More about our house

Many people have asked for more information about our house, so I am going to post specifics.
For a quick link to the pictures, they are here: http://luvmy12kids.blogspot.com/2008/07/pictures-as-promisedfirst-house.html
Location:
60 minutes to downtown Atlanta, 30 minutes to Macon, 5 miles from Forsyth, 3 miles off of I-75. Serenity in the country, but convenient for a commute.
Exterior:
The fenced areas are approximately 3 acres. Cross fenced to divide the larger pasture from a medium sized paddock, and a small connecting paddock. Loafing shed opens into the larger pasture and the connecting paddock. We have ponies and goats on the pastures. We have planted Bermuda several times, but every time the drought has taken most of it before it gets a good root system. This year I planted Bermuda with millet, and it is doing some better. If stalls were put up in the barn, and horses could be taken on and off the pasture, it could probably support two, maybe three with supplemental hay.
The rest of the property is wooded, and there is a small creek in the wooded area. There are also dog runs, and a chicken coop down by the barn.
Interior:
The house is 2764 sq ft finished with an additional 1024 sq ft unfinished in the basement.) 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, cathedral ceilings, open floor plan, with the great room, kitchen, & dining room all open. 3 bedrooms are upstairs, the master is on the main floor.
The master bedroom has 2 closests. One is a huge walk-in closet with a window (that I use as a nursery & closet.) There is a loft/library/office upstairs. Mudroom connects the oversized (676sq f) two car garage. Basement is partially finished -two rooms. My husband uses one room as an office/reloading (ammo) room, and the other room was built as a play room, but it is used as a bedroom currently. There is a small storage room, and the rest is open and unfinished. We use it as an exercise room and a school room for the older kids.

Built it in 1999. We just had gutters added, and are having some additional landscaping done as well as resealing the porch and deck. We replaced the upstairs air conditioning unit this year, new dishwasher, new stove. We are also redoing the upstairs bathroom, and having the floors refinished. It is completely wood throughout - floors, and walls, even ceilings (excluding the basement.) We share a private drive with my mom, and one other family, but we are at the end of the road so it is very secluded.

Email me at codeoflife@bellsouth.net if you want more information. We will be listing it with Martie Brown @ ReMax the beginning of Sept.

Pictures as promised....first the house

The kitchen area - which is connected to the dining/great room.

A picture of the great room from the top of the stairs.
The cathedral ceiling and loft.

A truly southern home complete with a wrap around porch and swing. French doors that enter into the master bedroom are around the corner. We dreamed of a jacuzzi on that end after the kids were all grown. The view from the master bedroom is beautiful. We left trees right up agains the house on that side.

The barn, chicken coop, and dog runs. Interior of barn and fenced areas sit on concrete. It is wired for electricity, but not connected. Open barn area could easily house 3 or 4 horse stalls.

There is an 8 x 16 loafing shed connecting the back pasture to the side pasture that is wired with lights and an outlet for fans, and the charger for the electric fence.

A view from the front. We have added Forsythia bushes and extended the flower beds. Lots of Irises and Daffodils. I am going to miss springtime in Georgia. There are also azaleas at the top of the yard.

These are pictures from last year. We have made some upgrades since they were taken, and are currently working on some more. If you are interested in a ten acre farmette (about 3 acres fenced) in the country but only minutes to convenience and less than an hour from Atlanta let me know. I wish we could pick it up and move it with us, but we can't. I am trusting that the Lord will send a buyer quickly. I am not relishing the idea of being a single parent. Clay hasn't accepted a job yet, but we are planning in that directon. We have several offers on the table.

babies, babies, babies

Spring is in the air! We have daffodils blooming, the Forsythia is covered in little yellow buds for the third time this year, and we have goat babies everywhere. Sadly for our farm revenue they are all bucks but one. This seems to be a year for difficult kidding. I am beginning to think I would enjoy being a mid-wife or a doula though. Two times we have ended up loading the laboring doe up and hauling her to the vet for more experienced assistance. The first time was with Elisabeth's goat late on a Saturday night, the only icy weekend we've had. All three babies were mis-presented, and we ended up with two bucks and a still born doeling. Next delivery progressed well with a little help from Oil of Evening Primrose, but we got two more bucks. This time, they were experimentals so their market value is less than it will cost to bottle raise them. This past week, Luke's goat went into labor but didn't progress. To my uneducated eye, it appeared that she was prolapsing so off we go again - this time in the van with all the two legged kidlets in tow as well. With a little help from the vet, she delivered our first live doeling. Luke had already decided to name her Idaho. Her sister from last year is named Montana. Bismark and Dakota are both names in their pedigrees. I thought he might like Helena, but Idaho she is.
As usual, the bottle feeding chores are distained by all but the youngest of the children who can't quite manage the task alone. This is only the beginning of birthing season, with more scattered arrivals from now until June.

We are also expecting our first litter of marketable puppies. Eriel and Parrin make a great pair. Soft fluffy white fuzz balls are due sometime this month. Mara's belly is beginning to round out too. Wonder how many kittens she'll have, and if any will be calico? She is due a trip to the vet to end her mommying days!

When all the kitty, puppy, and kidding excitement calms, we should be welcoming a Dartmoor foal into the world. THAT will be the most exciting birth! I can't wait. Nothing smells better than a newborn foal's breath. I know, I'm weird!

Other happenings at the Shaw house:
Ashley Hope stopped by for a visit yesterday. It was short so we didn't get to visit much. She arrived late, and we had committed to go to Thomas' Eagle Scout ceremony. She got here about the same time we all started getting ready so it was pretty chaotic. I have never been to a Scout ceremony; it was quite interesting. It is conducted more like a court hearing where they had to "prove" Thomas was worthy of the honor. There weren't many dry eyes by the time it was all said and done. Thomas has overcome many challenges to become a very responsible and capable young man!

We are planning to attend another Parelli clinic at the end of the month. It should be fun, as all the students are homeschoolers. Now we just have the challenge of finding someone to hold down the fort. Clay has a shooting match that weekend, so we'll ALL be going this time. Hopefully I am up for the challenge of trying to keep up with everyone. It can't be too different from going to a goat show. Maybe Sandy will be willing to milk the goats for us?!?!

I am a bit apprehensive and excited about the thought of Clay getting another job and moving. I like surprises, and am open to go anywhere God wants us, but I struggle with wanting to know WHEN. It'd be nice to know where too. Will it be Montana? Idaho? Wyoming? the Carolinas? Texas? and now Alabama and Mississippi are possibilities.... Hurry up and wait!

I guess I should close. The afternoon is slipping by and it is too beautiful not to be outside today. We normally go for a walk on Sunday afternoons, but I think Clay has slipped off to take a nap.


Hopefully, we'll get a new battery for the camera soon. I'd like to post some pics.