Sledding all the way! HEY!

Yesterday we went to the high school just down the road from us and went sledding. I was surprised there weren't very many people sledding there. It was perfect sledding weather - no wind was blowing! Clint, Angie, Aaron, and Lia came over to join our sledding expedition.

The kids had a blast and the parents even got in a few times on the sled! The picture of Clint and Angie in the rig shows the parent's hide-out when we got too cold - none of the grown ups really had "snow" gear on. Joshua and Jacob even tried to snowboard all the way down the hill. They did a pretty good job of it too!

Merry Christmas from the Haugs

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Just Don't Shoot Your Eye Out!

We went over to a friend's house about a week ago and their 3 kiddos and my 2 kiddos had a blast of a time shooting at each other.....Now, I know guns are for hunting but we have made the exception that if EVERYONE wants to be in the "war" then they can shoot at each other. The air soft guns do just use plastic pellets. Yes, they do sting but that can't REALLY hurt anyone. YES, the do wear eye protection. My guys like to really protect themselves and get their snow pants and jackets and hats on as well.

Jacob just bought a new gun set and mask with money he had been saving for a LONG time! Doesn't he look great?!!!

Sledding on the Neighbor's Hill (aka PE)

Here is a quick (because I was VERY cold) video of the boys on the neighbor's hill with their grandson. The video is from our back deck because I was too lazy to get my gear on - not to mention that Josh has outgrown his winter boots and is wearing mine by stuffing his feet into them. The sound you hear is the wind blowing. BURRRRRRR!

The boys had a great time and were out a LONG time. Josh took Obbie over to visit Mocha (the chocolate lab next door) but she went in before he got there. By the time Obbie got back home I think his little paws were just about frozen. He just stood and shivered and looked at me like he was saying, "How could you let Josh take me outside on a day like this?" I felt really bad but I got him cuddled in a blanket and got him warmed up. He still sneaks away from Josh if he has his coat and boots on.

Jacob is in the blue coat and Josh is in the gray and orange coat.

DEEP FREEZE Precautions

Well, life on the farm is a bit different when the temperatures are in the teens and twenties. The "outside" dogs have now moved inside which makes life a bit interesting. They are large enough to "share" things on the counter. We just lost a bit of butter out of the butter dish that was left on the counter after breakfast. They don't even have to jump - just reach their little (well big) noses right over the counter. That really frustrates me since we haven't had to train them not to do that. It is like having 2 100 pound toddlers poking around the house. YIKES!

Jacob sure enjoys them in the house though....but he doesn't like the doggy hair that they leave behind. They also need to have baths REALLY badly. I just don't really want 2 100 WET dogs lounging in my house!

We brought Velvet inside Saturday night and she is now "living" in a small dog crate in the bathtub. The mice are still growing (ANYONE WANT A CHRISTMAS PRESENT OR TWO?) We had to separate the boys and girls so we don't get more babies......There were 7 baby boys and 7 baby girls, so we actually had 14 babies instead of the 11 I first thought I counted. And the fish are just swimming around in the aquarium totally oblivious to the FREEZING weather outside.

Art Show Opening

The boys are in an art class and the teacher has their art in a local smoothie store. On Dec. 5 she had the art show Open House. The boys were really excited to see their art hanging on the wall.

Annual Christmas Tradition

Every year we go through a local Adult Mobile Home Neighborhood and look at Christmas lights. Since the boys have been preschoolers they "drive" through the display. Most of the houses put up lights and every night there is a stream of cars going through and enjoying the lights. We usually have to go through the drive 2 times - so each boy can "drive". They sit on Ken's lap and steer while he controls the gas pedal. This year Josh wan't really happy for some reason - puberty is an emotional thing you know! He sat it the back and played his game boy.

Frozen Eggs but not Chickens (yet)

Boy is it cold here! The boys have been going down to the chicken coop and taking wet (versus frozen) water down to the chickens 2 or 3 times a day. Yesterday they went down and got 4 eggs. One egg was split open and frozen - I think the others were probably frozen but they hadn't cracked. We put those in the fridge and will see how they turn out later.

BUT.....what is a homeschool family to do with a frozen egg????? FIRST, try to see if it will break or explode if thrown off the deck and onto the playhouse roof. Results.....the shell continued to crack but the egg stayed together - even after 5 throws.

SECOND, see what a frozen egg looks like inside......the boys pulled the shell off and the egg white was a yellowish color. Here is the shelled egg and the boys.Then they took a knife and cut it in half. Pretty cool and slimy as it started melting in our hands. Jacob is such a goof!After it completely melted we gave each half to Hunter and Kodiak. They seemed to like it. I'm not a fan of raw eggs but they sure liked it!

Christmas Bell

I received this from another blogging mom.....I couldn't help but share it here as well. I am not sure who put these together in this form but the author is definitely GOD!

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 C or 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)

Iam free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

Who you are?

The Month Before Christmas

‘Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday!*
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet during the holidays a
"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
Christ is 'The Reason' for the Christ-mas Season!

Author Unknown