Where Has June Gone?

I promise I'm alive. It's just that blogging has shockingly been the last thing on my to-do list each day and I've never reached the end of the list yet. Today I am ignoring all other responsibilities that do not have to do with keeping children alive and am taking a little time out to record the events of my life these last couple of weeks. Has it been weeks? Maybe just days...or maybe it's been months. Who knows, I haven't really been keeping track. I only know that my good friends were beginning to think I'd disappeared and would never return. The following pictures are living proof that I'm alive and kicking though because without my never ending nourishment this little guy would not be growing like a weed!

I am happy to report that I successfully recovered from my bout of mastitis. I was finished with all 7 days of antibiotics when I got to go to Youth Conference. And I'm not being sarcastic. I love Youth Conference. It was so much fun! We stayed in the dorms at the local college, Missouri State University. Walter tagged along with me and loved hanging out in the sling while everyone ooohed and aaahed over him. I had many wonderful helpers who so willingly offered to hold Baby Wally while I pigged out at the buffet in the cafeteria or danced my bootie off on the dance floor. I'm such a nerd, but it was so much fun. I loved when we went to Kids Against Hunger for our service project and packaged meals to be sent to starving children. It's a rice, soy, vegetable and vitamin packet that feeds 6 kids a one cup serving. As a group we packaged 36,509 packets. YEAH! Another highlight was when Jenny Phillips came and did a musical fireside for the youth. We gave all our YW her CD this year because it goes along with the theme and is only $3 per cd when you buy them in packs of five. It was wonderful! Some of the girls felt like they were meeting a movie star!

William turned 36 on the 12th of June and is looking as great as ever!

I think he gets more handsome every year. He is my manly husband and our children's wonderful father.


I couldn't ask for a better guy.

Happy birthday sweetie!

On the 15th of June we had a lovely hail storm come through our neighborhood.


It was crazy!

Walter and I had the privilege of attending Girl's Camp this week.

Sadly, everyone had to pack up and come home a day early because there were tornado warnings coming in until 2am. It was a massive storm I tell ya. Thankfully we made it out before any of the big stuff hit but I have to say I was a tad nervous eating dinner under the big canopy tent with the humongous metal pole reaching heavenward as lightening was striking all around us. On the drive home the rain was so heavy I couldn't see the road a few times. I even screamed twice when the lightening seemed to be hitting our car. I know it didn't actually do this, but it felt like maybe our lives could be in danger. YIKES!

Girl's Camp was fun but definitely a different experience than when I was young. Not saying I'm not young anymore, it's just that now I'm a leader instead....wait, this is not what this story is about. My point is the girls got to do fun stuff like go horseback riding, shoot shotguns, ride on inner tubes behind fast boats, sing karaoke with a microphone, and listen to Taylor Swift while doing crafts. WHAT? Who the heck has electrical outlets available to girls at camp? Well we sure did, at every camp site in fact. Seriously, there was a lot of texting and hair straightening going on right under our very noses! I was appalled by the fact that vehicles were coming and going at all times. Cars, trucks and SUV's were parked not even 10 feet from our tents and not once did I feel disconnected from the outside world. What is this world coming to? The girls didn't know any better though and loved every moment of it....I think. Well, come to think of it they started cheering when we told them we were leaving in an hour instead of the next morning. If it had been me when I was 13 I would have burst into tears at the thought of cutting girl's camp short. Yes, I'm a nerd...and proud of it. I am already plotting an planning on how I can help these girls truly experience the outdoors. I look forward eagerly to singing silly camp songs and long to bring back the tradition of late night campfires where you sing and cheer and yell until your voice is hoarse. I want the girls to feel the camaraderie that comes from being too dirty and stinky to even care. Maybe by the time Claire turns 12 I will have all the details worked out and ready to put into action.


I want my crazy daughters to be able to enjoy Girl's Camp just as much and in the same way that I did. I mean, what fun is it when you go a whole week without dribbling pudding down your chin?

Yes, that's me in the red shirt with my fun and crazy friends.

Enough ranting and raving and whining from me. May I boast a bit? Two things:

1.Walter slept like a dream. (in this tiny tent)

2. I, Marie Bird (aka Pyromaniac, Fire Enthusiast) taught a few girls how to start a fire using only magnesium, flint and steel...no matches! We also loved the battery with steel wool method. It's so gratifying to me to be able to get a good rip roaring fire going without matches. I love it so much!

Last night I pitted these yummy cherries and froze some delicious pie filling to use at a later date.


Thank you to my sister-in-law Julie for so generously sharing her bounty of excess cherries grown on her very own tree.


Amazing!

Next week: My 31st Birthday!