Missing you already!!

We sure had fun having our cousins stay with us this summer.

Abigail, Say-Say, Nattie J, Millie, and Talon


Abi, Saylor, Camille, and Nattie enjoying their bubble bath.

Good luck in Dubai!

You've had a birthday shout hurray

Camille had her third birthday last week. She sure is growing up fast! I've been hesitant to post pictures because her "castle" cake didn't turn out how I envisioned it. Plus, I saw this cake my sister made for her son's birthday 4 days later:

Anthony's sandwich cake

My pathetic attempt at a castle.


Saylor, Abigail, Camille, and Nattie ready to PARTY!


One very pleased birthday girl

Testing out the swimming cover-up Grandma Myrna made her.

Excited about her present from Grandma Donna

Enjoying the castle's towers

Natalie wishes we had birthdays more often.

Looking forward to another year with you Miss Millie!!

Same Kind of Different as Me

Same Kind of Different as Me.

by Ron Hall & Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent


As the front cover says, "Amazing True Story"! It definitely is. This is a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a interesting story.(and maybe a little insight into life.) I don't think I'd necessarily call it a quick read but it's a worthy read.

I enjoyed how is book is told from two different people's points of view. I think it adds a lot to the dynamic of the story. At first the switching between characters and stories every other chapter annoyed me a bit however it's really nice as the two men's stories met and began to mingle. I enjoy seeing the situation from both their perspectives.

It's the kind of story that really makes you look at yourself and wonder what kind of person you are. Or would be in certain situations. Definitely, reaffirms the saying about not judging a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes.

This story is about Denver, a black man from Louisiana, that has no skills other than picking cotton and sees being homeless a step up and Ron, a white man from Texas, that has made himself VERY successful selling art. These two men's worlds come together and they become friends for life.

While Ron is a smart business man and a good christian, I found Denver very insightful. Here are some of my favorite quotes from him:

"But I found out everybody's different--the same kind of different as me. We're all just regular folks walkin down the road God done set in front of us."

"The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So in a way, we is all homeless--just workin our way toward home."

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Oh how I love thee...

This little wonder got crayon out of clothes on the first try!!!

I'm a slow learner!

Camille has really taken a liking to coloring lately. The other day while she was busy coloring I decided to hop in the shower. When I came out of my room I hear Mil telling me from the other room,
"Oh Mom there are owies all over me. There are owies everywhere."
I could tell by her voice she was just pretending. When I walked out and saw her I tried not to laugh. She had on a very serious face. So what could I do but grab the camera and tell her to smile.





Of course, after the photo shoot we had a good talk about how to appropriately use markers, that writing on ourselves isn't okay, and the fact that she wouldn't be able to use her markers for a few days.

Fast forward to yesterday. I just pulled a load of clothes out of the dryer to discover they had been dried with a red crayon. As I was headed to the computer to look up possible solutions for the clothes Camille asked if she could please color with her markers. Feeling a strong distaste for crayons at that moment I decided it had been enough days that we could try markers again. After securing a promise from her that she would not write on herself, I handed her the markers and headed downstairs.

When I came back upstairs I was speechless!


Apparently she was trying to draw Tarzan. Why Tarzan has to be drawn on a wall and not on paper is beyond me.


Camille obviously was feeling a little guilty because she attempted to clean up.

Thanks to washable markers and magic eraser the wall is now back to it's original color and the markers have been retired until further notice.

Grasshopper

Yesterday we came home to find a little green grasshopper in the house. The girls went nuts. They thought it was so cool and wanted to play with the poor little fella. I told them it would be okay but not to pick it up or try to touch him because we didn't want to hurt him. For a good fifteen minutes there was a lot of laughing and giggling and crawling around after him.

Then Camille said, "MOMMM, the grasshopper is dead."
Me: "Are you sure? or is he just not moving."
Mil: "He's not moving and he's dead too."

So, I go to investigate. There was little Miss Natalie with the grasshopper body in one hand and his head in the other. Yup, the grasshopper was dead.



My apologies Mr. Grasshopper I did not intend for you to meet your demise in my house but thank you for the entertainment you provided to my children. You led a good life.

Ready for bed

My two little matching geeks!

Camille is into nightgowns, so I found a pattern to make her one. With a few adjustments and the left over cloth Natalie got one too.

Day Trip

We love the fact that Brad has every other Friday off. Last Friday we took a day trip up to Mesa Falls and Island Park.

We stopped to feed the fish at Warm River.



We walked out to the old train tunnel by Bear Gulch just to find that it's blocked off.


Nice "sad" faces Abi and Millie!


This kid couldn't get enough of the wildflowers!


The kids enjoyed the waterfalls and the little museum at Mesa Falls.





Look what we found that the museum.


Lunch stop at Warm Springs


Big Springs to feed the seagulls and go into the Johnny Sack cabin. (The first time I've ever been there when it's open!)
Nattie spotting a gull...




Chillin' in Johnny Sack's chair.

A Summer Secret

A Summer Secret
The Mysteries of Middlefield Series
By Kathleen Fuller



Mary Beth Mullet is a typical 13 year-old girl. Her brothers annoy her and she seeks to have a break from them. Yes, she's Amish but still human and working on being a better person. She finds her refuge in an abandoned barn, at least for awhile. When her twin brother discovers her there the two of them realize someone else using this barn for refuge. What to do about this stranger and why he's there becomes the main story of the book.

This is a great read. It's quick, easy, and entertaining but easily "solved". I didn't mind cracking the mystery so early in the story. It made me feel smart. (Yes, I realize it's a young adult book!) The peek into Amish culture was an appealing aspect for me. While I realize it's not 100% accurate, I believe the author did a very good job portraying the Amish lifestyle and making it easy to identify with the characters from another culture. I quite enjoyed the theme of the book. These Amish kids really live what they believe and are not afraid the live the way God wants them too. It made me hope that I can be more like that in my life: do what God would have you do no matter how scary or hard or silly it may seem at the time. What a righteous influence and example can be provided by truly living what you believe. I would recommend this book with the footnote that it is a young adult novel. I would love to read the next one in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Hart Family Reunion Highlight

Grandma Myrna rocking Guitar Hero!