fun with hair…
mommy thinks it’s funny…
Atti’s not so sure…
going for the Flock of Seagulls look…
again, Atti’s not so sure…
and last but not least ~ fun with Papa, mowing the yard…
Archive for October, 2008
pumpkin patch slideshow
In joyful giggles on October 25, 2008 at 9:21 amI put a few of the pictures I took yesterday into a slideshow. I took over 100 pictures, but I only chose a few of the best ones for the slideshow. Somehow I managed to catch some really funny looks on the teenagers’ faces ~ these kids are wonderful, kind and a joy to be around. They also crack me up…
keep praying
In Uncategorized on October 24, 2008 at 7:02 pmThank you all so much for the comments and emails letting me know you’re praying for our family. You have touched my heart in a way that only God could do through others. I (we) appreciate your continued prayers.
I apologize if it seems I’m being cryptic or secretive. That is not my intention at all. I’m hoping in the coming days to be able to write out the full story and share it with you. I am comforted to know that God knows our story (our whole story, all the way to the end, because He wrote it), and He knows exactly what you’re praying about when you pray for us.
I have been encouraged by your words, and I thank you all for them. Please continue to pray for us!
a day out
In joyful thoughts, joyfully ashley, joyfully attison on October 24, 2008 at 6:49 pmToday we joined our homeschool support group/co-op on a trip to the pumpkin patch. I know, I know ~ Sawyer’s 15 years old, and we’re going on a field trip to kiddie land? Surprisingly enough, this particular pumpkin patch isn’t ONLY for little kids. There’s a corn maze that the teenagers absolutely love. Even Sawyer said the corn maze was fun and challenging. That’s saying a LOT if you know Sawyer!
Here are a few pics from today:
your prayers
In Uncategorized on October 21, 2008 at 5:15 pmRight now our family is going through some very difficult trials. I covet your prayers for us. Because these are family issues, I am not comfortable going into details here on my blog. But I do desperately want your prayers ~ when you think of it, if the Lord brings us to your mind, please pray for us. I sincerely do appreciate it.
goodbye hollywood nobody (f.i.r.s.t. book summary & review)
In joyful reading on October 11, 2008 at 12:04 pm
It is October 11th, and FIRST is doing a special tour to ‘Say Goodbye to Hollywood Nobody’.
Today’s feature author is:
and her book:
NavPress Publishing Group (September 15, 2008)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Samson is the author of twenty books, including the Christy Award-winning Songbird. Apples of Gold was her first novel for teens
These days, she’s working on Quaker Summer, volunteering at Kentucky Refugee Ministries, raising children and trying to be supportive of a husband in seminary. (Trying . . . some days she’s downright awful. It’s a good thing he’s such a fabulous cook!) She can tell you one thing, it’s never dull around there.
Other Novels by Lisa:
Hollywood Nobody, Finding Hollywood Nobody, Romancing Hollywood Nobody, Straight Up, Club Sandwich, Songbird, Tiger Lillie, The Church Ladies, Women’s Intuition: A Novel, Songbird, The Living End
Visit her at her website.
Product Details
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: NavPress Publishing Group (September 15, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600062229
ISBN-13: 978-1600062223
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Monday, July 11, 6:30 a.m.
I awaken to a tap on my shoulder and open my eye. My right eye. See, these days it could be one of four people: Charley, Dad, Grampie, or Grammie.
“’Morning, dear!”
Grammie.
Oh well, might as well go for broke. I open the other eye.
“Did you sleep well?”
I shake my head and reach for my cat glasses. “Nope. I kept dreaming about Charley in Scotland.” We sent her off with her new beau, the amazing Anthony Harris, two days ago. “I imagined a road full of sheep chasing her down.”
“That would be silly. They would have to know she hates lamb chops.” Grammie sits on my bed. Yes, my bed. In their fabulous house. In my own wonderful room, complete with reproductions of the Barcelona chair and a platform bed of gleaming sanded mahogany. I burrow further into my white down comforter. I sweat like a pig at night, but I don’t care. A real bed, a bona fide comforter, and four pillows. Feather pillows deep enough to sink the Titanic in.
She pats my shoulder, her bangled wrists emitting the music of wooden jewelry. “Up and at ’em, Scotty. Your dad wants to be on the road by seven thirty.”
“I need a shower.”
“Hop to it then.”
Several minutes later, I revel in the glories of a real shower. Not the crazy little stall we have in the TrailMama, which Dad gassed up last night for our trip to Maine. Our trip to find Babette, my mother. Is she dead or alive? That’s what we’re going to find out.
It’s complicated.
The warm water slides over me from the top of my head on down, and I’ve found the coolest shampoo. It smells like limeade. I kid you not. It’s the greatest stuff ever.
Over breakfast, Grampie sits down with us and goes over the map to make certain Dad knows the best route. My father sits patiently, nodding as words like turnpike, bypass, and scenic route roll like a convoy out of Grampie’s mouth.
Poor Grampie. Dad is just the best at navigation and knows everything about getting from point A to point B, but I think Grampie wants to be a part of it. He hinted at us all going in the Beaver Marquis, their Luxury-with-a-capital-L RV, but Dad pretended not to get it.
Later, Dad said to me, “It’s got to be just us, Scotty. I love my mother and father, but some things just aren’t complete-family affairs.”
“I know. I think you’re right. And if it’s bad . . .”
He nods. “I’d just as soon they not be there while we fall apart.”
Right.
So then, I hop up into our RV, affectionately known as the TrailMama, Dad’s black pickup already hitched behind. (Charley’s kitchen trailer is sitting on a lot in storage at a nearby RV dealership, and good riddance. I’m hoping Charley never needs to use that thing again.) “Want me to drive?”
He laughs.
Yep. I still don’t have my license.
Man. But it’s been such a great month or so at the beach. So, okay, I don’t tan much really, but I do have a nice peachy glow.
I’ll take it.
And Grampie grilled a lot, and Grammie helped me sew a couple of vintage-looking skirts, and I’ve learned the basics of my harp.
I jump into the passenger’s seat, buckle in, and look over at my dad. “You really ready for this?” My heart speeds up. This is the final leg of a very long journey, and what’s at the end of the path will determine the rest of our lives.
He looks into my eyes. “Are you?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper. “But we don’t really have a choice, do we?”
“I can go alone.”
I shake my head. “No, Dad. Whatever we do, whatever happens from here on out, we do it together.”
“Deal.”
I have enjoyed the Hollywood Nobody series by Lisa Samson. If you’re looking for a good read that has a sense of humor, grab one of the books in this series. You’ll thank me later. 
win a free hand bag!
In joyful blessings on October 11, 2008 at 8:50 amI just signed up to win a free hand bag at Handbag Planet. You can enter, too! Just go to www.handbagplanet.com to register ~ it’s free, easy, and quick!
more pictures
In joyfully ashley, joyfully attison on October 6, 2008 at 8:29 am
(everyone should have at least one embarrassing picture of their cute little baby cheeks!) I took this photo and a few more of Atti naked on Ashley’s bed. Silly me ~ I should have known Attison would pee on the bed if she was left naked for too long! Now I have to take the comforter in and have it dry cleaned…
regarding my absence
In joyful thoughts on October 2, 2008 at 7:59 amWell, now that I’ve had a nice long (albeit unscheduled) absence from the blogging world, here’s what’s been up:
The world has turned upside down. That’s the only explanation I have! Things have been topsy turvey around here, much like a roller coaster ride. Jacob and Ashley broke up a while ago, and Jacob moved in with a friend temporarily. Things went along, not well, but not horribly, for a while. A lot of things happened, which I won’t publish on the internet for all to see ~ their private lives and relationship should remain private. Attison and Ashley have been well-taken care of living here with us. This past Monday, Jacob decided to go back to Minnesota. He packed up the car (which we bought for him, and which he was supposed to be paying us back for) and just took off. I’m not too happy about the decision he made, but it’s done and overwith, so there’s not a lot I can do about it.
That has been the majority of the topsy turvey-ness. It has been difficult, as you can imagine, but we’re coping well overall.
Attison is growing like a weed, and is such a little cutie. She has a major attitude at times ~ especially if you dare to take the bottle out of her mouth to burp her! ~ but she has a sense of humor, and her little belly laughs are just too funny.
Ashley and I have been sick, and we think Atti may have caught our cold as well. We took her to the doctor yesterday, and she said Atti’s ears and lungs are clear, so we’re good for now. She hasn’t been coughing all that much; mostly she just fusses.
Patrick is at college, and seems to be doing well. We are expecting him home this weekend. He wants me to take him clothes shopping. Can you imagine ~ an 18 year old male WANTING his mother to take him clothes shopping?! I’m pretty psyched. Ariel may be coming for the weekend as well ~ we’ll have a very full house.
Sawyer’s working away at school. We decided on Sonlight’s civics and government curriculum, as well as Apologia’s advanced biology (anatomy and physiology), and Teaching Textbook’s algebra II. The Bible part of Sonlight’s program is pretty hefty, but Sawyer seems to be enjoying it. We’re still involved in co-op; Sawyer’s taking Spanish and a leadership class. He’s also involved in choir, taking French horn lessons, and active in 2 youth groups. Oh, and let’s not forget the newest addition to an already over-crowded schedule ~ hapkido. He voluntarilly goes to hapkido 3 times a week to get his butt kicked.
Ashley is studying to take the GED as well as studying for the driver’s license test. Once she finishes her GED testing, we plan to enroll her in college. With a baby, she’ll probably need to take online classes, but that would actually work well for her.
I have some pictures from last week that I need to get off my camera’s memory card onto my computer. Once I’ve done that I’ll post them. Attison is definitely a little red head. Her eyes are still blue, but they may be changing to green. I don’t know yet. She’s a cutie, that’s for sure.
That’s about as summarized as I can get about the events that have taken place during my (what seemed to me to be forever) absence. I’m hoping to have time to catch up with all of my bloggy friends!
