Family Circle Letter

     Hi all! Today I thought I would share some about our family life. Growing up in the Mennonite culture, families would send "circle letters". Circle letters were letters that were sent to pre-established families, in a pre-established order. Each family would add their letter to the batch and then send it on to the next family. This would be ours.
    So hello to all and peace unto you! Our family is enjoying some much needed rest and change of pace. Helping out at a few neighbors this week was fun. The children have missed their friends and are glad to be learning a few different skills.
     Kaleb is trying out welding. He designed and built a smoker for our sausage, bacon, and ham. We raised 4 piglets this summer on the creamery whey, grain, and, pasture. This is our first time smoking anything!

    Kaleb took on the initiative and figured out how to put the thing together from start to finish. His buddies helped him out with welding the grate and we are on our way!
     So we have some hickory smoked bacon, so far, and some overdone summer sausage! We will have to try that one again! We have 2 more pigs to go, so there is still opportunity!
     Jake has been helping some friends prep for a spring wedding. Cleaning, yard work, mowing, and sorting are all in order. Neighborhood work parties seem to be springing up everywhere and it is always more fun "washing someone else's dishes", if you know what I mean. So the older children are out the door when ever an opportunity arises!
      The middles are making up school that was missed in the busy cheese season. The littles are being promoted in their chores and I am working on the training of them. When things are busy it is easier to just have the older ones do everything, but they are more than happy to hand over their chores when I have time to train the younger ones.

Karson's idea of cooking!

      Kidding season with the goats was a success! 30 kids on the ground and all the mothers seem to be healthy and thriving. Jaden has really taken on the extra care of new mothers and has surprised me in her efforts to check on them, even in the coldest of weather. Day or night, rain or shine, she pulls on about 5 layers of clothes and tromps out to the barn. She says she is ready to have her own goat and I think Daniel is more than ready to give her one.

        Last thing of interest, but very high on the priority list, the Milk Safety Cabinet called. Our facility plans have been approved! Now we must get the plumbing drawn up and approved and then we are on our way! Also, the culverts are in! So as Daniel plods away at the Post Office during the seasonal package rush, we are carefully saving for rock and dirt work. Lord willing, we will have a start before the new year.
        So that is us this December. We are just cleaning, schooling, and catching up from the summer's rush. There is no shortage of things to do, but I so love having the family together again. We feel blessed for this past year and have hope for a good 2018.
        Wishing God's best to all!
                    Keely