Shoot for the stars (chasers)!

 Today we got up bright and early (six can be bright and early right?) and headed down to FL. to Mom's and the three little girl's mounted drill team practice. Dad has gone every time before and Micah has gone most, but this was my first time and it was really, really neat. I think the best part was seeing how much fun Mom and the girls had and seeing what they have been able to enjoy doing with the horses. I was very impressed by the drills and Mom's and the girl's participation. Naomi didn't get to ride too much since her horse still needs some work, but she was such a sport and sat with a smile watching the others. 

It was a really long day...we didn't get home till about 7:30 tonight, but it was a really neat day and I was thankful for the time spent with my family. I got to spend some time with Micah and then I had some great talks with Dad between watching everything. Of course, we missed Em who is house-sitting again. I missed staying with her this time, but she is only staying the weekend so maybe we can hang out next time. 

And that's just about all for now, folks! Got church tomorrow...it doesn't feel like Saturday for some reason. I guess it's just been a long...but short week. (how does that work? Hmmm, I'm blond...I guess that means anything goes, right?! :D :P Yes...I will use that when I can. ). Been an awesome week and we are looking forward to the next! God is very good. :) 

Always remember to smile and shine for Christ!
Over and out for now.

Lydia in the car with her new crop

Naomi really is happy...

Naomi Ruth next to Rusty as the back two horses are being unloaded.

Lydia and Robb (Abby's horse.)

Naomi and her horse (Or...half a horse), Tinker.

In the arena.

Only a man as awesome as my Dad would have power tools everywhere he goes. :P Dad is such an amazing sport and example; going down and acting as "stable boy" all day long. I think he was fixing a stirrup here.

Jeff Gordon's #1 Fan. :P Micah and I enjoyed some time together today as the spectators.

Quite a lovely little lady, I think.

What does one do while one has nothing else to do and is discovering, not for the first time, what the word "boredom" means? One takes pictures of one's own hand holding a water bottle that one has torn the paper from already. Yeah...

I know a lot of bloggers might insert the word "art" here. But, I say it's a just a picture of a water bottle on my lap. Why do you care to see it? Hmmm...I really don't know. But...it's SHINY! :D

Naomi and Tink again.

Part of the team during a drill practice.

Lydia carried the Marine flag...muchly kewel.

Micah and me...I've got me one cool bro. 8-)

I think my camera is starting to go out...it never used to do this with the lighting...random note there, fur ya.

And, of course, the real reason any of us came!...a five star three course, gourmet meal...mmmhhhhmmm. Of course, I did figure out some clever ways to spread mayo on bread...and I made ever sandwich on my lap without getting mustard on my skirt!!! That's sorta a big deal...

Ooooh, yes...teehee...Dad, Micah and I went to a super cool shop...can you guess what kind? :D They had  PINK Judge! Me wants.

Mother and Daughter. Or, simply... Mom and Lydia.

Naomi sitting, loyally, with her horse.

Then we headed home! And, of course, we had to stop at another five star joint for dinner. This place is so fancy, you don't even have to get out of the car for your food! They deliver it through a fancy, shmancy window straight to you! And they package everything up all perty and all.

You see that little tan thing in the bottom right of this picture? That's called a Frappe. The real reason one stops at that five star joint I mentioned above. 

 

 

We ran to Ft. Rucker today to go to the thrift store and do our grocery shopping and I looked out the window and saw that the Crepe Mertyls (how do you spell that? :P ) were blooming. I'd caught a glimpse of them as I walked through the house before and made a note to get pictures of them...but it seems like nothing on my mental check list ever gets done unless I do it as soon as I think of it. So, right before we left I ran out and got a few shots...I may go get more..they're just sooooooo beautiful. I've always really loved flowers...so I'm always happy when they start blooming around here. ^_^
I'm headed to Fl tomorrow with some of the Dad, Mom and the younger girls...Mom and the little girls have gotten into a horse thing down there and I've haven't gone with them yet, so I thought I might as well go tomorrow and spend some time with the family. :) I plan on getting pictures of that too! :D
Y'all remember to smile and shine for Christ!
Over and out for now.

Somehow, this picture reminds me of the old Narnia movies...

 

 

I was only able to get one picture of this one...so it didn't turn out well, but I loooove this color.

2012 SW Picture Post

 Well, the trip to Kansas has come and gone and I can hardly believe it. It's funny how you look forward to something for sooo long...then it happens and it takes a while to realize that it's over. Anyways...Dad and I really enjoyed the trip with Uncle Tony and Eli to the Workshop and are thankful for all the memories and fun times. The whole thing was just as epic (and maybe more) than I had hope for! The Summer Workshop seemed to fly by faster and faster each day. There's so much I could write about...and I had plans for a long post to talk all about it...but now that I've actually sat down to post, I can't remember any of it. :P I'm sure I will tonight after I post, right?
Anyways...here are some of the pictures...I didn't get near as many as I should have...but this covers the whole trip pretty well, even if briefly. I forgot to get pictures the first day of the car trip and both days on the way back, though.
A few things real quick...cafeteria food...doesn't deserve the name "food". :P I guess a person might get used to it after a while, but I got sick almost every time I ate there. :P The Dorms were very cold for us on the bottom floor. Oh...and I discovered that the hand dryers on the bathroom walls work as an iron for very wrinkled clothes! AND...you can use them as a hair dryer. It's amazing the things you think to use for different things when in a tight situation. :P
It was SOOO awesome to finally meet all these epic people and get to hang out with them for a few days. The whole workshop was a huge blessing and I learned so much.
Curfew was at 12 each night, except for the last night when the S's let us stay up till 1, and breakfast was at 7:30 every morning...so...needless to say...most of us were exhausted...but it was very much worth it.
I kinda don't want to end this post because then it seems like the SW is over completely...which it is...I'm just still kinda in denial about some of it. :P
But it's good to be home and getting back to life. :)
Here are the pix.
Smile and shine for Christ!
Over and out for now.
P.S. This is my first time using the new version of blogger with pictures...and. I. love. it. :D

On the way! Dad and Uncle Tony took the front and left us younguns to our mischief in the back. :P

Eli helping me staple together my excerpts that I dared to paperclip together instead of staple. :P

I think this is somewhere in Arkansas...there were fields eeeeverywhere.

Our fearless pilot.

We stopped in Memphis at a "Triple D" BBQ place where Eli and I treated our Dads to Father's Day dinner. We had hoped to make it a surprise, but they already planned on stopping for dinner anyways... :/ You would not believe how hard it is to come up with something to do for your Dad on Father's Day without him out scheming you!

Guess who?

And we arrived! :D

Kristin and me on the first day.

Here's all of the members of the Howdy 7 group that was at the SW. Left to right is Reagan, Eli, Matt, Hannah and me. I didn't realize that the only picture we got had such bad lighting...Matt's got the halo look here. :P

OYANer's do strange...random...epic things. Like go outside and form a circle in the middle of the awning. :P

This was the only pictures of the dorms we got...Dad got it on his phone...isn't it...beautiful? :P

Inside the conference room of the Bell Center. This place was sooo nice and pretty.

Err, fuzzy pictures. :/ Anyways...here's Johnny and Blaine. Two very epic dudes. 8)

The one and only...the epic Mrs. S and...me. (Yes, I know it looks like we are looking into a spoon...)

Matt gave a ten or so minute speech that was really, really awesome about how just one person can influence something just by being them and by being a friend. How God can work through just one person for other people in writing and just life.

Mr. and Mrs. S showing us how to do critique groups. Of course Mrs. S. was yawning and pulling out her iPhone etc. :P

I laugh every time I see this picture. Eli didn't know it was being taken...but Erin was behind him making all kinds of moves with her lightsaber and motioned for me to get a picture. Then she just walked off. :P

Braden and I. (We discovered we're twins...don't ask how that happened. :P )

It's Amanda Akie ( :P ) and me! The Kings, Ramms, Akes and Pendletons all escaped the cafeteria for lunch one day and took the Ramm's fan to get BBQ. Amanda and I took the back seat...it was SOOO awesome hanging out with her. (Even...or should I say especially...when an un-named person gives her an energy shot...extra! :P )

Blaine and me at lunch.

Matt playing the piano...it was beeeautiful!

Spark (no...that's not her real name) and me.

Maura (or Prim, or Carrots, or Soupy :P ) and me. She has epic hair.

Hanna dressed up as one of her charries and went with a few friends to get pictures. I kinda tagged along and watched some. :P Here's Eli, Hanna, Matt and Jacki.

Braden got up and sang a song that he wrote lyrics to and composed. It. was. amazing. He's very gifted.

Braden and Blaine...brothers. Blaine played a solo in Braden's song. The whole song was just beautiful.

The Green Leaf improv team. They were there...Thursday night, I think. And they were awesome! They got up on stage with not script...just had different games they played and went along with whatever they had...sooo awesome and sooo funny.

This was a...crazy night. :P Here's some proof. I don't remember what Hannah was doing, but apparently Eli thought she needed to pay for it somehow...either that or he was just being random...because he had her stand on one foot, raise her hands as they are shown in the picture and then say her ABC's backwards... O.O

Eli...telling me not to take a picture. Oooops...

I kept having Braden give me his "Bucey" looks. :P (Here's a sample of Bucey, if you don't know him already http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lGsB7VWF-o&feature=relmfu )

Secret agent Spark. 8)

Mr. S. interviewing....ummm...ummm...a really cool guy. :P

Jacki and me. This girl is completely epic. 8)

Soupy and me again.

And I'll end with a picture of my critique group. This was such and awesome gang. In the back from left to right is Asher, Josiah, Jeremy and Josh. Then in the front is me, Elizabeth, Spark and Jenni. Long live the Portcullis Critique Group!