Summer Camping Prep

Our family of 6 took our first camping trip a few years ago, and honestly... it was pretty disastrous!! We planned to stay a few nights near Blanchard Springs, but stayed less than 24 hours and had outdoor temps of over 100 degrees, 2 bee stings, a sliced finger, 2 toddlers with fevers, scraped knees, burned fingers, lots of crankiness along with waterfall climbing and beautiful fun swim in a gorgeous stream next to our camp site. We used LOTS of essential oils on that trip and apparently we have forgotten the craziness, so we've planned another trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains! This trip was a big success! We're now packing for a trip to Chattahoochee National Forest!

Here are some of the ways we are prepping for this camping trip...

• I'm bringing several oily sprays on our trip. Peppermint and water is a wonderful cooling spray for hot days. 
• Repel Aroma and Young Living Insect Repellent Are favorites for people and pets to keep bugs away.
• Coconut oil and Lavender is good for EVERYTHING skin related! I'll bring our lip balm and body butter too. My Super Easy Youthful face cream is awesome to apply after being in the sun.
• I've used this homemade sunscreen but now love this toxin free mineral based sunscreen! We used it on the beach last year and will definitely bring it camping!
• We will bring stainless steel cups to drink water with YL Lemon or Peppermint Vitality essential oil. 
• Thieves Spray for lots of cleanup and hand cleansing!
• Thieves Cleaner for camp cleanup. 
• Homemade Thieves wipes made our trip last year easier!

• I will bring these oils (and probably a few more) because 4 boys going camping/fishing/swimming requires LOTS of oils: 
• Helichrysum & Frankincense - for big owies
• Purification - because bugs live outside
• Lavender - for everything
• DiGize - for tummies
• Peace & Calming - Mama's favorite nighttime oil
• Stress Away - b/c kids have meltdowns when away from home, beds & routine
• Cedarwood - We will diffuse Lavender and Cedarwood in tent at night
• Peppermint vitality - my favorite oil to drink in water, great for car ride through the mountains and bugs don't like it
• Thieves vitality - immune system support
• RC - baby's favorite nighttime oil
• Lemon - for drinking and more
• Owie 
• Rose Ointment - a great salve
• Repel Aroma
• LOTS of Ningxia Red

I would LOVE your suggestions on Camping with kids! 

If you don't have essential oils yet and want to get equipped, here's a link to get started!

What November 11th means to me

While I am enormously thankful for our Veterans and for all that they sacrificed for our freedom, November 11th has a different meaning for me. In 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in the year 1918 (95 years ago), my Maw Maw was born. This is my first November 11th without Maw Maw here on this earth. I want to remember and honor her on this day, her birthday.

Due to the historical significance of the time and day she was born, she was named Liberia (for Liberty). She was the youngest and only girl who long outlived her 6 older brothers. I always enjoyed hearing her stories from when she was young and about her brothers and Mother. She more recently compared me to her mother, because I have a house full of boys like her mother.

Maw Maw and Paw Paw were always the most incredible examples of love for the Lord, love for each other, and love for others. I remember hearing them call each other the sweetest names and seeing them serve each other so well. They were our prayer warriors; we could trust that every morning Maw Maw was reading God's Word and praying for her little chick-a-dees:) I'm sure her and Paw Paw's prayers are much of the reason we are where we are today! She prayed for our boys and our adoption... I wish she could have met our sweet Timothy, whom she prayed for over many months.

They also loved their families and others so well! I'm thankful for all the Sunday lunches that we shared together at her house when I was a kid, as well as the many other everyday occasions we shared at her house. Whenever we went to their home, we knew we would get a sweet treat or bowl of ice cream:) My memory of Sept, 11, 01, was finding out about the twin towers, seminary classes getting cancelled, then going to pick up salad's from Mr. Ed's and having lunch with my sweet Maw Maw.

Maw Maw supported and served Paw Paw so well and set an example for all of her children and grandchildren. I'm so thankful for my family history and the legacy they left. While we enjoyed hearing stories of our strong Paw Paw once lifting a New Orleans street car back onto its tracks, we also heard numerous stories of Paw Paw sharing the love of Christ with so many while being a city bus driver and street car driver. He loved all people, no matter race/ethnicity. When public transportation began the process of desegregation, unfortunately many people did not comply and agree to work or train people of other races. Paw Paw stood firm in his faith and love for others and was the only one who stepped across racial lines to openly welcome and train people, from other races, in public transportation. What a legacy of love!

Maw Maw and Paw Paw were both incredible grandparents who loved the Lord with all their heart. I'm thankful for their love and example. I miss them dearly, but look forward to worshiping our Lord and King along side them one day!

Happy birthday Maw Maw!! I'm sure you're having a great one this year in heaven!!

Summer bucket list

We're looking forward to a fun filled, busy, adventurous, family filled, exciting summer! These are a few our our plans and adventures for the summer;)
1. Vacation Bible School
2. Day at the Paragould water park
3. Fun at the Georgia Aquarium

4. Day at the beach in Gulf Shores, AL 

5. Swimming at Granny & Grandpa's new pool!

6. Bring home our new baby:)
7. Family reunion

8. Camping in the backyard

9. Slumber party with cousins!
10. Evan's Star Wars 7th birthday celebration!
11. Family Vacation to Mountain Home, AR

12. Celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary:)

13. Sports & More Camp
14. Nerf gun war at church
15. Growing a large vegetable garden
16. Make lots of blueberry, strawberry, & muscadine jam
17. Crowley's Ridge Nature Center
18. Many trips to the library

19. Swimming and water games in the backyard

20. Get muddy!!!
21. Sidewalk painting!
22. Lots of fun activities with HDBC Children's Ministry!

What activities are you and your family planning to do this summer?

Family Christmas card 2012

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Boys night backyard camp out

One of the reasons we are so thankful for our new home... is our backyard!! We are blessed with our own nature center in our backyard! The boys love exploring in the bamboo forest, climbing the trees, making lots of discoveries, learning about many types trees and birds, digging in the dirt to create watering holes for their toys, making a fire pit with Daddy for s'mores... and most recently camping out!

Josh had so much fun preparing for this time with the boys! He built a camp fire where we cooked authentic yummy hobo dinners. Even Samuel joined us outside for dinner:)

s'mores!

The boys always enjoy roasting marshmallows and eating s'mores! After s'mores the big guys settled in the tent for a fun boys night camp out. They read Boxcar Children and were having a blast with Daddy... 

Josh saving the tent from the storm!

...until the thunder and storms came in strong!! 

They brought the camping trip inside:) Maybe next time they'll actually get to sleep in the tent;)

Sidewalk painting

The boys had so much FUN measuring the ingredients, mixing colors and painting creative pictures on the driveway! We're thankful to have art class outside in this beautiful weather!

Equal parts cornstarch + water + 1-2 drops of food coloring=               an afternoon of FUN sidewalk painting!!

Evan painted "power"

Ben painted a machine and a tree

Spring Adventures

We have been having a lot of fun together this spring! The boys are 4 and 3 years old.... such a fun age for exploring and adventure!! Over spring break, while Josh was on a mission trip, the boys and I traveled to the Memphis Children's Museum. The boys had fun "grocery shopping", working on a construction site, and going fishing (their favorite:)

Another adventure, was a trip to Moutnain View Arkansas to visit Blanchard Springs and Caverns. Our family traveled with the Freshmen Adventure Team (F.A.T.) for a fun filled day of cave exploring, a picnic, and rock climbing near the waterfall. The boys ... and students had a BLAST!!

Skipping rocks with Dad at Sylamore Creek.

Ben's "date" with Miss Becca to the waterfall! When Ben was 2 1/2 years old, he asked Miss Becca to go to a waterfall with him and then go bowling. They finally had their "date"!!

King of the Mountain!!!

The boys loved exploring near the cave and waterfall!!

We live about 2 blocks from the Walnut Ridge Airport. This area used to be an Air Force Base in the 1940s/1950s. Last week we walked over and visited the Wings of Honor Museum with some good friends.

 We are really enjoying creating wonderful memories with our family and friends!!