Wow! Hello out there!

I didn't mean to not post forever and a day. I could probably use the same old excuse. The whole, we've been so busy. Well really we have but you know how you go through periods where you just need to sort through things? And then you have to adjust to the things you have sorted through?

Okay, so maybe just my head thinks I'm a total whack job. I'm good with that!

So what have we been doing?

We worked around the farm. We got some more new cattle. The farmer got a few 'girl' cows. Not sure what he thinks he's doing with girl cows but I'm nervous so I'm not asking. Ignorance is bliss right?

We gave the goats to a family looking for some as pets. While we absolutely LOVE our little girls, we do not have the fencing right now for goats. And since they were were just pets, at this point it did not make sense to put up that much fencing for pets. And they were eating all our trees in the orchard so they were spending a lot of time penned or tied up. So to be fair to them, a family had the fencing and was really looking forward to having a them as new pets.

We butchered chickens. Weights ranged between 12 and 16 pounds. I gave one to my mom and she told me it was the perfect sized turkey for thanksgiving. I still haven't told her it isn't a turkey!  hehehe

We butchered turkeys. Weights ranged between 18 and 25 pounds. My freezer is very full right now with chicken and turkey.

I found a yearling doe early one morning driving to work that had a broken back but unfortunately was still alive. The county will allow you to tag them so I did and learned to skin and butcher a deer. Hhmmm, maybe something I wish I hadn't learned. Very time consuming. But we also have lots of ground venison right now.

I did lots of canning and late this fall the farmer spent many days spinning out honey.

As a family we've been busy. We had a death in the family and then an uncle who fell off a ladder onto concrete and was unconscious for 6 days (amazing the things families can talk about in a big city surrounded by weird city people in a waiting room!).

Miss Em has dance weekly and has also joined Girl Scouts. And me with my big mouth volunteered. Ack!  :)

We have KOOL (our church's afterschool sunday school) and regular sunday school every week along with fall fundraisers, Church Administrative Council, and preparing for Christmas Bazaar.

I also went through a little period of self-pity. I was frustrated with not being able to lose weight and wanting to have a new house now. And blogland is not a place to be when your in self-pity. So I stepped back to sort everything out. I'm working on being thankful for my blessings. I also have to remember that we've choosen to build with cash because we do not want more debt. Next spring, the only debt we will have is our mortgage and student loan debt.

So I also spent some time doing a little sprucing up. And it truly helped. I spruced up the house a bit, some new paint to cover up some ugly tiles in the bathroom. New (to us) couch in the living room to give us more room. And finally pictures put up in our bedroom. And a new desk to organize and clean-up the computer/sewing area. All garage sale finds of course!

I also spruced myself up. New haircut and some funky color. A couple new pieces of clothes that fit my body as it is now. I also have a twice weekly "date" with a good friend to walk at the school for an hour and a half each night. It's a start. And I gave up grains...at least most days!

I've been doing lots of fun cooking and have some yummy (at least I think so!) recipes I've been wanting to share. Some that fit in my new diet, some that make me break my no grain rules for the day!

But for tonight, time to go walk!

Lisa