I just wanted you all to know that these snapdragons just stopped blooming a couple weeks ago!  We have surely enjoyed them this fall.

Our days are filled to the brim with exciting things.  Tom and I went to a silent auction for our local school system.  There were three houses, all out buildings, landscaping, fencing, and whatever was on the properties for sale.  The administration put an ad in our local newspaper announcing the sale and not ONE person showed up but us!!!  So, Tom's great find for the year was a two stall, two story garage for $2.00!  That's right, $2.00!  It's a 24' x 28'. So, he and the boys have been working on tearing it down for the past 2 weeks.  We had a few guys we know help us out on Sunday.  Oh Lord, we were so thankful for the help!  Oh, I forgot, Tom also bought knotty pine that is throughout another house, kitchen cabinets, bathroom, closets, doors, and a counter top, all knotty pine.  He also bought extra doors, a stained glass window, and several Anderson windows all for the big price of $50.00!  (that included the garage.  ;)  )

We certainly have our work cut out for us but we have great plans for all of it.  So, one day when you come to visit we'll have everything in its place and we'll be glad to show you around. 

Back in July we bought 70 baby chicks.  55 were butchered.  5 we gave to my mom and step dad, 50 we put in our own freezer, and 15 are our layers of which we have been patiently waiting for them to lay eggs.  Yesterday while the guys were unloading the garage gables I decided to head to the chicken coop to check on their food and water.  Low and behold there were eggs EVERYWHERE!!!!  Eggs were on the floor, in corners, on top of one another, buried.  Oh, man!  Just like a treasure hunt!  I squealed and searched and exclaimed when I found one after another!  I found 16 total then Celia and Shalom came out later and found one more.  Today is a new day and I am still tickled pink but I am starting to wonder what we will do with 15 eggs a day!?  Start eating, I guess.  Eggs......Anyone?

Shalom continues to grow every day bringing us pure joy and entertainment.  Celia and I have been signing to her since she was born and now, at 1year, she is communicating with us not only with words but with signs.  Shalom did not have a name for me like everyone else for a long time.  Bethany is "Bappy," Josiah is "Iah," Joel is "Dole," and of course, Mama, DaDa, and Papa.  She absolutely would not say "G-Ma," which is me.  One day I picked her up and she pointed to my eye.  "Eye" she said, I said, "Yes, eye."  "Eyebroo," she said.  "Yes, eyebrow." I said.  Then she pointed to  the mole I have right by my eye.  I said, "mole."  She repeated, "mole." We went over these three things several times then she wanted down to play.  Probably an hour went by and Celia got out the video camera.  Shalom was standing on the chair at the kitchen table.  Celia would say, "Shalom, say Papa."  She said,"Papa."  Celia said,"Mama."  Shalom said,"Mama."  Celia said, "Shalom, say Bethany."  Shalom said,"Bappy."  Then Celia said, "Shalom, say G-Ma."  Shalom looked straight at me, pointed and said, "Mole!"  Us girls lost it!  We fell off the chairs hooting over that one!  Needless to say, we did not talk about my mole for days and now Shalom calls me plain and simple, "G."  THAT I can live with!!!

Dear friends, I surely hope you can find something to really belly laugh about today!

Blessings on finding your rich, homespun heritage!

janele ;)