Candy Corn and kids part 2-4

Have you tried the new flavors, yet? Candy Corn Taste Test, part 2

Have you tried all the new flavors yet? Since our last taste test, we found a few more candy corn varieties which, of course, necessitated another round of taste tests! Not that anyone around here was complaining. In the first candy corn taste test, we tried Pumpkin Spice, Carmel, and Indian Corn flavors, comparing them to the traditional Autumn Mix of candy corns and pumpkins. ...

How a shoelace can help children stay reverent at church

Do you ever find yourself on Sunday morning, sitting on a church bench with squirmy kids, wishing that you had something religious-themed to occupy their busy hands? With five children I have experienced that feeling many, many times. So this past week I decided to re-create an item that I remember from my childhood: a laminated photo of the Savior with sewing holes around the ...

First jeans-1

First pair of jeans

Our baby reached many milestones over the summer. She now has teeth. Lots of them.  And a beautiful smile. Her baby babble has started to sound a little bit more like actual words as she tries to mimic what we say. She has been crawling like a pro. Lately she has been standing up to walk along the furniture. And . . . she wore ...

Summer on the Pond-21

Summer on the Pond

During the hot days of summer, the kids really looked forward to a dip in the pond. Usually we would wait to go swimming until the early evening when the water was still warm, but the sun wasn’t so high. When Daddy would come home and even hint at the possibility of the pond, it took about 7.5 seconds for the kids to have on ...

The Potato Costume (8 of 1)

The Potato Costume (and a book review)

We love this little book called I’m Bored, written by Michael Ian Black, and illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. The title and illustrations grabbed me and made me laugh, even before I had read the book. Do your children ever say “I’m bored” while sitting in the middle of a pile of toys? When you get in the car to drive to town, do they ...

Introducing the Ladies (3 of 3)

Introducing The Ladies

It is not often that I am in front of the camera. More often I am the one behind the lens. One of my greatest loves is to take beautiful photos, or even better, funny pictures. Nothing is better than looking back at our memories through the years, telling the stories all over again, and realizing how blessed we are to have such a wonderful ...

Candy Corn Taste Test Title

Candy Corn Taste Test

In my world, autumn equates colorful leaves, the fall-time harvest, canning jars, cozy sweaters, and candy corns. Maybe I should have listed candy corns first. I don’t exactly know what it is about these little candies, but I look forward to them every year in the fall.  It is a tradition that could become borderline addiction! In the past we have always gone with the ...

The Haircut (1 of 7)

The Haircut

It started out like almost any other day during summer vacation. We were cleaning up after lunch and the older kids were helping with the dishes. Things seemed pretty quiet and serene as I looked outside at our growing hay-field. Maybe it was a little bit too quiet. All of the sudden I took in a quick breath and said, “Where are the little boys?” ...

Shane and Camille Ellis Family (1 of 1)

Introducing The Lady Camelot

Hi there!  My name is Camille, also know as The Lady Camelot.  The nickname "Camelot" dates back to my college days and I've always loved it.  I am married to a cowboy named Shane who tends to be amused by my amateur descriptions of farming and ranching.  Shane is my Mr. Muscles, so I keep him around to open tight jars and lift heavy boxes.  ...