Well, this has been an incredibly busy week! I had a few special orders to finish, including the little sleeping possum. He looks about the same way I felt by Shabbat. I'm so thankful to have this set aside time to relax, rest, and meditate on my life.

I had to take my foster son to his second visit to the behavioral specialists at WVU this week. It is such a long drive, but it always leaves me feeling hopeful and rejuvinated in our long struggle we've had with his problems. We've had him over 2 years now (I can hardly believe it) and although there have OFTEN been times we were on the verge of calling our foster care agency and putting in a 30 day notice (for them to find him a new home) there are other times I'm so thankful we didn't follow through with this. Going to the behavioral specialists has shown me, once again, that although because of his Autistic tendencies, it seems at times he could care less about us, deep down I'm his mommy, and I think he'd just be "lost at sea" without us. We are what keeps him centered, as insufficiently as we do that, in his crazy, mixed up existence.

Chuck supervised the kids this week, in their free time, to get the fallen trees cut up, split, and stacked. With CJ's help, they got the carport cleaned out, and probably enough wood for next year stored up neatly in one corner. The back hill is now ready to be divided up, mapped out, and made into a large garden plot. I am also eyeing the spot just outside our bedroom window, another small fenced in yard, to put together a raised bed plot, complete with covers to begin growing soon in the year, and to extend our growing season in the fall.

Many seeds and supplies have been gathered, and we hope first day of the week (Sun.) to begin planting indoors, something we should have done already.

While cleaning this week, I noticed that Raegan (my granddaughter) and R. got extremely quiet on the porch (one of our blessed warm days last week!)...I peeked out the door and there they were, contentedly sitting in the lamb's cage, happy as clams. I snapped the pic at the top of the page...(note that the cage door IS OPEN...I did not put them in there so I could get more work done...)

I think maybe, the problem I'm having with keeping up this Blog, is figuring out what the subject/center of what I'm wanting to talk about, should be. There are a few really big "subjects" in my life....

Farming/Felting/Self Sufficiency....These things sort of go hand in hand. As things get rougher around the world and we have to find alternative ways to survive in the changing economic times, these things are very near and dear to my heart.

Homeschooling/Unschooling/Life Skills/Parenting - These things would encompass each other more so than other parts of my life, though they're so intertwined it'd be hard to write a seperate blog without tying everything else in.

Faith/Beliefs/Happiness/Mothering/Helpmeet - These things are also, of course, intertwined...but would not interest people, for instance, who come to the blog to learn more about felting and selling at the farmer's market.

Add to all 3 of those, my desire to share about foster care and adoption, and I could almost start a 4th blog. So what do I do? Have 3 seperate blogs and toggle between them? Or should I go ahead with this blog, and just pour my heart out, hope I don't offend anyone, and let them take and leave what they choose?

If you can't tell, I'm talking to myself...LOL...and I think I've just convinced myself that one blog encompassing everything would probably be best...maybe if I get too deep into my faith/convictions, I can put a link to more in depth commentary, should someone actually be interested!

So, onward!

Well, considering it's been, like A YEAR since I wrote in this I'll make it short...I am bound and DETERMINED to start writing at least once per week!

We just got our first bottle fed lamb of the season, her mama rejected her (she accepted her sister) and we found her in the snow by the fence. She's doing really well now, and is a sweetie, though a little bit of a whiner.

Off to bed, sweet dreams!

So Behind!

Oh my, I can't believe how behind I am on this.

Anyhow, I am going to try to keep it up, starting today (famous last words!)

To recap, my reasons to start this blog have been to share what I do, my work, but also about our family, and my beliefs. Although we are not close to being rich, we are VERY blessed and I'm so thankful for my life, my family, my friends, and my faith.

Today I laid down to take a quick nap at about 6:00 pm, and slept till almost midnight! My goodness...this has been such a busy week, I just needed the rest I guess. We are trying to get the garden ready for planting, and I have planted a lot of seeds indoors to get them started. Our hopes are to sell at the farmer's market this year.

I'm so thankful each week for Shabbat...if we didn't have the commandment to rest on this day I think I'd be so burnt out I would have crashed long ago. It is a commandment I've had to fight hard not to break, it is so not in me to just rest. I am the type of person who has to be doing 3 things at once or I feel I'm wasting time.

I wanted to report, that since January 1st, I have lost 44 pounds!! It has been a long struggle, but I am so thankful that I was able to do it. I would still like to lose about 25 more, and as I get closer to my goal it is getting harder and harder...I only lost 1 pound this week. But more importantly, I'm getting healthier, feeling better, and eating foods that are so much beneficial to me.

Also, our family each have a "YahSpace" page now. Here's the link to mine: http://yahspace.ning.com/profile/NancyB

Not much there yet, but I am enjoying talking with other people who have similar beliefs, and there are a few groups about healthy eating, gardening, etc, which I have joined that are really interesting.

Well, hope to pop in here once every couple of days to update! Will write more soon!

I'm so horrible at keeping this thing up! Shame on me!

We're in the midst of Chanukah...got the family Rosetta Stone Hebrew, haven't started it yet (just got it today) but thought it'd make a pretty nice present for everyone. Had a very busy day, I really don't like running errands on preparation day. I end up so behind for the Sabbath. Today was the same...*sigh*

I usually do pretty well getting ready for Shabbat, but the past month or so, I've been floundering. It means a lot to me to have a very nice meal, extra special, the house all clean and ready for a day of no work. I think I need to get everything done on Thursdays from now on and stay home on preparation day. I know many women struggle with this in our busy world. Any ideas other have would help! - Nancy

Extreme Close Up

Here's our homestead, in the hills of WV. This is the view from the bottom of our driveway.

It's another Sabbath, a time in our family when we MAKE ourselves rest, relax, enjoy each other's company, and ponder the creator's awesome work. We have a big candle lit dinner friday night. We cook all our food for the next day, or prepare it, friday afternoon, then use paper plates the rest of the time. We tell our family members how much they mean to us. I try and either write to or call my extended family. We stay at home. We don't get the mail. We enjoy the outdoors and take a walk in the woods sometimes. We try and avoid the TV and outside influences, especially news or anything that would take away our focus. We don't do any online business or bill keeping. Most of all we pray for each other, our family, friends, neighbors. We have so much to be thankful for. Since we started observing the Sabbath our family has gotten so much closer, and we now realize how important it is to shut down for 24 hours. You should give it a try!

Tomorrow night is Yom Kippur, the day of attonement. We have to fast and think about the previous year, how we can improve ourselves, how we can make amends for wrongs we've done to others. We have friends visiting, and although the fasting part will be hard, we are looking forward to reflecting and being together.

Peace to everyone! - Nancy

This is horrible, I'm doing really bad on this blog! But I hope to get going and keep a log of weekly life on the MotleyMutton Farm. Today is the Sabbath, and I have been way too busy...so I am going to spend the rest of the day in quiet contemplation.

Let me introduce my family - My husband and I have been married 24 years. Between us, we brought 4 kids into this world; Amanda - 23, Charlotte - 21, Charles III (CJ) - 19, and Kelsey - 17.

We are foster parents, and have adopted 4 of our foster children; Travis - 17, Justin - 15, Michael - 14, and Brittany - 12. We also currently have a 5 year old developmentally delayed foster son, Robby. He is so silly, and keeps life in our house VERY busy and hectic at times, but he also keeps us laughing, so we're very blessed to have him added to our family. We are not sure if he will stay here, there are a lot of issues, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

The school year is starting, and with that we'll probably start our homeschooling routine again. We just had a very nice time last week at the Game farm (nature center) here in Buckhannon with other local homeschool families. We look forward to having a good year!

I just listed some new felted creatures on the PFATT website (it will be there on the 10th of Sept) Hope you enjoy the pictures!! Shabbat Shalom!