July 2026

July 2026
Over the years, we've always compared our family life to a wagon train heading west. Just as everyone had to do his part to get to Oregon years ago, so everyone in our family must do his/her part to make our journey through life successful. If somebody climbs in the wagon and lets the others do the work, we just don't make any progress. We all have to pull our weight and work together. Along the trail we find lots of pebbles that make for a smooth ride and some bigger rocks that jar us a little; we hit the occasional pothole that can slow us down. But if we purpose to search diligently, there are countless gold nuggets and precious gemstones along the way as well. This journal is an attempt to preserve some of those precious moments for our children, and our children's children, as together we travel this trail called life.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11


Wednesday, February 14, 2018

A Few SC Px

 
For pictures of the progress on various houses, go to the HarvestCall website. All I have are a few glimpses of their evenings back at camp. Special memories.
 


 
 

Friday, January 26, 2018

Boxing Elevate Settlers of Catan

Boxing has been great exercise lately when the rink is mush and it's still too cold to be outside. Quite entertaining to watch from a safe distance.   
 

 
Kiowa feels safest in her dad's arms when the punches are flying.
 


Brandi's getting huge yet somehow still manages to end up in the house now and then.


Kiowa really liked Levi's birthday present a few weeks ago! Yes, Levi is 25. A quarter of a century. Which means *gulp* I'm approaching half of a century.
 


 
Always good to have a kitchen helper or two.
 

Saturday the three oldest kids left with a HarvestCall work team to Chester, South Carolina. We haven't heard much from them which means all is well. 

 
That night, we took the younger five to Elevate trampoline park in Peoria. Kids had a blast. I had fun watching. Dad had fun but is still paying for it with a sore back.  
 
 

And - - - a big reason I'm not blogging much - - - we learned how to play Settlers of Catan. Very fun but a lot of thinking. Also fun when Gloria can come too.



 

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Busy

Well so sometimes life gets so busy with the mundane and the days march by so crazy fast and all of a sudden *blink* it's almost February and I haven't blogged for weeks. Nothing spectacular going on, just everyday life as we know it, and just a whole lot of that. A couple weeks I had a bad cold that slowed me down a few days; other than that we have no sickness to complain of. Very thankful as I know there's a lot going around.
 
Anyway, here are a few peeks of the last few weeks.



 
Awhile ago it was icy. Fun times sliding down the driveway.


 
Awhile ago there was fresh snow again. Fun times behind the hog shed.
 



 




Awhile ago it warmed up and things outside got really soft and mucky. Fun times doing chores.



 
And that's it for now...

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Friday, January 5, 2018

Skating Week

Can't remember what day this was but kids had a great time on the ice.
 

Kinsey, Sarah, Hope, Gloria, Jewel, Troy, James, Josh, Samuel


On Wednesday Alissa brought her crew to skate. Love all these smiles!



 


Back: Jewel, Sarah, Alissa, Jenna, Amy. Front: Josh, Ruby, Lily.
 

It was so cold this little bird didn't move when Jewel picked it up. Somehow it revived when she brought it into the house to show me! After I quick opened a window, zip! out it flew to the gutter.


Today was another day with Cason & Clay.
 
 
Always fun to have little helpers here!