Getting A Lot Done

Life is always very busy around here.  There is always so much to do daily, that is normal required work.  Then add to that the unexpected things that come up frequently.  Then add to that the long, ever growing "To Do" list.  I always feel I am behind and can't get on top of it all.  I don't mind all the work.  This is our life and it is all good.  God is so good!

Look who learned to balance up on her knees the week she turned 11 months old!  Praise God!

Life is so busy that I have to prioritize and let a lot slide at times.  Then, there are times like we have had over the last two weeks.  I love spring.  I usually have extra energy, extra ideas and many dreams for the new year.  The weather has been just beautiful.  We home school year around, so we can take off days as needed for surgeries, appointments and for weeks like these!  We have taken the pretty days off from home schooling and just enjoyed this time being outside.  The rainy days, sprinkled in here and there, have given us breaks to catch back up on inside things.   I have been able to spend an hour or so a day, outside, working on small projects that needed doing, while the children play on the playground.  It has been so nice.  

"B" on his bike.

Baby "K" in the swing for the first time.  She loved it!

"T" going down the slide.

We did a lot out in the barn.  It got spring cleaned and the pens all got mucked out.  We sorted, organized and repaired anything that needed fixing from winter use.  We sold an extra milk goat to a good home.  We made a new stall for the pony, that was given to us, for the new group of littles as they grow up.  His name is Buck-a-roo and  he is just as sweet as he looks.  Like a huge stuffed pony.

Thank you Miss "J".  We will start the little toddlers to riding very soon.  It will help their balance a lot I hope. 

The baby goats are growing fast and only take two bottles a day now. 

I am so busy, with the care of the small children in our home, Carolyn has taken over bottle feeding them for me.  It is the first year she has been responsible for them and she is loving it. 

She loves to nurture things.  Especially baby things.  It is so good to know the barn is clean and all is in good working order out there.  It is all done till fall, when we do it again to prepare for winter.

Here is our farm dog, Yellow, guarding the goat kids.

He lays here most of the day watching the baby pen and the buck pen.  If he is not there, he is laying out in the big field watching the ponies and our doe herd.  This is  his view point.

I have five full grown does right now and four full grown bucks.  Then the two kids we are bottle feeding.  I am keeping the little doeling and didn't want her to be raised alone so kept a buckling to raise with her.

My girls are always curious, sweet and friendly.  God blessed us with good milk for our family.

Carolyn out with our dog Yellow getting some sun.  Way in the background, in the back right corner of this picture, is one of our original barn cats from when we moved here.  She is around 18 years old.  I bring her in the house at night, on the porch, have a warm place for her and give her a can of cat food, to try to keep her weight up.
  
I trimmed back all the grape arbors and have been attacking a hill of growth behind our home that needed cut back.  I am not even half way done here.

I still need to get out in our gardens and work.  I have weeded some and tied up the thornless blackberry bushes.  I grow them in a raised bed on the back trellising and have strawberries in the front bed part.

I still don't have any huge plans for a garden this year.  I know we might be getting a new born at any time and that will put us into survival mode for a while if that happens.  :) 

All in all, it has been a very therapeutic and relaxing spring.  We will keep at this routine till the high humidity and heat of summer hits. As at that time we will not be out much during the day.  Just mornings and evenings as the humidity and intense heat effects so many of our children's health in a very negative way.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Pray all is well with you and yours.

Blessings,
susan