SUCCESS!!!

Since I missed last week, I thought I had better go back and hit the highlights; it was a very significant week for us!

Congratulations Graham, Isaac, and Marilee!!! You have graduated from your first music summer camp! It was a very busy and productive 6 weeks. They did very well and we (the instructors, Katie, John, and I) are very pleased with their efforts and hard work. It has been fun to learn new music as well as improve our skills.

This final week of summer camp has been exciting and here are some of the highlights of our week.

Wednesday July 20th,

DAWSON COUNTY FAIR!!!

If you are wondering what we were doing there? Well, we were wondering that too. Before we came to Nebraska we had never even been to a county fair much less performed at one. So when we were asked to perform at the Dawson County Fair this year we were shocked. Having no idea what to expect, we got together an hours worth of our favorite songs and then tied them all together with a hillbilly narrative. We are so grateful for the Lord's help as we try to branch out and do new things.

We had to wait for quite a while before we could set up the sound system so as you can see John took advantage of the time and got some school work in. Keep studying John!

Surprise Surprise!

Seth took our banjo apart and found to our astonishment a couple of the pick that we had "lost". I guess the banjo has just become our new lost and found.

What is the trademark of all hillbillies? Bib Overalls! So we started our program with a song that praises the effectiveness and versatility of bib overalls.

"They're' the greatest things since fig leaves"

right Seth?

In Joseph's narrative, our hillbilly "Zeb" (Graham) decides to travel the world in search for "glory". He decides to start by going to Mexico where he participates in a fiesta.

However, "Zeb" knows that that is not what he is looking for so he dreams of joining the army and "marching to a beat."

We could not leave out our "long bow act."

Throughout the narrative "Zeb" searches high and low for the thing that will give him peace and by the end of our program, he finally realizes that the only way to obtain true peace and happiness is through Jesus Christ.

LAST DAY OF SUMMER CAMP!!!

We practiced all morning, imagine that. After lunch we packed a picnic as well as all of our instruments and headed down to Alma to play for our friends at the Hillcrest Terrace and Villa. We put together a program of some of the songs that we had practiced during summer camp. It was the perfect way to wind up our camp. Afterward in celebration, we went down to the Harlan Lake and enjoyed the great outdoors. There is nothing like swimming in a real lake! Its very refreshing.

The "sand'wiches" were great and the picnic was another success! Thank you Mom!

Hope you enjoyed your popcorn Dad!

What are you reading Katie?

It wouldn't happen to be about India would it?

What's that?

Are you going to ski barefoot?

No?

Its a SLINGSHOT!!!

This is the biggest slingshot I have ever seen!

It was able to shoot rocks out to the yellow boundary bouy that you can barely see in this picture!

The boat contest was hilarious to watch and they had a great time.

The goal was to stay afloat while trying to sink the other boat. Its harder than it looks.

John and Seth are great boat engines. Right Graham and Isaac?

uh oh...

I'm not sure what point is being made here. It looks interesting though.

Is that Excaliber?

Hats off everyone in memory of... well maybe not.

It was a great afternoon and the water as well as the weather was delightfully warm. We love to get outside as much as we can and we love to see and be apart of God's wonderful creations. Nature is very special to us and we treasure the times that we get to spend in it.

The next day we drove to Omaha to spend Friday and Saturday morning with Covey, Melody, and Mack. It was so fun to see them again. Mack is growing up so fast. He smiles all the time now and is starting to make the cutest baby sounds.

Friday evening, we went swimming in the hotel pool and we tried to get Mack to join in the fun. But as you can see in this picture he did not seem to enjoy the idea of getting his feet wet.

Our summer baby!!!

Thank you Covey and Melody... We love the time we get to spend with you.

On the way home from Omaha, we stopped in Aurora and played at a couple of the nursing homes there. As we played the music for these wonderful people we again felt the Lord's Spirit confirm to our hearts that this is what He wants us to be doing.

We love being able to cheer these people's day with a little music!

We feel so grateful for the Lord's help and blessings. We have learned many valuable skills and lessons as we have worked to accomplish our summer camp goals. We have felt the Lord directing us as we have served Him and we have been able to spend time with those that we love most. Whenever, I think of all the blessings and tender mercies that I have seen in my life it always motivates me to continue to do anything that would serve and please Him. So we continue to move forward in the path that He is leading us on and pray that we can be true and faithful to the end.

"And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."

2 Nephi 31:15