I'm Back!

Joy #1s cabin-WimihiJoy #2's cabin Mohawk My temporary cabin (I'm the tall one) Tanda
Mohawk leading chapel, Joy #2 led the prayer
Camp was a great time. I was the teacher for Bible 1, the more academic or thought provoking study. Bible 2 is all hands on. It all went really well. The best class I taught was one Thursday when I had each table make bread. That would be 94 kids making whole wheat bread and it worked out to about 12 loaves. Each ingredient had a lesson to it; whole wheat-Jesus is our sustenance; yeast-sin in the world;salt-we are salt of the world etc. It was hard work and my arm muscles had quite the workout but it was a good lesson and they got to eat the bread at our special evening that night. Everyone liked the bread too.

I also took over as a counselor one day. One of the counselors had to go to a funeral and instead of dividing the girls into other cabins for the day I stepped in to play the role. It was fun getting to know the girls in that cabin even better than I had in class. I played and tried to be fun, hence the mud sliding picture. Actually, I had always wanted to go mud sliding and I was excited at the opportunity. The best counselors are the ones who play and do everything the kids are doing. Our camp is full of those kinds of counselors. It is expected.



So much more to say but, I need to suck it up and go back to work. Life is good, camp is good and after 1 whole day of sitting and doing not much I am recovered. oh, and the afghan is 99% done. I'm debating adding another color row. I ran out of the blue but I think I'd like to finish it up the way I started it. So I'll stick with 99% for now. Well, I'd rather be playing than dealing with the 559 emails in my work folder but life must go on. Chat more later.

Gone fishing...

Welcome to NYC Where we have fun... And make lifelong friends...
And Grow closer to God.
Visit www.nebraskayouthcamp.com
See you in a week. With a finished afghan I hope!

It's hard to keep up in the summer time

Man, I didn't think it would be hard to post in the summer but; man I got nothing. Just hanging out. Doing a little bit of this and a little of that.

Joy #2 and I leave on Saturday for one of my most favorite places. After 5 years of packing for camp, we don't even really think about it. We wait until the last minute. Get everything together and hit the road. No fuss.

The past couple of nights I have been working on a sewing project with my friend Shay. She is going to a sports awards banquet and has been challenged to come up with an outfit that is "business sports attire". We have transformed a white jacket & capris with KU basketball uniform details. It is awesome if I do say so myself. She is wearing it tonight and will take pictures. I can't wait to share them with you all. There is a contest too so I hope she wins some awesome prize.

Other than that, I'm waiting for my tomatoes to ripen, making awesome food with my own herbs and produce from the garden, and crocheting on the ripple.
I've not decided whether or not to bring the afghan to camp. It may be too hot, then again, it may keep me busy. Quick decision made, I'll bring it.

I also, plan on teaching my friend Denise to knit while I'm out at camp. Yea! She can join the knitting/ crochet circle we have at youth rallies.

Ok, time to be productive...

She's gone and she took the camera

Joy #1 left this morning for the first leg of her summer trip. She is at Soul Quest at York College for the next week. This is the second year of her attending Soul Quest. The kids really look forward to it. They get to stay in the dorms, hang out, have fun, and enjoy christian fellowship. There is independence accompanied by the right amount of supervision. Of course they have chapel, classes, and fun time.

After Soul Quest Joy #2 and I will join her out at Nebraska Youth Camp where she will be a counselor for grade school girls for two weeks. Joy #2 will be a camper for two weeks and I will be a Bible teacher for a week. We leave Saturday. I am so looking forward to camp. I love it out there. I love the environment, the kids, and as luck would have it the staff for the week I'm out there are all good friends. I'm looking forward to some quality girlfriend time.

I'm so glad that even as an adult I still get to go and play at camp! I highly recommend volunteering your time out at your local church camp. It is refreshing, refilling, and just plain fun.

Shirt and a Preview

Here is shirt #2 Built by Wendy pattern. It turned out nice, just like the other one. However, I think this is my final shirt with this pattern. I need to branch out, move on and try some other styles. And since I have her 2 books I've got other Built By Wendy patterns to try! I picked up some more fabric today at the local thrift/quilt/fabric shop. I even got some jersey 1.5 yard for $1 and there is a lot more where that came from. I got fabric for another dress and a skirt.



I've also been working on something else. A small "local" project http://localleavenworth.ning.com/ . My CPA firm is heading up a shop local campaign. And I'm happy to say that the story was picked up by a local magazine. Here is the preview. I got a copy today although it won't hit newsstands until Monday.

It might be hard to tell but that is me and my business partner on the cover. Not only did we make the cover and had a nice article written about us but they also included a nice little photo spread.
That's Tess & I shopping locally.

I think it is kinda cool. I also wrote an article about the economic impact of your local shopping dollars. Right now the magazine isn't online but if it does I will link. It's small town but I'm pleased with the press all the same.

tagged

I have been tagged to play a meme by Cinnamongirl and Debbie.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago? June 1998 I was working towards my Sr year in college. I had just begun at a local accounting firm, my first accounting job. Joy #1 was 5 and Joy #2 was 1. I was a busy woman.
2. What are 5 things on my to do list today?Lots of CPA work, that is about all I can do these days. Oh, and mail Debbie's package.
3. Snacks I enjoy? Chocolate
4. Things I would do if I was a billionaire. Tithe, give to the local church & Nebraska Youth Camp. Travel, I may even retire. Who knows
5. Places I have lived. Oskaloosa, KS; Hoquiam, WA; Easton, KS; Leavenworth, KS, Kansas City, KS

Well, I'm off to the rat race which just keeps getting busier and busier. I thought I was in for time off this summer. Ha!

Nothing much to report in the way of crafts. I started sewing another shirt and I'm half way through my afghan.

Dinner at the River

Monday evening we had dinner down by the Missouri River. We have had a lot of rain in our neck of the woods and this has caused the river to swell. It is a few feet from floodstage, pretty entertaining. I'm not sure how watching water flow by kept our attention but it did. It reminds me of a video Papa Weissenbach took when visiting my sister in England. He has about 15 minutes of the Ocean. Just standing there looking at the ocean. He was mesmerized by it. However, watching it on tape is just boring. When we watch that family video we quickly fast forward any ocean scenes (there were a few) without even thinking about it.

Missouri River

Our picnic dinner (Joy #2 with Joy #1's friend)
Dinner
Bike Show

Afghan & A Garden

Here is my new project. Susan B.'s Ripple Afghan

I started it last Wednesday. I really didn't have much of a plan, which may explain my color choices. I have been wanting to make a ripple afghan since I started crocheting. My first thought was, "Wow, what a great use of leftover yarn." followed closely by my second though,"Yeah right, there is no way I am crocheting a wool blanket. Not in this house!" How in the world do you keep it clean? A wool sweater I can handle but a wool afghan. I know my limits.

I went with bright, crazy colors with my room in mind. I want to paint my room orange. Brassy, antique orange not crazy bright orange. I imagine turquoise blue accents somewhere and so decided to start with these colors. I wasn't sure of the brown at first but I don't mind it now. I have entitled my work of art as "Child of the 70s afghan". It is large enough to cover my full size bed. There may be more of these in the future. Yes, the ripple is that strong. Before you have even finished the first you are already planning afghan number 2, 3, & 4.

Garden Update

My garden is growing nicely. No issues no problems as of yet and it has been 1 month. I must have enough clover in the yard to keep the rabbits full enough to ignore the garden. I love watching things grow!

Herb & Tomato plants

Joy#2's watermelon patch I wonder how many watermelon 12 plants will produce?

Spring List revisited

March 26th I wrote a list of what I wanted to do this spring. Let's revisit and see what I am lacking.

• Take Joy #2 fishing (and beg/bribe Joy #1 to come along) We have gone once and I have yet to get Joy #1 to come. Joy #2 has puttered around the creek with his poles but not much else.


• Picnic dinner by the river (Missouri) Not yet but we have done some Missouri river watching thanks to the trails we have hit.


• Start herb garden and plant hollyhocks Yes and yes! The hollyhocks went in this weekend and the garden is great!


• Walks in the evening Not even once


• Candlelight snack at dark and watch the stars (if you have seen Stardust something similar to when Tristan & Victoria are looking at the stars) No but I have thought about it. And I did buy the fixings for smores. I've had about 4 smores over the weekend thanks to my gas stove.:)


• Schools out party in our backyard for the neighborhood kids Ha, what an over achiever I can be. Dream on, next.


• Build cardboard castle in the yard Too much rain and not enough cardboard. But I have been thinking about the tee pee I wanted to make last year. Now is the time.

So to recap, take Joy #2 fishing. Go on some walks before 90 degree weather gets here. Plan the star gazing night and dig up items for the tee pee.

One thing I didn't list but we have done a couple of times is walk /hike trails. We have hiked trails in 3 different parks in the past month. Every time was enjoyable!