Catching You Up To Date

HI everyone! I'm so, so, so sorry it's been forever! The family has been going nonstop since Christmas. I'll try to start getting back on the pictures soon. Here's what's been going on since Christmas:
My grandparents' fiftieth anniversary, which was really cool! We had a big party (well, actually it was a bit more refined than just a "party"...it was a reception) for them. I met lots of people my grandparents and mom knew but I'd never met, and yet they knew all about me, Josh, and Hannah!
The second season of the Springfield Homeschool Acers started. Josh played goalie, and he was even more of a crowd-pleaser than last year! The guys who returned definitely improved on their playing skills for indoor soccer and all the new players quickly figured it out. They did really well, winning three, tying one, and losing four! So it was a definite improvement over last year.
I only missed one of their games, because I went to Camp Barnabas for their off-season "Barn-a-break" program, which is totally awesome! You only spend 24 hours at camp, just right for a fun time and perfect to introduce someone to the camp environment!
Of course, we still have orchestra. Josh and Hannah were sick the day of Federation, the music evaluation/contest. My choir got a 5 (highest rating) Josh's classes got a 5 and a 4, and Hannah's class got a 4. So we didn't do too badly!
After soccer we got a small break, then it was on to track! The Knights have shrunk a lot from last year, but that's OK because it gives the coaches more time to work one-on-one with people. Josh and Hannah are running this year, and Dad and I are helping coach (Dad with hurdles and me with high jump). We had our first meet a week ago. I don't know times or anything really, because it was only a practice meet and I was inside helping run high jump since it was too muddy and wet to do it outside. Josh also has baseball practice, the same days and times for track, so he's trying to figure out his schedule so he gets to practice both things. He hemmed and hawed for a while about baseball, but his friends Sam S and Jake B are playing so he decided to, especially since it's Sam's last year to play.
Oh yes....our friends Rachel S and Colin C got married!!!! So I guess technically Rachel S is now Rachel C...yeah. I played music for the wedding in an ensemble from orchestra and Josh helped Colin's brother Owen and Nattie W take pictures. It was really sweet, and we all liked their ceremony--short, sweet, and to the point. :0)
Yeah, and say congrats to Mr Seventeen! Josh's birthday was Friday. He has his driver's license now, which is really scary to think that he could be driving by himself. Dad designated us to go pick up pizza one night soon after Josh got his license, and Josh said, "I'm driving!" I was like, no, you can't...oh wait, you can! Not right!
Hannah's birthday is coming up too and she can't wait to be thirteen. Now she'll officially be part of the "teenagers".
My dad had knee surgery for torn cartilage, but it went okeydokey and now his knee doesn't hurt him at all!
Oh yeah, and WE MOVED IN!!!!!!! It was great! I'm planning to do an entire post about that, with pictures. The two S families, the Ms, Owen C, and Josiah H came to help us move. More about that in the next post!
So we've been crazy busy, yes. Again I apologize for not posting for forever. I'll make sure I got posts going soon!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!




But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and laying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Luke 2: 10-14

We haven't gotten much done on the house in the last few weeks, but we're hoping to get going again after the first of the year. Right now, it's ready for paint...we just need to finalize colors and away we'll go!
Once again, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! God bless!

A Thanksgiving of Firsts

Happy Early Thanksgiving! Sunday Dad's family came over for an early Thanksgiving. As the title indicates, it was a Thanksgiving of Firsts. Three firsts, in fact!

1) Our first Thanksgiving at our farm.

2) Our first Thanksgiving that was made almost entirely in crockpots (an interesting experience, let me tell you).

3) Our first Thanksgiving where the weather was warm enough to eat outside;

Playing in the tree fort

Give him a few trucks, stand back, and watch the gravel fly!

Showing off the (almost) finished new house

Sheetrocking...well, rocks!

Good morning, afternoon, and evening, ladies and gentlemen. Well, the house is beginning to look even more like a house. Last week we had a crew of two "pros" (Shannon and Kevin) and seven helpers (Sam S, Jake B, Josiah M, Josiah H, Josh, Wyatt M, and Luke S) out there slapping up sheetrock and pounding it in! I got to take pictures, haul sheetrock, sweep, and help Mom make big (and I mean BIG) meals for the guys!

WORK...

Partially sheetrocked ceiling

Lift...
(from left Luke S, Josh, Josiah H, Sam S, Kevin)

Roll...

Hold.

Painful!
(Josh and Josiah H)

Looking good!

Yes, I was threatened while taking pictures! (Josiah M)


Looks like Josh and Hannah aren't the only pyromaniacs around!

Lovely warm bonfire!

Like our hillbilly pavement? (from left, Liz S and Joy H)


AND PLAY...

I think Hannah gets more sleep in at the building site than at home!


Then again, so does he. (Josiah H)


While we're on the subject of sleeping... :) (Poor Halley was so tired out from being the crew's baby)

Gotta have that football break! (from left Jake B, Sam S, Josh)

Honestly, guys, thanks for coming out and helping us. You're hard workers. It was fun!

You Know You're Building In Hillbilly Country If...

1: The fire department won’t come fill your septic tank but the local milkman will
2: The construction workers are all missing teeth
3: First thing Monday morning means after the weekend hangover has worn off
4: One of the crew disappears and they find him 15 minutes later napping in his truck
5: A screen is put in place with duct tape
6: California corners are standard building procedures
7: The dog comes along for a day and his owner expects him to get paid
8: Instead of a plumb line, they use string and a bullet
9: You didn’t want to change your address so you took it with you
10: The only way to build a house fast is to have it brought in on wheels
11: The names of all the sub-contractor companies start with the words Redneck or Hillbilly

12: You can’t send the crew to the local bar & grill for lunch because they wouldn’t make it back
13: They use a 1 gallon paint bucket to test your water pressure
14: The only day everyone shows up is payday

Insulation and Other Things

Hello, hello again! Yes, we've been working on the house. We haven't abandoned it yet! :) These last couple of weeks we've had a flurry of activity, mostly for other people.

Digging the geothermal lines

How does our house stay up with these two around?
Mmm, lovely, Daddy.

View of the rafters

Yes, I actually do work.

Insulation time!

Like his "warpaint"?

The insulation came squished into packages about two feet wide and when they were opened, it expanded a lot. Mom found this fascinating.

It's snowing!! No, not yet. This is just blowing insulation in the outside walls and downstairs.

And our back deck (in its rough stage...)

Hello again! Sorry it's been so long since the last post! Here's what's been going on...

Septic lines have been laid

Wells have been dug for water and geothermal systems

We wrestled the "King-Kong" of electrical wires into place

We had some friends come help us out. I got brownie points for working all day with Andrew!

Josh and Sam doing...something

Luke nailing wire in a tight spotA lesson in electrical

And our septic tank.

Right now, the house is almost completely wired, has all of the plumbing and most of the heating/air systems in, and the septic system is finished. Next is hooking up the electric, plumbing, and everything else. I'll try to do better in keeping this updated! :)