Our crazy weekend

We had planned a weekend camping trip for this weekend, but Ralph ended up having to work on Saturday (just for 4 hours in the morning). We decided since we already had it all planned, to go ahead and go for just one night. Yes, it's alot of packing and gas for only one one night, but then again, one night is better than nothing when we haven't had one camping trip all summer yet.

So first things first. Saturday morning Becca was eating some peanut butter toast. She said she bit on something hard, and thought it was a peanut from the peanut butter and swallowed it. It was NOT a peanut. She had actually lost her front tooth! So here she is, minus the swallowed tooth:

We got everything packed up and ready to go by the time Ralph got home from work, and were on the road around 11:00 am. As soon as we got there, we set up and then fed the ravenous crew their lunch. Then we headed off to the lake for some fun. Here are a few (not so great) pictures. The first one is of Mollie looking very disgusted at how she is smashed in with all our stuff as we are heading down to the lake:

Then back to the campsite where Ralph barbecued tri tip. (Yum!) After dinner, we just hung out and the kids played til bed time. Sooooo, here's where the night gets interesting. We were all dead asleep at 12:30 in the morning when we were awakened by a truck honking and a lady screaming for somebody to help. Her husband wasn't breathing right and she couldn't wake him up and cell phones don't work where we were so she couldn't call 911. So Ralph and Danny jumped out of bed and told her they would try to call out on the ham radio. (The place where we like to camp is called Hope Valley, and it is National Forest land out in the middle of nowhere, where you can just find a place and camp. There are no established campsites. So it's really not a good place to have an emergency! Anyway, thankfully, the guys were able to get out to someone on the ham who was able to call 911 for us. Ralph and Danny then went down to help talk the rescue people in. Ralph got out to see what was happening with the man, while Danny stayed by the road in the suburban with the radio. There was another man there who was also helping. He was an EMT fireman who was also camping there. I'm sure this wasn't his idea of a nice camping vacation; that was what he was probably trying to get away from on his camping trip. The man was breathing (actually snoring) irregularly and they were unable to wake him. His wife finally admitted that he had taken 2 vicadin, and then a methedone, which Ralph informs me it is a drug they give to herion addicts while they are trying to come clean. (But she admitted that he had used it recreationally). So basically, the guy had OD'd. After about 40 minutes the rescue guys got there, and they called a helicopter to take him to the hospital in Reno. While this was all happening, Cara, Nick, Samantha, and I prayed for the man and his wife. Thankfully, the 3 youngest never woke up. That was Ralph's one night of weekend "sleep". Poor guy.

So that was our weekend. We did have a good time, minus the middle of the night interruption. When we got home, Jackson wanted to spend one more night in the 'trailee', but I promised him we would go camping again soon, and he was happy with that.

Check out Nick's new glasses!!

Just a few pictures from VBS

Danny and I have been working hard on reorganizing the boys' room. Jackson has always been in Ralph's and my room and really loves it there, but we were given a free bunk bed and so we decided maybe it's time to move Jackson on into the big boys' room. So Danny gave up his single bed so we could get another bunk bed in. Ok, so first we had to take Danny's single bed out and clean out all the JUNK that was under it. Mostly it was stuff that we were able to get rid of.

Then I was able to find a chest of drawers at the thrift store for $20 for Joey. It was kinda beat up looking and I thought I would refinish it, but after alot of scrubbing and lemon oil, it looked so nice that I didn't have to do anything else to it. I really like it!

Next, Ralph and Danny went and picked up the bunk bed and we squeezed everything in there. Finally, Danny put up shelves for everyone's stuff.

Here is the finished product:

Joey and Jackson in the new bunk bed

Joey's new dresser and shelf:
Nick's new shelves and cleaned off desk. I haven't seen the top of that desk since he got it.

Danny's new shelves over his desk:

Our busy weekend

Saturday was our church's annual carnival, or as Jackson says so cutely, coinival (he can't say his R's right yet). They had a petting zoo, bounce house, water slide, games, prizes, face painting, popcorn, hot dogs, soda, ice cream, and snow cones! The kids had a ball. Danny and Cara were there at 8 am helping to set up, then worked the whole carnival, Danny helping with the snow cones and Cara with the bounce house. Then they stayed to help clean everything up so they were at the church most of the day. I'm proud of their willingness to give up their Saturday to serve the Lord. There were lots of families there and some are planning to bring their kids to Vacation Bible School this week, which is the main idea of the carnival, to get the word out about VBS. There was even a mom of 10 very sweet kids there, and she is planning on coming. Cara is hoping the mom will come to the adult class, because she has 2 kids under 3 and Cara and I are doing nursery for any babies 2 and under whose parents come to the adult class. And Cara is really hoping for some babies to watch. Otherwise it would just be us 2 watching Jackson. Anyway, it sounded like she plans to, so that will be great!

Yesterday after church Omi came up and brought steaks!, which is rare treat, so Ralph barbecued chicken and the steaks and we had a feast. Then Cara had 3 girls over from church, one of them being our summer missionary who is here to help with VBS, to watch Sense and Sensibility. The guys just love those Jane Austen movies....NOT! :-) Then we went back for night church. Our pastor talked about Jesus being with us during the storms. That storms will come, but that we don't need to be afraid because Jesus is right there with us through it all. That is so good for me to hear because I have been sort of anxious lately about the state of the world, our country, and where it is going, etc. I am trying not to be anxious, because God says not to be, but it has been challenging lately for me. That is something I am working on and praying through.

So today is the first day of VBS and I need to get the kids up soon and get all the morning stuff accomplished and everyone ready so we can get there a little early to decorate our room. We weren't planning on decorating, since it is just the nursery and the nursery is decorated nicely for babies anyway, but we decided last minute to throw a few decorations up since everyone else's rooms look so cute and all. (Our theme is called Outrigger Island, and it's a Hawaiian theme.)

So that is my ramble for today.

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Today I'm praying for:

a productive VBS, that leads families to Christ,

my friend Teri's health,

and for me to be able to trust the Lord to take us through whatever storms may come.

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Today I'm thankful for:

plenty of food to feed my family,

children who love the Lord,

and a sweet little almost 3-year-old who loves to cuddle!

Cara's song

A while back, our music director challenged the congregation. He picked the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness, and asked us to take the tune and write new lyrics. I think Cara was the only one to do it. Anyway, our music director really liked her song and we will be singing it in next Sunday morning's service. I am proud of her so thought I would post her song here:

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Jesus Has Rescued Me

Verse 1:

I was a wanderer, lost in corruption

I had no hope, and my life was a wreck.

I cried out to the Lord, He heard my heartache.

Now I am happy as onward I trek.

(Chorus)

Jesus has rescued me

Jesus has rescued me

He heard my plea and He showed me His grace.

His love is constant, his mercy is boundless

Jesus has rescued me, my sins erased.

Verse 2:

Now I am satisfied, joyful, contented,

My Lord is with me when hardships appear

My God will comfort me, He will protect me,

With Him beside me, I’ve nothing to fear

(Chorus)

Jesus has rescued me

Jesus has rescued me

He heard my plea and He showed me His grace.

His love is constant, his mercy is boundless

Jesus has rescued me, my sins erased.

Verse 3:

If you are weary, and heavily laden

Jesus stands ready with arms open wide.

Run to Him swiftly, oh, He will embrace you,

For your redemption and ransom He died

(Chorus)

Jesus will rescue you

Jesus will rescue you

He’ll hear your plea and He’ll show you His grace

His love is constant, His mercy is boundless.

Jesus will rescue you, your sins erase.

Our Day

Well, once a year the kids and I try to go to a movie. It is always during Summer break. Since it is only once a year, we do it good. We get candy ahead of time from Walmart (and I really hate to say it but we sneak it in and I know they don't want you to bring in outside food and it makes me feel really guilty, but we do it anyway......) and popcorn and soda once we get there. So today was the day. We went to see Wall-E. We had fun, Danny was off and he went with us too. Jackson was slightly bored but we just kept pumping him full of popcorn and candy and he made it through the movie. I love making memories with my kiddos. I hope they look back on their childhood and know they were loved and cherished as precious gifts from God. Sometimes in the day to day life, I forget that these days will be over sooo soon and it doesn't matter so much how clean the house was, or how much school work we got in, if they don't know how much I love them and want God's best for them. So today was a fun day. We even went swimming after dinner. So that was our day.

The 4th of July

Our Fourth of July was so fun. We had a big family gathering at Scott and Lynn's house. Lynn had the house decorated so cute. The food was great, Mom was able to come over for a long time in her wheel chair, and there was even a pinata! Of course we did our fireworks too. My family can't live without their fireworks! Here are a few pictures:

Samantha's Birthday

On June 29th, we celebrated Samantha's birthday. I can't believe she is 11 years old. Samantha is my sweet, always wanting to please girl. If she has something worth sharing, she is gonna share it! If I ask her to do something, I know she is gonna do it! God has blessed us with our sweet Samantha girl, and we are so proud and thankful to have her in our family.

Happy Birthday Samantha!

Sisters