Hi peoples! Whats up??

Today I am writing a blog because my mom and dad don’t want to!! Yep, that’s pretty much the only reason! Anyway, we were talking about love languages this evening. I don’t really know what mine is. I thrive on quality time and gifts. When Mom and I go shopping we can combine them both. I did really like words of affirmation, but my parents say they aren’t very good at praising people, so I guess I’ll stick with the quality time and gifts.

Bring on the gifts!!! Just kidding.

We weren’t just talking about my love language. Mom and Dad wanted to figure out the whole family’s different love languages. Mom thinks Daniel needs physical touch, Joshua likes quality time, and David feels loved with gifts giving. Just like his big sister!!! We haven’t decided on Sarah’s yet. Maybe she’s too young.

Tonight we had Bible study, so while I baby sat I got to talk to my girl friends!!! That was fun!! Yesterday, I baby sat for a family that goes to our church. It has been a pretty good weekend. Mom and I went to the movies on Friday night. Too bad I have to do school tomorrow.

One thing I have to look forward to, is I am going to Norway in May!! I know that is, like, so cool!!!

Well, it is late and I had better go to bed.

See ya later!

Rachel
(aka) RJE

Some families celebrate Advent as they look forward to Christmas, but our family has always been a little, well, different. Today I took my two girls out for an ice cream cone, in honor of Advent.

It is true that Easter came pretty early this year, but I think we still have a little time before the Christmas season is upon us. I’d hate to miss the summer, for starters.

We were so busy eating, that I didn’t remember to use the camera until the ice cream was almost gone.

No, we were celebrating last Advent, in our inimitable style and tendency to procrastinate. As Kathy mentioned in her Advent Calendar post, each year we offer daily prizes to the kids in daily Advent calendars. One of the prizes they particularly appreciated was a small slip of paper, inscribed with these fateful words:

A Special McDonald’s Outing with Daddy

I found it amusing that the scraps of paper bore Kathy’s handwriting, and that she hadn’t bothered to check with me before she volunteered my services as a prize. Sometimes she panics when she doesn’t have quite enough little prizes for all five of the children, times 25 days.

Truth be told, I absolutely love Christmas, and I greatly enjoy foraging for ice cream with my kids, so it wasn’t much of an imposition.

Rachel has been very faithful on her 5 for $5 goals, avoiding sugar six days a week. But this was the seventh day, and she rested.

The boys redeemed their coupons pretty early-on, but Rachel and Sarah hoarded theirs. Thus the Advent celebration while April showers and flowers abound. I bought the ice cream and we sat companionably, licking the sides of the generous cones to prevent unsightly drippage.

Sarah positively adores her older sister, and with good reason — Rachel is very good to her.

After we finished our cones, Sarah wanted to explore the Playland structure, while Rachel and I looked on, swapping memories. “I remember,” Rachel sighed in reminiscence, “when Sarah was too scared to climb above the second level … and now look at her!”

Indeed, time flies. I remember when Rachel was too small to climb above the first level, and it seems like only yesterday. I am greatly privileged to be the Daddy of such delightful young ladies, and I’m intent on savoring as many moments as I can, before I look around and they’re off “on whatever adventure Aslan brings them”, as C.S. Lewis would say.

Sarah, a true child of the blog, is always willing to pose for the camera.

On the way home, we stopped off at Wal-Mart to buy another one of those cool Jiffy Seedling mini-greenhouses that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. This time, in honor of my girls, we bought flower seeds.

Tim
Project 366, Day 97

Today is the first day of our new budget!! Weaning off credit, paying down debt, and, gasp, saving money.

April Fools Day obviously suits us perfectly as the start of something so revolutionary and life changing.

And, in keeping with His great mercy, the Lord has already blessed our efforts. I ran into a friend last week whose daughter is studying at the Redken Hair Academy.

Time to cut Rachel’s hair.

I cut all the boys’ hair in the family so we save money in that department (thankfully none of them, including Tim, are particular about their hair). The girls, however, are a different story. The expectations for us to look beautiful are higher. It’s a burden we’re willing to bear, with grace of course. Rachel and Sarah both have long hair and only need the occasional trim. I tend to splurge on the rare, but expensive, cut and color.

Have I mentioned recently how lovely it is to have daughters?

What are the beauty academy prices, you ask? Well, let me share with you:

Hair Cuts - $9
Children’s Cuts - $5
Highlights - $29

Those fees are amazing!! I immediately made an appointment for both Rachel and myself. I figured if the haircut turned out well, I could go back for highlights.

Nothing like a fresh cut to improve the day.

Rachel and I were tickled with the ambiance and setting of the hair institute. The academy was professional and tasteful in decor and atmosphere. It felt more like a busy, fashionable salon than a school. Krista did a beautiful job. She was confident and friendly, taking care to listen to our requests and talk through different hair style possibilities. At each step an instructor came by to monitor and approve the work. Rachel and I were thrilled with our extremely affordable and gorgeous new looks. Krista even gave us a tip on the styling brush she used - $7 at Sally Beauty Supplies.

Rachel’s new style is fresh and funky.

Redken Professional Academy definitely works for us! Stop by Rocks in My Dryer for other links, tips and ideas.

Kathy
Project 366 - Day 92

Camp meeting this afternoon for Joshua and his comrades. We picked up Rachel along the way and later convinced Emily Z. to come over for a visit.

Emily, Bethany and Rachel show their gorgeous smiles.

Young men and their walking staffs/sticks/handy swords are rarely separated, especially when you’re exploring the woods.

Timothy, Stuart and Joshua kneel chivalrously before the camera.

It’s a good thing those gentlemen were there to protect the ladies.

Kathy
Project 366 - Day 69

One of the burning questions (in some circles) is whether to accept compensation for blogging. Some say it is reasonable to be paid for writing, and (especially if you are open about it) claim that it does no harm. Others feel that being remunerated for blogging (especially posts which recommend or review products) can create a conflict of interest and may compromise the integrity of a blog.

For many, this is a moot issue: nobody will pay them for blogging, so it doesn’t really matter which side they choose. Until recently, I fell squarely into this category … but no longer. In Kathy’s quest for sleep, her desperation has reached new levels, and she is now offering payment in poker chips, which I can redeem for additional computer-game playing time.

Here’s the pay scale:

• a basic, no frills blog = a 1/2 hour chip
• a good post = a 1 hour chip
• a really top-notch, world-class entry = a 2 hour chip

“But I don’t really have anything to say,” I demurred.

“Look, do you want the chip or not?” Kathy challenged.

Truth be told, I’ve burned through nearly the whole week’s poker chip allotment, and there are two more days before my supply is renewed … I need the chip. It is in this way that even the loftiest ethical standards can be eroded. The problem is, there really are two things I’d like to write about, and I don’t have anything particularly witty to say about either. I guess I’ll just pick one, knowing I’m doomed to a half-hour chip.

The Best Piano Recital, Ever

Today we hosted a piano recital at our home, with Rachel, Daniel and David performing to a small audience entirely comprised of family members. As was confirmed by several of the spectactors, “It was the best recital, ever.” I’m sure it had very little to do with the fact that it was also one of the very shortest recitals, ever.

Kathy whipped out a programme, to add a touch of class.

Rachel has been taking piano lessons from Mrs. Nancy, as arranged by my Mom. In many ways, the whole thing has been very painless for us — my parents pay for the lessons, and they even arranged for a piano to be delivered to our home (since we left ours in the Duckabush). Rachel has made good progress, and we’re very proud of her, although she speaks in considerable self-deprecation and sometimes dreads her lessons (especially when she hasn’t practiced).

Having Mamie and Grandad here to witness the recital was a great treat.

Recently, there has been a new development: David became interested in the piano. Rachel would call David to sit by her when it was time for her to practice, and he started to pick out simple songs on the piano. The next thing we knew, he had somehow wheedled lessons out of Mrs. Nancy (and Grandma) and was playing from his own little songbooks.

David takes his role of piano student very seriously.

Not to be left out, Daniel began to attempt songs from David’s book, apparently belonging to the self-taught school of piano mastery. And so we had three performers in today’s recital. Each of the three made selections from among their favorites, and (after a short introduction), played away happily, basking in the adulation of all four of their grandparents.

Daniel couldn’t let his little brother surpass him in musical achievement …

A Cream Puff improves any recital, in my opinion.

My Mom brought her famous chocolate-drizzled cream puffs, which contributed substantially to the success of the event. She also brought each of the budding musicians a gift, which brightened their day considerably. Indeed, each of the kids wanted to play their selections a second time, once they got over their initial nervousness.

Rachel received the coveted ‘canned raccoon’, a prize she has sought for several years.

We clapped and took pictures and munched happily on cream puffs, swapping stories of recitals we had attended. My sister Posie figured prominently in some of these tales, to the great interest and amusement of the children. I managed to play the one song I know on the piano, although Mom put a bag over my head in the middle of the piece, which (I felt) somewhat lessened the dignity of the moment.

Rachel was quite glad to be done with the whole ‘ordeal’.

Feel free to comment on how the subtleties of wit and phraseology of this post combine to make it worthy of a full hour chip.

Tim
Project 366, Day 38