Wednesday's Walk - 15 years of Love

Today, John and I will be celebrating 15 years of marriage. I am amazed how much I love that man more and more everyday.

I started dating John when I was 16 years old....yes we are high school sweet hearts.

The very first thing that he ever said to me, was when I was 15 years old, he came up to me at the school pop machines and said, "Will you marry me?" I thought he was crazy!!!! I said, "NO WAY!" Who knew?!

You can go read our story here....John & Me!

Wednesday's Walk Ideas (If you can't come up with your own)
Do you have a crazy love story?
How did you meet your spouse?

Have a blessed day. I know today I will...
GET JOY!

Wednesday's Walk - The Peace Patrol

"Hello, My name is Sam Saint, Super Sleuth!" said Dick Gruber a child's evangelist about 27 years at my christian schools chapel. For the next half hour, I listen to him intently as he shared the gospel in a very creative detective kind of way. I loved every second of his presentation and remember a lot about it to this day. Out of all the children's Pastors/ Evangelist I have ever heard hands down he was my favorite. My hubby thinks he heard him when He was a kid too.

Yesterday, my kids went to came home from kids camp and couldn't stop talking about the speaker. There two favorite things at camp Go-Karts and the service. I later found out...Sam Saint Super Sleuth was there. I nearly cried, because the very same man who spoke into my heart so many years ago had now spoke into the lives of my girls.

So, thank you Sam Saint, Super Sleuth....thank you.

"I am living for him faithfully in the Peace Patrol with my partner the Holy Spirit" and I will ....
GET JOY!

Pictures of my kids at camp!

Ideas for Wednesday's Walk
Do you have any memories from kids camp?
Did a speaker, pastor or Evangelist speak to you in a special way?

PSA: My family is on a sabbatical and I will not be online very much over the next month and half. I will still be posting Wednesday's Walk and reading your links. Don't get mad if I don't post your comments for awhile. I will read your link ups when I can. Thanks everyone and have a great summer. ~Blessings!

Wednesday's Walk - 4th of July Traditions

For most of my life, I have spent the 4th of July in the beautiful town of Ludington. We go to the horrendously long parade and then in the evening sit on the beach to watch the spectacular fireworks. I love every minute of it.

Enjoying the parade!
Having fun on the beach; but not loving the sand...poor little man. LOL
This one family does this on the beach every 4th.
Fun sunset photos...

Our traditional family shot!

This years fireworks were the best ever! Wednesday's Walk Ideas:
Do you have any 4th of July traditions?
Do you have any fun firework memories?

GET JOY

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Wednesday's Walk - Quirks I love!

When we were dating, every time we stopped to get gas my man would always wash the window. I would always watch in amazement how he perfectly he would wash and scrape every inch of the windshield. After a really seemingly long process, it would sparkle when he was done. I would always laugh because when I would wash the windshield, I could care less and it would be streaky and well....you can imagine ....obviously a girl too busy with too much on her mind to care about a windshield. LOL

A perfectly cleaned windshield is one of my hubby's cute little qwirky things that I would not change for the world.

I love him!

Wednesday's Walk idea:
Does your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend have a funny quirk you love?

GET JOY!

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Wednesday's Walk - We're Goin Campin Now!

Camp in the Past....

Summer camps are so much fun. I remember how much I loved going to Girl Scout camp and Church camp when I was young.Here I am at our cabin, of course always ready with a great face for the camera.

I always had fun in Girl Scouts! Can you find my cheese face below?

Camp Now...

My daughter just went to Powette. Powette is our states girl's ministries church camp that we have every year. We had a great time.

Of course there was a lot of swimming!!!
Great services and a great speaker, Thank Netta Chilton!

Fun PJ Fashion Show!
Yummy food!

Fun Games!

Awesome Tea Party!

They do fun competitions like cooking, scrapbooking & sewing. Her is my girls pillow she made!

Summer Camps are always a blast!

Wednesday Walk Ideas:
Do you have any fun summer camp memories?
Do your children go to summer camp?

Always remember to....

GET JOY!

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Wednesday's Walk - Ice Cream Truck Edition

Growing up in the city, it is not uncommon to hear the sounds of the ice cream truck coming down your street during the summer months. However, here in small town northern Michigan it is very rare to hear that sound...very rare. In fact, I think I have only heard the ice cream truck maybe three times in the 8 years we have lived here. One of those three was last Thursday.

My kids were pretty excited to pick out their ice cream treats. I remember that same excitement when I was little. I remember the joy of hearing that sound, running into the house, scurrying around looking for loose change, then hurrying out the door fearing that I might have missed the frozen treats on a stick and all I would see was the evidence of him being there on the faces of all the other children who were quicker than me.

Last Thursday, we waved down that ice cream man and here is the evidence that we didn't miss him......
He was very excited about his Batman ice cream! He kept saying over and over in a sing-songy- voice, "Batman"! Don't you just love that blue face?!
My girls enjoying their treats! My oldest and her expensive taste...of course she got the big yummy chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. I think I will have her do some dishes to pay off that one! Hahahaha My middle girl of course wanted the double treat...you know....ice cream and bubble gum!
I love, love, love those strawberry crunch bars....so good.
Don't you just love this guys face??? He was actually pretty excited about his ice cream (it was like some orange creamsicle something) even though that is hard to tell from this picture. LOL

Wednesday's Walk ideas:

Do you have any ice cream truck memories?
Do you have any summer time favorite foods that remind you of something special?

Ice cream trucks and family fun help me...
GET JOY

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Top Ten Tuesday - Verses I Love!

I have blogged about my favorite verses here before but here they are in a condensed version.

#1 Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

#2 Micah 6:8
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

#3 Philippians 4:13
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

#4 Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

#5 Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

#6 I Peter 3:3-4
³ Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. ⁴ You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

#7 Romans 5:8
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

#8 Romans 8:38-39
³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

#9 Psalm 16:11
You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.

#10 Numbers 6:24-25
²⁴ ‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
²⁵ May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.

These verses help me to
GET JOY!

Wednesday's Walk - Home of the Sicky Sick

Sickness has reared its ugly head in our home the last 2 weeks. Fevers of 103.4, sore throats, congestion, sneezing, coughing you name it we got it. Usually, when these germs creep into my home they also keep my kids up at night which then keeps me up with worry. I know, I know.... I am such a mom.

Now, I know that this seems to be a strange Wednesday's Walk; but hang on, I will get to the reason in a second. As I was caring for my kids this past week and the hours of tending to them in the middle of the night when I would rather be sleeping....I got to thinking. I started to remember the things my mom did for me when I was sick.

When I would have a fever she would sit by my bed and wipe a cool wash cloth on my forehead, cheeks and arms ever so gently. She would bring me water, juice, soup whatever to help me feel better. She would hold my hair back when my tummy wasn't feeling well and I was returning nasty germs to the toilet where they belonged. When I was in the hospital, she would sleep in the wretched chair every night until they released me. I always knew mom would take care of me even if it was gross, tiresome, or even frustrating. Why? Simply, because she loved me and she hated seeing me sick.

It is funny how much we pattern ourselves after our parents even in what seems small and insignificant. As I was wiping my daughter's forehead with a cool cloth, I remembered my mom. When I was a girl and was sick and felt crummy, I still felt love. I hope that my kids feel the same from me and they will give the same love that I gave to their children. In some strange way, a little piece of my mom and me will pass on long after we are gone in the ways that my children lovingly treat their children. That makes my heart feel glad.

Even in the little things.....
GET JOY!

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Girly Summer Crafts 2011!

Fourth of July Fun
Dress up the things you have with fun patriotic ribbon. I got this ribbon at Wal-mart for like $2.00. Look at how cute this plain white bucket hat now looks!!!! So easy, all you need to do is make a bow and sew it on with a simple stitch. You could hot glue it on; but if you want the bow to stay on better sewing it is the way to go! If you are unsure of your sewing skill...do your best and then add hot glue to make sure. hahahahaa!

These were fun patriotic pins we came up with this year. I got a cheep skein of yarn....red, white and blue of course. My daughter then crocheted a very long chain stitch for me. Go here to learn how to crochet a chain stitch. I then sewed the loops together at one end, sewed on a button and a pin on the back. Go here to learn how to make these flowers! How patriotic.... you could pin these on a jacket, dress, or a hat!
Flippy Flops
I love taking cheap flip flops and making them cute! Tie balloons to them! Take scraps of material and tie them on! Our take my fun fabric flowers and tie them on! So many fun ways to make your flip flops dazzling and adorable! And did I mention...how easy it is!!!!

For the balloon flip flops I first tied the ends of two water balloons together. I then tied those around the plastic top of the flip flop. What makes them cute is using complementary colors, patterns or rainbow order....Just have fun!

For these fun fabric flip flops, I borrowed my friend picking shears. You know those scissors that have a zig zag edge to keep fabric from fraying. You don't have to use those, they look fun frayed as well. I wanted to try something different this year. Cut your fabric in several strips to as long and as wide as you like. Lastly, tie them on! Your kids can do this one!!!!!


Don't you just love these gingham ones!!!!
Fabric Flowers!
Have I told you how much I love, love, love making these fabric flowers. I have blogged about making these before, go here to see how. New tidbit though....if you have and embossing heat tool use it! It is so much easier than using fire to melt the edges and less dangerous.



Put this flowers on hats, barrettes, pins, flip flops, purses or anything to make everything more adorable.
If you make lots of this stuff you can then sell it for some summer cash!!!! Whooo HOO!

Being crafty helps me...
GET LOTS OF JOY!