June 18, 2008, 2:49 PM
We have moved our blog over to the following address:
www.alexanderadventuresfamilyblog.blogspot.com
or just click on the side link that says, "The NEW Blog".
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Sunday, June 1, 2008
As we recently celebrated our one year anniversary of Timmy joining us at home full time, I've been thinking about the many things God has taught us while on this new journey. As one might imagine, some of the hardest lessons have been regarding our finances. Although we've always claimed that our finances were in God's hands, not until now have we really had to put our trust fully in God's provision. One year ago we would never have guessed that our primary source of income would be from milking cows and cutting grass. Yet, though meager, this is God's provision for this family. Although the quickly depleting bank account, the cows in need of more pasture, and our very tired tractor might seem to be ours to worry over, they are really God's. Lately, we've become increasingly aware of the arrogance of our attitudes when we become frustrated with the way God chooses to spend what appears to us as a very limited amount of money. We have challenged one another to truly see the figure tallied in the checkbook as God's - not ours. We have had excellent opportunities just within this last week to exercise our new outlook on God's spending practices of the money He has entrusted to our care.
Imagine the delight of the Dodge dealership when our milk delivery truck broke down en route and needed a new part to revive it. I've always favored Ford but could God possibly prefer to support the success of our local Dodge dealership? And oh the joy the John Deere tractor company has experienced this week in their increased parts sales! Our (God's) very tired tractor had a record number of break downs last week requiring a variety of new parts. One costly, $500, non-returnable part in particular was replaced only to find that it wasn't the cause for the breakdown after all. It was a different part that had to be purchased later. During a very depressed economy, God surely blessed a small tractor rental company that collected the equivalent of a mortgage payment so that we could use their tractor this week. Can you imagine how freeing it was for me to take Oliver to Patient First last week because of mono-like symptoms and not even have to worry about how much God would spend on the visit? And then there's the two remaining mortgage payments that roll around about this time each month. For the longest while, I've been quite upset that "our" money was being thrown away on payments for properties that we surrendered to the Lord over two years ago. With our new outlook on Who really is in charge of the Alexander checkbook, I can only marvel at God's generosity in supporting Wells-Fargo during their reported very lean season, when all the while He allows us to live in His two very comfortable homes in Virginia and North Carolina. These are just a few ways in which God has chosen to bless other companies, both large and small, during the past few days.
One might wonder if we secretly resent His spending. How could we?! I'm almost embarrassed to tell of all the incredible gifts He's lavished on us during this very same week. Oliver is in good health once again. My house is wonderfully clean as my mother spent an entire day last week making it sparkle. We had a delicious meal of pork spare ribs today that were given to us and enjoyed an abundance of fresh, real milk throughout the day from our cows. Although the power went out due to a storm this evening, and we had to quickly buy ice and transfer all the milk from two fridges to coolers to keep it properly chilled, the electricity was restored in time for us to all get a shower. There are beautiful hand-cut, garden roses on my kitchen island. We enjoyed a wonderful DVD message today by Jim Sammons that encouraged and challenged us all greatly in our walks with the Lord. There is a crisp, clean breeze blowing through our windows tonight. These are all gifts from the Lord and are of immeasurable worth. How can we be upset with the way God blesses others with what once appeared to be "our" finances when we're as rich as we've ever been?!
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May 19, 2008, 9:38 PM
To read about what we've been up to during the last week, head over to my (Meredith's) blog:
www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com
There are so many pictures; it would take me forever to post them all here! :)
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May 11, 2008, 8:59 PM
Something sad occurred to me (Joy) recently...at some time every one of our children stops giving impromptu hugs, sitting on my lap to be read to, and saying they love me without me saying it first to them. One day, without any notice, it will be the last time Harrison takes a running start to jump into my arms and give me a big hug. If someone came to me at that moment and told me this was the very last time, I'd hug him so hard and never let him go. Yet the last hug comes and goes without any grand announcement. One day, Elliott held my hand for the last time as we walked through a parking lot. One day Oliver sat on my lap for the last time to hear a story. It's gone, never to be experienced again. I wonder what might happen for the very last time tomorrow? Will it be the last time Sullivan brings me a Lego creation and explains the intricate details of his design? Will I be inwardly frustrated to be pulled away from my long list of things to do while looking at his creation with dutiful interest?
As I came to this sad realization and shared it recently with Timmy, I concluded that I wouldn't let the "lasts" slip away without my consent. I jokingly announced that I would have Oliver, our 14 year old, 6' 2", son sit on my lap that very evening while I read a story so that I could say, "Alright, I'm okay to call this the last time!!"
The fact that my children are growing up and growing out of the precious stages I now enjoy causes me to beg God for wisdom to manage my days so that I don't regret the subtle passing of each wonderful part of mothering them. I so thoroughly enjoy the children God has placed in our home. From Meredith's exuberant, never-ending business ideas, to Elliott's strong opinions about the dangers of insect killers; from Oliver's always joyful attitude and willingness to help out, to Sullivan's disdain for the "Yanks" of the Civil War; from Harrison's pursuit of a stand-in role for Indiana Jones to Sheridan's everything! These are the precious lives God has so graciously allowed me to mother. What an indescribable gift these children are to this undeserving woman. May I submit to the small voice of the Holy Spirit as He instructs me in how to best mother them. How blessed I am to have been given this life with Timmy and my dear children. How blessed I am to be a wife and mother!
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May 6, 2008, 12:47 PM
Last night we took a walk around the farm while our house was being shown by a real estate agent. Sheridan just loves being outdoors!
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On Sunday night, our very first goat kid was born! He is very small, but he is slowly learning how to nurse. We didn't even know for certain that the mama was pregnant so he was quite a surprise!
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Also, over the last month, we have added 3 more cows to our herd. Gertrude (pictured on right) was purchased from a nearby farm, and Daisy and Lolita (not pictured) were bought from our grandfather's friend in Chesapeake, VA. Gertrude recently had a calf, so we are milking her, and Daisy and Lolita are both pregnant and due in the fall.
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May 3, 2008, 7:10 PM
We love strawberry season! Earlier this week, Sullivan, Harrison, and I picked almost 50 pounds of berries! We are enjoying eating them in strawberry shortcake, on our cereal, and tomorrow I hope to bake strawberry pies. ~Meredith
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April 20, 2008, 7:03 PM
Last night we went to our friends' home, the McKinney's, to partake in a Messianic Jewish Passover Seder. It was a very interesting and educational experience!
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April 17, 2008, 9:48 PM
Today, Sullivan, Harrison, and I (Meredith) went on a field trip to the library and a Civil War monument at our town's courthouse square!
Sullivan and Harrison received several comments from onlookers about their soldier and cowboy costumes.
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We went to the library and got library cards. Sullivan and Harrison enjoyed looking at all of the many books.
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Last of all, we went to the courthouse square to see the Civil War monument. Sullivan loves the Civil War and he had been looking forward to seeing the monument. We had a lot of fun on our field trip!
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April 13, 2008, 6:52 P.M.
A sweet little farm girl...
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April 7, 2008, 10:18 AM
Sheridan loves getting into our decorative lemons.
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She's not really allowed to climb on chairs...
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Mama had the idea to put real lemons in with the decorative ones so Sheridan would possibly be deterred from trying to eat them (she has already bitten into the fake ones).
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Unfortunately, she enjoys eating the real lemons too!
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April 6, 2008, 9:07 PM
Our friends, the Donahues, came over for a visit this afternoon and guess what they brought?!? Cheese salsa to replace mine from Friday night's episode... It was a very thoughtful gift and we all enjoyed it very much. Thank you Donahue family!
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April 5, 2008, 5:49 P.M.
Friday Night, Cheese Salsa, Glass Shards & A Sweet Brother
Oliver hates being "blogged", but this is worth sharing.
Last night was shaping up to be a pretty bad Friday night...
Daddy and Mama had just left to deliver milk in Raleigh and all four of the boys were at the barn for the evening milking. As I (Meredith) was feeding Sheridan a bowl of soup, I decided I would heat up some of my very favorite cheese salsa (it is an expensive and rare treat... Daddy bought a jar of it last weekend and I was looking forward to enjoying some for supper with tortilla chips). I handed Sheridan her milk cup and quickly got the salsa out of the fridge. As I prepared to heat it in the microwave, it somehow slipped out of my hand and fell on to the tile floor! The glass shattered and my beloved cheese salsa was all over the floor. I quickly began cleaning up the shards of glass, hoping that Sheridan wouldn't become too impatient and that the boys wouldn't return home and realize that our prized jar of cheese salsa was wasted! As I searched for the glass shards, I noticed that some shards were all the way on the other side of the kitchen...
Eventually, I cleaned up the mess and salvaged a little bit of the cheese salsa off of one of the larger shards of glass that didn't seem to be contaminated. I went back to the table to feed Sheridan the rest of her soup and cautiously eat my chips and salsa, constantly searching for any glass shards hidden in the salsa. I immediately noticed that, while I had been cleaning up the broken jar, she had been spitting out her milk and letting it run all down the front of her outfit and her undershirt was soaking with milk. I took her milk cup away from her and set it on the table, along with her bowl of soup, and went back to the kitchen to get the wash cloth so I could clean her up. As I came back toward the table, she began pulling on the table cloth and pulled it until her bowl of soup came tumbling onto the dining room floor! I was sooo discouraged... I thought I might cry! As I began cleaning up the soup on the floor, I noticed even more glass shards from when I broke the salsa jar. Finally everything and everyone was cleaned up and I got back to feeding Sheridan what was left of her soup.
Then my cell phone rang... It was Elliott calling to tell me that they'd be home from milking in 15 minutes. He never calls to tell me the time frame of their return, so I rather sarcastically asked, "Why are you telling me this?" He replied, "Well, just so you can have supper ready..." I never make supper when Mama and Daddy aren't home (we just have a "snacky supper" of whatever we want or can find). I felt bad for being rude to him since he was obviously trying to help me to give me a heads up for when they would get home, so I quickly threw together some kind of Mexican burrito concoction for them and hid the evidence of the broken salsa jar in the trash!!!
Luckily, the worst of the evening was over. As the boys came home and began eating their supper, I took Sheridan upstairs to change her clothes and prepare her for bed. I laid her down and began to tackle the huge mess in my room (I was in the middle of a big project). After a while I went back downstairs to begin cleaning up the kitchen from the boys' supper. Immediately I noticed that Oliver had cleaned off the table and the kitchen island, wiped the table and counter top, loaded the dishes, and directed Sullivan to take out the trash! Oliver has such a sweet servant's heart. He didn't even know about all of the bad things that happened while he was gone milking the cows; he just wanted to bless me!!!
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April 5, 2008, 12:29 PM
Daddy has been renting an excavator over the last month to get rid of some of the many dead trees on our property and to clear land for additional pasture.
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One of the big projects that Daddy and the boys worked on while renting the excavator was installing the septic tank at the garage apartment. They had never done that before, but they were able to figure it out! It's exciting how Elliott and Oliver are able to learn all of these many different trades and will be well prepared to financially provide for families of their own one day.
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Another project they worked on was rerouting the driveway to run parallel to the property line. Daddy also dug a pond toward the front of the property. It's still filling up, but I think it will be pretty once it fills and the water isn't so murky. There is still a lot of work to be done, but they've accomplished a lot in the last month! ~Meredith
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April 3, 2008, 6:24 PM
Today Oliver got braces! He will be wearing them for the next year and a half.
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March 31, 2008, 5:04 P.M.
Our family on Easter Sunday
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After church we went over to our grandparents' house for a delicious lunch and Sheridan's first Easter Egg Hunt.
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March 22, 2008, 5:31 P.M.
Happy Easter!
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March 19, 2008, 10:16 AM
Last Thursday-Sunday, Daddy and I (Meredith) were in Charlotte at the 2008 ACC Basketball Tournament. It was so much fun!!! To see many more pictures from our trip, visit my blog:
www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com
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March 9, 2008, 10:10 PM
Happy 17th Birthday Elliott!
Yesterday was Elliott's 17th birthday! Unfortunately, it was a pretty sad birthday because our electricity was out for most of the day and we couldn't make his birthday cake or birthday meal. Luckily, our electricity was restored last night and today we "re-celebrated" his birthday. He got a chain saw, cell phone, cow alarm clock, new watch, and several books.
I took this picture the Friday night before last when our parents were out of town. I came downstairs and found Elliott using the laptop to study the Hebrew meanings of several verses in the Bible. When most nearly 17 year olds are interested in anything but spending their Friday night studying the Bible, it is a blessing to have a younger brother that is interested in obeying God's Word. Lately, it has been especially exciting to watch how Elliott is growing in the Lord and learning to discern for himself what he sees as the biblical solution when conflicting views arise.
Thank you for being a sweet brother, Elliott! I know I don't always show it, but I love you very much and I'm so proud to have you as my brother! ~Meredith
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March 6, 2008, 12:48 P.M.
On Tuesday, Harrison and I (Sulli) went to Colonial Williamsburg with Mama and Oma! We found an old coffee shop that was dug out from underground. We also met a herb person and found out that chocolate helps to clear your throat. We met a baker that gave us gingerbread cookies that were almost just gingerbread cooked.
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We went to Bruton church where there was an unusual bell and a some tablets to the Civil War and the Revolutionary War heroes. There was an unusual loft for the preacher to sit in.
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We went to a garden also and I (Harrison) looked at some gardening tools. We saw some little vases that you're supposed to put on top of your plants in the winter so they could still grow.
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We found a powder magazine with several guns. It was very interesting. The guns had spikes at the ends.
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We met a blacksmith who was making a hinge. He was putting steel under coals with a fire inside to bend it. We had a very fun day!
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March 5, 2008, 9:52 p.m.
A Day in the Life of an At-Home-Daughter
Obviously, attending college or pursuing a career is generally expected of someone that has completed their high school education. Since I (Meredith) am currently neither attending college or pursuing a career, I am fairly often asked (with good reason), "So what do you do all day?!?"
I previously wrote why I've chosen to live at home in an entry on my blog- www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com, but I can certainly understand why someone would wonder what exactly fills my day. To answer that question, I have decided to record my daily activities every few weeks and post them here on my blog to give a better idea of what a normal day for me is like. I began on Monday...
Monday, March 3, 2008
6:04 a.m. Wake up/ Read a few chapters of my Bible & Living the Cross Centered Life/ Elliott & Oliver leave to begin morning milking
7:30 a.m. Feed Sheridan her breakfast/ Help Sullivan and Harrison get their breakfast/ Mama leaves to deliver milk in Richmond/ Daddy gets started with his excavator work on our property
8:00 a.m. Take Sheridan to her "Learning Center" (time she spends alone playing in her playpen)/ Go upstairs, make bed, and get dressed and ready for the day
8:30 a.m. Get Sullivan and Harrison started on their morning chores/ Straighten foyer, family room, and dining area/ Sort laundry and start first load/ Get Sheridan out of "Learning Center"/ Attempt to clean kitchen and load breakfast dishes with sweet Sheridan's "help" :)
9:00 a.m. Get milk out of fridge for 1st "farm pick-up" milk customer/ Sweep kitchen/ Check farm's email/ Respond to a customer's email/ Check tractor service's email/ Respond to new client/ Write new client's information down to be transferred to laptop computer's bookkeeping program/ Check real estate company's email/ Check my own email/ Check my blog for any comments :)/ Post "Memorizing Scripture: Week 10" entry on my blog
9:30 a.m. 2nd "farm pick-up" milk customer comes to pick up milk/ Answer his questions and explain procedures related to owning a "share" in our cows/ Put Sheridan down for morning nap/ Switch clothes from washer to dryer/ Start second load/ Daddy comes in from working and needs telephone numbers for two businesses and the weather forecast/ Look up phone numbers and weather forecast online
10 a.m. Make sure Sullivan and Harrison did their chores/ Get them started on their school work/ Oversee their work/ Respond to a friends' email
10:30 a.m. Call community college to register for annual mandatory real estate Continuing Education class/ Explain difference in short and long vowels to Harrison/ Answer Sullivan's school work question/ Listen to Sullivan read his school journal entry/ Grind wheat for bread for lunch/ Prepare yeast to rise/ Wash the calf bottles that Elliott and Oliver brought in when they returned from the morning milking/ Check laundry/ Switch load/ Have Sullivan and Harrison take break from school to hang wet jeans outdoors
11:00 a.m. Sheridan wakes up/ Get Sheridan/ Change her diaper/ Organize stuff in my room left out from the night before/ Prepare bread/ Decide to make it into pizza crust instead
11:30 a.m. Feed Sheridan lunch/ Check Harrison's school work/ Put pizza crusts in oven to rise faster/ Admire Harrison's Lego creation ;)
12:00 p.m. Check Sullivan's school work/ Take Sheridan outdoors to feed leftover salad to pigs
12:10 p.m. Swing together on swing set for a few minutes
12:20 p.m. Check on laundry situation/ Finish preparing pizzas/ Put them in oven
12:45 p.m. Mama comes home from milk deliveries/ Unload her groceries and the returned milk jars/ Set table for lunch
1:30 p.m. Daddy and boys come in for lunch/ Eat lunch
2:00 p.m. Clean up kitchen and dining area from lunch/ Sort through the milk jars that Mama brought home/ Look over and smell each one to make sure they are thoroughly clean/ Wash all of the jars that are dirty or sour smelling
3:00 p.m. Help Sullivan and Harrison begin their school project of creating "crowns"/ Explain how to glue diamond "jewels" (aluminum foil) and write synonyms of "humble" on the points of the crown. (They were learning about King Nebuchadnezzar and how he was a prideful king until God humbled him).
3:20 p.m. Begin afternoon project of baking lots and lots of cookies and preparing a "snack box" for our cousins in Florida consisting of cookies, peanuts, and "microwave s'mores fixin's" (marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate chips) and a "care package" with more cookies for our cousin at college in California.
5:00 p.m. Run milk out to 4th milk customer (Mama helped the 3rd customer earlier)
5:30 p.m. Clean kitchen from big cookie baking day
6:30 p.m. New milk customer comes to discuss getting milk from our farm with Mama/ Take Sheridan upstairs/ Continue organizing my room with more of Sheridan's "help"
7:00 p.m. Quickly throw together a salad to go along with our supper (Mama prepared the main dish and garlic bread)/ Run upstairs to wash Harrison's hair
7:30 p.m. Set the table for supper
8:00 p.m. Elliott and Oliver come in from evening milking/ Eat supper
8:30 p.m. Get shower
9:00 p.m. Clean kitchen/ Wash supper dishes
10:00 p.m. Help Mama draft and send an email to farm customers regarding cowshare program details/ Check my email/ Check my blog for any comments / Check my blog's Site Meter/ Check my favorite basketball teams' rankings and scores/ Check the properties listed on the MLS system/ Turn off computer
10:30 p.m. Go to bed!
As you can see, you have to do some serious multi-tasking to keep your head above water in this household!
Of course I don't prepare "snack boxes" and "care packages" for relatives every afternoon. My afternoons are usually spent working on a business-related item. Some afternoons I'm a marketing manager mailing out hundreds of postcards or letters to potential clients. Some afternoons I'm a webmaster creating a new website or making changes to an old one. Some afternoons I'm a secretary responding to the many emails sent to us each day regarding the farm's products or tractor businesses' services. Some afternoons I'm a real estate agent faxing documents to other agents, or just answering my phone and responding to inquiries about properties. Many summer afternoons are spent driving a tractor bush hogging clients' lots. Some afternoons are spent baking cheesecakes for the restaurant, or just baking treats for my family. :)
Still other afternoons are spent washing milk jars, cooking dinner, folding laundry, tending to Sheridan's needs, or updating my blog or the family's blog.
I love being productive and can't imagine life any other way! Most of the daily tasks could be considered fairly menial and repetitive, but so are the tasks associated with many full-time careers. It is so much more exciting to have the opportunity to do such a variety of productive activities on your own time schedule and to be furthering your family's endeavors instead of working for a boss you hardly know. ~Meredith
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February 29, 2008, 4:41 P.M.
Sullivan and Harrison have been given their first "real job"! They are so excited about it.
Elliott and Oliver are paying Sullivan to bring in the chickens' eggs every day.
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Sullivan has sub-contracted out the egg washing job to Harrison, who excitedly washes each egg carefully so that he is certain that he doesn't crack any.
They are both diligent workers and seldom forget to check the eggs!
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February 19, 2008, 12:11 P.M.
Sheridan turns one today!
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One year ago today God blessed our family with the sweetest little girl. We all love her so very much!
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February 16, 2008, 10:14 P.M.
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A Busy, Busy Weekend
This weekend has been so very busy and it isn't even over yet!
Valentine's Day 2008 will be a day Oliver and I (Meredith) will remember for a long time... Thursday afternoon we went to NC to run errands, as well as deliver cheesecakes to the restaurant for which I bake. A potential buyer for our VA house was scheduled to see the house on Saturday morning, so we knew we needed to hurry back Friday morning to help with the cleaning.
Unfortunately, our Durango broke down on the side of the road Thursday night when we were on our way to get supper. Even though it was not a good experience, we are amazed that after having driven for 4 hours, we broke down within a few miles of our NC house. We called Daddy (who was 3 hours away in VA) and he told us to keep trying to restart the Durango. Eventually we were successful and were able to drive a few miles to get back to our NC neighborhood, but then we had to PUSH the Durango the last 1/2 mile (and I was wearing heels!).
Friday morning Daddy left our VA house at 4 a.m. and arrived at our NC house shortly after 7 a.m. to diagnose the problem with the Durango because we needed it Saturday morning for another commitment. Fortunately, he figured out fairly quickly that there was a hole in the radiator, but the nearest dealership was all the way in VA Beach (1 1/2 hours away).
We hurried to VA Beach to buy the radiator, but had to leave the Durango at our NC house and go straight to our VA house to pick up the rest of the family for the Steve Green concert we had purchased tickets for a month earlier.
After arriving at our VA house, the boys quickly milked the cows while we prepared to leave for the concert in Yorktown, VA (two hours back toward VA Beach). We greatly enjoyed the concert, but at the conclusion we immediately headed to our NC house so Daddy could work on the Durango since it was critical that it be fixed by Saturday morning.
We got to our NC house at midnight and while the rest of the family got a few hours of sleep, Daddy got straight to work. God has given us a very smart and hard working dad and he didn't even get to go to bed until 4 a.m. (and he had been up since 3:30 a.m. the previous morning).
Mama and I had set our alarm for 5 a.m. because a potential buyer might be looking at the NC house also this week and we had to immediately begin scrubbing toilets and vacuuming floors before quickly heading back to our VA house so the boys could milk the cows.
Since this is our first week supplying the Raleigh, NC area with milk from our farm, Daddy and Mama had to leave our VA house at 11 a.m. this morning to ensure they would arrive in Raleigh by 2 p.m. when people were scheduled to begin picking up their milk. While checking the Durango's gauges constantly, they set out for the 5 hour round trip. They made it safely home and we enjoyed pizzas for supper at 8 p.m.
We have never looked so forward to our "day of rest" Sunday!
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February 16, 2008, 9:03 P.M.
Last night we went to see Steve Green in concert in Yorktown, VA. Mama has listened to Steve Green's music since before I (Meredith) was born and over the years our entire family has grown to love the deep, rich lyrics present in his music. Even if you are not a contemporary Christian music fan, you may be familiar with the popular song from the mid-90's, "People Need the Lord", which was originally recorded by Steve Green.
When Steve Green came out to the lobby after the concert to sign CD's, we were able to get our picture taken with him and his wife! Mama was able to tell Steve Green how his music has ministered to our family through the years and that now her kids listen to it on their MP3 players. It was a really great concert and we're so glad Daddy took us!
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February 7, 2008, 9:53 P.M.
I (Meredith) love the name Sadie.
I have wanted to name my first daughter Sadie for like 3 or 4 years. I just think it's so cool sounding and so unique. Unfortunately, my family adamantly does not like that name, so they have decided to name our latest calf Sadie in hopes of deterring me from naming their future grandchild/niece the name they dislike so much...
Sadie was born to her mama, Sunshine, this afternoon and joins Angel and Katrina (a calf we bought from another farmer) as the third calf to join our farm since Christmas.
I still love the name though!
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January 30, 2008, 9:42 AM
Sickness has been making its way through our home for almost the last 3 weeks, but we are now rejoicing that everyone is slowly recovering. We hope to get back to normal blogging soon!
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January 14, 2008, 2:20 p.m.
This morning, Oliver came back from the morning milking with a fat, busted lip. He said that Apple, our newest mother, accidentally kicked him in the mouth to which Harrison quickly replied, "Maybe she wanted you to mooooove over!"
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January 14, 2008, 10:22 A.M.
Another testimony of God's provision...
On Saturday, Timmy, Sheridan, and I (Joy) drove to the Raleigh area to determine the feasibility of beginning to deliver milk there. We have been having so much interest from the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), receiving requests every day for milk. Since cowshare programs are not permissible in NC, we have been researching and have been in contact with their Department of Agriculture's Food and Drug Division so that we might have a clear understanding of their rules and regulations.
Among our greatest concerns in allowing North Carolinians to own a share of our herd in Virginia, which is completely allowable, is that of transporting the milk to them. Time, expense, and possible legal issues involved in delivering the milk directly to the state, have kept us on high alert, asking the Lord for unmistakable confirmation if this would be something He would have us pursue.
As we drove, all our conversations centered around the delivery dilemma. Could we possibly hire a college student to drive the milk, or maybe an older couple? How many hours would it take from our already busy farm schedule? We are learning that time and money are the major factors to guard closely in running a cowshare program. In the past when we worked with real estate, we didn't sweat over several thousand dollars lost in the negotiations, and after the work is done in preparing a house for the market, you just sit back and wait for a buyer. Whereas with farming, it's all about the nickels and dimes and the never-ending hours it takes to make them. How could we efficiently factor in this new avenue of supplying milk to NC?
In the midst of our lengthy, in depth, brain-storming session, my cell phone rang. I noticed the area code was from Raleigh, so I was confused when the gentleman began his conversation by saying he was calling from Ellwood Thompson's, our whole foods, nutrition store drop site in Richmond, VA where we meet many of our shareholders each week for milk pick-up. He went on to say that he saw our flyer (that I just put there 3 days earlier) about raw milk on the bulletin board. He said he knew someone in the Chapel Hill, NC area that needed milk and that he would be interested in delivering our milk on his back haul. He added that he comes to Ellwood Thompson's regularly in his 14' refrigerated truck to bring all natural cheeses to Richmond. I was so completely amazed that I could barely speak, but told him I needed to put my husband on the phone to discuss the details.
Although still looking for the Lord to open doors, we are overwhelmed by this most amazing solution to our delivery dilemma that was orchestrated by none other than God Himself!
"We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the next gerneration about the glorious deeds of the Lord. We will tell of His power and the mighty miracles He did. ...So the next generation might know them-- even the children not yet born--that they in turn might teach their children. So each generation can set its hope anew on God, remembering His glorious miracles and obeying His commands. " Psalm 78:4,6,7
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January 11, 2008, 9:06 a.m.
God is so graciously supplying our every need! We just have to share testimony of His faithfulness.
Since we had one cow due to calve and another needing to be dried off to prepare for her calving, we have been preparing for a major milk shortage for several months. We stopped selling shares and began a waiting list as well as warned our shareholders that they may not have milk for a period of time. We must have discussed the upcoming shortage a hundred times as we hated having to make our shareholders go without milk.
Well, we're happy to report that God performed one miracle after another and although a couple of our most understanding shareholders volunteered to join our family and go without milk for several weeks, God has met all our needs and we once again have an abundance!
We continue to be amazed at the evidences of God's provision as we walk with Him on this new path of farming.
Another concern has been that we don't have enough cleared acreage for the cows come spring. Again, we've taken the concern to our Father who owns "a thousand hills". Would you believe that our neighbor came over Monday and told us we'd be welcome to pasture our cows on her spacious, cleared pasture if we ever needed to?!
Another neighbor came last week to give Oliver a pig feeding trough for his pigs. He said, "I like what's going on back here and I want to be a part of it."
God is visiting us in the abundance of the milk, the widow neighbor with plenty of pasture, and even the farmer down the road with an old feeding trough. We are so humbled by the goodness of our God! ~Joy
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January 10, 2008, 3:02 PM
Garage Apartment Update...
Daddy, Elliott, and Oliver have worked so hard on the garage apartment on our property. As it is nearing completion, it is so exciting to see the way it is shaping into such a cute little home! The floors were all done by Elliott and Oliver. They are going to be great providers for their families one day because they are skilled in so many different areas. If they ever have to pull in a little extra money to make ends meet, they will be able to take on side work tiling floors, laying hardwood floors, and a host of other jobs. I hope I marry someone like my brothers!!
It's turning out to be such a cute little place... ~Meredith
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A tour of the garage apartment...
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January 1, 2008, 11:56 A.M.
On Saturday evening our very first calf was born! Thankfully, her birth was very uneventful. Elliott had just gone up to the barn to prepare for the evening milking when he noticed the calf was there in the stall with its mama. Also it was a blessing that the weather wasn't too cold.
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As we were driving up to the pasture, Harrison commented that he was as excited about going to see the new calf as he was when we went to the hospital to see Sheridan after she was born!
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It is a heifer, which is also a blessing, because that means that she will eventually be another dairy cow to add to the farm. We haven't decided on a name for her yet. Her mother's name is Apple, so we are trying to find a name that starts with an 'A'. We want to keep it short, preferably no more than two syllables.
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Any ideas?
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December 29, 2007, 6:39 P.M.
Since it takes much longer to upload pictures to the family website than to my (Meredith's) blog, and because we have so many, all Christmas pictures are there:
www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com
Merry Christmas!!!
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December 22, 2007, 1:32 p.m.
Mama's good friend, Mrs. Marcella Butler, recommended the excellent book "Jotham's Journey" several years ago. Mama begins reading it to Sullivan and Harrison in early December, covering a chapter each day, to prepare their hearts for the true reason for Christmas- the celebration of Jesus' birth.
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December 21, 2007, 4:51 p.m.
This past week in the Alexander home...
I (Meredith) turned 20 and had a wonderful birthday!
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Sullivan and Harrison worked on their very first gingerbread houses...
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Sheridan turned 10 months old and learned how to rock herself in her rocking chair...
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This upcoming week is going to be filled with Christmas events and get-togethers, so hopefully we will have a lot of pictures to post!
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And the winner is...
The Donahue family! Congratulations Donahues!
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OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY!
We are very excited to announce the very first GIVEAWAY on our blog! We hope that everyone will enter their names! We look forward to drawing a winner on Sunday evening (December 16) at 9 p.m. ET. The grand prize is a Dillards Mill Peanut Company Classic Gift Box (retail $14.95) featuring our four popular treats- Chocolate Clusters, Peanut Brittle, Sugar Coated Peanuts, and Salted Peanuts.
To enter, head over to Mere's blog strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com and leave your name under the "Comments" on the Giveaway entry.
Good luck!!!,
The Alexander Family
P.S. Due to the cost of shipping, this giveaway is only open to U.S. Residents.
I (Meredith) would be thrilled to be of service to you as you consider your Christmas gift needs! To place an order for Dillards Mill Peanut Company Classic Gift Boxes, please email dillardsmillpeanuts@yahoo.com. :-)
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December 12, 2007, 1:16 p.m.
Happy Birthday Mama!
Proverbs 31:10-31
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
I (Meredith) am so thankful for Mama. Many young moms often question Mama for her advice on parenting, homeschooling, saving money, etc. and I am so blessed to have been raised under the tutelage of the very person so many others admire.
Mama is such a hardworker. She subscribes to several magazines, but rarely actually gets a moment to sit down and read the current issue before the following month's issue arrives. She is so selfless and is always working hard to keep up with the demands of being a wife, a homeschooling mother to six kids, and handling the intense bookkeeping associated with the farm. Even when she talks on the phone she is always doing something productive the whole time she talks. With her cheerful, hardworking attitude is a very entrepreneurial spirit, much like that of the woman noted in Proverbs 31. She is always encouraging my entreprenuerial endeavors and brainstorming with me about how to overcome a hurdle, market a business, sell a house, and use my resources frugally.
Another great attribute I am thankful for in Mama is that she is so very thrifty. She has always said that it is Daddy's job to bring home the money and her job to save it. When I was younger, I resented this because I was often corrected for using too much water to get a shower, too much dish soap to wash the dishes, too much laundry detergent when washing clothes, too much electricity, etc., but now I am so grateful that she is so conservative because I'm confident that this attribute being instilled in me will also help me greatly in the future.
These are just two of the characteristics I admire in Mama. I can't begin to express how grateful I am that I have been given the mother I have.
I love you so much Mama! Thank you for pouring out your life in to ours...
Happy Birthday!!!
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December 11, 2007, 9:46 p.m.
Today, Sullivan, Harrison, and I (Meredith) made some Christmas treats together...
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Although peanut butter Ritz crackers dipped in chocolate surely isn't the most creative Christmas treat, the boys enjoyed decorating them with sprinkles and the whole family has enjoyed eating them!
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Oliver has been keeping busy with his pigs lately. Today he and Daddy got two more pigs. In this picture though, he is working on his school work.
Oliver's latest adventure was a few days ago when he and Mama ran the trash to the dump. While dumping the trash, he spotted a wheel barrow toward the bottom (like 10 ft. down) that looked like it was in pretty good condition. Mama didn't want him to climb in the dumpster, so he was creative enough to lasso the wheel barrow and pull it out! He figured that even if it didn't work as a wheel barrow he could use it for a feed trough for his pigs.
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In this picture, Elliott is working on his school work while Sheridan tries to "help" him.
A few days ago, we were commenting about how we wished we could hear all of our favorite Christmas c.d.'s instead of the endless same 10 Christmas songs by every singer that ever recorded a Christmas album played over and over again on the local radio station. Our c.d. player is broken and won't shuffle our c.d.'s, and we get kind of tired of changing to a different c.d. every hour (or listening to the same one again and again all day long). Elliott volunteered to upload all of the songs on our Christmas c.d.'s to the computer and we have been enjoying hearing our variety of Christmas c.d.'s since he did that for us. It is such a blessing to have a computer whiz in the family, and especially that he is not only a "computer geek", but also mostly a hard worker outside around the farm!
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December 3, 2007, 5:15 p.m.
This weekend our grandparents', Pa-Pa and Pat-Pat, spent some time with us at our house. Last night we had a lot of fun playing Balderdash together. ~Meredith
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December 2, 2007, 4:55 p.m.
Happy 14th Birthday Oliver!
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His birthday gift may seem unusual for most 14 year old boys, but he had really been wanting some pigs for a while!
When Mama told me they were getting him some "piglets" I (Meredith) was expecting them to be like, well, the size of Wilbur at the beginning of Charlotte's Web! I was very wrong!! They're only 9 weeks old and they're already so big. He's thinking he'll raise them to breed them.
Happy Birthday Oliver!
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November 29, 2007, 5:48 p.m.
Daddy, Mama, and Sheridan spent some of the past week at our house in NC working on the landscaping. Soon after we built the house 3 1/2 years ago, Daddy's job moved us to Amelia for the next year and we rented the house to another family, so we were never able to do much in the way of landscaping. In this picture, Daddy is directing the dump truck driver as Sheridan looks on from her play pen in the background.
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Sheridan loves being outdoors!
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Oma gave us tons of great plants from her yard to put in our new flower beds. Next week, Elliott, Oliver, and I will bring lots of pine straw to build up the flower beds.
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Already the house is beginning to look more established and not just like it was set down in the middle of a field. There's still a lot of work to do, but it's encouraging to see the work that has been accomplished this week! ~Meredith
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November 23, 2007, 6:24 p.m.
A comment from a customer...
"Everyone at the table yesterday said our turkey was the very best we have ever had!!! They kept saying it over and over, and we had hardly any meat left, just the carcass for stock!! It was so delicious. Thanks for making our Thanksgiving special. It was great to meet you all and see your farm."
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November 20, 2007, 2:22 P.M.
On Monday we slaughtered our turkeys for our customers. In this picture, Oliver is at the "killing station" with Eric, a friend from church who came to help out.
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About 18 of the 21 turkeys were sold to our customers. We'll freeze the remaining turkeys and eat them.
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November 18, 2007, 9:57 P.M.
Earlier this month, as Oliver and I finished weed eating and bushhogging the last lot for the last time in 2007, I excitedly called home to tell Mama that the tractor had made it through another season!! At the beginning of each year for the past several years, we are always expecting to have to purchase a newer tractor, since our old, rickety one is on its last leg. We are so thankful that God has blessed us by causing our tractor to hold out for one more year! ~Meredith
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November 14, 2:18 P.M.
Snapshots Of Fall Around The Alexander Home...
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Harrison hiking down the path...
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Sullivan speeding down the driveway...
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Sheridan all bundled up...
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A cow snuggled beneath a tree...
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A few turkeys enjoying their last few days before Thanksgiving...
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November 10, 2007, 7:24 P.M.
Our New License Plates!
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November 4, 2007, 6:56 p.m.
We were excited to be interviewed and photographed for an article in Richmond Magazine about our farm's cow share program and raw milk. Not knowing much about the magazine, we didn't know what to expect. We were very surprised to hear that the magazine sells for almost $4 and has approximately 100,000 subscribers. We have already had some positive feedback and inquiries about the cow share program due to the article. :)
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October 27, 2007, 6:20 p.m.
Happiness Is...
Are you old enough to remember the comic strip series called "Love Is..."? Each week it featured a smiling cartoon girl and boy who would share what makes one feel truly loved. I had all but completely forgotten about the long lost series until late this evening when I came downstairs and spied a scene that brought the comic strip to the front of my thoughts. Since beginning the cow share business, I have been busier than I can ever recall in my adult life. At times I've found myself actually running through the house to accomplish my tasks only to end the day with many, many things left unchecked on my "To Do" list. Defeated once again by not finding time to order some necessary supplemental materials for the boys' homeschooling, I decided I'd have to pull an "all-nighter" and work after everyone else went to bed. After saying my "good nights" to those still awake, I wearily approached the computer station that seemed to elude me all day. But before I could even plant myself for an evening of hunting for school book bargains, I was struck by a "Love Is..." moment. There, on the edge of the computer desk, was a freshly baked, generously-sized brownie with a tall glass of chocolate milk. It was accompanied by a note from a young lady and dear friend who knows all too well what it's like to work hard and late into the night to accomplish the day's tasks. Love is... a 19 year old daughter who is thoughtful and encourages her mama with specially prepared treats. What a blessing Meredith is to me!
----JOY
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October 21, 2007, 10:08 p.m.
See my blog strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com for pictures from our church's Harvest Day! ~Meredith
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October 21, 2007, 10:10 p.m.
Puppies!
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Our sweet dog Samantha had four puppies this weekend!
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Sullivan and Harrison love the cuddly puppies.
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Even little Sheridan loves the puppies!
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October 7, 2007, 9:50 p.m.
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The website and blog is all under construction, so stay tuned for all the changes!
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October 6, 2007, 8:03 p.m.
This week we have added several new additions to Avery's Branch Farms!!!
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We added two more dairy cows to the farm- Lemon and Sunshine.
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We also added four goats- Larryboy, Eleanor, Misty, and Daisy.
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Daisy is the baby goat and she hangs around the house. She follows Sullivan around everywhere and when he goes inside, she bleats loudly until he comes back out. In this picture, she is at the door on the front porch!
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October 1, 2007, 10:07 p.m.
On Saturday, Sullivan learned how to cut the grass! In this picture, Daddy and Oliver are teaching him how.
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September 22, 2007, 5:26 p.m.
On Wednesday, the boys slaughtered chickens. I (Meredith) was really glad that I didn't have to help out this time. :)
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Sullivan and Harrison bring the chickens to the killing station. Oliver puts them upside down in the cone and slits their throats. After they finish bleeding to death, they are placed in scalding hot water. Then the feathers are plucked off, feet and heads cut off, and Elliott eviscerates (pulls their guts out). Later, Mama and I bag the chickens. Today, several people have come out to the farm and bought a few of them.
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September 22, 2007, 5:13 p.m.
Sheridan loves looking out the door at our dog, Sammy, and any brothers out playing.
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September 12, 2007, 10:17 p.m.
On Monday, Elliott and I (Oliver) went with our friends Eli and Everett to evangelize at the Compass on VCU's campus. When we got there, we met with 5 people from Virginia Beach and 2 people from Richmond who were experienced street-preachers. It was an interesting experience because we were out there for four hours and for two of the hours, there was this demon-possessed guy in a pink shirt that was jumping off the walls and in the flower beds, and screaming and heckling us. Eli said that it is good when their is a crazy heckler because he attracts a crowd. Hundreds of students stopped to listen to the street-preachers and we handed out lots of tracts. Most of the people ripped them up. People were hollering in the crowd and questioning the street-preacher as he preached. There were a few people that seemed interested in the Gospel and one man stayed and quietly listened the whole time. We hope to do it again some time.
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September 12, 2007, 9:37 p.m.
Congratulations to the Pruiett family on the birth of Annabelle Claire!
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September 12, 2007, 9:02 p.m.
This week has been a busy week for us as we have been marketing our farm's cow share program at several different Farmers Markets across the Richmond area. Tomorrow (Thursday) we'll be at one last Farmers Market and on Saturday, we're scheduled to be a vendor at a Health Fair where we'll be promoting the benefits of raw, unpasteurized milk. We pass out our information flyers along with fresh milk and cookies at each of the markets. ~Meredith
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September 3, 2007, 5:16 p.m.
Daddy and a sweet four-wheelin' baby...
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Silly Harrison Spencer...
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Sullivan the Soldier
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Elliott, Oma, and Sheridan looking at the cows...
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Mama and I are staying busy processing all of the milk (eight gallons a day) and the produce that continues to come in from the garden. Over the past weekend, we made lots of butter, ice cream, mozzarella, ricotta, yogurt, sour cream, and rice pudding from the large quantities of milk. We also have baked a steady supply of cookies, brownies, and bread to go with the milk and butter. And, we've frozen lots of hot peppers and okra from our garden, prepared tomatoes for salsa from the garden, and frozen blackberries from a neighbor. All of this hard work does pay off! We were able to make a lasagna that fed our family for two meals, complete with our cheeses and the zucchini we froze earlier in the summer, costing a total of only $2!!!
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August 29, 2007, 9:18 p.m.
Yesterday Elliott got his learner's permit!!
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August 25, 2007, 9:47 p.m.
I am excited to invite you to visit Meredith's latest creative work: "Striving To Serve At Home" - a blog dedicated to the encouragement of young ladies. In her entries, she desires to share the daily joys and challenges of an "at-home daughter".
Meredith is part of an ever-increasing number of young ladies who have chosen to live at home until God gives them families of their own. These young women believe that the greatest contribution they will make on this earth is to be wives and mothers of excellence, greatly encouraging their husbands, while rearing a godly, joyful generation. Confident that this is the most rewarding life for a woman, these young ladies have thrust themselves into rigorous training and preparation so as to be highly successful in this most noble position. Serving their fathers, mothers, and siblings allows these young women a multitude of learning and serving opportunities. Although higher education is always encouraged, and challenging endeavors sought out continually, all learning is geared to the advancement of the young lady's ultimate goal of becoming a wife and mother of excellence. What an army of highly productive, remarkably intelligent young ladies these "at home daughters" are becoming. We are incredibly blessed to have one in our home and hope Meredith's testimony will be a great encouragement to the younger girls who have yet to find their life's calling.
Her blog can be found at:
www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com
~JOY
P.S. To read the testimony of another at-home daughter, visit my (Meredith's) friend Alli's new blog- sheworkswithherhands.blogspot.com.
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August 20, 2007, 11:42 a.m.
Check out our website www.averysbranchfarms.com for more information about the farm!
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August 18, 2007, 2:19 p.m.
This is what we're up to this weekend...
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Everyone is enjoying our new cows, Apple and Satin...
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We're doing all that we can to keep up with the peppers, tomatoes, and okra coming out of the garden...
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...Everyone has to help!
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August 12, 2007, 9:08 p.m.
Got Milk? We do!!!
A new Alexander Adventure begins!
Around the beginning of July, Tim and I (Joy) had a discussion about the slow real estate market and the unlikelihood of our properties selling any time soon. Unloading anything that has a mortgage attached to it has been our goal ever since learning the biblical principles on money management through the ministries of Bill Gothard and Jim Sammons. We had originally thought that when Timmy left his job, we'd sell our investment properties, pull together grocery money from the equity, and Tim and the kids would try their hand at building homes for resale. But after having several properties on the market for months with very little response, we began to reassess our plans. What can a family do that enjoys working together and needs to generate an income while waiting for houses to sell?
Ever since Elliott was a baby, I've been concerned about the milk we buy at the store. Talk of hormones and antibiotics, along with the ultra pasteurization of the organic milk which killed off all the good stuff, (to say nothing of the expense!) sent me on, what seemed like, an endless search for REAL, healthy milk. When we arrived in Amelia in May, I began my quest once again - calling dairy farms and following any leads given to me - but to no avail. Believing that other families were surely searching for milk as well, we wondered if God might bless our efforts in beginning a small, all natural, dairy farming venture. We all prayed for God to show us His will. It would be a huge commitment to milk cows every day. No more vacations for the Alexanders, no more extended day trips to town, certainly no sleeping in!! We decided to test the market and see if other folks wanted milk. So on July 6th we all loaded up and headed to the Richmond area to canvass the local health food stores. The kids all had an opportunity to talk with store managers, passers-by, and patrons as they handed out flyers. We were encouraged when we returned home and already had a message from an interested family. Continuing in prayer, we received calls and emails over the next few days. If we were to offer milk to families, the next step would surely be to buy a cow. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find a suitable Jersey cow (a breed offering the highest butterfat content and rich, delicious milk) that is currently giving milk AND for sale! We stopped at dairies, surveyed the pastures of every farm we drove by, and attended cattle auctions. Still no signs of healthy, grass-fed Jerseys in milk. Then I had a thought one morning during my devotions, "Hey, I know where we can get a cow!!" I excitedly bounced down the steps to breakfast where Timmy had gathered the family, as he does in the morning, for a "wisdom search" - a time of reading the Bible together in search for truths in God's Word. Since we had printed on the milk flyers that folks should call us between 7am and 9am for additional information, the phone rang repeatedly while Timmy oversaw the reading of a chapter in Proverbs. While serving as the "dairy farm receptionist", I missed devotions completely and the family was already outside preparing for the daily chores. I told them that they just had to gather for a minute more while I shared with them my exciting discovery. I reminded them how we had all been praying for God to lead us to some cows, then told them that we actually KNOW Someone with cows, the very type of cows we're looking for! I told them that He is Someone they all know and is a good Friend of our family and would love to help us if He thought it would be in our best interest to buy some of His cows. With wide eyes and much excitement they said, "WHO?! WHO?!" I then quoted Psalm 50:10b "God owns the cattle on a thousand hills." They smiled with delight! Adding to this great scriptural truth was the fact that before I could even share it with the children that morning, God was making His Word a reality in their lives. For you see, one of those phone calls was from a farmer in Winchester, VA, calling to say she had two young, grass-fed Jerseys in milk and for sale!! Timmy and the children all cheered at the goodness of our very dear Farmer Friend who allowed us to have two of His cattle from His thousand hills.
During the past few weeks, we've seldom loaded in the van without books about how to care for cows. At times the kids in the back are reading one book and shouting out pertinent facts while I'm up front reading aloud to Timmy. Potential customers have asked us questions about everything from our land management practices to the content of the supplemental feed the cows receive at milkings. We've had to learn a lot really, really fast! Words we didn't even know the meaning of a month ago are now being discussed over casual dinner conversation.
As we've been preparing to bring the cows home, Timmy and the boys have spent countless hours preparing a milking parlor, pasture, and fencing. Some days Timmy has been biting his nails trying to figure out how to overcome an obstacle. One such struggle was trying to find a cattle trailer so we could pick up our Jersey girls. The trailers are very expensive, aren't available to rent, and if someone does own one, it's usually the type that requires a pick-up truck to haul. (We're still surviving as a one vehicle family, with just our 12 passenger van meeting our needs.) We asked God to show Himself strong on our behalf. With the prayer request for a cattle trailer at the front of our thoughts, Timmy said he couldn't help but notice a nice horse trailer at a farmer's house when he stopped to measure the dairy farm's stantions. He commented that the farmer was nice enough to let him get measurements so Timmy would know how to prepare the milking parlor, that he wasn't about to mention the horse trailer. Well, God surely showed Himself strong on our very weak behalf when, last Sunday morning, Timmy had to quickly run out for Communion juice just before our church family arrived for worship at our house. He decided to also get some gas while out and was surprised to see the farmer, who he had met a few days earlier. The man asked Timmy when he was planning to pick up the cows and Timmy told him he still had to get a cattle trailer. The farmer immediately offerred his trailer! Tuesday morning, the whole family excitedly awoke at 3:30am and loaded up, cattle trailer in tow, headed to Winchester to pick up our sweet Jerseys.
Since their arrival, we've worked harder than ever, trying to learn how to be small-time dairy farmers. With 8 gallons of milk added to the fridge each day, we're quickly learning how to make butter, ice cream, and milk shakes. Phone calls and emails continue to come and we look forward to offering milk soon. We've most recently been tickled by callers asking if their children can tour our "farm", if we might possibly be willing to hire a homeschooling mom who has always dreamed of working on a farm, or if we offer field trips to the public school system!
We are awed by the presence of God in the details of beginning this new business. Never before have I seen God so visible in the daily concerns of our lives. This is an unparalleled season of refreshing showers of blessings. We are so thankful!
"...and all the people were very happy because of what God had accomplished so quickly." llChron.29:36
And so, another Alexander Adventure begins.....may God be glorified.
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August 6, 2007, 9:16 p.m.
Yesterday, Oliver and I (Elliott) passed out gospel tracts on Broad Street in Richmond with friends from our church. We went to downtown Richmond and handed out tracts to people sitting at the bus stop. Sadly, we were only able to pass out about 50. It was our first time ever passing out tracts, but I'm looking forward to doing it again next time hopefully with more people there.
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August 5, 2007, 6:13 p.m.
It's been a great weekend in the Alexander home! Yesterday (Saturday), we held a baby shower and afternoon tea here for Mrs. Carla Pruiett. Alli and I were completely in charge of all of the coordinating, and spent most of the previous week preparing, shopping, cooking, and decorating. It turned out to be a beautiful event and Mrs. Pruiett and the rest of the ladies from church seemed to be blessed by the day.
Today has been another eventful day, as it was our turn to host church at our home. We were so thrilled to have Oma join us for the weekend and she was such a huge help at both the baby shower and church today. She brought many flowers and made gorgeous flower arrangements for the shower. I look forward to adding pictures soon!
After church, Elliott and Oliver left with Eli (19), Everett (16), and Philip (19) (other boys from our church) to go to downtown Richmond to do street preaching! Elliott and Oliver have never done anything like that before so we are looking forward to hearing about their experience. Right now we are leaving to pick up the boys and run some other errands in Chesterfield while a real estate agent shows our house.
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Just Added! Baby Shower Pictures!
Alli and I had a great time preparing the menu and searching to buy the most economical groceries for the baby shower. On Friday we spent the day making lots of chicken salad, spinach turkey wraps, pasta salad, a cheese and cracker tray, and a vegetable tray.
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There were 17 mothers and daughters in attendance.
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After the meal, the ladies gathered to play two baby shower games and watch Mrs. Pruiett open her gifts. It is a privilege to know the Pruiett family and we all hoped that this day would be special for them!
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During the games and present time, Alli and I cleaned off the tables and replaced the tables with desserts and an assortment of teas and tea cups.
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The dessert table was prepared with chocolate covered strawberries, a New-York style classic cheesecake, a German Chocolate cheesecake, lemon bars, and some delicious chocolate chip cookies that two of the younger girls, Hannah and Leah, made.
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The ladies then enjoyed desserts and an afternoon tea.
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Alli and I had never coordinated anything like this before, but it ended up being a wonderful experience for both of us!
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It would have not been nearly as beautiful as it was if Oma hadn't come and brought so many gorgeous flowers!!! We were all so glad that Oma could join us and meet our church family.
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The banquet table was decked out with Oma's lovely flower arrangements, as well as plates with pressed flowers in them. Alli and I sewed fabric to make napkins for the table and Elliott and Oliver (of all people!) folded the napkins in to a fancy design for us!
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Mama and Mrs. Trent (Alli's mom) provided us with greatly needed insight throughout the whole preparation process.
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In this picture, Noelle Pruiett is holding Sheridan. Isabelle and Noelle are going to be such wonderful big sisters! We are so excited that the Lord is blessing the Pruiett family with another little girl!
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August 4, 2007, 9:42 p.m.
Finally an update on the blog!!! Here are a few of the things that have been keeping us busy over the last few weeks...
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The boys and Daddy finished the vinyl siding on the garage apartment. It is starting to look so good!
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We have been very blessed to have quite a bountiful harvest out of our garden this year! So far, we have had many cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, corn, zucchini, cantaloupes, cilantro, snap beans, butter beans, okra, many kinds of peppers, and more!
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Mama can hardly stay on top of all of the produce coming in from the garden. She has been canning TONS of relish, pickles, tomatoes, and pasta sauce to get rid of the abundance of cucumbers and tomatoes.
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Sheridan is getting so big! She is already beginning to crawl at only 5 months old!
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July 24, 2007, 8:23 p.m.
We have been very, very busy lately, but we look forward to updating the blog with an update and new pictures very soon!!
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July 8, 2007, 6:01 p.m.
Harrison loves to be outdoors working with Daddy, Elliott, and Oliver. Lately, as Daddy and the big boys have been finishing the vinyl siding at the garage apartment, Harrison has been working on a creation of his own.
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He is very proud of the cross he made out of wood and leftover siding. You may notice that the man on the cross is actually Jesus. Harrison is thrilled for his fine work to be shown on the family blog.
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After Harrison finished his first cross, he decided to make crosses for the thief and the murderer on either sides of Jesus. Sullivan is helping to show Harrison's woodworking skills for the camera.
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After a long day of hard work, Harrison fell asleep with his hammer in his hand. We are so blessed to have such a sweet six year old!
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July 8, 5:30 p.m.
Precious little Sheridan just loves her baby doll, "Lacy Baby". It is so much fun to have a baby girl in our home!
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July 4, 2007, 9:40 p.m.
Happy 4th of July from the Alexander family!
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We had a great 4th of July that ended with roasting marshmallows on our property.
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July 1, 2007, 4:04 p.m.
After cutting lots at one of the neighborhoods in NC this past Monday, we headed off to the beach for a few days of camping, fishing, sunning, and swimming!
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The boys all had so much fun fishing! Unfortunately, they didn't catch anything big enough to keep.
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Harrison caught his very first fish! We were all so excited for him.
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Little Sheridan enjoyed her first camping trip, but I'm not sure that the campers on either side of our campsite would agree! In this picture, Sheridan is supposed to be taking a nap in her playpen. Many of her "naps" were spent doing anything but napping!
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Sullivan is showing Sheridan the fish Harrison caught.
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Harrison begged Sullivan and me to bury him in the sand!
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We all had a great time riding the waves.
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We stayed at a great little campground in Rodanthe. Our campsite was directly on the Pamlico Sound, which gave us a nice breeze during the hot days and beautiful sunsets in the evenings.
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What an enjoyable vacation!
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June 22, 2007, 4:18 p.m.
Sullivan is very excited to share with everyone about his new business- "Sullivan's Architect Service". He would like for everyone to know that he will be selling blueprints for your next house and sample pictures to show you what your house will look like for $100. He is certain that this is a great deal, since he knows that the blueprints for our family's last home were about $800. The sample pictures of the houses are free. Sullivan says please feel free to call 651-6731 and he will be glad to give you blueprints. The picture on the right is a sample of his work.
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June 19, 2007, 9:57 p.m.
Sheridan is 4 months old today! She is such a blessing. I love her soooo much! ~ Meredith
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June 17, 2007, 10:55 p.m.
We had so much fun this past weekend at Vision Forum's Quadricentennial Celebration in Jamestown! We all dressed up in our colonial attire and headed off for two days of viewing the beautiful scenery, listening to speakers, watching the firing of muskets, sword fighting, colonial dancing, fifers, and fireworks, as well as fellowshipping with other like-minded families.
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It was especially fun to have Alli come with us! Alli and I both sewed our own dresses last week. For more pictures, see Alli's family's blog thegatheringplacetrentfamily.blogspot.com.
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Mama sewed Daddy and the boys' costumes, as well as her own. They all looked so good!
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Vision Forum held most of the event at Fort Pocahontas, Harrison Tyler's (10th President John Tyler's grandson) homestead. It was such a beautiful setting.
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We enjoyed seeing several families we know, such as the Olsons pictured above, and were encouraged to see other like-minded families.
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On Saturday, the evening was concluded with a spectacular fireworks show. The grand finale was the best I have ever seen. Vision Forum had obviously put a lot of planning and organization into the entire event.
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The weekend ended with a Sunday morning church service under the big tent with Doug Phillips and Paul Jehle preaching. Our church family all attended and went to one of the family's home afterwards for lunch. It was a great weekend! ~Meredith
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June 10, 2007, 10:24 p.m.
Today our church gathered at our house. We enjoyed having all of the families worship, eat, and fellowship with us here. Our church meets at different families' homes throughout Amelia, Powhatan, and Chesterfield each week. The fathers take turns bringing the message and each service is concluded with The Lord's Supper. After the service, we eat lunch. The lunches are coordinated so we have a "Spaghetti week", "Taco week", Sandwich week", etc. and all of the families bring something to go along with the planned meal. This week was a "Mexican week", so we had a delicious Mexican meal with two Mexican casseroles, Spanish rice, salad, and ice cream for dessert.
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After the meal, the adults talked inside and most of the children played outside. Different families left at different times throughout the afternoon and the last family left shortly before 5 p.m. We enjoy hosting church at our home and are so glad to be a part of the gathering here. ~Meredith
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June 9, 2007, 10:11 p.m.
This weekend we went to the Homeschool Convention in Richmond. We enjoyed going to the many sessions and hearing great speakers such as Doug Phillips, Ken Ham, Joel Salatin, and more.
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We also enjoyed seeing many friends throughout the weekend. On Friday night we ate dinner with the Pollards (pictured at right) and we met up with the Bedford family for lunch on Saturday. We had a wonderful time and learned so much from the many sessions! ~Meredith
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May 31, 2007, 10:20 p.m.
Our days have been very busy lately as Daddy, Elliott, and Oliver have been working hard on two projects here at our Amelia house.
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First, they began converting the large bathroom upstairs into two smaller bathrooms.
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Next, they began tearing up the vinyl in the kitchen and tiling the floor instead.
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In between all of their hard work here, we have also managed to go to NC several times to cut lots for our tractor service there.
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They are such hard workers! ~Meredith
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May 22, 2007, 9:32 p.m.
Yesterday, I had a very fun day in Farmville with my very good friend Alli (thegatheringplacetrentfamily.blogspot.com)! After seeing the beautiful quilt that Sarah Girotti (www.girottifamily.typepad.com) is working on, we were inspired to each make one for our hope chests. After we had browsed the fabric area of Wal-Mart for several hours, Alli and I were able to put together some pretty colors and patterns for our new project. She went with different shades of pinks and greens, and I chose shades of yellow and blue.
After purchasing our fabric, we decided that we would browse through downtown Farmville for a little while. We found a wonderful little cafe to eat lunch at, went looking around in the various shops, and grabbed smoothies for our walk back to the car. It was definitely a fun day to remember, and I look forward to beginning sewing! ~Meredith
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May 19, 2007, 10:03 p.m.
Pat-Pat, our grandmother, is staying with us this weekend while Pa-Pa, our grandfather, is at the Amelia Bluegrass Festival. Daddy, Mama, and Sheridan all went to a Home Owner's Association meeting in Hertford, NC today and Sullivan, Harrison, Pat-Pat, and I all enjoyed an afternoon in Farmville. We went to many of the quaint little shops and several of the Green Front furniture stores. While looking at many expensive pieces of furniture, decorations, and rugs, exhausted Harrison exclaimed, "This is SO the opposite of cool."
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After we finished looking at the stores, Pat-Pat took us to McDonald's to get ice cream cones.
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Pat-Pat and Harrison
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Sullivan and Harrison fell asleep on the 30-minute ride home.
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We picked up two pizzas from Pizza Hut on the way home. It was a nice afternoon and we have enjoyed having Pat-Pat stay with us over the weekend.
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May 16, 2007, 9:41 p.m.
Today we went to the nearby livestock auction in Blackstone, VA. Daddy had stopped by one of the auctions several years ago when he was working in Blackstone, but the rest of the family had never been to one. It was very interesting to see what the pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle sell for. We are considering buying a cow and possibly pigs while we are staying here in Amelia.
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We arrived a little bit early, so Daddy took us to the ice cream shop in Blackstone. It was a fun afternoon! ~Meredith
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May 9, 2007, 8:50 p.m.
A day in the garden...
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Harrison loves to help!
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Daddy, Elliott, and Oliver worked hard all day.
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May 5, 2007, 3:37 p.m.
We have not been able to update the blog in a while because the past two weeks have been crammed full! As Mama wrote in her last entry, Daddy left his job with Mid Eastern Builders and is now working from home. Daddy's first week "at home" (we were actually hardly home at all!) was spent on our first tractor service cutting in '07, plowing and discing a small field in hopes of growing watermelons there, and Daddy's completion of the licensing requirements for the VA Contractors Exam. Daddy's friend suggested that he take the 6.5 hour exam without any preparation, just to see what he struggled with and to use that as his studying guide before taking the exam again. We were all so thrilled for Daddy when he actually passed the test on his first try without hardly studying!
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One of the adjustments we are experiencing is that of losing Daddy's company truck. We now have 3 drivers scheduling their days around the use of 1 vehicle! Daddy and Mama are hoping to wait until the first investment property sells before they purchase a second vehicle and I have planned to use the money I have saved for years to buy and re-sell an investment property and then use some of the profit to buy my first vehicle. The beautiful strawberries pictured at right were picked during Mama's "One Hour Allotment of Van Usage" last week!
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In becoming financially prepared for Daddy to leave his job, we had to sell our home in Tyner, NC. This past week, we have been busy packing up that home and unpacking at our investment property in Amelia, VA. We will be staying in the house while we tie up some loose ends here at the Amelia property. We are anticipating the next year to be spent here in Amelia selling the rental house, finishing the carriage house, relocating the road/driveway that curves through the middle of the property to instead run parallel with the property line, and also building and selling another house at the front of the property.
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Sullivan and Harrison enjoyed one last bike ride to the river!
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Last Sunday was our last week at our small church in Suffolk, VA. We gathered outdoors at the Wilson's farm (www.fullquiverfarm.com) and the children enjoyed three-legged races and a game of kickball after the service and meal.
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The Wilson's oldest daughter, Morgan, made this delicious cake!
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Monday was moving day. It's so nice to have two strong boys!
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We certainly could have passed for the Beverly Hillbillies as we drove the van and trailer 164 miles filled to the brim with what looked like a load of junk! Actually, the load included a grill, tractor, trampoline, 1 dog, 2 puppies, 3 kittens, and 32 chickens!
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Sheridan has been so sweet throughout the move and she brings us so much joy!
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Today is Saturday and we are all settled in to the Amelia house. The boys and Daddy have spent a lot of time over the past few days preparing our garden and putting up a fence around it (to keep the deer out) and now, as I write, Daddy is beginning to tear up the foyer's ceiling to convert the huge upstairs bathroom above it into two smaller bathrooms. We feel that this will help the house in the selling process. Tomorrow morning we will be returning to the church here in Amelia that we left when we moved away 2 years ago. This upcoming week promises to be busy as Mama and I work on the outside (the flower beds are very over grown with weeds) while the boys and Daddy work on the bathroom construction. We will try to keep the blog updated so you can stay posted in our latest Alexander Adventure!
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April 29, 2007
This message was delivered by Scott Wilson on our last day at the family-integrated church we attended while living in NC. Scott's personal testimony is so stirring, so inspiring, and so challenging that we wanted to share it here so that others might also be encouraged by his wisdom-filled words on fatherhood. It has been one of our family's greatest privileges to learn from and observe the Wilsons as they are teaching us, through their example, how to raise a generation to love and serve the Lord. --Joy
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Scripture Readings
Acts 4
Deut 6:6-9
Gen 18:16-19
Alexander’s last Day
As many of you know, this is Tim Alexander and his family’s last week before moving to Amelia Virginia, west of Richmond. Tim’s family has been faithfully attending our house church for about a year and a half, and in that time it’s been a real blessing to get to know them. They have blessed us in many ways, from Tim and Joy providing insight into child training as well as Elliot and Oliver’s wonderful and continual help with processing.
It’s also been an incredible encouragement to see Tim follow the Lord in calling him to the ministry. And when I say “the ministry” I’m talking about His working in Tim’s life to bring him to the point of leaving a good paying steady job to come home to his wife and children, and work with them in a family based business. One where he can work along side his sons and daughters and mentor them in the life skills that will enable them to be not only successful in business, but in their Christian walk as well. Life skills that go beyond just simple home schooling, and reach into deep spiritual truths that can be only be passed on through large quantities of time spent with father and son… and father and daughter.
I’d like to take a minute and share a little of my personal testimony on this topic… of which I am quite passionate about. First let me say that I’m not trying to lay out rules for anyone here. I believe God has His own calling on each father’s life and these callings can certainly vary widely.
It is my personal belief that especially with our boys, as they reach young adulthood. That they should leave the tutelage of the home schooling mother, and began walking with Dad. Whatever Dad does, whether it be gainful employment, or an entrepreneurial enterprise. Sons should walk with their fathers. Children should walk with their fathers.
I used to think that I could live my life apart from my children for days and days and then spend a little “quality time” with them on the weekend. “Come on son, let’s go play. Let’s go to a movie. Let’s go to the beach… Let’s go to the game.” Certainly these were fun and enjoyable times with my family. And I encourage relationship building activities that draw hearts closer together. But something was wrong. Something just didn’t feel right about this scenario. I loved being with my children… and they loved being with me… But it seemed like all of the time I was really spending with them was in this “Disneyland” type of entertainment filled atmosphere. Everything was entertainment oriented. My children never really got to see me “working”. They never saw me problem solving in a real world working environment. They never saw me working out relationship issues with co-workers. They never saw me dealing with frustrations and problems and then coming to working resolutions. In fact, they never saw my best work.
What they saw was a Dad that loved them, but that wanted to play. They saw me actively seeking and providing them with entertainment. They saw me mostly at the end of a tired work day when my brain was “kicked out of gear” in neutral, ready for entertainment. They were learning that Dad is my entertainment provider… and that entertainment was a worthy goal. If that’s what Dad is devoted to, it must be important.
If we look at the life of Jesus, and specifically his teaching style… we find him teaching as he sat down, as he rose up, as he walked by the way. He was constantly providing example through his life, and through his words to his disciples. So much that after his death… Peter and John would be captured by the local authorities and proved such an eloquent testimony that the official would take note that although they were unschooled and ignorant men (most just lowly fisherman) they had walked with Jesus. Jesus didn’t just meet with his disciples on Sunday. He was with them most every day. It was continual. And it worked. And they took note that the disciples had walked with Jesus.
God used His word to convict me of my sin in this area of entertainment. I was unconsciously schooling my children in the virtues of entertainment as I was spending quality time with them.
Children need large sums of time with Dad. Not just a few hours here and there. They need to be with Dad when he’s working. They need to be with Dad when he’s discouraged. They need to be with Dad when he’s glorying in the success of God’s blessing. They need to be with Dad when hardship comes. They need to be with Dad when he’s at his very best… skillfully performing the occupation God has gifted him to do. They need to be with Dad solving problems, and being productive in the real world. They need a mentor. They need a leader. They need an authority that is there when they need discipline. They need a spiritual guide. They need a confidant. They need a best friend.
I believe that no matter how hard we try, we can not manufacture these experiences on the weekend. Quality time happens within the everyday hum-drum of everyday life. It happens on it’s own. Certainly by God’s blessing, but quality time can not be forced. The more time spent together… the more it happens… but it is never scheduled.
I realize that this is not the norm in our society. “Come on! That takes to much time! That’s impossible! That’s way too idealistic! You’ve got to be crazy! Your just one of those home school radicals!” I’m not in this position even now myself. But with God’s grace, I will be there soon. With God’s grace, I will have it! I want it so bad, I can taste it!
Tim. It is my prayer that God will mightily use you in your son’s and daughter’s lives. As you embark on this new chapter… On this challenging entrepreneurial endeavor. May God richly bless you with hours and hours… days and days, weeks and weeks, months and months, years and years… of prosperous quantity and quality time spent mentoring your children.
May you impart to them your love for the Lord… Your dedication to His word… Your quiet humility… Your insight and wisdom in child training... Your dedication to family... Your boldness to follow God’s call on your life.
-Scott Wilson 4-28-07
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April 20, 2007, 10:21 p.m.
What a day of celebration! April 20th was Tim's birthday AND his last day of work. For almost 2 years our family has been praying and waiting for God to open a door to what we believe is the next step in effectively training our children. In a conversation that took place on June 4, 2005, in which Timmy and I took a long, hard look at the direction of our family, we concluded that our greatest need was that of Tim's intense discipleship of the older children in particular. We began praying and posturing ourselves financially for him to leave his job and begin working from home with the kids. What we calculated as a preparation time of one year slowly dragged itself to two years. Slowing the process was a new conviction God put on our hearts through a biblical study on finances. (More details on the Inside Scoop page under "Finances") Suddenly we realized that our goals must include eliminating the mortgages we have on investment properties while preparing to enter the anticipated family business without obtaining any loans. We are so very excited that God has finally opened a door, through the sale of our current home, and we are so grateful to finally have a dad around! So we now begin a new Alexander Adventure! May God be glorified. -- Joy
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April 19, 2007, 10:52 p.m.
For the last week and a half, I (Meredith) have been staying busy preparing for Sullivan's Tractor Service's 2007 lot maintenance season and listing a new property (see "Listings" at www.anchorrealestatedevelopment.com). I was very much looking forward to today, Thursday, when I had planned to spend the day baking! Mama, Sullivan, and Harrison had dentist appointments in Virginia (Sheridan went with them too), so I pretty much had the kitchen to myself all day while Elliott and Oliver were doing their school work.
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I made a chocolate layer cake, my first attempt at cinnamon raisin bread, a loaf of wheat bread, Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chunk cookies (see Sarah Girotti's recipe at www.girottifamily.typepad.com), and Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin cookies (see Alli Trent's recipe at thegatheringplacetrentfamily.blogspot.com).
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The chocolate layer cake is for Daddy's birthday. On Friday and Saturday, I plan to deliver the cookies to our elderly neighbors throughout our little community.
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Another project I worked on today was taking all of the Christmas pictures off of the refrigerator and scrapbooking them in to the family scrapbook. We love to keep the Christmas pictures up long after Christmas!
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April 17, 2007, 8:42 p.m.
FREE PUPPIES!
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We have 2 seven-week-old lab mix puppies looking for a new home!
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Anyone interested?
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April 10, 2007 5:20pm
Congratulations, Meredith, on your very first closed deal since becoming a real estate broker! We pulled the sign and look forward to relocating it to Meredith's latest listing in Gates, NC. Check out Mere's other listings at Anchor Real Estate's website- www.anchorrealestatedevelopment.com. - JOY
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April 9, 2007, 9:00 pm
For many years I (Joy) have wanted to find a way to display this old box that the boys are playing Monopoly on in this picture. Today, the boys made a base with some old table legs and turned the box into a coffee table. This box is so special to me because it contained every single item my mother, aunt, and grandparents owned when they immigrated to the U.S.A. from Hungary during WWII. Every dish, piece of clothing, and memorable item had to fit in this one small box when they made the journey across the ocean to America - the land of opportunity. This box inspires me in so many ways - not the least being an admonishment to live in a less cluttered, less materialistic manner!
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April 8, 2007, 8:58 p.m.
THE ALEXANDER EASTER WEEKEND!!!
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On Friday night, Daddy, Elliott, Oliver, and I (Meredith) traveled up to our property in Amelia, VA to spend the night and work there on Saturday. I don't usually go with them, but Daddy wanted me to go to plow the garden area while Daddy and the boys worked on the vinyl siding on the carriage house/garage apartment. Unfortunately, we awoke to several inches of snow, which sort of changed our plans. In the picture above, Daddy and the boys are eating breakfast in the unfinished garage apartment (where we slept). The Amelia County Courthouse is on the right.
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I was sooo cold!
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Daddy and the boys worked on repairing the chicken house on the front of the property for most of the day instead of working on the vinyl siding. I helped to burn a large brush pile on the back of the property (where the garden is going to be) and plowed around it.
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After church on Easter Sunday, we went to our grandparents house for lunch.
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Pat-Pat, our grandmother, had prepared eggs for an Easter Egg Hunt for Sullivan and Harrison. Pat-Pat and I hid the eggs and then Elliott and Oliver helped Sullivan and Harrison find them all.
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Counting the eggs...
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Harrison and Sullivan had so much fun!
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When we got home there was a pretty sunset on the river behind our house. (The picture is not very good though!)
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April 7, 2007, 9:48 a.m.
After almost 7 weeks of crying a LOT during most naps, finally there was silence when Sheridan found her thumb this afternoon! We were so excited!! -JOY
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April 4, 2007, 1:18 p.m.
Our friends, the Olsons, who moved to Texas almost 2 years ago, are back in Chesapeake for a few weeks. Last night, we all went over to the Pollard's and the parents went out for dinner while all the kids stayed at the Pollard's home for a fun "kid's night".
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Bella Rose Olson and Sheridan Anna Claire went with the adults and Erin Spencer, Connor, Landon, Emily, Ashleigh, Laura, Abi, Lizzy, John, Elliott, Oliver, Sullivan, Harrison, and I stayed at the Pollard's. We ate pizza for supper and then the boys played outside while Erin Spencer, Abi, and I stayed inside and watched over the little ones.
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Laura really enjoyed her ice cream bar!
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Abi looks on as Erin Spencer plays the piano... Erin is becoming such a good piano player!
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Everyone gathered in the family room to watch the brand new Charlotte's Web DVD.
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Ashleigh is so cuddly!!
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The Olsons, Mama and Daddy, and The Pollards
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April 1, 2007, 10:17 p.m.
The Alexander Girls!
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March 29, 2007, 9:24 p.m.
Sullivan and Harrison are enjoying our dog Sammie's new little puppies so much. In this picture, they are giving two of the puppies rides in their dump trucks!
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Sheridan is such a sweet little girl!
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We have just recently rid our home of the "fried" smell from last week's fried salmon cakes and hush puppies, so we decided to fry tonight's chicken outside!
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March 25, 2007, 9:45 p.m.
Lately, Elliott and Oliver's height has become a hot topic in the Alexander home. Although Elliott is very insistent that he really is taller than Oliver, it often doesn't look that way when they are standing side by side. So, to settle the dispute, Daddy got out the measuring tape and the results were not in Elliott's favor! Elliott (age 16) is 5'11 and 5/8'' and Oliver (age 13) is 6' and 1/4''.
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March 21, 2007, 9:23 p.m.
We have greatly enjoyed going over to Granddaddy and Grandma Brickhouse's home several times since January to listen to Granddaddy tell us about the Brickhouse family ancestry, his childhood in Tyrrell County, NC, and his experiences as a Green Beret in Vietnam. We have video taped the hours of Granddaddy's stories so that the younger children and future generations will also have the opportunity to learn about our family's history. We prepared lists of questions to ask Granddaddy today to understand more about his time in the Army, as well as his life since the Army- from working as a police officer, to the beginning of his construction company, to where he is now- and to learn his opinion on current issues such as the Iraq war, women in combat, and the work ethic of today's soldier compared to those in the 1960's. We are so grateful to have a grandfather willing to share the wisdom gained from his experiences throughout his life. ~Meredith
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What a sweet little helper!
Sheridan helping with the laundry...
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March 20, 2007, 9:52 p.m.
Over the past few days the blog has not been working, so now that it is working again there is a bit of updating to do...
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Last Wednesday, Mama's friends, Mrs. Heard and Mrs. Pollard, along with Mrs. Heard's 4 month old baby, Andie, came down from Chesapeake to visit. While they visited, the boys and I (Meredith) went to Edenton for a picnic lunch. After lunch, Elliott watched the little boys as they played at the park and Oliver and I walked to the store and the bank to take care of some errands. On the way home we all stopped in Hertford and got 60 cent ice cream cones.
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On Thursday, I (Meredith) had an all day, mandatory real estate update course in Elizabeth City. It was very boring. Mama scheduled her update course for Friday so I could take care of Sheridan and bring her up to Mama's class so she could be nursed.
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While I wasn't running Sheridan back and forth to Mama's class on Friday, I was working on 3 cheesecakes that The Nicholson House ordered. I delivered them on Saturday morning.
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A new family visited our church on Sunday with four little children. The five year old girl was especially cute and very talkative. When she noticed Sheridan's rash on her face, she asked, "Why does she have all those dots on her face?" Mama sweetly informed her that lots of babies get rashes on their faces. The little girl quickly replied with much enthusiasm, "Well, it's NOT very pretty!" Mama and I both laughed at her very candid remark!
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Yesterday (Monday) and today have pretty much just been filled with normal, everyday tasks... I think we're up to date now!
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March 13, 2007, 9:59 p.m.
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~Afternoon Tea~
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Today, Oma, Mrs. Ellsworth, and Lauren Ellsworth drove down from Chesapeake to spend the afternoon with us. After a lunch of soup and sandwiches, we visited for a while and then headed to the nearby lovely Nicholson House Tea Parlor, where we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea and dessert. We enjoyed visiting and browsing through the beautifully restored tea parlor. ~Meredith
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March 8, 2007, 10:01 p.m.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIOTT!
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Today is Elliott's 16th birthday. We all went up to VA today to celebrate. Daddy met us for dinner at El Loro. Mere made an icecream cake for Elliott's birthday cake. ~Oliver
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March 5, 2007, 3:08 p.m.
Daddy and the boys drove up to our property in Amelia, VA on Friday night to begin siding the carriage house/garage apartment. Mama, Sullivan, Harrison, Sheridan, and I (Meredith) drove up on Saturday. We all spent the night at a hotel in Chesterfield and went to our church in Amelia on Sunday morning.
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In this picture, Daddy, Elliott, and Oliver are siding the carriage house. I chose the creamy yellow color for the siding.
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Sullivan, Harrison, and I worked on cleaning the inside. Sullivan is helping by rolling up an extension cord.
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Harrison helped by throwing the big pieces of trash in the trash bag.
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Now that all the drywall is up, the floors needed a good sweeping!
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We didn't have a dust pan, so a piece of soffit would have to do...
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Taking a cookie break...
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On Saturday night, we met up with our friends, the Pruietts, at Cracker Barrel.
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On Sunday morning, we attended our old church in Amelia, which was meeting at the Trent family's lovely home. The ladies enjoyed visiting after the meal.
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I enjoyed getting to see my good friend Alli!
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In this picture, the men are gathered in the living room after the meal.
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After church, we stopped by the property again and then headed for home. It was a nice weekend!
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March 1, 2007, 10:43 p.m.
Today Sheridan is 10 days old! There are lots of new pictures of sweet Sheridan on her new page "Pictures of Sheridan". ~Meredith
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February 23, 2007, 8:41 p.m.
Sheridan is such a sweet baby! She is just so precious. Today she went for her 3-day check-up and the doctor says she is a healthy little girl. She is so alert and she already even grins at some of us when we talk sweetly to her. I can hardly get any of my work done any more because I always just want to hold her! -Meredith
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Febuary 20, 2007, 9:25 p.m.
Sheridan was born yesterday! Today she was able to come home! Harrison is more excited than anyone. ~Elliott
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February 12, 2007, 9:08 p.m.
Hi. Mom and Meredith went shopping today and all of us boys had a good time. Once Oliver and I were done with our school we played with the little guys for a while. Daddy met Mom in town and Meredith brought home pizza. ~Elliott
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February 8, 2007, 9:07 p.m.
Today has been a normal day. I woke up and ate breakfast, did my chores, and then did my school work. This afternoon, Mere, Elliott, Sully, Harrison, and I went on a big adventure to the nearby exciting town of Belvidere, population 16 (or something like that), to go to the farmer's supply store, rake pine straw, and dump the trash. When we got home, we spread the pine straw in the flower beds and then Elliott and I rounded up all of our chickens that had escaped while we were gone and we fixed the chicken wire fencing around the hoop house so that they would not escape anymore. Then we went inside and Mama had made hot cocoa and rice krispie treats. For supper, Elliott and I made taquitos to go along with last night's Mexican leftovers and they turned out good. That's pretty much it.
~Oliver
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February 5, 2007, 9:54 p.m.
Today is Sheridan's due date!
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