A post from this time last year....

**I'm trying to get back into blogging, which has been put on the back burner lately. It's late, and I'm pretty tired, so I wanted to bring this post back from last year to help everyone remember what the true reason for the season is all about.**

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Hot chocolate and the Christmas crunch.
With Christmas being a mere 3 days away, a lot of us often lose focus of what it's supposed to be about. We're too busy trying to run around and get those last minute gifts to please someone, that we often lose our way.
Whether we realize it or not, this time of year is when Satan works his powers. He thrives on the fact that we get stressed, exhausted, and fall away from God. He revels in the fact that we get caught up in the materialistic aspect of Christmas and don't remember to slow down and read our Bible and talk with God. Do not be fooled- he is waiting for youBe self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour- Peter 5:8
This brings me to the next part of my "Peace on Earth December Challenge" from Courtney at Women Living Well, and this an excerpt from her challenge:
Here's this week's challenge: Christmas is just 5 days away and so much of our time is often spent helping the children to remember the "Reason for the Season". Now it's our turn. Once the kids are in bed get yourself a HOT drink (again we are warming the body as we warm the soul.) Get ALONE and turn out the lights by your Christmas tree, a lit fire, or a candle and just be alone with God. Pray, talk to him, I encourage you to sing Christmas carols or songs praising him, and just rest with Jesus.
This challenge led me to my pantry for some of this delicious stuff
And I brought it to the solace of my living room to look at this:

Oh sweet blog, I have missed you.

After living in the camper for a week while we gutted our kitchen, stripped wallpaper, painted, and installed new carpet, we moved into our new house on August 20th. It took a little while for it to feel like home to us, but now it seems as if this house was made for us, and that we never lived anywhere else. The land is absolutely beautiful, and the one neighbor that we have is and older couple. Very sweet people.

Shayna has settled into her new preschool effortlessly, like the resilient child she is, and I am planning Christmas in my new home.

Well, that is where I have been for the past month, and I will leave you with some pictures of the new humble abode.

This was our kitchen the day we made the offer:


And this our kitchen now:


I will add more pics of the interior in a different post when I get everything done. This is the outside of my house, and the reason why we bought it.

Good things come to those who wait..

After putting in the initial offer on June 14, and waiting what seemed to be a lifetime, the buyers on our house finally got everything worked out with their lender and we closed on it yesterday. We were then able to close on our new 15 acre farm this morning! Now, we have to cram and get a lot of work done, due to having to extend the closing date by two weeks.

The sellers are planning on leaving this Monday for a long journey to Montana. Over the course of all this buying and selling house business, we have came to know them pretty well, and I pray they have a safe trip out west and hope they will send us a postcard of that beautiful state.

We plan on just pulling our camper out there on Monday and staying in it for a week so we don't have the commute to this house everyday. It won't be the best situation, but it's only for a week, and I will be able to help David with some of the work that needs done on the house as well. Although, I'm not sure how much work I will accomplish with a 4-year-old running around, but something is better than nothing I suppose.

After we had all the monies exchanged and everything was handled, we stopped for some lunch and then headed out to Lowe's to do some shopping. We had to get the hood microwave that goes over the range and the paint for the house. A lot more will be need to be spent to get it the way we want it, but it will all come in due time.

I just can't believe we are finally doing this after waiting so long for it to all happen, and will have so much room for cattle and maybe crops next year. This will be my last entry until we get our internet set up over there, so here are pics of the new place.