Mighty Hunters

In the past week or so we've had some interesting 'hunts' take place. While out with Daddy target shooting, Zachery shot his first rabbit - his first anything! He definitely had a proud moment and brought the trophy home to show off. He also skinned it and saved the feet!

Take a close look at Zach's face - you don't often see a smile that big with that much sparkle=)

And the most recent one is the first of probably many to come this summer. Matthew caught a snake. Thank the Lord that somehow or other Matthew is usually home when we come across one because I have no desire to deal with them! Anyway, we usually catch a dozen or so each year and this is the first one - also, it's a different kind than the usual garter snakes we have. It is 'harmless and docile' but, thankfully, dead just the same! I hate each and every kind no matter how 'docile' they are, I'm just wondering how long before we find our first rattler....you'll know when we do because you'll probably hear me!

It was long!

Can you spot it?

Track and Field Day

Today was a different kind of day for our family. A Christian school/home school track and field meet was held on a college campus up in Rapid City for kids from Kindergarten to 8th grade. We registered for it a month ago and thought we could make it an event for the whole family. Things changed once the actual day rolled around and it ended up that I took up Zach and Logan while everyone else stayed home. Matthew worked for a bit in the a.m. and then came home, in the meantime Monica babysat the youngest two who have been sick for a few days. Not sure whose day was longer - hers or mine! I'm thankful she could stay since Alana and Jesse would have been miserable. The boys competed in 4 events each and we got there at 8 and didn't leave until after 3p.m. Let me just say there was a LOT of waiting involved. It was a pretty fun day for the boys, though. The drawback was the hot sun and the bleacher seats=) But I got some pictures and thought I'd show you their athletic spirit in action!

As I mentioned we did a lot of sitting and waiting - in the bleachers,

and on the field.

I even got bored and did some experimenting with my camera!

But when you have about 500 people you just have to learn to wait your turn!

In the afternoon things started to go a bit quicker, the boys had their field events in the morning and their track events in the afternoon. Zach did some stretching before his 400 meter run.

Here's Logan winding up for what turned out to be third place in the softball throw.

Zach on the starting line...

Logan holding a ribbon...

Both boys ran in the final event of the day - a four man relay race, Zach helped his team place second. I caught the baton hand-off!

The boys did well both in being patient and in having a good attitude - first place winners if you ask me!

New Picture

The new picture at the top of the blog is one I took on a camping trip two summers ago. It's probably not much more than an hour from our home up in the Black Hills on a road called Needles Highway. These kinds of rock formations are named so because from a distance they appear to be a bunch of needles stuck together - it's quite beautiful. Not sure if I like the looks of it, I can never get things layed out just like I want them to be but we'll see if it grows on me. Just for fun I'm including some more pictures from that trip that was almost two years ago - time flies when you're having fun=)

You can't tell me otherwise

So I'm posting for the second time today because I have something important to say - my Mom is the best. Before you think I'm wrong let me just say you can't tell me otherwise because I will never be convinced. There is no mother out there like mine though you search high and low, near or far. It is as much a fact to me as if it were written in stone for it is written on my heart, no one knows this better than I do for I am her daughter.
Our life together started out in a somewhat average way - my parents met, fell in love, got married and their bundle of joy, ME, arrived after that. I was probably destined to be a daddy's girl since I was the only daughter, but it would not stay that way since he died when I was seven, just barely old enough to remember him. Shortly before that happened my brother Chad had arrived on the scene. My mom lost another baby boy between he and I - so the journey of our little trio began - Mom, a 29-year-old widow, me and Chad. This amazing woman returned to the mission field of Chile a couple years after that, she and my dad had only spent about a year and half there before having to come back to the US due to my dad's health. For the next 10 years, while I still lived at home, she taught me and trained me in the way I should go. I chose not to do many things, not because of any great personal convictions of my own, but because I knew if my Mom found out it would hurt her and that was the last thing I ever wanted to do. From there I headed off to college and onto adulthood with my Mom standing in my corner no matter what - becoming a best friend without ever stopping being a mom. Now, I'm all grown up with kids of my own, and it seems I need her and turn to her even more. So, today, you can't tell me otherwise - my Mom is the best. Of course, you won't be able to tell me tomorrow either, or the next day....Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Instead of trying to figure out what picture to put I just found the most recent one - my Mom and Jesse - 'cause she's one of the best grandma's, too=)

Happy Mother's Day?

I thought I'd share with you all the card that I received from my son first thing this morning. It just made my mother's heart swell with pride=)

I was going to buy you a card
with hearts of pink and red,
But then I thought I'd spend
the money on me instead.

It's awfully hard to buy things
when one's allowance is so small,
So I guess you're pretty lucky,
you got anything at all.

Happy Mother's Day to you,
there, I've said it, now I'm done,
So how about getting up
and cooking breakfast for your son.
~Zach

Isn't it just heartwarming! He's actually been waiting for months for this day to roll around so he could copy that out of his Calvin & Hobbes book and give it to me today=)

The culprit:

A Princess Party

This is late getting out but last week Alana had the chance of her little lifetime and got to attend a birthday party for her friend that was a very pink princess tea party. She fell asleep on the way there but the trauma of that wore off once Miss Tarin got her some sparkly jewelry and a little crown! They each got to make their own little purses, eat pink cupcakes, put on makeup and fancy rings, drink out of pink cups, sit on pink pillows, and even take home a bag of goodies. Tarin is very creative, which is a talent I seem to have missed out on, so it was really cute and lots of fun. Enjoy the princess pictures=)

It was all about the bling, bling...

and, of course the, make-up! Alana go to spend time with her friends and with Asha, which is the Hartman's puppy and a real favorite of ours, too=)

Enjoying a meal fit for a princess!

Tarin had a make-up station set up for them and also read them the Biblical story of Esther, a true princess.

Listening to the story....

Here's the birthday girl decorating her purse and also Alana's purple creation.

And now, just some cute faces of my baby girl!

Last but not least...Logan

With the chaos of the last few days I've not gotten around to putting up the pictures of our handsome little Logan. I'll have to update about graduation and the travelers we've had come and go from our home. Let's just say our four-bedroom house seems small right now but we are so thankful to the Lord for a spacious place and also for friends who've loaned us a camper to help fit everyone in somewhere.

Back to Logan, he just turned six last month and I just love watching this kid grow up! I guess homeschooling has added a whole new realm since I've been able to see him do everything from saying his ABC's, to reading his first word, and now finishing 9 'readers' to complete first grade. Nine more school days to go and he'll be an official second grader - WOW! But man, is he a handful! He has a temper that turns on as fast as a light bulb sometimes and yet is the most faithful one to bring me flowers or draw me pictures. He enjoys such a wide variety of things and is such a smart little guy that I can't really figure out who he will grow up to be - but I'll be there and be watching every step of the way!

Crazy Things....

Well, this day is going from interesting to more interesting. We are expecting Matthew's brother, Pat, and his father-in-law to arrive today for their week of vacation. However, we are in the middle of a storm with white-out conditions. Their flight is supposed to come in early this afternoon in time for us to go to Cornerstone's alumni banquet, but....5 out of 7 flights coming in to Rapid City so far today have either been cancelled or delayed. My parents offered to go get them for us should things run late, but my dad was just asked to speak at the banquet since the original speaker is also snowed in. Wow! Thankfully Helaine is also here and can babysit because tonight Matthew and I are either going to a banquet or to an airport! All this to get ready for graduation tomorrow afternoon....oh, and we are cooking for 60 people Saturday evening for an after-graduation party for Kendrick=) I think it is time for me to stop and remember I Corinthians 10:31 "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."