Summer is Almost Over!

Yes, summer vacation is coming to a close. I'm not sure if can bring myself to be sorry because the best season is coming next, but when I think back I have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for U-pick farmers, their blueberries, and their generosity as well as God's sun and God's rain to make the berries grow.
I'm thankful for friends that liven the days with their picnics, invitations, silly games at camp, and emails and letters.
I'm thankful for relatives that want to come over, soak my brother, watch a movie, and let me hold their baby.
I'm thankful for the garden that God has made grow so amazingly with 5 inch long green beans (some smaller too), potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce and spinach coming out of our ears, the radishes early on and more vegetables to come.
I'm thankful for the fawn that visits our yard and makes me love God's creation even more.
I'm thankful for the lawn mower that has taught me perseverance, steering, and kept the lawn so nice. (Thanks for not acting up as badly as you did last year!)
I'm thankful for the van that started the year badly, but has taken us numerous places like the miracle vehicle it is.
I'm thankful for the weeds that help me to be grateful for when they are not there and get my vitamin D when they are.
I'm thankful for the Family Vision Library, the scholarship they gave us, and the books they send us, G.K. Chesterton for writing awesome things for my Dad to read to me, and all those good movies we've enjoyed this vacation.
I'm thankful for our church that has enjoyed social and spiritual things with us.
I'm thankful for new friends, and ones I have gotten to know better.
I'm thankful for balls that seem to be the center of just about every game.
I'm thankful for our forefathers who gave us something to celebrate with loud noises and ice cream.
I'm thankful for creativity that keeps things interesting.
I'm thankful for pencils and notebooks that work together so beautifully if I can just get over my writer's block.
I'm thankful for dishes that provide interesting conversations with my hilarious siblings, and a chance to listen to "The Reckoning" all over again.
I'm thankful for the internet which helps us keep in contact with faraway friends.
I'm thankful for Blue, she livens everything, makes things cute and funny and is my buddy. : )
I'm thankful for Em, she loves to set up paperwork and hilarious doctors' offices and we are learning to be better friend's every day.
I'm thankful for Pearly. She is hilarious and we've written together up in her bunkbed. (Or at least tried to). : )
I'm thankful for Anna, she was willing to listen to "The Reckoning" with me while we scrubbed the kitchen floor. (She volunteered to help!)
I'm thankful for Paul, he makes cool things, and funny things, and talks when we are trying to write things.
I'm thankful for Aimee and that we go to the mail together, and dig in the garden and have an awesome time of it.
I'm thankful for Perry, she is so cool (no she's not into rock) and she'll listen to me talk about writing for half an hour, and she has really good ideas. And she has a nice baby I'm extremely thankful for too!!! : )
I'm thankful for Tyler, the valet for Perry and nice baby, and the soaker of brother. : )
I'm thankful for Mommy, who gives me motivation to pick blueberries, blueberries to eat, compassion, advice, tips on growing up, etc. (She gives me dishes to do too, that comes under the growing up heading.)
I'm thankful for Daddy, who reads cool books to us, lets us stay up later for that, gives really convicting sermons, advices, etc.

And I'm thankful for God who makes all these things work, all these things beautiful, and gives us salvation.


I'm ready for school and autumn, anyone else ? Who wouldn't want books and leaves and rain and sweaters?

This week is one of the last big summer events and the week after is getting ready for school. (You'd think we'd have it down to a science, but our family grows and changes). : )
Then school. And sweaters!!!!!

Fancy Flowers and Family Camp

I was making these really neat flowers a while ago using a melting technique that makes the petals cup, and I sewed some on a piece of tulle for a headband.    

This is an early example. I've gotten the petal shape more to my taste since and started using crystals in the center instead of pearls. I think it's much prettier, but our camera was broken at family camp so this is what you get. I've actually been making flowers out of other kinds of fabric recently because the fumes from the melting satin made me wonder about its health effects. Speaking of family camp we went to an awesome one over the weekend and it was a blast! More on that later plus pictures hopefully!!! For a sneak peak go to www.onebrightcorner.blogspot.com! In the group picture our family is on the far right (no pun intended).

Where Has Perry Gone?

Here's where. Yep! I got married and had a baby (who is getting altogether too big), and now we are expecting a little brother or sister to arrive for him sometime at the beginning of February!!! Hooray for lots of blessings! :)

From a couple months ago.

Took this one just now.

This one, too. ;)

Friendly, Yet Reserved

I recently read a book named Just Thirteen by Dorcas R. Mast. I did not agree with all the theology, but the story was a good one and I would like to share a part from which I really profited.

The main character, Pansy, is talking to her mother and the subject of boys comes up.

"Well, just how am I supposed to act around the boys, anyway?" Pansy asked relentlessly. "I never know."
"At your age, boys and girls should only be concerned about being friends," Mother explained. "There is a right way for boys and girls to talk together. But the right way is not Kirsten's [a girl previously mentioned who is getting a lot of attention from the boys by teasing and the like] way. A girl shouldn't be showing off or be loud or overly expressive. She will be friendly and yet reserved."
"But what is that?" Pansy asked. "Friendly and yet reserved."
"I once heard reserved defined as 'self-constraint in expression'," Mother said, thoughtfully. "A reserved girl will be modest and self-controlled. She won't be flaunting herself or be trying to catch attention. And the boys will respect that. You think that Andy and Jeremy [unbelievers from school] like Kirsten. Perhaps they do. But they respect you and Cynthia and Jocelyn [Pansy's Christian friends] too much to be free with you."
"I can understand that," Pansy said, looking soberly at her ear of popcorn.
"And don't forget that Hugh and Phillip, who are Christians, aren't flirting with Kirsten. Kirsten herself said that Hugh wasn't much fun. That means Hugh knows how to be reserved, which says something for Hugh. You see, Pansy, this is a two-way street. The girls can't do it all. And neither can the boys. Each must have respect for the other. But you can be friendly in a way that is reserved. It isn't necessary to be so reserved that you never speak to each other."
Pansy smiled a little. "Of course not. I know that. But this sets a few things straight for me. On the other side of the picture, Hugh and Phillip are the boys that I have the most respect for."
Mother nodded. "That's right. You're too young to be having a special friendship with a boy or even to be thinking about such a friendship, Pansy. But you aren't too young to form ideals about the right kind of boy."
"And we don't base our decisions on whether he's good-looking or not," Pansy said wisely.
Mother smiled. "Certainly not. Looks don't count for anything. Remember that 'Handsome is as handsome does.' And that goes for the girls as well."


What do you think? What are some practical ways you try to implement these concepts into your life?

Beauty and the Beast

 

What is more beautiful than a little princess holding a newly born baby goat?

There's a New Baby [Doll] in the Works

Lately, I've been in the process of making a doll.

 

Embroidering the face was the most fun part, cutting out a new set of arms was not. : ) It was quite hilarious when I had sewn all the pieces together, but hadn't stuffed her yet.

 

Before:



 

After:

 

 

I was so excited to have her "done" that I totally forgot to sew on her ears. : ) Since I hadn't made her clothes yet, I wrapped her in an old baby blanket and presented her to the little girls.

 

 

 

Today, during the time that the "big kids" were doing school the littles dressed her in some of their doll clothes and played a rollicking, messy game of house. : )

 

 

 

I haven't named her yet so if you have suggestions that mean things like "hope" or "trust in the Lord" I'd love ideas. If you'll excuse me, I need to go read about making doll hair, cut out some doll clothes and maybe sew on those ears. : )

 

Oh yeah, and there is some laundry to fold too.

 

 

 



American Everything and Pita Soccer

Bluebie has been extra funny lately. Her new adjective for emphasis is "American". When she needs to do something, she needs to do it "American bad". The other day she said, "Katie and I can make the [pancake] batter. We do it good. American good."
Today we invented a hilarious new game. There was an unspoken "no hands" rule and you should have seen us cleaning pita dough off our feet afterwards. It all started when I accidentally dropped some dough and began to squish it with my feet. She began to squish as well and it turned into a game of keep-away. It was great fun.