She wants to go to culinary school

Our sweet 10 year old LOVES to cook, collect recipes and now has two of her own chef hats. My mom made Mia the cupcake apron and hat and her Auntie Debi made the apron and hat with the chili peppers (she also made the yummy pumpkin cake). You can't see the front of the chili pepper apron but it says, "Mia Caliente." So happy and so sad that our baby has reached double digits. She really does want to go to culinary school.  Happy belated birthday to Mia!

I am cherishing these times as they are growing up so fast........

Today is my firstborn's 22nd birthday. Happy Birthday to Jared!!!!!

Camp highlights

This dragonfly friend landed on my finger and stayed long enough for me to get my camera with my other hand and snap a photo. Actually, it didn't leave on its own, I had to shake it off ! And yes, a manicure was in order as soon as I got home. That dirt meant we were having a good time :)

Mia got the hang of archery after her first lesson.

Sweet friends on the way to the cabin.

Target practice was a lot of fun.

She decided that sitting and shooting was easier.

Camp was a wonderful time filled with lots of activity, games, and preaching. Mia and I agree that tug of war was our very favorite game. I also really enjoyed playing kick ball. Haven't played that since elementary school I am sure. I was up every morning no later than 6 am to ensure time for a shower before breakfast. The girls were all up at about 7 am. Lights were to be out by 10 pm but it was closer to 11 pm. It was during this last hour that the giggling would stop and the praying would start. It was at this late hour that some would feel safe to share the decisions they had made about salvation. This is when we shared our favorite thing about the day. We praised the girls for doing their very best when they wanted to quit (Bible memory, sitting still during preaching, etc. ). It was at this hour when I was the most exhausted that I was also the most blessed.

I was so excited to be able to be the counselor to my youngest daughter and two other sweet girls from our church. I expected to have an experience that would bring me closer to these three girls, to be an example to them and to learn from others. God gave me all that and more. Our small group was able to share our cabin with 11 girls (plus one wonderful counselor, Mrs. T) we had never met. These girls were not regular church attenders, many were from blended and broken homes. All just wanted to be loved. God put us all together to help each other. They needed to have good examples. They needed love and attention. They needed to be held to a higher standard. They needed to have fun and they needed to hear the gospel.

I needed to be reminded that the sheltered life that my children live is not the reality for so many children. That the wonderful church that I belong to should never be taken for granted, and that a person's salvation is the most important thing ever.

Six girls from our cabin accepted Christ as their Saviour. A total of 15 campers were saved. To God be the glory!

Meet Stella

This is our new sweet 7 pound girl. M and M have been waiting for her for about a year. We finally found a perfect little dog for our family.

Morning light

Freedom

Just a few shots of our super fun Fourth of July weekend. We were blessed to spend time with some wonderful friends appreciating God's creation and grace. I love what our country was founded on and am ashamed at the direction it is headed.

Gratitude

There is a beautiful lookout at the top of the National Cemetery that we visited on Memorial Day. Just beyond the lookout, there is an enticing self-guided walking trail. We made our way down the trail and found an obstacle course and a small lake. It is a breathtaking adventure in the middle of the city (literally and figuratively). Reminded that we would need to go back UP the trail, we headed back before we reached the end. These two lead the way while I stayed behind to take pictures (wink).

After the mini hike, we made our way to the ocean and enjoyed our picnic lunch.

What a wonderful God we serve.

I am so Thankful for so much.

God Bless America

They say: our deaths are not ours;

They are yours: they will mean

What you make them.

Excerpt from Archibald MacLeish's poem "The Young Dead Soldiers," which is carved in stone at the San Francisco National Cemetery Outlook.

These pretty little blooms in our backyard are making me sneeze! Along with the grass cutting, field plowing, and pollen blowing. Loving the sunshine and looking forward to the warm weather.


God gives us so many beautiful and amazing things to see and enjoy on this earth. I can't even imagine what heaven is going to be like.

We went out visiting today with a group of girls. Mrs. E and I were together and we heard two of our girls talking to a man at the next house. He didn't want a church invite so they asked him if he knew where he would go when he dies. He said he supposed he would go to hell. They tried to give him a tract with the salvation message on it. He told the girls to just keep it. I was so sad.


Knowing that there is a heaven and a hell I can't even imagine choosing to go to hell. I thought if that man could, for just two seconds, see what the Bible says hell is like, he would want nothing to do with it. I was also so sad that he didn't want anything to do with God. God does not send people to hell, people choose to go there when they reject God.

Just wanted to share a few of Madison's birthday treats from last week.

She has been wanting a collection of Nancy Drew books for a little while now. I had to discourage her from using a Christmas gift card to buy a few. I felt awful steering her away from buying the books. However, I knew that a certain blessing had come our way. My sweet friend was willing to give me an extensive (25+) collection of vintage Nancy Drew. Madison and I share an appreciation of some vintage things so I knew this would be just perfect for her. She absolutely LOVED the books.

We always bake a birthday treat to share at school. Madison chose our favorite sugar cookie recipe dipped in chocolate. They were fun and looked so fancy. Everyone loved them.

The day ended with dinner out of her choosing and cake at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I think her day was as special as she is.

{12}

Our sweet young lady is 12! Happy Birthday Madison.

Being still

Enjoying the moment while smiling. Feeling refreshed as winter starts packing up for the season!