Thankful for a Fridge!

Thanking God for a new, working fridge!!! Eating only things we could keep in the freezer wasn't so bad... ice cream, lasagna, taquitos, frozen chicken... but fresh food is such a blessing!

Writer Siblings

We finally named our sibling writing group--the Sardines. Here we are smashed in the backseat with our writing tools on the way to the world's best CHRISTIAN coffeeshop to meet with friends. Lots of laughter and writing accomplished! :D

A Gorgeous Sunset

We have the best sunsets here!!! <3 Great hike together!

Fancy Lady

Who's that fancy lady cleaning her room? I think she's enjoying finding long lost fashion accessories. 

:D

A Smashing Job at Sermon Prep

Jerry did a fabulous job preparing wonderful sermons two weeks in a row! Even the second one was amazing despite the late notice on a Saturday that the other pastor was sick. 

You can listen to them by clicking on the sermon titles:

The Glorious Kingdom Revealed: Matthew 13:24-53

Draw Near: Matthew 13:54 -16:28

Kate made gluten-free peanut butter cookies to support the sermon writing. It's been a tradition ever since Jerry became a pastor. 

A Threefold Cord

"Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

Photo credit: Brad Peterson @stopandcherish

Christmas Decorating 2016

To celebrate the first of December we pulled out all the totes of wreaths, garlands, and icicle lights and decorated for Christmas! We brought out the CD player and turned up some cheery Christmas music to sing along with as we worked!

Like the superhero who just landed on the roof?

 Looking at Christmas cards from years past

The light crew heading around back to climb on the roof.

 The guy putting up the lights.

 It's not senior photos, bro! ;)

The candy cane crew!

The finished masterpiece! 

Merry Almost-Christmas y'all!

Bright Lights Conference

All the girls attended part of a solid, excellent, Bright Lights conference with some friends! Sooo encouraging.

Thanking the Lord for friends pursuing godliness.

A group of girls from Heritage!

A Writing Marathon

This November some of the kids signed up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month-- when writers all around the world write 50,000 word novels in 30 days). 

 Emma made a 'Happy NaNoWriMo' sign for the first day of November, featuring many of the works-in-progress.

Betsy surprised the crazy authors with delicious snacks and what has been dubbed 'NaNo-tea'!

The writers set up desks and set to work.

Welcome to the deep, dark, writer's cave...enter at your own risk. ;)

Paul and Anna are doing the full-out NaNoWriMo and have been chipping away at their 50,000 word goal. 

The younger girls signed up for the NaNo branch called 'Young Writers Program' where they can set their own word goals, and have been doing fantastically! 

BB's novel is titled "The Candy Shop Kids' and is so adorable! We can't wait to read it!

Word counts for Day 1... you know you're too short when the camera has to be tilted to avoid cutting off your brother's head. ;)

 A silly selfie with all but one of the writers, and their brainstorming buddy, Kate.

Working hard on that novel!

"Where there's a Willis there's a way!"

He DID IT!!!!

A Trip to Cracker Barrel

A huge "thank you!" to a kind member of the congregation for this special treat to Cracker Barrel!

We love the rockers out front!

A heated game of checkers.

Smile!

Root Beer!

 The food was delicious, the family-time was giggly, and we had a wonderful time!

Camp 2016!

HBC Family Camp was September 17-19, and we drove up and back home each night for Friday and Saturday! Enjoy the adventure! ;) 

Thursday:

Getting ready!

Aimee made Cookies of the Century for a road snack! Kate made delicious pie too, but somehow we didn't get a picture of that. ;) 

Since we weren't official campers we brought our own meals. This is the makings for taco salad, which we picnicked with outside for Friday dinner. 

Friday:

Jerry went to work, and the rest of us had a quick breakfast and continued camp preparations.

Around 12:30 everyone loaded up

We stopped to pick up the girls' new reading glasses!

  Look! Its green!!! 

Emma made a scavenger hunt game for the trip, and we listened to lots of classical music!

 Front seat

The whole, goofy van load. :) 

 Getting close to Prescott!

Paul helped string up lights at the Quiet Place for the night time sermons, and after dinner everyone headed there for a message.

 

The Quiet Place 

It was so 'cold' even in sweatshirts that Anna had to steal an adorable kid to squeeze. ;)

Pastor Huddleson spoke on loving one another. 

Then back to the cafeteria for games and music! This is a crazy, loud game called "Pit"... 

Aaaand the crazy, loud players. ;)

Matching girls!

Around 1:00 (you can chose if it was AM or PM ;P) we finally drove home, exhausted, happy, and talking 5mph. :D

Saturday:

We arrived just in time to jump in on the last couple of tug-of-war games, and then walk to the cafeteria for lunch! 

Then it was free time until dinner. Some played volleyball the whole time or sat by the sidelines and cheered the teams on, others played some frisbee, the little girls worked on a fort out by the 'L Tree' (it's a tree jutting out from the hill in the shape of an L) with their friends, and still others had a blast with little ones by the swing set.

A message by Mr. Hubler, and off to the fire-pit for s'mores!

To the cafeteria for games, singing, and burning our tongues on hot chocolate once more before saying goodbye and heading home!

Chess! 

 Two players and lots of advisers. ;)

 The music was great!

Singing praise to the Lord Almighty! 

Thanks so much for reading about our adventures!