Montana 2013!

Another Montana family vacation has come and gone and once again, it didn't disappoint.  Well, actually it did when my in-laws had to go home because my father in law pulled his back :(

We whiled away the hours splashing in the lake, eating delicious foods, and taking walks.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll keep my words to a minimum while trying to provide a brief description.  Enjoy......

Here's where it all begins: Camp Tuffit on Lake Mary Ronan in beautiful Montana.  The rest of the family has been going for decades while I've only gone for the past 3 years.  I think I'm just the first one to blog about it!

My Autumn after a brisk swim in the lake.

 

Autumn playing on the clothesline.  When technology isn't an option, kids get inventive.

Autumn in B&W.

Every year I have a new favorite activity.  Last year it was catching crawdads after dark, this year it was feeding this family of little ducks.

We caught a frog.....and let it go!

Our home away from home, Sunset!  The outdoor fridge is sooooo ghetto, but it prevents taking up space in the cabin, so we like it :)

Cayla is growing up way too fast.  I can't believe she's going to be in the youth group this fall.  Where did my 5 lb. newborn go?

Autumn with her grumpy face on!

My honey, relaxing!

Virginia and Caitlin adding braids and flowers to their hair.

Gorgeous girls!

This is Cayla's "people of Wal-Mart" look.  Swim top, pajama pants, flip-flops and a hoodie.  I accept no responsibility for her fashion sense.....or lack thereof :)

The Crawdad Cafe serves the best pancakes, cheeseburgers, and milkshakes.  Located in the center of the camp, it's a fantastic treat when you don't want to have to do your own cooking!

Steve catching up with grandma.

Lazy dog.  He loves it up there.  He's with his family 24/7, he gets to take long walks, enjoy incredible wild life, and catch any number of things that 20+ people drop on the ground :)

Sydney and Cayla taking it easy before the heat of the day kicks in and they rush to the lake.

Super Chuck!

Another view of Super Chuck.  Cape is courtesy of Arizona's pajamas :)

I'm usually on the other side of the camera, but someone suggested I change places.  So I did.....for ONE shot :)

If you look closely, you'll catch a glimpse of one of the many deer we saw throughout the week.  A few wandered into camp, but more on that later.

Tech alley.  This is one of the few spots where wi-fi is available.  Surprisingly, the kids did NOT spend all their time here!

My mother in law hanging out in tech alley, being annoyed that I 'demanded' a picture!  ha ha

Grandma has been going to the camp since approximately 1955.  The actual date is still up for debate.  The world may never know!

Sydney, Autumn, and Virginia being silly with mustache stickers and faux glasses.

Joe, with his glass eye!

Grandma and Tanner.

Andrea, Kevin, and Tanner.

Tanner's birthday celebration.  We have to get inventive with gift-wrap :)

He received a few gifts that were identical!

Auntie Barb giving him birthday spankings :)

Tanner, opening Barb and Jim's gift.  Balloons filled with cash.  It was a huge hit!

Autumn and Uncle Kevin.

Chuck, smelling breakfast!

Yes!  We hold the bowl for him.  He's part great dane and they have to have their food elevated because they're so tall - it digests easier!  At home he has a custom stand......we don't bring it with us :)

Yeah.....he eats a lot!

Distant shot of a deer galloping past our cabin.

A close up of the shot above.  She was beautiful.....and fast!

This furry little critter was making his way to the side of the road during one of our many walks.

Cory, outside our cabin.

Our clothesline.  It's pretty redneck, but it gets the job done.  There's nothing fancy about this vacation, so if you're looking for the Taj Mahal.........this ain't it!

Argus, hanging out at camp.  He was mesmerized by the bees and even enjoyed tasting a few.  Getting stung didn't seem to deter him!

Chuck and Argus relaxing on our porch.  Don't we look like the Clampetts out on our porch with the fridge, and the dogs?!  lol

The old piano, where we were both entertained and tortured.  Everyone is welcome to play, regardless of talent.

Phalon, Ben, and Caitlin eating snacks from the camp store, and trying to beat the heat under the shade.

The wall of my in-laws cabin has some amusing paintings on the exterior.

The dock!

Autumn and Sydney.

Signs like this hang all over the camp.  Some are funny, some are informative, but all are amusing and part of the camp's history.

The big fish over the public pool table.

Cory and Cayla, deflating the rafts before packing up to go home.  Always bittersweet when it's time to leave, but ooooooh the memories we make!

Another shot of lazy dog Chuck.  I love that boy!

Cayla!

The camp's mailbox.  Very appropriate!

One of the many signs hanging around the camp.

Yep - another one.  I've intended to get pictures of all of them each year, and this year I finally succeeded. 

This is an oar.....what's left of one :)

I don't know who makes them, but they sure are fun.

So, that's it!  A fun week, filled with dozens of outings, and plenty of time to visit with family.  I look forward to it every year, and I'm already making plans for 2014.

Window Frame Birthday Gift!

Right before my sister's birthday in June, we attended this incredible craft show at our local fair grounds.......and inspiration struck.  Below are some snapshots of her birthday present that Cory and I put together.

The old window frame that I've had for over a year now got a new look with some shiny, red spray paint.  Cory cut some thin wood pieces to fit on the ends, and I painted them with several coats of chalkboard paint.  The middle section we covered with chicken wire!

I whipped up a small bag with a jute drawstring to hold the chalk :)

The clothespins got a good coat of red paint, and using Mod Podge, I adhered the cherry scrapbook paper.  The clothespins are to attach little notes, cards, or papers to the chicken wire.

I think this will look amazing on the wall in her NEW office her husband is creating for her!

Happy Birthday Lisa!

Easter Sunday 2013

Family photo on Easter Sunday at Cory's parent's house!  After an incredible worship service with our church family, we spent the afternoon with Cory's family.

On Saturday the girls and I baked cookies for all the local cousins!

Riddle cookies :)

Christie cookies :)

We took a couple of plastic eggs and filled them with Chuck's treats.  He loved them.  Here he is on Easter morning, watching the girls open their eggs!

Cayla's Easter basket and Vera Bradley backpack in Viva La Vera!

Autumn's Easter basket and Vera Bradley backpack in Doodle Daisy!

 We know it's more than baskets, and eggs, and cookies.  It's about Jesus, and the debt He paid for us.  In the Easter Sunday sermon this morning, our pastor presented us with the following (loosely translated), extremely poignant thought:

Pastor:  "What if you received a legitimate letter from your mortgage company informing you your debt had been paid in full?  Regardless of how much you had left to pay, it was covered.  You didn't owe a single penny anymore.  Would you rip up the letter, throw it away, and continue to pay your mortgage every month?"

Then why do so many people throw away the "Paid in Full" notice that Christ offers?  There is no sin that Christ can't redeem.  We can't sin too much, or too big.  His death on the cross covered ALL sin, and our debt was paid.

What an incredible gift.  How can anyone turn it down?

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23

Easter Egg Event 2013!

I have to admit, St. Patrick's Day is a little too close to Easter this year for my liking.  It's kind of cramped my decorating style because I felt some compulsion to decorate for St. Patrick's Day.  But after tomorrow, all the St. Patrick's Day decor will come down and it will be full on Easter!

Actually it's been Easter for the past month, we just combined a little St. Pat's in with it :)

Tonight we dyed eggs as a family (and then watched Duck Dynasty, but that's a whole other post).  We usually wait until just a couple of days before Easter, but we thought it might be fun to enjoy the eggs prior to the holiday this year, instead of dealing with them for days on end afterward.

Below is just a sampling of our Easter dyeing evening:

I've been completely obsessed with wheat grass (as decor, not to eat) lately, so when I saw it in my grocery store I knew it was coming home with me.  I love it!  I know, it has nothing to do with dyeing eggs, but it IS grass, and it IS where eggs are often hidden, so in a way, it kind of fits into the post.  Besides, I think it's cute and wanted to show it off :)

Since last Easter I've been eyeing this adorable porcelain egg tray at TJ Maxx, and I finally broke down and bought it.  The eggs inside are a few that Cory and I dyed.  Unlike the girls, who love to make their eggs 'artful', I like mine to be simple, and deeply dyed.

Autumn with her first egg of the season :)

As usual, Cayla got creative and wrote cute and/or funny things on her eggs.  This one has spots!

Some of Autumn's creations!

A few of our plain ones.

Autumn and Chuck.  The smell drove Chuck crazy.  He drooled the entire time hoping an egg would fall on the floor :)

The designers!  I hope they always love to dye eggs as much as I do!

Happy Easter!

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life....."
John 11:25a

AWANA Bible Quizzing!

On Saturday the 16th, Cayla participated in AWANA Bible Quizzing.  It was her first time to participate and she was VERY nervous.  She did a great job though, and even placed 4th in her quiz category.  We were so incredibly proud.

The next Saturday, my niece participated in the high school quizzing, and while her team didn't place she was pure joy to watch.  Kelly was assertive, confident, and respectful when she delivered her answers.

My favorite thing about quizzing wasn't the competing, or the winning.  It was watching the girls knowing they were answering with confidence, Godly things that were hidden in their hearts.  Unlike a sport, or a talent, memorizing the Word is work for anyone who attempts it.  It's not something they're born with; it's not something they have a natural inclination toward; it's something that must be taught, and practiced.  And as a Christian mom, nothing makes me more proud than watching my children (yes, nieces and nephews too) grow in the knowledge and grace of Christ.

".....grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."  2 Peter 3:18

Cayla, receiving her award for participating and placing.

Cayla and Cory after the competition.  I think they're both beaming :)

What's On My Mind? Facebook

Disclaimer: *This post is meant to be humorous and should not be perceived as an attack on any one individual or group.*

Let me start by saying, I love Facebook.  It's a great way to connect with old friends, stay connected with current friends, and be a part of the day to day lives of loved ones both near and far.  I revel in pictures of family members, enjoy the daily cartoons, and thrive on the political pages I follow.

There is however, a dark side to Facebook, and for me, that's the negativity that seems to pervade the entire site.  While there are, no doubt, hundreds of definitions of negativity for Facebook, for my purposes I have divided it into four:  The Braggart, the Whiner, the Mixed-Messenger, and the Fisherman.

We all know the Braggart.  In fact, if your friends list tops 10 or more, you probably know several of them.   They're the ones who cannot wait to inform you of every single thing their amazing children are doing.  They're modest enough not to brag about themselves, but they have no compunction when it comes to telling you how incredible their offspring are.   "Johnny kicked a goal today in bumble ball."  "Susie scored 4 points for the meatlockers in her bajillionth match of the season."  "Mimi is so good at math, I can hardly keep up with how quickly she moves through the curriculum."  We get it.  Your child is a living prodigy.  And we rightfully should celebrate our children's successes, but at what point do we draw the line?  Was Johnny voted MVP? Great, please let me know so I can congratulate him.  Did Susie just finish Algebra as a 2nd grader?  I absolutely want to share your joy in how advanced your child is.  But in the words of Mr. Incredible, "(We) keep creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity."

Then there's the Whiner (aka, the Pessimist).  This is the poster who really never seems to have anything positive to say.  "My kid didn't sleep a wink last night, for the fiftieth night in a row."  "Oh no, it's snowing AGAIN."  "Woke up to the sound of the garbage truck.  WHY must he pick up the trash at 6am?"  "My nose won't stop running."  "I hate school."  And the list goes on and on.  I generally don't respond to such posts, but if I did it would go something like this, "Babies don't sleep.  It's part of their nature.  You knew this going in.  Deal with it!"  Or....."You live in the northwest for crying out loud.  It snows here.  If you don't like it, there are a dozen other states to choose from."  And finally, "You seem to be sick a LOT.  Maybe you should buy stock in Vitamin C and chicken noodle soup."

The Mixed-Messenger is a rare breed, but it's certainly one that baffles me.  This is the individual who posts completely mixed messages:  "Going out partying with my friends at the bar."  Or this poster may include photos of herself scantily clad with a drink in hand.  The next post might contain a Bible verse or some wise saying from a founding father.  Either way, it always confuses me.  This is NOT to say that I don't sin.  And it's NOT to say that I don't confess my sins privately to those involved, and of course God.  It is to say that I don't post my sins on Facebook for everyone to enjoy, and then turn around and talk about my amazing walk with the Lord.  This is pretty straight forward, it's a mixed message.  Are you a party girl? Or are you trying to live your life for Jesus?  Because you really can't be both!  And you definitely can't be an effective witness for the latter if you're living your life as the former.

Finally, there's the Fisherman.  I think my husband is bothered by this one a lot more than I am.  These are the posters who write intentionally evasive posts to elicit sympathy or questions.  "Spent the evening at the ER."  "Was up alllllll night."  "I am the luckiest girl in the world."  Obviously they want people to bite and ask them what's wrong?  What happened?  You sure are, but to what are you referring?"  Just come out and tell people, "Spent the night at the ER and came home with an RX for Dingo's ear infection."  Don't make us beg for answers.  Are you really that insecure?

In light of all this, I will remain a faithful Facebook follower.  I may have to 'hide' a few accounts, but it won't stop me from enjoying the adorable photos of my favorite nieces and nephews, reliving old times with friends from grade school, and being rejuvenated by uplifting scriptures shared by friends and family alike.