Friday, October 28, 2011

A Trip to Massanutten

 So I realize it's been over a month since I last posted.  Life is amazingly busy right now and I'm just trying to keep from going too fast before this time in my life is gone.  That being said I do apologize for my absence!

School is doing great...our schedule is pretty tight this year!  Put school with figuring out how to make cheeses and butter from Halle's milk and our days are packed!  I don't know if I've ever been this busy before.  I feel like everything is go-go-go and I don't really sit down and just relax until after dinner (which is sometimes 7-8 P.M....we try and shoot for 6 but sometimes it doesn't happen :).  Nevertheless, these days are wonderful!  Looking out over our beautiful green grass and peering through the woods at *our* cow and numerous chickens is so beautiful!  I love our little farm!
There's an amazing sense of accomplishment that comes with putting your own home made butter on our home made bread...and making cherry cheese pies with our own cream cheese...and eating omelettes with our own mozzarella (and eggs) that is just amazing!  Sure, it takes a lot of work (no doubt there) but it's all so rewarding. :)  Would I want to be less busy?  Maybe, maybe not. :)  I love life like it is!

Our days have also been consumed with trying to get a cash-out refinance for our house (paper-signing, dream-building, more paper signing, etc.).  I'm excited to announce that we'll be building an addition in the very near future!!!  And not just any addition but a kitchen addition!  If you've been to our house you know how small our kitchen is.  We're always bumping into each other or reaching over someone's head to grab a spoon, etc.  That problem will be gone!  So, along with school and experimenting with Halle's milk, we're designing our new addition, talking to potential builders, getting in contact with the county about regulations and more.  Hopefully we'll be building soon!!!  We thank the Lord that He's opened this door for us...we've waited a long time and it's finally coming!! :)  If y'all know of any reputable kitchen designers /general contractors please pass them on.

On a personal note, I've been pretty busy.

Here's an idea of what my daily schedule looks like:
6 A.M. - Get up and get ready for the day...do my devotions and clean out the dishwasher.
7 A.M. - Arrive at the barn and begin working!
9:00-10:00:  Leave barn, get home, eat breakfast and do my chore (if I have time).
10 A.M. - Start my first subject and go til 11:45.
12 A.M. - 30 minute lunch break.
12:30 - start next subjects and go until 4 P.M.
4 P.M. - Cellercise, take a shower and help with dinner (or do my morning chore if I couldn't do it in the morning :).
5 P.M. (approx.):  Eat dinner, read my Bible, play with siblings, clean up house, etc.
8:00-9:00 - room clean-up and then family book time.
9:00 :  Everyone upstairs and to bed!

I'm still managing to keep up my photography, even though I'm working at the barn.  I shot my first, EVER engagement session and LOVED it!  I also had a photo shoot every week for 3 weeks, so I couldn't blog because I was busy editing the pictures and posting them to my blog!!  I guess my life right now could be described as "blessed busy-ness."  I just hope I'm not too busy to stop and love on my family.  They're stepping in and taking my place now that I'm gone in the mornings...and I love them all so much!  I don't want to look back at this stage in my life as the time when "I didn't spend enough time with my family."  And I don't want my siblings to look back at this stage in my life and say"I really wish she had spent more time with me instead of going a million miles an hour."  That is the last thing I EVER want to hear and I think I'm working to keep that from happening.  All in all, I love where I am and what the Lord's doing.   He's got the perfect Master Plan for me and my family and I'm just living in His rays!  It's great!

Well, enough about busy-bee me. Since I've been absent for awhile, this post will be one of a series of posts (to be on the blog soon...I hope) updating you on what's happened since my absence! :)

A few Monday's ago our family went to the mountains!  Our friends, Erin and Dowy, came with us so I could get their engagement pictures in the mountains.   The sunrise that morning was beautiful:

We ate a breakfast of chocolate chip muffins and cereal in the car and arrived at our destination 2-3 hours after leaving home.

Judah was excited to be getting out of his seat!

Mama and Daddy soon went to the timeshare talk.  (The real reason we went was for the free vacation that comes with listening to their spiel. :)  Meanwhile, Dowy took us to a great spot for some engagement pictures of himself and Erin.  While Lexi and I took photos of them, Hannah watched all my younger siblings.


Caleb and Josiah looking for crawdads in a creek.

When we were done pictures we went to another spot and watched people on the zip line.  On the way back to the car, Erin and Dowy had a piggy-back race (and Hannah just joined in for fun! :):


After about an hour and a half of wandering around Massanutten, we went back to where we first parked and waited for Dad and Mom.  A playground was nearby so we all went in there and played!

Lydia playing on a slide.

When Daddy and Mama appeared, we hung out at the playground for a little longer.


Judah rocking with Daddy. :)

Then we went to find a good spot to eat lunch.  Daddy took us to a little picnic table beside a beautiful lake at the foot of some mountains.  It was so beautiful!

Isn't the view beautiful?!

The day was absolutely perfect too...a nice breeze was blowing and the temperature was just right!


Dowy (plaid, blue shirt) prayed for the food and then we dug in! :)


Mama packed a delicious lunch of pasta salad, cheese and crackers, veggies, pretzels, cookies, and more!


Daddy and the boys ate on the ground because there wasn't enough room at the one picnic table. :)


"Before the mountains were brought forth...even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."
Psalm 90:2


As Lexi and I wandered around looking for good photo spots I found these pretty, white wildflowers!  


 This is Lexi "modeling" for me!  It helps me know whether or not I've found a good spot for pictures and I really appreciate her willingness to pose! :)

When lunch was over, we took some more pictures of Dowy and Erin and then we got some family pictures on a big rock nearby! :)

Thanks to Dowy for taking the picture, and thanks, Miss Erin, for making the little guys smile! :)





My pretty Mama with Judah-man.
















Our original intention was to go hiking after Mom and Dad listened to the spiel.  Well, that ended up not happening.  By the time we ate lunch it was 1 or 2 o'clock and we had to drive to an orchard and pick up some apples before they closed at 4 P.M.

Anyways, we ended up just driving to the orchard, picking up some apples and then driving home.  So ended our mountain trip!  We didn't get to hike (sad sigh) but maybe, just maybe we'll fit another hiking day in before it snows! :)

Kimber :)