Party weekend

Ayden & Daddy

Mommy & Daddy helping with the presents.

Following a busy VBS week I just crashed on Friday nite and we watched a double feature here at home.  But Saturday brought some new excitement.  It was Ayden's 1st birthday and she had a great big party.  I always let Jen & Becky post their kid's events but Jessie & Stevie don't have a blog so I hope it was ok that I post some pictures from the party.  I think we all had a great time and I enjoyed getting to visit with all Jessie's family.  It's always fun watching all the kids interact.  Somehow I missed getting a picture of Veronica (Jessie's niece) but trust me, she's a cutie too.  Tomorrow is Ayden's 'real' birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AYDEN - WE LOVE YOU!!

Coen & Mommy

Mommy & Gracie

A big smile from Spencer

Birthday girl playing her piano for us.

Ayden looks like she's thinking, "where am I going to put all this stuff?"

Ayden's birthday cake - I think she liked it!

 

From a Child's Point of View

I'm working with the 2 & 3 year olds at VBS this year.  It's funny how we adults think a kid should enjoy certain activities and yet we have to almost drag them around and try to convince them that 'this is fun!"    At this young age it could just be nap time but sometimes I really think our 2 & 3 year olds would like to just sing a few songs they already know, hear a story, some of them want to 'make' something but the best part is a simple snack (animal crackers or goldfish) and just let them run & play.

Of course the older kids get more out of all the activities going on.  My grandson Spencer is 4 and I have been driving him home after VBS.  He is very verbal and sometimes I forget he's only 4 because he can be so mature - but I love hearing his version of what he did at VBS that day.  He quickly figured out by my questions that I already know what he's been doing since all ages follow the same routine.  So when he was tired of talking about it (this is his lunch & nap time) he tells me, "Nana, you already know what games we played."

The one thing he's been consistent about the last few days is that he doesn't like Chadder because he's scary.  Chadder is a people sized chipmunk - he is in fact the hero of the little movie they watch.  This movie has thunder storms, a scary museum in an old castle, a weird mad scientist, trap doors that lead to a dark & scary science lab, people turning into hairy animals - and all of this is accompanied with that haunted house music - and this sweet boy doesn't like Chadder because he's scary - all the other stuff doesn't bother him in the least.  Kids are so great and so much fun - and I think we should really pay close attention to their point of view sometimes.

Birthday Girl

Today is Jenny's birthday - Italian dinner and a very yummy strawberry chocolate cake from Maggie Moos!  We had lots of fun and lots of action with 4 grandkids  - it's hard to believe that it was 32 years ago that the  birthday girl was just a baby.  You look to young to be over 30!!  I love you Jenny and you are always my little girl but I love the mommy, wife, and caring daughter you've grown up to be.  Hope your day was happy and you get to celebrate the whole rest of the week!! :)

I Went to Yemen Today

I'm sure most of you have noticed the latest additions to a lot of blogs lately - the maps or listing of places that have viewed that blog recently.  I know some of the blogs have gotten some hits from some exotic locations - but I was tickled that I was hit by more than from St. Louis.  

As I check these locations I find myself trying to figure out if it's someone I know or just an accidental hit - who are you guys anyway?  When I actually got one that wasn't even in the USA I was really stumped.  It says Izmir, Izmir.  I checked and it's in Turkey - that had to be accidental.  But it made me wonder - how many countries are there in the world?  I've always been lousy at geography but lucky for me - we have the internet.  

Actually the answer depends on who you ask - it is anywhere between 192 and 195 - countries, that is.  Have you ever heard of Qatar, Chad, or Bhutan?   Of course there is also the complication of names changing and borders moving, etc,.  There are also somewhere between 58 and 61 colonies and territories that belong to about 8 of these countries.  The USA either owns 12 or 14.  I know of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, & Guam - but where is Baker & Hawland Islands?

I know you're wondering 'where is she going with this?' - to Yemen and San Marino of course.  One of the web sites was Global Web Explorer which invites you to visit some of these places via internet.  I checked out quite a few but most of them were in a foreign language (imagine that!) or you had to have 'clearance'.  Anyway I did visit Yemen a little and I chose it because I remembered it from "Friends" - remember when Chandler claimed he was moving to Yemen?  And I checked out San Marino because it claims to be the oldest republic in the world and it's the 3rd smallest country in the world - it's a rather interesting place I think I'd like to visit.

So actually this blog is nothing but rambling and a few statistics - but just in case you were wondering what I did today - I went to Yemen.  You all have a great week!!

Great Classic

OK - I may be the only person who has never read this book but Uncle Tom's Cabin is a 'must read' classic!  I'm not sure why I had never read it and I've actually owned it for a few years but kept putting off getting into it - but once I got started  I was surprised how easily I got wrapped up in it.  I figured an old book like that would be dry and difficult to struggle through.  It would probably be filled with sermonizing and archaic language.  But the language was like any you would find in a historical novel written today about that period in history.  And there were definitely sermons woven into the story but you never felt preached at  - it was more like a good ole' vibrant action packed tent meeting that was easy to relate to.  In fact, I think Uncle Tom is my new spiritual earthly hero.  As you wonder if someone could actually remain so faithful and righteous with all the misery and pain they put him through, you realize it was his faith and  drawing himself closer to God rather than turning his  back on Him that got him through.  I strive for that close relationship he attained with God and I do believe that there are people like Uncle Tom who survive many sorrows by clinging to their faith so intently.  

I also never knew the history of the book itself.  It is historical fiction for us now but it was written in 1851-52 and was present day life for Harriet Beecher Stowe.  Just like books we would now find written about our current news stories.  It was written after the Fugitive Slave Law came in effect.  This law said that Northerners were required to return any runaway slaves to their masters in the South.  H. B. Stowe wanted to bring to light the lives these slaves were running from.  Several, Abe Lincoln included, felt this book fueled the fire that started the Civil War.  

If you're considering reading this book don't be afraid that it may be too graphic because H.B. Stowe did a great job of alluding to misery rather than giving gory details.  I'm sure there are a lot of great classics I need to read - I've read Mark Twain, Louisia May Alcott, and C.S. Lewis - any suggestions for other classic 'must reads'?