Country Alphabet - D

I skipped a couple of Show & Tell Fridays, but I'm back today with our Country Alphabet!


D is for...Dogs

Our dog Dakota passed away in June 2007. He was 17 years old. He was part heeler and part chow. Click here for some more pictures of him.
This picture was taken in 2004.

And this one in 2005.


We now have 2 puppies, both were born in July 2008 and we got them in September 2008. They were so tiny back then!
Here is Heidi, the German Shepherd.


And here is Dixie, the Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog).


Getting bigger, October 2008.

Dixie and Heidi this month. We have to keep them chained up now because they are so big and wild and will jump on Gabriel whenever they see him! And they tear everything up. But once they're trained a little better, we hope to be able to let them run around free again.

Country Alphabet - B

It's Show & Tell Friday again! Time for part 2 of our Country Alphabet...

B is for...Barn

We have 2 barns, one for tools, mowers, bikes, our canoe, hay, etc., and one for animals and large bales of hay. Here's the first one...

Gabriel riding his trike in the barn.

Every once in a while the chickens will get confused and start laying in the wrong barn.

And here's the second one...the 'big barn'.

Cary built the calf and chicken pens himself.


Every once in a while we'll catch a snake...yikes!

Shopping at the Mall

Gabriel & I went to the mall today to look for a comforter or quilt. I didn't find anything that was nice and affordable, but we still had a lot of fun. And I only spent about 14 dollars in 4 hours of shopping! We bought a book for Gabriel (using some money that Papa & Nanni sent him), a shirt for me for $3.99 and ice cream. Here are some pictures of Gabriel having fun....and no, I didn't put any quarters in there, it's 3 quarters a ride...crazy!

I ended up ordering this comforter online: Abigale Comforter Set with Bonus Quilt. I've really been wanting something more feminine (read: pink and flowery) in our home and this set was on sale! The only downside is that it's backordered and we won't get it until about 6 or 7 weeks from now. But at least it will be here at the beginning of Spring!

Lovely Comforters

I was searching for some bedroom ideas, you know, just in case we ever move or redecorate ;-) I came across these lovely comforter sets.

This one is my absolute favorite. I love everything about it! The pink flowers in combination with the green give it such a lovely Spring feeling. This one is available at JCPenney, but unfortunately a little too expensive for us. But I can still dream about it!

I also love this similar one, also from JCPenney.

This one is absolutely perfect for a chicken lover like me! Available from The Quilt Crazy Shop, it's hand appliqued and therefore extremely expensive. But it's just so cool that I had to share!

This one's color scheme is a little calmer and would match out current home better. I'm pretty sure Cary would love this one too! I've had this picture on my computer for a while and don't remember where I found it.

And here is a picture of our comforter and bedroom, taken a couple of years ago after we'd just bought it. Gabriel's bassinet has been replaced with a crib since then ;-)

Country Alphabet - A

It's Show & Tell Friday again and I thought I'd do something a little different. Every other week I will post something that you can find on our little hobby farm out in the country. I will use the alphabet as inspiration, so this week we'll start with the letter A.

A is for...Animals!

Our 2 horses, Smartie & Butterfly

Buddy the Rooster (my baby!)

Chicken family

Some of our calves (we have 12).

Our puppies Dixie & Heidi.

Antique Dresser

For this week's Show & Tell Friday, I want to show this dresser.
Cary bought this before we met. It's antique, from the 1800s. I wish I knew more about it's history, who owned it, where it's been! We love old things and this dresser is probably our favorite piece of furniture. Too bad our bedroom is so small and we can't find a decent spot for it! Maybe in our next home... ;-)


I love all the details!

Spring Cleaning

I was cleaning up the yard this afternoon, picking up the mess that our puppies made. I was thinking how sad the yard looks now compared to in the Spring and Summer. The ground is covered in dead leaves and you have to search hard to find anything green or beautiful. But I know the potential that is hiding under those leaves, and I know that with a little cleaning and sunshine, someday soon our yard will look beautiful again! It makes me want to do some Spring cleaning!

It made me wonder if God ever looks at my life in that way. Does He have to search hard to find anything beautiful? Is it covered under the mess of my sins? That would be pretty depressing. But you know what? Every time I ask Him to forgive my sins, He cleans up that mess and lets His Son shine in my life! He makes us clean and beautiful. He does Spring cleaning in my life every day! Thank You, Lord!

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
(Psalm 51:10)

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
(Psalm 103: 12)

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
(Isaiah 1:18b)

Home is where the heart is

As I was brushing my teeth last night, I looked through the bathroom and thought of all the things I'd like to change in there. In fact, I'd love to redecorate our whole house and make it perfect! But the problem is, we rent our home and do now know how much longer we'll be here. It would be a waste of time, energy and money because we can't take it with us when we buy a 'permanent' home.

Suddenly God put one of those thoughts in my head again: I need to feel the same way about my life on earth. I don't know how much longer I'll be here. Yet I try to 'decorate' my life - with a nice home, nice clothes, nice trucks, good food, pretty things - until it's perfect. But it's a waste of time, energy and money, because we can't take it with us when we leave this earth. It's as silly as a child building a castle in the sand, thinking it's going to be there forever. At any moment I could leave this temporary home and move to my permanent home with the Lord. And no earthly home, no matter how nice, can measure up to the home Jesus is preparing for us!

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:19-21)

Oma's Tea Cups

I decided to join in the fun of 'Show and Tell Friday' on There's No Place Like Home. I'll try to start doing this weekly and show you something special from our house or garden.

This week I'd like to share these tea cups that once belonged to my grandmother (Oma). She passed away in October 2007 and when asked if I wanted anything to remember her by, these were something that immediately came to mind. I remember drinking coffee (not tea!) out of her beautiful cups and always admiring them. It also reminds me of the times we visited and the talks we had. It makes me very sad that she never got to meet Gabriel (she passed away just a few weeks before our planned visit to Holland). But I know that they will meet someday and we will spend eternity together!

Here's a picture of my Oma.

And a picture of her in younger years with my grandfather (Opa), whom I never met.