Farmstead Chronicles

  The "after" Christmas I'm trying to use my Christmas present and this... 😄 This boy My people 💓 Us (I just realized how tired I look 😐) He got a trampoline Big brother showing little brother how it's done He was fun this year! Those curls... haircut coming soon  A better picture of me 😂 I see you God!      WOW! Ya'll. I cannot believe it is almost 2024. A new year is upon us. I can't believe Christmas is over. I feel like from Thanksgiving until December 23 all of my focus is on "Am I ready for Christmas?" I ask SO MANY people that in my daily interactions too. I have stopped to think... am I ever REALLY ready for Christmas? I always feel like I don't have enough for the kids. It's silly really because they get so many things all year long, they don't need anything. Somehow, we always make it happen though.       Noah was so fun this year. He handed out the gifts at my mom's (he even threw a few) he's going to be my baseball...

   Diane Davis made this tree in 1984 My sweet Mercantile The older boys & Megan "Village girls" Sweet child o' mine The tree is lit (you just can't tell... we're working on that for next year) "Village People" More "Village People" All of my boys  "Village kids" "Village kids" are you seeing double?!?! The 4H float The Mercantile float The Grand Marshall's. The Grinch     Last Sunday Middlebrook Village had our annual tree lighting and Christmas parade. It is always so much fun. We close down the road right in Middlebrook Village and have the parade and then we all gather in what I like to call "the square" to light the Christmas tree. The Ruritans provide cookies and hot chocolate, there are fire barrels and lots of socializing. Santa, of course, makes his appearance to let you know if you're on the naughty or nice list. 😏     There were many participants in the Christmas parade and that makes my hea...

Hot Chocolate w/ marshmallows... in a Christmas mug. 😌 I'm so tired ya'll!     I cannot believe it's December already. In 29 short days it will be 2024. I must be getting old because I cannot believe that. It feels like this year has gone by so fast when you look at it like that.      I was filling out my calendar for this month and like everyone else it is full every weekend. It makes me tired to look at it. Speaking of tired, this week I have been SO TIRED! I was off Thursday and Friday but had full days both days. This weekend is no different. I have been trying to get up early every morning for extra quiet time, but by about Wednesday I'm too tired to get up at 5:00, so it's usually 5:30. I'm trying to find balance in doing what I need to do in my home and for my people and getting enough rest. It's a work in progress.       While I love Christmas and the joy it brings, it's stressful. Every year I say I'm going to do better a...