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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. -Proverbs 1:7

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost you all you have, get understanding.-Proverbs 4:7


Saturday, June 29, 2013

FUSE Wrap-Up

The title is confusing, because I'm not going to be wrapping up anything.  Other than to say I'm home and I've slept all day and while I have a million pictures, I'll probably just post a couple tomorrow and that will be that.
 
FUSE...there's never words to say what I want to say, so it's better to say nothing to avoid the risk of not saying enough.
 
 
Friday Night...I love this picture.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

FUSE Camp Day #2


I moved in.  Home Sweet Home for 5 nights. 


Lunch!  I should have gotten a picture of the water situation.  I'm in charge of making sure the water coolers are always good.  It was so hot yesterday.  At some point, I stopped counting, but by 2 p.m. I had taken out 60 gallons of water and 15 gallons of Kool-Aid.  Fortunately, I got a little bit of a reprieve.  A storm blew up.  All the kids hunkered down in the sanctuary where they napped and watched Alice in Wonderland.  The air after that was much better.

Arts and Crafts...





 

Last year, I took more video.  I keep forgetting this year.

 

Sunday, June 23, 2013

FUSE Camp Day #1

 
 








1.  Not that I've been to many, but I'm pretty sure FUSE Camp is the most atypical Jesus Camp ever.

2.  This is my third year.  The first year, I slept there.  For the whole week.  Last year, I said "Nah...I don't need to do that."  and didn't plan for it.  By midweek, I was sleeping on the kneeling pad at the foot of the altar every night.  This year, I said "Why would I sleep there?"  Umm...I did come home tonight.  After I told the girls "Make a space in your place...because I'm moving in tomorrow."

3.  FUSE Camp is one of those things there are never the right words for.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Leave it to Beaver-Circa 2013

So...I have this friend.  (I know, right?  A friend.) From work, actually, which makes that even more surprising, I suppose.  He said to me "I'm going to bring this movie over to your house and we will all watch it."  Or something like that.  I kind of wasn't paying that much attention at that point, because I was thinking to myself "Hmm...he has no idea what he's in for.  Should I explain how we are before he comes or should I just let it be a surprise?"  I mean...I looked at all his facebook pictures.  Two different worlds...Not that there is anything wrong with that.  Just that, perhaps, I should tell him we might be crazy.  In comparison to the rest of his life, that is.

I was thinking about all of that again during dinner.  Because sometimes dinner is the kind of experience you just can't make up. 

 

The start of it all was unremarkable.  There isn't anything to say about it other than to make a comment about that cheater grill.  You know, I love that thing.  And then the obligatory (I've noticed it is a trend with me in every post that contains its picture) "See that table and chairs?"  I made that.  Because I did.  And I like the way it looks.  Even if those cheap, plastic chairs in the background are far more comfortable.

It goes without saying we eat around here like we are never going to eat again.  Grilled salmon (wild caught from the Kenai...absolutely worth the splurge) salad.

And then it got interesting.

I know some of you with little children are thinking a time will come when Halloween masks no longer have a place at the dinner table.  Let me just cut to the chase and say "You know all those people with big kids who tell you things will pass?  They are lying to you."


The only thing that happens is more stuff comes to the table.  And sometimes there are more people talking than are physically present.


It really is a strange thing to be tuning into your daughter's conversation that began "This guy at work..." only to look down to realize she is eating off a toddler's segmented plate and drinking something wrapped in a redneck koozie (that she got from said guy at work).

 

Maybe the conversation is always bizarre.  Maybe I was just thinking about it too much.

Jac contributed two things: "Shut up Alicia" and "I heard on the news Omega 3 is good for you." (Right before he put his mostly uneaten salmon in the kitchen.)

I don't think Ryan said anything unprompted.  He did just get done cutting the grass, so he earned his pass.

Alicia....non-stop.

"Mom.  Did you know Mallory's mom doesn't work?  She doesn't work at all.  Can you believe that?" (While I stared at her trying to figure out what her point was.  I finally decided I should tell her I'd be crazier than I already am if I didn't work.  In the case she was suggesting I shouldn't.)

"Shut up, Jac."  (Followed by "Shut up, Alicia.")

"Dad.  You know what mom did at the pet store?  She's so rude.  The lady wouldn't let me use mom's debit card without her ID.  When mom came in she was all angry and told the lady we'd get our crickets at PetSmart next time."  (This is a true story.  Isn't that the point of a pin number?  I was annoyed.  Who would steal someone's debit card for the purpose of buying a $2. box of crickets?  Ryan agreed with Alicia and said I am crazy.  Duh?  Common knowledge?)

...Sort of makes you wish you could have been here, doesn't it?


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Just one pic...

Dinner.


Tofu and vegetables marinated in olive oil, pressed garlic and fresh herbs from the garden.  And then grilled.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Friends and Books and Whatnot


Jac and Joey...If I wasn't too lazy, I'd find a baby picture of them together.  For comparison.  Since I have one of Alicia and Mallory, from???  I dunno.  Based on the fact Mallory is a year older and she seems to only be missing a bottom tooth, Alicia would have been 4ish.


Friends forever...because Mallory moved to Nevada 7 years ago.


Summer reading...because I'm fun like that.  Pretty sure Jac should be reading something at a higher level, but I let him pick out whatever he wanted.  Maybe he'll read it.  Maybe he'll stare at it blankly and pretend to read it whenever I go on one of my tirades where "Everyone is going to read right now."


And Alicia's...


And mine.  I sent a bunch of stuff to the Kindle, as well.  Unlike the kids (who evidently "hate reading"), I love it.


Back on the vegan wagon.  Probably not 100%.  But, something has to give.  The adults around here don't feel good after a three month food binge.

pan-fried portobello steaks with caramelized onions, pea guacamole and grilled zucchini

Monday, June 17, 2013

The End of an Era


Before y'all go thinking I've gotten all sentimental...these pics are mostly for my girl Betty.  She probably never thought we'd ever see the floor in some of those side rooms.  Well, Betty, guess what?  After four years of decluttering, I finally arrived...at the bare floor.  What the rest of you all should know is this place is over 100 years old.  And tech. ed. people have semi-secret lives as hoarders...that carry over into the workplace.  I can't deal with all of that.  Getting to the bottom of it was a process like you can't imagine.

Today was it.  I think the power gets shut off tomorrow.  In August?  New digs.

I wish I was cool with the process of change.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to having heat and AC and electricity that works on all the days, but the rest of it?  Nah.  I'm a creature of habit.

So, I imagined taking a million pictures of the old girl.  But then, as I was doing it, I remembered I learned from my first two schools the best mode of operation is to just keep your head down and don't get distracted.  (I've had several careers and have to just put it out there that there is more adult drama in schools than any other place of work I've ever entered into.)  The result is I've mostly been holed up in a single space and have not ventured out into the building much.  What would be the point of having pictures of things I never really looked at in real-time?

 Here ya go, Betty... 


B-17


I've decided this room looks better in the picture than in real life.  ;-)  I was told this room was part of the original building and that it was part of a laundry before they built the school.  I don't know how accurate that is, but I've studied the situation and can see how there could be some truth to that story.


I bet Betty doesn't even recognize this closet.  Remember when we couldn't even get in past the door?


Here's your room.  Again, pretty sure it looks bigger and better in the picture than in real life. ;-)  I know you miss being trapped up in there, don't you?


O.K.  Maybe this picture does make me a little sad.  The thing about kids is they don't know what they will miss until it's gone.  Sure, they will love the new building.  But, I bet there will be some who will wish they had taken the time to take one last look around before the old was gone.


________________________________________________________________________________

Summer has officially begun.


Sunday, June 16, 2013

Father's Day

We don't really get into all of these holidays around here.  Not every year, anyway.  This was sort of an off year, I guess.


My dad did come over.  Only because he had Jac, though.  Jac needed his bow adjusted and the shop that does that has limited hours.  Sunday mornings...

They pretended they were in a deer stand (up in a tree) and shot off the deck. 


We have plenty of deer...but it was targets this time.


I'm losing the battle against the rabbits.  See the baby beans?  At this point, it's hard to say who will win this fight.  Beans don't take that long to mature.  However, a plant without any leaves...well...


Man food?  Grilled cheese with bacon, sautéed onions and tomato.  I sent them to the store to get "good" bread and this is what they came back with.  My kids like white bread.  This isn't white, but might as well be.  Still...the combination was a success.