1860s Baseball Game

Megan and Madeline

Yes, it's been a while. It's hard sometimes to decide what to blog about and if you should wait to post something, and by that time, your youngest sisters are 10 years old! (Did I say that out-loud? Nope, just typed it, phew. :)

Anyway... Last Saturday Ben down to Madeline volunteered at Fort Vancouver for the 1860s baseball game - it's one of our(at least the girls) favorite events because we get to wear hoop skirts. :)

Hair preparation started the night before and ended with Madeline, Emily, and Grace having their heads covered with rags (and a partly watched Julie Andrews Cinderella). Megan's hair I did the next morning first thing and, since we didn't have to leave till 5, I figured it would have time to rest - I was right. :)

Bethany came over at 2:30 to get her hair put into rags, have some tea and cookies, and help me finish adding buttons and ribbons to hats. Three hours - actually, two and a half, but who was counting?

Tea time! 

Mrs. Pots on the left getting our tea ready. :)

We all did (amazingly) get out of the door by 5:00pm - hair done and yards of material donned.

One year, I was able to speak with the people from France - it didn't happen this year. :( 

It was such a beautiful day! The rain had made the day cooler and, personally, I love the colors in the sky after our beautiful rain! So needed and so very loved! :)

James actually played on the Sherman team and did a fantastic job. It was fun to actually know people playing the game - I think it makes it slightly more fun. :)

This is a photo Emily took of us for 4-H before the event, but since it's only missing two of us, I figured it would be good. (It was a little warmer that day - just a little lot!!)

I was hoping to find a picture of the whole group, but I didn't take a picture and there was nothing online - possibly my family took a picture, I just haven't gotten it yet - I think this little ditty will disappear soon. :)

Blogging is interesting - I could seriously do a post for the next two or three days and again next week as we'll be getting exhibits ready for the fair; however, that seems a little excessive, so I will possibly wait till next week or Saturday night to post again. :) Have a great day!

A Beautiful Day in the Gorge

I love my home, family, friends, and Church family - with those four things, you miss home whenever you're away.

Susanna and Bethany

12ft - not big unless you're scared of heights

After church on Sunday, several of us went down to the Gorge to go cliff jumping - tons of fun! Hope we do it again soon!

No event, no matter how fun, is ever completely complete without some sport - soccer, frisbee, or volleyball. We settled for frisbee while playing Duck-Duck-Goose. :)

Paul and Rebecca's dogs were very popular. ;)

 After this, we headed to Angel's Crest for a hike that would end us at the top around sunset. We headed up at a good pace (we decided that we definitely got some sort of work out in).

on the way up

Sitting up at the top and enjoying the beautiful creation that our God and Creator has made, we began to sing songs of praise to Him - there is not a ton much better than singing to God with your friends on the top of a mountain looking at a sunset.

Anna, Bethany, Susanna

Kaytra and Sarah :)

We got someone to take all of our picture when at sunset - about 9pm. Such great friends - I am so blessed by my church family. :)

After meeting various parents, we arrived home quietly with the soft drops of rain. Sticky from the hike and dirty from the lake, we were all quite ready to take a warm shower, get a glass of cold water or warm tea and settle down for the night (or morning, or whatever you would like to call it).

Fourth Of July!

To start out with, we have to look at July 3rd when we had a rain and lightening storm (I've loved all the rain!!!).

Ok, I edited it a bit - maybe a lot - but that's closer to how my memory remembers it. :)

When Caleigh woke up, we painted her nails in crazy and fun fourth of July ways. (A Couple of days earlier, I did Hannah's nails - both days I was doing mine. :)

 We all went to Palo Dura Canyon - it was beautiful (and we saw two lizards chameleons!).

Grandma and Grandpa then took me to Cadillac Park. They took Sarah here three years ago (Gracie wasn't able to make it there).

It was a little bit warmer when I went - March vs. July

Before the fireworks, Caleigh really wanted to do a show for us on her new scooter thingy - I think it's called a y-flicker. She got really good on it in three days.

 It was funny to me that by the time we were down with fireworks, everyone else was just getting started and it was just getting dark - I mean, everyone at home. I started taking pictures right as the fireworks were lit to get these pictures.

 I thought this one was cool 'cause it happened right before the firework exploded - I thought it was cool. I got a ton of pictures that were completely black as I was taking pictures trying to get pictures like the ones above. I had fun. :)

Hope y'all had a fun fourth of July! Blessings!

Birthday

Yesterday was Caleigh's 7th birthday. She wanted a bowling party - so we went bowling. :)

Aunt Robin

I was playing against Aunt Robin, Uncle Steve, and Jodie (how did I get on that team?). To put it shortly, I lost (though, on my last turn I got a strike and a spare :).

Jodie

Silly string - what a great way to end a party. :)

Grandma and Grandpa brought Caleigh a doll house - the whole reason for our trip down here.

This is a song I was didn't post yesterday, but I meant to. :)

A Story of Grandpa Hill and Pictures

A story from Grandpa~

Me and Hannah

When Grandpa finished service and went back to Kansas, Grandma and Grandpa Hill thought it would be fun to go down to Texas on Highway 54. (They had to take Grandma and Grandpa's car because it was the best suited for the trip.) Grandpa Hill smocked and carried matches that "would catch on anything" in his pocket. When leaving a hotel, a traveling salesman backed into them (apparently, these cars had buttons for "drive", "reverse", and "park" and he accidentally pressed "reverse" instead of "drive"). As you probably guessed, Grandpa Hill's matches lit in his pocket. He jumped out of the car and emptied all his valuables. The salesman came up and apologized for hitting them. And Grandpa Hill said, "You nearly burned the whole place down!"

Me and Aunt Robin

Caleigh and Me

Grandpa was happy 'cause the salesman's insurance paid for the repairs. :)