Family Camp 2016

My younger sister Anna blogged about our family camp adventures complete with some adorable pictures. ;)

Tons and Bunches: Camp 2016!: HBC Family Camp was September 17-19, and we drove up and back home each night for Friday and Saturday! Enjoy the adventure! ;)  Thursda...

And here's a picture of my favorite camp memory. ;)

Family Camp!

It's family camp time again! I'm looking forward to hanging out with the nephews, enjoying the breezy weather, and maybe even collecting a few acorns. ;) Right now we're gathering our stuff together and preparing food. Since we are only coming for the daytime stuff, we're making our own food which will be fun. The list of snack jobs currently includes an apple pie and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (both regular and gluten free). Aimee and I are starting on those right now. Super yummy!

I hope to be back next week with some cute stories, great pictures, and a lot of acorns. ;)

Singing for Days Straight

We watch music videos the way sports people watch the Olympics. Cheering, judging, and enjoying. Then we come away inspired, stoked, and ready to sing for a couple days straight.

Whenever a video starts, my family and I gather from all four corners of the house. We squeeze in on the couch even sitting on the back of it (like I did last night when we were watching snippets of the actual Olympics), and time stops until it's over.

We recently spent a couple of mornings binge watching Peter Hollen's YouTube channel. We'd seen some of his songs but hadn't thought of looking at his channel until we discovered that he had covered some of our favorite songs. 

We love this one! It is not only beautiful but also filmed in an area in Oregon that looks exactly like our hometown. We have fun speculating. ;)

This one isn't the best musically; but it's pretty fun and we love how the mom looks like Maria from A Life of Music. ;) (Enjoy the goat scene!)

For some reason, this is my absolute favorite. I haven't even seen the movie, but this song is so hauntingly beautiful and he does such a good job singing it in Latin.

What music have you been enjoying lately?

Too Much Cuteness

Chap and I have enjoyed baking together before, so the other day I decided we should make shortbread.

It was extra fun because shortbread takes kneading, and he loved squeezing the butter and flour together. He's so precise and good at baking! (And thankfully good about not snitching.) ;)

Don't you just love that cheesy face? Sorry, Chap, but when you visit Grammy's house your only apron option is a flowered pinafore. If we make this a habit, that will have to be remedied. ;)

Time to lick fingers before washing 'em off! 

Oh, Chum wants to "dook" too? We ended up making another batch of what they adorably dubbed "cookies" just so he could have a turn stirring...

And kneading!

I love how his cheek is squeezed in this picture. ;)

This little friend was sitting nearby getting fed his lunch by the littlest auntie. So sweet!

Too much cuteness in one place! Love you, little guys. ;)

Tons and Bunches: Sewing Camp

Wow has July been busy! I spent the first week building my author blog Once Upon an Ordinary, the second being a mother's helper at Perry and Tyler's (along with Em--so much fun!), and this last week was full with a sewing camp. ;) I've been quite enjoying the summer adventures and opportunities my family and I have had. I can't wait to see how this week pans out! ;)


Here's a post my sister Anna did about the sewing camp. Enjoy!

Tons and Bunches: Sewing Camp: Sewing Camp Monday through Friday was a blast! The youngest sisters (minus BB) enjoyed sewing four hours each day with some of their frie...

Geeky Sisters

My computer glasses came! Hope you enjoyed this super geeky picture of Anna and I posing for the camera. ;)

Chap & Chum Explain Fireworks

Last night, we went to fireworks with Perry and Tyler and several other families from church. Chap and Chum were outfitted with ear protection, snacks, and numerous aunties/friends to hold them if they got scared. They definitely stole the show with their adorable opinions (and shooter's earmuffs that squeezed their cheeks). ; )

Chap: They're like an earplane [airplane] that goes POP!

Chum: It's loud.

Chap: They go up in the sky like a cloud then BOOM!

Chum: Wow.

Chap: The fireworks come out of a hole in the ground.

Chum: Duck! (We were near a lake, just in case you wondered if a firework had come close.) ; )

It was so special to be able to celebrate with them! How are you celebrating?

MC (Mother of Ceremonies)

Hello again! Sorry for the hiatus (I had to Google that)--I have a ton on my plate right now. See?

This week I've launched my author blog (so exciting!!), emailed with ten authors who want me to beta read for them, and submitted my next answers for Read-to-Win. It's been pretty crazy. ;) Good crazy.

I want to take a moment to thank God for my mom. She is everyone's editor (and the voice in my head telling me, "Brevity, Kate. Brevity."); teacher (explaining math, facilitating job training, and reading aloud a book on public speaking); chauffeur (shuttling us to the library for a workshop on writing or vegetables of the world); chef; counselor; MC (mother of ceremonies); and everything else imaginable. Thanks, Mom!

Bookmark Buddies

Today my younger sisters and I made bookmarks. I had found the instructions on my Pinterest, and Mom and I both agreed that it was a really adorable craft. We want to make them with little girls at church sometime, but I thought it'd be fun to try it out today with my own sisters. ; ) 

We had a ton of fun!

Since they are bookmarks, we wanted to pose them with a book and chose this one because it is already about paper dolls. (Em said this makes them look like they are dancing.) ; ) It's a really cute story and one of our favorites!

These bookmarks are so adorable (and very small so it was hard to get good pictures)! The one on the left was made by Em, and Pearly made the 

other one.

Blue earns the "prize" for the most original dress. We all accidentally chose some shade of blue for our dresses. ; ) The stripey one on the right is mine.

Here's what mine looks like in the book I'm currently reading. Pretty cute, eh? (And yes, that's the corner of Triple Creek Ranch: Set Free.) ; )

We might add some glitter to them after school, but other than that 

our summer reading buddies are finished! ; )

Book Review: Water Princess, Fire Prince

"When the Lady Dragon does come,

Hold fast, do not fear, do not run. 

Your Water Princess will fight

Fire Prince will set all to right 

Each shall come from a fall 

Their Union will save you all. 

 Despite the fact that she's on track for competing in the Olympics, and he's practically raised his younger brothers since they lost their mom in a car accident, Clara Mandras and Andrew Stevenson are pretty much normal teens. They have normal hopes, normal dreams, and they live in a normal world. All this is torn away from them when they are thrust into another world and declared Water Princess and Fire Prince. With no experience ruling a country, meeting each other for the first time, and being expected to fight the Lady Dragon - an evil sorceress plaguing the world of Rizkaland - Clara and Andrew are underprepared and inexperienced. Unless they learn to work together despite their standing opposition, Rizkaland's hope will be lost. 

What is to come will change their lives forever." 

I read this book by Kendra Ardnek in a matter of hours; and, believe me, traveling to other worlds does really mess with your timeline! ; ) Here’s what I thought of my adventure…

The Setting:
Rizkaland (once I figured out how to pronounce it) was a very intriguing world. Just familiar enough to keep it from being confusing, but very original and fascinating! I loved the different colors of water, and the journey through the mountain.

The Characters:
My favorite character was definitely Andrew, with Clara as a close second (once she came around). They both had so much to learn, and I loved watching them grow. Jill Anna, Jasmine, and one surprise character (whom I can’t name) were also big favorites. I found Laura amusing and mysterious, and I look forward to finding out more about her.

The Story:
The whole story was a book nerd’s dream—tons of literary references from the start that added so much! (Who else begins their book with a hilarious take-off on Jane Austen’s famous beginning of Pride & Prejudice or throws Alice in Wonderland references in with the dialogue?!!) Quite the clever plot with lessons in trust, hilarious moments (like teaching medieval friends to play Monopoly!), great action, and even some mystery. (That was definitely my favorite!! Some big surprises.)

The Concerns:
Parent’s may want to have caution in considering this book for younger readers because of some feministic attitudes (that do come around some later in the book), SPOILER ALERT! strong romance between older teenagers (including awkward thoughts of physical affection and the actual thing mostly after an arranged marriage). There is also a scary dragon, intense action, teenage attitude (not including disrespect of authority), and a fantasy portrayal of God.

Altogether I found it to be a great non-magical (nearly) fantasy for older readers! Please excuse me while I go use the great seal of England to crack nuts. ; )

Don't forget to visit Homeschooled Authors to find out how you can be a part of Read-to-Win! Also, keep up on the posts since we authors will be answering some really great questions. ; )

Moments

That awkward moment when you and your friends pull out a random sci-fi date and freak out because 2020 is only four years from now. (And the freaking out just happens to be while everyone else is trying to concentrate!)

That interesting moment when you are having a heart to heart with your dad, and he uses characters from a Marvel movie as examples of emotional immaturity. (Someone from another movie got used as an example of double predestination.) ; )

That adorable moment when you are playing outside with your nephew, and you realize he's not holding on safely to something like he usually does. You remind him, and he responds with "It's hot. It's hot!" Poor southwestern baby.

That hilariously weird moment when you are teasing your sister by running in slow motion pumping both arms (on your way out of the grocery store, no less), and you bang one fist into the other. I will never be one of those people who look cool walking away from an explosion. ; )

That amusing moment when you are all walking out of the grocery store (same one--it was Walmart so no regrets here), and you are vaguely aware of your family being counted. Two ladies who are walking directly behind you accidentally get included in the count. My dad had to explain to the 'counter' that they weren't with us. ; )

That unbelievable moment when the dog comes to lick your hand while you're reading on the Kindle and the page turns. I'll never know if it was her tongue or my hand.

That cute moment when your youngest sister informs you that "this is not the Long Winter, it's the Long Summer." Poor southwestern baby again. ; )

That twin moment when you're playing charades with your brother, and he draws a stick figure man in the air then shrinks it with his fingers for the word "boy". There are some things only family members understand.

Soap Factory

I pulled out my glycerin soap making supplies, and soon Em and Blue got in on the fun. They are having a ton of fun melting and mixing and experimenting with colors. ; ) Fun buddies.

Like Em's turtle?

These are some of the better things I made. I recently got white glycerin soap for the first time, so some of my projects this time were experiments with it. I LOVE the way the shells turned out.

Mom encouraged me to make some sparkly green bars to represent ocean water. I think they make a nice backdrop, and once I replace the paper plate with something a little prettier it will be just perfect. ; )

Next, I hope to make some peanut butter cookies, and after that we are going to a get-together this evening (which might have something to do with why I'm crafting for the first time in forever). ; )

Read-to-Win 2016 (or Dying and Going to Heaven)

Starting today, Homeschooled Authors is hosting their third Read-to-Win! Basically it's a chance for readers to buy these ebooks for 0.99 cents each at some point during the summer, write Goodreads reviews, and get entered in a giveaway for an $100 Amazon giftcard according to how many times you review. That's what I call awesome. ; ) There's something here for everyone--children's books, historical fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, mystery...

I'm really excited about this for three reasons...

That's number one. ; ) My book is on sale all summer as an ebook thanks to a dear friend who formatted it for me! I'm really looking forward to more people getting to read it and hopefully some more reviews. It's not an action adventure novel; but it's definitely fun, kid-safe and a great read-aloud!

Number two? Some of my favorite books are part of the sale. If you look closely, you'll see Gift from the Storm by Rebekah Morris in the sea of books. I wrote a rave review of it last year, so I'm really excited that now you'll be able to read it too! It's a really amazing mystery, and I love the story to pieces. Another book you'll see is Red Rain by Aubrey Hansen. One of the first books to introduce me to work by homeschooled authors and the sci-fi genre. It was so brilliant but super clean! Definitely a favorite. You can see in this exceedingly short review I wrote of it just exactly what I thought. ; ) And a third book featured this summer is one I read recently--Implant by J. Grace Pennington. It was really brilliant, time-wimey, and a super interesting read (for older readers). You can also read my review of this one on Amazon.

And number three... I'm looking forward to trying out a few books myself. ; )

So hop on over to Homeschooled Authors and stay tuned for great posts and great sales!

Long Time, No See (Literally)

What have I been doing? And what am I grateful for? I'm glad you asked!

I'm grateful for...

1. Bible studies. Our Evangelism training and Reclaiming Beauty studies ended earlier this month. It was sad to say goodbye to acquaintances who have become good friends, but we all agree that we should do something together again soon. ; )

2. House cleaning! Top to bottom deep cleaning. And yardwork. ; ) I got to organize our history bookshelves chronologically which was helpful to organize my own brain. (Believe it or not, I had the Alamo in the totally wrong mental place!)

3. Out of town guests. It was so much fun to catch up with friends we haven't seen in over a year! Balderdash, Chik-fil-a, thrifting, Studio C, a water fight, and just plain hanging out... Good times. ; )

4. Family. ; )

(The crazy sisters on the slide. We're screaming because we're falling of the end as Anna is taking the picture. And yes, that's all of us, Blue is just hiding next to Aimee's head.) ; )

5. Homeschooled Authors work. I'm now officially part of the team helping out with emails and keeping the booklist updated. It's been a ton of fun to work with the amazing Sarah Holman and all the other authors I come into contact with. ; )

6. Short story inspiration. A couple weeks ago Em and I spent a couple of days at Perry and Tyler's. During our nighttime talking time together, we told each other stories. I recently expanded my idea into a full short story which I hope to have up on Noble Novels soon. I had her and Blue read the finished version to give me their opinions. They enjoyed it and found a few continuity errors/missing words which was really special. ; )

7. More book related stuff believe it or not. ; ) I'm part of a summer reading program on Homeschooled Authors (more details Wednesday!). It was quite a bit of fun work to get my entries put together, and Anna helped me a ton by taking the pictures for me. ; ) We had a hilarious time together trying to pick poses. I'm a bit of a photographer's nightmare since I like to photobomb myself; but she did a good job, and we got it figured out. ; ) Here's one of my favorite pictures we took...

The necklace is one of my birthday gifts from Dad and Mom this year. I put it together from components from Hobby Lobby, and it's now one of my favorites. (Chum loves it too. He'd open and shut the locket for hours on end.) Since it's a bit whimsical, what book could be better to pose it with?

8. Library books. We are so funny when we go to the library. We usually hit the limit of books that can be checked out, which means both book bags are full and still everyone has to carry something. ; ) I'm enjoying reading all the juvenile fiction that is too adult for it's age group but is just perfect for mine. It's a lot safer and more fun than the adult section! 

9. A store. Em, Blue, and Pearly put together a little store of things they had made and invited us all to come browse through it. There was some pretty neat stuff; and, when all the shopping was done and the store was closing, they generously gave us all gifts. ; )

10. Nephews!!! Like I said, Em and I were over at their house a few weeks ago; and there's been visiting between our families a few more times as well. We also get the blessing of seeing them at church (and chasing them all around the play area--in medium-high heels!). I'll post some newer pictures of the little friends sometime.

11. Grace. We are weak, but He is strong.

So that's what I've been doing in a nutshell! (Not that I've personally been in a nutshell, but what I have been doing has... Oh, forget it. Grammar.) ; P

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Next time you want to take an undercover gluten-free dessert to an event try this recipe. And if you aren't trying to be super healthy, substitute the chocolate chips with M&M's. Oh, heavenly! Just be warned that if you want a picture of them, you'd better take it right away. They sell out quickly! ; ) (I'm a living example.)

What is one recipe that you've found that never fails to please?

Questions, Questions

The last survey I did was so much fun, I thought it was high time for another. This is borrowed and tweaked from Aimee's Google+, so you can thank her later. ; )

1. Name: Kate Marie
2. Age: Young enough and old enough. ; )
3. Role model: Jesus Christ, Mommy...
4. Hobbies: The three r's (minus the 'rithmatic), cooking/baking, nephew chasing, singing with my family, writing letters, test reading, amateur sewing, talking.
5. Favorite actor: Jimmy Stewart, and Gregory Peck. (And if you're asking about ones currently living I'll add Kirk Cameron, and David Tennant. And James from Studio C!!!)
6. Favorite actress: June Allyson, Julie Andrews, Donna Reed, and Amy Adams 
7. Best friend: I live in an artist colony (yeah, creative people who wear weird clothes--we qualify when we're still in pjs), so I'm pretty much best friends with everyone here. Outside of my family, I'd say Esther, Rebekah (both of them), Anya, and Susie.
8. Favorite band: Andrew Peterson and all his folks!!! (Though I'm beginning to branch out into some of the other Rabbit Room-ers...)
9. Favorite song: Kung Fu Piano by The PianoGuys and Rejoice by Andrew Peterson.
10. Favorite movie: Fireproof, A Man Called Peter, and Toy Story 3.
11. Favorite animal: Big dogs and small cows.
12. Favorite subject: English. (That covers about all of the wordy stuff.) ; )
13. Pens or pencils? Pencils, because I'm a fallible human. 
14. Summer or winter? Winter. It's so moody and good for inspiration and a really good excuse for reading.
15. Tea or coffee? Chai tea! It's like coffee without the dirt flavor.
16. Good day or bad day? So far, so good. I've made breakfast, read my Bible, and done my chores while talking waaay too much with my crazy siblings. 
17. Birthday: In the springtime. Lovely, lovely springtime.
18. Something that makes you happy: God's love, babies, books, breaking 13k words in my story, my family, our sweet dog Ella... I'm sorry, there are too many. ; )
19. Something you're looking forward to: In the future future, having a family of my own and Christ's return. In the present future? Eating lunch, publishing, writing more, and seeing the nephews again.
20. Tell a story in one sentence: Once upon a time, there was a problem that was solved so everyone could live happily ever after.
21. Nominate any number of people: I think it would be fun if Rebekah, Holly, and Lauren answered these questions! ; )

Now it's your turn! Answer the questions if you like or ask me an extra one. ; )

Ice-Skating on Mars

Dad, Mom, and us older kids watched The Martian on a filter together the other night. The next morning we were still discussing space travel, the theological ramifications of aliens, and different kinds of technology. Blue was busily eating her breakfast and not really paying attention to what we were talking about.

Someone mentioned water on Mars.
Dad: Yes, but it's mostly frozen at the poles since it is so cold there.
Blue, looks up from eating and yells: Ice-skating!!!

The conversation took a rabbit trail for a moment as we all laughed and imagined together what it would be like to balance on skates in a space suit. ; )

She's also been keeping us entertained in other ways like writing me notes during church in elaborate kid cursive to ask for something or imitating one of our favorite tenors as she goes about her day. (He has something of a jazzy twist to his style, and she can do it perfectly; though maybe not as well as she does Golde from The Fiddler on the Roof.) She also sings a crazy cowboy song from a vintage TV show, and it's even better when she has a sore throat. ; )

Love the littlest! ;)

Laughter Is Medicine

So we've been catching ourselves up on the four or so seasons of Studio C we haven't seen. We've been pretty sick for a while, so why not? ; ) (It's also easier to do a marathon of these than find a good full length movie sometimes.) These are just a few of my favorites. I hope they get you laughing as well, but please remember to be careful since YouTube is a secular site. ; )

The world is ending, and James has us all laughing our heads off! I love this one so much. We've watched it over and over again. : )

This is how politics actually work! Where are Perceval and Galahad??? I would vote for them. #PercevalGalahad2016

This one is just way to good!! (Especially how James cannot sing!)

No comment. ; )

This one just kills me!! (Especially since Stephen's wife is playing his mother!) ; )

This one is just too brilliant!!! (We know a little boy who acts this one out.) ;)

What are your favorite funny videos?

Inspiration

When C.S. Lewis was trying to describe how he got his inspiration for The Chronicles of Narnia, he wrote, "It all began with a picture of a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy woodland. This picture had been in my mind since I was about sixteen. Then one day, when I was about forty, I said to myself: 'Let's try to make a story about it.'" (You can read more of what he said here.) We all know what happened next, and some delightful stories were born.

Just like Mr. Lewis, I'm often not sure where my inspiration comes from. Sometimes it's another story, a song, a random Scripture verse, and yes, even pictures.

I didn't really know until I had finished writing the first draft of "The Book of Dreams' where it had come from, and even now I'm not completely sure. Maybe it was the book from the BBC Voyage of the Dawn Treader that had caught my fancy years ago or my fascination with Caspian's half-dwarf tutor. Maybe it was listening to an audio drama of "At the Back of the North Wind", reading "The Weight of Glory", or listening to Andrew Peterson music that filled me with a longing for heaven. Or maybe it was just my own random thought: "What if you were chosen to have an adventure?" 

This story has been one of the easiest for me to write. The words, especially the description, just seemed to flow into the keys of the computer. I felt almost like Handel frantically writing the Messiah. Although my siblings keep begging me to let "Letters for Victory" be published next, I've decided that it must be "The Book of Dreams". It's a story that I love and can't wait to share.

I will admit to you, that not all of my inspiration has been this glorified or extraordinary. Most of it comes from everyday life and interactions with my creative and amazing family. ; ) When I was describing Grandma Rowena, I pictured her as Grandma Nutt from the board game Candyland. ; ) Cool, right? (Cinnamon doesn't quite look like her peanut dog.)

I think some of my characters would protest if they knew their origins. So, dear Sir Larkin, Drewin and Ryla, Byron, Sienna, and everyone else please stop reading this post if you won't be able to handle it. ; ) I'm about to confess.

• Sir Larkin--your name was originally a girl's name I heard at the Homeschooled Authors' book table in 2014. Very sorry, but I thought with the medieval twist it would work. Will you forgive me?
• Drewin and Ryla--your names themselves are made up because I had run completely out of medieval names since I've overused the time period/genre. But I have an ever bigger confession to make. The name of your story (The Twin Arrows) is actual the name of a local casino. I didn't know where I had picked it up until I was idly reading the billboards on our way somewhere. I'm reclaiming it though. It's mine, and it's ours.
• Byron--yes, I know I haven't visited your story in a while. I'm stuck. But your name was an awesome inspiration. I've read it almost every day of my life, and it was such a part of me that I didn't know it was the brand name on the tag of my teddy bear. He is very noble and unique, though; so you shouldn't be ashamed to be named after him. (And it's really not as bad as the random Pony Express rider who was named after my pencil case...)
• Sienna--hello, again. I want another story for you, but we'll have to get to that sometime. I believe you are named after a local resort from yet another billboard. It's a beautiful name nonetheless, and I love it. ; )
• Fiddler--I love you so much that I couldn't find a name good enough for you (and Edward already got a story, so I can't use that again); so that 's the real reason you don't have one. There's no geeky or cool reason for the "secret" except lack of inspiration and fear of ruining your awesomeness. (I don't think Isolde minds.)
• Percy--you are so cool that I'm sorry you got that name. Only thing I could think of when you needed one. (At least you aren't stuck without one like "Mr. Strathmore's boy" or "the half-grown boy with the half-grown voice"...) And by the way, if you end up in a second story, you just got ten times cooler. I was reading the Arthurian tales the other day and crying over Sir Perceval's coming to Camelot. Your name is now short for Perceval. ; )
• Isolde--you're name is also from the Arthurian tales, but hopefully your story won't be as tragic as Tristan and Yseult's. It's beautiful nonetheless, and I'm really not ashamed of it all. (You're sister Ariel is from one of Jerusalem's alternate names and the name of the sprite from The Tempest. I heard somewhere that they were naming people during the 1860s from the Bible and classics, so... And Shallia was completely from my own head.)

So it ranges from everything from billboards to Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis to teddy bears, and everything else in between. Sometimes with stories like "The Book of Dreams", I feel as if I am writing something beautiful and amazing that will bless many people and bring them closer to God. Other times I feel as if I am writing a collection of random ideas that is just a cheesy remake of The Princess Bride. And then I remember that, as long as I am writing for God, He will make something out of it that I could never have imagined being possible. He will use my crazy stories to change a life, even if it is only my own. So I keep writing. ; )

I've recently started using Pinterest to help with inspiration. I have boards for "The Book of Dreams", "Letters for Victory", "Fiddler's Bargain", "Awake", and another story currently (and boringly) known as "Kiera". I try to keep my boards God-honoring and kosher, but please use the site in general with caution. (Same warning as I give for YouTube.) And please note that there might be spoilers. ; ) 

Paul Bunyan

My littlest sister and I were sitting at the kid table together finishing up the last few possibly edible kernels of popcorn from our family's spontaneous "party".

Blue: There was a popcorn blizzard in the book I was reading today.
Me: Oh, really. That's neat!

We were quiet for a moment.

Blue: What I don't understand is how he got so tall...
Me (realizing she had been reading our book about Paul Bunyan): Oh, well that's just a funny story.
Blue: But they said that you can see the Grand Canyon 'til this day.
Me: Paul Bunyan didn't make the Grand Canyon. God did with the flood. People like to make up silly stories about it just for fun.

She nodded sagely. Then, remembering another funny thing similar to it, she added: Scrat didn't make the Grand Canyon either. God did with the flood.

She's got it down. Deep thoughts. ; )