Takahashi Visit

The past week the Takahashis came to visit. They are our California "Family" that comes up once a year. We always have so much fun when they come up, and are so sad to see them off. Nick, Anna, Barb, and Sam TakahashiAnna and Eric's birthdays are 2 days apart, so while they were here we had Anna's 16th and Eric's 20th, a double birthday party. We played Badminton a lot, and "eventually" got kind of good at it.

We miss you already!

The Winner!

Congratulations Nora! Here is her joke, I found it very funny, hope you all do too!

Once, a preacher decided to buy a mule (he would rather ride than walk). He went to the nearest town and bought a good mule for a fair price. Although, the mule was quite stubborn. It seemed forever to the preacher to get these instructions in that mule's head: Amen means whoa, Hallelujah means go. Finally, the preacher was pleased with the mule and decided to test it. He rode into the country and galloped for hours, until suddenly a cliff stood right ahead of them. "Amen! Amen! Whoa!! AMEN!!" Finally, the mule stopped right at the edge. the preacher sighed and said... "Whew. Hallelujah."....

Contest!

Since we are all in a contest mode, I thought I might hop on this band wagon and host one of my own. OK, here is how it goes. You e-mail me your funniest joke by Friday, and I'll post the winners! Have fun. And I have a prize for fist place.

Sunday Hike

Yesterday, a few families from our church went to Glacier Park for a picnic thing and a hike. It was a beautiful windy day, and just the right temp for a hike.

Green life with an orange thumb

A while ago I crocheted a tree frog. I look a picture of him and thought it looked cute, so you get to look at it too! He protects my ceiling high house plant from all manner of evil bugs.

Gloves

I'm normally leery to try glove patterns because they always seem to take size 30 thread, to thick of yarn, look way to elegant, look old ladyish, or take forever to make. So when I found this pattern I talked myself into trying it and really was happily surprised. They only took me two evenings to make and I like the fit, and weight of yarn.

Swirlly!

Off of etsy I bought a wall embellishment to go around my light switch. My dad helped me apply it to my wall tonight. It went on just like a fake tattoo, Take the paper off, stick it on, get it wet then pull off the adhesive paper. I really like the way it looks.

Butterfly!

I found this butterfly stuck between the fence wire, and rescued it. For thanks, it let me run inside, grab the camera and take a picture of it. I love the colors God made it, so.... yellow.

Summer Weeds!

I love the wild "flowers" weeds that grow in summer. They are so noxious, yet so pretty (a lot like sin). My dad always goes out and weedwacks them, that makes me sad, yet they grow back within a week. They are so fun to make into wreaths and they last a while, I still have mine from last year, though a bit crunchier.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....

OK, for all who didn't know, us, the Vestals, and the Underhills went camping this weekend. That being said let me tell you what you didn't know.

We got to the campground about 1 p.m Friday morning. It was beautiful, warm, and the campground was practically empty. We chose our prime spot and set up our tents, chairs, est. Hannah and I rode our bikes down to the lake and the mud was heaven, absolute heaven, so we rode back as fast as we could to get our suits on. Getting back to the lake it was cooler so.... We slathered ourselves in mud up to the waist. The moms went to get the canoe and when they got back Hannah and I paddled across the lake. It was like a perfect serene beach over there. No salty ocean, annoying seagulls, absolutely NO people, great sand, and a cool sandy wall to graffiti all over. Eventually dragging ourselves away from the perfect world, we came home to find the Underhills had gotten their except Mitch and Matt who came with the Vestals.

Before dinner it started raining, then pouring, then dumping, (I found out that my waterproof jacket was not water tight) My dad Mitch and I were putting up the fly tent over our kitchen stuff (everyone else had vacated to their tents) when it started thundering and lightening. You could see the lightning way less then a mile away. It was like Boom, pow, Boom, pow (if that was a good description or not) It kept dumping then my mom said that the tent was leaking through the floor! So off to save our comfort of a warm sleeping bag. Mitchell kept on cooking the chicken throughout the rain. The Underhills (three of them) got back when it stopped raining. They had gone to a rodeo Eric was riding in. It was indoors. Later we played madlibs in our tent. It poured most the night.

We took Shelby camping. during the night Shelby woke me up by scratching on our sleeping bags. I woke my mom up to get her to stop. Mom, upon finding Shelby was cold decided to put her in the sleeping bag. Shelby never having slept in a sleeping bag before kept climbing out and butting her head against mine, why I don't know. Eventually she fell asleep.

The next day it was chilly, so all us girls (except Nora) went to Eureka and the Amish store. We went to a used store, a really neat consignment store where I got a really cute pair of shoes and skirt, then an amazing clothing store. I mean it. I liked practically everything in that store including the name "Sunflower Moose". They had so many cute skirts, jackets, and tops it was unbelievable. After being in la la land, We went to lunch at a really neat deli, yarn shop, cross bookstore. I had the best sandwich ever, then we went back to the cold wet, miserable, camp sight and played badminton. ,

Today was wonderful. A little chilly in the morning but warmed up great. We packed up then rode down to the lake. Hannah, Nora, and I went across the lake again. Still bliss. imagine.... sunbathing on hot sand, cooling off your feet in clear cold water, running down the "shore", doing more graffiti, climbing a sandy hill, playing in quick sand, then taking a relaxing trip back. Later Hannah and I "played" in the mud more, then we all went home. And Hannah if you changed your mind and still wanted that swirly metal thing I found it's to late, I threw it into the lake.

I hope that wasn't to long, but I hope you read it because I took awhile to write. Here are some pictures because I know that's the only thing you like. The boys playing cards with goggles on so the smoke wouldn't bug them The chairs attempting to dry off. The shelter made to keep the hammocks dry from the rain. Mitchell cooking the chicken in the rain.

Button

Hannah sent me instructions on how to make this button pillow. I made one and thought it turned out cute. It didn't match my room though so I put it in the craft room.

Change...

For all who know me, you should know I don't like change (something I really need to work on). I had the same breakfast for 5 years before I finally changed and now have eaten the same thing for the past 3 years. I have never rearranged the furniture in my room, and have only gotten a new comforter when I outgrew the purple one with pink butterflies on it quite a few years back. Our whole house has never really changed since we moved here, and I have only moved houses once in my life (excluding when I was a few months old). I like to wear the same clothing over and over, and do my hair the same almost every day (depending on weather). I love routine and feel suicidal when something goes wrong in my daily plan.

Well, we are redoing almost our whole house. After just reading this you should have an idea how I feel. But guess what, this picture you have in your mind, me banging my head into the wall, hiding in my closet (which took forever but I completely redid), screaming, crying, trying to find my helicopter (if you don't get it you won't) and generally doing something harmful to myself and others is, wait for it.... incorrect! We are painting, rearranging bookshelves, couches, and more, getting rid of a ton of junk, and overall a home makeover (on the cheep). But guess what? My room is on the move, I no longer have a loft bed, am going to repaint my trim, and eventually get a new bed set! "sigh" I'm so happy. Sorry if this was long, and I will post pictures later.

Kinda Camping

We went "camping" in East Glacier this weekend. Here are really only a few of the pictures. The strange trees Luke, Christian, and Lucy

Hannah and IThe mountain sheepOur parents (with Luke's head in the back round)

Wilbert

Beware all creatures of the hook and yarn, there is a new terror on the loose. His name is Wilbert the friendly, yet not always friendly, viking.

What will he risk next? What lengths will he go to?What circumstances will he end up in?But with a fine beard like that what could go wrong?

Roy from Troy!

This is Roy, he is from Troy. I made him for my brother Luke since he likes that sort of stuff. I told Luke he was trying to protect the last Melon of Troy, but Luke thought that sounded like he was a dodo bird. So, he will just have to save Garbina.

Miss Poppy

Here is a movie I made starring Rachel and Hannah.

Sir Dancelot

This is my knight in shining blue armor. His name is Sir Dancelot because, well, he loves to dance a lot. He may be small but he knows how to Paso Doble through battle, Tango with the enemy, and waltz away with the fair maiden.He loves braving the outdoors!He fights evil in gloomy dungeons.

I think Garbina is smitten with this cute little dancer!

Chicks!

A few days ago Mrs. Hawkins gave us six chicks (ours got eaten). Because my camera was broken I haven't put on pictures, but now I can. The poor chicks were petrified when I brought it to my room and put it in my plant. Sorry if the pictures aren't good, the chicks wouldn't stop moving!

Morbid!

When I finished my test yesterday a hour early, I sat in the back room in the quonset hut. Very bored, I wrote a poem. It's kinda morbid, but I thought I might "liven" up your day with posting it.

I’m caught, stuck, caged, kept,
hidden in this cage I wept.
Waiting to become set free,
but till then, I’ll sit and be,
in bleak darkness, inhumane,
not enough to sustain.

A ring by any other name.

I really could waste my life on etsy if I wanted to, so I have to be careful how long I spend drooling over other peoples creations. Well, I'm not much of a jewelry person, but on the home page where they show you stuff, they showed a cool ring there, and I thought I would look at some others and found some to be amazingly different. Here are my finds. (Oh, most of these rings are in the $100 dollar range, just a heads up)

Yes, that's a log ring, to cool to be true. That clock really works! (I'm not sure how you tell time on it though)Some guys made this by hand, kinda wild. Yes, that is real grass growing out of that ring!This is an Egyptian style ring, hand made too!

Crochet Tree

I got this picture in an e-mail. I thought it was really creative. I guess some people crocheted around a tree, it goes way up into the branches. It must have taken a really long time. It looks like something out of Dr. Suess.