Sunday, July 29, 2007

Harmony Info



Hi everyone!

I received this in the mail from the owner of Harmony. It has directions and all sorts of useful info. I hope you can somehow read it. I'm not very advanced with these "computers".

Items you may want to bring: seasonings for cooking, wine from TJ's, coolers, beach towels (not supplied), citronella candles, iPod and dock, beer can chicken cooker, fishing poles

I should be getting a call from someone regarding check-in, but so far the time is 5:00 p.m. on Sat.

Can't wait to see everyone in Missouri in less than 2 weeks!!

Friday, July 27, 2007

Boat, boat and more boat

Hey, family.

I put a 12 person deck boat on hold for the 13th-16th. The total is $1380 (plus gas and tax). We don't pay until we get there, but I suppose we could send mom and Tom the money whenever we have it.

$1380 + $110 (I'm assuming 8% tax) = 1490
1490/5 couples = $300.

I'm guessing about another $60/day in gas. 60 x 4 = 240
240/ 5 couples = 48

So, all that to say, save $350 for the boat! Woohoo!

Friday, July 20, 2007

It's Time.

Vacation is around the corner. The bill has been charged to our credit card and it's now time for everyone's final installment! Please remit asap.

We are gonna have such fun!

Friday, July 06, 2007

Party Hardy with Lisa on her 30th





Lisa and Me









All of Lisa's Mpls friends










Fancy raspberry dessert









Leah and Jess










Leah trying to be sexy. Lisa succeeding.





The whole table- 12 of us.
We all dressed up and went to eat at this super fancy French restaurant with awesome food. It was so fun. Lisa's husband flew in her two sisters and best friend as a surprise.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

I know I already sent this to a couple of you, but I just have to make sure you all can listen to it. It's so dang catchy, right?

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Happy Birthday, Tom!

Today is the day to celebrate Tom.
He is absolutely da bomb.

He is friendly, fun and oh, so cool.
And what a substitute he was at school!

But that's nothing compared to the way
that he brews coffee. What more can I say?

I haven't even mentioned his awesome acting.
He blows everyone away! And that is a fact (ing).

We're glad you are part of the family- it's true.
So celebrate hard now that you're 52.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Vacation Update

Hi everyone!

7 Weeks till Family Vacation 2007!

Quick Update:

Our 2nd payment of $2026.25 ($405.25 per couple) is due July 11th. Mom and Tom have agreed to use their credit card again. Let's have it paid off before the trip!

New plan for the boat: We'll rent a boat large enough for everyone for 2 days (and everyone chips in) and then those interested (Becky & Cheryl, Leah & Eric and Mom & Tom) will rent a small ski boat for a few days. Eric is currently researching a deck boat for the larger boat, rather than the tri-toon.

Items to bring: cooler, beach towels, toiletries, fishing poles (need license)

Check in is at 5:00 p.m.

sites to check out: funlake.com, lakelinks.com

I'm pretty excited! Soon we'll be relaxin' and maxin' on the lake.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Boat!

Harmony, our awesome house, set me up with a boat rental company. We get a 10% discount and the boat is delivered to our dock. Here's the specs:

175 HP Tri-toon (highest HP of all rental boats on the lake)
Brand new
Fits 15 people
can pull water-skier's or tubes

Cost:
$300 per day for Monday - Friday = $1500
or
Sunday - Friday with week discount = $1500
($500 deposit via credit card required. I beleive Mom and Tom are going to front their card again. Thanks!)

The person I spoke to said that another rental co., Glencoe, charges $450 a day for this same boat and $375 per day for a boat with less HP. I beleive this. When I first started checking around the price was more like $500 per couple for the week.

Also, the boat does not come with water ski's or tubes. Leah & Eric - is your tube with your boat in AZ? I think we should consider buying one if we can't rent one. Scott will probaby spend the entire vacation on it.

That's $300 per couple. Give me your opinoins, I'd like to book it for Sunday-Friday - It sounds perfect for us.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Sarah Jane

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH JANE!!

Hope you had a great day in Charleston!

Monday, May 21, 2007

Tuesday Love

Well, I wanted to post on the McElory Experience but I'm not sure how or if I can. Either, way... I'm ready to Love.



I love that the weather is crazy but always goes back to warm and sunny. I L.O.V.E that our Family Vacation 2007 is sooner then any of us execpt. And that we'll have more fun than some of us may expect. I L.O.V.E that I finally get to see my nephews in June who I miss so much that I can't put into words. I also love that I get to see my sister and Eric whom I miss also, but maybe not as much as my nephews. I love that I get to be honest during Tuesday Love. I love my sister and wish we lived closer. I love that my family is so close (and lucky to be) but I miss that we don't see each other as much as we'd like. I love that love my job - I never thought it could happen! I love that I'm helping Leah get home with the boys after their visit and I love that Leah and Eric asked me to help. I love that I'm finally celebrating Mother's Day with Mom on Saturday and taking her to Over Easy. I love that the only thing Tom had to say when my Mom told him was "Sooo?!" (Tom, we'll take you soon!). I love that I have a few days alone (but I miss Cheryl!)


Also, and most importantly, I love wine.


Haha, mabye most importantly is my family's sense of humor!


Happy Tuesday Love (or late Monday Love)! Someone link me (Tom)!

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Krazy Kristy

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Familia Vacaciones 2007

Hey everyone - follow these instructions to check out the new pictures of our rental house:

go to lakerentals.com and and type in 13773 in the property ID box.

It looks pretty awesome....!

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Bright Eyes

Eric and I got a babysitter last night and went to a concert- Bright Eyes. It was great. My only complaint is that I wore my contacts and couldn't see a thing once I got there. I'm not sure why. So, I drove back home to get my glasses and missed the first opening band. The second one was awesome, though. Oakley Hall for those of you interested.

Bright Eyes is funny. He's this amazingly talented 27 year old who is overly politically charged. And he wants to be British. For real. He says the word "bloody" and he has a funny accent when he sings and talks. He was born in Omaha. Anyway, good concert. Fun times.

To listen, go here:
http://www.myspace.com/brighteyes
Listen to Four Winds.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Softball

Um, so our team lost 16-2 in our first game last night. However, I didn't do too bad. I hit a double and ended up scoring. The other times I was up to bat, I got to first, but the person running to second got out, which apparantly is called a "Fielder's Choice" although I kept saying I hit two singles. Also, I caught two fly balls and no errors! Woohoo! I found my calling.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Regarding those shoes you got.....

I think they are way cool - but watch out:














Sunday, April 22, 2007

Jess' Shower





This is what I did last weekend. Three of us threw Jess a baby shower and it was so fun! The room I decorated fell down (third picture) and the candles popped the two lower balloons and made us all scream like girls. So, that's me looking like a loser. We all had a great time!

Well . . .

Since it's been a month since anything has been posted on here, I thought I'd do a little post to see how everyone is doing. What's going on in the lives of the McMiltons? :)

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Fast Lane

I've been promoted!

After only 7 business days of working at the college, I've been promoted to the Registrar position! It all happened very quickly. I'm excited and nervous and am really enjoying being at work and taking on a new challenge. I started today and have 3 weeks of training here in Chicago then 1 week in San Diego at our parent college.

And you all thought I was a lost cause... :)

Monday, March 19, 2007

Formula 409

Hi Everyone!

Well - we did it. We charged our reservation for vacation and now we need wveryone to pony up! Yeah! It ciphers out to $409 per family group. Make all checks payable to Tom McElroy. But that's just the beginning. Don't forget to save your pennies because we will need the final payment upon arrival and then there's the boat.....

And don't forget we get to see the newly rehabed pictures of our little abode come sometime in April.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Lives of Cal & Isaac

Leah! We need new pics of the boys! Has Cal graduated? Is Ike playing soccer? What's going on?!

Friday, March 09, 2007

No more sleepin' in

I GOT A JOB!

I start Monday at 8:30. The Unemployment Party is over!

I'll be working in the front office and bookstore at an acupuncture school. I'm excited and I think its going to be a great change from the law offices!

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Anne's Birthday Party



My friend, Anne, had her 30th birthday party (it was a surprise). We went to a fancy French place in Uptown and ate dessert. It was so good. And I had an awesome dessert wine. I can't even tell you how good that was. Here's a picture of all of us.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The other side of the world











Hey everyone! Cheryl and I are back from Hawaii and I wanted to show you a few pictures. We had a great time with Karin and Daniel and the ceremony was beautiful. We were lucky enough to go snorkeling and follow whales around on the boat watching them jump and wave their fins. I can't even put it into words! I can only hope to see whales (I'll settle for dolphins) on Family Vacation 2007!
Family Vacation Hawaii 2010!








Sunday, February 25, 2007

We're Not The Only Ones

Public Service Announcement

I found this through an online friend who just got a job in the Media department. I'm one of his prayer partners as he steps out in this new area of ministry. I know some of our family has thought of missions at some point in life and I thought this might be of interest.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Weekend Plans

What's everyone doing this weekend? Tonight Kari and I are going to Ike and Jonesy's. And we may be helping a friend of Kari's move tomorrow. We saw a stupid movie last night, Reno 911!: Miami. We won free tickets to it, and have liked it on Comedy Central, but as a movie it didn't work very well at all. I laughed, but I probably could have found other ways to spend that hour and a half of me time.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

So much to learn


So, here's my first try at cables. But what a disaster. Its a beanie. Sorta like Fat Man in a Little Coat, but its a hat.
hhhhmmmmm how sad.
Sorry about the picture. I'm old.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Fun in MN 2


I had a great time with the Millers this week in MN. Cal is sooo hilarious and Ike is super cuddl-ey and soft. Alisa came over on Friday while I was babysitting and Cal was nice enough to show her his "scrotum" in the tub. He jumped on my face Friday morning yelling "I'm poopy!" (and stinky) What a kid.
Mom picked me up from the airport and got completly lost and kept passing the terminal entrance. We're talking about Midway here. So I'm waiting and waiting and looking around and after about 30 min. of her driving around on Cicero Ave., there she appears ---- in the TAXI LANE! I about P'eed my pants. I had to drag my bag across 2 lanes back to where she was and try to get my bag in the trunk without falling over from laughter and shock. We were laughing so hard we were both crying and meanwhile the cabbies were glaring at us something serious. Mom, I hope this isn't the beginning of the end of your driving career. Thanks for the ride.





























Saturday, February 03, 2007

Watch out Indianapolis!




Mom and I used Kool-aid to dye yarn tonight. Check it out!




(p.s. We know we have no hope in competing with Kari for creativity. But we like it.)








Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Harmony











Hey everyone. We are confirmed for the house on Lake of the Ozarks. I have been talking to the owner's friend but received an email from the owner today. Its a description of the property with pictures above that were taken before the remodel.

The total cost is $4052,50. Half, or $2026.25, has been charged to Sally & Tom's credit card. So as of right now, each couple owes $405.05 to T&S. The remaining half is due one month prior (July 11).

The dates reserved are August 11, 2007 to August 18, 2007 (Sat.-Sat.).

Sorry for the long post!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Becky,Debbie forwarded your e-mail address to me so that I could send you some information about our property, Harmony. The pictures enclosed are prior to the remodel. I will send you updated pictures as they become available, if you would like. I hope this answers your questions, but feel free to call me (805) 522-9729 if you have any others. This is very exciting for me, as you are our very first renter! I am looking forward to hearing about your vacation.Debbie Iverson

Harmony - 3400 sq ft of Rustic Charm with Modern Amenities
Location: Linn Creek, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, USA (located at the 28MM)
Accommodations: House, 5 BR/5 ½ BA (includes 4 master suites and bunk-room) (sleeps 12-14)

Rent this spacious 5 bedroom, 5 ½ bath lake-front home. We are located in a beautiful cove with a gorgeous view of the main channel. The gently sloping lot offers a path with 10 steps down to the lake and a 3-slip boat dock with swim platform.

Located in Linn Creek, between Osage Beach and Camdenton, at mile marker 28, we are just minutes from a variety of activities including a large selection of restaurants and shops, a 110-store Outlet Mall, water park, go-cart track, day spas, golf and miniature golf, just to name a few. It is privately owned and managed, newly remodeled and new to the rental market May 2007.

The main level consists of a large living room with vaulted ceilings, wood-burning fireplace, bar, big-screen TV with Cable programming and DVD, as well as full view of the lake. You can also relax on the spacious upper deck to enjoy the view and fresh air. The dining room has vaulted ceilings, table with seating for 12-14, and a beautiful view of the lake. The kitchen is very open, with vaulted ceilings, custom oak cabinets, dishwasher, stove, oven, refrigerator with ice-maker, microwave, dishes, utensils, pots, pans, bakeware, crockpot, coffee maker, blender and many other amenities to make you feel at home. The main level also has 2 master suites with queen-size beds, a third master suite with 2 extra-long twin beds, and a powder room. Each bedroom has its own bathroom, TV, alarm clock, bed linens, extra pillows and blankets.

The lower level has a grand game room with lake view, complete with bar, pub table, billiard table with ping-pong conversion top, air hockey, dart board, sleeper sofa, TV, and kitchen with refrigerator. Adjacent to the game room you will find another master suite with queen-size bed and bathroom, a kids' bunk-room (2 full-size futons with twin bunks), another full bathroom and laundry room with washer and dryer. The lower deck and patio has a hot tub, outdoor fireplace, gas and charcoal BBQ's, tables, chairs and a kids' sandbox.

Amenities: 3-slip Boat Dock with Swim Platform and Fish Cleaning Station, Phone, Air Conditioning, Central Heat, Wood-burning Fireplace, Cable TV, VCR, DVD, Stereo, CD Player, 2 Full Kitchens, Microwave, Dishwasher, 2 Refrigerators with ice makers, Blender, Coffee Maker, Crockpot, Cooking Utensils, Dishes and Silverware, Bed Linens, Pillows, Towels, Washer, Dryer,4 in-room Safes, Billiard Table with Ping-Pong Conversion, Dart Board, Air Hockey, Board games, Play Station, Gas and Charcoal BBQ Grills, Hot Tub, Outdoor Fire Pit, Sandbox, 2-car Garage with Circular Drive and parking for 6-8 vehicles.

Activities (on site or nearby): Golf, Miniature Golf, Water Parks, Go-Cart Track, Fishing, Shopping, Restaurants, Cinemas, tours of Bridal Caves and Ozark Caverns, Sightseeing Lake Cruises, Swimming, Boating, Waterskiing, Parasailing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~








Sunday, January 28, 2007

The Millers


This is merely a rebuttal....

You may have seen this forward "Child Abuse." I don't know who these people are. And some day others won't know either.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Cove


Here is a picture of the view from the house next door. When looking at the lake, the house we are discussing is to the left.

Final Destination

First, please don't let this post take away from the 2 below. They are worth reading. Again and again.

I spoke to Debbie from Lake of the Ozarks and this is the info on the house we are renting. If you have any objections, please let me know, but it sounds like we're all ready to do this.

-The home will be finished mid-April and we will get pictures then.
-Cost is $500 per night - $3500 for the week - $700 per couple (Scott only owes $600 - get a
job. hahaha)
- 5 bed, 5.5 bath
- all bedrooms have their own bath
- Front hall is beautiful vaulted ceilings with all windows on first floor facing lake
- new deck
- new hot tub
- walk out basement to yard and dock
- game room in basement with bar, pool table, ping-pong top for pool table, air hockey, dart board, pull-out couch, kitchen with fridge
- master bed is in basement off game room
- bunk room is on opposite side of game room
- the house in in a large cove with another cove to the right that is good for waterskiing. to the Left is a view of the main channel. Beautiful view - best of both worlds. Debbie is forwarding me pictures of the view from the house next door. I will pass on.
- firepit or fireplace tbd
- no gazebo but yard is very flat and goes all the way to seawall.

$$$$$
$3500 per week + 8.5% taxes + $150 cleaning fee = $3947 = $789 per couple
%25 due now with %25 due March 1, or %50 due now.
Balance due 1 month prior to reservation.
taxes cover state taxes and lodging taxes

I guess this is a little expensive. Tell me your thoughts.
Remember, the boat is around $2000 a week, so $400 each.

The Morning After

After mulling things over in my head last night and in an effort not to seem too crazy I have a rebuttal of a few of Leah's points:

1. Raw ground beef - I love it and I'd still be eating it if I hadn't worked at Jewel and seen those crazy butcher's behind the scenes.
6. Leah started kindergarten at 4 - she was of the legal age. At least I didn't force her to drink at 21.
7. Eating off Leah (and Becky and Jason's) plate - it was less calories when all you got were the scraps.
8. Cracking Cal up - that was a momentous occasion for me!
9. Cousin Beth's wedding - can we all just try, as in put some effort, in to forgetting that one.
11. Fart/burp - that was mean!
14. Worm in salad - hey I thought I'd hidden that one from you but I probably started running around screaming. and dumping everyone's salad in the garbage. Eeek.
15. One Life to Live - it prepared you for seduction. Leah never would have landed Eric without it.
16. Pool kiss - yeah, that was fun.
17. Burning Leah and Becky's heads - just for the record, I cried.
18. Leah's sewing lesson - after taking the summer to teach Leah how to sew she stated "Isn't it easier just to go to the store and buy a skirt?". I don't think she's sewn since.
21. The pearl necklace - I will never live that down. Again, I'm sorry. I am a bad mom/person.
23. Becky's mouthwashes - she was a tough cookie.
25. The birth of both my grandkids - again, momentous occasions! Wouldn't miss it for the world.
26. Puke and poop plunge - OHMYGOSH!! It's true and as horrible as it sounds.
28. Taking the kids to school in my robe - is it as bad as it sounds?
30. The motorcycle trip - sun and wind will do strange things to your skin.
32. Sex in the car - yes, you are always to tell your kids about sex in the car specifically so that they cannot run away. Right Tom and Scott?
34. -Leah I cannot believe you put that in a public post. Can we not do that anymore and just keep it my dirty little family secret?!! Probably the one time I wonder "why didn't I just lie?". Surely I would have been justified.
39. Cuddling with your dad in a hospital bed - I'd do it again in a heart beat.
41. Mayonnaise next to the cheese - I knew it all along. I hated it but didn't want to hurt your feelings.
42. Talking stuffed animals - what are you talking about? That was really them talking. I visit them in storage once in awhile and they still talk to me.
45. Slaves - can't remember the context of that one. Was it a song?
49. Calling out of school - hmmmm...... Yeah, I told you Becky was a tough cookie.
52. Ice cream cake - Jason always told me how much he loved it!
54. Sweaters - I'm working on Easter. :)
55. Talking - I love our conversations.

It was too much fun to think about all these memories and they prompted many others since I've slowed down to think about all this. Too much fun Leah (and Eric too I just found out)!!!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Happy 55th Birthday, Mom!

55 Awesome Memories of Mom

1. She used to eat raw ground beef.
2. She made pizza for my birthday parties every year.
3. She shouted, “Pull this damn car over!” on the first Christmas without dad because us kids were fighting.
4. She never talked bad about anyone.
5. I loved when she would color with me in the rec room with the red shag carpet.
6. I dragged her into the classroom on the first day of kindergarten even though none of the other kids were with their parents. (I was only four! She must have wanted to get rid of me…)
7. She ate food off of my plate instead of her own plate. (She claimed it was less calories that way.)
8. She was the first person to crack Cal up. He was three months old and she was bouncing him on the bed.
9. She got nasty drunk at Cousin Beth’s wedding.
10. We took naps together everyday when I was in kindergarten.
11. “Ewwww. Who farted?” We all ask. Mom says, “I burped…”
12. She sang solos at church. “Hallowed be Thy Name”
13. I asked who Santa was. “He’s not real,” Becky shouts. “That’s true,” mom says.
14. She found a worm in her salad over dinner.
15. We watched One Life to Live together.
16. She got a point for catching Eric and me kissing in the pool.
17. She burnt my head with kerosene by trying to get rid of lice.
18. She took the time to try to teach me to sew. We made a vest and a skirt.
19. We would dunk her under water in the pool with her sunglasses on.
20. “Mama needs a new pair of shoes! Oooowwww!”
21. She took back the pearl necklace we bought her.
22. She always gave me back scratches whenever I asked.
23. There were many times she had to wash Becky’s mouth out with soap.
24. The one time she farted (or the one time she admitted it…) in the rec room.
25. She came to see both of our kids right after they were born.
26. She plunged my puke and Jason’s poop at the same time.
27. She made me wear the same clothes two days in a row.
28. She took us to school in her robe.
29. She came home smelling like deli meat.
30. She came back from her and dad’s motorcycle trip looking like a black person.
31. We made home-made play-dough.
32. She told me about sex in the car when I couldn’t run away (Becky remembers this, too).
33. She bought me a mini chocolate milk when we went grocery shopping to keep me happy.
34. She told me in the kitchen that she once did bad heroine.
35. She used to make tons of Christmas cookies and freeze them so we could go down anytime and eat them.
36. She bought lots and lots of frozen pizzas and we ate lots and lots of frozen pizzas.
37. When I asked her why she quit her new job at The Octagon, she told me that she quit to spend more time with us kids.
38. I used to brush her hair until it was totally frizzed while we watched TV (probably The Cosby Show).
39. When Dad was in the hospital, he convinced her to hop in bed with him to cuddle (lots of people were there).
40. Her really short 80’s haircut.
41. I tricked her into eating a mayonnaise-next-to-the-cheese sandwich.
42. She used to make all my stuffed animals talk. I loved it!
43. I got a new Easter outfit every year and she let me pick them out!
44. She runs all crazy into stores when it’s raining- usually she even screeches.
45. “I’d buy me some Hawaiian slaves.”
46. She was so brave and moved into the city when she was 50!
47. I once joined mom at her aerobics class and we exercised to “Physical.”
48. She rubbed my head by my hairline whenever I was sick or needed love.
49. She called me out of school whenever I didn’t feel good. She called Becky out of school whenever she wanted.
50. She was there for my college graduation, took pictures and then got all the film wet.
51. I missed her first wedding, but got to be there for her second. She looked beautiful.
52. On his birthday, she would make Jason’s favorite cake- Oreo Ice cream Cake.
53. She let me eat raw cookie dough.
54. She has made five sweaters (and counting) for her gorgeous grandchildren.
55. The ongoing memory of always being there to talk.

Thanks, Mom!
Please post your own awesome memory of Sally!

Monday, January 22, 2007

Family Vacation 2007 - again!

Hey everyone. I think I found us a house. Check it out here.

Summary:
5 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
2 futons
1 pullout couch
3 cots
grill
washer & dryer
3 decks
boat dock
swimming on dock w/ ladder

and that's all I can think of right now. Check out the site and I'll forward an email with more pictures to all of you.

Cost
$2250 for the week - nice! It's 12 miles from Lake of the Ozarks town so hopefully that's ok with everyone. Lake of the Ozarks is the main tourist area with a damn, shops, strip malls, golfing etc. The other main town is Osage Beach which has most of the restaurants but i'm not sure where that is located yet.

Deposit - $500. The deposit must be paid to hold the property and won't be returned until after our week at the house. Can anyone cover this? If we charged it, we could all pay that person back within a few weeks or maybe someone has money in savings that wouldn't be missed. The deposit will be returned in check form even if its charged.

To mapquest: Rocky Mount, MO 65072

Honestly, I haven't found very many 5 bedrooms and definetly not for under $3000. I think this looks great as long as no one minds being 12 miles from the biggest town.

If we want this property, we need a volunteer for the deposit and to pick out the dates. All weeks in August are available after Aug. 4. He prefers Fri-Fri but said Sat.-Sat. is ok. (is everyone ok with August??)

I also think we need to move quickly. Today or tomarrow if possible.... I'm worried about finding something else and loosing the dates for this house.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Weekend Update


Karin & Daniel flew in from Seattle and stayed with Cheryl and I this weekend. We had tons of fun including going to the Museum of Science and Industry and seeing Body Worlds II. In case you don't know, that's the exhibit with real human bodies that have been put through a plastification process and you can see all the muscles and organs. No skin, just muscles and bones and organs. It was wild. The bodies were all posing doing something like pitching a baseball or a couple ice skating. They also had organs in exhibit boxes to get a close look at just about everything. Brains, lungs, uterus... fetus... one of the bodies was 5 weeks pregnant when she died so you could see the change in her uterus. Like I said, it was wild. But very very cool and interesting.

The museum, however, was a complete dump. Has anyone been there lately? Disorganized, dirty... and the only worth while exhibit was the Body Worlds. That was only dissapointing b/c I remember it being sooo cool. But I was about 7 and nothing is really how I remember it at 7.

Did anyone else see the nervous system as it winds its way around the insides of our bodies?

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

I'm sick

My eye is squirting out stuff like Leah and my teeth are hurting like Mom. Thanks ladies, thanks.

Also, I'm loving the sound of my own voice. Thanks Jason, thanks.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Leah looking Fuiiiiine in her new apron

Cal got a new apron, too. I know it's dorky. $2 at Old Navy.
We made cookies with Sammy and Jess.

Monday, January 01, 2007

I'm crafty!


I made this cool bulletin board from a regular ol' cork board. Yeah, I'm pretty proud of myself.

Friday, December 29, 2006

Family Vacation 2007

I forgot to bring this up when we were all together, but I talked to Eric and Jason. They didn't seem all that excited about an Ozark vacation so how about everyone come up with some ideas. Let's discuss.

On another note, I'M BACK ON-LINE! yea! Cheryl and I bought a computer so I have time for lots of things including researching a great vacation spot.

Let's make March our deadline to give a deposit on the house. The beginning of March.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Vegan Kolacky

2 2/3 c flour
2 2/3 sticks vegan "butter"
8 oz. Better than Cream Cheese
1 can Solo pie filling

Mix together first 3 ingredients until a dough is formed. Refridgerate at least 1 hour.

Roll out 1/3 dough onto prepared surface with sugar and flour into a thin sheet. Cut into squares and add a dollop of the Solo onto each square. Fold up 2 corners and pinch together.

Bake for 8-10 min. at 350 or until lightly golden brown.


Vegans: You are Welcome.

Recipe modified from Semko Secret Family Recipe Binder

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

For Leah

"Babies Don't Keep"

Mother, of Mother, come shake out your cloth
empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockabye, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

-- Author Unknown


We love you, Leah. You make such a great mom. All God's blessings on you.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Hail! Hail!The Gang's All Here!

Yes, Scott will indeed be gracing us with his presence on Christmas Eve, Eve!

YAY!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Christmas Eve Eve

As of now, we don't know if Scott will be there.

Agreed by Richard and Kari, we will exchange with them. Spend $20/couple.

I hope you are all ready to celebrate kid-style. We are going to sing a couple xmas songs and I fully expect you all to sing your hearts out. Also, we will read a children's book on Christmas for Cal. And sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Comment Change

Because of complaints from my wife about the recent comments being from both this site and the Experience site that I put in the side bar of the experience, I created a brand new comment account for this site. What that means though is that the comments that had been posted on here are now gone. I didn't really know that it would do that. I'm sorry. I will repost the comments in one large comment. The only one that I did this on was the "Life Can Be So Disappointing" post.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Cousin Exchange

Hey Cousins.

Sarah and Rachel, you normally handle the cousin exchange, right? Will you still do it even though Sarah left us all for NC? I'd be happy to help in anyway.

Also, Cheryl is going to visit her dad in MI for Christmas, so she will not be in the exchange, as originally planned.

I'm so looking forward to this year and still bummed I was sick last year.

Kristy, will you be back? And would you like underwear for Christmas?

(p.s. McElroys - this is the exchange on Christmas Day at the Statons. You won't be here but we'll celebrate with you on Christmas Eve Eve - which I'm also really excited about.)

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Life can be so Dissapointing

Mom and I had a crappy experience yesterday. The Millers did too. We bought a ticket to MN to visit the Millers back in August during a sale for this weekend trying to schedule our visit after Isaac was born, which turned out just perfect. Well we waited and waited and waited at the airport until they cancelled our flight b/c of the weather. So, no airplane, no MN, no Cal, no Isaac, no Leah, no Eric, no Alyssa, no thai food, no wordly market, no fun and only dissapointment.

AA would not reschedule our flight and couldn't fly us out until 8pm Sat. night or refund our money. With our return flight being Sunday evening, we are getting a refund.

Meanwhile... Mom's luggage is MIA and we're hoping AA comes through and its delivered today.

How dissapointing.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

New Family Links

Hey, I just noticed through the comments at Lives of Cal and Issac that Brian and Sarah have a new blog. I updated the link to the left. Check it out!

UPDATE: I also noticed through Brian and Sarah's that the Staton/Whittington/Ciz clan also have a new blog. It's also in the links at the left under Makin momma happy!

Friday, October 27, 2006

Newness

Welcome To The World Isaac!

Monday, October 23, 2006

Weekend Edition

I had a great weekend and am wondering how everyone elses went. Friday night Tom and I went to Scott's show "The Music Man" and had a great time watching Scott as well as a pretty good production of that musical. The fun time ended though when we got stuck in the crazy roadwork on 94/41 and didn't step in the door until after 1:00. Ugh, I hate 2 1/2 hr drives that should only take about 50 mins! Sat Tom worked all day and I cleaned, did laundry, found Yoda puke on the guest bed and did MORE laundry, napped!, and read 9 days worth of my read the Bible in a year program. Yes, I was a little behind and yes it took me a couple of hours but once again I am caught up. :) Also I spent sometime knitting. Then Tom came home and we watched "The Lost City" which we both liked. Sunday I went to church in Kenosha with Jas and Stef (Tom worked all day again), went out for hot wings afterward (which were yummy), went to the Staton's to see Jason's decorative plaster work he's started (he's such a talented guy), picked up Tom and came home for a couple of hours to relax before bed. And I knitted. Whew, it was busy but really fun. Oh yeah, I talked w/Becky on the phone and she gave me some costly tips for making more room in our condo so when the 4 Miller's visit we won't be so packed. I didn't talk w/Leah because I didn't want to keep calling and asking "Is anything going on?!" and driving her crazier than she needs to be. Didn't speak w/Richard or Kari either. So what did everyone else do???

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

“CHRIST WILL DO ALL FOR YOU, OR NOTHING FOR YOU.”
–J. GRESHAM MACHEN (GAL. 2:21)

Friday, October 13, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

"All men must die; but as men’s lives are very different, so their account in death also. To an ungodly man death is a loss, the greatest loss: but to a believer it is gain, the greatest gain." (Thomas Boston)

"There is a great deal of difference between the desires of heaven in a sanctified man and an unsanctified. The believer prizeth it above earth, and had rather be with God than here (though death that stands in the way, may possibly have harder thoughts from him). But to the ungodly, there is nothing seemeth more desirable than this world; and therefore he only chooseth heaven before hell, but not before earth; and therefore shall not have it upon such a choice." (Richard Baxter)

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Absolutly Mortified

The crappy Red Eye has been including some hilarious articles lately.

Here's today's about a new show called "Mortified" that gets regular people on stage to read their own diary entries, letters and other writings from the preteen to teenage years, showcasing a period of life when are at our most tortured and dramatic. It started in LA and has had shows in NY, Boston and San Francisco with 2 shows here in Chicago in Oct. and Dec.

This is an expert from a letter that inspired the show. It was written at the age of 16 by the creator of the show trying to get a girl to go out with him.

"He cited, amoung other things, his love for "sunsets across the water, beach volleyball, 'Calvin and Hobbes', the outdoors, classic lines and beautiful eyes."

A few more:

"Am I the only one in the world how understands Pink Floyd?"

"Words cannot describe my love affair with marijuana."

"Mom said I ate all the cookie dough when I didn't! Mom is a dork, a moron and a geek, and I hate her so much!"

Anyway, this got me laughing pretty early in the morning. Maybe its b/c if I wasn't so smart to throw all of my writings away I could join the cast - but I'd be too Mortified.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

I Pity the Fool

Why write to Mr. T instead of, say, Santa Claus?

See, everybody knows Mr. T is real. Santa Claus ain’t. So you never know what you’re gettin’ in that Santa Claus outfit. You could have a pervert dressed up like Santa Claus. You could have a child molester. Also, Santa Claus can’t make them visits. Only god is omnipotent and omnipresent – being there at the same time everywhere. So parents are lyin’ about Santa Claus.

I tell people the reason why I never believed in Santa Claus is No. 1, I lived in the projects [Chicago’s South Side Robert Taylor Homes]. There was no chimney. No. 2, if we catch a white man in red suit in a black neighborhood, he’s in trouble!


~ Interview with Mr. T today in the Red Eye

Friday, October 06, 2006

By request of Richard

By request of Becky




















36 weeks tomorrow.

For your entertainment!

Street wise vender: "One dollar is all it takes to keep me out of your house and the big house."

- Wacker and Madison

-- Submitted by Willy

More Chicago quotes can be found here.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Leah's Cervical Update

I'm dialated to 1 cm! I don't think that really means anything except that if I start having contractions again, I better get myself to the hospital. Pretty crazy, right?

Woohoo.

PS My back hurts.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Quote of the Week!

Run, my dear, from anything that may not strengthen your precious budding wings."

~Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

Idolator Or His Handiwork, Which Are You?
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It’s much harder to submit to God shaping His image in me than it is to shape my image into Him. Maybe this is why God calls us to accept or reject him as the artist. It isn’t easy. God’s holiness sheds light on all our fear, anger, loneliness and lies. We begin to stand out and become different and unique, recognized by the scars of our past and birthmarks we can’t scrub off. And He prefers doing this in the context of community? That’s scary! I imagine all the Church might look like Jackson Pollock’s studio. Paint and passion spilled all over the rooms. And hope for beauty.

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In community, we learn a frightening but empowering truth—that the great tragedy of rejecting God as your sculptor isn’t just what you lose, but what we miss out on seeing through you. In his poem W.H. Auden wrote:
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God may reduce you to tears
On Judgment Day
As He recites by heart
The poems you would have written
Had your life been good.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Calvin's Christmas List

Mommy, can I have one pleeeeeeease.......?
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A boy posing with a pure-gold rocking horse
© AFP Yoshikazu Tsuno

TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese jewelry designer Ginza Tanaka has unveiled a rocking horse made of 24-karat gold in commemoration of the September 6 birth of Prince Hisahito, who is line to become Japan's emperor.

The price is as hefty as the 30-kilogram (80-pound) golden toy -- 150 million yen (1.28 million dollars).

Ginza Tanaka has made one golden horse but is ready to produce more if it gets orders, a spokeswoman said.

"Due to the costliness of this pony, we haven't received an order yet, although we have received inquiries," she said.

Despite the heavy gold, it is easy to rock on the horse, the company said.

"Made after a normal wooden rocking horse, its seat is very smooth and easy to sit on. The child can sit on it for long hours without getting tired," the company said in a statement.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Minnesota Memories-n-More

BugMan And His Apple.



You Ain't Seen Nuthin' Yet Scott!
Gimme The Keys Daddy, I'm Ready To Roll!


The New, The Improved: Baby Issac Baby Carriage!



Tired Of Thinking About All Those Diapers For Two Leah? Here's An Option For Ya - The Chinese Way: The Opening Of Convenience.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

John Piper is bad.

http://www.foolishblog.com/extras/piperisbad.mp3

TV

I just watched Studio 60 last night and it was interesting. Matthew Perry plays an hilarious character. 9:00 on NBC (right? Same channel as the Office. ).
I really hated it that since I turned on the TV a little too early, I had to watch the last five minutes of Deal or No Deal. That show is so dumb. Even when a deal is made, they still have to play out all of the choices the person "would have" made.
What do you think?

Friday, September 15, 2006

Final Family Vacation Location

I know Becky has been working really hard to find the perfect place for us to stay at, and that's why I thought I would share this with everyone. Now I know we were leaning toward a beach house, and I'm sure that would be fine but whatever we do we need to make sure we can visit The Holy Land Experience in Orlando, FL. If this doesn't scream "AWESOME", then I don't know what else does. Imagine experiencing the same sites and sounds that Jesus did, while chowing down on a Goliath BurgerTM, or maybe just a good old fashioned smoked turkey leg. I can't wait, it will be almost like heaven, only better.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Hmmmmm......

In a shocking turn of events, anti-gay activist Fred Phelps thought he looked so attractive in his new cap that he was forced to picket himself.


For more little tidbits be sure and visit The Sacred Sandwich Shop. Enter through the door with the flashing word Enter.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Leah's old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
LITTLE LEAH!

Bally's For The Mind

"What is being taught in Christendom today is this; that since we have got the New Testament canon, since we have got the Word now, we do not need these direct interventions, we do not need God to speak to us directly, as He spoke to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob and these patriarchs. We have got the Word now! Is this superior to the direct speech of God? I think we are mad! There is no other word for this. We are mad. We are meant to be in a superior position to every Old Testament saint because of what has happened in our blessed Lord and Saviour! But this teaching would have us believe that we do not need this direct contact with God now, and that all that has come to an end since the formation of the New Testament canon . . . remember that the great point of the whole teaching of the Bible, of all you can deduce from it, is to tell you that God is a God who acts. And our only hope this afternoon is that this is still true. He has not finished acting. He is going on . . . There is only one hope. That is that He is still the living and the acting God. Christ is at His right hand, and He is seated and waiting until His enemies should be made His footstool . . . ."

I have been defending the faith - and people have praised me for doing it. Rubbish! What a miserable failure it has all been! From now on I am determined to do one thing only, and that is to give God no rest nor peace, until He does prove Himself and show Himself. I have expended so much energy in reasoning with the people about this faith. We have got to do that, it is part of preaching. But if we stop at that, it will avail us nothing. But what I now am concerned about and I am concentrating on is this: asking God to show Himself, to do something, to give this touch, this manifestation of power. Nothing else will even make people listen to us . . . . Nothing is going to call the attention of the masses of the people to the truth of this faith save a great phenomenon, such as the phenomenon of the day of Pentecost, the phenomenon of any one of the great revivals, the phenomenon of a single changed life. This is something that always arrests attention, maybe curiosity - what does it matter? The people come and listen . . . .

We must not be content until we have had some manifestation of the activity of God. We must concentrate on this. This is my plea, that we concentrate on this, because it is the great message of the Bible Let us put it like this: Do we really believe that God can still act? That is the question; that is the ultimate challenge. Or have we, for theological or some other reasons, excluded the very possibility? Here is the crucial matter. Do we individually and personally really believe that God still acts, can act and will act - in individuals, in groups of individuals, in churches, localities, perhaps even in countries? Do we believe that He is as capable of doing that today as He was in ancient times - the Old Testament, the New Testament times, the book of Acts, Protestant Reformation, Puritans, Methodist Awakening, 1859, 1904-5? Do we really believe that He can still do it? You see, it is ultimately what you believe about God. If He is the great Jehovah- I am that I am,
I am that I shall be, unchanged, unchanging, unchangeable,
the everlasting and eternal God
- well, He can still do it."


Saturday, September 02, 2006

The Big Question

We found this picture in the spare bedroom the other day. Does any body know who this kid is?

Deep Thoughts by Helen

"The corruption of the good by the belief in their own infallible goodness is the most bloody dangerous pitfall in the human spectrum. Once you have conquered all your sins, pride is the one which will conquer you. A man starts off deciding he is a good man because he makes good decisions. Next thing, he's convinced that whatever decision he makes must be good because he's a good man. Most of the wars in the world are caused by people who think they have God on their side. Always stick with people who know they are flawed and ridiculous."

From Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Calvin's Mom


Please pray for Calvin.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

"We lose control in order to be controlled by God.
We lose our self in order to find our self in God."

-Richard Vincent

Bally's For The Mind

Glorious Dregs

Resplendent riff-raff
On our last legs
Fuel for the fire
Dust for the graves
Earth and sky
You an I
The glorious dregs

Aluminum foil
A crown for our heads
Faithless and loyal
To love we allege
Diamonds and leaves
You and me
The glorious dregs

Worthless and worthy
Like profane prophets we speak
Of vengeance and mercy
Of an eye for and eye
And turning the other cheek

Selfless and selfish
A life in debt
Brothers and bigots
Blessings and plagues
Forgiven and cursed
The last, the first
The glorious dregs

Earth and sky
You and I
The glorious dregs

Earth and sky
You and I
The glorious dregs

from the album "The Berry Vest of the Swirling Eddies"

©1995 Words and Music by Terry Taylor

Monday, August 28, 2006

Vacation 2007!

Hi everyone. I think that Leah and I decided to stay in the country for our Awsome Family Vacation 2007 (money, passports, money). It seems that everyone is really open to anything so I hope everyone is ok with me just steering everyone in a different direction. I know we had considered the Carolina’s a while back, or maybe that was just me. Who knows. I’d like to find out your opinion on the Isle of Palms, South Carolina. Nurse Jackie has just gotten back from theIsle of Palms after staying in a house on the beach which is 20 min. outside of Charleston and brought back lots of brochures and good information.

Here’s the recap:

- August is “Sport Season” so the prices are slightly lower than “Summer” but not as inexpensive as “Fall”, but maybe we should consider going in August b/c of school (and I have a wedding but not sure what weekend in Sept. and have to make that work)

- Charleston is a very historical town with tours of Civil War Forts, plantation tours, ghost tours (it’s the 3rd “most haunted city” in the country), the only tea plantation in the nation (I know. It’s exciting.) and great restaurants and shopping – and Mom I’m sure there are movie theatres if that’s still on your list of things to do while laying on the beach.

- Jackie’s friends brought a boat, but I’m sure we can rent one for the week or a few days, and there’s lots of cool stuff to do with all the islands that surround Charleston. There's an entire island that is a nature preserve and Jackie saw a shark, dolpins, jelly fish, and i can't remember everything else.

A few reasons why I like the location:

- Everything above.

- We could visit Grandma Hopper and Sarah & Brian.

- We can drive – its only 12-14 hours from Chicago so that’s lots of money saved in airfare and we would have freedom while there if we had a few cars.


Jackie recommended these websites to check out homes:

islandrealty.com

visitcharleston.org

How does everyone feel about this? If anyone talks to Jason find out if he and Steph would like this. If we’re all ok with Isle of Palms can start looking for a house and get our down payment taken care of by Christmas. I think it sounds amazing and there’s something for everyone. A true beach vacation with tons of tourist activities.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Something to Pray For

Chinese Missionaries to Islam

[Recently there has been a] stirring of interest among many in the Chinese house church movement to break through one of the last remaining missions frontiers: Islam. A burning desire from the Spirit of God appears to have granted to the Chinese Church to complete the Great Commission. A call from God to preach the Gospel and establish fellowships of believers in all the countries, cities, towns, and ethnic groups all over central Asia and beyond. This is not some future dream but is something that is already happening! Right now there are already hundreds of Chinese missionaries working outside China in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. Thousands more are in training, learning languages such as Arabic and English that will be put to use on the mission field. Please keep them in your prayers.
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For the full report go here.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Friday, August 18, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

Be faithful in the little things for God measures things different than we do.

Friday, August 11, 2006

Sarah's Gettin' Married Today!!!!!!

Congratulations you two. Whoo-hoo! We had fun at the rehearsal and we just know today will be a blast!

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Familia!

My Lord of the Land told me about a website for home owners of vacation rentals - so you don't go through a company, you speak to the actual owner. Its Vacation Rentals By Owner. Check it out. I assume this topic will be discussed at our extra-large and extra-special family table on Friday at The Whittington's wedding.

Can't wait to see everyone!

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

The postmodern reaction against Enlightenment dogma will not be met successfully simply by Christian proclamation. Of that we can be sure. That proclamation must arise within a context of authenticity. It is only as the evangelical Church begins to put its own house in order, its members begin to disentangle themselves from all of those cultural habits which militate against a belief in truth, and begin to embody that truth in the way that the Church actually lives, that postmodern skepticism might begin to be overcome. Postmoderns want to see as well as hear, to find authenticity in relationship as the precursor to hearing what is said. This is a valid and biblical demand. Faith, after all, is dead without works, and few sins are dealt with as harshly by Jesus as hypocrisy. What postmoderns want to see, and are entitled to see, is believing and being, talking and doing, all joined together in a seamless whole. This is the great challenge of the moment for the evangelical Church. Can it rise to this occasion?

-David Wells, Above All Earthly Pow’rs (2005), p. 315.

Found at T4G

Sunday, July 30, 2006

The Captain Has Shaved



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Now he's ready for a role in Gaslight!

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I'm gonna keep it like this Sally.

I know you think it's sexy ;)

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Ya just gotta wonder sometimes.....

According to The Independent, a British news paper, Simon and Schuster is dumping a quarter million into a marketing promotion for a book by an American woman, 43, named Kathleen McGowan, who claims...are you sitting down?...to be "a direct descendant of the physical union between Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ." Of course, she has received a seven figure sum for the rights to her book as well. She says she offers no proof of her heritage, but claims to have traced her geneaology to an "ancient French lineage that claimed to trace its roots to the pair."

From: Alpha and Omega ministries - John White's blog

Monday, July 24, 2006

Weekend Report

Yeah I know it's been a while since I've done this. Sorry that I am a poor family blogger. This weekend we went to the farm. There are some pet pictures over on Gizmo's post if you want to see them. We only visited for a day, but the dogs loved it. Wrigley was up to his chest in poo, I'm sure he felt like he was in heaven. On Sunday we got a new game. It's called Munchkin, and it's a parody RPG card game. It's a lot of fun to play. We also saw Stranger's With Candy, which was funny, but not as funny as me putting my foot in the bucket of beer in the dark when I was coming back to my seat. At least judging from the reaction of the theater. Anybody else have an exciting weekend?

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Bally's For The Mind


"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."
2Co 5:10

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Blaly's For The Mnid

As I raed thsi I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Dddaym

Monday, July 10, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

"What attribute is God about to show to Moses? His petition is, "Show me thy glory." Will he show him his justice? Will he show him his holiness? Will he show his wrath? Will he show him his power? Will he break yon cedar and show him he is almighty? Will he rend yonder mountain and show him that he can be angry? Will he bring his sins to remembrance, and show that he is omniscient? No; hear the still small voice—"I will make all my goodness pass before thee." Ah! the goodness of God is God's glory. God's greatest glory is that he is good. The brightest gem in the crown of God is his goodness. "I will make all my goodness pass before thee." There is a panorama such as time would not be long enough for you to see."
-Charles Haddon Spurgeon,
from "A View of God's Glory," a sermon Spurgeon preached very early in his ministry (probably around 1856-57)
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"The goodness of God leads you to repentance."
Romans 2:4

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Family Vacation 2007 Update!

There is no update!

I'm sorry I've been crazy busy. Friends in town this weekend and 2 of my closest friends are both getting married in September. So its planning and parties and showers and parties and invitiations and hotel rooms and flight reservations...!

Anyway, I will call on that property very very shortly.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

"I get the feeling that our lives are a lot less random than we think."

-Clark Kent (Smallville - Season 4, Episode #81: "Sacred")

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Bally's For The Mind

Artful Stand

A prestigious United Kingdom art gallery seems to have been confused about one of its exhibits. The Royal Academy put a block of stone and boneshaped stick on display for an exhibition, not knowing the two pieces were merely part of the stand for a sculpture of a human head. Add this indignity for the artist: "Given their separate submission, the two parts were judged independently," the Academy said in a statement, "The head was rejected. The base was thought to have merit and accepted."
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From World Magazine July 1, 2006