GIVEAWAY over at Margo's

Go visit Margo, people!  She's over there at Margo's Junkin' Journal and she's sponsoring a wonderful giveaway of a beautiful silver triple cross necklace from Sterling Grace.  Love that store.  I have some of their jewelry and it is really nice!  I'm entering - how 'bout you!!!  Oh and by the way, look at Margo's Advent Calendar - it is VERY neat!

I'm Still Alive Here at Sand Flat Farm!

Ummmm, okay ..... let's see, where were we?  .......

Oh yes, before I get any further, let me share this lovely giveaway with you from Christy at Artisan Farmstead Living!  She's having a giveaway of a lb. of her luscious laundry soap that she makes herself with goat milk soap and I'm REALLLLLY hoping to win!  If not, guess I'll have to buy some...  Pop over there and see her neat blog where she makes all things homestead-style!  Tell her I sent you!  I just found her today doing some blog-hopping!

Thanksgiving?  Check!  Had a great time with all the family? Check!  Ate WAY too much?  Check!  Talked to our Kiwi Kids?  Check!  Did some skyping, too!  Made plans for Christmas holidays?  Check!  Family agreed to draw names for gifts?  Check!  Been trying to get everybody to agree on that for years!  Did some target practice with the kids?  Check!  Even my mama got in on that!  Pictures to follow...

And my mama is serious - don't mess with mama! My brother is lookin' on and Daddy is coverin' up his ears...

My brother discussing the merits of his arsenal...

Anybody around my area need a purty calico kitty?  Lucy is staying with us until I find her another home.  She belonged to Josh and Lindsey, and since they couldn't take her to NZ, I'm looking for a new home.  I already have a sinus infection and severe allergies due to her being at my house.  She's always been an inside cat, so I hate to just put her outside.  She'd freak.  It's taken her two weeks to settle down and feel comfortable here.  She's already spayed and had shots.  Got any takers?  She's free to a good home!  WITH all her stuff!  I'll even bring her to you if don't live too far away! 

Thought I'd show you a fine specimen of canine-ity - our farmdog, Gypsy, is surveying the grounds (actually she is sitting on top of the berm that the boys shoved up with the tractor to use as a backdrop to shoot against).  Little did Gypsy know that soon,  gunfire would commence and she'd be hightailin' it back to the barn...  But I'll swan! - lawsy-mercy... she  did look mighty fine settin' up there for a few short minutes...

She's turning out to be a great dog so far - she's been here about a month now.  She's very smart - I can show her how to do something once or twice and she's got it!  We're thinking mostly Aussie with some border collie in her, too, for good measure.  She loves to play with the young tan outside cat - he who hath no name yet.  Young Tan Outside Cat, herein after referred to as YTOC either is stupid and has no escape skills, or he truly likes being played with by Gyp.  I've seen several times Gyp carrying him around the yard like a ragdoll and she traps him with her front paws.  I thought that she might bite him too hard, but I guess she's being very careful and hopefully has a very soft mouth.  He seems healthy and active and playful, and I let him in ONLY to eat so Gyp won't bug him. He comes in, eats, and then warts the tar out of Lucy. They fight and squall and chase each other all over the house.   I sure hope he makes it.  YTOC's been here two months and is getting big.  I don't know why he doesn't just take a whack at Gypsy's nose with his paw and set her straight...  I told him to many times, but as of yet, he hasn't done anything about it.

And Gypsy loves me.  I'm her person.  Makes me feel good.  She whines for me to hold her and pet her and scratch her.  She just wants me to love on her.  And I do.  What is it about dogs that we love them and they love us so unconditionally?  Why does their love make us feel so good?  Where is this post going?

Hope to get my Christmas tree up this week.  I have no earthly idea as to the whereabouts of my Christmas decorations.  I sold a bunch of them that were getting dog-eared when we moved, threw another bunch away and packed up the rest, and I don't know where it is.  Good excuse to get a few new things, eh? Only thing is, with one cat and sometimes two in the house, how in tarnation am I going to keep my Christmas tree and decorations intact?  Can you tell me that?  I think this year I'm going to go down to the woods and cut some evergreen limbs and such and do some natural decorating. I'm still thinking on that wreath that Vee did that I love SO much - the square one. So simple, yet so natural and I just LOVE natural!

Anyway, I'm really tightening my purse strings this year and am looking to find ways to decorate on the cheap, and natural elements are to be had everywhere.

We've covered lotsa territory this evenin', so I guess I'm outa here til next time.  Will try to post more often - Holidays are so busy!

Keep yore dress down!

News From Down Under...

Well, they're mighty close to "down under".  Josh and Lindsey that is.  Arrived safely in Auckland, NZ, and have been staying with some church members in Wellington on the southern coast.  It's 6:31 pm CST here as I write, and it's 1:31 pm NZ time but it's Monday already there.  They spent Sunday with the church there and Josh said there were some Christians there from Malaysia that owned a nice restaurant downtown and they all went there for Sunday dinner.  The folks there have just been SO hospitable to them and have helped them get their bank account, cell phone, and car registration done.  This would have been alot harder to figure out without all their help. Tony and I are SO grateful to them!  And another wonderful Christian family took them under their wing, fed them, and took them sight-seeing, Antony and Jeanette.  Their beautiful pup, Toby, joined them on their treks.  Hope we get to meet some of these wonderful folks IN PERSON with we go visit!!!

They are having a ball, suffering from some jet lag, but in great spirits.  Today is Monday over there.  In about an hour, they will take the auto ferry over to the south island and head to Nelson for the night, and continue on to Hamner Springs Tuesday where they will check out their first jobs!  I saved a few pictures for you.  Josh and Lindsey said it's the prettiest place they've EVER been.

borrowed this photo from Jeanette...

(above) The Harbor at Wellington where they stayed.

I'll just let you look, as most of these scenes are in and around Wellington...

Here's my two Kiwi Kids with Jeanette and Anthony's border collie, Toby.  I love this picture that Jeanette took.  She takes great photos... They look like native Kiwis!  (whatever native Kiwis look like...)    ;)

Momma is doing okay.  After they got there safely and were on terra firma again, and after we've talked to them via Skype several times, and after they got hooked up with some Christian brethren and sistren - well, I'm doing okay.  It was tough on me and Lindsey's mom at the airport watching our babies check their luggage and head on off to the checkpoints.  The dads were great and they let us shed some tears and have several goodbye hugs and kisses and waves --- oh please, just one more hug!  I'm so glad they have each other, too.  They are so perfectly matched and compliment each other to a T. I'm not worried about them - they are in good hands - the Lord can take care of them much better than I can.  I just have to let go and let Him do His job.  It's getting easier, really it is.

Ok, that's all for tonight.  Sorry  I've been absent so long - hey, it's the season - well, almost...  Catch ya later!  Keep your dress down!

Bon Voyage, Josh & Lindsey!

I have a big announcement to make...it's been in the works for some time now, and all the final details have been handled!  And if I make it public, then I guess it's really gonna happen!!!

My son, Josh, and his beautiful wife, Lindsey, are moving to New Zealand!

Gulp...  I still can't believe it.  They are planning on staying a year to work, travel, and work with the Lord's church wherever they may be.  They have made contacts with missionaries that are supported by Lindsey's home congregation and our church recently  began sponsoring another group over there in Auckland, NZ. Things have  come together rapidly and smoothly -- I believe there were some "God coincidences" at work here!  They've made many contacts with the Christians there in the church and have offers of employment and lodging already! They are both very giving and loving people and have hopes of doing humanitarian efforts especially on the south island where there was an earthquake awhile back.  No telling what they'll wind up doing!

They leave next Tuesday and this mother and dad are excited and have heavy hearts at the same time.  I know Lindsey's parents are feeling the same as  Tony and I are.  Their house is empty - everything is in storage (imagine all those new wedding gifts), and they are SO anxious to leave. They are packed and ready to go.  I know they'll miss all their family back home, but this is something they've both wanted to do for a long time.  And it's an awesome time in their young lives to go!  We wouldn't feel NEAR as comfortable with their decision if they didn't already have some good Christian people over there to welcome them and help them to get on their feet!

We asked them if there weren't a farther-from-home place in the world they'd like to go.  They couldn't think of one.

I'd appreciate your prayers for their safety as they fly and move about in New Zealand, for good health while gone, that they will make strong and lasting friendships with the Christians there, and that they will grow closer as a couple and grow spiritually in ways that they've never dreamed of before.  May they help edify and strengthen the Christians and churches that they work with and may the Lord grow them in His grace.  And  please pray for their parents to be supportive and encouraging and not miss them too awfully much!

Oh and by the way, we named our new pup Gypsy - since she was a stray.  We think it's fitting.  She seems to like it.  Thank you for your prayers.