~RM

Bendy Straw vs. Spoon...Life is SO Complicated...

Case for Bendy Straw --

Pros: They are awesome and they bend

Cons:  They require very strong jaw muscles in order to end up with any shake in your mouth...

Case for Spoon --

Pros:  Holds a whole mouthful of shake and is easy to use

Cons:  Cool factor of about -2 and does not bend...

-- Before and after pictures of our Skyscraper at Winsteads.

~RM

Kansas City!!!

We have finally arrived!!  Here are just a few pictures of the Plaza...

~RM

Excerpt of the Week

    It was a stupid plan and I berated myself for suggesting it.  However -- this you must understand -- When the Unseen Hand leads you in its grasp, you follow.  Or turn back and live in eternal regret.  Of course, there is no certainty in following either.  That is what makes faith.  Follow or turn back -- there is no middle ground. 
    That night I chose to follow.  It was my decision; I chose freely.  And I bear responsibility for the consequences.  That is the price of freedom.
    Oh, but I felt alive that tempest-tossed night with the rumble of waves and thunder in my ears, the sting of salt in my eyes, and the smell of moss and wet rock in my nostrils.  And that warm, trusting girl by my side.  I was alive, and I gloried in the living.

-from 'Merlin' by Stephen R. Lawhead

~RM

Spring Cleaning....in November....

....All I have to say is: it shouldn't be legal.....

Tomorrow we leave this wonderful house that has been home for the past two years and move into the not-so-wonderful TLF that will be our living space for the next two weeks.  Tomorrow morning the home 'inspector' (insert dramatic dun-dun-DUN music here) comes to, well, inspect.  Our house has to be ship-shape before then.  The walls must be free of all dirt, crayon marks, food smudges (not that there's many of those) and pretty much blemishes of any kind.  I told my mom that a lot of them are not removable.  She told me to use some soap and elbow grease.  The blemishes have been removed and I am out of elbow grease.  Saturday was spent cleaning and painting our garage walls and then power scrubbing our fence, white fences and red dirt shouldn't be legal either.  The refrigerator has been thoroughly sanitized, the microwave was just washed, and this morning the oven cleaned itself.  Most of the walls have been sufficiently disinfected, but there are still many more things to be done.  The bathroom being at the top of the list.  I do detest cleaning bathrooms.....

So I decided to type up this blog post and let you all know how things are going!

Nooo, I'm not avoiding anything....

~RM

Rising AND Shining

                                           

I woke up this morning to my brother's voice.  He sounded exasperated, as if he had been repeating himself.  Shaking my shoulder he says my name again, trying to remind me that I was supposed to go for a run.  I answered with a groan.  The sky outside my window was still dark, street lamps still shown brightly, my alarm clock flashed 5:45 am.  My feet peeked out from under my blanket.  They were rather cold.  After much poking and prodding, I sat up with another groan.  I pulled myself reluctantly out of my nest of warm blankets on the ground and told him to leave (none too audibly) and then began to ready myself for my imminent physical exercise.  When I was finally prepared, I stepped outside as the sky was just beginning to brighten.  Birds were chirping, the street glistened with  the last night's rain, and I realized how long it had been since I had removed myself from our home early in the morning.  I ran and I felt refreshed despite my heavy breathing.
Although I would not have admitted it a few weeks ago when my dad announced that we would be doing 'family PE' over break, I found that I was enjoying it and that I needed it.  It's not that I'm lazy, I spend at  the very least four and a half hours a week doing ballet, but now that I'm not dancing, I never 'find time' to get out and move around.  There is always so much to do here in the house.  Homework, chores, homework, blogging, homework, packing...I can always think of  a reason to not go outside.  I've found that because I'm inside all day and don't exercise, both my muscles and attitude are affected.  Waking up in the morning and going outside, even just for a walk, gives me time to breathe before the day begins and (especially when I'm just walking and am not distracted with trying to inhale and exhale) I use that time to talk with my Father.  That in itself makes my day go so much smoother!

~RM

One of the Many Things That is Wrong with Me

I decided to change the background of my blog since I was getting kinda tired of the old one.  No big deal right?  It wouldn't be if I would just find a background and be done with it ... Instead, I choose one, apply it, and then come back the next day and change it again because it was 'too bright and distracting' or 'too dull and colorless' or 'I don't know, I just don't like it.'  I find it very hard to make up my mind on certain things (now, whether I want a piece of chocolate right now or not is not one of those things).  So, this post's purpose was to apologize for driving you all insane with my blog being a different color each time you visit.  Bear with me.  Hopefully my mind will make it's self up in the near future ...

~RM

No Ghoul Left Behind

On our driveway stands a small boy wearing blue pajamas that read, "Daddy is my hero".  In his hand he holds a lethal foam sword daring any Halloween monster to challenge him.  Surrounded by darkness the conqueror fears no one.  Running to the very brink of his dominion he raises his weapon, yelling at the fiends across the street ...

"HEY! MOONSTERS!! WE GOT CANDY!!

The brutes could never resist such a challenge ...

~RM

~RM