pennyraine.com

Thought I would share a couple movie reviews with you. We don’t have TV and usually don’t even watch dvds this time of year, usually too busy with outside stuff, But the weather this week has been dreary and we have all been resting and trying to catch up. So we watched two movies this week. Both had the “family approved” logo. The first was “Country Remedy”, it was AWEFUL! Had all kinds of supernatural power witchcraft references and I did not appreciate that. Avoid it. It also had some sort of pocketwatch looking item that was supposed to be a compass passed down from a grandfather. Smelled fishy to me, very fishy, and we did turn it off.

The second was a keeper. It was called ‘Thicker Than Water” and starred Melissa Gilbert among others. Of course it was about faith and family and horses. Other than two kissing scenes (which we fast-forwarded) it was very clean and up to our high standards, no language, even minor.  I would recommend this one but keep the remote handy for the kissing scenes near the end, probably no big deal to most but not acceptable viewing here.

A quote from Herbert Hoover, “about the time you finally figure out how to make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends”.

Doesn’t that just about sum it up? Now I remember what I was doing before I started daydreamin. Trying to escape the reality of trying to make ends meet. How is everyone else doing this? I mean not only has the cost of everything more than doubled in some cases but our income has actually dropped. We didn’t mind working some overtime on top of the full time ministry time we already put in to cover the costs for the wedding, but you can only push so far. And I can really feel the effects of overdoing it. Everybody here was really dragging all week. Tired, stomach stuff with one child, weird allergic skin rash with another, absolute exaustion on others. All stress related. At least the wedding was a diversion. How can we possibly do what the Lord has called us to and pay the bills at the same time? My flesh wants a regular paycheck, a salary. But He says “trust me”. That is what faith is all about.

Ever finish your chores and all that good stuff and find yourself internet window shopping and that drifts into full blown daydreamin? Well, I found some great new couches for free on freecycle and you know how one thing leads to another. First I had to rearrange the old furniture, and since I was doing that I decided to clean under all the furniture and well one thing led to another until I finally set myself down in my in-a-new-spot recliner and for some odd reason started looking at something online. I really don’t even remember what i was originally looking for, but my mind wandered and I found myself noticing it would be a lovely day for a drive in the country. But driving in our own vehicle would take all of the fun out of it. So then I remembered last year when we went to CA for my moms funeral. That was so hard but the one hi-light was the rental car we ended up with. A brand new convertible mustang. At one point I literally felt like I could drive right off into the sunset. Guess I must have been feelin that way todaybecause before I knew it I was looking at car rentals. For less than the cost of a fancy meal you could rent a car and go for a drive in the country. Pretending like there were no worries or problems or dustbunnies under the furniture. I would rather do that then walk through a mall any day. But then I know I am a little different.

We have another new addition. While April was gone on her honeymoon her Tennessee Walker mare had her baby. We were really blessed to see hem right after he was born. She had been showing signs all day, but they usually try to hide out and birth in private. Not this one, and she has been very sweet about sharing him with us. We don’t go with the train of thought of trying to get the baby to take to us, but we rather want it to bond with it’s mother. We have seen a first time mare reject it’s foal before and it is not a pretty site. We would rather not mess with God’s plan. This momma is doing a great job. She is a soft golden Palomino color, the baby looks like he will be a cremello, he has blue eyes. Getting a cremello baby is like finding a four leaf clover in your bouquet, it is not common but very sought after. And since we own both of the parents it is a happy day here.

Last year, actually over a year ago, I was in Krogers late on a Saturday night in subfreezing weather and guess what I found? A whole buggy (shopping cart for you non-southerners) full of marked down toothpaste. Expiration dates were still way off, and it was our favorite name brand in full size tubes, in boxes. For 10 cents a box. Can you guess what I did? Bought as many as I could get my hands on. Probably about 60 of them, I don’t remember the exact number but it was enough to last this very big family well over a year. did we need toothpaste that night? Probably not, but after that great purchase we didn’t need it for quite awhile. Let me just make a rough guess at how much I saved. Let’s say there was 60 boxes and they are normally $2.27, that total cost would be $136. But I only paid $6. At the time nobody but me had even noticed, but as I started ohhing and ahhing I drew a crowd and then had to share. But I still managed to get 60 or so boxes saving me approximately $130!

Now my son is smarter than his Momma. When he recently walked in our small local market and found that they had overbought on dog food and had a buggy full of bags at 70% off. So what did he do? He quietly pushed the whole buggy (which weighed hundreds of pounds) to the checkout and paid for it.  He paid $24 for approximately 250 pounds of dog food and saved himself over $50. Now none of this would be of any good if we didn’t need these items, like the candy closeouts after holidays.  But they were items we do need and had room for. So check those stray buggys clogging up the checkout space. And feel free to hoard.

this is supposed to be a Wordless Wednesday picture

but I can’t help but add a little commentary, we have two kinds of dogs, we have 1 Doberman who guards the house and would gladly give her life for us, and then we have 3 of these Great Pyreneese that guard the livestock. They were bred to do their job and instinctively know what they are guarding and where the property lines are. Did you notice one watching by in the picture with Sunshine and her foal? These dogs are wonderful with children but absolutely vicious against predators. We have heard them fend off a whole pack of coyotes.

start with a good fenced garden spot 

remove horse

find a good guy with a Ford tractor (aka hubby)

go to co-op and buy plants because you have been too busy planning a wedding to start seeds

point nice tractor guy towards the garden spot and say “pretty please”

go later and tell him “well done and thank you”

put those nice plants in the ground with the help of several children you have birthed for just that reason

pray for rain—- tackled and works for me!

don’t forget the Revolution Money Exchange offer ends Thursday!

the introductory special promotion from Revolution Money Exchange

is ending Thursday. all you have to do is sign up for a free account and you automatically get a free $25. If you don’t want to keep it you can gladly send it to me and I will gladly give it to my worship leader daughter, or minister husband or my missionarry friends in Mexico or share it with someone else who works for God.

you can read about it at http://www.faithlovehonor.com/ click on the tab at the top that says “the Wedding”

when everyone is worn out after a big day the best way to have your home be a haven, (not a museum, but a haven) is to relax and recuperate, and not expect much to get done, overworked grouchy people do not accomplish much