We Canned Apples!!!

We canned about 160 pounds of apples and they turned out really well!!!  We got about 40 quarts of applesauce and 15 quarts of apple juice.  It is such a blessing having fresh juice and sauce.

We had three big tables in our dining room filled with apples!

 Cutting and coring.  This was the longest process!  

The applesauce was actually really easy to do.  We seasoned it with honey, cinnamon, and cloves and it turned out great!

The Last 4 1/2 Months - A Mother's View

Well, I can safely say that this is the first blog post I've ever done!  I read them, but Savannah is our fabulous blogger girl!!

Ok - the last 4 1/2 months and why there weren't many posts - here it goes:

We have had the opportunity to experience male goat escapes (times three!!), a new transmission in the van (our other vehicle also wanted attention so broke down less than a month later!), a failed root canal, oral surgery, the flu, bronchitis, another with bronchitis, pneumonia, double pneumonia, a second round of flu, four emergency room trips, doctor appointments, more doctor appointments, blood work, more blood work, then additional blood work (!), a CAT scan, a MRI, a trip to the neurologist (did you know that you can have stroke like symptoms and the cause be something called a no pain classic migraine?!), several trips to the cardiologist (additionally, did you know that you can have a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system disguised as a heart issue - praise the Lord it wasn't!), head to toe poison ivy (ok maybe not literally head to toe, but definitely armpit to ankle - and I have the scars to prove it!!), an allergic reaction to a hornet sting, the stomach flu (thankfully Phill didn't get it, but he was sure exhausted after working all day with the Air Force then coming home and taking care of us for several days along with animal chores including milking - and the goat doesn't like him!!), various summer colds and finally anther oral surgery, this time to remove wisdom teeth (go Savannah!!).

On the property we moved the chickens to the back 2 1/2 acres along with the goats and the dogs.  We built a separate goat yard for the male goats - they escaped - so we moved them back to the front area while awaiting repairs to the fence where, yes of course, they escaped.  Unfortunately they escaped into the orchard where Phill had recently planted 40 grapevines, 70 elderberry bushes and 30 blueberries.  This occurred on a Sunday and I happened to be home with pneumonia.  Thankfully our neighbor saw the goats, called and I raced down the hill through the goat yard and into the orchard.  Once there I attempted to chase out five stubborn male goats that didn't want to be chased out because of their new found love of grapevines!!  After 45 minutes, the help of two neighbor kids and the destruction of  several grapevines the goats were safely back where they were suppose to be.  As for me, I made it back up the hill and to the house where I collapsed.  A few days later I developed double pneumonia - I should have just shot the goats!!

Additionally, we managed to work in a few projects  between occurrences in the above two paragraphs they were garden planting, retaining wall building, decking and deck repairs, deck sealing, sink hole repairs, bricking, septic repairs, privacy fence building, goat fence repairs, hay hauling, feed hauling, chicken coop cleaning, goat area cleaning, landscaping, back yard redesigning, raised bed making, tree trimming,  branch hauling, wood burning, bee hive frame making, trenching (over 1 1/2 acres - big project!!), electrical running, water line running, turning a small tier from a hill into a level spot to fit a 25' round above ground pool (we don't believe in doing anything the easy way apparently!).  The hill leveling and pool setting up were finally accomplished the first week of August.  Unfortunately, the children were only able to swim a few times because of the first paragraph(!) - there's always next year - Lord willing!

On the lighter side we have had a bountiful fruit harvest this year.  We've harvested apricots, plums, peaches, sand plums, apples and getting ready to harvest pears (that is if we can keep everyone out of the ER and doctors offices!!)  We canned close to 500 jars of jams, jellies, fruit, apple juice and syrup - all made with honey.  We also harvested our largest potato crop ever - well, at least this year we harvested more than we planted!! Phill and Savannah also harvested over 170 pounds of honey - how exciting (I stay away from her bees - yes it was me with the allergic reaction - not only was my hand twice its normal size but had beautiful shades of red, black, green and purple!)  We also had the blessing of triplet kids ... but they were all male (not what you want when you have milkers!)  Well, it looks like we'll have the blessing of goat meat next month!!

The children have also been very busy with all their school work and catch up school work. (Savannah has actually almost completed a whole year of school in just over 3 months - she's amazing!)

We also have had the blessing of company, christian fellowship and help on the property (thank you Joshua!)  We are so thankful for our children and their hard work.  It is wonderful seeing them working along side their father and I.  I'm am very blessed with a husband that is a diligent hard worker not only with the AF, but also on the property and with the church.  In the midst of the work we have also enjoyed the fellowship of our family - playing aggravation, telling stories, playing chase, reading together, playing upset the fruit basket and just being together.

Well,  in closing, we do have a few projects left before winter hits - we'll see what we can do.  One thing is for sure, we think that with all the illness we've had this year that our immune systems should be all set and ready for cold and flu season and that we should sail right through it unaffected!!  I think that sounds reasonable.  What do you think?  We'll have to let you know how that works out!!

Earthquake!!!

Yes, can you believe it?! Oklahoma City had a 4.5 magnitude earthquake this morning just after 9:00 a.m. and I felt it!!!! This is one of the largest recorded earthquakes in Oklahoma history.

I was upstairs getting ready (a little later than normal because I was taking it easy today :) and I was sitting on the bed. All of a sudden, the bed started shaking, our whole room was shaking and I could hear the jewelry in our jewelry boxes shaking! It was amazing! The thought of an earthquake seemed crazy, but I knew it wasn't the wind (ocasionally, we'll get strong gusts that seem to shake the house!). It only lasted about 10 seconds and I ran downstairs to see if anyone else had felt it but they didn't. I didn't think anymore about it until mommy was talking with one of my uncles who had called to see if we did okay in the earthquake. I was so surprised! It really was an earthquake!!!

Here is a news article:  go here

This is the second time I've been in an earthquake. The first time I was about 2 1/2 and we were living on Misawa AFB in Japan. Only that time, it was a 7.8 earthquake in December and the center was about 10 miles out in the ocean. I remember mommy grabbing me out of bed and us standing in the doorway. Our house was a mess!!! Mommy and daddy said we had about $2,000 worth of damage!


-- Post From My iPhone

Wisdom Teeth - or rather lack thereof! :)

Thank you to those of you who prayed. I really appreciate it! We just got home a little while ago and the operation went well. I am so thankful! I'm feeling pretty good right now. Hopefully it won't be too bad once the pain meds wear off. :)

Mommy got me this really cute and fuzzy lion to keep me company while I'm resting! I think I'll be up and running again soon.


Me and Laylee the Lion (I don't look too funny!)

Post From My iPhone

Out of Space!!!

After almost four years of blogging, we have used all of our photo usage space!!! 

So, I am working on getting more space.  Once I get this worked out, I'll be able to get all of my posts finished up!!!  Hopefully, there will be some new posts up here soon.

~ Savannah

Cochran Chronicles

Happy Fall!!!

Greetings to everyone!!!  Can you believe that it is already this time of year again?!  We are enjoying the cooler temperatures. We've also been enjoying eating outside around our picnic tables.  I love Fall! :)


I hope this finds everyone doing well.  Unfortunately, there has been a stomach bug going around and we caught it!  I think everyone is finally coming out of it.

We've done a lot in the past couple of months ... except blogging! So, I have a bit to catch up on!  Lord willing, I will be doing a few posts from happenings during the past few weeks and then I will go back and review the past couple of months.  I have a lot of posts coming up so be sure to check back over the next several days!


Thankfully, we survived the hailstorm a few weeks ago. :)  The only damage done was to the screen of our girls' bedroom window which has quite a few holes in it!  Much to our surprise and delight though, our cantaloupes managed to remain unharmed.  They were delicious!!!


Stasia is looking forward to her birthday and already has the countdown going (Oct. 20th)!  I've been working hard on school and Lord-willing plan to officially "finished" the beginning of November.  Pray for me next Tuesday as I am going to be getting my remaining three wisdom teeth out.  OUCH!!!  They've been causing me some issues though, so I am looking forward to having them gone.


"O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever." - Psalm 107:1

Well, more later!  Blessings to all!

~ Savannah

A big storm!!!

Our house right now...














Shenandoah loves ice. She saw the hail, got her helmet, and was going to go out and get some hail!!! :)


-- Post From My iPhone

Precious Memories

In Loving Memory of...

My Grandmother

Mary Ellen Elder
July 30th, 1940 - July 27th, 2002

She went to be with the Lord after complications from her battle with cancer.  She was dearly loved by all who new her and will always have a special place in our hearts.  Not only did we loose our grandmother eight years ago, but mommy lost her mother - her best friend.

Grandma Elder was a very special person.  I cannot adequately express in words how special she was and how dear she still is to our hearts.  I will never forget her and still think of her often.

She had a hard battle with cancer.  But, I never heard her complain.  She was always joyful and I always looked forward to visiting her and grandpa.  She was just a wonderful person to be around!

Grandma was extremely involved in her grandchildren's lives.  Even when she was feeling terrible, she still did just as many things with us.  Grandma always loved to hear anything and everything we had to tell her and whenever I was excited about something, I couldn't wait to tell grandma.
Grandma and I would go on adventures, take nature walks and sometimes read books all day.  We explored new places, built cardboard box houses and cooked together in the kitchen.  We played on the floor, fixed picnic lunches and went on boat rides.  We did errands together and had special lunch outings and I always looked forward to our early morning cuddle and story times.  We played in the sandbox, watched the rain, saw rainbows and planted flowers together.  Grandma was there and was ready to do anything with or for us whenever we needed her.  I will never forget the time I woke her up because I was hungry in the middle of the night.  What did she do?  We went to the kitchen, grandma cut me an apple and we talked as I ate it and then went back to bed.  These are just some of the many precious memories I have of grandma and I want to share some pictures with you.

Pictures with Grandma

(click on the picture to see a larger version)

Grandma and Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa with all of their (then) grandchildren.

Time with sienna.

This is the last picture us girls have with grandma and grandpa.

Coloring together

Taking a rest
(Grandma, Weston, Sabrina, (myself), Jacob)

Our last Thanksgiving together.

Eating lunch, having fun.

More times together (that's our cousin Weston)

Reading with Sabrina

Getting ready to go for a boat ride.

Making pies.

In March, we went to remember... our mother, grandmother, the women who was a huge blessing to all who knew her.

We love you grandma, and always will.

Who needs a jungle gym when you've got daddy?!

-- Post From My iPhone

Birthdays...

During our absence from blogging we celebrated two birthdays!!!   Sienna's birthday was June 11th and Daddy's birthday was July 6th.  For daddy's birthday we took him to eat and do some shopping in Oklahoma City.  Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from that expedition, but it was a lovely day!  Below however, are pictures from Sienna's birthday.

The birthday girl

Sienna and Sayer

Sienna and Seth (he is growing a beard! :)

Sienna and Stasia

Sienna and Sabrina

Sienna and I

Sienna and Mommy

Sienna and Daddy

Opening gifts.

The cake

A birthday prayer.

Daddy and Sienna by her birthday countdown sign.

We love you Sienna!!!

Quote For The Day

"Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame."

- Benjamin Franklin


-- Post From My iPhone

Goings on....

Greetings to all of you!!! Long time no post! :) I hope that everyone is having an enjoyable summer. For once, you may agree that I have a somewhat reasonable story as to why I've not been blogging. Besides the fact that we have been doing a lot lately (as I'm sure everyone else has been too!), our computer that has all of our pictures for blogging on it has not been working. :( It's in the process of being fixed though so I hope to be able to do many more posts in the near future. We shall see. Thankfully, we have copies of our photo library, so we don't have to worry about losing the pictures. It just makes blogging difficult. Anyway... I am posting this from my phone as well as the picures that will follow (which is why they don't have the greatest quality!). I hope the little bit of updating that I am able to do will be enjoyed by all! :)

Life in the Cochran family the past couple of months. How do I sum it all up?! I'll do my best...

Tons of canning!!!!!! What a blessing!!!!! This is our first year to really can like this and it has been a neat experience. Although we've all participated in the picking of the fruit (I think Shenandoah ate more than she picked :) and preparation for canning, mommy and Sabrina have been the main ones canning. So far we've been doing apricots and sand plums. Below are a few picures.




Whole Apricots




Apricot Jam




Sand plum jelly (we are still making more!)




Another picture




The bees have also been taking a lot of my time. Between building frames (its been hard to keep up with them - which is a blessing!), and inspections to make sure I'm keeping them supplied with honey supers, this is a busy time of year for the beekeeper! I have one hive with 5 supers on it!!! I am so excited. Harvesting is just around the corner and I am so thankful for the prospect of a great harvest.




I've also been doing some sewing. It is time for new skirts!!!

For fun here are some other random pictures taken recently.




A recent sunset from my window in the car.




Flowers!!





These are some that a neighbor gave us from her garden!




One of our outdoor kittens.




Playing outside. Evening is a better time to be out. It has been very hot!

Well, at least this is somewhat of an update! Besides these things I'd say "normal" everyday life, school (I'm working hard to finish this fall :), garden, and other things around our property keep us active.

Blessings to all! Hopefully you'll here from us again soon (we'll see about the computer!)

Savannah

Acting Out Bible Stories

For as long as I can remember, the story of Esther has been one of my very favorites!  There are so many wonderful things to learn from her story.  We recently saw a musical of the story of Esther.  What made it so great was that it is (other than some funny stuff added in) Biblically accurate for the most part as well.  Here is a picture from Stasia, Seth, and Sayer's version of the story of Esther.

King Ahasuerus, Queen Esther and Haman

The did a really good job acting it out! :)

We've Been Invaded By Indians!

Seth and Sayer became indian chiefs and mighty warriors. They dressed up all by themselves too!

Seth

Sayer

(unfortunately I don't remember their indian names! :)

Seth and Sayer

Here is a little video of them.