28 Days to Hope for Your Home - A Slob Comes Clean

Have you ever wondered if there’s no hope for you?
I know that feeling.  I’ve experienced it too. I’m so glad that now I can say . . .
There is hope!
For anyone!

28 Days to Hope for  Your Home

{not for the mildly disorganized}

Develop four habits over four weeks.

Discover hope for real change in your home.

The above information is from A Slob Comes Clean!  I'm so happy to introduce you to her new ebook.  I'm (I'm sad to say) someone who needs this book!  I now have my copy, and I can't wait to get started reading it and putting it to good use!  I'll keep you posted on my progress.  Why don't you join me?  You can purchase your own copy at a special reduced rate here:  <a href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?ii=1048984&c=ib&aff=186938&cl=127672" target="ejejcsingle">Click here to view more details</a>

One Favorite Photo 2011

Today I read on the blog Madigan Made a post where she  asked if we could pick our favorite photo used in our blog last year.  Well, I'm not a big photographer.  I'm sure you can tell that from my photos.  I've never been much of a picture taker, even when my kids were small.  But I was curious if I could pick one photo out of the few I'd used in my blog. 

Here is my choice:

This photo is one I took at a rodeo Pappy and I took GrandBoy to.  He LOVED it!  He loves horses, and we have cows so he knows all about those.  Heck, he even rides goats!  Here he is stooped down, looking through the bars of the coral fence watching the rodeo clowns during a break.  It was hot, and he'd come out of his shirt, leaving just his camo overalls and his cowboy boots.  We need to go back again soon!

That's probably going to be one of my favorite photos of all time!  Honey

January Spring Day!

Today was a beautiful day for January!  It was in the 70's, and beautifully sunny.  We had more baby goats today.  One is almost solid red!  Really beautiful. 

Tomorrow it will be stormy and raining and flooding again.  Our boat dock is under water.  Praying that the weather doesn't get bad here tomorrow.

Well, I'm off to bed.  Have a great night.  Honey

Baby Goats

This past week has been busy here on the farm.  Last week Pappy and GrandBoy found new born twin goats in the field after a very cold night.  (at least as cold as Alabama winters get in January!)  The mama goat didn't have milk, so Pappy and GrandBoy brought the babies in and put the in a wicker laundry basket in my kitchen.  Pappy was feeding them powdered goat milk in a syringe.  Later they were outside again.  GrandBoy starts yelling at the top of his lungs, "PAPA!  PAPA!  I found another baby goat!"  Pappy thought he was pretending, but he hurried over to GrandBoy.  Sure enough GrandBoy had another baby goat!  This one was being cared for by his mother, though.  All three of these babies were boys.  So Pappy fed the twins in the house formula.  Later that night, they died.  I think something was wrong with them.  The single baby is doing great, and running and playing in the pasture with its Mama.

The chickens started laying again last week.  I hope this keeps up.  Since the goats are now kidding, Pappy told me we can use the last of the goat milk in the freezer, and he'll start milking the goats in a couple of weeks.  So I will be able to save a little money not buying milk and eggs.  Food is so high, and I don't even have to buy that much!  We grow much of our food, and try not to buy processed foods.  I don't know how people that purchase all their own food are still able to buy any. 

Daughter #1 is doing well with her nursing school.  She stays busy all the time.  I'm glad to see things coming together for her.

Daughter #2 moved out of our home last night.  Not much else to say about that.

Alabama had tornadoes last night around Birmingham.  Tornadoes are always scary if you live in Alabama.  Only two people are dead, I believe, which is a blessing.  We have flooding here where we live.  Hope this is the last of the stormy weather.

I hope you all have a blessed day!  Hope to see you tomorrow.  Honey 

Thank you Lord for my Husband

I'm so glad that tomorrow is Friday.  But I have noticed that they certainly come around more often than they used to.  But since I am getting older, I need them to come quickly because I am always tired!  Tomorrow is Friday the 13th!  I was raised in a Southern, superstitious family.  I try to avoid Friday the 13ths!  If I had my rathers, I'd stay home, reading a good book, and maybe getting my house clean.  (I won't tell you I need to take down my Christmas tree, because you might think I am crazy.  Really, I'm just busy and short-handed!)

The weather here has been strange.  We were warm for a week or so.  The it rained a lot.  Now it is cold with snow flurries and flooding.  I'm about done with winter this year.  I'm ready for Spring.

This is another one of the photos my daughters took for Christmas. 

Pappy and the GrandBoy

Today I was thinking how thankful I am for my husband.  He always support me in what ever I want to do.  Since he retired, he does what ever needs to be done at home, even keeping our 3 year old GrandBoy three days a week.  GrandBoy was so wound up today that our dog (a miniature dauschound) had been hiding all day.  He hid so well that Pappy thought something had happened and he was missing.  Pappy went to bed at 4:30 and hasn't been seen since.  I guess it was a rough day.  Normally none of these things happen.  Then after GrandBoy's mom came to get him, he called later crying saying he wanted to stay at Honey's house.  I left him down there.  He'll be back in the morning!

Now Pappy would tell you a lot of this was my fault.  That I called and texted him all morning with problems or updates on our tenants.  Then I called during nap time, and woke GrandBoy up when he'd only been asleep for 40 minutes.  He said if I keep calling during nap time, he will cut the phone off.

All three of my girls are mad at me, at the same time, for different reasons.  Oh well.  The Lord didn't tell us moms that we'd be popular.

I started reading "Seasons of a Mother's Heart" from my list yesterday.  Part of me was thinking today that this book is for young mothers, and I'm an older Mom, so maybe I should read something more appropriate.  But for some reason I was drawn to this book.  And since the book is about seasons, and I AM still a mom, surely there is something encouraging in the book for me, right?  I hope so.  I could use some encouraging.

Have a wonderful Friday.  Honey

Roll Tide!

Hi friends!  I'm glad to see you again.  I've been away for a few days.  I'm so busy working these days.  And I stay tired.  I think maybe I'm not fully recovered from my surgery yet.  I just know that I want to sleep all the time!

We watched the BCS Championship game last night!  We LOVED it!  Roll Tide!  We thought it was wonderful, and had a great time until the very end!  Our daughters were texting us as they watched from various places with their friends.  Then this morning I got up, and on my way to work I was listening to all the news stations talk about the game.  So many said it was the most BORING game they'd ever seen!?  I didn't get it.  I guess that may be the case if you are not from ALABAMA!  We love football in this state, and my family loved the game!  My husband said that an Alabama team has won the last three BCS Championship games, and we know what football is suppose to be down here!  Roll Tide!

Daughter #1 is loving nursing school.  But she is really busy.  I guess every one has those busy seasons in life.  Oh, how nice to be young and energetic again.

My Husband is looking at Anatolian Shepherd dogs. He'd like a puppy if we could find one reasonably priced.  The are suppose to be the best flock/herd dogs, and we could use one with our goats.  We lose too many to coyotes.  So we are looking around on line to see if we find one in our price range.

I finished my first book (reading) of the year.  It was called "Riding the Bus with My Sister - A Real Life Story" by Rachel Simon.  It is the memoir of a college professor who rides the bus with her mentally retarded sister for a year.  That is what the sister does all day, ride the bus and talk to the passengers.  It was an interesting book.  I usually read extremely fast, and can finish a few books a week.  But I have been reading this one since the New Year.  It made me think about a lot of things in my life.  Maybe you'd like to give it a look.

Speaking of books.  I decided to make a reading plan for the year.  Several years I have kept a list of the books I read that year.  This year I decided to plan 12 books that I want to finish this year, one a month.  The rest of the time I will read what ever catches my eye.  Mostly mysteries!  So on to the list:

Honey's 2012 Reading List - One Book a Month

1.  God is in the Small Stuff and it all Matters.  Stop Worrying and Invite God into the Details of your Life.  By Bruce and Stan

2.  You Can't Begin Too Soon.  Guiding Little Children to God  by Wesley Haystead

3.  The Worn Out Woman - When your Life is Full and Your spirit Is Empty  by Dr. Steven Stephens and Alice Gray

4.  Beloved Unbeliever - Loving Your Husband Into the Faith by Jo Berry

5.  52 Dates for You and Your Mate by Dave and Claudia Arp

6.  A Woman's Guide to Spiritual Warfare by Quin Sherrere and Ruthanne Garlock

7.  The Leadership Lessons of Jesus - A Timeless Model for Today's Leaders by Bob Briner and Ray Pritchard

8.  The Proverbs 31 Lady and Other Impossible Dreams by Marsha Drake

9.  Seasons of a Mothers Heart by Sally Clarkson

10.  How to be the Happy Wife of an Unsaved Husband by Linda Davis   (I see a pattern here!)

11.  Sabbath Keeping - Finding Freedom in the Rhythms of Rest by Lynne M. Baab

12.  Divine Assignments - You Have One too!  by Lana Heightley

Bonus:  Beautiful Boy - A fathers journey through his son's addiction by David Sheff

I didn't put the books in any specific order.  I will just chose as I feel that month.  I picked a bonus book so I would have a choice every month, in case I didn't feel like reading one of the books.  All of these books came out of my personal library, and have not been previously read by me.  I have way too many books, and have a massive amount of books I may never read.  So I am trying to make a plan for that.  For January I  plan to start tonight with #9. 

I would love to hear what you all are reading! 

I wanted to post some photos tonight, but that button doesn't seem to be working on my blog tonight.  Maybe tomorrow it will be working.  Hope you have a great Wednesday!  Honey

A Mom's Work is Never Done

Daughter #1 had her wisdom teeth removed today.  She did really well with her surgery, and has done well this afternoon.  I will be going back to work tomorrow.  I hope she does well then, too.  Today, each time she stood up to go somewhere, GrandBoy grabbed her hand and said, "I help you walk, K?"  Such a sweet boy!

Daughter #3's car is not fixed yet.  It appears the water pump stopped working, and she drove it with no water, and the radiator blew up, and that is not the end of the story.  So maybe we will know tomorrow if it can be fixed.

I went to pick up some rent tonight.  I usually don't do that on Thursday, but it has been a very slow month!  I hope this weekend will be good for rent collection.  I'm suppose to rent a house this weekend.  Hope that happens! 

I am looking for a refrigerator for an apartment.  I went to the Habitat Store today on the way to Daughter's surgery.  I called, and they only had one refrigerator.  I wanted to pay for it and pick it up this weekend.  Well, I got there and saw it.  The bottom of the refrigerator, that goes over the drawers, was broken in two places, almost in three pieces.  I asked the price, and the lady said $150.  I bought a perfect side-by-side there for $150.  I offered her $100, but she would not take it.  So I left.  Still need a refrigerator.

Just got a call that Daughter #3 needs a ride to work.  I will be picking her up when I am normally getting out of bed.  A mom's work is never done!  Honey

Sleeping Beauties

Well, It's Wednesday night, and everyone is in bed except me.  The were in  bed by 8:00!  I'm afraid they may all be getting sick.  I hope not, though. 

This afternoon I had to go check a rental in town.  We don't have keys, and so I was trying to see if I could find a way to get in, but I did not.  I'll deal with that later in the week.

I met Daughter #1 this afternoon to go shopping for planners.  She had her orientation for Nursing school today, and her classes start Monday.  She has oral surgery tomorrow, so she is hoping she will be herself Monday in time for class!  She is going to have a lot on her plate, working full time and going to nursing school full time.  The school normally doesn't allow this, but they said they would let her try.  Her job reimburses her for her schooling, so she wants to find a way to make this work.

Daughter #2 went to bed early.  She said she is not feeling well.  Maybe she will be better tomorrow. 

Pappy worked hard all day.  I went to church, and when I got home, he was already asleep.  Maybe something is going around in our home.

So tomorrow I will not be going to work.  I'll be going to the surgery center with my daughter.  Pray for her that things go well for her.  The weather should be in the 50s here tomorrow, which will be very welcome to me!

GrandBoy came tonight to stay with us.  I picked him up from daycare.  He always loves to be her, and is also asleep. 

Well, I guess I will finish up on line so I can go to bed, too.  I hope you have a happy Thursday!  Honey

Chaotic Morning

Today was Tuesday, and it was our first day back to work.  This day really started out on the wrong foot.  The first thing I do each morning when I get up is to look at my phone to see if I have missed any calls or texts from Daughter #3.  There were no missed calls, so I started getting ready for work.  Last night was the coldest night we have had here since last February.  It got down in the teens, and was very cold.  Within minutes, the phone rang.  Daughter #3 was on the phone, and I could tell, about to cry.  Her car was broken down at a busy intersection, and she wanted me to come, hurry, and bring lots of water and anti-freeze!  She said her car quit, and wouldn't start back up.  She was sure she needed water and anti-freeze, though.?  So I told her one of us would be there shortly.  We live about 30 minutes away, and were not dressed.  I woke Pappy up, and he went to help her.  I also called a wrecker to get the car moved to the garage we use, and out of the road.  By the time all this was done, it was 7:30, and time for me to leave for work.  Problem was, I wasn't dressed.  So I threw on some clothes and rushed out the door. 

The wrecker driver took her car to our garage and Pappy took Daughter #3 to work.  Our mechanic said her radiator busted and the cost would be $270.  So Pappy said fix it, and Daughter said she would pay us back.  One delima solved.

Daughter #2 took our small dog to the vet.  I believe I told you yesterday he was sick.  He had a bone and some meat lodged in his jaw.  The vet removed the bone and debris, and gave him medicine.  No more bones for him!  Tonight he acts like he feels much better.

I wanted to share with you that I enrolled again today for the Hello Mornings challenge.  The sign up for this wonderful group ends tomorrow at 5:00 I believe.  I have done this challenge twice before and it is a great way to encourage yourself to spend more time in the mornings getting ready for your day.  I am NOT a morning person.  I am a night owl, and always have been.  But I am trying to get up earlier, and use that time for special things I don't have time for otherwise.  I read the Bible, pray, have a bite to eat.  Some people exercise, but so far I'm not a part of that group.  If you need more hours in your day, why don't you join us and try this?  I remember last time, there was a lady who said she was going to get up at 4:00.  I said, "If I got up at 4:00, I might as well not go to bed!"  But everyone choses the time that works for them, so don't be put off by that.  Just try it!

Our weather will be cold again tonight, and then heat up to the 50s by Thursday.  Pappy is waiting up for some more rabbits to be born.  So far two nests of babies are on my kitchen table.  No sign of the hawk today.

We had our own pork roast fixed in the crock pot, with potatoes and carrots, and iced tea.  So good.  This was the first "most normal" meal I have eaten since my surgery.  We'll see how it goes! 

Daughter #1 is off work till Monday.  She has orientation for Nursing school tomorrow, and oral surgery Thursday.  Pray for her and for us that everything goes smoothly for her.

Well, I guess that is all the news from here.  See you tomorrow.  Honey

This is the photo we used on our Christmas cards this year.  This was taken on July 4.  Everyone was shooting skeet at our annual gathering, and GrandBoy dind't like the noise! 

Busy, Busy

Well, today was the last day of my Christmas holidays from work.  I had so many plans for this lazy week between Christmas and New Year's Day.  But for some reason, not many of those plans came to pass.  I'm really behind in a lot of my housekeeping duties and goals since my surgery and the holidays.  So I never really decorated much for Christmas.  I did no baking, and no present making.  The week after Christmas I planned to pack up the Christmas decorations, catch up on laundry, clean out the toys, clean out my car, and do some office work.  Nothing on that list, except doing a few loads of laundry, has happened.  Today I had four appointments to show property, all over the north part of our county.  Pappy said, "why don't you tell them you're not making appointments today?"  I said, "Because it is January, and this is the best time to try to rent something all winter".  We have two properties of our own empty, and three that I manage for other people.  So my plans got pushed aside, and property was shown.  I have to develop some work hours.  That's what I need to do.  I need to be BOLD in reclaiming my time.  Where's my calendar?

Today is day 2 of Praying 31 Days for our Spouses. Today we prayed for Salvation.  Pappy and I have been married 29 years last week.  I have prayed for my husband's salvation every day of that 29 years.  One day it will happen.  I keep praying.

Today on the farm, we sold a bottle calf.  The calf is about 8 weeks old.  Pappy found him when he was a day old, and the mother was dead.  So pappy carried this 100 pound calf about a half mile to the truck, and brought him to our farm.  Twice a day he bottle fed the calf.  I've never seen such a gentle calf.  Yesterday, the calf tried to lick GrandBoy's face, like a puppy.  A hunter that parks by our house, saw the calf, and bought him.  That is nice for Pappy to lose that chore.

It will be in the teens tonight here.  That is very cold for Alabama.  Pappy brought in all the baby rabbits so they won't freeze.  Two more moms are pulling out their fur, so we will probably have more litters tonight.  Pappy will check them again before bed.

Night before last, I went outside after dark, to get some milk out of the extra refrigerator.  I heard a chicken "screaming".  I could see it flopping around on the ground, so I knew something had it.  I yelled twice for my girls, or someone in our house, but no one heard me.  I was thinking that I really needed a gun, but there was no time to go back to the house.  I ran down to the chicken pen, while praying the predator wasn't a fox or something.  It was a hawk! I had not seen one up close like that.  I started yelling, and trying to get the door open to get into the pen.  The hawk started flying around inside the pen, like he forgot how he got in there.  Finally he found the hole he had made in the mesh at the top of the pen,  to get inside.  He flew out, and sped away.  Later, I told my husband about my adventure.  He said he would have paid $1,000 to see me trying to get that hawk out of the chicken pen.  Well, fast forward.  I came home this afternoon, and the hawk was under our carport, trying to get in the cage where the doves are kept in the summer.  I think he thought there might be seed in there.  The hawk flew off when he saw me.  I told Pappy.  He had seen the hawk trying to get to the baby rabbits today.  He thinks he is young, and doesn't know how to hunt much.  I think his days are probably numbered.

Our house dog needs to go to the vet tomorrow.  Somehow he injured his mouth, and it became infected.  He is a miniature long hair dachshund.  His jaw is swollen, and you can smell the infection.  We don't know what he did.  Whether he broke a tooth, or jabbed something in his mouth.  Maybe the vet will be able to tell us.  He is just laying around, trying to stay out of every one's way.

These are our twin daughters who will be 23 in March.  Daughter #1 planned these photos of she and her sisters for my Christmas.  This is the only one I could copy off their facebook pages.  I will have to get more to share soon. 
Well, I guess I will get ready for work in the morning.  I hope you all have a great week.  Honey

Hello 2012! My Word for the Year

Happy New Year!  Hello, 2012.  We spent a nice quiet New Year's Day at home.  We are expecting the coldest weather here since last February.  It will be in the 20's at night and the 30's during the day.  Today I think the high was about 60.  So we are in for  some true winter weather.  I'm not looking forward to it.

In the South, we eat black eyed peas, greens, and ham to bring good luck into the new year.  I didn't cook my dried peas early enough, so I started looking for some canned black eyed peas.  I didn't have any.  I ran to the Dollar General, and the only ones they had left had tomatoes and peppers in them. The can said it was called "Hoppin John".  So that's the type of peas we had with our ham, turnip greens, creamed corn, and chow chow.  We also had cranberry sauce, because GrandBoy was here and he likes it.  I hope we ate enough to bring lots of good luck and success into our new year.

I joined a new challenge called 31 Days to Pray For Your Spouse.  It started today.  Today we prayed for our selves.  What better way to help our prayers be right with God, than to be certain we are right with God before we start.  I'm looking forward to this month of prayer for my husband.  Pappy isn't a Christian.  So I will be praying especially that this time I spend in prayer will bring him closer to the Truth and eternal life.

WORD FOR THE YEAR:?

Now, for my word for the year.  I have given this a lot of thought.  I have pondered where I want to go in my life this year.  About what I want for my family.  About changes I want to make in myself.  My word for the year, is BOLD.  I think this word will best describe how I want to achieve the goals I have set for 2012.  I will have to be BOLD and reach out for the things I want.  I will have to do things even when I don't feel like it.  When I am tired, and overwhelmed with life.  I will need to be BOLD and keep going.  I hope this word is an encouragement to me this year to make the changes I want to make.  What is your word for the year?  Honey