Snow More

Happy Birthday!

To the man I admire...to my best friend.


Happy birthday.

Time is a Whirlwind

How can it be one day till the last month of the year?

Catch up photos.

Diverting Enjoyments

Alex's favorite 5 book series of late. I started it with him for school. Real emotions and history make this an interesting read.
It follows a tenth century Irish sister and brother enslaved by the Vikings. It defintely shows how God allows difficult events in Christians' lives to spread the gospel.


When we moved to a town with a lesser library and still have no television programming, we decided to try Netflix. It has been a fun way to unwind. Ben and I watched Les Miserables. It is excellently done. The story is both sad and redemptive.



Our other recent watch is The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Visually gorgeous and filmed in Botswana. The characters are lovable with subtle humor. The television series deals with some harsh facts of life, but it is delicately done.


Terrestria Chronicles- Ed Dunlop
Another read aloud for my eldest. He liked it so well he read book two and three by himself. Much like Pilgrim's Progress, an allegory of a Christian's journey, in the times of knights and castles.



Very silly and cute. We played back some of the scenes with physical comedy. We laughed so hard we grew happier and added a year to our lives.

Platetonic feelings

A few days ago I was asking Emily what she could be thankful for. Her first answer was Jesus. Her second answer was food. And her funniest answer was "plates so we don't get crumbs all over." And now that I think of it, a plate is an ant detterent, a friend to a busy mom and a very useful luxury.

Fish, Flag Football and Floppy hats

Grief and Prayer

Today I cried as a mother and a Christian sister for some sweet parents from our Sunday School class in medical school days. They lost their two-year-old sons to a bizarre accident a few days ago. I can't imagine their grief...please lift them up in your prayers as their sorrow must be unspeakable.

http://www.times-georgian.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Twins+die+when+heating+system+malfunctions%20&id=3672485-Twins+die+when+heating+system+malfunctions&instance=home_news_top

A Fisherman's Delight

Between 23-25 inch Red Fish. Ben and a fishing buddy each caught the daily max.

Relaxing in Rockport

There is something about the beach and the open sea that brings delight to a child. Maybe it is the regularity of the water lapping over their little feet or the smell of salt and the grit of sand. When I was young I remember how the ocean stretched to heaven. I remember attempting to dig passage to China only to find my hole fill with water. Those poor Chinese must always be drowning.

Alex delicately holds a crab's dropped pincher.










If you look really closely, you can see Alex and Ben with my kayak in the background.




Daddy and darling look-a-like


15 hermit crabs came home with us. Okay, it was a little many. The children had a hard time choosing which they liked best....Barnacle Bill was a favorite. Unfortunately 8 days after naming them and painting their shells, four of them went to be with their Creator. We released the living 11 back to nature.

It was quite the experience. We watched many of them change shells before our eyes. To me they looked like gymnasts on bars as they raised their body out of one shell and pendulum swung into another. It was funny to see them abandon their plain shells for our decorated ones.

Here are their chosen shell motifs:

1. A tennis racket and a ball
2. A white bunny for Fritz's beloved velveteen rabbit
3. Glitter - I named the crab Golden Opportunity or "Op" for short.
4. A goofy pink bird with googly eyes- This crab particularly liked to sit in the water dish. Emily named it Cheety.
5. Patriotic with a blue star- This crab liked to hide a lot...maybe it was ashamed of the direction America is heading. Strangely enough it was the first to die. I pray it isn't foreshadowing.
6. Color splash
7. Hearts and flowers- This was the first crab to upgrade its living quarters. It was also Jane's shell. I do hope it was a female crab...otherwise the crab had a softer side.

The hermit crabs were very active and climbed and stacked themselves like sushi in a box. We did discover salt water hermit crabs don't make for the best pets as the aquarium began to reek every few days. I replaced the sand when they took a bath. Even though the water wasn't cold hermit crabs chatter when they bathe. Who knew?

Bass Master Extraordinaire

22 1/2 inches long caught from a local lake. Guesstimate weight is 7 pounds. One delicious dinner for 4.




Watch out, that hand isn't insured.

Birthday Bash

Uncle and E.

The human octopus.

Uncle entertained the kiddos with his feats of strength and generous tolerance.



The birthday boy!





Part of my parents' quiver. Missing 6.