I Needed to See Farms and Fields

A few weeks ago, I got a craving for the countryside. The real, plain countryside. Not tourist attractions, just fields, cows, and old farm houses. So I searched Google Maps and found the tiny little town of Bloomfield, about an hour south of us. Then the kids and I drove down there one morning. We walked by old grain elevators, looked at old houses, went into the few shops along the main street, peeked into an abandoned warehouse, and sat in a cemetary surrounded by farms. It was exactly what I needed.

I love the country.

Summer Days

 

I love taking walks on this street. Sometimes the scenes seem so peaceful and picturesque. 

Taliya sometimes looks like a model.

Those rare moments when the kids are sweet.

Our very weirdly decorated refridgerator. Haha! 

A growing collage of my own art.

A recent buffalo done with a Bic ballopint pen.

Fancy taco dinner. 

☺

Cayenne peppers

Making little houses in the dirt outside our apartment. 

I won first place female in a race.

This cat hung around the apartments for several weeks. The kids loved her.

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More Creek Days

It's kind of sad looking at these pictures because it's already been too cold to be very somfortable in the water. Summer seems so short sometimes.

Fourth of July

 

What Shawna Did For Me

On our one little bookshelf sits this frame full of dried flowers. It's very simple, cheery, and bright, and it's a reminder of how much a simple gift can mean so much.

This summer a missionary couple lived in the missionary apartments right next to our apartment. One day the woman commented on my flowers, so I ended up making her a simple bouquet. Probably a couple months later, she handed me this: a small picture frame filled with my own flowers that she had dried. It might seem odd to return a gift like that, but it actually meant so much. First, I was obviously grateful that she thoughtfully made me a gift. Second, it was also evident how much she had appreciated the original gift. 

Whenever I look at those still bright yellow flowers, I am reminded of how meaningful something so simple can be. It can be such a blessing to receive a well-thought gift, but there is almost more joy in giving. 

Camping

We actually attempted camping this year. I really wanted to tough it out and stay both nights, but like usual, we had a pretty rough first night. This time it wasn't so much the kids' fault as it was a large group right next to us that was very loud late into the night. Not a very peaceful "wilderness" experience. 

We camped at Cumberland Falls. The first day we went straight to the river to play. 

All the cliffs and boulders make this place so majestic. 

We love water. I love Jacob. ♡

It poured on our way back to camp, so we got soaked and cold. 

We eventually got a fire started. 

The next morning was lazy. 

Looking over the falls. 

This is known as the "Niagara of the South."

Someone offered to take a picture of our family. We don't have a ton of family pictures, so we always except offers. 

We went on a little hike into the woods. 

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