Summer fun and cooking my fresh garden goodies

Its been a very wet start to summer here. We have had nothing but rain here for the last few weeks and I'm afraid if we get any more our poor goats will have to have life jackets or a boat!!! 
We planted all our veggies early this year due to the heat last year we got hardly anything and I was forced to go to the  farmers market to buy all my goodies for canning, but this year God has blessed us with more then last year so I am grateful.

We have had a busy start to summer, a fun start! We went to the lake with our very close friends the Justice's, put up our pool and went cat fishing down at Wateree river, didnt catch anything but we had a blast. 
Cat fishing pics

 David getting caught in my pink boots.

 Our new breeding/baby pen

 Tara our Ameracauna/Cochin broody AGAIN!!

 POOL TIME!!!!

Hanging out with my best friend has become a very important hilight in my life. When ever we get the chance our families love to get together. We all get along and none of the kids fight. Its great.

Tanya and Jude

 Riley and Bean

 Riley, Joe, and Joesph 

 Our lunches and dinners are BIG when we all get together!

 I also got to take my niece and daughter to the River Banks zoo and the two of them had an awesome time and so did I.

 Milking a cow

 We celebrated Kyles 13th birthday and Macayla's 9th birthday and Tanya's ?? in May. I took the boys for some Mom time to Peach Tree Rock just to hang and relax.

Peach Tree Rock

 I have been making goat cheese like its going out of style its nice to have 2 girls in milk. I have found from eating right and exercise I lost almost 40lbs and 4 dress sizes. I will tell you this that eating either raw milk or goat cheese helps. It has given me allot more energy then I have ever had. I eat it every night.

 I also have made my first butter and it will be the only butter ever found in my home from now on. DELISH!!!!

Our tomatoes have never been so big, I am now pulling 20 to 30 a day!!!

 I am also excited because MY soaps and lotions were given out to the judges in the South Carolina Dairy goat show in Clemson!!!! Whooooooo

I will be blogging later tonight on our dinner and the recipes for the peppers and Rice so ya'll will have to wait to see but will give ya a sneak peak!

WOW!!! Its been awhile, almost a year!

This is going to be a very picture heavy blog!!! Its been almost a year since my last blog. I kinda have taken a bit of time to find myself and find my groove per say. My life is a very hectic & can be very stressful at times. I had to find a way to get my poo together. Our new property is coming along, its been cleared(1/2 acre) and just sitting there calling my name. I love going out there but hate knowing it will be about a year before I can say that its my home. We are planning on planting the half acre with corn and soy beans this year. While slowly working on getting the land perked and the well and septic out there. We have had some additions, goats, and a new kitten. Daisy came from Petsmart and was my Christmas gift from hubby.

 Spyda kidded again and had 2 boys(sold) to some wonderful ladies. Ande kidded with 2 girls, one we lost. So as of now I do have one of my own herd does who carries our name. Her name is Dew Drop Farm's Andes's Candy. Rose Spydas daughter is due around February 18th. Hoping for 2 girls. My life has been spinning at high speed and I haven't been able to control it at all up until I met a very sweet friend who has no idea how much she really means to me. I found what part of my life was missing, I needed a friend besides my hubby lol. Tanya I am so glad that we met and have become friends. We have so much in common, from the way we raise our children, home-school  and want to become self sufficient  and off the grid to the way our husbands get along so well.

Its amazing how just the bond of human friendship can do so much to someone. I have learned to slow my rear end down and not be so pushy and in a rush. If it doesn't get done today there is always tomorrow which is something I couldn't allow myself to do. I was getting run down, dehydrated, and ended up getting really sick. But I have done a flip flop. I am proud to say that I have lost 40 pounds and 3 dress sizes.

 Yay me! The kids are growing like weeds. Wyatt will be 4 in March! 4??? Where has my baby gone? Macayla and the boys are getting older and so am I. 

I can finally say that I enjoy my crazy, hectic life! We did Cookie week this year again.........

We had a wonderful weekend with our friends camping out on our property, cooking, shooting, and just having some relax time. All our kids had a blast and we cant wait to do it again.

My Bean had his first visit with Santa this year. Why did I wait so long?? One reason I wanted his first experience with the big man to be a happy one. He was so excited he could barely sit still.

Well, its getting late and 5am comes too early so I will leave you with 2 last pictures................