Last weekend

Ryan and I got to attend a three day gathering in the mountains near Divide (about 45 minutes from us). The main host was a band (enter the worship circle) we have listened to for a long time now and love. We are not huge fans of mainstream Christian music, but love this band for its unique organic jam band quality. They have produced several albums not promoting specific people but the music and most of all their love for each other and Jesus. The music is a combination of hand drums, guitars, mandolins, and other random instruments. We knew all this, but what we did not really know was what their heart and belief system really was. Amazingly, they were so right in line with the things that we believe. It was like they had listened on our personal conversations and prayers, or read my journal. So we got to spend three days with some of the nicest, most real people we have ever met. It was so refreshing for us both, plus we got to be a part of some great free-style jam worship sessions. The top picture is the view from our tent, an amazing location, filled with wild flowers and mountain views. (Ryan liked the wild flower grass quite a bit less than me...allergies). The last day of the gathering was a full concert line up and we brought the kids up and they played and danced until they were so dirty and so tired. Pretty wonderful.

and more on da house...

Okay so apparently this is my once a month blog on house progress. Some of our latest developments include, the roof is done!!! The wood wall slats are going up!!! And the concrete floor is poured!!! And yes that is way to many exclamation points!!!!This is a view from the roof of the solar panel pipes, covered by tarps to protect it from the re-roofing project.
This is a picture of the radiant heat floor in the master bathroom, for warm toesies of course, it is actually covered up now with new concrete. When we found out that the floor had to be dug out for plumbing in here it seemed like a reasonable luxury to do put in radiant floor heating in such a small space for not much more cost.
And this picture is perhaps the most exciting because it is the first evidence of actual finish work, it is a cedar slatted wall that divides the upper main floor and office area. Where the table saw appears to be standing is actually where stairs will hopefully stand.

There are other things happening which I haven't had a chance to take pictures of but will try to do so soon. For now, click for more house pics here.

Happy Birthday to our "free" year old

Salome celebrated her three year old birthday with a princess tea party, oh my. We kept it small with just her two cousins, brother and Grandma in attendance. It was lots of fun, she seemed to really enjoy it. I think with more people she may have gone to shy mode.

I attempted to make tea cups out of cupcakes, which were a lot harder to ice than I expected, but it seemed like the kids liked them. One of these days I want to learn to

use fondant. That seems like it produced way better results... oh well.

Here is a picture of the royal party, capes made my Grandma Lynda, they were so cute. Ephraim agreed to the whole thing only if he could have a sword as a prince, so we went for it and made him a sword. Pretty fun, thanks for all your fun gifts and wishes! Salome is loved.

Click here for more pictures.

OhiO

These have been the days of missed naps and lightening bug chases, wonderfully exhausting. Our Ohio "vacation" was a whirlwind and I wish I had taken more pictures. This is at my Uncle Bob's farm, which was a great day for us all. I haven't been there is probably 20 years so it was strange to see and realize how I remember so much there. The furniture, the barn, the toys it is all still there, but the scale seemed all wrong, I guess when you are younger everything seems bigger. The kids loved it and frolicked until they could frolic no more.

Nothing says vacation like a giant sundae, the kids finished up their ice cream while their mama ran across the street to Trader Joe's. Oh, Joe, how I miss you.

We went for two reunions, a Burkett and Surface one, both were really important to me and filled with people that I haven't seen in a long long time. It was good for us all.

More (and better)pictures here.