Logo Design ~ Jagd Mafia

I was recently in contact with Beau, the owner of Jagd Mafia again and he said they were sure liking their logo design(s), which made me happy and I realized I hadn't shared it online yet. This was my most complicated logo design to date. I was given a photograph and was told they want to use the person holding the head of the stag. Jagd Mafia is a hunting adventure based out of Germany. If hunting is your thing and you are in that area you should get in contact with them, as it looks like they have a great time!

Like all logo work, I like to give the customer a few different options. Here are a couple that were not chosen, but I wanted to share anyway:

The two logos below are what they went with:

Thank you Beau! I wish you and your business the best!

Loved ~ Wood Burning

A design and handmade wood burning for my grandma... her favorite Bible verse, John 3:16 and what

a powerful one it is. The gorgeous wood frame was made by my husband of Wisp Woods. 

Love teaming up with him on projects! He's been making the most beautiful wooden bookmarks lately. 

You can check out a few HERE. Kaelyn and I want to keep all of them! :)

Have a wonderful day, and remember how much you are loved. ♥

A Sweet Logo Design

I haven't been so good about getting new designs posted. This was a really fun logo to create. The business owners were awesome to work with and had a good idea of what they wanted. What made this job even sweeter was getting the actual product to try! It is so awesome to actually see my design on an actual product but then to try out the item... oh my goodness! We made avocado pudding with the honey and it was amazing! Kaelyn doesn't like avocados but she loved this dessert. The recipe will definitely be shared in one of our Enduring Health newsletters (can sign up at the bottom of the page) and possibly eventually on the Enduring Health blog.

Thank you Brad and Crystal! I wish your business great success!

Golden Sunshine Birthday

I can't believe it has almost been a month since we celebrated Kaelyn's golden birthday! She is our little sunshine so it worked great for her golden theme. She loves to see what I come up with for decorations and of course she's excited for the food/dessert too. I made a wild rice dish and a couple cupcake experiments. Her golden ones were chocolate chip pumpkin with a unique frosting, no lemon. (unique, but tasty and good!) The recipe will most likely be shared in one of the first two Enduring Health Journey newsletters. If you are interested in receiving healthy recipes, uplifting inspiration, and tips for healthier living please sign up at the bottom of the page on my new website HERE. I will try to have the first newsletter out the end of this month and it will only be coming out quarterly so I won't be flooding your inbox. :) The recipes shared in the newsletter may or may not be put on the Enduring Health Blog. Kaelyn is so excited to help in sharing healthier lifestyle tips and allergy friendly meal plans.

She had a great birthday and was so happy for all those who could make it. The weather isn't always the best when we plan to celebrate so we are thankful for those who are determined to make it and have safe travels. Several people went out of their way to make her day extra special. Thank you! It was a golden birthday she won't soon forget. :)

Now Live! New Website & Blog ~ Enduring Health Journey

My passion... to share our story of difficulty, to share what we have learned, to encourage and inspire you to live a healthier, happier lifestyle, and above all... to hopefully grow and strengthen your faith. A year ago, I thought if we (my daughter and I) could get better, if we could overcome most if not all of our health issues, I would share our story with the world. I am so happy to say God has blessed us greatly in knowledge, in hope and encouragement, and in health. He has driven Enduring Health Journey to become a reality. He has showed us the power of purpose, prayer and perseverance and we want to share it with you. We are in the beginning stages of a new blog, website, twitter space and instagram. We hope you will join us; we pray you will be blessed!

Today is going to be a good day!

Hello! Sorry this space has been quiet for so long. I would love to add a few more hours into the day... I bet most of you would agree. I've been having some fun the last couple months with wood burning projects. I enjoyed coming up with the words, designing and burning the one above simply to inspire myself. It is to remind me that if I keep a positive view from the time I awake, it will be a good day, no matter what is thrown my way. There is a bright side to every situation. It is up to us to choose how we will respond. God's way is the best.

I have seen myself change so much this past year. It amazes me to see how God can work within one's self when you are open to Him and welcome to change. I have grown so much spiritually and because of this my physical and emotional well being improved greatly. I am grateful. If you have been in this space for awhile, you know I had a long ways to go with physical health. And thankfully I can say I am now doing so well! God has guided me and He has healed me physically, emotionally and spiritually. With that said, there is always room to grow and improve but I am no where near where I was two plus years ago and honestly it is all thanks to the Lord.

With that said, God has placed the passion in my heart to reach out to others, those who are struggling, whether it is with health, financial, marriage problems whatever, I want to offer encouragement and hope. I have been working on a new site for awhile now and am hoping to share it with you soon. I pray that it will inspire people all over, in all walks of life. It will be a place where I share my heart, words that God has placed on my mind, and the ways that helped me and my daughter heal. My desire is for the new site to be an uplifting space for anyone that stops by.

I've debated about getting rid of this space but have decided against it, because I do love to create. So this space will go back to its original purpose, a place to share designs and art/creations. The new site will be focused on health, wellness and encouragement. I hope you will join me in the new space when it is ready.

Last thing, my sweet and very talented husband made the awesome frame above. He's made a few of them now and I love them! I thought it made the piece. You can check out more of his work at wispwoods.com.

The Greatest Gift of All ~ Part 3

Be sure to read Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE before reading Part 3. Thank you!

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You would think after receiving the ultimate gift from their father, the childrens' lives would go smoothly and everything would be good. But this was not so. Although both children accepted the same perfect gift each used it differently in their lives. Neither entirely understood the benefits of such a great gift for it was beyond what they could imagine.

The daughter took her father's words to heart. She knew how much he loved her, she knew how much she loved and missed him, and she knew she wanted her father's ways to continue. By living a life like her father, she knew many others around her would be touched and blessed. Changing her way of living was not an easy task. She found that controlling her tongue as well as her negative thoughts to be two of the most difficult challenges. She would also have to get out of her comfort zone and reach out to others. But she pressed on. She wanted her life to be a tribute back to her dad, a thank you for loving her beyond measure. She would imagine her father looking down upon her with a smile on his face with every good step she made. She did what she did not because she felt she had to for her father, but because she wanted to and because of the love she felt for him. Her heart had changed... it had grown. She learned that doing good was not the easiest route to take but somehow it was definitely the most rewarding. Yes, she faced trials from time to time, sometimes she wondered if she was going to survive the struggling and suffering, but she would refocus her mind on the positive, on her father, what he would have done in her situation. Her father's letters gave her great hope and inspiration during the difficult times. After patience and endurance through the battles in her life she was always able to overcome them and feel more powerful than before. She grew thankful for the difficult times because looking back, she could see that through the journey she was learning new and important lessons. She was becoming a better and stronger person. She was feeling freer from struggles that would have previously made her feel miserable long term.

People around her were always watching. Some were quick to cast judgement on her. They didn't take the time to get to know her, but then there were others who were drawn to her, one's that didn't even know why their paths joined hers but in time they were touched by her. They learned new things about themselves through her kind words and actions. They were drawn to her for the good and it made them want to be better... for themselves and for others. She was also encouraged by them. There was an indescribable strength through the positive actions.

The brother was going through life completely different. He said he accepted his fathers final gift at the same time his sister did, but the acceptance did not make it into his heart. The acceptance of the gift only made it in his mind. He went on with his life saying many things his father did and did some good deeds but he remained focused on his own works. He was still driven by worldly things... money, his company, his own desires of things he wanted and wanted to do. He couldn't see the power that his father was giving him through his final gift. He didn't allow his heart to be open for change. His mind was always racing on what he thought he needed to do next. This was quite the opposite from his sister. She would allow her mind to rest on her father and his ways and words and allow them to guide her. But the son, he was guiding himself which made for very difficult times and he continued to grow weaker. It felt like he was always fighting against someone or something. He didn't realize that the biggest battle was going on inside himself. He did things because he thought he had to. He didn't see any use for controlling his tongue and controlling his own mind was not even a thought. To him life was just going to happen, he didn't see how he could have any impact on it for the good. Even though his father was on his thoughts from time to time, he remained in his own works and because of this he could not truly prosper in any area of his life.

The sister saw how her brother was struggling. She could see the war that was going on within himself. She tried to make him see that the ways of their father and the love for him had to be embedded in their hearts. She tried to get her brother to read their father's letters but he always responded that he didn't have time for that. This hurt her for she knew how life could change for the better for him if he just took the time and put his focus on their father, his ways and words, and allow his mind and heart to be renewed. But the sister knew that she could not push him, that if she did it would only drive him farther away. So she went about her day, focusing on the good, focusing on her father and what she could do for someone else. Because of showing great love, the daughter felt so full, so happy and blessed in return. She couldn't think of living life any differently. She wanted the same for everyone around her. She wanted everyone to feel loved. She realized that EVERYONE had been given this amazing gift. The ultimate gift was given a very long time ago and it is passed down to each generation. The daughter wants everyone to know the great power that dwells within each believer. She knows by watching her brother and others around her that there is a choice to accept this great gift... not just to accept it through mind and word but in the heart. By truly accepting the great power and love, it completely changes a person. It makes them live for the good, it makes them do good, it makes them love in a new way, it makes them see life so differently... there is no longer a darkness but light and hope in all situations. The sister does not know what any given day will bring, but she is certain that good will come from it. She prays that one day her brother will experience this light... because there is no greater gift!

The End.

Initially I didn't know there was going to be a part three. But I felt it laid on my heart that many people aren't realizing the amazing gift that dwells within them. This power is just waiting and wanting to be used. God gave US, you and me who believe in Him, the Holy Spirit to dwell within for a purpose. It isn't meant to sit in us and do nothing until the day we die. We are meant to be transformed, to do good and amazing things right now in this life. The Bible is filled with so many letters explaining how it is best to live our life. It tells us how to overcome evil that we will experience. It explains a good part of God's will for us. I have never been so excited to learn... it is like discovering the best kept secrets, but the crazy part is it shouldn't be a secret. We are meant to share the good exciting news, but somehow Satan has such a strong hold on this world, so many people aren't hearing/learning the so called secrets to living a better life! Jesus came to Earth to show us by His actions the ways we should go. We are suppose to learn from what he did and said. Sure we can believe in Him and believe that he died on the cross for our sins to save us and have eternal life, but I feel that there is so much more that is not being taught, even in many churches. Jesus died, so we could be given the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, so we can be the hands and feet of Christ. Jesus paid the ultimate price so we are able to overcome Satan's evil doings! We should be thanking God for His amazing gift by loving Him and doing the good that He showed us to do. He wants us to pray continually for guidance, and if we really are being true to His ways, He will answer our prayers, He will be glad to guide us, He will show us His great love. I am certain of this. So long I didn't make the time for Him. I didn't make the time for a relationship with Him. I didn't realize what I was missing and through that journey I learned that I was really hurting myself for not taking the time to get to know Him. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was allowing Satan into my life and even allowing him to work through me. And although my journey has been a rough one, I am so thankful for it, because God has drawn me closer to Him by experiencing those difficult times. I now know that God was after my attention the whole time. He loves me and He loves you. He is OUR Father who wants the best for us. We just need to give Him our time, our focus and allow Him to work through us. Our Father has a great plan for us. Are we willing to let Him move us?

The Greatest Gift of All ~ Part 2

Make sure to first read Part 1 HERE.

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Once back home, the children tried to go about their busy days as usual. They were hoping that their filled work schedules would take some of the pain away. Oh how their hearts were aching. They had never felt a pain like this before. They found themselves unable to focus on anything other than their father. Not keeping in better contact with their dad while he was alive was tormenting their minds. Why, they wondered, did they put all their focus and attention on their jobs, money, material things? What was their purpose? Someone that meant so much to them, someone who went above and beyond for them was now gone. They were feeling miserable for how they treated their father and now they couldn't see a good purpose in anything they were doing. Everything was feeling meaningless. People around them could tell a difference in their attitudes and it was impacting everyone around them. Relationships, their businesses, everything it seemed, was starting to suffer. Eventually the children decided to head back to their childhood home to see if there was any hope of finding closure to this heartbreaking situation they found themselves in.

When they arrived at their father's home they remembered the gift he mentioned before his death. They really didn't think they could accept another gift from him. They felt so unworthy of it. With thoughts of their father on their mind and knowing he really wanted them to have this last gift, they decided to go see what exactly it was. When they went upstairs they found on their father's bed a smallish box, neatly wrapped with a letter on top. They opened the letter and read...

To my dearest children, this is for YOU ~

I know my death came as a shock to you, but I expected it. Although you won't be able to understand right now my passing is for the best. You see, out of bad things come good so don't focus on the bad but look forward to the good that is coming because it will. There are a few things I want to share with you that I couldn't before. You see, before I never had your full attention.

I want you to know how much I love you... each of you, so very, very much. I thought about you well before you were born. My heart was bursting when I saw you come into the world for the first time. You were perfect! You are wonderfully made and capable of so much!

The purpose of your life was never simply to survive. You were meant to live life fully, to truly thrive. A life of good; able to enjoy all the gifts I have given you from the beginning. Now, you are given choices to make. You are given free will over your own lives. I never once told you growing up that you had to do things my way and no other. I strongly urged you in certain directions for your safety but the end choice was always yours. If you chose wrongly there would be consequences. Because I love you, I want to warn you, if you choose to follow the ways of the world, you are likely never to feel complete. There will be great hurt on many different levels. But I am happy to tell you there is another option for you. Would you like to live a life where you felt free, at peace and filled every day? Could you accept a gift like this?

Now if you feel bad about any actions you have done in regard to me or have done something else that you think is so unworthy of deserving such a gift, I tell you, for peace of mind, please ask for forgiveness and know then that you are truly forgiven. I love you with my whole heart. I could never stop loving you; you, who I loved before you were even born. I've watched you grow. I know you so well. You are a part of me. There is nothing you could do that could stop me from loving you. Trust me!

My earthly gifts did not move you. At least they did not move your heart. Your heart was left unchanged. Since my death, you realized a pain you had never known, your heart felt something. Your heart is changing, renewing and growing. You now are seeing me much more clearly then when I was with you in person. I have given you ALL I have and ALL this I give you will be more then you can ever imagine.

As you know, my heart was filled with love, joy, kindness and truth. This is your inheritance. My gift goes beyond any "natural" gift. There is no limit and it cannot be contained. It is freely available for you and it is meant to be passed down to your children and their children, for generations to come. With this great gift you will be able to overcome life's trials. You will be brought to difficult situations but with my gift, planted in you, you will be able to overcome these trials! Children, trust me! A good heart conquers all evil! All you need to do is place your faith in me.

By excepting my most precious gift, you will lack nothing. For my heart will join yours and work together with you to do what you have seen me do and even greater things than these. There are no boundaries to the good you are able to do. With me, in you, all things are possible. Have faith in ME! Keep your focus on ME! Speak words that come from me, these are words of life. If you happen to make a mistake and lose focus, it is okay. My love for you is too great. I will never give up on you, so do not give up on me due to your own mistakes. Ask for forgiveness and keep pressing forward.

In the box, I have left you many more letters to reveal to you more of my good and perfect ways. Read them, but know that the most important thing is that I am always with you. I am in you. I love YOU!

So children, I hope you now know deep within your soul how much you mean to me. I hope you know I want the best for you and your children to come. I pray you will accept my gift; that you will open your heart fully and allow me to guide your steps. You will then live an abundant life of blessing and you will impact many around you. This will make me proud!

I will be with YOU ALWAYS! With all my love ~ your Father

With tears streaming down their faces, the children were changed forever. They accepted the perfect gift from their father. They were filled with great hope for having a purpose filled life. They were ready to share the good; to share the love with others.

To be continued...

Part 3 HERE.

Love lettering done by my daughter, Kaelyn age7.

The only way I can describe this story is that the Holy Spirit wrote it through me. I pray it will bring you closer to Him. He has certainly made a huge difference in my life. For so long, I didn't have time for Him. When I thought I really knew Him I didn't. He wasn't IN my heart. I finally realized how much he loves me and ALL his children. He so wants to be a part of our life. He wants us to turn to Him first for every situation we find ourselves in. He wants us to speak His words. He wants us to love like Him. He wants the best for us. What he desires most is for us to KNOW Him and love Him! If we are hoping for prayers and desires to be fulfilled, are we wanting these gifts without having a relationship with the one who gives them? I have cried, because I am guilty of this. I am thankful for the trials I have gone through because I can now see Him much more clearly. I have a new love in my heart... it is for Jesus who showed me how to live, who took my place as a sinner on the cross, who freed me from Satan.

I pray that I will keep my focus on you Lord and that you will work through me the rest of my life, no matter how undeserving I am. Thank you God for leaving us so many letters (in the Bible) to encourage us and reveal your ways to us! God, thank you for loving me with your whole heart. I love you!

The Greatest Gift of All! ~ Part 1 Do you have it?

There once was a wise man. Although he was very rich, he had a good heart. Unlike most prosperous people around him he was always thinking of others' needs before his own. He loved giving gifts, especially unexpected gifts. He enjoyed giving the most to his children, a son and a daughter. Even though the man had so much, he did not believe in simply spoiling his children. He wanted his gifts to be special, exciting, well thought out and with a special purpose in mind. The children adored their father growing up. He was a giver, not only of gifts but of his time and love.

When the son and daughter grew older they moved many miles away to go to school. They started careers and became very focused on growing their own companies. They wanted everything their father had and more. They became so busy with their own lives that contact with their father was gradually being pushed to the side. His calls weren't being returned. His letters were left unanswered. Sometimes his letters weren't even being read. He didn't want to force his relationship with them. He loved them and wanted them to be happy with whatever choices they made. But his heart did ache for them terribly. He would do anything for his children! He started to wonder if he was on their heart any more.

The children continued on with their busy lifestyles... work, dinners, meetings, parties, keeping up their homes, and so forth. One day the father decided to surprise them with investing a huge sum of money into their new careers. His thought was that it would take away any financial strain from them and it would be a great seed that would continue to grow and the wealth could eventually be shared with others. The son and daughter were thrilled with the generous gift from their father, but they remained captivated in their busy lifestyles and didn't even get around to thanking their father. The thought would pop into their minds every so often that they needed to call him and thank him but the moment never seemed right, time was passing so quickly, this and that had to be done first. Just too much had to be done. The father's heart was hurting. His children who he loved so much wouldn't acknowledge him. He had done so much for them. He had what seemed to be everything, everything that could be theirs one day, but they were so focused on their own daily lives that they couldn't see the end picture. The father was hoping that the children would look back on their childhood and remember his actions, to learn from it and walk in his ways. For his life was good. Very good. He was rich in so many ways.

Not long after, the children received another letter in the mail from their father. It stated that he felt like he wouldn't be around much longer but he had a really wonderful gift he wanted to give them. It was something they couldn't get anywhere else. Something that would change their lives forever.
The children were stunned to get such a letter. What was wrong with their father? He had always been a strong and healthy man. They decided they needed to tie up loose ends at work and then the next day they would fly home to be with their dad.

Once they arrived home, they learned the devastating news; their father had passed away the night before in his sleep. What did he die from they asked? They were told, "His heart just stopped." They were also told that their father had left them a gift upstairs and he wanted to be sure they got it. The children were so stunned and heartbroken from the loss of their father that they didn't believe they could accept one more gift from their dad and returned home without seeing what was in store for them.

As time went by, thoughts of their father invaded their minds. They had so many good memories of him. He was always full of laughter, helping them and everyone else around them, he saw the good in every situation... he was a remarkable man. No one was like their dad. They started to realize for the first time in their lives that no one who received gifts from their dad deserved to. He never once wanted anything in return. His delight came in the giving. His heart was better than gold.

Will the children go back to their childhood home and see what the last gift was that their father left them?

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Part 2 can be found HERE.

Healing Power of Raw Milk

For awhile now I have truly believed in the healing power of food. Food is medicine. Meaning food that is organic and as close to God's original creation will benefit us. If man gets in the way and tries to alter food the healing power seems to be, no, IS destroyed. I don't really know when it happened that man thought they could create something better than God. I have found this to be true from personal experience. Trying raw milk this summer confirmed my beliefs. Kaelyn was allergic to milk since she was a baby. When my health turned for the worst and I removed many foods from my diet, I found dairy was a big issue for me also. I was sad because I really liked dairy products. After cutting it out I kept getting this feeling that milk should work for me. But no matter what we tried from the store, like 100% grassfed homogenized butter, Kaelyn and I would both break out with rashes. I was frustrated. I had been doing quite a bit of health research around that time and had come across a few readings that several people with dairy allergies could actually tolerate raw milk. This was exciting news, but where could I get my hands on raw milk? A farm a couple hours away was already swamped with customers wanting his raw milk and my husband was not for raw milk at all due to safety health scares at that time. Since then my belief in the healing power of God's given food increased. I was watching and experiencing my own body heal through food, herbs and prayer. Hearing stories from my 92 year old grandma about her and her family drinking a lot of raw milk growing up really made me want to try it. Without going into much detail on my grandma, she does not seem her age, she is active, keeps up her own big house, gardens, and if her or her siblings happen to fall they bounce right back up. No broken bones! There has to be a good foundation for this type of exceeding health. Anyway as time went on I had a conversation with another couple about raw milk near our area. (Thank you June and Jason!!!) I kept the information in my mind. I had been feeling for quite awhile that we were not getting enough calcium in our diet. After seeing that my teeth were not looking so great... like some translucent spots on them I knew we HAD to get more calcium. That night I told my husband to please go to the nearby dairy farm and see if we could try some raw milk. He finally changed his mind and decided we could try it! Turns out the farm had one jug of milk that hadn't been spoken for and that we could try it. If it worked for us we would have to buy a cow share as required by state law at that time.

Well we tried it. I was nervous giving it to Kaelyn since she had always reacted very noticeably in the past to dairy. At first I blotted some milk on her wrist and then by her mouth. This is a good test to see if you are highly sensitive to a food. She did not react! So she drank some. She loved it and still did not react. Milk continued. My teeth looked better within 24 hours of drinking the milk and Kaelyn's eczema on the back of her arms was reducing! Praise the Lord for His good gifts! How he worked out a place to get it right near us and its healing qualities amazes me.
David has been stopping at the farm weekly for the last couple months+ to pick up our glass bottled milk. Last week we took a family trip to the farm. It was Kaelyn's and my first experience there. We were met by happy cows going to graze in the pasture, chickens and quite a few happy, healthy children. The kids were so full of energy and loving I couldn't keep from laughing. Kaelyn loved it there even though she was being pulled in all directions by the kiddos. :)

I am not saying raw milk will work for everyone. (Although raw goat and sheep milk is even easier tolerated than raw dairy as it is easier to digest.) If I had the milk before I eliminated a lot of the Candida in my system I'm not sure it would have gone over so well. I feel my body would have been too congested. It just happened that the timing was right and everything aligned. God had it planned out perfectly! So now we are enjoying raw milk every day. Yay! And what's even better, the state just changed its rules and we no longer have to own a cow share. Yep, we don't have to own part of the cow in order to get milk which means if we want more milk we can get it! So exciting... atleast for us! :)

Some may be wondering why raw milk works and not pasteurized dairy. The main reason is when raw milk is heated, beneficial bacteria and enzymes that the body needs are killed. Pasteurization prohibits the milk from working in the body the way it was originally meant to. Short explanation... the good is destroyed by the heat. Man, get the hint... DON'T mess with God's design and we would all be better off! End of rant.
More information on the health benefits of raw dairy vs pasteurized can be found on Dr. Mercola's site HERE.

One of the lessons I have learned is if something keeps coming up in your mind and you can't let it go, God wants you to do something with the information. He speaks differently to each person. Just listen, accept and do. Good will follow. :)

Have a awesome and blessed day!

Lake Superior

A few photos from our first big camping trip to Northern Wisconsin and Duluth, MN...

I love these family bikes. They always make me laugh!

 Beautiful sandy beach and clear water.

I never thought we would be able to eat at a restaurant on the trip. Plans were to always cook meals in our camper. Duluth had an awesome Whole Foods. Seriously wish it was located by our house! Anyway, we saw in a brochure about Tavern on the Hill and how they focus on healthy food and try to source their products from the nearby area. We checked out their menu online and thought they might have something Kaelyn and I could actually eat. To be honest I was nervous, but David was excited to give it a try. Our poor waitress had to go back and forth to the kitchen like 20 times with questions, but we were finally able to get a meal that worked for us. Yay and thank God! Here's what we had...

Turkey burger topped with caramelized onions and sprouts. Our side was smashed cauliflower. K and I both liked it! Great place to check out if you are in the Duluth area.

A couple Sundays ago the piano player at our church was telling a story about Jesus being like our lighthouse and what a rocky journey we may have to get to Him. I immediately thought of our trip and the path we had to take to get to the lighthouse. Walking on these jagged rocks of varying sizes was not so easy, it took quite a bit of time but oh how it related to our own life journey. Our stories are all so different but we are all given obstacles to overcome, to push through and hopefully through the journey we come closer to Christ who gives us light in our darkness. He's our hope and source of good things to come. ♥

We saw a number of things. We toured the William Irvin ship which was HUGE! Kaelyn did not like going to the top deck since it was so high up but atleast she enjoyed pretending to steer the ship once she was up there. Another highlight was the Heritage and Arts Center. It had something for everyone to enjoy... history, art show, kid play area, amazing train museum, detailed wood carved furniture plus more. Lake Superior area was a hard place to leave. We debated about taking another day to see more sights in the area but decided we would just have to go back when we had more time to explore. We are so thankful for the family adventure we had and look forward to seeing new sights next summer.

A Summer Glimpse

Wow, sorry for the extended blog silence. Hopefully everyone hasn't given up on me. 

I was thinking our summer would be a little slower and that just wasn't the case. 

Here are a few of our family's highlights from summer 2015...

 Lots of time experimenting and cooking in the kitchen. I have a great helper! :)

 Fishing time! Kaelyn and her Grandpa are the lucky ones.

Gardening sure takes a lot of time, but it is well worth the fresh, organic produce. This year my garden consisted of onions, butter lettuce, red romaine, garlic, cilantro, kale, collards, spinach, swiss chard, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, green beans, celery, summer squash, zucchini, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, broccoli, dill and Kaelyn grew peas, ground cherries, sweet corn and a watermelon. I also grew a fair share of weeds... I just couldn't keep up!

Our biggest project was renovating a camper. We love to travel, but when our food issues were posing a real problem with travel plans we decided to find a camper so we could have a kitchen with us where ever we go. The whole process was quite a struggle and a humbling experience. We had no idea how quickly campers went up for sale and were sold right away. We inquired about quite a number but they were all sold before we could look at them. We absolutely fell in love with one and were going to travel several hours to get it. The guy promised to save it for us and wouldn't you know it was sold out from underneath us. It was an emotional roller coaster. We ended up finding an older one with the same layout though and thought it would be a fun, quick renovation project to get it how we wanted it. Ha! I should have learned my lesson by now, wallpaper hides many things really well! In renovating houses I have had a ceiling fall on my head... the wallpaper was hiding the cracks! In the camper, the wallpaper was hiding black mold! Uggh! Hubby spent a lot of time rebuilding and fixing window issues. There were a lot of late nights, sweat, and tears put into this project over most of the summer.

 One of the Bible school crafts I had the kids do. This year we had a safari theme.

K spent a lot of time at the pool. Her excuse was she needed a lot of practice for swimming lessons. It paid off because she passed no problem.

 Fun at the farm!

 EEK! We can tolerate milk! RAW milk that is. Praise the Lord! This will get its own post soon.

 Kaelyn did Plein Air Paint Out with me this year and had so much fun.

It was hard to get much artwork done with this little fur ball running around. For some reason he loved to get his nose in everything of ours. Pretty sure he thinks he's a dog! :)

Me and my girl. So thankful for feeling good! ♥

 Fourth of July... Kaelyn requested we go to the BIG show again.

At the end of summer our camper was finally ready to use for a few outings. 

Out of state we headed and God blessed us with wonderful family time, beautiful views and good weather...

Awe... so much better. Clean, light and airy.

 K loves her bunk bed.

Yes, the hard work was worth it! Being able to stop anywhere, anytime and cook your own healthy food is a huge blessing! The end even made me want to do another renovation project. Guess I will have to find some projects around the house. I already have ideas. :)

Some amazing views while out with the camper on our first trip...

K's first roller coaster experience and she insisted on going by herself. She had the most horrible expression on her face while riding I thought for sure she was in tears and screaming the entire time but when she got off and got her breathe, she said it was fun!

 Back to school. Summer went by way to quick!

Now that my firecracker is back in school and the garden produce is slowing down, I should be able to post more often. Definitely more health posts in the works.

Have a fabulous weekend!