OHIO WITH JOYCE

My daughters are being spoiled rotten this summer.  They got to spend the past week with Joyce in Ohio.  They had a total blast!  They couldn't stop talking about all that they got to do and all that they learned.   They LOVE Joyce and her mother (they call her grandma).  They went shopping at quilt stores and yarn stores.  They went to Amish Country.  They got to steer a steam ship.  They learned new crochet stitches.  They learned new quilting techniques.  They made scarves and pillows.  They watched the Food Network and loved the show "Cutthroat Kitchen."  (Key Lime Pie has decided she wants to "do" Cutthroat Kitchen for her 16th Birthday party.)

Joyce took these two pictures of my daughters...

On our way to visit the Glazes, Scott and I saw what we and the girls call a "Cloud Factory"!

Aren't these manufactured clouds beautiful?!  :-)

Scott and I joined the Glazes and girls on Friday night.  The girls were so silly and giggled until LATE.  They were excited to tell us about all their adventures and how much they love Joyce and "grandma."  Saturday we went back to a quilt store so Kotten Kandy could purchase a quilting hoop.  Then we came home and had a really yummy, easy lasagna that grandma made.  Then Joyce, Scott, Key Lime Pie, Kotten Kandy and I took off for the Blues Festival.  It was 9 hours of music fun!  We LOVED it!  The groups were ALL great (except for Simo).  We even got to see Devon Almond.  He rocked!

Kotten Kandy, Joyce and Key Lime Pie at the Blues Festival...

Selfie time...  (I don't usually take selfies - so this is a treat!)

Sophie was a singer who performed and she's from KY...  The girls really liked her singing!

And Kotten Kandy even purchased one of her CDs for her sister.  Sophie signed it and everything!  :-)

The concert was rained out for about 45 minutes.  But we just enjoyed being cooled off...

This isn't a selfie.... Key Lime Pie took a picture of us!

This performer made me laugh so hard!

His expressions as he ROCKED his guitar made me laugh.

He constantly held his mouth WIDE open.  This picture is tame.

When the heavy metal rock group, Simo, performed, Kotten Kandy fell asleep.

She was exhausted.  But I don't know how she slept through that noise.  They were LOUD!

Scott really loved the show....  Isn't my husband cute!?

Sunday morning we went to Church with Joyce.  Their LITTLE branch was soooooooooo cute!  I loved the small building.  And the people seemed great.  After church, we ate left over lasagna and got on the road.  We miraculously made it back in time (4 hours later) for the girls to go to a great fireside for our ward.  We are all worn out... and tomorrow is a crazy day....

Joyce, Kotten Kandy, Key Lime Pie, Grandma and Sweetie (the dog)

A MOTHER'S PERSPECTIVE

This week is practice for what is coming up in my life: I'm an empty-nester.  It's a strange thing when your children grow up and leave the nest.  I don't think I was completely prepared.  I miss their smiling faces.  I miss their crazy, loud music.  I miss them exercising with me, cleaning with me and learning with me.  It's quiet... too quiet.
But, I know they are doing good things.  I know they are strong in their faith.  I know that they are sweet, and capable and motivated.  I'm truly proud of the beautiful young women they have become.
This growing up thing is hard.  But my girls make it easy.
Last week Kotten Kandy spent an entire week in Bowling Green at EFY (Especially For Youth).  After fasting and praying whether she should she attend, she decided to pay for it herself ($400+).  According to her:  "It was one of the best experiences of my life!"  She came home extremely motivated, happy and spiritually fed.
Her roommate, Eclair, is now a "life-time friend!"  She truly loved her.  They prayed together, ate together, attended classes together, laughed together and stayed up WAY too late talking and laughing together.  She wishes they were in the same ward.  She also strengthened her friendship with Almond.  She feels that both girls are "kindred spirits!"
She also made lots of guy friends... (Glad she only thinks of them as friends right now! - Although I think the boys definitely had crushes on my sweet daughter.)
She participated in the choir during her free time.  And loved learning about the gospel in all of her classes.  She was also super excited about attending TWO dances during the week.  She really likes a couple of line dances that she has taught our entire family to do!
I am super glad for her experience.  She is truly an amazing person.  And I really like who she is becoming.

(Unfortunately, Kotten Kandy doesn't take as many pictures as mom would like... but I managed to get one picture of her company!  Kotten Kandy and Eclair are right in the middle.)
Key Lime Pie also had an eventful week last week.  We deep cleaned her room!  It looks AWESOME!  And I think she's truly happy with it.

Then on Saturday, she participated in the 2nd Annual A Capella Festival!  She loved it!  And she had a great time with her good friend, Lemon Drop.  The growth in my daughter between last year's festival and this year's festival is incredible!  Last year she was serious and worried about the music.  This year she just had fun!  And it showed!  Her personality really came out on stage.  She sang, smiled and it translated to the audience.  Speaking as a music theater person (and not as her mom) she was the most fun person to watch on stage because of her smiles and overall stage presence.  The leaders in the group also told her she had "perfect pitch" and is really musical.  (Which I already knew.)

Oh... one more picture:

Look how happy my girls are when they were reunited!  Key Lime Pie squealed and ran to the front of the stage to give her sister a hug.  All Kotten Kandy could do when she got home was say she missed her sister.  I'm glad they are best friends.
I am really a proud mother.  (And a lonely mother this week since they are in Ohio learning to crochet and quilt with Joyce this week.)  I'm keeping busy though....

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Bingo has me reading like a crazy person.  :-)  And I LOVE it!  Here's my review of the last two books I just finished reading:

Despite an abundance of natural history and the syrupy style, "Freckles" by Gene Stratton Porter is a sweet book, with some fun, surprise plot twists.  My little brother recommended this book to me and I'm really glad I read it.  The hero, Freckles, is an orphan who lost his hand as a baby.  The story is about how he determines to prove himself despite the missing hand, no family and low self worth.  Through determination and hard work he comes to love the wild limberlost where he works as a guard for the trees the logging company will later remove.  His relationships with his boss who unofficially adopts him, the MacLeans with whom he boards, and the Swamp Angel who loves the wilderness as much as he does makes the story come to life.  This book reminds us not to judge people by the outside, but to let their actions reveal their true nobility.  It was a good and easy read.

Although  C.S. Lewis published "The Screwtape Letters" in 1942, its theme is every bit as appropriate today.  I read them as a teenager when my father lent me the book.  And now I am re-reading it with my daughters this summer.  Lewis is an imaginative writer.  This book is a collection of correspondence from a veteran devil to his apprentice nephew.  Throughout this work of fiction, real advice is present.  Simple tidbits such as Screwtape's simple statement that "the safest road to hell is the gradual one" should serve as a gentle reminder for many readers.  This book has wit, ingenuity, reverence and humor.  It is a timeless classic and very much apropos to today.  The only problem with "The Screwtape Letters" is that there is so much thought provoking stuff packed into every paragraph in this book, that I frequently had to stop reading and think about what I've just read, then go back and re-read.  It made reading this SHORT book take a lot longer than it should have.  C.S. Lewis is a genius!

WOW! LET ME CATCH UP...

Since I haven't been able to post for awhile - and now I can again...  Let me catch everybody up on our busy lives:

Kotten Kandy is now 14!!!!!!  When did my baby girl think it was OK to grow up?  We joke that she is 14 in body, but 17 in Spirit.  She is amazing!  She is bright!  She is spiritual!  And she is a beautiful, talented, young lady!  I'm so glad to be her mom!  For her Birthday, she wanted to go to the temple and then go out to eat at Texas Roadhouse.  So that is what we did.  We also took in a movie at the $3 theater: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."  (GREAT movie - and I like the fact that Steve Rogers is a man that young men can actually look up too.  He's not a "bad boy" or "stupid" or "evil.")  It was a fun birthday!  And she was spoiled rotten.

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the 4th of July at our house!  And this year was REALLY fun!  We spent the entire morning at the Bishop's house.  The ward social was totally fun.  We ate well, but more importantly, we enjoyed the company!  I love my ward.  Visiting with friends and dressing in our firework shirts (home made by us 2 days prior) made the morning truly wonderful!  Then we went to the Bettenhausen's for BBQ and games and fireworks.  It was laid back and fun all at the same time!  The entire family agreed that this year's celebration of America's Independence was truly WONDERFUL!

Our "Firework" shirts - We made them!   :-)

Jelly Bean, Kotten Kandy, Amy, Apple Pie, Marmalade, Me and Key Lime Pie

Scott hung out with his best buddy the whole time!

Jelly Bean adores his "Dott!"

Me and My Girls

Daddy and Daughters

Me and My Man

Playing Badminton?!

Scott decided to dance for us...

Key Lime Pie is so weird!  We sure love her craziness!

This girl couldn't be any cuter...  Right?

I really like this guy!

The following week we decided to make another craft with the kids.  Our "Finding Nemo" snow globes turned out so cute!

Marmalade, Apple Pie, Key Lime Pie, Kotten Kandy, Nuts, and Juice

Key Lime Pie and Squirt

Kotten Kandy and Squirt

The girl's participated in Youth Conference last week.  It was a total success!  They came home excited about the gospel, their strengthened friendships, the experience, and of course: boys.  They really enjoyed the Jericho Road concert.  They liked all of their classes, especially the Missionary Prep class (zone conference) and the Shepherding class (discussing how Christ is our Shepherd.)  The girls LOVED their host families and especially liked the little "extras" they provided like games and "tea parties."  The dance was a highlight - Since it was Kotten Kandy's first dance, Key Lime Pie made sure she had fun.  They both danced a lot and had a great time!  Both girl's LOVED the service project: they beautified an elementary school; pulling weeks and mulching.  And both girls said the testimony meeting was very Christ centered and wonderful.  I'm grateful for good leaders, and everyone who made it such an amazing experience.

Almond Joy and Kotten Kandy - being silly in the coat closet

Key Lime Pie and Hershey

Chocolate and Key Lime Pie

Kotten Kandy and "Random Guy Who Wanted a Picture and Mom Loves the Picture But Doesn't Know Who He Is"

Kotten Kandy dancing with Doritos

On Sunday, Key Lime Pie played a violin duet with her friend Nutmeg.  They played a beautiful rendition of "If I Could Hie To Kolob" in two different wards.  It really brought the Spirit.  President Spencer W. Kimball said, "We are in a position, as musicians, to touch the souls of those who listen."  Key Lime Pie is truly blessing all of us with her talents!

Nutmeg and Key Lime Pie

Scott had surgery yesterday.  He is doing well.  But he's definitely hurting more this time.  Dr. Duffy said his nerve was "red and very angry."  He couldn't even dress himself after the surgery.  He tried to put on his clothes over his hospital gown.  I laughed hard and then took control.  It was like dressing an over-sized doll.  Poor guy!  He'll be back to "normal" in a few weeks, but until then, I get to zip his pants and open his pills and tie his shoes and drive him around.  He's actually a really good "patient" and doesn't complain.  But it is worse this time.

Before Surgery...

After Surgery...

Well, I guess I'm caught up.  I'll try to keep posting regularly...  :-)

GIRL'S CAMP PHOTOS

FINALLY!  My wonderful, talented, sexy husband finally got my blog to "work" again....  (He's even highly medicated and a little loopy and one handed, but he was able to fix my computer any way!)  Scott rocks!  Here are the pictures from last month's girls camp!  We had a total blast!

"Our" girls rocked!  (or should I say "smurfed?")

 

 Isn't it beautiful?

 Key Lime Pie is such a cutie!

Kotten Kandy got the top bunk... Key Lime Pie got the bottom bunk.... 

Despite her extreme eczema, Kotten Kandy LOVED canoeing.

 My silly girls!  I sure do love them!

 Lemon Drop and Key Lime Pie - I'd adopt Lemon Drop as my own in a heartbeat, if her mom would let me.

 Kotten Kandy - Love this girl!

 Key Lime Pie, Kotten Kandy and Lemon Drop - I think I'll call them the 3 Stooges!  :-)

 I'm glad my girls have so much fun together - I'm glad they are best friends!

 Bishop Tincher with his crazy Young Women!

 Key Lime Pie with 4th year hiking buddies!

Kotten Kandy wrote our script for the skit...  :-)

Fun Girls!  Fun Times!  Fun Memories!