I’m a Stylish Blogger…or so says Ellen!

 

Talented and Amazing Ellen over at Abounding Life gave this to me! I didn’t even know what an award was….total newbie here!  How absolutely cool!

Now I am to pass it along to some more stylish bloggers as well.  Rules to play along.. 

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.

So, here we go….7 things you probably didn’t need to know about me:

 

1.) I am an avid reader especially how to books, biblical womanhood, entrepreneurship, junk collecting, decorating, health/nutrition related, and the list goes on and on.

2.) I am very random. I would love to think that I am really scheduled and on the ball with everything…and I think left to myself I would lean this way….but being married for 23 years to a VERY spontaneous man has turned my tide. I relish the ebb and flow in our daily life.

3.) I am a crafter wannabe…honestly....and will probably never reach the crafter extraordinaire!  My honey and Ellen take care of that market!

4.) I am addicted to my kids. REALLY.TRULY.ADDICTED…. I have 5 of the most amazing kids in the world. They make me smile EVERY.SINGLE.DAY

5.) I am absolutely madly in love with my man. We tease each other that we will make the best retired couple….walking on the beach, going to garage sales, and reading good books…if we ever get a break from the grandkids….

6.)  I secretly wish I could be Lizzy in Pride and Predjudice.  My husband says I was born in the wrong time period…I could really do with less technology and more down to earth, honest ta goodness, homemade life. Maybe that’s why I live in the country with a big garden and a tire swing.

7.) I love to love. I love people, places, sweet memories, long time friends, new found friends, and living passionately.

 

Wow! That was hard! I really wanted to tell you more…*sheepish grin*….guess you’ll hafta stop by and visit me to learn more about me.

Now, for the Passing of the Award. Can this be any more difficult….uuuggghhh! Each of you sew a seam into the fabric of my soul each time I read your blogs.  Can’t I just give an award to everyone? There goes my randomness coming out…rules, glorious rules……

Ok, Blog Roll please....

1.) My real life blogger girl…surrogate niece….can be found right here. She has a fresh perspective for a young mom of 4. I love her candidness about life in the fast lane with 4 in tow. She is a doula, a daughter of the King, and a phenomenal lady! Go check her out!

2.) Pretties and Posies is the place to be for all things white, shabby, and girlie.  I just love it here as I can get my fix of all the vintage white that I so desire in my home. Dreamy is all I can say…and dream is what I do when I visit Melanie’s blog.

3.) A very new blogger but long time friend, Christine over here is just waiting for others to discover her! Share the love with her and become one of her first followers!

4.)Are you looking to get the latest “how to” for you blog? This is the place to be! I am so new to blogging and Sarah’s blog has helped me put together a header in Picasa that I never thought was possible! I just love this place!

5.) I am absolutely addicted to Shannan’s blog…I dunno….it’s really becoming obsessive on my part…I actually think I'm blog stalking…is there such a thing? I just like to go here to get a fresh glimpse of real life in the here and now. Shannan is full of faith, laughter, raw insight, and has a mini-van full of cute kiddos ta boot!

6.) Life on the Ranch can be somewhat intimidating at times, but Antoinette knows how to see the beauty in everyday. She is another real life blogger friend that loves to dig in the dirt with me.  You can read all about her and her family’s exploits right here.

7.)Being a citygirl turned farmgirl…this blog really caught my eye.  I love all things french, farmy and shabby. Angela’s pictures are amazing and her light heartedness captures the essence that I love to live by.

 

Okay….I absolutely cannot follow the rules or I will NEVER get this thing out on the airways! Honestly…it takes me soooo long to blog….

So, in blog fashion and b/c I can….I declare that 7 is the perfect #. God says it is so it is!

 

Okay stylish bloggers….go to it!

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Technorati Tags: Stylish blogger award

Spiritual Swagger

Have  you ever wondered about the men and women of old?

Ever wondered where they managed to get such conviction? Such abandonment?

They were men and women just like us.

Fears, disappointments, doubts, unattained dreams and goals were their constant companions. Just read the story of Jacob and Isaac.  Their lives were full of intrigue, murder, adultery, deceit, and the list goes on.

BUT…what these men possessed brings me to my knees before Him who has called me.

Outside of their humanity of soul they possessed the deep abiding understanding of the POWER of the Living God.

Have you ever read Jasher?

Jasher is an historical book referred to in Joshua 10:13 and 2nd Samuel 1:18.

We have been reading and re-reading this book for about 9 years now. 

Can you tell it’s been around for awhile?

This book takes the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and others and brings color to them.

You will get a better grasp as to why Esau gave up his birthright so easily, how Jacob is a lover and not a fighter, and why Joseph’s brothers hated him so.

As you read Jasher you begin to see the spiritual swagger of the sons of Jacob.

We have been reading the life of Jacob in our family devotions and I have been struck by the deep convictions that his sons had about the power of the Almighty One.

You see, “the company of hero’s is shaped in private in order that they might prove the might of God out in the open fields.” Eric Ludy Wrestling Prayer

Take David; he spent years in the wilderness preparing to be king. He was tested and tried and found to overcome.

Because of his victories in his private wilderness he was able to overcome Goliath.

This evil regime was just one more victory for the boy king instead of a shadow of overwhelming odds. 

He understood the POWER of whom he served.

Do we have this spiritual swagger?

Do we grasp the POWER at work within us?

“We are to be the fearless ones, the courageous ones, the ones who stand when every other man (or woman) sits, the ones who storm the gates when every other man turns and hightails, the ones who say, “I will fight ‘em!” when every other man sinks in despair.” Eric Ludy Wrestling Prayer

There is a spiritual swagger for the taking. The question is: Who has the spiritual guts to claim it for themselves?

My prayer: Birth in me O Lord, that relenting spiritual swagger of old….I have been embodied with His great Power, His might, His mighty deeds.  I serve a MIGHTY God!

Where’s your spiritual swagger this day?

Farmhouse Chicks

Technorati Tags: Wrestling Prayer,Jasher,Spiritual Swagger

Canning Tomatoes, Making Echinacea, Home-made Pizza

We do most everything here by scratch.  Someone walked into my pantry  and said…”Wow, you hardly have any food in here!”

Really…I did, just not the typical boxed food you will find.  Most of my food comes from my bountiful summer garden or from the co-op in large bags and then put in food grade buckets on the floor of my new pantry.

During harvest season we put up (another word for canned…for all you city folk!)  our tomatoes.  So far we have 90 quarts of tomato sauce.  With about 20 more on the way.

Does that look like gold to you? Red gold? I just can’t get enough of lookin’ at these sweet red jars of nutrition…. Makes me wanna smile all day…

 

After we finished our liquid red gold project we moved onto the herbal gold….Echinacea.

We use this wonderful herb for soooo many health issues…cold and flu being the most.

My littlest chick has the job of separating the capsules (which I get from www.bulkherbstore.com) and filling them into my herb filler…can’t remember the technical word for that contraption at the moment.

After she gets the Echinacea or any other herb I may need to encapsulate….into the capsules, she puts their tops on and labels the jar and seals for future use.

We make about 100 capsules at time and keep the dried herb in the freezer to retain freshness.

 

Then after all that hard work of taking care of our family with liquid red gold and herbal health…we celebrate!  The Farmhouse Baker made us 2 delicious homemade pizzas. One was a tomato and spinach pizza with Asagio cheese…the other one tomato and broccoli….and yes my kids like their veggies….except green peppers…could it be any wonder? I don’t like green peppers…they truly eat the way mama hen eats. (except for the swamp smoothies…hee-hee)

 

What kind of healthy livin’ goes on in your home?

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Technorati Tags: Home Cooking,Pizza,Canning,Tomatoes,Echinacea,Health

The Pantry

The long awaited pantry………da da da daaaaaa!! (that’s a drum roll :))

I have waited 23 years for a pantry like this….

My honey loves to please his chicky babe…so he made it to my specs (the farmhouse baker had something to say as well).

But before I let you see the NEW pantry…you must see what we lived with before.

 

We lived out of the foyer and bags and boxes for weeks….until….

The shelves begin

Counters and sink were installed next. Great idea, huh? I like to put my small appliances here and keep them out of the main kitchen.

Is this sink awesome or what? This was the farmhouse baker’s idea! She is incredible in the kitchen!

Shelves to the ceiling soon to be filled with…..

  

whosits and whatnots….

and a place for all my bulk grains.

 

My roosters out did themselves….new pantry, new appliances…do I hear dinner calling?  Oh, farmhouse baker….whatcha cookin?  Call me when it’s ready ‘cuz I’m off to clean!

Farmhouse Chicks

Technorati Tags: Pantry,cooking,baking,closets