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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

On the road again..........

 My last post gave a little glimpse of our latest trip.  We are currently on our way to eastern Tennessee to spend approximately eight weeks there, and then spend another four or so weeks traveling up the coast, from Florida to North Carolina.  Then we plan to attend an NCFIC conference, and after that drive home.  It will be longer than our previous Big Trip of 2011, and with a whole other purpose!  This time, instead of pulling a trailer, we are pulling a 21-foot ski boat!  We have rented a house on Loudon Lake and one on Watts Bar Lake, and plan on boating more often, since both houses have private docks.  Dad and Mom have always wanted to do this!  

So, we left our house on Friday, July 26th, and headed to Lake Las Vegas outside Henderson, where Dad had booked us a nice hotel for half-price (thank you Priceline!!).  The next morning, we drove to nearby Lake Mead to enjoy a few hours boating.  The lake is really, really big, and we sped around for a while, enjoying the starkly beautiful scenery and occasionally jumping in the VERY warm water for a swim.  We had lunch next to Hoover Dam, where we enjoyed a view of the dam and the bridge beyond it!  The weather was overcast with patches of sunlight, which made the heat very bearable.  Dad skiid once, and we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon swimming and touring around the lake.

Dad’s plan was to reach FlagstaffArizona, by 10:00, and spend a couple nights with our friends the Gindorf’s.  According to the GPS, it would take us roughly 3.5 hours to get there.  So we sped along the Interstate 40 and watched the rain drizzle down and occasional bolts of lightning crack across the sky.  At one point, when we had just left a little town called Kingman,AZ, we passed a neon sign alerting that the road was closed 75 miles ahead.  But we continued on until we began to near the 75 mile mark.  After hearing reports of flooding that closed part of the I40, we stopped at a tiny little town to wait for some news.  By this time we were already a little behind schedule and getting tired.  Finally, someone told us that the road was open, and we proceeded down the highway.  Not 15 minutes into the drive though, we were stopped dead in our tracks and eventually turned off the truck to conserve gas.  For the next hour and a half, we sat there.  We watched two episodes of Drive Thru History, dozed, texted and just sat.  At last a police car came blaring down the shoulder with it’s siren on, waking us up and telling us to start moving!  Everyone cheered and travels went smoothly after that.  We arrived at the Gindorf’s just before midnight!

Sunday came bright and early, and we attended church with the Gindorf's in the morning.  Mr. Gindorf preached a great sermon and we had wonderful fellowship with the believers there.  The Wales' showed up that day, much to both of our surprise!  They were passing through on their way home from a trip.  It was great to see them and spend time with them as well!!  That night we all went to the church hymn sing.  It was a rich and delightful time of fellowship and psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  I even played my violin, and enjoyed playing accompaniments with the guitars and piano.  

We spent most of Monday at the Gindorf's house, but we had to move on.  We left at 4:00 and drove all the way to Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is were we are now!  Tomorrow we will move on to Oklahoma.  Then we'll drive some more and get to Tennessee on Sunday, Lord willing.  Please pray that we have safe travels!

Here are pictures of the trip so far.  Look out!  I will be keeping this trip well documented! ;)
                       

Lastly, this is a video that Emma, Delaney and Sophie made on Monday.  They hope to become Youtube sensations over this!  Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Squeezing in some time for pictures.......

Our family has been extremely busy lately.  More on that to come very soon!  But here are some more 313 pictures!

Day 65:  A glance at my desk

I found a neat metal calendar at a rummage sale that has magnets to tell the date and year.  I love it!  Libbey made this purple flower for me out of tissue paper, and I keep it on my picture board.

Day 66:  The end of an era

Please join us in bidding our trailer farewell, as it departs to a new family.  It has served us well and we have many good memories with it.  So long, farewell!!

Day 67:  Youth night on the lake

Dad and Mom took Delaney and I, along with our friends--Chase, Holly, Macy and Hannah--to Bass Lake for an evening of tubing.  It was a blast!  Pictured here are Chase and Holly.  Chase's hair was still dry in this pic, even though they had been riding for some time.  Dad took care of that though. ;)  For dinner, we docked at Miller's and had burgers.  For dessert, Dad and Mom and Chase had individual cups of ice cream, and the five of us girls shared a Fudge Bucket--a sand bucket filled with ice cream...topped with 2 inches of whipped cream...drizzled with fudge sauce...topped with nuts and sprinkles.  It was very good, and we finished it. :)

Day 68:  After a long day in Fresno...

all the time!
I did not take this, but this is how I typically feel after a shopping day.  But today, I hit the jackpot:

I did take this.  Of my new jeans that are modest and actually fit....everywhere.  YAY!  Oh, and I do believe the name fits as well.....haha just kidding!

Day 69:  Selfie

This is a selfie.  Of course!  What else do you do when you're in front of a mirror with a camera?!

Day 70:  Big huge lake day

Here are Mother and Mrs. Becker tubing.  They had a BLAST!!!!!!!  The looks on their faces say it all, if you can see through the blur.  The focus was on the pretty wave in front of them.

Day 71:  The necklace that I never wear

This is a pearl necklace with a flashy gold/fake diamond bead in the middle.  I'm not quite sure when to wear it or what to wear it with.  So it hangs on my dresser looking very classy.

Day 72:  At the car wash

God is acknowledged, even in the back alleys and the.....car washes.  God bless!

Day 73:  Tea with the girls

I didn't take this, but I wanted to put it up as a 313 pic anyway.  Holly and I haven't gotten a good picture together since we both had braces, so it was about time. :)

Day 74:  Distressed wood....literally

This old redwood is now grey and very distressed indeed.  But it still faithfully serves as a solid foundation for the boat's trailer....at least, we hope it's a solid foundation....

Day 75:  And so the Beyer's leave on yet another trip across the country

Here are the Beyer and Shaw families (minus me) outside our local diner at 9:00 in the morning.  We partook of a delicious donut and orange juice breakfast together.  Then we Beyer's drove on to a new adventure, one which I will expound on in the next post!

Day 76:  Lake Mead

This lake was SO warm, about 85 degrees!  It was, as you can see, quite relaxing.  Delaney also took time to enjoy the beautiful lake.  I will tell more about this later. :)

Day 77:  Maddie and I meet new friends during a shopping trip ;)

My friend Maddie poses here with some models at Old Navy.  We had quite a fun trip, which included trying on funny clothes and buying tomatoes.  We love our quality time together, don't we Maddie?? <3

Okay, keep looking for updates as I will soon be posing a detailed account of our latest travel plans.  I will include pictures and stories, so watch out!

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Modesty Survey

This survey was created a few years ago by Alex and Brett Harris, the authors of "Do Hard Things".  It includes a petition signed my hundreds of guys, and a huge poll with many questions about what is and isn't modest according to guys.  It's REALLY helpful and insightful, and very practical.  I don't think any of them bought the "dress like a nun" idea.  You can still be up to date, feminine and modest!  So here is the link, I hope you enjoy!

http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/

Saturday, July 13, 2013

My photography challenge continues

I'm finally posting again.  I haven't given up on this project!  The more photos I take, the more I learn and the better I train my eye for detail and beauty in all things.  Emilie, who is doing the project with me, is doing a great job as well!  It's been a great experience for me, and I'm sure it's been the same for Em as well.

Day 51:  Recollections of times past

These are my journals that I've kept since 2008.  I'm currently working on my 11th and still love it!

Day 52:  Looking closer at an everyday object

Behold my front door!  I love the glass design and it photographs well, especially with the natural light.

Day 53:  Someone's watching over me

Or....glaring at me?  This big hawk was sitting in the tree next to Dad's office, so I took out my camera and took about 25 pictures of it.  This was my favorite!

Day 54:  Music is life!

This was just a piece of music that was lying around.  I liked this phrase the best. ;)

Day 55:  Libbey's current favorite toys

These dolls have graced our kitchen island for the past week.  They're so cute!!

Day 56:  Independence Day

O, say, can you see?  The flag still waves, a symbol of our country's freedom.

Day 57:  Downsized castle

Grandma and Grandpa have so many cute trinkets at their house, and this is my favorite.  It looks like something from Narnia!

Day 58:  Those funny walls.....

Our family visited a friend of Grandma and Grandpa on Saturday, and she had a mirrored wall (Dad calls it classic 70's) in the dining room.  It was so interesting!  

Day 59:  Puzzles galore

Libbey and Delaney completed 3 1/2 puzzles over the weekend.  These are the first two.  Libbey here admires her work. :)

Day 60:  Current Bible reading

~1 Corinthians 13~

Day 61:  My heart is steadfast

The book of Psalms is the finest collection of poetry ever written.  Not only that, but it was inspired by God!

Day 62:  Recipe on a picture frame?

This is an actual recipe on a picture frame that hangs in our dining room.  One of these days I want to try it and see if they really ARE the best sugar cookies!!

Day 63:  Friday night treats!

Homemade mini ice cream sandwiches!  Take a mini chocolate chip cookie, top it with a scoop of Java Chip ice cream, then smoosh another cookie on top.  Freeze for 5 minutes, then eat!  SO good!!!!!  Mini sized is a good way to eat 2 in one sitting. :)

Day 64:  Fruits and nuts.......:)

Snacks on the silver dish that Dad and Mom got for their 25th wedding anniversary.  They are celebrating 29 years on July 21st this year!!!!  

Have a lovely weekend!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Friendship

~This post is dedicated to all my wonderful family and friends.  Thank you!~

"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be."
-Douglas Pagels

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
-John 15:13

"A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they're not so bad."
-Arnold Glasgow

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
-Proverbs 27:17

"True friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable."
-Dave Tyson Gentry

"Better is open rebuke than hidden love.  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy."
-Proverbs 27:5-6

"Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer."
-Unknown

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up hiss fellow.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!...And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him--a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

"A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."
-Grace Pulpit

"He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty."
-Job 6:14

"Cherish the friend who tells you a harsh truth, wanting ten times more to tell you a loving lie."
-Robert Brault

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
-Proverbs 17:17

"There is a magic in long-distance friendships.  They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound."
-Dina Cortes

"But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely.  Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weight thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away."
-Dinah Craik