Favorite Pictures from 2013

Here are some of my favorite pictures from 2013:

Glory's 12 birthday!  Her birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day this year and we spent the weekend at Camp Tejas RV camping with dear friends :)

Freedom shooting his BB gun at the ranch.

Glory won the bike rodeo her 5th grade year at Steubing.

This was one of Glory's favorite after school activities.

Swim team :)

2nd grade book project.  Freedom read the book, "The Carrot Seed" and passed out cups of dirts and carrot seeds for his class to plant and take home.

Each year, a significant amount of time is spent lounging with Blondie.  She's the best.

Looks like they found a snail.  I love the togetherness in this picture and that they are all wearing camo.  It was a theme of clothing this year.

Camp Tejas Superheroes.  

Camp Tejas BFFs

Oh, the Camp Tejas kitty.  She was sweet I have to admit.  

Kite flying at Port Aransas.

Crab hunting at Port Aransas.

Crazy Hat Day.

This was taken right after the Boyscout Raingutter Regata.  It had been raining outside and they were all happily soaked (well, Blondie was just soaked).

Seeling Popcorn.

Beautiful girlies.

Joy is trying to catch a moth I think.  I love this picture - it captures her desire to be in nature.

Joy, Rebekah and Hannah sang the National Anthem at an event in Helotes.  

Joy's Birthday part at church after a sleepover.

At Morgan's Wonderland.

Freedom's soccer cheerleaders.

My pretty girl.

Thanksgiving at Camp Tejas.

Thanksgiving at Camp Tejas.

Thanksgiving at Camp Tejas.  Jon and Joy gave me a canoe ride.

A Beautiful Day for Soccer

This Fall, Jon is coaching both Joy and Freedom's soccer team. I totally adore this coach and soccer player.

Freedom scored his first soccer goal today!  I was sooooo excited for him!  I had just put my hand on Glory's prayed, "Lord Jesus, please help Freedom get a goal."  Then, I picked up my phone and decided to video...and yep, this is what I caught on camera - Freedom's very first goal!!!!  Thank you Jesus!!!!

Here's a picture of his fan club.  We screamed for him the whole game.  I felt like a crazy lady, but couldn't help it!  I asked him if he heard us afterwards and he smiled and said, "yes."  I'm thankful he smiled.

And Blondie slept through the whole game on Glo's lap.  She's come to almost all the soccer games this year.  She's not spoiled at all.

I Like Homeschool

Homeschool is so peaceful.  I love having my girlies so close to me.  And I love to see all the things they make.

 

A Teddy Bear Knight by Glory.

 

 

A Griffin Tapestry (Freehand Outline, Paint and Embroidery) by Glory.

 

 

Griffin Computer Art (Freehand) by Glory.

 

Medieval Illumination (Freehand) by Joy.

 

 

Nature Cicada House by Joy.

Whiteboard art - the original is lost forever :)  Copied From a Medieval Bestiary by Glory.

Broadway Comes to Bulverde 2013

Here is a link to Joy singing "Castle on a Cloud"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMgo49OZ_50

Here is a link to Joy singing two small solos in "When You Believe" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oty88TmbhSA

Joy stood next to this sweet lady who took excellent care of her!

roses from Papaw.

One of our favorite singers :)

Joy was blessed with this amazing dress from this amazing sweet lady!

Love her passion :)

the choir :)  We're so thankful.

The Ranch

Our trip to the ranch on Labor Day Weekend was certainly memorable.  Papaw ran into a rattle snake the first morning we were there and killed it with a 2x4.  Here is Freedom holding the rattler:

I loved seeing the army ants out there.  I remember catching them growing up and putting them in a jar of dirt and watching them create tunnels.

Here are some more picture of scenery:

We poured a concrete slab at the cleaning rack and everyone got to put in their handprints:

We got to shoot the .22.  It was HOT.

Freedom shot the .22 and also shot his bb gun.

 We really like to explore and were unable to do as much as we would have liked because it was soooo hot!

My beauties:

 

Jon shot a watermelon with a 9mm in order to show the kids what it would do to a person.  I knew it would blow parts off; but what I didn't know is that it would SHRED the remaining, surrounding watermelon.

Kids hung out in the deer blind to see animals.  They shared the blind with a one legged grasshopper.

Our last morning there, we saw two more BIG rattlers.  Look in the center of this picture to see them together raring up and mating.  It was CREEPY.

 
The rattler killer in action:

One got away and here are some pics of the one he killed.  It was 5'2" - a little longer than Memaw is tall!