Morrisseys

2010-03-14T21:03:00.001-05:00

Doug and I were talking about how Christopher is such a ladies man. I mentioned how he asked one girl to marry him last year and he told a girl in his current class that he loves her. "Yeah," Doug said, "a real Don Juan." "And Aaron," he added, "is Don Knotts."

Shannon's unique comments

2010-03-10T15:22:00.001-05:00

Today Shannon asked me (Leslie) why this boy was bugging her today (saying she liked another boy, etc.). I told her that boys bother girls sometimes when they like them and want to get a reaction out of them. Her response, "Mom, there are some times when parents just don't understand kids."

At the dinner table we were discussing how bad lying is. Doug said that lying deserves the worst punishments we have given since it is so bad.

Shannon: "You know what the worst punishment is? To be mind-controlled and told to jump off the Empire State Building."

Ummmm.....yeah.

2009-12-06T12:24:00.002-05:00

NEW BLOG

Visit our new blog:

http://doug777morrissey.spaces.live.com/blog/

2009-11-28T16:26:00.002-05:00

A Milestone in the Morrissey Family Here is the first item we are selling on ebay: Shannon's doll house. Here is Shannon dropping it off at the ebay store. She will keep the money.

2009-11-26T20:41:00.002-05:00

Can you find Christopher hidden in this picture?
There he is! Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-11-26T20:10:00.002-05:00

Today, Thanksgiving, Christopher and I (Leslie) went on a prayer walk. He prayed one of the sweetest prayers I have heard. He said, "Lord, thank you for my best friend Owen. May he get more Transformers than me."

2009-11-26T19:57:00.000-05:00

Chris + Nancy Drew Book
By Chris
Nancy Drew had a daughter. Her name was Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew ,s mother was killed . So Nancy Drew did some spying. And she found out who murdered her mother. So she put the bad guy s in jail. Once again Nancy saved the day.a

Global Warming Hoax

2009-11-26T08:59:00.001-05:00

After the revelations of widespread scientific fraud, I wonder if any of my friends still believe that manmade global warming is a threat.

2009-11-22T19:29:00.000-05:00

Chris's School Photo

2009-11-20T20:02:00.001-05:00

I told Doug that if I had known they would take whole body shots, I would have put Chris in better shoes for picture day. He said, "Eh, that's all right. He's no patent-leather geek." I guess Shannon partly heard that because I heard her chasing Christopher after that, calling him a "fat leather geek."

2009-11-13T00:40:00.001-05:00

Leslie Puts Her Money Where Her Mouth Is

Leslie and Pat Toomey, the next Junior Senator from Pennsylvania.

2009-11-05T18:52:00.001-05:00

School Pics 2009-2010
Soccer Pic Fall 2009

2009-11-01T20:35:00.002-05:00

One More Africa trip page:

I didn't mention the main reason for the trip: the crusades at night. We had a great time. There was great worship music and dancing for about 2-1/2 hours. Then there was a short and powerful message about Jesus and an inviation to become a Christian. Hundreds responded. Finally, there was a prayer for the sick followed by testimonies of people who were healed.

Here is a sample of the dancing:

One of the healings that stuck out to me was that of my fellow guest, Philip. He has had neck problems such that sleeping wrong causes him to wake up with neck pain that typically accelarates throughout the day to a terrible headache by evening.

He brought his special pillow from Holland to South Africa, but because of weight restrictions he couldn't bring it to Zim. (The guy has such a heart of gold, he left his pillow instead of the three bags of marbles he brought for the kids!)

On the first morning, he was starting to feel his typical neck pain again and was genuinely worried his whole trip would be marred by headaches. So, Pastor Dennis and I prayed for God to heal his neck. I think I asked him every day and he never got neck pain or a headache again. Praise God!

2009-11-01T08:09:00.002-05:00

Of course, I took in a little sight-seeing while I was there. They have a beautiful tree all over the place called a jacaranda. It is originally from South America but grows well in Zim. It only blooms about two weeks a year - the two weeks I was there! Crocodile lake at the game reserve had the lily pads of fairy tale fame.

We also saw animals at the reserve: babboons, impala, zebras, hippos and... white rhino.

Matopos (where the reserve is) also has a lot of interesting "balanced rocks" which presumably were created in place by erosion. They call this one mother-and-baby. Zim women carry their babies on their back, wrapped against their body with a large cloth.

This one almost fell on our group until I jumped up and stabilized it.

2009-11-01T07:57:00.002-05:00

The folks at Dynamis found out Pastor Dennis had experience with puppets and clowning. So they put us to work for three days. There was a training on Friday, a 6-hour Family Fun Day and Children's Crusade on Saturday and a 2-hour Children's Crusade on Monday. They are so precious.

So, what about me. I had no experience teaching clowning or puppetry. Well, they found something for me to do.

2009-11-01T07:39:00.002-05:00

Of course, I wasn't alone in Africa. I was joining a national team assembled by Christopher Alam's Dynamis World Ministries. This team is in-country year-round running crusades and supporting local churches. They are joined by long-term self-supporting missionaries like Janie and Helen.

I was a "guest." Here I am eating breakfast at our usual haunt, Angels, with three other guests: Pastor Dennis, Stefan from Sweden and Lili from Panama and Delaware. The one you can't see is Philip from the Netherlands (he is taking the picture.)Here I am the day of the Family Fun Day eating breakfast at "Philip's Diner." I think our group of guests made a great team. I certainly enjoyed the long hours of communing with them and hearing their stories!

Here is Lili with Helen and Janie is in the back.Nothing like going Rhino hunting to bond a group together. The other two men are Trusty (our driver) and the Game Reserve Guide (holding the AK -47.)

2009-11-01T07:13:00.002-05:00

I know, I know. Blogging is supposed to be about today. Well, here are pics from my Africa trip weeks ago.

This shot is for my mom. I think Coca-Cola is the official mascot of Africa. It is on or in every building and served at every restaurant. (That is my pastor, Dennis Loose, standing in Johannesburg airport.) Our trip to Zimbabwe started in DC and took us through a refueling stop at Senegal and an overnight stay in Johannesburg, South Africa, before we landed at Bulawayo International Airport.

Our host, the Alams, cleverly arranged for us to stay at a hotel school, the Bulawayo Polytechnic. It cost only 1/5 the price of regular hotels.

And it came with standard amenities, like...

A PoolPetsAnd candles and matches for the occasional city-wide power outage.

In all sincerity, the rooms were huge and I was very satisfied where we stayed. They had a big bathtub (but no shower.) A great blessing was that the AC blew right over the beds.

I didn't appreciate the significance of this until the night without power. I was awakened frequently by the sound of dive-bombing mosquitos that night.

2009-10-28T09:13:00.003-05:00

Grandparents, do you recall when your memory was this good?

Old Testament

New Testament

2009-10-25T21:25:00.001-05:00

"As an American I am not so shocked that Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize without any accomplishments to his name, but that America gave him the White House based on the same credentials." - - Newt Gingrich

2009-10-25T17:40:00.002-05:00

Fall Leaf Fun!

2009-10-25T17:18:00.001-05:00

Annual Pumpkin Carving

2009-10-16T19:25:00.001-05:00

I was having a deep discussion with my children on why Skeeter married Jill and not Violet in the movie Bedtime Stories. I said, "Men like women with depth, not just a pretty face."

Christopher asked, "Why?"

I was thinking, "Oh, boy. First he asks someone to marry him and now he is going to date bimbos!"

Then he restated, "Why do men like women with death?"

2009-10-14T11:40:00.001-05:00

Love is a great motivation. Yesterday Christopher spent a lot of time composing a note. He sounded out words, wrote letters down, asked Aaron and Shannon for help. The note? It read, "Kristen, I want to marry you. Christopher." The boy who usually forgets everything remembered to give it to her at school today. :)

2009-10-14T07:43:00.001-05:00

Today Christopher asked today if I would spike up his hair with jello. Hmm...because it was morning it took me a while to get that he wanted gel.

2009-10-11T08:32:00.001-05:00

Shannon: I want to be a shark! Then I would be rich.

Mom: Why?

Shannon: Because sharks lose their teeth all of the time!

2009-10-11T07:02:00.002-05:00

Donut Day - Page 3

The final tally:

Dad - 7

Mom - 6

Aaron - 8

Shannon - 3-1/2

Chris - 4

2009-10-11T06:42:00.002-05:00

Donut Day - Page 2 Aaron and Shannon each brought a lunch box to school with 3 donuts in it. Shannon had two halves left and Aaron had nothing.
Undaunted, the boys have a Donut snack mid-afternoon.

At dinner, Mom and Dad cave but the kids have more donuts!

2009-10-11T06:32:00.002-05:00

DONUT DAY!

Aaron was reporting to Leslie that he could eat donuts all day and never get tired of them. Leslie tried to tell him that he would get tired or sick if he tried it, but couldn't convince him with her words.
So, it was time for an experiment. And thus Donut Day was born.

The rules were simple. You could eat regular food and you could eat as many donuts as you wanted.

2009-10-09T07:22:00.002-05:00

Christopher is learning to Read and Write. Here are some of his first words.You may have to enlarge this. It is his first story.

In case you can't make it out, it says, "Once upon a time in China, Dad and Mom." Dad is the little brown guy. Mom is in yellow. Christopher is green, wearing overalls. Most of the page is jibberish, at least to me.

2009-10-08T21:16:00.000-05:00

Tonight I made some Greek meatballs for dinner. When Doug came home, Shannon told him we were having Greece meatballs. Imagine how that sounded! Actually, it was not far from the truth - they were deep-fried.

2009-09-27T19:11:00.002-05:00

Cuddles versus Green Thing

2009-09-26T18:42:00.002-05:00

Leslie is just smitten with our little kitten. Shannon would do anything to spend time with her.
You can't blame them. Go on and admit it.
You think she is too cute for words.

2009-09-21T19:40:00.002-05:00

Well....the latest in our cat news is this. (From Leslie)

Today when I was giving the cats some food in their cage, I was not careful enough. I had the garage door open and our big feral friend made a beeline for freedom. Ugh! So she is back in the world to make more kittens.

Cuddles, however, did not make it out. Because a kitten without a mommy is a hungry and sad one, we brought her right away to the humane league. (Yes, it is a she.) They told me that the three we brought the other day had a sad demise. She told me that if we wanted to see this one alive to go to a happy home, we needed to raise her up to two pounds before they would take her. Since she is about 3 weeks old, that will be another 4 - 6 weeks. Did we want to be foster parents?

Yes! We went to Petsmart and got kittie food, formula, bottle, litter. Doug just laughed when I told him why dinner would be late. After dinner we gave her a hot bath and picked off her fleas. She enjoyed a yummy chicken/formula slurry and is now asleep on my arm as I write this. I am smitten. Somebody is going to get a great kitten.

2009-09-20T07:57:00.002-05:00

The Cat Diaries

So, the kids excitedly announced we had kittens one day. Apparently, their mama was nesting them under our shed. Initially, we saw two kittens.

Leslie went out to get a trap for Mama, while I donned orange rubber gloves and performed a kitten extraction of the THREE kittens hiding under the shed.
They were so cute, the kids wanted to keep them. But we have allergies to cats. And I have an allergy to cat attitudes. So, off they went to the humane league (hopefully to be adopted.)

That night, Mama made her way into our trap with kitten number FOUR. We gave them food and water and put towels under the cage.

We are trying to convince our friends to replace their old vicious cat with our cute little one (that Shannon named Cuddles.) If not, they both go to the Humane League tomorrow when they open.

2009-09-16T14:13:00.003-05:00

Leslie and her fried made an awesome centerpiece for the Fall Splash at church Sunday.It is an edible stream going down the fill. The trees are broccoli, the pier is carrots, the stones are mushrooms and the water is balsamic vinaigrette.
Can you see the boater paddling UPSTREAM?

It won first prize for creativity.

The Tea Party March

2009-09-14T06:02:00.001-05:00

I showed up not expecting a great crowd. I honestly thought it would be somewhere between 10,000 and 100,000. We showed up two hours before the march was going to start, but we saw Pennsylvania avenue clogged with marchers heading towards the Capitol while we were marching towards the meeting place. I thought something was wrong and we might miss it, but we had to stop at a store to use the restroom. Every store had a 10 minute wait to use the bathroom. E street was busy with marchers making their way to the meeting place.

When we finally arrived at the meeting place, we thought we would try to find the speakers that were to be there, but no one was speaking. Instead, we gawked and chatted with all the interesting folk and they with us. Many people asked if I was "really a doctor." Then they thanked me for coming. Most people were smiling and having a good time.

Two young ladies saw me taking a picture of a statue covered with protesters and asked me if they could interview me. They said they were working for a French news agency that would sell its story to outlets around the world. They were looking for a good soundbite and thought they had one when I said, "Obama is using doctor's compassion to sell Universal Health Care." So they taped me saying it. What I meant was he says people like Medicare, so government healthcare is a success. But he doesn't admit what all us physicians know is true: primary care docs lose money seeing Medicare patients. We do it out of a sense of community service. If everyone went "public option," all of us would have to close.

After 15 minutes, we figured out they weren't planning on doing any rallying at the meeting place as originally intended. As new people arrived, there was no room in the square for them. That is why the marchers were leaving the square two hours early. So we joined them. It was a very orderly and upbeat march. Several people stopped and thanked Dad for his service (he was in his Army uniform) and asked to take pictures of us with our signs.

When we arrived at the Capitol they ushered us onto the South lawn as the main area was already full by a longshot. It was about 10:30 or 11:00 and they already had speakers talking on the main stage. It was suposed to start at 1 pm, but the size of the crowd changed things, I believe. Over the next 4-5 hours several people asked if I was a doctor, thanked Dad for his service and took pictures of our signs.

The speakers were all limited to a couple of minutes. If they went long, the speakers started playing music to gently remind them time was up. Most had good things to say, some were great. The message was almost universally about taking our constitutional freedoms back from the federal government. It wasn't specifically about Obamacare for the most part. There were no superstars there to draw the crowd. Steven Baldwin may be the closest to that, but I didn't know he was coming. This was such a spontaneous grass-roots movement. Every sign was handmade except the 50-100 yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flags I saw.

At the end, we all peaceably disassembled. Dad and I were looking for trash to pick up, but there was none. People were very polite waiting in line at the port-a-potties. We got out of the city in about 30 minutes. Not bad.

All in all, I think we were all surprised at how many of us there were. I hope this leads to further action. Particularly I would like to see conservatives in the swing states get involved in the Republican political organization and generate rules to make sure there are no crossover liberals voting in our primaries jsut to ruin our choices. No more McCains!

Hope you will join us next year to tour DC a little and do the rally again. It will be a Congressional election year, and I hope the turnout will be even bigger.

2009-09-12T19:17:00.001-05:00

A successful day of lobbying for freedom at the Capitol

2009-09-11T21:52:00.000-05:00

Morrissey Men Prepare to March on Washington.

2009-09-09T06:38:00.001-05:00

First Day of School Little Bro saying goodbye.

2009-09-01T13:35:00.001-05:00

(This is Leslie)

Aaron was sharing with me about the importance of the sun yesterday. He said, "There are so many good things about the sun - it warms up the earth, it causes the plants to grow, it brings light - the only really bad thing is its ultra-violent rays!"

2009-08-25T07:24:00.001-05:00

My husband is really goofy. Early this morning, I groggily waited for the sink area. He was shaving, etc. He says, "Whatcha doin'?"

"Waiting for you."

"Monet didn't hurry the haystacks, Baby. That's what I'm talking about."

2009-08-25T07:21:00.001-05:00

So, my answering service sends a message: "Patient called with questions about swine flu" at 11:30 pm last night. When I call, she tells me, "I haven't had pork in a long time but I ate some tonight and now I am feeling queasy. What are the symptoms of swine flu anyway?" Man, that was hard to sound serious when I answered that one.

2009-08-14T23:00:00.001-05:00

The Classic Ride at Ocean City

2009-08-14T22:56:00.001-05:00

Amusement Park at Ocean City

We had a great time. But sometimes, that comes at a price!

2009-08-14T22:52:00.000-05:00

Ocean City Trip with Groffs and Schans

2009-08-14T22:42:00.001-05:00

Fun pics from the Grandparent Visit

2009-08-14T22:35:00.001-05:00

Buenger Reunion 2009

Fun N Games

2009-08-14T22:26:00.001-05:00

Buenger Reunion 2009

Amish Meal

2009-08-14T21:52:00.002-05:00

Buenger Reunion 2009

Amish Buggy Ride Video

2009-08-14T21:41:00.002-05:00

Buenger Reunion 2009

Amish Farm - Buggy Rides

2009-08-14T21:29:00.000-05:00

Buenger Reunion 2009

Visit to the Amish Farm

2009-08-14T21:27:00.000-05:00

Aaron's First Newspaper Appearance

2009-08-07T14:34:00.001-05:00

Today, I (Leslie) played tennis with my parents, Aaron and Doug. After a unique shot, Doug said, "I put a little Spanish on it. It's like English but with a beat."

2009-08-05T12:40:00.002-05:00

Chris shows off a trick:

Next week: learning to start pedaling again after the trick!

2009-08-01T11:16:00.002-05:00

A lively game of kickball with Morrisseys and Morris's.

2009-08-01T09:48:00.002-05:00

Kick it in Luke!

2009-08-01T09:24:00.002-05:00

Chris and his cousin, what's her name?

2009-08-01T09:15:00.002-05:00

Buenger Reunion 2009

We are blessed to have many of the Bingers out to Lititz for a mini-reunion this weekend. Here is the handsome bunch lounging on our back porch (a favorite activity both Thursday and Friday nights.)

The weather has been beautiful both nights and the children took advantage of it outside.Many thanks to Patricia and everyone else for helping to make it a wonderful time for all of us.

2009-08-01T09:10:00.001-05:00

More Random Pics

Bullet Man

I guess the bullets are more accessible in a fight this way. But ripping them off to load the gun might be a bit distracting. Who needs an occasion to snap a shot of these beauties?

2009-08-01T09:03:00.002-05:00

Random Pics

Chris and Daisy

Happy healthy meal
Ducklings at Lititz Springs Park are always a hit.

Shannon likes them.

Kaylie reminiscing about her own high chair days.

Obamacare Revealed

2009-07-24T07:33:00.001-05:00

Most people, in their accusations, reveal more about themselves than their opponents.

Perhaps Obama can't imagine that in the pursuit of a career anyone could possibly seek that happy coincidence when one does what is economically suitable for oneself and at the same time increases most the satisfaction of mankind. Nevertheless, that is the only enduring principle by which a small business owner like myself can prosper.

Communists claim that only government can restrain the tyrannical forces of capitalism from ravaging the citizenry for the benefit of the powerful few. Real life has proven it is quite the opposite.

2009-07-05T07:26:00.002-05:00

The Independence Day Celebration

continued with a little fun on the playground.

Some of the beautiful 7000 candles on the Lititz Springs Stream

A 30 minute fireworks display set to music was awesome!

2009-07-04T22:32:00.004-05:00

We enjoyed our first ever visit to the famous Lititz 4th of July celebration.

There was face painting. Shannon's is a fairy. Chris's is a spider.
There were inflatables.

2009-07-04T11:18:00.003-05:00

To start our Independence Day,

We biked down to the Lititz Farmer's Market,

where independent farmers are celebrating their last few days before they are absorbed into an Obama commune.
We enjoyed some light cherries and pickled asparagus by the stream on one side of the market.
Can you find the five differences between these two photos?

OK, that was just a joke.

Here we are biking home. Speaking of independence, Aaron learned to ride a bike with just two wheels yesterday, so this was his first ride free of training wheels.

2009-06-30T18:21:00.000-05:00

The Belly Full of Jelly concept originated entirely during a peanut butter and jelly sandwich-making time.

2009-06-30T16:27:00.003-05:00

WORLD PREMIERE

A Belly Full of Jelly

(Say That Three Times Fast)

2009-06-29T06:14:00.002-05:00

While at the Magic House in St. Louis, we had fun with the Van de Groff generator.

Shannon

Cousin Carly

2009-06-28T19:36:00.003-05:00

While at the reunion Christopher learned a new skill

2009-06-28T19:30:00.002-05:00

More Morrissey Reunion

Here is Aaron and Brianna playing football with Uncle Troy Whoonu was a hit game.The "About 40" crowd enjoyed games late into the night

at the Days Inn (the shot is blurry to emulate their

bleary-eyed, giggly stupor as they played golf.)

The best photos were all taken by Uncle Jim and other photographers more serious than I. So contact them if you want all the posed shots and great candids, too.

2009-06-28T19:24:00.003-05:00

Jerry Morrissey Family ReunionFriday Night, Brother-in-Law Troy

got us these awesome seats at the

Cardinals game

The Big Event Was Saturday at the

St. Michaels' gym. Most of Grandpa's 98

descendents were there.Needless to say, all that fun makes for tired kids.

For Those Brave Enough to Handle the Truth About Global Warming

2009-06-18T20:24:00.001-05:00

http://joannenova.com.au/global-warming/

2009-06-14T18:33:00.002-05:00

My Woodworking Project is Done. Hello summer!

1-1/2 years ago, Leslie asked me to make a homework center for the children to replace the microwave cart and boxes we were using to store their papers, colors and laptop.
It is made out of solid cherry with a clear Watco Danish Oil finish.

The drawer slides are hidden under the drawers. The joints are either fitted and glued or glued and screwed with hidden pocket-hole screws.

The kids are glad to have their daddy back on his days off!

2009-06-13T17:09:00.001-05:00

More pics from Christopher's Bday party.

Pinata. Pirate Mask (from the cake)

Cake and a friend.

Water Fight!!

2009-06-13T17:00:00.002-05:00

Christopher's Birthday Party

He turned 5 Thursday. The Dance Game

Grandpa Glover and Big Sis Shannon

They loved my swingset. That rocks!

Eating up the Rock Wall.

2009-06-13T16:37:00.002-05:00

Men's Ministry Outing to see the County-Famous

Lancaster Barnstormers

The UrbansThe seats
The Box

Cylo Visits the Bewersdorffs

2009-06-13T16:15:00.002-05:00

Pedal to Preserve

Our good friend, Frank Bewersdorff, of Berg Toys, invited us to show off their cool Go-Kart/Cycle things. What is almost better, we did it for a worthey cause - the Lancaster Farmland Trust, which raises money to buy and preserve farmland in our county.
Water Stop.
That last hill was a tough one.We had bagels before and hot dogs afterwards at the pavilion.

Thanks again, Frank!

2009-05-31T19:43:00.002-05:00

On Graduation Day from preschool, Chris showed his affection for his many friends.

2009-05-31T19:35:00.002-05:00

We went to a nearby wolf sanctuary.Everyone has been getting restless for a dog. But we won't be ready to buy one until next Spring. So we borrowed Ginger from the Brown family for a weekend.

2009-05-31T19:26:00.003-05:00

Anniversary Weekend

A beautiful Swiss Bed & Breakfast for 2 nights away from the kids. That is a way to celebrate 15 years of blissful marriage.

They had beehives. We bought some of their honey.

2009-05-18T15:56:00.000-05:00

Today Shannon was trying to convince me to let her keep her room messy. She was not making much headway, so she said, "Just a second!" and ran away. She returned with a stool and a plastic cup. Standing on the stool in front of me, she continued to debate the issue, making sure to speak into the cup for a more important voice. Although it was in vain, it was certainly a valiant effort on her part!

2009-05-16T16:40:00.001-05:00

Just some cut pics of Christopher

2009-05-16T10:33:00.004-05:00

Amazing Love

Shannon was showing off some moves she learned on the rings at gymnastics. She was doing it at home on the rings I installed on our swingset. Unfortunately, she lost her group while inverted and came down hard on her head, injuring her neck.

She was scared and could hardly breathe. Her mom and I tried to comfort her but she left us and found solace elsewhere.

Maybe she knew she would get empathy from the guy who fell headfirst on to steel cellar doors from his second story window on Easter.

2009-05-10T13:38:00.002-05:00

Kissel Hill Open House

Aaron's desk - with an imaginary space future.

Leslie lifts the flap on Aaron's planet display.
Pretty kitties

Shannon and Mrs. Brill,

her kindergarten teacher.

Pointing to her ladybug.

2009-05-10T13:10:00.001-05:00

It is a beautiful but windy spring day in Lititz.

Friends at Children's Church

Shannon printed this from the internet, colored it

and hung it in the basement to measure height.

She is so proud.

2009-04-26T16:24:00.002-05:00

Grandma Glover's Slip N Slide is a hit! Especially with a little modification.

2009-04-26T13:35:00.004-05:00

I take it that The Weather Channel either employs unsophisticated software or is being a little tongue-in-cheek in acknowledgement of meteorology's reputation for inaccuracy.

Note the temperature reported for the moment is 1 degree higher than the high temperature reported for today.

I think this is from the same web site that displays the headline "Global Warming Will Kill Us All Soon," right above the news report that there has been global cooling over the last decade.

2009-04-12T08:56:00.002-05:00

Easter Fun!

2009-04-10T16:05:00.002-05:00

After carving some meat off this turkey leg for the kids' dinner, Leslie exclaimed, "It looks like a turkey!" So, we now witness Leslie's first foray into a new facet of her artistry: sculpture. They always move when the camera comes out. But it was cute seeing Chris use Shannon as a pillow.

2009-04-10T15:54:00.003-05:00

Youth Convention 2009

Upstream members made it to the Giant Center OK

Found good seats.

One Person likes to be in the camera's viewfinder a lot.

Awesome Worship. Great Sermon. Aftermath.

2009-04-02T21:20:00.001-05:00

Alright, the photo man has done his stuff but he wasn't around here for these stories.

I try to meditate a little each day - nothing mystical - just to calm myself down to a normal-person pace. Well, I keep falling asleep when I meditate in the afternoon. Doug said, "Why don't you try in the morning?"

"Sure, good idea, " I said. Well, this morning Aaron was off to school, Christopher was ready for the day and playing, and Shannon was still in bed. (This is typical.) So I go in my room for my peaceful time. Wouldn't you know it, I ended up back in bed! Shannon comes knocking on my door and says in a plaintive voice, "Mommy, can you get me breakfast?" Of course I hop right out with a big smile, right? No! I say, "Shannon, you can get yourself cereal or a bagel, OK?" Very obediently and cluelessly she went away. (She has never gotten herself breakfast before.) I come down to find her eating a toasted bagel with butter. I was impressed. She said, "I decided on a bagel when Christopher agreed to take it out of the toaster for $2. Don't worry Mom, right after I eat I will pay him." Big grins from both. So who really needs a mom anyway?

Later, I was cutting down some dry ornamental grasses in the front yard when I noticed a bunch of feathers. Looking closer, I discovered a clutch of beautiful eggs! Christopher and I were amazed. There was one shy of a dozen. I remembered a couple of ducks that wouldn't leave our yard the other day, so I guessed they belonged to them. Well, we had fun cracking one. I was a little scared - I didn't know if I would find a gooey egg or a half-developed embryo staring at me. It looked like a regular unfertilized gooey egg. So what do you think I did? That's right, I had Christopher wash them and put them in our fridge. I looked duck eggs up on the internet (What did we do before the net?) and found that ours were indeed duck eggs. And you can eat them, the same as chicken eggs. (You can also eat them if they are pre-hatched chicks - it's supposedly an Asian delicacy full of protein. Sounds like a bunch of down and bones to me. Yuck.) Well, we are going to eat them tomorrow. Wish us luck!

2009-04-02T20:42:00.000-05:00

Shannon lost a tooth!

2009-04-02T20:33:00.002-05:00

Shannon created a library in our family room. She is readin a story to one of her patrons. I don't know what Chris is, but he sure is a good one.

One of my patients saw this scene as he drove by the house the other day. He threatened to report me for violating child labor laws. I am not worried, though. I think in order to violate those laws you have to pay the children for the work.

Chris is a big boy and doesn't need a nap. Instead, he goes to his room after lunch every day for room time. Here he is playing in a box.

2009-04-02T20:24:00.002-05:00

Mom gets a standing O for her great pancakes!
On a sweltering day in early March (it was 60 degrees!) we had to head to the park for a pre-Spring outing.

Chris and Aaron display their Lego armada.

2009-03-21T20:31:00.002-05:00

Bowling Bonanza

I had quite a night at Dutch Lanes tonight. The Men's Ministry from Lifespring Fellowship headed there for a friendly contest and now think I am the biggest sandbagger in the County.

After complaining repeatedly about my sore arm and cut thumb knuckle from replacing a water heater today (another story), I managed to score the best total of my life: 199.

What was more amazing was that I finished the last 5 frames with 5 strikes in a row. What? I never get two strikes in a row!

But what blows me away even more is something I didn't realize until I showed my score sheet to Leslie when I got home. They set up the pins 11 times for me. And out of 110 pins, I only left 3 standing. Three.

So, I have officially retired from bowling. I am going to end on this one.

2009-03-18T17:12:00.002-05:00

More cell phone pics.

On a date at Chuck E Cheese, a boy from another family cut in and stole Shannon's attention. They met in those tubes up near the ceiling and she asked him to play air hockey. They even got a sketch done together in one of those 25 cent photo booths. Sigh. Leslie admiring the beautiful free range turkeys at the local humane animal farm which is now the sole source of our eggs.
Witness the happy sheep in the background.

It was a cold day so the kids sought shelter in the trunk of Dad's new car.

Did I say new car? Yes, Dad's 20 year old Toyota bit the dust Friday morning on highway 30. The local car dealer (a 5 minute walk from home) was happy to sell us this Pontiac G6. They sure made a lot of improvements in 16 years. (The new car is a 2006.)

Sunroof, leather interior, dual heated front seats, remote start, V6 engine.

My opinion: it rocks!

2009-03-18T17:05:00.002-05:00

Cell Phone Phots

My life is now managed by a 4.5 X2.5 X 0.5 inch package. It is a Samsung Saga and it is my phone, calendar, Bible, pager and... camera.

These photos aren't as good as our standalone camera's. But they are more spontaneous

Shannon and Chris at the car wash. Chris painted up after a visit to Hands on House.

Leslie disappointed Kristin won't look at the camera at the Newsboys concert.

2 mebers of Upstream also at the Newsboys concert.

(Upstream is the name of our youth group.)

More Upstream members at the concert.

2009-03-13T11:28:00.005-05:00

Lately, I (Leslie) have been learning a few things about animals that we eat. I thought I would share them with you. My first question was, "How smart are the animals that we consume?"

I started with the very slanted PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) website, and followed their references to what I considered good evidence. This usually meant results from published scientific experiments, but I also included a bit of corroborated anecdotal evidence.

Here are soe animal traits I came up with. If it is uninteresting to you, scroll down to hear what might be shocking information about how your chicken dinner is raised.

_________________________________________________________

Chickens
Object permanence
Complex social order and can recognize each other by face
24 distinct cries, including whether a predator comes by land or sea
Jesus mentioned parallel of him to hens gathering chicks under her wings
Crafty – can repeatedly sneak up and scare animals for fun

Turkeys
Enjoy having feathers stroked
Enjoy music and will sing along quite loudly

Fish
Have similar nervous system to birds and mammals; will produce neurotransmitters like endorphins to relieve suffering just like we do
Will avoid situations that produce pain, and not just as a reflex response. They remember and learn from past experiences and will change response to circumstances.
When subjected to stress, they may engage in a “rocking motion” similar to stressed mammals
Some fish use sounds in anticipation of pain, such as a net dipped in tank or an electric shock
Can use tools
Have impressive long-term memories, matching or exceeding non-human primates. At least 3 months time span.
Can tell what time of day it is, and can be trained to press a lever for food at those times.
Can learn escape techniques by watching other fish in their group
Can recognize fellow fish

Pigs
Smarter than dogs:
· they dream
· recognize their names and respond when called at 2 – 3 weeks of age
· play video games more effectively than some primates
· Capable of abstract representations
· Able to hold an icon in the mind and remember it at a later date
· Use clever ploys to outsmart each other
· Learn to modify their behavior to avoid being tricked
· Can signal their competitive strength and use this information to minimize overt aggression during social rank disputes
· Communicate constantly with each other and have over 20 identified vocalizations, from wooing mates to saying “I’m hungry.”
· Can remember events three years ago
· Have temperature preferences and can learn how to regulate heat in a barn by turning thermostat on or off
· Good sense of direction – can find their way home over long distances
· Unlike dogs, horses, or humans, pigs will not dangerously overeat

Just as friendly, loyal and affectionate as dogs
Many instances of pigs rescuing humans
Piglets run to their mother’s voices
Mother pigs sing to nursing young
Very clean – will not excrete near where sleep or eat

-__________________________________________________

Isn't it amazing how smart animals can be? Especially PIGS!

I also learned that animals are often not treated very well. There are some laws to ensure a bit of humanity to livestock, but in my opinion not enough. For example, meat is considered pure even if the animals are so top-heavy with growth-hormone-induced meat that they can't even support themselves on their four legs. And birds, such as turkeys and chickens, are not covered by the livestock laws. They are often the worst treated, in my opinion.

From what I know so far, cattle are transferred to a feedlot for the last portion of their lives to fatten up for our steaks. They are kept in unnaturally close quarters and stuffed with as much grain as they can handle. Because grass is their natural diet, the corn that they eat makes them sick. For that and for the fact that they are living in close quarters, they are given antibiotics in their food to prevent the spread of disease. Doesn't sound like a good end of life to me.

When you read this next bit about pigs, think about your dog. Pigs, after all, are generally smarter and would make very good pets too, if they weren't so big. (Think pot-bellied pig.)

For a pig destined for slaughter, its life usually begins with a series of mutilations. Its teeth are blunted, its ears are cut down, its tail is chopped off, and it is castrated - all without any painkillers. Its life is spent within the confines of bars that don't enable it to turn around. They can hardly stand under their drug-induced weight, and they don't see the sun until they are packed extremely tightly in a truck bound for the slaugherhouse. According to the industry, 400,000 pigs were unable to walk themselves off the trucks last year. But they still have good meat, so there is no incentive to change the system. I can't imagine my old dog, Penny, living a life like that.

I will comment on one more animal - chickens. They are perhaps treated the worst. They, too, are castrated, and also have their beaks chopped down. Without painkillers. The beak-chopping is because conditions are so bad that they will peck others to death if the beaks were at full-length. They are kept in tight cages all their lives without the ability to even spread their wings. They never get to move around or see the sun either. They are tremendously fattened with hormones and antibiotics too.

What is so sad to me is that these animals cannot engage in their natural behavior. Chickens cannot brood over any eggs or gather together any chicks. Like pigs raised for slaughter, they cannot roam around a yard and feel the sun on their backs.

Because of all this I have been learning, we have decided we cannot support these industries with our money. Because we love meat and we know that we are all destined to die anyway, we are going to keep eating it. We are just going to buy meat and eggs as humanely-raised as possible. We are blessed to have several farms near us that support this method of raising food, and we have visited one so far. Shannon and Christopher were tickled to see some turkeys, geese, and sheep running around. The turkeys, especially, were absolutely beautiful. Very unlike the turkeys in the mainstream industry. They all looked happy and had plenty of room.

Yes, it is more expensive. We can eat vegetarian some of the time too. As it says in the Bible,

in Proverbs 12:10, "A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel." God cares when animals are treated well.

I am going to keep learning about this some just to make sure we are basing our decisions on the truth of the situations. For example, I suspect that many of the dairy cows around here are happy. If it seems that this is true after I do some research, we will keep drinking regular milk.

For now, we will stick to pastured pork, grass-fed beef, and pastured or free-range chickens.

2009-02-26T14:52:00.002-05:00

Today I made biscotti.

After dinner, Aaron kept asking for Boticelli. It took me a while to realize that he didn't have a budding interest in Italian art.

2009-02-14T23:52:00.002-05:00

STOP! Remember, this is a blog and it goes in reverse chronological order. So, if you want to read about our trip, go down to Feb 6 to start and work your way up. Thank you for your attention.

Saturday, February 14 – Trip Home

We managed to finagle tickets to depart the boat in the latest group. And we were absolutely the last people out of the dining room after breakfast. At 9 am, they called for our group to leave the boat. We will always have fond memories of the cruise, like the animal towel sculptures we found on our beds every evening. We always walked back to our stateroom after dinner in eager anticipation to see what the attendant had done.
The trip home was smooth but long. And we arrived to snow! Now, I just have 9 days of mail and email to sort through. That is right, I didn't connect to the internet even once while I was gone. Good thing I took Monday off!

2009-02-14T23:37:00.003-05:00

Friday, February 13 – Cruise Day Six

We had a great time enjoying the various amenities on the ship today. We took the children ice skating in the morning. (Sorry, no pics.) Aaron wanted to be in Adventure Ocean every minute he could. Shannon was still a little under the weather, but hung out with us and enjoyed our presence. Chris wanted to swim, jump, climb and eat. Doug and Leslie broke away for a few hours of together time in the afternoon. Doug took an extremely rare nap. We truly enjoyed the day.