Christmas Eve Bliss

Twas the morning before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creator was stirring, except for me and Chachi.  The animals were nesseled all snug in the barn, with visons of sugar cubes and a carrot in their heads.  And I in my jammies and Chachi in his elf suit, had just put the turkey in the oven for a long winters nap....... Ok, enough with the parity.... I am up and baking a turkey for lunch today with my husbands family.  We will be having dinner with his mothers side of the family and then to his mom's to open gifts.  Tomorrow we will have Christmas with my family during the day and the Haney's that evening. 

As I think back to Christmas's past I remember many fond memories of my childhood.  One that really stands out in my mind is spending time with both of my grandmothers.  Baking cookies and candies.  Every one packing into a little bitty house that was as so hot you would smother to death. The sounds of family reuniting and laughing about days gone by.  The food was always so good and the chance to run and play with cousins that we only saw a few times a year.  My MamMaw, the mother of my dad, always hung stockings for each of the grandchildren.  She would be so excited for us to arrive to see what Santa had left us.  Some years she would call and say something like,"hurry and get to mammaws, and see what Santa left for you in your sock!"  We always got and orange, some nuts, a big pepermint barber's pole, and some little toys, maybe a piece of chocolate.  Her house was so energizing and fun.  I really miss those days!  Although she is still with us her mind has failed her and she has grown old.  It makes Christmas very hard for me as I really wanted my family to have memories of her like I do.  She always made each of us feel like we were the favorite.  She loved us unconditionally and deeply and never did for one if she couldn't do for the other.  Now, most of the family has nothing to do with her and several just want to put her in a home.  This is so sad that they would forget the women who brought so much life to all of us and neglet her the way they do.  She is just a jewel who the Lord has placed here for a reason.  And, most of all she is my MamMaw. 

I will post more later.....

Blessings beyond compair!

Saturday, a week ago, my 15 year old and her best friend compeated in the Eastern Region 4-H Market Hog Show.  These girls, yes girl, have been raising a show hog since early September.  They have bben feeding, grooming, and training their pigs to compeat at the regional show.  Both girls, I am proud to say, have done very well.  Emily placed forth in her weight class, pigs 165 - 175, and Jessica, her buddy, placed 2nd in her weight class, 200 -209.  These girls did great. Next they will be of to state to try their hand in that competion.  With both pigs needing to reach at least 250 pounds we will be feeding them constantly!  I will post pictures as soon as I get them.  it was too cold to take them with the cell phone.
As you can see construction on the barn is slow but steady!  This has been consuming most of our spare time as we are making sure that all of the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed!  I do have to say the builders are very nice and have not made to big of a mud hole in my yard.  The tin is on the roof now and I will need to take a picture of that to show you all.

We had on of the best suprises ever when returning form the hog show saturday! One of the first timer ewe's gave birth to a precious baby girl!   She is solid black and just a jewel!  I can't wait for you to see her!  Those log floppy ears and big brown eyes!  Momma sure did a good job!  I am always nervous when fisrt timers have babies!  She did it all on her own and man what a big girl!

Mrs. Haney's Sweat Shop.. or so it has been dubbed...

The art room has turned into Santa's Workshop or Mrs.Haney's Sweat shop as my students have been calling it. Lol.. We have been working hard all week on making no sew blanks. The calss as a whole has completed 12 blankets! Therefore they decided today that the room was a sweat shop both because of the heat and as a pun. Here are some photos of the blankets and the kids working.

Last night was a blast as well.  Timothy decided we would put the tree up and he would make christmas ornaments.  So we put the tree up and he helped me decorate it with all the handmade ornament he can find and then the very expensive ones that I almost lost it when he got them out.  But, I managed to hold it together and let him put them on the tree!  Next came the gingerbread men.  We had glue everywhere!And last but not least the gumdrop tree.  Which was the highlight of the evening.  Timothy loved tasting all the flavors of gumdrops and dared anyone to pull them of f the tree.  Emily was doing chemistry and did not help with the fun.  We will have to find something for her to do to decorate the house this weekend.

So yesterday was....Well... interesting none the less...

Here is a good shot of our cows.  These girls are just big pets.  We bought them three years ago as heifers and raised them to this point.  They will have babies in April or sometime there about.  Sadie and Selma, are just great girls.  I had ran home from work yesterday in a hurry to take my mother chirstmas shoping when, as I pulled up the drive way what did I see?  My momma sheep and her little man running through the barnyard in all that rain and muck.  Momma had decided she did not want to be in a lambing pen anymore and she is so smart that she let herself out.  So off I ran into the house, threw on my coveralls and coat, then the muck boots and off I went through the mud and the muck to put that momma and babyback in the dry.  Well, that was easier said than done.  10 mins. later I had momma and baby up and the sheep eating grain.  I took som grain to the cows and was able to get this picture.  As I finished snapping the photo of the barn my mother drove up.  So, off to the house and shed all the outerwear, changed shoes and headed back out the door to take her to the co-op and Walmart.  The rain had stop for the most part and thinking we were home free off we went.  Shopping at the co-op is one of my favorite things to do regaurdless of the season.  I just love to see whats new!  Buying for three small boys is a lot of fun and we left the co-op with most of christmas covered.  Then to Walmart, where we were going to buy some fabric to make my 82 year old grandmother a no sew fleece blanket as part of her christmas.  She is just a jewel and in good health except for the demintia.  Like most older folk she is always cold and eventhough the snuggie would be easier she would be tanggled up in that and on the floor in no time flat.  So a blanket it is.  What started out as one turned quickly into five.  Some how my mother had a way of multipling things in a hurry.  Now all three little guys are getting one, mammaw, and mother are all getting no sew blankets.  I know what you thinking, "when will I ever have time to ge these things done", cause thats what I was thinking!  Until, about three o'clock this morning when it hit me.  "You teach high school art you big dummy!" So, as part of my fibers projects that my second year students have to do, we will learn the technique of no-sew blankets!  I will show them how, they can help me make the family ones, and I will help thouse who wish tomake their own.  This is a win win situation as they say!  I am going to include pictures of each blanket and some of my students work as well. So I make it home from shopping only to find these two baking cookies.  It is so nice when they get along.  Emily is 15 and Timothy will be seven on the 23 of this month.  He loves to cook as much as she does!  I am vey thankful for the blessings in my life!

Today is just one gloomy day here in Oliver Springs TN.  It has rained so much that I can hardly see straight.  The workers were only able to get the footers poured for our barn yesterday and with all this rain I am sure that they have not been to work today.  I am not complaining aas though it may seem, it is just so dang cold and wet.  I would much rather it be cold and snowing instead.  The Lord does know is best for us all and even though I think that a nice warm breeze and 85 degrees would be nice, he has chosen this.  I did fid anew blog to read today and as soon as I figure out how tolist it as one that I follow I will do so.  For now I will provide the link: http://georgiafarmwoman.blogspot.com/.  They are giving away a nesting box this week and I can not wait to see who is going to win.  I just got 25 baby chicks and in just a matter of months I am going to need one.  Anyway, check out her blog it is very interesting and I really enjoy reading about whats going on in her little neck of the woods.  I have included a picture of the view from my back door, the one out of the back of my classroom.  Yeah, it may not seem like much to you, but, I enjoy looking out of it as the seasons pass.  It is my escape when life with monkeys, the children, get's so much!  Lol!!!  Life really is good when I think about it!  I have so many friends who love to share their time with me, I teach children - how much more rewarding can you get?!  I have a wonderful church and church family and a great personal family! 

I have been working on this baby blanket for my cousin's baby.  He and his wife are missionaries to South Africa.  My prayer is to finish it  by Christmas and mail it tothem.  I only hope that customs doesn't take it.  They are so far away from home and without any family to celebrate the birth of their first child.  I hope that this makes it!  So, for those of you who pray, Pray hard for this to make it.

Psalm 5:3 (King James Version) My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

The Lord has been so good to my family this year and I just want to take the time to thank him for his generosity.  I have food on my table, a wonderful husband, clothes on my families back, and time to tend to the little piece of ground God gave me.  Last week brought a blessing to our barn yard.  I came home from work to find the prettiest little spotted lamb you have ever seen.  He and his momma are doing just fine and he is as pretty as a picture. Cute, Cute, Cute! Need I say more? He shall remain nameless until next wednesday when he will be named.  This is the practice I have used since I started raising sheep.  If they can make it until they are two weeks old then they earn a name.  Usually by then we are out of the woods when it comes to freaky things.  This year all blackface sheep will get a name that starts with the letter "N".  I started this the first year we had lambs and now we are on the letter n, thus providing some very interesting names I am sure.  The construction on the barn began today.  I will post pictures this afternoon once I get home from work.  We have also been blessed with a new stray, yes, Emily finally got a lap dog.  He is a Chihuahua who has won her heart, which let me say doesn't take much, but he has such a nice personality and he sleeps with her every night.  So far, so good.  We also have 25 buff orpington chicks which arrived friday and this will allow us to have all the fresh eggs we will need plus extra to sell when spring gets here.  I am hoping that my father-in-law will build me a nice little chicken house for these girls in the very near future.