at my zoo...

Monkeys.

sunday on our homestead

It was such a lazy Sunday.

It rained.

It thundered.

It was cool.

And it was most pleasant.

I made a big batch of veggie-beef soup

and whole-wheat french bread.

It was the perfect lunch for a day such as this.

Rough recipe:

(Rough because...I have no recipe)

Brown some seasoned beef stew meat in a little oil.

Throw in a little water...1 cup or so?

Let is simmer for...15 minutes.

Start cutting up veggies and throw them in the pot.

Whatever you have on-hand.

Celery

Carrots

Onions

Peas

Green beans

Corn

Potatoes

Cabbage

3-4 cans of tomatoes.

I always puree them because I have

picky eaters who can't tolerate

tomatoes in-tact.

*See the person below.

Oh, and throw in a few bay leaves, too.

Oh, and a dozen dashes of hot sauce.

:)

And some barley for added whole-grain goodness.

(I got complaints about this...but I don't care)

Let it all simmer for 30+ minutes.

All the while,

And K-Man put clothes pins on himself to

entertain me while I cooked.

We are so perfect for each other, are we not?

(He WILL kill me for posting this pic)

(I don't care)

Then a put the leftovers in jars to freeze for another rainy day.

And K-Man took his clothes pins away,

to save for another rainy day.

We love rainy days.

Then we snuck out to run down to the little

country store, just K-Man and me,

to buy some chicken feed, pine shavings, and veggie plants.

It was so dreamy and romantic and picturesque.

Only, I don't have pictures.

I hope you all had a lovely rainy weekend, too!

Jesus loves you and me.

Isaiah came home with this picture

from AWANA the other night.

Are you as terrified as I am?

Well, the good news is, Jesus does love Isaiah.

And you.

And me.

And He doesn't have a blue face or yarn hair.

Thank you, Jesus!!

less crazy-eyed

I found this pic the other day as I was going

through my millions of photos.

Oh my heart.

Look at that little tiny round-faced Lucy-bug.

She's just the absolute cutest thing,

this side of the Great Wall.

In my opinion.

And look at out less crazy-eyed I was back then.

Good times, good times!

archie bunker's chair

Brenden just texted me this picture:

He joyfully exclaimed that he acquired Archie Bunker's chair.

For FREE.

Really?

For free?

How could that possibly be?

Smile.

And next week at this time,

he and his chair will be back home for the summer.

Smile*Smile*Smile.

yes, we have no bananas

So this is it.

This is what my blogging life has come to.

A video about...well, take a look:

This is what happens when the

majority of your day

is filled only with the company of a five and a six year old.

And your five year old is all-too

eager to video you in your kitchen

doing Lord knows what.

And you are all-too eager to jump in

front of the camera.

Or a moving train.

Whatever.

I'd appreciate it if you'd all coordinate a

Lets-Take-Turns-Going-To-Visit-Lori-So-She-Doesn't-Go-Bananas

committee.

Who's up first?

Thank you in advance.

Here's our dinner menu from last night.

Study it carefully.

Every meal should should have such side dishes.

Thanks to Nick for making that addition.

(And later, K-Man changed brown rice to, brownie rice).

Glitter and rainbows, I tell ya.

While we're in our little marshmallow world,

I'd like to submit to you that we only have to clean our houses

once every six months.

And exercise?

Once a year.

You're welcome.

Sign the petition when it comes to your inbox.

You're all simply wonderful.

We're all wonderful and fabulous and downright delightful.

And covered in rainbows and unicorns.

don ho

My camera seems to migrate towards a

certain little man.

Mostly because he's always doing something that

deserves attention.

Like,

sitting and gazing at the cattle while riding his big-wheel.

Really, who wouldn't do this if they had the chance?

I know I would.

And,

finding a Don Ho shirt (all by himself)

and pairing it with some fashionable plaid pajama bottoms (all by himself).

And pleased as punch at himself.

Yep, that will get the attention of this mom's camera any day of the week.

sunday on our homestead

Wanda makes my heart so happy!

So do my other hens.

And oh, how I just love weekends in the spring!

I want nothing more than to

throw on some old work clothes, dig in the dirt

and play outside all the live-long day.

I got to break in our new weed-eater.

And it's not just any weed-eater, it's got a big bad blade on it.

I whacked through a ton of brush and small trees.

And only lost three toes.

I'm sorry, but I think I look adorable.

And completely out of my element.

Wasn't K-Man so kind to play photographer?

He's adorable too.

Isaiah just couldn't help himself.

He had to try to itty-bitty radishes.

And then some onions.

Oh, how we learn from our mistakes.

Is that not the most pitifully fake smile you've ever seen?

I hope the weekend on your homestead

(or cul-de-sac)

was productive and glorious, too!

a daddy and his girls {dancin'!}

Tonight at our church was a

Daughter~Daughter Dance!

Lucy was SO. EXCITED.

She wanted to start getting ready around noon.

She's going to be such a delightful

teenager.

I just can hardly wait.

But doesn't she look precious!

I hate that I cut K-man's head off 

(been wanting to do that for years, actually)

(JUST KIDDING!)

(Love me some K-Man!),

but what a darling pic of the girls!

K really loves his girlies, I tell you what.

As of this posting,

they're still at the dance and I haven't heard

one peep from them.

So I'm assuming that means they're having a blast!

I wanna be a {shirtless} cowboy

Country life suits this child just fine.

He would live full-time in his cowboy hat and spiderman boots if I let him.

And heaven forbit he should ever

forget the twisted britches and wedgy-underwear.

And a shirt...well, that's optional.

Howdy, ya'll.

Welcome to the ranch.

Have a good day.

how 'bout them apples?

Happy Recipe Thursday, everyone!

(I just made that up)

I was thinking about all of you the other night

as I was making dinner.

One of the very hardest things

I run into with meal-making is coming

up with side-dishes.

And entrees.

And clean forks.

And any shred of motivation

to walk into my kitchen.

Anyway,

as I was scrambling to put something with my pork chops,

I eyed me some apples.

"How 'bout them apples?"

I said to myself.

So I got to work.

I am a lifeless shrew without my cutting board

and butcher knife.

Tossed it all in a saucepan.

With some orange juice.

Added brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, and cranberries.

And chocolate chips.

Just kidding.

Simmer, simmer for about 15 minutes.

Delicious!

And once again,

I saved the day.

Oh how my family admires me.

(Actually, I'm not sure they noticed I was even there)

It's these little things in life that

make me say,

"Wow Lori, you are quite the culinary genius."

(I am delusional, I know.)

backwards

My little guy is a mess.

Backwards.

And getting into things that he's not supposed to.

All the time.

But yet...

just look at him.

It's nearly impossible to not smile at his mishaps.

Although there ARE times that I don't smile.

I'll spare you the details

for another day.

helen and me

Here is a real-life conversation I just had

with one of my hens (we'll call her Helen):

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry I am taking your

eggs from you!"

(This is a daily conversation with Helen, by the way)

To which she replied with a sharp

peck on my hand,

which didn't hurt but startled me because Helen

isn't usually quite this spunky.

My immediate reaction was to,

drop the dang egg.

To which I said to Helen,

"Well, are you happy now? I just busted your baby."

Yes, this is exactly what was said.

Out loud.

Between Helen the hen and me.

The End.

resist or rely

Last night was Girl Time at our church.

My friend Mary gave an amazing message,

Rely or Resist.

In our trials,

do we humbly submit and rely on the Lord?

Or do we pridefully resist Him?

I was one of the table leaders and after the message

we were asked to share our current trials.

I only knew one of the gals at my table.

I love that.

Getting to know new people...

and seeing

how God divinely brings them into our

lives at the very right time.

It always amazes me.

But it often makes it hard to share.

I kicked it off with briefly talking about what was on my heart,

then I asked for the others to share.

I got a lot of stares.

It was difficult to know how to go from there!

Ack.

Then one person boldly spoke up.

Then another.

Then everyone else at the table told what they were struggling with.

I was SO STRUCK by the heaviness of what some of

these ladies are going through.

My heart broke.

I prayed for each of them and the evening came

to an end.

But they remain on my heart and mind.

I woke up praying for them.

But I say all of that to ask YOU...

are you,

in your tough trials (whatever they are),

Resisting or RELYING?

And are you involved with other women

who will encourage, lift you up, and pray over you?

Stop resisting.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud

but shows favor to the humble.”

James 4:6

We are ALL in need of a Savior.

And Jesus is so eager to help, guide, and lead us directly

to a place of rest.

home, home on the range!

Here's what's going on on our homestead this fine spring Sunday afternoon.

Because I knew you were wondering.

We always go to church on Saturday nights for FABULOUS worship & a great message.

I love our church!

So on Sunday mornings, we usually enjoy a nice relaxed breakfast...

this morning was freshly milled wheat & millet waffles.

Double batch... so we have left-overs for the rest of the week!

Yesssss.

Rudy Rooster. Such a content guy, he is. He's got a pretty sweet life,

what with his 25+ hens & all.

I transplanted some hostas few weeks ago into a nice shady spot by the hen house.

They are quite happy in their new home.

I'm happy for them.

I love our little hen house that K-man built a few years ago.

It is so lovely!

Here are a couple of my hens behind their "shower curtained" nests.

The idea is to keep them from roosting there....and soiling, and such.
Nests are for business only.  Egg-laying, and nothing else!

And have I ever told you that I have worship music playing for them, 24/7?

I do.
They love it.

I know you've been wondering about Wanda's progress.

Here she is!

Or he, I still can't tell them apart.  Isn't she/he adorable!

If I was a chicken, this is exactly what I would look like.

It's true.

Our garden, thus far.

Potatoes, onions, radishes, and onions.

Ignore the weeds.
That's what I do!

Lettuce and spinach.

Peonies budding.

They're gonna be gorgeous!

Egg-gathering wrapped up my morning.

I love my little farmy chores!

I really should have been born in the 1800s.

With the exception of no indoor plumbing, electricity, and other

modern conveniences and hair products.

But everything else would suit me just fine.

The End.