Life in the Hills: August 2012

First Day of School 2012-2013

It finally came....the First Day of School for the 2012-2013 year......3 VERY excited kiddos went off to school this morning.....

Eli - Kindergarten

Ema - Preschool 3's

You just couldn't wipe the smile off her face....she has been waiting for this day for so long!!

Ana - 1st Grade....

Ready to go....

The timing could not have been more perfect....we finished a week of VBS using the Go Fish Guys curriculum and a week later they were in concert at the Palmer Gulch KOA for the first annual Faith and Family weekend!

We went, we camped, we played, we did crafts, we Tye dyed, we swam, we played some more and we enjoyed a great concert outdoors put on by the Go Fish Guys!!

Unfortunately, I REALLY dropped the ball on taking pictures..and only took pictures during the concert.....but they had more going on this weekend and planned than we could possibly do - it really was a great family weekend.

The backdrop for the concert....We love the Black Hills!!

This is definitely not your run of the mill roughin' it campground....they had everything!! Splash pad, 2 pools, a water slide, mini-golf, playground, jumping castles, horse stables for rides, chuck wagon dinners, restaurants, wine and coffee shops, cabins, a hotel, fishing pond.....shall I keep going....

Waiting ever so patiently for the concert to start.....

We were very fortunate to be in one of the camp sites that backed right up to the field where they were having the concert!!

Look at the enthusiasm of these two waiting for the show to start.....

My good friend Denise and my Mom....still waiting....

Did I also mention it was HOT.....oh and I neglected to put any sunscreen on - ANYONE....yup...we were all a little toasted!!

FINALLY - THE GO FISH GUYS!!

Our Little Garden....

Our little garden has definitely produced way more than I knew what do with this year!! I really must learn to can and preserve more of what we grow.....maybe next year!

Our flower garden out front....$2.30 seeds from Lowe's...some water and viola!

The fruits of our labor....

Since this picture we have picked 5 more zucchini, 2 more large bags of green beans, 189 more cherry tomatoes, 2 red peppers, 10 roma tomatoes and 23 carrots, way more basil, parsley and lettuce then we knew what to do with, peas right off the vine (not sure any of those made it in the house...we just ate them as we picked them) and tons of Strawberries for the birds! :(

VBS Praise....

I took on the challenge of leading and directing VBS at our church this year.....We had such a great week....124 kids....70 volunteers and an amazing time "PRAISING" God!

We choose to use the Go Fish curriculum this year....and as an added benefit, a week after VBS was over the GO FISH GUYS came to the Black Hills to do a concert!!

I don't actually have pictures of the kids through the week....but the hard work that went into decorating this place was pretty amazing!

Eric even got in on the action......An electric bread knife works wonders for cutting foam board!!

Our garage was turned upside down for about 2 weeks....

South Dakota Olympics

At the end of July a good friend held an Olympic Day at her house with lots of Olympic competition for our kiddos!!

They began the day parading out representing the USA in their London Olympic T-shirts!

Ema with her "game" face on!

Ana was still very unsure what was happening....Explaining the Olympics to our kids proved to be a little challenging....This would have been the first one really that any of them understood or cared to watch.

First competition...the water balloon toss...I think it was determined kids this young may just be a little young to actually understand how this should work....