Christmas Tidings ... Things Change, But Christ Is Always the Same

Whew! What a wonderful week!

Tuesday we had my niece, Carla, and her family over for lunch.

Wednesday afternoon we spent with my niece, Ginger, and her family. Curt, John, Ginger, and I all visited indoors while the young people all played football outdoors! The weather was great, about 60 degrees, and it just seemed a perfect Christmas Eve.

That evening we had a Christmas Eve service at our church, and my nephew, Johne, and Elly's friend, Willie, also came for services. We had a beautiful candlelight service! Then we (my family + Johne and Willie) came back home, ate dinner, played some games, and headed over to Hampton Park Baptist Church for their 11:00p.m. service. This is the "things change" part. Sadly, this was the last years we will be going to Hampton Park.

Years ago, Curt and I started attending Hampton Park's late Christmas Eve services. They were breathtaking for us. We would drive the 40 minutes to the church, wait in line with traffic to get a parking space, and finally be seated in the balcony. I loved the balcony! We could look down on the auditorium and see the sea of people below. The church would be lit by candlelight and white Christmas lights. The service consisted mainly of specials - solos, duets, trios, choir arrangements, instrumentals, and some congregational songs. The pastor would have a short message. At the very end of the choir songs, they would invite anyone in the audience who wanted to, to come up and join the choir and they would sing the Hallelujah Chorus. It was absolutely the best way ever to end a Christmas Eve. I loved hearing the sound of almost 1,000 people singing praises to God during the congregational songs. Sometimes I would just close my eyes and listen for a verse. We go to a very small Baptist church, only about 35-40 congregants, and so once a year hearing all those people sing together was really special. (I don't care for crowds, so I couldn't join a church that size, but for one day a year, I really loved it!) There were many years when we couldn't go because our church was having a late Christmas Eve service or some of our children were too small to take or someone would be sick, etc., etc. But any year we could go, we did go. It was always a highlight of the season for me.

However, in recent years, the late services have changed. We went a year or two ago to the 7:00 p.m. service and there were only about three specials and a few congregational songs, and a regular message. We figured the 7:00p.m. service was just different from the 11:00p.m., so planned on coming to the later one the next time. So, we did just that.

Imagine our surprise when we pulled into the parking lot and there were not more than 3 dozen cars there. Parking was certainly not a problem. We walked in, and the balcony was not a seating option. We entered into the main auditorium, and there was only a small crowd near the front. The decorations were still beautiful, as were the lights and the candles...but much of the element was gone without the throngs of people. Where was everybody? There were a few congregational songs, a couple of instrumental specials, a story reading, a solo, a really nice duet, and a short message. No choir songs. No choir. No Hallelujah Chorus.

They did serve the Lord's Supper....but in a way that made us rather uncomfortable. Again, I guess I can't really say it was wrong, and yet it just didn't fit into the way we've always seen it done, not just in my current church, but in other Fundamental Independent Baptist Churches. They had the elements at the front and it was a "serve yourself" situation...no formal blessing or prayer of thanksgiving for the juice or the bread, no final prayer of thanksgiving...it was just very different.

I make no apologies for being a Fundamental, Independent, KJV, Baptist. I am uncomfortable in "contemporary" services, and I really feel that's the trend Hampton Park has taken. The songleader was dressed casually, as was the pastor, who wore a suitcoat over a turtleneck...he looked nice, but it's not really my definition of pulpit-wear. Except for the congregational songs, I didn't recognize most of the specials. They were fine...I can't really say there was anything wrong with them....but they just weren't what I was used to hearing from previous years at that church. And, their verses on the walls....are no longer in the KJV. As I looked around and considered the HUGE loss in attendance over what I remembered and enjoyed from previous years, I can't help but wonder if their shift to a more contemporary service has been a poor choice for them.

Regardless, Christ is Always the Same - Yesterday, Today, and Forever! He will never disappoint us, though our friends, families, ~ and churches ~ may from time to time. We still had a wonderful day. I'm still thankful we got to hear the Word preached and Christ proclaimed. I'm so thankful Christ was willing to leave the splendor of Heaven and come to earth to save sinful mankind. I'm so thankful I don't have to pay for my own sins - that Christ was willing to suffer my awful punishment for me, so that I might one day spend eternity with Him in heaven. If you are reading this and you are not saved - I beg you to confess your sins to God and ask Christ to save you. Believe in your heart that God has accepted Christ's death as payment for your sin, that Christ resurrected from the dead and sits on the right hand of the Father in heaven, and that by trusting in Christ, we are assured of a home in Heaven if we but repent and believe.

Christmas Day, we had a wonderful time! We slept in late, made lunch, had Willie come for lunch and to spend the afternoon and evening with us (he even made a homemade cheesecake for us! YUM!), ran by my niece's house for a quick hello and a game of football (again!) and then ran back to the house because my oldest daughter, Ginni, and her husband, Scott, were coming over for the evening with the children, my grandson, Austin, and my granddaughter, Danica. Ginni worked really hard making a lot of homemade gifts for her siblings - she's becoming quite the seamstress! We had a lot of fun, and after Ginni and Scott went home, Willie stayed and we all put a puzzle together until two in the morning!!! It was a really, really nice way to spend the evening. We all had a wonderful day!

Friday, we went over to Marlee and Taylor's house (another niece of mine!) for dinner. We got to see Susan and Joey, just back from their honeymoon. It was really a lot of fun. We ate, played a game, had a family devotional, visited...all around a great evening.

Well, as you can see, we managed to s-t-r-e-t-c-h Christmas over 4 days! We sure praise the Lord for all His blessings!

Sneak Peek at Sue's Wedding Photos

The Joiners were wonderful! They sent me a few photos to pick from in order to include one family photo in our Christmas Kappenman Chronicles. So - I'm sharing with all of you! (I'm pathetic - we rarely have a family photo taken so I rarely have one to send anyone!!!)

From left to right:

Our daughter Alyssa, Curt holding Gideon, Isaiah with Phoebe standing in front of him (she was a flower girl), me next to Isaiah, Susan (the blushing bride!) and standing behind her is Joey, the tall and gallant groom in gray; my son, C.J. in the black suit, my daughter Ginni in the back, my daughter Eleonore in the front, and Ginni's husband, Scott, holding their daughter, Danica. The only immediate family member not present in the photo is Ginni's son, Austin, who was unable to attend the wedding.

REDNECK YARD DECOR

I couldn't help myself. It began with an idea, then it verbalized itself as a joke. The next thing I knew, we were planning it out. Then CJ was off and running the execute the plan while Elly Jo was saying, "I cannot believe my family is going to do this!"

We've never done anything like this before. We may or may not ever do it again. But we did it this year. For those of you reading this post who are unfamiliar with our neighborhood, we live in a quiet residential area where each home sits on at least 1 acre of ground. The homes range in size from 1,400 sq.ft. to 2,400 sq.ft. The homes range in age from 30 years to brand new. There are no mobile homes here and they are almost all well kept and tasteful. Those who choose to decorate their homes exterior do it in a nice manner, as we have done in years past.

And then came The Idea.

Behold, our Redneck Christmas Sleigh. It begins with "Rudolph," our rototiller, swathed in red lights. The bicycles, lawnmowers, and other yard implements are all "reined" in together with strings of lights. The trailer, where we throw our trash until it goes to the dump once a month, is covered in netting lights.

No end of comments have been forthcoming since the arrival of the Redneck Sleigh in the Kappenman's front yard. The neighbors who have offered an opinion have laughed and said it's great! One of the guys from the fire department loves it. He said sometimes he drives by and just slows down to look at it. hee hee hee. I have to admit this is worth every laugh. I have no shame.

Two days ago, a red and white pickup pulled up in the driveway. Two gentlemen climbed out. The larger of the two greeted us with, "Are y'all the ones selling the lawnmowers out there?" We laughed and said no, that they were part of our yard decorations. He said, "You ain't sellin' them? Well you owe me a half a tank o'gas - I drove all the way from Spartanburg 'cause I heard you had a yard full of lawnmowers you were sellin'. Your sign out there says 'For Sale.' " Well, we explained that the HOUSE is for sale, not the lawnmowers. Disappointed, they drove away.

Well. That's it for now. Greetings from the Redneck Sleigh people!!!

Catching My Breath

Well, this has certainly been a busy and exciting past few weeks.

We worked a LOT on decorating and sewing and making sure everything would be perfect for Susan's big day - and it was! It was one of the lovliest weddings I've ever been to. Everything ran quite smoothly and I even got to watch them open their gifts!! How about that?! One of my pet peaves is that nobody opens their gifts at weddings anymore. But they did, and I was glad to be able to see what they received.

One of the sweetest things was watching them kiss after Pastor pronounced them man and wife. Prior to that moment, they had never kissed. They never even held hands while they were dating, believing the Scriptures to be true when it says it is good for a man not to touch a woman (who is not his wife). I believe God will honor their respect for one another during their courtship.

This topic actually was brought up recently among several young people with whom we are acquainted and/or related. Elly and one of her male cousins could honestly say they had never kissed anyone yetm surprising some of the others in the room. But both of them believe it will be the most special thing to wait and give their very first kiss to the one they will be with their entire lives. They are both waiting on the Lord to show them who that will one day be. Would to God more young people would feel the same way! I pray each of them will continue to stay true to their convictions. So many of us made so many mistakes when we were young. Now we see the error and folly of doing things our way instead of the way the Scriptures teach. Yet, there are still young people who refuse to learn from the mistakes of their elders, and simply repeat history's mistakes. It is very sad. Perhaps that is why in Scripture Wisdom is said to be such a prize - so few actually seek it.


We've been printing away on books for Martha - her Homekeepers Yearbooks are very popular, but they really only sell between November and February, so this is a busy printing time for us. I've also been happy to obtain several new editing clients!

Elly got her driver's license and has been driving herself everywhere! She works twice a week at GBS Lumber, so it's a blessing for her to be able to drive herself to and from work. CJ has his learner's permit and is looking forward to April - in SC there is a 6-month wait between permit and license.

Well, I've got to get supper on the table - it's Wednesday and prayer meeting will be in 45 mintues. There are number of things to be very thankful for tonight! My good friend, Gena, was robbed at her place of employment in broad daylight! They took her purse and the company's deposit. Praise the Lord she was not harmed!!!! Also, today, another friend from church, Marc, was driving on the highway and a semi changed lanes too quickly, causing a chain reaction in the drivers behind him. Marc didn't hit anyone else, but he did run into a cement wall in trying to avoid a collision. His car was totalled, but he is fine!! Praise the Lord again for His protection!!!

Til the next time....

SUPER SALE going on at: http://frommeandmyhouse.com

Hey everyone - there's a great sale going on from November 15-30th at the website of Me and My House, a great homeschooling resource, specializing in L.E.D. (Lifestyle Education through Discipleship). Plus, they are giving away a bunch of bonus gifts for ordering this month. Go to their website and check them out! They are big on bonuses - so if you've been looking for a good deal, time's a-wasting - head over to http://frommeandmyhouse.com today!

FREEBIE THIS MONTH!!!!

Hey Folks ~

I'm a big believer in celebrating one holiday at a time, and the next one is Thanksgiving. We each have much to be thankful for, and I encourage everyone to make a Blessings List and then sit down with your family and thank the Lord Jesus Christ for all the wonderful gifts He bestows on each of us.

So...I'm having a Thanks and Giving Giveaway! I'm truly thankful that the Lord has blessed our business this year. The extra editing customers I've picked up have been a real blessing to our home, as well. As many of you know, my husband was let go from his school district job this past June. He has decided to go back into business for himself, but as many of you also know, that can take a while to build clientele. So - the money we are making from editing and selling books and ebooks has really come in handy! SO --- since I'm thankful, I'm going to give something away!

I know many are thinking ahead to the holiday of Christmas, and because many do not have a lot of extra cash floating around for buying gifts, I thought I would help someone make a Merry Christmas for someone else! I may even do this a few more times between now and Christmas, with different products!

Between now and the end of November, I'm going to be collecting names for a drawing.
I'm going to be giving away a FREE BOY'S HANDYBOOK (value $19.95) to someone on the last day of this month (November 2008). Here's how to enter your name for the drawing:

Simply go to my website, www.kapandpen.com, and find a product you think looks interesting, or suggest an ebook idea you would be interested in seeing offered, and then leave me an email about it at kapandpen@bellsouth.net. In the subject box, put NOVEMBER FREEBIE so I can put all the replies in one folder. Make sure you sign your name so I know who goes with what email address!! One name will be chosen at random. Make sure you tell all your friends, relatives, co-workers, customers - whoever! - so they can participate, too!

If this goes well - look for more giveaways in December! The more emails I get....the more I'll give away!!!! Tell everyone!!!!

Going with God

Recently, there was a dear 69-year old lady in our church who passed away due to lung cancer. Mrs. Barbara Thompson was a tremendous blessing and an example of Christian character all the way to her last conscious moments.

Going to and from her radiation and/or chemotherapy treatments, she trusted the Lord He would do what was best for her - regardless of whether or not it was healing. She fully knew and understood that it might be God's will to allow this disease to bring her into His presence, and she accepted that with grace and dignity.

She told me once a few weeks ago that when she went in for her radiation treatments, there were all these sad and down-in-the-mouth cancer patients up there with her, waiting or receiving their treatments, too. She understood their sadness, but did not wish to participate in it. She said she'd march in there and say things like, "Hey - put on a happier face - we're gonna beat this together!" She said she tried to make the others smile and think about things beside the disease that was slowly killing them. She tried to tell them of the Lord and all that He's done for her.

Mrs. Thompson's trust in the face of death reminded me of another dear lady I had the privilege of knowing many years ago. Her name was Theresa Bartlett and she was one of the most godly women I've ever known. She developed leukemia when she was in her mid-40's. She would try and witness to the nurses and the doctors while she was in the hospital. When she wasn't really conscious and would mumble in her sleep, the nurses said she quoted Bible verses. I have a tape somewhere of her singing, and it still causes me to cry - I still miss her, and I can't wait to see her again!

What a Friend we have in Jesus - what joy and peace in knowing we will see our brothers and sisters in the Lord one day. As this old world becomes more and more ready to receive a decieving one-world leader, (anti-Christ), we know each day brings us closer to our forever home with Jesus! What a glad day of reunions that will be - seeing all our loved ones who died of diseases like cancer having brand new glorified bodies and running the streets of heaven!! And we'll have new bodies too-no more creaky joints and arthritic hands and glasses and dentures and whatever else we may have to deal with - everything will be new and maintenance-free!!!

If you think of it - please pray for Mr. Thompson. He's almost 89 and he's an incredible man, but he deeply misses Mrs. Thompson, and this time of transition will be very hard on him. I think he shows incredible character and strength...Barbara was his second wife; he buried his first wife when she was only 50. I couldn't help but think how terribly difficult it must be for him...having to go through the loss of a spouse not once, but twice in his lifetime. He's a very dear man - we are thankful we have the opportunity to know him and be his friend!

I wonder...

I wonder, Why do people use milk in their cold cereal and then throw away the milk? Do they do that with soup, too? Just eat the veggies and meat and pour the broth down the drain? What do they do with cream soups? Hmmm.

I wonder, Why do people sweat the little things? Why have a nervous breakdown over whether or not the purple shoes match precisely with the purple purse?

I wonder, Why cats scratch on the glass to be let in, and then turn around five minutes later and scratch on the glass to be let out? Can't they just stay one place or the other for a while?

I wonder, Why do dogs like to tear up trash bags and spread the contents around the neighborhood? Why can't they be happy with the food they receive?

I wonder, Why do Greenville technical colleges give passing grades to people who turn in papers with improper spellings, words that are not even words, missing punctuation, sentence fragments, sentence run-ons, and other general grammar mistakes?

I wonder, Why can't I ever find a pair of baby shoes? I have one baby in the house. He's not quite two. He owns several pairs of shoes. Well...that's not quite accurate. He owned several pairs of shoes. Now he owns several individual shoes that do not match. Where does the matching shoe go? One is a camoflage tennis shoe. I guess it's hiding from me.

I wonder, Do other moms wonder the same things? I suppose if my life was devoid of dogs, cats, and children, much of my wonderings would not exist. However, I wouldn't enjoy life if I had no children, so that's not an option. (The dogs and the cat, I have discovered, I could definitely live without. Especially when I had to lay out mouse traps recently. Helloooo? Cat? You are supposed to be earning your keep around here!!!)

Responsibility Bears the Pain

Ah youth! The crispness of the fall air, the leaves turning hues of orange at every turn of the head, the thrill of the souped-up go-cart...

My just about 18-yr old son, C.J., was taking our neighbor's son for a spin around the block. However, the go-cart is in need of a few minor repairs...and a new set of tires. Something with a little tread left on it would do nicely, I think.

Oh...I should mention that he rolled it once in our garden before he later took it for the spin around the block. The one his father has been telling him NOT to do....

Now, to misquote from a favorite ballad, "Then a whine and a jolt and a great roadside roar, and it laid my Curtis James on that cold asphalt floor."

Well, when the skidding stopped and the dust settled and my son and Eli crawled back up the hill, CJ was quite a mess. But he managed to walk back to the house.

I have to say, I'm very proud of him. No, not for crashing the go-cart (which actually doesn't even belong to us - he was fixing it for someone else!). But he showed a great deal of responsibility in relation to the neighbor's son. When he realized they were going to roll, he placed himself between Eli and the pavement. Eli sustained a few bruises; C.J. removed several layers of skin on the palm of his hand and on the backside of his leg. The pants were trashed, and we actually cut them up while he was in them so his sister could doctor his leg while I tended his hand. I was glad that he was concerned enough for Eli that he didn't want him to get hurt. Now... if only he had been thinking more responsibly before leaving the yard, he wouldn't have been hurt. But, I think he learned a valuable, albeit painful, lesson.

Funny Turkey Poem

From Lori Hayward:
Need a new Turkey recipe??
The turkey shot out of the oven
and rocketed into the air,
it knocked every plate off the table
and partly demolished a chair.
It ricocheted into a corner
and burst with a deafening boom,
then splattered all over the kitchen,
completely obscuring the room.
It stuck to the walls and the windows,
it totally coated the floor,
there was turkey attached to the ceiling,
where there'd never been turkey before.
It blanketed every appliance,
It smeared every saucer and bowl,
there wasn't a way I could stop it,
that turkey was out of control.
I scraped and I scrubbed with displeasure,
and thought with chagrin as I mopped,
that I'd never again stuff a turkey
with popcorn that hadn't been popped.

Excellent blog post on vaccines - see link

This was a very well presented article. It states both sides of the vaccine issue, yet stresses the point that deciding whether or not to vaccinate should be a PARENTAL choice not a governmental mandate.

Here's the link: http://www.parentalrights.org/blog/parents/vaccines-autism-and-parents#comment-39749

If you want to take about 6 mintues of your day to read this, it's a good article.

I'm a firm believer that this is a choice issue. If you feel, (after doing research - not just blindly following what we've all been told for 30 years), that vaccinating is a safe and protective procedure for your child, then go for it! If, after doing research, you feel your child may be put at greater risk by receiving the vaccines offered, then you should have the right to decline. It's as simple as that.

After reading this article, if I lived in NJ and had to use public day cares...I'd move out of state.

50 years? Congratulations!

In this day and age of mass divorces, I LOVE to hear about folks married 50 years and beyond.

We are joyful about seeing Dick and Shirley Meyer celebrate 50 years this coming October 25th. Can't wait for the party!!

My daughters and I have been talking alot about marriage and love recently (likely due to our friend Susan getting married in December!) and the following thought is recurring:
Love is not just a "feeling" - it is a choice, every day, every minute, every second.

A spouse chooses to love their mate, in spite of their dirty socks, pack-rate habits, bad breath, curlers in their hair, unshaven face, unshaven armpits, loud t.v., lack of conversation, etc.

They choose to love even though their spouse is going bald or growing hair on their upper lip.

They choose to love even if their spouse is going deaf or getting fat.

They choose to love even if they've heard that story 40 billion times.

They choose to love even when their spouse gets mad and says things that are hurtful.

Good times, bad times, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

It's a vow, not a feeling.

God chose to love us. The Bible says while we were yet unlovely, while our works were nothing buy filthy rags, while our best was rotten, God still chose to love us, His creation, and send His only Begotten Son to die and pay for the sins we committed, and will commit. We were unworthy, yet He died for us to show His love for us. He chose that. It wasn't a mushy feeling that might go away one day. It was a choice. I praise the Lord He made that choice so that I might have salvation, and that you might have salvation, through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


God bless all of our friends and relatives who are sticking it out, even when it's been unpleasant. Even when it hurts. Even when it's wonderful! Through it all - they're still together.

Praise the Lord!

Birthday Blessings

Well, I have been enjoying all the little emails and posts on facebook and phone calls - whew! I'm very thankful so many people have thought of me today!

It's a good day. My oldest brother called and we talked for 2 hours!!!! That was fun!!!

I have the three youngest home with me today; Curt took the three oldest to Farm Fest Day sponsored by Bob Jones University. It's an overcast day, windy, lovely temperature; in truth, the perfect fall day. The kids and I ran a couple errands and came home and Isaiah helped bake my cake.

God sent me flowers today, via my new neighbors. The Reinas have been very kind to us since moving into the neighborhood, and Phoebe and Isaiah went down there with a thank-you card for some items recently given to Phoebe. For their return trip home, they were given some snacks and a HUGE dark orange mini-mum plant. It's simply gorgeous! Of course, the neighbors had no idea it was my birthday, they were just being kind, as always! But, God knew it was my birthday, and now I have a wonderful spray of color for my kitchen. Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Reina!

I have a sleeping baby, a mug of delicious coffee (with cream and sugar, of course!), and a lazy afternoon of doing whatever I want. What more could I possibly ask for?!

Grammar Cue: Then or Than

Here's one I believe is rooted in pronunciation. Writers often use "then" when they mean "than." I think this is because people do not pronounce words clearly. The two sound similar, though they mean different things.

For example:
He was happier then he had been in a long time.
The writer means "than." However, when speaking, it often sounds like someone is saying "then" - and they very well may be, if they don't know any better. "Than" is a comparative idea - in comparison to how happy he had been up until this point in time, he was now happier.

"Then" is a time word, used when showing a sequence of events. For example:
First we went shopping, then we went to the salon, and finally we arrived home.

Make sure you are using the correct word!

Grammar cue:That is that and that's too much of that!!!!

Okay, some have suggested blogging about specific topics, especially as they pertain to a home business. Well, my home businesses are editing and publishing. It dawned on me I had information which would profit not only my writers, but also fellow homeschoolers. So, I will endeavor to make several posts a week pertaining to writing, grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.

This is the first!

We are going to discuss the complete and total overuse of the word "that." This word, far above all others, is used as a "filler" in sentences, similar to speakers who use "um" or "like" because they can't think of the next real word.

For example:
The next day that came around, I found myslef wishing that I had an apple tree. That would be so convenient. That I could go right outside my door and pick apples would be great! I hope that I will be able to plant an apple tree that will grow lots of apples that can be turned into pies.

Obviously, you are reading the above, thinking, "Okay - who would write a paragraph in such a manner?" Well, my friends, you would be surprised! Read the following and see if it doesn't sound much better:

The next day, I found myself wishing I had an apple tree. It would be so convenient. I could go right outside my door and pick apples! I hope I will be able to plant an apple tree capable of growing many apples; then I could bake apple pies.

You see, you can rewrite a sentence to make it clear without using "that" at all. Now, sometimes it is appropriate to use it, and it can add clarity to a sentence. However, the vast majority of folks tend to use it entirely too often. Look over the next letter you write or the next report your child writes for school. If you come across the word "that" determine if it is truly needed for the sentence to make sense. If not, remove it!

Excercising Brings the Family Together

Okay - guess what we've been doing at night recently? No, not jogging. I cannot imagine getting this forty-something body moving faster than a brisk walk.

No, it's not golf. Although I do enjoy a good round of golf. Mostly I like to drive the cart at top speed.

No, it's not hunting. I tried pulling the string back on my hubby's compound bow, and if I hadn't seem him do it, I would have sworn they were teeny-tiny metal bars and not strings. I coudn't move them.

No, it's not horsebackriding. My children would be in heaven if it were, but then, so would I. Quite literally. Because the only way they would be able to afford horses is if they were collecting on my life insurance.

Okay, okay you give up. We have been "tennising" recently. That is my new word; I "verbed" the noun and I will be submitting it to Webster next year for inclusion in future volumes.

The Fountain Inn tennis courts have lights and the Staffords, Kappenmans, and Gistingers have been descending upon the courts and batting balls around for several nights, displaying incredible feats of athletic prowess. Well....a few have anyway. Some of us just run back and forth in a rather small section of the court....but I am returning more and more balls every time I play!!! Cool, huh?

OH -guess what? You actually have a muscle in your arm that runs from your elbow area to your wrist. I'm including that information for all my couch-potato friends who may be like me and all your muscles have atrophied by this point in your middle-age dotage. GET OFF THE COUCH! Tennis is actually quite fun. We've been having a blast! And it is DEFINITELY waaaaaaaaay more fun than jogging.

We were playing tennis at the brand-new school just a breath from our house, but they locked the courts. Can you believe it? And after we fixed their dumb gate, too. Yes, you read that right. This is our tax dollars at work. The gate to the tennis court was always unlocked, so we were going down there and playing. But the gate hung caterwalled (preventing it from locking) and balls could roll out underneath. So one day a couple weeks ago, my hubby took his tool kit with him and fixed the gate so it hung right and shut right. The next evening we were rewarded for his efforts by having a lock on the gate...something they couldn't do before because it didn't line up right! Now, if they were so concerned about having the gate fixed so they could lock it, I don't understand why the maintenance guy who always sat on the back dock, smoking his cigarettes and watching us play, didn't get off his lazy hind end and fix it, but he didn't. In fact, I'll wager he even told the folks in charge that the gate now works and is lockable. Oh well. We like Fountain Inn better because it has lights.

So, if you go looking for us of an evening, you might try the Fountain Inn tennis courts. Love-love!

I'm participating in The Hopeful Farm Foundation Benefit.

Well - I have a long way to go before I can support my family off my bloggging! Hahahaha.
I keep hearing about folks who have super-popular blogs and so many people read them that advertisers pay big bucks to be on their blog. That's not the case with me. Yet. I may be there someday. Then all of you faithful readers can say, "I knew her blog when...."

I've been a busy beaver, trying to promote our publications through various new avenues. Success is slow, but I am being rewarded for my endeavors.

One of the places I was able to promote our business through was for a great cause. I donated use of one of our unit studies to this benefit. Please read all about it below:

The Hopeful Farm Foundation is for special needs children and their families. They have an awesome ministry, with horses, a farm, and all kinds of really cool activities and buildings perfect for retreats. The benefit is to raise money for this foundation to be used for the special needs children and their families. The benefit ends in just a few days - October 5th. I'd encourage you to follow the links listed below.

Please consider blessing a family impacted by special needs by making a donation – and in return, you’ll receive some of the best products the homeschool community has to offer.
If you would like to hear what Hopeful Farm is all about, you can access an online interview by Cindy Rushton with Claire and Jill Novak at www.hopefulfarmfoundation.org/interview.html
You can find all the details here:
www.hopefulfarmfoundation.org/benefit.htm

Where Have We Been

Oh brother - it's been forever since a post! But actually, I WAS blogging - just doing it in secret...

We were on vacation for 4 weeks. Even though we had someone staying at the house, I tend toward not wanting to hang a sign out for would-be robbers, so I didn't want to post out here that we were gone.

To see a daily blog of all our adventures for four weeks, go to trip.kapandpen.com and you'll be able to read all about the neat stuff we got to see and do.

Now that we are back home, we are gearing up for our busiest time of year - the pre-Christmas printing season.

Whew!

Puppies began selling on the 27th, and there are only 2 left. We are hoping they find a good home soon. The eight we sold went pretty fast and only one person tried negotiating us down, so Elly made a fair amount of money this time around, even if we don't make much on these last two. It will help her with her expenses for quite a while.

Oh - such a lot to do around here. We are thinking of getting a professional appraisal on our home. Then we'll know once and for all what it really is worth, and then we can go from there. We've had agents who wanted to list it for more than I thought it was worth, a few who want to sell it for a lot less than we think it's worth, and few in the middle. Perhaps we aren't supposed to sell it after all. We've thought about just buying land ... who knows!

I don't know what to do about all the stuff we've packed away everywhere....part of me thinks we ought to dig it all back out this fall and go through it....give some away, sell some on ebay. Most of it is going to be in decent condition since we sorted stuff once before we even packed it up!

In the meantime, book sales have been on the up around here! I advertised in Homeschool Enrichment and I started selling stuff on ebay again, and I'm drawing some new business. That's pretty exciting!

CJ has been keeping very busy with lawn jobs. Yesterday he helped run barbed wire for a new fence. He's been blessed to find several people within 6 miles of the house who want him to do work for them.

Susan is still engaged, for all you who might be wondering. And the date is still set for December 14. What she's doing with the trailer remains to be seen. She's got a couple feelers out, letting people know that it will be available for sale soon. I don't know where she's going to put all her stuff though!

I've got a ton of stuff to do, and I'm highly unmotivated - why does that happen that way? I need motivation! But it's so much more fun to sit here and type......

Well, here we are, inundated with hungry little mouths and wagging little tails! But everyone loves puppies and we are sure to see some sold soon!
Already, Elly has had several phone calls and some retainer money
so we know they will all be gone soon!








Here's my mother-in-law, MaryLou Kappenman, missionary to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, playing with puppies and grandchildren! What a combo! Isaiah, Phoebe, and Gideon are in this photo.







Here's one of Gideon trying his best to pick one up!

We'll have to post some new photos of the backyard once we burn off our HUGE burn pile! The woods behind us sold a few months back, and now we have a house....no woods. So everyone driving up and down the road can see all the junk we have been storing behind the barn! We've been busily cleaning out the junk and burning the excess, the rotted, the no-longer-going-to use, and the underbrush, the poison ivy, the poison oak....pretty much anything that will burn. It looks much better!

itscamptimeagain

Oh brother! When it's Summer Bible Camp Time around here, there is nothing else to talk about.

The kids run their sentences together. Something like the title of this blog. "Oh!Mama!Ican'tbelievecampisalmostherecanyoufixmyculottes?" It's absurd - but lots of fun! I'm so glad the children have this opportunity.

If you ever want to check out a really great camp, look up Harvest Time Bible Camp. It's located near Shelby, NC. They have horseback riding, campfires, beautiful cabins, swimming, crafts, preaching 2x's a day, 3 meals a day, a snack shack, lots of games and competitions, fishing, boating on their pond...just a lot of fun! And, get this, it's only $50 for Monday-Friday! The kids check in about 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning, and the leave just before lunchtime on Friday morning. Most families can barely feed a teenager for $50 a week - this is a great deal!

Jo's puppies are already receiving phone calls - we are very pleased. I hope they will all sell quickly again for her. They're so cute - Jo just got done remulching their yard so they have lots of clean-smelling mulch to run around in.

My mother-in-law is here for a visit! We are so happy to have her stay with us. I have the coolest mom-in-law on the planet! We can't wait til later this summer - we are still planning our trip out west, and mom is coming with us, camping all the way! Yay!

Well, got books to put together - lots of orders coming in these days.....

It's Summer Down South

Well, we've finally stopped having the cool, springtime days and we are into a full-fledged summer, complete with heat! Near 100 temps for the past couple days. There are positives and negatives to being in yet another drought - since it is so dry, the humidity is not high, making the heat considerably more bearable. At least for me - I have not found it objectionable yet.

Susan and her beau have set a date already! They certainly didn't waste any time, did they? We are looking forward to a December wedding!

Elly's puppies are growing great - they've moved outside! YEAH! (After a couple weeks of being in the house, it doesn't matter how many baths they get and how many times we disinfect the whelping box, the floor, everything....dog smell is dog smell. I'm thankful they are old enough to be outside now! We posted an ad on the AKC site stating they will be for sale starting June 27 and we've already had a phone call about them. I hope they sell fast!

Curt is doing some side jobs for a friend at church, so he is staying busy. He also has a final paper due this week for one of his classes.

We had a PartyLite party last night - that was fun! I think they have the most beautiful candle holders....it was a LOT of fun to have some of our friends show up - it's nice to just sit and visit!

Elly is planning a spa party this Saturday - complete with foot bath and sea salts and body butters to try out - my house ought to smell WONDERFUL by about 6:00 in the evening!!!

My teens are all looking forward to camp next week. They love going to Harvest Time Bible Camp near Shelby, NC. We will be enjoying a visit with Curt's mom while they are at camp. Think it strange they are going to camp instead of visiting with Gram? Don't fret - they'll be seeing her for 4 weeks this summer, Lord willing!

We are wishing Alyssa a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today - she turned 15! Can you beleive it? Time really flies by around here.

Uh - oh - Isaiah just presented me with a baby in desperate need of a diaper change! Guess that's all for today!!!!

Who Knows What A Day (or a week!) May Bring Forth?

WOW! So much has been happening recently!! Some can be perceived as good news and some as bad, but we prefer to look at everything as simply the Lord's will in our lives....

Where do I begin?

Let's start with Susan. Most of you who will be reading this know Susan Goldberg. You will also recall that she has never been married, though she would like to be. Well, a few months ago, we had some special meetings at our church. Dr. Hughes preached, and his wife was with him for all the services. They happened to be at another church last week, and Mrs. Hughes mentioned to someone that she knew Sue and told them a little about her, etc., and one thing led to another, and a 26-yr old daughter said, "I wonder if she'd like to meet my widowed father." Well, Sue and this man met Saturday. He's a pastor of a very tiny church near Columbia, SC (about two hours from where we live) and they are getting along fabulously! I'm so happy for her!! Perhaps we'll be hearing wedding bells by the end of the year....

Next.....
A few days ago, Curt received word that he qualified for some educational grants that do not have to be repaid!! He has been going back to school at night to get his B.S. He has earned several sought-after computer certifications, but he never actually got his degree. So, he has been working on that. We qualified for student loans, which are really nice because you don't have to start paying them back until after you finish your schooling and they are very willing to make workable payment arrangements. But we were thrilled that the Lord allowed us to qualify for some of the grants - that reduces the amount we will be responsible to pay back. I'm thankful when once in a while our tax dollars come back to us in a small way!

And then...
Yesterday, my niece Marlee came over and told me her sister Carla was at the hospital getting an MRI. Of course, I was surprised and Marlee told me that last weekend, Carla was down for the count with a terrible headache for several hours. When the headache left, she had lost part of her vision out of one eye. They are trying to determine now what happened and what this may be a pre-cursor of, if anything. The vision loss has a strong chance of being permanent. I'm thrilled to say Carla's testimony in all of this was, "It's all in God's hands. I'm not going to worry over it." Praise the Lord she is trusting Him! Our families, of course, appreciate your prayers for her at this time.

Also.....
Some of my readers may know that for quite a while, Curt has had periodic conflicts with the guy at work who is the "middleman/supervisor" for the technicians. Sometimes things have gone well; other times, Curt has been very stressed by the situation.
A job opportunity arose at the district in which Curt could move up and out from under this gentleman. He interviewed for the position last week, and has been waiting word for the outcome. Well, he was brought into a consultation yesterday......and was asked to resign from the district! This supervisor was present. It is apparent to Curt that after he discovered Curt was trying to get out from under him, he simply didn't want Curt working for him any longer.
Personally - I'm glad. Curt has tried so hard to do a good job for this district, and in recent months, it seems in vain. His closed calls were almost always higher than anyone else's, yet they never praised him for it; his supervisor sought only to find fault with him, and I believe that has put a lot of stress on Curt. Because he has all of us at home, I think maybe he didn't feel he had the freedom to quit and look for a less stressful work environment. Well - now he can!!
SO, praise the Lord - God is good, He is in control, and yes, we are still trusting the Lord to provide so we can take the children on the vacation we have been planning. This may even be the Lord's way to provide extra funds for us - if Curt gets employed again quickly, even if it's through a temp agency, we will actually be ahead for awhile, because the district has to pay him all his unused vacation days to date, and the district is three weeks in arrears when it comes to cutting paychecks. So, terminated or retired employees continue to receive paychecks covering three weeks after their last work week. All total, Curt should be receiving a regular check for the next month or so. We appreciate your prayers in God's leading! We are very excited to see what God has in store for Curt - I hope he gets a job he really loves and where there will be little or no stress for him.

Well - guess that's it for this posting - thanks for stopping by!

Balloons

Oh boy! Where to start, huh? Well, first off: We had puppies born on the 16th of May. Jo's lab, Opal, had 11 puppies. She was in labor all day, much longer than usual (this was her 4th litter). We were beginning to get concerned. Jo even called the vet and they said that sometimes it just takes longer. Well, about 8 that evening, we figured out the problem. She had her first puppy and it was stillborn; it was huge and severely deformed. It was the size of a two-week old puppy - no wonder she had a hard time getting it out! Anyway, all was sadness as we had to bury the little thing. But soon we were rejoicing because the other ten were perfectly healthy and well-formed. They are two weeks old now and trying to stand. They just opened their eyes. Next week, they will slowly be introduced to the outside, once they can stand and walk around a little. We have 4 black, 3 white, and 3 chocolate.

On the 19th, Elly got her braces put on the top row of teeth (no wires yet, just posts). She chose blue rubber bands. They actually look cute on her. Next week she is going to get contacts. This will be a good choice for her as the girl in the vision center at Wal-Mart recognizes Elly -- she's in there frequently to get her glasses fixed! She likes to play games outside and invariably, someone accidentally bumps her and breaks her glasses. The insurance we pay at time of purchase pays off over and over and over.....

On the 20th, Alyssa and I went in to have our hair highlighted. Elly had had hers done a week or two prior, and it came out really nice, very natural looking. Well, the beautician, whom we really like (Vicki), starts with Alyssa. She gets her all done and sets her in a chair while she starts on me and after 10 minutes she checks on Alyssa. Lys's hair is almost white! "ACH" We need to get this washed out NOW!" So Vicki starts washing out Lys's hair, and I'm kinda freaked, seeing tiger stripes on my daughter. Vicki is amazed - it usually takes at least 20 minutes to get a color change. Elly's took about 25. Lys should have been stopped at 5 and it is just surprising the hairsylist all to pieces! (Me, too!) Anyway, after the initial shock had passed and her hair was dried, etc., the streaks didn't look SO bad. Vicki assured us that they would mellow over a couple weeks time, but that if we really didn't like it, to come back and she'd change the color. Well, it has blended and Alyssa likes it a lot, and it doesn't look nearly as unnatural as when it was first done. Now mine, on the other hand, only lightened up very slightly after 45 minutes! So, next time I go for highlighting, we'll actually have to add a little bleach to lighten it. Amazing how people's hair can differ from one to another.

On the 25th, we took the kids to watch the balloons for Freedom weekend aloft. We love that! This year, some of the balloons were having problems getting enough life, and the canopies bumped into each other a few times. I have to say there is a lot of skill involved in not letting the gondolas bump into each other.

Susan had the opportunity to share her testimony of salvation to a church in Atlanta that is trying to reach Jews for Christ. On her way home Sunday, the car started making funny noises and spewing steam so she pulled over. The car had to be towed home and we let her borrow Curt's Sable. The bad news: she needs a new engine. The worse news? She still owes money on the car, so she can't go buy a new one yet. So, we are letting her borrow the Sable for a while. The only damper is that I have to drive the 15 passenger now if I have to go anywhere - what a gas hog! We try to save using it only for family trips.

The 26th - we celebrated Memorial Day at the pastor's house.

This week I've started editing for the summer issue of Seasons At Home - looks like it will be another great issue! I'm trying to light a fire under Alyssa and Elly to finish the illustrations for my children's book - I really want it to be in print before we go on vacation.

Help - I'm burried alive in filing!

Ugh. I HAD to clean up my office space - couldn't even move around in here. So I found the floor - and now I have to do my least favorite job: file. It just seems I have too much paperwork!

I have to get the filing done fast as my new articles are starting to trickle in! I'm editing articles for a new magazine (it comes out three times a year and it's really beautiful. It's called Seasons at Home, and it's published by Theresa Powers. This will be the 4th issue, I believe.) And, in this particular issue, Elly will have an article on why she has chosen to be a stay-at-home maiden, doing businesses from home instead of choosing college and a career. Also, one of the guys scheduled to write an astronomy article had to back out at the last minute, so my dear hubby is trying his hand at writing an article to fill it in! Of course, I'll be "cleaning up" both of their articles and making them pretty, but I'm excited they both have an opportunity to see their name in print! ;-) I will probably copy and paste their articles here so everyone else can read them.

So...if no one hears from me for the next couple of days, you might want to look in the office. Feel free to send down bread and water to the bottom of the pile - I'll be wallowing around down there somewhere...trying to climb out...

Whew! What a Week!

Well - I am REALLY glad today is Saturday! Where did my week go?

Eleonore and I took a 3-day Publisher class together Tuesday-Thursday. That was awesome! We had so much fun. The first couple of hours, we were following along with the teacher and doing exactly as the examples showed. But then, once we got the concepts down, we were off and running! One time, we were supposed to be making a menu and following the example in the text. But, instead, we made a menu for my niece. (I'm trying to convince her she now owns the PERFECT house for a tea room! She could make scones and crumpets and serve in her dining room or on her completely wonderful and large front porch. She could do it by reservation only, so it wouldn't occupy all of her week....well, maybe in time, anyway!)

To get on with my story, the teacher got to where when he was walking around looking over shoulders to see how the student's were doing, he'd stop and ask Elly and I what we were doing now! We added extra graphics to a lot of the projects and just had great time. The professor was very good-natured and didn't mind at all. Most of the other students were teachers who were in there getting re-certified, and they really enjoyed Elly because she caught on so quick to everything, she was able to scoot over on her many-wheeled office chair and help them catch up or fix something. The teacher was glad for her doing that, as well, since he's only one person. I was very proud of her! She did the same thing two weeks earlier when she took an Excel class (I didn't go to that one). She's a lot like Curt - just understands the computer right off!

In the afternoons, I thought I would have time to get a lot done at home....wrongo! Susan was scheduled to move her trailer Thursday. But when Curt and CJ went over to secure things inside, Curt said it was in no way ready. Poor Sue - she never moved a trailer before, so she didn't know stuff had to be laid down, etc. So, Elly and I went over Tuesday afternoon and spent 5 hours packing stuff up for her (she was at work) and laying down shelves and other furniture. Then we loaded the minivan with stuff to store at the church, just in case something went wrong and the trailer tipped during the move. I didn't want her antiques, etc. to be ruined.

Wednesday afternoon, CJ and the kids and I had to go over to the trailer and take down a large awning over her window, disconnect her electricity to the trailer and the air conditioning unit, disconnect the water pipes, cut down some small trees that were in the way, and haul the awnings to the new site location.

I didn't know CJ knew how to do the electric thing, and I was really nervous about him getting toasted, since the power had not been shut off yet. He assured me he knew what he was doing. When he asked me if I wanted to go watch, I said yes and grabbed a 4 x 4 post and took it with me. He said, "Mom, what is that for?" I said, "To knock you away from the electric box if you start to get zapped." He said I made him nervous, standing there at the ready to knock him away, but he did a great job and my post wasn't needed after all. Praise the Lord! I was really impressed he knew how to do all he did that day, especially with the electrical box.

Thursday, poor CJ sat and waited on the mover ALL DAY and found out in the afternoon that the driver had gotten lost and the mover couldn't find CJ's cell phone to tell him. Jo and I had gone strawberry picking again after class, then had to stop by Curt at one of the schools and pick up CJ's weedeater that Curt had gotten the parts for, and come home. We had to race back home to get things in mail because.......while we were at class, we sold over $100 worth of Boy's HandyBooks and Bible Journals! Can you believe that? The teachers asked us why we were taking the class and we chatted and told them all about our homeschooling and the business that Elly and CJ have doing yard work and housecleaning and about our home publishing business and suddenly about three people wanted to see some of the books. Well, one thing led to another, and we were making sales after classes!

Friday the mover met CJ at the Fire Department nearby so he couldn't get lost, drove out to Sue's, and said, "We can't move the trailer until that carport comes down." Duh. I'd only been saying that since January! Why he didn't say that before, when he had been over looking at the job initially, I have no idea. Anyway, CJ called for me to come get him, and the property owners set to removing the carport.

Friday afternoon we had a tea party for Phoebe (she turned 7) with three of her little friends. It was fun and relaxed - just right! Of course, we made a large fresh strawberry shortcake for dessert! That night we had a special dinner for her with our family and she enjoyed her gifts and we played puzzles and watched a movie.

Today is Saturday. The trailer is actually, as I type, in the process of being moved! Finally! And I am looking forward to enjoying a pleasant and not-so-hectic Mother's Day tomorrow!

Strawberry Pickin'

My niece, Marlee, lives in Slater, SC, about 1/2 mile from Beechwood Farms. She called all the family together to meet at her house on Saturday - and we set out strawberry pickin'. It was a wonderful day! Slightly overcast with a chance of rain, so the sun wasn't beating down upon us. Much of my kin had never been berry picking before, so this was a new experience for them. After seeing the usual-size strawberries available year round in the produce section of our local groceries, they were amazed at finding so many palm-sized strawberries!

We took loads of pictures as all the children scrambled over the berry mounds, piling berries into their cardboard gallon containers.

Of course, my husband pointed out it's a very good thing they don't weigh the pickers on the way in and again on the way out! The children loved eating berries while they were busy filling their containers.

It didn't take long - there were a lot of us and a lot of berries. After about a half hour, a dozen containers were filled to overflowing with the succulent red bundles of vitamin C....as were most of the children's tummies!

The baby even got in on the act - we didn't let him pick any, but he reaped the benefit our labors!

I came home and made some cream cheese strawberry pies. Very easy! Here's how:

In a mixing bowl with beaters, mix 2 packages softened cream cheese, 1 medium container softened Cool Whip, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, and a large handful of sliced strawberries. Beat until smooth. Spoon into two graham cracker pie shells, making sure you completely cover the graham cracker shell about 1/4" thick. Place in refrigerator to get slightly solid.

Meanwhile, boil 2 cups water. Stir in two small packages of strawberry jello. Allow to cool a while, then stir in about 4 cups of sliced strawberries. Pour this into the chilled pie shells. Place back in refrigerator for a few hours. Top with Cool Whip or spray Redi-Whip all over the top of the pies. Slice and serve!

They look beautiful, as you have a graham cracker bottom, then a layer of strawberry cream cheese, then a layer of strawberries in jello, then a layer of white whipped cream. Mmmm!

Whenever you go strawberry picking - think of others you know who might like to be blessed with some berries! We picked a couple extra gallons just so we could share them with some of our neighbors and our Pastor's family. "We've been blessed to be a blessing!" Not my original words, but true, true, true!

Good days!

Well, the trip to the dentist on Friday went well - Isaiah had two molars pulled and two cavities filled, so his bottom row of teeth are fixed. In a couple weeks, we will be tackling the top row - then he should be good for a while. All this is at least helping him understand the importance of brushing his teeth. Yeah! I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't cost as much as I was expecting, either. I had previously been to dentists who quoted me about twice what I paid, so that was a wonderful surprise.

Also on this day, I lost another pound! I am hoping to one day have a "normal" body again!

The next day, I received payment from one of my wholesale accounts - several days earlier than expected! They usually pay exactly 30 days from date of invoice, and I received payment almost 10 days ahead of schedule!

This weekend we determined that Elly's dog, Opal, is really pregnant this time, and not just getting fat! Elly should be having little puppies running around in about 3 weeks. They will be ready to sell around the 4th of July, and we are hoping they will sell quickly. Otherwise, we will have to have someone help sell them because we are planning a vacation in the middle of July!

We had a really nice 45th church anniversary this weekend. (Our church turned 45 on April 26, 2008.) We had one of the original pastors come and speak in our morning service, and he had some tales to tell about the early days of Gospel Baptist. Then we had dinner on the grounds. It was a lot of fun!

Our littlest angel, Gideon, is starting to "talk" a bit - it's so cute to listen to him! I dearly love this time as he is growing and learning.

Well.....I guess I have to go...my duties are calling me to a position other than the one I am currently occupying in front of my monitor.....

continuation from previous post

Okay - I'm learning here....wanted to post a picture and had to figure out how! This is one of Elly's Bible Journals.

Guess who the photographer is? My dear hubby! Curt likes to take pictures, then I play around with them until they make an interesting cover.

Wahoo and Away We Go!

Okay - this is for all my loving friends and relatives who enjoy reading my yearly KappenChronicles and want MORE!!! You might not get a LOT more because I lead an exceptionally busy life, and I don't always have time to blog away, but I am going to try!

What's new around the place? Well, let me tell you!

First, Elly is getting braces. We are currently in the "mouth-widener" cycle. This consists of a little piece of metal fitted near the roof of her mouth. Every three days, we put a little "key" in the center hole of the appliance and give it one turn. This slowly spreads her top jaw a little bit. Sounds painful, but it really isn't. I had one when I had braces several millenia ago. It was kinda cool - by the time they were finished widening my top teeth, I could put a pencil between my two front teeth! They then used all that extra space to move my teeth around. Anyway, that's the same plan with Jo - to try and create more space without removing any teeth.

Isaiah goes to the dentist today to start getting fillings. He has a horrible problem with cavities. The rest of the children don't...but he sure does!

I finished my first children's reading book, and I'm waiting for Alyssa to finish up my illustrations - this is a family project! I'll be sure and post a photo of the completed book when it's published.

Elly had a great idea for a really neat Bible Journal for young ladies, and I helped her design it. It's been selling really well - it's available in three colors. The best part about it is the missionary section. That section contains clear plastic sleeves into which you can place missionary prayer cards. Every two pages is divided by a sleeve, so you can write all about a missionary family, their birthdays, prayer requests, field of service, etc., and see them at the same time you are remembering them. Then turn the sleeve over, and view a different family and the page adjacent has all that family's information. Neat, huh?

We are still trying to sell our house. We were not getting any nibbles with the real estate agent, so we are doing it on our own again, and we lowered the price a bunch. Curt really wants the house to be sold this summer so we can finally get some land. We've been playing around with the idea for years, but now he's serious about wanting to move.

I went to see my niece's new house yesterday. It's about 50 minutes from here. Huge 80-old boarding house, 8 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms! They want to eventually make a stairway up to the attic because you can walk around up there, but the only entrance right now is through a tiny hole in a closet. Remarkably, there doesn't appear to be any flooring or anything up there, so for the past 80 years, I guess no one has stored anything up there. They have an enormous crawl space, and part of that was divided up into "rooms" per se, so I guess that's what they used for storing stuff. They have a tiny yard, but it's filled with all sorts of flowers. She even has peonies and a spirea bush!! I haven't seen spirea since we left Illinois. Peonies aren't all that common around here, either, though people do have them. They seem to grow much smaller here. Must have something to do with the heat? In any event, her house has inspired me for a new children's book series, so I'm hoping to start on that this summer....maybe while we are on vacation.

We are planning a trip out West this summer - complete with my mother-in-law!! We are very excited about having her go camping with us. The kids can't wait - I'm sure they will be arguing over who gets to sleep in Grandma's tent each night!

Well, this is it for my preliminary blog - don't want to write all I know the first time out or it'll be three weeks before I think of something else!