I'm amazed

everytime I do something so simple with my toddlers, like making scones, just how much fun they have. :o)

I Surrender All

I Surrender All
Words by Jud­son W. Van De­Vent­er
Music by Will Win­field S. Weed­en
1896

All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender (I surrender all),
I surrender (I surrender all),
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

I surrender (I surrender all),
I surrender (I surrender all),
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

I surrender (I surrender all),
I surrender (I surrender all),
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Mini-Farm {Mini-Homestead?} Life

Somedays it's a chore {think rain}. Most days it's joyful {sunshine helps}. Almost always...I love it. :o)

















I'm really looking forward to Spring when we have baby goats (I couldn't just write 'kids' because someone may think we're adopting again!;o)), goslings and ducklings (hopefully!). We think Ashtyn miscarried when she ate something she shouldn't have; so we'll try again soon with her. Emily is most likely newly pregnant...we'll know Feb 11th. They have a 5 month gestation. We'll see how much I like homesteading once I'm in charge of milking twice a day! ;o)

These two mini-farmers make it more fun...

Guess who is 7 today!?

Ryland Christian. Picture taken yesterday.

A day I will never forget...

Yesterday we celebrated the faithful life of one of God's servants...Chad's grandpa. He fought the good fight and he finished the race. We began with a morning graveside service.

Watching the deer run in the green of the cemetery and feeling the warmth of the sunshine was not a small gift from God on this January day. Our 7 children were quiet and behaved, reverent and respectful. Not an easy task and one I do not ask of them often (the quiet part, anyway). I was in awe of all our family, gathering to pay tribute to their father, grandfather, great-grandfather, husband of 69 years.

As a song was sung and the guitar made beautiful music Chad's aunt and Grandmother raised their hands in praise. He was there, in heaven with his Savior and King, rejoicing! We all laid a rose on his casket and smiled remembering his sweet nature and his mischievous sense of humor. All the way until his dying day he was playing jokes on his loved ones. Even more admirable was the way he led people to the Lord even when he was sick and in pain.

At only 19 years of age, a shy Warner was called to ministry, and without fancy degrees or titles, he served. He drilled wells, helped with farming and walked many miles in the snow of Minnesota to visit his parishioners. As we listened to his children describe his faithful life, Aidan's heart was touched. The large church we met in, had begun as a prayer meeting in Warner and Pearl's home. Aidan smiled, "Just like our church began as a Bible study in our home!"

When we watched a slide show of photo's Chad made, Aidan remembered how at only 3 he would tuck his little orange Gideon Bible under his arm and jump up onto a toy box and preach his heart out. He would line up his stuffed animals and teach about God's ways. From age 90 to age 10, the Lord uses Godly examples to inspire and encourage. Aidan looked up at me and whispered, "Mama I want to be a preacher too. I hope He calls me too."

Later as Grandma lifted her tired, 93 year old arms up for yet another hug, I told her that Chad and I want to commit to praying daily for all the family members as she and Warner did for all those years. How valuable were those prayers! I know this without a shadow of a doubt. She smiled and said she would love that. Then I told her what Aidan said about wanting God to call him to be a preacher and her blue eyes widened and she smiled ear to ear, stretching our her sweet wrinkles..."Oh, oh, wouldn't that be wonderful!"

Look at all this offspring gathered in joyful remembrance and thankfulness of a godly heritage...


We were missing two families...Steve and Katarina and their two daughters and Chad's sister Micki and her two children, as well as Heidi's husband and their two boys.

Something I realized when we were there was that of all the family members, our three sons are the only ones to carry on the Keller name. There are still two guys, one married and one not, that may have a boy someday!


All of the great-grands!


Aunt Barb, Grandpa Rick, Chad and I


Grandpa Rick, Great-grandma Pearl, Chad and I


Aidan and Hope as the service began.

Deeeeelicious!

Hi my name is Halle and I love to eat healthy food. Smoothies are the best! I ask for them everyday. This is my favorite smoothie Mom makes. I have a name for it but Mom doesn't understand me when I say it. Sigh. The yogurt is plain and unsweetened. The honey and fruit are all the sugar I need. I don't even know there is anything green in it (but you can see a broccoli bit in the last picture)... it's still deeeeeeeelicious!



1 cup plain yogurt
4 peeled clementine oranges
1 large apple, cored & sliced
3 tablespoons raw honey
1 cup crushed ice
3 broccoli florets
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup blueberries
3 large strawberries

When Mom makes it for herself she adds:
1/2 cup chocolate protein powder
1 packet truvia (from stevia plant)

10 on 1.10.2010

Aidan's 10th birthday party was special. Special because he's double-didgets. Special because we toasted to his specialness. Special because I had to refuse to do a pinata and party favors. It was simple and special. He didn't even want any planned games. He wanted an ice-cream cake and his friends there. We toasted Aidan and everyone shared what they loved about him. He loved it. And we love you Aidan!!! My amazing 10 year old...

Loving the COLOR!

It's a bit loud, yet a bit soothing as well. Strange I know. We love it!
Viktoriya and I had so much fun bonding as we painted this room together...



A before shot of our playroom in a boring shade of builders white. It's been in some serious need of a paint job for about 2 of the 4.5 years we've lived here.

We had lotsa helpers.
This picture cracks me up; see a goat and a goose in the background? Reminds me of the beginning of this movie Pride and Prejudice. This here is my wonderful, crazy, hectic, beautiful life.

At this point I was thinking "What have I done?" But now I really do love it. And Chad even just requested that we paint his home office the same color when we make the room switch.

Oh come on, give me a kiss!


"Why does she think it's funny to degrade me in this way?"


Enjoying an ice cream break before removing the tape. We had the BEST paint ball fight ever after we were done this room. It has become a tradition we look forward to. After we remove the tape, we ball it up really tight, aim and FIRE!

Ta-da. The perfect room in which to curl up with a good book and a sibling. I'll post a better pic after the decorating is done.

riding lawn mower unnecessary

we've listed our riding lawn mower on craigslist~can you tell why?

Random beauty