Rainy Day Photoshoot

Kami took me out for a photoshoot with her new camera a few days ago. You can see more pictures on her blog. http://www.contentinthecountry.blogspot.com/

Our Christmas Tree!

We planted 50 Noble Fir trees on our
property roughly 6 or 7 years ago.
This year we cut down our first
home-grown tree! It is over 10 feet tall!!!

The Story of a Fallen Saint

All was well early on the morning of December 13th, St. Lucia Day. The cinnamon rolls rose wonderfully and came out bubbling and golden brown, perfect! The hot cocoa didn't burn and there were plenty of mini-marshmallows to top the children's cocoa. All the batteries in my "candles" were working and I even found a red ribbon to wear! On my way downstairs to the boys' bedroom I tripped on the second to the last stair but recovered nicely and didn't loose the tray of goodies.
On my way upstairs to visit my littlest sister I tripped again , only this time as I was almost to the top...I lost everything! Cocoa was dripping down the stairs and all over me. I was alright and walked away with just a bruised shin. (Those wooden stairs are sharp!) Everyone was so sympathetic they even brought me breakfast in bed the next morning! Ben (7) really liked the idea, so the next morning he decided to get up bright (I should say dark!) and early and cooked all of us eggs! His service comes a little earlier than I'd like on a weekend...I happened to glance at the clock while turing over and it was 5:45a.m.

Thus ends my story of the "fallen saint". (To find out more about St. Lucia Day read my previous post about it.)

Advent Wreath

Ever since my family read about the von Trapp family's advent wreath that they hung from their ceiling in Austria two years ago, we've wanted to make one too. Only this year have we finally got around to it! It was perfect timing...the power was out, due to the tremendous storm that passed through our area earlier this week. Of the numerous trees that were down blocking our driveway one so happened to be a holly tree and there were a few Cedar boughs laying about. I butchered the holly tree and gathered the boughs...

I'm very pleased with how it turned out! Ben had saved the metal from a wreath from last year (for some odd reason!) and we had been using it to hang out barn coats on! Very handy and it looked kind of rustic too. So, I just "borrowed" it and used it for the base. It is now haning from a log over our dining room table. It was lots of fun and kind of romantic eating by the cadle light shed above us from the wreath while we ate our dinner with the power out under our Advent wreath! "Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!"

And of course I had to include the decorations I added beneath my American Indian "ancestors". ;)

The Hallelujah Chorus

Yes...this is what Kami and I are playing along with three other girls. We're planning on playing it for Christmas in church. It's uh...16 pages long. :o)

Tea Cups

A gift shop in town is retiring (or I should say the owners...) and everything is 30% off, so I bought this tea cup holder. I really like it!

Thanksgiving Prep - Rolls

Why Aren't You Going to College?: The Answer

"Why don't you want to go to college?"

"How are you going to learn to support yourself--say if something happened to your husband, or you never find a husband?"

"How else are you going to meet interesting people and get the social experience you'll need for real life?"

"How will you get a good education otherwise?"

"What are you going to do with yourself if you don't go to college?"

Why Aren't You Going to College?:

The Answer

(click link to read article)

San Anotonio Independent Christian Film Festival

Flying over Idaho. Beautiful...

The gate at the Denver airport!

Christian Media Forum's picnic in the park.

HSA group picture.

Part of the Convention Center, the enterance to the Lila Cockrell Theater.

In the Lila Cockrell Theater.

A huge crowd waiting outside the doors to watch our movie, Never be Shaken!

Inside the theater, just before the showing of our movie.

Mr. Ray Comfort, the "Million Dollar Speaker".

http://www.wayofthemaster.com/

On the riverwalk.

The Alamo.

Elizabeth and Anna Sofia Botkin.

The Boohers.

The Ramseys! Their movie, The Photographer, won runner-up for Best Narrative.

Last, but definatly not least, Brad Steele and Kyle Shields! We were very excited to meet some famous movie stars and to actually get their picture! The did an amazing trailer for the festival you can watch HERE.

We praise the Lord for the wonderful time we had and everything that worked out for us to be able to go! We can't believe that our movie made the finals!!!

How the South was Lost

This is a hilarous spoof! You may recognize some of the actors off of the winner of the 2006 SAICFF, The Oath. These are the same guys.

Bleak House

We finished watching Bleak House last night and I thought I'd post pictures of my favorite characters and quotes.

Mr. Guppy

persistent, annoying, and very comical

Quotes: "Mr. Guppy of Kenge and Carboys" (with his accent of course!)

"Miss Esther Summerson, ... :insert sigh: My angel."

"Mortifying. Mortifying."

Mr. Smallweed
loud, demanding, boisterous, slimy, money lender

Quotes: "Shake me up, Judy!"

"Get out! We're not open! Closed for business! No one's here! Go away!"

Sergeant George

"An ex-soldier, he now owns a shooting gallery and gym. He's a noble man, with great dignity, but crippled by his debts to Smallweed."

Quotes: Hmmm...he doesn't talk much. I think he's more of a deep character. So, no quotes that I can thing of.

And of course... Miss Esther Summerson

kind, generous, thoughtful, her life is full of mystery

Quote: "I never was vain about my looks. I shall think that I am very lucky to be alive."

________________

Other characters that grow on you:

Mr. John Jarndyce

Inspector Bucket

Night at the Museum

We attended a Night at the Museum ball and I went as Mary Custis Lee, great-granddaughter of Martha Washington and the wife of Robert E. Lee. I thought it would be a good excuse to post some pictures of the general and his wife.

Mary

Robert

Mary inherited Arlington estate which, during the Civil War, was taken by the North and was later turned into the Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington Mansion and 200 acres of ground immediately surrounding it were designated officially as a military cemetery June 15, 1864, by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton.
More than 300,000 people are buried at Arlington Cemetery.

Now Available

Now available at www.neverbeshaken.blogspot.com

Check it out!

http://www.neverbeshaken.blogspot.com/

SAICFF

Our movie, Never be Shaken, made it! You can see it listed on the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival's web site HERE.

ouch...

Well, I got my wisdom teeth pulled last Thursday! I had all four and had to get rid of them. It really wasn't all that bad...I have had teeth pulled two times before this, once I was awake when it happened... I had a lot of dear friends praying for me, and praise the Lord I wasn't the least bit nervous going in! I have the best little nurse in the whole wide world and she took very good care of me! Sometimes she'd even come up to me, if I was sitting at the counter etc. and tell me that I needed to come and lie down. She'd also run back and forth to the kitchen for me exchanging ice packs. We actually used frozen pop corn kernals, which work quite well! They don't stay frozen and cool as long, but they mold to your face better and I think are more comfortable, but who wants to hear about this anyway???

Faces from Ft. Stevens