Giveaway!

Click on over to the Homestead Blessings blog and enter yourself in a wonderful giveaway! They have just released a new DVD about The Art of Crafting and just in time for the holidays! Here is the link. www.thewestladies.blogspot.com
Have a Blessed Day!

First Kill of the Season!

Bennett, my 13 year old who is sitting on the left in the photos, nabbed his first kill of the season with his bow. He did a great job field dressing this doe and bringing her home. We have already enjoyed some great deer steaks on the grill.

Millie, the farm dog.....well, kinda.

This is Millie. She is a Lab puppy that belongs to Bretta, our oldest daughter. Doesn't she look adorable. Well Millie has some issues. She wants to be with someone at all times. She also isn't house broken and need I say more. We have to watch her like a hawk.
Millie has really grown over the few weeks she has been at our house. She has already had several adventures too. She was missing one day and we found her in the pasture with the horses. We thought she couldn't get out so we opened the gate to let her out and she jumped thru the gate.

She also decided to grab a fishing lure that was dangling from a pole and run with it. It got so imbedded in her jaw, she had to have surgery. We tried everything to get it out ourselves, pushing it forward, then trying to back it out to no avail.
$275 later and she was good as new! :o)

She also loves to chase our ducks. I don't think she understands the role of a farm dog is to protect, not destroy.

Moving!

All Packed and ready to go! Yes, We are moving! No, not the farm but the blog. I will be changing some things over the next few days and plan to be ready to reveal the new site by the new year.

It's so Exciting.........come back soon!

Carrot Cake for Christmas

This is the most wonderful recipe that a friend recently shared with me and I just had to try it. Thought you might be interested in it also. It is so moist. (sorry no pictures)

Carrot Cake

4 Eggs

2 C Sugar

1 ½ C oil

3 C carrots – grated

2 C Self Rising Flour – divided( 1 ¾ & ¼)

2 tsp Cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 C Pecans – chopped

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare 3 - 9” round baking pans with bake ease product (non-stick spray w/ flour in it)

Beat eggs, sugar and oil at med speed for 1 min.

Sift together 1 ¾ C flour with cinnamon & salt.

Toss carrots in flour mixture and beat 2 minute or until smooth.

Coat pecans in remaining ¼ C flour and fold into batter until well mixed.

Pour into pans and bake for 25 minutes or until done.

Cool in pans for at least 5 – 10 minutes, remove and cont. cooling on rack (spray parchment paper for cooling and lay cakes top up for best icing results)

Cream Cheese Frosting

1-8 oz cream cheese

½ stick butter – softened

2 tsp vanilla

4 C powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy.

Gradually add in sugar beating until smooth

Mix in vanilla

Spread thin layer between each layer as you stack the cakes.

Ice entire cake with remaining icing.

Mischeivous Kitty Cats

Busted! Marie has been a present inspector for many years now. She likes to make little holes in the paper and check out the contents to make sure it is safe for the recipient. I even caught her drinking the water from the tree stand. She tried to assure me she was just checking the water level, but I have my suspicions.

Here she is playing party girl after all the gifts were opened.

Maybe a little too much "tree water"

Wow, Christmas can be Exhausting!

Merry Christmas from our Family to yours!

Have a Blessed CHRISTmas

Bailey's Best Christmas EVER!

This Christmas all of Bailey's dreams came true! She has wanted a horse for a long time and for Christmas this year she finally got one! She has been working with horses at a friend's house and they surprised her with this sweet little filly, Butterscotch. She was even gift wrapped with red garland and a bow! Thanks Mr. Ken & Mrs. Qishon! We love both of your families and are so grateful!