Hello :)

  Leon and I went to a  Fernando Ortega concert Friday evening. Boy was that fun! Fernando was so down to earth and funny too. It felt like we were sitting in someone's living room (almost). He would tell stories and then sing a song or two then tell some more stories. It was at a church that seated 900 people but it wasn't loud or anything. They served snacks before the concert and during a 10 minute break. They had veggie trays, fruit trays and trays of cheese, meat and crackers. They also served ice water and coffee. We had a lot of fun!! I would recommend going to anyone if you ever have the chance. We learned Fernando and his wife adopted a baby girl but then after 2 weeks the mother changed her mind and they had to give her back :( A song called " If You Were Mine" was written by Fernando for her right after she was taken. He said that was when he turned gray. We also learned they had their first and only child 6 years ago. His wife was 47 years old and he was 51 years old. He said they feel so blessed that God gave her to them even though they were older. He told many funny stories too. :) After the concert we went and stayed in a motel. We had so much fun...we ended up doing a little Bible study together..one of our best times ever going away for a night!
   Our 20 year Anniversary is this May but sadly it is looking like we won't be able to do anything special for it:( I was so hoping and praying it would work out but we have SO much debt! Oh well..that is life! I will just cherish this little date we had and thank God for it! :)
   Hi-Mark bought Leon a pick-up to drive now! So we sold our pick-up and are keeping our eye's peeled for a small car. It would be SO nice if we had a car Felicity could drive for work then I could have my van back ;) Also it would save gas money to drive it to get groceries etc. Felicity works 1-3 days a week and even though I don't go anywhere much it sure would be nice to be ABLE to IF I wanted to :) Leon's pick-up is super nice. I rode in a couple of times and it's nice an roomy! :) So Leon continues to run Hi-Mark...Chet has been in TX as well as some of the guys. They have 2 jobs there. Leann and Blake are moving down to TX in less then 2 weeks and Tommy is for sure..not 100% sure if Jana and girls are going with him right away?? Chet and Carla are hoping to be there this spring. Garret and Krista and Trent and Tessa(probably) all plan to move there sometime too. So as some of the guys move, Leon is a little short handed! So if any of you know of anyone needing work send them his way ;)
  I know I could of just sent an e-mail out since it is only family who read this but for some reason every time I sit down to do an e-mail I have nothing to say :p So let's see...school is still going good. We may be graduating LaKaysha at the end of this year. I wrote down our requirements on what she needs to do before she can graduate and she has been working on that. Daminika, Chancy and Liberty are doing well too. Though I have enjoyed what we are doing this year for school work I am looking into some changes for next year. Guess that's the pleasures of homeschooling..getting to change things up a bit whenever we decide! :)
  Well that's a little update on us all! I pray you are all doing well in your lives! May we all continue to look to Jesus for our all in all and may He guide us all! God's Peace!
  Love~ Elisa :)

What we are up to..

   The past weekend was not at all like normal. We got snow Thursday that led to Leon coming home early! That NEVER happens! He was home Friday through the weekend. We spent most of our day Friday over at Carson and Mindy's sledding. Mindy and I even went down together a couple of times.. :) We had lots of fun. It was nice to have a change of pace. Saturday was spent at home..Leon and kids played out in the snow. I didn't get to go out since we did not have enough snow clothes. Marissa went out too so that left me in the house. Sunday church was canceled and we kind a lazed around. Then Leon, myself, Liberty and Chancy went out and started building a snow fort. LaKaysha and Daminika joined us. (Felicity wasn't feeling well..she has a cough, chills etc.) Sunday was the first we could build a snow fort as the snow was just powder all the other days. Saturday evening and Sunday evenings were spent watching " America's Wars". We are really enjoying the series. We discovered that William Clarks older brother George Rogers Clark captured a bunch of forts during the "French and Indian War" :) This is a series we bought from Cabela's that covers all the wars of America up to 2004.
    Today we are back in the swing of things, doing school. We are beginning a new chapter in Farmer Boys unit study. We will be making soap sometime. I look forward to that. (I still need to order a soap base though and soap molds) I got bread rising. Monday is normally our bread baking day. The girls and I take turns making it. Today was my turn. Leon is back at work. He made it safely to the office before freezing rain started coming down. They are expecting it to warm up a lot today though and melt the ice.
   I am hoping to run down to town tomorrow. I need to grab ingredients to make pasty. LaKaysha wants pasty for her birthday. She will be 16 on weds. !! Crazy! I am also hoping to buy myself some under garments :) I am very much in need of them! Thanks to Clarissa I will be able to get some. (she paid us for babysitting last week) I never go down to town during the day..pretty much ever! Praying it goes well. I still fight anxiety a little with driving. THANK THE LORD I am much better though!!!
    Maybe I will post some snow pictures real soon. Gotta get my girls help on that :p
Hope this finds you all well! God's peace!

 I found a few pictures on the computer already of our snow! :)