Doing the County Fair

I've shared a lot of what our life was like in Scotland, and rest assured I've taken a ridiculous amount of photos there to continue to share with y'all.

But I thought I'd swap things around and share with our friends in the UK a taste of the USA.

This may come as a shock to y'all, but we aren't big city people. 

I lived for 4 years of my life in Dallas and 8 months in Houston, Texas and those experiences fulfilled any small desire I had to live in a densely populated area. 

Sure, you have your pros, like a Hobby Lobby every 10 miles, Chick-fil-a, Chipotle, Pei Wei, Starbucks, Gigi's Cupcakes, Firehouse Subs, Whole Foods 

(Ok, well, I haven't ever been in a Whole Foods, but I have been gouged for groceries before, does that count?) 

but y'all not only does my wallet and waistline hate this, 

but there's just something about the country that appeals to me.

Here in USA it's the most wonderful time of the year--county fair time!

Bear in mind y'all a county fair tends to be small.

Each state in the USA has a LOT of counties. After the county fairs the winners go on to the state fair.

But county fair time is a super fun where my husband especially travels back his roots. 

Let's start this show off with a bang and focus on the little girl in the background instead of my boys closely examining the sheep.

Foodie: UK Style Part 3

Guys!
I just found this post buried in my drafts unedited, undone, un-posted.
This is much the way I process my laundry.

We lived in Scotland for 2 years and I took pictures of a lot of the different things we ate while there.
It is highly important to note that this and the previous posts are an accumulation of the past 730 days of meals.
Wow, sure hope I did that math right. 
If not, I'll go ahead and offer an explanation: 
my ACT math score was lower than the legal US driving age.
Don't judge me. 
I just bared my soul to you.

Follow the links to see Part 1 and Part 2;
but without further delay I present to you the final of Foodie: UK Style, Part 3.

Here we have a lovely plate of scallops and some kind of salad.

This was on the island of Orkney where we took our 10th anniversary trip.

Holiday Bible Camp

A million years later I finish our series on ALL we did in our last 2 weeks in Scotland.

I'm sorry, guys, OK? I'm sorry. 

But the History Channel isn't going to watch itself after the kids are in bed, you know.

Our last few days in Scotland were filled with Holiday Bible Camp. This is our version of church camp for the Scottish high schoolers. 

We had a great group of high schoolers who met weekly in our home the past year and a half whom we studied the Bible with, had cookie-making parties with, and ingested copious amounts of Kool-Aid with. We love those guys.

Each summer there is the Holiday Bible Club, which is a great outreach to primary (elementary) age children. Holiday Bible Camp is a direct result of wanting to give our high schoolers something as well.

This summer we had a super awesome thing called 2 groups of American high schoolers raised support to come and not only help with Holiday Bible Club but then attend Holiday Bible Camp WITH our Scottish students! 

We had so much fun.

Meet our teams:

Our Floridians, Kaylin, Mickenzie, and Danielle.

They also came with Christie and Pam, 

but do you think I got a picture of those lovely ladies?

Nope. 

Sorry, I've got issues.

Sing by the Sea

Right after Holiday Bible Club in Scotland we invited all parents, participants, workers, and dogs to a fun event called Sing by the Sea.

Sing by the Sea is held the Sunday evening following Holiday Bible Club at Roseisle Beach. 

There are pine trees all around and the dunes have spread into the trees making for an almost ethereal,  Lord of the Rings type landscape.

I loved it.

I felt my inner Arwen come out.

Quick someone get me a bow and arrows.