New Fall Wreath

Thirty-One Fall products

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July Customer Specials for Thirty-One Gifts

I had a great first open house and more people came than I expected. I was very thankful and felt blessed by the great ladies who came to my home in support of my new business.

Thirty-One has a great customer special this month. For every $10 you spend on regularly priced items from our entire Thirty-One Collection, you can get one of these select fall items 31% percent off. Choose from the zip-up pencil pouch, keep-it cool backpack, upperclassman backpack, thermal tote or the lunch to go thermal.

Please contact me at ahinkle0112@yahoo.com if you are interested.

Thirty-One Gifts

Last week I became a consultant for Thirty-One gifts. It's a business that sells super cute bags, totes, purses, wallets and things to help with organizing and stuff for babies. It's a really great company and I think it's going to be super fun. I have my first party tonight! If you'd like to see my website you can go to www.mythirtyone.com/ahinkle and place an order, if you'd like to host a party please contact me at ahinkle0112@yahoo.com .

it's a . . . .

PUPPY!

So we decided over the weekend to get the kids a puppy. Her name is Lucy Jane and she's a labradoodle and she is about the sweetest little thing. The kids are super excited about having her. Caley wanted to know if we were "trickin" her when we got there to pick her up.

search and rescue

This summer our Pastor has been doing a sermon series on 1 Peter called Search and Rescue, it has been a great series and has made me do some thinking in my life about some things I need to work on and some things I need to change. You can listen to the messages here at www.fbctopeka.org .

Each week there was something that stuck out to me. The first week was about the Great Commission and the 3 realities of it. First is that I've been selected for an opportunity, second, I'm a stranger with an identity and third, I have been scattered with a strategy and I need to live eternally.

The second week we talked about those who put their lives on the line for the Gospel and what they experience:

• they develop a proven and real faith
• they deepen their love
• they discover the joy of their salvation
• they discern their role in the greatest story

The next thing that really hit me was that we are always in such a hurry. We hurry so we can do the next thing, we hurry so we can get to the next place, we tell our kids to hurry, we hurry when we drive so we can get where we are going quicker. We miss so much because we are always in a hurry. I realized that hurry is the enemy of faith. If we/I would slow down a bit and take the time to spend in the word and in prayer our lives would be so much easier and we would be focused on what really matters and not all the things in the world.

Search and Rescue: Operation Marriage was the next topic and David preached that week and did a great job.

The original plan for marriage:

-God created roles in marriage to mirror His image. Gen. 1-2

-A husband's core role in marriage is a servant leader.

-A wife's core role in marriage is helper.

His (God's) best is always blessed when we pursue it.

The next week was about Rescue Heroes. A few things that stuck out that week were that a rescue hero turns away from selfish pursuits to take on the attitude of Christ. We will suffer in the short-term to gain in the long-term. Whatever God gives you use it to be hospitable to others. And the more I take on the attitude of Christ, the more glory God receives.

This past week was about the role of the Elder in the church and how the church is to respond to them. But what really stuck out to me was a question our pastor said, "What have you been chasing outside of the heart of God?" I've really been doing some thinking about that and what are the things that I've been chasing that are outside of the heart of God.

It's been a really convicting summer and I'm still trying to figure out what I need change and do in my life so that the things I choose aren't outside of the heart of God.

umm no thanks

Blake says to us the other day, "Anyone want to smell my leg pit?"

let's worship

This week the kids have been attending another church's VBS called High Seas Expedition. They have been having a great time and tonight is the ice cream social and their little program. They are very excited. So last year when they went I bought them the shirts thinking that they would love them which wasn't the case, so this year when I signed them up I told them I wasn't buying the shirts because they didn't wear last years. On Thursday when I picked them up Blake really wanted a shirt and I said I probably wasn't buying them because of what happened last year. Well today I caved and bought him a shirt and Caley wanted the CD with the songs that they've been singing.

She turned the CD on before lunch and we listened to it before, during and after lunch. David and I were still sitting at the table visiting after we ate and they were in the living room singing and dancing. Caley comes running to the kitchen and she says to us, "Come on, let's worship Jesus!"

colorado

Last week we took a family vacation to Colorado, we had a great time got to do lots of fun stuff. We visited Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Denver,Winter Park and Grand Lake, CO. We also went to the top of Pike's Peak and Mt. Evans. We saw our friends Larry, Megan and their little boy Asher. We went through a really scary hail storm in Limon, CO our car has a few more dings in it from that. But overall it was great and we had lots of fun! Here are some pics that we took while we were in Colorado.

The picture above it what we saw coming into Limon, Colorado. Below is a picture of the hail on the ground at the gas station where we waited the storm out.
Us at the top of a rock at Garden of the Gods. It was so beautiful.

We got the opportunity to stay at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. It was a great place to stay and we definately didn't want to leave.

We made it to the summit of Pike's Peak, we rode the cog rail to the top. The kids thought it was cool that we got to ride up the mountain in a train.

Above is the kids getting on the train to go back down the mountain.
I have lots more pictures I'd like to share so I'll do that in another post.

summer sewing

The other day Caley and I were looking at the website called Skip to my Lou and she had a post for Embroidery for kids. Caley saw the picture of this cute little flower that you embroider and then make a pillow and she asked if she could make one. I said of course because I love to do crafts and sewing and stuff like that. Plus I was super excited that she wanted to do it and it's giving her something to do this summer. She drew her flower on a piece of blank paper, then we traced it with a transfer pencil. Next we ironed it on to the yellow fabric she chose from my fabric stash. Then we had to make a fast trip to Joann's to buy a small hoop and of course she chose a pink one.

The she started to sew her flower. She chose pink for the petals and purple for the middle of the flower.

This is the flower finished before we made it into a pillow. I let her choose the fabric that she wanted for the border, ruffle and back. I sewed the pillow for her but next time I think she can do a little bit of the sewing.

So here's her finished project. She is so proud that she did it all by herself with only a little help from mom. Today she is starting her second project which is a cute picture of 2 strawberries that she wants to make into another pillow. She found the picture in her Strawberry Shortcake coloring book. I'll post a picture once she finishes.

i hogs

The other day Blake tells me he wants to eat at "i hogs." I asked him what that was because I had never heard of a place called "i hogs." He then clarifies and tells me he saw it on tv and it's the place that serves pancakes and after you take one bite the pancake closes back together and it's a whole pancake again.

So I figured it out he really meant IHOP. Funny boy.

CALEY

C- caring, cute, cuddly, creative, cheerful
A- always smiling, artistic, awesome,
L- loving, loyal, like-able, ladybug (nickname from gramma a), lovely
E- energetic, excited about life, encouraging, easy-going
Y- youthful,

Caley, Caley girl, Caley bugs, bugsy girl, bugs are all names that you've gotten over your 7 years. We love you and are proud of you. We are so glad that God has entrusted us to raise you into the kind of young lady that he would have you to be. We see so much in you and we are so glad that you are in our family!

Caley these verse mean a lot to us and we pray them for you too.
Phil 4:4-7 Caley, Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Caley, let you gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Caley, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard Caley's heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Col.1:9-14 For this reason, Caley, since the day we heard about you, we haven't stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you Caley may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you Caley to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued Caley from the dominion of darkness and brought you into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Caley we pray that as you grow and learn more about Jesus that you will always put to faith and hope in the Lord.

she's 7 (almost)

This year we had Caley's party at Potwin Pottery, she kept calling is Popcorn Pottery. It was really fun. Each of her friends got to pick out a piece of pottery and then they get to paint it and then pick it up in a week. Caley got this plate and we all put our fingerprints on the back of it.

Getting ready to blow out her candles. She wanted a vanilla cake with strawberry icing. I found this super cute plate at Hobby Lobby.

I really can't believe that she will turn 7 this friday. Where has the time gone? She's growing up to be such a kind and sweet little lady. I just love her so much!

Each year we have the kids take a picture showing how old they are. I'm not sure what we are going to do once they pass 10. Happy 7th Birthday, Caley! We are so proud of you.

fake birthday

Caley's birthday is coming up next week and we are having her birthday party a few days early on Saturday. Today she was wanting to know how many days until her real birthday and I told her it was next Friday. Then she asked when was her "fake birthday?"

memorial day weekend

We had a lot of fun this Memorial Day Weekend. We went to Summer Safari Nights at the zoo, then I went to Clay Center/Morganville, KS with some girlfriends and we went to a place called Joanie's Junk and if you haven't been there I'd highly recommend going it was a cute little shop and I got some great stuff and the best thing is that it's cheap. Then Sunday after church we surprised the kids and took them to Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City. It was a lot of fun, we'd never been and the kids thought the room with the "wolf den" and bunkbeds were really cool. It was great just to have some time to hang out with just our family.

The star wars characters at the zoo. This was the highlight of the night for David and Blake.

David, there really is a Clay Center, KS. This has been a running joke in our family.

The kids were really excited about where they got to sleep.
Going to get ready for dinner.
We got to eat dinner in a tent.

Caley and I in the gameroom.

Bedtime-I think David and I were more tired than the kids.
Day #2 at Great Wolf Lodge
The end result of two days of fun in the water.

1 year ago . . .

I wrote my last post on my blog. I can't believe it! This year has flown by. Caley has finished 1st grade at Farley Elementary, Blake finished his first year at preschool. Caley's lost a total of 4 teeth so far, the 2 on the bottom are totally in and one top one is pushing threw her gums. Hopefully she'll have them by her 7th birthday in a couple weeks. 7, she's going to be 7 in a couple weeks, that's another thing I can't believe that's happening. I remember when she was just a little baby. Wow, time flies! I've been busy helping at the school and with bible study at church, and hitting lots of garage sales. We've had lots of good things happen this year. We ripped out some ugly bushes and an overgrown tree and put in some new landscaping. It's much more freeing when I pull into the driveway. David started an exercise/eating program and he's been doing it for about 9 weeks, I'm really proud of him! Me, I'm hit and miss with the exercise, I'm hoping to do better about that this year.

This picture is right after Caley lost her second top tooth in January 2010.

This is the before picture of our front yard.

This is the after picture of the front yard. It's much better now.

our graduate

So I'm a little behind on this post. Caley has officially finished her kindergarten year of school. She had a great time at Jay Shideler Elementary with Mrs. Barrett as her teacher. They had a little program a couple weeks before school was our where all the kindergarten classes sang some songs and then each child told what they wanted to be when they grow up and why. When is was Caley's turn she went to the microphone and said:

My name is Caley Hinkle.

When I grow up I want to be a princess because I like make-up.

After the program we were able to go back to her class and watch their class video which had all the mom's needing a tissue or two. So all in all we had a great year and Caley has learned a lot and so have David and I. Our learning will continue as we step into first grade at a new school Farley Elementary. We are really excited about this and Caley is too knowing that a lot of her friends will be there too.
This is Caley's teacher Mrs. Barrett. She's a great teacher and loves the Lord which we are so thankful for! We are looking forward to the upcoming school year but for now we are enjoying the summer!

our garden in june

About a month ago I posted some pics of our garden. This week we were able to pic our first zucchini squash and some lettuce. They were great! Although if you read my post from earlier Blake thought the lettuce tasted like dirt. Anyway I'm super excited about having some fresh produce this summer, hopefully we'll have plenty to share with our friends.

tastes like dirt

Yesterday at dinner the kids were eating and I said to them, "Hey guys, you want to try some of the lettuce it's from our garden?" They both say, "sure." Caley puts hers in her mouth and chews hers up and then spits it back on her plate. Blake puts his in his mouth, chews a couple times, then he looks at me and says, "hmmm, kinda tastes like dirt."

caley lost a tooth

This was a big week at the Hinkle Hut! Caley lost her first tooth on May 1st. Here are a couple pics.