tree land...ADVENTURE

Our adventure began after we shoveled our dinner into our mouths as fast as possible in order to make it to the tree world before it closed. We got in the car all warm and cozy and realized just how dark it was once we left the city of the living, and entered no man land (tree land!). We followed our friend Becky's directions to where we thought this place would be, and it was there...it was just very hard to see. There were no lights on, but there was an "OPEN" sign we could see once the headlights hit it. So, it was open...right!? Or did they forget to take in their sign?! Oh, well since we had traveled to tree land we did not want to come back treeless (especially with a 3.5yr old in the back seat, talk about disappointment!).

Brad got out of the car and went to the mobile home door and knocked. Soon after that, a man followed him with a light and a saw and tried to illuminate our path through this new and exciting world...it didn't really work too well. The man was in front with the flashlight, then Brad followed...and we all know Brad is much, much taller than any of the rest of us, meaning none of us could see anything. I was carrying Oliver and holding Jackson's hand thought this darkness, I mean adventure.

We kept tripping, falling and all sorts of fun things, but the funniest is when Jackson's face kept getting brushed by those really tall weeds and he asked, " there are no bees here, right mamma?". I about answered no, but our tree land guide turned and answered: No, well I don't think we have any out here right now, they are a little to the east". Uhm, yes...that is not what you tell a nervous, in the dark, muddy, falling over tree stumps 3.5 yr. old!! I held my breath and hopped Jackson did not understand that this man actually had homes to put his thousands of bees in, and that maybe they were not here right now....Jackson did not seem to notice. YAY!

So, we cut the tree, we carried it to our car and left tree land...with one Christmas tree. What more can you ask of tree land than that!? It was a great adventure. Happiness is going home with a tree in your trunk! right?! (and no bees)

fire, oh...fires are good.

In our house, we have two super wonderful fireplaces...my favourite is to have both going at the same time. I don't know why...it is just so neat to me.
Here are some of the pictures I just took of our fires, i love fire...it is pretty and warm, and those are good qualities in an item. aren't they?!

state of my locks

This is Samson slaying a lion. Samson is said to have had locks...in the Bible it says that Delilah cut his seven locks. What else would that mean?!
Besides the fact that some people had them, and some did not...the history of locks is a bit ambiguous, but it pretty much seems that many nations want to claim the idea of locks.
Whatever, anyway....here is an update on the state of mine in stills. I love them, they are so easy to manage and I don't have to worry about having to style them all the time. (I don't think I ever did with regular hair either...but oh, well.) They are actually quite a bit of work as they are forming, but it is getting to be less and less of "palm rolling" and smothering them with wax, and all that. So...here are the pics. (oh, and I put glass beads in them now too...yay!)

my yoko

This is my newest addition to the family. I wandered home with her sometime in May. I could not not bring her home from a box outside Safeway. There were two just like her, and I picked her. The lady said that she and her sister were the only ones in the litter like her, and that they looked "seriously Siamese". She does!! but she is not, it really is the best of both worlds: the looks without the nasty personality! hahah!!She is the sweetest cat...kind of, she does enjoy tormenting our other two cats. But who could resist her?!

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

I just started reading this book, it is for anyone interested in what they are eating, living simply, subsistence farming, choosing to buy locally...etc...

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is about one author's journey along "a year of food life", the choices her family made and why they did it. I have just started it and really, really like it. I can relate to a ton of things she talks about.

have any of you read it?! what did you think?


oh, if not...you should.

ya gotta check these out!

Over on my buddy Andrew's blog he has posted some videos about the impact of the media on how we see ourselves. You gotta watch his videos! He is right, we have known this for a while, it is just nice to hear someone say it.

christmas music!!!!!

Oh, I love this season...we started playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving even hit. The best way to do it is just plunk in some Christmas tunes and that will hit the spot. I am sure everyone has classics that they remember from childhood, but here are some of my all-time favourites, just in case you want to spice up your Christmas music collection:

Anything by Bing brings Christmas in a hurry...he is pretty much mi ultimate fave...amazing old time goodness! Go for it on White Christmas...the movie is great too!
The Rat Pack with Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. is another one that we just can't get enough of. Good, great and even better classics in style on this Christmas with the Rat Pack
Oh, Brad Paisley...for that good, true sweet country Christmas....Brad Paisley Christmas it doesn't get any warmer than this, unless you start a fire. Christmas is a time to do country, even if you really don't usually like it that much. ( I love country though...so maybe I am wrong about this!)
Light of the Stable, by Emmylou Harris. This woman can sing, and she does so on this album with others who can also do it really well. This one I just bought this year on itunes, and is on our repeat list along with the rest of the goodies.
Okay, I had to add this one. I actually don't own it right now, but this is one that I grew up on. Amy has had some hard times...but who couldn't love her 80's A Christmas Album!? I do. I need to head over to itunes and see what kind of deal they'll give me.

Yes, Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas...she is not my favourite at all, but her voice is amazing and I had never ever noticed it until I heard this album! Even if you seriously never thought you could stand her, try this one (demos, or library....) I am sure you'll be hooked. It is all the talent with none of the gushy, sexy, overdone, stuff....it is pure and incredible.

Voltaire, Letters on England

The Justice seeing this man thee-thouing him, sent him to the Derby madhouse to be whipped. George Fox went, praising God, to the lunatic asylum, where he didn't fail to carry out the Justice's sentence with full rigour. Those who inflicted punishment of whipping on him were amazed when he begged them to give him a few extra strokes of the rod for the good of his soul. These gentlemen needed no persuading, and Fox got his double dose, for which he most heartily thanked them. He began to preach to them. At first they laughed, then they listened and, as religious fervour is a catching disease, many were convinced, and those who had scourged him became his first disciples. (Voltaire, Letters on England, p. 29-30)

He stunned them, he played along and took what pain was necessary in order to grab their minds and shake their understandings of what he preached. He enabled them to see that he would sacrifice himself in order to save them. He gave them the practical and then told him what his message was. Showing them the true impact of practising AND preaching.

When did I become more important or more valuable then my message?
Where did I loose the idea of sacrifice? When did I get too comfortable, and feel the sacrifice was too great, or really just forget that there even is a sacrifice to make? When did the message stop gripping me that way? Who gave up?

recipe for a storm

This is one amazing recipe that when made you want to continue to consume...on and on. It is perfect as we all try to stay indoors and weather this storm right now. I am going to make it for dinner, maybe even get it ready for lunch. I don't have all of the ingredients, but as anyone knows recipes are just a suggestion...you can do what you want with them. I don't have the celery or the mushrooms, I think I'll put in some carrots that need to be used up. I have some Tofurkey Italian sausages that I might chop up and put in here, or they may be better on the side. Anyway, Thanks to SUSAN (my mom-in-law) for sharing this with me!!!You have to try this recipe!

Barley Lentil Soup
1 T. olive oil
2 chopped medium onions
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 C. chopped celery
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 C. pearled barley
1 C. lentils
1 can crushed tomatoes
Italian seasoning to taste
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
10 C. water
1 t. salt
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried rosemary
1.5 C. parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Put in large soup pot- this makes a ton. Cook for 1.5 hours, add more water if necessary. (You know the way, saute the onion and garlic and then continue to add things, and then when everything is in turn down to simmer for 1.5 hours and there you have it!)
YUM,YUM, YUMMY!

I now know why.

why do it, well, here it is:
I know why I blog, at least why it is so nice lately. I blog because in blogging I have found myself surrounded by amazing women and men who are encouraging, not because they always agree, but because they cause me to grow. I have found a place to sort ideas, and thoughts were there is respect and love. In blogging I go into a place where my mind is king, and I have a chance to think on other things than diapers and dirty dishes. I have a chance to put myself out there, and pray that I am strong enough to take what I dish out, and understand when people do not agree and I wish with everything that they did. I put words down and hope they are not offensive, desiring them to be thought provoking and cause other people to grow. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. I stew in my mind over things, such as (well right now) Historical Revisionism, the church, our society, culture, people, art and the world and then try to successfully regurgitate my ideas to you. I write it out at a thunderstorm pace and wonder who really cares...but time after time, you do.