January 2016

January was a month of extended Christmas, since we were sick over Christmas and didn’t want to share it. I don’t have pictures from all the gatherings, but here is what I have.

With Maggie's new bedding.

With Maggie’s new bedding.

With their new bedding.

With their new bedding.

This girl loves her stuffed animals.

This girl loves her stuffed animals.

Or dinnertime.... pancakes for dinner!

Or dinnertime…. pancakes for dinner!

Breakfasttime!

Breakfasttime!

Carolyn strikes again! (What would I do without a 3 year old in the house?)

Carolyn strikes again! (What would I do without a 3 year old in the house?)

History homeschool.

History homeschool.

Carolyn's swimming lessons!

Carolyn’s swimming lessons!

Maggie's swimming lessons.

Maggie’s swimming lessons.

Anna doing math homework.

Anna doing math homework.

The cousins spent the night and started the night with everybody sleeping on the same floor in the girls' room.

The cousins spent the night and started the night with everybody sleeping on the same floor in the girls’ room.

Jordan has been curious lately and interested in watching what we do. Love it!

Jordan has been curious lately and interested in watching what we do. Love it!

Brother-in-laws.

Brother-in-laws.

Even the little kids love the rope swing and play on it when the big kids go play somewhere else.

Even the little kids love the rope swing and play on it when the big kids go play somewhere else.

We ate a lot.

We ate a lot.

:-)

🙂

Neal got to Skype in with us while we opened his gifts. He is sending us grown-ups to a Broadway show this spring!

Neal got to Skype in with us while we opened his gifts. He is sending us grown-ups to a Broadway show this spring!

"Which ones did you get?"

“Which ones did you get?”

Uncle Neal sends a great hit with the Tintin books.

Uncle Neal sends a great hit with the Tintin books.

She was so excited to get the gift of wings from her aunty!

She was so excited to get the gift of wings from her aunty!

Butterfly Carolyn!

Butterfly Carolyn!

Here's Maggie putting on her "Frozen" Anna dress.

Here’s Maggie putting on her “Frozen” Anna dress.

Getting handmade Christmas presents from Anna.

Getting handmade Christmas presents from Anna.

Mom getting a photo book for her Christmas present. <3

Mom getting a photo book for her Christmas present. <3

Cousins getting to watch a movie in their dressup!

Cousins getting to watch a movie in their dressup!

My dad getting Christmas gifts.

My dad getting Christmas gifts.

She's a people-loving dog.

She’s a people-loving dog.

Puppy love?

Puppy love?

Bee hives coming together!

Bee hives coming together!

The fallow garden and the neighbor's house from my bathroom window.

The fallow garden and the neighbor’s house from my bathroom window.

Anna at swimming lessons!

Anna at swimming lessons!

Brian got some free composted wood chips and we found this bizarre wood thing inside. Took awhile, but we figured out it's cone from an Atlas Cedar tree.... or this other cedar tree. Wonder if the seeds will grow?

Brian got some free composted wood chips and we found this bizarre wood thing inside. Took awhile, but we figured out it’s cone from an Atlas Cedar tree…. or this other cedar tree. Wonder if the seeds will grow?

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Christmas at the Davises – 2015

I have lots of fun pictures to share…

For some reason, they are not loading in order. Sorry!

Christmas morning!

Christmas morning!

Random dinnertime picture.

Random dinnertime picture.

At any given time, this is what our hallway looks like. (Where the coats, hats and gloves and such are stored.)

At any given time, this is what our hallway looks like. (Where the coats, hats and gloves and such are stored.)

Trying to get the vaseline out with corn starch. Ugh - what a waste of time and supplies. But the cradle cap is better!

Trying to get the vaseline out with corn starch. Ugh – what a waste of time and supplies. But the cradle cap is better!

She was happy enough to let me play with her hair and scratch at her scalp while she sucked a lolipop.

She was happy enough to let me play with her hair and scratch at her scalp while she sucked a lolipop.

Carolyn had cradle cap pretty bad and I thought I'd try something less drippy than coconut oil or other oils.... I tried Vaseline. Foolish, foolish, woman that I am.

Carolyn had cradle cap pretty bad and I thought I’d try something less drippy than coconut oil or other oils…. I tried Vaseline. Foolish, foolish, woman that I am.

Jordan is about to sneeze.... (laughs)

Jordan is about to sneeze…. (laughs)

Carolyn with Santa!

Carolyn with Santa!

Maggie

Maggie

Carolyn again

Carolyn again

Jordan

Jordan

Carolyn

Carolyn

Anna

Anna

x-ray time. no break!

x-ray time. no break!

Rope ladder!

Rope ladder!

Carolyn in her new pjs... they are adorable and she wears them all the time.

Carolyn in her new pjs… they are adorable and she wears them all the time.

Great-Grandma Hooge made us matching aprons!

Great-Grandma Hooge made us matching aprons!

The bunk bed box fell on Maggie's foot and she limped, so we took her in for an x-ray to make sure it wasn't broken.

The bunk bed box fell on Maggie’s foot and she limped, so we took her in for an x-ray to make sure it wasn’t broken.

Jordan got a new bedspread and weighted blanket for Christmas too... it's not all in this pic, though.

Jordan got a new bedspread and weighted blanket for Christmas too… it’s not all in this pic, though.

2 goats, 15 chickens, 4 ducks, 3 sheep, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 4 kids, 2 grownups. Big messes and good times.

2 goats, 15 chickens, 4 ducks, 3 sheep, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 4 kids, 2 grownups. Big messes and good times.

Bee hives getting assembled.

Bee hives getting assembled.

School morning.

School morning.

Carolyn strikes again!

Carolyn strikes again!

Baaaaaa

Baaaaaa

Jordan's turn for Christmas presents!

Jordan’s turn for Christmas presents!

Mom and Dad selfie.

Mom and Dad selfie.

Where I can often be found: in my sanctuary. This is also where we do homeschool.

Where I can often be found: in my sanctuary. This is also where we do homeschool.

Self-henna.

Self-henna.

Baaaaaaa

Baaaaaaa

Bedroom finished! (Except for personal curtains around each bed.)

Bedroom finished! (Except for personal curtains around each bed.)

Christmas bedroom makeover! Their room was not very functional and we were excited to fix it up.

Christmas bedroom makeover! Their room was not very functional and we were excited to fix it up.

Getting Lego sets for Christmas!

Getting Lego sets for Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Carolyn!!!

Merry Christmas, Carolyn!!!

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Lack of Updates

Sometimes all the everyday stuff that goes on in my heart and mind can’t be put into little facebook updates or even coherently blogged about. But we are doing well and life is full. More details than that haven’t coalesced into something I could share for several months. I miss blogging, but can’t seem to figure out how to start. Being able to write clearly requires being able to think clearly. And feel clearly. Maybe the trouble lies in there somewhere. I am growing. And that’s my update.

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Everyday Life!

Carolyn put all her special blankies on Rose. Rosie is such a sweet old doggie.

Carolyn put all her special blankies on Rose. Rosie is such a sweet old doggie.

We're still doing school most mornings.

We’re still doing school most mornings.

.

Lookie! My bee hive! It needs assembled and a coat of oil, but I am excited!

Lookie! My bee hive! It needs assembled and a coat of oil, but I am excited!

The sheep mowed the back lawn in just a few days. Just bought some hay!

The sheep mowed the back lawn in just a few days. Just bought some hay!

Hello, Brownie! Their names are Brownie, Spot, and El Senor.

Hello, Brownie! Their names are Brownie, Spot, and El Senor.

They Handsome sheepies.

They Handsome sheepies.

I find them very pretty. Watching them on pretty sunny days like this one makes me want to get back into drawing.

I find them very pretty. Watching them on pretty sunny days like this one makes me want to get back into drawing.

Jordan's bedroom... perfect for him. Swing (that he falls asleep in two out of three nights and we carry him to bed) his bed with a weighted blanket (that he throws on the floor anyway) and a heated mattress pad... a mirror and light-blockign windows. He has a lock on his light switch.

Jordan’s bedroom… perfect for him. Swing (that he falls asleep in two out of three nights and we carry him to bed) his bed with a weighted blanket (that he throws on the floor anyway) and a heated mattress pad… a mirror and light-blockign windows. He has a lock on his light switch.

Maggie had a verrrry heavy box fall over on top of her. Her foot is still sore, but nothing is broken.

Maggie had a verrrry heavy box fall over on top of her. Her foot is still sore, but nothing is broken.

There was a free Special Needs Christmas Party near us and it was just a treat! They had gifts for the kids, pizza for everybody, the high school jazz club singing and more. It was sweet and special and touching. Only negative moment was when a lady didn’t want to give me more than one sliver of pizza (sliver – truly tiny) because she wanted there to be enough for all the kids. Umm….. but not their mothers? haha Funny!

Anna - aka Too Old for all this Santa Stuff, but enjoying the party anyway.

Anna – aka Too Old for all this Santa Stuff, but enjoying the party anyway.

Carrie - aka Miss Adorable Sweetums

Carrie – aka Miss Adorable Sweetums

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Jordan - aka Mister Booger-Factory who loves music and ice cream.

Jordan – aka Mister Booger-Factory who loves music and ice cream.

Carolyn ran right up on stage to jingle bells when kids were invited.

Carolyn ran right up on stage to jingle bells when kids were invited.

Maggie - aka Look Fierce For Every Picture girl

Maggie – aka Look Fierce For Every Picture girl

Santa gave each child a present!!!

Santa gave each child a present!!!

So funny - this is the best picture I could get.... and Jordan is about to sneeze!

So funny – this is the best picture I could get…. and Jordan is about to sneeze!

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Farming!

We are farmers now!

We have:
16 chickens (including one rooster)
4 Muscovy ducks (probably 2 males and 2 females)
2 Nigerian Dwarf Goats (both six-year-old wethers)
3 Katahdin hair sheep (1 yearling ram and 2 three-year-old ewes)
2 dogs (unknown breed… Carolyn will tell you that Ruby is the biggest and waggiest, though)
1 cat (mighty hunter)
4 children (they count, right?)
And a whole lotta mud.

Eating grain treats

Eating grain treats

White = Wallace Brown = Grommet

White = Wallace
Brown = Grommet

The two females are shown here - they don't look to be too heavily pregnant yet.

The two females are shown here – they don’t look to be too heavily pregnant yet.

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The dark Muscovy

The dark Muscovy

And the three white ones!

And the three white ones!

The goats are very friendly

The goats are very friendly

The sheep are skittish

The sheep are skittish

Female sheep on left, male on right.

Female sheep on left, male on right.

Thanks, Anna, for taking pictures!

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