After a cold and rainy Memorial Day it is turning into a lovely weekend, so we plan to take the trailer out to the state park for a couple of nights. We'll go tonight, and my husband will come back into town for work tomorrow. There is no cell phone service or internet out there, but I plan to take my laptop to try to get caught up on a couple of projects while the kids explore tomorrow. Even though the state park is only about 15 miles from here, there is just something so relaxing about getting away to the [semi]wilderness. Chatting by the campfire under the stars in the evening... enjoying coffee and devotions, fresh air and bird songs early in the morning... sending the kids off with the walkie-talkies to wear themselves out "exploring"... these are a few of my favorite things!
Speaking of outdoor activities, Bzz Agent sent me a couple of new products from Off! to try out. One is the "Power Pad Lamp". It's actually an insect-repellent candle with a treated pad that the candle warms. We tried it out the other night when we were grilling out on the patio. I was really impressed with how well it worked. It generated a little smoke but was totally unscented... so no unpleasant smell or burning eyes... and we had no problems with mosquitoes that night. They also sent me a can of "Smooth and Dry" spray-on insect-repellent that sprays on dry! I'll be taking that along to try out while we're camping. If it's not sticky and stinky I bet the kids will be much more willing to have me spray them! You can check these new products out at www.OffProtects.com.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Ramblin' Update
My husband peeked in on my blog over the weekend and said, "Just book reviews?!? How boring!!" I have to admit that seven book reviews in one week is a little much... but, hey, they all look like good ones, don't they? Still... I guess it's time to move on.
We got a couple of large orders in recently for the "I See Sam" readers we print. That has kept us busy every evening for the past couple of weeks. It's just a little side-business I started, so we have to do it during off-hours at the print shop. We were happy to finish with the large orders on Friday so we've had the long weekend to catch up on other "little jobs" (as my Grandmother liked to put it).
Oh... and by the way, if you ever need to ship something to Canada and you check shipping rates online... FedEx Ground is not an option! It appears to be the most economical shipping option, but ummm... no. That is, unless you have a broker in Canada who will process your packages through customs for you. A better choice is USPS Global Priority even though it appears to be more expensive. I know this now... but only after lugging my heavy boxes in and out of 4 different places over the course of 3 days. Very frustrating experience!
On Saturday my husband impressed me with his creativity... and since he complained that my blog was boring, I'll just blog about him! Last summer he got to buy a pickup, and he's had so much fun with it. This is the first time in his life he's had a truck. One of the first things he did was build a rack for it. He did a good job with it, but one of the cross pieces blocks the brake light. Last week he had an idea of what to do about that. He made a stencil and then cut out the word "Dodge" using a jigsaw. I think it looks really cool... but I think he could have come up with something more personalized than the brand name of his truck! I suggested "Dad's Toy" or even our last name... but nah, he just wanted "Dodge". Who did you say was boring?!?
In other news... we finally have a Sonic in north Idaho!!! We moved here from Kansas in 1998 and that is probably the one thing I have missed the most. Every time we went to see my parents in Arkansas these past 9 years I would have to have my "Sonic fix"... cherry limeade, lemon-berry slush, cherry-lime Coke... Mmmm-mmm! About 5 or 6 years ago they got one in Boise, but that was still 8 hours away. Then last summer they opened a drive-in in Spokane... just 30 minutes away! We were so excited! A month or so after that one opened we found out that they had plans to open several more in our area soon, with the next one to be in Post Falls in the spring of 2007! We have watched the building site (only about 7 miles from our house) with great anticipation the past couple of months. My husband predicted it would be open by Memorial Day. As we watched them finish it up last week we just weren't sure if they would make it, but we noticed on our way home from church yesterday that they appeared to be OPEN! We try to observe the Sabbath by not going out to eat or shopping on Sunday, so we didn't stop. But my dear husband headed back down there today! He told me he was "going to get gas" but he was gone longer than it seemed like he should be. After a bit the phone rang. He was calling to find out what I wanted for half price from Sonic! Apparently they were only open a few hours yesterday and a few today as training for the car hops, so everything was half price. He said he thinks they will be open regular hours starting tomorrow. Wonder if they will have afternoon "happy hours" with half price drinks?
We got a couple of large orders in recently for the "I See Sam" readers we print. That has kept us busy every evening for the past couple of weeks. It's just a little side-business I started, so we have to do it during off-hours at the print shop. We were happy to finish with the large orders on Friday so we've had the long weekend to catch up on other "little jobs" (as my Grandmother liked to put it).
Oh... and by the way, if you ever need to ship something to Canada and you check shipping rates online... FedEx Ground is not an option! It appears to be the most economical shipping option, but ummm... no. That is, unless you have a broker in Canada who will process your packages through customs for you. A better choice is USPS Global Priority even though it appears to be more expensive. I know this now... but only after lugging my heavy boxes in and out of 4 different places over the course of 3 days. Very frustrating experience!
On Saturday my husband impressed me with his creativity... and since he complained that my blog was boring, I'll just blog about him! Last summer he got to buy a pickup, and he's had so much fun with it. This is the first time in his life he's had a truck. One of the first things he did was build a rack for it. He did a good job with it, but one of the cross pieces blocks the brake light. Last week he had an idea of what to do about that. He made a stencil and then cut out the word "Dodge" using a jigsaw. I think it looks really cool... but I think he could have come up with something more personalized than the brand name of his truck! I suggested "Dad's Toy" or even our last name... but nah, he just wanted "Dodge". Who did you say was boring?!?
In other news... we finally have a Sonic in north Idaho!!! We moved here from Kansas in 1998 and that is probably the one thing I have missed the most. Every time we went to see my parents in Arkansas these past 9 years I would have to have my "Sonic fix"... cherry limeade, lemon-berry slush, cherry-lime Coke... Mmmm-mmm! About 5 or 6 years ago they got one in Boise, but that was still 8 hours away. Then last summer they opened a drive-in in Spokane... just 30 minutes away! We were so excited! A month or so after that one opened we found out that they had plans to open several more in our area soon, with the next one to be in Post Falls in the spring of 2007! We have watched the building site (only about 7 miles from our house) with great anticipation the past couple of months. My husband predicted it would be open by Memorial Day. As we watched them finish it up last week we just weren't sure if they would make it, but we noticed on our way home from church yesterday that they appeared to be OPEN! We try to observe the Sabbath by not going out to eat or shopping on Sunday, so we didn't stop. But my dear husband headed back down there today! He told me he was "going to get gas" but he was gone longer than it seemed like he should be. After a bit the phone rang. He was calling to find out what I wanted for half price from Sonic! Apparently they were only open a few hours yesterday and a few today as training for the car hops, so everything was half price. He said he thinks they will be open regular hours starting tomorrow. Wonder if they will have afternoon "happy hours" with half price drinks?
Thursday, May 24, 2007
The Knock at the Door
My friend wrote this in honor of her son who was killed in Iraq 2 weeks ago. I asked her if I could share it here and she gave me permission. Brad will be buried at Arlington next week.
The Knock at the Door
In honor of our precious son Sgt. Major Bradly Dean Conner
March 5, 1966 - May 8, 2007
Our son worked hard, he studied hard,
He faced what was in store.
He didn't hesitate to respond,
When opportunity knocked at his door.
Heeding the statement, "No pain, no gain,"
His mind and body were put to the test
Make no mistake, that's what it takes
When determined to do your best.
His heart for his family and country,
His life was a two-edged sword.
Unafraid to challenge evil,
Unashamed to serve the Lord.
Two somber, yet compassionate faces
The identifying uniforms they wore,
Struck anguish deep within our hearts
As the chaplains knocked at our door.
He honored the call of GOD on his life,
How can a soldier do more?
When duty called, he said, "I'll go,"
When the Saviour knocked at his door,
...And called him home.
--Kay Conner, a blessed mom.
The Knock at the Door
In honor of our precious son Sgt. Major Bradly Dean Conner
March 5, 1966 - May 8, 2007
Our son worked hard, he studied hard,
He faced what was in store.
He didn't hesitate to respond,
When opportunity knocked at his door.
Heeding the statement, "No pain, no gain,"
His mind and body were put to the test
Make no mistake, that's what it takes
When determined to do your best.
His heart for his family and country,
His life was a two-edged sword.
Unafraid to challenge evil,
Unashamed to serve the Lord.
Two somber, yet compassionate faces
The identifying uniforms they wore,
Struck anguish deep within our hearts
As the chaplains knocked at our door.
He honored the call of GOD on his life,
How can a soldier do more?
When duty called, he said, "I'll go,"
When the Saviour knocked at his door,
...And called him home.
--Kay Conner, a blessed mom.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Mothers Day
"100 years from now it will not matter what my bank account was,the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...
but the world may be a better place
because I was important in the life of a child."
I've been sorting through some old family pictures and when I came across this one last night, I immediately thought of this quote. This is a 4-generation picture taken in 1922. The little girl is my grandmother who went to Heaven in 1998. Behind her is her mother, my great-grandmother... and then, of course, my great-great-grandmother... and seated is my great-great-great-grandmother! (It was her 75th birthday.) In the family they are affectionately known as: Grandmother, Mother Shumaker, Mama 'Berry, and Grandma Bock. I'm too young to have known Mama 'Berry and Grandma Bock, but I was blessed to know Mother Shumaker (my great-grandmother) who died when I was 16. Based on the kind of women Mother Shumaker and Grandmother were, and with my own beautiful mother continuing the tradition... I have to think that my world is a better place because each one of these women were important in the lives of their children.
Lord, help me be that kind of mother!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Stowaway!
We had a surprise passenger on our trip to Yakima on Friday. We stopped at a rest area about an hour down the road, and I went back to the travel-trailer to get something. When I opened the door Tabitha Cat jumped out! Now, our dog loves to travel and is often invited along on trips, as she was this time. But the cat? Not so much. Oh, she was upset! The trailer is a comfy-cozy place to snooze whenever she can sneak in and curl up on one of the kids' bunks... but, for goodness' sakes, it's not supposed to move! Our oldest daughter scooped up the poor, traumatized kitty and cuddled her in her arms in the truck. Tabitha still just cried and cried. (And we laughed at her!) The truck moved, too... and well, that was just not a good thing. Finally, a good half hour or more later, she curled up beside the dog and went to sleep.
We got to the RV park where we would be staying, and set up camp. We shut the cat up inside the trailer and went to WalMart to buy a litter box, a small bag of kitty litter, and some cat food. Tabitha is an indoor/outdoor cat and is used to "taking care of business" outside, so at first she would go and sit by the trailer door begging to go out. She finally figured out that wasn't going to happen, and obligingly used her litter box. And she seemed quite content to live in the trailer. As long as it wasn't moving. We could just stay at that RV park. Forever.
Needless to say, Tabitha was quite put-out with us when it was time to leave to come home. To have to ride in the truck again. That truck that moved. What an indignity! Didn't we understand? We were supposed to just live at the RV park now. She fussed at us most of the way home. When we finally pulled into the driveway she stood up on her hind legs and pawed at the window until the kids opened the door and let her out. Off she scampered! Home at last! No more moving!
Maybe she's learned her lesson. Maybe she won't sneak into the trailer for a nap any more. Somehow, I kinda doubt it. Silly cat!
We got to the RV park where we would be staying, and set up camp. We shut the cat up inside the trailer and went to WalMart to buy a litter box, a small bag of kitty litter, and some cat food. Tabitha is an indoor/outdoor cat and is used to "taking care of business" outside, so at first she would go and sit by the trailer door begging to go out. She finally figured out that wasn't going to happen, and obligingly used her litter box. And she seemed quite content to live in the trailer. As long as it wasn't moving. We could just stay at that RV park. Forever.
Needless to say, Tabitha was quite put-out with us when it was time to leave to come home. To have to ride in the truck again. That truck that moved. What an indignity! Didn't we understand? We were supposed to just live at the RV park now. She fussed at us most of the way home. When we finally pulled into the driveway she stood up on her hind legs and pawed at the window until the kids opened the door and let her out. Off she scampered! Home at last! No more moving!
Maybe she's learned her lesson. Maybe she won't sneak into the trailer for a nap any more. Somehow, I kinda doubt it. Silly cat!
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