Ephesians 2:7-10 The Message
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
In the Midst of Power Lab
We are looking forward to our trip to Washington next week to visit family and friends. It will be good to have some time away for a much needed rest.
An update on Becca and Washington DC, we decided that this was not the year for her to go. It was a hard decision but feel that the timing was just not right. I'm sure she will have another opportunity to go.
Grady on the other hand, has recieved an invitation to go on a 14 day study tour in Japan the summer of 2009. We are praying for God's direction in this opportunity. He doesn't know yet because there are so many extra people here so, shhhhhhhh! We will tell him about in a few days. This is probably a once in a lifetime trip for him so I am hoping that there may be some way he can go, and that he would want to go. He has done great this week, getting out there and hanging out with the kids who are here from Graeagle and having conversations with the adults who are here. I have really seen him come out of his shell this week, I hope it will continue.
I have some brief updates on VBS on the VBS blog, the link is on the left. I can't wait to return from WA, as much as I am looking forward to going, so I can back to scrapping. I am going to start a Faithbook class with the ladies in the church this fall. We will make a scrapbook telling the story of our faith. I have wanted to do this for a long time and with our retreat theme this year, it fits. I have my supplies and can't wait to get started.
Have a blessed day!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Becca's Swim Meet
Becca's main race was the 11-12 year old girls 50M Butterfly. She finished in 16th place (out of 25) with a time of 1:04. One second faster would have put her in 8th. That is a personal best for her. She was excited because she beat the fastest boy in that age group. Way to go Becca!
I remember the first day of swim team when her coach was seeing how the kids did with each stroke. When it was her turn for Butterfly, she got in the pool and said "I don't know what to do." He told her to "Guess." Well she did and took off like she had been doing it her whole life:) That is by far her favorite and best stroke.
This is during the 50M Butterfly
The Breast Stoke during her 100M IM
New Pictures! (It's about time:)
It took Grady 6 tries to blow out all those candles! Must be the elevation:)
Friday, July 11, 2008
4th of July
We spent some time just hanging around the house, of course went to the 4th of July picnic and took them out for a little sightseeing.
4th of July was a busy day for us. The church hosted the pancake breakfast at the fishing derby that morning. We had a great turnout and plan to do it again next year. My mom even helped a little bit, mostly with clean-up.
Becca was in the parade with the Middle School cheerleaders. She isn't on the cheer squad but they invited the younger girls and those MS girls who weren't on the squad to join them for a dance routine in the parade.
Then we went to the picnic and my mom and the boys panned for gold. My mom didn't think she had any in her pan and then when they cleaned it up for her, she saw how much there really was. The mine spikes the dirt so you're pretty much guaranteed to a least get some flakes. They put in some small nuggets and leafs (I call them big flakes:) as well.
After we ate and found Becca we went home for a while. Becca thought we left so she walked home, then when we weren't home she walked back. Scary for her, and mom. She may be 11 but she's still my baby. And it may be a small town, but there are lot of people in town on the 4th.
That night we had some poeple from the church over and had ice cream sundaes and watched the fireworks. The town puts on a pretty big show and you have a great view from the church.
Saturday we went for a drive. Spencer decided he didn't want to go so stayed home, and got really bored. I told him he would. We drove through a little town called Silver Peak, pretty run down, even more in the boonies than us. There is a Borax plant there, they mine the salt in the area. Then we drove over Coyote Pass, very steep, very fast climb, but spectacular view from the top, and down the other side. We came upon a hot pond area where the state has built a "hot tub" and woulnd't you know it, a bathroom in the middle of the desert!
From there we drove through another small town called Dyer, then Fish Lake Valley (a very green patch of desert!) and Lida. We got back on the highway and went to the old ghost town of Ryholite. The old train station is there and a lot of old buildings as well as a bottle house.
We ate dinner in Beatty and then headed home. On the way home we drove through Goldfield, another old town but still has people living in it. All in all we probably put about 400 miles on the Yukon. But it was fun. Butch and I love to go out and find old Ghost towns and my mom and stepdad love the history of the area.
On Sunday Grady turned 15. I find that hard to believe. In 3 years he will graduate and then off to college. Just yesterday he started Kindergaten. I guess I better get busy and get his album scrapped. And we better get to finding all those grants for college. He wants to go to school for Computer Game Design. We did the research and it will cost about $80,000 just for tuition, books and lab fees for a three year program. Ouch.
We are waiting on Grady's braces until after taxes next year, unless we come into a windfall between now and then. Ha Ha
Becca is also not going to Washington, DC this time around with the Junior Leadership. I just am not ready to send my baby across the country and put her into the hands of people I don't know. I am sure she will have other opportunities to go and this will give us time to start putting some money away for that opportunity. We know how much it will cost so that will make planning for it a little easier.
Tomorrow is Becca's swim meet. She is pretty excited. We are praying that the Thunderstorms stay away since the meet is at an outdoor pool.
As usual, pictures will come later. Maybe tonight if I get everything done for Sunday:)
Pictures of House
The color is blue with Sea Salt (white) Trim and doors. Instead of a new tub surrond we used vinyl panels. Instead of sheetrocking over the old paneling we used a beadboard paneling and painted it blue. Now we just have to do the floor. We came through Fallon too late to get a piece of linoleum when we got the rest of the materials for the bathroom. We plan to pick that up Monday. So for now it is a nice fresh, updated bathroom with 70's yellow lino.
Butch started the deck while our LTCC friends were here and got it finshed shortly after they left. I stained it while he was doing the bathroom. When we redo the roof of the house, we are going to put a partial roof over the deck as well, maybe over the whole thing. Once we paint the house, probably next week after we go to Fallon, I'll post new pics.