn't seem very often. Felicity loves to clean and organize and take pictures and edit them. She is now our photographer:) I don't mind...I can't seem to find the time to take pictures like I used to. Marissa loves History and shares many things she has learned with me. Of course all my kids join her in sharing.

I started Cleaning for Sue 2 weeks ago. The plan is to go every other Friday, so this Friday will be my 2nd time. It went good the first time anyways. If things get stressful I will have to stop going down there though. My kids and hubby come first!! And even Clarissa comes first before a "job". I also will stop going if Clarissa needs my help more. On top of cleaning I babysit whenever I am needed. For either Clint and Molly or Clarissa and Joey. Clint's boys were just here over night this past weekend. They are such cute kids.Jericho is loud and has lots to share. He makes me smile. Derringer is so quiet and sweet. Whispering to me whenever he needs to be changed or needs a drink. Lachlan is quiet but yet not. He jabbers in his baby talk and yells while playing. He is so cute!.. Of course all of Clarissa's kids melt my heart. I love speniding time with them. My heart sings when I hear Auntie I love you or Auntie I missed you!:)

Leon has been very busy with work. Working late most days. Also he has been working with Chancy building a fort,cutting,splitting and stacking wood. He also has been working on wood projects again. Building railings for the girls' treehouse.

Our house hasn't really been having any lookers. 2 weeks ago one came. So far everyone says we are about $20,000-$30,000 to high. It's just crazy because thats less then it cost us to build the house...and to think what we put into the place before we even got a loan makes me feel sick. I desire to sell and move away from here, sometimes it is so strong that I beg God for it to sell. So far no luck so now I am beginnning to think maybe God doesn't want us to move?? I have been praying all along to accept whatever God's will is. Money is still tight and even tighter with a van payment....the logging money helped out with medical bills ,down payment on the van etc. and is mostly gone now. We thank God for sending the money at just the right time.

Praying this finds you all well. May God be with us all as we walk this road of life. Giving us HIS strength,comfort and peace! Love to you all!!

Yesterday we had a graduation party for Marissa and Felicity at Dad and Sue's. Felicity graduated last year, but we never got around to having a party for her. So when Marissa graduated, we decided to do it for both girls. The weather was very nice. A little warm in the sun, but in the shade it was perfect. Not to hot, with a little breeze blowing through.
After church we hurried up to Dad's and help decorate and make the last minute food. (Saturday we went up and prepared a lot before hand.)
Lots of people showed up, and it was nice to visit with some family. Shared laughs with O'Neil and Lori, and enjoyed listening to Marita play the piano, and Austin play the guitar. All in all, it was a blessed day!