the joys of childhood

:: yummy ::

 :: not so yummy ::

:: rockin' out ::

:: helping hands ::

:: industrious ::

:: along for the ride ::

 :: wild daisies ::

:: the pilot ::

:: quiet moments ::

:: chocolate milk? ::

:: wonder ::

gratitude list #564-#605 and a prayer request

the beginning of summer

clear blue skies

beautiful 70 degree weather

cool rain

wild buttercups

 the smell of the forest

wild daisies

beautiful sea-side towns

gorgeous peonies
old barns

strawberries and spinach from the garden

blueberries, apples, and pears growing in the back-yard

working in the garden

# 2 mowing the grass

feeling the warmth of the sun on a lazy Sunday afternoon

prayer and praise with the church family

a birthday tea-time!

jersey subs

sparkling water with lime

play-dates at the park

  an invite for lunch with sweet, sweet people
godly elders and shepherds of the flock
young women willing to disciple our youth
a daughter who knows how to organize.... unlike her mother,
and her willingness to help me!!

family movie nights

sleep overs

ice-cream sundaes

a new waffle iron and toaster

fellowship with two dear women as our 13 children play!! 

 a sweet husband who continues to bring me coffee each morning,
who loves me in-spite of my faults,
who showers me with good gifts,
who is slow to speak and slow to become angry,
who sacrificially loves!

a faithful Father who provides all I need,
who's love never fails... no matter what I do,
who showers me with endless grace, mercy, and forgiveness,
who is patient and slow to become angry,
who loved me enough to sacrifice His Son in my place, that I might live!! 

for a break from homeschooling

for #5's excitement to begin kindergarten

good books by Lynn Austin

the anticipation of visitors this summer....

especially my folks and my brother's family! 

prayer.....

Please pray for some dear friends of ours who are struggling with cancer.
I feel so helpless when I see other's suffering, but am so thankful I can lift them up to the Lord.

Providentially, two pastors that ministered at the church I grew up in,
are both fighting for their lives.
Jack is still pastoring my childhood church in GA, and is very close to my folks.
Walt is now pastoring a church in S.C.

Would you lift them, their wives, and their families up to the Lord as He brings them to mind?
It is so hard to not see the "big picture" in life.... the "big plan", BUT
I am confident God is using their suffering for His purposes and His glory,
to draw these dear men and their families to a much deeper relationship with Him,
(one that I could never imagine having, unless the Lord chooses to one day take me through the fire!)
along with the local church bodies that they are shepherding.
I know that Jack and Walt believe the same, and that their
confidence is in our faithful and sovereign Heavenly Father.

Life is hard.
But God is good.
We don't understand.
But we trust.
His mercies are new every morning,
and for that,
I am so thankful!

"In him we have obtained an inheritance, 
having been predestined according to the purpose of him 
who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 
so that we who were the first to hope in Christ 
might be to the praise of his glory. " 
Ephesians 1 :11,12

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A

simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Inspired by Soule Mama

the reality of farm life

Last week we went on another "field trip."

This time, we went to some friends of ours who have

a mini "chicken farm."

They had just recently gotten baby chicks delivered...

The kids had to think about the harsh reality that these

cute, little chirping birds, were going to be slaughtered

in a number of weeks!

These white chickens were sadly headed to the butchering block

in the next week or two. They kill and clean all these on this property!! 

The kids realized how difficult a job it was 

to simply raise these birds in a clean environment. 

Sara, the owner, said she moved the whole coop twice a day

in order for them to stay clean and eat new grass. 

These brown chickens are egg-producing. . . 

at least they will be soon. 

I'm very excited about the possibility 

of a source for good eggs!! 

These goats are also for meat.....

Sara moves them a couple of times a day too.

Farming is definitely not for the weak or soft-hearted! 

I would LOVE to one day be blessed with some chickens

in my back yard.....

for eggs, that is. Not for meat. 

I'll rely on others, like Sara, for that!!

In a day when it is so rare to know where our food is

coming from and how it has been grown,

how I do appreciate folks like these! 

Thank you!!!

our garden

Finally got around to planting a little garden a couple of weeks back. 

Now we get to keep out the weeds and watch it grow!! 

Growing things in the Northwest is quite different than in Southern California. 

I'm learning that warm weather veggies like tomatoes don't grow well here. 

I AM excited though, about all the leafy, cool weather plants 

..... that we have grown to LOVE:

Along with the above plants I also have planted:

broccoli

cauliflower

pole beans

bush beans

green leaf lettuce

squash

zucchini
flowering sweet peas :)
and numerous wild flowers

There's nothin' like having a big science experiment going on in your back yard!! 

Gardening is truly a new thing for me..... this is really only my third summer

of attempting to grow anything! 

If you're interested, you can walk down memory lane with me 

and check out last summer's garden

here and here!

What's growing in your back yard??

the first of the crop

 On our way home from Wallis Falls last week, we stopped at a very

appealing junk antique store. . . 

I love old stuff!! This little place had all kids of ancient garden decor outside,

and endless old treasures inside. You should have

seen our family's excitement over old signs, pots, baskets, books, toys

and on and on. We could have browsed for hours. 

I fell in love with this old basket.
It came complete with a strawberry plant
... already growing out of an old feed sack ...
The pastor sweetly bought it for me.

We are now watching it grow in our back yard!! 

Little bit was the first to get a taste of the season! 

Speaking of strawberries.....see that little mark on her cheek?

We have recently learned from the doctor

that this may or may not be a permanent "beauty mark."

Thankful that that is all it is.....a raised blood vessel. 

I had no idea that these could randomly appear throughout your life.

btw .... i think it is adorable :)

happy father's day

We are honoring and loving our sweet dad's today! 

What a blessing it was for me to be with my dad this past month,

and for the pastor to be ministering with his dad in the same presbytery!!!

... who would have ever thought??

:: Thank you again and again and again for the godly heritage you both have passed down ::

"Unless the LORD build the house,
those who build it labor in vain. . .


Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"
Psalm 127:1,3-5


You are blessed, sweet man of mine!
Look at all these little arrows.
Thank you for being such a wonderful father,
... for shaping and sharpening our kids ...
to one day shoot out into the world,
carrying the TRUTH of the Gospel!!
We love you dearly.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A

simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Inspired by Soule Mama

another country walk

So I have really been dragging my feet about posting, haven't I? 

I find I tend to go in and out of camera phases, picking it up consistently,

then taking a break. I think part of the problem is I 

don't feel as confident about taking inside pictures..... and as you know, it rains here quite a bit :) 

I don't care for the way my present lens 

takes indoor shots (or rather don't know how best to take indoor shots to my liking!)

I'm hoping to one day get a lens that does well in low light.

Until then, I guess you're mostly going to be getting outdoor shots! 

Last week, we got to take our friends Caleb and Elizabeth

to Ellie's horseback lesson..... and of course for another walk in the country.
It has been so fun to come back to the same place throughout the year,
and see how the scenery changes with the seasons.

The path we walked on throughout the winter by the water canal

is now completely grown over with grass that was above our heads! 

We weren't going to walk directly THROUGH the grass until

Ellie, her horse, and two others made a pathway.
Of course the boys all wanted to venture in.... I was a bit hesitant,
but Elizabeth was game, so in we went!

At one point Whit got frightened and wanted me to carry her.

The grass was probably about twice as tall as she was and

unless someone was right next to you,

you could see nothing but green blades all around you! 

Of course it turned out to be a great adventure.

We all had a fabulous time, until it was time to go,

and Drew realized he had dropped his pocket knife in the sea of green :(

We looked a good bit, but to no avail. It was literally like looking 

for a needle in a haystack! We'll look again next week.

Perhaps the grass will be mowed by then, and a miracle will happen :)

Those pretty yellow wild flowers that Whit and Abby were picking

in the last post were all gone this visit! The tractors were out, ready to go.

We actually got to watch some John Deere's begin their plowing.

Pretty cool for these boys.... not sure what to say about #4's pink crocks.

He cracks me up, and could care less about what people think of them! 

I think he likes to wear them to make me laugh.

Caleb got to come back to our house Monday and spend the night

while his mommy and daddy had some time away.

It turned out to be such a lovely time. 

Love watching Drew and Toby be "big brothers" and love on him! 

Love that we have a church family where that can happen.

Covenantal living. 

What a blessing!!