Happy New Year ! Welcome 2018 !

I hope everyone has had a blessed beginning to the new year. 2018 ! How did we get here so fast? Time sure is flying by! We had a great holiday season. We got to spend the holidays with our family and our grandson Deidel got to stay for Christmas Eve and spend 4 days this weekend to celebrate the New Year. Of course our blessings started a new Christmas tradition a few years ago as the boys married and started their own homes. They all come home to stay on Christmas Eve so we can have Christmas Day together. I hope this is one tradition that keeps going. It is always a blessing to have our children home.
I have definitely been slacking on my blogs. So many excuses to give but really, I'm trying to let God carry me through these transitions in life and just try to get back to doing things that I love, and enjoy Blogging is one of those things. I have to prioritize my days. I have to find time for these little things. Even if no one ever comes back to read these blogs, I will someday. I want to look back and enjoy the memories. On that note, I enjoy going to the Way Back Machine site and looking at our old Homeschool Blogger blogs. Such fun !!You should try it if you ever had a web page or old blog.
Its been a cold start to the new year here in the Smokies. We had some snow and ice last night and bitterly cold temps. It was a light snow, but rumor has it that more is coming. We shall see. For now the goal is staying warm .
Stay tuned to the blog, if you're still there at all. My goals are being planned and I'm trusting God in helping me to carry them out. Pray for me ! Blessings to all ! ~ Nikki

Goodbye October

October leaves today. I hate seeing this lovely month end. No costumed shenanigans at our house this year. My kids are working or at their own home. Reidel Deidel Pumpkin Sneidel is with his mom. It's just a quiet and lonely evening for Toodles and I. I spent some time sitting on the porch with Gryph just enjoying the cool evening air. We had snow Sunday. The quickly arriving cooler air this week seems to be saying more snow is coming. Winter isn't far away. For now I must say goodbye to October. I will see you next year. Blessings! Nikki

Beautiful October

I'm sure I have probably mentioned before that October is my favorite month of the year. To me, October epitomizes Autumn/Fall, with its colorful leaves and cool days. This October has been quite strange for us here in East Tennessee. Our temps have mostly been in the 80s , with dry, sunny days. As a result, there is not as much color as usual on the mountains.
 My favorite October days are cloudy and overcast with cool winds blowing the leaves like confetti. Today has been a perfect example of that. A cool October Eve is quickly coming as the sun is painting the sky pink. Today would have been absolutely perfect if I could have spent it with my family enjoying the outdoors. Work was a must though.
I was very blessed to spend Friday night with family as we celebrated my sweet grandson Deidel's FIRST birthday . We had an amazing night by the fire-pit, roasting hot dogs, sausages and making smores.  I still can't believe my sweet boy is 1.
I hate that October is passing so quickly . I love to wander and meander through this month. It is surely one of the most beautiful times of the year. The harvest days call to my farm girl heart and make me wistful. I think fondly of Anne Shirley at this time :

Blessings ! Nikki

Solar Eclipse 2017

We are blessed to live in Tennessee , which was a prime viewing spot for the Great American Eclipse. Unfortunately we were outside the path of totality by a few miles. We had a wonderful show though. BabyGirl, Roosie , Toodles and I were able to have our own little viewing party. Tman and Hoopy had to work. We made viewers with boxes and they worked well. We also had a welding helmet that we shared to gaze at it. It was amazing to watch God's work in the sky today. As I said earlier, we were not in path of totality so we did not have complete darkness, but we did have some wonderfully weird lighting. Also the crickets cut loose at  full volume for 2 minutes then stopped. The drop in temperature was noticeable for us also. The show didn't last long but it was worth the wait. I'm just very thankful today for the goodness of God and His masterful works. Blessings ~ Nikki

Friday obviously the 13th

Today is just another day but for poor Toodles it was a rough one. He had to have surgery today to remove infection and metal fragments from his finger. Now its a long night in the hospital for IV antibiotics. At least he is feeling much better than yesterday. Nasty nail =1 Toodles =0 Prayers appreciated for a quick recovery. ~ Blessings !

New Year New Hello

Let me start off by saying how much I truly, always, enjoyed blogging. Many years ago I joined Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger to find socialization among fellow homeschoolers, homesteaders and Christians. I loved the outlet that blogging gave me. I loved the many people I “met” in cyberspace who shared so many common dreams and goals as my own family. When those sites went down I was so lost. I started these blogs here on blogger but still lost touch with so many from the other sites. Still, I had a place to come and document our lives, share things I had made for our homeschool and things I had made to use in our ministries at church. Then as our life needs began to change and I headed back to school and into the work force, these blogs got lost in the shuffle. I had big dreams and goals of coming back and dusting off the blogs but again, no follow through.  Now don’t get me wrong, I had no dream to be one of the super mommy bloggers. Still don’t. I believe my super mommy power is in the home not the web. But I do miss the outlet blogging has been for me; especially as I battled through some issues with depression and anxiety. I should have come here to put words to page…it has always been a comfort to me to write. I may not do it well but I love it. Anyway, my lovely daughters have convinced me to get back to my happy place, to say something, even if I’m the only one who reads it. So here I go again. Read, share, enjoy if you can. And hey, maybe say hello to let me know you have been by. Encourage me when you see me lagging.  Blessing everyone! Nikki , TnMtnRose

Sleepy Days and Baby to Be

It's such a beautiful day! Spring decided to spring on us last week; and it has been marvelous I must say. Of course the doors and windows are open and the fans are running. All that lovely breeze, sunshine and white noise makes me want to nap. It looks like winter may visit again for a day or two next week but for now I'm enjoying the warmth. I'm planning out what I want to do with the yard and house this spring. I have it all in my head I just need to get it to paper so I don't forget it. Forgetfulness comes with the territory I hear. What territory you ask? Well, the Mamaw territory! See, I'm gonna be a Mamaw in October! I'm, we all, are super excited. Tman and his lovely wife are expecting :)  Time to get into baby mode :) it's been so many years since a little one was in our home. I am a blessed woman for sure. Blessings ~ Nikki