Wordless Wednesday--Time Marches On

Hair

Zane is 8. And is obsessed with his peach fuzz.

Zane: I have one chest hair. Look

Me: Wow. That's great son.

Zane: I can see 4 dark spots when I look in the mirror on my lip right here (points to upper lip)

Me: Wow! So you're getting a mustache, huh?

Zane: (smiling big and proud, sticking out chest)

Me: That's something all right.

Zane: I have maybe a spot on my armpit too.

Me: You're just getting hair everywhere. That's great. (because he's obviously proud)

Zane: I have one more kind of hair.

Me: Stop. If it's anywhere near your privates I don't want to know.

Zane: Well, it is, but I wasn't going to tell you that.

Me: Stop talking. I don't need to know about that hair.

Zane: But I wasn't going to...

Me: Stop. Talk to your dad about that.

Zane: Well I have 4 kinds of hair now. (Walks away proud and laughing)

Praying In Color

This time it's a little different. An actual picture came out instead of doodles. Which is okay, except I don't draw all that well. Phil has been talking about a canoe trip so yesterday morning when Zane and I laid on my bed together to pray in color, this little picture flowed from my less than talented hand.

There's a couple other things I'm excited about. First. Zane's prayers.

He said, "I think I'll call this one 'Garden of God'"

Listen, I didn't start this praying in color for anyone but myself. Lord, how can one person be so selfish? When Zane saw me doing it, he was on that train and excited about the ride. Since then, we've been sharing some praying in color time. I had a little pack of these Staedtler markers (which, by the way ROCK!) and I found a 20 pack at Office Depot the other day for only $14.99 and I snatched those puppies up.

I gave Zane my small pack and now he's carrying them all over the house and spontaneously busting into praying in color mode whenever he feels the urge.

And now all of a sudden, it's something. My friend Toni shared with me a homeschool father speaking at a conference about creating memories with his family.

What I took from his seminar: my desire to give Zane a family that lives out their worship.

I want to be a doer.

I want him to learn that from me.

I don't just want to tell my friends, I'll pray for you, I want them to either hear me pray with them, read a prayer I've written for them, or see a prayer I've colored for them.

It means something bigger than me and my selfish heart.

As Promised--Puppy Pictures!

Meet Patches. She's a mutt and she was free, but she loves Zane. Totally. No one else. She'll tell me if she has to pee if she can't find Zane, but Patches is clearly Zane's puppy. And she's adorable.

Click on this photo to enlarge it and get a good look at those blue eyes!!

Look at that brindle in her patches.
Look at that face.

Look at those blue eyes!

Patches is part Boxer like this one (and part something else)
We don't know what.Photo Credit

The Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull

Not the skulls over the pond that have been deemed fake, but the Mitchell-Hedges skull. The one that is two pieces (movable jaw, just like a real skull) made from one stone. The one that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was inspired by. This thing is one of the coolest things I've ever seen (and touched.)

Oh sure, there's controversy. So what?

Zane and I went to see the Indiana Jones movie in the morning--we had the entire theater to ourselves. Zane thought he was pretty damn special. After, Zane put on his "Indiana Jones" hat and tied a piece of leather to his belt loop and whipped his whip all day long. Then we headed to a nearby city where the heir of the skull, Bill Homann, was giving a free talk and viewing of the skull.

The sun was setting, coming through a window and illuminating the skull while we watched a short presentation. The photo here isn't the best quality because I had to zoom, but I love the way it came out.

I touched the skull but I don't think I was supposed to. Bill Homann said, "Oh. oh. Oh. No. don't touch it!" Zane followed the rules.Now how cool is it to see the movie and then see the REAL skull? I hope this is one of those things Zane never forgets!

Letterboxing in Missouri

I told you here we'd be going Letterboxing while we were in Missouri--well, we did!

The first one we did at Beaver Creek Conservation area was a bust. We followed the excellent directions, but there was no box hidden at the location. It seemed to us that this place was well used by people who maybe don't have a lot of other things to do and possibly the box was stolen because of that. When we pulled up to park, a white car pulled in after us and parked three spots to the right. They were hot and heavy getting it on and they didn't even put their car in park. We had to cover Zane's eyes and Mike wanted to go scare them.

The second one made it all worth while. This one was located at Maramec Springs State Park.

I didn't set out to take photos of all scenic mentions in the directions, but it seems I have. So let me show you how letterboxing works in our family. Mind you, we're not typical. Sorry to disappoint.

We entered the and parked as the directions stated. Then it said, "Head east toward the bridge with a yellow sign. Read the sign and heed it. Cross the foot bridge and enjoy the trout scenery. You can buy fish food 10 or 25 cents and feed them if you wish." So of course, who can resist popping in quarters to feed the fish? Not my boys!

Next, "Follow the trail toward the green spring house, cross the bridge before the spring house."

"You will see a tunnel on your left. Take the stairs under the bridge. Continue straight on the trail." I don't think they intended Zane to take a pit stop, but what can you do?

Then, "Follow the main trail past the furnace. Up the hill you will see green and yellow equipment built for fun. No time for that now. Take the low road to the river."

"Continue North on paved path. You will hear the babbling brook in the distance & see people with fishing poles. "


Past the tiny spring you will follow the trail up the hill and continue on the trail between the two black rails. Continue trail down the trail.

A big tree once stood tall is where you’ll find it all. Take a break on the edge of the fallen tree and you’ll see a brown building with green roof at 2 o’clock. Reach where moss always grows under the tree covered by debris.

So. We looked for a fallen tree. And Phil dug with a stick. Because there might be spiders or snakes. Don't the boys look excited? But the box wasn't there. So we looked for another fallen tree. And we dug some more. And we couldn't find the box. And everyone was bummed. But the park was so amazing and beautiful that we were all glad we stopped anyway. We figured the box had been planted before the flood and it must have been washed away. You could see the flood lines and the water had covered the path the box was supposed to be hidden on. So we decided to make the best of it and enjoy the day.

But wait! What's that? We miscalculated? Or maybe the one reading the directions didn't quite "get it?" It said, " If you pass the 2nd stairs past the big rippling water you’ve gone to far. " Lord have mercy we didn't pass the 2nd stairs yet!! So we found yet another fallen tree. And Phil dug again. Don't the boys look even more excited? Well, at least Phil pretends for me.

And there it was!!! The box!! So we all stamped the book inside the box and used the stamper inside the box on our journals. Finally. Success. Now the boys at least look interested, don't you think?
The directions then read, "Continue North on the trail and enjoy the swinging bridge."

We did. But I've posted tons of pictures today so I might have to continue this tomorrow. Or because I know myself, it might be a week or a month from now. But I'll remind you where I talked about it first.

Lazy

Well.

Last night Zane said, "Why is there still a Christmas Tree in our living room?"

"Because I haven't taken it down yet."

"Because you're lazy."

"Oh really?

"Yep."

"You really think that?"

"Yes. The only work you do is on the computer with your fingers."

"Oh. Really now."

"Daddy does physical work all day long. You just use your fingers. That's lazy."

"I see. So you don't think my brain is engaged when I'm writing my stories?"

"Okay. You use your brain and your fingers. How hard is that?"

*****


Guess who's scrapping the current homeschool schedule? And guess who will be writing short stories for, oh, maybe a month?

And Zane will quite possibly have to stick by my side for a week and do all the things he doesn't see me doing. Laundry. Dishes. Toilets. Sinks. Cooking.

Oh the joys of homeschooling!

To be fair, he's got a point about the Christmas tree. I don't think it's laziness as much as avoidance. I just don't want to do it so I keep doing other stuff. I don't want to do it because it is so very tall and I am so very short. It is overwhelming and I have been letting that eat away at me.

Free Legos!

5 Minutes For Mom is having a spectacular 2 weeks of giveaways.

This post is for Zane.

Because he loves Legos.

And 5 Minutes For Mom is giving away Legos. I won't tell him though unless he wins.

We have a permanent Star Wars Cantina he hauls all over the house. He even used my silver Sharpie to color some of the Legos so they'd look more Star Wars-ish.

Bad Blogger Day 3

Run Forrest Run!

Chuck loves going on walks.
Molly's tuckered out. You'd be tired too if you were missing a leg.

Had to throw a pretty one in there.

Our un-named Beta fish jumped to his death.
He jumped out of his water. I found him on the carpet almost completely dried up.
These pictures are right after I threw him back in the water.

He was still breathing for a few hours, buy his buoyancy was gone.
I know he looks dead here, but really, he was still alive.
Why would I take pictures of a dead fish.

Okay. Don't answer that.
Then Phil went gangsta with the hat and tried to choke the dogs.


I told him to leave the dogs alone and he went psycho on me.

Molly protected me.
Or hid in the tub.


We took another walk in the woods and found a dead tree creature.
I know it was dead because I poked it.
Unless it was playing possum.
But I'm pretty sure the tree creature is dead.

I Hate Being Sick

I barely made it out of bed at all yesterday.

My fever: 102.2

My fever dream: The short story I'm working on for the Indiana Horror Writers anthology was printed out on a table. I saw a huge, god-like semi-colon in the air above it. A big freaking semi-colon. I said (to the semi-colon, mind you) "What are you doing there?" It said, "Two parts are not supposed to be together, but I make it so"

The best part of the day:

Zane: "Are you feeling okay, Mommy?"

Me: "No, I feel horrible."

Zane: "I can pray for you."

Me: Start crying

Zane: Puts my head on his chest and prays that Mommy feel better.


Today: No fever. Oh the faith of a child.

Overheard

In my kitchen this morning:

Zane: Can I have Cocoa Puffs for breakfast?
Me: Sure.
Zane: Cool!
Me: Guess what my all-time, super-favorite cereal was when I was a kid?
Zane: What?
Me: Cocoa Puff?
Zane: Whoa! I didn't know they made those back when you were a kid.
Me: Yep. (sighing)
Me again: They even said, "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" on the commercials.
Zane: They had commercials then too?

My Little Ripper

Yesterday we had our driveway plowed into a hill for sledding. I was reliving my childhood and wanted Zane to experience some of the best memories I have of growing up. My dad used to have a snowplow on his truck and winters were way more snowy than they have been lately. I remember dressing up in my snowsuit and going with him. He'd drive up and down the streets of our city, people would run out of their houses waving money and flagging him to their snowed-in houses. He'd plow, my brother and I would shovel. We had a blast!

Our house was the epicenter for all things fun in the winter. Dad would pile up snow with the plow as high as our house then shovel steps into the hill. He's smooth out the other side of the hill and sometimes pour water down the smooth side for that extra speed. All the kids in the neighborhood would converge at our house and we'd be out there for endless hours.

With the piles of snow Dad would plow at neighbor's houses, we'd tunnel out forts and stock them with piles of snowball ammunition. We'd then embark upon the biggest snowball fight of the winter. Every winter things got better and more elaborate.

Phil, Zane and I played out in the snow yesterday and made some of those memories. One that stands out for me is depicted in this picture. Zane yelled out, "Mom! Look at me! I'm going to snowboard down!!"

Phil and I looked at each other with eyes bugged out. Phil said, "Well. I didn't know he had it in him."

"Neither did I."

But he did. All I could think of was my high school bud, Eric Grusak. This is the Eric I remember hanging out with. Totally Punk, but one of the best guys ever. He was always so sure of himself and more than that, he could motivate you and help you to believe you could do it. Do what? Whatever. It didn't' matter.

I remember games of tackle football where the guys were always content to let me be quarterback, a few of them liked my spirals so well, they pleaded with me to join the team. I would have, but the school wouldn't let me. (figures) I also remember building floats for the Homecoming parades. Some days, no one showed up except Eric, Stanley and I. But the three of us got things done.

I ran into Eric on MySpace a bit ago. We've been emailing, I found out he's a professional snowboarder now! So yesterday, when Zane, without prompting, decided he was going to snowboard, I thought of Eric.I dropped Eric a line and found out over the weekend he scored BIG! He's now the National Divisional Champion for overall freestyle! Wow. Can you imagine? Congrats Eric!!! Here's what the National Divisional Champ had to say about Zane, "That's AWESOME. He's got great form.if he wants a real snowboard,just let me know. Flow makes snowboards that would fit your little ripper."

My adrenaline is pumping thinking of Zane as a professional snowboarder. Makes me want to train so I can get out there!

Funny how we never know what God is going go put in our path and even more fun is how these things come to pass. I have no clue what the future holds for Zane, but I know that I'm excited to find out.

Here's some more pictures of Eric. Here, here and here.

We Had A Snow Day!!

Sharing More Pictures

The next set of pictures were taken by some friends at the Jeremy Camp concert.

Zane and I somehow managed to score front row "seats" just a bit off center towards stage left. In all the effort I put forth planning this special trip, I could not have orchestrated things this well. God just sat back with a huge grin on his face watching Zane squeal in delight when things just kept getting better. Of course, I was crying on and off most of the concert. Watching Zane's excitement and hearing him say over and over, "You are the best mom ever!" with the hugs and kisses and genuine gratitude just put me over the edge. I can't take credit for any of it though, I think we know who gets all the glory!

I Think I Got Sidetracked

I was supposed to post about the highlight of our trip to Chicago and somehow got caught in the mud and mire of daily life. Y'know, car repairs, pipes freezing, basements flooding, that kind of stuff.

Jeremy Camp played to a sold out crowd at the House of Blues in Chicago on January 25th.

We met with some other Jeremy Camp "Campers" or "street-team" members before the show to have dinner and get to know one another. Zane was eating his chicken and fries when I hear this familiar voice say, "Hey Zane, buddy! How are you?" I look up and there's Jeremy with his hand on Zane's shoulder and Zane's eyes bugging out of his head! Zane gets the card and gift he made for J and look at how wonderful this man treated my son! It was as if Zane was the only person in the room:









Working on: Getting some concert pictures up for a post.

First for Man?

Zane just ran in here and jumped up and down while he announced that he could talk AND chew his gum at the same time!!

"Look mom, I'm doing it now!" He said!