Adventures in the life of UPSTATE NY!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-03-26T09:26:00.003-05:00

Crazy 8s meme

2008-02-15T22:41:00.003-05:00

I took a nap, made tea, and since I have the night shift for the pellet stove, I will fill in the sleepy times with doing a Crazy 8s meme. Yessiree folks, you heard right...Mrs. M of New York Traveler fame has tagged me once again. Bless you Mrs. M! Situate yer saddle 'cause here I go!

8 Things I am passionate about

Jesus
Singing
Homeschooling
Scripture
My family
My Church
My friendships
My husband

8 things I want to do before I die

See all my children living out the Christian faith
See all my family members commit to Jesus
Have another baby (hopefully a girl?!!)
Travel to various states in an RV
Make a music album
Live in a completed house with all working appliances (a gal can dream!)
Hold my grandchildren (hint)
Publish a book

8 things I say often

Thank you Lord
Get your schoolwork done!
Gross!
Stop that NOW
Coo beans (letter L not included)
Stop talking
I'll be right there
Put your belt on

8 books I've read recently

Bible (NKJV & NIV)
Beginner's Bible
Veggie Tales: The Case of the Lost Temper
To Harass Our People by George Hansen
The ACLU vs. America by Alan Sears & Craig Osten
Evolution's Fatal Fruit by Tom DeRosa
So Help Me God by Roy Moore
Charles G. Finney autobiography

8 songs I could listen to over and over

East to West-Casting Crowns
It's Only the World-Mandisa
I'm Livin' in the Days Ahead-33 Miles
William Tell Overture
Tumbling Tumbleweeds-Roy Rogers & The Sons of the Pioneers
I'm Proud to be an American-Lee Greenwood
Faceless Man-Creed
Lord of the Harvest-Imperials

8 things that attract me to my best friends

Loving
Caring
Fervent prayers
Generosity
Kind
Patient
Forgiving
Funny

8 people I think should do Crazy 8s

Myfriendconnie
KimC
Allen Antics
Amy
Nikki
Hallie
Laura
Any one else want to do this? :)

Hard Pressed on Every Side, Yet Not Crushed...

2008-02-14T07:23:00.007-05:00

We are having our share of trying times here in the Upstate NY house. Things are financially tight, but we are experiencing an extremely tight time this winter season. I cannot understand how so many things can break down at the same time! It is mind boggling!
First, my oven/stove died; then my washing machine died for over a week. We did not want to spend any money on repairing it, so I stomped out the wash in the tub. My dear sister allowed me to come down and run up her water bill for loads that were just too much for us to wring out. (thx so much! Love you!!!!) I was beginning to wonder if there was a pattern to these things occurring back-to-back
While in the process of diagnosing the problem with the washer, the septic tank backed up--there went $240 down the drain! (it's ok, you can laugh--I did!) Now my wondering was over--SOMETHING is going on here. My DH said it was just a coincidence; things break down. No, I couldn't believe that--and then, the dryer started cutting out. No, not the dryer! If it were summer, no problem, but not now! It takes some fancy maneuvering, but I can get it to work on medium heat for a little while...DH will look into that as soon as he can.
Are you shaking your head in disbelief? Wait, there's more!!!! Just a couple of days ago, the feed auger motor for the pellet heater died. We keep a day's worth of kerosene on hand in case of such emergencies, but with my DH going to college, and UI benefits expired, we couldn't run on kerosene, and we can't buy a new motor. HEAP is no help because we have to have someone inspect it to tell us how much it will cost, but the inspection will cost us more than we can afford. So for now, I feed pellets into the stove every 5-8 min. In fact, I have to throw in a shovelful right now.
Oh the rambling thoughts that have plagued me..."what have I done so wrong to deserve this!?"..and "is God punishing me?"..and "I feel like Job and the devil is hitting me hard!"...
Being around it all the time could be very depressing...I cannot say that I haven't been on the edge of a breakdown during the past 4 months. What keeps me? God's Word and His people! If you think this is a lamentation, let me assure you now of the purpose of this post.
The outpouring of support from my church has been an anchor for my heart! They have been so generous with gifts of food, and money, and love and prayers!!!! They are truly living out the Scriptures, and my thanks to God for them just cannot be expressed with the mere words!
As I fed the fire all night, I was reading from the Psalms. My heart nearly burst with thankfulness to God for the goodness of His Word. So VERY VERY fitting is Psalm 73 that I beg you, dear reader, to closely examine it. I will share with you the verses that amazed me:

Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men....Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish..Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I had said, "I will speak thus," behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me--Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end...I was so foolish and ignorant...Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You: And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart (and my appliances) fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.

Book Meme

2008-02-11T14:55:00.000-05:00

Last week, Mrs. Mecomber, of New York Renovator, tagged me for a book meme. It has taken me a little while to get around to it, but here it goes. The instructions are as follows:

Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
Open the book to page 123.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the next three sentences.
Tag five people.

Like my tagger, I too have my favorite Bible nearby--a slimline NIV New Testament given to me as a graduation present with my name embossed in gold on the front. It meant so much to me to receive it from the church I used to attend.
Luke 8:46-47
"But Jesus said, 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.'
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed."
I suppose only someone who has been healed of a life-long affliction can truly know the depth of her thankfulness, but my eyes tear up to imagine her measureless joy!

Ok, now who to tag...um, I have to admit that I don't visit many blogs, but I enjoy
Life In a Shoe
and
Smockity Frocks

Hope you'll corral yerselves a book and join in! :)

I am a Rockin' Girl Blogger

2008-02-11T13:46:00.000-05:00

I have been awarded the Rockin' Girl Blogger award by my very good friend, Mrs. Mecomber of Mrs. Mecomber's Scrapbook! Yee-haw, or, if you prefer..Far out! Thanks saddle pal!

Moses Mouse

2007-11-16T07:13:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, my oldest son found a baby mouse. He was wallowing in a bit of rusty water in an old coffee can. The little guy was soaked to the skin. He was named Moses soon thereafter. Being the compassionate person I am, I just had to see what I could do for this sopping wet, shivering little mouse. Actually, it was the mother in me-for pity's sake, the little thing was squakin' fer his maw, and I just had to do somethin'! So, after providing Moses a snuggly nest in an old plastic aquarium, and feeding him some egg/sugar/milk mixture from a dropper, he recovered quite nicely. I used a little sock to slip the dropper into so the flow of the "milk" was reduced enough for him to keep up. I also used the other side of the sock to "groom" him. Who knew that mice liked to be scratched behind the ears and under the neck? He closed his eyes in delight. I suppose it felt similar to his maw. He graduated to corn kernels, oats, and bread crumbs. I got a little attached to him, but after 2 weeks he is now ready to go back where he belongs-the wild. (pic is dark because I didn't want the flash to spook him and then have a mouse scurrying up my arm into my hair...you get the idea)
So-long Moses! If'n yer ever in these here parts again, don't be afeared to visit us, just mind the cat!

Wordless Wednesday(actually it's Thursday)

2007-11-15T10:19:00.000-05:00

A new addition!

2007-11-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

We have a new addition to our happy family. Penny is a bull terrier/greyhound mix and she is just what we have needed for some time! Our dear Pastor's sweet family gave her to us and we are very thankful to them. :) If you only knew how long we waited and begged DD/DH to let us get a dog, you would know how much we love our shiny new Penny!

Boys will be boys

2007-11-09T07:48:00.000-05:00

What happens when you send two brothers, ages 9 & 11, out to hang up your linens?
After notifying my DH that I was both upset and amused...he relieved my sheets from further abuse by getting in on the action.
Now tell me..who looks like he is having the most fun, hmmm? ;)

Zucchini adventure winner..

2007-11-09T07:35:00.000-05:00

Sorry it has taken me a dog's age to get this posted! We enjoyed all the recipes, but hands down, the one that went the fastest was ADK_lady 's . Many thanks to all the ideas and input!

Yippee-ki yi yeah, Vision Forum Give-away!

2007-11-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

Hey there all! Vision Forum is having a rip-roarin' giveaway in cahoots with Life in a Shoe. Here are the rules:
1. Get a Vision Forum catalog (if'n ya'll aren't signed up to get one by mail)
2. Go through that catalog and pick yerself out $250 or less worth of items marked with the VF logo.
3. Post yer list on yer blog and link it to Vision Forum and Life in a Shoe
So, without futher de-lay, here be my wishin' list:

Of Plymouth Plantation 84149 ($25)
The Original Blue Back Speller & The New England Primer 51031 ($18)
The Adventures of Missionary Heroism 74642 ($24)
Bugle 42563 ($22)
Pouch of Ancient Coins 98550 ($18)
Lion & Cross Set 26550 ($35)
The League of Grateful Sons DVD 67880 ($20)
Ten P's in a Pod (book) 85726 ($20)
Raising Maidens of Virtue 68538 ($20)
Thoughts for Young Men 52014 ($8)
Christ in the Camp 34408 ($25)

total: $235

The contest ends tonight at midnight so don't laz 'round! Get a move on there cow poke! Thankyou Vision Forum & Life in a Shoe for this opportunity!

Zucchini, again?!

2007-09-06T06:30:00.000-05:00

We here in the Upstate NY farmhouse have had quite enough out of the zucchini. We have had zucchini stew; zucchini cake, muffins, bread; stuffed, boiled, mashed, fried, grilled, and the latest is zucchini pickles! And this morning, we are having zucchini pancakes. I have been told they are good. Our garden is STILL producing zucchini. I hate to be wasteful, so I have a splendid idea. Why don't you folks tell me some other ways you have eaten zucchini? Post a recipe for zucchini on your blog. Then, send me the link in a comment. Or, if you like, send me the recipe in a comment. I will make every recipe I receive. Our family will vote on the best recipe and send the winner a photo of ourselves! This could turn out to be a zucchini revolution!

Yeehaw! I love Giveaways!

2007-08-14T09:47:00.000-05:00

Howdy ya'll! I just found one cool give-away at 5 Minutes for Mom in cahoots with Best Buy. But ya better get crackin' 'cause the contest ends this here Friday! Hope one of ya lucky pokes ropes that t.v.!

Nadine's legacy

2007-07-11T11:53:00.000-05:00

Great catfish, Batman! I've been tagged!

2007-06-28T10:04:00.000-05:00

Wow! I have been tagged by New York Traveler for a blog game! Here are the rules:

1. Let others know who tagged you.
2. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
3. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
4. Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.
The above rules need to be posted.

Ok, lemme see.....um

1. Well, to start off with, thanks to my youngest son I am an avid Roy Rogers fan! I would decorate my whole house with Roy Rogers stuff if I had the money! I sometimes wish I had found out about Roy Rogers before his death because I would have loved to have met him and Dale Evans Rogers.

2. I grew up in a huge family by today's standards and because of it I learned to eat fast! To this day, I usually am done before the rest of my family...well, except for DS17!

3. I married my husband a week after our first "date" and have enjoyed 13+ years of marriage with him and our 5+ children! Actually, I married him because GOD chose him for me! How about that for match making?!!

4. If I had the chance, I would take a road trip across the country in a heartbeat. The first place I would go is the Roy Rogers Museum in Branson, MO, then Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum also in MO. From there the list is endless! Dream, dream...

5. I enlisted in the Air Force in my high school senior year. I had taken the written and physical exams and had my departure date all set. Realizing that God had a different path for my life, I actually convinced the recruiter to dismiss my enlistment! I look back on that now with some relief as I am sure that my life would have been WAAAAAAAAYYYY different..and I mean that in the "not so good" sense.

6. When I was 14, I decided to go sledding down a VERY icy hill. My mother had warned me not to go down that hill. Oh, if only I had listened to her! I hit a sapling stump which sent me hurdling through the air to land on a railroad tie..right on my backside. I tore the muscle, exposing my sciatic nerve and was in agony for days. The ER doctor was hopeful that it would heal on its own. Never did, and I still suffer from it on an almost daily basis. The moral: LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!!! :-S

7. I attended 7 different schools and somehow managed to graduate with my class. That was rough though. It is certainly a motivating factor for homeschooling my own children.

8. For a "country gal" I really enjoy tech toys! I enjoy figuring out how they work, and finding ways to use their full potential!

Tagging the following:

Jules Everyday Mommy

Dana Rare and Beautiful Treasures

Rebekah Sweet Tea With Lemon

Elizabeth The Whole Family

Bunny Trails Bunny Trails

And because I have a house full of wonderfully active sons, I MUST GO NOW!!!!

that was a good'un

2007-06-21T15:52:00.000-05:00

DS10 has shown his challenging side lately. Recently as I was leaving my sister's house, DS10 decided that it was not time for HIM to go, so he scurried up a tree. Ugh! I wasn't going to climb up there after him, so DS12 tried to pull him out. Well, after pretending to leave without him and promising remorse later, he decided to come down...but not to get in the car! No, instead he started a flurry of siblings and cousins pursuing him around the yard trying to corral him into the vehicle. DS12 even got the bright idea to spray him with the garden hose, but I was in the line of fire. 'sop!' Today however, it was the other way around! DS12 decided to start a revolt and DS10 took up arms against him! When DS12 was racing toward the door to take cover, DS17 locked him out as DS10 threw a bucketful of water dousing him thoroughly. I am glad it ended with laughter. It was a classic moment.

Druggies

2007-06-20T08:09:00.000-05:00

I received an email recently that was so timely for me. Dear Sons 10 & 12 have been a real challenge to me lately. They have reached a stage of needing more "drugs"...read the following and you'll see what I mean!

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, Why didnt we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?

I replied: I had a drug problem when I was young. I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didnt put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word.

I was drug out to pull weeds in moms garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dads fields.

I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than meth, weed, cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if todays children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

So, now I will play pharmacist! ;)

I think I have it!

2007-06-13T07:40:00.000-05:00

When I started this blog, it really was on a whim. I thought I would use it to post my numerous nature photos. I didn't see this as a really important thing to blog about so I quickly put it aside. Then, I read about the contest going on at Everyday Mommy. After reading everyone else's accounts of raising boys, I entered the contest. Well, I have read all the other entries since mine and browsed their blogs. And then, it hit me! I will make this blog an adventure story of an upstate NY family! I have always wanted to write a book..and I figure that this is about as close as it will get for me, so I may as well. With a house full of boys and animals (sometimes hardly a difference!), there is so much to inspire me, I can't see how I haven't thought of it before!
So, as you see, my previous post was a start. After the contest, I will let you know who won the book. I read one story that touched my heart so much that I am rooting for her!

My most daring, adventurous, and just plain adorable son!

2007-06-11T19:38:00.000-05:00

As I was perusing my favorite blog, New York Traveler, I read an interesting contest going on with the blog Everyday Mommy, in which parents are asked to post about their son's adventures to receive a neat-o book.
I have four sons and which one to write about is the real challenge! I could tell you about the time my oldest son tried recharging his batteries using the outlet! OY! Or how about the time when we took my youngest son horseback riding for the first time on his fourth birthday. He tried to get on the horse by himself and told the trainer to "just let go, I can do it myself." :|
My second oldest son. Wow..where do I begin? To know him is to love him! After the first two weeks of newborn sleep wore off, he was AWAKE. This child would take 2 half hour naps during the day and only sleep 3 hours at a time during the night. I guess he had things to do!
I have to say, the first daring thing I saw him do was pulling himself to a stand at 6 months of age! I had a colorful book on the coffee table that caught his eye. He wanted that book and he was going to get it! Having my camera in a strategic position, I was able to snap the event in sequence.

"Oooh, something looks neat up there!"

This is exciting!

"There! I got it! Um, what is it?!"

He only lasted a few short seconds in this position, but that taste of height was all he needed! He has been climbing everything since!
What an amazing adventure my sons have brought me! I really am so blessed! :)

2007-04-21T23:33:00.000-05:00

This Canadian goose landed in the yard and followed the kids around for hours! It was so funny.

April Snows Bring Nice Photos!

2007-04-16T09:10:00.000-05:00

pretty

This one is from last month's ice storm.

Others to come