You may have heard about the shootings in south Alabama. Please pray for all the victims and their families. I grew up in Geneva. My parents still live there. Reliable Metal Products is directly behind the house where I spent the first 18 years of my life. Yesterday, my mom was just talking to me about the layoffs they've had recently. And now this, which has affected and will affect so many people. I know we live in a fallen world where things like this happen every day, but this still hits close to home and is hard to comprehend.
"God is sovereign. God is everywhere. God is holding us in His hands."
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Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Jacob's 2nd Birthday Party
Theme: Curious George
Though I did hire out the activities portion to a nearby kids' gymnastics center, I managed to home-make a variety of things to go along with the theme. The party place provided plenty of fun activities led by someone other than me, brightly-colored paper goods, juice for the kids, and, of course, plenty of space for our guests (our apartment is woefully inadequate for more than 4 people and the Clubhouse at our apartment is no fun for 2-year olds). Plus, Jacob really seemed to enjoy all the bars and balance beams, jumping and climbing, and the mats and ball games. I wish I'd had a video camera!
Well, here's what I contributed to the brouhaha:
I made the invitations to look like a Curious George book cover:
(If this is an actual Curious George title, I couldn't find it, so I made it up. I drew the letters, scanned them in, and added the image from one of the books we own.)
I shamelessly stole the easel image below from a card on this wonderful Curious George resource site, but I will have you know I added a disclaimer on the back of each invitation.
I also put together some party favors, which included a Curious George book (of course!), play-doh and bubbles, which are all three of Jacob's favorite things. I printed out more of the "book covers" to decorate the bags, and included a thank-you message.
And, finally, I made and decorated my very first cookie cake (thanks for the recipe, JL, it was yummy!). Jacob isn't really a fan of regular birthday cake, but he seems to tolerate icing and LOVES chocolate chip cookies, so it seemed like a perfect fit.
Though I love the original George, I think the PBS version is cuter, so I used a mask from this PBS Curious George website as a rough template and freehanded the cookie dough into the shape of his face before baking it.
I did not plan very well, so I did a lot of improvisation with the decorating portion of the cake. The eyes are white chocolate bark, which I had on hand from an ill-fated attempt at making holiday cookies. I used J's shape sorter to make them into ovals, but ended up carving them down to size anyway.
Some other things I learned about making cookie cakes:
1. A large round pizza pan works great for baking the cookie. (Thank you, Angelika, for giving this to me as a wedding present. It has been useful in so many ways!) I probably could've used the pizza stone, too, but I'm not sure how that would've turned out.
2. Watch your oven and don't leave the cookie unattended. We took the cookie out about 5 minutes early, but it still wasn't early enough. It didn't have that soft, chewy texture I like so much. And don't forget that they will continue baking if you leave them on the pan to cool.
3. Decorator's icing might have worked well for this, but seeing as I didn't have any cream of tartar or egg white powder, I went with some other recipes I found on the "pretty internets," as Mary says. I used a version of buttercream icing for the brown, which tasted great. I think I should've used buttercream for everything. Mmmmm.
4.For the outlines and detail work, I used a version of a shiny cookie decorating icing using corn syrup and made it chocolatey and dark by adding cocoa powder. It was the right color and consistency, but I think I should've used a bigger tip so the outlines would show up better. But, it was my first time decorating a cookie, and I didn't have many choices of tips to work with, so I think it turned out okay. Except for the non-existent nose!
5. Chocolate-chip cookie cake portions left undecorated make George look like he has smallpox.
6. If you are making a cookie cake for a large crowd, you might want to consider making one this size and then making another, plain cookie cake in a different pan. We served about twenty folks (5 toddlers included) and only had one tiny piece left at the end. Of course, we probably should've cut smaller slices...
Jacob seemed to enjoy his cake, at least! Look at that clean plate! (I heard a rumor that he snuck some cookie cake from one of his guests, though. We'll have to teach him some manners!)
Here's a shot of Ethan wondering how his mom is going to top this for HIS birthday party next year...
I don't have more pictures of the "activity" portion of the party. I actually took very few photographs of the event. Gaines' awesome sister Amy was the "official photographer" and took some FANTASTIC photos. A ginormous number of fantastic photos. Which she is uploading for us. Yay! I can't wait to see them all!
(Illustrations by H.A. Rey © Houghton Mifflin. Company Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H. A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Company and used under license. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All rights reserved.)
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Though I did hire out the activities portion to a nearby kids' gymnastics center, I managed to home-make a variety of things to go along with the theme. The party place provided plenty of fun activities led by someone other than me, brightly-colored paper goods, juice for the kids, and, of course, plenty of space for our guests (our apartment is woefully inadequate for more than 4 people and the Clubhouse at our apartment is no fun for 2-year olds). Plus, Jacob really seemed to enjoy all the bars and balance beams, jumping and climbing, and the mats and ball games. I wish I'd had a video camera!
Well, here's what I contributed to the brouhaha:
I made the invitations to look like a Curious George book cover:
(If this is an actual Curious George title, I couldn't find it, so I made it up. I drew the letters, scanned them in, and added the image from one of the books we own.)
I shamelessly stole the easel image below from a card on this wonderful Curious George resource site, but I will have you know I added a disclaimer on the back of each invitation.
I also put together some party favors, which included a Curious George book (of course!), play-doh and bubbles, which are all three of Jacob's favorite things. I printed out more of the "book covers" to decorate the bags, and included a thank-you message.
And, finally, I made and decorated my very first cookie cake (thanks for the recipe, JL, it was yummy!). Jacob isn't really a fan of regular birthday cake, but he seems to tolerate icing and LOVES chocolate chip cookies, so it seemed like a perfect fit.
Though I love the original George, I think the PBS version is cuter, so I used a mask from this PBS Curious George website as a rough template and freehanded the cookie dough into the shape of his face before baking it.
I did not plan very well, so I did a lot of improvisation with the decorating portion of the cake. The eyes are white chocolate bark, which I had on hand from an ill-fated attempt at making holiday cookies. I used J's shape sorter to make them into ovals, but ended up carving them down to size anyway.
Some other things I learned about making cookie cakes:
1. A large round pizza pan works great for baking the cookie. (Thank you, Angelika, for giving this to me as a wedding present. It has been useful in so many ways!) I probably could've used the pizza stone, too, but I'm not sure how that would've turned out.
2. Watch your oven and don't leave the cookie unattended. We took the cookie out about 5 minutes early, but it still wasn't early enough. It didn't have that soft, chewy texture I like so much. And don't forget that they will continue baking if you leave them on the pan to cool.
3. Decorator's icing might have worked well for this, but seeing as I didn't have any cream of tartar or egg white powder, I went with some other recipes I found on the "pretty internets," as Mary says. I used a version of buttercream icing for the brown, which tasted great. I think I should've used buttercream for everything. Mmmmm.
4.For the outlines and detail work, I used a version of a shiny cookie decorating icing using corn syrup and made it chocolatey and dark by adding cocoa powder. It was the right color and consistency, but I think I should've used a bigger tip so the outlines would show up better. But, it was my first time decorating a cookie, and I didn't have many choices of tips to work with, so I think it turned out okay. Except for the non-existent nose!
5. Chocolate-chip cookie cake portions left undecorated make George look like he has smallpox.
6. If you are making a cookie cake for a large crowd, you might want to consider making one this size and then making another, plain cookie cake in a different pan. We served about twenty folks (5 toddlers included) and only had one tiny piece left at the end. Of course, we probably should've cut smaller slices...
Jacob seemed to enjoy his cake, at least! Look at that clean plate! (I heard a rumor that he snuck some cookie cake from one of his guests, though. We'll have to teach him some manners!)
Here's a shot of Ethan wondering how his mom is going to top this for HIS birthday party next year...
I don't have more pictures of the "activity" portion of the party. I actually took very few photographs of the event. Gaines' awesome sister Amy was the "official photographer" and took some FANTASTIC photos. A ginormous number of fantastic photos. Which she is uploading for us. Yay! I can't wait to see them all!
(Illustrations by H.A. Rey © Houghton Mifflin. Company Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H. A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Company and used under license. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All rights reserved.)
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Share the Love
I love making stuff, so the first FIVE people to respond to this post (at Facebook or here on the blog) will get something made by me. This might be the incentive I need to get creative again!
This offer does have some restrictions so please read carefully:
- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
- What I create will be just for YOU.
- It will be done this year (2009).
- It will be something made in the real world and not something over the internet.
- It might be a mix CD, a painting, a knitted scarf, a poem, baked goods, a poem about a painting of baked goods...who knows! There are other things it might be too, but I promise whatever it is, it will be made for YOU and with YOU in mind!
In return, all you need to do is post this on your blog or facebook and make 5 things for 5 other people.
Void where prohibited, use only as directed, for a limited time only, store in a cool dry place. Let's keep it going!
Thanks, Kristen!
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This offer does have some restrictions so please read carefully:
- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
- What I create will be just for YOU.
- It will be done this year (2009).
- It will be something made in the real world and not something over the internet.
- It might be a mix CD, a painting, a knitted scarf, a poem, baked goods, a poem about a painting of baked goods...who knows! There are other things it might be too, but I promise whatever it is, it will be made for YOU and with YOU in mind!
In return, all you need to do is post this on your blog or facebook and make 5 things for 5 other people.
Void where prohibited, use only as directed, for a limited time only, store in a cool dry place. Let's keep it going!
Thanks, Kristen!
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Monday, March 09, 2009
Happy 2nd Birthday, Jacob!
Just two short years ago we welcomed you into the world, and now you are walking, talking in (almost) complete sentences, and memorizing your many books. You have been Mommy's biggest helper since Ethan was born not even a month ago, and we are so thankful for the joy you bring to our lives every day. You amuse us with your antics, frustrate us with your desire to do things "by self," but most of all you warm our hearts with your tenderness towards those you love, especially your new little brother.
We are thankful God gave you to us and that we get to be the parents to such an amazing little boy. You have turned our world "side-up down," and we are glad for the difference in perspective you give us each day. We love the way you notice even the small changes in your environment, how you like to sing and make "muk-sic," and how you are quick to make sure you've hugged us on both sides and given us a kiss before we leave to go on an errand or when Daddy goes to work. We praise God for small graces, like how you bow your head for prayers and always say "Amen!" and that you know the last word in each line of the Doxology and most of "Jesus Loves Me." When asked, "Who made you?" you say, "God!" May your love for Christ abound and may reflect His love more each day. You are a fantastic big brother!
Happy Birthday to our very own curious little monkey! We love you, Jacob!
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Monday, March 02, 2009
Thunder!
I was aware of the phenomenon known as thundersnow, but without any personal frame of reference.
Until today. Awe-some.
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Until today. Awe-some.
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Thursday, February 12, 2009
Introducing Baby Ethan
Team Redd proudly presents our latest addition:
Ethan was born Wednesday afternoon at 3:56. He weighed in at 8 lbs, 11 oz (!) and measured 21 inches. As an answer to many, many prayers, Ethan came on his own -- a repeat c-section was not required. Yay! Mom and baby are recovering well. Big brother Jacob is still sizing up the new arrival. More to follow.
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Ethan was born Wednesday afternoon at 3:56. He weighed in at 8 lbs, 11 oz (!) and measured 21 inches. As an answer to many, many prayers, Ethan came on his own -- a repeat c-section was not required. Yay! Mom and baby are recovering well. Big brother Jacob is still sizing up the new arrival. More to follow.
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Monday, February 09, 2009
The Good, the Bad...and the Expectant
In case you were wondering, yes, we're still waiting on Jacob's little brother to arrive. We're praying for mommy to go into labor SOOON.
Here's a (not-so) brief re-cap of what's up in the Team Redd abode these days.
The Good:
Gaines did extremely well on his last semester's graduate school classes, and last week he started back for the spring semester, taking Systematic Theology and Hebrew II. And he's really enjoyed all of his classes so far. I just want to mention how awesome he is -- working to take care of us AND going to school at night! He's the best husband and daddy I know.
Jacob has been potty training himself (pretty much--we just let the opportunities present themselves)! On Friday, he went pee-pee in the potty TWICE in one evening, and on Saturday afternoon he told Gaines "I need to go potty" and actually went poopy! We are hoping he doesn't regress too much once his little brother arrives, because having only one in diapers would be NICE.
Though I'm past my due date and still pregnant, I was glad to be able to attend my good friend Chandra's baby shower on Saturday. I've never had so much fun watching someone else open presents-- she is a hoot, her comments were hilarious, and she even planned poses for the required "gift pics." We are so excited for her and Kennan and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their little girl (she's due on Chandra's birthday, but I'm hoping for her to be one day late and come on mine, June 18th!) ;)
All this nesting has been good for me! Barring unforseen happy surprises, I hope to post pictures of a recent art project I worked on for Jacob's bathroom. I also got the nerve up to cut Jacob's hair last week, and I think it turned out quite well. The perfectionist in me keeps seeing places I need to correct, but I've gotten a few compliments on his haircut already so perhaps it's fine the way it is. I *think* I have some photos on my camera that will suffice for before/after shots. I need to download those before his little brother arrives!
The Bad:
Jacob has had a little cough/runny nose combo for a while, but over the weekend he kept running a fever and waking up all throughout the night and during his naps. We visited the doctor today and found out he has an ear infection in his right ear, which I think I suspected. He kept saying his teeth hurt all weekend, but he was acting so whiny and lethargic, so unlike himself, that I knew something else must be wrong. He's on antibiotics for 10 days. Poor kid: he's getting over an ear infection and getting a new little brother all in the same week!
Just a few days ago I was semi-bragging that although I've had experience with cabins-full of sick campers, I'd never actually seen my son throw up or had to deal with the aftermath. Well, today, after I gave Jacob his first dose of Amoxil, he threw up in his crib and woke up in a puddle of everything he'd eaten today (which wasn't much, but it smelled horrible.) The pitiful little sweetie said "I made a mess!" when I walked into his room, and I quickly got him out of his crib and clothes and into the bathtub. He was so concerned that he "made a mess" that I had to reassure him that it happens to all of us. And, of course, that "Mommy will clean it up." The clean-up part didn't bother me too much, it was his reaction to the whole experience that hurt more. That must be so scary for a little kid! And now giving him his medicine is going to be quite a chore, since I think he realizes it made him sick. :(
We have an apartment event scheduled for this Friday evening, a Jazz Night, which was the particular request of our manager. She was going to organize the decorations and other things, if necessary, since I will not be able to be there. However, she was suddenly moved last Thursday and is now no longer at our property. Which means I am now scrambling to confirm details and volunteers and get supplies before baby arrives. I just keep telling myself "all shall be well." Besides, if there's no food and no money to pay the band, at least I don't have to be there in person to deal with it, right? (I'm just kidding, for any faithful volunteers who might read this blog...) :)
The Expectant
We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jacob's little brother. We are not divulging the name until after he is born, so all you impatient folks will just have to wait. :) We are still praying that I will go into labor on my own. (Jacob always says, "Come out, soon, Baby Brother!") If not, I'll need a repeat c-section, probably at the end of the week unless we can change that.
Tonight is exactly one month from Jacob's second birthday. I am looking forward to his first real party with some of his toddler friends. Though he doesn't like large crowds or playgroups when there are kids he doesn't know, I think he will like being the center of attention in a room with familiar faces and family. (He really can be quite the ham! See photo...pre-haircut.) Plus, I'm thinking of making him a Curious George cake. He'll definitely like that!
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Here's a (not-so) brief re-cap of what's up in the Team Redd abode these days.
The Good:
The Bad:
The Expectant
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Friday, January 30, 2009
Reminder FAIL
Yes, this arrived in our mailbox last week.
For more funny moments, check out the original FAIL blog.
P.S. I made it an official fail!
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
CARES Team Event Planning 101
Case in point: Last Thursday morning, Jacob and I arrived at the office to bake cookies. (We hand them out to the kids after school every Thursday.) As we were getting out of the car, we noticed the lake was still mostly frozen over, as it had been for days. The fountain was on, so there was a circle of unfrozen water in the middle of the lake. We also noticed the ducks had returned, but were quite confused by their lack of swimming area. We saw two ducks attempt to WALK ON THE ICE to get to the patch of unfrozen water. Hilarity ensued. It was a shame that the ice melted before we came back that afternoon, camera ready.
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Monday, January 26, 2009
How to Stock Up on Diet Mountain Dew
(This is for Amy. I just saw she requested this in the comments and I wanted to post this quickly since sometimes the stores run out by mid-week! I got mine last Sunday night on last week's deal, which was 4/$12, but with the ECBs* it still works out as way cheaper than grocery store prices!)
1. Notice the ad in Sunday's paper that says Pepsi product 12-packs are on sale at 3/$10 AND that you get $10 ECBs back if you buy $20 worth of Pepsi products. (You are welcome to buy other Pepsi products to complete the deal--check the ad. I'm just explaining how I took the opportunity to stock up on Gaines' favorite soda before the baby arrives!)
2. Acquire a CVS ECB rewards card (this is free!) if you don't already have one.
3. Call you local CVS and make sure they have enough 12-pack boxes of your favorite Pepsi product this week. In our case, it is Diet Mountain Dew. And yes, I called ahead last Sunday night before I made the trip because not all CVS stores carry my husband's favorite beverage, especially when they have a big sale!
4. Buy $20 worth of Pepsi 12-packs. In this case, that would be 6. That means you paid $20 for 6 sodas at a price of $3.33 per box, which is a good deal in itself. But...
5. If you have a CVS card, when you make your purchase you should get $10 ECBs on your receipt. Wow! You can then use those ECBs to buy anything else in the store, even more sodas...
6. To make the most of this deal, make another purchase and buy 3 more 12-packs of your favorite beverage with your $10 ECBs! You will have gotten 9 12-packs of soda for only $20! That's $2.22 per box, which is way better than the $4 "sale" price in the grocery chains!
7. Just so you know, last week I bought 8 boxes of Diet Mtn Dew at 4/$12, and I got back $10 ECBs, but I also had a $4 off any purchase of $20 or more coupon I'd gotten in an e-mail from CVS. That means I got 8 cases for only $20, or a price of $2.50 per box! I did not use my $10 ECBs to buy more sodas. (If I had, I would've gotten an even better deal, but I'm hoping 8 will last at least a month in our house!) Gaines said it depends on how much (and when) the new baby sleeps! ;)
*ECBs = Extra Care Bucks, or money you can only use at CVS. But I can find almost anything I need there, so I love this program!
Bonus! If you also like Doritos, Tostitos or Lays, keep your receipts! If you buy a qualifying purchase (I think it is 3 cases of soda and 3 bags of chips by the end of January), you can send in your receipts and get $15 worth of coupons from Pepsi/Frito-Lay by mailing in this form.
(If anyone is curious...using coupons and my $10 ECBs, I picked up a professional haircutting kit for only $10. That's less than the price of ONE haircut. And yes, I do intend to trim my son's hair...I'm just trying to build up the courage AND figure out how to position Jacob in front of the TV in a chair while also keeping the hair cuttings off the carpet. Anyone have any ideas? I tried the bathtub approach, but he is way too wiggly for that!)
P.S. For more info on the CVS deals this week, I like Money Saving Mom and The Centsible Sawyer.
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1. Notice the ad in Sunday's paper that says Pepsi product 12-packs are on sale at 3/$10 AND that you get $10 ECBs back if you buy $20 worth of Pepsi products. (You are welcome to buy other Pepsi products to complete the deal--check the ad. I'm just explaining how I took the opportunity to stock up on Gaines' favorite soda before the baby arrives!)
2. Acquire a CVS ECB rewards card (this is free!) if you don't already have one.
3. Call you local CVS and make sure they have enough 12-pack boxes of your favorite Pepsi product this week. In our case, it is Diet Mountain Dew. And yes, I called ahead last Sunday night before I made the trip because not all CVS stores carry my husband's favorite beverage, especially when they have a big sale!
4. Buy $20 worth of Pepsi 12-packs. In this case, that would be 6. That means you paid $20 for 6 sodas at a price of $3.33 per box, which is a good deal in itself. But...
5. If you have a CVS card, when you make your purchase you should get $10 ECBs on your receipt. Wow! You can then use those ECBs to buy anything else in the store, even more sodas...
6. To make the most of this deal, make another purchase and buy 3 more 12-packs of your favorite beverage with your $10 ECBs! You will have gotten 9 12-packs of soda for only $20! That's $2.22 per box, which is way better than the $4 "sale" price in the grocery chains!
7. Just so you know, last week I bought 8 boxes of Diet Mtn Dew at 4/$12, and I got back $10 ECBs, but I also had a $4 off any purchase of $20 or more coupon I'd gotten in an e-mail from CVS. That means I got 8 cases for only $20, or a price of $2.50 per box! I did not use my $10 ECBs to buy more sodas. (If I had, I would've gotten an even better deal, but I'm hoping 8 will last at least a month in our house!) Gaines said it depends on how much (and when) the new baby sleeps! ;)
*ECBs = Extra Care Bucks, or money you can only use at CVS. But I can find almost anything I need there, so I love this program!
Bonus! If you also like Doritos, Tostitos or Lays, keep your receipts! If you buy a qualifying purchase (I think it is 3 cases of soda and 3 bags of chips by the end of January), you can send in your receipts and get $15 worth of coupons from Pepsi/Frito-Lay by mailing in this form.
(If anyone is curious...using coupons and my $10 ECBs, I picked up a professional haircutting kit for only $10. That's less than the price of ONE haircut. And yes, I do intend to trim my son's hair...I'm just trying to build up the courage AND figure out how to position Jacob in front of the TV in a chair while also keeping the hair cuttings off the carpet. Anyone have any ideas? I tried the bathtub approach, but he is way too wiggly for that!)
P.S. For more info on the CVS deals this week, I like Money Saving Mom and The Centsible Sawyer.
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Productivity
Today I have...
Gotten up early enough to take a shower without having to resort to sitting Jacob in front of an episode of Curious George. In fact, we haven't had the TV on yet all day...so far. It's an experiment in (my) self-control.
Eaten breakfast AND lunch. Some days this is a major accomplishment.
Given Jacob a much-needed bath.
Organized all of baby's recently washed 0-3 month clothes (as well as blankets, burp cloths, and other necessities), and Jacob's current pajamas and pants, into the 6 dresser drawers in the boys' room (as seen below in photo from last summer).
Labeled and organized storage boxes with 12-18 month and 18 month summer clothing that Jacob has outgrown. Now all that's left is acquiring/filling boxes for 6-9, 9-12, and 18-24 month stuff! (Currently these clothes reside in some of those vacuum bags, which are unwieldy for stacking and don't stay compressed. They are better for under-bed storage or blankets, I've discovered.)
Heard Jacob sing the "Happy Birthday" song. Twice. We went to a friend's party yesterday and I imagine this has something to do with it!
Reserved Jacob's 2nd b-day party at one of those little-kid activity places. It's not my usual frugal DIY party, but I'll have a one-month old. I still want to make his cake, though. We've been to two b-day parties in the last two weeks and discovered that he still will not eat cake. Cookies are okay, but not sugary b-day cake with icing. Perhaps I'll make a carrot cake sans icing for him (or just buy a cookie cake?) and bring a regular cake for the rest of us! ;)
Went shopping for party supplies for upcoming CARES events: Super Bowl Party (I'm blessed with 3 backup hosts AND 5-6 volunteers just in case Li'l Brudder arrives early!), something Valentine's themed, beads for Mardi Gras just in case we do something for that, and some green tablecovers for St. Patty's Day.
Washed and dried a load of laundy. I'm off to do more! And fold! (And possibly squeeze in a nap!)
Update: (4:22 p.m.)
Spoke with THREE possible vendors for upcoming Aparment Life/CARES events. I'm on a roll today!
Published not just one but TWO blog posts for your enjoyment!
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Update: (4:22 p.m.)
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Saturday, January 24, 2009
Things I'd Like to Post About Before Baby #2 Arrives
We've got 12 days until Baby Boy #2's due date and I'm trying to get in as much as possible around the house before his arrival (whenever that may be). I can't promise lots of blogging this year, since we haven't made any substantial posts in 2009 yet, but I appreciate this outlet and want to keep on blogging when I can.
For all 3 people who read this blog: I have my favorites, of course, but if you make a comment about something you really want us to blog about, I'll try to get to it. And maybe get Gaines to weigh in on some things as well. He should at least post about his bomb-threat scare at work last week. Excitement abounds! ;)
So, without further adieu, this is my to-do list:
Heaven Misplaced Book Review, long overdue
"8 Things" (tagged by Courtney)
Events/happenings from 2008 that weren't blogged about but were exciting/cool just the same
Christmas re-cap??? It's almost the end of January! We'll see...
Jennifer & David's Wedding Celebration Weekend
About my cousin Mitch
Childbirth Class Notice FAIL
Comic from last Sunday that an English teacher would appreciate
Review of Pullman's "Dark Materials" Trilogy that we both finished during the holidays
LOST
How I got 8 12-packs of Diet Mtn Dew for $11
Ducks on ice (not about hockey...)
Jacob and the potty
Gaines' grad school grades (mwah hahahahaha!)
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For all 3 people who read this blog: I have my favorites, of course, but if you make a comment about something you really want us to blog about, I'll try to get to it. And maybe get Gaines to weigh in on some things as well. He should at least post about his bomb-threat scare at work last week. Excitement abounds! ;)
So, without further adieu, this is my to-do list:
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Thursday, January 01, 2009
Books Read in 2008 (Gaines)
- A House for My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
- The Story of Christianity, Volume Two: The Reformation to the Present Day
- The Hobbit
- On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: Adventure. Peril. Lost Jewels. And the Fearsome Toothy Cows of Skree. (The Wingfeather Saga, Book 1)
- The Lord and His Prayer
- A Walk Through the Bible
- Basics of Biblical Greek
- Acts for Everyone, Part One
- Sophie's World
- The Acts of the Apostles (The New Daily Study Bible)
- Acts for Everyone, Part Two
- The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, Book 1)
- A Primer on Worship and Reformation: Recovering the High Church Puritan
- It Can't Happen Here
- The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2)
- Confessions
- God, Freedom and Evil
- The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, Book 3)
- Basics of Verbal Aspect in Biblical Greek
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Books Read in 2008 (Allison)
- The Once and Future King
- Persuasion
- Northanger Abbey
- On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: Adventure. Peril. Lost Jewels. And the Fearsome Toothy Cows of Skree. (The Wingfeather Saga, Book 1)
- The Jane Austen Book Club
- Standing on the Promises: a Handbook of Biblical Childrearing
- Paul for Everyone: I Corinthians
- Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan
- Sophie's World
- The Twenty-One Balloons
- Death in Holy Orders
- gods in Alabama
- Jacob Have I Loved
- No Place Like Home
- From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
- Murder in the Cathedral
- Thunder on the Right
- The Moonspinners
- Twilight
- A Far-Off Place
- My Brother Michael
- Airs Above the Ground
- Nine Coaches Waiting
- New Moon
- Eclipse
- A Walk in the Woods
- The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, Book 1)
- A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith
- Middlesex
- Your One-Year-Old: The Fun-Loving, Fussy 12-To 24-Month-Old
- Ahab's Wife
- The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2)
- Heaven Misplaced: Christ's Kingdom on Earth
- The Great Gatsby
- The Innocent Man
- The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, Book 3)
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Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
Photo taken at Allison's parents' house in L.A. (that's Lower Alabama to the uninitiated) on Christmas Eve.
"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love."
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Friday, December 12, 2008
Advent and the Time Foretold
This past Sunday morning, the second Sunday of Advent, I was struck by the last stanza of "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear," though I've sung it many times:
I had rushed in late, after a hectic morning that involved sour cream on Jacob's head and a last-minute bath before church (long story), and so I had forgotten to get a bulletin and song sheet. I didn't know the number of the hymn in order to look it up, and so I just sang along as well as I could from memory. I was suprised that I knew the entire song! (Thank you, hometown church, for the annual caroling to the old folks' houses.)
When I got to the last two lines, I spontaneously broke into a grin as I sang. I couldn't contain the joy inherent in the thought of the whole world proclaiming the glories of Christ our Lord at the New Creation!
Sometimes, when we grow up hearing these hymns and carols, we forget to pay attention to the lyrics and what they really mean.
I'm currently reading a soon-to-be-released book (review coming soon!) that attempts to correct some of the misconceptions we have about heaven, or as N.T. Wright describes it, "the life after life after death." Yes, we go to be with the Lord after we die, but that's not the end! There is another "life" after that-- the one which we will be raised to when Christ returns. So many Christians miss this... The whole earth is groaning now for "the time foretold," when everything will be renewed and Christ will come down from heaven to reign here, over a redeemed world, complete with new mountains and vistas, not just puffy clouds and harps.
And so, as we celebrate Advent this year, we remember not only Christ's first coming as a babe who would one day die on the cross, we also look forward in anticipation to his second coming. On that day every tear will be wiped away, and the whole creation will be renewed along with those in Christ, raised up on the last day to "send back the song which now the angels sing." I love that image!
In case you are wondering about Advent and why we celebrate, there is a fantastic series of articles at The Rabbit Room this year, complete with an introduction on why Christians celebrate and weekly "Virtual Advent Wreath" meditations: Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3, so far.
The photo above is our non-virtual advent wreath, made from the same candles I've been using for the last few years, plus some added greenery and berries that I got at deep discount at Michael's. It's about the only decorations we have up this year, but I don't mind. Advent, I think, is my favorite season of the church year. It must be the expectation, the hopeful longing, that culminates with the sheer delight of Christmas day.
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For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing!
I had rushed in late, after a hectic morning that involved sour cream on Jacob's head and a last-minute bath before church (long story), and so I had forgotten to get a bulletin and song sheet. I didn't know the number of the hymn in order to look it up, and so I just sang along as well as I could from memory. I was suprised that I knew the entire song! (Thank you, hometown church, for the annual caroling to the old folks' houses.)
When I got to the last two lines, I spontaneously broke into a grin as I sang. I couldn't contain the joy inherent in the thought of the whole world proclaiming the glories of Christ our Lord at the New Creation!
Sometimes, when we grow up hearing these hymns and carols, we forget to pay attention to the lyrics and what they really mean.
I'm currently reading a soon-to-be-released book (review coming soon!) that attempts to correct some of the misconceptions we have about heaven, or as N.T. Wright describes it, "the life after life after death." Yes, we go to be with the Lord after we die, but that's not the end! There is another "life" after that-- the one which we will be raised to when Christ returns. So many Christians miss this... The whole earth is groaning now for "the time foretold," when everything will be renewed and Christ will come down from heaven to reign here, over a redeemed world, complete with new mountains and vistas, not just puffy clouds and harps.
And so, as we celebrate Advent this year, we remember not only Christ's first coming as a babe who would one day die on the cross, we also look forward in anticipation to his second coming. On that day every tear will be wiped away, and the whole creation will be renewed along with those in Christ, raised up on the last day to "send back the song which now the angels sing." I love that image!
In case you are wondering about Advent and why we celebrate, there is a fantastic series of articles at The Rabbit Room this year, complete with an introduction on why Christians celebrate and weekly "Virtual Advent Wreath" meditations: Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3, so far.
The photo above is our non-virtual advent wreath, made from the same candles I've been using for the last few years, plus some added greenery and berries that I got at deep discount at Michael's. It's about the only decorations we have up this year, but I don't mind. Advent, I think, is my favorite season of the church year. It must be the expectation, the hopeful longing, that culminates with the sheer delight of Christmas day.
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Thursday, December 04, 2008
More Great News for GT Football
Paul Johnson Named ACC Coach of the Year
... and National Coach of the Year by CBSSports.com
Jonathan Dwyer Named ACC Player of the Year
and finally,
Georgia Tech Accepts Bid to Chick-fil-A Bowl
This is an exciting bowl selection. It's pretty high-profile and it's on New Year's Eve. Tech will get a chance to go 3-0 against the SEC this season (likely against LSU, but we'll find out soon). And most importantly, there will not be a blue field involved.
Actually, the most important part is that it's here in the ATL. Which means Jacob is going to need a babysitter that night! Woo hoo!
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... and National Coach of the Year by CBSSports.com
Jonathan Dwyer Named ACC Player of the Year
and finally,
Georgia Tech Accepts Bid to Chick-fil-A Bowl
This is an exciting bowl selection. It's pretty high-profile and it's on New Year's Eve. Tech will get a chance to go 3-0 against the SEC this season (likely against LSU, but we'll find out soon). And most importantly, there will not be a blue field involved.
Actually, the most important part is that it's here in the ATL. Which means Jacob is going to need a babysitter that night! Woo hoo!
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Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Siran Stacy: God and Football
All my life, I've heard about Siran Stacy. He was a football legend born and raised in my small hometown. He became a star running back at the University of Alabama and then went on to play pro for Philadelphia.
[Edited to remove paragraph that was inaccurate and false concerning his conduct. He has made a great turnaround from his wild youth, though.]
Last November, he and his family were involved in a horrible car wreck. Siran's wife and four of his five children were killed, along with the drunk driver in the other car. I remember hearing about the accident and praying for his family, but hadn’t heard anything since.
This week, Birmingham's Fox affiliate ran a news story about his life since then. You can view the video from Fox 6 at their webpage.
As a testament to God's grace, Siran has become (or has always been? I don't know) a Christian. In the interview, he speaks of being content with where the Lord has placed him, being thankful for life, even after such a tragedy. He quotes Romans 8:28, and has become an evangelical speaker. It's definitely a different portrait than the one painted by small-town rumour mills. I am especially encouraged to see how his life has been transformed by Christ, and I wonder what it would be like to hear him speak.
For a little more info about his time at Alabama and how he got there, I found this Talk of Champions interview enlightening.
(I originally read about this at The Avenue, and wanted to give credit where it's due. Thanks!)
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[Edited to remove paragraph that was inaccurate and false concerning his conduct. He has made a great turnaround from his wild youth, though.]
Last November, he and his family were involved in a horrible car wreck. Siran's wife and four of his five children were killed, along with the drunk driver in the other car. I remember hearing about the accident and praying for his family, but hadn’t heard anything since.
This week, Birmingham's Fox affiliate ran a news story about his life since then. You can view the video from Fox 6 at their webpage.
As a testament to God's grace, Siran has become (or has always been? I don't know) a Christian. In the interview, he speaks of being content with where the Lord has placed him, being thankful for life, even after such a tragedy. He quotes Romans 8:28, and has become an evangelical speaker. It's definitely a different portrait than the one painted by small-town rumour mills. I am especially encouraged to see how his life has been transformed by Christ, and I wonder what it would be like to hear him speak.
For a little more info about his time at Alabama and how he got there, I found this Talk of Champions interview enlightening.
(I originally read about this at The Avenue, and wanted to give credit where it's due. Thanks!)
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Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sweet, Sweet Victory
No. 18 Yellow Jackets Surge Past No. 13 Bulldogs, 45-42
What a great game. This should put to rest the taunts that Paul Johnson's "Perfect Option" offense isn't effective enough to hang with the big boys. Exhibit A: Roddy Jones and Jonathan Dwyer put up a combined 358 rushing yards against the 'Dawgs, each with a pair of touchdowns to his name.
With this win, Tech moves up to #15 in both the AP Poll and BCS Rankings. Unfortunately, Virginia couldn't pull off the win against Virginia Tech this weekend, so the Hokies will be headed to the ACC championship instead of us. Alas. But there's always next season.
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What a great game. This should put to rest the taunts that Paul Johnson's "Perfect Option" offense isn't effective enough to hang with the big boys. Exhibit A: Roddy Jones and Jonathan Dwyer put up a combined 358 rushing yards against the 'Dawgs, each with a pair of touchdowns to his name.
With this win, Tech moves up to #15 in both the AP Poll and BCS Rankings. Unfortunately, Virginia couldn't pull off the win against Virginia Tech this weekend, so the Hokies will be headed to the ACC championship instead of us. Alas. But there's always next season.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2008
November Adventures
Because I am lazy and never got around to turning these into actual posts, here are some Jacob highlights of the month in pictures:
First ride on a plastic dinosaur.
Second year to see glorious fall leaves.
First opportunity to see a live-action musical: "Goodnight Moon," here with friend Judah after the show.
First haircut (!)
Before...
During...
After...
Feeding the ducks! (Again.)
Second trip to the Georgia Aquarium. Mommy & Me tickets are good through the end of the year!
First perfectly pronounced three syllable word: "bicycle"
(Sorry, no video yet. But here's an extra photo for ya.)
Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Book reviews, general zaniness, possible profundity, and hopefully a celebratory football-related post are all forthcoming after the holiday.
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Before...
(Sorry, no video yet. But here's an extra photo for ya.)
Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Book reviews, general zaniness, possible profundity, and hopefully a celebratory football-related post are all forthcoming after the holiday.
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