Lucy's teacher will be reading this to the class today...
October 6, 2011
Dear Lucy:
I am so excited you are Star of the Week in Mrs. R.s’ class!
As you already know, of course, you were born on Saturday, June 7, 2003. Your dad and I waited 8 whole years for you, and we were so thrilled when you arrived! Our whole family was! You were the first grandchild.
We named you Lucy after the little girl in C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, because she had great faith and was brave enough to do what was right. You are a lot like her already!
You have always been fun to be around. You love to read and be read to, to swim, to do art projects, to play dress up, and to cook.
From the time you were born, we have read together. I remember a winter day when you were just a toddler—you sat and listened while I read 138 pages to you! You would have liked more, but I think my voice wore out. One of my favorite times with you was reading the book The Sixty-Eight Rooms, writing to the author, and then getting to visit the actual rooms ourselves.
I am so proud of you for working hard every week at swimming. When you started when you were 2 years old, you just wanted to play with the toys in the water. Now you can swim 500 meters and are on the swim team!
You love drawing and coloring and painting and have made a lot of art projects over the years. Your best picture was the one you drew for your Manga. You were 6 years old and had just asked Jesus into your heart. You were feeling so sad that Manga had cancer and would be leaving us soon, so you drew a picture of you and her standing on the streets of gold in heaven with Jesus and you wrote “Together Forever” on it; then we framed it. It was her favorite possession, and when she died, we put that drawing on the program cover of her memorial service. It made people there so happy to see your beautiful picture, reminding them that someday we’ll be in heaven together forever!
Lucy, besides being sweet and kind, you are very funny, too, but not always on purpose. When you were 2 ½, we were writing notes to put in Daddy’s lunch bag the next day. Your sister, Elaine, was just a baby and was swinging in her swing, screaming. I asked you, “What do you think Elaine would like to write in her note?” You said disgustedly, “Dear Daddy. I love you. I’m crying. Love, Smoochie.”
When you were 4 and Elaine was 2, she turned on the fan in the bathroom. It made a horrible noise, and she started to cry. You ran and turned it off and said to her, “You should thank me, Elaine. I hope you know I just saved your life!”
One morning when you were 5, you woke me up and said, “Mommy! I lost my tooth!” When I asked you how, you said, “I was pretending to be a dog. I bited Elaine’s foot, and my tooth came out!”
Lucy, this summer you turned 8 years old—I could hardly believe it! You are growing up so fast. It seems like yesterday you were my little baby. Now you love school and music and friends and AWANA and your family. You are so enthusiastic about life and people. Dad and I are so happy that Jesus is your Savior and that you want to live for Him. I know God has great plans for your life!!! You are a wonderful daughter and an awesome big sister and a dear friend.
You may be the Star in your class this week, but you will always be the Star of my heart!
I love you!
Love,
Mom
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
We Also
Yesterday was the Living Proof Live simulcast--I didn't make it to Lubbock, TX, to the live version, but I did attend a screening here in town, along with, I think if I had to estimate, about 500 other women.
The theme of the message was Luke, the good doctor, and his example to us. Scriptures were Luke 1:1-4, and Acts 1:1-4 (among many others).
Seven main points:
1. We were created for good company (that is, with "those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart)
2. An individual calling can only be fulfilled in a "we" context.
3. God never overlooks a single "me" in the bigger "we."
4. (my favorite point--more later on this) Jesus became a friend of sinners so we could become a friend of God.
5. We can revel in the certainty of the things we've been taught.
6. Jesus has passed us the salt also.
7. (my other favorite point) We can also be the many convincing proofs that Jesus is alive.
I probably have more notes on this Living Proof conference than any of the others I've been to.
For #4, Beth spoke about the chapter in Luke where the Pharisees accused Jesus of sitting down to table with drunkards and being the friend of sinners. She showed a picture on the screen of this tiny creature that you couldn't even tell what it was, that her sister-in-law's cat had dragged in. (It was a squirrel.) She told the backstory of that but then related it to this chapter in Luke and how right after the Pharisees accused Jesus of being the friend of sinners, Luke tells the story of the dinner with the Pharisees where the woman comes and anoints Jesus. She said that the Pharisees had no idea that actually, they were the sinners that Jesus sat down to table with. She asked us to identify ourselves in that story and then said this, which I think I will remember forever, "What's your story? Can you look at yourself and say, 'Just look at what the Lion of Judah dragged in?!'"
For the closing, #7, Beth had spoken about Luke and how he never made a big deal about himself or tried to insert his name into the gospel or the book of Acts. All of a sudden he'd be using the term "they" and would then change it to "we." She said how as Christians, we want to be the main thing and do something big for God and go where no one else has gone--except Christ has already gone there. So, we should be content to be as Luke, a "we also"--then she read many verses pertaining to the things "we also" will receive through Jesus, and "Oh, to be a blessed 'also'!"
She said that an ancient historian described Luke's death this way: "at age 84, he fell asleep in Boasha (Greece), full of the Holy Spirit." She then said, "Luke spent his life telling the story of Jesus Christ as the only One. Don't you want your story to be Luke's story, simply this: 'I love You, Jesus.'"
This last point is something I am thinking about in my own life lately, particularly with all the forms of social/personal media available to us--how much do I want this life to be my story? How often do I check my blog stats (I resolve to stop doing this any more)? Do I need to be always checking my facebook to see if anyone is noticing me and what I say? Really, just any of the countless ways I endeavor to insert myself into the story. So gross. Please let me take a page from Luke and revel in being an "also"! Let my life story be: I love You, Jesus.
And of course there was a lot of worship time during the day, which I love. This conference covered 48 states, 12 countries, 3 military bases, and 1 women's correctional center, for a total of 180,000 women (and a few brave men).
We sang this one, which, as worship leader Travis Cottrell says, "you need some elbow room for." Just imagine 180,000 people around the world, singing it together. Here in Illinois, we were singing along with women in Canada, in Guam, in South Africa, in prison--all around the globe. A little foretaste of heaven. It's one of those where, if I can't sing along with this, the rocks are going to cry out!
I've already blocked next July when Living Proof will be in Moline, IL!
The theme of the message was Luke, the good doctor, and his example to us. Scriptures were Luke 1:1-4, and Acts 1:1-4 (among many others).
Seven main points:
1. We were created for good company (that is, with "those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart)
2. An individual calling can only be fulfilled in a "we" context.
3. God never overlooks a single "me" in the bigger "we."
4. (my favorite point--more later on this) Jesus became a friend of sinners so we could become a friend of God.
5. We can revel in the certainty of the things we've been taught.
6. Jesus has passed us the salt also.
7. (my other favorite point) We can also be the many convincing proofs that Jesus is alive.
I probably have more notes on this Living Proof conference than any of the others I've been to.
For #4, Beth spoke about the chapter in Luke where the Pharisees accused Jesus of sitting down to table with drunkards and being the friend of sinners. She showed a picture on the screen of this tiny creature that you couldn't even tell what it was, that her sister-in-law's cat had dragged in. (It was a squirrel.) She told the backstory of that but then related it to this chapter in Luke and how right after the Pharisees accused Jesus of being the friend of sinners, Luke tells the story of the dinner with the Pharisees where the woman comes and anoints Jesus. She said that the Pharisees had no idea that actually, they were the sinners that Jesus sat down to table with. She asked us to identify ourselves in that story and then said this, which I think I will remember forever, "What's your story? Can you look at yourself and say, 'Just look at what the Lion of Judah dragged in?!'"
For the closing, #7, Beth had spoken about Luke and how he never made a big deal about himself or tried to insert his name into the gospel or the book of Acts. All of a sudden he'd be using the term "they" and would then change it to "we." She said how as Christians, we want to be the main thing and do something big for God and go where no one else has gone--except Christ has already gone there. So, we should be content to be as Luke, a "we also"--then she read many verses pertaining to the things "we also" will receive through Jesus, and "Oh, to be a blessed 'also'!"
She said that an ancient historian described Luke's death this way: "at age 84, he fell asleep in Boasha (Greece), full of the Holy Spirit." She then said, "Luke spent his life telling the story of Jesus Christ as the only One. Don't you want your story to be Luke's story, simply this: 'I love You, Jesus.'"
This last point is something I am thinking about in my own life lately, particularly with all the forms of social/personal media available to us--how much do I want this life to be my story? How often do I check my blog stats (I resolve to stop doing this any more)? Do I need to be always checking my facebook to see if anyone is noticing me and what I say? Really, just any of the countless ways I endeavor to insert myself into the story. So gross. Please let me take a page from Luke and revel in being an "also"! Let my life story be: I love You, Jesus.
And of course there was a lot of worship time during the day, which I love. This conference covered 48 states, 12 countries, 3 military bases, and 1 women's correctional center, for a total of 180,000 women (and a few brave men).
We sang this one, which, as worship leader Travis Cottrell says, "you need some elbow room for." Just imagine 180,000 people around the world, singing it together. Here in Illinois, we were singing along with women in Canada, in Guam, in South Africa, in prison--all around the globe. A little foretaste of heaven. It's one of those where, if I can't sing along with this, the rocks are going to cry out!
I've already blocked next July when Living Proof will be in Moline, IL!
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Fall Still Lifes
Usually we are in Memphis over Labor Day weekend, but this year we stayed home and actually labored. Darren worked on the yard, and I worked on fall cleaning inside the house. This also meant I got to do one of my favorite things, which is change all the little "still lifes" that I have scattered on various end tables, mantletops, etc. Believe me, I'm happiest doing this project when it is spring, but I can get behind fall, too.
I switched out a blue floral wreath with butterflies for this on the front door:
Got out the pumpkin sisters to go by the candlesticks on the dining room table:
This is the library table in the front hall. Now that I'm looking at them, these pictures I took are pretty crummy. Pretend they're blurry for artistic reasons.
This is the entryway table. You can't tell (because of my awesome photographic skills), but I swapped out books, such as Someset Maugham's The Painted Veil and C.S. Lewis's Letters to Children, for spookier fare, such as Charles Todd's Duty to the Dead and the classic by Shirley Jackson, The Haunting.
Autumn issues of Victoria magazine for the living room coffee table:
Fall flowers for an end table:
And here is the mantle. I exchanged my Midsummer Night's Dream teapot and some yellow chintz pieces for a more fall-themed look. Then I went upstairs and cleaned there for awhile. When I came back downstairs, there was a black cat sitting on the mantle along with the rest of the stuff. Apparently he felt we needed more of a Halloween look than I had originally designed. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it because I made him get down.
On the coffee table of the room that is affectionately known as "The Little Room," "The Library," and most commonly, "Mom's Room," I put out this classic from Longfellow. I used to read this to Lucy when she was an infant. "Listen my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere..." I wished I had a good illustrated copy of Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow to put out, but this will do for now. Notice the black cat's paw on the left. He is determind to be part of the decor.
Worn out from decorating with me, I find him here instead.
How about you? Do you decorate for fall? And would you like to borrow an authentic black cat?
I switched out a blue floral wreath with butterflies for this on the front door:
Got out the pumpkin sisters to go by the candlesticks on the dining room table:
This is the library table in the front hall. Now that I'm looking at them, these pictures I took are pretty crummy. Pretend they're blurry for artistic reasons.
This is the entryway table. You can't tell (because of my awesome photographic skills), but I swapped out books, such as Someset Maugham's The Painted Veil and C.S. Lewis's Letters to Children, for spookier fare, such as Charles Todd's Duty to the Dead and the classic by Shirley Jackson, The Haunting.
Autumn issues of Victoria magazine for the living room coffee table:
Fall flowers for an end table:
And here is the mantle. I exchanged my Midsummer Night's Dream teapot and some yellow chintz pieces for a more fall-themed look. Then I went upstairs and cleaned there for awhile. When I came back downstairs, there was a black cat sitting on the mantle along with the rest of the stuff. Apparently he felt we needed more of a Halloween look than I had originally designed. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it because I made him get down.
On the coffee table of the room that is affectionately known as "The Little Room," "The Library," and most commonly, "Mom's Room," I put out this classic from Longfellow. I used to read this to Lucy when she was an infant. "Listen my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere..." I wished I had a good illustrated copy of Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow to put out, but this will do for now. Notice the black cat's paw on the left. He is determind to be part of the decor.
Worn out from decorating with me, I find him here instead.
How about you? Do you decorate for fall? And would you like to borrow an authentic black cat?
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Learning to Read
Elaine has been dying to learn to read. So, we got out our trusty old copy of Dick and Jane: Fun Wherever We Are and began.
"Go. Go, go, go. Go, Jane. Go help Sally. Help Sally find Puff."
Elaine loves it and loves to climb up in the rocking chair with me and practice her reading (also, she pronounces "Puff" to rhyme with "roof," which is way too cute for me to correct her).
Then the other day, I saw her race by with her pink doll stroller--Yo-Yo seated in it with his ears back and his tail lashing from side to side.
"Mom!" she shouted over her shoulder. "It's just like I read in Dick & Jane! Animals DO love to ride in doll buggies!"
(Look how much he's enjoying it. Now whenever he hears the stroller rev up, he hightails it out of sight.)
"Go. Go, go, go. Go, Jane. Go help Sally. Help Sally find Puff."
Elaine loves it and loves to climb up in the rocking chair with me and practice her reading (also, she pronounces "Puff" to rhyme with "roof," which is way too cute for me to correct her).
Then the other day, I saw her race by with her pink doll stroller--Yo-Yo seated in it with his ears back and his tail lashing from side to side.
"Mom!" she shouted over her shoulder. "It's just like I read in Dick & Jane! Animals DO love to ride in doll buggies!"
(Look how much he's enjoying it. Now whenever he hears the stroller rev up, he hightails it out of sight.)
Yesterday when I read the information in her school folder, the teacher said they were working on the words, "I am" this week and to please practice with them whenever we could. I immediately thought of Green Eggs and Ham, so last night we settled down to read that. I would read all the text, and Elaine would read whenever I pointed to the words "Sam-I-am."
"I will not eat them in a house," I read. "I will not eat them with a mouse. I will not eat them in a box. I will not eat them with a fox. I will not eat them on a train or in the rain..."
"He's rude," Elaine interrupted in an unconscious parody of me. "All he needs to say politely is, 'No, thank you. I don't care for any. Besides, I bet there are a lot of people who really do like green eggs and ham."
So in addition to newfound reading skills, she also appears to be putting critical thinking skills into practice.
Happy New Reader:
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
First Day of School 2011 Edition
It's my annual back-to-school post. Lucy's first day of 3rd grade was yesterday. Her room theme is Route 66.
As always, we have muffins for breakfast on the first day of school, thanks to Betsy-Tacy. These are Kababayn muffins, recipe courtesy Tia Rome. Very good, or as my brother says, "Donuts in muffin form."
Miss Big Time Third Grader:
Today is Elaine's first day of kindergarten:
The annual backpack shots (Lucy's too cool to have a character backpack this year):
But kindergartners still love Hello Kitty:
New shoes, of course:
My first day of school today too--English 103, "Reading Literature and Writing Argument." Not quite as much fun as Grades 3 and K...
Dad and girls:
Elaine meets her kindgerten teacher at the door of the Rainforest Room (her coat hook has a picture of a monkey on it. She was only slightly disappointed that it wasn't a cat.)
The teacher read The Kissing Hand to everyone. After that, we said goodbye:
My baby goes to kindergarten:
Flashback 1974 (check out my rockin' threads as I stand in front of the radiator cover):
As is often the case, the flavor of the day is Bittersweet.
As always, we have muffins for breakfast on the first day of school, thanks to Betsy-Tacy. These are Kababayn muffins, recipe courtesy Tia Rome. Very good, or as my brother says, "Donuts in muffin form."
Miss Big Time Third Grader:
Today is Elaine's first day of kindergarten:
The annual backpack shots (Lucy's too cool to have a character backpack this year):
But kindergartners still love Hello Kitty:
New shoes, of course:
My first day of school today too--English 103, "Reading Literature and Writing Argument." Not quite as much fun as Grades 3 and K...
Dad and girls:
Elaine meets her kindgerten teacher at the door of the Rainforest Room (her coat hook has a picture of a monkey on it. She was only slightly disappointed that it wasn't a cat.)
The teacher read The Kissing Hand to everyone. After that, we said goodbye:
My baby goes to kindergarten:
Flashback 1974 (check out my rockin' threads as I stand in front of the radiator cover):
As is often the case, the flavor of the day is Bittersweet.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
What's on my Fridge
On my last post, my friend Sandy asked if I would post about what's hanging on my fridge. First off, I have to tell about Sandy. She's my friend who I met when I was thirteen and she was sixteen. I was a super-dork, and I thought she was so cool. We met at summer camp in Michigan, where I went every year from age 10 to 16 or 17. Anyway, we lost touch as people do, especially when one's from Illinois and one's from Ohio and your big connection was Miracle Camp (yup, that was its name). But...we found each other on facebook bazillions of years later in our 40s, so another yay for the Internet!
Here's what's weird about her request--this summer I actually wrote a mini-autobiography of myself as part of my class assignment, and it was all about what's on my fridge: how when I first got married it was completely clear, then I put on magnets from various places we travelled, then how I slowly added the photos that are there, then artwork from my eventual children, etc.
Right now there's no artwork on it because school hasn't started yet, but I took pictures of what else is there. This is for you, Sandy!
General overview:
In 2005, I heard the best missions sermon I've ever heard--and I've heard a lot--by a man named Paul Borthwick, entitled "Will You Give Jesus Your Lunch?" It was about how Christ fed the 5,000 with the little kid's lunch and how we think we have nothing to offer to the vast needs in the world when really it doesn't matter that we have next to nothing, what matters is that we place it in Jesus' hands and He does great things with it. So, in His hands you can place: 1) your past experiences, 2) your pain, and 3) your prayers. I had just heard that sermon when I read an article in the paper about AIDS orphans in South Africa and one girl in particular. For about 2 years, I did everything I could to provide her with some help. Unfortunately, it is really difficult to get aid to South Africa; however, I still pray for her regularly (she's on the right).
This is Miss Mango. Her story is here.
Here are our four Compassion daughters--from Ecuador, Bolivia, India, and the Philippines. Can I say too how Compassion International has revolutionized my prayer life? They sent me bookmarks with the girls' pictures that I keep in my Bible. On the back of the bookmarks are 31 things to pray for--one for each day of the month--things such as, "that she will always tell the truth," "that she will find joy in Jesus," "that she will hide God's Word in her heart" etc. Now, in addition to praying each request per day per girl, I pray the same thing for Darren, for Lucy and Elaine, and then for whomever else I'm praying for that day--friends, neighbors, colleagues, my pastor. Today I prayed for each "that they would make wise decisions."
I love these four girls so much. I race to the mailbox each day to see if there's a letter from one of them. Mary from India refers to herself as "your loving child." Dayana from Bolivia told me in her last letter how it is winter there and she has to wear warm clothes. Little Gleramil from the Philippines said, "I hope you will include me in your prayers that I will learn a lot about Jesus." And my dear Lizbet, 17, from Ecuador writes me the most and tells me how sad she is that her sister died but she is happy that she's in heaven, she wants to know if I'll have another baby, she sends me "kisses from the distance," and sends me "love from your best friend."
And lastly, we have our As Our Own girls. Within the last couple of weeks, two sisters--ages 12 & 13--and a 14-year-old were rescued.
I also have this magnet on my fridge, which is a great reminder to me as I pray for all these dear girls. Despite their dire conditions, they have hope and a bright future because nothing is impossible with God.
Here is a song I sing all the time to my little girls (and cry), but I also think of my adopted girls around the world whenever I hear it, too:
So, there you go--that's what's on my fridge!
Here's what's weird about her request--this summer I actually wrote a mini-autobiography of myself as part of my class assignment, and it was all about what's on my fridge: how when I first got married it was completely clear, then I put on magnets from various places we travelled, then how I slowly added the photos that are there, then artwork from my eventual children, etc.
Right now there's no artwork on it because school hasn't started yet, but I took pictures of what else is there. This is for you, Sandy!
General overview:
In 2005, I heard the best missions sermon I've ever heard--and I've heard a lot--by a man named Paul Borthwick, entitled "Will You Give Jesus Your Lunch?" It was about how Christ fed the 5,000 with the little kid's lunch and how we think we have nothing to offer to the vast needs in the world when really it doesn't matter that we have next to nothing, what matters is that we place it in Jesus' hands and He does great things with it. So, in His hands you can place: 1) your past experiences, 2) your pain, and 3) your prayers. I had just heard that sermon when I read an article in the paper about AIDS orphans in South Africa and one girl in particular. For about 2 years, I did everything I could to provide her with some help. Unfortunately, it is really difficult to get aid to South Africa; however, I still pray for her regularly (she's on the right).
This is Miss Mango. Her story is here.
Here are our four Compassion daughters--from Ecuador, Bolivia, India, and the Philippines. Can I say too how Compassion International has revolutionized my prayer life? They sent me bookmarks with the girls' pictures that I keep in my Bible. On the back of the bookmarks are 31 things to pray for--one for each day of the month--things such as, "that she will always tell the truth," "that she will find joy in Jesus," "that she will hide God's Word in her heart" etc. Now, in addition to praying each request per day per girl, I pray the same thing for Darren, for Lucy and Elaine, and then for whomever else I'm praying for that day--friends, neighbors, colleagues, my pastor. Today I prayed for each "that they would make wise decisions."
I love these four girls so much. I race to the mailbox each day to see if there's a letter from one of them. Mary from India refers to herself as "your loving child." Dayana from Bolivia told me in her last letter how it is winter there and she has to wear warm clothes. Little Gleramil from the Philippines said, "I hope you will include me in your prayers that I will learn a lot about Jesus." And my dear Lizbet, 17, from Ecuador writes me the most and tells me how sad she is that her sister died but she is happy that she's in heaven, she wants to know if I'll have another baby, she sends me "kisses from the distance," and sends me "love from your best friend."
And lastly, we have our As Our Own girls. Within the last couple of weeks, two sisters--ages 12 & 13--and a 14-year-old were rescued.
I also have this magnet on my fridge, which is a great reminder to me as I pray for all these dear girls. Despite their dire conditions, they have hope and a bright future because nothing is impossible with God.
Here is a song I sing all the time to my little girls (and cry), but I also think of my adopted girls around the world whenever I hear it, too:
So, there you go--that's what's on my fridge!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
What We've Done With Our Summer
I had a whole post written in my head, a farewell to blogging and a thank you to all for reading (it sounded suspiciously similar to the acknowledgment page I have written for my unwritten, unpublished book). I was just so tired and flat and didn't have anything to say any more. I took all of July off from pretty much everything except being with family, going on vacation, reading mysteries, playing with my kids. I had lofty plans to watch all 15 hours of Bleak House, but instead I rerererererewatched all four seasons of thirtysomething.
Then I woke up and thought I might like to blog a little bit more. So I freshened up the look and changed the picture and the quote, and here I am.
One of the things we did a fair bit of this summer was cooking. Remember the garden we were going to try, thanks to Jamie Oliver, in spring? Well, it actually grew! A first for me. We were so completely chuffed with ourselves and sat around saying, "We.grow.our.own.food."
The first thing Elaine wanted to make was dessert. Here she is (and I can see how this is at the beginning of summer because her hair is a lot longer now) with her white chocolate-strawberry pie. Strawberries were the one item we planted that didn't grow, so these we bought at the store.
Here is Lucy with a lemon icebox pie. This is my mother-in-law's classic recipe.
One of our crops that came in wonderfully was leaf lettuce. This picture also shows how early this was in summer because if you look at our garden now, it's been overtaken by an attack of the killer tomatoes and the Rocky Horror Picture Show cucumbers.
Elaine made Asian lettuce wraps--that was a summer favorite. We made our own peanut sauce to go with them.
Lucy learned to make the classic spaghetti and meatballs and salad dinner--she used our homegrown basil in the spaghetti sauce.
We've also eaten a lot of cucumber sandwiches. I think I may plant fewer cucumbers next year.
We went on our annual beach vacation to Door County in July. We escaped the 100+ degree temperatures at home to this...
As usual, I did nothing, absolutely nothing, and it was everything I thought it would be.
Darren and Elaine, looking for fish...
Here's another growth project--I bought a big plastic shaker of zinnia seeds, fertilizer, and weed killer mixed together and sprinkled it all over a former weed patch at the side of house. I figured it couldn't get any worse, so why not give it a whirl. Darren faithfully watered it, and...ta da!
We've also done a lot of swimming and reading. We've gone to the pool twice a week and the splash park and the library and Magic Waters. In fact, the girls joined the summer reading program at the library and when they achieved their goal, they each got a free pass to Magic Waters, which is great because I refuse to pay the exorbitant ticket prices and fight all those crowds of people. The park was closed for one warm Friday evening for a party of all library people. "So, it's Nerd Night?" Darren asked. Whatever. We prefer to be known as "patrons." And we had a blast.
We also did some redecorating at our house, and maybe sometime I'll post before and after pictures.
The girls did loads of fighting, too, until finally Darren and I got completely fed up and we had a family war council. I declared to them, "Behold, your sister--and the summer you learned to love her." For awhile, the three of us would meet in their room every morning for "Sister Time." They each had to say one thing they really like about their sister--whether it was something nice she had done or something about her character. Then they could say one thing they wanted their sister to work on that day (e.g., "Stop brushing my doll's hair without asking.") Then they had (the privilege!) to pray for each other. I won't say it made everything awesome, but it did improve.
They were also serial VBS attenders and played a lot with their friends.
Then I woke up and thought I might like to blog a little bit more. So I freshened up the look and changed the picture and the quote, and here I am.
One of the things we did a fair bit of this summer was cooking. Remember the garden we were going to try, thanks to Jamie Oliver, in spring? Well, it actually grew! A first for me. We were so completely chuffed with ourselves and sat around saying, "We.grow.our.own.food."
The first thing Elaine wanted to make was dessert. Here she is (and I can see how this is at the beginning of summer because her hair is a lot longer now) with her white chocolate-strawberry pie. Strawberries were the one item we planted that didn't grow, so these we bought at the store.
Here is Lucy with a lemon icebox pie. This is my mother-in-law's classic recipe.
One of our crops that came in wonderfully was leaf lettuce. This picture also shows how early this was in summer because if you look at our garden now, it's been overtaken by an attack of the killer tomatoes and the Rocky Horror Picture Show cucumbers.
Elaine made Asian lettuce wraps--that was a summer favorite. We made our own peanut sauce to go with them.
Lucy learned to make the classic spaghetti and meatballs and salad dinner--she used our homegrown basil in the spaghetti sauce.
We've also eaten a lot of cucumber sandwiches. I think I may plant fewer cucumbers next year.
We went on our annual beach vacation to Door County in July. We escaped the 100+ degree temperatures at home to this...
As usual, I did nothing, absolutely nothing, and it was everything I thought it would be.
Darren and Elaine, looking for fish...
Here's another growth project--I bought a big plastic shaker of zinnia seeds, fertilizer, and weed killer mixed together and sprinkled it all over a former weed patch at the side of house. I figured it couldn't get any worse, so why not give it a whirl. Darren faithfully watered it, and...ta da!
We've also done a lot of swimming and reading. We've gone to the pool twice a week and the splash park and the library and Magic Waters. In fact, the girls joined the summer reading program at the library and when they achieved their goal, they each got a free pass to Magic Waters, which is great because I refuse to pay the exorbitant ticket prices and fight all those crowds of people. The park was closed for one warm Friday evening for a party of all library people. "So, it's Nerd Night?" Darren asked. Whatever. We prefer to be known as "patrons." And we had a blast.
We also did some redecorating at our house, and maybe sometime I'll post before and after pictures.
The girls did loads of fighting, too, until finally Darren and I got completely fed up and we had a family war council. I declared to them, "Behold, your sister--and the summer you learned to love her." For awhile, the three of us would meet in their room every morning for "Sister Time." They each had to say one thing they really like about their sister--whether it was something nice she had done or something about her character. Then they could say one thing they wanted their sister to work on that day (e.g., "Stop brushing my doll's hair without asking.") Then they had (the privilege!) to pray for each other. I won't say it made everything awesome, but it did improve.
They were also serial VBS attenders and played a lot with their friends.
Oh, and this is what Yo-Yo and Tuppence did this summer.
I hope yours has been equally as productive and fun!
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Summer Adventure
This past winter maybe you'll recall (or not) that we read the book The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone--the adventure/mystery set in the Art Institute of Chicago's Thorne Rooms. I was recommending it left and right to people, and our friends Alysa & Maddie and Jamie & Marybeth decided to read it, too.
Here you can find Alysa and Maddie's trip to the rooms (note: Alysa = professional photographer).
Last Friday, Jamie and Marybeth and my girls and I took our trip to the Thorne Rooms.
"Mom, will we find the magic key there?" Elaine asked before we left.
We got there right before the museum opened. Here are Marybeth, Lucy, and Elaine out front, holding their copy of the book (note: Alice = extremely amateur photographer).
We entered the museum and went to the basement where the Thorne Rooms are located. Before we walked in, I overheard Marybeth say, "I'm going to remember this day forever."
The very first room (E1) is where Christina of Milan's magic book is located as well as the suit of armor Jack tried on. You can see the book on the table. This room is on the cover art of the book.
The suits of armor are alongside the fireplace.
Here is a French drawing room where Jack and Ruthie met Sophie, and you can see Sophie's diary on this desk.
The most fun part of this day for me was watching the girls run from room to room, squealing to us and each other, "Here's the balcony where Jack and Ruthie went down into Paris!" or "Come and see where they met Thomas and dodged the arrows!" "Look, here's the ship in the bottle!"etc.
In fact, they had such a great time that other museum visitors noticed what they were doing and wanted to know about the book, so Jamie did her part in passing the word. We met one family there who also had read The Sixty-Eight Rooms.
Sometimes we had to consult the text to find out where a certain scene was located.
Here is the French bedroom Ruthie got to sleep in.
I also took a couple shots of my personal favorite rooms.
A French bathroom:
A 1930s London drawing room:
Jamie's favorite was a German sitting room overlooking a lake, but unfortunately I didn't get a picture of that one.
The final room we looked at (though we went through them all twice) was the Japanese room where Jack and Ruthie hid the note in the bento box.
We had a fabuous visit, and Lucy told me, "When the sequel comes out [Stealing Magic, which will be released next January and takes Jack and Ruthie from 1937 Paris to antebellum South Carolina], we'll just have to come back!"
Here you can find Alysa and Maddie's trip to the rooms (note: Alysa = professional photographer).
Last Friday, Jamie and Marybeth and my girls and I took our trip to the Thorne Rooms.
"Mom, will we find the magic key there?" Elaine asked before we left.
We got there right before the museum opened. Here are Marybeth, Lucy, and Elaine out front, holding their copy of the book (note: Alice = extremely amateur photographer).
We entered the museum and went to the basement where the Thorne Rooms are located. Before we walked in, I overheard Marybeth say, "I'm going to remember this day forever."
The very first room (E1) is where Christina of Milan's magic book is located as well as the suit of armor Jack tried on. You can see the book on the table. This room is on the cover art of the book.
The suits of armor are alongside the fireplace.
Here is a French drawing room where Jack and Ruthie met Sophie, and you can see Sophie's diary on this desk.
The most fun part of this day for me was watching the girls run from room to room, squealing to us and each other, "Here's the balcony where Jack and Ruthie went down into Paris!" or "Come and see where they met Thomas and dodged the arrows!" "Look, here's the ship in the bottle!"etc.
In fact, they had such a great time that other museum visitors noticed what they were doing and wanted to know about the book, so Jamie did her part in passing the word. We met one family there who also had read The Sixty-Eight Rooms.
Sometimes we had to consult the text to find out where a certain scene was located.
Here is the French bedroom Ruthie got to sleep in.
I also took a couple shots of my personal favorite rooms.
A French bathroom:
A 1930s London drawing room:
Jamie's favorite was a German sitting room overlooking a lake, but unfortunately I didn't get a picture of that one.The final room we looked at (though we went through them all twice) was the Japanese room where Jack and Ruthie hid the note in the bento box.
We had a fabuous visit, and Lucy told me, "When the sequel comes out [Stealing Magic, which will be released next January and takes Jack and Ruthie from 1937 Paris to antebellum South Carolina], we'll just have to come back!"
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