Thanks Amy!

My blog friend, Amy, from Tiny Blessings has awarded me this Excellent Blog award! I am totally flattered!!! Thank you sooo much Amy!!!!

Here are the rules for passing it on…"By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you have to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least 10. Feel free to award people who have already been awarded. Thank you out there for having such great blogs and being such great friends! You deserve this!"

AACK....I totally hate handing out awards....only for the simple fact that when i choose some people for it...it leaves others out....and i REALLY don't like doing that to anyone....Ya know? So....I am giving this out to every person on my fave blog list!!! You all have excellent blogs that I love to read!!! :o) So here is to: Kindra, Bun, Toni, Colleen, Sandra, Lea, Katie, Kerri, Courtney, Kim, Deb, Joy, Marion, Mandie, Devon, Jeanenne, Mrs. U, Leslie, Allison, Niki, Rosie, Andrea, Pam, Wendy, Paula, Monica, Erin and Amy!!! It is awesome knowing each of you!!!! :o)

• 3 Guys, a Girl and a Prim Place
• A Bun's Life
• Amazing Grace
• And Baby Makes Five
• Diary of a SAHM
• Farmhouse Blessings
• Harrington House
• Heart Print Cottage
• Him and Me Plus Three
• Home Is Where The Heart Is
• Homespun Living
• Joy in the Journey
• Lake Of Shining Waters
• Life In The Craft Lane With Mandie
• Living the Small Town Life
• Love Conquers All
• Making A House A Home
• My Country Home
• My Cozy Home
• Niki's Ventures
• Rosie's Whimsy
• Sgt and Mrs Hub
• The Country Homemaker
• The Cozy Yellow House
• The Fraker Farm
• The Homespun Heart
• The Vintage Pearl
• Tiny Blessings

I have some sad news.....yesterday...our outside dog, Mollie, got loose from her chain. She is a sweet and loving dog....she REALLY is! But the chickens were out and off she went....and she got one by the head/neck and ran all over with it. Chris had just gotten home from work and chased her...finally got her and the chicken was dead :(. I was soooo incredibly bummed and I know Chris was too....now we are down to 19....we started with 25 when we first got them. I know that we eat chicken (not our chickens though...we don't eat them! LOL)...and this is just what happens sometimes...but it still really stinks! Ya know?

But anyhoo~ I hope you all have a fantastic day! And as soon as my SIL sends me the pics of the bear...i will post about that!! i can't wait to tell you all about it!!! Happy Wednesday! ♥

Our Indescribable Amazing God!

This like 2 minutes long...and worth listening to...it's awesome! Also....if you go to THIS post on Muckboots N Aprons it talks about Laminin...it's 8 minutes long...it's awesome though..totally worth it. Our God is such an awesome God!

Do we really realize how BIG and AWESOME our God is?? He holds the STARS in his hands! He knows every little thing about us...and loves us more than we can even understand! He is bigger than any problem we have...He is bigger than any pain we feel. He loves us....and I don't know about you...but I take such comfort in knowing that the God who created the entire universe sees me...knows me...loves me and will always take care of me. It's almost enough to render me speechless (notice i said almost....LOL...) His love overwhelms me and I know I don't deserve it. He knew that too...and sent His son...Jesus....to bear that burden for me so that I may still spend my eternity with Him. WOW!

Thank you God for your love....and thank you Jesus for bearing my sins because you loved me soo much. I am and will be eternally grateful. You are my God...and I will praise and love you all the days of my life. Amen!

If you don't know Him as your personal savior and would like to...please email me at: thecountryblossom AT hotmail DOT com. If you need prayer....email me....and I promise to pray for you. I would love to talk to you. I would love to introduce you to your Creator and His son...who laid down His life....because he loves you that much. Also...check out the links on my sidebar (on the right...above my daily blog fix button)...they can answer your questions and show you awesome things that you probably didn't know!!!

Gardening Work...(and fun!)

My Farm Boy!

The pics above of our my hubby, Chris...plowing out the big gardens!!! It took him till dark to do it all!! While he did that, my MIL and I (and with "help" from the kiddos) planted the raised garden with onions, beets, carrots and radishes! Out of all those foods...I only sorta like the carrots! LOL It's still fun though!

In the big gardens...we are planting sweet corn, pumpkins, green beans, peas and I think potatoes. My MIL has strawberries already planted! :) Last night when we got home, I was beat...totally tired...but it feels good to be out in God's creation...planting and seeing things grow!!! (plus with the rising cost of food...this will be a great and cheaper way for us to enjoy our favorite veggies!)

Below are some pics of the kids on the tractors...LOL First M, then X and lastly, J. I was the one taking pics...so there are no pics of me..sorry! LOL

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!!!

***Remember...today is the last day to sign up for my giveaway!!! Don't miss out! This book is really awesome!

Say Hello To My Mini-Me!

Well, I took M to get her haircut today like I mentioned earlier in THIS post. I love it and think it looks great....she likes it too! :) It has curled up a lot since it was cut as well. It looks soo much neater and healthier!!!

Helping out by sweeping up the hair she got cut off (the kids LOVE to do that!):

And while M was doing that.....my uncle took the boys out around the yard in his jeep for fun!!! The boys LOVED it!!!

Tonight we will be plowing and planting in the big gardens. I will try and remember to take my camera to snap some pics!!! The kids always have fun running in the dirt! LOL And my hubby LOVES riding the tractor to plow. He is definitely a farm boy! :o)
Happy Thursday!!! xoxo

Apple Pie Anyone???

Yesterday, I just decided to make an apple pie. You know when you just get in the mood to do a little baking? Apple pie is my husband's favorite so I thought it would be something fun for him! I gave half of the pie to our neighbors though...we LOVE our neighbors! They are soo fun and kind and we are just soo glad they live by us! Well...Chris almost fell over when I gave half of the pie away....LOL. He says he was hoping to eat at least half himself....so I think I may need to try and make another pie possibly today!!!! LOL

I actually had the apples piled up high...but once it cooked....they went down a bit...LOL. Oh well. It still tasted good, I think! I would like to look into making a peach pie and pecan pie. I have never made those kinds and our family loves them. Are you a pie maker? What are your favorite pies to make? I would love to hear about it!!!! Hope you all have a most fabulous Wednesday! xoxo

My fascination and love for.....

...the Amish!
Of course, I don't agree with all of their church focused beliefs etc. However, I just love the Amish. I love the books, although fiction, by Beverly Lewis. At this moment...I set aside the Lori Wick book I was reading (although good....not my fave) and started reading another series by Lewis called Courtship of Nellie Fisher Series. I am reading the first book called "The Parting". I am, of course, loving it! I don't know what my love for it is? Maybe it is the simplicity? The lack of material things. I am not totally sure...but I do love learning of them and their lifestyle!
If you have an interest and curiosity about this lifestyle....here are some links I have found that are interesting!!!

Amish Life
Mike Fisher. org
Amish America
Speaking in Plain Shamish
Amish Info

We have Amish who live around this area. My grandparents used to live in a super duper small town and there were lots of Amish out that way in central PA as well. They are such hard working people....not materialistic and just very simple and sweet....and I find that soooo peaceful and endearing! I want to strive for a more peaceful existence such as that....but it is so hard to really accomplish...ya know?
Anyway...I just wanted to share with you my love for the Amish and would love to hear your thoughts on this as well!!! Have a fantastic Sunday! :)

A Tea Party!

My mom hosted a tea party at their church today! You didn't have to be dressed fancy or anything...but there was one requirement....you had to wear a hat. My sister made M's hat! Isn't it cute? She used a basket as the base and then decorated it with fake flowers and the bird, teehee!
She used wire to connect it all! She also has a scarf tied around it and in a bow in the back and it hangs down! I think it is soo cute! I didn't attend the tea party but I think M had a really good time! (Isn't her dress so simple and casual and cute?)

She was unhappy in the top pic. Can you tell? She was mad cuz X was at the neighbors house for a minute and she didn't get to go over. She didn't want to cooperate when I took a pic. (I got a really cute one though in the bottom pic!!! WOOT!)
Here is a close up of the hat:

There we got a smile!!!! :o)

I just thought it was cute and creative! I plan on having a tea party for M and her friends this summer after school is out. I think it will be a ton of fun!!!

Thank you all for your sweet comments on prior posts....you are all incredibly sweet. Hope you are having a lovely weekend! xoxo

Update on mission trip to Romania....

So....as I have mentioned before...my husband is going on a mission trip to Romania in June. He will be leaving in 62 days. I am so so nervous...he will be gone for 10 days and I have NEVER been away from him for that long since we have been together! I know God is calling him though and that this is what he needs to do...so that is what keeps me supporting this trip.

They will be helping build a church, helping with food/clothes distribution and also visiting an orphanage! (They even get a couple days to sight see!) I would LOVE to go myself....but I know that God isn't calling me for this and I also need to be home with my children....THAT is my mission at this point in my life~to raise up my children right! :o)

Chris needs to add it all up...but I do believe he has the money to go. Friends and family have been incredibly generous! They have all been such a blessing! Chris has MANY thank you notes to write! He has been covered in prayer as well...and I thank you all for the saying a prayer for him and his team. Chris has never flown...let alone over the Atlantic Ocean! But I do believe God is going to touch lives through Chris's obedience to go...as well as the rest of the team!

So again....thank you all for the prayers!!! They are greatly appreciated!!!! xoxo

Memories

I thought I would share a couple pics from our wedding with you! Now, they aren't the best because they are pictures of pictures! LOL Chris and I were married in Sept. of 2000. Hard to believe it has been almost 8 years! The time sure does fly, doesn't it? I was 19....and remember it like it was yesterday! We had such a fantastic reception!!!! It was sooo much fun! I wish we could do it all over again! I had scrapbooked the pages years ago....and here are a few!

In this last pic....there is a pic of me and my sister, Devon! I love that pic! :) Anyway...hope you all like the pics. I just thought it would be fun to share them!!!! It was a FANTASTIC day!!!! xoxo

Look how he's grown!!!!

My oh my...how in the world did he go from this:

To this:
This is Cash....he was the runt of a litter of pups our dog Mollie had. Wasn't he soooo cute? He was almost dead....the other pups would feed and he wouldn't have a chance to get in there and eat cuz he was so little. I would bring him in the house and feed him milk and baby him quite a bit...and he survived! He actually went home to live with another family....but as he grew for a few months and entered into the crazy puppy stage (which he is STILL in!) they couldn't handle him....so they gave him back to us.

Look how handsome he is now!!! The bottom pic of him was taken at their house. I need to take some pics of him here to show you all sometime as well. He really is a sweetie...but gosh..i do NOT enjoy the puppy stage. I am constantly keeping him from chewing on stuff and barking etc etc.....I feel like I have another child!!!! LOL

I must admit....I do kinda wish he was still that itty bitty lil puppy....he was soo darn cute!!! But I guess time stops for no one, eh?

The Egg Factory!!!

Wanna know what I have been doing today??

Washing eggs!!! Our 20 chickens are egg factories!!! They just keep popping them out...and if you miss a day of washing them...you get REALLY backed up!!! As you can see....I have a lot more to go....LOL:
I need to get them washed and to my inlaws' meat market though...cuz we sell them! Can't beat farm fresh eggs! (OK..so we dont' technically have a "farm"..but I can dream...right?) And....while I wash eggs....J is cruising...LOL!!! He just LOVES that car!!!

Thank you so much for all the prayers everyone! They really mean the world to me and I know Cory's friend, Mark and my hubby, Chris really appreciate them too! There is nothing more helpful than going to God! I thank you all!!! Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday! It is gorgeous out here!!! WOOT!!!! xoxo

UPDATED TO SAY: so far...I have washed 7 dozen eggs!!!! NO JOKE! LOL and i still have more to do....Ahahahahahaha!

For the love of my husband....

Some of you will remember that I had mentioned that in June, my husband is going on a mission trip with our church to Romania. If you would like to read about it...go HERE. Well....as most of you know....when you are called by God to do something to further His kingdom....Satan does NOT like it at all. He will do anything to bring you down. Chris has been under such attack since he felt the calling to go to Romania.
I think he has most of his money to go (he actually had to raise $2000...and through generous friends and family...I think he is good to go monetary wise). So..that is a wonderful blessing. However, Satan is just working at tearing down Chris's spirit. He is trying to pray through it and not let it get him down...but it is soo hard. I am constantly in prayer and petition to God on my husband's behalf. I ask that anyone who reads this...please...say a quick prayer on my husband's behalf. I know he will get through this with God's help...but he is having a rough time with it..and I don't want anything to hinder him going to Romania and serving our Lord. Thank you so much! I realllllly appreciate it!!!

Also.....my sister has a prayer request on her blog as well....this is for a police officer who is a good friend of my sister's boyfriend, Cory. (They are like brothers.) He was shot while on duty. Please read about it HERE and say a prayer for him. It only takes a second to send our cries to God...thank you so much!

Today (Tuesday) is my dad's birthday!!!

Yeppers...my dad's birthday is on TAX day!!! LOL I think he had a fantastic birthday and truly enjoyed it!!! My sister posted about it on her blog HERE! She has pics and everything!! She may post again with pics from supper...not only did we have birthday lunch with my dad..but also birthday supper! WOOT! :) It was fun! I hope you will check it out!!!!

Thanks so much for your sweet comments on my honor your husband post! And thanks so much to you girls who participated in my challenge and signed up on Mr Linky!!! It was great to read the ways you love your husband!!! If you haven't participated and would like to....I would LOVE it!!! Just click on the link above and sign up...I can't wait to read them!!! :o)

ALSO....Bloggy Giveaways has a huge (and i mean HUGE) carnival every quarter. Well...they are having one start on the 21st of this month, which, I believe is next Monday. I am hoping to participate this time and have a giveaway right here!!!! How fun is that?? I gotta figure out what I want to giveaway...but I just wanted to give you girls all a head up about it!! xoxoxoxo

Honor Your Husband~Challenge

My love, my best friend....my husband, Chris. He is such a wonderful man and I feel so blessed to have him in my life. His relationship with Christ has grown so much during our marriage and he loves the Lord and desires to serve Him. He is honest and caring and loving. He is giving and generous and kind.

He is honest inside and out, a man of his word, who is totally devoted to God and hates evil with a passion.
~Job 1:1 MSG

My husband has the passion of God burning inside him.
~II Cor. 11:12 MSG

He has such a sweet and loving heart. I feel so safe when wrapped in his arms. I desire to love him, serve him and honor him...all the days of my life. His sense of humor is wonderful! His charm is addicting and his hugs make me melt. Never have I been more loved or respected than by this man and I thank God DAILY for allowing me to be married to such a wonderful man!

I reverence my husband, I respect, honor, esteem, appreciate, prize and I admire, praise, am devoted to, deeply love and enjoy my husband.
~I Peter 3:2 AMP

Let each man love his wife as his very own self and let the wife see that she respects, adores and loves her husband. She praises him, loves him and admires him exceedingly.
~Ephesians 5:33

We pray together, we laugh together, we cry together (well..mostly I cry...I am so emotional...LOL), we love together, we live together and we worship together. We are ONE and I am completed only by the love of Jesus first and foremost and then by the union that He has allowed me to join in with Chris.

And now, I come to you with a challenge...to share with us the love of your life. Honor him. Share what you love about him...how he takes your breath away and what makes your heart go pitter patter!

I love him with all passion and intelligence and energy.
~Mark 12:33

Remind yourself why you fell in love with your man! Never take him for granted. He is a precious gift to you! Pray for your husband....daily. Lift him up. Prayer does a marriage good! ;o)

Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth. How handsome you are, my lover! Oh how charming.
~Song of Solomon 1:2,16

I would LOVE to read a post on how you honor your husband! If you decide to take up my challenge...please leave the direct link to that particular post here on Mr. Linky! I (and many others) would love to read your special post to your sweetie! And feel free to leave a comment too! I would love to hear from you!!!!

A Ministry Within Our Family!

My husband, Chris, and I were doing our devotions this morning...we use the book "Never Alone...devotions for couples" by David and Teresa Ferguson. Today talked about our goals as homemakers and women. Teresa mentions being devoted to God first, then her husband, devotion to her children and then to others last... as being her goals. I couldn't agree more with her.
God is our first and foremost love. We should be talking with Him and growing in our relationship with him above all else. Then, as women, we need to realize that we have a ministry at home towards our husbands and children. Loving them, praying for them and with them, serving them selflessly, and encouraging them. Sometimes, we can tend to put other things in front of our husbands and children...and even God. We need to make sure that we are prioritizing things correctly.

I have to tell you...doing these devotions with my husband and praying together each morning is such a blessing and has brought us closer together and closer in our relationship with God as well. When we first started...praying aloud together was awkward...but now, it is no problem at all and we are completely comfortable doing it. I encourage any of you that read this...if you don't already pray with your husband...I encourage you to do it. Also...a couples devotional is such a great way to grow as well.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a fantastic weekend!! xoxo And if you haven't checked out THIS post yet...I encourage you to. It is a GREAT reminder! ;o)

Pictures Galore!

OK....first things first. I have had several requests over time to see my home. Now...I love our home...but I want you all to understand that it is a WIP (work in progress)...constantly. We aim to finish siding the whole house this spring/summer (even over the yellow block and everything). Chris also has to finish redoing the one lil area on the roof. We are also planning on taking the front sun/play room area and tearing it down to make it a REAL porch!!! From the back door on the side I plan on putting a big screened in porch that wraps around to the back of my home! Flowers aren't in bloom really yet either...so everything still looks dead...but here is my WIP:

Above is the addition we built on to our house (the downstairs isn't done yet...AT ALL. Notice the paper still on the windows from when we bought them? LOL) The upstairs of the addition is chris and my bedroom! The whole house will be sided like this back side hopefully soon. Also the screened in porch I mentioned earlier...it will go all the way around the back here....I will probably put a couple old rocking chairs out there and such...it will be so lovely...one day!
The above pic is of my entry way.... i put gardens all along the right against the garage...but things haven't begun to really bloom yet...but soon it will be filled and gorgeous! My mom and I built the rock wall as well. Behind it...I plan on filling in with dirt and making it a huge garden as well!!! :) Up through the walkway there..where J is standing...I plan on mulching and putting stepping stones!!!

A pic of the chickens running around....eatin'! Aren't they so pretty??
Below are some pics of the boys playing outside today!!! They had such a great time! I hung out some sheets and such and picked up and such around the house...and they ran all over playing and enjoying the sunshine!!!

...where'd you get those peepers??

Peeps!!!! Here is a batch of new peeps we have! They are actually my mom's..but we are raising them for her till they are bigger and ready to go to her coop. They are soo funny! A bunch of them have the floppy top heads that hang in their eyes when they are grown!!! LOL (I don't know the technical names..i will have to ask Chris or my mom!) But I think they will grow up to look something like this: Image Source HERE.

The sad thing is that....so far, out of 25...7 have died. :( I think my mom is going to call the company she got them from cuz losing one or two is understandable...but 7?? Gosh! Anyway...just wanted to share the pic of the peeps with ya. Also thought you might enjoy seeing my boys' peepers!! (I took this pic yesterday...and yes..i dressed them alike...LOL..i thought it would be fun...LOL)

OH...and I wanted to say...thank you all for the nice comments about my home sanctuary post and I am sooo enjoying seeing all of yours!!! It is sooo fun to hear and see what makes your home special to you and your family!!! If you haven't added your link...and would still like to, I encourage you to!!! I would LOVE to see your home sanctuary! Just click the link above! :)

Spring Has Sprung!!! ♥

Yessiree...it's Spring here in Pennsylvania!!! The sun is out...the greens are abloomin' and I am sooo loving it! I sat out on my swing today (wearing my apron that my sweet and wonderful friend, Lea, made for me) and just praised God for his creation!!! The gentle breeze...the trees and flowers blooming....sooooooooo beautiful!! Isn't that nest so pretty? There are no lil eggs in it...but I love how God gave the birds such instincts to make such a crafty lil home!!!

Our chickens are out...free ranging till sunset....and when we are out there....they will NOT leave me alone!!! Notice my shadow in the above pic? LOL...(notice my apron?? hehe!) Don't believe me? Think I just walked up to those chickens?? well...take a lookee below....here are some ACTION pics of those girls chasing me!!! AAACK!!! ROFL!!!

I took my 4 yr old son, X, to the dr today...and he has strep throat. You couldn't tell though. Except for complaining of a headache a day or two ago and that his throat hurt a lil bit...he is the same...running around with energy to spare! I am sooo glad he isn't in the pain I was in with it!!!I have been praying a lot for my kiddos and that they won't have to go through what I did with it..and God is GOOD!!! J was taking a nap...so I just took a pic of the older two! (notice M's crazy hair after a long day at school....LOL)



A pic of my sweet baby Ruthie ♥:

Hope you enjoyed the pics!!! If you haven't already...I encourage you to join us in describing your home sanctuary! Happy Tuesday!!! xoxo