52 Weeks Book Challenge

For several months, I have been slowly savoring the pages of a book after my quiet time. That book is....

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

by Ann Voskamp

Between the pages of this book, Ann shares the struggles and hard places of her life that brought her to ask and answer these questions:

 Where is joy in the midst of cruelty and chaos, duties and despair?

How does one slow down enough for the soul and God to live in sync?

How in the world do we learn to find God and live fully?

Through piles of laundry, homeschooling kids, and everyday routine, Ann finds the one motivating key that will answer all of those questions. I really enjoyed this book. I am beginning to practice Ann's ideas in my own life, taking one small step at a time, trying to discover for myself, how to live fully right where the Lord has me.  

52 Weeks Book Challenge

Well, it has been a while since I have posted a book review for my 52 Weeks Book Challenge. You are probably wondering at this rate will she even make her goal to read more books this year than last? The jury is still out on that one. ( I am reading the second book in the Song of Ice and Fire series- they are over 900 pages each! Does that count as two books?) Anyway, I have also been reading some other books as well. I am the kind of reader that can have more than one book going at a time.

 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Unabridged.

 I have enjoyed the movie versions of this book for years so I thought that it would be a great thing to read it aloud to Abi. While some of the events of the book are found in various films, there is are many differences. The book follows the journey of Dorothy and her three companions, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion as they make their way to see the Wizard of Oz to see if he would grant them the things they wanted most. After following the yellow brick road to the Emerald city, each of the sojourners met with Oz, who appeared in a different form to each. Oz says he will grant their wishes if they will kill the wicked witch of the west who rules over the western Winkie Country. Once the Witch realizes what is going on, she tries many different ways of disposing with the travelers in hopes of obtaining the magical silver shoes that Dorothy was given by Glinda, the good witch of the North. When all efforts fail, the witch resorts to using a golden cup to summon the winged monkeys to capture the four friends. The witch forces Dorothy to do house work around her castle, all the while scheming for a way to get the slippers. When she tricks her into giving her one slipper, Dorothy grabs a bucket full of water and the witch melts. The winged monkeys fly the friends back to the emerald city but their journey does not end there. The three face many more obstacles before Dorothy ends up in the land of Glinda, who tells her she has had the power in the silver shoes to go home to Kansas all along. Abi and I both enjoyed reading the original and comparing it to not only several movies but also the stage version, which she had the opportunity to be a part of last spring, that our community theater group performed.  

Welcoming Our New Arrivals

Life has been rather crazy here so there has not been much time to "blog", which I have very much missed. I knew earlier in the week that I would have several hours to myself tonight, with Abi out with her special friend Miss Kate and Dan driving a trip, but I had the hardest time deciding on what to share. Then, this morning, we welcomed our new arrivals. 

It began last night.............

Preparing the "brooder"

Then bright and early we picked up our friend, who knew more about selecting than we did, and drove to the next town an came back with a "Munchkin"-looking box ......

Our box of munchkins

If you haven't guessed, we have added 10 Buff Orpington chicks to our flock. 

We had planned a space in the garage to keep the brooder because the temperatures have been more mild here lately but, this being the crazy winter from I don't know where, the temperatures are going to dip down into the teens again tonight. Even after leaving the heat lamp on all night last night the temperature in the brooder was still only 60 degrees when we came home with the chicks so we had to move everything into the laundry room until the cold snap snaps! They are the cutest little things I have ever seen. If you would have told me years ago I would be raising 10 baby chicks I would not have believed you. Abi is thrilled with her new little fledglings. She has chosen two names (8 more to go) but I told her to wait until we can actually tell them apart before she assigns the names. What are the two names, you ask?  Greta, named after one of Mr. Popper's penguins, and Isabelle, after her niece. Not sure how big sis is going to like that but, oh well. I am planning on posting pictures each week as they grow so you can see the change. Now....to build the new coop!