Thursday, August 23, 2012

Lazy Days of Summer - Fun on the lake!

First day out on Meemom and PapaBob's boat! 
 
 Daddy does his very best to throw the kids off the innertube! 
 I love the facial expressions!
 

 Thumbs up means faster . . . thumbs down means slower. 
Uh, oh!  I think we have a problem here!




 Unfortunately, the boat couldn't get up enough speed 
to dump anyone!


Monday, August 20, 2012

SW WA Fair Goat Show! ~ By Victoria

Here is Caroline and my new buck we bought last Sunday! We took him to the fair and he won his class in both shows! His name is Teflon ( he came with that name!!!). We are probably going to call him Tuffy. :o)

Teflon getting clipped and brushed for the show....



                                             Here he is in the ring with his competitors!

                                                          Standing in first place!


 Here we are in the championship drive. He didn't get grand or reserve unfortunately. The two bucks behind him did. :o)

                                                     All ready to go into the show ring!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Our New Horse Trailer! ~ By Victoria

On Sunday, several of us drove down to Canby,OR to get this horse trailer! It is 30 years old, but is still in very nice condition! Caroline and I have been working on it for most of the day for the past 4 days.. and it is almost done! First, we scraped all the rust and old paint off with metal brushes and sprayed all the rusty areas with Rustoleum, then, washed the whole trailer really good. Day 2, we painted the outside of the whole trailer. Day 3, we touched up the outside and got a lot done on the inside. Today, we finished the inside and almost finished the tack room! It has been a LOT of work, but it's nice to have it looking good and almost done! We ran out of paint, but just have a few more areas to touch up.
BEFORE 
 AFTER

BEFORE


 AFTER
 The stalls  have a "hay shelf" on each side in the front.
We love all the doors it has!


We love having a large tack room!
   The saddle racks in the tack room are really a bonus feature!

 If you help your big sisters paint a trailer,
you'll most likely get paint in your hair!
That's okay though...
Joe figured out that he could just cut it out with scissors!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

New video of the horses ~ By Caroline

Victoria and I taped this video of the horses yesterday! Lately we have been working on having our horses stay by us and do the things that we ask at liberty (off lead and not enclosed by fencing).  My horse "Bubba"(the palomino), is quite lazy and doesn't like to do anything he doesn't have to do, so it was quite an accomplishment to get him to stay with me. :) And Gracie (the paint), who is Victoria's horse is more spooky and has alot of get-up-and-go. :)  It has taken us 1 1/2 years to get to this point, and we have learned so much!

Here is the link:

Thursday, August 2, 2012

How did Chick-fil-a Day Go? ~ By Kyle

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- In Rock Hill, S.C., Wednesday, customers were waiting 75 minutes (wow!) for a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, when they could have driven down the road to McDonald's and been in and out in five minutes.


About 50 people wait outside a Chick-fil-A in Kansas City, Kan., waiting to get inside on "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." Across the nations, Chick-fil-A restaurants were packed. Photo by Malachi O'Brien
It surely seemed strange to at least a few observers, but the folks in Rock Hill -- and at jam-packed Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country -- were making a statement, standing up for a chain that has been criticized by media members, politicians and activist groups because of Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy's support for the biblical definition of marriage.
"Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day," as organizer Mike Huckabee called it, may have been more successful than even he envisioned. More than 650,000 people had signed up on Facebook to participate, and it seemed that each one came -- and brought a friend.

In Clarksville, Ind., the parking lot was packed, and cars were parked in the adjacent Lowe's lot. In Kansas City, Kan., a line of at least 50 people stretched outside the doors. That was also the case in Nashville, Tenn., and Ontario, Calif. And in Chicago, Ill., where local politicians had spoken against the restaurant, dozens stood outside the doors, waiting just to get inside. At some Chick-fil-As, such as in Dyersburg, Tenn., the number of people in line outside the doors was 100 or more.
In some locations, police were on location to direct traffic, with cars backed up on main roads. Churches, too, were getting involved. In Salisbury, N.C., Cornerstone Church cancelled its Wednesday evening services so members could support the restaurant, the Salisbury Post reported. But at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn. -- as well as at a host of other congregations -- church officials were ordering Chick-fil-A food to serve at their weekly Wednesday evening meal.

For most if not all day Wednesday, #chickfila was trending on Twitter. Some people even were pledging to eat at the restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Heading into the day, Huckabee said the event was not about gay marriage -- as some had made it to be -- but about free speech and religious liberty. A business owner, he said, should be able to state basic Christian belief without being castigated. He stood by that on his radio show Wednesday.

"We're finding out that people in America still believe that every American -- every American -- has a right to an opinion," Huckabee said on his radio program. "You don't have to agree with it. You don't have to like it. But you ought to respect that people have that wonderful right. You don't have that in North Korea. You don't have it in Iran.

"And I guess if the mayors had their way you wouldn't get it in Boston, Washington, Chicago or San Francisco," he added, referencing city mayors who have spoken out against Chick-fil-A.


Chick-fil-A, which has more than 1,600 restaurants, long has had a passionate base, led in part by families with young children who appreciate the family nights and the indoor playgrounds available at various locations. Support also is strong among Christians who support the company's values and the fact it is closed on Sundays. Of course, people also enjoy the food.

The national debate over Chick-fil-A began when Baptist Press re-posted a North Carolina Biblical Recorder story in which Cathy, asked about the company's support of the traditional family, said "guilty as charged."

"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit," Cathy said. "We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."
A radio interview with Cathy, recorded several weeks earlier, then came to light. In that interview, Cathy said, "As it relates to society in general, I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, 'We know better than You as to what constitutes a marriage.' I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about."

A media storm then ensued, with some gay groups calling for a boycott of the company. The Human Rights Campaign -- the nation's largest gay group -- began labeling the restaurant "Chick-fil-Hate." The mayors of Chicago and Boston implied they would block construction of new restaurants, although they eventually backed down. One Chicago alderman called Cathy's remarks "bigoted" and "homophobic."

Huckabee said he launched Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day to stand up for a company that seemed to be held up to a different set of standards by society. Companies often support gay marriage, Huckabee noted, and little attention is given by the media or by the activist groups. Cathy, Huckabee said, simply affirmed what many Christians believe.

Chick-fil-A's supporters took to social media Wednesday to speak up for the company.

"I applaud this man's courage to stand up for his convictions by speaking up for Christ's teachings," Dorothy Cox Neal wrote on Baptist Press' Facebook page. "More people need to be so bold."

Irene Settlemyre Brooks wrote, "Praise God that a godly man like Mr. Cathy has awoken the Christians to make a stand. We have been silent too long. God will bless his company."

Pam Parr of Plano, Texas, sent Baptist Press an email saying Cathy "has the right to be true to his convictions, just as gays can chose to live the way they want based on their morals/beliefs."

"I am weary," Parr wrote, "of people trying to force their views on others -- Mr. Cathy didn't say he wouldn't serve anyone in a respectful manner because they were gay now did he? If he treats everyone with Christian love, what do they care if he doesn't agree with their personal lifestyles? He has just as much right to his belief about what constitutes a family as gay people do. If gay people treat Christians hatefully because of their beliefs, then how are they different than what they accused Mr. Cathy of?"

The company, in fact, issued a statement July 19 saying that it does not discriminate. It said "going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena" and that its tradition is "to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect -- regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender." It also noted that it has applied "biblically-based principles" to business management and will continue to do so.
Several colleges and seminaries also got involved in Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. In Fort Worth, Texas, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary paid for about 250 chicken sandwiches, which the seminary family could pick up at the local Chick-fil-A by using a seminary ID.

"We feel it's important to stand with Mr. Cathy and his First Amendment right and his freedom of religion to express whatever views he believes," said Thomas White, Southwestern's vice president of student services and communications. "We also believe it's fine for protestors to come. We welcome them, treat them with kindness and love them even though we disagree with them."

At New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, seminary president Chuck Kelley purchased 200 Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits for NOBTS students, faculty and staff. Kelley said he wanted to show support for Chick-fil-A because of the company's consistent commitment to biblical values.

"The Cathys have done a marvelous job of seeking to keep their faith, their personal lives and their business practices in alignment," Kelley said. "Along the way they have been generous and consistent givers to more people and causes than any of us will ever know. They were extremely kind to the NOBTS family in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We stand proudly with them as they stand for marriage as God intended it to be."

The Cathy family's involvement with the seminary dates back to the late 1940s when Jeanette (McNeil) Cathy attended New Orleans Seminary before she married Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy. Truett Cathy and his sons, Dan and Bubba, have each spoken at NOBTS events and the company often donates food for seminary functions.

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Chick-fil-A provided breakfast for the displaced NOBTS faculty and staff members meeting in Decatur, Ga.

Praise God! It is encouraging to see so many people still standing for what is right. I think sometimes we can get very discouraged at the downward spiral our country is in, but we need to remember that we have a God who is MUCH bigger than any politician, evil agenda, and activist group. All we need to do is stand for God and what is right, and hope that others will somehow see God's glory through us and decide to follow Him. This is the ONLY way we will turn this country around; no new plan, no activist group, and certainly no politician can turn this country around if the people do not embrace God's truth. Who knows, maybe our country has seen the last of its glory days, but we know also that whatever happens its God's plan.

♥ Blackberry's Puppies ♥ ~ By Valerie

Blackberry had 11 beautiful puppies on July 23rd!  There are 6 yellow puppies and 5 black puppies, 8 females and 3 males.    They are all doing very well and Blackberry is a great first time mom. ☺ 



The picture below is of Blackberry in the snow.  She is the best dog ever . . .in my opinion.  She is such a sweetheart.  My family nick named her "Clifford" because she has long ears and a big body so she reminds us of the "big red dog!" 
This is Riley, the sire of Blackberry's litter.  He is a big English lab that I am so happy with. He is a stocky boy with a big box head.  He loves to play fetch and swim in Swofford pond.  It is so nice to live within walking distance of the pond (to us Arizonians it would be considered a lake! ☺) 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Chick-fil-A Day! ~ By Kyle


As most of you know, there has been a battle raging recently between the "fast food" restaurant Chick-fil-A and Homosexual advocates, all of this coming after the restaurant's president was outspoken about his stand for "traditional" marriage.
Below are several clips from news articles by OneNewsNow;

The president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A has no qualms about expressing his support for traditional marriage and families.
Dan T. Cathy, Chick-fil-A's president and chief operating officer, appeared earlier this week on the syndicated weekly radio talk show The Ken Coleman Show. When asked about his company's pride in its socially conservative character, Cathy took the opportunity to voice his feelings about same-sex "marriage."
 "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage," said the business leader. "I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about."

In the aftermath of the company president’s declaration for traditional marriage, the National Organization for Marriage is calling on people of faith to support Chick-fil-A. At the same time, the mayor of Boston is getting roasted for his opposition to the restaurant chain.
President Dan Cathy, president and chief operating officer of the restaurant chain, recently stated in an interview with a Christian news journal that his privately owned company is "guilty as charged" of supporting what he calls "the biblical definition of the family unit." Jonathan Baker of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) tells OneNewsNow that Chick-fil-A owners Dan and Truett Cathy are simply taking a firm position based on their faith.
"They've not done it in an objectionable fashion. They've not denigrated people. They simply shared that they are Christians, that they hold with biblical teaching on what marriage should be," Baker points out. "And frankly, they've put a lot of money where their mouth is. They're a great example for the rest of us in supporting marriage."
As Baker points out, the resulting rhetoric against the Truett family has been extremely harsh. That, he says, is why his organization is asking supporters to quietly stand with the restaurant.

 "In response to the Cathy family's support for marriage, the National Organization for Marriage is urging Chick-fil-A customers to go ahead and visit their local Chick-fil-A and have a chicken sandwich and share their support for the Cathy family," Baker says. "The two dates are Wednesday, July 25th and Wednesday, August 1st (today!)."
 He says the "National Eat at Chick-fil-A" days will also send a message that heroes who stand for marriage and family cannot be silenced.


Unfortunately, there are no Chick-fil-As to support in the state of Washington, but I know there are several of them in Arizona (I remember when we used to go there!). So Phoenix family, why not go out for some chicken today and go to battle for a good cause? If not, spread the news! We want to send an overwhelming message to the mayors of Chicago, San Francisco, Boston (who all are banning Chick-fil-A from their cities), and homosexuals everywhere that there is still a strong remnant in this country that believes in God's truth!