Saturday Morning on the Homestead

Before I do anything else, let me share our new family portraits with you!  Nevin traded work with a friend of ours, who does incredible photography.  The top picture is now framed and ready for our living room wall.  When we held the beautiful new portrait against the wall.....we knew it was time to paint again!  So, the living room is getting painted, then the picture can go up.  The two others are the "also-rans".

It is very hard to get six people to all look the same way at one time.

Now, on to the rest of life.  Well, it has been busy.  This time of year the garden is going in, lots of new plants are in the ground, and the lawn it getting some care.  We completely re-did our front yard.  Nevin scraped a couple inches off the top, the boys and I picked up a good ton of rocks, then we put down new soil and seed.  I will get some pictures this weekend, with all the new plantings, it is really a sight to behold!  I don't much care for yard work, but I do love living in the country.

Last weekend we went camping with a few friends....actually, we ended up with 23 people, counting the baby and two toddlers.  It was wonderful, I ate my weight in s'mores.

Tony outlining the rules of engagement for our camp-out airsoft war.  We were so blessed - our campsite backed up to a wooded area and a creek, so we had that pretty much to ourselves, plus a big open area for capture the flag.  Not counting the babies and toddlers (and some young-at-heart adults), we had twelve kids there.

The kids spent a lot of time hanging out around the fire.

I don't know why Joe does "peace" at everyone.

Tired little man

All the weaponry, being prepared on our picnic table

Nevin just chillin' at the campfire

Coming back from the war.  That is my Ben in the striped jacket.

Check out these two lady ninjas!

After recuperating from the camping trip, we are just wrapping up the end-of-the-schoolyear stuff; Family Night in our homeschool group, Ben's guitar concert, that sort of thing.  Lots of fellowship planned for this weekend, then soon we are camping again...I know it sounds busy, but I am actually in the process of eliminating "busy" from our lives (more on that later) and cutting back on activities.  I want to have lots of time for family fun, so we are having to re-arrange some of our individual activities.

Did I mention that my mom won a COW in a raffle, and split it with us?  Yesterday I got to drive to a meat processors' and pick up half a cow, all neatly cut and wrapped and in boxes.  Huge, huge, HUGE blessing for our family!  We are down to the last few packages of venison from last fall, and the freezer was getting bare.  Next I plan to order half a pig from a local butcher and this some there will be some bbq pork steaks and grilled t-bones, yum,yum, yum!  Sorry, just couldn't help it!

Oh well, it will all work out.

Anyway, today I am enjoying being at home, getting ready to do some housework, spend some time being quiet, reflecting on the goodness of the Lord.  

You have a wonderful Saturday, too!