2023 - Scripture Memory Camp/Texas road trip

    2019 was when I first heard about Scripture Memory Camp, held at Southland Christian camp in Ringgold, Louisiana.  Scripture Memory Fellowship is the ministry that offers full scholarships to kids who memorize the camp verses ahead of time. I'll admit that my initial interest was because I had never been to Louisiana before! But alas, in 2019, I was due with Boy #4 that summer, so a long trip to Louisiana wouldn't be possible. So my oldest two memorized all the required verses in 2020. But alas, Covid. They did send a nice study Bible in the mail for each of them that they still use.  So 2021 was finally our first year. I took Carter and Calvin, and we still used precautions since Covid was still around.  Then in 2023, we went as a whole family -- all 7 of us!  The memory program this time was 14:6 - The Way. Carter memorized all three sections of each page, Calvin did two verses per page, and Cooper and Colson did one verse per page. I was particularly proud of Colson since he was only two years old when he memorized all the verses and recited them cumulatively. This technically starts when they turn three, but since Colson turned three right before camp, he had to learn them as a two-year-old.

    Whenever Lucas goes with us on a road trip, he drives the whole time.  There are lots of possible ways to get to Louisiana (we've gone and come back different ways every time). This time, since the boys hadn't been to Mississippi, we went that way and came back through Arkansas.  It was a wonderful week of camp. Chance was still a baby, and I was still pumping, so that was a bit stressful, but we snagged a nice, close cabin.  Lucas and I tag-teamed with the little three, and we let the oldest two come and go as they pleased. We loved mealtimes, both for the food and for the fellowship.  We sat with a dear family from Kansas that we connected well with. And there was always some kind of trivia game after the meal.

All piled in!

Mississippi!

Walking down to a pizza restaurant for dinner (perhaps our first dine-in restaurant since Covid began?)

We stayed at an awesome AirBNB in Como, Mississippi! There was a large, old house with a courtyard and hot tub out back. And then a guest house behind that! Plenty of space to explore and relax after a long drive!

 

Our awesome cabin!

All dressed up for the evening service

My little buddy

He spent a lot of time in this stroller!

Nighttime watermelon waiting for the fireworks!

Cooper holding up our table's answer

Hanging out in the cabin

Out on the water

Brothers!

This is where we first learned to play carpetball, back in 2021

Go, brothers, go!

Lucas coming in on the zipline

Carter and his pint of ice cream!

 

We love the carnival on the last night!

Our tablemates!

From there, we headed to Texas!

2025 Scripture Memory Camp

Back to camp!

This time, we drove through Alabama to stay with some family friends and to check off another state off the boys' list. And then a week of camp! Carter, Calvin, Cooper, and Colson all got to go for free after memorizing 14:6 The Life. On the way back, we went through Missouri to celebrate the 4th of July and eat at Lambert's! I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Chance running to check the timer.

Staying with the Sanders family!

Driving through Mississippi

Checking out our cabin (one of the original ones). Each boy got their own top and bottom bunk.

Carter playing with his baby brother in the game room

 

Colson and Cooper ziplining across the lake!

 

They love feeding the turtles!

 

Getting higher on the rock wall!

The brand new mini golf course!

They love cashing in their blue tickets at the snack shack!

It's hot in Louisiana in July!

We love the camp food!

Calvin taking a shot at Archery Attack

The boys took turns with me in the paddle boat

And the canoe!

Cooper being brave on the waterslide

Colson ready to make a splash!

Carter joined me for some (hot) putt putt

More snack shack treats

The one and only Stan Blair!

Chance trying it out!

Handsome boys

Carnival on the last night

Such fun!

Chance was in the middle of potty-training but partway through the week, he no longer wanted to use the "broten (broken) potties" (when the seat is U-shape instead of O-shape). After struggling more at home, we decided to pause potty training until he was ready.

At the final Morning Watch, I got to recite Hebrews 1 for everyone!

Bye for now, Southland! It was another great year!

We stopped at a Drury Inn in Poplar Bluff, Missouri

We watched the fireworks that night on top of the van

We went to Lambert's, the home of throwed rolls. 

When they have hot rolls, the workers bring them out and throw them across the room to anyone who wants one. Yum!

There are 3 Lambert's locations (two in MO, one in AL), and I've been to all 3!

Carter, of course, loved all the food

2023 Books to Read

2026 Update: Well, it looks like I never published this page. I also never finished these 52 books although I did read 103 books in 2023. I thought I would post it today just a record of who I was in 2023.

2023 Reading Goal:100 books (including these 52 specific books)...

Biography/Autobiography/Memoir

• What is a Girl Worth? 
• A Promised Land by Barack Obama
• Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn
• The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun by Brother Yun - 3/5/23 *****
• Saving My Assassin
• The Great Good Thing by Andrew Klavan
• Defying Jihad: The Dramatic True Story of a Woman who Volunteered to Kill Infidels--and Then Faced Death for Becoming One (audio) by Esther Ahmad - 1/31/23 *****
• Nothing to Envy
• Walking Through Fire

Nonfiction

• 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam - 1/20/23 ***
• Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White
• Salt Sugar Fat
• The Fun Habit
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts
• The Only Plane in the Sky - WOW!! One of the best I've ever read!

Marriage

• His Needs, Her Needs
• You and Me Forever by Francis and Lisa Chan

Parenting/Family/Education

• 5 Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman
• If Jesus Were a Parent
• You're Not Listening
• Giving Your Words by Sally Clarkson
• Say Goodbye to Whining
• The Whole-Brain Child 
• Simplicity Parenting
• Habits of the Household
• French Kids Eat Everything
• The Secrets of Happy Families
• Sunrises and Songs

Middle Grade

• The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Katrina Yan Glaser - 2/22/23 ****
• Anne of Avonlea
• Ember Rising (Green Ember #3) by S.D. Smith
• The Blackbird Girls
• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein - 3/12/23 ***
• Sweep
• Out of my Heart by Sharon Draper - 1/19/23 ****
• The Poet X
• Echo

Adult Fiction

• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
• The Princess Bride (audio) by William Goldman - 3/16/23 *****

Christian Living

• Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
• Help is Here by Max Lucado
• Abuelita Faith
• Hearing God by Dallas Willard
• A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
• With by Skye Jethani
• None Like Him by Jen Wilkin
• When Strivings Cease by Ruth Chou Simons
• Humility by Andrew Murray
• Invitation to Abundance
• The God of the Garden by Andrew Peterson
• The Praying Life
• Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas

2024 - NYC road trip

      After our big cruise and road trip in January, we ended up doing another road trip in August. This one was somewhat business-related (and thus, partially paid for!). After Lucas' Impact of Iwata book, the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo invited him to come be a panelist at their August expo.  They offered to pay his airfare and hotel.  When I heard of this opportunity, I had Lucas ask if they could instead pay his mileage and we come as a family. They agreed!

       We had a great trip! We stopped in Baltimore on the way up, then spent two nights on the Jersey side of NYC, two nights on Long Island, and then one night in the Hershey, PA area. We packed a lot into 7 days!  And the boys got to check off four new states!

August 6 - stop at Coopers Rock, WV on the way to Baltimore, MD (new state for the boys!)

August 7 - stop in New Castle, DE (another new state) on the way to Wayne, NJ (another new state!)

August 8 - day in NYC

August 9 - drive to Long Island and spend a beach day at Robert Moses State Park

August 10 - Long Island Retro Gaming Expo (and Long Island Children's Museum)

August 11 - Lucas' panel at the expo, then head to Hershey, PA

August 12 - drive the rest of the way home

Other Vacation Recaps

You've Chosen Your Psalm. Now What?

I am THRILLED that 30+ couples/families from my Sunday School class have committed to memorizing a psalm together this summer! Wow! What a worthwhile investment -- in your family, in the Word, and in the missionaries that this challenge benefits. But...

First...

Decide on a translation. If you're using a song, then use that translation (all Corner Room songs are in ESV).  Or maybe you want to do the translation of your most-used Bible.  Or you can read a couple different translations on Bible Gateway and see which one you like best. Make sure everyone in your family is using the same translation so that you can practice together.

After that, here are some other ideas to help you successfully memorize your psalm with your family (but no, you don't have to do them all!):

• Listen in entirety. If you have a song, you can listen to that. You could also listen to the audio version on the Bible app (most translations have an audio option). Or you could even record yourself on a voice memo app (just make sure you don't make any mistakes!).  If you listen to the whole thing every day this summer, it will become very familiar to you.
• Break it up. Figure out how many verses you'll need to tackle every week in order to finish by Labor Day. Even if you're listening in entirety every day, have a smaller goal every week.
• Keep it cumulative. When you move onto the next week's verse, don't forget to review the previous weeks.  One way I do this with my boys is I'll have them call their grandmas at the end of the week to recite the whole thing so far. This is a measure of accountability and also a great way to connect with their grandmas. Maybe even challenge extended family and friends to memorize with you all!
• Make it visual. Print it out and post it somewhere prominent in your home. Have a copy for the car or in your purse. Write out each verse on a different index card. Illustrate it.
• Sing (or rap) it! Try to find a song in your translation by searching in YouTube, for example, "Psalm 23 ESV song". If there's an existing one you like that fits your translation, use it! Otherwise, you can use a familiar tune or make up a simple melody.  Or even putting the words to a rhythm like a simple rap can be very helpful for memory (just make sure to do a simple voice memo or video recording so you don't forget your made-up song or rap).
• Habit stack it. You don't necessarily need a separate Scripture memory time, but you can stack it onto something you're already doing. Maybe every time you start your dinner, you can listen to your psalm or recite that week's verse. Or maybe every time you get in the car together. Or when you're tucking in your kids at bedtime. Or read over it while you're brushing your teeth.
• Add motions or movement. These don't have to be official sign language motions, but moving your hands and/or your body can help engage your mind and create muscle memory.
• Talk about it! I'm not always great about this, but discuss with your kids/as a couple what the words mean. Talk about the emotions of the psalm. Talk about how psalms can often be turned into prayers. Talk about how God is speaking to you as you meditate on this psalm.
• Plan a reward! Some people think we shouldn't reward kids and should instead focus on "intrinsic motivation," but I figure if I can get the Word IN them, then it's up to the Holy Spirit to do what He wants from there. Our family often goes out for ice cream once we finish a memory project and each of our boys can individually recite it. Some may be motivated by video game time or money or a special family outing.  Rewards aren't just for kids, though!  If it's you and your spouse, maybe you could eat at a special restaurant or go on a unique date night out. Brainstorm together so you have something to work towards!