Riding Lessons

  We just finished up week 3 of riding lessons and everyone is doing fantastic. Their riding instructor's would not hide that they have fallen in love with my little gang. These are 45 min lessons 1x a week just  up the road from us. I have been thrilled with everything they are learning so far.

                             Rachael rode a smaller horse today that had quite the personality, I guess he doesn't like his halter so he would do this fake cough. It was really funny! Presley has had the same horse each lesson which is great because they are really learning to trust each other, they already have Presley jumping. He is really confidant on his horse which is moving him really fast  into a little more challenging things.

 

Dear Mothers of Little Girls

       Dear Christian Mothers, know that that little daughter sitting next to you is cherished in the Lord's eyes. The babes she will raise will be the next generation which will serve Him. She will be standing shoulder to shoulder with her husband taking dominion and quite possibly be at the helm with him, leading the future church, mentoring men and women alike as they take their place in the reforming culture. She will be making strong the fabric of society by taking her place in the home and her family, making it an example for others to learn from and to bring God glory. Be careful to guide her and protect her. Be carful to teach her all that you know and much much more. Love her with the love that comes from the Heavenly Father and be found trustworthy of discipling her well.
* A wise friend*

   Not all homeschooling has to be taught by mommy. Natalie spent time with Jude (4) and taught him how to print his name.

    

 

    The last few weeks have been fighting off  some sort of tummy bug, and when you are raising a large family there is nothing fast about it when each one gets sick one at a time.  The nights leave me extremely tired in the morning. It seems today everyone is on the mend, I have been praying and rubbing backs for what feels like hours through the night.

                 On top of sick children the enemy has been bringing attack after attack. Isn't that just how he works though?! Chris and I have been digging deeper into His word and trusting in areas we never recognised and one after another the fire darts of the enemy started coming. I praise God that right away He reminded me we are not in a battle against flesh and blood and to look past the person and see who our real enemy is! This has brought me so much freedom to continue to walk in love. Even though my flesh hurts!! I know the truth!

 I was so encouraged by our family devotional time as it was about storms we face.
Today was about the sea of galilee and the scientific reasons for how many storms it gets.

    Our lives face storms without warning -an accident , a job loss, a fire, a sudden bereavement. One morning at 1:30, my phone rang. I listened in disbelief to the choking voice of my friend. "Howard, our son died in a car accident tonight. The police officer who told us just left". The son was 17 years old. My wife and I spend the rest of the night with the family. We invited Jesus into our ship of sorrow. I saw in their lives His calming presence. Although the situation wasn't reversed as it was in our daily read from John, I saw the power of God even as the wave of grief swept over the family.
Being confronted by sudden storms doesn't necessarily mean we are outside the will of God. We, like the Sea of Galilee, are prone to storms arising in our lives. Let's call on the Marker and the Master of the seas to give us peace. Sometimes He calms the storms; more often He calms the soul.

My fantastic kids got me this bird bath for Mother's Day

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Time spent ministering to our children is time well spent because that investment grants us the door to their hearts. When they are soft to us because we have ministered to their needs, their minds and hearts will be soft to hear our values, our convictions, and our guidance. Moms, the way you invest your life today will indeed have a great impact on history. We need to buck up, strengthen the are...as that are weak, and decide to accept the work load of small children with joy, as would please our heavenly Father. The cultivating and raising of great souls is of the utmost importance. Your life is making a difference. Take time in the word, take time to read those books which call you to excellence, spend time praying with friends of like mind–and don’t give up! There is a great harvest to reap!!



SPRING!



First plant of beans.



Little outside raga muffin in her beloved rubber boots.



Digging for worms.

Farm Day

Tranquille Farm Fresh Returns to its Ancient Grain Roots Tranquille Farm Fresh is returning to its roots as it expands Kamloops locally grown food supply.  In 1869 the flour mill located at the mouth of the Tranquille Creek turned wheat deliveries from as far afield as Enderby into 600,000 pounds of flour. Heavy horses were a part of everyday farming at Tranquille, this week they return! Tranquille Farm Fresh will be hosting 6 heavy horse teams and their teamsters from the Inland Draft Teamsters Association (IDTA) May 16, 17, and 18th as they plow and seed ancient and heritage grains including Emmer, Khorasan, and Red Fife. Emmer and Khorasan are ancient non modified grains originating in the far-east. Red Fife wheat is a non-modified Canadian heritage grain from the 1890s.

Majestic Percherons, Belgians, Clydesdales, Fjords, Suffolk Punch and Friesian draft horse will be working at Tranquille this week. This coming fall these grains will also be harvested by heavy horses and classic farm equipment including a 1922 Thrasher, and milled with a vintage seed cleaner, and hand cranked flour mill. 

Thursday May 16th is reserved for school children from across the Kamloops School District.               

Happy 8th Birthday Presley!

   Presley requested a birthday party in the woods.  We went on a family quad trip. Picnic lunch and cake with some fishing. 

Our Butterflies Hatched!

  Here are just some of the many books we read while waiting for our hungry caterpillars to hatch.