Boys and their Toys!

Sending Jim and Alex to Lowes is like sending them to the grocery store hungry- impulse shopping WILL happen. Like, for instance, the makings of a potato gun. Oh, yeah, a potato gun. Relatively simple assembly, cheap ammunition, hours of family fun. Just watch where you aim it...




Okay, now we will take it out back instead of aiming at the neighbor's trees...




Now Alex takes a shot- ignore the bug on the lens at the end, merely a hazard with outdoor videography...




And Jim's turn. As you watch, please be aware that what you are about to hear has not been altered in any way.




Jim's turn, take two!




This new toy will now be brought out to entertain any visitors to our home. Already, Ben Hopp, Missionary to Haiti, has had a turn or two while he was here Sunday evening. Good times!

Memorial Weekend Camping Trip

Wow! What a weekend! we joined a large group from our church who have been camping together on Memorial day weekend for a number of years. Since they have it down pat, and we are novices with the whole family camping thing, we figured it would be a great way to get started. Boy, were we right!

An added bonus to our trip was that Alex, who took Kate to the Army Ball a few weeks back, drove up from Ft. Bragg to join us for the weekend. We enjoyed getting to know Alex in such a relaxed atmosphere. No errands to run, phone calls to make, appointments to meet. Just hanging out, smelling like smoke, eating excellent camp food, (from grilled salmon to donuts- oh yeah!) and enjoying nature. Erin recruited the infantryman to go for a run with her two mornings of our trip, Isaac got to have a tent buddy and football teammate, and I had someone else to help with the dishes- YAY!

Not only did we enjoy meeting Alex, our church friends also got to meet him and appreciate his contribution to the weekend- especially when it came time to cross a stream during our group hike!

One unpleasant incident that was turned to good- providentially speaking- was when Rebekah and some of the other children from our group were harassed by a couple of guys also camping there. Jim and Alex went to find the creeps- er, guys- and "explained" to them, (without ANY physical contact) just why their conduct was so very wrong. Then they called the Park Ranger, who interviewed all of the kids who encountered these guys, found the creeps, and evicted them from the campground. Not only was a point made and the camp made safer for their absence, it was a significant "bonding" opportunity for Jim and Alex. Our younger ones also were able to witness just how a pair of godly men confront trouble- not by losing control and pounding the dirt out of the guys, nor by passively letting it slide, but by pursuing a disciplined- and legal- course of action to effectively protect those they love.

The following slideshow captures some images of our weekend- you'll have to fill in the absolute peace and relaxation yourselves! Enjoy!

Not Nessie!

I receive a regular e-newsletter edited by a friend of ours, from the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation.

Today's issue included a story about a "Veteran Loch Ness Monster Hunter", and how he is giving up the hunt for Nessie due to his belief that the beloved beast has succumbed to Global Warming and perished at the bottom of the Loch. He plans to make one more pass to possibly find Nessie's remains... sniff.

The comments written by readers had me howling.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Nessie was supposed to be a dinosaur that somehow survived. And now, supposedly was killed by Global warming?

So it's hotter now than is comfortable for a dinosaur. Hotter than the Mesozoic era I guess. Odd that nobody noticed that.

I've run out of goat entrails and my scrying pool needs cleaning; so I can't reproduce the "science" used to make this claim; but I think the conclusion may be faulty.

posted by: Gekkobear Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:16 am

I fear unless we curb the warming soon, it may also claim the lives of Bigfoot and Elvis.

posted by: BillfromKansas Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:40 pm

(To read the whole article, click here.)

It's comforting to see that some are keeping their heads, (and sense of humor!) while all others about us are losing theirs in the hysterical frenzy over the mythical idea of human-induced Global Warming!

You read that right. I believe that Global Warming panic-mongers have lost their sense of humor. That, my friends, is a tragedy!

A Little Boy and a Very Large Cat

Lookie what I found on the computer! We have a camera that I've set up on the computer, but haven't used much. One evening while Jim and I were out Isaac figured out how to use the camera,... with some help from Milo.

Wonderfully Busy Weekend, Relaxing Week

What a whirlwind! So many things were happening this weekend, but they were all wonderful. I was blessed to go with several ladies from church to Westminster Theological Seminary for a "Women in the Word" Seminar, in which we learned to better read and study Scripture for the purpose of leading Bible studies for others. We were each in a different group, meeting women from all over who are lovers of the Word of God and hungry to learn more.

Here I am with my friends from church, Sharon, Sharon, Annie, (me), and June.

And here's my group, representing NYC, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and other areas nearby.

I left the seminar early, (sniff) in order to get home in time to see Bekah to a friend's home to dress for the homecoming dance. She and her friends primped and giggled as they got ready. Once they were photo-prepared I took a couple of shots and left for the next activity...

Tha annual Covenant Church Fall Fest! Not nearly as cold as last year, but the square dancing was just as fun!

Knowing those with whom we are dancing helps some too!

The past couple of days I've gone exploring with my "walking buddy", Heidi, to better familiarize myself with the area. I'm doing intensive research so that we can be better hosts for friends who come to visit. There is so much to see around here! First, and probably most memorable, stop- the Amish pretzel factory! I was privileged to go into the back where the girls were twisting pretzels and learned that it's not as easy as it looks! They were all so sweet.

Heidi and I took my empty pots to Wayside Produce for Esther, another Amish friend of Heidi's, to fill with gorgeous mums. Esther does all of Heidi's potting for her and she does it right. I also picked up some produce to add to dinner.

The weather is finally cool enough to leave the windows open for the lovely breeze. Milo, formerly a wild-in-the-woods boy, loves to sit and enjoy the sounds and smells.

Day two of our exploration- apple trees in harvest!

This market stand had all the makings for harvest-time decor.

tiny pumpkins!

Honor system cider sales. The Amish farmer who sets his cider out for passers-by to purchase doesn't have a direct line of sight from his house to this spot on the road. He's sold his cider this way for years.

What a splendid view!

That's all for now. This weekend we'll get the kids out for some pretzels and pumpkins.
Golly, I love fall!