Venture Crew

Sarah went on her first Venture Crew weekend and she had a great time. It was hard, hot and she slept in a hovel (mom's feelings, not Sarah's!), but she hung in there!

This is outside my little southern belle's comfort zone, but she is a tough cookie (steel magnolia).

My Weekend

Spent the weekend with these two...




because this one is at camp


with this sweet dad and a bunch of girls and boys.

Venture Crew has come into our lives!

Sweetness

Hannah did her first infant photo shoot this week. The humidity was terrible, the baby didn't have a full belly, but she nailed it!!

Honey and Jam Photography

Otis

This sweet puppy is finally home!! We still have to care for his wound caused by the venom, but he is home and everyone is smiling.

Update

I called the vet this morning and they told me that Otis greeted them standing and wagging his tail this morning. I couldn't believe it and neither could they.

He is not completely out of the woods, but he has turned the corner in the right direction!! Now it is more about the skin that is dying and infection. But he has a chance and it is a much better chance than yesterday.

His doctor even said there is a possibility that he could come home tomorrow if we are willing to care for his wound. Wow!

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Anything for this sweetie!!

Otis

Yesterday Otis, our sweet mutt, was bitten by a snake. William and Hannah took him to the vet and they said statistically it should have been a copperhead.

Overnight he got worse and we took him back today. Unfortunately it was a rattlesnake and he may not make it. Rattlesnake bites are the worst for dogs and he was bitten in the back leg, which doesn't work in his favor either.

The kids have been to the animal hospital to see him and we have all cried. He is comfortable and they are doing all they can to keep him stable to see if he can withstand the venom as it goes through his body.

By tomorrow we should know if he has a chance, if not we will put him to sleep instead of allowing the venom to shut down all his organs.

Otis is the best dog, we call him 'the cuteness'. He just fits with us and shows such affection. He is a joy to be around.

Hang in their buddy, we want you home again.

Seeker Sensitive Ministries

Many modern 20th & 21st century American protestant churches have been falsely preaching a lie for a number of years. The lie of a “Seeker Sensitive” ministry. The lie that an unrighteous man in his sins could seek after God. Romans 3 makes this abundantly clear, and regardless what we were taught or believe, scripture is unfailing in it’s truth.

As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”
“Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
ruin and misery mark their ways,
and the way of peace they do not know.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Romans 3:10-20

Only through the call of the Holy Spirit will our heart respond and turn to God.

Life

Life has gotten in the way of blogging. Oh well. It seems that I have not had the energy to do the things I need to do lately, much less anything else.

Hayden went to summer camp without his dad this year and did great. He got all his merit badges done and grew 2 inches I think! How is he 13 years old??

Hannah got a great offer from a company to do several posts with pictures using their product. great offer=real money!! She is also our newly minted 20 year old.

Sarah is getting ready for her first Venture Scout weekend. She is excited about trying something new and different. She'll be 16 in a few weeks.

The farmers market has been good this year for us. We have so many vendors now that we are back down in the park.

I will continue to try to push ahead though I don't feel like pushing squat!

Wonderful 4th!

We had a great July 4th with just the 5 of us. We decided since William has been so busy with work that we would just keep it simple this year. No company, no going somewhere, just us and some good food.

William cooked chicken marinated in Mojo on the grill along with corn. The girls and I cooked baked potatoes, artisan bread and made pasta salad. Hannah made peach pie and homemade vanilla ice cream.

Hayden complimented the even with his display of fireworks. Our dogs now need Prozac!

Farmers Market Tomorrow

Hannah is under the weather, so Sarah and I are baking for the market tomorrow. It has gone smoothly and we are down to cookies and artisan bread and it isn't 5:00 yet!

Our area gets a lot of visitors especially on holidays so we are expecting a crowd tomorrow. Hopefully we will sell all we take including our eggs.

Everyone have a blessed 4th of July!!

Pain!

We haven't catered in awhile and we are all paying for it! Oh my!! My feet think I hate them and I think I do.

12 hours of labor payed off in the way of a wonderful Eagle Scout banquet with a sit down dinner. We made Cheese crusted chicken, red potatoes with parsley, whole green beans, yeast rolls, salad and dessert.

Did I mention that we are tired?? Oh and did I mention that the scouts mother didn't let us know she wanted us to decorate until 24 hours before the dinner? Talk about scrambling; fortunately we are on top of July 4th and Eagle Scouts use red, white and blue! And we love a challenge. I think...

The girls and I are saving all our farmers market money and any other we can make for a vacation. A scouting family has a condo out in Wyoming that they like to bless people with by allowing them to use it. YES!! We so want to go West. So today helped a lot!

Now I must go and rest, and rest, and rest, and rest, and dream of the wild West.

Things Change

In 1995 the first Toy Story came out and our first born was 5 years old. She fell in love with the toys, their personalities and their adventures.

Another movie followed in 1999 our youngest just 2, our middle one 5 and our first born 9. We had many of the toys in our house by this time and the movie played on the TV over and over.

Tonight we went to the drive-in to see Toy Story 3 and it became something we couldn't have imagined. See Andy is all grown up now and it is the end of his childhood. Sitting next to me was our first born, who turns 20 next month. It was for her, and us, the end of one season and the beginning of another rolling right in front of us on a huge screen.

Hannah and I both shed a tear. The sweetness of Andy passing his toys on, but not forgetting the happy childhood he had. As our oldest moves from one season to another I can rejoice that she has had a happy childhood and moves into adulthood with wonderful, precious memories.

Go see the movie, you may shed a tear also...

Or act goofy and cute like the two younger ones!!

A Moment In Time

My two guys...

They Have Regressed!!

We went to dinner tonight and all three kids (which I use loosely, as they are 13, 15 and 19) were in the seat behind us because farmers market stuff takes up half the car now. So, things got a bit wild...

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Hannah: singing

Hayden: Hannah shut up!

Sarah: He is leaning on me!!

Hayden: Your face is leaning on me

Hannah: Touch me again and I'll kill you

Hayden: Your face is killing me

Sarah: Mom, tell him to stop

Hannah: singing...louder

Sarah: He is still leaning on me

Hayden: Your face is stupid

Hayden: ouch, ouch, they are making me a sandwich. (oh Hayden is in the middle of the two girls)

Hayden: yells

Mom: Hayden why are you yelling

Hayden: Hannah just stuck her cup down my pants!

Mom: Hannah don't 'cold crack' your brother

Sarah: I don't feel good

Dad: You look great

Hannah: Hayden I am going to hurt you

and on and on and on!!! of course, all in jest!!

From these little angels...

Opening Day of the Farmers Market

5:30 AM came very early this morning, especially after baking all day Friday. But we dragged ourselves out of bed and made it to the market by 7:30!

We had a great opening day with about 20 vendors and lots of customers. Being back downtown made a big difference.

Being unsure of the crowds today, we baked a little less, but sold all but 3 loafs and probably would have sold those had we not left early. We sold all but 2 dozen eggs also.

Today He is 13

Handsome funny smart musical

Cherries!!

My sweet hubby brought home several large bags of cherries from his dads earlier this week. These are sour cherries so we decided to make jam!

It turned out wonderful and we didn't have to use a hot water canner or pectin! Just sugar and lemon juice, then we put the lids on and turned them upside down. Sealed!

photos by Hannah Queen