I have missed you!

Wow. Summer is here. She is going strong. I have been so remiss in blogging for the past several months. Life has really swept me along and I have missed blogging. As a stay at home mama, it's nice to have an outlet, and blogging is mine. I enjoy reading about others and writing as well.
Our last day of school was May 26th. It was also the day we left for Camp Greystone. Every spring, the girls and I can hardly WAIT to get back to camp! It's hard to believe our time there has already past for 2011. We would love for our two oldest to attend a longer session next year. They have been Junior Campers for FIVE YEARS!!! They are old pros. Greystone is an amazing place for girls. Everything has a purpose. That ultimate purpose is to glorify God in ALL things. Nonetheless, there is a reason for everything... the length of each class period, the evening programs, the meals, Breakfast Club, the placement of the bunk beds, et cetera. They plan well and carefully change those things that need tweaking. Greystone is a gift, a true blessing. I am so thankful that our girls are part of the Greystone family. They will be blessed by Greystone throughout their lives. If you have a little girl or a niece, you should look into Greystone. Tell Jimboy that Mama Henley sent you!! You will LOVE Jimboy's daily blog posts.


After camp, I drove home with our 4 girls. I can't tell you how HAPPY I was to finally make it home after our second 12 hour drive. Whew. It took forever, but we made it! DH was so happy to have his girls home again. We arrived home on a Friday night and the next morning our girls had their recital rehearsal. Their recital was the following day. What incredible ballerinas we have!


I can't wait to tell you more about our summer thus far. It has been very rich!

Cute Camp Idea!

If you are sending your son or daughter off to camp, there are lots of fun ideas of things to do. I always send our children with new stationary from Preppy Paper Girl and fun things like a set of glow in the dark bracelets to share with their friends. I have been known to send pictures of their siblings, friends, grandparents, and us parents too. One fun idea is to make a collage of pictures or simply to put several pictures through a laminating machine. This way the pictures do not get wet and your child can enjoy them all summer long! You can also write sweet messages around the pictures. Enjoy!

Gregg Russell at Hilton Head Island

There is something special about Hilton Head Island. It is a wonderful place for a family vacation! When vacationing on Hilton Head Island, you MUST go to Sea Pines and visit Gregg Russell under the old oak tree. He is a very talented musician who is wonderful with children! He reads their signs, sings songs to them, and allows them to sing on stage. Our children look forward to it every summer!! I hope you enjoy pictures of the children with Gregg!

Shepherd's Pie

The best CAMP in the world is Camp Greystone! I was a camper for 7 years as a child, and now our daughters have the privilege of going. It is a wonderful Christian camp for girls in the North Carolina mountains. Greystone is known for its delicious food!! I remember eating "Shepherd's Pie" as a camper, so I tried to re-create it at home tonight. It was delicious and fairly easy!!

You need:
potatoes (I used yukon gold)
ground beef
an onion
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
milk & butter to taste
salt & pepper to taste

Boil your potatoes in water until they are soft. Drain the water. Using a hand mixer, mash the potatoes while adding butter and milk until you reach the desired consistency. You can also add salt and pepper. I added some wonderful seasoned salt from Martha's Vineyard as well. Cover potatoes to keep them warm. Brown ground beef with an onion. You can add spices like parsley for a little flavor.

Put mashed potatoes on your plate, then add ground beef, and sprinkle cheddar on top. I served this with Sister Schubert's rolls and LeSeur's wonderful green peas. It was delicious!!