Summer Volunteer Work

Our youngest 3 daughters’ summer volunteer work includes acting as historical interpreters at Rock Ledge Ranch.  The ranch has 4 historical sites, with junior docents working each site.

Summer Volunteer Uniforms, period appropriate clothing

Summer Volunteer Uniforms, period appropriate clothing

The ranch allows guests to visit the different time periods of our area and learn about the people who lived there, and what life was like at that time.  The historic buildings have been restored as close to their original state as possible.  The National Register of Historic Places added the ranch in 1979.

One benefit to my kids through their volunteering at the Ranch has been their deeper understanding of our local and state history.  Anything they now read about Colorado history, or even western US history, is greatly enhanced by their experience working at ranch.  They also apply what they learn outside the ranch to their conversations at the ranch.

It has been a rich experience and one our kids look forward to each January when they complete the application for the following summer.

Ticket Booth, TB Hut

Ticket Booth, TB Hut

If you are visiting the Colorado Front Range think about adding Rock Ledge Ranch to your plans.  Maybe you’ll get a tour led by some sweet junior docents and enjoy a peak into Colorado History.

Camping and Hobo Dinners

We haven’t done a lot of camping in recent years, and I haven’t made “hobo dinners” since my daughters were pretty young.  Early this summer the kids were after us to plan a “real” camping trip with Dad as last summer we girls got out and did some camping, but Dad was away working.  So a camping trip was one of the first items put on the summer calendar!

And as this post shows up on the blog we are at camp, in a beautiful tent site on the river.  Our hobo dinners are in the cooler all ready to be cooked for the next 2 dinners.

Two mornings while the kids were all at vacation bible school earlier in the month I set to work.

The veggies were prepped.

hobo dinners prep shredded veggies

Shredded Carrots & Cauliflower

chopped carrots

chopped carrots

Veggies all prepped

Veggies all prepped

The ingredients all measured and mixed together for Turkey Veggie Hobo Dinners, using this recipe

Pretty Eggs

Pretty Eggs

Turkey Veggie Hobo Dinner

Turkey Veggie Hobo Dinner

I tore out 8 pieces of foil that were about the size of a small rectangle cookie sheet.  I spooned the mixture onto the first sheet and began folding and shaping the packet.  Once I had the shape I wanted I rolled the foil on top.

folding hobo dinner

folding hobo dinner

Then I pressed and patted it all again to make a nice rectangle and folded the ends up somewhat like a present.

hobo dinner assembled!

hobo dinner assembled!

Finally, I wrapped the hobo dinner with another layer of foil.

Five packets fit nicely into the gallon freezer bag, so I ended up with 2 bags for the 8 servings.

hobo dinners ready for freezing

hobo dinners ready for freezing

Hobo Tacos is another set that I assembled.  We’ll eat them with tortilla chips and fresh veggies.

hobo tacos

hobo tacos

Keeping the hobo dinners in the gallon bags inside the cooler keeps everything nice, with no waterlogging our dinners and no contaminating the other items in the cooler.  The bags of dinners also help keep the cooler cold!

Do you make Hobo Dinners?  And what recipes do you fill them with?  I’d love to expand our hobo menu!

 

 

Backyard Camping

Backyard camping has always been a fun activity for our kids.  The idea of sleeping outside in the summer is appealing and we have the perfect backyard for it!  While the sisters were all away at a leadership conference, Chica and I “went camping”.  While I was busy with some other things Chica put up the tent by herself, inflated the air mattress and made the beds!

Backyard Camping

tent in the backyard

Finally I decided this summer to purchase a small fire pit.  We’ve had other fire pits around the yard but after the fires the last 2 summers (black forest, waldo canyon ) I wanted something a little tamer.

 

Backyard Camping

Backyard fire for roasting hot dogs & marshmallows

Looks like we need to chop smaller pieces of wood!  We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and sat around the fire talking.  We have skunks and raccoons in our neighborhood and I was a little nervous about being up too late.  We headed to bed in the tent before we had any visitors.  It was a blast and I imagine the kids will be backyard camping off and on the rest of the summer!

Goals for an “Away” Week

It was a fantastic week for getting things done.  While I think it is important to be available to help with VBS, I think in this season of my life it is equally important to have those hours to knock out some things.  I was able to be more available to my kiddos in the afternoons and that was wonderful.

Intentional Relationships

Visit a different pool with the kids – between the weather and some conflict we weren’t able to get to the pool. Hopefully Chic and I can in early August.

Backyard Smores & Fellowship

Attend Cow Appreciation & Free Slurpee Events with Kids – that day the kids had VBS, volunteer work AND the VBS picnic.  We didn’t make it to either “free” event.  But that didn’t matter at all.  It was a tremendous fantastic day!

Be Present

Intentional Self Nourishment

Begin Work on James 1 (memory work) Our teens are involved in a Bible Quiz event next summer. In preparation they are memorizing James, 1 Peter and 2 Peter. I am going to join in and see if I can keep up. Working on Ephesian 6 was going very slow and I got discouraged. I am not great at working alone on an endeavor like that.

Reading:  What He Must Be, I Come Quietly to Meet You, The Good News About Marriage, The Warden and the Wolf King, Walking Prey, Interrupted, The Exodus Road (was available at the library and I couldn’t put it down)

Reschedule & Make Annual Physical Appointments for Builder and myself

Choose new audiobook Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn

Making this One Life Count

Salvation letters to Compassion Kids

Purposeful Pursuits – this week is largely about getting ready for Bible Camp week and then our family’s 3 night camping trip.

Blog posts scheduled for camp weeks           

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My goals for this week ~ to be fully present and attentive.  I look forward to the opportunity to share the Gospel and to encourage the young ones who will be with us.

Bless you all as you go about your week, and please check out this month’s giveaway!

Birthdays, Spellbinders Paper Crafts & a GIVEAWAY!

SANDRA READ is the winner of this giveaway.  Congratulations!  We have two other giveaways listed this month, here and here.

 

What a fun surprise it was to find a Spellbinders paper crafts kit in the mail one afternoon.  Birthdays are always happening around here, and one of my daughters had just told me that another friend of her’s had a birthday the next day.  A package of cute cardmaking kit and gift bag decorations arriving in the mail was just the thing!

This is what arrived in the mail that afternoon!

spellbinders paper crafts supplies

Spellbinders Creations supplies

whipping up a cute card

whipping up a cute card

an "ice cream" card

A sweet papercrafter & her ice cream cone card

spellbinders "best day ever treat bag" filled with sweet things

decorated treat bag filled with rolos and starburst tuc

The kits were very easy to assemble as everything except the glue was included in the kit, and the design was quite simple.  I can see how these kits would be nice to have tucked away for a quick project, but since we enjoy cardmaking and crafting, we usually have a stash of supplies to whip something cute together.  It was fun to try out this product but more than likely I wouldn’t purchase the Spellbinders paper crafts kits.

One the other hand we were sent the Spellbinders Celebra’tions “Many Words” polymer stamps to give away and I could see us using these often!  It is almost tempting to just keep them… but no.  We have a good supply of rubber stamps and embossing supplies so I’ll go ahead and share this with YOU!

many words stamp set

many words stamp set

A set of 15 clear polymer stamps includes words such as Thank You, Surprise, Celebrate, Happy Birthday, Yummy and more! Perfect for special occasions to everyday, use alone or put words together to create your own saying. Easy to clean and condition with our True Color Fusion Stamp Cleaner.

Spellbinders® Celebra’tions™ Line by Richard Garay creates a heartfelt greeting or event that has never been easier until now. Inspired by Richard’s passion for paper crafts, event hosting and handmade greetings, he designed this line to help others achieve those beautiful results every time. Every element is coordinated so this cheerful, bright and yummy collection makes creating a Celebration not only easy, but also inspiring!

Approximate Stamp Sizes:

4 x 6”

If you would like to win this set of clear polymer stamps enter below!

Leave a comment telling us if you enjoy paper crafts & card making.

Share this giveaway on facebook, twitter, pinterest and leave the link in the comments.

Like By Quiet Waters. and tell me in the comments

This giveaway goes until July 19.  PLEASE leave your email in the comments so I can easily contact the winner.  We are in and out of town, mostly OUT without wifi the rest of this month.  Leaving your email in the comments will make it simple for me to contact you if you win this giveaway.

Thank you for reading this review.  The product was supplied to me by the Spellbinders brand in exchange for a product review.  The opinions expressed on this blog are my own.

This Moment

{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama and join in!

 

Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride

Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride

 

Oh how I love this girl.  This week we had the opportunity for an early morning 6 mile bike ride together.  No one else was up and wanting to go, so it was just her and me.  And it was fabulous.  We had a great 2 hour conversation.

Even though I crashed my bike towards the end of the ride, it was abosolutely the best time!

Thanks be to God for this girl, her words, her gift of encouragement, the way she is growing in wisdom and understanding!

Disassociation “Why Did I Do That?”

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Why Did I Do That?

Why did I  do that?  What was I thinking?  Was I even thinking?  Today I am sharing the answer to some questions I’ve had for a long time.  Why did I make the choices and behave as I did in my early adult years.

For several years I have wrestled with some questions as I have reflected on my early adult behavior. My prayer life often was a struggle as I tried to understand where my “freewill” was exercised and “something else” was driving me.  I don’t know how it is for other people, but the answers to my heart’s questions come little by little as I continue to travel this life. The healing journey that I have experience since ending counseling has been largely moved along by books that I have read and conversations with other people.

IMG_4953

Disassociation

The most recent answer to a “why” question came while reading “Walking Prey”.

In this passage from Walking Prey  powerful  understanding came over me.

“If a child’s boundaries are violated early on, her sense of where her rights stop and others’ rights begin can be compromised. Abuse teaches her that her rights to personal space and integrity—of body, or thoughts—are unimportant, and that she is not allowed the power to say no. Indeed, an abused child may not even be able to conceive of saying no, since her past attempts to say no were either ignored or punished.

Importantly, there is emerging evidence that the trauma of abuse can create a kind of “off switch” that works like this: a cue related to the earlier trauma enters the person’s conscious (or unconscious) awareness, the person dissociates (checks out cognitively) and does not even process the threat as being a threat. During the earlier abuse it was necessary to dissociate, to mentally check out, in order to survive the horror of it. [Now the disassociation is an innate reaction to threats.]

It’s important to understand that this is a mechanism entirely outside of conscious control. I happens in the autonomic nervous system. It’s a protective mechanism, at root. This is why we must never blame a victim of abuse of any kind. I have heard it said far too many times, She should have seen the red flags. Well, this evidence indicates that she may, literally, not be able to see the red flags.” (Walking Prey, Holly Austin Smith)

Help and Hope

This passage gave my husband and me so much insight to my behaviors before our marriage, and also some of the way that I have related to him during the early years.  Dissociation, I now realize” has been a very real way of relating to life.  Some time back I was told “the tools used to survive back then were important and necessary, but now they get in the way of developing deep and intimate relationships.  For some time I’ve made a point of “being present” because I realized that often my mind wanders or “checks out”.  I didn’t realize that the checking out was a residual way of doing life that no longer is necessary or helpful.

I am thankful for the way healing and understanding and growth come from others sharing their stories.

And maybe as I unpack bits and pieces of my story, hope will extend to others.

What I’m Into June 2014

What I’m Into (June 2014 Edition)

Read and Reading: Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker, The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson, The Good News About Marriage, and Walking Prey

TV: Just this month I turned on PBS for my granddaughter. We sort of watched Clifford the Big Red Dog. I wondered if she would choose the Clifford book at the library this week, but no, she wanted the book with the baby on the cover. I’m actually relieved about that, that she prefers a photograph of a face over a big red dog.

Music: DCTalk, Toby Mac, Newsboys and Hillsong United Zion. Chica and I bought a few cds on our mother daughter getaway in June, when we could not find an audiobook. Neither Barnes & Noble nor Family Christian bookstore had any variety of classics in audiobook format. Back to amazon or iTunes shopping.

New discoveries: Glenwood Springs Hot Springs and the Glenwood Canyon bike trail. Zip Lines are FUN!

What I Love:

Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride

Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride

with Petal Rose on the spinny ride at Elitch Gardens June 2014

with Petal Rose on the spinny ride at Elitch Gardens June 2014

with Chica on the trail to Hanging Lake

with Chica on the trail to Hanging Lake

I didn’t love this: mosquito bites. Living in Colorado Springs has many many benefits, one being very few bugs. On our trip to the western side of the state I was bitten dozens of times. Before we travel to Bible Camp and on our planned camping trip, each on the western side of our mountains, I am going to order Bug Block!

In the Blogosphere:  Organizing for a busy toddler

The Responsibility of Opportunity

On The Blog:  I am working on 2 parts of my story and hope to get one of them posted in July.  I’m also sharing more about our Compassion kids and my family’s partnership with Compassion International.