A few months ago the girls spent an afternoon goofing around with the video camera and came up with a story line. In the course of 3 hours they created a 10 minute film short they call “A Child’s Story.”
This was their first film ever and was never intended to be a serious project. I think it turned out rather good. [insert rabid applause by Modest Mom.]
They would love to see some comments on it over at Google Videos. Anyone want to encourage our budding artists?
They are particularly proud of the logo at the beginning.
Another video for your viewing pleasure
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 18, 2007 By
The washer saga comes to an end
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 15, 2007 By
We’ll file this under God’s Merciful Acts of Providence.
Remember our 6yo front loading washer was going to need a $300 repair? This is the same washer that cost us more than I care to divulge 6 years ago, the only brand new appliance we’ve ever purchased. It served us well, but maybe not as well as 2 brand new washers at half the price would have served.
Faced with another repair bill so soon after the last $200, hubby called from work to tell me and the children to pray for wisdom as we considered whether we should repair it or look for a replacement. If a replacement, did we want new or used, cheap or nice?
I described the situation and options to the children, and mentioned that the door was likely to need repair soon.
We prayed, and I kid you not: as soon as my eyes opened, I remembered something. Wait, that’s not the cool part.
I remembered that the last time the washer broke, an acquaintance had offered us an extra washer they had used briefly for a laundering business. It was sitting in her shed and she would be delighted to give it to us. We had thanked her and declined, intent on repairing and keeping our fancy-schmancy front loader.
This was a free washer. I knew nothing about it except that it was free.
I ran the idea past hubby, and resolved to call her and try to tactfully ask if the washer still needed a home.
She wasn’t home so I left a message.
Oh, the suspense.
Later that evening my friend called and let me know in no uncertain terms that the washer was still there and she would love to give it to us. I asked no questions and thanked her profusely.
Wait, there’s more!
- They insisted on delivering it to us.
- They brought a dolly and helped get it up the steps and into the house.
- They brought a large bag of girls’ clothes.
- They gave us fresh garden produce.
- It was nearly brand new: used lightly for 6 months.
- They gave us a lovely thank you card, thanking us for the privilege of serving God by giving us their washer. The washer, my friend said, was not from her family but from God.
Gas math
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 15, 2007 By
edited to add my 2 cents’ worth
I filled up the van this afternoon and calculated the gas mileage. Bear with me, because I did all of the following in my head while driving.
358 miles divided by 29 gallons = approx. 12 mpg.
“12 miles per gallon? That stinks,” thought I.
Then I played with the numbers some more. I’m a numbers person.
12 miles per gallon = about 520 feet per ounce. 2 tablespoons of gasoline moves my 15 passenger van 540 feet.
2 tablespoons to move 5 or 6 thousand pounds of steel, flesh, and diaper bags 1/10 of a mile. Even at $3/gallon, that’s less than 2 1/2 cents. Not a bad deal.
Based on moving pounds and feet, I would have to move my own carcass nearly 4 miles to get the same level of efficiency. I don’t think 2 oz of chocolate would get me that far.
Maybe chocolate covered coffee beans would do it…but not 2 cents’ worth.
He looks just like….
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 14, 2007 By
…his grandfather. That is a framed portrait of Pc2 being held up next to Pc4.
Over the years I have seen that picture dozens of times but this past vacation I suddenly “saw” it with new eyes.
HT to Grandma C for the pic.
Exodus 23 notes
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 14, 2007 By
I’m reading in Exodus now, and my mind was going a mile a minute this morning. Here are my notes, preserved for my own benefit, so that I don’t forget it all by noon today.
Maybe you’ll find food for thought in them too.
Exo 23:1 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.
This gave me a slightly new perspective on gossip and stories of questionable origin: it is not enough to refrain from actively gossiping about others, but we must be careful not to spread a false report – even unintentionally. Before we spread a report at all, we need to be certain that it is true!
Exo 23:2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
We must not simply fall in with the majority opinion, assuming a report to be true and basing our own witness on the witness of others.
Exo 23:5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
This isn’t about the person whom we hate, but the one who hates us. Don’t we all want to ignore the plight of our persecutors? We feel holy and not at all vengeful, telling ourselves, he wouldn’t stop to help me and I have no obligation to do it for him.
Exo 23:3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.
This one did not surprise me in principle, but I’ve never caught it before. There are many warnings in Scripture against partiality to the rich, but we are also warned against favoring the poor man just because of his economic status.
Exo 23:13 “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.
Oh my. This doesn’t sound like it is limited to worship. What about the myths of other cultures that we enjoy as fiction? Should we do more to steer clear of the knowledge of false gods?
How do we balance this verse with the need to know enough about false religions to effectively refute them?
Exo 23:26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
None of the commentators mentioned this, but the language in this verse reminds me of marriage. Laban encourages Jacob to fulfill Leah’s week before he takes Rachael as a wife, and I’m sure the phrase is used elsewhere in the context of newly weds. Remember the church is the bride of Christ? Fruitfulness is a product of marriage, and I can’t help but think that God is here promising to be a husband to His bride.
And now I’m off to shower, since the baby just vomited an entire banana, a full nursing, and 3 bites of oatmeal into my lap.
Adieu.
Weedeaters
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 13, 2007 By
I have a problem with weedeaters. They are stubborn, temperamental, contrary and just plain ornery. They never start the first time; in fact, they don’t start until you’ve already given up and made other plans for your time and you give it just one last pull even though you actually don’t want it to start now. Then it starts.
This morning, I headed out bright and early to borrow my brother’s weedeater. I was inspired by the un-miserable morning and wanted to work outside a bit before the heat set in.
My brother stores his weedeater in an inaccessible place, but I was determined to spruce things up a bit. I drove over to his house, parked in front of the path, hiked down the grassy slope with visions of chiggers, through the gate, down to the hidden shed, made my way through the masses of daddy long legs who made creepy tapping noises with their thousands of legs, and found the weedeater.
I carried it back through wriggling masses of legs, up the hill, through the gate, and into the van. I took it home, filled the gas tank, pushed the priming button a few times, and yanked on the string. It barely moved. I pulled it again. Nothing. Waited a few minutes. Again. Again.
After 49 pulls, with aching arms and shattered visions of a manicured lawn chigger-free yard driveway we could walk across, I took it back. Down the hill, through the gate, amongst the legs. I set it down and glared at it. Then, for old times’ sake, I pulled the rope.
It started.
My yard looks nice now and I’m very thankful for weedeaters. Really, I am.
The gerbil/washer connection
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 11, 2007 By
I mentioned that we came home to a broken washer. My brother-in-law confessed to having shut the cuff of his pants in the front-loading door and leaving it all night. With a front loader, that will keep it from starting up and we thought it may have burned out a door sensor. He has been apologizing and dreading the repairman’s visit ever since.
The repairman came today and had no trouble finding the problem. He said that small critters had been chewing things (things with expensive electronic titles like Control Board).
You may recall that in a startling coincidence, I came home to find a smelly gerbil carcass – guess where? – under the washer. Near a pile of shredded paper. And a broken $300 control board.
So…how’s your day?
Free photo mug
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 11, 2007 By
Snapfish always has free offers, but this one is better than just prints. Until June 30th, new customers get the standard 20 free prints plus a free photo mug!
HT to my own sweet hubby
The Boy’s video debut
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 11, 2007 By
Hubby had some fun with a video editing program today and used our old video footage of The Boy’s first haircut to create a small masterpiece.
Go see it. Now. You’ll laugh yourself silly. Well, I did. Then come back and tell me:
a) how handsome my little guy is, and
b) how talented my big guy is.
The Hair Cut
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 11, 2007 By
| This was an enjoyable way to spend a Sabbath. I hope you like the final product. | |
There’s no place like home
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 9, 2007 By
We’re back. We drove over 3,000 miles and somebody has vomited every day since May 21, up to and including today. Usually 2 people per day.
But it’s good to be home.
Good surprises:
- Tubing behind a speedboat was a blast, even if you’ve spent most of your life with a fear of getting water in your nose.
- All of our children were brave enough to try and love tubing.
- I only had to clean vomit out of somebody else’s carpet once.
- Our favorite children’s librarian in the whole world was at the Coshocton Library when we stopped in for old time’s sake. She remembered us instantly after our 4 year absence and we had a bittersweet visit. Are you reading, Miss Smith?
- 7 large trash bags and 4 boxes of hand-me-downs that magically appeared on the dining room table while we were gone.
- I no longer have to worry about a feral gerbil in our house.
- We came home with $150 worth of complimentary snacks and junk food piled, heaped, wedged and otherwise crammed into every available crevice of our 15 passenger van. Don’t ask.
- My bachelor brother-in-law who lives on our couch cleaned up the house before we got home. It was mostly his mess, but hey: he cleaned up. Thanks, Ben.
Bad surprises:
- 7 large trash bags and 4 boxes of hand-me-downs that magically appeared on the dining room table while we were gone.
- The broken washer.
- The odor of the dead gerbil under the broken washer.
- How hot the house was when we got back.
- The taste of our well water after drinking filtered for 2 weeks.
- The news of another mysterious rabbit death. We’re down to 2 of our original 6.
- What I found in the fridge. Remember, there was a bachelor living here alone.
- More sick people.
Oh, and the sweet comfort of sleeping in our own beds. There’s no place like home.
We’re a team
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 2, 2007 By
We are on vacation. Yes, that’s why I’ve been so quiet. I was holding out on y’all.
Last night, 2yo Rachael woke up at 1 AM and tossed her cookies (actually it was her pizza) on Grandma’s comforter. When Megan brought her to us, our crying, groggy little Redhead had chunks in her hair, on her face and on her pajamas. Yuck.
Hubby and I sprang into action. I whisked Rachael into the bathroom and gave her a bath while my honey assessed the site of the incident. He rinsed the chunks off the comforter and put it in the washer. Within 10 minutes Rachael was clean and back in bed and the only sign of what had happened was the happy hum of the washing machine at 1:10 AM.
It was so romantic. We’re a team, and we’re good together.
CBD free shipping
Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker
June 1, 2007 By
This coupon is supposed to expire on the 30th of May (yesterday???) but I just tried and it looks like it’s still working right now. If there is something you want, load up that cart and check out quick!
Thanks to Nancy for the coupon code.
CBD free shipping coupon code: 251422AA
good on orders of $35 or more
expires: May 30th or later
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