Tallassee, AL

We drove down near Montgomery to stay at a friends house on Friday, so we would be close for the reenactment on Saturday. Ben and I went out to eat at a cool little place and then went to the Bass Pro shop there. Ben was in his glory!!! Now he really can't wait for the one to open here. Saturday we went to Tallassee, Al for the reenactment of the battle for the Armory. It is fought on an old Plantation, one of the houses there, they are restoring. There is so much history...I love it. We had a great time.

The Old House..kinda sad..if only houses could talk!

My Soldier Boy!

Patrick loves Uncle Ben...and of course Uncle Ben adores him as well!

Ben and his company in line

Picture during battle of unknown soldiers. :)

Ladies in our Reenactment group

Pastor Appreciation

Being this is October and pastor appreciation month,(and the last day of October) I wanted to say that I appreciate my pastor, as well as all the pastors out there laboring for God. I know it isn't always easy but your rewards will be a many in heaven. Keep up the good work.
I really appreciate our pastor, Pastor John and his wife Anita. I know God has placed them here at our church for his purpose. Our Pastor tries to get us think for ourselves. (sometimes that is hard) He has stressed the importance of love and acceptance of people, not judging others, but loving them to Christ. What is in our heart is what is most important, it will spill over and take care of the rest. I really enjoy our once-a-month marriage enrichment. They are a great example for us younger couples to follow.
Behind every good man is a great woman and that is Anita. She is such a loving, sweet woman. She has many physical problems but you never hear about them. (puts me to shame) She puts others first and gives God her best. She is also a counselor at a pregnancy center.
Thank you both for your hard work and dedication to our Church! We Love you!

Who is at my door????

Last night I heard some banging at our door. I opened it find this, two cute little animals.

Jerrel was Tigger and Patrick was a puppy.

Two little puppies!!!!
Drago says please play with me!!!

Well what is that on your head Patrick? Are you really a puppy too?

Drago is so good with them...the boys were all around and stepping on his legs as he laid down and he didn't do a thing. He just does alot of sniffing.

Uncle Ben gets bounced on from behind by Tigger!!

We enjoyed having them come out to our house for some treats. We were the last stop so everyone was a little tired, including Ben. Jerrel bundled up and went out to look at the pigs and goats before he left. I guess one of them was checking out his jacket and he thought it was so funny. Then he went around, pretending he was a goat, nibbling on our clothes! LOL

Pictures of trying to get family pictures! LOL

Our famous PhotographerYeah for Papa!!! Nice pictures!!!

Mom trying to get us all to hurry and come on....so then we can eat!!

Ok, now where do we stand??? as Leonard carries on his own conversation! LOL

Cute as a button but did get tired of waiting!!!

I love getting my picture taken!!!

What is a blog???

I was meaning to post this a while ago. I want your help. My aunt was telling my Grandma about my blog and my Grandma wanted to know what a blog was. I thought it was cute but how do you explain to someone who was born before the depression, before computers, what a blog is. I'm interested in hearing your answeres.

Birthright.???...Birthmark???

Last Wednesday I got to substitute 1st and 2nd grade. It was great and also great to walk out at the end of the day and leave it! The Bible lesson was on Jacob and Essau and how Essau sold his birthright. Well after we talked about the story and the lessons we can learn from it, a girl with a puzzled look raised her hand. "How do you give up your birthright... isn't is like in your skin?" as she graps her own skin. Your thinking of a birthmark and then went on to explain the best I could what a birthright was, again!

TIRED

Today started out fine. This morning I thought I was running ahead of schedule and would be at work in plenty of time to clock in at 5:45. Suddenly I remember, oh I gotta take Ben to pick up the truck so he has a way to get to work. He had car-pooled with a friend on Saturday and had forgotten the keys to get it Sunday. So I rush in and awaken prince charming all the while muttering oh I gotta hurry. About 5 minutes later we are driving down our drive. Thankfully the truck was kinda on the way to work but enough out of the way to make me a slight bit late. Then the lady who works the shift after me was sick so I worked for her. By the time they finally got the night cashier up and me counted down it was around 4:30.
I ran to get some hay for the animals so they would stay warm tonight, ran to Wal*Greens and then home. The I helped Ben spread the hay while the goats jumped on the other bale. They were so cute, just like kids playing king of the mountain. I then threw some dinner together, with Ben's help, ate some delicious Tilapia, salad and chowder, cleaned up and now am on my lap top for a little time to enjoy before I fall over asleep. Anyways that is my crazy day and tomorrow looks like that, clean a ladies house in the morning and then work for the sick lady again in the afternoon. Now maybe with the extra hours I can get......buy...... or fix the car??? LOL

Last week

Last week was full but exciting.
Monday I went to my quilt teacher's house and we worked on my quilt for the evening and now it is getting close. I am exctited. I believe every block is at least started, if not finished and just needing pieced together.
Tuesday the we had WMS at my house, women's missionary meeting. Once a month all the ladies get together at someone's house and this month it was me. It was a fun time and and quite a few ladies showed up. I made a yummy cake, a new recipe that I found. It turned out pretty good. I just wish I would have taken a picture of it. It was a chocolate pumpkin cake with a cream and cream cheese frosting with a chocolate glaze over it. :)
Thursday I went shopping at Aldi's. Ben tried to fix our old car's belt so we can try to sell it and wasn't able to. Frustrating for him. And now the thing won't crank. (after we went and got a new ignition because the old one locked) Oh well.... so is life!! So it is still sitting...scrap metal here we come. After that we had good time fellowshipping with some friends.
Friday was the school's fall festival. It was weird for both Ben and I going and not having any responsibility for any booths. We enjoyed it, especially the homemade doughnuts! YUM!
Saturday we went to Old Baker Farm for thier fall fun days which included a reenactment in the afternoon. I had to work but was able to get there for the battle. I had fun browsing the craft booths as well as the hayride and getting a pumpkin. Patrick just loved his pumpkin...loved it so much he chewed the stem off. It was funny.
Sunday attempted to snap some family portraits in the yard with the Fleming clan. It always takes longer than you think and its funny how everyone has thier own comment on it. (flemings have opinions? LOL) It went fine and I believe that some turned out great. We even took some fun shots! Hopefully I will post some later.
That is a little of what has been happening, everyday stuff!

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Mom and Pop. Twenty-nine Years for you guys! That is awesome! Most don't make it that long these days. Thank you for the good example you have set for us. I hope the Lord blesses you both with many more together! We love you!
-Ben and Beth

Christmas

For all that have been asking me for ideas... I have typed a Christmas wish list for both Ben and I. Click on the link to be connected to the Christmas lists.
http://benandbethschristmaslists.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Aimee Joy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR AIMEE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
I just want to wish my lil sis a happy happy birthday..belated, a day late....but still many happy birthdays!
I remember 14 years ago Pop calling and saying "Guess what?" "It's a boy right?" I replied. "No, it's a girl" to which I didn't believe at first and then was so excited. (not sure what I would have done if he had said yea, it's a boy LOL) I finally had my sister, twins just I am older.
I can't believe you are already 14. I was thinking of all the memories and girl times! I just want you to know that I still love you. I'm sorry that I don't live close to take you places and all that good stuff but I think about you alot and love you so much!
I hope your day was a special one! You are loved and missed!
-your big sis

Ladies Retreat

This past Thursday - Saturday was our conference's Ladies Retreat. This was my third time going and as always it is always a great time of fun and encouragement as well as uplifting. My Mom was able to make come with a group from her church from Easley. That was great for me and her. It was so nice to see her. She enjoyed getting to see our place as well as feeding our goats and chickens. She hadn't seen it since we fixed it up.
Our retreat's theme was enjoying the journey, with Christina Black as our speaker. She challenged us and left us thoughts to mull over. A few times, as always seems to happen, God came in our presence and just touched all of us.
Friday they usually have a theme dinner for us to dress for. This year they wanted us to dress old-fashioned. Some ladies said "We are old and already dress old-fashion." LOL
I, along with my two sister-in-laws and my mother-in-law, dressed in our reenactment dresses. Everyone loved them and asked us all the famous questions about them. Most ladies dressed old fashioned and looked so cute. I have a picture of my mom and I.
We did some shopping Friday afternoon and got some good deals. It all wrapped up Saturday after the morning session. It was great time and I came away feeling refreshed.

Here is all the ladies from my church.

Here is my mother-in-law, Sue, and my sister-in-laws, Krista and Holly.

My project

Patrick's (my nephew) 1st birthday was Friday. It is hard to get stuff for one year olds when they don't understand and they have a lot of toys already. I got to thinking and decided to try and make him a gift with my new knowledge from quilting class. I first thought of a pillow, then thought of a block pillow since his birthday theme was blocks. It turned out cuter than I thought it would and was quite proud of myself. (any orders)

I thought this was so funny! Dogs and chickens can get along. Both were sleeping until I opened the door to snap the picture and Mocha woke up. They both just laid there watching the chicks or sleeping!

Open House

October 4 was our open house! It was a great time and quite a few people came to the Fleming Homestead.

It was fun to show everyone what our place looks like as well as the animals. All the kids had fun feeding them as well as jumping on the trampoline. We received so many nice gifts. Everyone had a great time. I just wish that my family could have been there, immediate and in-laws.



























Ben worn out afterwards and so are the dogs!

falling

I'm trying to get ready for our open house. I'm getting fall boxes out of the shed so I can try to make it look pretty! I am coming down the steps of the shed, hands full of boxes and as I step on the bottom one on the edge it rolls out on me and before i know it I am sitting on the ground with no boxes in my hands and the wind knocked out of me. My leg is all scraped, other leg cut as well as my toe. I realize my bottom is really hurting as well. So much for decorating! I call ben to pick up some band-aids on his way home from work.(we just had gauze) Meanwhile I am just hurting and the leg is stinging and I realize I am going to have a very huge, very colorful bruise on my bottom, like tye-dye! My head is hurting and I have a open house to get ready for the following day! Well I woke up the next morning feeling ok just stiff and was able to get everything spic'n'span. Well except........I went to finish getting some boxes and tried to see how I fell and if the brick was tipsy and all the sudden before I knew it, it did it again! I was so mad at myself and get some more scrapes! Well ben did go and fix it so it shouldn't happen again! Thank you Ben!

Goats and pigs!

On Saturday we added 5 more creatures to our property, 3 goats and 2 pigs. Ben and Leonard built a shed for them to get out of the rain under. They are penned up in it now for a few days so they can get used to us. The goats are boer goats-meat goats. They are cute with their floppy ears thus the names Flopsy, Mopsy, and Peter-two girls and one boy.They are about 4 months old. The pigs are named Babe and Ham Bone. They are both brothers and are about 12 weeks old.
Midnight loves the goats. When she first saw them she wasn't too sure about them. We staked the goats in the yard at first untill we could get the pen ready. Next thing Midnight was laying in the grass with them. It was so cute. Everytime she comes to see the goats with me, the goats run up to meet her and follow her around as she circles the pen. It is funny.
Flopsy on the left and Peter on the right were trying to figure out what a camera was! No it is not something to eat!

(drum roll) Pictures of our place and chickens too

Due to the high demand I am releasing the much sought after photos of our place, before and after. Click on the slide show at the top of the page to view the pictures as well as read all the captions. I hope you enjoy Uncle Jim and Aunt Phyllis.....and many others!!! LOL

Battle of Chickamauga

Ben and Leonard cleaning guns after the first battle.

We have been busy since I last blogged, but not without fun. A week and a half ago, Thursday we headed for Chickamauga GA for the 145th anniversary reenactment of the battle of Chickamauga. We stayed Thursday till Saturday evening. My sister and brother-in-law came along, Krista and Leonard with their two boys, as well as my in-laws. Also some friends of ours came, so we had our own little camp right there. LOL It was the biggest one that I have been to. Over 4,000 reenactors were there. On Friday we slept in a little, ate breakfast,and did a little shopping at the sutlers. Around noon Dick Cheney spoke. His Great-Grandfather fought in the battle of Chickamauga. It was pretty neat.
Friday they had one battle and three on Saturday, the third one being a night one. That was neat but where we were we couldn't see much but a little fire now and then but the guys loved it. They said they had the most fun on that one.

My mother-in-law bought herself a dress. She looked great in it. We are fixing it a little. I bought myself a camp dress as well.

My cute nephews

Battle of Tunnel Hill

I am kinda back tracking but hadn't had time to put pics on yet but wanted you to see some great shots from the battle of Tunnel Hill, GA that we went to. Ben was first Sargent. My Nephew Patrick was so adorable and dirty!! LOL he kept finding walnuts and would chew on them!! He was more interested in them then the battle. Jerrel also had fun playing with his new friend

Quilt

Last Thursday I finished my first quilt block. I was so excited. Yesterday I worked on it again with my quilt teacher, Sam, and we made a lot of headway. She invited me to come over to her house so she could help me some more. We had a great time. It is so exciting to see it starting to take shape and feel accomplished after just cutting and pinning and ironing. I like it, especially if you work on it together with someone.This is the two different blocks I am making. They will be just like that on the quilt, alternating. It is going to be so pretty!

Parent's move

Last week I helped my parents move in. It was nice to see them again and especially being that close. It was tiring mainly for them. They were in a moving daze most of the time! :)

This is a picture of the house they are staying in right now. Eventually they will get their own place.


Truck is finally empty!!!! Go Matt!!!


My brothers and I having a little fun with the web cam on my laptop. Then enters Pop.....who is trying to figure out what is going on!!! LOL


My mom said this week that they are settling in much more and house is looking much better.

Three Eyelids??

Did you know that a dog has 3 eyelids? Well I didn't but I found that out when Midnight's third eyelid became infected. Poor thing, it looked awful. It is the eyelid that just goes around the eye but when it becomes infected it pushes over the eye some and it is like sandpaper on it. Well good thing I took her in because if you leave it too long it can actually make that eye blind. It looks alot better but still red. I have to put medicine in it 3 times a day. By the way the first eyelid, I believe, is clear over the eye and the 2nd is the one that blinks. Learn something new every day.

The car that doesn't like me

I'm driving through Atlanta. Good I thought I am missing the traffic, I'm through the city now. Then creep, creep, creep, some broken down vehicles. We are moving not to fast but not to slow. Phone rings, it's mom, can't ignore that one. So now I am driving and talking, which I normally am pretty good at.
(Oh did mention my car is a stick! Oh and did I mention my air conditioner has a problem with its condenser, it doesn't drain out after you have run it a while: well it does but not outside. So I have a pan on the passenger floor to catch it. )
Back to story, Car in front suddenly stops because of car in front of him and so on. I brake quite hard and stop just in time and watch car behind me almost hit me. Thank God it was open in lane next to him, he swerved off. Mom asks you ok, Yeah, was almost rear-ended but its alright, its moving again. All the sudden I look on the floor, oh purse fell off the seat but missed the water filled pan. It fell on the damp floor where water splashed out. Picked it up, still talking, or listening. Then I see wallet floating in water. Oh man! Lean over and scoop up. I tell my Mom what had happened. Talk ensues of letting me go. Then I see my camera also in the water! Oh NO I say, Again lean over, still driving, with phone and stick shift, scoop it up and start banging water out of it! Oh i better let you go says mom, I agree and we say good bye. I take apart banging and blowing. Anyways, It did finally turn on but now it won't turn off at all. I have to pop the batteries out. So then the lense remains out and open. Oh well.
PS Santa I hope you read this! LOL

I am famous

Our reenactment on Saturday went great. It was a little hot when the sun was out so we kept praying for the clouds. We met some really neat people who were one of the sutlers. They sold meals and boy was supper good, especially later when she gave us some home-made cinnamon rolls, smack your mama good, as my sister law said! They were people who are like Ben and I, nice and unique. We both like to garden, have animals, try to live off the land, love kids etc. They are going to be at the next reenactment we go to as well so we are both looking forward to it.
After the battle a reporter from the Chattanooga Times Free Press interviewed Ben and I. She quoted us in her article which I thought was pretty cool. You can read it at http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/07/georgia-blue-gray-battle-again/ or go to the home page and find it from there.
The best part for me is always the evening, the ball, chatting with friends, having fun. The drive home late at night can be boring and tiring or if you are riding with Leonard and Andy it can be very entertaining. To keep the driver awake they pretended to be radio hosts, discussing everything from the Bible to politics to how their show has touched people . I haven't laughed that hard in a while.
I am in NC now helping my parents unpack, borrowing some neighbors internet. :) ha ha. So Ben is by himself for a couple days. He was sick yesterday and left work early, but was feeling better late last night. Love you!
Well I better get to helping my mom unpack her kitchen.

defending my territory!

I hear my dogs barking middle of the day! Hmm. They bark but not usually in the day. I sit a second then decide to look outside. Out the back door I see a German Shepherd wandering around our back yard...Not even giving it a second thought or a what if he is a mean dog, just thinking my chickens are back there, I go flying out the door yelling and hollering "GET OUT OF HERE...GO GO GO! As I run onto the back porch, Blackie, our chicken who refuses to be penned, runs out from under the porch just a squaking and hollering. Midnight comes running after the dog and the dog meanders off, Midnight following it till it leaves, me all the while yelling at it and chasing it off. Then I think, what if he was not a nice dog, but then again if you saw what he saw you'd probably leave too, mean or not.

babbling

I am glad to be sitting at home, finally after running almost all week, and working some 10 hour days.
New news! (or old news that is new to you)
My chicks have hatched! 29 out of 35 hatched. They are almost a week old now. All of them are black with some white except 3 are yellow. I hatched them from our own eggs we get from our chickens. It is so fun to have a part in seeing new life, even just chicks. I hope to keep a few and sell the rest. (anyone want to buy some chicken?)
Drago, our newest puppy is doing pretty good. He had to have surgry on his hip after getting hit by a car. He really wants to play now that he is feeling better but we have to keep him a little longer for it to heal.
My family is moving!!! Their truck is half packed and they'll be leaving tomorrow to head part of the way down to SC. It is happy and sad for them and for me too. I'm glad they are going to be closer but sad because it is not the same. I lived at that place since i was 7. Also there is not a big reason to go back up there now so I won't see it for a long time. I guess I'm too sentimental sometimes. I do worry how much longer my grandparents will be around. Hopefully I'll get to see them again.
I hope to go help my parents move in next week. Probably going to go down monday and come back wednesday or thursday. Pray for my family and my brothers and sisters.
I put up a birdfeeder last week and the next day birds were coming to it. I love watching them!
We are going to our first reenactment of the fall this Saturday. I am excited. We are going to Tunnel Hill GA. The first one we went to was here and it is one of my favorite. I hope it is not too hot! UGGG.