Wednesday: Washing Glass

Keith finally finishes washing the glass in his shop as he prepares to start a huge stained glass window for our doctor. These are large glass "stones" he rinsed before finding a spot for them in the newly-built and organized shelves.

My apologies for not posting for a week. Life has been busy and I although I was obviously taking photos, I just didnt have time to edit and post, so this whole page is all new. Since I joined the 365 project late because of lack of a camera, I'm still at it. My last day will be March 19, I believe. Then I'll post as I feel like it. Until then, I'd LOVE some encouragement to keep going ... "encouraging words" are my "love language" after all.

Tuesday: All in a Row...

In the Nine West Outlet as I browsed for shoes... thank goodness for four Nintendo DS's. They make shopping with four kids a breeze.

Monday: Reflections after the Storm

We had rain, rain, rain all weekend. On Monday the clouds cleared a bit, and I discovered that a large puddle had formed in the center of the meadow. I slogged through some mud and took some photos of the mountains reflected in the rather large puddle. And this one was my favorite....

Sunday: Happy Birthday, Mr. William!

William, our illustrious Sunday School teacher, was feted with a round of "Happy Birthday" by the class. And our head elder gifted him with this oh-so-fashionable birthday headpiece which, I must admit, was a bit distracting as William taught us Matthew 26.

Saturday: Reading, Reading, Reading....

I spent all day on Saturdau reading the second half of Dicken's Great Expectations for our Logos group discussion on Sunday after church. So this is where I spent my entire afternoon and evening ... all the way until 3 a.m., in fact. But I finished it! And it was very cosy, curling up under the beautiful prayer quilt made for me by the seamstresses of Lake Murray as part of their prayer quilt ministry.

Friday: B and Fr. Acker

After the Friday Healing Service this morning, Father Acker presented B with a Jerusalem cross necklace in celebration of B's baptism. B really loves it, even if he has to look into the sun for this photo....

Thursday: Dobby

E fell in love with a puppy at the animal rescue portion of our local pet store. She named him "Dobby" immediately and wanted him dreadfully (something that happens every time we set foot in the store, actually, although she took to him more strongly than usual). But for right now, one doggie is enough.

She eventually wants to volunteer at the Alpine Animal Jungle, and, when she's old enough, perhaps even work there. The owners live in our town and are really wonderful people.

Science in the Balance

T had to make a scale for his and J's physical science curriculum. They're really enjoying balancing how many popped popcorn kernels it takes to balance two small weights. The answer: 18 popcorns. Science at its yummiest!

Eager Students....

Yes, Dash and T are both quite excited about today's history lesson: the medieval monasteries and the methods of making books and illuminating manuscripts in the Middle Ages. Well, at least they look thrilled!

Winter's Back

After the sunshine and spring-like warmth of the last few days, the winter weather returned today. Rain -- drizzle, really -- dominated the day, and the clouds were simply stunning as I drove "down the hill" today.

AFC Championship Game

The corner of Main and Magnolia is probably the busiest intersection in El Cajon, my hometown -- population 100,000+ and fifteen miles east of downtown San Diego. And why is this intersection deserted at noon on a fine Sunday afternoon? The AFC Championship game, featuring our beloved San Diego Chargers.



But the Chargers' Superbowl dreams died a cold death on the New England field. Congrats to the Patriots for going 18-0, but still, the Chargers have only been in the Superbowl ONCE: 1994. And they lost. We would have loved to have had our turn winning the trophy and rings. Just once.

There's always next season, I guess....

B's Baptism

Pastor Nathan questions B about his faith in Christ just before baptizing him in the Reynolds' jacuzzi this gorgeously warm January day.

If you'd like to see my post about B's baptism, click here to see my regular blog: Meditative Meanderings.

Friday: Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright

This tiger has always been E's favorite at the mall's indoor carousel, but every single time she's ridden the carousel, someone has snatched the tiger before she has. So she's never ridden him, beautiful though he is. I love his snarl and claws -- beautiful!

Tyger, Tyger burning bright
In the forest of the night.
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
-- William Blake

Thursday: January in Southern California

Aren't you East Coasters a wee bit jealous of January in San Diego County? Yep, temps in the high 70s forced me to turn on my car's AC today on the way home from shopping. Alas, a cold Alaskan storm is on its way by Tuesday, and much rain and possibly snow will be our lot by Tuesday. But until then, we'll take sunshine and palm trees. Julie -- these palms are for YOU, girlfriend!

Boys on Scooters

I tossed all three boys outside to enjoy the brisk winter winds and the weak sunshine. It was too nice a day for X-Box to be their only fun. T was soon outside drawing Star Wars dudes in sidewalk chalk on the large slab, and before long, the scooters were up-and-going. Enjoy the sunshine, boys!

Tuesday: Norm Daniels, The Surfer's Impressionist

This month our creative arts council hosted Norm Daniels as our Featured Artist. He paints in oils, and specializes in Plein Air Impressionism, specifically surfing and island paintings. Here he shows a few of his works, discussing how he painted each one. Norm and Keith knew each other in college, so that's a fun connection, plus Norm now works at the Christian Camp in our small town. He's a fun guy to talk to ... he's just great!



Norm also painted a work for us, talking the entire time, barefoot in deep winter. Here's he's working from a sketch of the Hotel del Coronado; many of his works are of Balboa Park scenes as well. He says he must paint barefoot. Currently his work is selling quite well from a gallery (McKibben Studios) in Corona Del Mar. If you'd like to see more of his work, check out this link right here.

While painting, Norm quoted, "Painting is just a series of corrections." He also said, "I want to paint on purpose," something he doesn't always do, I guess. He's a quick painter, spending an hour or two on a painting at most. We all sat there, watching him and asking questions while he painted such an amazing painting -- so freeform, so quick, and definitely barefoot. My favorite thing he said last night was: "I have two kinds of clothes: those with paint on them, and those that are gonna have paint on them." Norm Daniels lives art -- gotta love his passion in his laid back surfer dude way.

I'll post a few more photos on my Extras Blog if you want to see more of Norm at work.

House at Dusk

Early morning and late afternoon are my favorite times in the mountains. I just love dusk ... when the shadows deepen and the sky turns the most amazing colors ... when the air cools to briskness and the scent of pines stings the inside of my nose.

Yep. Dusk. When I truly love living 3700 feet above the city.

Sunday: Late Afternoon Freeway

The boys and I headed back down the mountain in the late afternoon for Lake Murray's semi-annual church potluck and business meeting. With kielbasa and rice in my best blue serving bowl riding shotgun, I reached over and snapped this one-handed, trying to capture the golden sun hitting the mountains. Not quite successful, this was the best of the shots....

Friday: T and Ronald

E's rat, Ronald, a.k.a. Ronnie, is a cute little thing, for a rat. He has taken a real liking to T as well as to E, and T likes to walk around with Ronnie on his shoulder, neck, or arm. I think Ronnie is cute, but I don't like him on me for too long as I don't appreciate rat pee or poop on my clothing or skin....

Thursday: Class Day

This is the main patio at our Class Day venue: Del Cerro Baptist Church in San Diego. On the level below are two playgrounds and a volleyball court along with a dozen classrooms, and on this main level are at least a dozen more classrooms. There's even a third level up the stairs from the patio where some of the high schoolers have their classes. It's a great place for Class Day, and although Class Day is a lot of work for all involved, the kids really enjoy it despite their initial reluctance. E is taking biology lab and self-defense, and the boys are taking art and PE, plus B takes science, J cooking, and T chess. And I teach two high school writing classes: Intermediate Writing (college prep high school expository writing) and Advanced Writing (honors/AP high school expository writing). Class Day has become a welcome change in our schedules every other week, and we're all enjoying it more than we thought we would.

Winter Sunset Across the Meadow

Tuesday: A Patient Pup

What our beloved pets allow us to do to them... poor Santa Dash!

Fridge Photos

Each Epiphany as we store our Christmas things for another year, we take a last look through our Christmas cards, and we put new photos up on our fridge. Some are missionaries to pray for; others are friends we see seldom but hold close in our hearts. Some are family members, including my nephew Steven now in Iraq, and others are my closest friends from church and even from college and grad school days. Vera (godmother to all four kids) and her family are pictured in the lower right corner. These photos remind me of people we love and also remind me to pray for them regularly.

Epiphany

In honor of Epiphany, I photographed one of our "wise guys" (as my brother used to call them when we were kids) before the kids and I packed away all the Advent and Christmas things this afternoon after church. Whew! I'm exhausted....

A blessed Epiphanytide to all! May we all seek the face of God as the wise men did, so long ago.

Twelfth Night

The Advent candles, which we enjoy fully-lit throughout Christmastide, are lit for the last time tonight, the Twelfth Night of Christmas.



At the Twelfth Night party at Victoria House, Father Acker, his wife Alice, and other Anglicans (the kids tossed theirs on first) toss greenery onto the fire (inside tonight because of the raging storm) to symbolize the light of Christ going out into the darkness of the world. We prayed the Evening Office of Prayer before the "bonfire" and enjoyed sherry and trifle -- oooh-so-British -- afterward. (Alice makes the BEST trifle -- I've been looking forward to it all winter.) A lovely way to ring out Christmastide and welcome the season of Epiphany!

Friday: Rain Through Window

The view from the window next to my desk as blessed, needed, prayed-for rain finally arrives ... thanks be to God!

Catching Up....

E has some literature to catch-up over the break. So while she studied her Greek and Roman mythology and I checked her answers to the SMARR questions, I read the Rule of St. Benedict. Not a bad way to spend a gray afternoon....

Carnivore on the Prowl....

Dash lies in wait as Keith slices stew beef ... one never knows when a piece of meat may just SLLIIPPPP! off the cutting board for this waiting carnivore....

New Years Day at Cabin

This afternoon the kids and I drove up the mountain to my parents' little cabin on Mount Laguna where we met up with my brother, his wife, and their kids, plus my mom's cousin and his wife for chili, cornbread, cheesecake, and games. Before we spent a good couple of hours playing Apples to Apples with much laughter, all six of the cousins were lined up on the sofa, playing games on their Nintendo DS's.

New Year's Eve

Thanks to Keith and I coming down with colds, we had to cancel woth our friends who were supposed to come over for board games this New Year's Eve. Teri's having surgery on Thursday and can't chance becoming ill. So just the five of us (the four kids and I) played games all evening, with T winning at Clue (Mrs. White in the Billiard Room with the lead pipe), and myself winning at Pirates of the Caribbean Life as Will Turner, Landlubber. We had fun playing games while consuming the various delicious snacks provided by Keith. After the younger two went to bed at 11:30, E and I played a final game of Set before ringing in the New Year.