tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58329934482701064132024-02-06T18:25:40.122-08:00WellblessedJuliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.comBlogger625125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-57553806554694613622013-03-10T22:26:00.001-07:002013-03-10T22:26:26.488-07:00Things Are Jumpin’<p><font size="4">We’ve been blessed with some days of sun lately and, wow, it’s been shear bliss.  Like this:</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r-r9DpReYTM/UT1q7NHM-vI/AAAAAAAAGl4/pgKpt7fwNr0/s1600-h/JerInTheSun-9983%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="JerInTheSun-9983" border="0" alt="JerInTheSun-9983" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OCOGb4z_laQ/UT1q7nIns3I/AAAAAAAAGmA/GK9iNg5inOQ/JerInTheSun-9983_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">See what I mean?</font></p> <p><font size="4">That’s how we’ve all been feeling.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Yesterday was particularly nice.  My dad was able to come for a little while and we got the fence extended for the dogs to give them more space in their run. The goats have a little less room but they had quite a bit to begin with and they can make a little sacrifice for their personal body guards.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">They seem to like it:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2PIMh3bNH8U/UT1q8jibWTI/AAAAAAAAGmI/jFQo_KQUzYU/s1600-h/TnTNewRun%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTNewRun" border="0" alt="TnTNewRun" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xxH8Hpsl_OY/UT1q9QhlpgI/AAAAAAAAGmQ/yye4Nz2tlU0/TnTNewRun_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="403" /></a><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">Don’tcha th</font><font size="4">ink? </font></p> <p><font size="4">While we were working on this the kids were in their swimsuits having a water gun fight. No really.  Yes, they’re crazy.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Then my dad had to go and after feeding everyone lunch and putting Elias down for nap I went back to work.  This time on finishing out a section of the dog kennel for the rabbits to move in to.  Their current wasn’t working out and I wanted to give them a bigger space.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-x6M7G6DVFJ8/UT1q-Cg-zTI/AAAAAAAAGmY/8Yg3lNmVQYc/s1600-h/AllieSmooshNewHouse%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="AllieSmooshNewHouse" border="0" alt="AllieSmooshNewHouse" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M67nsugF2Zs/UT1q_N7DbBI/AAAAAAAAGmg/rngE7xyqdho/AllieSmooshNewHouse_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="403" /></a></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">More happy critters.  They have a solid floor so they can’t dig out and nothing can dig in.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Enough projects for this day.  This morning I woke up to rain.  Wah!  What a bummer.  I really needed that sun for just one more day!  I needed to wash up the brooder box and let it dry in the sun, we’re getting more chicks on Friday.  tee hee</font></p> <p><font size="4">Alas, I’ll have to cross my fingers for a dry day sometime before then.  Gideon had a fever today so it meant no church for us either, can’t even split up since Rob is out of town and won’t be back until late tonight.  Then it hit me.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I have this box sitting around that I bought for a project and it would make the perfect item to organize my garden ideas in.  So I got took my outdoor project hat off and put my craft project hat on and voila! a month by month garden box:</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdNlDg86HWwziIBpvSc16PxSSu1pkdaUgCVo-0vgsQ-JIUKwvK3HL0-cQfkKpLF6-2-7sI6UX24iIbXPlUUx6DzOinmOLQNlNOW6_drpgaqOSiLKAfIRwMBXmmiggGYHXiSliDFhk0Q4/s1600-h/GardenOrgBox-0044%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="GardenOrgBox-0044" border="0" alt="GardenOrgBox-0044" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JwTpoR2TOl4/UT1rAekG6xI/AAAAAAAAGmw/WG_ilc2VF78/GardenOrgBox-0044_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="286" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">I slip the packets of seeds that I’ll plant in the month section and write my to-do list for the month on the divider itself.  There’s a miscellaneous section and a dreams section, of course!  I’m sure it will evolve and grow as I figure out what I’m doing.  Now I’m looking forward to Spring more than ever!</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-20377186257896364032013-02-24T23:05:00.001-08:002013-02-24T23:05:39.464-08:00Gabe is 9<p><font size="4">And the celebration took a whole week!  Ha!  Not really but sort of.  We were having a hard time coordinating when family could come and when friends could come so we did a family dinner last Saturday and had friends over yesterday.  His party couldn’t start until he went out for testing for the Highly Capable program.  He’s technically already pre-qualified for next year but the school is having him finish the test anyway.  I’m sure he did brilliantly but we won’t get the test results for a couple of months.</font></p> <p><font size="4">As usual, I don’t have a lot to say but I do have a lot of pictures:</font></p> <p><font size="4">The family dinner.  My sister and dad come as well as my sister’s foreign exchange student and a friend of the family.  Also my friend Nora and her whole family come since it fits in their schedule better and they’re pretty much family anyway.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1HYH84gpUJw/USsMwXalJ_I/AAAAAAAAGdY/VLz5Z67hlBw/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9448%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9448" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9448" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sO-A2lgiHtI/USsMwzboMMI/AAAAAAAAGdg/7ntrDkdFoEU/Gabe9Birthday-9448_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WxAs0xlZTXY/USsMxmDWqSI/AAAAAAAAGdo/WD1A-wnRHXI/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9451%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9451" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9451" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Qjnd_5aRmWo/USsMyHDZlxI/AAAAAAAAGdw/K6hYB47RXL8/Gabe9Birthday-9451_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7VQABKiOxQA/USsMyqywUhI/AAAAAAAAGd4/XQhXdNCK4dI/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9454%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9454" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9454" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FCGGgeDxFiI/USsMzANyoFI/AAAAAAAAGeA/DMLcX2A9FMM/Gabe9Birthday-9454_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zrfHEKg9nOE/USsMzhK7DuI/AAAAAAAAGeI/tK711pLHofE/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9456%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9456" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9456" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-u-D746xVoqs/USsM0CTxkQI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/pRZ7ckdi3BE/Gabe9Birthday-9456_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="269" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3PDy9KCAwds/USsM1WjJKMI/AAAAAAAAGeY/iUQNg0jwWk8/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9461%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9461" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9461" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZUdUs7YIPq0/USsM1vA7FSI/AAAAAAAAGeg/VKqflGurODs/Gabe9Birthday-9461_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Gabe was given a choice of the kind of cake he wanted and he picked a chocolate fudge bundt cake with sprinkles.  Easy enough for me – yay!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FzdhDh9zeHQ/USsM2JKiIcI/AAAAAAAAGeo/FJ30hhl6_Lk/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9462%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9462" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9462" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kLEL4e0yAVM/USsM2pJqEVI/AAAAAAAAGew/kdW1sLNYLTU/Gabe9Birthday-9462_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WnWJvhMDYHtTu7-Es_sWTY9hBPh9gk2PjqXlj_3z7wNxJDOcIGu0Hq1HFnmByko4TY7Sh8JRd-xkTZQV9Fziqo2veWnik_gVMkBRrhyC6TFJhXLIo3KEqPFEZ22neaHrGNvzWACx6eo/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9467%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9467" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9467" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYJsVRirbCxcJ85FQHKCZhaBpxVzcs89UcQGrhbaqhRF20E3dbRBbKMthC7tVaAQ8wAk6CObuW1aXok-wQTOHtvCa2KzuF20OU8HPaDiAg_hcAlRNkDhWnPZfc-JGkS6Abdc8W0H3ikk/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TUn0swMnVJk/USsM4vqkLFI/AAAAAAAAGfM/6NZetvLm5N4/s1600-h/Gabe9Birthday-9479%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gabe9Birthday-9479" border="0" alt="Gabe9Birthday-9479" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctSksWtsYk3zWExvXVemPI530m5QC8Y4NPt7FK2lQQDA2xSqHDxpyBJlEhoapDd7pkimz9BcA3jdyYHpkqVrKcF2jhuGLJbvs-tY7bX3S8PYhz5DlcYDVfdohNJHmnZvdnXkd4GuUgRU/?imgmax=800" width="180" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Elias says “I Matman!” </font></p> <p><font size="4">After the party my sis takes all the kids with her and gives us a couple of days off.  Sunday we got to go to church, then to lunch and even shopped a book store all by our lonesome.  Rob worked the next day so I even got to do a few things by myself.  At first I felt a little lost but I managed to do a few fun things just myself.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Fast forward to his party yesterday (some of the pics aren’t here because I don’t know if a couple of his friends’ parents are OK with having their photos online).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fzsD4vpmRwc/USsM5zO4ktI/AAAAAAAAGfc/S0KjInd-6r0/s1600-h/Fam-9759%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fam-9759" border="0" alt="Fam-9759" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Gyo5EmGQW2M/USsM6I12V7I/AAAAAAAAGfg/FuOhD32KMzI/Fam-9759_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Rob concocted this wonderful Angry Bird Triathlon in keeping with Gabe’s party theme of choice.  The kids were divided into teams doing the different activities.  1) Coloring an Angry Bird page, points were given for coloring and then for the kids’ pick of favorite 2) Completing one level of the Angry Birds game on the iPad, points equal to their score 3) Playing the Angry Birds Jenga game, points given for pieces knocked down.  Elias mostly just bombed the photos I was trying to take of the activities.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRanro6D4IQWHqvRP-pqk0gRgAMxe_0ubA0O5AUieDOZ7xHeDoUYncmiXxyqpllozWQLAO66QcLjR6ZVvba-oDj_5CUnTjrl93rHz-_XOktzkprwJq9iE0JY6sQotTyht07MdxxngKYg/s1600-h/Fam-9762%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; 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border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fam-9792" border="0" alt="Fam-9792" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9UNVYZyAVSM/USsNFhcVJXI/AAAAAAAAGiQ/nYbCsChtLkA/Fam-9792_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">There were prizes for first and second place.  We were all a little surprised when Gideon won first place.  Apparently all his time “practicing” at both the electronic and “real” Angry Birds games has paid off.  Gabe came in second.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-H4gGQjtNE-k/USsNFz_LDMI/AAAAAAAAGiY/rbtcoFxhIhg/s1600-h/Fam-9794%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fam-9794" border="0" alt="Fam-9794" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lM6nQv6nuA0/USsNGWj2JeI/AAAAAAAAGig/4MT_zxvceBU/Fam-9794_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EchQqPtQwdI/USsNHNt8lHI/AAAAAAAAGio/8nZ6pBIRg-g/s1600-h/Fam-9795%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; 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border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fam-9803" border="0" alt="Fam-9803" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zD3Xq2MS4Ho/USsNLp-Td7I/AAAAAAAAGj0/pFHi5nayvK8/Fam-9803_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">I had every intention of making Gabe’s cake again.  He wanted lemon so I baked that cake, two rounds, put the first round on the platter and covered it with raspberry filling.  Mmm.  Looking good.  Then went to move the second round and could tell right away it wasn’t going to be easy.  The second piece was falling apart just sitting there.  I did everything I could to move it in one piece and managed to get it on the bottom round but it just disintegrated.  I even tried “gluing” the major pieces together with frosting but I’d be working in one area and the other areas were falling apart even more.  I have no idea what happened.  So I had to make a call to a local grocery store for an emergency cake.  They did the grass and sky and I put on the Angry Birds pieces (from one of our games).  Oh well, at least we had a cake.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-noWRzF99I9g/USsNMO_W_tI/AAAAAAAAGj8/Yqw8s8gMCsg/s1600-h/Fam-9807%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; 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border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fam-9815" border="0" alt="Fam-9815" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSqLYGYBLuvsZ-boiSxSS26PEdCgc_SyQkjQt8fbN9O8vKfaVe1fK6jKPPmcf0wd-ZzpHuKftwOpeJQAH36Q26XNGG41Eo3po3vKcbY4fITbD-GssvrJGUQuiEux1PYyUMP7oHIezPkk/?imgmax=800" width="179" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yi13ooj4tOc/USsNPcHrtlI/AAAAAAAAGks/q-4QcnYd5U0/s1600-h/Fam-9826%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fam-9826" border="0" alt="Fam-9826" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rdtc7JYPTHs/USsNP80wZBI/AAAAAAAAGk0/Vgz5HN_d1w0/Fam-9826_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Afterward the kids get to try out one of the games Gabe got for his birthday.  At one point we walked out to meet the chickens, a couple of Gabe’s friends were so excited to meet real chickens and had lots of questions about them and their eggs.  I ended up sending two of them home with half a dozen eggs.  They were possibly more excited and them then they were the goody bags.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gj0VXl4mwCI/USsNQOZhkTI/AAAAAAAAGk8/8tO9PxXaPKA/s1600-h/Fam-9827%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fam-9827" border="0" alt="Fam-9827" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-abusLYpIp5E/USsNQh1NqBI/AAAAAAAAGlE/hPutAr3T9bg/Fam-9827_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">No post is complete without a cat picture, right?  Silas and Savannah spent the party trying to figure out what the heck was going on and had to have some time to chill after.</font></p> <p><font size="4">It was a great time celebrating our oldest.  We are so blessed by him.  He’s smart, funny, inquisitive and we just enjoy him so much!</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-73749332509814235442013-02-03T23:03:00.001-08:002013-02-03T23:03:14.194-08:00Aw, Nuts!<p><font size="3"><strong>Overheard today.</strong></font></p> <p><font size="3">First, a big sliding noise and a loud thump.  Then, </font></p> <p><font size="3">Gideon: Stupid socks! </font><font size="3">These stupid socks are giving me nuts! </font></p> <p><font size="3">[Apparently running on the wood floors in socks is not the best idea and Gideon says something is “giving” him nuts instead of “making” him nuts.  His older siblings may have my sense of humor.]</font></p> <p><font size="3">Gabe: What kind of nuts?  Walnuts?  Pine nuts? </font></p> <p><font size="3">*laughing*</font></p> <p><font size="3">Zion: Peanutbutter nuts? </font></p> <p><font size="3">*more laughing*</font></p> <p><font size="3">It went on and on.  Poor Gideon can’t get no respect. (I did make sure he wasn’t hurt when he fell though.)</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-82442863959905374072013-01-26T22:31:00.001-08:002013-01-26T22:31:08.670-08:00TnT’s New House<p><font size="3">Time for a Titus and Tru update.  They are doing great.  Titus is huge and mellow and Trulea is huge and dramatic.  Typical girl.  LOL  But sweet as pie and they have a new home!  Here with us still of course but my dad was able to make enough progress on their area of the barn that they got to move in last night.  Their new sleeping area is in what used to be an office.  Yes, an office in the barn.  One of the many modifications by a previous owner that didn’t suit our own purpose but we’re making progress on alterations and this was a big one.  We really needed a space for the dogs so that they could be with the goats 24/7.  As it was we had to house them in the kennel in an area where they couldn’t hear or see the goats or interact with them at all.  During the day, if it was nice (ask me how many days that is here in WA) they could go to their pen inside the goat enclosure but it offered no shelter except for a doghouse they are quickly growing out of and we had to move them back and forth a couple of times a day.  </font></p> <p><font size="3">So my dad cut and framed a door in the office and fashioned a half wall and gate from found objects around the property and in the barn.  Now the dogs have a “room” with access to the outdoors 24/7.  The room is across the hall from the goats’ stall and the door leads out to their pen.  It was heaven today to not have to hustle them about and midday when it started to rain to not have to rush outside and move them to where they can have shelter.  Yes!</font></p> <p><font size="3">Piccies:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bJtqb8wqKB4/UQTJku51jjI/AAAAAAAAGb0/QAjNlPmO3Mc/s1600-h/TnTNewHome-9057%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTNewHome-9057" border="0" alt="TnTNewHome-9057" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MTGPmthIejg/UQTJlDLKv0I/AAAAAAAAGb8/0he4N1ti9QY/TnTNewHome-9057_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <font size="3"></font> <p><font size="3"></font></p> <p><font size="3"></font></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Trulea took to it right away.  She loved it and bounded inside and outside and back in again.  The blue thing is one of the kids’ old pools that got a hole, now it’s a dog bed.  :)  </font></p> <p><font size="3">Titus on the other hand didn’t like the feel of the floor, it scared him, and he went directly outside and refused to come back in.  He REALLY wanted to though, he lay down just outside with his head on his paws, the most pathetic look on his face, and commenced to whine sadly.  Very sadly.  Poor sad boy.  Later I convinced him to come in but he turned as quickly as he could and left again.  *sigh*  He has, in fact, never been inside a building before and never felt anything under his feet but grass and dirt.  So I covered the floor with the same shavings I used in the kennel and by morning he was coming inside just fine.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bAvEoXns8IA/UQTJlmof1UI/AAAAAAAAGcE/gf_vUiJPuh8/s1600-h/TnTNewHome-9060%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTNewHome-9060" border="0" alt="TnTNewHome-9060" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rtbb4MxcqHA/UQTJmbGuE2I/AAAAAAAAGcM/zw46wlxVLPM/TnTNewHome-9060_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Tru did her darndest to convince him to some inside, she tried to show him it was fine, barked her encouragement, she’s a good sis.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E_FyjqDQpVgvnH3RUuJUNFcxU9ETE-iYbnAxw0DLmDZrRvDCUEn98j-f4sLBYi6Ly5Grp-PPNRVVpUrPYCSVChuEBagc3t9O8HkIW_2C3dRY8Hx-HfXPLZAry3zUHuA63ZA4nBqsOOs/s1600-h/TnTNewHome-9062%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTNewHome-9062" border="0" alt="TnTNewHome-9062" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5fD6SE6Wk4o/UQTJpFQr6qI/AAAAAAAAGcc/4aCO3OW-UKM/TnTNewHome-9062_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Here’s it is with nice clean shavings.  A good warm place for a guardian dog to sleep.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-s_BpYIEfn5M/UQTJqFlJo7I/AAAAAAAAGck/cCw1Y6-7yvs/s1600-h/TnTNewHome-9063%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTNewHome-9063" border="0" alt="TnTNewHome-9063" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-im6WmuuwbkA/UQTJql2nuxI/AAAAAAAAGcs/EbJpkTUcojM/TnTNewHome-9063_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Here is the view from the barn hall, the office door opens and half the room is for Titus and Tru and the other half is still suitable for storage.  It’s not much but it makes me a happy girl.  </font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-11566817266528644312013-01-13T22:43:00.001-08:002013-01-13T22:43:45.133-08:00Progress<p><font size="3">We have been in the house since the last weekend of May.  Unpacking is still going on.  Balancing unpacking with the kids, normal household to-dos and all the new outside chores has been a trick.  Once the necessities were unpacked I kind of lost interest.  LOL  I am one of those folks who, when faced by a lot of visual chaos, will retreat out of shear overhwelmedness (I know that’s a word because I just made it up).  So it takes a real mood to tackle a lot of the organizing projects around here.  And of course then my time is just so short so finishing ANYTHING even with a bug to get it done takes ten times as long as it should.</font></p> <p><font size="3">*sigh*</font></p> <p><font size="3">Anyway.  All that build up just to say that I worked on the playroom today.  AKA the basement.  But that sounds so dark and awful.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Here’s the before pic:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TH16bLpzHh4/UPOpGrHYy5I/AAAAAAAAGaw/f0QASnGbOVM/s1600-h/Playroom-8895%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Playroom-8895" border="0" alt="Playroom-8895" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ClO1PTiOYdM/UPOpHHOcdZI/AAAAAAAAGa4/RXct9lHycGE/Playroom-8895_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Yes it’s messy but also, there’s still some boxes and the toys never got organized and I’ve realized I don’t want the futon in that corner after all or my craft cabinet where it is (you can *just* see the edge of it on the left).</font></p> <p><font size="3">Here’s the after:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zFnAETRL-W0/UPOpHttKx6I/AAAAAAAAGbA/I8hb14Hiy_E/s1600-h/Playroom-8897%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Playroom-8897" border="0" alt="Playroom-8897" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pbkx8kfon5I/UPOpILU8uxI/AAAAAAAAGbI/eb5v8tlpT1E/Playroom-8897_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">I moved the futon, it is Jeremiah approved now, and the toy rack is now in that corner with the Cars rug and Little People buildings and the dress-up chest is accessible now (the gas stove is in the way).  There is a lot of this room that you can’t see in the picture, it’s a huge L-shaped room. Behind me is one leg of the L and my craft cabinet and the kids’ reading hut and bookshelves.  Just to the left in this room is the Lego desk and closet with all the games and puzzles.  </font></p> <p><font size="3">The carpet is still hideous but at least it’s clean and the walls need color to make it fun and more inviting but at least we’re making progress!</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-69605518289706517702013-01-06T22:20:00.001-08:002013-01-06T22:20:17.691-08:00Thank you, Grandma!<p><font size="3">Oh we surprised the kids big time yesterday!  Rob’s mom sent us some spending money as a Christmas gift and yesterday, on the way home from a birthday party, we pulled into Toys-R-Us instead of going home.  THEN we got to tell them they could actually purchase for themselves some things that have been on their wish list for a while. What a joy for all of us, Rob and I got to say “yes”and their faces were just lit up!</font></p> <p><font size="3">Zion chose a scooter and a cute basket (thanks to the scooter being on sale).  She’s been wanting one for so long.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Gideon and Elias wanted the same thing so we/they pooled their portion and got them a Batcave add-on to go with their Geotrax train set and they each got to choose a smaller item.  Gideon picked a stuffed Angry bird (a green one of course, his favorite color) and Elias chose a two-pack of Cars characters that also go with the Geotrax.  The love of trains in this house is not going away anytime soon that’s for sure.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Gabe looked and looked but didn’t find anything he’d been wanting.  He perused.  He browsed.  He checked out a lot of things but ultimately decided to shop elsewhere. So after we went home Rob and he went back out and checked out GameStop.  Ooo, we love it there!  And Gabe SCORED!  GameStop was having a sale.  Gabe got two game guides and a set that came with a game guide, a game and a Lego toy.  Wow!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pI-65oslmG8/UOpo_c8F32I/AAAAAAAAGYw/jHf6DuFCO5g/s1600-h/20130105-DSC_8783%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="20130105-DSC_8783" border="0" alt="20130105-DSC_8783" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QFZqS7fFa7c/UOppA0Wp27I/AAAAAAAAGY4/xDIlWzXc_I0/20130105-DSC_8783_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="456" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">You can see how happy they are.  Well, Elias may be a bit overtired but he’s happy on the inside! Thank you, Grandma Marlene!</font></p> <p><font size="3">And because I’m overdue, puppy shots:</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvmQdta2wJ6v2GlG3KfX4SNaS5bBUrGpBA-NZixYm4gqQ14yGxlkJn1ukQqTvYr-vndZBePLPINvUKM3ejOhtqrGSv-DksJyHyJEsGihfu8AGkc-De-wiF-fF5hlo3xIJxIvCj3bR3DU/s1600-h/TnTDec12012-7504%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTDec12012-7504" border="0" alt="TnTDec12012-7504" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Cw2odd3Awk8/UOppC4j0OGI/AAAAAAAAGZE/HgqjSlYectM/TnTDec12012-7504_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-62-yQ-_3MoY/UOppEFk1IvI/AAAAAAAAGZQ/V2_WTklZXM4/s1600-h/TnTDec12012-7506%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTDec12012-7506" border="0" alt="TnTDec12012-7506" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zT_iOvIaMjI/UOppEyOYR3I/AAAAAAAAGZU/Jplvv8wBs1o/TnTDec12012-7506_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yuoD4Lmw50g/UOppFScflxI/AAAAAAAAGZc/3BSuzG8wAXo/s1600-h/TnTDec12012-7509%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTDec12012-7509" border="0" alt="TnTDec12012-7509" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bUtDo24zrMI/UOppF8504kI/AAAAAAAAGZo/vYCUoAWN_-s/TnTDec12012-7509_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qW-HgGYAKvk/UOppGaD5LpI/AAAAAAAAGZw/lWAUUzfTaW4/s1600-h/TnTDec12012-7514%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTDec12012-7514" border="0" alt="TnTDec12012-7514" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--noR1F5v44s/UOppG92kGhI/AAAAAAAAGZ4/BZ5E2cBJKxY/TnTDec12012-7514_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5LW4fm7treNY5a8LkdVKfg9cT31gk7zx4xPo6eWPCSb6y39Us4Gc3Mv8Rpg59dQTIzxJD14TrfN1FinV2_OilHPtnhVddZGTKShwDGS5lVceKEdumb3safPB2cdT2KaXOw9_iPC4f_Q/s1600-h/TnTDec12012-7518%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TnTDec12012-7518" border="0" alt="TnTDec12012-7518" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uzL46zyX7J8/UOppH-b0ezI/AAAAAAAAGaI/K22YJFYX2vk/TnTDec12012-7518_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">They are HUGE and they are characters and so sweet, like giant teddy bears and they were a couple of days shy of 4 months old in these shots.  More puppy photos soon.  :)</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-14093431103436268882013-01-05T00:05:00.001-08:002013-01-05T00:05:37.354-08:00Oh The Silliness!<p><font size="3">I cannot fully explain the silliness that is Gideon.  It’s just something you have to experience for yourself to truly understand.  He has this sing song voice that is just so darn cute.  He laughs and he laughs and he suggests ridiculous things and cracks jokes that leave us rolling.  He’s just so unexpected.  And he loves for me to document his silliness on film.  </font></p> <p><font size="3">Yesterday he told me I had to take his picture while he pinched his lip and pulled it out.  Um.  OK?  Only I couldn’t take it at the time so I said I’d have to do it tomorrow.  That’s today.  And he remembered.  So here he is.  Pinching his lip and pulling it out.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q9q-nsLhWA8/UOfexOVY_1I/AAAAAAAAGXg/kR29otigWiw/s1600-h/GideonSilly-8773%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="GideonSilly-8773" border="0" alt="GideonSilly-8773" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-drWErLuZClM/UOfex8WBqTI/AAAAAAAAGXo/MBjYVNYHx1s/GideonSilly-8773_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Was it everything you thought it would be?  Well, here’s a couple more photos taken on his insistence. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jElM7LvtyAg/UOfeyWWdD2I/AAAAAAAAGXw/NeYwBVxila4/s1600-h/GideonSilly-8774%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="GideonSilly-8774" border="0" alt="GideonSilly-8774" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-haID5JqEGPU/UOfey0D9QlI/AAAAAAAAGX4/6NU1rUOv-DU/GideonSilly-8774_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Q8JYSXahLJQ/UOfezTn_hEI/AAAAAAAAGYA/Ywgd1s933Lw/s1600-h/GideonSilly-8775%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="GideonSilly-8775" border="0" alt="GideonSilly-8775" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EZx9ZWgYZdM/UOfezxqHy-I/AAAAAAAAGYI/yy88Kfdkuyo/GideonSilly-8775_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Yep.  Pretty silly.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-80796237119206758132013-01-02T22:12:00.001-08:002013-01-02T22:12:14.981-08:00Resolve<p><font size="3">I am NOT making resolutions this year.  Not gonna do it!</font></p> <p><font size="3">But I AM determined to make some new habits.  One of those is to go to bed at 10.  *gulp*  That’s a tough one for me because the only quiet time I get around the house is after the kids go to bed and my going to bed at 10 seriously cuts that quiet time down.  But I need to do it!  </font></p> <p><font size="3">Right now it’s ten after so I can’t blog long.  But one of my other habits I want to get back in to is blogging so I want to start on the right foot.  I’m blogging today.  There!</font></p> <p><font size="3">And I’m also starting up my Project 365 again so keep an eye on that corner photo, it’s changin’ again!</font></p> <p><font size="3">That’s all the time I have.  G’night!</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-75527943435342820392012-10-07T21:02:00.001-07:002012-10-07T21:02:05.979-07:00We Have Puppies!<p><font size="4">Two weeks ago we put deposits on two Anatolian Shepherd/Great Pyrenees puppies.  These breeds were developed as Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) and are meant to live with the animals they guard 24/7.  It will be difficult for us, to raise adorable puppies and not bring them in the house for cuddles but we’re up for the challenge!</font></p> <p><font size="4">After realizing we were getting the pups, a sister and brother, I started researching names.  I wanted good strong names that mean defender or protector or the like.  I fell in love with names like Titus (defender) and Argus (vigilant protector) for the boy but the girl name was harder.  I discovered that Trudy means “maiden of the spear” or “strong spear” but I wasn’t sure I loved the name.  The nickname “Tru” sounded kind of cool though.  Still I wasn’t sure.  We need to get to know them I guess.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Yesterday we got to go pick up our 9-week old pups (though one of them ended up NOT being one we chose, there was a mix up, but we’re keeping her and it seems a good fit so far) and bring them home.  Today after church we broke down the stock panels making the goat enclosure and moved them inside the new goat yard and put them back up to make a home for the pups.  The pups kept us company the whole time under Zion’s watchful eye.  We also got the goats’ new stall in the barn ready for them and now they get to sleep in the barn with direct access to their yard.  No more shuffling goats back and forth from the old goat run to the chicken yard and back again at night.  Yay!  </font></p> <p><font size="4">So at the end of the day we were all exhausted!  Evidence:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7I_5ncsOSNM/UHJQOOW7u_I/AAAAAAAAGWo/TYN__M1I0Jg/s1600-h/TitusAndTruTired-%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TitusAndTruTired-" border="0" alt="TitusAndTruTired-" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6Od-uLirvnI/UHJQO5etD6I/AAAAAAAAGWw/LocUSpaZEUM/TitusAndTruTired-_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="537" /></a></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">That’s Titus in the front.  We all loved that name.  The kids wanted to name the girl Leah though and I wasn’t in love with that one, so we compromised.  We’re calling her Trulea (like truly) a combination of the Trudy and Leah.</font></p> <p><font size="4">There will be many more pictures to come of this sweet duo, we’re smitten already!</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-87904865301707293522012-09-22T11:46:00.001-07:002012-09-22T11:46:01.089-07:00TEN! - Part I<p><font size="4">A couple of years ago (boy, time flies - how many times will I say that, really) I was planning a little getaway just for myself.  A weekend to take off and recharge.  While I was researching places to stay I found <a href="http://www.thornewoodcastle.com/">Thornewood Castle</a> and it just happens to be within an hour’s drive of us.  I immediately fell in love.  Who wouldn’t?  I knew we couldn’t justify the expense for my little solo getaway but I asked Rob if we could start saving for our tenth anniversary.  Still I was dubious.  Would we really truly make it happen?  Well we did I’m happy to say.  And in true Julie fashion here I am MONTHS later to tell you about it.  LOL</font></p> <p><font size="4">First, my sister came to stay with the kids.  Apparently she brought a tent which she erected IN my living room.  Ha!  The kids definitely had a great time while we were gone!</font></p> <p><font size="4">Then Rob and I headed out.  Ah, sweet freedom!  We grabbed dinner out and watched a GORGEOUS sunset!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TCCW51ob334/UF4HPXtskdI/AAAAAAAAGTY/EnhTgUKNZ1s/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1856%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1856" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1856" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eprPgmXQTk0/UF4HP_yzE7I/AAAAAAAAGTg/6EFL_HvY5b4/ThornewoodWeekend-1856_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dqJ5HZbNewM/UF4HQb0IapI/AAAAAAAAGTo/NnMqmtdRe3U/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1876%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1876" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1876" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOLB76frXmsclLnd3qsTmywb4YnWEuIF5atW4CI7_iww-eOR-ttBxh53okwKykfpo5OSIXOjZmfpY4aZuFqLqZyO0jFDIH7Yurt_Hu5_jzbp0kdCwd5YC0KPW1lCUaxXixc46agUMvIc/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fioDMwUmLTA/UF4HRdeHLUI/AAAAAAAAGT4/OiaO27iUm-A/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1888%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1888" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1888" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fYd-qRPlKUI/UF4HR22v9JI/AAAAAAAAGUA/oXkD54xr4lA/ThornewoodWeekend-1888_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DDa1mSzPDz8/UF4HSTEDi8I/AAAAAAAAGUI/zhZcNKNYdqw/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1893-2%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1893-2" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1893-2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tW3MuDJzrfI/UF4HTLmvODI/AAAAAAAAGUQ/p3U8_j929eY/ThornewoodWeekend-1893-2_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="137" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-u01etpgmMsg/UF4HTnMBKUI/AAAAAAAAGUY/4GVePfeCAec/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1897%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1897" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1897" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-V2kyqGBh8S0/UF4HUAjE1xI/AAAAAAAAGUg/M0YAOjyc9ms/ThornewoodWeekend-1897_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oMNQvpN6ZXc/UF4HUfptElI/AAAAAAAAGUo/O4SfrsoFvis/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1901%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1901" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1901" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bJFv3rluf90/UF4HU7lr0cI/AAAAAAAAGUw/NrnHeR3EhO8/ThornewoodWeekend-1901_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pd7RKLuLrAY/UF4HVSNKhZI/AAAAAAAAGU4/rQJ0bqSBp44/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1907%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1907" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1907" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OYYVmyUwwCs/UF4HV-7Xa-I/AAAAAAAAGVA/nqXtyJD9eUQ/ThornewoodWeekend-1907_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">This house is not where we stayed but was across the street from the park where we watched the sun set and it was just too cute!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vf2UECcHees/UF4HWJx092I/AAAAAAAAGVI/fNoHMxsBAn8/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1919%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1919" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1919" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pkTUX1BA_OE/UF4HWkolnWI/AAAAAAAAGVQ/83DNgS9VOaE/ThornewoodWeekend-1919_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="137" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-J951oLXDU1s/UF4HXAfd9gI/AAAAAAAAGVY/WTTXpUuASEQ/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1942%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1942" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1942" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ki_pDhXXPUs/UF4HXhEFVuI/AAAAAAAAGVg/WR8Y7dyfRSI/ThornewoodWeekend-1942_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">We not only got to watch the sun set but also a fog roll in and a lightning storm.  I didn’t have a tripod in order to catch the lightning though but that’s OK, it was still a great night.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Afterward we headed to “our” castle and we met by cozy robes and a huge heart-shaped Jacuzzi tub in our fancy little suite.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-biNuDYo6FCo/UF4HYAJKn6I/AAAAAAAAGVo/kuUo4H5F2ak/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1950%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1950" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1950" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8HTR2gnSWN4/UF4HYmk6EyI/AAAAAAAAGVw/0BmBTuFL2cc/ThornewoodWeekend-1950_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="608" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rPa_KE9Owb9Kc-UHhmBbqQbfmRU-WqR9pLhONbNWJJbN09zv4g1AfZmI5yqVLrNN22Qhs4pMDaIKfLSP8wf9uaEohjIpNTox0WiKGytVSVdjqmo4oGYBne4FWv0s-BHxcfQGfVHkJ5s/s1600-h/ThornewoodWeekend-1952%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ThornewoodWeekend-1952" border="0" alt="ThornewoodWeekend-1952" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LqNBZbXf1ng/UF4HZxzTHSI/AAAAAAAAGWA/BzKRDNQ_bR8/ThornewoodWeekend-1952_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">Off to edit more photos…</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-31660816251513743322012-09-16T12:41:00.001-07:002012-09-16T12:41:09.049-07:00Fun Times<p><font size="4">We packed up the kids and headed to the Fair yesterday.  I feel lucky that we have so many to choose from around here.  I LOVE going to the fair!  I love everything about it (except the crowds, it was the most crowded I’d ever seen it yesterday).  Especially the food.  And the animals.  And the grange hall with all its displays.  And the food. Yeah, especially the food. LOL</font></p> <p><font size="4">The kids always want to stop at the fountain first.  I’m not sure the appeal but I guess at least it’s a good place to get a starting out photo.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-edj0a5lOvJY/UFYp-TSPrRI/AAAAAAAAGJo/dJxt2oGioiU/s1600-h/Fair2012-4810%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4810" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4810" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bF3DYQ17Ji4/UFYp_gP_MDI/AAAAAAAAGJw/jYNGkf9VBH4/Fair2012-4810_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">There’s also a stage nearby and it just so happened that The Gothard Sisters were getting ready to perform within minutes of our arrival.  Perfect!  They are a Celtic trio of sisters (not triplets, just a trio) who sing, dance and play all their own instruments.  They were super good!  </font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjosTaUfUgRnLlty1rDRT9RaFttxjVaMMaxySBY-_DU34KmKcP9wYz9E96Q6jqGeIsAQRjGlOZZmLfrDjLPJk69DEmEtcHXzNhAksG7mepfad1nW7lzqbZP_bxm4owsII9M3cWCQa53w/s1600-h/Fair2012-4814%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4814" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4814" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-i58Ybgzbjow/UFYqCC5lvRI/AAAAAAAAGKA/HS8o3u44FmM/Fair2012-4814_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Elias clapped and clapped.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UQ2qLoQH8OA/UFYqD3pNa3I/AAAAAAAAGKI/QmLWOMG2cwM/s1600-h/Fair2012-4816%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4816" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4816" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QRyqMiVDUtU/UFYqFcVxyTI/AAAAAAAAGKQ/tE0xwfhXs7c/Fair2012-4816_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Then we danced.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KZlegqk12aA/UFYqHTflBeI/AAAAAAAAGKY/T0b5NHkSXH0/s1600-h/Fair2012-4820%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4820" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4820" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-g4eveC-8Ht0/UFYqIa7P2NI/AAAAAAAAGKg/jQrCmk5cSis/Fair2012-4820_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Then he just watched and watched.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JAv0gS7gDz4/UFYqJuMknRI/AAAAAAAAGKo/9V6WeHWHv8U/s1600-h/Fair2012-4831%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4831" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4831" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3XWWOP64XhQ2dR8IoLPt1cE64Dkg1Egq309Niip-riECc-CztYc1DpBo6tbsbPNs_W6FTMybPGcrqNRFLhTMS-Iu6L5HXWnCgw-KY0h94hYnwWrT6UEMOImHcMtVF4JTXKH0CxOR7mM/?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PC8Cwi6iNHQ/UFYqMf3Sf0I/AAAAAAAAGK4/H-t4InAlLRQ/s1600-h/Fair2012-4835%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4835" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4835" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4ySu7nnU1WM/UFYqNT4UxoI/AAAAAAAAGLA/N7F-TN9J1mg/Fair2012-4835_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Next we stopped at the caramel apple stand to see if they sold them sliced up and lo and behold the woman said that she’d slice a whole one for us so we bought an M&M caramel apple.  There were six slices.  Perfect!  I could have done without the M&Ms.  Elias could have done without the actual caramel and apple.  Next time we’ll have to work out an arrangement.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJNZKWKDPgGkr0sHWe_3kbFUBJnSKDy71L01VTjeuQ9d5TDFeXFKM2-7AhPV9PWHYyNCtfGa7GVlQH5L_1TgqAFL0TTdVOiSHWOOl52g8WH-7_WzjOwafbqwQZDnjm5QS-DI6c4tTY0M/s1600-h/Fair2012-4837%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4837" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4837" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4xgWJ4YFSJc/UFYqP72iIyI/AAAAAAAAGLQ/b20VaMdzc5I/Fair2012-4837_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Then we meander on through the carnival games to Sillyville where all the kids rides and entertainment are.  There is a Pirate show for the kids.  I hoped that Elias would be happy sitting in the little boat so we could watch.  It worked!  (For a  while.)</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OcL9Oeh0qkU/UFYqQ2CA8zI/AAAAAAAAGLY/5Nl_Ih7pxi4/s1600-h/Fair2012-4840%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4840" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4840" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VxcEXwt_bkc/UFYqRvNCe7I/AAAAAAAAGLg/qWt_wDZFTLs/Fair2012-4840_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2wNq9O9FC0o/UFYqTHl38hI/AAAAAAAAGLo/ArVit0rJRoc/s1600-h/Fair2012-4845%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4845" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4845" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mYvA6ispFbQ/UFYqUCILZxI/AAAAAAAAGLw/9dyIvCN2SsM/Fair2012-4845_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5TWaLUdVOTo/UFYqVdhV4rI/AAAAAAAAGL4/6nmJzEH_atI/s1600-h/Fair2012-4846%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4846" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4846" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VzWN9ACvt10/UFYqWCE9b-I/AAAAAAAAGMA/E_WRsNSDMeA/Fair2012-4846_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Zion got to be IN the show!  I thought it was pretty cool how they let children volunteers dress up and be part of the show.  Zion was a fish/ocean waves.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehfCBkMCdiEd78I-SiscDoVOHfC2OkoPJaSQq1a_V0PoQU-1P6Gjj1ONsr5vJVa5Y-hCeWdjBKdLiU4Vh-68PNu9CwR4R86gcKD6iYI3B1z4sozUEl0Egr4lGnA6271wRz5FwUWgvleo/s1600-h/Fair2012-4847%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4847" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4847" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISBpilLe4je6mFTavienYZ-HSDYkUPxp5vJI1zytaGSDGJddfcopH3MSH9WmrZk91ZPc-Ukym7n-EVUUleOoSQF_b8SO0uPvFy1_U34IZj6hUXOqVIYZBPVKikNLxTs30w6HU3Y9G5sA/?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Nbf53JoyXfQ/UFYqbm72WYI/AAAAAAAAGMc/Fzo4OxmCdSI/s1600-h/Fair2012-4852%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4852" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4852" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wsz-5S1Igfs/UFYqcj4hNDI/AAAAAAAAGMk/b4DoPTj3cjU/Fair2012-4852_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tkwUfYVywZE/UFYqdfkw1bI/AAAAAAAAGMs/vITUTmdxWu8/s1600-h/Fair2012-4857%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4857" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4857" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5-1gKEZRA8I/UFYqeaYlIFI/AAAAAAAAGM0/kXQS6Hnae1I/Fair2012-4857_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="4"></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Random bubble photo.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7K0csP35684/UFYqfcB0TUI/AAAAAAAAGM8/EZLj3JJ6w6Y/s1600-h/Fair2012-4859%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4859" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4859" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PqWzx5WE5k4/UFYqf-dO6II/AAAAAAAAGNE/YyCVVBI50y4/Fair2012-4859_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Holy cow ride tickets are expensive!  We bought enough for the kids to pick two rides, Elias got one ride and sheesh, that was enough!  But the kids had fun.  Zion and Gabe went through the fun house together.  Zion clung to his arm before going in saying “You need to take care of me!”  :)</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1aTShuozXIY/UFYqgyruL7I/AAAAAAAAGNM/SMN-WigEAFQ/s1600-h/Fair2012-4876%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4876" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4876" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPANLEWbG3imbT9zCYxIDl4rBoyfq3vuVm7hlbFtY1noaWskXhsCuvCWFztD3-9tkENcNopzdIdVoMDKy7mjXeGWE5aiP6AhY-i3LrlPcZootgSFjZLva3Ago0tvlI5SU6Yeo50u1vdo/?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Gideon chose the kids’ roller coaster but was too short to go alone so I went with him.  I FINALLY got him to put his arms up a round or two before the ride ended.  He’s so brave!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9kVH5jv1s74/UFYqi4Ifi7I/AAAAAAAAGNc/iqnXBwWJn-8/s1600-h/Fair2012-4881%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4881" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4881" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UyvVIHrV3FM/UFYqjwB_CnI/AAAAAAAAGNk/fuWLeGGMR2U/Fair2012-4881_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">We wanted Elias to have a ride with a steering wheel, that would be just his sort of thing, but they were all either down for maintenance or he was too short.  So we picked the canoe because Gideon wanted the canoe too.  But with no belts in the canoe who would keep him from jumping out (that would be SO like him).  The guy manning the ride was nice enough to let all the kids go through even though we didn’t have enough tickets (we didn’t ask, he volunteered when we asked him how many tickets were left on our ride card).  So all four of them got one ride together.  So sweet! </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P6y2QFLpNOQ/UFYqlFCaDYI/AAAAAAAAGNs/mBqzoJD5d_8/s1600-h/Fair2012-4890%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4890" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4890" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FFO9D2MUZuM/UFYqmjn547I/AAAAAAAAGN0/hnpIz4Zu8qo/Fair2012-4890_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R3CWEEb4a4I/UFYqolYikDI/AAAAAAAAGN8/EE_Izd_6aXk/s1600-h/Fair2012-4895%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4895" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4895" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q5vgFEiKLm4/UFYqpXTscTI/AAAAAAAAGOE/Yxj_6EOXztI/Fair2012-4895_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--f9URB4yhfA/UFYqrPKNF4I/AAAAAAAAGOM/WbsVrvV_3zY/s1600-h/Fair2012-4900%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4900" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4900" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Wpai1tXsyX0/UFYqscP-D7I/AAAAAAAAGOU/2Y7gD29rOSM/Fair2012-4900_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RKUProcbBX4/UFYqtX14PbI/AAAAAAAAGOc/4lhffXpSJPc/s1600-h/Fair2012-4902%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4902" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4902" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5BKS8tBIXXg/UFYqulXvPnI/AAAAAAAAGOk/BR4zb7Htbts/Fair2012-4902_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8B6UU42VFZs/UFYqv1hiU2I/AAAAAAAAGOs/-uSyspHCSaw/s1600-h/Fair2012-4903%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4903" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4903" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kB3IM21pi18/UFYqxCc_SbI/AAAAAAAAGO0/cyob-Ct-tHA/Fair2012-4903_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">As usual there was the junk music statue.  The kids love to drum on all of the different elements.  It is very popular and VERY loud!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IjLDdDMKp4M/UFYqx_vrb7I/AAAAAAAAGO8/t0aVvBthKWs/s1600-h/Fair2012-4910%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4910" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4910" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE31jmZhiecr9-7M7uXe8jJyyjFWzwgObwGsEBnlpJwc0SQ4WbDL-J13fBc3i5pWtYdFE2Q4he4uLBzPJ1OUXu144dO1eC1vrIcQrT8-H1Pn4IReHMuivBWmw2kV6MMDxjLupRYSnamjg/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ntZzYb79LrQ/UFYq0mnkeZI/AAAAAAAAGPM/DxeJgMmL5UA/s1600-h/Fair2012-4914%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4914" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4914" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WdkH7HsUSw4/UFYq2ApJjkI/AAAAAAAAGPU/Ihc2Xye_dQY/Fair2012-4914_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJiVUNofN2rx01DMQyri2qw51brSUf8gzgefBVd9tkLYtNbIeZklTcho1jp2o162AHJ35ygVS0uNdhjaoV0rEBh0mm5y97UQAzhWg_5WL1bw6XQk-bJLgYwazDwedD2Bp286AozhJK-c/s1600-h/Fair2012-4916%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4916" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4916" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-69FGgU07T8Q/UFYq4rk7e1I/AAAAAAAAGPk/gomNr5tkxG8/Fair2012-4916_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QB9Z5imngSc/UFYq5nGa8JI/AAAAAAAAGPs/T6yhps6SAeY/s1600-h/Fair2012-4917%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4917" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4917" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bKFy12Y_tDI/UFYq7I8x6MI/AAAAAAAAGP0/kw0ovKOzX3g/Fair2012-4917_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Gideon has come such a long way in his ability to handle noise and crowds.  This year he was excited to go and had fun right from the get go, he wasn’t at all overwhelmed and enjoyed participating in everything we did.  Yay for Gideon!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7tcqKuRtikw/UFYq8CVT4PI/AAAAAAAAGP8/1Mh6X0o7U4A/s1600-h/Fair2012-4921%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4921" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4921" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LPolrRiPFpU/UFYq9iXvBzI/AAAAAAAAGQE/mU3rtueLhuA/Fair2012-4921_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Another stop to find some shade and have a snack.  This time chocolate sprinkle mini doughnuts.  yum!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PeAXBArX99Q/UFYq-29MU8I/AAAAAAAAGQM/Y3cK-xCEEc8/s1600-h/Fair2012-4925%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4925" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4925" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A123ckNwI7M/UFYq_6ZZNhI/AAAAAAAAGQU/veIOAkDBVmc/Fair2012-4925_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I don’t even recall what upset him.  I think it was Rob stepping away to buy a corndog for Gabe.  He’s just so darn cute even when he’s upset so I had to take a picture.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WLfpFwIj95c/UFYrBSB6LiI/AAAAAAAAGQc/D938CAje5pU/s1600-h/Fair2012-4928%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4928" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4928" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wrIdvDpicLI/UFYrCcrmCoI/AAAAAAAAGQk/gmcnEOGGTB4/Fair2012-4928_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><font size="4">Random Ferris Wheel shot.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ChUzJaL_0sA/UFYrDuJhB2I/AAAAAAAAGQs/dQatYz1co4A/s1600-h/Fair2012-4932%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4932" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4932" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fijbJKuzVYQ/UFYrEo4iHvI/AAAAAAAAGQ0/U_e6mlK4Kp8/Fair2012-4932_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Time for the animal barns!  This is an Americauna chicken.  They lay colored eggs.  As in blue, green or pink.  The Americauna mixes are called Easter Eggers.  Though we were told we were buying Americaunas when we bought some of our chicks I’m pretty sure they are Easter Eggers.  Still it will be fun to have colored eggs.  :)</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wxL_2qe7ddk/UFYrGNO2UWI/AAAAAAAAGQ8/e5c8ZQ3V6n4/s1600-h/Fair2012-4935%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4935" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4935" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r1TpU57SDeY/UFYrHMvFSzI/AAAAAAAAGRE/nwN0_gKU9Gw/Fair2012-4935_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">This is a pheasant. The male was nice and calm, just hanging out.  The female was kind of freaking out.  That’s her zooming by in the background.  Poor thing.  But the male, SO gorgeous!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fZBEGwxXcHM/UFYrHrDYPpI/AAAAAAAAGRM/DKI2ANO7s70/s1600-h/Fair2012-4938%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4938" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4938" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dtVIPWNuBzU/UFYrJKkNx-I/AAAAAAAAGRU/uc-6obIZS6k/Fair2012-4938_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-v9VjQuo0yyc/UFYrKodsUII/AAAAAAAAGRc/t7nk3UArc0o/s1600-h/Fair2012-4945%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4945" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4945" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-g5uh2l99yBM/UFYrLlOmAnI/AAAAAAAAGRk/CnCWJOCv-KU/Fair2012-4945_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">There were many variety of geese as well.  I don’t want geese.  I wouldn’t mind some ducks though.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NCXIXTpcDas/UFYrNLaV-ZI/AAAAAAAAGRs/SqOQ-IXna0Y/s1600-h/Fair2012-4946%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4946" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4946" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nWNlS08SqHY/UFYrOQZ5X1I/AAAAAAAAGR0/1RW0aV-jSRs/Fair2012-4946_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eAcTLGKiWiU/UFYrPvdkzTI/AAAAAAAAGR8/M9gBCRHtYrQ/s1600-h/Fair2012-4948%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4948" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4948" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D-nbtsJtzvA/UFYrQlniBBI/AAAAAAAAGSE/u0Ze0VgsPl4/Fair2012-4948_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Zczd0Gtmp_o/UFYrSHdzcII/AAAAAAAAGSM/HT-QL2f3_rQ/s1600-h/Fair2012-4949%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4949" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4949" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_BHWqVULK9M/UFYrSdWTtCI/AAAAAAAAGSU/k3bmsNLGReI/Fair2012-4949_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Elias let himself nap for a while.  He slept until he tried to roll over to his tummy and realized he was sitting up, not laying down so that was kind of impossible.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3S3hjnIp4Xs/UFYrS8nd5uI/AAAAAAAAGSc/E90RC7eg-E4/s1600-h/Fair2012-4953%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4953" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4953" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SXWfOI3F2-c/UFYrTS5Dm1I/AAAAAAAAGSk/seOvU7lVQ8g/Fair2012-4953_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">We walked past the draft horse barn but it was roped off so they could ready the horses for and exhibition so this was the only shot I got.  I edited it to give it an old timey feel.  I like it.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvig3AF8u2PcIpOhjn38nLiJa2n4cBRJuWOjHGnJWk66lk-nPBQi8NKM86fB3RA6hnNrJ67kQraufWuVOx5npFeN_S__gJJyqyX_BJVaeDYQ9BybRRxMaIC5phIOrVCdK8CL6KHReCag/s1600-h/Fair2012-4954%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Fair2012-4954" border="0" alt="Fair2012-4954" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--7z4fnIk73Y/UFYrUjIYIwI/AAAAAAAAGS0/24iCdI39vRE/Fair2012-4954_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">After that we tried to walk through the sale barns with the folks shucking their wares and the grange hall but it was SO crowded.  At times we were stuck in a glut of people, moving like molasses and really unable to stop and look at anything or move on to get out so we decided it was enough and time to go home.  We’d been there 7 1/2 hours though and the kids were pretty tired.  What a fun, fun day!</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-12807422046359930312012-09-08T00:12:00.001-07:002012-09-08T00:12:49.764-07:00First Days of School<p><font size="4">Yes, first dayS, because Gideon and Gabe started school on Wednesday and Zion started today, Friday.  I did not want school to start or summer to come to a close (though it was about 90 degrees today so our summer is in no way over with).  I love having my kids at home.  Alas, the dayS came.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">First came time to drop off my sweet Gideon.  I was not sure that he would let me, he is my homebody, preferring to hunker down with a show or toy than go anywhere – ever!  But he did well.  All morning Zion had been coaching him on what to expect since she went there last year.  What a great big sis! </font></p> <p><font size="4">So here we are, about to enter the school…and he’s more interested in eyeing the playground behind me.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-en8XiEwGnXc/UErvv3VJUGI/AAAAAAAAGGE/iJ7PKA_Cl0M/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4665%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4665" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4665" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcdr2wfmQM0fQllpRmVWIrcpz4Kk4rkGHdEC70kCWhDmY_MeQ4LAsaXBnm7qRJJA68KSj_nhyphenhyphenye5KSv-ytlof30EQpErprfjf01R-uMV8NJb-8wteKi0Nkm3vgD8L2TYj5Qek_pDo7Ls/?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kDS0ap5E9d4/UErvwlxnOEI/AAAAAAAAGGU/LpKvFCV2xQs/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4667%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4667" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4667" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MBQ5Jfdx_yM/UErvxTbxGFI/AAAAAAAAGGc/J72uB5YZdwo/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4667_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Then he needs to sign in.  Our summer was so nuts we didn’t do much teaching at home so I brought my highlighter, wrote his name and he wrote over it.  I was surprised today at how many letters he was already able to do today, his second day, even though I didn’t write it out first.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gbtExqDaGVE/UErvx4L2MXI/AAAAAAAAGGk/b2HaQQWuWco/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4669%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4669" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4669" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0pmrp3KcVUc/UErvyYD3caI/AAAAAAAAGGs/il2UMIzEDeY/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4669_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Then Zion showed him where to put his back pack and where to find a toy and he was all ready for me to leave.  Just like that. *sigh*</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2cvT7v6jRXo/UErvzLGN9cI/AAAAAAAAGG0/KvYV54nYh-Y/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4672%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4672" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4672" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sp3I9OPoWhA/UErvztbgoTI/AAAAAAAAGG8/ErzjuWpG2p0/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4672_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I had no time for emotions, I had one more to get to school this morning.  So home we went and I packed Gabe’s lunch complete with a special note and a little pack of Smarties candy.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BlV_MLS1nb8/UErv0BYujzI/AAAAAAAAGHE/5neUm1sGFU0/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4674%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4674" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4674" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SdqjSxy-7PE/UErv0iMBV-I/AAAAAAAAGHM/fz4yIR2Yw4g/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4674_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I’m not yet sure if I feel we are lucky in that we are living with the “walking zone”, I’d much rather a bus pick them up, but walking isn’t so bad (though most days I will drive them).  </font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBfJ8vQx0kzaE1-wmwt0qyY79Vmd5et6pC6MuRUYFzSDGRHWGW1Uu6YPe9Vjm7b5KQR_skTvHSW9bI0bYIDoXLjSKTb2u296sW180vdkRqsIScgArUp9sGKK1AKwr6y8tNUVwu-SO2a4/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4678%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4678" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4678" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-z5-peX8Zk8A/UErv1byeeBI/AAAAAAAAGHY/Px6fTsafXo0/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4678_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Jh__EUpL9Lg/UErv15J1sAI/AAAAAAAAGHk/nyyAkSCDUQ4/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4682%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4682" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4682" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ho1pOqNCk-0/UErv2kGPeNI/AAAAAAAAGHs/wJ-j4F2WFmc/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4682_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">He allowed me just a couple of pictures and then said “I have it from here, Mom.”  Why do they have to grow up so fast?  *sniff*</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pPpjFq9aDYQ/UErv3UPnuLI/AAAAAAAAGH0/xZS0sWPo5J0/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4685%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4685" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4685" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-afa_7m-9tfc/UErv3p_3jkI/AAAAAAAAGH8/ieRIhmuit0U/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4685_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">On the way home Zion has to climb and have her picture taken.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qQaWJ6S5wQ0/UErv4GBEE9I/AAAAAAAAGIE/mjPYroXIK7k/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4687%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4687" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4687" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NghT4xNxJ8Q/UErv4hDHj8I/AAAAAAAAGIM/so_dnyGeRaI/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4687_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">And I take a shot of random grass.  I love Fall (except for sending my kids back to school).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KU2QwXrGtBQ/UErv5PjFFaI/AAAAAAAAGIU/pzpBulDl1Gc/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4689%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4689" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4689" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bh8XqEfV0-E/UErv5sBinrI/AAAAAAAAGIc/ORUZmI2MIOE/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4689_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="324" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Fast forward to Friday and I’ve got three to get to school.  Zion starts Kindergarten today, Gideon has a second day of PreK (he goes three days a week for 2 1/2 hours) and Gabe has his third day of third grade.  First, Gabe and Zion and Gideon wants in on Zion’s photo so we do a silly one first.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hl6gP5m2W_4/UErv6BPDICI/AAAAAAAAGIk/SFOzvIj7_Go/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4700%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4700" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4700" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DgwsezKA_9o/UErv6R7rq-I/AAAAAAAAGIs/dl7CDYcthTM/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4700_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Then just Zion in her sassy outfit.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NSz_X-QEtsk/UErv6070j8I/AAAAAAAAGI0/zSxsi-3geuo/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4702%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4702" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4702" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--kMEWCOVq0o/UErv7YHrNXI/AAAAAAAAGI8/V4VuE5hUlhk/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4702_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Then we go find her classroom, where to put her bag and her desk.  She has been looking forward to this for years.  I might have cried if I wasn’t trying to keep Elias wrangled.  He is a good distraction.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W4RiqVWQNpk/UErv7_ohVrI/AAAAAAAAGJA/8DChjGzQPgY/s1600-h/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4708%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4708" border="0" alt="FirstDayOfSchool2012-4708" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YDTZ1pNXNb8/UErv8JXD87I/AAAAAAAAGJI/gT2geyvETL8/FirstDayOfSchool2012-4708_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">And before we knew it we’d survived our first week of school.  Liked it even.  Today I went shopping with only one child while the other three were at school.  I guess there is a benefit or two to sending the kids off to school.  Maybe.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-32518910178503508492012-08-22T22:47:00.001-07:002012-08-22T22:47:00.335-07:00It Is Done<p><font size="4">I sat down with the kids over the weekend and we looked at Towzer’s puppy pictures and laughed about the funny things he would do.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Monday night we brought him home from the vet where he’d been staying since the incident with Blue.  I didn’t want him around our other pets or our petsitters after that.  But we wanted the kids to have a chance to say goodbye and to get some last photos.  The only one I didn’t photograph with Towzer was Elias, who is so young he wouldn’t remember and is also so young and small that we didn’t want to risk him around Towz.  Mostly because he’s so active and moves so erratically and we don’t know what triggered Towzer to attack our kitten.  Perhaps it was the same thing?  Who knows. </font></p> <p><font size="4">Towzer seemed different. I think I was able to see him through fresh eyes and realize, yeah, he’s in pain and it’s obvious and the time is right for him even if just for that reason.  He had always been the most diligent of guard dogs, never relaxing for even a second lest his family come under an attack (from what, I don’t know).  He deserves his rest.</font></p> <p><font size="4">After the kids, Rob and I had a chance to say goodbye Rob and I drove Towz back to the vet while the kids stayed with a sitter.  And now’s he’s at peace.  And so are we.  Sad, but the house is more peaceful without his intensity and hyper-vigilant guarding of his family.  I do still feel badly that Blue paid for our delaying the inevitable with Towz and try to remind myself to be grateful it was not one of the kids.  Part of me thinks I should have known and part of me thinks there’s no way I could have known that Towz was capable of something so awful.  I don’t know the answer.  All we can do is move on and when I feel overwhelmed (often) I pray to The Comforter for peace beyond understanding.</font></p> <p><font size="4">And ultimately, Towzer WAS a good dog.  A good dog whose pain got to be too much and he just didn’t want his family to know.  We will remember him for the innumerable good things and not the one bad. Moving on…</font></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9VfimtXcN7o/UDXDsnkLA3I/AAAAAAAAGEE/KWUdZa53jX0/s1600-h/TowzerAug202012-4091%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TowzerAug202012-4091" border="0" alt="TowzerAug202012-4091" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wfiIiQgT7ck/UDXDtA9CQ8I/AAAAAAAAGEI/YctultpPbn8/TowzerAug202012-4091_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ISOMCS0DlG4/UDXDtqYCt_I/AAAAAAAAGEQ/HHPqoA5VTNM/s1600-h/TowzerAug202012-4093%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TowzerAug202012-4093" border="0" alt="TowzerAug202012-4093" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2SH8iCMVmmY/UDXDudP6txI/AAAAAAAAGEc/ssXwM9vVkdA/TowzerAug202012-4093_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Le7VsIMBsSA/UDXDvd_bfqI/AAAAAAAAGEk/RLbrwcx_qIo/s1600-h/TowzerAug202012-4108%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TowzerAug202012-4108" border="0" alt="TowzerAug202012-4108" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AwBDcaHXggM/UDXDvquCbkI/AAAAAAAAGEs/nHrPduwzKAI/TowzerAug202012-4108_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7IvPd8uA0_A/UDXDwmZnp1I/AAAAAAAAGE0/-D9niAUMZqo/s1600-h/TowzerAug202012-4119-2%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TowzerAug202012-4119-2" border="0" alt="TowzerAug202012-4119-2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-j7JHdJTSlCc/UDXDxCSpH-I/AAAAAAAAGE4/g-ElCaZxCXM/TowzerAug202012-4119-2_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GN3oCiAE6c4/UDXDxnlg4bI/AAAAAAAAGFE/x8z2c5CIlW0/s1600-h/TowzerAug202012-4186%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TowzerAug202012-4186" border="0" alt="TowzerAug202012-4186" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZzBtQqLwAIU/UDXDx5do1jI/AAAAAAAAGFM/KzMhVQH-Jz4/TowzerAug202012-4186_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q6KA-WoVefw/UDXDya-ZZUI/AAAAAAAAGFU/Gb1JKIRUkGI/s1600-h/TowzerAug202012-4212%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TowzerAug202012-4212" border="0" alt="TowzerAug202012-4212" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UPwpuVgfV7o/UDXDy9QtupI/AAAAAAAAGFc/h77kf5AdKAE/TowzerAug202012-4212_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Oo5DpkJPGUI/UDXD0QVhvBI/AAAAAAAAGFk/-umYPpHRHxU/s1600-h/TowzerAug202012-4172%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="TowzerAug202012-4172" border="0" alt="TowzerAug202012-4172" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9nG___PVHQg/UDXD0y3IcAI/AAAAAAAAGFs/kWJgJQDrZcw/TowzerAug202012-4172_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-80350406982240302662012-08-19T15:40:00.001-07:002012-08-19T15:40:57.780-07:00The Actual Vacation<p><font size="4">I thought I should return quickly after the sad post so I can talk a little bit about what we did on vacation that was fun.  We did have a LOT of fun despite the stuff that was yucky.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">Our first full day we head down to a series of trails and take a walk and wade in the river.  Well, most of us wade, two of us ended up dunking themselves.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E7JSVPvUPOM/UDFq4Wg-0bI/AAAAAAAAF_U/MaPmHagcbEc/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay1-3420%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay1-3420" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay1-3420" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-61ATAyELnQw/UDFq5xbbPDI/AAAAAAAAF_c/nTnjm49_GVA/LeavenworthDay1-3420_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82xtzJIZjZaJvVElY3at91Vn21PSAog_M9ZRgTOemHB_IxkAmTEjGFWTElTCVpw-fSZoCikUE1DGxXMvdCMDUaZQIilIXuKKpTHm7-HLeZ3NE4SwzwZZa00DVDSVArQqX-shnusmYEYg/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay1-3447%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay1-3447" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay1-3447" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IoqiRtpj-_g/UDFq62y_3tI/AAAAAAAAF_s/tv0aUZqk8hw/LeavenworthDay1-3447_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Later we head to the pool.  Gabe prefers being under the water.  I’m so impressed with how well he did since it’s been a while since we’ve been in the water.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GeU8hssFGv4/UDFq7jiCMSI/AAAAAAAAF_0/QmoE57XfpGA/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay1-3454%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay1-3454" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay1-3454" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_0-vQUYsOVU/UDFq8BUf9iI/AAAAAAAAF_8/JdqINrUDxPU/LeavenworthDay1-3454_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">We had foaties and water wings for the other kids.  Every day they got more confident in the water.  Elias on the other hand was too confident from the start.  He was thoroughly convinced he needed neither floatie nor parent while in the water and was constantly trying to push out of our arms.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BNbhtu12xF0/UDFrCokjboI/AAAAAAAAGAE/sSgyf2S9e3k/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay1-3460%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay1-3460" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay1-3460" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VHFVzNLshdU/UDFrDuO8fBI/AAAAAAAAGAM/G0BrVpXgOCQ/LeavenworthDay1-3460_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">One night was went to the park next door but even though it was almost 6 o’clock at night it was still in the 90s and too hot for the kids to play long.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Zlq9Pokufz0/UDFrEC0LVvI/AAAAAAAAGAU/sojai7elJoM/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay2-3496%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay2-3496" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay2-3496" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yDXCeZ4sIXE/UDFrElEQdJI/AAAAAAAAGAc/nB-HelZu--w/LeavenworthDay2-3496_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">So we went and got ice cream.  I thought it was funny that Gabe chose mint chip, Rob’s favorite, and Zion chose bubblegum, one of my favorites, even though we so rarely go for ice cream that they couldn’t have known.  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7pfxPzTcqO0/UDFrFKMHANI/AAAAAAAAGAk/nBfrCR2txUk/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay2-3530%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay2-3530" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay2-3530" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j-cmHd--CY4/UDFrHiLa91I/AAAAAAAAGAs/AL8fAUjSsMc/LeavenworthDay2-3530_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Another day we went to a trail that used to be a water pipeline.  Zion grabbed an umbrella out of the van for portable shade, clever girl.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvFpkWRqFjLDrHYWcpiXVVQHiFxtBgFQo48xzuRhPR8vRouHzwuFKXBfIKLIffhScq4OwT1IXOdKcxtsmC129SvOPQci8Mi-Dw5a6KOiIU3gPKHHOfkV23VLaRxmGX2n6yUz9U_orfCA/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay3-3542%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay3-3542" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay3-3542" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-koepWa7_PR0/UDFrKRnCycI/AAAAAAAAGA8/ckhr8tx3iLg/LeavenworthDay3-3542_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">This bridge is actually the water pipeline cut in half so that you walk on the inside of the pipe.  The view is gorgeous.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8jPI8iAIzfY/UDFrLHb7c8I/AAAAAAAAGBE/aCrwjjzTNVI/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay3-3556%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay3-3556" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay3-3556" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lIXyVbdD0Lc/UDFrMHO-fWI/AAAAAAAAGBM/vNjrtwZquBs/LeavenworthDay3-3556_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">It’s once again too hot to hike for long so we return to the trail head and play in the river.  Elias jumps right in.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0x0k1hVwL0E/UDFrMbff9nI/AAAAAAAAGBU/w4894Pu6xEY/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay3-3585%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay3-3585" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay3-3585" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H-70Jb69qp0/UDFrMxx2qtI/AAAAAAAAGBc/UyxvfB6lANw/LeavenworthDay3-3585_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I realized earlier today that I forgot hiking sandals so we had to stop at a sports store.  I ended up getting Vibram FiveFingers.  They look ridiculous and like they’d be more suitable as slippers than shoes for hiking but they were great.  I am terrible unstable on uneven terrain but these made me feel so stable and I was able to go right from the trail to climbing down boulders and then into the water and back to the trail.  Sweet!  (And do you see the fish by my foot, how cute is that.)</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-96N_PwBOeOg/UDFrNnEv23I/AAAAAAAAGBk/OJFX3CWccL0/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay3-3609%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay3-3609" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay3-3609" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ySQeId_tAJY/UDFrQkS0xHI/AAAAAAAAGBs/MlZyT_WUHO8/LeavenworthDay3-3609_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Zion and Gabe brought suits and had a great time in the river!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KSeqTKi6qmU/UDFrRKyLljI/AAAAAAAAGB0/Bn1WjANfpTw/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay3-3618%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay3-3618" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay3-3618" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PLZ6PujTAnQ/UDFrRrH943I/AAAAAAAAGB8/867BZneSUt4/LeavenworthDay3-3618_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Another day we did a series of events, first mini-golfing where Elias got to golf for the first time ever, then we went to see Ice Age4 (super funny!) and then to the arcade to play games.  And it was very nice for us that all these things were at the same location.  Yay!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Dqe5IcQh2jA/UDFrSCH4CZI/AAAAAAAAGCE/BEabqW3xV3A/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay4-3701%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay4-3701" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay4-3701" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EhkV37tcIjQ/UDFrSjsP53I/AAAAAAAAGCM/TLb8C85Mb50/LeavenworthDay4-3701_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Gideon adopts a unique stance for putt-putt.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sph1rUvmt30/UDFrTaddfzI/AAAAAAAAGCU/Cj4ZM1UT7D0/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay4-3730%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay4-3730" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay4-3730" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Oz2_VDXDSEg/UDFrT_JYLJI/AAAAAAAAGCc/MrqAf_-AD-c/LeavenworthDay4-3730_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">The kids loved the fountain.  I kept thinking that the little building behind it would make the cutest chicken coop EVER!</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uZhFipiJzqOsfV2wDOLuNADrvXBq15D1ZmUQFp3tgoJblBErFaWPcI18OmbkxBQJw9YdlXzfIhUYm01BrXUA5BlcAzwkEC-K8XIGl2q2pewoE9VQ7hF_9xoqEAYlmy0zBOA4RHS_C00/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay4-3735%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay4-3735" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay4-3735" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-INOsCRyeHUI/UDFrVGDC3VI/AAAAAAAAGCs/nP1tUb78aNk/LeavenworthDay4-3735_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">How a mommy golfs.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IBOCvra7SDI/UDFrVgkE9vI/AAAAAAAAGC0/Q1fI2b1JjT0/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay4-3744%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay4-3744" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay4-3744" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF38VHE1nBTYaYW0LH010kGB6oJUqTqyFg2vzyuHf9LhQH6JpPITQfPt4cJtSIuxpoJF454-ZorGhUbOijHO_ZvEBhyphenhyphenN4FTTB9TK-jQzqGf1_8BHaYROOg_jQJzqnnKcsRTfF_7BK-Fo/?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">One of the employees took our picture.  Rob is sitting on the rock so he looks tiny and I look like a giant.  LOL</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r4KmCF-1mZQ/UDFrWg4MYvI/AAAAAAAAGDE/pRRirE-rfFI/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay4-3752%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay4-3752" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay4-3752" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AL4LsQ6p52g/UDFrXCkbGOI/AAAAAAAAGDI/AyAkZvLO4Lo/LeavenworthDay4-3752_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ow-_0Nme2W4/UDFrXWP4prI/AAAAAAAAGDQ/a-eggfso2Kk/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay4-3753%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay4-3753" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay4-3753" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OZa9npN0kf0/UDFrX0rnUdI/AAAAAAAAGDY/nnk071gGDYA/LeavenworthDay4-3753_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">We end the day with a stop at a bakery that make only cookies.  And fantastic cookies they are!  Elias seems to want one of every kind.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vRDMRMf72wo/UDFrYaajjxI/AAAAAAAAGDk/eexMYNuR0Xw/s1600-h/LeavenworthDay4-3763%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="LeavenworthDay4-3763" border="0" alt="LeavenworthDay4-3763" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nKX5_u9f1RE/UDFraw0uMVI/AAAAAAAAGDs/tIUVeaw_m4Y/LeavenworthDay4-3763_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">That’s not all we did but I’ll save some for later.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-86667369900010729132012-08-18T23:07:00.001-07:002012-08-18T23:07:20.699-07:00The ride<p><font size="4">Life is such a roller coaster ride, sometimes up and sometimes down and sometimes up and down and up and down and up and down all at the same time.  It can be overwhelming.  A bit of our ride lately:</font></p> <p><font size="4">- last week the family got to go away on vacation, that should be so very fun and relaxing!</font></p> <p><font size="4">- a couple of days into it we got a call from the house sitter that our big dog had attacked one of our kittens.  Spent half the day back and forth with the vet on the phone.  It was bad.  On top of visible injuries it turned out the poor thing had a broken neck.  I felt terribly guilty for not preventing this as Towzer had been getting a bit grumpy lately due to his arthritis.  Now, however many days later, I still flip flop between guilt for not preventing it and giving myself grace because how could I have really known?  I don’t know but needless to say it really put a damper on our vacation.  Before we left we prayed for God to protect our critters like we always do and I’m not sure why the answer to this prayer was “No.” except that perhaps now we can prevent injury to one of the kids.  If Towzer, who has always been sweet and playful with cats, can do something so sudden and violent with one I doubt he would show restraint with the kids either.  Thank God our kids are safe.</font></p> <p><font size="4">- this is the third vacation out of the last four where one of our kitties has died unexpectedly.  It’s hard not to feel a bit attacked and vulnerable.</font></p> <p><font size="4">- considering what happened to the kitty we definitely cannot trust Towzer any longer and after consulting a behavior specialist (who we had actually had an appointment with on Sept. 5) we have decided to put him down on Monday.</font></p> <p><font size="4">- also right at the start of our vacation we found out we got an offer on the other house.  Should be good news and it is except that meant we were receiving calls and e-mails from our agent and her assistant for days and having to make big decisions and do paperwork.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">- right before vacation Rob got a new job offer.  The official, in writing offer came in at the beginning of the week while we were gone.  We had until Friday to decide whether to take it.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Rob and I have agreed that, while we still managed to DO a lot of fun things with the kids (who are holding up surprisingly well regarding the cat and dog) mentally and emotionally we were put through the ringer.  We need a do-over.</font></p> <p><font size="4">In just a few days’ time we had to decide to euthanize two of our pets, to accept or decline an offer for our house that was considerably lower than the listing price and to accept or decline a new job.  And weren’t we supposed to be vacating our every day lives?</font></p> <p><font size="4">My heart is so bruised and battered right now.  For the kids losing their pets, for me losing my pets, for the pets losing their best friends (which I know sounds so silly to some but Blue was one of a brother/sister pair that we had adopted and the two were inseparable and Towzer was Rosie’s best friend too).</font></p> <p><font size="4">We did decide to accept the offer on the house even and Rob did decide to accept the job. </font></p> <p><font size="4">I tried to focus on the positive all week while secretly I was practically sick with dread over having to come home.  Every day I prayed for God to give us peace and it was very tangible when we came home today to two less pets than when we left.  We still need to get through Monday (Towzer has been boarding at the vet since the incident happened, I didn’t want the house sitter to be at risk either) but I have hope for continuing peace and that is so big if you have ever experienced that, you know.</font></p> <p><font size="4">And can I also say that I’m so emotionally conflicted, like every year, that school is starting soon.  Summer was so fleeting and I LOVE having my kiddos home with no schedule, nothing pressing but a few chores and a lot of fun.  But we moved this summer and we STILL aren’t fully unpacked so there was less fun than I wanted.  Did I mention that I LOVE having my kids home?!  I’m so not one of those moms who counts the hours and minutes from the end of one school year to the start of the next.  If I wasn’t so distractible and a lousy planner and a total procrastinator I’d home school.  LOL</font></p> <p><font size="4">I’ve got one going full time, one going full days half the school week and one going for half days a few days a week.  There will actually be hours of the day where I only have one kid.  *sniff*</font></p> <p><font size="4">I will not look forward, I will not look back, I will look UP.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-73325237983483568952012-07-28T23:59:00.001-07:002012-07-28T23:59:24.264-07:00Still Alive<p><font size="4">Random posting.  I wish I was more consistent these days but life happens, ya know?  :)</font></p> <p><font size="4">We are settling into the new house and by that I mean we have acquired another bunny, two kittens and four goats but we are still not unpacked.  ha ha ha!  One day I will be unpacked but there’s plenty of time for that, right?</font></p> <p><font size="4">I also took another photography workshop and had a great time and I got to shadow a portrait photographer doing a family session recently.  I am a “watch and learn” person to the nth degree.  Hearing?  Nope.  Reading?  Definitely not.  So I jump at the chance to observe someone in action.</font></p> <p><font size="4">We’ve also just been super busy.  Rob is gone a lot these days with both his civilian job and the Navy.  We did get a chance to go away for our 10th anniversary a couple of weeks ago (I’ll post pics, I PROMISE, we stayed at the greatest place) and today we went to the 50th anniversary party of my aunt and uncle.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I had no idea how hard it was going to be to be with that side of the family without my mom there.  It was the first time since she passed it and just hit me hard.  I had a great time visiting with three of my uncles at the end.  So much so that saying “goodbye” took two hours.  LOL</font></p> <p><font size="4">Three of the kids were in my oldest niece’s wedding in June.  It was supposed to be two of them, Zion was a “feather girl” (she tossed feathers instead of flower petals) and Gideon was to carry the ring pillow (with no rings).  At the last minute Gideon decided he didn’t want to do it so we tossed Elias in.  Elias walked part of the way down the aisle and handed the pillow off to a random woman sitting on the bride’s side and walked back out.  So Rob gave the pillow back to Gideon who finished walking it down the aisle.  It was a very casual and fun wedding, amazing really, and I’m so happy for my niece and new nephew.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Elias is the fasted growing boy ever.  A new haircut magically transformed him from baby to boy as those darn haircuts are prone to doing.  He also had a language explosion and has so many new things to say that are actually real words.  Check out my BABY!  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KZea2FEvrOo/UBTfKKjnKqI/AAAAAAAAF-I/t8juuUKEi5o/s1600-h/EliasSunny-3023%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="EliasSunny-3023" border="0" alt="EliasSunny-3023" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_U6jBm0ehsI/UBTfKf_VGeI/AAAAAAAAF-Q/cZufbLgf65U/EliasSunny-3023_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="608" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I do have the hardest time not calling him The Baby.  He’ll probably be stuck with that his whole life.  Could be worse, I guess.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I have been a bit nervous about how Gideon will do in preschool in the Fall.  He does not do well in group environments and typically says “No thank you.” to instructions to participate in class activities.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">At least he’s polite about it.</font></p> <p><font size="4">So I got a copy of the class’s daily schedule and set up some “school” days with some friends with similar aged boys.  The first day of school I discovered he had a fever right when the first student showed up.  So Gideon watched TV while we painted with liquid chalk outside.  Zion joined us and they, at least, had a good time.  </font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uOJCRcDEwmU/UBTfLJNuRgI/AAAAAAAAF-Y/7XcbTuQqzCs/s1600-h/ZionChalking-2344%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ZionChalking-2344" border="0" alt="ZionChalking-2344" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7pNfcZpMuxE/UBTfLz7blRI/AAAAAAAAF-g/VhleU7XOVjs/ZionChalking-2344_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="302" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">The chalk was super easy to make, corn starch and water in a 1:1 ratio and food coloring.  That’s it.  Just mix and go paint!  They decorated our patio and it rained the next day so then they got to decorate it again.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Two of our goats:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-C_dZ5w1VnzA/UBTfMKmzJ6I/AAAAAAAAF-o/2-hVerhqWeI/s1600-h/RhettRitaJuly82012-1812%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="RhettRitaJuly82012-1812" border="0" alt="RhettRitaJuly82012-1812" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AyyaVg87-zc/UBTfMjpmuBI/AAAAAAAAF-w/cE4CFpEiqy4/RhettRitaJuly82012-1812_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="302" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">The one in front is Rhett, Gabe’s goat, and the one in back is Rita, Zion’s goat.  They have joined a local 4-H group and will get to show their goats (if we can ever find a show we’re not out of town for – gah!). They are even cuter in person, especially when you see how TINY they are!</font></p> <p><font size="4">I also got two goats in a pretty snazzy trade.  I’m knitting a blanket in exchange for two female pygoras. They are absolutely the softest things EVER!  </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sHGc_7s2xiM/UBTfNM_xKCI/AAAAAAAAF-4/lRvaylcMxOY/s1600-h/CinnamonSugarJuly82012-1814%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="CinnamonSugarJuly82012-1814" border="0" alt="CinnamonSugarJuly82012-1814" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XdxS0FWGsfA/UBTfS6xrNuI/AAAAAAAAF_A/NJrD1S_uBvg/CinnamonSugarJuly82012-1814_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="302" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I named them Cinnamon and Sugar and they will grow a super soft, cashmere like fiber that someday I hope to be able to knit myself something with.  When they are old enough I may have them bred and then we’ll have fresh goat’s milk.  And if you think goat’s milk is gross it’s only because you haven’t had it fresh.  I bought some at the store and nearly wretched at the first sip.  Then I tried some at someone’s house which was fresh from the morning before and it was SO good.  Goat’s milk is like that, it has to absolutely fresh or it tastes like your licking a buck and I don’t know anybody who wants to do that.</font></p> <p><font size="4">So I should call it quite as it’s three minutes to midnight and I’m prone to getting silly when I’m up late.  </font></p> <p><font size="4"> </font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-55194419399472869242012-06-11T22:17:00.001-07:002012-06-11T22:17:48.127-07:00We Moved<p><font size="4">It’s as simple as that.  In a whirlwind things seem to happen at record speed toward the end and we are in our new house.  We are surrounded by piles of boxes but it already feels like home.  And in the last couple of weeks I have had many firsts, I have collected eggs from my very own chickens (the sellers left 4 hens and a rooster so even though the chicks we bought aren’t laying yet we do have eggs), I used a weed whacker and drove a riding lawnmower.</font></p> <p><font size="4">It’s also been gross and rainy and I recognized right away that I also needed my very first pair of barn and garden boots.  Don’t ask me how I managed to grow up in Washington without ever having a pair of rubber boots but I did. I did find some cute one for my first pair:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-riku0b0Nv_M/T9bQ9TMTQDI/AAAAAAAAF9k/z0kyCZh_YKA/s1600-h/BarnBoots-0632%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="BarnBoots-0632" border="0" alt="BarnBoots-0632" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MMbQSkLt1p8/T9bQ9qGxNVI/AAAAAAAAF9s/FYaUySOj_Fo/BarnBoots-0632_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">The kids are absolutely in heaven.  4+ acres on which to run around.  The first morning we woke up in the house Zion, Gabe and I walked out to see if there were any eggs left for us yet, as we opened the gate on the run Zion says “Can you *believe* we live here?!”  Nope, sweetie, I almost can’t.  It is certainly a dream come true for me.</font></p> <p><font size="4">So now you know that if you aren’t seeing blog posts from me that I’m still unpacking.  And collecting eggs.  And cleaning the chicken coop.  And mowing the lawn (what do you call it when it’s FOUR acres?)  And taking pictures of my chickens eating spaghetti.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QConb3Jf5BU/T9bQ-OQCpuI/AAAAAAAAF90/j6mlg8yBV3k/s1600-h/SpaghettiHens-0604%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="SpaghettiHens-0604" border="0" alt="SpaghettiHens-0604" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-97OZ2QSAg1c/T9bQ-4puRDI/AAAAAAAAF98/IxQwPb8CJZk/SpaghettiHens-0604_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">I wanted to name the rooster Elvis but I got outvoted when Gabe suggested “Brewster”.  Pft.  Whatev.  OK, I admit, it’s a really cute name for a rooster.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-89085548448694359832012-05-06T22:56:00.001-07:002012-05-06T22:56:00.320-07:00Oops.<p><font size="4">Not really.  I don’t feel bad at all.  Though this may be an addiction.  I only meant to get two more.  It’s not my fault.  I should never be left alone in a farm store where chicks are for sale.  Meet our new ladies.</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">Camilla, she’s a Delaware:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xZFzmOEvAu0/T6dj5XmNFWI/AAAAAAAAF8g/XtW4ZN06bck/s1600-h/ChicksNewMay4-9143%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksNewMay4-9143" border="0" alt="ChicksNewMay4-9143" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jM782kwPnKc/T6dj5nLUACI/AAAAAAAAF8o/1ylAApcSiHk/ChicksNewMay4-9143_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163" /></a></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">This one is a Blue Andalusian, she has the sweetest temperament but, alas, no name yet.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OInysIJjkyU/T6dj6NP7h1I/AAAAAAAAF8w/EJDSgxc6ACE/s1600-h/ChicksNewMay4-9147%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksNewMay4-9147" border="0" alt="ChicksNewMay4-9147" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EXkp0L3ET3A/T6dj6fOGhsI/AAAAAAAAF84/xfgxR4QNDAw/ChicksNewMay4-9147_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Another yet unnamed lady, she’s a Mille Fleur Bantam.  Though she came out of the straight run bin (meaning no guarantee of gender) I learned a little trick that I’m putting to the test regarding determining gender based on those first wing feathers.  If my test is accurate this is a girl chick (and the other two bantams I got are boy chicks – oh dear).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fcNhYgEx6sk/T6dj6m0FC4I/AAAAAAAAF9A/GA5lCcxiggw/s1600-h/ChicksNewMay4-9151%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksNewMay4-9151" border="0" alt="ChicksNewMay4-9151" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F-dv2uTyNgI/T6dj7Mf6wLI/AAAAAAAAF9I/0eUfNVlRyDo/ChicksNewMay4-9151_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Last but not least, Zion’s new love.  In fact, she named her Heart.  She claims it’s because the chick loves Zion so much but I suspect it’s because Zion loves her so much.  She is a Buff Orpington and a sweeter chick can’t be found.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QD5edFmMCGY/T6dj7Z8FxxI/AAAAAAAAF9Q/2KeOVoQv5-o/s1600-h/ChicksNewMay4-9155%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksNewMay4-9155" border="0" alt="ChicksNewMay4-9155" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rGR7I-Bd1R8/T6dj7xXZB3I/AAAAAAAAF9Y/FS7ZOJ6DVA8/ChicksNewMay4-9155_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Today we bought a new-to-us brooder box which gave the chicks more room and they are in seventh heaven.  One of them lost herself completely in an impromptu dust bath that had me in stitches.  Chicken are hilarious.  Who knew? </font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-3454926989258164772012-04-29T22:33:00.001-07:002012-04-29T22:33:52.942-07:00Ch-ch-ch-changes<p><font size="4">So here’s the thing.  We’ve had a lot going on lately.  Lots of changes.  The biggest one being that we’ll be moving soon. This house was never one that we wanted to stay in, we were rather stuck here though. We bought right at the peak of the market because Rob’s employer transferred us here.  We left a small property where we had goats, who we had to find homes for, and lots of dreams of chickens and horses and gardens.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Then right after we bought the market crashed.  Over the next few years the value of our home dropped tens of thousands annually.  *weep*</font></p> <p><font size="4">But then we hit this miraculous balance of having our loan paid off, an inheritance from my father-in-law and a property I’ve been drooling over since we moved here six years ago suddenly having a for sale in front.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I KNOW in my mind that it’s not ours yet and during the sale of a home many things can happen to make the deal fall through but I feel so peaceful about the whole thing that I can only think that God had this planned all along.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I feel secure enough that everything is going to work out that Rob and I went out and bought half a dozen chicks on Friday.  LOL  The new house has a few acres and already has a chicken coop.  I just couldn’t help myself.  They will be nearly old enough to live outdoors about the time we move.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">I have been reading up like made about chickens, gardens and homesteading in general.  Based on availability and my research on personality we chose to buy two Black Austrolorps and two Ameraucanas.  I wanted two Silky Bantams as well but the feed store only had “Assorted” Bantams with no guarantee of breed.  They were also straight run (meaning their gender is unknown).  I was caught up in the moment and thought “Why not?” so we got two of those as well.  Later, at bedtime we prayed that off all our chicks that if any turned out to be a rooster there would be only one.  LOL</font></p> <p><font size="4">On Friday of this week I’m heading off to another location to pick up, hopefully, a pair of Buff Orpingtons and Delawares.  In a few months we’ll have eggs abundant on our little farm.</font></p> <p><font size="4">All that talk, and what a change of topics from the blog previously, and no pics.  What?  That’s simply unaccapteble.  So here you go.  Pics of the chicks from today.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mO5C1KRtigA/T54kJ-badsI/AAAAAAAAF68/OZQmyiwQBzM/s1600-h/ChicksApr29-9053%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksApr29-9053" border="0" alt="ChicksApr29-9053" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iQVw7n0I_YA/T54kM0N0nsI/AAAAAAAAF7E/fS7xY94aN3A/ChicksApr29-9053_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RNd1VOrgquHBwc4fwbZ-SyBBPGcuTy3FDKDSg44B1XAKM55ZBYyXSg5xtBu1n9dp3d7iuUK-S5A63BuTwAo5plJRyaCBlXGeuWC-HIA-9CP6t-c-tHS7YEgRWKyXawpTjvRC1tR34QU/s1600-h/ChicksApr29-9063%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksApr29-9063" border="0" alt="ChicksApr29-9063" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-j3Y-6KO-zBiy88RvinOWnVK64MXeVcC8Yq9F4ANogNHMZTqHCLHyWtBH7DuSfd8iOIQoKWUv6xNisg-a44Zlak0oFC4Dba8jv_K0bfe9D_egCAOVHVOh68QmlamwO7M7UHUkpeNuyA/?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-u4iKx6IN3Us/T54kN1xYueI/AAAAAAAAF7c/9hzp07Tu2Pk/s1600-h/ChicksApr29-9072%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksApr29-9072" border="0" alt="ChicksApr29-9072" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-u_sfUYPYWJw/T54kOBTtnZI/AAAAAAAAF7k/bYDoDTBXcHc/ChicksApr29-9072_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A5BIs9iPUqM/T54kOeu9EyI/AAAAAAAAF7s/0Wop7BIG6Fc/s1600-h/ChicksApr29-9087%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksApr29-9087" border="0" alt="ChicksApr29-9087" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LSqXMTogywo/T54kOvab1wI/AAAAAAAAF70/m0cvZNv8qWo/ChicksApr29-9087_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7jhHmb7z9C0/T54kPPZR_mI/AAAAAAAAF78/uEh8AN-3dgA/s1600-h/ChicksApr29-9105%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksApr29-9105" border="0" alt="ChicksApr29-9105" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KuV05JxGwMk/T54kPdlZckI/AAAAAAAAF8E/R44T-tQu_l4/ChicksApr29-9105_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="163" height="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidSAkzMJLg8R4hP6j4JxsWYYPzuvUtWkCm3iRDsUGQrl4ZAlj43tXhdnGgsFzOgK87l4GQIU-iD9v7sCwY05Q4aXU57O0MT0V-7g1jRQ8gEEuHqwbWujfc70B0a2HVu2FQBMzIUfW9D8/s1600-h/ChicksApr29-9123%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChicksApr29-9123" border="0" alt="ChicksApr29-9123" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xI6g_PrieWk/T54kQGisUtI/AAAAAAAAF8U/O9K_2VEUDto/ChicksApr29-9123_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">The girls (hoping anyway) are:</font></p> <p><font size="4">Top row left to right: Music and Fluffster (can you tell the kids helped name them)</font></p> <p><font size="4">Middle row left to right: Lucille and Louise</font></p> <p><font size="4">Bottom row left to right: Rio and Sophia</font></p> <p><font size="4">Real quick before I sign off, sorry for the dead air for a while.  I bought a new laptop and had a dickens of a time get my blog writer to work on it.  Now it does and with all the fun changes coming up I hope to be on a lot more letting you all know how things are going.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-8889080895835305182012-04-29T22:08:00.001-07:002012-04-29T22:08:10.946-07:00Back in the Saddle<p>Trying to get back in the blogging saddle.</p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-50515402738274092712012-02-06T17:53:00.001-08:002012-02-06T17:53:54.911-08:00Baked Oatmeal<p><font size="3">I’ve been meaning to blog this recipe for a while.  1) I LOVE it!  2) The kids LOVE it and shout for joy when I serve it for breakfast 3) I keep losing my recipe and if I blog it I will always know where to find it.  I don’t have great pictures but I promise, it’s FANTASTIC!  It’s like the cross between an oatmeal cookie and oatmeal cake.  *happy sigh*</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wfHkP8deyr4/TzCEL-fP2II/AAAAAAAAF6s/RXV1fH2Z_Ow/s1600-h/BakedOatmeal-5988%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="BakedOatmeal-5988" border="0" alt="BakedOatmeal-5988" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wGWd43aN6wk/TzCEMg5BEiI/AAAAAAAAF60/CMhGqZPs0H8/BakedOatmeal-5988_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">I warn you, however, that making this recipe could lead to overeating.  </font></p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="4">Baked Oatmeal</font></strong></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">2 eggs</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">1 cup sugar or honey</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">1/2 cup oil</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">3 cups oatmeal (uncooked)</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">1 cup milk or milk alternative (I use oat milk)</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">2 tsp baking powder</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">pinch of sea salt (or other salt if that’s all you have)</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">spices (I use about a teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ginger, nutmeg and clove)</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">raisins or chopped apple (optional)</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">Don’t even worry about using a mixing bowl, just grab a 2-quart baking dish and mix it right in that.  Mix eggs, oil and sugar.  Add baking powder.  Stir in the rest of ingredients until well mixed.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or microwave on high for about 8-10 minutes.  Serve with cinnamon and sugar and/or milk (which I’ve never bothered doing because it’s just so good on its own).</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">I got this recipe from a friend and, as I’ve mentioned, love it so much as it is but I do plan to play with it someday to make it a little more healthy.  If I do that and it turns out well I’ve blog that too (I’ll need to be able to find my recipe, right).</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-34018502447310196972012-02-05T11:30:00.000-08:002012-02-05T11:30:00.904-08:00Michigan<span style="font-size: small;">At the beginning of January Rob, Gabe and I took the chance to visit family in Michigan, namely Bill. By that time we knew things were moving much faster than expected and that we many not have another chance to visit. Zion, Gideon, and Elias got to stay with their “Tantie” while we were gone. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The first day is all flying. One of our layovers (yes, I said one of) is in San Francisco and we found this cute kids area that had interact science displays. My favorite was the Aeolian wind tub, using the handle you can change the direction of the fan and watch how it effects the sand. I want one of these in my house!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DC_JCBGHPy4/Ty4v8Dko0nI/AAAAAAAAFzU/3h3tdXxkpyI/s1600-h/GabeAeolianWind-0044%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="GabeAeolianWind-0044" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3OgQenu0OWM/Ty4v8Y2Q2gI/AAAAAAAAFzc/f4ZpF4GOvr0/GabeAeolianWind-0044_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="GabeAeolianWind-0044" width="270" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Eventually we land in Cleveland where we have a hotel for the night. In the morning we start the 3 1/2 hour drive to Rob’s hometown. On the way we see a trucker driving his semi with his knees so he can eat a sub sandwich. A wee bit frightening.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8RXrk_Cc5bk/Ty4v8vH8SqI/AAAAAAAAFzk/AgFIaN9uUZI/s1600-h/OhioHighway-5563%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="OhioHighway-5563" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RRXJjuU_Etw/Ty4v83pJVtI/AAAAAAAAFzs/LGf5RYS7dAs/OhioHighway-5563_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="OhioHighway-5563" width="270" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The first day is all visiting with family but in the morning Rob and I go for a walk. I wish we’d had more time because I’m in love with old barns, especially red ones, and you can find them in abundance around there. Sometimes red sheds too.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aGUdNYu6TQI/Ty4v9LnKHDI/AAAAAAAAFz0/TFvTf-0s47A/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5585%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5585" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yBWcNPDoxjY/Ty4v9ZvPwMI/AAAAAAAAFz8/2Pd_PsMM904/MichiganTrip-5585_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5585" width="404" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-j6ZbjmTlpBE/Ty4v9jdO5BI/AAAAAAAAF0E/RON4jSOxWyw/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5595%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5595" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rg5mvSHnJmM/Ty4v96C81DI/AAAAAAAAF0M/CFCM6KTgsCc/MichiganTrip-5595_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5595" width="404" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Bill and Gabe play that game where they try to slap each others’ hands. Goofballs.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8_7CaPxwzkw/Ty4v-KaYLqI/AAAAAAAAF0U/znDgkxN2IP0/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5602%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5602" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6jbHWF6hnH8/Ty4v-T1fUEI/AAAAAAAAF0c/4NpmQiGqAeM/MichiganTrip-5602_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5602" width="180" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2cwC3wrKAiY/Ty4v-ll3VoI/AAAAAAAAF0k/si8ENAAQTbQ/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5606%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5606" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_or9z5lF5Ow/Ty4v-qnVr_I/AAAAAAAAF0s/sOp_2Qe3m0k/MichiganTrip-5606_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5606" width="180" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Later we take a drive and even later than that we play games.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The next day is Sunday and we are invited to attend church. The kids looked so nice I couldn’t resist a few pictures. Codi, Tristan and Brook:</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CzDcGhyovJk/Ty4v-_6B0zI/AAAAAAAAF00/u91T8WpfJxw/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5615%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5615" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lKmyc7M8yzc/Ty4v_JI4ZRI/AAAAAAAAF08/GIdZ3GHZth4/MichiganTrip-5615_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5615" width="180" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0-Vt9j5-Bno/Ty4v_aGgzcI/AAAAAAAAF1E/8tJaVQeMQr8/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5618%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5618" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ylEsRE22vUU/Ty4v_sId33I/AAAAAAAAF1M/mfmiMkrT0G8/MichiganTrip-5618_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5618" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhje6DXoQ6XlxENH3Fa97COLddSbYSEEZqucUeIG8Er2VrwNXX8Qeqpt7PL7ajVv8MlJ5vuPXeqh0r_WYWpChvcyh8oMrziRwqUCHFjddpqGptv_TzwvZhL9huI4Oh7ot7uBqCp9KNaeFA/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5620%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5620" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-asr8Mmmodcc/Ty4wANtLnOI/AAAAAAAAF1c/3GSc34_zHZ4/MichiganTrip-5620_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5620" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikt9AfyQWDbiBQqQrigCcdpARLFMx03zRykvIG8hUM9b7dSDXY8yKo1Ee4IQ44-OhWUC_pBL2E_AWZjAY-Iwv3ulA1ZTeo81asjxNCOmJVEYv48kJVVpRPuW2YVYU5p3WjAEN5YxNwTH0/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5629%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5629" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3UOzBigS1Nc/Ty4wAq3nd-I/AAAAAAAAF1s/Rwk8R71GXGo/MichiganTrip-5629_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5629" width="180" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Then we wanted to show Gabe the local park where all the bridges are made out of cement. It’s really interesting.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nuOiDJAQ7OZF-4pDMD2_TGuWpkiR6fZgb4CRLk5-2KcLhMjjgU7a64HS558ne0-dqUCcPw6-TpXd_SRIjQQOuVcDhPZ_ETtSN-JSP3_FNl-hdGaaRpMopwz6iCPn4HAYVCz_-hkbrnQ/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5631%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5631" border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGrmGMUd1Dcska30-y5iWMb48jrfiEZQqU9DdJCY6_lVCZ0zAyOzi-CPQPo21Q3iobYnhQcHu2f4grwYn_0N3GddBZigJQpMSj9hyvukl47rMWwyygBz2DcmYtK3FEkBfKHXrPVXw8ps/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5631" width="180" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IRBwlV0T4ho/Ty4wBVM6T7I/AAAAAAAAF2E/tmiOvGZNrj4/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5633%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5633" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-T0wcH-Kqej0/Ty4wBeedjyI/AAAAAAAAF2M/JUQh5H-CnZQ/MichiganTrip-5633_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5633" width="404" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-w-rC9hx48WE/Ty4wBk55pXI/AAAAAAAAF2U/jd12PedVYUA/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5639%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5639" border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMn5-LCWT0ECUtiNbAMZBnfp9x8qEwDTLvseAGoa5R4EQKSNOi5xLjhsibJaBsJcth16ggG8a2HgsMYjJ83wqfc23Q_I-H8clVfkh1n5IDdNsuMFn3SoMh3PmO5XSzxbUwc-bHZmXjZzc/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5639" width="180" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VPh_rRMuqMw/Ty4wCPSLQdI/AAAAAAAAF2k/QEYE15P8tGQ/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5652%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5652" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bPUbvdmYmQs/Ty4wCuxRhqI/AAAAAAAAF2s/szQ-3E-q7Wg/MichiganTrip-5652_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5652" width="180" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ghi2cN6o9J0/Ty4wDbErPNI/AAAAAAAAF20/ECDijh1xqno/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5654%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5654" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ylYZeN2cSqQ/Ty4wDQTJYDI/AAAAAAAAF28/6Egi9yeO4RQ/MichiganTrip-5654_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5654" width="404" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OEyNpI-xLyM/Ty4wD1Hg6DI/AAAAAAAAF3E/ldX6TTjwjWQ/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5656%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5656" border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxq5XGxj6AZ9R-_tu_wzbf9iecDx6DjcCbZJxYo_m55U4XOqdBaj7kQ8LqVcbCPr3CudAjSzDzVPg2zR2juAyK2X5DnrlIS3qO4l0J7QX3jwUrnRJ0nxdQoYEy7qF_5gUxNSG7fkssck/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5656" width="404" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JkjHKEhrssA/Ty4wEUMg_vI/AAAAAAAAF3U/BvQDrW--RLY/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5665%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5665" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YDrHnC8-Zl8/Ty4wEhdUA0I/AAAAAAAAF3c/5HAGmMvzHrQ/MichiganTrip-5665_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5665" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dWcPSNDvaGOV0VUGKmW14H7yEGjwzyeK_cTZMI2ZMuud3VlR5ChLEcWcAHHEnAVur-WhD-FIdmbtfEV7VB9oKM_pdcPqq9bdo7sFT92Z5g2R7O3eG6U9duO-2Aev2WZ9_5uK9a1GThQ/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5676%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5676" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2oy9IIYuxTE/Ty4wFAEGPoI/AAAAAAAAF3s/2yMi_UeX_T8/MichiganTrip-5676_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5676" width="404" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XwkfYKKbTYE/Ty4wFbkDhXI/AAAAAAAAF30/BQK421xduHU/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5677%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5677" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WxHz6c51byQ/Ty4wFsa3H4I/AAAAAAAAF38/ccciKxiTfRI/MichiganTrip-5677_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5677" width="180" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">At lunch Tristan convinces me to try the meatball sub at Subway. Mmmm, it’s been a long time. Yum.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">After that break we visit with Freda who was a grandmother figure to Rob when he was young. She’s a firecracker!</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zbExqcGA6tA/Ty4wFxm4XcI/AAAAAAAAF4E/YICm1mwc4b0/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5688%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5688" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HsJdQrhWdgc/Ty4wGFs2NtI/AAAAAAAAF4M/CrSkUsew0SQ/MichiganTrip-5688_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5688" width="404" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Our last event of the day is to follow Codi to go visit her mom, Shelley, we were greeted by coyote howls and spooky trees – loved it!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kC1YqYMzHJpRv1LGe25IBX1JWq-nKIgwsR22RMEC_bh9RnkrlBwdXIfgVcXURjiqNjAdUrMiNfP60_pakkV32LzexVXTsrnWV4BAx7JEYxQ-czUt_6U-WtiIc1Qo8B2zXLX_6u0A0dU/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5690%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5690" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FZqdqmfJdR0/Ty4wGozpRqI/AAAAAAAAF4c/9OgrNBqKWbI/MichiganTrip-5690_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5690" width="180" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Our last day, boy it went fast! A few pics before we leave. Rob and his brother, Carl:</span><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-11Iisbly5fU/Ty4wG1NqDhI/AAAAAAAAF4k/jac131ibVVU/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5691%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5691" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1SHJlGldlLw/Ty4wHAtDooI/AAAAAAAAF4s/1blsFG60B3w/MichiganTrip-5691_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5691" width="404" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Carl, Rob and Bill:</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yN95hVHksxM/Ty4wHWj8ZGI/AAAAAAAAF40/eiOkI5zYkCI/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5692%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5692" border="0" height="269" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Dov_3WH0ogo/Ty4wHsWhxJI/AAAAAAAAF5A/S5Q5-SE7umE/MichiganTrip-5692_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5692" width="404" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Bill’s wife, Joyce:</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PMVHcyEJqY0/Ty4wIYhskDI/AAAAAAAAF5I/mxBo6P_s_gQ/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5696%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5696" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-msFfM2Y4kS8/Ty4wJBoKROI/AAAAAAAAF5U/B-_ScB6TCmc/MichiganTrip-5696_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5696" width="180" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">*sigh* Too short, it was good to see family and especially Bill. The only thing that’s left is another long day of travel home. But God treats me with a gorgeous sunset on the way home. It sure does last a long time when you’re flying west.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qfi-NG4Huwk/Ty4wJHgCGgI/AAAAAAAAF5c/Exxuz8fbWhc/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5719%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="MichiganTrip-5719" border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaLo4CE0nsIeRqKyH6iETAuopP2vy0NCTOPYCV_Lz45b0jIcgMLRxzsJWmLL-Ap4MSEmic01kOaLa-VMSGe450ZewrL0zWouOX6Nt6TchzbexbPQ0p2kSe2rH1d8VvMWQ3WyBr-tVzDI/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="MichiganTrip-5719" width="404" /></a>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-47679245559242100272012-02-04T22:57:00.001-08:002012-02-04T22:59:21.246-08:00Bill<p><font size="3">Rob’s flight left at 6AM this morning.  At about 10AM I got the call that Bill had passed.  Rob called from a layover and we chatted, he’s doing OK.  Actually feeling the stress of feeling rushed lifted.  So we’re OK.  As OK as we can be.  Bill was wonderful to me from the moment we met, treated me like a daughter, always remembered my birthday, he never failed to call AND send a card.  As happens with these sorts of events it does not seem real, I feel as though I could call tomorrow and chat with him.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Well, you know what to do, pray for us.  Thanks!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-V9ygAJB7ZCo/Ty4ox8EmchI/AAAAAAAAFzE/eP8MyCfsc6E/s1600-h/MichiganTrip-5595%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="MichiganTrip-5595" border="0" alt="MichiganTrip-5595" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WHeRW4ihCw0/Ty4oyPoOhUI/AAAAAAAAFzI/LE9Ihkv4VH0/MichiganTrip-5595_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="3">Bill and Gabe goof off, January 6, 2012.</font></strong></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-32186035567127681032012-02-03T22:20:00.001-08:002012-02-03T22:20:38.165-08:00Sorry<p><font size="3">About the disappearing act that is.  First the holidays, which were great.  We had an awesome Christmas.  But January was a wash.  At the beginning we learned that my father-in-law, who had recently been diagnosed with cancer, was not doing well so we planned a short notice trip to Michigan.  Rob, Gabe and I fly out while the other three stayed with my sister, Jamie.  </font></p> <p><font size="3">We had a great visit in Michigan.  Bill perked up a bit with us there though it was clear that the cancer was marching on.  Then the state of Washington got blasted with snow and ice.  Like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Ever.  We lost electricity in addition to many limbs from all of our trees (major sadness).  We were out for three days others were out for a week or more.  We did fine at home though.  It was cold but we have a gas hot water heater so we had hot water and a gas stove so we could cook hot food.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Then just as I thought things would settle and normalize (ha!) we got the call just hours ago that Bill may not make it through the night.  Rob already had a ticket to fly out tomorrow night but he’s found an earlier flight out in the morning.  We’re hoping Bill holds on until he can get there.</font></p> <p><font size="3">On a happier note, this morning before we knew that Bill’s health had deteriorated so drastically, I had a mini-photo shoot with my boy Gideon.  He is so, so funny and enjoyed giving me some faces for the camera.  His only fee?  Getting to see the back of the camera.  He reacts like he won the lottery every time “LOOK!  There I am!”</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bunPRBG8lng/TyzOJxMnFeI/AAAAAAAAFxk/4KYmq4i8l6s/s1600-h/Gideon-6364%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gideon-6364" border="0" alt="Gideon-6364" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mjTGuHKYE3U/TyzOKIexwAI/AAAAAAAAFxo/xshoTanGWs8/Gideon-6364_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IPrTdCivrtQ/TyzOKWDqiXI/AAAAAAAAFx0/tlT5-EhCB4M/s1600-h/Gideon-6367%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gideon-6367" border="0" alt="Gideon-6367" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2wEeW6Putpo/TyzOKfSmqcI/AAAAAAAAFx4/vHR8pBI5m9Q/Gideon-6367_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UlDeu-B5RNs/TyzOKz9BMII/AAAAAAAAFyA/fTU9aH1T4CU/s1600-h/Gideon-6370%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gideon-6370" border="0" alt="Gideon-6370" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EsmBhTXmYZU/TyzOLtTG5_I/AAAAAAAAFyM/a3LWElzhJGk/Gideon-6370_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="270" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h_r2a525E7LRX7CFglTYP3HKO77f-5SOOqfCluMdIq6XOAKtH6xomG71uFeXKo1e84K7fUm_o004ir4JlDVpNnRoaUD9sRETJMDvr4oHukhOehW-fj3QzIbUF8tpON5gicfmD8EODow/s1600-h/Gideon-6372%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gideon-6372" border="0" alt="Gideon-6372" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Eo9NU7Addw8/TyzOMI3ja2I/AAAAAAAAFyc/VXQl0k_x3a8/Gideon-6372_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="270" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sBmp-kwx0_M/TyzOMki-EWI/AAAAAAAAFyk/0Qf9mdcTP60/s1600-h/Gideon-6374%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gideon-6374" border="0" alt="Gideon-6374" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e1d4dy2CWqg/TyzOM40KeMI/AAAAAAAAFyo/bO-VVoSRSBQ/Gideon-6374_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="270" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Mp4cyQ2PGZc/TyzONBpajTI/AAAAAAAAFy0/bE1mEbCoHJ4/s1600-h/Gideon-6374-2%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Gideon-6374-2" border="0" alt="Gideon-6374-2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-k7Je8JFlE8c/TyzONfu3MmI/AAAAAAAAFy8/z82N2xnJ_AA/Gideon-6374-2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="3">That is all.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5832993448270106413.post-88924383522220357952011-12-19T23:13:00.001-08:002011-12-19T23:13:39.355-08:00Fa La La<p><font size="3">Tis the season for holiday concerts fa la la la la la la la la!</font></p> <p><font size="3">Zion had her school concert and it was an honest to goodness holiday concert as in actual Christmas songs.  Zion had been looking forward to it for weeks.  A couple of days before I bought her the shiny shoes she’d be eyeing at the store for weeks.  She was SO excited she posed seriously for pictures (no tongue sticking out!) and left her hair band in (pretty much a life time first).</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH0MnUGH8jsX7pR5s49K08wdC7qlP2PoNyh125OznkiKj6wNkKY1XIkq1P9b5DD6rT_HOnjpI1xoEfnpUKan2hV7AD_bliXSUKIkZi9HZsaEId8yYKRZDrGZTO9ghWe2FnNvH5jjrSao/s1600-h/ZionBlueDress-4143%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ZionBlueDress-4143" border="0" alt="ZionBlueDress-4143" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TG8zLt9LtYY/TvA1moW6y7I/AAAAAAAAFws/lDcSLe5FQ4o/ZionBlueDress-4143_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">Gabe also had his school concert and, well, I’ll try not to speak too negatively.  Of course I loved seeing my son on stage singing with his classmates.  It makes me sad that, even though the school plans the concert for right before the holidays that they include no holiday music.  Winter themed songs yes (and one 1 or  out of all of them), holiday, no.  I remember the concerts I was in when I was a kid and it just makes me sad.  Still, we celebrated Gabe and his chance to perform and that’s what counts.  Here he is in one of his three songs (only three, the rest of the time, and it was a looooong time, we watched other people’s children perform – and most of that time we were sitting on the floor, oh wait, I’m being negative).</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GWJPJG_mCH4/TvA1m54g_MI/AAAAAAAAFw0/hyCWdVm31y0/s1600-h/GabeConcert-4268%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="GabeConcert-4268" border="0" alt="GabeConcert-4268" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OYuwyDnKmQQ/TvA1nZy2C5I/AAAAAAAAFw8/eV0HZ1ZAZfQ/GabeConcert-4268_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="457" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">Did I mention that it was my birthday?  And I was sick.  Still it wasn’t an entirely bad day.  Rob got up and instead of leaving for work he made me yummy muffins for breakfast and he and the kids gave me a birthday present.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ISbon0OAZ40/TvA1nu3kb0I/AAAAAAAAFxE/1nm5cD5SDNM/s1600-h/BirthdayMorning-4260%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="BirthdayMorning-4260" border="0" alt="BirthdayMorning-4260" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ClAGXPrnzH8/TvA1n1RDtNI/AAAAAAAAFxM/lQhiBGZwckI/BirthdayMorning-4260_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">And the sunrise was gorgeous.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kEOMKzR5GGA/TvA1oSfqD1I/AAAAAAAAFxU/ctMcOfx-ny8/s1600-h/EvaSunrise-4250%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="EvaSunrise-4250" border="0" alt="EvaSunrise-4250" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NDYlJrC-1hU/TvA1oqINBiI/AAAAAAAAFxc/XLEmzjgucMo/EvaSunrise-4250_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="269" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">That’s our cat Eva.  She’s hunting birds.  I know it’s natural and stuff but I really wish she wouldn’t do it.  Naughty kitty.</font></p> Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065775803305011958noreply@blogger.com1