Shipshewana/Elkhart

 This blog post won't be all that exciting because we are just hanging out with family and friends.

We introduced my sister to Just Dance 4

We went over to Shipshewana.

We try to go to the general store each trip. Even though it's commercial and not really  Amish at all, it does have some different things.

They have a  large selection of marbles plus you can buy marbles by the scoop.

We ate at Rise and Roll.

We sampled all the different kinds of salsa. I bought corn salsa and  black bean salsa.

I think Jasmine is taller than Grandma now.

We showed everyone how to make cake in a mug.

Rick's family took us to breakfast as Das Dutch Essenhaus.

We ran with a friend's daughter who has summer running to do, then went back to play Just Dance 4.

Juanita and Ari

My sister

Rick with his dad

Ty

We took our crock pot and made cream cheese chicken chili for our families. 

Adam making a mug cake for grandma for dessert. We added strawberries and Redi  whip.

So that's what we've been doing. We are supposed to go to the lake tomorrow, but we are forecasted for rain.

So what are you doing this summer? Are your children doing any summer work or enrichment activities? We haven't really started anything yet this summer but once we're home we'll start some summer work and swim lessons.

End of convention and on to Indiana

We went in the convention for just a couple of hours on Wednesday.

Met up with this amazing group of authors.

Jasmine sang for them.

On our way out.

We drove to the IL/IN border and stopped for the night because we were going to my step daughters an hour away the next day but there are no hotels near here. We went to Monsters University.

This morning we drove on in to Ashley's town and met at a nice park they have.

Rick and his daughter

Everyone but Jeff and Jessica.

Griffin's birthday is in August, but we celebrated early.

He'll be six and will start kindergarten. Phoenix is nine and will be going into 4th.

Uncle Tyler  helps out with the bay blades.

Anyone else have these windmills?

I took a turn in a blade battle.

Ashley. Doesn't she look pretty all in purple (hair, eye shadow, shirt).

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With my mom.I created my own route to get here because the dinky highway I was on was closed, and I had no clue where to go.

We are at my sisters playing Just Dance 4 right now.

Book Convention day 2

Only two people left  a comment on yesterday's blog about what Christian authors they read. Does this mean the other 48 people don't read Christian books, are too shy to comment or were just bored by the post? Hmmm.

Today was day 2. Other than a visit by Bob and Larry, the convention really felt quiet and a bit boring. I don't know if any of you reading have ever gone, but in past years(but not the past 2-3) the floor was crowded, noisy and full of life. Bible Man came. The Penguins came. Hermie and Wormie came. The kids followed  them as they paraded around the convention floor. Christian performers sang during the day, Children's events were held at the booths and so on. I guess it's the economy, but it's not like that any more.

Publishing houses, book store owners and authors still come, but business is carried on in a more subdued way. The energy is missing.

Still, we got to talk to some favorite authors and other people today.

We started the day getting a signed DVD from the creator of Veggie Tales, Mike (I won't try  to put his last name with no cheat sheet, but you all know who he is).

And we got a photo with the veggies together. Yesterday we didn't do that.

Well, actually  the official ICRS photographer took one, and there we are in the top left picture of today's convention newspaper.

This is one of my favorite authors, Terri Blackstock. She writes solid suspense books.  If you're  looking  for a good read,try one of her books.  Brandilyn Collins is another good suspense writer, but she wasn't here this year. Of their books I'd recommend Predator (and if you have teens on internet, make them read it too!), Intervention, Deceit, Exposure and Dark Pursuit. The first two are by Terri and the other three by Brandilyn.  

This is Tricia Goyer, an author who is adopting some little ones from the state. 

We got Scripture tattoos.

I made these photos extra large so you could read the verses.

Karen Kingsbury signed a new picture book. She also announced that she and Kelsey  will be having  some greeting cards coming out with Dayspring next spring.

That's all the authors we got pictures with. We talked to a lot more like Robyn Caroll and Irene Hannon but I just didn't pull my camera out.

Tonight they had just a preview of the new Veggie  Tale Christmas DVD coming out in October. It is going to have Si from Duck Dynasty on it as Silas the Okra. For real. He was in the preview. I couldn't even make that up.

There was a premier showing of a Janette Oke movie that will be on Hallmark this fall and Jasmine lasted about 15 minutes of that. Yeah, yeah. Me too.

Then since the life of an author is so glamorous, we came back to our hotel room and had a hotdog (me) and a frozen dinner (heated up of course, Jasmine)

And then Jasmine practiced on her practice pad.

So that was our day.

Okay, so those of you who didn't say what you read,  do you watch Veggie Tales?  How long have you watched them and what's your favorite one. (And those who do read can leave comments too!)

Jasmine's favorite is The League of Incredible Vegetables. She's more or less grown up on them as have most of our kids.