Peter Pan -- Opening Night

One of the "stars" of the show

Christy...a little mermaid

Mother, Wendy, Nana, Michael, and John

aaahhhhh!!!! The Crocodile!!

Wendy and some of the Lost Boys and Peter

The mermaids, Peter, and Wendy

The pirates!

The indians

Indian maidens

The show was incredible. The children did an AWESOME job! I'm eagerly awaiting tomorrow's performance ... and hope to get a better picture of MY Indian as well as Tinker Bell, who had a stupendeous performance. These kids were incredible.

If you're within driving distance, join us Saturday at 1:00 at Faith Baptist Church -- adults are $3, kids are $1, children 5 and under are free.....

Susanna's Tea Party

Susanna is having a tea party and you are invited! She has created a special menu of tea as well as cookies made with chocolate chipmunks.

Please dress in princess outfits...and be prepared to eat small animals.

Look Out, Boys!

At the breakfast table this morning:

Susanna, who wanted some jam on her toast, handed the jar to Luke and, with a little simpering smile, said, "Luke, you have such big, strong muscles! Would you please open this jar for me?"

Whoom! Chest puffed out. Smile wider than the Grand Canyon. Arms thrown up and fists clenched in typical strong-man pose and Luke flexed those big, strong muscles.

Again, with that simpering little smile, Susanna reached over and squeezed Luke's wrist, yes, wrist, as she gushed, "Oh, Luke, you are SO STRONG!"

Whoom! Chest thrown out even further, smile completely engulfs face. "Yes, Susanna, I AM strong! I can open this for you. EASY!"

Twisting and turning. Grimacing. Muttering, "I think I need a can opener." Mama trying to stay out of it but feeling the pain. Reaching over and loosening it as he takes a breather.

Luke finally gets it open with a smile. Susanna....."You're my HERO!"

Look out, boys. She knows how to manipulate!

Luke's Jesus Meeting

For those who didn't see my facebook statuses earlier tonight, Luke called a family meeting tonight so we could talk some more about "Jesus and God stuff." He asked each of us when we asked Jesus into our life. He has also suggested a kids room where kids need to learn bible verses before they can go play. Talked Susanna into giving some of her carefully hoarded and guarded Easter candy for snacks (he gave up a lot of his, too), and he's running around saying he's a pastor kid and wants to tell everyone about Jesus every day! He got everything ready at the table -- got out chips and snacks and games (but ended up putting away the games so we could "just talk"), and had Susanna get out the rootbeer. He then gave everyone a piece of paper for notes, with "Name" written on each one and we were to write down our "real" name.

Here are some of the questions/topics/things that happened.

We started off with everyone taking a turn praying. When it was time for Luke to pray, he prayed "now I lay me down to sleep...."

He then asked each of us to recite our favorite verse and tell us why. Susanna started and said "Parents obey...I mean CHILDREN obey your parents in the Lord!" Reason? because God wants us to! Luke's verse? John 3:16 -- because Jesus was born in a manger and if you believe in Him, He'll throw you up in heaven. Susi chimed in, "but not right away, He'll wait until you die, first!" Whew! I was glad for that clarification!

Our next assignment/topic was to draw God. I told Luke I didn't know what God looks like, and Susanna smugly said that she did and was going to draw Him. When I told them that the Bible says that if we see the face of God before we go to heaven, we will die, Susi, without missing a beat, said "Well, I don't know what God looks like, but I think He has a beard!" Our new assignment was to draw something from the Bible. Luke drew Peter and John in a fishing boat and proudly pointed out the motor on the back of their boat. Susanna matter-of-factly told us that Peter was a sinner in the past even though he was God's disciple. Daddy drew Jesus calming the storm, I attempted to draw a lamb, and Susanna drew an angel with eyes all over him.

Our last topic, before painting volcanoes for tomorrow's history and science class (I'll be talking about Hawaii to our co-op class) was baptism and who has been baptized....and who wants to be baptized. Luke and Susanna have decided they want to be baptized...and Luke told us what baptism is and why we should be baptized (because Jesus died on the cross). Tony clarified things a bit for him.

Ya know, I sometimes wonder what kind of job we're doing as parents. How much is sticking with the kids. I had lots of reassurance in several of the sessions I sat in at Mache -- suggestions and advice from the "experts" are things we've been doing. There were many other things that I learned that we'll be putting to use, but tonight was just that extra reassurance....yeah, my kids are learning and retaining and wanting to tell others about God.

On the other hand....Tony found Susanna stomping around in manure at the farm today. Why, when it's so stinky? "Because I like to smoosh!"

I love my family!

Today

Watkins original Gold Medal

I headed to Rochester for the annual Mache conference (MN Association of Christian Home Educators). Looking forward to attending Friday and Saturday....but I made a side trip on the way...going about 45 minutes past Rochester to Winona, home of the Watkins headquarters. I was priviledged go have a personal tour of the offices, the manufacturing plant, and the museum. Wow! It really was incredible. JR Watkins bought the land and built the original building in 1911 for what was then $3.5 million, sparing no expense. There are beautiful stained glass windows, marble all over, and they had state of the art technology all over. Watkins was one of the first companies ever to use computers, to have high end office equipment, etc. And yet, while JR spared no expense, he was also cost conscious, and the company continues to be. Last year, they upgraded the extract equipment -- what they use to bottle and label the extracts -- the line can now do 90,000 bottles each day....up from the 30,000 it used to do....on the equipment that was replaced...originally installed in 1942!

Whose Child IS This?!?!?!?!

So tonight at supper, out of the blue, Susanna starts on one of her stories. We never know if they are true (like the frog in the bathroom -- TRUE!!) or imagined (I remember when I was at Disneyland and saw all the Disney Princesses...you know, when I was still in your tummy...." -- IMAGINED!! although I had been to both US Disney parks several times...before we were even married) or half and half (way too many options to choose from)....but this one, I'm still laughing!

Mama, when we were at the Blakes (cousins) on Saturday, I did something and they told me I had to take a time out on the couch, and I DID but...but....Mama, (with a look of total confusion and lack of understanding on her face), Mama, the cousins don't LIKE having their tushies peenched! And they told me I had to sit on the couch and then Aunt Rita said well we'll ask David and Uncle David said that I had to! But Mary hit me when I peenched her tushie, so she had to sit on the couch, too, but for NINE MINUTES!

I couldn't hold a straight face. Neither could Tony. And that set Luke off, too...while Susanna continued to look perplexed over why someone wouldn't want their tushie pinched (even though she hates it...but it doesn't stop us from...okay, I won't continue that sentence. You all might think she got the idea of "peenching" tushies from us or something!). I did manage to ask through my laughter and almost tears, "Um, Sus, are you going to peench any more tushies?" "Oh no, Mama!"

But I give myself credit. Before bursting into laughter, I did issue a stern warning that tushie "peenching" is ONLY for people in the same family.....

And I still don't know if this is true, imagined, or half and half. I'll have to call Rita in the morning.....

My Final Hawai'ian Sunset....

It was incredible seeing these sunsets...God's creation is marvelous!

The Dolphins

These are photos from the dolphin tank at the next-door Hilton...VERY cool!