Back from break..

I've been meaning to update for a few days now, but always "something" happens and blogging gets put aside for more important events.

We had a really nice Thanksgiving. For the first time in 10 years I didn't have to do all the cooking myself- we spent the evening having dinner with some friends. But, since I already had a turkey, I cooked another dinner on Friday. (Usually I try to remember to avoid serving meat on Fridays, but spending all day keeping my cool in a hot kitchen was penance enough!)

Chuck and the neighbor went in together on a cow and it was slaughtered on Monday. They also did the sheep. So on Saturday Chuck and I spent about all day in the neighbor's garage cutting up meat and trimming fat. Wow, what a job! But we have a freezer full of meat to show for it, all good-quality beef for less than a dollar and a half a pound. I also got about 10 pounds of meaty bones to use for soup and other scraps for our (very) happy doggie and kitties. It wasn't a bad job at all, really, but I'm glad we won't do it again until next year. Yeah, it is strange not to have the sheep anymore. That means we are down to just chickens and the pets, as far as animals go. But the sheep just were not paying for themselves in any way.

Chuck headed back to Texas early this morning, and he's on his last plane right now. It should only be about three weeks or so before he will be back home for a long vacation through Christmas and New Year's. Over the next few weeks I'm hoping that the children and I can clean house and do some decluttering. Whever it starts to feel like I can't keep the place clean, I know it is time to go through and get rid of stuff. Just when I think we are making progress in simplicity, I look around and see all the things that we are surrounded by! It is harder, I think, to keep a tidy house when everywhere you turn there are mittens and hats and scarfs and gloves and boots and snowsuits hanging to dry! I gotta say, though, I love these short, cozy days of winter!

I promise to get some pictures up over the next few days! God bless!