The Legend of Thousand Hills Farm

A Great Deal

Vision Forum is offering $25 off any order of $75 or more through midnight Saturday, February 9. 

Here is the link to Vision Forum:

The Coupon Code is: Vision

This is a wonderful opportunity to get some great resources, or to get gifts for birthdays, etc.

Menu Share ~ Tuesday

Well, I thought I would share our menu this week.  That should keep me on my toes!   I haven't made a menu in over a month, and I really need to get back to doing that.  I was thinking the other day that Kathleen is actually old enough to begin learning the process and helping to come up with our menu.  I only do dinner ~ breakfast and lunch around here are pretty much "help yourself", unless of course, you're too little! 

Not that I always stick with it, but in general, I have each day of week designated for a particular "food". 

• Monday ~ chicken
• Tuesday ~ breakfast
• Wednesday ~ pasta
• Thursday ~ Mexican
• Friday ~ pizza
• Saturday ~ soup
• Sunday ~ roast

It makes the whole planning part much easier because instead of starting from scratch each time I need to make a menu, I at least of a starting *point*.  So, yesterday was Monday, but it was also payday, so I didn't cook, we ate out because we were in town.

Today is breakfast.  I believe that we are going to have French (or as we prefer to call it, Freedom) Toast.  My Beloved treated me to a new griddle yesterday (much bigger than the old one!), and I need to try it out!  Along with our Fr... Toast, we will have breakfast meat, either sausage or bacon ~ I'll leave that up to Mike ~ I forgot to get any in town yesterday, so it will be whatever appeals to him at the store.  Perhaps some fresh fruit and orange juice.

Tomorrow we are going to be in town again ~ we're having the ultrasound!   So, I don't know if that will end up being an all day affair (I have some shopping we also need to get done ~ a few things we saved doing knowing that we would be in Cd'A tomorrow and sales tax is cheaper!), so I don't know if I'll be cooking dinner tomorrow or not.

At any rate, I won't post until evening.  Either way, there will be menu and/or baby news!

SOS ~ Pray for Noah!

Please click on the Pray for Noah button to the right and read Kate's update.  Noah is desperately in need of your prayers.  Kate and Jeff could use them as well.

Day 7 Week in Feminine Dress

I can't believe the week is over already!  Today has been fairly laid back, I had things I wanted to get done ~ partly working upstairs, because *that* didn't happen last week!  However, time got away from me last night and it was late when I got to bed, so it was a late morning as well.

Tonight we are going to the PBR (Professional Bull Riders), and that should be fun!  We love rodeo around here, and especially bull riding.

I have on a tiered denim skirt - I don't know that it's maternity, but I can still wear it, even though my belly is getting big!  A white maternity camisole from Target, and a pink floral Wrangler 20X cowgirl shirt - worn open because of aforementioned belly.   Brown stockings and my newest pair of lace-up ropers that are two-tone black and brown.

Day 6 Week in Feminine Dress

Today was full of straightening up!  I have been trying to be very diligent about "if you're done with something, put it *away*!"  But, we've had popcorn a couple times this week, and I've been out and about enough, that it kind of looked like a tornado hit.  So, before anyone was allowed to start in on computer games today, the house had to be straightened up. 

It was pizza night, and Will wonderfully made the dough and put the pizzas together!  Then this evening, we went to the high school girl's basketball games.  We had a good time, although now my neck is out, and my head hurts.

Today I wore my new skirt again (didn't manage to get it very dirty sitting and visiting yesterday!), and a deep purple long sleeve maternity tee, with my brown stockings and my red Keen maryjanes.

Day 4 Week in Feminine Dress

Today, we've been cold!  It's about 23 outside, and we're running low on wood, so our fire hasn't been the hottest.  We've had a relaxed day of school work, and a John Wayne movie - during which a made a cute new necklace and our new mama cat arrived (we hope she survives!).  I'm hoping in a bit to get my new skirt made.  I was planning on spaghetti for supper, but we may go with chili instead.  We'll see.

I'm wearing a black corduroy dress by Eddie Bauer.  It's not maternity, but it is empire waisted, so it accomadates my belly.   I'm also wearing a black tank top underneath, so that I can unbutton it to nurse Si, but still be modest.  Black tights and my comfy slippers complete the ensemble.

Once again, I'll have to post pictures after a while.  I apologize that none of the pictures have shown a complete outfit so far, my Beloved didn't quite get the concept. We'll try to do better for the rest of the week.

Note on the Week in Feminine Dress

Well, you may have noticed, there are no pictures!  I do hope you'll come back, I'm hoping that this evening I'll be able to get some photos posted.  We have taken them.   But we bought a new camera during football season, and I haven't figured out how to upload photos from it yet.   Will's the one in the "know", and he's not home right now.   So, in a little while I'll take time to blog today's entry, and then hopefully this evening I can get you some pictures!

Day 2, Week in Feminine Dress

Well, today is full of schooling, cleaning (Daddy's home, and he's got projects!), and for Levi, Driver's Ed this evening.

Today I'm in a straight not-quite ankle length denim skirt that I think is Motherhood brand.  A heather blue tank top under a floral striped, 3/4 sleeve, western styled blouse from Motherhood.  Oh, and black stockings.

This and That

Well, we're almost 2 weeks into the new year already!  I can't believe how quickly time goes these days.  We are also on the "downhill" side of this pregnancy, at 21 weeks.  Sometime next month we will be having a 3D ultrasound, and taking a peek at this busy, little critter.  Such a wiggly baby!  I must admit, I am anxious to find out if this baby is a boy or a girl, so that I can get serious about names.  We have known what some of our babies were ahead of time, and we have had some surprises ~ which we love!  There is little more satisfying than having someone ask you if you know what you're having and answering them with, "A baby."  For some reason, it really irritates people if you haven't peeked.  However, after losing Tucker, we have decided that we like knowing ahead of time, that way, we can call our baby by his/her name, and everyone in the family can "connect" a little even before the birth.

Tomorrow I hope to start a Week in Feminine Dress!  This isn't a novel idea ~ I don't seem to have those very often!  But I thought it would be fun.  I will try to get one of my dear children to take a picture of me each day in whatever I'm wearing, and then I can post it and talk a bit about what's happening that day.  I pretty much exclusively wear dresses or skirts, but on occasion I do wear jeans.  But I know that a lot of folks wonder how you can live day to day in dresses.  I have found, since becoming "dresses mostly" that dresses and skirts are just way more comfortable than jeans!  I can stay in the same size with a greater weight fluctuation than I could with pants (a huge bonus for a mama!), and they are just a whole lot more flattering when I'm sporting a post-partum body!

Well, today on the schedule is trying to get the nursery end of the upstairs straightened up and begin getting it ready for Josiah (he's still in our room), and I think we may go to the basketball games this afternoon.

Ever get the feeling...

that God thinks you're a little on the slow side?   It seems when He is speaking to me, I am *bombarded* with sermons, articles, conversations, etc., that all revolve around what He wants me to work on.  Lately, okay, for the last 6 or 9 months or so , it's been hospitality.  I really intend to be more hospitable, and am *fully* convinced that the best place to minister is within our own homes, inviting others in, but every time I decide that now is the time, our schedule goes berzerk. 

Anyway, I haven't been listening to much ~ as far as radio goes, but I have been doing quite a bit of reading lately.  And several books I have been working through have talked about hospitality.  And then came TEACH in the mail.  Have I mentioned how wonderfully encouraging this magazine is?  Of course I have, but it's worth mentioning again.  This issue is all about being hospitable.  It is full of articles on how to easily incorporate hospitality into your routine, how to help your children learn not only how to extend hospitality, but to be good guests.

One of the things that was interesting to me was the idea of not putting on a great spread of food, serving on your best dishes etc.  This is something that my friends and I have spoken of often.  It can be a real hang-up for us romantic types or perfectionists.   We want everything to be perfect, and to wow our guests.  Not necessarily to be *impressive*, but to let them know that they are special.  But you know what?  So few people actually cook from scratch anymore, that a simple pot of stew and some homemade bread has the same *wow* factor that Glazed Ham and all the fixin's does.  And it has the added bonus of not making your guests feel uncomfortable, or feel like they could never be hospitable.  I think that within the church, one of our goals should be not only to *be* hospitable, but to show our brothers and sisters how simple and easy it really can be.  Not that we shouldn't put forth effort to make our guests feel welcome and comfortable, but I have noticed, at least in the area where we live, that people are intimidated by china and crystal.  So, while I want my guests to know that they are worth the effort it takes to make them feel at home, I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable, or like I'm putting on airs.  It kind of defeats the purpose of being hospitable in the first place.

The other thing that was a good encouragement, and something that I struggle with on an ongoing basis is ~ keep things tidy.  That way, it's much easier to be hospitable on short notice.  I am a clutter bug, by nature I think.  However, as I get older, it bothers me more and more, and while I am certainly better than I was even a few years ago, it's still a major area of struggle for me.  It also happens to be a hinderance to me feeling like I can have people in my home.  Now, my Grandpa used to tell Grandma that, "Folks don't come to look at your house, they come to see you."  While I am sure this is true, it still makes me feel self-concious to not have things "just so" when we have company.  I have also found though, that making hospitality a priority, and doing it on a regular basis gives me *a lot* of incentive to keep things straightened up!

Once again, I encourage you to check out TEACH magazine.  You can do that by clicking HERE.  You *will not* be disappointed!

A New Year!

Wow!  Another year has come and gone.  I wonder where the time goes. 

Yesterday we spent a wonderful afternoon with friends.  Chapmans, Primers and Donnerbergs came over and we had a time of sweet fellowship and good food!  There were, let me see, 8 adults and 24 children ranging in age from 19 months to 17 years.  We had a houseful!  We missed McKinneys, but with baby Connor being less than a week old, it was just too many people for them to come down. 

We had soup and bread and dessert and what a spread of food!  Italian soup that had sausage and meatballs, tortellini, and vegetables, Navy bean soup with ham, homemade french bread, and some delicious looking breads from the bakery.  And the desserts!  Coffee cake, apple pie, berry pie, pumpkin pie, cookies, and chocolate cake with carmel filling and chocolate chips topping it!  Are you hungry yet?   One thing about it, when our group gets together, there is *no* shortage of food!

The Dole clan wishes you a wonderful, blessed new year, full of spiritual growth!  May God be glorified in our lives.

Vision Forum Affiliate

A Great Worship Resource

I lead the worship at our church ~ until such a time as God provides a capable, willing man to do it; and so I am always looking for good resources for worship music.  It seems like music books are getting so expensive, that I can't hardly stand to buy them, and often there are only a couple songs you really want anyway.  One of the last ones I bought, is worship music, but it's written so high, only a tenor or a true soprano could sing them!

We are not hymns-only folk, but we do like our worship music to have some real substance to it~not the Jesus is my boyfriend fluff.  So, keep in mind that their may be some of that in the resource I am recommending, but I have found a lot of great music there!

It's Worship Together.  You have to register, but it's free, and each week they have 3 worship songs that you can download.  You can also buy music through them ~ one bonus is that you can just buy the sheet music, for less than $3.  You pay for it, and you print it.  It's great.  The other wonderful aspect (for me, anyway), is that you can transpose the music before you print it out!  Now, I'm an alto, who leads music in a not horribly musical church, so being able to knock a song down a notch or two is a huge benefit!

One other place I would recommend.  Getty Music.  Keith and Kristen Getty, along with Stuart Townsend are putting out what I believe to be outstanding worship music.  They have nice melodies and meaty content.  Stop by there and get a taste for what worship music should be.  You can also buy their music there.

One More Reason to Homeschool Your Children

I was just visiting the Ladies Against Feminism website, and they have a great article on the prejudice against boys...being boys.

I was reminded once again of what a fallen and sinful world we live in.  Behavior that is so innately boyish is being "criminalized", and banned from all places in our culture.  I have long been troubled by the fact that in children's sports they don't keep score ~ because someone's feelings may be hurt if they lose.  Can someone tell me when in your adult life do you always "win"? 

It's no wonder that we have young people "growing up" to walk into their schools and shoot everyone they have a problem with ~ when do they learn to cope with adversity?  If a look or a word, let alone an action is considered violence, and you just go tattle, how do you learn to deal with hurts and frustrations?  The answer is you don't.  You just stuff things down until they explode ~ and then having played with a gun as a youngster or having played dodge ball, or whatever other "violence" you may have participated in  is what is blamed.  Not the idiot adults who crippled them emotionally, all in the name of "fairness".

It's just one more reason for me to keep my children home and educate them here.  That which the Bible teaches as good and right(distinct differences between male and female), is once more being taught as bad and evil in our schools.  In our "school", competition is valued, along with good sportsmanship.  Competing with a good attitude whether or not you are winning or not.  Putting forth your personal best.  Dealing with adversity in a godly way.  Boys are not only allowed, but encouraged to be boys~who in turn are encouraged to be men.  Girls are taught to be feminine and not to be masculine.  Distinct differences are taught and embraced. Similarities acknowledged.  But we don't force boys to be girls or vice versa.

If you would like to access the article directly, it can be found at the American Thinker website.  I encourage you to read it and then go play a game of tag or dodge ball, or anything in which you keep score!

An Encouraging Read

Yesterday, when my daughter brought the mail, what was there, but my new TEACH  magazine!  I have only received 2 of these now, but I have decided that it's one of my favorite reads.  Last issue they talked about finding quiet time with the Lord ~ which if you have more than 2 children, you know what a challenge *that* can be!  This issue is on the taming of the tongue. 

Yelling is something that I, sadly, struggle with a lot.   I have another magazine that I receive, that will remain nameless, that I find less and less encouraging to read.  Not that they don't have good points, and things to be implemented, but the publishers come across as never doing it the wrong way.  For me, that is not encouaraging.  The women that write for TEACH however, are honest about their struggles, and share how they work at overcoming them.  *This* is what I need!  Meat and potatoes, rubber-meets-the-road kind of talk!  Give me a godly solution to my ungodly problems.  I have already read it cover to cover, and am now determining if I like my friends well enough to loan out my copy.   I probably do.   But I may read through it a time or two again.  There were even a couple of articles that I asked Mike to read because I thought they were just great principles in general, not just for Mamas.

There are so many worldy, shallow magazines out there that cost an arm and a leg; if you're looking for a magazine well worth the subscription price that will point you toward godly living, go check out TEACHmagazine.

Please pray for Noah

I just came from the Estes blog.  Noah had surgery on Wednesday, but it did not go well.  They are going to have to do more surgery on him ~ mostly to see what's going on in his little body.  Right now he's in a lot of pain.

Please pray for Noah!  Pray that the Lord would ease his pain.  Pray that the surgeons would have wisdom as they open him up, and that they would know just which procedures to perform, pray that God would guide their hands.  Remember Jeff and Kate, asking that God would comfort them and give them the peace that passes all understanding.

There's not a lot of information on the blog right now, but more than I gave you here.  If you want to know what's going on directly from Kate, check it out here.

Thanks so much!

Just to Whet Your Appetite...

For one great deal!!!

Check back here on the 5th of July ~ until then, I would love for you to visit the Estes family blog.  I have recommended this blog to you before.  I have fallen in love with this family!  They are walking a difficult road right now and need your prayers desperately.  However, if you go and read their blog, you will come away encouraged!  Every time they post on their blog, not only do they let you know what's going on with their family, they also give praise to their Heavenly Father.

Please, go get aquainted with the Estes family, and then come back here on Thursday and learn how you can be a blessing to them!

Re-arranging furniture, and A Little This and That

Well, it is a new year, and with the coming down of the tree, I am overtaken with the urge to re-arrange furniture.   My Beloved is not amused.  But, after 17 years, he's getting used to it!  I don't have much that I can do with the sitting area of the living room, but I am going to move some furniture or know why I can't.  So, my plan of attack involves bookcases.  I bought a new bookcase, of course, it's narrower than the old bookcase, but I digress.  I'm going to move the old bookcase into the basement and use it as pantry storage, and I'm going to move the shelves currently serving as pantry storage up to the living room and replace a smaller bookcase that holds children's books. 

Then, because I love baskets I'm going to buy some nice baskets to place on those shelves and use them to hold the baby's toys, along with the children's books.  Possibly the games will go on those shelves as well.

Are you all confused now?   I'm also getting ready to redo the nursery in a more boy-ish motif.  Lots of flowers up there right now.  But, I'm thinking cowboys and camoflauge - it'll suit our little redneck baby just fine.  Speaking of Josiah, he's crawling.  I think he would be even better at it if we didn't have wood floors.  No traction.  There's just something wrong about that.  He's also decided that he would like to be a porcupine.  His new favorite chew toy (teething ring?), is Levi's nice leather gun belt.  Thankfully, his one little tooth doesn't leave marks ~ yet.

Well, two of the boys are off trapping tomorrow, so it should be quiet around here.  They're taking snowcats, so hopefully they'll be able to get everywhere they need to.  It should be a good day spent with their Pak.  Hopefully neither of them will be sick in the morning.  Kathleen and Daddy have both been sick, so it could be making it's rounds ~ we'll see.  Today we were sicky free...until Daddy got home from work.  But he's back to just a co'd. (Snuffy nose!) 

Branching Out

Just a quick posting to let you all know that I now have 2 blogs!  I know, I know, I'm doing so well with keeping up with this one.  Through various circumstances, and aspirations that I have, I decided that a blog dedicated to the marriage relationship was something that I needed to undertake.  So, I hope that you might decide to swing by there and check it out.  Beneath Beams of Cedar, http://beneathbeamsofcedar.blogspot.com/ will discuss various aspects of the marriage relationship, and more specifically the wife and her responsibilities.   There may be what seem to be rabbit trails, but if I write about it there, it will be because I believe that it is something that affects the marriage relationship.  I pray you would find it a place of encouragement and growth.

Another year...Another bathroom?

Well, it happened.  I turned another year older yesterday.  I can't believe I'm creeping ever closer to 40!   I'm sure it won't be too traumatic when I get there, but goodness!  It's coming on faster than I would have imagined. 

My Beloved took me to town to shop for our bathroom makeover.  Long overdue!  I think our bathroom is probably original to the house which was built in the late 30' or early 40's.  It has tile around the tub, and it has begun to fall apart.  We did a partial remodel when we moved in, but didn't touch the tub, just replaced the sink, floor, and painted.  Well, in late March or April, the tiles started falling off the wall!  My Beloved, Duct Tape King that he is, yes, duct taped my shower back together.  In deference to my feminine sensibilities, he did use white duct tape.  Yes, he loves me!

Early last week, he came home and announced that I was getting a new bathroom for my birthday!  Yeehaw!  So, off we went to town to shop.  We went to Lowe's, we went to Home Depot, and we spent a LOT of money!  But, we were way under one estimate we got, so we were happy.  If I can figure out the picture thing, I'll post before/after.  I'm hoping that it will be masculinely *beautiful* when we're done.  We are going for an outdoorsy, rustic look.  I still need to order my shower curtain and rings from Cabela's.  Tomorrow we begin demolition, and then, while I have tea with my dearest friends on Monday, my Beloved will at least begin to get it all put back together.  I'm sooo excited!