Well, I am moving my blog

Here is the new site but I can't get the link to work.  Sorry everyone. 

You will just have to copy and paste.

www.lazydranch8.blogspot.com

Please bookmark so that you can keep up with the Davis Happenings.

And, be sure that I will continue to check in on all of your sites. 

Thank you Kendra for all of the kind words and the beautiful picture that you posted of my latest creation.  My family is the proud owner of Daisy Fields Basket Co.  I am the creative side of the company and love every minute of it.  This little side business has been a blessing to me because it allows me to create unique, special gifts for others. 

I have such a great time finding containers and baskets and then finding the product to fill them with.  I have always disliked cellophane and shredded paper so I chose to fill the containers completely with the highest quality product I can find. 

Since this is a very part-time job I am limited to making baskets during the holiday season or for a large order during the rest of the year.  I can also manage a few baskets if I am given a few weeks notice. 

I have started a blogspot for Daisy Fields as an online portfolio.  I will continue to add pictures of my creations so keep checking back!

www.daisyfieldsbasketco.blogspot.com

What do you do when a filthy magazine subscription finds itself in your mailbox? 

As I was cleaning off my desk this morning I uncovered a disgusting, vile magazine sitting on my desk.  As my shock wore off I got a sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach.  What if my husband saw the cover?  What if my boys saw it?  What if my girls saw it?  I did not set it on my desk so someone saw it.  This is one of those times that you realize that you can not protect your children from everything.  We are very concerned at what our children hear, see, read, and watch.  I just did not think that I would have to monitor the mail also. 

The front of the magazine says that we have a subscription until May of next year. I do not know who bought this subscription but I sent a letter to the publisher in hopes that we will not have to worry about another magazine showing up. 

In these circumstances I am very bold and state the truth without wavering.  I sent an email and also plan on calling them to let them know how disgusted  and upset I am that they would push their sin on us in this way. 

Here is the email I sent:

To whom it may concern,

I am not sure how we got on the subscription list of this magazine but I would appreciate being taken off the list.  DO NOT send another magazine.

I know you are all too desensitized to realize that your magazine is actually smut.  Over the years we have become very sensitive to this kind of material.  As we have walk away from what the world has to offer it has become evident that the product you are all promoting shows how incredibly hopeless your lives are.  The pictures and articles in your magazine show the lowest a human being can go in his sin.  How sad when there is so much more to live for. 

We don’t want our children to see this disgusting, vile material.  We are raising our boys to be brave, courageous men who defend women and children rather then take advantage of them or use them.  The men you portray in your magazine are merely looking out for their own sexual interest.  They are perverts. 

Our girls are being raised to be lovely.  To be a prize that a worthy young man will cherish.  They are being raised not to flaunt their sexuality but to appreciate it as a gift.  The picture of Avril Lavigne on the front of your magazine was pornographic.  She, along with the other women portrayed in your magazine are modern day prostitutes. 

As we say, pagans will be pagans.  Pagans worship themselves and creation rather then worshiping the One True Living God who is the Creator of all that we see.  You have reminded us that there is a very dark, dark section of our world that live vile and ungodly lives.  Thank you for the reminder.  It makes us all the more diligent to protect, guide, and train our children to be godly and to hate the sin that you promote. 

I expect to not see another one of these magazines delivered to our address.

Sincerely,

Eric and Heather Davis

Eeyore is my nickname.  Has been since the day we decided that Winnie-the-Pooh characters are really based on typical personalities.  By the way, this is way before any books came out on the particular subject. 

I no longer see myself as Eeyore but I do have one thing in common with the character; I tend to be negative rather than positive in my outlook.  Yep!  I am a 'glass is half empty' gal.  I bet you can guess that my husband is the opposite.  If I think one way he always thinks the complete opposite. 

As a mom of a teenage son I am learning that having a positive attitude toward those things that he cherishes is really important, even if it kills me inside.  There is no better time to start using encouraging, positive words then when your son comes home with a VW bus. 

I have written before that I am not hung up on what cars we drive or where we live but I must now confess that there are certain vehicles that I just can't imagine stepping into let alone driving.  I am rambling here so let me get right to the point.  My son, with our help, bought a junker. It is a classic '66 (I can hear all the guys sighing) VW bus that has the refrigerator, table, bed, and pop up camper top.  It came with dents galore and hippie bumper stickers that are in the process of being striped from the vehicle.  What I don't get is how someone can imagine this heap of junk turning into something worth being seen in.  Thus, my Eeyore personality pops up and I get labeled again as the ever negative mother. 

Well, I have voiced my opinion (or concern depending on if your a mother or a friend of my sons) and will now let it rest.  I have decided that my position is one of positive encouragement.  A very important part of motherhood is knowing when being positive is important.  Just don't expect to see me driving it around town!

PS.  When I get up enough nerve I might just post a picture of the "thing" sitting in our driveway. 

I have been eating a lot of salad lately.  Because of the latest change of menu in our house I have had to get creative in the salad dressing area.  Most salad dressings are full of additives such as sugar and MSG.  I can't have either and also have to be careful as to what oil and vinegar I use.  And, since a lot of you have been asking for these recipes I thought the easiest way to get them to so many would be to put them on this blog.  Enjoy!

CAESAR DRESSING

4TB Olive oil, 2TB balsamic or raw apple cider vinegar,  1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 6TB mayo, 2TB lemon juice, 4 to 7 cloves of crushed garlic, freshly ground pepper.  Shake vigorously.

VINEGRETTE

1/2 cup, 1 TB, and 2 tsp of Olive oil, 3/4 cup and 2 tsp of balsamic or raw apple cidar vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 1/2 tsp basil, 1 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1 1/4 tsp dijon mustard.  Shake well. 

My family lived in Portland for quite a few years when I was very young and we also lived in Bend for nine of my middle years.  I love Oregon but always got a kick out of visitors who did not know how to pronounce its name.  So, above is the correct way to say Oregon. 

I was able to visit Oregon this past weekend.  Boo, Daisy and I drove a rental car a week ago today to visit family and friends but also to go to my Grandpa's funeral.  Last Wednesday was a twelve hour drive to Portland.  We drove through snow, hail, and rain.  We stayed with my sister and met up with my parents who flew in from Palm Springs. 

Thursday we drove to the funeral which was about 1 1/2 hours away.  I saw cousins and other family members I have not seen for ages.  I even met other family members for the first time.  The funeral was well done. Very simple.  We went out to the grave sight and where I was blown away by the beauty.  The last time I had been up there was when my Grandma died in 1981.   The sun  shown through the grove of trees.  And, on both sides of the graveyard the hill dropped off into a beautiful green valley.   After a long day we drove back to my sisters.

Friday we drove to Bend which is about three hours drive on one of the most scenic highways I have ever been on.  I enjoy this drive so much.  We walked around Sisters and then spent the evening resting at my parents home. 

Saturday the girls and I visited my other Grandparents just down the highway from my parents house.  We had such a wonderful time helping out and visiting.  Grandpa was in such a great mood which is much different then the past couple of months.  They have him on some medication to help him sleep and not be so agitated.  This became important for my Grandmother's sake.  She looked much better also.  Grandpa even stood and prayed for us before we left.  This is somewhat of a miracle since I can't remember him ever doing this before.  Let me tell you it was hard to keep the tears back.  I don't care if he doesn't remember who I am any more I am just thrilled to have such wonderful memories of him during his final years.

Sunday we drove back to Central California....home. This time it was a nine hour trek.  What an adventure!  i feel like I accomplished so much and in such a little amount of time.  The only thing that would have made it better was if my whole family could have gone with me.  But, then again....not sure if Brown Sugar would agree. 

And, for those of you who care I only broke my new way of eating twice.  I had a flour tortilla and a Diet Dr. Pepper.  I was a bit worried about the food issue because I associate junk food with road trips. But, I made it through another change in my life and so I know the next time will not be as hard.  Thanks for the prayers! 

This past Sunday my Grandpa died.  But, in my heart Grandpa died many years ago.  He had such a hard time dealing with the death of my Grandma twenty-six years ago.  She was the glue that kept the family together.  She also kept Grandpa sober.  After she passed away Grandpa self destructed.   Alcohol took over his life and caused our family many heartaches.  Twenty-six years later his heart could no longer handle the abuse.

As I sat through the memorial service and stood next to my Grandparents graves I was so grateful for many wonderful memories.  And, the many people at the service had wonderful memories also.   The incredibly heartbreaking part is not knowing if my Grandpa is spending eternity in heaven.  I pray that God granted mercy on his life even if it was right before his last breath. 

On Monday, I realized that I needed to reflect on something other then my Grandpa's eternal destination.  It hit me that even in this difficult time I have the opportunity to praise the one and only God of heaven and earth.   He is all powerful over life and death.  He has the power of salvation and mercy.  He has the power of justice.  I am in awe. 

It was a warm, beautiful day last Friday.  Our friend's ranch was the perfect place for Lil' Cowboy's birthday party. 

Can you guess the theme?  Yep...we had a lot of little boys who were dressed up like cowboys.  We started out giving everyone a "mustache" and a bandana. 

My friend's father came out and gave the boys pony rides.  What a blessing for Lil' Cowboy and all his buddies. 

There was milk can roping, "Feed the Horse a Carrot" (pin the tail on the donkey), apple dunking, and lantern making. 

They were itching to play cowboys and bandits.  So, off they went jumping over hedges, hiding behind bushes, and running through fields to get the next great bandit.  There were quite a lot of play guns and pretend horses.  Lil' Cowboy had the time of his life.

Hot dogs, potato salad, chips, beans, and root beer was the grub of the day.  Then, they enjoyed a horse cake made by Boo.  Even Brown Sugar had a great time.

Lil' Cowboy's siblings were an incredible help.  Hubbie was very sick which usually does not keep him down but this bug had him flat on his back.  The rest of us were tired and relieved that it was over but thoroughly happy that Lil' Cowboy had such a successful first birthday in America. 

Happy Birthday Lil' Cowboy!

you  Boo (Also known as RED to her friends) has decided to try her hand at blogging.  Welcome!

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.

  Ad/ver/tence   noun        1.  The action or process of adverting.

   Form:  Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary   tenth edition 

(Sorry, the room that our computer is in happens to be our School room where our Dictionary’s, Fact books and History books are.)

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch? 

      The cabinet that holds all our DVD’s

3. What was the last thing you watched on TV?

      It was a show that was recorded onto DVD called Sue Thomas F.B.I.

   (It is a true life story about a deaf woman who is an F.B.I. agent.)

4. Without looking, guess what time it is. 
     5:40 p.m.

5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time? 
      5:55 p.m.

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? 

     Lil' Cowboy  singing the theme song from our favorite old TV show  "Hogan’s Heros" while setting the table for dinner.
   

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? 
      It was about 30 minutes ago and I was playing outside (the all time favorite) freeze tag with Lil' Cowboy and his friends. (Man, they are fast!)

8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at? 
     My hands folding laundry.

9. What are you wearing? 

      Jeans and my favorite red shirt.

10. Did you dream last night? 
       Last night was a pretty dreamless night, sad to say.

11. When did you last laugh? 
        An hour ago while reading Ben’s blog.

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in? 
        Tan paint with some paintings painted by a really good artist (....hmmm, myself?), a clock and a map of the world. 

13. Seen anything weird lately? 
       Goose caring in a new car seat for Brown Sugar while she was in it!

14. What do you think of this quiz? 

       It is very interesting and a great way to get to know people because their humor side comes out.
 

15. What is the last film or video you saw? 
         The last movie I watched was A Tiger Walks by Disney.

 (This is a very old movie that my mom watched when she was little.)

16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy? 

      After giving 10% to God, I would buy a red and white Mini Cooper and travel around the world with someone.

17. Tell me something about you that I do not know. 
      1. I was born on an Air Force Base.
      2. I  took a lifeguard class when I was in Jr. High.

        3.  My favorite thing to do is wash clothes and wash dishes. This year I am going to help with the garden and I think it is going to be added to my favorite things to do around the house.

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? 
       I would make an organization that would help all children learn how to read.  No matter their class, skin, color and religion.

19. Do you like to dance? 
       Do fish like water?

20. Comment to George Bush:

      Whenever you are not sure what to do go to “the Man upstairs.” 
 

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her? 
       Bailey, Jane, Elizabeth (Beth), Jessica……. I could go on and on. 

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him? 
      Luke, Cole, David, Jacob …

23. Would you ever consider living abroad? 

        I would love to live in a different country for a few months, but I think my end all choice would be California (with all my traveling I have not found a state that just jumps out at me )  I would also say it all depends on what God has for me too.

24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gate? 
       Welcome to Heaven, We have a nice heated, Olympic size pool to your left and chocolate is served every hour.

25.  What one book, besides the Bible, has changed your life? 

         My choice would have to be "The Hiding Place".  This book has changed my outlook on what can happen when you are obeying God.  The faith that Betsy had and the love she showed to the Germans was heart changing.  Also. the words of wisdom that Mr. Ten Boom would tell his children plus his love for everyone no matter their religious background was inspiring.  The one thing I learned was to give praise to God in every circumstance.

26. 3-5 people who must also do this quiz on THEIR blog:

        (Ben, do you notice anything different about this question?)

     I do not know many people who blog and the ones I do know have already done this quiz.  So I guess that I will just end this quiz with a little something…….So long, Farewell for now

I live in a house with six children so you wouldn't  think that I would get lonely.  But, loneliness is the word that I would use to describe the past week for me.

My husband left for a week last Sunday.  He is out at sea with the Navy and is due back today.  A week really is not that long.  But, in the past ten years we have been able to communicate while he was out at sea.  This time out we were not able to communicate at all.  It reminds me of the years where we had to number our letters (letters never came in the order they were sent), talk on tapes, and wait for a very expensive long distance phone call from Hong Kong, Australia, or Africa. 

This week might not have been as overwhelming if I had not gotten sick, started a yeast free diet, and had two newly adopted children who don't understand why daddy is gone.  Brown Sugar has become very clingy over the past week which I attribute to her missing her daddy.  The other kids are getting restless today but then again, so am I. 

I just can't wait to see his face and to hear his voice.  I will let the kids overwhelm him with kisses and hugs.  Then, it will be my turn.  Enough said

They really do!

While we were at an Aquarium, a little girl was watching Hubbie play with Brown Sugar.  She had a puzzled look on her face when she asked Hubbie if Brown Sugar was his daughter.  Hubbie replied yes and the girls face became even more puzzled.  Then she stated "But she doesn't look like you!"

Hmmmm.....is it the black skin that gave it away? 

Then, the other day I was visiting our next door neighbor and she retold a funny story that involved her nephew and Lil' Cowboy.  Lil' Cowboy was outside playing with my neighbor's little boy and with her nephew.  When it was time for the nephew to go home he complained that it wasn't fair that Lil' Cowboy  (dressed appropriately with bandana, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat )got to stay and play while he had to go home.  The nephew's mom informed him that we had adopted Lil' Cowboy and so he now lived next door to his cousin.  Nephew sat and thought about this for a few minutes and then declared "Why did they adopt a cowboy?"

Hmmmmm again....the cowboy gave it away this time rather then the black skin!

I was alerted to a show that was going to air on this past Monday.  Oprah was doing a show on fascinating families.  The first being a famous football player and actress who have four children.  The next segment was a group of families who have adopted Liberian children.  This is the part that interested me the most.  Go figure!  Anyway, I went over to my next door neighbor's house to watch the program since we do not have tv in our home. 

We were both impressed with the stories that these families had to share. There was no mistaking that their faith was the reason why they felt lead to adopt.  Not only did they adopt but they adopted a whole choir of adolescent boys!  What a ministry.  One couple had already raised their four bio kids and then adopted two boys from the choir.  When the boys said that they had four other siblings in Liberia this couple adopted them also.  I was wowed ( as my kids would say).  Oprah was wowed also.  She made a wonderful parting statement, "Love sees no color". 

But, the next segment marred the whole show.  It was the glorification of two homosexual men who are fostering and adopting children.  We turned the television off and did not watch the rest but I can only assume that this is another way to slowly make us all accept homosexual marriage and parenting. 

I thought I would post my thoughts on two Liberian Yahoo sites that I am on.  One of them is for Acres of Hope and is a closed site for those who have adopted or are in the process of adopting from AoH.  There were a few comments on not having enough compassion and not being Christ like in my comments but other then that it was fairly mild.  Thankfully a husband of one of the wives came on and gave us all the reasons why we are to judge and yet love in the same manner as Christ.  So, I chose not to send a rebuttal on that group site.  But, on the Adopting from Liberia site I received a scathing response.  I thought I would include segments of all our comments so that you can get the whole picture.   

Here are the comments from an Adopting from LIberia Yahoo member: 

That attitude is one of the reasons I don't frequent this website as
much as I would like. Please don't flame me, but I believe Jesus would
be appalled by such narrow-minded prejudice. If a gay couple, whether
male or female, wants to share their love with a foster child, I say
that child is one of the lucky ones. I am sure if you gave children
the option of being in an institution or being with loving parents,
none of them would reject a couple offering a stable home.
I happen to be heterosexual, but my parents had nothing to do with
that genetic fact. Gay people are the result of a man and a woman
making love, so why are gay parents considered a threat? If you think
that being gay is a "choice' then what did all those hetero people do
wrwrong? Puh lease!
I am sure many of you will find Bible verses that you have interpreted
to support your homophobic stance- religion has always been corrupted
that way. Please don't bother to try and convince me. I have many gay
friends whose character is such that they would never exclude another
person on the basis of race, sex, religion or sexual orientation.
It is sad to see that people still persecute others, especially from a
group of people who are otherwise loving and generous.

So, I sent a rebuttal and here it is:

Although I would love to lay this to rest I must clear up a few
misconceptions about those of us who would rather not see a
homosexual couple foster or adopt children.

First of all, I am not homophobic. I am, in no way, afraid of
homosexuals which would be the definition of homophobic. We have a
few aquaintances who have chosen to live a life of homosexuality and
we pray for their salvation. The Old Testament and New Testament
make it quite clear that fornication of any kind was prohibited.
And, Jesus being "the Word made flesh" (John 1) clearly indicates
that your concept of Jesus' compassion and love is not correct.

Second, all of us are excluded at times. Our age, sex, and religion
exclude us from many things. The only reason why a person should
not be excluded from certain things is the color of his skin. Sexual
orientation should exclude you from many different abilities. For
one, the fact that you can not conceive a child (it is in fact
impossible!)keeps you from enjoying the many facets of parenting.
(Please do not lump in men and women who are married and can not
conceive...they have the physical ability to conceive but are not
able to for one reason or another...much different then someone who
does not have the physical ability!).

Third and lastly, my opinions, in no way, persecute others. You are
as free as I am to speak of your opinions. Please learn to have a
logical conversation rather then an accusatory one.

To wrap this up...I am sure that I have fanned the flame but I am
rather tired of being labeled, told to be quiet and keep my opinions
to myself. Especially when the opposite side chooses to label and
spit venomous words at the Church of Jesus Christ. ~Heather Davis

So there you go.  I could think of even more to say but really, overall I am fine with what I wrote.  I did get about a half a dozen personal emails from those who wanted to encourage me and thank me for taking a stand.  The scariest part of this whole ordeal is that all of those who negatively responded called themselves Believers.  Yikes!  There is definately sin in the camp and we had better all start speaking up or judgement just can't be that far behind us. 

Let me start out by saying that  I will rarely give a movie review or recommend a movie.  First, because there is rarely anything to recommend, old or new.  Second, this can be such a divisive issue in the church and many would think me way to conservative while others would think of me as foolish.  But, last night we saw a movie worth seeing.

We were drawn to the actor, Will Smith who plays the main character, and his son who plays his son in the film.  I have never seen a film that he has been in but I have read and heard some great things about him.  For instance, he deeply loves his family and he vocally stands against black artist who use profanity and obsceneties to make people laugh.  I applaud him for standing up in a world that does not like to be reprimanded.  But, I will confess that I am not "up" on the Hollywood latest and would find it hard to believe that there aren't things that we would disagree with him on. 

This is not a "leave your cares at the door-I want to be entertained" kind of movie.  This is a gritty account of a single father's life. He walked us through silly mistakes, bad choices, and hard circumstances to show us that diligence, perseverance, and honesty win the day.  You never heard a complaint about his situation and he never used the "color card".  Instead at every moment he helped his son see the good side of all circumstances even when that meant sleeping in a subway station bathroom.  You sit through one and a half hours of life to get to a few minutes of glory.  But, you would not have understood the emotions at the end if you had not experienced the hardships at the beginning. 

At some point I realized that I was no longer looking at Will Smith as himself but as Mr. Gardner, the man whom the movie is about.  His son did an excellent job as well.  It is too bad that Hollywood is so deep in their sin that they can not recognize when one of their own has truly done a fabulous job bringing a story to life.

I walked away thinking back in the past when we were going through tough financial times.  I used those memories to remind me, just like the movie, that those times make the present all the more sweeter.  We have a roof over our head, we have a paying job, we have food on the table.  All in all, this movie made me think....and I like that.

I will say that there are things that we did not like about the movie.  There was some foul language that  was used to portray how negative the world was that this boy was growing up in.  And, there was a modesty issue of the wife getting dressed for work (she was in her bra).  There were also issues that Mr. Gardner had to face that were not easy issues to deal with (i.e.  being left with a taxi tab and not being able to pay for it so he flees the scene). 

I would highly recommend that if you would like to see this film wait till it comes out on video.  While I walked away from this movie feeling good I did not feel this way about the fifteen minutes of movie previews before the showing of the main feature.  I felt violated and sick over what I saw coming out of Hollywood.  I had no idea that the entertainment industry had fallen so low.  It made me all the more thankful for a husband who protects us and keeps us away from such filth.  And, even more grateful to our God who has seen fit to make me sensitive to these things again. 

And, that's for sure!  It has been very, very cold for our part of the country.  On average we usually dip down into the 40s at night.  But, this past couple of weeks the temperature gauge has seen the lower 20s. 

Before you go thinking that I am a whimp I must let you know that my middle years were spent in cold, cold central Oregon.  I should be used to the falling temps.  I lived among pine and juniper where the wood stove was your friend. 

But, for the past twenty-one years I have lived in somewhat sunny California.  I say somewhat because usualy we are smack dap in the middle of fog right now.  But, because of the very cold weather there are no clouds to be seen.  It is clear blue skies which has been such a blessing. 

The down side to having such cold weather is that our plants are not used to it.  Our citrus (we have an orange, lemon, and lime tree) are covered with Christmas lights as we try to keep them from freezing to death.  Any semblance of lettuce in the garden is now mushy and wilted.  The chickens seem to be doing okay as is the bunny which, is quite a relief.  Then there is the price that we will all pay in the store for citrus and avacadoes.  Bummer! 

Kind of a silly post but I thought I would update you on the weather since there was not much else to tell about from the LazyD ranch.  Now, back to warming my toes by the fireplace!

Wow!  Just miss a kid and you get all kinds of comments on your blog!  Can you believe that I missed a child?  Actually I didn't the first time around.  To my defense, I had written the previous post and it got lost somewhere in cyberspace.  So, in my rush to try and rewrite all that I had written I forgot my little Daisy.  So, she gets a post all to her own!

Daisy has glasses!  We cut her chlorine green hair, added braces to her mouth, and bought her glasses.  And, now she looks ever so grown up.  My vanilla baby is no longer a baby.  She got an auto harp for Christmas and is loving it.  

FAVORITE SINGING GROUP AS OF TODAY:  FFH

WHAT IS SHE READING?  The Borrowers

LATEST HOBBY:  Learning ASL Sign Language

So, there you go...

Boo is on her way to being a fiddler  Her Christmas/Birthday gift was a beautiful violin that we expect to hear great things from.  We have a great friend who is helping her out.  She is almost done with the 1911 dresses that she started for her and the girls.  And, she is doing well teaching her little brother how to read.  The hard truth is that my first born turns eighteen in a few weeks.  How time flies. 

FAVORITE SINGING GROUP AT THIS TIME:  Mercy Me

WHAT IS SHE READING?  Les Miserables

NEW RECIPE THAT SHE ENJOYED MAKING:  Linguine with Chicken Ragu from Everyday Italian Cooking Show

Goose is being rather diligent in his studies.  He has a goal to get through his high school and some college before going out on the road with two good friends.  He continues to enjoy his Medieval Martial Arts. 

FAVORITE SINGING GROUP AT THIS TIME:  Superchick (their music is much better then their name!)

WHAT IS HE READING?  Desiring God by John Piper

FAVORITE MEDIEVAL MARTIAL ARTS MOVE:  The Mace Mosh (Not sure what this is but it is sure fun to watch him weild a sword!)

Miss M is my avid book reader.  She just can't get enough!  If she is not working on school or doing chores she is in her room cuddled up on her bed reading the latest.  She has taken a liking to Brown Sugar which has been nice to see.  She also continues to take care of her bunny and the chickens.

FAVORITE SINGING GROUP AT THIS TIME:  Newsboys

WHAT IS SHE READING?  Mimosa by Amy Charmichel

FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL:  Math

Lil' Cowboy (formerly known as Scharffy) had a fabulous first Christmas!  We got a kick out of seeing this holiday through the eyes of a six year old boy who had never celebrated it before.  We kept telling him that Santa was not real but I guess he just didn't get it.  On Christmas Eve he insisted that he was going to wait up all night to catch Santa sneak into the house.  We spent a few minutes trying to convince him that Santa wasn't real when he blurted out "No, I mean the FAKE Santa!!!"  We just could not stop laughing.  The next day, each time he got a present he would widen his eyes and exclaim "Another one? For me?"  He also enjoyed playing in the snow:  sledding, skating on ice, building snowmen, throwing snowballs, etc.  He said "I walked on water like Jesus" when he was out on the frozen lake.  We did explain to him that Jesus didn't quite have it that easy!

FAVORITE SONG:  Baby It's Cold Outside

WHAT IS HE READING?  Anything he can get his hands on

WHAT DOES HE WANT TO BE WHEN HE GROWS UP:  A Cowboy, A Farmer, A Navy Man, A Fireman, etc.

Brown Sugar has really got us smitten.  She is adorable even when she is teething eight teeth at once.  Yes, I said eight.  She will be the proud owner of sixteen teeth in a matter of a week.  She knows twenty-one ASL signs as of today (she just learned "book") and says "yes ma-ma", "hi ma-ma", "hi da-da", and "no-no-no". 

FAVORITE SONG: Itsy-bitsy Spider

FAVORITE BOOK:  The Baby Book of Alphabets

FAVORITE PASTIME:  Emptying laundry baskets and drawers

to you all.  We have been home since the 3rd but we were priviledged to have my parents visit us for the last couple of days.  My aunt and uncle also made a quick visit to our home.  We had such a great time.   But it was time to say good-bye today and now it is time to get our house and home back in order. 

Our first project is to clean out and organize all the cabinets and drawers throughout the house. 

Next, I need to work on planning the rest of the school year and work on getting next year's schooling down on paper also.

Finally, we have ta long list of projects to do around the house.  We are hoping to get some done before we start back to school next Monday.

To reorganize in January is a necessity for me.  I deal with depression every year due to the mental and physical let down after the holidays, holiday eating habits, gloomy weather, and a messy home after the busy December month.  I have learned that the best way to keep me from spiraling down into a cloudy depression is to exercise, eat right, drink a lot of water, and gain control over my domain.  In other words, I have learned to become proactive in keeping my sanity during the first months of the year. 

January is a month that asks for a clean, organized life.  January challenges us to take dominion over our body and over our homes.   It also asks us to get ready for the challenges and changes ahead in the new year.  It is a new beginning. 

I am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us this year.  We have a great adventure waiting for us.  And, I have a couple of cabinets that are calling my name right now. 

"Open hands should characterize the soul's attitude toward God

-open to recieve what He wants to give,

open to give back what He wants to take"

--Elizabeth Elliot

So, how often do you say Merry Christmas?  I take every opportunity to say it.  I love the words.  I love the meaning behind the words.  I love the reaction I get from most people.  They act shocked that someone actually used those forbidden words.  I smile while I say it so that might throw them off too.  You know, there are not a lot of happy people out in the stores right now.  So,  a polite, cheerful salutation is probably rarely heard.

What a sad commentary on our culture.  They desperately want to enjoy the "season".  And yet to get through the season they make a bed of nails for themselves.  They get to the point of exhaustion looking for all the biggest and best gifts to give and adding more to the mountain of debt from past Christmas'.   Then they  wonder what happened to the holiday when an hour into Christmas day everything is done;  all the gifst are open, the stockings are unhung, the food has been eaten, and they are still empty. 

Thankfully that is not what we experience.  Christmas, for our family, is a whole month of exciting days.  We plan out all of our yearly traditions and add a few each year.  For example, in November every child picks a name out of a hat.  That is the sibling they will buy a present for.  But, it is all a big secret and you have to figure out what your sibling wants without ever revealing that you are the one buying for them.  Then, I take each child out for lunch and shopping.  They all look forward to this yearly outing. 

Another example is our annual Christmas Business dinner.  My husband is self employed and I teach piano and create gift baskets.  The kids are all involved in our businesses.  They are a vital part of the family.  So, we do something special with them that is holiday themed and then take them out to dinner.  This year we are going to see a Celtic Christmas concert and then dinner. 

O-kay, one more example of a month filled with Christmas traditions.  We also go Christmas light hunting.  We have a few streets that we know have incredible light displays but we also go hunting for other great lit up streets.  We used to go out for ice cream afterward but have found that ice cream parlors are few and far between now-a-days.  We might just have to fog up the car windows with the steam of hot cocoa and coffee from the local Starbucks.  By the way, this Christmas light hunt just is not the same without great Christmas music blaring from the car stereo. 

We also have caroling in the neighborhood on our list of things to do and having friends over to sing carols with.  Even getting the Christmas tree is a bit deal around here. 

So, as the world around us is frantically buying last minute gifts and trying to figure out how to get the latest and greatest we will continue to enjoy our family traditions that bring us closer together rather then tearing us a part.  A side benefit?  We rather enjoy Christmas day and are in no way exhausted when it gets here. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR!

I have been curious about the Jesse Tree idea for a while now.  I always have great plans to work on it during the year and yet find at the end of the year that I have not accomplished much.

This year, my dear friend Kendra, brought The Glorious Coming to my attention.  It is beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written. 

Starting this tradition is important to me for many reasons.   But, the single greatest reason is that we have four bio children that need to be reminded of God's perfect redemption plan continuously.  And, we have two adopted children who know little of the Promised Messiah.

Of course, we are to teach, train, and instruct our little ones in the precepts of God's grace all through the year.  But, there is something about the month before Christmas, also known as Advent, that ripens the senses to the beauty of the whole plan.  Starting with Creation and working our way through the Old Testament, we see an incredible story unfold.  

So, the Davis household has decided to daily walk through some of the prophecies and stories of Old.  In this way, we can see clearly the plan of salvation that Yahweh had laid before the foundation of the earth.

Another new tradition of ours, albeit an old tradition for many believers, is the Advent candles/wreath.  As I was reading about the symbolism of this holiday tradition I was reminded that God often used symbolism in His Word to help us see the message behind the symbol. 

Our advent wreath is probably different then most.  We just took some fake pine garland and wrapped it in the shape of a wreath.  Then I went out and bought five candles.  I have to admit that purple is not a color in my Christmas decor so I went for a multi colored wreath.  We lit the blue candle yesterday.  

After reading what the wreath was all about we decided to

come up with a meaning for each candle color. 

 The kids all decided that blue should stand for the clear night sky that the Angels sang in and the star was seen in.

The next color is green for the hay in the manger that Jesus laid in.

Gold/Cream is for the gifts given by the Wisemen.

Red is for the redemption we would soon have through the blood of Jesus

And, white is for the purity of the sinless son of God and son of Man.

You are suppose to light a candle each Sunday leading to Christmas and then the white candle is lit on Christmas day.

We decided to keep the candle of the week lit throughout the week. This way the sweet aroma of the candle can remind us of the blessings we have in Christ. 

These new traditions are truly making our Christmas season

A Special Kind of Wonderful!