They Were Safe

 This is what happens when little girls help Ben clean his room.

They find random treasures to try on.

It was a grand time for them all too.

Do they look scary or what?! 

Ben calls them his little minions. They would do just about anything 

he wanted them to do too.

He had the little one outside hauling sawhorses to the shed for him. 

The things were bigger than she was but she was totally trying her best =)

My Bro, Elijah

He is my little brother who despairs over ever getting very big.

He is my little brother who can't wait till he can get his permit in December and literally  

started counting the days till that can happen after his last birthday.

He is my little brother who can giggle like a girl and not stop even when what he thinks 

is so funny may not be nearly as funny and worthy of the giggles as he bestows on it. 

He is my little brother who saves his money quite well so that he has it when he wants 

to whip out a large sum to buy something like a four-wheeler since he knows 

he can turn around and sell it to make a profit.

He's like that.

He is my little brother who likes playing hockey and driving Cummins trucks.

He is my little brother who plays the piano fabulously (I say he's still doing it because 

I told him that young guys that can play the piano are double awesome, 

but it's probably because Mom and Dad are pushing him to keep going at it!)

He is my little brother who runs down the road after me to say goodbye 

when I'm leaving (and then hops in the window!)

He is my little brother who wears Wranglers all the time and can't handle the idea of shorts

(well, one of the times he did, I unknowingly brought him traipsing right through 

poison ivy, so that's kind of understandable).

He is my little brother who says he really should have gotten a bigger ice cream cone 

after eating the one he got, because he's still not full.

He is my little brother who wants to drive across the US with me as soon as possible.

He is my little brother who stops with me on the side of the road to pick big bushy bunches 

of lilacs for Mom and then holds them all the way home.

He is my little brother who says he'll just hold those flowers in front of his face if a cop 

stops us - that way he won't have to say anything or be recognized =) 

He could do that.

 

He is my little brother who likes to hike mountains, bike ride, and camp out under the stars.

He is my little brother who goes along with the crazy things I suggest even 

when he doesn't think they are quite as fun as I do.

He is my little brother who likes little kids even though he says 

he doesn't because they are so short.

He is my little brother who all children like and call " 'Liza", because....
I don't know why actually, but they just like to. 

He is my little brother that misses me when I am gone.

He is my little brother who isn't going to be my little brother for long.

He is my little brother who I love so dearly.

He is my little brother who I tell that to and he rolls his eyes and says, 

"You're ridiculous", but really actually loves it ;p

 He is my little brother who is super cool most the time :)

And Then I Did It

I actually did it!!! 

I actually taught a public speaking camp that had 20, nine to twelve-yr-olds. 

Totally not something I would have planned on doing this last week, but a position 

I got placed in that didn't turn out too bad after all!

This is me being official and grown up and a teacher and all that 

that really only happened for 3 days and then probably went away again ;)

There is a curriculum for homeschooling called Classical Conversations which 

Mom has been doing with the boys and in the summer there

 is a practicum to enjoy for parents and children alike. 

The kiddos go to camps such as my public speaking camp while 

their parents are listening to the speakers.

These are a few of my boys. 

The two in the front are totally and completely depicted as they are. 

Definitely the highlight and energy of the class.

Evan (back left) wrote his name tag the first day as, "Evan the Weirdo", while Eli (back right) 

explained in detail how he was really only passing time while

 his parents were busy so I should just have us all play games and hang out 

instead of actually learn something like public speaking.

Needless to say, we didn't play games the whole time, much to the boy's chagrin. =)

Elliot was seriously my fav (don't tell the others, especially Eli because he was trying 

to get me to tell him who was the #1 but I wouldn't tell him, even though 

he was close) although I did enjoy them all.

Noah was feeling that rain!

Elliot and Charis (both 11-yrs-old) were my privileged two 

who got to give speeches to the parents using all they learned in my class. 

 Evan and Eli and I were in jail while playing capture the flag 

so we started singing songs from Frozen at the top of our lungs. 

"Let it go, let it go. Can't hold it back any moooorrrrre!!!!"

But when we lost, Evan, being his typical self, sang, "Let it go! It's just a game! 

But you still might see me cryyyYYyyy!!!"

He fake bawled, even with tears, all the way up the hill.

Eli thought the three of us ought to have a band since we were so good 

and his idea for a name was........wait for it.......... The Jail Boys!!!

Hannah and Ben were my little helpers and this was the last day when 

we were so tired and this is how we all felt =)

I've never thought of myself as a teacher (I mean, really, don't people usually get 

more confused when I talk?!), but these kids said I was the best teacher ever and I have 

to go back next year and teach no matter what it is that's supposed to be taught.

Nearly half of them were constantly giving me hugs. 

I was pretty worried about getting any information into their heads like I 

was supposed to and expected of me, but they totally helped that happen 

and it was a great learning experience for me.

And oh!.....I have openings for my next camp.....!!!!.....just kidding....

Great Idea They Said...So Then Try It I Thought!

I've been thinking a lot about wheat and grains and how much of the yummy stuff we eat. 

Is it maybe not good for us? or maybe it is....

Well Dad can't really eat many bread products without feeling gross afterwards, 

so we try to find new ideas of foods to make.

I got the great idea of making vegetable flour. A break-through, right?! 

I thought so....well it wasn't a complete disaster, but it really wasn't a success either.

I got some sweet potatoes to start with, while already picturing the beautiful flour it would make and how lovely this experiment would be.

I sliced the potatoes nice and thin and filled the whole dehydrator. The next day when they were all crispy and just how I wanted them, I popped the lot of them into the blender

 and created a most gorgeous orangey flour!

Yes! I thought, whilest congratulating myself.

Then I followed a recipe (exactly how it said, I might add) to make "Sweet Potato Crepes".

 Very soon I began to realize that this was not going to happen like I was anticipating. 

The "crepes" were simply crumbling and looking very unhappy.

This was the result. 

I don't know what to do with it/them/whatever the result is. 

It does taste like sweet potatoes though! 

Kinda thinking that maybe flour should always have gluten in it, 

even if it may not be good for us =)

New Friends!

I'd been watching this girl's blog (http://kelliefalconer.blogspot.com/) for quite a while now.

A couple months ago, before I left for Idaho, I realized that she lives there too

since she was mentioning places and towns around where Uncle Jay and Aunt Heidi live.

Me, with Kellie and her sister, Ellen

That gave me the exciting idea of maybe meeting her someday!

So I emailed her and was like, "Hey! I'm from Vermont and I've watched and loved your blog a long while now and think you'd be interesting to meet! 

My uncle lives out near you I think and I'm going out to visit him and I was wondering if we could meet up while I'm there.....?"

I freaked out (in a good way) when she emailed right back with, "So glad you emailed. I would love to meet up for a picnic one day while you are here! Let me know closer to the time you actually will be and we'll get together."

So we got to meet up one sunny and beautiful day 

(and her younger sister- one of the four younger ones) 

at the park nearby.

We had a fabulous time talking and discussing things about each others lives 

and what we like to do and such.

And then we walked around Sandpoint, ID because it has a wonderful main street with shops to visit.

We bought chocolate (always a delightful thing to nibble on!) and went back and ate it in the sunshine.

Both Kellie and Ellen had quite interesting stories about themselves (such as their family - 6 kids with their parents - has lived in a camper trailer for the last ten years because they are a building their log home 

and it's just taking so long!) and it was great fun to listen to all of them.

I am excited to be able to go back and see them and meet more of their family and see their house 

and land next time!

Super fun story to tell =)