An Update

Hello everyone--anyone, actually, who is still checking our blog after an almost two months' silence. 

 Here's a quick update: 

 

 

The Farm 

The farm is being its usual Moss-y old self.  The chickens are producing twenty eggs a day, we just yesterday delivered two adorable (goat) kids, and the boys are building a tree house.  (It's in the not-so-secret Secret Place, to those of you who have explored our farm.)  I'm looking forward to planting our Spring garden.

   

 

Family Night

One of our recent family nights was a game night.  George asked to play Guesstures, and loved it!  He has a flair for the dramatic--which he gets from Mommy--so "hurt" was an easy word to enact.  He looks it, doesn't he?

 

Birthdays

What would a Moss Farm blog post be without a birthday?  The only problem is that not one of us was born in January or February.  However, our great-grandmother, Mama Em, had her ninetieth birthday this January, and we celebrated it with our annual Spa Night.  Normally, we paint nails, but this time we decided to paint something bigger--crosses.  It was, as always, a very special time.

 

Homeschooling

 

Homeschooling is back to its normal abnormal state at our house.  A couple of weeks ago, Delie, Anna, George, Samuel, and Thomas participated in our local homeschool spelling bee.  They did a wonderful job, and Delie won!  We were all so excited--Mamie and Big George, Aunt Emily, and three of my cousins came, so she had by far the biggest fan club.  The next rung on the spelling bee ladder is the Memphis bee, so she has been studying for that.  

 



And in addition to all of that, we just celebrated Valentine's Day; went to the dentist, a major undertaking for a family our size; and George, Delie, Mommy, and Daddy have been training for a half-marathon.  Life is busy, but it's a restful kind of busy.  I'm so thankful that Mommy and Daddy have chosen to raise us in the way of Deuteronomy 6:1-9.  The LORD is our God!

 

Joy

Our "Island Vacation"

 

 

We just got back from our island vacation in the middle of the Mississippi River.  Mamie and Big George have a hunting cabin on Davis Island, and for the first time in four years, we, as well as my cousins, were able to go with them.  (You can see the last time here.)

 

 

Normally, the river is so deep that we have to be ferried across; but this time we were able to just drive across the barge. When we left, the river was up to the truck's headlights, but we made it! *deep sigh of relief*

 

 

William was thrilled to be able to hunt with Mommy and Daddy.  He fell asleep, however, but not before he had seen some deer.

 

 

Some of the younger ones had an archery match with  our longtime Island friends, the Campbells.  Our friendship goes back for three generations. 

 

 

Mealtimes were lots of fun--not to mention delicious!

 

 

Philip, Martha, and Samuel, a.k.a. 'The Three Stooges,' had a great time together.  I wonder how they earned their nickname?

 

 

On Saturday, Big George's sister's family drove through the rising Mississippi to spend the day.  We visited the ruins of Jefferson Davis's home, a library, and a cemetery from the 1800's.  I love the picture of Marcus and the four unidentifiable boys in camo at the cemetery.

 

 

Before leaving, the Smith and Moss grandchildren and grandparents piled on and around the Kubota. 

 

We made a lot of memories and had a very special time on our island vacation. 

 

Joy 

Merry Christmas!

 

On the 14th we cut our Christmas tree and the next day we decorated it.   

 

    

The 22nd we celebrated Christmas at Big George and Mamie's house with the Gaffrons.

Aunt Renie and Aunt Emily planned the games.

 In the first game we had to blow a whistle when the conductor points to you. With everyone blowing different notes, we played Jingle Bells.

  In the second game we were told to place a paper plate on our head

and then draw a Christmas tree, a fireplace with a mantle with a stocking

hanging from it, and then draw a present under the tree.

After that you were given points depending on how well you placed things and your creativity.  

  

 

After that we acted out the Christmas story.

The seven oldest grandchildren recited prophecies about Jesus' birth.

 

That night we went to Paw Paw's house to celebrate Christmas and our cousin, Charlie's,

Birthday.  

 

 

The next day we went to Mamie and Big George's house again.

Samuel, Philip, and Martha all got pogo sticks.

They loved them and spent most of the afternoon jumping on them.

 

 

On Christmas Eve we went to church and then went out to eat.

We have a tradition of the boys sleeping in the girl's room

so when we got home we ate dessert and went to bed.

 

  

Another tradition is to have our picture taken on the stairs

before we go down and open our presents.

 

 

For breakfast we had Pawpaw, Big George and Mamie, Mama Em and Papa Papa,

Mr. Russell, and the Pyrons for Breakfast.

 

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

~ Anna

 

 



 



Memphis

Last week, we went to Memphis for the day.  We shopped, ate lunch in the park, had the playground to ourselves, and toured the Pink Palace Museum.

 

 

 

Anna, Delie, and I rode on the tire swing.  This picture is going in our room--a sweet sister shot.  I love these girls!

 

 

I like this picture of Samuel against the blue sky.

 

 

 George and Mommy had fun on the monkey bars. 

  

 

 After lunch at the park, we went to the Pink Palace museum.  It has a large Christmas tree display this time of year; with themes from Charlie Brown to traditional to pink.  Thomas and Samuel liked the snowman tree (above).

 

 

My favorite tree was the Holly Polyhedra tree.  I guess that's because I'm Daddy's daughter. :)

 

I hope y'all are having a wonderful Christmas season. (And let me know if you decorate your tree with polyhedra--only a homeschooler would!)

 

Joy

I'm having a (cake) ball in the kitchen

 

 

Hello, everyone!  My name is James, but I answer to JJ, Sweetie Pie, Jayzee, and almost every other term of endearment.  If you're not too distracted by my adorable smile, you'll probably notice the cake ball in my hand.  You'll probably want to learn how to make them.  And chances are, if you make them, you'll start smiling just like me.

 

Okay, let's get started!

 

Step 1:

Have an older sister bake a sheet cake of her choice; she chose chocolate.  I highly approve.  After the cake has cooled, crumble it into a large bowl.  Big brothers are great for this!

 

 

Step 2:

Be sure to have your personal photographer nearby.  How else would I get to see myself with a chocolate-flavored face? 

 

 

Step 3:

Add a tub of your favorite icing.  Mommy wanted German chocolate cake balls, so she bought coconut pecan.  Yum!  Note to self: Next time, don't let Joy scrape the bowl.  There wasn't a whole lot left for little ol' me.

 

 

 Step 4:

You're done with the spoon, so lick it.  After working so hard, you deserve a treat!

 

 

 Step 5:

Chill the cake/icing mixture.  While it chills, go read a book.  I recommend Corduroy.

 

Step 6:

Roll into balls the size of a walnut.  (What is a walnut, anyway?)  Chill again. 

 

 

Step 7:

While I napped, Joy dipped the balls in melted chocolate and sprinkled them with coconut.  I guess she thought I wasn't big enough to stand by the stove.  She forgets that some day, I'm going to be taller than she is.  I'm already catching up.

 

Step 8:

If you eat all your supper, you may eat a cake ball or two--hopefully two.

Enjoy!

 

All this blogging is making me hungry.  Does anyone know where Daddy put the cake balls?