Howdy Strangers!

There. I tried to title it with something a little more interesting then a simple, "I'm back". I took a little blogging break for a week, I like to every now and then to kind of restore my focus:) I missed everyone! Happy New Years! It sure has been cold for the past week! We've been piling on the layers to brave the Arctic temperatures! (Okay, maybe not Arctic:) Anyways here's an update on what we've been about this past week.....

On New Years Eve some of us stayed up until midnight. We basically watched Andy Griffith re-runs on the Internet until 12pm, toasted with sparkling apple cider and them fell into our beds! Here are some pictures Maddie took of our feeble attempts to stay awake:)

We toasted as a family before the little ones went to bed. (We used sparkling cider:)

The night seemed to drag a little......

Last Saturday, Dad, Katie, Maddie, Hannah and Will went over to the Solomons house to help prepare it to put on the market again. On Sunday, Church was at the Heffingtons. (Joanna and Rachel, I immensely enjoyed our "therapy session" upstairs in the girls room!:) then on Monday we started back up with our normal routine, regular chores and work. After our "holiday" of several weeks in December I was more than ready to get back to our normal busyness! On Wednesday, Justin, Tim and Ben came over for a work day. We did a huge farm clean-up, we positively scoured the place! That's pretty much what we did that day, apart from chasing two runaway calves, and preparing some of the hoops for the winter. Thursday morning, Mom and I met Mrs. Heffington and Rachel for breakfast, we had a great time visiting! I think Rachel and I got a little carried away with our laughter because we had to be shushed by the moms:) (Good thing that coffee cup wasn't full Rachel:)

It has been so cold lately that the hoses have stayed frozen sometimes all day, but a little 'ol frozen hose doesn't stop us! We have our methods.......:)

Last winter we made a sled out of an old pallet and a couple of four by fours, it works well to haul a large quantity of water with.

And then this past Thursday was our little Gabe's 4th birthday!

We all laughed so while watching Gabe open his birthday presents! He tore through the wrapping paper like a crazy man, presents flying everywhere! After having opened every last one of them he thanked everyone, admired the paper and then began to examine his presents! He was so funny!

I am excited to see what God has for us this new year! I'm also looking forward to the usual farm planning that takes place this month. I enjoy being a part of the planning and seeing the year laid out before us on the big calender! Of course we can't know everything that will take place. Only our Sovereign Lord knows that, but I love having a vision and goals to accomplish! Some of my personal goals include; getting my permit/drivers licence, (I will be 19 in April, it's kind of embarrassing that I still don't have it yet! It would be very useful to have, it's just hard making myself study the boring drivers manual!:) anyways..... and finish up with a few important homemaking skills. I also have a big reading list:) I received several new book for my graduation as well as gift cards for Christmas, so I've been stocking up on books! I've been keeping Vision Forum in business:) I was able to take advantage of the great after Christmas sale they had so I really got my gift card's worth!

Well, that should pretty much catch you all up. Enough of my ramblings for now! Have a great weekend!

-Morgan