Pics from last night

Clavary Chapel's Back-to-school pool party......thanks, Becky...I snagged your photos. ;-) Me, watching the kids in the pool
Alli on the ladder, Jon by the wall, Ashley & Logan swimming

Just a good over-all shot of the pool & all the wild kiddos!

Logan, Ashley & Alli

Back-To-School Pool Party

We had a Back-to-school pool party with our church tonight.....at the Sugar Mill Pool. We had a really good time. Everyone brought some kind of Italian dish, a dessert & a 2 liter. Ashley baked peanut butter cookies this afternoon & I made baked ziti to take. Quite a few folks turned out & the kids had a blast in the pool while the adults sat around & visited. After supper, a few of us ladies walked down to Steve & Kathy's house to have a cup of coffee.....their new house is really awesome! By the time we chit-chatted & drank our coffee, it was dark out & starting to thunder around the edges so we headed on home. A really nice evening....we were home by 9pm. Tired now though....think I'll piddle here for a bit & then go on up & read.

New Baby Kitten

A few weeks back Ma-Lady had 6 baby kittens down in the hay barn. I do believe that this little guy is a keeper!

In Honor of Pop!

The kids decided they needed to get in the pool the other NIGHT.......so they could play with the pool lights. I couldn't see a bloomin' thing when I took these pictures......they turned out pretty good though, I think. Monday afternoon was spent re-arranging the upstairs bedroom. This massive dresser had not been moved in the whole 12 years we've lived here. Let's not even talk about the dust/dirt that was behind it when I moved it. Kate Gosselin would've fallen over dead! LOL (Any of you Jon & Kate followers will get that.....remember when they moved the deep freeze & she about freaked!) :-P~~~~~

Jon came in yesterday bringing me this awesome boquet of wildflowers. I just LOVE whatever that is that's RED in the middle! Was chatting with Maw online when he came in & she said that he picked this boquet in honor of Pop's BD yesterday......he would've been 79! Wow!

In honor of Pop.....we love you!!

Guitar Hero World Tour

Jon & Alli pooled their money & got this new guitar hero with the cool drum set. They were so excited when Clay brought it home last night....couldn't wait to get upstairs & try it out. Ashley & I couldn't wait to take pictures. ;-)

Back To School

Well, we got Chris all moved in at LU this afternoon. Have been chatting with him this evening & he seems to have settled right back in. Said they pretty much had stuff put away & their room set up.....just waiting on their other room-mate, Damian, to get there tomorrow & get his stuff situated. He had already gone by Maw's house & gotten his microwave & sheets/towels etc. that had been stored in her basement over the summer. Praying he has an awesome semester this fall!!Jon, Michael, Chris & Matt Hurst

Our Last Oath

We had an awesome time tonight. Jake Evans & his praise band 'Our Last Oath' performed for the first time & they did an excellent job! All their music was original....lyrics written by Jake & they all worked together on the music.Cody, Jake Evans, Seth Cunningham, Zack
The girlies on the back row swaying to the music. Kathy, Ashley & Logan.....

I tell ya, it just does your heart good to see all these teens together worshipping & praising the Lord. Just having a good time together.

Angels

Every night that Chris is working-- I always say a little prayer for him to make it home safely--I'll look at the clock & see that it's midnight & know that he's getting off & I'll just whisper my little prayer.


This morning on Facebook I read this comment from Chris---
'Almost had a deer run into him this time. I think the animals of Oakridge are out to get me.'


Immediately I thought about the Amy Grant song ( that I haven't listened to in FOREVER)......'Angels'


Near misses all around me
Accidents unknown
Though I never see with human eyes
The hands that lead me home......
Angels watching over me!


How awesome is that?!

Finished reading.......

'The Love Dare' this morning. Wow....another awesome book!

Here are some of my favorite snippets.............*Great marriages are not created by people who never hurt each other, only by people who choose to keep "no record of wrongs"* Love puts the focus on personal responsibility & improving yourself rather than on demanding more from others* The love that's demanded from you in marriage is not dependant on your mate's sweetness or suitability. The love between a husband & wife should have one chief objective: honoring the Lord with devotion & sincerity.* You must guard yourself against the wrong influencers. Everyone has an opinion & some people will encourage you to act selfishly & leave your mate in order to pursue your own happiness. Be careful about listening to advice from people who don't have a good marriage themselves!* Though threatened, it keeps pursuing. Though challenged, it keeps moving forward. Though mistreated & rejected, it refuses to give up. Love NEVER fails. NEVER!* Especially if your spouse is not in a place of receiving your love right now, the act of covenant keeping can grow more daunting with each passing day. But marriage is not a 'contract' with escape clauses & exception wordings. Marriage is a 'covenant' intended to cut off all avenues of retreat or withdrawal. There's nothing in all the world that should sever what God has joined together. Your love is based on covenant.* Malachi 2:16- For I hate divorce, says the Lord, the God of Israel. * The time is now, to renew your covenant of love in all sincerity & surrneder. Love is too holy a treasure to trade in for another, & too powerful a bond to be broken without DIRE CONSEQUENCES. Your life together is before you. Dare to take hold of it & NEVER let go. We dare you!*

New Projects

This was my first DT project for Tammy's new site...Cookin' Up Creations. The sponsor this month is Midnight Oil Scrapbook Designs & this first project was done using one of their acrylic albums. Super simple...especially since I left my pics in 4x6 size & didn't crop them any. All the pattern paper is MAMBI Fashion District & the chipboard letters are just some from my stash. I whipped this up yesterday afternoon!

This is a card I did this afternoon using more MOSD stuff....this was their 'Travel Edger'....like a cool border paper piecing kind of deal. I snipped it & only used one of the cameras & film rolls...added some details from my scrap bag...stamped part of the sentiment & there ya have it. A fun, quick little card for a special occassion.

'Sarah's Song'

Just finished reading this awesome book by Karen Kingsbury & thought I'd share with y'all.

The ritual is the same every December: twelve handmade paper ornaments & a small plastic Christmas tree. Twelve days for Sarah to remember her long-ago love. Twelve chances for Sarah to sing her song once more.....

'A portrait of divorce.

It was the same picture any time children were involved. Oh, sure, at first divorce promised freedom, an answer to every trouble marriage had a way of bringing. But divorce was a lie, a con-artist that moved into a family & stole the little moments, robbing every member blind. It was a hand grenade that shattered lives & destroyed dreams, taking no prisoners along the way.'

Sarah's Song:

It's not too late for faith to fins us.

Not too late for right to win.

Not too late, let love remind us.

Not too late to try again.

Proverbs 4:23-'Above all else, guard your heart.'