Life Is Getting Back To Normal

 Well, we got home from our work trip and as we came into our town and drove closer to home, our hearts sank. So much destruction. This is where our son works. They were getting ready to go out to work for the day. Some exhausted men. 😩 Their work was hard. Other counties came in to help. Our church stepped up and became a crisis center to serve meals and take donations.  People are regrouping, recovering and being helped and compensated for their losses. We are a strong community. 

The girls got to come spend a day with us and I was teaching them how to read seed packets for our time zone. We are excited to have a garden again this year. We have not had to grow anything in 3 yrs. We are going to try some new things this year. 

My momma has discovered a YouTube craft channel. She made the girls a few things. She also made some things that takes me back to my childhood.  One year, my momma wanted to make all of our Christmas tree ornaments. I remember us sitting for a few months making these. Over the years they depleted and only my sisters had maybe two ornaments left. Well, my momma picked them up and said she wanted to try to make some more and she did. Now, I have some for my tree along with our kids and their trees, and my sisiters. She made some for the girls to play with and treasure. They were a hit. 

They didn't get to spend the night because we had to share them with Daddy. He had been working so many hours with the storm relief that he hardly got to see them. However,  we did get to spend Easter together. 🐣 The Easter bunny 🐰 thought he would make it more challenging this year and dropped almost 200 eggs on 20 acres. Yep, us old folk rode the Ranger while they ran around. I'm too old for that. Trust me when I say we all slept good that night. We decorated cookies and they opened their treasures. I think we only missed 3 eggs we couldn't find. 

These little farm girls are such a big help taking care of the cows, when they are not goofing off. 

This is a very special pic for dear hubby. The cows have been moved to spring pasture to his late mommas property.  Before she passed, she told David she would love to see cows back there. Well, there they are for you Nanny. It was an emotional time for him. 

We had a very fun weekend with our family then it was time to leave again to the next work place. We arrived at our destination and got settled. The next morning, I had to go to my very favorite place and get some breakfast. My heart was happy. 

I had to go get us some groceries for the week.  I saw that canned biscuits were on sale and boy, do I have so many plans with them.  Here is one:

Then one day I went to one of my favorite Goodwill stores. I had been looking for a basic purse I wanted. I had found one at Walmart but just couldn't bring myself to pay $40 for a purse. So, I waited until I got here. What did my eyes spot? 3 purses I liked and yes, I got all 3 for $22. 

Dear hubby (David) and I went out to eat for date night at our most favorite place in the whole world, that is no lie. 

Dear Hubby (David) and I celebrated our First Date Annivery from 33 yrs ago. Here is our love story and how we began:

Happy First Date Anniversary 💙❤️🎉

33 years ago today, our love story began. This man asked me out on a date and at first I hesitated. But I am so glad I did say yes. Some people didn't think we would make it, well, I guess we proved them wrong. 

We have never looked back, only looked forward to the prizes that awaited us. We have worked together as a team and had no regrets. This is our journey and we will enjoy it together. 

Here is our story: 

In January of 1990, I was so sick of boys it was pathetic. I needed a fresh new start to my life cause I was cleaning it up. I sat on the hood of my car and prayed that God would just send me somebody who loved me. They didn't have to know why, just as long as they did, I didn't care. And I asked him to throw in tall,dark, and handsome too. So that way I would know it was God. Well, 

33 yrs ago this tall, dark and handsome drink of water asked me out on a date. I was skeptical at first cause I didn't want to screw up again and not follow Gods plan. The tall, dark and handsome should have rung a bell, but I didn't catch it. 

Well, there was just some thing about him. Maybe it was those baby blues, I don't know, but I said ok. He scared me because on this first date he already told me he loved me. Now, I'm thinking boy, you're moving way to fast for me. But I let him tell me anyway. Three weeks later he scared me more when he said he knew I was the one he was going to marry. In my head I wanted to run, but once again, those baby blues did it, along with my heart. And look at that face. Who could resist that? I felt then God was giving me a fresh new start. So, I just had to ask, "Why do you love me?" His answer, "I don't know, I just do!" BAM!!!! It's like God Gibb slapped me in the back of my head and I remembered my prayer. Then I knew, this is the one. David said, "It took you that long to figure it out? I've been knowing it all along!" Really? Smarty pants. 

Boy, am I so glad I did say yes. It has been an incredible journey and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'd do it all over again. We have come a long way with God's grace and this December we will be married 32 years. I am one who can truly say God answers prayers. I love you David Dixon with all my heart. Thank you for not knowing why you love me. Lol. ❤❤❤❤❤💋💋💋💋

And then today is National Husband Appreciation Day April 15th. 

Yes, ladies, today is National Husband Appreciation Day. 

I look at this man today the same as I did 33 yrs ago when we first met. I mean, who could resist those eyes 👀 😍. To me, he hung the moon, he is Superman 🦸‍♂️, he is my strength 💪, my heart ❤️, my soul mate 💙 tje calm to my storm, my peace when I am unsettled. 

I am no even exaggerating when I say he is loyal, dedicated, determined, compassionate, kind hearted, devoted, unselfish, man, I could go on and on. I have been the recipient of every single quality, character trait and good deed from him. He never ceases to amaze me. He is and always will still be the one God chose just for me.

For the weekend and most of next week, I have YouTube and blog work to do. Then I will be going home for the weekend and try to get some planting done with plenty of help by the way, to get ready for our harvesting season. I can't wait to have fresh veggies again and some new things. 😋 

I hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday and are in good spirits. 

Be sure to check out our channel for new vidoes and more to come. 

Keeper of the Home at 4D Farms

https://youtube.com/@keeperofthehomeat4dfarms

Also, I have created a new page on Facebook for all us ladies to just communicate and encourage one another and share all kinds of information on Wives, Mothers etc.

Check it out on Facebook at Keeper of the Home at 4D Farms. Be sure to Follow, Like and Share

My Sweet Mommas Birthday

 We celebrated my mommas birthday. 

She is my best friend. I am so glad she was raised in a Christian home and raised us in one as well. She will hit her knees on your behalf and she will also tell it like it is if she has too. She will still have your backside too if need be. I'm still kind of scared of her. I am so glad my kids are close to her just like I was my grandparents. And now her great grandkids. She is a hoot and a force to be reckoned with. She can shoot straighter than most sharp shooters. She can hit a snake right between the eyes on the first shot. I've seen her do it.  She is my rock when I need encouragement and prayer. 

Need To Spend Time With Family

 Due to so much devastation, sadness, and work in our community and the lives of our loved ones and friends and enlight of what this weekend brings us, I will be taking some time off for  a few days or maybe a week. 

We need to spend time with family and despite of all that has happened, still Praise the Lord for his goodness, mercy and kindness. 

We need not forget about what this week is all about. This is Holy week. The week Our Lord did miraculous things and taught so much in such short time. 

We are upon Easter Sunday. We need not forget HE IS RISEN!!!!!! Death did not have the victory over us. May we forever be truly thankful and Praise him. 

I will see everyone sometime next week after we have had suffecient time with family and friends and celebrated this wonderful holiday. And believe me, there will be pictures. You know me. 

I hope everyone has a very blessed week and Holiday weekend. Hug your loves ones tight. Really tight. 

How To Get To Our Pages On Our Blog

 

I want my blog to be full of so much information that it will help someone in some kind of way. I am very passionate about helping people simplify their lives. If I see, hear of, or heck, even try some of these tips and hacks and they personally blow me away and make my life easier, OF COURSE I WANT TO SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOF TOPS!!!!!! I will instantly post on FaceBook, Instagram, Pinterest, our YouTube channel or something. We didn't or don't get to where we are today by not listening to or reading someones knowledgeable advice that is given in such a loving and caring way. My goodness, think of the older generations that have gone on before us. My Grandparents for example. I learned so much of what I do today by growing up on the farm and watching EVERY LITTLE OR BIG THING they did. I learned from my precious Momma. I learned from reading, reading, reading (before Google and YouTube)...lol.

This is the reason why I took 3 years designing, creating, writing, collecting links, etc to put on my blog to share all the wonderful things I have learned (alot from personal experience) so you could see and read it too.

The best part is, it is all right here on this blog. I know you're saying, "Where?" "All I see is journal posts like a diary." Look closer.......... You see those titles in the header at the top? Yes, those thingies..... They are extra Pages. The titles are links to extra pages on our blog that you click on and a whole new world...hmmmm....page will pop up. Whatever the title is of the page, is what you are going to find and I will be talking about that particular subject. For instance, I love being a Homemaker. Well, the title Homemaking is where you are going to find all kinds of information. If you want to know how to Can or Preserve Food, click on our Canning and Preserving page or title in the subheader.....viola' There you have it folks. But I will say, I love writing and you might want to grab a cup of coffee, tea or a big ole glass of sweet iced tea because there is alot of information. I can't give advice on something that I know nothing about, but trust me, these things I can.

I hope you will take the time to check them out and most of all I hope you find something you love and enjoy and book mark it. Please feel free to comment. We would love to hear from you. 

Thank you for your time and sincerely, I hope you enjoy everything about our blog. Be sure to follow us and sign up for our email list to receive notifications in your Inbox for every time a new post is uploaded.

Have a very blessed day. C ya'll in the next post.

Devastation

 It is with sad heart that I am having to write this post. 💔 

All day Friday, we had been watching the weather move clear across the states from the west to the east. That night at 9:30 pm we kept getting alerts and notifications on our phones to GET IN YOUR SAFE PLACE AND SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!!!!!! 

We kept calling, texting and checking in with our family and friends. 

There was nothing we could do, but wait. We could not do a thing. You see, we were not there. We are in another state that had no storms whatsoever.  All I could do was PRAY. 

Family finally got back with us. A tornado had just come through close by and surrounding counties in another state with more family and friends.  My momma and daddy included. So much devastation. Thousands of people out of power, ours included. Our sons and daughters in law were hunkered down in one house thankfully. Our oldest who works for the local power company got called in to help fix our communities and counties power outages. You see, there is a myth, that people who work for power companies get special privileges and there's is the first homes to get power restored. THAT IS A LIE!!!!!

Everyone was ok, scared, but ok. But more bad weather was threatening and coming. Another tornado was on that ones heels. My son is out in the bad weather trying to get to work to get into a work truck. Lightning striking everywhere and thunder rolling. 

An hour later, here came the other one. Families scrambling to get back into safety. Some, never came out of their shelters from the first one. 

This, this is what rocked our community. Came within a quarter mile of our home on our end of it. 

I got this picture from a news source the next day. We finally got a hold of family again. Again, all were safe and our homes were safe. Some, not so. 

Our area and surrounding areas, have been devastating.  Homes leveled, people trapped in their homes, homes with just damage, and sad to say lost lives. Search and Reacue teams were sent out and still looking through rubble today as I write this. 

We see pics on Facebook and other places of the routes and disaster they left behind and my heart hurts. 

It looks like a war zone and I had severe flash back of when this exact same thing happened back in 2013. I know my boys were having flash backs to a younger selves when we were in the exact same house with a loving praying grandmother who was pleading the blood of Jesus over us all in 2013. Trees had fell on that house then and much damage. Same scenario. Just years later. My husband was out of town during that one too and when he was called home, as he drove he could not believe his eyes. But as he walked into his mommas house and saw me and his children and family alive, he was better. Same as now.  

We are so thankful none of our family or homes were gone. However, in a day or two, we will be driving home once again to a place we may not recognize but to our families who are ok. Scared, but ok. Our oldest son is still out working over 36 hrs now, no rest,  exhausted and his own home still with no power. Our power will eventually come back on. But our hearts are hurting for friends who have lost everything and even loved ones. The toll has reached 9 now. 

I don't have alot of pics to share out of respect for families. I'm sorry. 

Things can be replaced, but family can't. We are all ok by God's grace. 

Hug your loved ones tight.