Boxing Pop

The Superheroes came to play multiple times this summer.  They even came to stay overnight with their WannaBSuperMom (Rock Star) and the littlest superhero.

During the time they stayed at Four Sisters Farm, they talked Pop into teaching them to do some boxing.  They punched, they kicked, they sparred with Pop...and all the while, Pop taught them more than boxing...he taught them that he loves them and he taught them boxing safety.

Pop always seems to attract a "crowd" of admirers...he isn't your average grandpa...he uses a punching bag, among other things to stay in great shape.  He would draw a crowd even if he didn't punch a bag, but that is what he chooses to do.

He doesn't tell our granddaughters that they can't do things like boxing.  He will teach them they can do what they put their minds too...and he will help them.  He will convey that he believes in them.

It is like the icing on the cake to walk alongside Pop as we "raise GRANDkids" at Four Sisters Farm!

I Need a Sound Mind!

Chaos!! Craziness!! Do you ever have days when you can't seem to have a clear thought?  It is like having your brain short-circuit and it is misfiring all over the place...I recently had a day like that...I started jotting down the thoughts as they were coming.  Of course, in my mind, I don't make complete sentences because I know what I mean, right?  But for you, I even used punctuation.

I need to get groceries...what do we need?  I can't forget to turn that signed insurance form in to EJ's office.  Don't forget to pay that doctor's bill that came in the mail.  Did I shut off the water to the garden?  Check the calendar about the upcoming Walk for Life!  Call the missionary who called to see if he and his wife could meet with us to give us an update.  Maybe it would help me if made a list of all my uncompleted projects that keep popping into my head.  I can't forget to order pictures on canvas that I've already paid for through a groupon.  Record the receipts in the checking register.  Hmmm...I wonder how hard it is to write a screenplay.  We still haven't scheduled a party for all the folks who helped us with the renovation.  Oh, and we still haven't scheduled that small group reunion a friend and I talked about months ago...oh, but Pop said we need to wait until the weather is cooler...but the weather is getting cooler!  I still haven't sent a card and check to our family friend who recently graduated.  I need to remember to text Diana, call Janet, Ellen, Linda, Terry, and Debbie.  I miss them SO much!  We need to invite our friends over for dinner.  I can't forget to schedule eye, dental, and dermatology appointments.  Gotta call about that apple peeler I bought that doesn't work.

I could go on and on...trust me...but it is scary in my head sometimes!  When I feel like things are out of control, I have to stop myself and do three things:

1. Pray for God's help.
2. Focus on Scripture.
3. Make an organized list in priority order.

• Romans 12:2, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." 
• 2 Corinthians 10:5, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  
• Romans 8:6,  "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." 
•  2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV),  "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace..." 1 Corinthians 14:33a 

Thank You, God for being a God of peace!   Thank You that my mind can be transformed and that I can make the choice to take my thoughts captive and bring them into order.

Pearadise (aka Pear Picking and Canning)

 Last year, our pears dried up - literally - with many days of triple digit heat and a dry well, they didn't make it.

Fast forward to this year...two large tubs of pears that the Unconventionals helped us (Pop and Grammy) pick during a recent stay.

Lou Lou took time from the coolness of the wading pool and Bub even climbed up into the tree (like his mom did two years ago) to pick pears that weren't reachable from the ladders (which is why you cannot see him in this picture).  He only suffered minor scrapes and accomplished much! A few of us got bonked on our heads by pear pickers above us!

I put out the "call" (okay, text) asking the four sisters for help putting up the pears and we scheduled it for ASAP (Avoid Spoiling Any Pears).  Somehow I didn't get pictures of Farm Chick at Heart and Little Ruthie who helped out a LOT!  (Sorry Farm Chick.)

While the Unconventionals were still at Four Sisters Farm, I made a fresh pear cake that was a big hit.  It was delicious and they loved it.  It smelled SO good baking that we could hardly wait for it to come out of the oven...then when I poured the glaze (nearly pure sugar) on, we nearly lost our good minds!

The Superheroes helped sort out the pears and put them into the sink for a washing.  We put the recently renovated kitchen to the test with the canning process!

 Even the babies "helped" with the pears...so they will get to eat some pear sauce!! 

I can't believe I didn't get pictures of Ruthie sitting in the bouncy seat overseeing a large part of the process!  

Sorry, Ruthie! I didn't get your mommy either!

The product of our labor...it won't last us a year but it will be tasty!

I Love Susan Winget's Art Work!

I first discovered Susan Winget's art work in the form of a 2009 Lang calendar at Cracker Barrel and have admired her work ever since.  One of her calendar pages (September 2010) became the inspiration for much of the decor in our recently renovated kitchen.  I had previously framed select calendar pages for our mud room which helped its dated appearance tremendously...we will soon be tackling that space to update it and Susan's art will show up again when that project is completed!

I kept the colors in mind as I chose cabinetry, counter top, flooring, and paint colors.  I pinned it on one of my many Pinterest boards and showed it to my friends and family as things developed.

I thought I would like the more primitive rooster at the bottom of this picture more than the whimsical ones...but whimsy won out in the end. I love them so much that I meticulously cut them out and decoupaged them onto a box that holds my tea bags and sits near my Keurig!

I also purchased an inexpensive canvas and tried out some latex and acrylic paints, stick on letters, and Modge Podge.  I LOVE it!

Here it is in my kitchen!

And here is a closeup...it deserves it...just look at those roosters!!

Susan lives and works from her studio on a farm in North Carolina.  She blogs, uses facebook, and even has a Pinterest account...which is where she saw my inspiration board containing her awesome roosters!!  I hope you will visit her website and check out her work...the roosters are just the tip of the iceberg!  Enjoy!

A "Tiger" Tail with Superheroes

Tiger makes his entrance at Four Sisters Farm...and into the hearts of some young superheroes.

Like most farms, Four Sisters Farms enjoys having some farm cats around.  You may have read stories before about some of them (cats eating cupcakes, flying cats, checking on cats in the middle of the night, cat poo, grumpy cat, and even a cat miracle). Seems like the cats are ever-changing...some come...some go...there seems to always be a new litter.

Sometimes we get to play with and handle the babies like when Lou Lou came to the farm to help with four little ones that we thought we wanted to tame...and we did. But that is another story.

Not all the superheroes really like cats and kittens.  In fact, one of the superheroes is pretty much petrified of them.  He is convinced they will "get" him.  So he watched from the safety of the house as his mom and siblings held and petted little kitty Tiger.

We figured out that something happened to Tiger's momma kitty and he got hungry enough and brave enough to come to the house where the older cats are fed every day.

After the superheroes first met him, they were playing and exercising in the yard when Rock Star kept hearing a faint mew.  So they went to see what was going on and discovered their new little friend, Tiger had fallen into a window well and was stuck.  They had to save him!

I was inside snuggling the littlest superhero and didn't hear the commotion.  It was all over by the time she knew what had happened.

Rock Star got down into the window well and rescued little Tiger.  Now, first of all, she is the least likely of the four sisters to do anything with cats because she is allergic to them.  But save this little kitten in distress, she did...but then SHE was stuck in the window well.  She sent the superheroes in to tell me what was going on but all I got out of them was that the kitten was stuck.  I thought they were just excited about the kitten...something was lost in the translation.  So Rock Star got more of a workout than she bargained for and fought her way out of the window well.  We had a good laugh at my inability to figure out what the kids were trying to tell me.  I might have understood Lassie telling me Timmy was stuck in the well better!

I guess all is well that ends well, and thankfully this story did end well.  The superheroes and Rock Star made a new friend and the superhero who was afraid seemed to conquer his fear enough to come meet the new little farm dweller.  He even managed to snuggle him a bit with his mom's help as I snapped some pictures.

Of course, I had to come meet the cute little fur ball too.  Hello, Tiger!  Nice to meet you!

Happy Birthday to Me!

We came together at Four Sisters Farm to celebrate my birthday.  The whole gang made it.  I am a blessed and happy wife, mom, and grammy! The cheesy smile above is to oblige Rock Star so she could could take a picture of my teeth turned blue from the tasty frosting!

There was baby admiring...a LOT of baby admiring since we have so many little ones!  Lou loves babies like I do...she comes from a long line of baby admirers.



Bitty Princess sat in the high chair and enjoyed (well sort of enjoyed) some baby food carrots.

Our smallest superhero had all the celebrating he could stand and snoozed on his daddy's shoulder for a while.


There was dancing in the living room - at least Ladybug showed off her latest moves!

Farm Chick and EJ had been on a family vacation with Bubba, Wubba, and Q (the cowboys) and of course, with little Ruthie.  They rented an RV and the cousins thought it was the coolest thing ever!


All in all, it was a sweet time.  When we all gather, it is crazy, loud, chaotic, and a lot of fun.  Sweet memories are always made when we gather together for any event.  I am trying to store them up in my mind and in my heart for when these grandchildren grow up and can't make it to Four Sisters Farm as often.

Before and After - The Kitchen

Four Sisters Farm Kitchen BEFORE the renovation (photo taken at Wubba's Birthday Party 2011)

We began our renovation on the Four Sisters Farm House main floor in June 2011 when Farm Chick at Heart and EJ bought a beautiful home in the "city" and moved.  We had planned to do it all along but I don't think anything prepares you the task it will be.

We took it all on at once...not room by room.  Since we were living in the basement, we didn't have to live in the mess. (Praise God!!)

We dealt with the surprises as we found them...mouse skeletons, mold, and all.  I will let the pictures do the talking; but I need to say "Thank you!" to all the people who lent us a hand.  We are still planning to host a party but there are so many people involved that we will have to wait until the weather cools so we can utilize our outdoor space as well.

Partially demolished/gutted kitchen

Removing kitchen cabinets...we learned what "clutch" screws are...they are evil...very hard to remove!! The original wallpaper was not visible but I enjoyed getting to see it as we tore things apart.

1. Yucky unwelcome surprise of a rotted wall that had to be replace, 2. Grammy's visual way of figuring out what cabinets would be needed, and 3. Doc, Pop, and EJ making the space for a sliding glass door

Grammy and Pop (left), Pretty Princess and Romeo (center), and Doc and DW (right)

During the cabinet installation

Motherly Pride

Birdie and DW

My eldest and her sweet friend, Birdie recently opened up a store...not at all a typical store, however.  They are hoping to make money - but not for themselves.  Strange concept, I know.

I am a mother who is blessed by my four daughters whose hearts belong to our Lord and Savior and who try to listen and follow His leading in their lives.

Check out DW's blog and follow the links to read the whole story of The Orange Bird.

Sun What?

Just heard at Four Sisters Farm, "Grammy, do I need sun scream?"
Love these grandchildren.
They are good stuff.

Just a Little Family Silliness

Just didn't want you to think we are serious all the time.  Ha!