We're back in civilization.

Thank you Lord! We lived rustically, but 'comfortably.' Who am I kidding, not comfortable. When you had to go to the bathroom, you squatted, held your breath and found a happy place. When you needed hot water ,you warmed it up. If you felt dirty, you went swimming, but it makes you thankful for everything you have. Our van was loaded down with gear, bikes, nalgenes etc... Mark Driscoll sermons were on our playlist and we were off. First day in Ely, MN I biked around the lake we were staying on and wrecked pretty bad. I didn't let it keep me down. The whole family went on a 5 1/2 mile hike to Dry Falls for some swimming. The cabin was on a lake and canoes were a plenty. Campfires every night where Lily perfected the art of story telling. The girls loved my old pioneer girls songs. A strange highlight for me were the 15 year-old 'Focus on the Family' magazines laying around. Also Andy got up with the kids every morning! We loved eating at the Chocolate Moose. That sums up our trip, sort of. Now, I'm going to go abuse running water, maybe go crazy and leave it on the whole time I brush my teeth.

Just wanted you to know.

Tomorrow will be a wildernessy extravaganza of pics and stories. I have not forgotten this blog, but after a week of camping the laundry is...yikes! See you tomorrow with tales from Ely, Minnesota.

Awakenings

; the start of a feeling or awareness in a person. I've had several of these that I can really remember through my twenties. When I had Lily I felt like I could do anything and it started a little ripple effect in my life. From picking up crocheting, tending plants (as opposed to killing them), cooking, France, sewing, reading monster books that seemed insurmountable... and so on. I got this feeling of ,'Ok, I'm an out of the box thinker, I know this so I might have to do things differently to do them well. All that to say I have always wanted to play an instrument so that I could play and sing and worship in that way whenever. So I got to thinking. Reading music never worked for me. I'm guessing my piano teachers popped ibuprofen before I came. The light never came on. But I know the chords on piano and guitar music has the chords, so Voila'! I can now play piano and sing and I'm so glad to be in another awakening. I'm thankful to Jesus for giving me my 30th birthday present 1 month early. He's so good to me!

Sometimes I'm really tired of

sinning. Ok, all the time. A lot of the time I find myself finding a way out of thinking what I'm doing is sinning(pride). Saying things like, 'is that really all that bad.' To a perfect God, most likely, yes. Even our good works are filthy rags. I am being continually blessed by 'Mere Christianity,' and wanted to share a paragraph that put things in perspective for what's on my mind so much of the time.

We may, indeed, be sure that perfect chastity-like perfect charity-will not be attained by any merely human efforts. You must ask for God's help. Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need, is being given. Never mind. After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God first helps us towards in not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again. For however important chastity, courage, truthfulness or any other virtue may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul which are more important still. It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God. We learn on the one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and, on the other, that we need not despair even in our worst, for our failures are forgiven. The only fatal thing is to sit down content with anything less than perfection.

Poop art strikes again!

The criminal: River Warken age 11 months (youngest rogue yet)

The scene: Too gruesome to show, trust me.

The eye witnesses: sisters who found it all hilarious.


The damsel in distress: bleaching, washing, smelling...definite distress.

I have to start somewhere.

I wish I was just telling you today's goodies, but life is full and blogs get pushed to the back burner, so will overview. July and August our home becomes Le' Hotel Warke'n , we're fancy like that. It's a funfest! My great friend Kathleen with her twin girls came last week, which means kids are entertained and the moms get to talk, and talk we did, til 1:30 am, which is very late for this mama. I recovered with my daily, huge, iced coffees (perky doesn't just happen). Next to visit were Kurt and Cindi. She is definitely in the right field, she takes a slew of pictures and is always ready. So we went to the beach alot, played games, and celebrated Lily turning 6 (yes a little early.)

In the beginning of Lily's birthdays I went big. Sad to say, this cake was taken straight off the back of the box.

Lily was lead on a scavenger hunt that included bunnies and her cousin Mac (the goldendoodle.)

We played tag in the field and the adults laughed more or as much as the kids.

Lily was in day camp this week and rode the giant swing, she told me tonight she wishes she could ride it 'every ten hours.'

Summer favorites list

From shoes to music to, well it won't go much beyond that. Here are some of my top picks.



1. As far as sandals go, these go with everything and my love for them is still going strong.

2. I am really enjoying having a sitter every Saturday for a couple hours. Sometimes I road bike, sometimes I journal, and then I come home refreshed and ready for the day.

3. The beach,

and this suit. It's called the Body Glove and ensures that non-swimmers are safe while moms are caring for little ones.

4. Here's what's getting played lately on my ipod; Jack Johnson- To the Sea, Mike Perkins, and John Butler Trio.

5. Our baby's birthday is always such a fun party. She is requesting super nachos and Chocolate chip cookie cake. A girl after her mother's heart

Here are some extra favorites.

6. Favorite healthy drink

7. Favorite summer meal

8. If you're bored with you're hair, but trying to grow it out(=.

9. Favorite sunless tanner.

Some extra music;

Infamous Stringdusters

Trampled by Turtles

Hackensaw Boys

Sean Hayes

Hey, you're welcome. I have set you up for a very sweet summer.