Summer Camp: Week 2

We only had two performances this week and so we were really able to dive into our summer camp. Everybody is working hard and are making wonderful progress. I can't wait to incorporate the songs they are learning into our programs. Unfortunately, everybody was working so hard they forgot the camera (sniff)... So I guess I will just hit the highlights of the week that were actually captured on the camera.

Every Thursday a local Farmer's Market is held three blocks south of our home. We have always enjoyed walking down there to buy the delicious fresh produce and listening to the entertainment. A couple weeks ago, I was shocked when I was informed that we were actually going to play for the Market. I thought that was impossible. How were we going to come up with two and a half to three hours of music in less than two weeks? However after a family council meeting we found to my astonishment that if we combined the gospel, patriotic, and hillbilly programs together we would have more than enough music. When we got there and saw how many of our friends were there we just relaxed and enjoyed the evening. We had a wonderful time. Here are some snapshots of our first Farmer's Market...

First things first: TUNE UP!

Kimball, our photographer, is responsible for all of these pictures.

Thank you Kimball...

Dad introduced the family while we played our medley of fiddle and old time songs.

Then we played some of our favorite gospel music. Here Graham, Isaac, and Marilee are doing the sign language to Jesus Loves Me...

Graham and Seth are our official "everything" players. They are really good at picking up any instrument and being able play it.

Next to the gospel of Jesus Christ, we love our country so we played some of our favorite patriotic music.

During our Civil War medley, (as you can tell we love medleys) John and Katie played: When Johnny comes Marching Home.

Dad has been learning the bass guitar and he does a fantastic job.

Then the RUN RUCKUS band (Katie, Seth, and I) played some fiddle music while everyone took a break. We are going to improve our "dynamic" memory skills by memorizing about 30 fiddle songs. Wish us luck...

When everyone was ready to start again the boys sang their theme song "Hillbilly Fever". Don't worry its very contagious and by the end of the song everybody has caught it and is in the mood for our other HILLBILLY tunes.

John put together a military march that stars Graham as he "tries" to be a soldier with his overalls on... Thank you John!

Jumping Jacks are just part of their "PT" (military term for physical training) program that they love. right graham?

"Haul in the line sailors"

When the imaginary "anchor" gets hauled in and ends up on Graham's toes, Seth ends up carrying him out.

So we played and played and even after the Farmer's Market was all over we still had music running in our heads and blood. Might as well keep going, who cares if we have an audience or not?

The time passed very quickly and was a great experience for all of us. God has indeed blessed us abundantly.

STICHES!?!

Everybody in our family down to Graham have had stitches at least once until now... who could it be?

Yes, poor Graham has finally joined the "stitches" club!!! This is how it happened...

It is very hard to grow pumpkins in a tiny garden as you can see in the picture. So instead of having them take over the ground like they do every year, the boys were making a trellis that would be strong enough to hold pumpkins. It is made out a strong metal grid that they attached to a wood frame. Well the metal grid was too long for the wood frame so as Graham was cutting the wire his hand slipped and slid along the sharp corner of the cut wire. Mom and Dad took him to the emergency room and he came back with 5 stitches and a doctor's order that he cannot use his finger for 10 days. What are we going to do without our cellist and our "everything" player?

Thankfully Graham found that he did not need that finger to play the bass so guess what he has been doing? It is healing very well and we are so grateful it is not a very serious injury...

Friday evening we had the opportunity to go to Lexington's Parkway Estates. It is the first time that we have performed in Lexington. We enjoyed meeting and talking to the people there. It is always fun to go to a new place.

We performed our patriotic program for the residents there. We are so grateful for this country and love to thank the Lord for providing a country that has the freedoms that we enjoy. The 4th of July season is always a special time for us...

Graham, Isaac, and Marilee did a line dance to the traditional tune, Black-eyed Suzie...

Here Marilee and I are playing Arkansas Traveler, another traditional American tune.

As we were driving down the main street in Lexington we were surprised to see this sign...

This was the last thing that we ever thought we would ever see. Four years ago, we would have never guessed that this was the direction that the Lord wanted us to go. However, we know that He has a plan for us and has been showing the way to go step by step. We are so grateful to be able to be doing this together as a family. As we have been working together we have truly felt His peace.

"Happiness does not consist of... the world’s idea of a “good time.” Nor must we search for it in faraway places with strange-sounding names. Happiness is found at home."

Pres. Thomas S. Monson