For Valentines Day...

Sometimes i just love to make people feel loved and important... Well okay... it's more like All the time and Everyone!  I have found my imperfect human form is not capable of doing so!  But here is a way of letting others know you care. I made these for some people last year.  After that last minute craft i decided i would create these Valentines again and sell them on Etsy... Here they are, and more styles to come!

Pickens Family Year 2010 Sedro Woolley:::

Well here we are at the end of 2010.  I’m not sure if you are all aware, but a few years ago we started a small hobby farm consisting of chickens and rabbits.  It quickly grew into raising sheep also.  Over the last four years we have had our share of chickens, ducks, rabbits, geese and Canadian geese, sheep, alpacas, and a llama.  A few of our friends have come our way via rescue and relocation because of prior owners’ situations.  We had our try in Vegetable gardening, building animal shelters, and fencing and re-fencing! 

This past year our lives have been shifting away from animal husbandry, to different avenues.  Last year our flock got around the 50s (and more including all the ducklings and chicks we incubated).  Now we are down about fifth of that in birds.  We sold some, eagles ate some, and roaming dogs visited our property a few too many times.  This year started with an early birth for one of our ewes. She birthed only one, named Fir.  For my birthday I received triplets, but only one survived.  At our peak our herd of sheep reached sixteen head.  We are now down to six sheep.  Downsizing has been our word of the year! 

One exciting find God gave us this last spring was a VW camper Van.  We had been searching for one that was just right, for over six years!  New adventures this summer (hopefully, there are a few minor engine details to finish!) will be had, with better efficiency and ease….        

 With that comes our latest and greatest news:::

We are now expecting another beautiful boy in April of 2011.  This is a very exciting new adventure to come!  Aedon turned 4 in August, he has been growing faster than I can believe and in his words, “I have to grow up fast, I’m going to be a big brother!”  He attends a pre-kindergarten class at the early learning center I work at, one of two jobs I am holding as of now.   Aedon is a delight to raise and who would have known how humorous and fun life is with children of your own.  Grant continues his career as an electrician.  He is about to receive his commercial license in this field, which is a major accomplishment of time and hard work for seven years now.  I had a career break of my own in Graphic Design this past summer.  This will be a great job to have with a newly born! 

Grant has taken up Bow Hunting this past year.  He is enjoying it very much.  We all took an Elk hunting trip to Mount St. Helens in the fall.   Grant considers his self lucky to have crossed a herd within 40ft range for his first big trip!  He continues to try and fulfill his tags, we shall see. 

For this Christmas I was delighted to fulfill Grant’s dream of having a horse.  We “rescued” per say a 24 yr old Arabian Mare who’s owner of 18years deceased.  Lucy is her name; Grant has been beside himself in receiving this beautiful horse. 

As life sorts its self out for our family, we see ourselves becoming more engaged as a whole and moving towards an even better new year!  I must say things haven’t always been easy around here, but through the trials and mountains we have conquered, and by the grace of God, our family is becoming more of a family! 

We sure hope you all have had a wonderful year.   God’s blessing to you and be sure to enjoy every moment you have this New Year.  Merry Christmas and happiness to you!

--- Dana, Grant, Aedon, and baby to be!