On the Doorstep

I Bid You All Adieu

2012-01-17T13:23:00.002-05:00

OK, maybe not really. But I won't be posting here anymore. This blogging site just doesn't cooperate anymore, and thus it has become quite a nuisance to use at times. So I will be moving from here to a new blog, one that will hopefully give me what this blogging site now refuses to give (at least give well).

This blog will remain, so don't worry. We can all still access the posts from here. It just won't be posted on. So here is where I'll be, stop by for a visit! :)

The Window On The West

Cosi and Contra Dancing: Part One

2012-01-15T19:18:00.007-05:00

Yesterday Parker, Abby and I went to spend the afternoon with several friends of ours. We would be whiling away our time first at Cosi (which is now called the Imagination Station), which was a blast. It was a lot of fun hanging out there with our friends. I tried to get pictures included in this post, but blogger refuses to cooperate, so I will post pictures of Cosi and write in more depth in the following post.

After Cosi, we stopped at Arby's so most of our group could grab a bite to eat (only my siblings and I and two of our friends brought our own dinner). Then we hung out at the near-empty Arby's and talked, then we headed off to the contra dance. It was also a lot of fun (then again, dancing for me is usually always fun). It was also fun taking pictures of everyone dancing. So I'll shush and let you see for yourself. :)

Some complicated looping dance move.

Everyone pointing left diagonally to locate their new neighbor.

I'm told it was quite complicated and confusing.

The band. (You can't see it, but the large bass at

the back is a metallic purple)

Dancers striding down the room.

The waltz, as shown to us by Bethany and Stephen.

Corinne being swung by her brother Aaron.

Daniel swinging Abby at high speed.

Parker and Mercy waltzing.

A third Christmas and an Exciting Anouncment.

2012-01-02T15:50:00.005-05:00

My family and I went to our grandparents' house yesterday afternoon to visit with our aunt, uncle and cousins from Minnesota, and to open (late) Christmas presents. Our other aunt, uncle and cousin were also there. It was as close to what a normal Sunday afternoon looked like when all us kids were little and we would gather at our grandparents' for lunch. We enjoyed spending time with family we don't see very much, even if there were a few cousins absent.

This post is for one cousin in particular. My older cousin, Paige, is engaged! :D

Zach and Paige.

Best wishes for the two of you. :D And may God bless you both!

Luke 1:39-45

2011-12-20T19:37:00.001-05:00

It didn’t take long for Mary to decide to leave. Her parents, of course, were confused at her eagerness to go visit her cousin Elizabeth, but they offered no objections. Mary hastened to the hill country, where her cousin and her husband Zechariah lived.

“Elizabeth?” Mary called, approaching the door and entering.

Inside, Elizabeth looked up. When Mary called again, Elizabeth’s baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth sat back to recover from the sudden movement, but was quickly on her feet and hugging her dear little cousin.

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Mary smiled, but was a little confused at her words. “For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

“You know, then?” Mary asked.

“My baby usually doesn’t leap inside me without warning for others,” Elizabeth smiled guiding Mary into the house. “And this time, I had a feeling it was a joyful leap, albeit unexpected.” Mary laughed. Although her situation was still a bit bewildering, she felt better knowing she wasn’t the only one who knew about it. Mary praised God aloud, feeling lighthearted and relieved. Elizabeth smiled.

“Where is Zechariah?” Mary asked.

“Probably at the temple,” Elizabeth replied. “I must admit, your news of your coming to us caught us off guard. You seemed very urgent.”

“I just needed to get away for a time,” Mary admitted. “And… to see if what the angel said to me is true. And now I see it is.” Marry nodded to Elizabeth. Her cousin smiled and laid a hand on her belly. “Elizabeth, I’m scared! I know it’s nothing to worry over, but I can’t help myself! What am I going to tell Joseph? Or my parents?”

“You haven’t told them?” Elizabeth looked at her.

“I was too scared to,” Mary replied, “What would they say? What would Joseph say? Either they wouldn’t believe me or think that I had sinned!”

“Calm down, cousin,” Elizabeth soothed, sitting down by the nervous girl. “God will guide things right, so you don’t need to worry about all the holes and bumps along the way. Do not worry your little soul, dear. Come, let us make some bread for Zechariah when he arrives. It will keep your mind busy.” Mary smiled gratefully at her cousin. She hugged her, relieved and not so worried anymore.

“You are a very blessed woman, Mary,” Elizabeth said, “More than you know.”

Luke 1:26-38

2011-12-19T20:39:00.002-05:00

This is the first part of an eight-part series, telling the story of Jesus' birth. I'll be posting each part once a day, ending the day after Christmas. Enjoy!

~~~

Nothing is kept secret in a small town. Especially something as important as a betrothal. That is exactly what had occurred. Young Mary, a girl of about fourteen years of age, was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter in Nazareth, of the line of King David. It was exciting news, and everyone wanted to contribute to the young couple-to-be.

After politely accepting the umpteenth offer of help for the big event, Mary retreated to her bedroom. She closed the door and sighed with relief. Even if she was prepared for becoming a wife, nothing could prepare her for that. Mary sat down on her bed and searched around for her sewing. She suddenly realized she was not alone.

Looking up, Mary saw a man standing nearby. She jumped in surprise, dropping her sewing basket in alarm. The man looked as calm as could be, but perhaps a bit amused, too.

“Greetings, O favored one,” he spoke gently. Mary stared at him. “The Lord is with you!” Mary continued to stare. She began to wonder what was going on. No one ever greeted her like that. Especially other men. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Mary lifted an eyebrow. This was getting a bit odd. However, the man was not finished. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” Mary’s eyes widened in shock.

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High,” the strange man continued. “And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary stood slowly, trying to carefully and calmly process what had been told to her. But in the end, Mary blurted out:

“How will this be, since I am a virgin?” Mary instantly realized that this man was an angel. She regretted saying anything at all.

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,” Gabriel replied, “and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy¾the Son of God.” Mary opened her mouth to speak, but the angel held up his hand. “And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Mary said nothing for some time, then, she looked at the angel and said softly, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” The angel nodded, then left. Mary blinked. He was gone. Mary slowly sat down.

She decided to leave off sewing for now.

Of Things Unmentioned

2011-11-21T20:26:00.005-05:00

I'm back! Not that I was really anywhere in particular, but I figured that you all need something like an update. :) I don't have many pictures, but hopefully these will appease you.

These books have become Parker's and my best friends. We've been taking CLEP test every couple weeks,

so the subjects just keep piling up. But it has been quite fun.

Mom repainted the kitchen cupboards.

They look real purty now. :D

This keyboard has become a new friend. :P I've always used it, but currently I've been using it extensively to write essays, which are practice for the College Composition CLEP test I'll be taking this Monday.

In other news:

Birthdays:

Abby has turned 15 this past October. She is awesome, and is still fun and often creates lots of amusement. ;)

School:

Abby, Ella, and Isaac have begun school. Parker and I had started in late July. Parker is going for a Communications degree, and I for an English degree. So far, neither of us have failed a test. :)

Animals:

Nothing terribly exciting in this corner. We've sold our goat, because no one was drinking the milk. As far as I know there aren't any new kittens, and Hava and Hurley have failed again to give offspring. And Cornbread is... being Cornbread, I guess. She's her crazy, weird self.

So there's an update for you. :) Sorry for lack of photos, but that's all I took. I'll see about getting before and after pictures of our house, since we're getting new siding and everything, because of ice storms and such.

Life's Story

2011-07-13T19:28:00.004-04:00

This a short work of fiction. I got the idea from reading a book.

I didn't really try to be quiet. My feet made contact with the stairs hard as I made my way to my room. Once I got there I slammed and door. Today hadn't been a great day. Everything seemed to have fallen apart on me without any hesitation. I had applied for a job, and expected to have to wait a few days. I had waited a week and a half before finally receiving an answer. I And all I got was a big fat rejection slip. I could almost hear the scorn in the potential employer's use of words.

And to make matters worse, I somehow managed to lose a good friend. She and I had been close, but all of a sudden we argued, we yelled, we accused, and she stormed away. After a while, I couldn't exactly remember hat we had been arguing about.

A quick look at the clock told me how late it was. I shivered as I closed my window, blocking the night breeze. After changing into my PJs and crashed in bed. Almost literally. On the way down and knocked over the lamp and shattered the bulb. Grumbling, I got up, carefully swept up glass and fixed a new bulb in place and got back in bed. I stifled a yawn. Sleep came easily. It was probably the only easy thing that whole day...

I stood in the middle of a long corridor. It was bare wall on my right, and windows every three yards on my left. But for some reason I couldn't make out the outside. I looked behind me. The hall led straight into darkness. Ahead, it was still dark, but a dim light was up ahead. I started forward. Slowly, something pulled at me. I halted and backpedalled, but whatever pulled me kept me from going anywhere very fast.

Come.

I froze. There was no one else in the room, but I couldn't deny that heard someone. I cautiously moved forward, going slow, seemingly making no sound save my breathing. The dim light got brighter as I advanced. And soon I found myself passing through a doorway. I stopped and stared. Before me stood bookshelves. Tall ones, short ones, square ones, rectangular ones. They were everywhere. I stared for a long time. I kept walking. Slowly, almost reverently. I lost count of the bookshelves as I walked.

Do you know where you are?

I froze again. I listened, trying not to panic.

"Where?"

All lives end. They are like the cast of a story, or a story all their own.

"Come again?"

Come.

This time I followed with more confidence. I was somehow led through the strange library. I entered a second room. This one was huge, not as big as the library, but still monstrous. There were millions of tables, too. One each table were open books. And in every book, words were being printed. There was no pen, no writer. Words would form themselves on the pages.

"What is this place?"

Life is a story. Each story needs to be written.

"I don't get it."

Come.

I follow again. Whoever was talking led me to a table, and on the table was a book, among perhaps fifteen others. All were being written in, but I couldn't make out any words except the one I stood in front of. My eyes widened in realization.

"This is my life..."

Yes. Your story must be written, too.

"So all these other books are the lives of other people?"

Yes.

I stare. I notice a book being laid open, its pages blank for a moment, then writing begins to appear.

"Was someone born?"

All are born.

"I mean that book."

Yes.

"Why can't I read the other books?"

They are not your story.

"Oh." I suddenly see a book close a few tables to my right. It fades away and disappears. "What happened?"

Just as life is written, so must it end.

"Someone just died?"

Yes. Come.

I follow again. But I stop short when the book I had seen open close and fade away. My heart began to pound. "What just happened?"

Not all lives reach a full chapter. All to often is it halted by man.

I swallowed. I looked away kept following. I was led back into the library, where I was taken to a shelf that had only one book. The book, instead of standing upright, lay on its side and took up the whole shelf, leaving no room for any other book, not even on top of it.

"Who lived that?"

The oldest man who had ever lived. His story carries almost a thousand chapters. Each chapter a year of life.

"Wow..." I looked at the large volume for a long time. Then I turned. I wasn't led this time. I wandered through the shelves, not desiring to return to the writing room. I stopped at a very short book.

"Is this another book with only one chapter?"

Not even half a chapter. This life was killed before birth.

"So, a life's story begins even before it's born?"

Yes.

I looked at the book. I go on until I stopped at at another book. This one wasn't short, but it wasn't long either. "What happened to this one?"

This life found its story too distressing.

"So, it just..."

Yes.

I swallowed again.

Some lives aren't meant to be lived long. Some are chosen to be short. Come.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to come. But I did. I followed until I stopped at another shelf, this one held a book that was very large, but not nearly so large as the one who had a whole shelf to itself.

This was a life well lived. It had troubles, it had trials. But it also had joy, love, and triumph. That is a life to be lived. Not wallowing in one's troubles.

I looked at the book. I felt... different. I don't know how, but I just felt different. I touched the book's binding, and I could almost feel everything the Voice described. It had been a happy life. I life that had grown full. I wanted that kind of life. I didn't want to sulk about my problems. I wanted to live.

I opened my eyes, staring out at the window which let in the early morning sun. I lay still for a moment, thinking. Finally I got out of bed, feeling lighter. I winced as my foot was stabbed by a missed shard of glass. I almost smiled. I bent down and pulled out the tiny piece of light bulb and tossed it in the trash. No more sulking. I wasn't going to let my worries bother me. I was going to live life until I was full of chapters.

Bridging the Gap.

2011-06-20T15:20:00.006-04:00

Another gaping hole. I'll just fill ya'll in on what's going on. I would do pictures, but our computer wanted to die, and the new one has this horrible habit of crashing. So pictures aren't

extremely easy to upload at the moment.

New arrivals: Meat birds, kittens, and an Alpine goat. The meat birds are currently in the movable chicken tractor in the field because we can't stand the smell in the garage for very long. The kitties are getting bigger everyday, but they don't have an extreme love for us. The Alpine goat was an exciting addition (more exciting than the kittens, if that's not too hard to believe ;) She's real sweet. But she going through a grumpy stage, which we don't entirely understand. But that just makes milking her all the more exciting. (Slight sarcasm)

Birthdays: My wonderful, dearest mother has turned (fill in age here). She is absolutely the best mom in all creation, and I love her a whole lot. :D

Education: Parker and I have graduated from high school. We had a graduation party, which was a lot of fun. We will both be doing an online program called CollegePlus!, in which we study a certain topic at a time, and then test on it (without taking lessons), and earn the credits for each exam. We each are assigned to a coach, who will help us through the studying and whatever else we need. At the end of that, we'll transfer the credits (or at least some of them) to a college and finish our last year there. All this in the span of about two and half years.

That's about all I can think of at the moment, that's major, anyway. Hope I haven't lost you all in the crevice of nothingness. If I have, this post shall save you! :)

Homeschool Conference

2011-04-04T15:23:00.004-04:00

Despite the deep pit the nearby homeschool conference dug for themselves when they dis-invited Ken Ham (Creation Museum, Answers in Genesis), had planned only on going on Saturday, to see the Duggars, who would be coming to the conference. But on Friday, we decided to go, and stay overnight at a hotel and then leave on Saturday after hearing the Duggars speak (a grand finale event to end the conference). So we hurriedly packed up and took off down the road. After arriving at the hotel, we headed to the place where the conference was held to catch Tim Hawkins' show (the same man who was at last year's conference) ~ To shorten the story. We had a LOT of fun. On Saturday, most of the Duggars were doing a book signing, and we were able to get our picture taken with Mr. and Mrs. Duggar (and one of the younger boys. I don't know whom, I honestly can't put names to faces very well). After that, we wandered around. We bought a few things at the vendor area (Parker and I bought a few books, and were even able to get them signed by the authors. Which was really cool). Abby, Ella, and I even got to meet three of the Duggar girls and get our pictures taken with them. Isaac really enjoyed meeting Josh Duggar, too. ~ But I'll stop talking now and show you what few photos we took. It's not much, but you're probably wanting them instead hearing me go on and on about how fun it was. ;)

~ Abby with Jessa and Jill Duggar.

~ Abby, Ella, and I with Jinger Duggar.

~ A pretty view.

~ Us with Mr and Mrs Duggar and one of their boys.

~ Hotel key card, Duggar and Tim Hawkins tickets. :)

The hotel room we got. It was more like an apartment/house/hotel room, kind of.

This was a bed that folded into the wall.

~ The kitchen of above mentioned room.

The room also had a loft.

~ The 'view' out the peek-hole in the door (the building is basically what

the building we were in looked like).

~ Waiting in line to see the Duggars and get the book they wrote signed.

We got at least fifteen of them to sign it.

When we got up there, only a few of them were there, and then quite a few more came. :)

So that was our awesome trip to the homeschool conference. It was our last year going, because of their poor decision in dis-inviting Ken Ham, but I think we ended very nicely. (If this post looks really weird with the paragraph/picture placement or whatever, I will try to fix it. If it doesn't, ignore this message)

A More or Less Not Very Exciting Update.

2011-03-09T15:16:00.006-05:00

I am still here. I was just waiting for fun stuff to post about *Is completely making that up because she doesn't want to give the same excuse again*

Soooo, I have some pictures. Nothing horribly thrilling. But with the absence of them, I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats, right? .... OK, maybe not, but here's the pictures, anyway.

Winter really gets on our nerves when it stays too long.

Our new chickens have been taking their laying job quite seriously. We've resorted to taking a boxful of eggs to youth group and handing them out to whoever wants them. And we still have plenty back home.

I would go outside and take pictures, but it's raining.

But I'm not complaining. It's better than snow.

Hava (left) is hopefully pregnant again. Hope with us that this litter is more successful,

and we have tiny, cute baby Corgis.

(Most probably whining like their father did *coughdoescough*)

(I apologize for the not-so-great picture. They were moving a lot, I didn't have flash on, they were wet, and therefore they kind of smelled bad)

Hopefully this will keep you all held over until I can find something really exciting to post. :)

Samson

2011-01-17T18:44:00.002-05:00

This short story was an entry for a writing contest a while ago. Enjoy! :)

Grandma paused on the steps. Had the doorbell just rung? She listened. Yes, there it was. But who could be calling at this time of night? Grandma went to the door and opened it but all she found was a small basket with a Welsh Corgi puppy nestled in soft blankets. Grandma smiled as she took the puppy up in her arms. He whined softly, snuggling up against her for warmth. Grandma smiled again and took the puppy inside and up to bed with her.

Saturday morning found Grandma and the puppy watching the dog show. The puppy lay on Grandma’s lap, his ears pricked forward. The sound of the door opening made them turn. Grandma smiled as thirteen-year-old twins Solomon and Sophie, her grandchildren, came in the room. They would be staying with her during the summer.

“Oh, Grandma, a puppy!” Sophie exclaimed, “He’s so cute!”

“I found him on the doorstep last night,” Grandma smiled. “He still needs a name.” Grandma chuckled. “I found my comforter on the floor with him wrapped up inside it this morning.” Solomon stared at the puppy. He knew how heavy that comforter was.

“You’re living with a little Samson,” Sophie smiled, petting the puppy. “We can call him Samson!”

“Sounds like a good name to me,” Grandma approved. “You three get along now, you hear?” The twins smiled. They all jumped as Samson yipped at the television. Turning, they saw one of the dogs misbehaving. Grandma laughed and patted Samson. “He knows a naughty dog when he sees one.”

That summer, the twins began to train Samson. Unfortunately, Samson had no intention of being trained without difficulty. For many days the twins would be chasing after him and calling his name. Samson thought it was great fun. But over time, he learned to sit, stay, and to let someone know when he needed to go outside. However, the command to not antagonize the mailman was a concept little Samson could not be taught. He simply couldn’t resist barking at the poor mailman. The twins were at a loss.

The next three years saw Samson grow up to be a heavy and very bulky dog. He wasn’t overfed, he was just a very big dog. And with all his friendly bulk he became an excellent guard dog. He had scared off a few thieves one night. And he would always be waiting for the twins when they came for the summer.

But as Samson grew, Grandma grew ill. The twins, now eighteen, were at her house more often, even during the school season. Samson remained by Grandma’s side, always being able to help carry groceries, or pull the laundry basket into the room for Grandma to fold the clothes. But Grandma’s illness got worse very quickly, and she was taken to the hospital, leaving the twins and Samson alone at the house.

Samson was miserable. He had the twins, but it wasn’t the same without Grandma. He went to live with Solomon and Sophie at their house, but even their constant company didn’t help his loneliness.

The twins soon found out that there wasn’t enough money to pay for Grandma’s medical bills. Their parents scraped together what they could, but it wasn’t quite enough.

“Sol,” Sophie looked at Solomon. They were home alone. Solomon looked at her. “What would it take to enter Samson into the dog show?”

“A lot of time and training,” Solomon replied. “Do you remember how hard Samson was to train? He still can’t resist chasing the mailman.”

“I know,” Sophie sighed, “But if we could at least make it to fourth place, we’d have enough money for the medical bills.” Solomon stared at Samson, who slept in the corner. “We could train him. It wouldn’t take much work, would it? He already knows how to sit and stay.”

“We’ll give it a shot,” Solomon nodded at last, “Come on, let’s get to work. Samson, come on boy!”

The twins began training Samson once more. This time, it was easier. Solomon did most of the training, and Sophie mainly kept Samson’s fur clean. If Solomon wasn’t there, Sophie would train Samson, and vice versa. Soon, Samson was able to walk right beside Solomon, with and without a leash.

Finally, the day for the dog show arrived. The twins took Samson to the show area and groomed him until his goldenrod-colored fur shone. As Sophie groomed, Solomon volunteered to help set up the show ring. But as he was carrying a heavy piece of equipment, he tripped and fell backward. The equipment landed on his leg. It wasn’t too hard to free his leg, but Solomon couldn’t walk.

“Sophie,” Solomon looked at his sister. “The show’s about to start, get Samson and get out there.”

“I can’t do it, Sol,” Sophie protested, “You’re the one who trained him.”

“I can’t walk, sis, you’ll have to do it,” Solomon smiled at her, “You’ll do just fine. Knock ‘em dead.” Sophie bit her lip, but took Samson out to the ring, where Samson was given a show ring number. Sophie led Samson out to the ring. Samson was perfectly calm, but a few of the dogs misbehaved, and he barked at them chidingly.

When it was Sophie and Samson’s turn, they went through the steps to near perfection. Samson stumbled, but he was soon back on his feet. At last, all the dogs were gathered and the judges stepped forward to award the winners. They went backward, and finally came to the first place winner. Samson hadn’t been mentioned yet.

“First place winner is… Samson!” The judge pinned the blue ribbon on Samson’s collar. “2,000 dollars will be awarded to Samson.” Sophie’s smile grew even wider. She hugged Samson tight. Solomon clapped with the audience. Samson barked, his non-existent tail wiggled happily and his chocolate brown eyes sparkled with pleasure. Solomon whistled loudly, making Samson turn his head, ears pricked forward. Sophie laughed and hugged Samson again.

A Little Late.

2010-12-13T18:49:00.004-05:00

Ella has turned nine last Friday. She's fun, full of smiles and is a huge fan of Webkinz. Ella is a very lively person to talk to, and loves having fun, especially outside (usually barefoot if warm enough). She can tell you all there is to know about Webkinz. She's been a great little sister, and I love her every day. Happy (late) birthday, Ella!

Christmas Isn't Christmas Without the Tree

2010-12-04T16:37:00.006-05:00

Well, the day has finally arrived when we break out the big plastic boxes chock full of Christmas decor and ornaments, which will alight on the tree with all their shiny, glittery, easily breakable glory. Decorating the Christmas tree is always an exciting event, and the end results were gorgeous!
~

Just as a Thanksgiving dinner isn't a Thanksgiving

dinner with turkey, a Christmas tree isn't a Christmas

tree without the star.

Whenever we can, we get an ornament that represents something

we did that year. This one, we got goats.

~
These are the big plastic boxes I mentioned.

~
A cozy fire.

A Scottish Nutcracker.

~
Decoration that comes with the tree. :)

~
A tree ornament.

~
The stockings were hund by the chimney with care...

~
Isaac placing the star on top.

~
The finished result!

Merry Christmas!

Kentucky Trip: Day One and Day Two.

2010-10-15T16:32:00.008-04:00

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Kentucky on a fun trip to the Creation Museum and the Newport Aquarium with grandparents. We had a lot of fun, and loaded two cameras with pictures. This was our second round for the Creation Museum (and still just as fun), but our first time at the Newport Aquarium. I didn't expect the aquarium to be that cool. I saw more fish than I knew were out there. And, we got to touch a small shark (smaller than what you would first think of). So instead of me telling you about it, here's some photos that were snapped.

Adam, Cain, and Abel.

Building the ark.

One of the many dinosaurs.

The serpent from the garden of Eden.

Dino eggs.

Bones (and probably other stuff).

The ark.

Adam and Eve.

Another dinosaur.

There is glass separating the two, don't worry. This was in one of the tunnels,

where the swimming wonders could traverse above the heads of the viewers (it was pretty cool).

A cute turtle.

Dory!

Nemo!

And, Froggy!

A shark.

A jellyfish illuminated by lights.

Lorikeets. If you have food in hand, watch out, they will swarm

(and clean out ears, as Dad found out).

Another pic taken in a tunnel.

An octopus. No flash pictures allowed (thankfully I didn't know

that until after I took a flash picture).

Since Seven is Lucky, is Fourteen Doubly Lucky?

2010-10-11T21:05:00.003-04:00

I have no real excuse for completely forgetting to blag (it's a mix of blog and brag) about my fourteen-year-old sister. So now, a few days later, here I am, blogging 'bout my sister who has now seen fourteen summers, fourteen springs, and fourteen autumns (no winter yet, we're still hoping that will hold off until later ;).

Abby is fun, loves to sing, pose, hang out with friends, and enjoys a really fun time. She's provided us with lots of laughter and fun. She seems to stay "in" with the style, and can play the piano by ear like I've never seen. EVER. Oh, and she also is very talented in lip-syncing while using her own dance moves. I would put up the video, but she may not like that. And did I mention that she's the biggest Taylor Swift fan I have ever met? She can sing any Taylor Swift song that the radio hands out. You name a song, and most likely she can sing it to you word for word. This song's just for you, Abby! Love you! And happy birthday!!!!

It's Not What it Looks Like

2010-10-01T15:24:00.002-04:00

No, it's not some of Papa's Recipe. Inside these deceiving little bottles is a fun new drink my mom found. It's called kefir water. It's a kind of drink that's fizzy like pop, but really healthy. My mom's having fun experimenting with different flavors, as well as the fizzy-ness of her creations (but you have to be careful with jugs that have metal clamps, because they might fly). My mom uses little things called kefir grains to make it. These grains are literally alive, and they breed. We got two (TWO, remember) teaspoons of the stuff (or tablespoons? One of those) and now we have something like three (yes, three) cups of them. Since they breed, things like this (see above photograph) tend to happen, and my mom uses whatever storage device that can hold the amount of kefir water that's made. But the end results are rather tasty (in a sense, it's kind of like watered down pop that's really healthy).

Happenings.

2010-09-10T18:48:00.004-04:00

Wow, excuse the gaping blog absence. I guess I don't really have an extremely good excuse for not blogging, so I won't try. But now that I am, there's lots to tell. But what good would that be without illustrations?

Cornbread's first mission (as of today).

School started last Tuesday. Us three older kids are in the

schoolroom (the table on the far right holds a closed laptop).

The new man of the 'house'. The old one 'retired'.

As you can see, no goats (otherwise they'd most likely

be inside with the door shut;).

The laying hens/chicks are growing really fast. They're such pretty birds

(should you wish one to be named after you, you have your pick of all of them except

the one up front on the bottom right corner; she's taken).

The garden. I prefer to call them bushes. At least the tomatoes.

(3rd box on the right)

Alas, the days of swimming have come to

an end for the year. *Sniff*

Corn. Nothin' but corn.

Lil' Hurley. He and Hava are both old enough to start breeding.

If we can't breed goats, we'll breed dogs (always good to have a backup, right?),

wish us luck!

So that's what's gone on in our life. We've gone to the fair, rode friends' horse and pony, and lots of other stuff our family does. Happy Sabbath!

And a Week Later.

2010-07-22T15:15:00.002-04:00

Just a week after Parker's birthday, my dad's birthday took place. I won't tell you his age (but he's old! ;).

My dad's awesome. He was willing to take us three older kids to youth group on his birthday (and in return he got a big happy birthday song from everybody!). He loves his family, has a great sense of humor, loves God with all his heart. I wouldn't want any other dad. Happy birthday, Dad! I love you LOTS!!!

The First Birthday of Summer

2010-07-14T19:48:00.001-04:00

Today marks the beginning of summer birthdays. Parker has turned sixteen years old, and every year has been a blessing. He's one of my two favorite brothers, and I wouldn't trade him for anybody!

Parker enjoys anything potentially dangerous (i.e. fire, guns, climbing anything and everything), he enjoys reading, and Hobbits (the song's just for you, bro ;). He's a great leader, and has had at least two girls charmed by his handsome looks (however, both young ladies were under at least under the age of five), and he's always experimenting on the most random things.

But with all that, I love him lots. And I have no doubt that he will bless a very lucky young lady one day (even with all his random moments;). Happy birthday, Parker!!!

Sky Flowers

2010-07-04T07:41:00.000-04:00

The deep blue van pulled into the fenced fairgrounds closely followed by a black car. The van and car slowly inched their way through a line of other vehicles (twice even spotting a motorcycle or two). Finally the van pulled into a free spot, and the car parked right next to it. Soon two adults, three teenagers (two boys and a girl), two younger kids (a boy and a girl), and a little baby, a girl, piled out of the van, excited and armed with blankets and chairs. The car door opened and a young couple joined the family. They had been married only a week and a half.
~
The two couples staked out their place on the short, semi-soft grass. They, with the help of the teens, laid out the blankets and unfolded chairs. The two younger kids were already begging for sparkling. Their father told them to wait.
~
Finally, everything was settled. The adults had chairs. the mother held the baby in her arms. The baby was busily employed with a plastic toy that made sound, if it was turned on. The baby, confused but not discontent, played quietly. The two younger kids were running about with sparklers. The teens sat on the blanket, waiting for what they had come to see. The two boys were chatting. The boy who sat in between the other two was the girl's brother. The other boy was a friend from church.
~
The young couple sat together on a chair. The young husband had pulled his wife onto his lap. Soon the father called to the sparkler-happy children to join them. The young wife looked over her shoulder and spoke to her father, smiling. The father laughed and replied.
~
Suddenly, three fireworks boomed in the sky, shining the colors of blue, green, and purple. A radio over a loudspeaker began. Music began playing as the fireworks exploded into the sky. The teen boys felt the low boom vibrate in the ground and in their chests. The little baby looked up, fascinated. The young wife smiled as she watched, remembering how much she enjoyed the fireworks when she was young. She had called them sky flowers then.

A new song over the radio began playing. The teen girl watched the fireworks. She strained to hear the music, but usually only caught a few words before the next booming explosion. The young husband felt tears prick his eyes. His wife saw them and spoke softly to him, resting her head on his shoulder. The husband smiled gratefully and kissed her forehead. He had lost his father during war, but this family had made him part of their small circle so quickly he couldn't help but be comforted.
~
The fireworks themselves were gloriously bright and beautiful. Red, green, blue, yellow, they boomed and sizzled everywhere. They lit up in the eyes of the young and the old. They rumbled and boomed and exploded. High enough for everyone to see, even those who hadn't gone to the fairgrounds. Some exploded and sparkled, imitating the sparklers the children had used.

The children clapped loudly at the finale of the fireworks. The explosions were constant, and the light was bright enough to illuminate even the darkest corners of the grounds. The baby began to get scared, but was soon asleep with her mother's soothing. When everything died down, the family packed up and hurried to the cars to avoid the traffic.
~
It had been a fun evening. It was one of the best nights of the year. A day that celebrated the victory for independence.

2010-06-26T20:08:00.001-04:00

Last Thursday my family and I packed up the camper and loaded the van with bikes and all that other stuff to camp with some of the families from our church. It was loads of fun, with bike rides, food, friends, volleyball, beaches, and lots more. We almost didn't get the cameras out. Almost.

The direction these three came from was a rather steep hill, and kids

would come flying down it very fast, sometimes causing falls.

What better way to show our favorite restaurant?

The campsite where most everyone gathered.

Devotions in the evening with music

by a few guys from our youth group.

The above picture requires some explaining. A few teens were going to spray shaving cream over two boys who were asleep, one of the group turned on another and sprayed her, which caused them to turn back. Then a few minutes later the rest return, and they talk for a moment, and the can gets sprayed. Ella, being a innocent by-stander, gets part of the spray.

This eventually leads to an all out war. Another spray-type thing was added, but I think the shaving cream was used more. Above, Abby somehow got involved and in turn received the cream to her face, and so countered.

So all in all, I think this camping trip went quite well.

They've Been Together Fifty Years Now.

2010-06-17T08:23:00.000-04:00

Fifty years is a long time. Half a century. Halfway to the triple digits. There are the more common 50-events: Fiftieth birthdays, fifty years of some kind of historical happening, and the list could go on.

But then there's the rarer 50-event. And, in my opinion, it's the best one ever. 50 years of marriage is for sure a golden time. It's 50 years of total and faithful devotion to each other, no matter what happens: sickness, snowstorm (and following blackout), floods, and a whole mess o' other things. A golden anniversary isn't often hit. It's targeted, but not always hit.

I know of two people who have hit the golden award. And they've hit it dead-on. My grandparents are among the best people in my life. And they'll stay there for my whole life. I'm so happy to have grandparents like them. I have loads of memories: Grandma's brownies (boy those were good!). And the art classes, during which Grandpa brings up a Flame Thrower and we all ask him what it is. And so what better way to tell us than turn it on? It made us all jump, but it gave us a good laugh.

There are so many other memories, I don't know if I could share them all. My grandparents are two very special people, and two people I'll never forget. They raised my dad, and if they hadn't, I wouldn't have been born. Thank you very, very much, Grandpa and Grandma, for being my grandparents! I love you both!

It All Started With A Prank Phone Call.

2010-05-19T11:50:00.001-04:00

Today, my parents got married. One pulled a prank phone call and called the other, who didn't hang up (I'm glad you didn't hang up, Dad!).

My parents are amazing. They've cared for and homeschooled us five kids with extreme amounts of love and patience all our lives. They're absolutely wonderful, God-blessed parents, and I couldn't ask for anyone better.

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad. And thank you a whole bunch for getting married!!!

They Go "Cheep-Cheep", the Dentist Goes "Really?"

2010-05-17T15:06:00.000-04:00

Today we piled into the van this morning with two goals in mind: 1) To get to an orthodontist visit, and 2) to retrieve 56 chicks from the Post Office. We picked up the chicks first to spare the pleasant people there the torture of hearing those little balls of fuzz whose cuteness meter goes off the charts. So, while we have the chicks in the back, Parker and I head to the dentist office and had the fun of seeing the dentist's surprised expression when we told him we had 56 chicks in the back of our van, and that we got them at the Post Office. Apparently it was an entirely new concept to him (maybe we should've added we got them from a rich old man in India and they came by airplane). But it was great to see his reaction.

OK OK, you all want pictures of the fuzzy soft cuteness, yeah? Lucky for you my mom and her loyal camera were on duty. ;)

~

~

Something New.

2010-04-24T08:47:00.000-04:00

Following will be a portion of a story I've written long ago. It's one of the first chapter stories I've finished. So I'll put up the small portion of the first chapter and if you want to read more let me know and I can E-mail you the rest. I'm not able to print it (as it's so long) so E-mail's gonna be the way to go. ;)

"I wish you good health and happiness, Aaron," Faeli said. "Put the necklace on; if those men see it they may take it away." Aaron obeyed tucking it under his T-shirt. He wiped away the remains of his tears.

"I wish you and everyone else the same," he replied. "Once all this is over anyway. Kinda useless to wish for happiness now, huh?" Faeli smiled again as she stood up, her dress rustled softly. "We don't have much more time," she said suddenly, "Most likely they won't prepare you for the 'trip' down so I need you to be careful. It will be short; you will reach the earth's atmosphere in mere seconds but during the time between here and there you must not move very much."

"Why?"

"It will take me too long to explain," Faeli answered. The door slid open, Faeli looked at Aaron. "Be careful, Aaron. I hope we will meet again."

"I hope so too," Aaron said, standing up. He allowed two men to lead him away. He looked behind him seeing Faeli smile at him before the door slid closed. Aaron looked ahead, they were headed outside. The air around the air ship has more oxygen than the surrounding space so the people on the air ship can go outside mainly to watch the stars.

Aaron was taken to the edge where another man and the leader stood. Tynx was still on his balloon, still looking very content.

Aaron's hands were tied behind his back and he was pushed to the edge. He suddenly felt something hit the back of his head knocking him out. He fell forward. Tynx's balloon was released, the fox propelled his balloon after Aaron using his tail. He'd always been fond of the boy and going on an exciting adventure to a new place with him seemed awesome.

Unfortunately, Tynx found his balloon going faster and in a slightly different direction than Aaron. Tynx yipped worriedly but never left the balloon. Aaron entered the earth's atmosphere still unconscious. Tynx stood up on the balloon yapping loudly in alarm as his balloon was carried away from Aaron into the city of Venice.

Excuse any typos you may find in this or the story. If there are any I apologize (and they're probably small enough anyway that they could be overlooked). So enjoy the excerpt and if you'd like to read more let me know. I'd love to hear what you think.

Homeschool Conference of 2010.

2010-04-10T18:31:00.000-04:00

Oh boy, where to start? We went to a homeschool conference for the weekend, and had a boatload of fun. It was even bigger than last years, which of course means that there were lots more people. It was really fun to browse the vendor hall, listen to sessions, hang out with friends, and whatnot. The speakers included Doug Phillips and Douglas and Nancy Wilson. I went to only a couple sessions (neither had the speakers mentioned above), which were about writing stories and such, and I gleaned good information from them.

This year's was particularly enjoyable than last year's because comedian Tim Hawkins was performing. It was hilarious, and I don't think I stopped smiling throughout the entire show. You can usually find videos of him on YouTube.

And now, pictures.

Biggest Kroger building I've ever seen. ;)

~
Sunset in the city.

What fun would a homeschool conference

be without Shrek 2?

~
A few of the buildings outside

our hotel room's window.

~
Hotel card and Tim Hawkins concert ticket.

A Favor For Four Talented Ladies.

2010-04-01T15:16:00.000-04:00

Some of you may have heard of Maidens IV. For those who have not, Maidens IV is a Celtic Band that consists of four very talented ladies (their website is on my link sidebar). They are competing in a Battle of the Bands for a chance to win a trip to Ireland to perform there. This is the final round, and they need all the votes they can get.

You can get to the site through their website by clicking the large Battle of the Bands image (you can't miss it).

Well, Let's See....

2010-03-31T17:08:00.000-04:00

Today at ten minutes to three, Mom, Parker and I got in the van and drove all the way from one edge of town to the other edge of town to a special building. And after a bucket load of questions and two photographs snapped and lots of paper signing (at least that's what it seemed like), I walk out of the building with a driver's permit.

So there's my new experience to end the month of March. ;)

First Sign of Spring

2010-03-13T08:28:00.000-05:00

You've gotta love it when you find tender green shoots of life that isn't grass, don't you think?

Hope all of you have a great week! ;)

Today's Weather Report

2010-03-12T15:16:00.000-05:00

It's been absolutely gorgeous outside the past couple days. It's been in the sixties, we've opened windows (how cool is that?!), and we've taken advantage of the warmness to get some much-needed work done.

There have been sightings of children

outside without coats, or jackets.

And play equipment such as these have been

spotted everywhere around the yard.

In other news, my daring brother caught yet another opossum (this time I think it was by his beehive), and instead of freeing it far, far away from us, he wanted its fur. I'll spare you from pictures, as they are quite... well, I'll just say the flash option on our camera really, really details everything. So it's been quite busy here. Unfortunately there are no goat kids, so we're going to take them back and try again (but we have litters of kitties on the way! ;)

Also, my apologies for keeping the Christmas music up for far too long. As nice as they are, they seem to change from pleasant to mocking over time. I have now changed that, no more mockery. No more Christmas in March. ;)

Creativity.

2010-02-25T16:03:00.000-05:00

It's what happens when you have a circular

piece of chicken and ranch dressing.

Credit goes to Parker for the lovely.... ah...

ranch-frosted chicken cupcake.

Can I Call It A Sign Of Spring?

2010-02-15T17:12:00.000-05:00

Well, we moved our Nubian goats, Rosie and Ginger, into their first pen. Earlier today, Rosie's udders were lookin' bigger they had over the past couple weeks (or so my family says. I can see 'em, I just can't seem to see any large size), which is a sign that she may have babies. For a long while, we all had been thinking neither of them were pregnant, since neither of them had shown any sign of pregnancy.

Of course, we've heard from lots of people that you cannot tell if a goat is pregnant or not. There are signs to look out for near the birth, but that's about it (having bigger udders is one of 'em).

So now those two are snuggled up in their old pen, and all of us are inside hoping for the best. Hope with us! ;)

Outside...

2010-02-07T07:35:00.001-05:00

...there's a lot of snow. It's drifted so much it makes deep, white hills everywhere, making it seem like we live nestled between small hills. There's even snow on the roof, with a thick slab hanging dangerously off the edge.

The sunrise changed from a scarlet red to a glowing pink-orange band of light peeking over the trees. The rest of the sky is the dull, young day gray-blue. The two dogs are somewhere outside playing in the snow before they come inside to warm up.

The snow has melted in place, leaving patches large and small of sleeping grass. Grass that wants spring just as much as anyone else.

Meet Your New Commander.

2010-01-23T08:28:00.001-05:00

Guess Who's Six?!

2010-01-22T15:14:00.000-05:00

I'll give you three clues: He loves Star Wars, he's cute, and he's my brother.

Today, we celebrate Isaac's birthday. He's adorably sweet and friendly, loves to talk, enjoys making friends. And has had at least two people ask him if they can take him home with them (you've gotta admit, he's cute enough to at least try and ask). He's a little mischief maker, too. He has multiple occupations: Jedi Master, Clone commander, spy, the list could go on. You can never tell what he is on any given day. Unless if he's wearing a costume, then you can.

Sweet shades.

~
It is wearable, and inside it has some sort of microphone.

It has other sound effects, too.

~
One of the three Star Wars action figures.

Soon after Isaac opened his presents, us older ones set to work getting the toys out.

Congrats to Abby who (as far as I know) never gave up getting that helmet out!

And aside from the sunglasses, candy, and a Spiderman watch, EVERYTHING was Star Wars related. This boy is probably one of Star Wars' biggest fans.

Happenings.

2010-01-14T17:18:00.000-05:00

Well, my brother got his driver's permit today. I didn't get to see the triumphant return home, though. I had supposed I would hear Abby and Ella, thus giving me the heads-up, but nope. Not a word until after they pull past the window I had hoped to watch from. And no, I do not yet have mine. I don't know when I will, either. ;) It might be enough of a hazard with just one of us on the road, right?

In other events:

Neighbors have been taking advantage of all the snow

(if it's too blurry or something, they're all on snow-mobiles).

Little neighbors.

Christmas Series #3

2010-01-02T14:34:00.000-05:00

Our last Christmas found us at my aunt and uncle's house. We left pretty early that morning (the day after Christmas) and arrived still kinda early in the morning. We brought lil' Hurley (our puppy), who instantly got loads of cuddles. Seriously, I think that creature would be wise to invest in a fan club!

Anyway, we had loads of fun, little things to snack on, games and gift-opening. It was all very fun. The total dog population in the house was four (including Hurley), the total cats were two (one dog and both cats belonged to my aunt and uncle), and the total number of people was eighteen. It was quite a crowd.

Abby and my cousin. Abby got a lava lamp!

The objective here is to jump over the rope, without taking

any running start or from high places.

Abby doing the limbo. She and my cousin were the final two left

(officially, anyway. The little ones were going in and out during the whole game).

~
Limbo! Parker made it farther than anyone expected!

~
My grandpa and... Isaac (I think) on my uncle's four-wheeler.

Christmas Series #2

2009-12-28T18:39:00.000-05:00

Christmas at home was fantastic. Us kids were up at the crack of dawn (well, maybe not that early). Gradually we got 'round to opening stockings and presents. It was a lot of fun. It was Hurley's (our Corgi puppy. Yes, he finally has a name!) first and Cornbread's second Christmas with us.

The cookbook I received for my hope chest.

It's a pretty neat book.

Big hugs!

~
Parker with his deadly knives... OK,

maybe not deadly, but they're cool.

~
Seriously, that gun of his is awesome.

~
The girls with their presents from each other.

Christmas Series #1

2009-12-24T12:36:00.000-05:00

And I thought one Christmas was fantastic. This year, we have three! The first one was at my grandparents' house (on my dad's side), with my grandparents and uncle, aunt, and cousins. It was an awesome time, and a lot of fun.

My uncle. See what fun we had?

~
Contacting the Minnesotan cousins on Skype

so we can say the Luke 2 story.

~
A very pleased Isaac.

~
Parker's ready. Who dares to challenge him?

~
My cousin and aunt.

~
Food!!!

~
The table where memories are made.

The First Snow of Winter.

2009-12-19T15:05:00.000-05:00

It's the animals' Christmas Tree.

Hava and puppy in the snow.

Puppy lovin'.

~
Such a good babysitter.

The Little Dah-ling!

2009-12-17T15:04:00.000-05:00

So here's how it went. It was a Wednesday, about four P.M., our parents left us at home for a few minutes. Parker conjured up the idea that they were going to get the Corgi puppy Abby had spotted in the newspaper (I'm sitting by, thinking how deflated both Parker and Abby would be if by chance they came home without the puppy).

But lo and behold, they come home with this marvelously adorably cutest little puppy ever! He's seven weeks old as of yesterday, whines like his life depends on it, loves Hava - who is trying to figure out what on earth her owners were thinking - loves being cuddled. And did I mention he's the cutest puppy in all creation?!

But he is without a name right now. We're still working on that. I don't think Cornbread is all too thrilled with this little addition, either.

Late Happy Birthday.

2009-12-13T16:31:00.000-05:00

Yeah. Um, maybe like three days late. But the conference was on the day of Ella's birthday. We celebrated her birthday with the usual cinnamon rolls (nothing can beat those), and the opening of gifts. Aside from candy, everything was Webkinz-related. So Ella had fun putting in all the codes into her account, reaching her Webkinz count to a whoppin' twenty (add one more today).

Ella's a great little sister. She's fun, she has a sweet smile, and she loves the outdoors. If given the opportunity, she would most likely go out bare-footed in the snow. She loves catching butterflies, she a great egg-collector (this being said by the one who smashed an egg in her coat pocket.... whoops). All in all, she's a wonderful sister. Happy birthday, Ella. All those Hondubeets and Hobby-Lobbys (fond pet worms) of the past would be proud! I love you!

SOS: Sufficiency of Scripture

2009-12-13T07:36:00.000-05:00

The Sufficiency of Scripture conference was really cool. It had speakers like R.C. Sproul Jr., Ken Ham, and many others. There were a lot of people. I was able to meet three girls who have blogs I read, and John Moore (who made the movie the Widow's Might), and I was able to get R.C Sproul Jr.'s and Voddie Baucham's signatures for my dad (which was really cool, too). Our hotel room was right across from the conference, so all we had to do was walk right across the street.

One of the vendors.

Upstairs. There were a few ballrooms where

some of the speakers were in speaking.

~
The map that showed where people had traveled from

(the red markers are the ones that shows the people that attended).

Everyone should end the day like that.

Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.

2009-12-05T16:24:00.000-05:00

Abby's just the whole description of 'par-tay'!

Simple Bits of the World.

2009-12-03T18:43:00.000-05:00

Moss on a tree. After we had rain the previous day.

Reflecting puddle.

~
The sunset.

Thanksgiving Results.

2009-11-28T15:58:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving was awesome. Loads of food (with loads of leftovers), fun conversations with family, games, and of course desert a few hours after all the other food (the Marmalade Roll stood its trial very well, by the way)!

The Turkey. Beauty, ain't it?

My grandpa preparing to cut the turkey.

The traditional pumpkin pie. There was also apple pie,

cookies, and the Marmalade Roll.

Um, I'm sure this isn't something you'd want to do after eating a lot.

But I guess it works for guys.

The next day we enjoyed a day out of the house and walking around an outdoor mall.

While waiting for a table at the restaurant, we spotted a horse-drawn carriage.

Great and Gloriously Sticky.

2009-11-25T16:46:00.001-05:00

Hopefully this Marmalade Roll will be as great and gloriously sticky (and yummy) as Mrs. Beaver's. It will stand trial tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

80s and Stars.

2009-11-16T18:35:00.000-05:00

So... yeah... I haven't been keepin' up too well on the bloggin' and such. There's not much to post 'bout. But I will try to do better. Here's some pictures of what's been goin' on:

Abby, getting ready for an 80s-themed partay.

And yes, my mom found everything that was needed,

except the shoes and earrings (which, by the way, can pass off for bracelets).

The full look.

And apparently we've taken to putting

Cornbread into captivity.

I think she might prefer the dog....

~
This is what you get when you zoom the camera right up close to a star,

maybe wiggle it around, too.

You just need to make sure it's a bright one.

An art form I've recently tried. Anime' lets you exaggerate

eyes and hair, so my dad gets more hair. ;)

Once Upon a Time....

2009-10-30T18:20:00.000-04:00

There lived a fluffy black and white creature who made his/her dwelling in a barn. The creature was discovered late last night, and to this day, that creature hasn't moved out. Twice it has evaded the hidden trap, persuading the resident cats to take its place.

But, he will meet the trap..... Hopefully....

Alright, fantasy storytime's over. We came home from our grandparents' house from an enjoyable evening passing out candy to kids in costumes and watching our dad and grandpa clear out a bedroom for carpet. We come home, and it's my turn to take care of the goats (lucky me), so I enter the barn, already expecting the nasty skunky smell (having smelled it that morning), so, I walk in, somewhat looking around for the visiting opossum, but to my surprise, I see no possum, but the big, poofy-furred black and white skunk.

So I turn on my heels and walk back out in a hurried manner, not bothering to turn out the light, and hurried to the house to tell of my find.

Thankfully I was able to get the goats taken car of through their little pen door at the side of the barn. And yes, we still have yet to catch/shoot the little stinker.

Everything is His.

2009-10-24T07:28:00.000-04:00

And it's all Yours God, Yours God,

everything is Yours

From the stars in the sky

to the depths of the ocean floor

And it's all Yours God, Yours God,

everything is Yours

You're the Maker and Keeper,

Father and Ruler of everything

It's all Yours.

~Yours

~Steven Curtis Chapman

It's A Birthday, It's A Birthday!

2009-10-08T15:27:00.000-04:00

Today is the day of my wonderful littler sister's birthday. Abby's given us lots of laughs, and we love her for it every single day. She knows how to take a joke, she's great with little kids, and she has an amazing sense of style (as seen in photo above)

Love you lots an' lots an' lots an' lots an' lost an' lots an' lots Abby! Happy Birthday!!!

Jewels Of Autumn.

2009-09-26T16:34:00.000-04:00

Autumn is my favorite season. The leaves change their color from green to yellow, red, brown, and orange, the weather's just beautiful, too. Geese fly past the house on their way to a warmer home (I don't blame 'em), calling to their neighbors as they travel. Here's a few photos of Autumn here, and a few random pictures, too:

My mom's fire (it had gotten a bit out of hand). I'm guessing it was her

welcome home message to our goats, who came home from their date that same night.

And this piece of work is the reason we have so many cats.

As you can probably see, he is cross-eyed.

Yes, we have a cross-eyed cat, it's hilarious.

Hava. Isn't she such a sweetie?

Our house.

A bitty caterpillar.

Leaves on a bush near the house.

Trees across the field.

Golden tree leaves.

A sea of gold.

A scarlet leaf, Autumn's specialty.

A Reason I THOUGHT I Loved The Country For...

2009-09-20T08:01:00.000-04:00

The nice, peaceful quiet you can find in the country is so nice. Especially at night, hardly any cars at all (except when neighbors have a party, then cars go by twice as much).

But last night was, well, incredible....

Parker brings me into Abby and Ella's room, to their large window. He tells me to listen, so I listen quietly.... and I hear music being blasted across the fields, very, very, very loudly. At night. Yes, at night. You thought cars blasting music was bad? Wait until you get music being heard from probably across one or two fields, it was very nearly clear enough to make out words (I didn't make out any words, but if it got any louder, we might've been able to). But despite that weird happening, I still love the country.

Well, there's my story for the day. Enjoy!

What Do You Get When You Stick Two Female Goats With A Male?

2009-09-19T15:45:00.000-04:00

I'll tell you (since you're prob'ly dying to know): Absolute madness. I have no video proof of our goats' new boyfriend, but, I have pictures. He went totally nuts when our goats were put in his pen with him (in a good way, he was supposed to go crazy, I think). I think he was seriously very bored with his other female.

Ain't he a beauty? Looks more like a Hyena, if you ask me.

He's not being mean, it's normal. I don't know what Ginger thought, seeing it's her

first time mating, he went after her first, too. Rosie hung out in the little plastic house they had set up.

So... yeah, that's always fun, our goats are out hangin' out with him. Except the male stinks. And we went to a friend's house right after. I don't think anyone noticed any smell, anyway....

And, let's see, we went to the fair. But I'll post pics of that another time. For now, keep your fingers crossed and hope our goats come back pregnant (I'm sure they will, but still).

Lessons Taken From A Movie.

2009-09-08T16:24:00.000-04:00

It's always interesting to discover good lessons from movies. Like The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. I've found a few in Lord of the Rings, too. My mom pointed out one a while back, so I'll use it, too (if it's alright?).

~~~

King Theoden:

This didn't show up in the books, but it did in the movie. When Theoden, Gandalf, and all the rest approached Saruman in Orthanc, when Grima showed himself. Theoden asked him to leave Saruman, and join him in Rohan. After all Grima had done, Theoden was willing to give him a second chance.

~~~
Gandalf:

Willing to give aid to Faramir when Denethor was about to burn himself (Denethor) and Faramir alive. Willing to give advise to those who need it, and giving encouragement to the soldiers when all seems to be falling to ruin with no hope.

~~~
Boromir:

A man with good intentions, yet he shows us that no one's perfect, not even the good guys. Everyone is in need of forgiveness when they are tempted to do wrong. His protectiveness towards Merry and Pippin, even in risking his own life, is a good one, too.

~~~
Pippin (left) and Merry (right):

Two young Hobbits with a strong desire to pledge their service to others. Pippin- to the Steward of Gondor, Denethor, in payment of Boromir's actions that saved them, but killed himself. Merry- To King Theoden. Both were given leave to go, but neither wished to leave the ones they promised to serve, both staying faithful to the promises they made.

~~~

Frodo:
A Hobbit with a burden much too great for him, but still he kept on. He may have given up hope, but that didn't stop him from continuing on until all was done, until the Ring had been destroyed. Forcing himself to walk and climb even when he was exhausted.

~~~
Gimli (left) and Legolas (right):

A Dwarf and an Elf. Neither of their kind are extremely fond of the other, but these two set aside differences and became the best of friends, fighting side by side. Both sharing a love for Aragorn, too, and following him even into the Paths of the Dead.

~~~

Sam:
My mom pointed this one out. I agree with her. Sam's the best model of loyalty I can think of. He won't leave Master Frodo for nothing. The only time he left him was when Frodo sent him away. Sam stuck with Frodo to the very end, never losing hope.

~~~
Aragorn:

A Ranger of the North, yet heir to the throne of Gonder. Kind, gentle, strong, brave, and exceedingly merciful. What kingdom could ask for any better king? He would not up searching for Merry and Pippin when they were taken, he only relaxed when Gandalf reassured him that they were in no danger. He would not give give up the hope that Frodo was alive, even though he would have had good reason to after seeing the Mithril coat. And in book three, he gave pardon to Beregond, who had left his post without leave to rescue Faramir, and shedding blood in a place where doing so was forbidden. Those two things alone were to be punished by death. But Aragorn pardoned him from that, but sent him away from the city... to be captain in Ithilien, where Faramir lived.

So there you have it, lessons from both the books and movies. I'm sure they have many more traits, feel free to comment them.

A Fun Weekend.

2009-09-07T16:53:00.001-04:00

Grandpa throwing Isaac into the lake. Not literally, of course!

The lake we rode our bikes around, such fun.

Toy snakes look great on Abby, don't you think?

An opening through the trees.

The path that usually has four wheelers running through. I walked it, this time.

And finally, this is what we've been up to:

Oh yes, we have painted our precious Dune Buggy. And yes, we got plenty of stares whenever we passed someone!

After An Almost Six Hour Drive....

2009-09-06T19:56:00.001-04:00

We finally make it back home from an absolutely awesome weekend at the farm (see definition of the farm at an earlier post on the family blog), the trip up wasn't so bad, albeit long. We had loads of fun. I'll put up more pictures later (since it's kinda late right now), but here's somethin' to keep you all wondering what exactly we've done while on vacation:

Surely nothing could have gone wrong with paint and nine kids, right? Of course not.....

Saturday Morning Gun Fun.

2009-08-29T15:44:00.000-04:00

Trying to decide where to put the targets.

~~~
Dad shooting.

~~~

Friends.

~~~
Absolutely adorable, is he not?

~~~
Parker shooting his Mosin-Nagant.

~~~
Dad's Mosin-Nagant.

It's Lego World (Seriously).

2009-08-28T15:02:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's a store dedicated to Legos. I'm not kidding. This place has anything Lego. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, you name it. The displays they had were amazing!

What could be better? A huge Lego.

Yes, key chains. But they don't come apart, unfortunately.

Little Lego people.

Lego butterflies.

Cupboards full of Legos. And those are only part of the wall the cupboards cover!

A station where you can make your own Lego person.

One of the many awesome Lego displays.

The Lego logo (ha ha, look, it rhymes!).

So yes, it was a fun store. We didn't even know it was around until Parker saw someone walk past with the bag that said 'Lego' on it.

The Waltons: A Family Poor Financially, But Rich In Love

2009-08-26T14:58:00.000-04:00

To me, I think the Waltons is a family worth modeling after. They make do with what they have, and they don't complain about what things they don't have. When they run into a little trouble, they always manage to get by. When the electricity gets turned off, Grandpa Walton goes off to town to pay the bills, even at the price of Grandma getting upset because he left without bringing home the candles (and going with the Baldwin sisters, too!). But in the end, everything turns out alright. No one's mad at each other anymore, everyone's happy.

They don't refuse help to one who needs a warm bed and good food. From a penniless actress to a wandering musician. Even when they barely have enough to feed a family of eleven, they always manage to squeeze in one more for supper.

Back then, in the Depression, times were rough. Odds are a lot of people developed short tempers and got irritated quickly. But even when those tempers rose, the love felt for each other never died. They kept their trust in each other and helped each other through thick and thin.

You don't normally see families like them, huh? Willing to help a stranger in need, patiently helping a sibling over a fault. Helping parents make ends meet. That's a family with strong affections for each other and for people outside their house.

(Did I mention that it's an awesome show, too?)

Life According To.....

2009-08-25T16:03:00.000-04:00

.....Cornbread. Can life get any better?!

~~~

......my dad. When everything in this old house just has to break down.

(And yes, I know it's just the oven door, but you get my point.

Alright fine, the oven door just had a crack in it and we had to replace it. But still!)

~~~

And just for fun. This is what Cornbread is subjected to when she just doesn't care.

Beauty Rarely Found.

2009-08-21T15:00:00.001-04:00

You don't see girls wearing dresses like these nowadays. They're so pretty, and goodness knows they're comfortable, too! They're modest, feminine, and just all-out beautiful.

~~~

Stories To Be Told.

2009-08-13T19:54:00.000-04:00

My siblings and I have just gotten back from our grandparents' house, visiting with our cousins, who came down from Minnesota. It was really nice to see them all again, to just talk and hang out.

It's always fun to visit with family or friends that come back from a different state (if only for a few days). All the stories to be told, to laugh over. Bits of news to tell, fun stuff to do on a laptop (always great times there), and just enjoying being with them. Makes an awesome party, and even better memories.

Outdoor Beauty.

2009-08-06T15:40:00.000-04:00

I took these photos last evening. It was pretty fun, too.

Peek-A-Boo. My rabbit.

Abby and a basketball.

A little bitty gnome.

A green sea of beans.

One of the kittens. Isn't he absolutely adorable?!

Ella and Isaac on bikes.

I found this in our cellar (not the one in the back) when we cleaned it out.

It's Grandpa Walton jug (from the Waltons episodes)!

Just picture it, Grandpa Walton swinging it over his arm and drinking whiskey,

while Grandma walks past. ^^

You've no idea how fun it was trying to take

this one while not looking at it.

An apple on our apple tree.

Rosie (left) and Ginger (right).

Lily, our best mouser.

Flowers And Unexpected Finds.

2009-07-28T15:03:00.000-04:00

I took these pictures quite a while ago, actually. I just felt like snapping shots of any flower we had on the property. These three are only a few of them, but I thought I'd put them up to show you.

I think I had found this one.... somewhere either near the front porch

or at the back of the house.

This one I took of a flower near the front porch.

It was slightly windy, hence the reason you can see my fingers,

I was trying to hold it still.

This one... might have been taken at the front of the house, too.

Maybe. Or at the back, could've been the back.

Last Saturday me and my family had gone to do a bit of errand running. We stopped by George House to get my mom a Bubble Tea. George House also had a small-ish collection of books. I'd been looking through the books, not really expecting to see any book titles I recognized. After a bit, I came upon one book whose title I recognized immediately:

Elsie Dinsmore is a series of books about a young girl (named Elsie Dinsmore, of course), who lived before, during and after the Civil War. It's fiction, but it's one of my favorite fiction series. They have a modern version, but the originals are by far much better, and I highly recommend them. And finding this one, I was startled, but excited (if anything, I totally did not expect to see it there). And it was only a dollar, so I bought it. It looks so cool, although it smells old (Parker says it smells like smoke), and the picture on the front is really pretty, too. Finding this book almost makes me wants to go back and scour the shelves for other books I might recognize.

And if anyone's noticed yet, the music playlist is still a work in progress. My mom was helping me try to just get the silly thing on the blog last night. So, now that it's on there, most of the songs are only a few seconds. I will try to get that fixed.

Ooh, Look, Another Blog!

2009-07-27T18:42:00.000-04:00

I've had the idea to start a blog for a while. From reading the posts my mom writes for the family blog, and from an other small thought that formed one night, I wanted to try blogging. Took me a while to find a blog name, but today the one I had liked the most (but was then pushed aside) came back and planted itself firmly, refusing to budge one bit. So yes, that's that story. Great story, right? Of course it is. 'Cause it's my only story for it. Hopefully, I'll be as good a blogger as my mom. And, we've got loads of kittens, too (another litter today. Which makes a total of five litters, which means there's plenty to go around), so..... first one who can guess what book I got my blog name from gets kittens! Ready? Go! ;)