June & July 2007 To read... March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March/April 2006 May 2006 June/July 2006 July/August 2006 September/October 2006 November /December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March/April 2007 May/June 2007 celebrate... June:
July:
Links... www.scrapsupply.com www.shudan.com www.inspiritnews.com Carden genealogy www.kodakgallery.com Blue Letter Bible Ebay My Photo a Day Galleries: Email me... petracarden@yahoo.com |
August 29, 2007, 12:32 pm *Updated to add: I just found out that the teachers in our school district are on strike, so I now have at least 2 days until school starts... and it may not start until Tuesday! Woo hoo!* Numbers and journals... 621... the number of emails that were in my inbox yesterday. I'm trying to get it down to ZERO again - maybe once the kids are in school I can work on that. It's down to 595 now, so I'm making progress. 1... the number of days until school starts 0... the number of school supplies I have ready to go (I did purchase some on sale last month, but I have no idea how much we have and how much we need, if all the kids have backpacks, etc... I better get on that) 212... the number of dollars I made on ebay yesterday (so I can purchase the aforementioned school supplies) :) 4... the number of photos I'm going to leave you with today :)
I don't know if you can even read any of my journaling, but I finally found a use for all my metallic gel pens - ha - the journaling was cropped off the last photo because it was too private for all you guys' eyes. ;) August 27, 2007, 10:10 pm Happy Birthday to my wonderful mother-in-law, Trish! I hope you had a great day!!! :) Photo safari... Andy and I got to spend a little time together yesterday (Sunday). He took me 4-wheeling in his Jeep, and I only thought I was going to die a few times. It made me wonder if I have outgrown my love of roller coasters. Anyway, we were on these trails in the middle of what seemed like nowhere behind our subdivision, on a photo safari. We found a cool secluded lake, tons of dumped and rusted cars, places where people dumped trash, many rabbits, several snakes, and lots and lots of beautiful and peaceful scenery. I think I came away with some good photos, so I'll share a few with you. Andy took photos with his camera too, and got some good ones. I'll try to put together another kodak gallery album in the next few days. I also have some photos from Andy, Brittany, and Justice's 14 mile hike to put into an album, along with a few others. Okay, so the photos from Sunday... Okay, the first one isn't from the photo safari - this one is me clipping Jacob's fingernails before we headed to church... he was toting around this teddy bear and Brittany took the photo. I just thought he looked adorable so I'm throwing this photo on here too. Oh, speaking of church, we went to a new one yesterday and we all liked it! Hoorah! So we'll go back and try out the Sunday school classes next week (the kids were all in classes during the service so they've kind of gotten a feel of whether they'll like it - plus it's right by their schools so there are plenty of kids at the church that go to the kids' schools, which is good). During the service, I thought for sure the music was too upbeat for Andy's taste, but he liked the service, and I really liked it. It's so nice to find a place we think we're going to be able to call our church home! :) Back to the photos... Here's cutie Jacob...
And some of the photos I took on mine and Andy's adventure:
August 25, 2007, 4:06 pm 7 things... Andrea tagged me to name 7 random things about myself again, and since it's always fun to give you guys new information about me, here we go... :)
Okay, Timberly - it's your turn. :) August 24, 2007, 4:08 pm G-ma rocks! For Darby's 6th birthday (which was in July), G-ma (Andy's mom) made Darby a super cool dollhouse! Darby has been envying the one that G-ma made for Brittany several years ago and was SO excited to receive her own!! A couple photos (some more detailed ones later):
August 23, 2007, 4:49 pm I'm baaaaaaaack! Updates:
August 16, 2007, 8:23 pm Petra has not died. "Andrea, I need you to update my blog so my public knows I'm not dead, because no one reads the comments!" Petra said frantically (hence the !) not but a few moments ago. So here I am guest blogging for Mrs. Petra Carden. So I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be charming, funny, or just let everyone know that Petra's computer is down and she's not available to entertain you. She's thinking of calling the Geek Squad to come fix it. Although she turned down my offer to give her the phone number, so who knows if she's actually going to call or not. So much power, what to do, what to do. I could post some embarrassing photos mayhaps? Because I am the one who talks Petra into taking photos of her horrible hair mistakes and letting me see. Well, I know a duck who bought some lip balm........Lie. Well guys, my dinner has arrived, so I'm gonna go eat. But Petra is reading from her tiny cell phone, she just can't comment or post. So leave her some love, tell her she's pretty, ya know, all those things she loves to hear. So... I realize that my blog look has not been updated for August. I have no excuse, I just haven't felt like doing it. :) And I have not publicly wished a happy birthday to several people, so: Happy birthday to... Matthew, Krystyna, Tori, Carolyn, and Timothy!!!!! :) :) More boring health issues... So in keeping my headache diary, I think I mentioned before that I have come to the conclusion that most of my issues are food related. So now I am starting at square one. I am, for a few days, going to ONLY eat foods that I know for a fact don't bother me (the list is short). Then, I will add one food at a time. Which means that I am having ISSUES right now. I cut out so many foods (including sugar - aaaaaaaaaahhh!!!) and my body is withdrawing. I feel like I just stopped shooting up heroin. Okay, so I don't actually know what that feels like (having never done any illegal drugs)... but I think this is close. Yesterday, I had my green tea PLAIN... withOUT sugar... or honey... I did put a slice of orange in today but it just wasn't the same as the sweet taste of good-old-fashioned-bad-for-everyone white sugar. Anyway, I've dropped cheese, all types of bread, junk foods, anything processed. I've been eating chicken, vegetables, and fruit. So I had an I-need-sugar headache today and had to take my zolrofimizigegate or whatever the heck it's called. I'm thinking once the initial no-junk-food shock to my system passes, though, I should feel good. Hopefully. And hopefully some of my favorite foods will make it back onto the I-can-eat-them-all-I-want list. I'll keep you posted. :) Movies... I know you all love my movie reviews, so here's some new ones: The Bourne Ultimatum was awesome. Andrew and I both loved it. It left us wanting it to last longer. Bratz. What can I say? It was brutal. B-R-U-T-A-L! But Darby LOVED it. She said it was the best movie ever. She laughed. She cried. She danced. She wants to BE a Bratz. And it wasn't overtly sexual like I thought it might be (i.e. they didn't dress like little high school whores throughout the movie... they were actually fairly modest for the most part) - so that was a pleasant surprise. And it had a sweet little message about being a good friend and being friends with everyone, blah, blah, blah. It was Darby's reward for getting her room clean (finally!). And I lost the coin toss as to who was going to take her. lol Premonition was okay. Not as good as I hoped it would be. I so love a good suspense thriller, but this wasn't that. It was mindless entertainment, but that's it. Shooter was good. Enjoyed it. Lots of action. Good acting. Good story. August 7, 2007, 5:24 pm For the record... We were really sorry we had to miss Titus and Jackie's wedding this past weekend. I shamelessly stole this photo from Matt's blog (thanks Matt). Titus and Jackie - we wish you all the happiness in the world! We are so glad you found one another and you seem so in love!! We love you and cannot wait to see you. :)
August 6, 2007, 4:03 pm I know I have sucked at updating my blog this summer. I promise I'll do better. :) Thoughts and updates:
A few photos... These are all straight out of the camera with no post processing (it was really bright that day, so I was trying to get them not to be washed out on the first two. The last two were taken with no flash in dim light... still learning). I'm trying to figure out how to actually use my camera (i.e. on manual) so I'll probably be posting lots of photos while I learn. :)
July 31, 2007, 5:16 pm Motivation... I feel like we, as a society, do not live up to our full potential. I am sure there are some who do, but I daresay most of us do not. We have been spoiled with instant gratification and have been programmed for laziness. I know I would have a hard time getting by without a microwave or a car or the computer. I mean, why on earth would I boil noodles, ground hamburger, mix up cheese, wait another hour for it to bake... when Stouffer's lasagna is pre-made and delicious and takes 15 minutes in the microwave? And it's not like I'm using that two hours I saved to do something substantial. Usually, I use that extra time for watching movies, reading books, surfing the internet, sometimes doing yet another load of laundry... Most of which don't amount to a hill of beans. When I sit down and really think about what my priorities are, about what I hope to accomplish in this lifetime... am I really putting forth the effort needed in order to meet those goals (that dreaded word that I hate)? Why don't I spend that extra time (because Lord knows most of us can make extra time if we would just get off our butt) doing something useful? In my ideal world, I'd use all those extra minutes reading more of my Bible, organizing my house, taking my children on more walks, reading Bible stories to my children, doing something for the greater good. But oftentimes, my extra minutes are used up for selfishness. I want to change that. I've always wanted to change that. So what stops me? Sure, I've got excuses: I've had health problems, or I'm too tired, or what's the harm in watching a movie. Which are all perfectly legitimate. But I want to go above and beyond. I want to meet my full potential. I want to be used by God. Why is that so hard? So what motivates you? Do you find yourself wasting precious time? I think I waste a lot of time without even realizing/noticing it. I often think "where did the week go?" and "how come I still haven't gotten that done?" and "how can I fit anything else in to my schedule?" But really, I know I could accomplish a LOT more if I just set my mind to it and MADE the time that is already there. I think it's a matter of motivation in my case. So let me know what you think. July 29, 2007, 5:32 pm We have had to postpone our trip to Monterey until this fall or winter, but we wish Titus and Jackie all the best on their wedding day this coming Saturday!!!! We went to the Farmer's Market yesterday (of course) and got lots more blueberries to freeze. I think Jacob has eaten his WEIGHT in blueberries today and yesterday. He loves them! This batch is actually the best tasting blueberries I've ever had. I love Washington! :)
And then last night, Andy took me in the Jeep down some back roads he had found with the kids. It was too cloudy to see Mt. Ranier, but it was right at sunset and I got a couple of good photos:
July 26, 2007, 7:23 pm This and that... I took the kids to the mall today to meet up with their friends that are still in town (from Texas). Brittany ended up staying with them, and Christopher ended up coming home with us. We'll exchange back tomorrow. :) I've been selling stuff on ebay and was putting more on ebay tonight, but got distracted by blogs and thought I'd update mine (not the first time - ha). Did you realize that happiness is a choice? So is love. For that matter, so is hate. They aren't feelings based on your circumstances. You can CHOOSE to be happy and you can CHOOSE to love your spouse/children/friend/neighbor/etc (in fact, God commands us too). So choose a much more joyous and lovely existence... be happy and love others. :) July 25, 2007, 4:43 pm Update on the migraines... I went to the dr. yesterday, and he ended up being an experienced, older dude with lots of good advice (a direct answer to prayer!!!). He even addressed my IBS (I know - yuck) and had some great input that did not involve medication (I hate it when doctors just try to drug you up - treat the problem, not the symptoms, you know?). Anyway, Timberly and Marci (my sisters, for those who don't know) saying they both have migraines as well kind of confirms what the doctor said about migraines usually being hereditary (I remember my dad saying his mother had them all the time). You just have to find out what is triggering them and stop them in their tracks. So we went through the whole list, I explained my concerns about not wanting to be drugged up, etc. He explained to me why the other doctor prescribed anti-depressants (apparently the dosage is about 1/20th of what they give you if you are depressed, and the side effects are not bad at all at that small dose - the other dr neglected to fill me in on that tidbit). I told him how the term 'anti-depressant' scared me, and he asked if I was in the Tom Cruise camp - lol!!! Um, NO... I understand that some people have a chemical imbalance and need medication, but I think that many people abuse the drugs and use them, when what they REALLY need is God and a good counselor! :) Anyway, that's a whole other topic in and of itself. ;) So, he went through the list of other preventives (apparently when you are getting debilitating headaches more than 3 days per week - they want you to try to prevent them instead of relying on pain killers to get rid of them). The one, which was not also used as an anti-depressant, that he wanted to give me was known to make blood pressure drop, and seeing as how my blood pressure is already always really low - there's no way I could take it (he, just like every other doctor I've ever seen, asked why my blood pressure was so low when he first saw my triage chart. I just told him what I tell everyone else "it's always that low - nothing to be concerned about" - lol). We went through every preventive drug there was, and ended up coming back to - you guessed it - the amitriptyline (the anti-depressant). Ugh. Well, 5 days a week of migraines is enough to make me willing to try anything. He also gave me pain medicine to take if I do get a migraine, since over the counter stuff does nothing (it's called Zomig zolmitriptan). Apparently you have to take the preventive for a couple of weeks before you notice a difference. I'll keep you posted. I told the doctor that I'd TRY it... but if the side effects were crazy, then I wasn't going to continue. :) I took one last night, and he said it makes you drowsy, and I fell asleep within ten minutes of going to bed and did not wake up ONCE until Jacob woke me up this morning. 8 1/2 hours sleep without interruption. That never happens to me - I ALWAYS wake up multiple times (if I'm too hot, or I have to pee, or my head hurts, or there's a noise - sleeping has been an issue for me for the past few years). So that was cool, I guess. But I was tired after breakfast - and I don't know if it's due to the medicine making me STILL drowsy (I didn't feel drugged - just tired) or if I was just worn out from the last three weeks of having so many migraines. I'm not going to give up after just one day, but I had to take a nap today and I hate taking naps (it's so disruptive to my day). So we'll see. If it's the medicine that is making me so tired - then what's the point?! I mean, it might prevent migraines, but I don't want to be tired all the time, you know?! So that's where I'm at. I'm sure you all wanted to hear the whole saga. Most of you probably aren't even reading anymore. Ha! I'm just ready to NOT have health issues. I guess I can thank all my terrible genes, and all the miscarriages/pregnancies for most of it. Andy just does not know what he is missing being in perfect health all the time (but living with me does help him not take his good health for granted). :) Well, I must get back to putting some things on ebay and getting the rest of the downstairs organized (still no photos on the walls - soon though, soon). And how is it already 5:00?! I guess I need to go figure out what we're having for dinner too. More later - and it won't involve medical issues, I promise. :) July 23, 2007 Migraines... I have had a lot of headaches lately. They have become unbearable. I hate, I repeat - HATE, going to the doctor, especially a new doctor, but I called today and made an appointment. I'm going to the doctor on base at 10:00 tomorrow morning. Hopefully he can help - so far doctors haven't been much help in this area. The last one prescribed mild anti-depressants as a preventive measure, but after reading about the medication, I was like "NO WAY!" and didn't take any of them. Since then, the migraines have gotten worse and for the last few weeks, I have had debilitating headaches more often than not. I'm really not a whiner or a hypochondriac... I love having energy and feeling good, and often keep going even though I feel like doing nothing. I feel guilty when I stop, even when my body demands it. Part of being a woman, wife, and mother, I suppose. For those of you who have never had a migraine and are saying "just suck it up and take some Advil", I copied a couple of paragraphs for you. :) From WebMD: Roughly 26 million Americans suffer from migraines, the Mayo Clinic reports. Some people mistakenly think that migraines represent some weakness in the sufferer -- a sign of poor health or a personality flaw. That's not true. Doctors believe migraines are the hallmark of a brain or the nerves in the brain that's extra-sensitive to change -- caused by sudden constriction and expansion of blood vessels in the head, neck, or scalp; fluctuating hormones; or abnormal levels of serotonin, a substance that transmits nerve impulses in the brain. Anybody -- healthy or sick, young or old -- can get migraines, but the condition most commonly afflicts women between adolescence and menopause. The tendency is usually inherited, so the headaches often run in families. It's easy for people who aren't plagued by migraines to write them off as "just headaches." But the difference between a regular headache and a migraine is like the difference between a pinprick and repeated stabbings. Migraines can be truly debilitating, forcing those afflicted to stop what they're doing and lie down; these episodes can be so intense and unpredictable that they disrupt normal life. And unlike the briefer episodes of stabbing pain known as cluster headaches, migraines can last anywhere from four hours to three days. Anyway, please pray the doctor knows what he's doing so I don't have to go to yet another one. The only doctor I want to go to after this is a specialist if he needs to send me to one. I have it narrowed down to four probable causes [you know, since I'm a medical expert :-D]... 1. allergies (I know I have some food allergies, but I can't pinpoint more than a couple of them since I rarely just eat one food at a time - and 'they' say food allergies can be a possible trigger for migraines - I'm going to ask for an allergy test), 2. I have back and neck pain (what mother doesn't?! ha!) - so I suppose it's possible that since the spine is connected to the head...?!?!, 3. brain tumor??? Although I'd say this one is highly unlikely ;), and 4. I'm a freak of nature and there is no help for me. Beyond those things, I have no clue. I just know I can't take it anymore! I hope the doctor isn't a quack. :) July 23, 2007, 10:20 am Happy Anniversary to my baby! :)
Thirteen years ago today, we went to East Towne Mall, in Knoxville, to the County Clerks Office. The minister met us at the mini blinds store and married us while we giggled profusely about our gumball machine ring with the big, plastic, green heart (that was Andrew's ring!) and my $4 gold band from Claire's (we had a church ceremony with 'real' rings a few months later). I'm sure the 'mall minister' thought "wow... this won't last", but here we are, thirteen years later... happier than ever! :) July 20, 2007, 6:03 pm Finally some photos. I am uploading photos to the kodakgallery as I type and will email them out as soon as I add my fun and witty comments to them. :) Here are a few to hold you over until I get the album loaded (connection is a bit slow today).
Okay, you guys should have photos by morning your time so let me know if you don't get the email. :) July 19, 2007, 9:42 am Brilliance lost... I came up with an incredible blog post while I was going to sleep last night, but now it is lost forever, because all I remember now is how awesome it was - not actually anything that was in the post. I keep saying I'm going to put a notebook and pencil by my bed, but it never happens. And if it was there, I'm not sure I'd turn the light on and write anyway. I obviously didn't post photos yesterday. When I got the chance to, I was lost in a sea of scrapbooking (I'll share what I made later today, along with photos). So I was thinking of writing a screenplay of my life, and in this thought process, I began to wonder what actors/actresses I would choose to play my friends and family. Here's what I've got so far: Me - Claire Danes (I didn't used to think I looked like her even though Andy thought so, until the most recent movie she was in, Evening. I think if her hair is like that, then she might do.) If you aren't on the list, it isn't because you won't be in the movie - it's because I haven't thought of an actor/actress yet to portray you. But don't worry - you will be cast. And I'm sure you were worried, because you all know this movie will actually happen. :) July 18, 2007, 1:08 am A quick(ish) paragraph... I have tons of photos to show you (I had a weeks' worth of them on my camera when the computer crashed, so all was not lost). I have been working on getting my laptop back to where I want it, and am almost done... okay not *almost*... but closer than I was?! :) I have been scrapbooking again too, and it feels so good. I love it. It's creative therapy. I'm so glad to finally have my scrapbooking area all set up and organized! And I'm up late tonight because I slept late this morning because I stayed up until 3 am last night because I started on a book right before bed that I couldn't put down. That's what I get for choosing murder mysteries as my book genre of choice - I just have to know what happens! I swear, I'm going to go back to just NOT reading novels until my kids are all grown, because they just suck me in!!! Just a little over two weeks until we go to California for my brothers wedding... we're really looking forward to that (well, maybe not looking forward to being in the car again this soon - for 14 hours - but looking forward to being in CA and seeing family and meeting my new sister-in-law). :) Anyway, so the photos I post later will explain what we've been up to the last couple weeks - including why on earth I was roller skating (that was the first time I had been since I was 16, I think, if you don't count roller blading in the neighborhood - first time to the 'rink' since age 16ish... and the place hasn't changed. No, I've never been to THAT particular rink, but they are all the same). :) Andy took three of the kids to a new church on Sunday - I had a horrid migraine, ugh (yes, I'm still getting them) - and they really liked it. We're going to visit it this coming Sunday and hopefully decide if it's the place for us or not. We're ready to have a church home. It sounds pretty conservative, which is more Andy's taste than mine when it comes to churches - but Andy said it wasn't dull/stale like some churches we've been to have been. It's just more traditional and the preaching is excellent. Darby said she LOVED it (they gave her candy in her class?). Anyway, I'll let you know on Sunday. :) No photos of the house yet (except in the background of Darby's birthday photos) because we still haven't hung photos on the walls... and there are still a few stray boxes here and there... AND there is no linen closet upstairs - isn't that strange? I don't know where to put extra sheets and blankets. We have a big landing/hallway upstairs between the bedrooms and there is a desk there with the computer for the kids (and Andy) to play games on, but there's still plenty of room. Perhaps a pantry? A trunk of some sort? Shelves? Suggestions? Anyone? Anyone? I need a place for linens!!! :) OH!!! And one more thing... I bought an outlandish amount of blueberries and raspberries and need ideas. Because people are getting sick of eating them plain. Or with cool whip. I guess I can make some muffins with some of the blueberries. Any other ideas? :) July 16, 2007, 1:09 pm Back to our regularly scheduled programming... Most of my computer issues are resolved, and I finally just got Dreamweaver re-installed so I can edit my blog. So I'm back to posting. Some questions for you... Why do I have a big bruise on my butt? Why does my arm appear normal, but feel like it is broken and bruised? Why does it hurt to walk on my wobbly legs? Why does "I need a hero" keep going through my head? I'll give you a hint:
Yeah, more to come. July 12, 2007, 9:45 am Movies in general Some excellent points have been brought up in the comments. I wish my comments page was more facilitating to discussions, but since it's not, I'll just start a new post. :) I completely agree with Ali's point (and Josh and Daniel's) about sex in movies. And any other sin, for that matter. And books too. This is a point that my husband and I have both struggled with. We are such movie buffs, that what ends up happening is this: We decide we are going to get rid of any movie that glorifies sin and end up with 100 or so fewer movies. We do GREAT for a year or so - not going to movies or renting them or buying them or watching them if they fall into the category of movies we have been convicted about watching. Then, we watch one that is 'on the line' and so it goes from there... a few months later we're practically back to watching whatever we want. This is something we have discussed again recently. "We need to go through our movies again" and "We shouldn't have gone to see that", etc. Personally, I have found it easy to neglect movies that are 'demonic' or that have gratuitous nudity or sex scenes (Love Actually used to be my favorite movie - I just 'overlooked' the nudity [that is one of the ones we got rid of last time we got rid of movies]). For a while, I was doing great about researching films before seeing them, before letting my children see them - but somewhere that went out the window and I find myself at movies like Transformers wondering how I got to the point (again) where my kids are watching a movie where the mom is asking the boy if he was masturbating and it shows close-ups of a teenage girl's body (I'm sure some would argue that "it was just her stomach, etc. - it didn't show any private parts"... but I say the scene was overtly sexual and certainly did not belong in a film that I want my children watching). I suppose I just assumed that a movie about a boy and some robots wouldn't include that stuff. What happened to my researching movies beforehand?! And why does it bother me so much more when my kids are seeing the movies? Shouldn't I be just as concerned about my own spiritual and moral well-being? I mean, it bothered me that I saw Knocked Up, but it wasn't until I brought my kids to a movie with 'stuff' in it that I started thinking about where I was in a more serious light. Six months ago I would never have gone to see Knocked Up, and if I had actually researched it, I probably wouldn't have gone to it last month. But I thought, it can't be that bad... and there's not really anything else showing... and so I went. Josh said this on the comments page: "I think a lot of our current views on this topic (mine included) are brought about by us trying to "justify" things that we enjoy watching and so do not want to give up." This is so true. Whether it be witchcraft, or adultery, or even filthy talk... what are we, as Christians, allowing ourselves to ingest? God says that what you think in your heart - you ARE (Proverbs 23:7). And if we are watching and listening to things that are sinful... aren't we thinking about them? So what does that make us? A witch? An adulterer? A pervert? I know that I want to be pure, so are the movies I'm watching causing me to have pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8)? Are yours? Do you care? If so, what are you going to do about it? If not, what is your relationship with God like? Just because a movie has some really funny parts or some good action scenes, is it okay to 'overlook' the sex scenes or the perverse talk or the witchcraft? I don't think so. It is interesting that this point was brought up. As I was alphabetizing our movies yesterday, I set aside a couple that had found themselves into our collection that I thought, "why on EARTH are these in our home? Why on EARTH did we watch these???" Mindless entertainment - that's what it boils down to, I think. But is it really mindless? We think "ah, it's just a movie" or "it's just a book", "it doesn't mean anything". When I click on the archives of my blog and look in the sidebars at my favorite movies and music... just in the past two years I have changed so much of what I look at or listen to. But in the past few months, I've been slipping again. How did that happen? How did I go from a firm conviction of being so careful of what I let into my mind to not paying any attention again? Hey - maybe the Harry Potter posts were for ME. :) By the way, I mentioned before that I'm one of those people that wants people to like me. Just to let you know, this is something I'm conscious of. I have gotten so much better about declaring my beliefs (no matter WHAT anyone thinks) and am striving toward doing even better. The blogs have been good for me in that manner. Since I've been more vocal on the blogs about my beliefs, I've been able to be more vocal in my real life. It's something I'm constantly trying to improve upon. I certainly do not EVER want to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). I used to be so concerned about being 'cool' and not offending anyone who didn't believe the same way (you obviously still see hints of that in my previous post about "I hope I didn't anger anyone" - lol). Thanks for keeping me in check! I'll keep working on it. ;) Next post: Where should the line be drawn? What is okay and what is not? Is it okay for a movie to have adultery in it as long as nothing is shown and as long as it is portrayed as being wrong? What are your convictions (if you don't mind sharing)? Do you stick to them? Do you have any convictions in this matter? These posts are obviously geared towards Christians (which I think the majority of my reader base claims to be), but feel free to comment no matter what your beliefs. I want to hear from you. Also, if anyone still has comments regarding the Harry Potter posts, please feel free to continue that discussion. My witchcraft questions still have not been answered. lol :) July 11, 2007 Harry Potter: Part Two Let me start by saying yes, I agree that people are entitled to their own opinions and of course different people have different convictions. Everyone has the right to make their own decisions, obviously. I do like hearing both sides of things that I am convicted about, and why others are or are not convicted in the same manner, so thank you for all the comments. I really do hope I have not angered anyone with my vocalization of my beliefs (but at the same time - it is my blog, so my beliefs are obviously going to be voiced here from time to time). :) To clear up a couple of points that were brought up in the comments on how and why I have made the choice against Harry Potter that I have (not in any particular order, and hopefully not beating a dead horse): 1. As already stated, I don't condemn a movie or book simply because it has witches in it. Like Daniel stated in his comment, there are stories of witches, etc. in the Bible. But they are shown as evil. I don't think it is wrong to simply read a story or watch a movie that has evil things in it, as long as, like I said before, evil is seen as evil and not made out to be good. The difference, to me, between LOTR and HP is that LOTR is made up. HP is using actual spells used in real witchcraft by real witches that are serving Satan. There are no such things as magical elves ruling over the woods or hairy footed hobbits using an evil ring to disappear. There IS such a thing as a witch, and according to my research, they are using the same spells as Harry Potter. [p.s. Another comparison between the movies that draws the line for me is this: My research shows that Harry Potter and the other "good" witches/warlocks do things like lie and cheat as though it's okay if it helps you get what you want. From what I can tell, the "good" people in the books/movies don't do much that is actually good (do they?). In the other movies I have discussed, the good people have morals. They are portrayed as wholesome. Harry Potter 1. is a witch, 2. lies, 3. has no respect for authority... things I don't particularly care for in a movie or book's 'hero'. Again, this is all surmised from my research - I can't state any of this from firsthand knowledge.] 2. From what I know, LOTR and Narnia have not caused anyone to pursue joining the Wiccan religion. But from what I have read, Harry Potter has lured many young people into witchcraft. That bothers me. I know that some of you stated you weren't drawn into witchcraft and the movie is what you make of it, etc. And I see your point as well. I even pretty much agree with that... I have seen movies about drugs and wasn't tempted to do them, etc. My concern isn't as much for the good, Christian adult watching or reading Harry Potter (although I choose not to myself for all the reasons stated), but more for children, and those who are NOT Christians, who would more easily be tempted or drawn into the area of witchcraft. There are so many young people that are searching for something powerful, and I believe Harry Potter is one of the many tools Satan is using to lure them to witchcraft instead of into the arms of Jesus. Yet another reason I can't and won't support it. 3. I will concede that I do not care for the "good witch" theme in the Oz movies. But I hardly think it's comparable to Harry Potter. Glenda, the "good witch", floating off in a bubble is a bit different than Harry Potter casting demonic spells and calling it "good". And yes, "white witch" spells are demonic - just as demonic as "black witch" spells. And as far as I know, Glenda wasn't based on research consulting Wiccans. Of course you can disagree or agree. 4. Everyone who has commented seems to have a good attitude about their opinions, and I appreciate that no one started any name-calling or other silliness in the comments. :) I would add, for those who may not have commented or those I didn't 'read' correctly, that if this has made you defensive and even a bit angry - you should probably search inside yourself for why. Just because you have enjoyed something and feel like you "have" to see the next episode or whatever, doesn't mean it's right. And if you feel like the other movies mentioned "are just as wrong as Harry Potter" then maybe you shouldn't watch those either... Correct me if I'm wrong, but I did not read any comments that showed why Harry Potter was good. There were comments about it being harmless, but I want to know why - what makes it harmless? I was hoping for some responses to the witchcraft relations that I found from those who watch/read. I did receive an email from someone who had seen one of the movies and she said "...it scared the lights out of me. Everything you said about Harry Potter is all true. The spells are real, and there was stuff that sounded strange like there was no lines between evil and good.In fact it was more like superevil and evil, but after seeing that movie, I totally agreed with my parents that [Harry Potter] was very evil." She went on to tell me about the time she herself saw a demon and that the movie (and anytime she saw something to do with witches) reminded her of that time. Just wanted to share so you could all hear all the comments. 5. I should add that I am not really that big of a fan of the whole 'fantasy' genre. I watched The Lord of the Rings series once, possibly twice, but that's it. I thoroughly enjoyed The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - but a LOT of time would have to go by before I'd watch it again. The music in the Wizard of Oz keeps me coming back. My entire point isn't that fantasy or movies with witches are wrong... because I don't think they are in and of themselves. My point is simply this: WHY are so many Christians enamored with a series that has been proven to be Satanic? Re-read my previous post with the information I found if you still think this post is all about LOTR vs. HP. We can do a separate discussion of LOTR if ya'll like. But just the fact that Rowling consulted with Wiccans before she could write the books should be enough to turn any Christian off, in my opinion. Please tell me why I'm wrong about that point. And p.s. If I found out Tolkien consulted demon possessed woods-dwellers that thought they were elves before he could come up with Legolas, you can bet that all the LOTR books and movies would be out of my house immediately. I honestly am not fond of confrontation or creating controversy [I'm one of those people that always wants everyone to like them - lol]. I just think this is a serious topic that should be addressed. I have known several people who have been tortured by demons, and it usually started with something seemingly innocent and harmless. I believe there are many Christians who have issues far beyond whether or not they should be reading a Harry Potter book. For them, this topic could be likened to fervently trying to get a murderer to not steal a pen. I have actually not voiced my opinion about Harry Potter in the 7 or so years it's been out, except for when my children were involved (i.e. "Can I take your kids to see Harry Potter?", "No, they aren't allowed to see it."). But, I just felt strongly that I should say something. I don't know why. Maybe ONE person reads my blog that was considering witchcraft and now they will have second thoughts. And if that's the only purpose it served, then awesome. Praise God. :) Please, continue to put forth your comments. For those of you that researched the topic first and who now feel that there is nothing wrong with it, I really would love to hear how you came to that conclusion. I mean no condescension whatsoever - I ask for comments because I really do want to hear what you have to say. :) July 10, 2007, 12:07 pm Harry Potter: evil? harmless? addicting? no big deal? There is another Harry Potter movie coming out soon, and I believe, from all the enormous posters at my local Borders, there is another book on the horizon. We, as a family, have never read any of the Harry Potter books or watched any of the Harry Potter movies. I have read excerpts online, and articles regarding the link, or lack thereof (depending on the website), between Harry Potter and real, actual witchcraft. My thinking, and the reason my children are not allowed to read or watch any of the Harry Potter media, is that it's better to be safe than sorry. Are my kids missing out? I don't think so. I don't think their rearing is going to be damaged in the least because they missed out on a popular book and movie series. If anything, I'm avoiding damage. My random and not-in-any-particular-order thoughts on the topic: I am not one of 'those Christians' that think that simply having a witch in a book or movie is grounds for boycotting. I think the Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia and the Oz series are fantastic. I put them all in the category of 'fantasy' and believe the lines of good and evil are very clearly drawn. From what I know of Harry Potter, and feel free to correct me if you think I'm wrong, there are absolutely no clear lines of good and evil. Bad evil is evil and not-so-bad evil is good? Everyone that is a witch is either a 'good witch' or a 'bad witch' and humans are all lacking because they don't know witchcraft? I'm sure there are many, many Christians that rationalize it by telling themselves it's purely fantasy and there's no difference between Harry Potter and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. But anyone can rationalize anything if they want to badly enough, no matter how obvious it seems to the rest of us. What I want is for people, Christians that is, to be completely honest with themselves and ask if reading or watching Harry Potter is something that a Christian should actually do. I have heard enough to keep me as far removed from anything Harry Potter as I can possibly get removed from it. Things such as the short list below, and I'm not guaranteeing they are all fact, but they are things that I have heard others claim are fact:
Just those things alone are enough to make ME run. Movies... I watched Constantine, and even though it's kind of scary, and it's full of demons, I didn't put it in the "evil media" category because good overcame evil, and the lines were CLEAR. I thought it was great - it showed that there is a very real demonic presence in this world (something many Christians like to pretend isn't true - I suppose because it's too scary to think about or maybe they are just that oblivious to what the Bible says). I turned Practical Magic off when Nicole Kidman started levitating. I never watched Charmed - just seeing a couple of previews I sensed such a presence of evil that I knew I'd never, ever watch an episode. I got rid of the Bewitched movie, even though they brought in Will Ferrell and made it funny. Aladdin and I Dream of Jeannie fall into the "it's just fantasy" and "it's harmless" category for me. I do not like Disney's Hercules because of the whole selling souls to Satan thing and the images in the fire thing. Too demonic. I say all this to show that I'm not just targeting Harry Potter because it's got sorcery in it. I take media on a case by case basis. I simply cannot support something that so obviously has the world in a trance when it is so full of evil vs. evil. There is no good. And no good can come from choosing one evil side over another evil side. I choose neither. Another thing... I have known (and currently know) people who have been drawn into witchcraft. They did not just all of a sudden find themselves in the middle of a Satanic seance or just accidentally wander into a moon worshipping service. It was gradual. They were pulled in. Something caught their attention and fascinated them, and they were led downhill from there. From what I can tell from the research I have done, Harry Potter is just one of the many tools Satan is using to get people interested in witchcraft. You all know I do not consider myself an extremist, but I'm certainly not going to be tolerant of something that is sure to conjure up a whole slew of demons just because people "enjoy" it. I think Harry Potter is dangerous. Satan loves to creep in, and he often appears as an angel of light. And yes, even Christians can allow demons into their homes (just because they cannot possess your body if Jesus is already living in there, does NOT mean they can't influence you, talk to you, and lead you astray if you let them). It is my personal belief that bringing Harry Potter into my home is the same as opening the door and saying "Sure, Satan's minions, come on in and corrupt my children's minds", and I'm just not going to do that.
So what do you think? Have you read the books? Have you seen the movies? Do you agree with me? Do you disagree? I'd love to hear what you have to say. Just leave a comment, or send an email if it's easier (but in my response to whatever comments are received [in a later post, after I have heard from you], know that I might share what you have to say with my other reader's [if you send an email] - unless you specifically ask me not to - or you ask to be anonymously quoted). p.s. I am not looking for people to get into heated and degrading arguments on my comments page. Just fyi. But please, oh please, feel free to discuss this. I am all for civil debate! :) July 9, 2007, 10:54 pm Well... I went to change laundry over (because I had forgotten to before my bath) and to make Andy's lunch for tomorrow, and when I came back upstairs Andy was already asleep (of course, his day was MUCH longer than mine, so I can't really blame him). So I figured I'd get on here and do my random things post. :) Like I mentioned in the previous post today, Ali tagged me to list 7 random things about myself, so here goes. Hopefully these'll be new facts, but I've been blogging since March 2005 so you probably already know pretty much everything there is to know if you have been reading that whole time. 1. I love hanging around old people. I like listening to their stories and their wisdom. And I love the ones that just don't care what anyone thinks and say whatever is on their mind. I could be entertained for hours on end in a nursing home. I've thought of volunteering in a nursing home [as long as I don't have to have anything to do with adult diapers]. 2. I tend to cry when I get overly emotional (be it sad, angry, whatever), so I usually withdraw when I'm around anyone other than my husband and children (because I HATE to cry in front of people). People have thought me cold-hearted in the past, because of my withdrawing and not talking about things with them - but that couldn't be further from the truth. I am actually very sensitive and caring (with a tough exterior - that actually, I'm learning how to let go of the older I get and the more I go through), I just don't want them to see me cry. If withdrawing doesn't work, then I turn into Chandler (from Friends for those of you who have no clue about my TV and movie references) and just use rude sarcasm to get out of being emotional. It usually does the trick. p.s. If you want to discuss something emotional with me - your best bet is email. I probably won't be completely open with you if you can see or hear me. :) 3. When I was young, I thought that when I grew up, my entire house would be red, black, and white. I had the whole thing planned out and thought it was so awesome, but the image that remains in my mind is just incredibly dated and tacky now. Oh well. 4. When I was around Jarvis and Justice's age (that age range), I would buy dog magazines (like Dog Fancy) with whatever money I could come up with and read every word of every page. I wanted to know everything there was to know about every single breed of dog. I planned to own a kennel and give homes to stray dogs when I got older. [Wow!] 5. I have always wanted a pet monkey. 6. I have a hard time sleeping if my legs aren't shaven. 7. I'm a pray-er. I pray a LOT... and from talking to others about it, I have come to the conclusion that not all Christians do this. I pray for safety when I get in the car to drive, I pray for sick people I know, I pray all the time for my husband and kids, I pray if I get scared, angry, hurt, sick, if I'm blessed, happy, excited... whatever. I'm just one of those people. If you ask me to pray for something - you can bet that I will. I even pray for people I don't like. This isn't a 'bragging' thing. I have just recently discovered that it seems to be a rare thing and that surprised me. Apparently there are people who have a hard time knowing what to pray - man, I have a hard time knowing when to stop. Maybe it's in the category of spiritual gifts - I don't know. But now you all know. lol Okay, I want to hear 7 random things from Andrea, Matt, Charmaine, and Jackie. Go update your blogs immediately. :) July 9, 2007, 4:31 pm Sorry... It's not that I've been too busy to blog, because I haven't. But I have had to get on the computer so much the last few days to do things like bills and budgets and still working on switching stuff from TX to WA that I haven't felt like getting BACK on here to do photos and blogs. I can't believe I haven't posted for five days though - that's gotta be a new record! I will try not to let you down any longer and keep this thing updated. :) Um... I haven't resized my photos yet from July 4th... soon though, soon. Why? So I was sitting at my desk, which is in mine and Andy's bedroom - our bedroom is enormous and so we've made about a third of it into the office/scrapbooking area - and I was eating a late lunch, a chicken pot pie and a glass of chocoloate milk. I looked over and I saw that there seemed to be milk leaking out of my glass, so I went to get a towel (it appeared there was a small crack in the glass). I lifted up the glass to wipe the bottom and only about 85% of the glass came up and milk went EVERYWHERE. It was all over important papers, including papers Andy has to bring to work to turn in so we can get reimbursed for some hotel fees from the move, all over the bottom of my computer (I'm pretty sure there is still chocolate milk inside the laptop)... ugh. So I called Brittany and Jarvis to my aid and we got it all cleaned up before it did TOO much damage. Then I sat down, this time with a bottle of water, grabbed my plate to finish my pot pie... and I spilled it. All over my leg, my chair, the floor, and the corner of the laptop. I think maybe I should confine myself to the dining room table along with the kids. I mean, come on! This is not a usual occurence, by the way - I'm not THAT clutzy. Just one of those days, I guess. :) Fun... Ali tagged me on her blog, so I'll be giving you some random facts about myself later today. Check back frequently because you won't want to miss it. Back in shape... I have decided to make my workout days Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We usually do something active on the weekend (although we didn't really this weekend), and I think if I set my sights any higher I'll just give up from being overwhelmed (I'm starting small, okay? I usually start big and it backfires so I'm trying something new). Anyway, I used to get in shape really fast, and today I noticed my stomach looking much more toned, so apparently it still doesn't take long. I guess it's the high metabolism? Or something. AND... I've laid in the sun three times this past week and am starting to look human again! I was so pasty white, I didn't look alive. It was scary. I was scaring myself! I'm only laying out for semi-short periods of time because I don't want to burn... I'm going for the gradual tan. And it's working. I'm going to be so hot before long. Andy's excited. :) Zucchini and recipes... I love zucchini, and I get it at the farmer's market, and it's awesome. But I always do the same thing with it. I slice it, throw it in the veggie steamer, then slather it with melted butter and salt. It's yummy, but I need something new. Anyone got any fabulous zucchini recipes? OH... and Jackie asked me on my comments page if I cook every night. Well, I used to cook constantly... then I went through a period where it came and went, and then I just kind of stopped (moving, miscarriages, hard pregancy, etc.). Not stopped completely, but pretty much - it turned into pizza ordering and frozen lasagnas and only cooking every now and then. But now I'm getting back in the habit and I have been cooking a LOT the last couple of weeks and plan on keeping it up. I do like to cook, and am pretty darn good at it if I do say so myself (I LOVE my cooking!). :) Anyway, I had planned a couple of times to make a recipe book to send to family and friends where we all share recipes. I still have the recipes that were shared with me last year, and will collect more if anyone has them. I think I will have it ready by Christmas this year since I'm back into doing all things crafty again. So share your recipes and if you weren't on the original list to receive the recipe 'book', just let me know and I'll add you. Meanwhile, Jackie, I'll send you a couple of quick and easy recipes that I love. :) Ocd and house rules... So I had quite a few comments about me alphabetizing my DVD's. Yes, I am a freak. Yes, I am aware of it. Just to let you know, though, if I come visit your house - I don't care at all if your DVD's are alphabetized or your baseboards are clean or even if you live in an pig sty. I just have to have MY house clean and alphabetized. And the older I get, the worse I get - even though I have five kids and it's IMPOSSIBLE to keep the house clean. We have a few rules that help though. 1. No shoes in the house (children - not adults). This cuts my vacuuming and mopping in half, at least. 2. No food out of the kitchen/dining room (children - although from today's lunch episode I may make myself adhere to that rule - lol). This prevents a myriad of stains on the floors and walls, finding crumbs and half-eaten candy and spoiled milk in places I'd have never thought to look, etc. 3. Kids do chores; I give them allowance. Works great. They get their age (in dollars) twice a month (on payday). It motivates them to do a good job and when they really go above and beyond they get something extra. I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of for now. :) Soon... Okay, well I'll add the post that Ali tagged me to do on her blog in a little while, and photos? Yeah - I've got a lot going on. I'm still not done with the house (we keep going on day trips and I'm doing things like re-labeling all my embellishment drawers for my scrapbooking supplies while I organize them, so it's taking a while). We're getting there though - the living room/kitchen/dining room/all the bathrooms are all pretty much done, just awaiting some final touches like photos on the walls and some decorating decisions. The boys room is done except for photos on the walls. Darby/Jacob's room is pretty much done except for photos on the walls and I am missing some of their toys (in the garage somewhere). Brittany is doing her own room and she's getting there - she gets easily sidetracked; I'll come in and she'll be sewing something she found in a box or reading a book she came across or staring off into space or whatever. lol Yeah - I have five days worth of rambling to catch up on - you wouldn't believe the amount of blog ideas that go through my head each day - I'll never remember them all. I'm sure some of them were fantastic and completely memorable and life-changing, but you'll never know because I've forgotten them. July 4, 2007, 2:18 pm What are you doing today? Andy took the boys and Darby to shoot guns this morning, and he and the kids have been lighting off firecrackers, blowing bubbles and shooting water guns outside all day. We just finished a delicious meal, made by me, of course, of hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and bacon, zucchini, and chips. And have watermelon, cupcakes and popsicles for later. Now it's back to fireworks and bubbles and smoke bombs. Later this afternoon, we are going to head to downtown Puyallup - they are having an old fashioned band and an "ice cream social" at the park. Then tonight we will light off our fireworks. I should have lots of photos tomorrow. What are you guys doing today? July 4, 2007, 10:19 am Happy Independence Day! Take a moment to appreciate your freedom today. I hope everyone has a great day! :) July 2, 2007, 4:33 pm Photos... I just sent out photos on kodakgallery.com. I accidentally hit "enter" when I was typing the subject of the email to be sent out so it says "Photos of Solo" even though it is supposed to say "Photos of Solo Point & My birthday". Oh well. If you did not get the email and want to see the photos, just let me know. It's so much easier to put them in the gallery than trying to take the time to put them on my blog. There was like 45 of them, so I put them there instead of here. Here is one to hold you over until you see them on kodakgallery.com. :)
Back to organizing. I'm not finished unpacking yet. I am way too anal when it comes to organization so I can't just throw a bunch of stuff in drawers and on shelves and say I'm done. It all has to be done properly... and it's driving me crazy that Andy put the DVD's on the shelf without alphabetizing them (although I'm glad he has been a HUGE help in unpacking and even painted the movie bookcase before loading up with the movies for me). I'll have to go back and fix those, though, as soon as I get the chance. :) I will try to add photos of the progress soon. I'm just trying to get caught up on the scenic photos now. We do have a lot done, but all the finishing touches, like hanging photos on the walls and stuff, will be last, and I don't like to take the photos until it is ALL done. Be patient people. Photos will come. :) June 30, 2007, 10:05 pm birthday, farmer's market, automatic flushing toilets, and "eww"... Thank you for all the birthday wishes on my comments page! I had a wonderful day yesterday. I had some family time, some alone time and some time with just Andrew. It was great. The kids each gave me presents they bought with their own money (they're so sweet!), and I got some awesome gifts in the mail from friends and family. Andy got me some things, took me to eat at Panera (yum!), and I picked out a new purse. I had been wanting a new one for quite a while and finally found one I really liked. I transferred all my stuff to it, and it's awesome. But... it smells terrible. I don't know what happened at the factory, or HOW I didn't notice it at the store - but I feel like I have major B.O. every time I have it on my arm. I'm going to try febreeze and dryer sheets... we'll see if that makes a difference. If it doesn't, I guess I'll have to take it back and get something different (and I hate doing that - taking things back to the store is SUCH a hassle). Anyway, other than my purse being stinky, and other than the fact that I'm a year older - my birthday was superb. :) We went to the local farmer's market again today. The last time we went it was chilly, and it was right before closing on Sunday (it's open only on Saturdays and Sundays). There weren't many booths, but we loved it and it was at a great park for the kids to play. Today, it was 75 degrees (about as hot as it ever gets around here), and the skies were perfectly clear so I thought we'd load up and let the kids play at the park and I could get a box of strawberries. Well, when we got there, there was easily 10 times more booths than last time we were there. It was so awesome. There was produce, flowers, art, woodwork... you name it. And the weather was perfect. It was like a setting out of a movie. There was even a guy in the middle of the park playing classical and gospel tunes on a piano!! We had a blast (and I got lots of fresh veggies and fruit for CHEAP!). I hate toilets that flush automatically. Oh, I'm sure it was someone's brilliant plan to make public restrooms more sanitary, but they annoy the crap out of me (no pun intended - heh heh). Invariably, this is how it goes: 1. I grab a big wad of toilet paper to wipe off the cleanest seat I can find in the restrooms (assuming there are multiple stalls) I mean really... how insanitary was it to pick up my foot and use the BOTTOM OF MY SHOE to flush the manual handle?!?! Let's just bring back the old toilets. I'm just saying. Jacob says "ewwww" whenever he has something on his hand, be it a drop of water or gobs of food. He says "ewwww" if he tastes something he doesn't like. He says "ewwww" if he sees a piece of lint on himself. He's hysterical. Of course, the "ewww" thing is all my fault... that's what he gets for having a prissy mom. lol Justice was the same way - hated having food on his hands and wanted to wash them in the middle of meals all the time. Jarvis, on the other hand, has been called "Pig Pen" by us since he was mobile. He's constantly surrounded by a cloud of dirt. Even when we seemingly have not done anything that was dirty. Sometimes I swear he just came out of the shower dirty, even though I know it's not really possible. It did seem to bother him today when his shirt was absolutely covered in strawberry juice after I let the kids have some at the park... maybe we're making progress. :) June 28, 2007, 12:10 pm Happy birthday to Chance!!!!! :) Photos from last weekend... I tried updating my blog yesterday, but the computer froze and I didn't want to deal with it so I left and never got back on here. Anyway, so now I am finally giving you photos from last weekend. I picked so many from the folder that I decided to make a little slide show of them - that way the main page wouldn't take four years to load (for those of you with a slower connection). Your welcome. ;) Click here for our Whidbey Island photos. You won't be sorry. I will post tonight or tomorrow (hopefully) with photos from the other day when we went to Solo Point (a beach area on Fort Lewis right near Andy's work). June 25, 2007, 10:58 am I know I promised photos, but I have yet to find the camera cord. Admittedly, I have not searched too thoroughly. I've been too busy unpacking. We're getting lots done. I think my goal of one week isn't actually too far fetched. :) We have errands to run today, and since we are going to be over on base, we're going to hit a couple of spots in the area. Andy's going to show us a beach he found the other day, and we're going to drive around Steilacoom again (we found out that town is just five minutes from Andy's work so next year or soon after, we may venture into a house in that area - it's an awesome little waterfront town that we loved as soon as we saw it, but couldn't quite afford any of the houses there yet - well any of the houses that were big enough for our enormous family). :) And who knows where else the day might take us. But... I will hopefully be able to share photos again soon... I'll try to find that cord tonight. Also, the kids are already making friends in the neighborhood. There is a Christian family just down the road who have a boy between our boys' age, and a girl Brittany's age. Their mother told us yesterday that they had been praying for some Christian friends for their son to play with... and here we are. And Darby has a little friend that lives just across the street. We didn't visit another church yesterday as Jacob and I were still coughing and recovering a bit, so hopefully we'll find a good one to visit next week. And four more days until the dreaded 31. It's not as bad as 30, but still. It's 31. I'm just saying. Jacob calls me "mom". It sounds so funny, because the other kids said "mama" or "mommy" at his age. He hears the other kids call me "mom" though, and he copies everything they say and do. He's adorable! :) June 23, 2007, 12:54 pm I had to do something new with the blog; I was getting tired of the blue. :) Anyway, Jacob and I are feeling much better today. Andy has been getting a lot of unpacking done and I plan on getting a lot done in the next few days. Yesterday, we had a great day up on Whidbey Island. I have lots of photos and plan on posting them later today (as soon as I find my cord to attach the camera to the laptop). Thanks, everyone, for all the comments lately - I have been enjoying them!! :) If you missed earlier posts, just click on the May/June link on the left. Later dudes.
|
website created by petra carden 2005/2006/2007