Kenzie just sent me a few pictures from Cheer Camp .. Day #3

Ah.. another wonderful post that I have to share.. this one was on Farming on Faiths blog this morning.. and so true!

Encouragement~

I know how hard it is sometimes to continue on, But we just have to remember WHO it is we are doing it for, WHO we are trying to please. I hope this blesses you as much as it has helped me.

A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life. She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother. She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband, and children would make a difference. At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated. "Is it worth it?" she often wondered. Is there something better I could be doing with my time? It was during these moments of questioning that she heard the still small voice of the Father speak to her heart: "You are a wife and mother because that is what I called you to be. Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye. But I notice. Much of what you do is without remuneration. But I am your reward. Your husband cannot be the man I have called him to be without your support. Your influence upon him is greater than you will ever know. I bless him through your service and honor him through your love, Your children are precious to me. Even more precious than they are to you. I have entrusted them into your care to raise for me. What you invest in them is an offering to me true, You may never be in the public spotlight. But your obedience shines as a bright light before me. Continue on. Remember, you are my servant.

posted by Carrie at Farming on Faith on July 27, 2009

Happy Birthday to You ~Ashley Smashley~

Happy Birthday to you.. Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday dear ASH~leeeeeey~~~~~~~Happy Birthday to you!!!!

We Love you!!!!

Dad, Jen, McKenzie, Madison, Gracie, Faith & Mitchell

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Sharing a post that I just read on "Life on a Southern Farm".~stop and think~

This post was on "Life on a Southern Farm" this morning, I wanted to share it because I think we all need to stop and think about "things" and the fact that none of those things make us any richer.. our relationships are much more important. We should all be focusing on more than the shiny things that we all are in love with.

I love to look nice and have nice things just as much as the next person, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, when we think those things make us worth more than someone else..well shame on us all. God frowns on it I'm sure.

Are we Poor

Are we poor? I was in the 3rd grade and it had never crossed my mind that I was poor or even what poor was. But that day a girl in my class said I was poor. She was an only child. She didn't have 6 brothers and sisters like me. She lived in a brick house on a lot near town and both her father and mother worked. Which was unusual back in the 1960's. She didn't live down a red clay dirt road like me. She wore store bought dresses, not homemade ones like me. Her shoes didn't come from the bargain basement, like mine did. She wore Red Goose saddle oxford shoes. She even brought the Red Goose egg bank you got when you bought Red Goose shoes, to school. It was so cool! I wanted to see and touch the big golden egg bank. I asked the girl if I could hold it. She looked at me in that up and down look she was so good at. I was wearing a new yellow calico dress that Mama had just finished sewing. Mama knew how fast kids grow, since she had 7 children, and to make dresses a little too big and a little too long so you could grow into it. Then the girl finished looking me up and down and said "NO! You wear homemade clothes. You are too poor" and turned around and marched off, hugging her golden egg. Poor? Me? When Daddy got home from working at an Atlanta Steel plant, I asked him "Are we poor?" I could see a funny look come on his face and he hesitated a few seconds. Then he replied "No, we are not poor. We are not rich but we surely aren't poor. You have a good clean house to live in, good food to eat right out of the garden, and nice clean clothes to wear. We have everything that we need". That answer was good enough for me and I knew I wasn't poor. That spoiled girl didn't know what she was talking about! I felt sorry for her because she didn't have brothers and sisters to play with. She didn't have woods to explore and a long dirt road to ride her bicycle on. Poor thing! Mama took all the scrap material from the clothes she made me and quilted a quilt. Over forty years later I was cleaning out my linen closet and found my quilt made from my homemade dresses. It brought back memories of that girl and her remark from long ago. I looked at that quilt and remembered each outfit from those scraps of material. Dresses, shorts, and tops that Mama found time, while raising 7 children, to sit at the old Singer sewing machine and sew. Then find time to make quilts to cover us all on those cold winter nights. I wouldn't trade my homemade quilt from my homemade dresses for 20 Red Goose Shoe Banks! That poor girl! Have a great day.

Kenzie and Becky

It's hot! Kenzie and Becky waiting for Becky's parents to head to Naperville for the Demi Lavatto and David Archelletta Concert tonight.. They made shirts, as you can kind of see.

Teens+paint..agh

Hi Grandpa ~ mom's working on getting a couple more posts on here for you tonight.. Love you!! ~Kenzie

Thoughts and Prayers going out to my other Father-in-Law Warren this evening..

Praying for my father-in-law Warren this evening as he prepares to go into surgery tomorrow..

Ashley and Alex just met Mario Lopez at LAX

Ashley just called me pretty excited.. she and Alex were standing on the side of the road at LAX next to a family and were talking to them about kids, pregnancy and things.. and she thought she saw Mario Lopez pull up.. well she was talking to his Dad and sister! Alex helped Mario with get the car seat buckled into the car and with some luggage and then Ash got her picture taken with him.. HOW COOL IS THAT!!

In Texas on the way Home~

Thank you Grammy & Pop-pop for the Nice High Chair

Last day in California with Dad John~

To Dad Love Mitch...

Seriously Dad....we have to get some boy toys around here...even their laptop is PINK! ;)

Love you,

Mitch

Just another day in Malibu ~

Brad and Dad at the Beach, Bruce Willis' Beach House

Good to see that Grandpa John still has his sense of humor!! haha :)

Gracie had a fantastic time at her first camp!!!

The Bible, Out on the Canoe, kayaking, campfires, swimming, water slides, hiking, water balloon fights, sports, music, small groups, friends, fellowship, worship, reinactments, food, fireworks, camping~~~The Camp Theme was "2009 Sweet Life with Jesus", and was set up like the "sweet life of Zach and Cody" Sounds Like She Had FUN!!!

Brad just sent me a couple of pictures from in front of Michael Jacksons Home