Happy 13th Birthday, Jack!

Since when was Jack old enough to be a teenager?!?  I'm not quite convinced that he's actually a teenager. Afterall, his favorite gifts are still LEGOS!!

So what has happened to Jack this past year?  

Piano.  He thrives whenever he's in front of the keys and he certainly makes them dance in a way the other kids can't.  God certainly has gifted him in the area of music.  Here is his last piano recital piece:

Piano Recital 2015

He continues to LOVE basketball.  It seems that will be his sport of choice.  Its fun to watch him play.  When he comes onto the court I hear comments from spectators like, "Look at that little guy!" or "That little one is pretty scrappy."

Well, he's decided to take a break from baseball and give soccer a try.  I'm not quite sure he's fallen in love with soccer but he really enjoys playing with his friends from school.  We'll see if he keeps it up.

Last summer he found a niche in raising and selling pastured chicken.  He's definitely not our kid who's passionate about farming but he's gotten a taste of earning money if he puts in the effort.  It's been quite successful.  Last year we started off  by giving him 10 birds to sell.  They were gone in half an hour!  So this summer, he's going to try raising and selling more.

So here's a picture of our first teenager!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JACK!!

Spring Program 2015

They're all ready for the Spring Program at their school!  This will be Max's first year to be a part of it (doesn't he look excited??).  He's been practicing hard at sitting still in his chair!! And this is the first year that Jack, as a 7th grader, is able to play the organ to accompany the singers.

Each year I tear up listening to all those young voices singing praises to our God and this year was no exception!  Its quite an amazing program.

Sisters

Just some sweet sister pictures to share...

Easter Pictures

I always like to take some pictures on Easter morning...that is if we can get everyone ready a few minutes early.  Today was pushing it, but we still got some in.

 Jack, age 12

 Emily, 11

Samuel, 9

 Max, 6

 Abby, 4

 Drew, 2

The Great Pig Escape

Here are several e-mails that tell the story of our night last night.  I thought it should be preserved for history's sake, so I'm adding them here.

I'm just sad that i didn't think to get out the camera!!

 Good
> morning!
> 
>Last night around 10:30, I was sitting down at the computer when I heard some strange noises outside, and we found the neighbor's 600 pound boar here at our house!  Our female, Missy, is in heat and I guess he knew it.  Somehow he broke out of his pen and came on up for a one night stand.  The neighbor,Sandy, is out  of town so Bob and I along with Sandy's dad tried to get this beast to go back to his own barn. Our pigs are NOT promiscuous!!! Well there is no telling a 600 pound boar, who wants to get some, to get onto a strange trailer.
>  So he's in our barn, separated from the other pigs, but he's still in there...I don't like it.
> 
> This morning when Bob went to check on things, he found  Missy roaming free(ok, maybe she is promiscuous).  So for  the day the pigs are locked up in separate pens in the  barn.  And maybe tonight we'll figure out a way to get  George to get into the trailer.
> 
> Just thought you'd like to hear the latest farm story.
> 
> Have a great day!
> 
> Tesha 

And this is bob's version of the story....

I was lying in bed, peaceful and calm, reading my newest book "Keeping a Family Cow" which is fantastic by the way, and I heard some gruff noises coming from the study where I knew Tesha was sitting working on the computer, so I figured Tesha just needed to clear some steam from the lower GI tract, but then she came in and said the noises were coming from the front yard.  I sprang to my feet in my sweat pants and bedroom slippers and opened the front door, and what I heard was the unmistakely sound of, well, very happy pigs.  Very happy.  Unmistakeable.  So I ran outside in my slippers and sweats, sloshing through the wet muddy yard yelling, "Here Missy, here Missy..." and didn't she come and follow me all the way back to the barn like a good little piggie.  But getting George in confinement, well, that was a different story.  An hour later, covered in mud, with a huge pond dug by the work of his rigid snout that plowed up my yard while foaming at the  mouth, we were able to get George into the barn and locked into the other pen area.  I still am not sure how we actually did it without getting attacked.  I had my pistol on my side and was ready to use it if needed.  I did not actually witness him and Missy doing the hanky-panky, and for the life of me, it sure sounded like they were going at it there in the front yard.  I really hope they didn't though, because George is Missy's father!!!
>
>Bob

Tonight we will attempt to get George onto the trailer to get her back to Sandy's house.  This time I'll be sure to have the camera ready, so stay tuned!