Christmas is coming...

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat

Please to put a penny in the old mans hat

If you haven't  got a penny a ha'penny will do

If you haven't got a ha'penny then God bless you

I have that song on an ancient Muppet tape.

Cracks me up every time.

I have to say, it's hard to feel Christmas-y when it's 60 degrees outside, the grass needs to be cut & the roses are blooming.

It's just wrong ;)

We did 3 nights of a Live Nativity at church.

We brought one of our goats & our precious little mini donkey, Pea.

Pea was by far the star of the show.

She is just so laid back & loveable. She let everybody pet her & play with her.

This was our first year with the Nativity & it went well.

The first night we had 5 cars pull in & stop & lots more honked as they went by.

The second night I think 8 cars stopped.

The last night 16 cars stopped!

And we only got rained on one night.

God is good.



Blessings.

Abuse

I have never thought too much about abuse.

I have never known anyone (at least that I know of) who suffered from abuse.

Until now.

A friend is trying to escape an abusive marriage.

Physical & emotional abuse.

Scary abuse.

Afraid for her life & the lives of her children abuse.

It breaks my heart.

And it has made me think...

My husband & I tend to be very silly.

We have water fights. We wrestle. We chase each other thru the house screaming & laughing.

Our children, for the most part, just look on in disgust :)

Sometimes they will join in & hand me a fresh water bottle when mine is out or try to help 'bring down' their dad (an impossible task).

But when their dad picks up their mom & carries her screaming from the room ~ everyone is laughing.

It isn't scary.

What about other kids?

What about kids who see their parents hurt each other?

What about kids who try to help their mom because they fear for her life?

How do those kids make it?

How do they ever grow up & be 'normal'?

It is heartbreaking.

And it makes me angry.

Angry that people hurt the people they are supposed to love.

Angry that they hurt the people they have been charged to care for.

Angry that they seem to go unpunished & are unrepentant.

And it makes me thankful.

So  thankful that my husband takes care of me.

That I can run screaming from the room, shooting water at him as I go, and I have nothing to fear.

Thankful that my children laugh & know we love each other.

Thankful that my husband is a good man.

Thankful for the one powerful thing I can do for those who are afraid and hurting: PRAY

Please join me.

Blessings.

Bah Humbug

Ugh.

A cold has been working it's way thru the family & I have succcumbed.

Nothing too serious just a sore throat & general yuckyness so far.

I had planned to start decorating for Christmas but may sit on the couch & whine instead.

In other news: we are planning a live nativity at our church.

We want a camel so badly but haven't had any luck yet.

How cool would that be & wouldn't you stop in if somebody had a camel?

We will have goats & a donkey but a camel would just be awesome.

Maybe we can just disguise my horse, hmmm...

It is so hard to get into the "Christmas spirit" or even think about Christmas in this weather.

The sun is shining, the grass is green, it's in the 50's.

Back 'home' the temp is in the negatives & they have 2 feet of snow on the ground. And yes, I am just crazy enough that I want that over this.

I love winter. I love snow. I love cold.

Sigh.

Anyway. we may actually get a Christmas tree this year. The kids have been begging :)

Hubby still says "We'll see" soooo, I guess we'll see ;)

Blessings.

Recent photos of random things...

Have written multiple, scintilating blog posts in my head.

Have not had them make it to the computer :(

So, I decided just to hit the highlights :)

Such as...



The cutest cowboy in the world checking out of the Nugget (yes, that is a bear on his suitcase & yes, it is wearing underpants. Scooby Doo underpants to be exact.)



The turn out for our Cowboy Saturday BBQ & service. I was impressed we had so many folks because it was pouring outside. Like monsoon season in the rain forest pouring.



Our special guest speaker (and super special friend) cowboy evangelist Leroy Cowert.



There's the world's cutest cowboy again, enjoying him some cowboy preaching.



And the world's cutest cowboy with the worlds cutest baby brother enjoying the mild Thanksgiving day. Yeppers. Thanksgiving day. Green grass. Barefeet. Crazy mixed up California weather.

Blessings.

Road Trip Part II

Yesterday we made the pilgrimage to Scheels.

According to their sign, they are the biggest sporting goods store in the world.

And since this



and this



are both inside the store, I am inclined to take their word for it.

They also have this



and this



in there too.

Along with bunches and bunches of stuff to buy.  Clothes, guns, fishing gear, sports equipment, paint ball gear, traps, dog training stuff, & lots more.

I was talked into riding the ferris wheel





The little boys thought it was pretty neat but I think my daughter is cured forever...

Fun story:

Yesterday at breakfast my 4 year old was playing 'peak' with a young man seated at the table behind us. He was smiling & being 'shy'. After a minute or 2 or I had The Little Man turn around & finish his meal. At the end of our meal, when it was time to pay, the waitress told us it was all taken care of. The young man behind us had bought our breakfast because he had noticed us praying before our meal & just liked our family! Wasn't that sweet?

Blessings.

Road trip to Reno

We are here, in beautiful downtown Sparks Nevada, at the Nugget for the California Cattlemens Assoc. Convention.

Oh, by the way, if you ever stay here, stay in the west tower. The rooms in the east tower are newer but dinky. Like, claustrophobic dinky. And more expensive :(  (we moved to the west tower)

On the way here we stopped at the Holy Grail of outdoorsmen: Cabellas.

Very, very cool.

Very.

And being the yahoos that we are we took 62 pictures in there. Yup. 62.

And now, just 'cause I know you want me to, I'm going to share them with you :)



They had several dioramas like these. All over the store. Alaska. Africa. The desert. The mountains.



Dad! Let's go over there!



A polar bear!



This fellow was an associate there.



My daughter even met a nice guy while we were there... hee hee hee



Check out the elephant behind us!



My men.

Today the plan is to go to another huge outdoor store here. It is supposed to be even bigger ~ to the point of having a ferris wheel inside~ I'll let you know how it goes.

(yeah, I know, that isn't 62 pics, But c'mon, really? You wanted me to upload all of them?)

Blessings.

Anybody there?

So...I haven't written in ages.
I actually tried to post a really cute video of the kids but WordPress hates me (which is okay 'cause I hate WordPress) & nobody at Homestead Blogger has gotten back to me to tell me how soooo...I couldn't get it posted.
And that just frustrated me so I didn't post at all.
I have to admit that all the struggles with this new format make blogging no fun.
I have thought of trying a different blogsite but that would be unfun too.
Sooo...I'm still here.
Sorta.
I also haven't really had anything positive to say & didn't want to be a big whiner pants.
This has just been a rough year. These last 4 or 5 months especially.
And this move has been epic.
We still aren't settled.
Still don't have all of the animals set up.
It is just taking forever.
We also have a serious lack of furniture so the living room is empty.
It just looks & feels like we are squatting here.
Not like home.
So I haven't been very chatty. Haven't had much to say.
Hoping to have a more positive view of life soon.
We get to do a little traveling next week.
Maybe that will perk me up.
So...I am still here.
How about you?
Blessings.