Open Week/Shooter's Retreat

 This past week was an open week with a men's shooter's retreat Friday-Saturday. We were able to get cabin signs completed for camp and other jobs were finished in anticipation of the camping weeks that are  to follow soon.:)

Kenan G. reminds me and the guys of Timmy-he's super cute, but we are not allowed to say so.;) Here he is, killing mosquitoes with what we call the mosquito zapper! This neat tool looks like a tennis racket but is powered with batteries and sends out electrical discharges to "zap" the mosquitoes out of the air! Everyone around here is enjoying this thing-you should see the older men running after mosquitoes with it!;) It's a wonderful invention!:)

A big reason why we all love seeing the mosquitoes decrease-when we can.......poor Susie!:P

 Working on the cabin signs was a long and detailed project. First, Susie and I spent a few hours cutting out the small letters with scissors and an exacto knife to get the insides. Susie researched lots and lots of names for our theme, before the staff picked out the select ones to be used. We had to spray the signs with sealer and let them dry for a few hours, after that. Finally we traced with pencil, traced with permanent marker, and gave them one more coat of sealant.:) We are so glad to have those done! It's funny how something as simple sounding as that, can take more time and concentration than I ever realized!

 The guys worked very hard this past week, though we didn't see much of them except at mealtime.:)

 Friday afternoon to Saturday evening was the men's shooting retreat. We worked and served meals for their stay.:) It was fun to hear the gun shots ringing all across camp!!

 Mrs. Cromwell giving haircuts.... (She and her family have been here many times to help in the kitchen and around camp. Her husband and their two children, Zack and Zoey have made many of the bunk beds here around camp.) They camp for the retreat to help and shoot.:)

 A haricut for Sequioa too......

 Friday evening. the Craven children invited Susie and I over to their home( on the camp property) for the evening.:)This is Cheyenne (the oldest-15) and Laredo (10) smiling....:)

 Relaxing in the Craven's lovely livingroom. They have such a beautiful view out those windows! (I have to mention, I love how Dakota is sitting in the laundry basket in the middle of the livingroom!;) Cheyenne teased and said he was "pressing the laundry!";)

 Susie on bug control!:)

 This cute young lady-Savannah asked to do my hair so I asked for a picture first....:)

 One of the older girls did Susie's hair while we watched a movie-isn't it pretty!?

 Camp is one of the few places people will hang out and eat pie late at night. I had to grab a picture before running to bed.;) It's so easy to forget how late it is, around here-we have so much light still at 10 pm.:)

 Saturday morning after breakfast and clean-up were done, Mrs, George invited Susie and I to go grass sledding! I'd never heard of it before and was reluctant at first to go. I figured it would be a good idea to experience it-even if I just watched. So the van was loaded up and we were off!

 All you need to go grass sledding is, old clothes, sleds (plastic preferably), and......

 ....a great big hill with grass!!;)

 The kids wasted no time at all in getting started and soon were flying down the hill screaming and laughing!

 It really is like sledding only not quite as fast and no need to wear snow gear to keep warm!;)

 Some of these boys remind me so much of my little guys ( who are not so little now) back at home! I miss those little men!!;)

 Susie was all enthusiastic about grass sledding! Here she is on her first ride!:)

 Savannah C.....:)

 A few years ago, Mrs. George  and her children were here in Alaska visiting with some friends. Mrs. George noticed they had a lot of plastic bags from their lunch they'd just eaten. She saw the big hill and put two and two together......grass sledding became a family tradition after that!:D

 You can even try going down like Gideon G.-though that's a little too scary for me...:P

 

 Sequoia C. and Terry G. flying down the hill....

 Sierra C. riding with her brother Yukon-that's another super cute fellow we have around here!

 Kenan, charging up the hill for another ride down....:D

 Racing....

 You get some neat expressions to photograph when these guys are having so much fun!:)

 Getting ready to try it myself....

 It was so much fun! I have become a big fan of grass sledding!:D

 Coming down!:D

 We decided to see how many we could fit on this ride.....everyone has the funniest expressions.

 Once you get tired of running up the hill and riding down, pushing becomes a fun job....

 Zane riding with his Mommy....

 And of course, Susie and I took a few rides together!!:)

 Laredo C. was brave enough to try going down standing up.....

Terry ready to go down.......

 This was our long "train" which was not easy to keep together and we lost the "caboose" more than once! It was still so much fun and we were hoarse from all the laughing we did.

 Mrs. George and Susie had some wild rides and were nice and sore later on.....:P

 Getting in our last rides before it's time to go......

 Mrs. Greorge, Susie and the kiddos.............

 A group shot-we had a very fun and tiring afternoon!:D

This last picture is supposed to show how many mosquitoes are inhabiting our cabin these days! If you look real closely you can see lots of black dots. Those are them!;) We've been fighting them every evening and it's been tough having them buzz our eyes and ears while we are trying to sleep.:P
I know the Lord is teaching me more and more about being forbearing and patient even with bugs. If you think of us, please pray that the mosquitoes will not continue to grow in number as they have this summer. Even the Alaskans are saying this is a bad year of mosquitoes.:) 

We have been joined this week by Zoey Cromwell and Ashley Roberts. Zoey will be here for this next week only, rental camp, while Ashley is here for the summer. It's going to be interesting to be working with another Ashley-;) I've never had that experience before...:P

The Lord has been teaching me more about discipline and discretion in my own personal life. It's easy to get lazy in our personal walks, while serving the Lord, but I'm realizing just how necessary is it to get in the Scriptures daily and make time for prayer. I enjoyed listening to Pastor's sermon from this morning. He shared about the importance of a father knowing God, and while that is so true, the same goes for my own self.

In closing, as this is Father's Day, this last picture is for Daddy:

 

This trip has really helped me to see how much I appreciate my father in his character and person. When you're around something lot you don't always see how truly special and unique it is, or how much you really love it. The Lord has definitely been showing me how much I turn to my Dad for support and encouragement in so many areas of life. He has always and continues to encourage me to enjoy and make the most out of the time I have now-realizing that God is in control and leaving the future to Him.

Happy Father's Day!! Hope you have a wonderful day! I love you, Daddy!

 

"...... Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate."

           Psalm 127:4-5