What A Blessed Christmas (another guest post by daughter Liberty)

This Year my Mom and Dad only could get us stocking stuffer's, so I thought we wouldn't get much... but I think I got lots for what I was expecting. (I think I got the most presents out of us kids) But
anyway's I thought I'd show you what I got and so here is some pictures..

This is what I got from Felicity: 

"The Mystery At Lilac Inn" Nancy Drew 

The Royal Diaries, "Isabel" 

Dear America, "Dreams in the Golden Country" 

 And a purse!   

This is what I got from LaKaysha: 

Lion King 2 Simba's Pride!!! I LOVE this movie! 

And Slipper's that I have been asking for! 

 This is what I got from Daminika: 

Cinderella and Cinderella 2! 

I was on the lap top one day looking at movies and I saw 

Cinderella 2 and I asked Daminika what happened in it because 

 I never watched it! And well, I got it! 

This is what I got from Chancy:

I have been wanting this movie and game for EVER! 

Horse-Opoly, and Brother Bear,

I call Chancy Brother bear ALL the time!

This is all my presents from my siblings 

 

And this is what I got from my Mom and Dad! 

I got: A Panda Bear rice pillow ( I get leg aches all the time)

An electric tooth Brush! (which I have ALWAYS wanted)  

Two pairs of high knee socks, gum, chap stick, and a Grapefruit! 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

So there you have it! I have been very blessed! This year we did a little bit of different stuff on Christmas then we normally do. Normally just us kids get up really early and open stockings, but this year we got up at 6:30 with my Mom and Dad and opened stockings and they took pictures and watched us open them. I opened mine first and normally we all open them at the same time, so that's also something we did different. Then after that we ate breakfast, we did the dishes, then we all took showers and got ready for Christmas dinner! We decorated the table put all the side food on it because we had the mashed potato's, gravy, and Ham in the kitchen. After we ate we washed all the pretty dishes, and then my Dad read the Christmas story and... we opened PRESENTS! I had the most wonderful Christmas ever! God Bless You All. I hope you had a Merry Christmas! <3   

                                                                                 ~Liberty 

Christmas Time's A Comin' ( A guest post by daughter Liberty )

Here comes that wonderful time in the season that we celebrate... Jesus' birthday! I am so glad God has given me a nice cozy house to celebrate his son's birth in, God has been very good.  He has given us snow that we all prayed for, I wanted snow so bad! And then one morning I woke up from my mom saying, "look out the window" So I very sleepily I looked out the window and... SNOW! We had at least a four inches! I was so glad, I thanked God for sending us snow to cover the world so white like when he washed away all our sins. all our snow is melting away now but we had it for three days! My Mom and I walked to the park and seen all the Christmas tree's, it was AMAZING!

I love it when we do stuff together, like shopping, going on walks, and lots more. God has given me the best family any girl could ask for! I just can't wait to celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus with my family. Every Christmas Eve we have horseshoe sandwiches for supper and then we watch a Christmas movie as a family and after that we eat cheese fondue, mocha truffles (that my AMAZING Mom makes!) and lots more junk! This year we cant decide on what to watch, at least I don't think we have! And then on Christmas morning we wake up really early and open stockings, and after that we make a special breakfast, (which means really good) and then we get the dishes done and all that stuff and we start making... CHRISTMAS DINNER! Oh that is SO good! And after that and those dishes are done we open presents! Yes I have the most wonderful family that ever walked (I think anyways)

I also have some animals too. We have, three goats, one dog, one cat, and one kitten, Our dogs name is Echo, our goats are named, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, Yep you said it! They are named after the three chipmunks, my sister's cat is named Huck Finn, and last but not least my kittens name is Duchess. We had to bottle feed her when she was only three weeks old! Because the mom that was my cat we think got ate by a coyote! She left seven kittens for us to take care of! Boy that was A LOT of work! We brought them into the house and my Dad took a wooden drawer from his shop that wasn't getting used and we put the kittens into that. We tried to feed them cows milk out of a dropper but it wasn't working to well, then when my Dad got home from work he came home with two kitten bottles and kitten formula, Yep he's pretty amazing too, he doesn't like cat's or kittens, and I have to admit he's kind of grown fond of Duchess, every morning we let Duchess into the laundry room. 

But back to my story, we had LOTS of kittens to tend to, we had to even wipe them and feed them every two hours even at night! And then ALL the kittens died except my little Duchess and she is FULL of energy! Well I wish you all have a Merry Christmas and a blessed new year! God bless,
                                                                                                         ~ Liberty  

P.S my mom let me do an update on her blog :)          

                   

By The Book Tag

Leon wanted me to do the "By the Book" tag so here it is!

What Book Is On Your Nightstand Now?
Right now besides my Bible I have two... "Saving Graces: The Inspirational Writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder" and "The Little House Cook Book" by Barbara M. Walker. After all these years (I started reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder books when I was in 2nd grade) I still get a tickle belly when I read about her and her books :)

What Was the Last Truly Great Book You Read? 
"Saving Graces: The Inspirational Writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder". Yes, it's currently on my nightstand, but I have read it before :)

If You Could Meet Any Writer - Dead or Alive - Who Would It Be? And What Would You Want To Know? 
Laura Ingalls Wilder. I would LOVE to hear from her what it was like growing up in the pioneer era!  Besides Laura I would like to meet Corrie Ten Boom! She is an inspiration! And it would be so interesting to hear from her first hand, her experiences :)

What Books Might We Be Surprised to Find On Your Shelves?
Umm, I don't think there is any. People who know me would not be surprised by any. Its full of History books like the Pioneer era and World War 11,  Homeschool guide books, Pioneer era fiction etc.

How Do You Organize Your Personal Library?
Pioneer era at the top, ( along with my homeschool guide books, followed by all our World War 11 history books and any other war books, then Children's/youth historical books... :) ( All our Louis L'Amour Books are on another shelf in Chancy's room)

What Book Have You Always Meant to Read But Haven't Got Around Yet?
Mmmm I can't think of any...

Anything You Feel Embarrassed Never to Have Read?
"Little Women" :P I just can't get into it but wish I could.

Disappointing, Overrated, Just Not Good: What Book Did You Feel You Are Supposed to Like But Didn't?   (I wouldn't say I was "Supposed" to like them but....) "The Mark of the Lion" series.  (sorry to those who loved them. They just were not for me)

 Do You Remember the Last Book You Put Down Without Finishing?

"Little Women"... they use to many strange words :P

 What Kind Of Stories Are You Drawn To? Any You Stay Clear Of?

I love anything pioneer era, World War 11 or anything History.  Non-fiction or fiction. I also enjoy reading Louis LA' Moure books..... I stay away from anything that goes against God's word . I also do not like anything that is too modern or uses old English :P 

If You Could Require The President to Read One Book, What Would It Be?

The Bible!

 What Do You Plan to Read Next?

The Laura Ingalls series again!! :P I am planning on reading them aloud to my kids again.... Yes, can you tell I love them!!??

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things Tag

Felicity tagged me a few months back for the "These are a few of my favorite things" tag. Finally getting around to doing it!

10 things I love:

1. Laura Ingalls Wilder books and any thing to do with pioneer days :)

2. Mountains!!

3. Old houses/old doors/old windows....anything like that :)

4. farm animals ( goats, chickens, cows, sheep, horses...)

5.  Babies/little children :)

6. The Smell and feel of a fresh morning on my porch swing.

7. A breeze on a hot summer day.
It always reminds me of picking berries and how nice a breeze would feel on a hot day.

8. Wood stoves burning.
Yes, I am weird, but it makes me imagine I am a pioneer and living the dream ;)

9. Hot cup of coffee on a cold crisp day.

10. going for walks and/or hikes with my hubby and kids 

Updated Kitchen

Leon finished up one side of the kitchens upper cabinets. Poor guy has so much he is doing that he is being pulled in 50 different ways. :(   LOTS to do shutting Himark down and losing most of his men....and many, many projects around here. Chicken coop is about half done but we need it done sooner then later ( chicks aren't really chicks anymore). They are in a temp. pen under our covered area. Anyways here is a few pictures of the kitchen.

And I figured I would add a few of the coop.

    So there you have it.. a small update :)

Picture post of House so far

Living room painted and carpets steam cleaned

bathroom all painted

Hallway painted and carpet steam cleaned

Girls' room all painted, steam cleaned carpets and moved in

hall closet all redone :)

One side of the kitchen updated ( we will build new upper cabinets later once other side of kitchen is done)

dining area

master bedroom, painted, carpets steam cleaned and decorations up :)

LaKaysha painting fireplace bricks

finished :)

electrician putting in can lights in Kitchen

Chancy's room all painted and carpets steam cleaned and decorations hung :)

New fireplace insert.

Leon made me this vegetable bin

finished ceiling and new lights in kitchen

Notice the new dishwasher? :)

the beginnings of new upper cabinets.

new oven :)

Girls room before they moved in :)

Leon has now finished the door for the cabinet in the kitchen and has another cabinet almost done too. It will be going above the oven and then he will make one more cabinet before putting up our new micro-hood. After that he will need to make one more upper cabinet for that same wall and we will also be putting a section of open shelves. Once that side is done he will work on other side of the kitchen We plan to make all new upper cabinets for that side as well as making a floor to ceiling cabinet beside the fridge. Then Lord willing once kitchen is done we will move on to the bedroom for the girls in our garage. Then someday do cabinets in the laundry and update bathroom light and mirror. Outside we have many someday dreams....fruit trees, garden, picket fencing, sauna, chicken coop, flower beds, new concrete  patios out back and wood porches on front of house. :):)

A few things we did that aren't in pictures...switched out outlets, put in plumbing for water to our fridge, fixed a leaky faucet in bathroom sink and tub.....and fixed a small section of rotten flooring in kitchen under the fridge. 

So there you have it...the so far on our new home :)

A picture post of our house :) * warning, lots of pictures *

Kitchen before

Looking from kitchen down hallway

Leon and Chancy start in the kitchen

Fireplace before

bathroom before ( we had already taken shower door off)

working on kitchen

Hall closet

working on the living room

girls' room getting painted

working on painting master bedroom

Chancy's room in process of getting painted

patching walls in kitchen

notice the ceiling? It was pretty bad

Under all that ceiling tile

Part of the new ceiling up in kitchen and new light above sink

So there is a few pictures ;) of the beginnings of working on our new home :) I will add more pictures in another post soon of the after, so far. We still have plenty to do though.....