How exciting! Here we are, just 24 days away from that blessed holiday... Christmas! And what did we wake up to this morning? SNOW! Yes, if you can believe it, it was snowing here.  No it did not last long, but for those of us around these parts it was really exciting!  Especially the children.  Abram rushed to the window and then ran to his room, put on at least 4-5 shirts and 3 pairs of pants and his overalls on over everything... he looks so chunky because of all the clothes.  It was really cute.
I have been sick most of the weekend, I got sick after our party Saturday night and have been sickly since. I feel MUCH better today, but am still quite weak from the sickness.
I have much to catch up on around here, so I must tarry.  I hope you all have a wonderful week.

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My Cup Runneth Over...

Well, he did it again!  2 more!!! ~~Way to go~~

Limit here is 6 deer so he's already half done.  If he gets anymore I think we'll give them away.  He's still hoping for a big rack to put on the wall though!

I am looking to reduce some of my books that I have in my house.  I have a goal of emptying one bookshelf so that I might put something else on that shelf. 

I am trying to find places online that I can post the books for free.  Currently I use Half.com, Paperback Swap, and Cash4Books.net. 

Does anyone know of other book places?  Can be exchange sites as well as I tend to exchange for books for our church library and donate them.  The basic need is that they are "Free postings!". 

Thanks for any help!

Warmly, ~Melissa

Dearest Readers,

Thank you for stopping by Honey Hill Farm.  As you can see there is much merriment here on this little homestead.  Garlands are being strung, trees decorated with antique ornaments and of course, the stockings will be hung by the chimney with care. Even this dear blog has been dressed in holiday frippery!

Would you like a Holiday Tour of Honey Hill?  If so, would you be so kind as to leave me a comment.  I also would love to share some of our favorite recipes and craft ideas.

This is such a blessed season, full of the Holy Spirit.  Let us share our hearts, homes and happiness as we celebrate Christmastide.

Yours kindredly,

Shan

I need a home remedy for pink eye, seems my wife Lily has developed it last night. Thanks for any suggestions.

Now if I can just find a home remedy for getting my lazy butt up off my chair in front of the computer and do something... LOL

I already typed a long entry, but for some reason it didn't post.  Now I'm tired of typing so now here's the shorter version!

Thanksgiving--went well.

Black Friday sales--went extreemly well, considering!

Today- going great so far.  Hubby & son are trying to shoot a deer, Abby's asleep & me and puppy are drinking coffee & chewing on a snowman toy...you decide who is doing which! LOL

It's suppose to keep raining off & on so I'm not sure if we'll get the new chicken pen done this weekend or not...leaning toward the not, but maybe we can at least get started & finish up next weekend.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving....now I need to figure out where to put the Christmas tree!

We spent the day putting up our Christmas tree, the day after Thanksgiving is the day we do that. Its a lot safer than going shopping on black friday. LOL

Lookin' Good.

On Thanksgiving I was blessed not to have to cook.  It was a nice meal that my MIL had prepared.  My husband's nephew and his (nephew's) girlfriend came up to visit from Colorade.  It was really nice to see them.  They are nice kids... can I say that???  LOL... they are younger than me!  LOL. 

Last night I picked up my nephew and he spent the night with us, wanting to share in the Friday morning sales.  This has been a tradition for us, although it is becoming apparent that a NEW tradition may need to be started.  We only needed "two" things this year and so we got up early (3:30 am) and went to get the items.  We had to hit 4 stores to try to get the best price, so we split up... my daughter taking another daughter and I took my nephew and another daughter.  By 9 am we were done shopping... really didn't have anything we wanted... so we went out for breakfast... the funnest part of the tradition, I guess... the kids enjoy getting together and when we eat out, somehow we can eat what we like and my nephew what he likes and everyone is happy.  (and I don't have to do dishes or cook!) 

Since we were done with early bird sales, I went to Menards to get some room paint for my kids' rooms.  After the rebate we'll pay about $3.50 per gallon of paint.  I got 4 gallons of paint and that is enough to do 3 bedrooms!  They needed painting so the paint rebate sale was a blessing for us!  That wasn't an early bird special... just a sale that we happened to want to hit.  I also hit a Friday sale at JoAnn Fabrics.  Our family tradition is to get new pajamas each year.  Looking at the prices, I just sighed... I opted instead to buy some fabric on sale and make our own.  Flannel was on sale for $1.49 a yard and I figured I could make a pair of pajamas for  between $3 and $6 each. 

My girls happened to be tired of shopping and opted to go home while I ran some needed errands.  I stopped by the  bank, filled up the car with gas and that is then when I stopped at the fabric store and enjoyed a peaceful time of looking at material and patterns without a little one trying to steal my attention.  I arrived home to a clean house.. the girls cleaned the house and even mopped the floors. 

I am tired tonight.  From being up so early, I imagine.  That is Okay.  After watching so many people today... I have been pondering much about my interactions, our traditions, etc.  I long for the quiet and some time to think.  After each store we retreated to our car which played softly playing Christmas music.  It was soothing.   Our favorite part of the day was simply just eating and talking together.  My kids have enjoyed this 5AM tradition of shopping (I got up at 3:30 simply because that's when I woke up).  I realized they just enjoy getting together with their cousin and spending time together.  They don't have much in common with him, so the "Shopping" was a way to connect.  But today they found they connected by just eating together and making conversation.   Perhaps God is leading our hearts to change!  Perhaps it is time for traditions to change. I saw my nephew open up today.  My youngest, Paige, cried when I picked her up at 7:45 am so Dad could go to work.  She wanted to be with Daddy.  My nephew quietly watched her cry (and I noticed a sympathetic expression in his manners) ...I simply kissed her and said... I like being with Daddy, too.  It was enough... Enough to have someone understand her little heartache.  That heartache, however is a longing with my nephew that he just doesn't talk about at all to us.  His Dad has never been around for him since birth.  He talked to him a couple times on the phone, but to my knowledge has never met his Dad.  When my sister came to pick him up, they talked a bit and she shared that her other son was visiting his Dad and she was upset that he wasn't a good role model and my nephew just simply said... at least he has a Dad, I'd give anything to spend time with my Dad.  My sister just pushed that aside and changed the conversation.   I just was amazed that my nephew said that outloud.  He has often shut down, cried but would never open up...(not even to his Mom and especially not us) and to have him open up today... was quite amazing.  It had to be God working in his heart!  So tradition is good in the sense that it got us getting my nephew comfortable with going shopping together for 3 -4 years now... and I'm hoping that with him feeling able to open up a bit, that perhaps we can connect on a different level than "shopping".    Much to think about and ponder!

For now, I am content and happy.  

Warmly, ~Melissa

Welcome everyone! I hope you had a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving.  I know we did.  Family time, fun and of course wonderful food.
On Wednesday night we went to my husbands grandparents house... and we have many young ladies on my husbands side of the family... beginning with Cameo who is now 11.5 ;), then we have a 10 year old niece, an 8 year old niece, a 6 year old cousin, then Carlie Jean who is 4, and then the youngest cousin who is 2.  So I thought, how fun it would  be to have a craft for the girls and I to make together.  So I gathered the items and we made the gumdrop trees on the left.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I think the girls did also... needless to say, they wearied about half-way through... it can be a long project if you make your tree as full as I did mine. But they did great and it was really fun to make.
I got my idea for the tree from the wreath I made last year from gumdrops.  Remember?
For the trees, I used a styrofoam cone and a bag of gumdrops and quite a few toothpicks that I broke in half.  So fun!
The other two trees I found are The recycled magazine Christmas tree and the Curled Paper Tree.
After lunch yesterday at my Mom's we made the gumdrop trees also and then made the 3-D snowflakes and some paper stars (which I will share with you next week) :) I have to keep something to bring you back... haha. :)
 I hope you all have an amazing weekend.  We will be busy with preparation for our Sunday School Christmas party that we are having here.  Yes, pictures will be a must. HA! Have a great day!
My Cup Runneth Over...