The Time is Getting Nearer!

Oh how exciting! We are getting so close to moving into our new home!  Painting, laying flooring, cleaning, repairing walls, cleaning, etc.  Our days are filled with school, house chores, outdoor chores, new house work, and this is just the home side of our life. We love the fact that we're gonna be moved, unpacked, getting settled in and looking forward to the spring...oh, that means, garden time, hatching little chicks, and canning our fresh grown produce.  Mmmmm.....Every season brings it's own set of works, doesn't it. 

Just a little update on our progress.  Looking forward to posting some pictures and giving more updates! 

Blessings to your home from ours!  Kimi

Fresh Eggs Everyday!

It has been very cold here and when it gets cold my little chickens don't want to lay their eggs as frequently.  Soooo, we have a red warming lamp in their coop to help them along.  It keeps them warm in the cold of the night and then when the sun is starting to come up in the morning they come out and begin to peck around. 
 Here is Bridget.
 She found 2 eggs this morning and we're going to go see if they've laid any to others around the barn. 

Nope, the little ladies didn't lay any more, so we'll check back later. Did you know that 'hens' don't need a rooster to lay their eggs?  Most hens are born with the capacity to lay between 2000 to 4000 eggs in their lifetime.  Isn't that amazing!  The reason you would have a rooster is so that the eggs could be fertilized and then set by the hen. This would give you little chicks.  So technically we don't need our roosters. I just like them because they are so pretty to look at, but with the way they've been acting here lately, they may end up on our dinner table!

A Trip to Amish Country-Tennessee

Last week for my birthday, we took a day trip to a nearby state to visit an Amish Community. The night before, we packed a huge pic-nic basket and carry cooler with lots of homemade goodies, homemade bread, muffins and sweet tea for the trip, so we wouldn't need to use the dreaded 'drive-thru' or stop at the convience stores on the way there or back home.  It made the trip so much more enjoyable, because I knew we were going to feel better the next day.  We went with our good friends Jeff and Bridget Koehoorn and their two boys, Tanner & Jody.  Since all of us like the outdoors, it made the day even better.  Such a great way to celebrate my birthday...

Here's  a little photo gallery of the day...heading into the Gorgeous state of Tennessee

I always enjoy seeing the ridges of the mountains as we pass by

On the way we saw these rolling hills...

 And this breathtaking valley!

 

 Here we are entering into the Amish community. We reserved a wagon for us all and arrived  that morning.  It was ready and waiting on us, so after walking around the little gift shop we all boarded and off we went!! Isn't this home charming?   Notice there are no electric poles/lines. I would love to have that clothes line in my back yard...talk about hanging out some clothes!!  They do not use any form of electric at all.  Their homes are very simple with little to no yard ornamentation.  Very beautiful though.  Very simple and lovely!

 

 This is a working saw mill, where they cut their own lumber to make everything from homes, outbuildings, sheds and workshops to furniture, wheels for buggies and tools.  Nothing is made using A-N-Y    F-O-R-M  of electric.  It is made using 'MAN POWER ONLY'.  

 

 Here is a beautiful home place.  You can see where the garden was and will be this spring.  They grown most everything they consume. 

 

 This is our driver/tour guide.  He was so friendly and very accomodating to us as a group.  Since it was about 20 degrees, he put gas heaters in our cart and put a cover over the top to keep the wind out.  It was very, very windy that day.  Micaylah is actually driving the horse and buggy herself!!  She was a little nervous at first, but then found out it wasn't as hard to do as she thought. 

 

 Garrett and Kyle are very interested in something across the road.  Our buggy seated 11 people and we had 10.  They have another buggy that seats 15 or 16.  Next time we will need to bring more friends!!

 

 Jeff and Bridget are enjoying some cuddle time...you two are sooo cute! 

 

 Austin is now driving the buggy.  He decided to give it a try too. 

 

 Camille is driving the cart now!!  Hey!  Keep your eyes on the road!  :)

 

 Austin and his Daddy are having some cuddle time too!  Sweet guys!  I love 'em!

 

 This little country store was probably one of the highlights of our trip.  There were more things in this little store than my little camera was able to capture. 

 

 This is the front of this little country store...look at the front. Isn't is so quaint!!

 

 Here are the proprietors...Grandma and Grandpa!!

 

The kids are taking it all in and of course, laughing, cutting up and being silly!

 The day was so pleasant and it seemed like it took only a moment to come and then go.  We visited with 'Grandma and Grandpa' and then we were on our way back home.

Thanks for coming by to share our trip with us! 

Moving F-O-R-W-A-R-D

The time is nearing and we are preparing to make our move.  Here's some of what we're planning to move:
4 horses
2 ponies
14 chickens
1 duck
1 bigger dog
1 tiny dog
2 kittens
2 outside big cats
1 inside house cat
saddles, bridles, halters n ropes, barrels, buckets, lawn tractor, little trailor, swings, tools, lawn furniture, bicycles, push mower, weed eater, work benches, power tools, clothesline, 2 tillers, wagons, wheel barrow, 3 large garbage cans used for storing feed, pressure cleaner, all the poles we put in the ground for the garden and the fencing too-pull that up, stack of wood for building something else...like a little duck house by the new pond, OH, I ALMOST FORGOT...MY CHICKEN COOP!
That's just some of the outdoors things that have to be moved. Not to address the inside things...Geeze, I'm wondering now why I wrote this out...I might be overwhelmed...lol!! I actually was the other day and then I got a grip on myself.  More to come...how many good friends do I have out there???  Anybody want to come and help me??  Aaauuuuuuwwwwwhh!  PEEZ :)