Where’s the Beef??

We finally jumped in and did it. We purchased 1/4 share of cow. The best price we could find was a place in South Carolina. The plan was we would travel an hour away and meet them at a market and pick it up there. However, the processor labeled it wrong and as such we had to travel to a farm two hours away to pick up the beef. It just so happens that the farm, Sharon Rose Farm, had “Family Day on the Farm.” So, after rushing to a birthday party and then rushing to leave, we hit the road to travel. We would have made it for more festivities, but we took a wrong turn (if only we had a GPS, huh Grandmere) and got there just a little late. However, the owners of the farm were extremely nice and gave us a tour and gave our hot tired children water. The kids got to run around and, hopefully, learned a little about farming (school day).

The farmer uses these old Farmall tractors and he had two of them out. Liam and Josiah were enthralled. They loved climbing on them. Oh, that’s a prince or a cowboy on Liam’s cheek. I didn’t hear the conversation between him and the artist but it looked like a doozy.



She’s a tiger…look out!!


The funnest thing was meeting the baby chicks. Now, folks, these aren’t laying hens. That’s right! I just held and petted someone’s supper. He was so cute and fluffy though. I love baby chicks. I remember my grandmother hatching and incubating them (mostly laying hens for them) when I was growing up…ahhh, nostalgia. None of the kids would pick them up.

Don’t you just love the way my face “glistens!” It felt like 100 degrees in there as they were “incubating” the chicks.
Freshly weaned baby pigs. Here’s your bacon and sausage.

They also have a milk cow. In South Carolina it is legal to sell raw milk, but you have to be liscensed (and raw milk dairies, so I’ve heard, are much much cleaner than regular dairies…I’m just saying). This is their milking trough/area. Liam thought he’d just have a little seat here.

Uncle B raises free range chickens (for food) and I thought he would get a kick outof seeing all their many cages.
I think Josiah was trying to whisper escape plans…not quite sure.

Someone’s steak, burger, and other assorted meats (Sorry if your vegetarian…I’m not, obviously). Liam asked me why the cow had to die and I borrowed an answer I read from Uncle B and Aunt B, “That it had done what God had created it to do” He was very happy with that.

We were too, as we had some sirloin tip roast kabobs marinated and grilled today! Yum yum.

This is only the bottom half of our 20 cubit foot freezer. It barely took up two shelves! So, see not much room needed for the food.

We purchased the meat from Native Meats. We did not buy a box but emailed them personally about purchasing the 1/4 share cow. We got 70 pounds of meat out of 1/4 share.

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Why I’ve been semi-absent this week

So, my first attempts at real sewing with Zoe’s swimsuit, I got brave and decided to make some more things. I found this website and really got pumped at all the adorable outfits. So, I just had to make one for Zoe and a matching one for Ceili Rain. Then, I found a dress for Zoe that was just a little short for a six year old bouncy girl so I needed to make some pantaloons to go under it. I found that pattern here. And then, going through all of the clothes, I realized Zoe needed some pjs/nightgowns. I also realized that I had a ton of fabric that my mom had found at some place and given to me and that my mother-in-law had persuaded me to keep when I went on a cleaning rampage. So, I bought a nightgown pattern from Simplicity to make one. After announcing all of my ambitious pursuits to Grandmere she set a time to travel.

And here is the fruit of our efforts. She was a great teacher. I’m still not quite sure how we got all this accomplished with five children constantly wanting Grandmere’s attention or needing my disciplining…but we did.

I did not get pictures of the nightgown or pantaloons but I did get some of the dresses! My plan is to make at least two to three more nightgowns/pjs for Zoe for the winter. Then she should be set for a good amount of time.

Getting measured…yep, the consignment clothes are still there. And they still are right now…I’m working on it.


Deuling sewing machines…this was Tuesday night trying to make headway before Grandmere had to leave on Wednesday.

The sewing diva…

and the wannabe!


The skirt to Zoe’s Twirl Dress (Ellie’s Twirl Dress from youcanmakethis.com to be exact). Let me just say that was a lot of material and a lot of gathering. Not sure I’ll do this one again. But it did turn out adorable…scroll down.

Zoe put it on and couldn’t stop spinning…well, she did stop several times because she kept falling, but she did love it. The pattern also came with instructions for a headband which was super easy.

Princess #2 with her twirl dress. She didn’t spin but she looked equally adorable. No headband for her but check out her “kicks.” I found the FREE pattern and directions at TackyLiving.com. And yes, these are just like those expensive leather type shoes. Since Ceili Rain isn’t walking yet, I bypassed the leather sole and went for a cute matching one…that’s the only changes I made. They were amazingly easy!

Ace asked to get a picture with her, and I willingly obliged.
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The Fam

I love these guys! I am truly blessed with a beautiful fun family.

These were taken while we were visiting family 4th of July weekend. Carey Jenkins was our photographer and she was great working with eleven children and six adults! Here’s just a glimpse from that day. If you live in her area and are looking for a photographer, giver her a call!!

My dad saw this picture and got his breath caught up! Yep, that’s a lot of kids!!


How adorable is he?!?
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Let’s Face It!


This is the “monkeys” favorite lunch. Ritz crackers with peanut butter (or chicken salad), grapes or cherries, pretzels, peaches and/or apples, raisins, and strawberries. I mix it up from time to time but this was what we had last week. So much fun and usually nothing left on the plate at the end of the meal.

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Soccer Camp for Ace

Ace enjoyed soccer camp last week…much more than his sister (it was too much running). He got the hang of the techniques they taught and seemed to really enjoy himself. I like these two hour camps for five days. The kids get to try out different things and it gives us a good view of whether or not it is their “bent.” While Ace enjoyed the camp, he told me he didn’t really want to play it this year.

After spending 30 minutes clutching me on Monday, he warmed up to the coaches and also made friends. A little too friendly for me…this little girl followed him around and kept trying to hold his hand…but he just took in stride, one of the benefits of having a sister I guess.

Friday, the other kids got to enjoy it too!

Zoe playing heads/hands (whatever she called out they had to do the opposite).

What Ceili Rain enjoyed most out of the whole week…sleep when she could get it.
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I’m Chikn Enuff for Free Food!

So, we participated in National Cow Appreciation Day last Friday and dressed up for free food…all of us except for the one who has no teeth to eat chicken and always gets her meals free.

I wish I had gotten a better picture, but they were hungry, it was crazy, and when we started dressing them they just wanted more and more stuff. I really thought we’d have a couple of kids who didn’t want to dress up. I was wrong. They all wanted spots and signs and ears. Liam wanted cow fee, so I made a couple for his hands. I dressed in all black with white spots (don’t think that I’m not too scared to make a fool of myself for free food). Mark had on a white shirt with black spots and put them on his jeans as well. Josiah was the only protester, but Mark managed to get a spot on his back. We spent $4 to get a milkshake…that was it folks!

What’s really funny is Mark and I made a deal that we wouldn’t go out to eat this month, unless it was free. Ta da!

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Art Camp

This week concludes our two weeks of camps. I’m so excited to not have to get up and go everyday.

Zoe had art camp last week. It was hosted at a local art institute. She had an absolutely wonderful time. She was in the Mixed Media class and learned how to use different things to create art. So we have a monster, scratch art, turtle in 3D, an aquarium, and a yarn person that she used as a stamp. Pretty cool! She’s still very much interested in all things art (you should see this girl in an art museum…she could probably stay in there for hours). So, we are looking at her getting art lessons this year. It’s amazing how God has given her an eye to look at things and find the details and beauty in them!

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Splash Time

Our local library has a playground behind it. They’ve recently added a splash/sprinkler area and another playground for larger kids and swings. I love where we live! Anyway, the kids were able to go for the first time last week to the splash area with some friends…


So much fun, you can lose your pants!

Josiah wouldn’t get in. He loves the sprinkler area at our pool but this was new and not something he was up for. He spent the whole time walking around getting muddy and very hot.

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