it's voting day!

go vote! our country depends on it!

mama's day out!

 friday i got a day to myself...it was very enjoyable after a stressful week of moving

unpacking with a 4 month and 3 year old...

i have been anticipating all month attending the 

homestead hico antique fair

and the day finally arrived...

and it was a winner!

hico is such a quaint little town and i adore homestead

my goal this buying trip was to find stuff for my bookcases...

of course there was other things that enticed me.

here is the loot

you will not believe all of the above items were purchased for around $250

see the curtain rod rings...I got 6 bundles for $3 each! yeah

the cowboy boots are custom M.L. Leddy's  

purchased for $90 (value $200 +) SCORE! 

of course my trip to hico would not be complete without

handmade chocolate from wiseman house chocolates

and fresh "dill pickle" popcorn from hico popcorn works

well...that's a wrap.

hope y'all enjoy the rest of your weekend

happy fall y'all

sources listed in pink

Reminiscing: Kate's 3rd Birthday

Reminiscing: Kate's 3rd Birthday

"Vintage Cowgirl: YEEHAW!"

our little girl turned 3 on the 30th. she is more like 3 going on 30...

she is so much fun and such a toot too!

i had lots of fun planning this birthday...i look forward to many more with her!

source

 

 

 
thank you to all of our friends and family who came and helped celebrate with kate!
especially thank you to my husband and dear friend amanda for helping me set up.

randomness!

randomness!

i saw this on pinterest yesterday and thought it was so funny and unfortunately true!

speaking of kids...here are my two this week...

tripp parker is 3 months old!

kate meredith is almost 3 years old

first day of dance class! 

other thoughts of randomness this week...

i love beauty products

i recently started using this...

 and to my amazement it works!

 i actually use the Maybelline BIG great lash first...then use the

 LOTS OF LASHES 2nd to extend the length of my lashes...coming from a girl who has no lashes...this stuff works... and its only $5.47...or score a deal at walgreens when it's 1/2 price for 2.73!!! 

Source

weekend reminiscing: septemberfest 2012

Septemberfest is an annual festival held the second Saturday of September in the small town of Cranfills Gap, TX.  This festival is quintessential Americana, a small town parade travelling down 3rd Street followed by a cook-off, car show, and fun for all ages in the town park.  Septemberfest 2012, the thirty-fifth Septemberfest, will be held on September 8.

Septemberfest is an annual festival that helps raise money for the community of Cranfills Gap.  The Septemberfest committee has used the money raised from the annual festival to help purchase and remodel the community center, to help improve the Wade Lee City Park, as well as give scholarships to students graduating from Cranfills Gap High School.  To date the generosity of the visitors to our annual festival has allowed the committee to give back more than $120,000 to the Cranfills Gap community through community improvement projects as well as scholarships.

Septemberfest kicks off with a parade that travels southeast along 3rd Street before turning left on State Highway 22.  Immediately following the parade the focus of the festival turns to the Wade Lee City Park, located at the southeast corner of State Highway 22 and 4th Street, where the cookoff, car show, kids' activities, and vendors all take place.

(the above information was found here)

we won best "original" float

books worth reading

books worth reading: redeeming love

i just got finished reading this book. it was a recommendation 

 i saw on pinterest from my sister.

it was an enjoyable christian love story! 

i would love to do a bible study at my home with this book...

at the end it has a book discussion.

i am now going to read as many books as i can by francine rivers...

her writing is not only enjoyable but also a way to connect with god! 

This book feature information was taken from AMAZON.com

In this splendid retelling of the biblical story of Hosea, bestselling author Francine Rivers pens a heartbreaking romance between a prostitute and the upright and kind farmer who marries her; the story also functions as a reminder of God's unconditional love for his people. Redeeming Love opens with the Gold Rush of 1850 and its rough-and-tumble atmosphere of greed and desire. Angel, who was sold into prostitution as a child, has learned to distrust all men, who see her only as a way to satisfy their lust. When the virtuous and spiritual-minded Michael Hosea is told by God to marry this "soiled dove," he obeys, despite his misgivings. As Angel learns to love him, she begins to hope again but is soon overwhelmed by fear and returns to her old life. Rivers shines in her ability to weave together spiritual themes and sexual tension in a well-told story, a talent that has propelled her into the spotlight as one of the most popular novelists in the genre of Christian fiction. This is one of her best. --Cindy Crosby --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

 From Library Journal

Rivers has rewritten a secular historical romance of the same name (Bantam, 1991) for the Christian market, and it is a splendid piece of work exploring both physical love and a love of God. Angel, a young, hardened prostitute sold into "the life" as a child, has no interest in God or religion. Then she meets Michael Hosea, a devout Christian who tells her it is his mission to save her. After being badly beaten, Angel decides to take Michael up on his offer of marriage. Eventually, she learns not only to love Michael but to love God as well. There is not one false note in this wonderful novel. The publisher's foreword rates the book "PG" for its adult themes and subplots of rape and incest. However, these are handled with great sensitivity and are very much a part of the story's development. Very highly recommended for most libraries.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

 Review

"The truth that ran through that story [Redeeming Love] absolutely took me to my knees. And I was a changed person when I finished reading that book. "
- Amy Grant, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter

"A splendid piece of work exploring both physical love and a love of God...There is not one false note in this wonderful novel."
- Library Journal

"Simply put, Redeeming Love is the most powerful work of fiction you will ever read."
- Liz Curtis Higgs, best-selling author of Thorn in My Heart

"The timeless biblical themes...are beautifully portrayed and brought to life through her unforgettable characters."
- Stephen Arterburn, best-selling author of The Everyman Series

"My heart and soul were profoundly shaken as I realized anew the lessons portrayed through the stories of Hosea and Gomer, Michael and Angel. This may be the single most moving book you will read this year - or in your lifetime."
- Angela Hunt, author of Magdalene


From the Hardcover edition.

 About the Author

F R A N C I N E  R I V E R S has enjoyed a successful writing career for more than thirty years.  A New York Times best-selling author, her novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous prizes, including the RITA Award, the Christy
Award, and the ECPA Gold Medallion. In 1997, she was inducted into the Romance Writers Hall of Fame. Francine’s works have been translated into more than thirty different languages and she enjoys best-seller status in many foreign countries. She and her husband live in Northern California, with her three grown children and grandchildren nearby.

  Visit Francine online at www.FrancineRivers.com.

documenting life: tripp parker 2 months old

tripp parker klam turned 2 months old july 24, 2012

this week he will be 3 months old!

wow...how time truly does fly...especially when you are building a house!

it seems we are just going through the motions right now.

i am so ready for things to slow down!

these photos were taken on the high oaks ranch by kerrie bachhofer photography