Top of the Hill: July 2013

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real...Flowers, Food, and FUN!

A farmer's market find!

Mini golf...Thomas Starrs took them serious and chose a "mini" club!

One of Mansfield's gem's...Kingwood Center

and now the food...
Blue Berry jello shakes!

Mom and I split a bucket of tart cherries...I bought it at Waynes, stopped at Geyers and bought a pie crust and ice cream and within 2 hours we were eating cherry pie and ice cream...yummy but next time I hope to have time to make the crust.

My favorite summer meal...steak and shrimp kabobs.

Recipe from my Better Homes red plaid cookbook.

State Fair Fun!

The boys found 11 of the 12 caches in the geocache booth.

I would like to begin this geocaching as a family.

Chocolate covered bacon...this was John's mission at the fair.
He was tempted by the deep fried pop-tarts but held out for the chocolate treat.

After the fair we picked up Michelle and went to Chik-fil-A for a late lunch

and then had the chance to stop in the Columbus Cabelas.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real... In the Heat of Summer

Since it was going to be 90 degrees we decided to postpone our mini golf plans in favor of playing in the creek. It was the perfect choice. We thought about going to the pool afterward but ended up playing UNO in the Phillip's air conditioned home. Another good choice!

Friday night Gary came home and asked if we would like to go to the Bellville Car Show. I was going to grill chicken but hadn't started it so we decided to go walk around. After 90 degrees all week by Friday evening it had cooled down and there was a little breeze blowing which made it pleasant.

First time seeing this little German vehicle. The man who owned it had

been looking for one for years and found this one in California.

We also got a chance to tour a little local historical museum which hosted an open house during the car show. The home was beautifully done and the military room contained

quite a collection of memorabilia and some of it was very touching.

We came home and sat on the deck and munched on chips and cheese and

drank a mudslide in lieu of dinner. Gotta love summer!

My garden is doing well other than something chewing on the sunflower leaves...ants? I thinned the plants out a bit. It goes against my nature to pull out a perfectly thriving plant but I am told that is a necessary part of the gardening process. I have to laugh at myself because I keep looking at the one plant and thinking this has to be spinach but I have never grown spinach. I hate to eat it and be wrong.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real at Wrightsville Beach

The trip begins!

We rented a car since our van has 230,000+ miles and it would have taken

Gary a week-end to get it trip ready. Funny story at the rental place but the bottom line was we ended up with a Nissan Pathfinder instead of a mini-van but we saved more than 1/2 the price of the rental!

One of the first things I did at the hotel was to scout out a prayer chair and

found this little corner that was just perfect!

First look at the beach....ahhhhhh!

Michelle taking it all in!

My beach worn copy of Gift From the Sea by Ann Morrow Lindberg.

This copy is my beach copy that always goes with me but this

time it came home in 2 pieces.

The boys ready to hit the waves. I was so proud of my husband that he was able to locate these boogie boards at the last minute when I remembered we bought them in Florida 3 years ago!

We stopped to get some ice cream one evening and found this treasure of a toy store with lots of "try me" items. We had a blast scooting, shooting, playing "spot it" and looking for goodies for the Korte Christmas white elephant exchange!

The wonder and joy of being a kid!

Shell seekers paradise!

Best part of the trip was time with my husband...loved watching the sunset and

walking the beach feeling totally relaxed and content!

Pool time with the boys.

Fun with the sun!

Our original plan was to watch the sunrise on the last day. We decided to go the day before and it was absolutely beautiful! The following day the boys slept in and Gary, Michelle, and I got up early and went again. It was lovely to be on the beach one more time but the sunrise was blocked by clouds!

I took almost 300 pictures and I would guarantee that 1/3 of them are ocean shots!

The beauty and mystery of God's creation!

A surprise visitor at Chick-Fil-A

John's beach chair

Fun in the waves!

Thomas was so tired after getting up early for the sunrise that he napped on the

beach until a surprise wave climbed up the beach and woke him up! Sure wish Colleen would have been able to join us but she could not get the time off work :(