Merry Christmas-the Day After!

Hope your Christmas was a wonderful one-ours sure was! We had 17 here-so it was a houseful. And I did get my new camera! It will take me some training-it has lots of new features that the old ones don't! I did finally get some pictures of Coccoa-isn't she the sweetest calf ever? I just want to pick her up and hug her-and of course, she won't let me anywhere close to her!

I have taken down all the decorations here in the house-I love having them up-but I'm always ready to get them packed back up when the 25th is over. We still have to take down the outside lights-but the weather is just so cold, damp and nasty-I don't like being out in it for too long! And as usual-I'm sick for the holidays. I woke up Friday morning with a sore throat-then Saturday fever-just felt bad yesterday-today just yuck. Jeff & I both have Doc appts on Wednesday for other things-so we'll see how I feel by then!

Everyone says you always complain about the weather you don't have-well we've had about 8 inches or so of rain this last week alone-Praise God! But I am SO ready for the sun to shine again! Everything is so damp and it's cold out. I go out for a little while-but then have to come back inside and warm up. It's that damp cold that just goes all the way to your bones! And it's really affecting Jeff's back. He's really stiff and in pain. Going through lots of firewood, too!

We don't have any plans for the next 2 weeks while I'm off. Jeff wants to get some more hunting done before the season ends this weekend-but he's seen no new tracks in way over a week up there at Mom's. We thought about going down to the beach for a few days-but not if the weather doesn't change! The time just goes by so fast!

Christmas Eve-Eve!

Maybe not the best title-but I guess it fits well!! We've been busy-but not too much-and not nearly as much as usual for the season! I believe we are finished with all parties and such-and only have Christmas Eve and Sunday's worship service left. Wednesday we had the kids hayride then the youth group's Christmas party-it went very well! The cookie above was from their party.

No more office for me til next year-yeah! We go back to work on the 9th of Jan-kids go back the next day-so I am looking forward to a nice long break! I'm up at Mom's right now-Jeff's out hunting again-we'll go home in a bit-I have to start getting some cooking done-you know the no bake fruit cake and the no-bake cookies from every year!! Honestly-I do want to get some of the actual baking done-cause with Christmas being on Sunday this year-it will make things a little different-but what a wonderful day to celebrate our Savior's birth!

Well-it seems we ended up with not 1-but 2 new roosters. Both are young-one is trying to crow-that awful-yet wonderful noise!-and 4 new hens. Jeff's mom decided she just didn't want to fool with them anymore-so we inherited them. But I do so miss the beautiful one I had! We had 1 litter of rabbits-going to have to breed back the other 2 does that didn't kindle. The calves are doing great-I still need to get a pic of Coccoa-she is so tiny and cute! Jeff took the small turkey and put it in with the bigger ones yesterday-but the hen kept beating her up-but the tom was trying to protect her. He went ahead and turned her out into the yard-he'd let the other chickens out for the first time since the rooster disapeared. It was so funny-that turkey follows him all over the yard! We went into the garden to check on things in there-I put 3 quarts of broccoli in the freezer!-and she stood at the gate waiting on him to come back out. When he fed her-he poured her feed back in the cage she's been in-she came up to it-stuck her neck in and Jeff just picked her up and put her back in! The hogs are growing as well-one's daysare becoming numbered-she'll be sausage before too long! Oh-and we got right at 4 inches of rain Wednesday night-the pond is full again! Praise God-now if we can just find hay at a price that is not so jacked up in price-it has just really gotten out of hand this year! We need to put Deisel in the barn and start feeding him out so he can go to the locker plant. He'll still be small-but the Dexter's don't get big.

We also had a wonderful surprise visit on Tuesday from one of Jeff's family friends. Regina ( I wouldn't do that to you with the nickname!) and her son, Ben, droppped by-we haven't seen her in years and had a great visit. She's living in Katy with her family and her brother, David, is in San Antonio. Jeff got to talk to him and we hope to stay in touch!

We are supposed to have some sunshine today-so I'll try to get out and take some pics of how things are going.

MERRY CHRISTMAS-A few days late!!

Sorry-a really bad pic of the tree this year-and the first fake one we've had in too many years to count. We missed the smell of a live one-but not the mess!!

And this is one I promised of Mady and Cheyenne at the Christmas Play-it is still too cute!!

We finally got to come home on Christmas Eve-I got Mom home at 6:00pm on the 23rd. She's still a little weak and very sore-but is making progress. Her blood pressure is back to normal-Thank you, God! We had a very nice Christmas with turkey, ham and all the fixin's! Mom didn't feel up to coming over-so we took plates of food to her and Shorty in the afternoon. They got us a NuWave cooker-we are looking foward to cooking in it-Jeff cooked a few pieces of link sausage this morning-it was good!

I still have this week off-Shorty has a Dr. appointment at the VA on Wednesday-but he's riding the bus-won't let Jeff drive him. We have a party at Church on New Year's Eve-but other than that-no other plans for the week-although we do need to go into Baskin's-I picked up the wrong size overalls for Jeff. And he needs a new battery for the welding machine-Shorty needs some hooks welded onto the bucket on his tractor-then it needs to come home so we can start on the loading and squeeze shoot for the cows. We still have to take the black cow back to Shorty's and bring the other hereferd home.

Dad is STILL battling the staph infection in the new knee replacement. He's been going to Conroe everyday for a $750 antibiotic IV treatment. If this doesn't kill the infection-he may have to have the new knee removed and be bedridden for 6 weeks-with no knee-until the infection is all gone. That will be SO hard for him-he's on the tractor everyday feeding hay to his cows-and always busy doing something! Please keep him in your prayers!

And guess what-we finally are getting eggs! Well-we've gotten 2 so far-1 every other day! I can't wait for them to all really start up laying! I hate to buy eggs! Ricky is busy butchering his hog right now-with Jeff's guidance! Man-it was COLD this morning! Jeff got me a beautiful bird feeder and the birds are coming to it already! We've cleaned up and relocated some of the old feeders-I just love watching them!

And just in case I don't get back to my laptop this week-HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

And The Stockings Were Hung........

...And there's NO ROOM for more!!!! Our family continues to grow-which is a blessing-but I told the kids I have No more room for any more stockings-That means that even though I LOVE my grandkids- Everyone needs to just slow down on that page for AWHILE! There are currently 14 stockings hanging and there ain't room for even 1 more!!

Our typical Texas weather's been at it again!! It was nearly 80 degrees on Saturday, only to not get over 40 Sunday and yesterday. Then we got our normal sleet and freezing rain over night on Sunday. Today it's raining and will be in the 60's-low 70's tomorrow and low 60's for Christmas Day. Then another cold front for the weekend. We've had NO sunshine for what seems like weeks-and it's really starting to get to me-I need my vitamin D!!!!

I started some Christmas cooking yesterday-until I ran out of butter-What's up with that? I'm always stocked up with all I need-So I had to call Julie at Wal-Mart and have her bring me some home. She was glad to be reminded-she was nearly out and would need extra to bake her Buttermilk pies! I made No-Bake fruit cake (which is the ONLY kind we'll eat!) and No-Bake Cookies (OH-is there a pattern here-I thought I was BAKING!) yesterday and will BAKE the Christmas Muffins, Pecan Pie, and Christmas Tree cakes today-I think.

Well, in case I get too busy over the next few days and don't get back here-MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone-Have a safe and happy time!!!

Christmas Shopping!!

I think I'm finished with my shopping!!!! WooHoo!!! For a family that wasn't gonna do a big Christmas this year-it sure took alot to get it done!! The weather has turned off cold and dreary again-our typical East Texas weather!!! The fog was so thick when Alana and I left Livingston yesterday-but I'm now finished shopping-OH-durn-I just remembered 1 other thing I have to pick up :(
The kids are almost through with school, too. Jordan's last day is tomorrow and Hailey has a half day on Friday. I haven't worked yet this week and really would like to-but no openings are available!! Jeff has to work next week-he's off for Christmas for 2 days-then has to go back on Friday. Then his vacation starts -he won't return to work til after Near Year's. He can't wait!! We are gonna try to get down to the beach and get some work done on the lot-weather permitting. And we have some fences that need to be worked on around here-so as usual-lots to be done!
I didn't start the Amish bread the other day-I counted up and I'd be baking Christmas day-I have enough to bake that day!! So I'll start it in a few more days I think! Sheila-Congrats on your truck-How bad did Alfred's head spin putting on the part?? hehe Everyone have a great day-Stay warm!!!!