More celebration

As we continued our busy week before our granddaughter's graduation, we (the girls) decided to take a trip to Terra Studios (a very unique artsy place in Fayetteville where the Bluebirds of Happiness are made). It is such a fun place to visit - the grounds are sort of surreal feeling because there are tons of gnomes and elves all over - all created by the resident and visiting artists. We strolled around for awhile, then went to watch the Bluebirds being fired and created, each one different and unique in it's own way. It was a fun day and a great time for us ladies to just be together (mother, daughters, granddaughters).

beautiful landscaping at Terra 

Casey entered the little door

forming hot glass

finished bluebird

one of the many cool booths in the coffee shop

there were many of these guys all over the grounds - made by various artists

Chandra writing on the wall - we all left our messages

Katie was attacked by this troll - as she sat down she bumped him and he made her bleed a bit!

entrance to the labyrinth

finding our way through

one of many ugly Arkansas spiders who was in the wishing well

Friday was a pretty special day, as our daughter Christine made a great biscuits and gravy breakfast, followed by the celebration of our daughters Brenda and Chandra's birthdays (Chandra's milestone 50th birthday) and Christine's in-laws and our anniversaries. Again, our son-in-law Scott out did himself by smoking great hamburgers, brats, boudain, and hot dogs. The day before, the men spent the time making and smoking homemade sausage, which we also sampled.

biscuits and gravy - yum

Chandra's 50th over the hill hat

Oh no - a Yankee decorated Casey's car

son-in-law Scott preparing sausage meat

sausages ready for smoking

Saturday morning dawned bright and beautiful as we all prepared for Casey's graduation day - an end of her school days and a entering into a world of adulthood and reality! We met at Battlefield Park in Prairie Grove for family pictures, then proceeded to Tiger Field for the graduation ceremonies. Casey has been accepted int Arkansas Community College and received an Arkansas Academic scholarship. We are sooooooooooo proud of her.

picture time - proud grandparents and Casey

Casey and big brother Seth

Casey and parents

she decorated her hat

ready to walk

Prairie Grove, AR Class of 2012

success!!!!!

Sunday we attended our home church services and Sunday School classes, and prepared for Casey's party. Son-in-law Scott was busy smoking beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and venison ham. Granddaughter Katie, who claimed to not like deer meat actually devoured the ham and smoked sausage from the day before. It was another beautiful day in NW Arkansas and a time to reflect Casey's growth and maturing in adulthood. We pray for her continued Christian values, not letting false prophets or false teachers interfere in her beliefs.

chickens ready to cook

a feast of grilled and smoked meat, compliments of Scott

Purple - per Casey's request

this says it all

Casey with her new computer

Monday and Tuesday started a great Exodus of relatives back to Wisconsin as well as our preparations to travel to Wisconsin to visit friends and relatives. We love this down time to be able to see our family, but still keep in our hearts the CRM Sanctuary Outpost activities to which we are committed. The CRM admin team is developing a Sanctuary Outpost Newsletter that you can access from the crmintl web page (www.crmintl.org) in order to follow the current 3 sanctuary outpost ministries in which CRM is involved  (ours being the Mexico ministry of CHI).