The kids are having a GREAT time w/ grandparents this week so I am here cleaning out their never-ending clothes and enjoying a clean quiet house that stays clean and quiet for longer than 2 minutes. I don't have anything else to say...but this is a pic from today...looks like fun!
We went to Family Camp at Pine Cove WOODS for the first time and it was AWESOME!!! Something about being around lots of folks 24/7 who LOVE Jesus just feels like a taste of heaven and we just felt so relaxed and refreshed as the counselors served us by caring for our kids.
We went with a Dr. Suess's ABCs theme for the Dr. Seuss night...
we met some crazy kids there named Trey and Grace ;)
Packing a family of 5 for a week was a beating...as usual...but I bragged to Jon on the way there that I remembered EVERY THING...when we got there I realized that I had forgotten any shoes for Caroline.
We went on my favorite lake in the world, Lake Palestine. The kids weren't too crazy about driving in the boat. I was really surprised Anna Kate did a little tubing. When Jon got out on the tube Anna Kate and J.R. both started screaming and wailing out of fear for him...when I skiied (sp?) they weren't nearly as concerned.
This pic of Caroline seems to reflect the general mood regarding the boat trip-disgruntled -- we'll leave them w/ the counselors for this part next time.
Rodeo night. So fun. Got to bust out (and out of - they were SOOOOO tight that I took them off right after the picture) my Rocky Mountains from high school. If you know what those are, then you are cool like me. 
This was the adult banquet night...another night was a date night where they gave us the biggest cutest picnic basket ever filled with goodies and Jon and I put it in a canoe and went over to a horse pasture with an empty air conditioned little chapel on it and we just got some quality time together. Surreal. Priceless. So many good times together.
Another day during family devotional time.
J.R. with his counselors named What-a-ticket (or "Ticket"), First Impressions (or "Presh") and Spinderella....Spinderella was a our family's Devo Counselor too. Super sweet girls.
Anna Kate with one of her counselors named Block Party. Anna Kate had such a blast in Wild Kids. She was the only one in her class that memorized the week's Bible verse by herself...it's really long...she must have elephant memory....or are elephants the forgetful ones? I can't remember obviously.
And Caroline with Nice Cream, Doppler and Good-2-Go...these girls were so sweet and I didn't have to change a poopy diaper the WHOLE week!!! When I worked at Pine Cove ten (yikes) years ago as "Flik"...I watched the kids Caroline or J.R.'s age so I knew my kids were in good hands :) I think Pine Cove will be my favorite place in the whole earth until the day I die. Such a treat to get to share it w/ Jon and my kids. I want ALL my friends to go with us to Family Camp next year...seriously, EVERYONE just let us know what week you want and we'll accomodate the majority :) Oh and just have to mention our speaker for the week was Matt Carter, the pastor of Austin Stone. He talked about sin gave a gospel talk that was life-changing. I think I can connect the audio, but it's just not the same without the visuals he used. He's up there with my very favorite preacher Tim Keller and a new favorite I learned about this week David Platt. Can I just say that I love living today when the gospel is coming to life in churches with evangelical bleeding-hearts at the forefront that are willing to surrender their lives to change the world with the LOVE of Jesus instead of Christians just living the stupid American dream?
Last weekend our family went to Cousin Clay's Wedding in Ft. Worth...out-doors at the end of July...so it was pretty toasty...water bottles and these "fan" programs were essentials...but a super fun perk is that he invited our KIDS!!! Kids are a rare treat at weddings these days, but ours were soooo excited to go and I was excited too!!
But the reception was indoors -- phew!!!
And it was a BLAST!!!
Because Cousin Clay married a sweet and GORGEOUS girl named Cassandra that he met when Salsa dancing and her family is Hispanic so we got to celebrate with yummy Mexican food for dinner and a Mariachi Band!!!
Caroline LOVED it...immediately started dancing.
Anna Kate did not hold back her moves. She's been wanting a "dance party" for her 5th birthday for a while...I think a Mariachi Band would be a fun addition to any party, but I'm guessing that it would bust the budget.
But J.R. was skeptical...for a while...
The he cut loose too...
My Mamacita Bonita!!!! Love her.
LOTS of my fun cousins were there...this is not nearly all of them, but a few of my favorites ;) Jennifer, Katie and Elyse. Wow, nuts, looking at this pic I must have ended up with the short genes...or I need to wear heels...or not since they are one of my least favorite things in the world...THAT was a ramble, sorry.
