Thoughts for Today

Just some thoughts for the day. I really have nothing exciting to write about. School is going well. Seems like we never stopped. Melina is with her daddy hunting for elk! It is her first time getting to be with her dad out in the woods! I am so happy for them both and can't wait to hear their stories.
Olline and I have been doing school, riding our bikes, shopping and just enjoying each other. We have been watching the Homestead Blessings by the West ladies, videos for canning, soap making, bread making, gardening, herbs, sewing, quilting and cooking! They are such cute & fun videos to watch and I just love the family that puts them together. Check them out on http://www.franklinsprings.com/ or http://www.homesteadblessings.com/ or check your local library to see if they carry them. That is what I did.

8-30-11 Here is the "Chicken Nugget"!

8-30-11 The ladies grazing...still no eggs! Soon I hope.

8-26-11 We love our little County Fair. I am regretting it now, because I usually take so many photos of all the animals. This year I decided not to bring my camera. We went to our fair four times and I only brought my camera once. I also only took a few pictures of the cows. I wish I had taken photos of the goats because they are my absolute favorite!!! Someday I want a few goats.

8-26-11 Jade as Dr. Doolittle with the bulls. All the animals loved him!!!!

Oh, we are having cooler weather also. It has been so hot and about 90 these last days and today I think it is around 70 and the clouds are spitting out some sprinkles of rain! PTL!!!! We need some rain!

God Bless you all!

PS...I have no idea why my blogs keep spacing out and looking so strange sometimes. I try to align and make it flowing, but it just doesn't behave! Sorry.

I Love Family

We had the most wondeful blessed time with our family this week. My sis-in-love and two daughters came to visit us. Deep down I wish that we lived closer. I wish we could visit and share and support each other. I truly enjoyed every moment we had. They are the most sweet family! I LOVE THEM!

8-23-11 Mariah and Melina on the mountain

Jenger, Mariah and little Nicole at the mountain

We even did a little mining! So much fun at Cranky Jennings Mining sluice box!

Jenger (right) and me - love her so much!

HAPPY 14th ANNIVERSARY to US!!!!

Yes, 14 years! I love him more now than ever! I thank our Lord for our marriage and the strength and love we share!

Jade and his sis Jenger!

Riding up the lift! Yeah!

God Bless you all!

Romans 13:11-12 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of slavation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

Festival of Sandpoint Finale - 8-16-11

Sandpoint Festival Finale!

It was a great evening. The weather was perfect, the kids were perfect and the music was perfect.

The finale was a Spanish themed event and I enjoyed the Spanish guitar players the most. We sat in our little chairs and totally relaxed. I am glad to live in a fantastic town. I am blessed by Gods beauty.

8-16-11 Girls enjoying the event

Olline relaxing

We are amongst all the hundreds of people!

There was a full moon out and it made for great fireworks!!

Side note: My blogging has slowed down. We are gearing up for another school year. School starts here at home on the 24th! I can't even believe it is here already! I am not mentally prepared. I am just praying that God will give us strength and patience for another great year. So far our home school journey has been a complete blessing and we will follow this path as long as our Lord wills it. So, please be patient as my blogging is slowing down. I will try to post as much as I can. I am hoping to do it about once a week after school starts!

God Bless.

Concert Time

Our little town is wonderful. I truly do love living here. Every year at this time many people organize our Festival at Sandpoint music concert. Over a weeks worth of great groups, bands, and the Orchestra come to entertain us. It is a super casual event and there's nothing better than to come, lay your blanket down, sit and enjoy some fantastic music. On Friday, August 5th, we went back to see Brandi Carlile. She is one of my FAVORITE singers! We were able to see her last year, so I was so excited to see her again! By popular demand she was invited back and I am so glad she said yes! She rocked us all and I enjoyed every moment! Melina even came and she knew most of the songs from me playing them in the house!

T0night we will go back for the Grand Finale! The Spokane Symphony Orchestra will be coming and it will be a Spanish theme. CAN'T WAIT!!!

LOVE OUR TOWN!

8-5-11 Here is Brandi Carlile playing with her band! She was incredible and we loved every moment!

8-5-11 Here is Ivan & Alyosha...a really good Seattle band that opened the show for Brandi! They were really great! The two men in the middle are brothers.

8-5-11 My man and I enjoying the event.

8-5-11 Melina and I waiting for Brandi to come out!

Cutie Melina at the concert!

Psalm 61:2 From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety!

God bless.

A Few Thoughts

7-30-11 The joys of playing together with great friends! This is what summer is all about!

7-30-11 Big batch of our very own raspberries!!! Yummmmm!

Here is a really cool moth that fell out of a big tree while we were picking raspberries. I believe he just came out of his cocoon. Melina got him on a stick and he then started to flap his wings super fast! He was about 3 inches wide and maybe 2 1/2 inches on body length! Very cool!

I want to send a warm HAPPY BIRTHDAY wish to my Grammy today! I love you so much Gram. I hope you will have a blessed birthday! May our Lord give you strength and peace and much LOVE!!! Wish I could be there to squeeze you and kiss you. xoxoxoxox

1 Peter 1:8-9 You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.

Chickens Roosted

Here are all the ladies. No eggs yet. We are hoping to see a few "first" eggs in September. I am so eggcited (sorry, I had to) to see the first ones!

This is what the ladies look like when they get ready for the night. They peck their way on this roosting pole to get the perfect spot. Most of the time "Craylola" (the second chicken from the right) pecks at all the chickens to "prove" she is the leader. Amazing when she was the one that almost didn't make it as a chick. Poor Nugget in the front here gets the most of the pecking. However, I have noticed the girls settling in just fine with Nugget lately. She is still at the bottom of things, but I think she is more accepted. I have learned that chickens are just crazy! And I am crazy about them!!!

Lamentations 3:22-24 The Faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!"

Thankful

Grammy Update: Well she is back home safe. It is a very long story...I won't go into detail, but she is safe home now. PTL!!!! Thanks for all the prayers said. God is in control and I have complete faith in that.

Here are a few photos take by my friend Jacinda. She is a great photographer and being that I swam this year, she took a few photos of Melina and I for me!

Melina and I did the Sandpoint Long Bridge Swim on Saturday the 6th! It is a long 1.76 miles across the bridge! I was a bit nervous and not totally aware as to what I was getting myself into!

8-6-11 This was taken after the swim. Logan, Emily, Payton (photographers girl), and Melina after that LONG swim! GOOD JOB GIRLS! So proud!

This is BEFORE the swim! This is just scary...Here in the front is Payton (Melina's friend and also on the swim team) and Melina...then if you look right in the middle behind them is ME! I think I am dieing! Why is my face like that? Yes I was nervous...Yes I felt like running home...Yes I thought "what in the world am I doing"...so why the face? Maybe I was just praying! lol

Again, the girls are looking like "this is no big deal"...but take a look behind them...ME! Am I whistling? Blowing? Breathing? HELP!

Thank you Jacinda for taking this photo! This was right before we plunged our bodies into the lake! I LOVE THIS PHOTO!!!! I was so proud of Melina...she swims like it is no big deal. It is effortless for her. Me? Well I have to work at it more.

Also, my husband showed up. It was a total surprise to see him there. He stayed the whole time. While I was swimming I would look up at the bridge and see him cheering me on! I couldn't have finished without him. I just love him so much!

It was a huge challenge and we did it! I haven't gotten the final numbers, but I believe out of over 700 swimmers, Melina came in #419 and I was #552! Amazing.

Then I was sick the rest of the night. Melina was fine...so amazing!

Have a blessed day!

Prayers for my Grammy

Today I would like to keep our thoughts on my Grammy. She was taken to the hospital last night and I am unaware to how she is doing. This morning they are running more tests, so we just wait to hear some news. She is a beautiful, sweet Godly woman and we love her with all our hearts. We pray God will give her strength and peace.

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

I wanted this post to be short. No words...Just spiritual thoughts for my Grammy! Please, if you would, say a short prayer for her. I know God has a plan and I pray that He will give us all strength for what ever may happen.

Psalm 143:8-12

Psalm 143:8-12

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.

Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you to hide me.

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.

May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.

In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant!

God bless you all today! Fully trust in Him...He will lead your way!