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I used to grab a book and read it fast, like eating a bag of m&m’s the more in my mouth the better. Lately, I’ve been taking my time to enjoy each word and sentence that these Christian authors are giving me to enjoy. I know how long it takes to write a book and to read it as fast as I can so I can open another one just doesn’t seem fair.
This book was an excellent bag of m&m’s! The setting is Galveston, Texas. I can see and feel the gray sand there, the old homes that are still standing after Hurricane Katrina. I can smell the salty water on the pages.
This is book two in the Weddings by Bella series. The first was Fools Rush In. If you haven’t read it, go get it.
Swinging on a Star continues Bella’s story, but you need not read Fools Rush In to enjoy this story, but you’ll want to go back and get it if you haven’t read it.
Bella has the best job ever. She’s a wedding planner, not just a wedding planner as in all white dresses and wedding cake toppers. She does theme weddings. The wedding she’s planning in Swinging on Star is one of her biggest adventures. It’s a Renaissance-themed wedding and what could be better than having a real heart-throb Hollywood celebrity as the best man? He’s available and so is Bella, or is she? D.J. is her boyfriend, but they aren’t engaged yet. Since trouble? Maybe, I’m not telling.
Bella has this glorious event all perfectly planned, except there are a few problems that crop up. One of them is Aunt Rosa is to be featured on the Food Network Channel the day of the wedding rehearsal. The Hollywood Hunk is staying with Bella’s family and Bella must keep him out of sight of those cameras.
Bella does her best to keep him secret, but a secret that good often gets discovered.
Read this book and find out how Bella handles all of this drama and excitement. It’s a good book, don’t read it in one sitting, take your time and enjoy it because the next one isn’t available yet. Thompson is still working on the next book!

Rules: Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen movies you’ve seen that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.This was fun to do. I have so many favorites but these were the first to come to my mind. Very eclectic!
1. Mary Poppins
2. Gone with the Wind
3. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
4. The Jne Austin Book Club
5. Where the Red Fern Grows
6. Christmas Story
7. Sleepless in Seatle
8 Sweet Home Alabama
9. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
10. Carosel
11. Streetcar Named Desire
12. Dark Victory
13. Hush Hush Sweet Charolote
14. Under the Tuscon Sun
15. The Holiday

The winner of Randy Singer’s Justice Game is Robin. Congratulations!

Here we are Niagara Falls-the American side. I am terrified. I just want to get off those slippery steps and away from what I consider a huge risk! I mean look at that water and what’s keeping it in place? A bunch of rocks! Sure it’s been fine for hundreds of years, but what if this is the day the rocks start to slide? My friend, Marty calls this the honeymoon shot.

Isn’t it amazing the way the water just seems to float in the sky? I was impressed.

Lots of projects were completed at camp. The gliders were a memorial gift to the camp. They weren’t a kit! Several adults and lots of teenagers helped build these gliders, chairs to match and planter boxes from pieces of wood. I’m sure there is a technical name for that wood–like 2×4’s or something. There was another group that built nice wood platforms to set them on. And the placement in front of Lake Erie is perfect. I’ll show you that in another blog post. I have amazing sunset photos to share.
This is the huge project Marty, Mandy and I worked for hours reorganizing. This craft shed hadn’t been cleaned out since 1998. Now if you have your own craft room you can probably come close to knowing what this looked like before, but before you picture it imagine 20 camp counselors every year coming in and digging through boxes and not putting things back. Wait, there’s more! Now imagine a mouse community–population size unknown making homes within those boxes. Okay now I can see you backing away from the monitor. You have the picture! I had the photo but because my memory card was full I had to delete a lot of them. We had about 5 wheelbarrows full of trash to cart off as well. Looks good doesn’t it. The cabinets in the back weren’t there when we arrived. Another group of helpers (thanks, Dave, Dave, and Ed) that found them and brought them in for us to use, they even made a counter top.
Yet another project was to paint Leah’s house. That’s my friend Lauriann on the ladder she paints every year, behind her is Laura, she paints too. Self prounoucned project manager Gary has climbed that ladder yet. The house looked much better after scraping and painting. New trim was made and installed too.
This firepit was in another place. They moved it further away from the edge of the cliff. Lots of sand in wheelbarrows. That’s Ed in the left corner and Dave with the rake.

Some of the other projects were painting and repairing a back stop. I helped with the paint and had sparkly arms for a week. I didn’t mind, I like sparkles!
Another fence was installed in front of the camp, a basketball hoop, tether ball pole and flag pole were concreted in place. A bathroom was remodeled, cottages were stocked with dishes by Darla and Gwen, steps were built and I’m sure a lot of other things I didn’t see were done.

I know a huge military tent was set up for the campers coming after us. Kids with a deployed parent get the chance to come to camp and during their stay spend some time in a barracks tent much like the one their parent’s are staying.

more later, sunsets and a very big waterfall!

Can you tell by my expression that I’m not sure what camp is going to be like for me? This is our first night and I was ready to bolt, run to the truck and take off back home!

I’m glad I didn’t. After breakfast every morning we sang praise songs, Pastor Vern and Marty played guitars the first day, later they were joined by their daughter Kristen on drums, Gurdy on a beatbox and Richter and Danny on more guitars.

These are the preschoolers, look at those faces! We had so much fun learning about putting on the armor of God!

Kidz Corner all cleaned and organized. Mandy helped Marty and I get it back into a safe place to play for the kids above and those who come after them the rest of the summer. Like my shirt? It’s my favorite. I use it for all things messy! I like having that YardLines logo, kind of like having Ed with me all the time.

Our worship leader, Pastor Gary used these videos from one time blind for discussion.

They are still making me think about how I’m living my life.

If you have time hop over to Crystal Laine Miller’s site and read about me when I was a kid. And there’s a book give away too, so leave a comment and an email on her blog!

I spent last week at Camp Pioneer in Angola, New York. My church goes there every summer for a servant event. They do odd jobs and big jobs to get the camp ready for summer campers. This was my first trip there. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had heard about refurbished cabins, cottages being built and beautiful sunsets. No one told me about the daisies. They are my favorite flower and they were everywhere.

I arrived at camp sick. Not fair! I had a terrible cold most of the week making it difficult to have a good time. Ed, had lot of fun though. Since he can eat regular food he was able to go to the dining hall for his meals. He said there was a lot of singing before and after each meal. I like to sing. While he was doing that I was in my room with my gluten-free meal and a book. Since I felt awful that was a nice break.

The first day I and my friend, Marty worked with the preschoolers. I love working with kids that age. When I started my ‘career’ I intended to get a degree in early childhood, the college I was at didn’t have that program so I switched to a degree in learning disabilities/behavior disorders and minored in psychology. I clearly strayed from my path. Working with the little ones gave me such joy (even while feeling terrible!) Later that afternoon we tackled kids corner. What a mess! It hadn’t been used since last summer and a lot of inappropriate things had found there way inside, like an electric shaver! That could have been fun for some budding barber!

more to come…..
Diana

How cool is this? My own lemonade stand. Delightful Dwelling nominated me for it. So now it’s time to pass on the blog award to 10 other talented bloggers who display great “attitude and gratitude.” It’s hard to pick just 10 but here they are:

Slice of Book Pie keeps me entertained with her clever wit and photos.

Shabby Chic Cottage has a terrific L that she made. I want to try this project too!

Writer Unboxed never know who will turn up on this blog but it’s always interesting to read.

A Spacious Place great book reviews here!

Gluten-Free Girl without her I would be lost, not knowing
there are wonderful foods out there that I can eat.

Sew Forth Now offers me an excellent monthly podcast on sewing.

Michael Hyatt so much to learn from him if you’re a writer!

Routines for Writers just looking at that blog makes me feel productive!

Inspiration for Decoration great ideas for my home and for the places my characters call home!

Camy’s Loft always fun to read and she gives away books!