Once again I have neglected this blog for way to long, but I have a good reason, I think :P

48 quarts of pickles, 38 quarts of green beans, 36 jars of jam and jelly, 20 pints of salsa, and 80 cups of frozen shredded zucchini squash later, I'm still here :) And we still have another 5 days (at least!) of the growing season, so who knows how much more produce there will be. It's a big harvest this year :) Squeezed in between all of the canning and preserving, we've had THE BEST season of backyard volleyball this year :) Thursday and Friday nights have been awesome this month! I was finally able to make a spike with the net at the standard height, with me being 5'2 1/2 - don't forget the 1/2!!- it's a pretty big accomplishment :P So yeah, we're definitely enjoying this summer weather, It's supposed to cool off by the end of the week, so this might be it for volleyball :(

Tomorrow's a big fundraiser for special needs children in our town, and my parents decided that our family should go run a table and talk with people about the gift and blessings of special needs kids, they also decided that me and some of my siblings (Nate down to Luke) and I should be the ones doing most of the talking.... :0 It should be interesting, talking with COMPLETE STRANGERS and answering any questions they might have, thankfully, mom and dad are going to be there to help out, but only to help they said. I don't really mind talking to strangers, but I don't like it when they ask me questions and I have to answer them, if that makes sense...

I have got to go to bed now, I am so tired and tomorrow's coming early....

Hannah

Life..

Sorry I haven't really posted for a while, I've sat down several times and tried to write a post, but I don't know, I was having trouble writing it. I've been kind of confused about life lately, not really confused I guess, more like I'm not sure what direction I should be going kind of thing, and feeling a little out of place. Anyways, that's kind of why I haven't really posted lately. I've had some awesome conversations with some awesome people this week, and I think I'm starting to get straightened out. Life is just confusing sometimes.

Anyways, Thanks to everyone who's been praying for Gracie! She's doing amazingly well, and we were able to take her to church yesterday for the first time, she was sooooo excited :)

Oh, and something random, but Lover's Waltz, by Jay Ungar, is my new favorite song to listen to and play, it's beautiful.

Hannah~

September 11, 2011: Ten Years

May America never forget 9/11/2001. 


I hear people saying we don't need this war
But, I say there's some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground
We didn't get to keep 'em by backing down
They say we don't realize the mess we're getting in
Before you start your preaching let me ask you this my friend

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it's too disturbing for you and me
It'll just breed anger that's what the experts say
If it was up to me I'd show it everyday
Some say this country's just out looking for a fight
Well, after 9/11 man I'd have to say that's right

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And we vowed to get the one’s behind bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they're fighting for

Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Yeah, some went down like heroes in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon?
All the loved ones that we lost and those left to carry on
Don't you tell me not to worry about bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?
Have you forgotten?

September: Month of....

..... I have a friend who sends an email each month telling all of the different things it's the month of. Soo, here's her list for this month :)

Classical Music Month
Hispanic Heritage Month
Fall Hat Month
International Square Dancing Month
National Blueberry Popsicle Month
National Courtesy Month
National Piano Month
Chicken Month
Baby Safety Month
Little League Month
Honey Month
Self Improvement Month
Better Breakfast Month

I like that there's a National Piano Month, that's pretty cool! I wonder if there's a National Fiddle Month?

Oh, and last but not least, September is my birthday month :)

Hannah~

EDIT: That was weird, I thought I posted this on Sunday, I must have clicked the wrong button by mistake. Anyhow, thanks for the Birthday wishes!!

Happy September!!

I can't believe it's September! I say that every year, but it's true, it ALWAYS sneaks up on us. For us, September 1st marks the beginning of fall, the summer harvest is almost done, we're getting ready to start school, the apples start coming in, and the air changes. It just has this fall feel to it, it's hard to explain but it's there.

 I think Autumn is my favorite season, harvest is almost done for the year, schools starting up again, there's that crispness to the air. It's the season of apple picking, leaves falling, beautiful colors, chilly air, peach pie, and apple cider. Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but yes, autumn is definitely my favorite season.

I love coming inside from the chilly air, not cold, just chilly, and smelling bread in the oven, I love pressing gallon after gallon of fresh apple cider, and sharing jokes and stories with friends and family the whole time, I love the way the leaves fall off of the trees, and cover the fields with patches of color, I love going out and raking the yard with the younger kids, and burying them in piles of leaves. I love walking outside barefoot, and feeling the crunch of leaves, and then running inside before I freeze, I love having my birthday this time of year, it's so perfect outside, just cool enough to be chilly, but not so much that its cold.

 And I love being a country girl, experiencing fall in the country. Fresh bread baking, apple picking, quilting, pressing apple cider, fires in the fireplace, the smell of fresh cut wood on the porch, gathering the eggs before they freeze in the coop, seeing open fields covered in leaves, those are some of the best things, the simple, everyday things in our life, that make it so beautiful.

Hannah~