Amy's Pet Snails

I dislike snails because they eat my plants. Amy has rescued 8 of them and is keeping them as pets. She got an old lettuce tub (from Costco) and made it into a snail habitat. Free pets!

School is officially out for us, but the learning never ends. She checked out a book at the library and learned how to take care of them. She had a sleepover last week and took the snails along. Apparently they were a big hit!

Here's what she wrote for this blog.

I caught some snails in the backyard. They slithered all over me!

Their cage was too small so we had to get them a new one.

My snails put on a circus performance. Sometimes they sumo wrestle too. They know a little bit of gymnastics. They like to rock climb too. They eat in the middle of the night. They make lots of slime and poop which I have to clean up as my daily chore. Baby snail loves his daddy. And I love my snails.

Flower Arranging

One of the things that I love about having a garden is being able to make flower arrangements with what I find outside. I took a class in college just for fun but really I learned most of what I know from my mom.

I love being able to take flowers to friends about as much as I love having them in my house. When I give them away the arrangement is etched in my mind fresh and lovely and I never have to see it die! So I took some pictures of my latest arrangements just after I finished them looking their best.

This is one of my favorite vases to arrange with. It is English creamware and I got it at a garage sale!



This arrangement is in our guest bathroom. The mirrors make it look like there are twice as many irises.

We had an explosion of roses a few weeks ago. I'll post some garden pictures soon. The roses on the left smell so good. Sean bought me the rose bush for Valentines Day when we were first married.


The vase on the right is a canning jar wrapped in green netting and tied with string. My sister used these in her wedding several years ago.

I brought this arrangement to a friends house last month. I'm always on the lookout at garage sales for pretty pitchers to use as vases.

Here is the first arrangement on our mantle next to Emily's baby picture.

Eat Your Veggies

Our purple and orange cauliflower.

Today the kids and I went to Farmers Market. A new vendor was there today who was selling purple cauliflower. It looked so good! Evan spotted it first and asked if we could get some. Amy spied the red carrots and asked for those. Emily wanted strawberries. Even though we bought some she can't have any because it makes her break out in a terrible rash. So she got some raspberries and apricots instead.

We also met a lady who makes soap from olive oil and goats milk. I used it tonight on Emily during her bath and her skin was so soft. I'm hoping that it will help both girl's Eczema.

So if you are fortunate enough to have a farmer's market in your town go grab some fresh veggies and fruit and have fun experimenting. If you want to try purple cauliflower (it's good by the way!) you could try growing your own.

Titus 1:7

"For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain," Titus 1:7

At church, our pastor is preaching through Titus. Yesterday was on the verse above. It has been a great study so far, and coming from the situation we had been in, quite interesting to study what the Bible says about elders in the church.

As we looked at what it meant to not be self-willed our pastor talked about pride vs. humility. "A self-willed man (or woman) is a self centered man, and at the heart is pride."

"Pride is more than the first of the seven deadly sins; it is itself the essence of all sin." John Stott

He recommended a book by C.J. Mahaney, which I highly recommend also, "Humility: True Greatness".

He also gave this little chart on Our View VS. God's View. I found it very helpful in my struggle with dealing with "fear of man" (pride).

We look at the outward; God looks at the inward.
We value popularity; God values character.
We look at intelligence; God looks at the heart.
We honor those with money; God honors those with integrity.
We talk about what we own; God talks about what we give away.
We boast about whom we know; God notices whom we serve.
We list our accomplishments; God looks for a contrite heart.
We value education; God values wisdom.
We love volume; God notices quality.
We live for fame; God searches for humility.
Our view is shallow; God's view is deep.
Our view is temporary; God's view is eternal.

The 7 Meme

Leslie tagged me with this meme.

Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

1. Fact: I get carded all the time (yesterday even!) even though I'm 35. You would think that a woman buying Port and Cabernet Sauvignon with 3 children and a whole cart full of groceries would be at least 21. I think it's funny!

2. Fact: I was a grocery store cashier in college. I once carded a woman who was 50! She was Asian and had amazing skin.

3. Habit: I have to sleep with socks on even if it's summer.

4. Fact: I love flowers. Being able to have them in the house is the main reason I have a garden.

5. Fact/Habit: When I read a book, I like to read every word. I read the dedication, the acknowledgement, the preface, the introduction, and the afterward as well as the main book.

6. Fact: I collect tea cups. I started when I was 5 years old.

7. I was valedictorian of my High School class. Don't be too impressed though, there were only 17 in my class!

Now, I must tag 7 bloggers:
1. Cara
2. Alicia
3. Kristen
4. Jessica
5. Bethany
6. Jen Only By Grace
7. Jen School In the Sun

While the Boys are Away, the Girls Will Play

The boys got back late last night from their D.C. trip so we are settling back in and getting lots of laundry done!

While they were gone the girls and I spent a relaxing week with my mom. We had tea parties, sewing night, lots of baking and shopping. My sister came over with her kids so we got to visit with them too. Amy and Emily love being around their cousins.

Then we came home for a few days before Sean and Evan returned. It was nice to have some time with just Amy and Emily. Things were much more quiet! But it's great to have everybody home now.

I enjoyed having some time off of teaching lessons, planing meals and my daily chores. I also enjoyed being "off-line" for a few weeks too. Sean has tons of pictures to share. Evan has 1,927 that he has to sort through! And I have lots to blog about: the women's retreat that I went on right before their trip, more bread recipes from our year long study of bread, pictures of my newest nephew, Noah, garden pictures, today's sermon, the book I'm reading with the kids "Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends: How to Fight the Good Fight at Home!", and the meme that Leslie tagged me with right before we took off. Sorry, Leslie, you always seem to tag me right before I'm taking a break from the computer!

Church and Spies

No, this isn't the plot line for a new book. Rather, it denotes a couple of fun things we did while in Washington DC.

We attended church services at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. This church is lead by Mark Dever, a man chasing Jesus who intimates the leadership style of John MacArthur. The congregation is heavily weighted with young professionals searching for their identity in Washington. Pastor Dever eloquently preached about finding your identity in God. Enough said.

We also visited the International Spy Museum. This is a must see place for kids when visiting Washington DC. From the machine gun spitting James Bond mobile to real life stories of the CIA and KGB, this museum provides hours of fascinating entertainment.

Evan - Agent 007 of 2007

Ford Theatre and President Lincoln

Continued guest blogging by Sean from Washington DC ..........

The historic Ford Theatre is where President Abraham Lincoln was felled on the night of April 14, 1865, just days following the end of the Civil War. After the assassination the theatre was forced to close its doors under threat of arson by people believing theatre staff were part of the conspiracy to murder the president. The government purchased the building in 1866 and used it as a warehouse and office building. But in 1968, 103 years after the last theatrical production shown in the theatre, the newly restored Ford's Theatre re-opened its doors to performances. It also houses a significant museum documenting a tenuous time in American history.

We watched a great little play in the Theatre called "One Destiny" of a first hand recollection of the assissination as told by the threatre manager and an actor who was on stage when the fatal shot was fired.

The theatre box where the president was murdered.

The pistol used by John Wilkes Booth to murder the President.

History Lesson: Most of us know John Wilkes Booth was the assassin. What you may not know is that nine other people were arrested in the conspiracy of Lincoln's death and an associated plan to kidnap the President. Wilkes Booth was killed in a shoot out while being apprehended days after the assassination. Four additional conspirators were eventually hung, including the first woman executed in America, Mary Surratt.

The White House

We scored a hard-to-get White House tour through Congressman Ackerman's office. We arrived bright and early Saturday morning. As we entered the White House, a significant presidential motorcade was forming up. The President departed while we were in his "Green Room." Or was it "Blue Room?" Secret Service agents did an admirable job doubling as tour guides; answering technical questions from wall paper to china serving dishes.

During our visit, White House staff were busily preparing for a "State Dinner" welcoming the Queen of England. She feasted in the same dining room where we had stood only two days earlier - don't worry mom, my Queen idolatry was short lived and I have since washed the soles of my shoes.


Unfortunately, security was tight and we were not allowed to bring cameras inside the White House.

Sean and Evan at the North Entrance of the White House.

Later, as we were driving across the Memorial Bridge from Arlington Cemetery, Marine One - the presidential helicopter, came roaring out of the Potomac River on a serpentine route to the White House. Apparently, the pilots had been skimming the surface of the river as a safety precaution for the President. Pretty quick. Fortunately, I had been looking a photos on my camera so it was in hand for this quick snap! Pretty cool.

The following day we were fortunate to be traveling in the opposite direction of the President's motorcade as he took the Queen to various locations around Washington. The eastbound freeway lanes were closed while the motorcaade passed, creating a 6 mile traffic jam!

A "Capital" Capitol Tour!

Today we began our day dropping by the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court, BEFORE they opened......The early bird gets the worm.....or sent away by several Capitol Police Officers.

We scored a Congressional Tour of the Capitol building through New York Congressman Ackerman's Staff. From Ackerman's office we entered the belly of the Capitol, traveling underground to the main Capitol building.

The elected officials have a mini metro rail system they travel between their offices and the Capitol. We got to ride this back to the offices. Security was very tight.

PaPa, Evan, and Sean standing in the center of the Capitol, one floor below the rotunda.

The inner artwork on the ceiling of the rotunda depicts George Washington with 15 angels. Why, you ask?.......Good question.

Sean and Evan in front of the US Capitol.

On our way back to the hotel we popped into the Botanical Gardens.

Charles enjoying the Botanical Gardens

The Capitol's Botanical Gardens

Evan's feet and legs are a little weary but he survived another day!

More Time at the Smithsonian Museums

Guest blogging by Sean from Washington DC..........

On Friday we hustled back to the Air and Space Museum to catch some exhibits we missed with the onslaught of school tours yesterday...... Wow! This place is cool!

Evan standing in front of the original 1903 Wright Brother's Flyer

The Museum of American History was down for renovations. Several items were on loan, being displayed at the Air and Space Museum. Among them were....

The top hat Abe Lincoln had at the Ford Theater the night he was killed.

Thomas Edison's Light Bulb

The scarecrow costume, original manuscript, and Judy Garland's red ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz.

George Washington's Uniform

And Mr. Roger's Sweater!

PaPa again managed to convince Evan that the National Gallery of Art was a cool place to hang out. It didn't last long, but we did manage to see.....

RENOIR'S - "A girl with a Watering Can."

MONET'S - "The Japanese Footbridge."

VAN GOGH'S - "Flower Beds in Holland."

MANET'S - "The Railway."

The Boys in Washington DC!

The Boys are blogging from Washngton DC - Evan, Sean, and Grandpa "PaPa"

On our first night in Washington DC we took the subway to China Town for dinner. And when in China Town we let Evan pick where he wanted to eat for dinner. And, of course, in the China Town area of our Nation's capitol - Evan chose to eat at......

California Tortilla?

Evan's good taste was popular among the local cops. Four of DC's finest came in for dinner.

Our first full day in DC began at 6:30 (that's 3:30AM CA time!) preparing for our congressional tour at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. One of two locations where our nation's currency is printed.

We then headed to the Smithsonian Museums. First stop, the Air and Space Museum. It's amazing, breath-taking, the history hanging and parked within the walls of this museum.

Charles Linbergh's Spirit of St Louis.

PaPa posing with the actual Apollo 11 Re-entry Module. This was part of the space craft used during the first moon landing!

The school tour crowds started piling in so we took a quick trip to the National Museum of Art (seems it wasn't as exciting to Evan as the Air & Space Museum!).

An oil painting by 17th Century Dutch Artist Johannes Vermeer.

Then we stopped at the Museum of Natural History. Pretty cool.

Each room was a museum of it's own....

The Hope Diamond in the huge Gem exhibit.

Gold chunks in an alarmed display case.

Whew. What a first day! Tomorrow begins with a congressional tour of the Supreme Court followed by a tour of the Capitol building itself.

See ya soon!

Sean for the Boys.

Emily and the Terrific Twos!

Guest Blogging by Sean from Washington DC.......

Happy Birthday Emily!

Emily enjoying her Birthday Party!

Our baby girl is looking less like a baby. She celebrated her Birthday with a beaming smile! Birthdays - she knows what those are all about. Her cousin, CJ, recently turned two. He had all sorts of presents and yummy cake. And ever since CJ’s party - when somebody mentions the word “birthday” - Emily thinks CJ is turning two again. She immediately starts looking for the cake and ice cream……..

Emily loved her presents. But like most two year olds, we could have simply put a plain cardboard box inside the gift bag and Emily would have thought it the greatest present!

Let me at it Mommy!

Does Emily love cake? Let me put it this way. While Emily still struggles with pronouncing many words of the English vocabulary, “chocolate” is one she mastered the first time she tasted it! Usually this word is preceded AND followed by a heartfelt “MMmmmmm!” Something like, “Mmmmmmm! Chocolate. Mmmmmmm!” I imagine some of you might be able to identify with Emily……Me, too.

Did I mention Emily LOVES Cake?