Be The Treasure--Youth Conference 2012

      Hi, this is Ryan Hale. I'm writing about my youth conference special night devotional. What I remember us doing is heading to the recreation hall in the chapel they had on campus and sitting down on the ground. We had a special talk from Sister Hellstrom on being a light of the world and we were asked to use our scriptures to  help out. I felt the spirit so strongly there that night as a burning sensation inside me. We talked about how we need to let our light be a standard for others to follow. After the talk we were asked to walk outside quietly after they gave each of us a candle. As time passed I wondered what it could all be about. When everyone had gathered outside, including the leaders, we had yet another special talk from Sister Hellstrom on being a light for others to follow. We all made a commitment to allow ourselves to show others the light inside us by following our standards. Every time someone made the commitment they lit their candles. Once all the candles had been lit, we went to the dorms silently thinking about the commitments we had made. That was one very special devotional night and I will forever remember it in my heart and mind.

This is Ryan Hale signing off. Farewell.

[Youth Conference was held in July at Southern Virginia University campus in Beuna Vista, Virginia]

There is hope!!

When I signed up for the Chestertown 5K with my brother and sister in law, I had hopes to finish the 3.2 miles by running the entire course.  As training.....and summer went on, I thought that perhaps I should amend my goal, just completing the course with some walking would be okay too, I guess.

After we came home from our beach trip, and I had not been running for almost two weeks (I did have a few beach walks of 2 miles).....well, I did terribly.   "I certainly must amend my goal.....that's okay, it will just give me a reason to sign up for another 5K and conquer that goal of running the entire thing."   I thought.
I'm not sure what happened, but on Monday I ran a total of 1.5 miles with out stopping, walked for .5 and then finished the 3 miles off in a run.  That gave me a total run of 2.5 miles of running.   On Wedneseday, Connor and I decided that we would run 2 miles before we would stop.  That run was a bit harder, but we accomplished it.  Connor, he even outdid that and ran 2.5 miles of continuous running before he stopped (Way to go!)

I have three weeks left till the big race and I will achieve my goal.....yeah, there is hope, I really think Ican do this thing!!!  Crazy me, I'm even thinking about the next race, (where ever that may be.)  I'm still not in love with running, but I do love the benefits of it, more energy!!  and the feeling  of accomplishment!

Taming of the Shrew....cowboy style

No this isn't the Shrew.....

This is the shrew.....  and she quite a wonderful job at playing Katharina Baptista.   All of the kids did a wonderful job acting their parts in our western adaptation of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew.  

Katharina and Bianca fighting.  "You're fathers pet!"

During the past few months we gathered with fellow friends at the Brame's home to learn parts and perform a Shakespearean play.   They chose the Taming of the Shrew, and to make it more their style, they chose to give the play a western theme.  The play was performed in front of family and friends at the Presbyterian church with a fun reception following.   Christine took on the job of directing and formulating the script, quite an undertaking....but well worth the effort for all of us as they all had a great time. Thanks Christine!!

With two summer Shakespearean plays under their belt we could take on the Globe anytime....well maybe not, but enjoying this wonderful author surely will happen with all this fun!

The younger kids played servants of Peter....Katharina's future shrewish husband.  here they are dancing to "She'll be Coming Round the Mountian"

The wedding couple.   Along with Bianca and George, one of the many suitor's of Bianca

 


Delaney, as Helen, was a servant of Peter's here she is discussing with Greg, another servant of Peter (played by Daxton) of the crazy wedding.
Peter sure has cute servants!!

Even I played a small part.

Peter, Katharina's new husband, is using her very shrewish manners to teach her some civility.

The Cast  Brame's, Mattson, Sutherland, Henegar and Hale's are in the play

Well Done!!  A wonderful night of learning and fun!

Growing lots of things....some are quite cute too!

 This has been a good gardening year for us....Mmmmm, Genovese basil

 Six small rows of corn produced quite a lot of yummy grain.

 

 

 Binding weed or morning glory...an overwhelming weed, but it is quite pretty.

...by far, one of the best things growing in our home!!  What a joy!

More and more tomatoes...

Two days after picking all the tomatoes that were pictured in the previous blog I picked another twenty five pound box of them.

After returning home from a week at the beach, Barry picked these....and there are still red ones ready to pick on the vines.   Mmmmm, lots of sauce, salsa and stewed tomatoes will be on our winter shelves this year!

Ocean Isle Beach

Packed and ready to go....we are off for a week of fun at the beach!

Hot, humid, and hazy....but out and ready for sun, fun and surf!

My camera became quite foggy...but it's such a cute photo.

We spent the week with Barry's family.  Here with cousin Ragan.

All the kiddos...Daniel, Ragan and my crew.  Josh, Hayliegh and  friend were also there.

 

Bri loved, loved the water.

 

Not to crowded....and the kids made some summer vacation friends....a perfect family destination.

On the last day Cailin got quite a sun burn.  There were wonderful tidal pools where the kids played during the low tide of the ocean.  It was during this time, that Cailin laid tummy down, just chatting with Ragan and other new friends, and got her legs quite burned.  She had blisters and pain for a week afterwards....an event she'll not forget.
Ryan had a hard time out of his normal element and routine, yet found comfort in satelite TV :)

We spent a day out and about [ post to come], we had fun playing putt putt, but mostly we just spent most of our time in the sand, sun and surf.

Happy Birthday Liam!

Could it be?  Can this little guy actually be five years old?  Well he sure thinks so...and reminded us often about how we should treat him because it was his birthday.  If I corrected a behavior he was quick to say, "Mommy, you can't get mad at me ( or tell me no, or what ever was the appropriate response to some question or behavior)...."because today is my birthday!"  Once he stomped off (the day after his big day) and said,  "You can't do that don't you remember I'm the birthday boy!"  I think he was trying to take this birthday thing for all he could get!

 

 

As we were at the beach for his special time, we celebrated it with cake and ice cream.  He got a few special gift...namely a "dummy gun"  a wooden mock long rifle reminiscent of the Revolutionary War, which Barry and he found on our visit to the Moores Creek Revolutionary War site.

.....He did score a big one in that he got two celebrations for his big day.  A week or so later he got his first birthday party...complete with friends, games, cake and presents.  He wanted a medival type castle for a cake, but seeing how his birthday is in August, I convinced him to just have fun water games and I found this cool sand castle cake to make.  He loved it and said 'Great!'

The day of the party turned out to be a bit cool, so I had Cailin and her friend Mikayla do some other outdoor games with them....in the end they didn't care one bit about the cooler weather and chose to put on their swim suits and play in the sprinkler.

Playing a popcorn relay race

The happy party goers....Seth, Amber, Liam, Skyla, Adalyn, Krystal, Delaney, Grace and Marshall.  In back Mikayla, Clarissa, and Cailin

What a happy little man this is...I love this picture and I love this boy!!