A few of my favorite things...about the month of June

1. lightning bugs in the yard at night
2. blooming flowers
3. Meg's birthday
4. ripe strawberries
5. lemonade on the patio
6. walks in the evening after supper
7. softball/baseball games
8. dance recital
9. no school!
10. BINGO parties in the back yard (more about that later)

Homemade Father's Day Gifts and a Naughty Dog Story

The girls came through with some awesome homemade dad gifts this year.
Meggan made a fun poster using candy for some of the words:

It says:
Dear Dad,
We were going to give you "100 Grand" but we know you already have "Good & Plenty" because you are a "Smartie."  You take us on trips as if we travel through "Orbit."  Thanks for letting us keep our "Kit Kat," and the dog you got us is an "Almond Joy" because she gives us "Kisses."  Whenever we are in a  "Crunch" you become our "Lifesaver." "Now & Later" without you, we would fall into "Reese's Pieces."  We love you from here to the "Milky Way."
love,
your "Sour Patch Kids"

Ellyn made a beautiful photo collage: 10 reasons why we love you.

10 Reasons why we love you...

1. you provide clothes for our backs and pets for our souls

2. you take us to the top of the mountain

3. you run our races alongside us

4. you challenge us

5. you love our mom

6. you protect us and keep us safe

7. you are stylin' and smart

8. you are full of wisdom and great advice

9. you teach us to love our siblings

10. you take us to new places and to do new things

We love you because you help us to understand ourselves; we love you because you show us what a hard worker looks like; we love you because giving is important to you; we love you because you make us do things we don't always want to do. WE LOVE YOU.

============
I am so glad my kids have a great dad!

It was a great Father's Day, but could have been better...

Too bad we had a minor disaster with the dog and all the chocolate for the poster Meg made.

Turns out that Meggan left all the candy on the floor downstairs the night before, where she had been working on the poster creation. While we went to church the next morning, Father's Day, Mandie ate four candy bars and a bag of Hershey's Kisses...including all the wrappers. When we got home and discovered what had happened, we called the vet. He told us we had to induce vomiting. Yeah...that's what I said. Induce vomiting... for our dog. Using hydrogen peroxide. Have you ever tried to get a dog to drink 3 tablespoons of peroxide? It took about 90 minutes and multiple attempts to get the job done. We were finally successful. Outside in the yard.
I was glad the deed was done, so that it didn't happen in our house in the middle of the night.
I figured it was going to happen eventually.
Then we had to go by more candy for the poster!

And that's the story of awesome homemade Father's Day gifts and our naughty dog. Good thing she is always good, even when she is naughty(as Ellyn would say.)

2011 Cornerstone Church Worship Arts Camp "Your Love"

Here is a video of our performance for Worship Arts Camp.

Worship Arts Camp--year 2

Instead of Vacation Bible School, our church has held Worship Arts Camp the last two summers. We have tons of kids attend and learn about worship through singing, rhythm, mixed media, painting, woodworking, etc. This year was my second year to be a part of it, along with both girls. We are super tired, but can't wait for Sunday morning when we perform the "feature" song from the week at our church's worship services. Spending a week listening to children singing is a joy, and I feel so blessed to have been part of such a wonderful opportunity.

We focused on Psalm 103: 8-12:
"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love.
He will not always accuse us or be angry forever. He has not dwelt with us
as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love
toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He
removed our transgressions from us."

I can't wait to share this year's feature song, but until then...

click here for a look at last year's song: For You Are Good

Summer Bucket List

On the last day of school, within the first hour of being home, my girls made the summer bucket list:

This is the chalkboard in my mudroom, so we see it every time we walk out to the garage.

We have done a few things already, and left room for extra things that we thought of later. 

I love summer and the opportunities for gathering friends for fun outside on the patio or in the yard. 

Or opportunities for spending time in the cool basement, making awesome craft or sewing projects, when it's way too hot to be outside.

Our summer seems to be flying by, because our calendar has a number of things on it that take family members away from home:

             college orientation days at Iowa State

             missions trips to Panama

             work travel to South America

             church camp (still in central Iowa)

             vacation to the Tetons in Wyoming

Good thing we have the bucket list on the chalkboard! It is a good reminder of how we want to spend our free time and that we better not let the summer slip away. 

So what's on your summer bucket list?

Wordless Wednesday

Dance Recital 2011

My girls had their dance recital earlier this month. Ellyn has been dancing since 1999, when she was 4 years old. Meggan's first recital was in 2004--she hadn't even turned 4 yet! The little ones are always so adorable at the recitals!
This is a picture of Ellyn's costume for her second recital. The skirt had a battery pack in the back that powered little lights all over it--of course, because they danced to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

Meggan's costume her first recital:
(They had a fish headpiece that I had her take off for the picture. It was really big.)

Now, my girls seem so grown up in their dance costumes and make-up:

Things have changed a lot over the years of dance recitals...no fish on their heads or twinkling skirts.

This year, I did very little make-up and no hair styling before the rehearsals and performances. Just a quick run to the store for extra hairspray and bobby pins. (That never changes!)
They take care of it themselves, or Ellyn does Meggan's hair for her. They don't need any help getting dressed either. It makes things less hectic during recital week, but makes me aware of how much they've grown up.

I'm so proud of them. They did a great job at all three performances. I think dance has taught them so much more than how to be a good dancer--confidence, understanding of their bodies, fitness and strength, how to keep your cool in front of an audience--just to name a few.

And...
 as soon as the recital is over, the talk of summer dance and next year's dance classes begins! : )

25 Years

Today my hubby and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.
He had a beautiful bouquet of 25 roses delivered and planned an overnight trip to a bed & breakfast in Galena, IL.
I am so happy to have had twenty-five years of marriage with him. We were teenagers when we said our vows!  You can read more about our story by clicking here: love story
Happy anniversary honey!

We had visitors again...

After our Memorial Day weekend in Missouri, we brought back my niece and my parent's dog, Digger to spend a few days. He is our dog Mandie's brother. We had a fun and busy time while they visited. It was also dance recital week, so there was a lot going on. During the free time, the girls did some crafts and sewing. They also took the two dogs to Pet Smart for a visit. It was a great time!  Gramma came for the dance recital Thursday night. No dogs allowed at that event! She spent the night and on Friday we had to say goodbye.  Thanks for visiting us!!!

One last graduation celebration...

Memorial Day weekend was a busy one for us. We headed to Missouri and hosted a second graduation party for Brandon with the friends and relatives there.

Thanks to all of you who came. I know he has felt very honored by all who have celebrated his graduation with him. So many of you have shown support and love to him over the years, and we are really grateful.

This time of year is so beautiful...

For the beauty of the Earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on Earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thyself, best Gift Divine!
To our race so freely giv'n;
For that great, great love of Thine,
Peace on earth, and joy in heav'n:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.