How can I use the New Year
To better serve my Lord?
I’ll read my Bible every day,
And be more in accord.

I’ll find new ways to serve others;
I’ll love my neighbor, too.
I’ll focus on "give" instead of "get"
In everything I do.

I’ll forgive the people I’m mad at;
Angry feelings I’ll discard;
I’ll try to love my enemies,
Even though it’s hard.

In the new year, I’ll lift people up,
Instead of putting them down.
I’ll fill my heart with love and joy,
And never wear a frown.

I’ll let go of my worries;
I’ll put it all in His hands;
I’ll repent and try to sin less,
And obey all His commands.

These new year’s resolutions
Are difficult, at best,
But there’s something I can do each day
That will put my soul at rest:

I’ll love my Lord with all my heart,
With all my mind and soul,
And if I do that essential thing,
All the rest will be in control.

By Joanna Fuchs

Happy New Year to all our family and friends. We couldn't not do it without you!!!

We Be Jammin'

We have a new December tradition in the Hill fam. Although in this season there are so many traditions to claim as our own for family togetherness, gift making, and great memories, alas, that is not the way our family does things!! This family tradition is born out of pure necessity. Making Muscadine Jam from the harvest of our vineyard. This year's harvest was only one row which ended up being about 50 lbs. So this was the smallest we will ever have. There will be about 6x that next year. So hopefully some day soon this tradition will be fun "together" time but for now the process involved lots of stickiness from sugar, burns from boiling water and a few tears from me and the boys. Not to mention a few very tense and anxiety inducing outbursts from fear of ruining the little harvest that we got from our first year.

But eventtually , we made it through with smiles on our faces and 8 full jars of jam. Of course a 2 hour recipe turned into a 4 hour ordeal. But I go into the next season of jam making with a little knowledge under my belt and hopefully a more patient attitude.

Here is a very brief picture overview of our experience. Without the drama scenes of course.

Your start with Muscadines. Wash them throughly and pick out any stems

or debris that may be left

Wash your jars and lids in very hot water

This is a must have kit in any canning job you are doing

After your grapes are washed and you set a pot of water on the stove in a very large pot to boil, you measure out your sugar.

Then you take your freshly washed grapes and mash them to break their outer skins. Muscadine are larger than tables grapes with thick skins. So Isaac had a very tough times making sure that all of the skins were broken.

This by far is the most strenous step but he did great!

Choosing the right pectin is essential. The consistency of your jam hinges on your pectin choice. Muscadines are tricky so I am definitly going to have to try a different pectin next time. This one just did not "jell" enough for me

Next you add your pectin to your sugar

Mix well

Once you mash your grapes and break all of the skins, you boil them with skins on to make them even more soft and the juice in released

Bring to a boil and stir, stir, stir

Then, as if all of the jam making is not crazy enough, we still had school to do ;)

Once the grapes have been boiled, next you strain them. I used cheese cloth this first time. That was a gross, sticky mess. Because the grape mixture is hot from boiling, the cheescloth became very soft and easily broken. I had to change it twice and because it was hot, I burned myself several times. Not fun at all. I have since learned that there are "jelly strainers" and that will be purchased before I try this again.

This step was just so gross

After all of the juice has been squeezed out, your add your sugar/pectin mixture with the juice and put it back on the stove to boil

Once the mixture has been throughly mixed and boiled for a while, you pour them into the sanitized jars, secure the lids and place them in a pressure cooker to boil and seal.

I wish I had taken a picture of the end result but by this time we were all so tired and frustrated, I just forgot! Ethan did take this self portrait just so everyone would know that all ended well.

So went the jelly making process and new tradition in our family. So next year be prepared to receive jam from our home to yours. There is no way we will ever eat all of it :)

More Christmas Cheer

One thing I love about our homeschool group is our amazing field trips. There are some that are educational, some that are just fun and then we have what have now become my favorite are the service field trips.

This year was our first time to visit one of our local nursing home. We went to sing carols, take sweets and give gifts to some of the residents that may not have family to visit them during the holidays.

We went with the intention of blessing someones life but were so surprised to have been so much more blessed by the residents there. One lady really took Isaac's heart. He spent all of his time with her. Brought her snacks, visited with her and didn't leave her side until we had to leave. It was so amazing to see how soft his heart is for the elderly. It is really a natural gift to be able to talk to them so naturally.

He has been asking to go back every week since. We will definitly have to do that!

Isaac with Mrs. Hazel Hollis

Ethan met a new friend too

Isaac and Colin couldn't get enough of Mrs. Hazel

The gang singing Christmas Carols

End of the Year Catch-Up - Reality

Okay...so it's been a long time since I really updated last. Things have been a little crazy and busy but mostly I have been feeling a lot reclusive. It's been good for me to kind of take myself out of a lot of the activity and just be home; resting and enjoying my family. This holiday season has been by far the most relaxing and calm in a long time.

What I have learned over the last few weeks.... definitely that most of the drama in my life has one common denominator; me. That is a really hard reality to admit but it's a truth that has really made me take stock of my life and realize what is important to me.

We have had several topics come up either in a sermon on Sunday morning or in the "Crazy Love"book we just finished in book club that have referred to how we approach God with words.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 (New American Standard Bible)

1(A)Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the(B)sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
2Do not be (C)hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your (D)words be few.

3For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a (E)fool through many words.

This verse is a very profound one to me right now. Not only in the way I approach God but also with how I verbally approach others. "Let your words be few" implies wisdom when speaking.; a deliberateness in words and not just what is off the top of your head; not emotionally based.

Proverbs 29:20
Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?There is more hope for a fool than for him.


This is what I would love to focus on in the new year. These two verses I would love to put into practice.


So here comes some photos that are long overdue! The first one is of Isaac and his big hunting trip with his BB and uncle Mickey. He actually was able to go for 4 full days to west Texas. This was a big step for my little guy. For him and me and Steve. He did great and had a lot of fun!!

This is just a goofy spoof for our beloved pastor. We had a print out of a picture of Luke's face and thought it would be funny to put it over Isaac's face. It turned out so well that it totally freaked Luke and Alisha out when we sent it to them!!

Ethan's Club 4-5-6 at church. We call it his pre-youth, youth group. This is the whole group on the way to their Redneck Christmas Party

Andrew and Ethan

Best Buds

Ethan loves this belt buckle. Steve used it at Halloween and it was perfect for this Redneck Party

More pictures later. This update took far too long :)

Christmas Wishes From Our Family to Yours

Merry Christmas from the Hill Family

A Little Privacy Please

I know I have not posted in over a month. The days are flying by and it's been so crazy busy here!!

Another thing that has been crazy are some of the comments that have been left on my blog. It's kinda freaking me out!! Comments like "Love your pictures, your children are so cute". Things like that. They have been left by people from all over the world that I have not idea who they are. So, I am asking for some privacy.

If you would like to continue to read my blog but I have not sent you an invite, please email me privately and I will add you:)

Merry Christmas all!

Life and Things of that Sort

Isaac's tooth looks like I feel:) A little stubborn and a lot out of sorts!!

Why is that sometimes I get real excited about updating and sharing and sometimes it just does not appeal to me in any way! Now I realize that this online journal is mostly for my benefit. To be able to look back over the years and have some idea of what life was like. Also, to share our every day happenings with distant friends and family. But sometimes it just seems like a chore. Especially if I have put it off so long that my picture stash is piled up!!

Thus is such a time....So I am going to just add pics and update in small bursts of words. It would take all day to explain each event and goings on. Who has that kind of time ;)

The first picks are truly inspired by our trip to Mt. View. Steve had tried Collard Greens for the first time and loved them. My grandmother made them every week but I had never been too adventuresome with food and so I did not try them until adulthood. So, being inspired to cook some down home southern food, I gave it a try. They smelled so good; onions, garlic and bacon added. Isaac said "Mama, I don't know what you are cooking, but its giving me the shivers." That being a good thing, I was encouraged. Alas, much to my dismay, he hated them. Ethan on the other hand had two helpings and is asking me to make more.

Isaac is not so sure..
After many tries, he finally swallows some down with a little victory dance after.

This is just Ethan being goofy. Trying to look like he is doing a hand stand ;)

Just some random family shots...

Ethan's first zit. No, he not embarrassed about this. He asked for it to be on the blog. He was very excited about it. Don't think that will last too long.

Isaac is now enrolled in tennis with Ethan. He finishes soccer this Saturday~

Having fun on the tree swing

Ethan also turned 11 on October 18th. I can't believe it. My firstborn is growing up so fast!!

Most of his gifts were money this year. Which made him extremely happy! Steve and I got him the expanded set of snap circuits. This was top of his wish list.

Steve gave me flowers on Ethan's bday too. He said for giving birth to his firstborn son~ He is so sweet and thoughtful!! I just love him to pieces.

Our newest family member. Isaac has always wanted a rabbit and when a family in our homeschool group was giving one away, we couldn't resist. This is Opie.




We also took a field trip with our homeschool group to Caddo Lake. This is the only natural lake in Texas; meaning not man-made. It is very old and a little creepy. We took a tour on the "Graceful Ghost" Steamboat. It was very cool.

The Captain let all of the kids steer the ship and blow the horn

Ethan and his best pals

This tree is believed to be over 500 years old. There is a deep, rich history with the Caddo Indians of East Texas at this lake.

Lastly, on to Halloween. Our church put on its second annual Fall Fest on the 30th. We still are very small and this is one of the few community outreaches we have done. We had an excellent turn out for our small community. I think we had more fun before the festival started. We all decided to dress up, the adults I mean, and we had so much fun oohhing and ahhing over each others costumes!!

Yes, this is me and my beloved. Better that night known as Cleo and Cletus. Steve was afraid if he went like a redneck, that most of Gladewater wouldn't even now he was in costume:)

Me and Flea. She is so awesome!!

The Crazy Kimbley Family. Alisha was the Madhatter, Carolyn, Snow White and Jaime, the Queen of Hearts. Their whole family dressed up and it was a hoot!!

Ethan was a vintner and Isaac a Ghostbuster

Steve and Chris. Yes, this is the leadership of our church;)

The Fall Fest was wrapped up by pizza and a slumber party. Ethan had Andrew over and..

Isaac had Jasper and Ben.

What a crazy few weeks we have had. I see no sign of slowing down either with the holidays just around the corner. The holidays!!! What am I doing blogging ?!? I haven't even started my Christmas shopping yet!!