Emerson ... Our youngest son.

Dress-up day

Louie-Ville Slugger

Girlie making believe she’s Amelia Airport (Earhart)

Tuff Guy

Silas the Sailor Man

Echo's Boots are made for big brothering

Bath time for Joe

I just washed my ears and I can’t do a THING with them!

Natural band aid

Always have eggs in your fridge
You just never know when someone will split their head open
Or cut their finger while cooking
And so on
See that membrane there?
While the blood is gushing - hold pressure and crack open an egg
Peel that there membrane off and put it on the wound (continue holding pressure)
The membrane will harden and keep the wound closed until you can get to the ER for stitches
If you ever need them that is.

Nature: 1, Band aids: 0.

Natural band aid with a coagulant or sealing agent, egg membranes.

This guy hiked the whole Pacific Crest Trail and by the looks of it had a great time, which is what it’s all about.

Condor's PCT Adventure in 3 Minutes from Kolby Kirk on Vimeo.

Cabin interiors

Rustic enough but inviting

Antique clothes dryer

Stone walls and comfort

Where the boys sleep

Industrial cabinet

Tea time

Spice rack and all

Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter

Under 500 square feet.

DEwey 9-0834

DEwey 9-0834 was my Aunt Rosie's telephone number when I was growing up

and that was the first thing that came to mind when I saw this photo.

Put'er there

Old Glory ... Barely holding on

Wrenched

A 1940s era Chevrolet sitting in a field near Big Flat

The Swamp Shack.

Unplugged One Room Cabin

Pouring by Serni on Flickr

We’re going up the country

After 15 years of dreaming we’re finally leaving Murderwood.  In 90 or so days we’ll all be packed and get into position for a 3 vehicle convoy to the foothills of the Ozarks.

Soon I will be starting a new blog dedicated to the trials and tribulations of city folk moving to the country.  We’ll still have this blog for the family stuff and all but the new blog will be more of the nuts and bolts of country life.

Keep us in your prayers as we take on this incredible journey and begin the next chapter of our life living as homesteaders.

The driveway

You and I

These boots were made for working

OSHA Approved

Big Brother Echo

Our First Photo Together

Elise's Ordeal

It was late October 2009 and were celebrating Josiah and Silas’ birthdays when during the opening of their gifts Girlie swallowed half of a small oval shaped piece of plastic that’s used to keep box flaps closed.

For the next 12 or so weeks we went back and forth to doctors and specialists to find out why Girlie began wheezing and gurgling especially after breast feeding and at night. No one came to any strong conclusions and her condition grew worse until the last doctor we went to diagnosed her with “Failure to thrive” so we admitted her into the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

To make a long story short Girlie spent the next 11 days in the hospital 8 of those days in the PICU with Judith by her side.  For me it was a very scary and surreal time, she became weak and so frail; reality was not something that seemed real.

After many tests it appeared she had a hole in her trachea and esophagus which was considered a birth defect. Her operation was schedule and Dr. Long, http://www.jdch.com/html/medical-specialities/general-surgery-trauma/bio/dr-long.html performed the operation.

It was a Tuesday morning and after much prayer and heartache four hours had past and Dr. Long came out to tell Judith and I that Girlie was fine and in her hand was a container with the dreaded oval shaped piece of plastic that almost took our little girl away from us.

Final test after the operation

Passed with flying colors

Going home

My bags are packed

10 minutes before discharge

Let's move out

Home once again

It’s been three years almost to the day that Elise, my little Girlie was released from the hospital and as I type Girlie came over to me to tell me she loves me … God has blessed us in so many ways with Elise but mostly that she is still with us.

Boy, glad that's over with!