"Now We're Farmers, Dad!"

Last week, while I was out shopping and running errands with the kiddos, Joshua had a delivery. He rented a chicken tractor and bought 10 chickens for the backyard from Pilgrims' Acres. These friends of ours have a real working farm, and diverse products including free-range eggs, fresh milk, pastured chicken, pastured pork, and salad bar beef. They are an inspiration to our family as we are still dreaming, praying, and learning about being able to have that opportunity. We currently buy milk and eggs from their farm each week. The kids and I have made butter from the cream several times. There is something extra special about fresh homemade butter on fresh homemade bread. This last week, I was given this beautiful hand-made cutting board from the division of their farm "Cutler Wood Crafting." If you want to know more, or see their operation in Foristell, Missouri...

http://www.pilgrimsacres.com

Back to our chicken tractor story. The kids and I were surprised by the sight in the backyard. We have a small pen which houses the chickens and their food and water. The kids go out with Joshua in the morning to move the chicken pen to a new spot. After another 4-5 weeks the chickens should be ready to be butchered. So, we are as of right now the only subdivision neighbor who is growing their own vegetables and meat in their backyard! So to stay within the city codes...we are either now an official farm (we checked and there are not specific definitions of a farm in town so we qualify)...or you could look at it as if we are planning to eat our pets! Their names are Henny, Penny, Lenny, Denny, Benny, Jenny, Kenny, Renny, Vinnie, and Minnie. Vinnie is the tough guy and puffs his chest out to the other chickens defending his territory each morning when the pen gets moved. That's when all the action starts. The chickens get excited to have new ground with new bugs, and all scurry for their breakfast. We are learning valuable lessons and hopefully getting 10 tasty birds out of this experience. We invite you over to see the chickens or have dinner in November - whatever you prefer!

The Ungers have declared war...

The young men that is. Jonah has begun woodworking, and his first project was inspired by the young Milan men while visiting their farm last Saturday. He played with some homemade guns and thoroughly enjoyed their tree fort. This week when Joshua and Jonah got some tools together for his new ventures, Jonah was instructed only on hammering nails. The natural visionary in him, generations of visionary Unger men come to mind, would not allow Jonah to stop at putting simple nails into pieces of wood. He began to stack the wood and specifically place the nails to become parts of a machine gun. He then quickly began to create his sales pitch, market, and started pricing the guns. We laughed and reminded him he had a lot to learn still about hammering nails, but we appreciate his enthusiasm! Gabriel looked on with fascination until given permission to begin his own hammering practice. He soon got the hang of it and began to make his own simplified version. It was certainly ALOT of noise and they started right after breakfast. Since most neighbors were probably off to work, no big deal. What classic boyhood memories they are making and to see Jonah helping his brother along is quite endearing. Joshua works very hard at training Jonah in being a helpful and caring big brother. Gabriel already talks about helping his little brother the same way. Gabriel immediately prayed for his brother after Jonah's first "major" injury in hitting his thumb with the hammer. Jonah's injury didn't keep him down more than an hour or so, and he was drawn right back to the garage determined to be more careful. By Friday morning the boys were ready to wage war. I snuck around the side of the house to catch them on video attacking the enemy. Enjoy the pictures of their projects and the video of

"Generals Unger and Unger at the Battle of Treasure Island Drive".

Seven Years Of Marriage Today!

Seeing little Emma attending our wedding, I remember how far we have come in these nine years. Psalm 50:14"Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High."

My heart is thankful today, as I remember the carriage ride to meet Joshua and walk together to the gazebo to be married in the Lord. We didn't fully understand our responsibilities to each other then, but we have walked side-by-side through our trials and today are stronger than ever in our marriage.

If you have known us since the beginning, some of you might have thought we wouldn't make it. We fought about every detail of the wedding before the event and for months afterwards.

God is so loving, and good to his children! We entered a church one Sunday, hoping for some answers and some kind of peace. (Well, honestly I was looking for that, and Joshua was looking for a way to get me to stop crying - so he agreed reluctantly) It was through the series of preaching on marriage (whiich providentially began that day) that we started to see how God designed marriage. I thought it had been a mistake when I heard the pastor start the sermon with "The man is the head of the house." I groaned out loud as Joshua tapped my arm and raised his eyebrow, saying "See I told you!" We both had(have) so much to learn! Over the years we stumbled greatly, but each time, God picked us up and set us aright when we were willing to humbly ask for His help. Psalm 38:18 "For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin." Psalm 40:1-3 "I waited patiently for the Lord: and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of the miry clay, and set my feet unpon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." He has created a heavenly marriage, and He deserves all the credit, honor, and glory!

Joshua has turned his heart and focus to leading our home like never before, and our home is filled with new faith, hope, and love. The daily joy is a testimony to living within the roles of marriage the way God intended. I am not ashamed as our children would quickly answer that Daddy is the head of the home, and Mommy is the heart of the home. Submitting to the authority of God, and then to my husband is a blessing that can only be understood when it has been experienced. I thank the Lord for opening our eyes and turning our hearts toward His Word and the truth therein.

Joshua, I look forward to many more joyful years of growing up and growing older with you!

latest projects

Emma and I have been sewing. So far we have made four aprons. Two for her, one for me, and one for a gift. We plan to make a few more gifts and one more for me. Emma and I designed the apron to have a washcloth sewn onto the front to wipe our hands as we cook. It worked really well. This one we made for her today has extra details, and it is her favorite color. Thank you, Grandma Lamb, once again for giving us so much material and odds and ends to use. We are using every bit on so many different projects.


Emma and Jonah have weaved some pot holders this past week. They are easier with the new loops they received as a gift this past spring (thanks Nana). Emma started from a kit two years ago, but that project took a long time to complete She didn't want to go back to it again because the loops were terry cloth and not very stretchy. These are a nylon material and so the kids are weaving with ease and already asking for more loops to be bought. The first picture is the one Emma weaved two years ago, and the next is the one she did last week. You can see the improvement!



Next up...woodworking 101. Jonah has borrowed an idea book from a friend. He is anxious to get started, and made a list of the tools he needs so he can sort through the garage with Dad and get himself a box ready. I know less about woodworking than sewing, and trust me...I don't know much about that. So stay tuned for some funny stories about our adventures in the coming months (and pray for our safety - I'm not even joking!).

Emma's Newspaper

Emma wrote a FANTASTIC newspaper for school, but unfortunately I can't find a way to post it here on the blog. It was done in Microsoft Publisher, and since I don't have a website to link it to...I only sent it in an email to those on our lists. If you didn't see it, but want to, send her an email (or comment here) and she'll get it to you in a pdf file to check out. She put a lot of effort into that assignment, and hopes to continue to put it out every few months.

Welcome Fall

Thank You Aunt Linda and MaMa who generously gave to the kids a few weeks ago. They have really enjoyed the chalk feet, and cell phones! Gabe spent hours dragging his chalk filled wagon around the driveway to make new pictures of dinosaurs.

The beautiful fall weather is so welcomed at our house. I have the desire, but not the ability to walk about enjoying it. Ummmm...maybe I just forgot what it is like to be eight months pregnant, or maybe I'm just more out of shape? We walked the neighborhood like before the hot weather, but I was only about two blocks behind the boys!!!! So, since that doesn't really work, we are staying a little closer to home and enjoying the sun from the driveway:) So, the chalk has been a fun recess activity.

Catching up...

I've been busy and havn't posted much lately. So here is a marathon post of what's a been happenen these past few months. Enjoy.

Take me out to the ballgame...
Popo, Dad, Jonah, and Gabe enjoyed the baseball game back in July for Jonah's birthday. They had awesome seats and the Cards won! Everyone had fun and Gabe's drinks were about as big as him. Thanks Grandma and Popo for the great birthday memories.







Creek Walkin'
The kids enjoyed walking in the creek with Nanny and Papa while visiting Liberty back in July. Papa is holding a tadpole. Everyone had a chance to touch it, and remarked at how slimy it was. I watched from above on the bank, and enjoyed a walk on the trail with Joshua. Joshua was making fun of me in the bottom picture of the typical girly head tilt that got an "Awww, that is such a cute picture! from Nanny." Nobody makes me laugh like that man.









Schooltime
School is going great. We are using a new unit studies curriculum called Weaver (www.aop.com). It is based upon bible lessons and we stretch all subjects and field trips around the scripture we study. We have learned so much already this year, and it fits to the way the kids organize new information. They get to take a subject as far as their interest goes, and it often surprises me what they think of on their own.

Extra areas of interest have been sewing for both Jonah and Emma. They have made gifts for friends who are having new babies, and a stuffed kitty for a friend at church, not to mention many projects that they have made patterns for themselves.

Jonah has really taken off in his reading skills. He often picks up biographies and reads to himself. His most recent was about George Washington. It usually sparks interesting play with his siblings as he adds historical facts.

Gabe was quick to set me straight when school started. He sat down proudly with his workbook, but promptly told me, "You know, Mom, that I'm only doing one page each day!" He works hard on that one page, and does his best...but just try to get him to do another!










Climbing trees!
When we were in Haiti this past year, Gabriel didn't enjoy all the new foods we were eating. He would eat excrutiatingly slow and sometimes ask to be fed. It was pretty ridiculous. Jonah could be found daily up in some nearby tree with friends, but Gabriel was too short. The only way to get Gabe to eat was to remind him that God could keep growing him bigger to climb trees if he would do his part and eat lots of good food. When we returned home, it was funny to hear Gabriel still ask if he would grow bigger if he ate his dinner. Last month we worshiped at Creve Couer Park, and Gabe saw the fruits of his labor as he was able to climb the tree higher than ever!




Look out James Bond
A friend gave me two tuxedos that she no longer needs. I had not even asked for them, but she was cleaning house and saw me on the day she was taking stuff to drop off for donation. She asked, do you think you would want these? It just so happens that Uncle Josh is getting married this coming spring. God is so good, and always knows what we need. Now if only Gabe doesn't get too tall before March, it will work fine...as it is only a size 3 and he turns 4 next month.




Cutting Wood
Joshua had an opportunity to cut about 4 cords of wood at someone's property. Jonah went one Saturday to help, but Gabriel was crushed to be told he was too little to help. So later when Joshua returned home, Gabe was right there volunteering any help that would be accepted. He went to the backyard and handed the logs to be unloaded from the trailer to the wood rack. He kept asking his Daddy, "Do you think I could get this one?" And each time he found his strength to haul the log the two feet to the end of the trailer. He was beaming with pride and dripping with sweat when he came inside!




Annie get your guns!
Gabriel has been pretending to shoot big game in our living room all year with a nerf bow and arrow set, and once he got wind of shooting plans - he only asked if it was time to go every half hour! I have a hunch that he will follow his Daddy's footsteps and be out at camp before he is able to actually hunt. It seems to be in his nature, not something needing much encouragement from any of us!

A few weeks ago, Grandpa called and invited Jonah, Gabriel and Daddy to go shooting. It was the first lesson in gun safety and first time shooting for the boys. They went to a range in Silex, and it went very well. Jonah is a good shot (naturally from generations of hunters in the family) and Gabriel did great with Joshua holding hand-over-hand since he wasn't strong enough to hold the gun himself. Um...I'm not going to try to name the guns, shells, or any other detail I would only be pretending to understand. All I know is they were all very proud and happy, and all came back with appendages intact, which makes mama happy!

Since then, Emma has been reading about Annie Oakley and getting some grand ideas of her own! Look out boys, competition is right around the corner!






Lesson Learned
Emma learned this week not to pull things out of other people's mouths! She yanked a rope from Jonah's mouth and pulled out his front tooth! It was pretty funny, and a baby tooth so no real harm done.