Our Family Beach Vacation 2011

The Family (minus Wesley, Cindy, Brandon, Rylie and Jackson)

We did our beach trip a few weeks earlier this year due to our expanding gardens.  It was a great, relaxing trip although it wasn't quite the same without Wesley and Cindy's family.   Probably my favorite moments were our daily walks, the games, and just enjoying watching the family eat, work, play and laugh together.  Yep, we even work on vacation....household chores can't escape a crowd this large anywhere.  Dishes still needed to be washed, clothes laundered, and floors vacuumed to keep the sand out.

Muscle Men

Every year since the boys were babies, they pose at least once showing off their muscles. The toddler got in on the act this year.  We've played bocce ball, volleyball, football, and frisbee every year at the beach.  This year the boys, sometimes girls, played a lot of beach soccer.  A few swollen feet, bruised shins and ankles but no breaks as in previous trips with the skim board. 

All boy's game

The brothers

Even Christopher gets a good kick in!

In the picture below my son is pointing at the sign behind the plane.  It says judgment day.   Can you believe the world was "ending" the same day we were out on the beach?   Thank the Lord we knew the Word says in Matthew 24:36, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

The girls stroll along with us on our daily, long, beach walks.  These are great moments of bonding, talking about life, and enjoying God's great creation. 

 All and all another wonderful week and we are so thankful to our friend Suzanne.  We had such a great time when visiting with her that we can't wait to see her again soon. 

Lazy, sunny days, ahhhhhhhhh

Life is good

The end of the island and the end of this page.

Letters from My Grandma

Growing up, our family didn't live close to family as my father was military.  One thing we could count on regularly from family was letters from my Grandma.  I ran across a sweet handwritten note in my desk this morning that my grandmother wrote me when I was graduating high school.  Thought it was funny that I ran across this note as I've written so many graduation notes myself this week and my first son is also graduating high school.  She lived to be 93 years old and I would have loved for her to seen more of my children.  When I read this note this morning, it reminded me how much I missed her, her sweet and faithful notes, and her prayers.  Love and miss ya Grandma Williams!

The outside of her card was a little girl blowing daffodils with "happy" writing above her that says, "God love and you and bless you!"

Inside:

My Dear One, 

You did not say where you are going to college or what you are preparing for so you see, you have your "Gramma" wondering!

Wherever you go, whatever tries to "sell" you on the "new morality" - don't believe a word of it.

It is the same old morality that has not changed -- for God gave the directions and "He changeth not."  


Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lea not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths (Prov.3:5-6).


Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.  I Cor 10:31


(Then she underscored the verse in the card:  "The Lord is thy keeper".  Psalm 121:5)

Take these two verses as a guide to your life and always begin your day for God's guidance in your prayers and you will never  have to look back in regret for God is faithful and He will keep you safe.

I love each one of you very much.  Take this $10 and choose your own graduation gift.  Use it as you need to.

Much love,
Grandmother 

Maternal Influence by J.S. Law

Behold the tenderest sight on earth--the mother giving the first bent to the mind that is immortal.  O!  What lessons of heavenly wisdom may come down through her lips and find their way to a heart not yet in contact with the world!  Here may she seize on the first indications of intellect, and consecrate it to God.  How may the eye of a mother, beaming with affectionate regard, direct the little dependent being to the Savior!  A warm-hearted and prudent mother will exert almost an unlimited influence over her children the first six or eight years of their life; a period, above all others, when the heart is susceptible to deep and lasting impressions.  

Solomon frequently adverts, with great tenderness, to the pious counsels of a mother.  Timothy was instructed, when a child, by his mother and grandmother.  There are few men eminent for science and religion, who have not expressed deep-felt gratitude for the example, counsels, and prayers of a pious mother.  And it would be difficult to find an instance in which children have been brought up in the fear of God, and the love of the savior, where the mother has showed no marked solicitude to cherish a life of piety in her family.  OH, A MOTHER'S LOVE!  It conquers all.  it is identified in the mind of a child with its first knowledge of God.  She is contemplated with God.  Next to divine efficiency, her influence is all-pervading and most powerful.   ~Mother's Magazine

Baking With Your Children

Our family spends a lot of time in the kitchen.  We don't eat cereal except on very rare occasions.  We rarely eat sandwiches unless it's on homemade bread.  We try not to eat out much.  Therefore, we are cooking and baking quite a bit.  I love it.  I love that all my guys thus far will be able to cook for themselves if they are bachelors for a period and that my daughters will provide nutritious meals with confidence for their families.  I love that they "care" about what they eat.  They already had a lot of teaching from me but "Food Inc" definitely helped even more.

Tonight for dinner we had Mexican Lasagne.  I began cutting the onions and my 2 year old wanted to stir my chopper to cut them fine.  Meanwhile, I began cutting green peppers.  My 11 year old daughter decided to get out the pans while the onions, peppers and beef were cooking.  She began layering the flour tortillas and putting a layer of refried beans atop of the tortillas.  My 18 year old is breezing through and I have him reach the chili and taco seasonings for me.  He moves on to what he is doing when my 13 year old son happens to walk through, washes his hands, and decides to help.  He puts salsa on the beans, adds the seasoned meat mixture.  My daughter covers with shredded cheese and they begin again.  If you want this recipe, I have it available here.   Many hands definitely make the work lighter.  My 16 year old soon gets out the special cheese I bought for the tortilla chips.  My 6 year old daughter helps with plates and forks.  Before we know it, we are sitting around the table praying for our country on this National Day of Prayer and then enjoying one another's company.  I am thankful to Jesus for this day and the many blessings that surround our table.

Psalm 128:3b ... thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

~Michelle