Girl's Weekend

This last Thursday the girls (Hannah DeRoo, Hannah Sayers, Mary Riley, Ruth Rogers and I) went out to lunch after Thursday morning Bible Study. We went to Shenanigan's on the Ruston Way waterfront. I had never been to Shenanigan's before. It is a very upscale restaurant but the lunch prices are very reasonable. We all got sandwiches and dessert. Afterward we walked down Ruston Way and enjoyed the view of the water. We took lots of fun pictures as well. As we were heading back to the car Hannah Sayers suggested we have a girls sleepover Friday night. We all agreed that would be a lot of fun and Hannah DeRoo invited us all over to her house. It worked out great because Daisy was going to a friend's birthday party/sleepover the same night.

At the sleepover Gabriel was the entertainment! Hannah had country music playing and he danced around the room. We did face masks, ate yummy treats and watched a movie. We stayed up talking until about 2am. In the morning we all woke up at 7:30am with Gabriel. Ruth Rogers came over a little bit later and brought ingredients to make fruit smoothies. Hannah also made whole wheat waffles from scratch. We set her dining room table and enjoyed a very delightful breakfast. This morning was bright and sunny so after breakfast we all went out to the backyard and watched Gabriel play in his little house and push around a little potato bug. Hannah watered all her flowers. We had such a fun and relaxing time.

Here is a slideshow of our girl's afternoon out and the sleepover. Remember to pause my "finetune" music player under my "previous entries" so the sound from the video and the music don't overlap! :)


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Here is video of the little dancer! :)


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As stars shine...

"Prayer comes spontaneously from those who abide in Jesus. Prayer is the natural outgushing of a soul in communion with Jesus. As the leaf and fruit come out of the vine branch without any conscious effort and simply because of its living union with the stem, so prayer buds and blossoms and fruits out of souls abiding in Jesus. As stars shine, so do abiders pray. They do not say to themselves, "it is time for us to get to our task and pray." No, they pray as wise men eat - namely, when the desire for it is upon them. They do not cry out as under bondage, "At this time I ought to be in prayer, but I do not feel like it. What a weariness it is!" They have a glad errand at the mercy seat and rejoice to go there. Hearts abiding in Christ send forth supplications as fires send out flames and sparks. Souls abiding in Jesus open the day with prayer; prayer surrounds them as an atmosphere all day long; at night they fall asleep praying. They are able to joyfully say, 'When I awake, I am still with Thee' (Psalm 139:18)." ~Charles Spurgeon

I Am Praying

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls." ~Jesus
Matthew 11:28-29

Sadly I had to take Eva-Karin to the airport this morning so she could fly back to LA. I have had such a wonderful time with her while she has been here. A week is just much too short! But I am not the only person who is going to miss her dearly. My cat decided that EK was her favorite person while she was here. Wherever EK was the cat had to be there as well. Here is a little video dedicated to EK and the cat! ;)

Remember to pause my "finetune" music player below my "previous entries"! :)


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A BBQ and Bonfire!

Last night we had a wonderful BBQ and campfire with my family, my in-laws and some friends from church. We sat around the fire visiting and enjoying the clear evening. My best friend Hannah brought her little son Gabriel and for the most part he stole the show! I have some video of the frisby being thrown around and of little Gabriel. I think you will find that his laughter is very contagious! :)
Remember to pause my "finetune" music player located below my "previous entries" column on the right side of my page or the sound from the player will overlap the video's sound. :)


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An outing...

My cousin Eva-Karin is graduating from college this May and her mother (my Aunt Karin) requested that my mom take her senior portrait while she is here. Eva-Karin wanted to go someplace pretty while she was here so we decided Federation Forest up near Mt. Ranier is a beautiful place and at the same time my mom could take her pictures there. What we didn't really think about was the fact that up near Mt. Ranier it would be a lot colder than it is down here by the Sound. We drove through quaint little Buckley and Enumclaw and ate lunch before we headed up to Federation Forest. When we arrived it was most definitely beautiful, but absolutely freezing. And on top of that it was windy which did not make it feel any warmer! We decided this would not be a good place to take EK's pictures! But we did still take a short, half mile, meandering hike through some of the forest. It would have been fun to take a longer hike but none of us, especially EK from Southern California, were dressed for the cold temperature. After our little walk we decided to head back down towards the warmer Sound.













We went to Point Defiance Park instead which was not windy and most definitely warmer than Federation Forest. Mom got into her "zone" and began taking lots of beautiful pictures of EK. (She even took some fun ones of the both of us.) Daisy and I took turns helping out by holding the silver reflector. At one point my brothers-in-law Taraz and Rahmat rolled up on their bikes. They did not know we were there but just happened upon us. Tonight we are having a BBQ and a bonfire at my parent's house! Bring on the sunshine, I hope! :)







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Make sure you pause the "finetune" music player or the sound from the video and the music will overlap each other! :)

To be in heaven...

This is a quote from Charles Spurgeon read by our choir director at our Good Friday Service. When he read it I began to think of Gabe and my baby and the joy they must have now being in eternal fellowship with Jesus face to face. And yet we who are still here and who have trusted Christ as our Savior can have a taste of what that will be like.

"To be in heaven is to lean one's head upon the breast of Jesus. You have done it on earth? Then you know what heaven is. To be in heaven is to talk with Jesus, to sit at his feet, to let our heart beat against His heart. If you have had that on earth, you have had some of the grapes of heaven.
Cherish then, these fortastes, of whatever kind they may have been in your individual case. Differently constituted, you will all look at heaven in a different light. Keep your foretaste just as God has given it to you. He has given each of you some one; if you love it, it is more suitable for your own condition. Treasure it up; think much of it. Think more of your Master. For remember, it is 'Christ in you the hope of glory,' after all, that is your only foretaste of heaven; and the more fully prepared shall you be for the bliss of the joyous ones in the land of the happy."

Eva-Karin has arrived!!

My wonderful cousin Eva-Karin just flew in this morning from LA on her spring break. (She is the one on the left in this picture, the one on the right is her wonderful sister Mary Beth.) She will be here until this Saturday. My brother Ben came with me this morning to pick her up from the airport. She was very hungry when she arrived, she explained how breakfast for her was a Easter Nest (nest shaped Rice Crispy Treat with a Peep inside) my Gramma had made and some coffee. She wanted to go someplace that they don't have down in LA so we went to the Ram on Ruston Way, on the waterfront in Tacoma. On the way down I-5 towards Tacoma we hit a huge rain squall and I had to slow my speed way and down and make sure there was lots of space between me and the car ahead of me. The weather has been crazy today. One minute it will be sunny and so pretty and the next minute and dark ominous rain cloud will pass over and dump buckets of rain. This is typical April weather in Washington. I told Eva-Karin in an earlier e-mail message that if she didn't like the weather when she was here then just wait 5 minutes and it would change. I guess my prediction is coming true! :) Tonight we are just going to relax and probably rent a movie.

Happy Easter!!

HE IS RISEN!!

Happy Birthday Gabe! We miss you!

Shutterblog

My mom now has a blog of her own! It is called Shutterblog. It will be featuring lots of her daily photography. Click here to take a look! :)

A "Hug" from Me

My dearest sweetest Gramma has been sewing quilts and fleece blankets for all her grandchildren for years now. I have one beautiful quilt she made me for my 18th birthday and a fleece blanket. I keep the fleece blanket close to the couch so I can cuddle up underneath it like a nice warm "hug" from Gramma. Recently I have started crocheting. I decided that the first blanket I made I wanted my Gramma to have. So I sent this blanket down to LA to arrive before her surprise party this last weekend. Even though I couldn't be there for the party she still got a "hug" from me! I love you Gramma! :)

Amazing Grace

Ruh and I went to see "Amazing Grace", the newly released movie about William Wilburforce. It is not very often a movie comes along that when you walk out of the theater you are inspired to live your life as to change the world for the better. This movie is rated PG and is so wonderfully honorable and clean. You will not have to worry about any obscene comments or scenes. I encourage everyone to go see it! I promise it will inspire you!

Here is the movie trailer: (you will need to pause the "finetune" music player located below my "Previous Entries" on the right hand column of the page or else the trailer and the music will play at the same time)

William Wilburforce August 24th, 1759 - July 29th, 1833

A statue to the memory of Wilberforce was erected in Westminster Abbey in 1840, bearing the epitaph:

"To the memory of William Wilberforce (born in Hull, August 24th 1759, died in London, July 29th 1833;) for nearly half a century a member of the House of Commons, and, for six parliaments during that period, one of the two representatives for Yorkshire. In an age and country fertile in great and good men, he was among the foremost of those who fixed the character of their times; because to high and various talents, to warm benevolence, and to universal candour, he added the abiding eloquence of a Christian life. Eminent as he was in every department of public labour, and a leader in every work of charity, whether to relieve the temporal or the spiritual wants of his fellow-men, his name will ever be specially identified with those exertions which, by the blessing of God, removed from England the guilt of the African slave trade, and prepared the way for the abolition of slavery in every colony of the empire: in the prosecution of these objects he relied, not in vain, on God; but in the progress he was called to endure great obloquy and great opposition: he outlived, however, all enmity; and in the evening of his days, withdrew from public life and public observation to the bosom of his family. Yet he died not unnoticed or forgotten by his country: the Peers and Commons of England, with the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker at their head, in solemn procession from their respective houses, carried him to his fitting place among the mighty dead around, here to repose: till, through the merits of Jesus Christ, his only redeemer and saviour, (whom, in his life and in his writings he had desired to glorify,) he shall rise in the resurrection of the just."

A Family Gathering

My sister-in-law Ruhiyyih flew in from Washington DC just for the weekend. We had lunch with her after church on Sunday. It was so nice to see her, I only wish she could have stayed longer! She will be visiting again in May for a whole week and during that time we are going to take our annual Dannells Family Camping Trip (my parents, the Hall's are coming too!). Here are some pictures my mom took of the afternoon. :)


Daisy and Auntie Ruh!


My Sweety!


George

Bonita

Rahmat, Taraz and Megan



Ruhiyyih's best friend Veronica brought her 3 week old baby Zoe. :)

The last couple of weeks...

Since it has been so long since I last posted I thought I would put up some pictures of just a few things that have been going on the last couple of weeks. I have been busy working on some projects so my blog has been neglected. So here is just a little sampling of what has been going on and I promise there is more to come! :)

This first little set of pictures are of my kitty Rosie. One of her new things is jumping into the laundry basket if I keep the laundry closet door open. The first time she did it I was in the living room and I heard a noise come from the laundry closet. I didn't think anything of it at the time so I didn't bother look. So a little while later I went to go fold the laundry and there was Rosie all nestled on top of the clean laundry. I felt bad kicking her off because she looked so comfortable but there is something about the cat lying on the clean clothes that doesn't seem so clean. Another one of her little antics she has started is playing in the toilet water. The other day I heard this little sound of splashing coming from the bathroom. I went to look and there she was perched on the edge of the toilet seat batting at the water! It was very funny but also making a huge mess of toilet water so now we have to remember to put the lid down so she doesn't play in the toilet! :)





Also one day 5 of us girls went on base at Fort Lewis and went for a walk around the airfield. Our friends Mary and Deborah Riley live on base. There dad is a Chaplain and deployed to Iraq right now with the Stryker Brigade. Hannah brought along little Gabriel. When we started walking the sun was shining, then dark clouds moved in and it started to dump snow! The pictures really don't show how heavy the snow was falling. We had so much fun! And then when we finished the 4 mile walk the sun was back out and shining.














A couple weeks ago I got an e-mail from Michele Schneidler (the lady I used to Nanny for) that she needed a baby-sitter for the boys a couple days a week just in the mornings while she does some consulting work for the company she used to work for. Of course I said yes! I really missed Isaac and Gabe and couldn't wait to see them. This last February was three years since I started to first Nanny for them. When I first started Isaac was only one and Gabe was not born yet. I got to watch him grow up to the handsome little four year old he is now. Gabe came to live with them over a year ago when he was 9 months. Now he is two and talking up a storm. They are so much fun to be around! I took my camera the first day I babysat and took some pictures of the boys and their new puppy Magi. She is a full bred Golden Retriever and is so sweet. The boys absolutely love her. I think it is so wonderful they will get to grow up with a wonderful dog like her. We had a little black lab growing up named Sadie and she had the same temperament as Magi. I guess Labs and Retrievers have the sweetest and friendliest personalities! :)




And the last picture is of Liesal and I during song time in Jr. Church on Sunday morning. I am teaching Jr. Church for the month of March. The first lesson I taught was on our individual talents. We talked about some of the things we are good at. I talked about how all our talents are gifts from the Lord. And since he blessed us with them we need to use them for Him.

An Apology

Hi everyone! I am writing to apologize for my lack of posting on my blog the last week or so. I also apologize for my lack of commenting on other's blogs as well. I have been working on other projects so my blogging has been pushed to the side. I do have posts in my head that I want to write and I plan on doing just that this next week. So please forgive me all of you who check this blog daily and have been disappointed. I have not gone away!! :)

Pen Pulpit

“A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD”

Psalm 46

July 1st, 2001

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change. And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

The battle was growing hot and heavy as Martin Luther sat down and penned the words, “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.” Then in verse 7, “The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.”

The battle we in the Christian church face today is not unlike the battle the great reformer faced. Circumstances may be different, but the source is the same and the cause is the same. Satan has attempted to dethrone God in the lives of His people from day one.

Luther’s battle was quite up front and personal with certain high members of the Roman Catholic Church. He was given an ultimatum: give up or go down. Luther did neither - because he was a fighter. He took his licks and continued to preach the Word of God - more specifically, justification by faith. His persistence won out. We have his great song stating his philosophy of life.

What an encouragement he is to the church. When he was challenged to recant his stand, he boldly declared, “Here I stand. I can do no other.”

I’m wondering if we found ourselves in the same predicament as the reformer, could we say with conviction, “Here we stand. We can do no other.”

Our Christian young people face the same battle in public schools today. Let me challenge you, guys and gals, take your stand because God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Let’s take that stand in our neighborhoods and in our churches. Make this next week a week of standing up to be counted. God bless.

Love to you all.

--Pastor Charles Covington 1933-2006

Baked Alaska for Ben

February 10th was my big brother's 24th birthday. He used to live up in Alaska and he misses it a lot. I heard someone say that once you go to Alaska it is in your blood and you will never get over it. So on his birthday I wanted to make him something special. In one of my cooking magazines I saw a recipe for "Baked Alaska".






This yummy dessert was Thomas Jefferson's favorite. This meringue-crusted, ice cream baked in pastry was named "Baked Alaska" in 1869 to celebrate the purchase of Alaska. I was a little scared to make it because I had never made anything so "fancy". But my family loved it, and most importantly my brother loved it! (This picture is not from the recipe I made but it was the only one I could find.)

Here is the recipe:


Baked Alaska

• 1 (16-ounce) frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices, with edges trimmed
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 pints ice cream or sherbet, softened (I used chocolate chip ice cream)
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake: Line 1 1/2- quart bowl with plastic wrap, letting the ends of the wrap overhang bowl. Line bowl with even layer of cake slices, positioning slices with no spaces in between. Stir 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 cup water until sugar dissolves, and brush mixture over cake slices. Fill bowl with ice cream and smooth surface. Top with remaining cake slices. Cover with overhanging wrap, weigh down top with plate, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 1 week.

To serve: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Boil 1 cup of sugar with remaining 1/2 cup water until syrupy, about 4 minutes. With electric mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt and beat to soft peaks. Slowly add sugar syrup and vanilla and beat until thick and cooled, about 6 minutes. Remove plastic and invert cake onto oven safe platter. Cover cake with meringue and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Have you ever been this tired?

Pictures courtesy of my Aunt Karin. :)

A Little Vacation to Oregon

We had a wonderful little vacation to Oregon this last Monday and Tuesday. On Monday morning we drove down to Portland and went to the Oregon Zoo. The weather was rainy and very cold but we had a wonderful time anyway. The weather seemed to make our little trip even more spontaneous because who goes to the zoo when it is cold and rainy! The Oregon Zoo is nestled in some wooded hills east of Portland. Needless to say there were not very many people there. The animals seemed pretty mellow and weren't really doing much. But I don't blame them. When it's rainy and cold one the nicest places to be is all cuddled up warm with your mate.




This is my favorite picture from this trip. Actually I have to say it is one of my most favorite pictures ever! Ruh made a little buddy! :)





Daisy made a little friend too! :)


This elephant was amazing! I have never seen an animal so big. You can't tell by the picture but he was massive!




Daisy on safari.



These little guys were adorable. You can't tell from the picture but these are little monkeys that are about the size of hamsters! I just wanted to squeeze them.

After the zoo we headed over to our hotel. We got settled in and Daisy and Ruh went for a swim in the heated indoor pool. I stayed in the room and enjoyed watching Fox News on cable. I love Fox News but since we only have basic cable at home we don't get Fox News. I got to watch Hannity and Colmes!

The next morning we had the continental breakfast they served in the dining room. I had one of those yummy Belgian waffles that you make yourself. I love those! I also had a fruit bowl. After breakfast Ruh took Daisy back to the pool for one more swim and I did some reading. After we checked out we went to the end of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City. When we got there we went into the gift shop which is where you buy the tickets. The lady there said the only way to see the Interpretive Center is to take the guided tour which wouldn't be for another hour. So we looked around the gift shop a little bit and decided we would go ahead and head over to the coast. Also I thought we would be able to see the Oregon Trail which you can at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon but not at this Interpretive center. Before we headed over to the coast I did get a souvenir. I saw an adorable doll which looks like one perhaps a little girl on the Oregon Trail would have had. I fell in love with the doll immediately and my hubby bought her for me. She now has her special spot on my shelf at home. :)




When we reached Seaside the rain was coming down in torrents. At one point it even started hailing. It hailed for quite a while and we waited it out in the car. Once the hail stopped the sun came out. We walked around downtown Seaside and enjoyed the little shops. Ruh found a small video arcade which had a game he used to play all the time in middle school. So he spent some quarters and I went to a very cute country store which I spent quite a bit of time looking in.



On our way out of Seaside I saw a sign for a Pioneer Cemetery. I actually really like going to these cemeteries. I think it is good to read the gravestones and remember the pioneers who came before us. At this cemetery I could tell it was not kept up very well and most likely these graves were hardly ever visited. There were quite a few baby graves which really tugged on my heart strings because of my recent miscarriage. I took my time walking from grave to grave reading the names, when they were born and when they died. The graves in this cemetery were from the 1800's. Some of the gravestones could no longer be read because they were so worn. Many were lopsided and some completely fallen over. I wanted to pick them up and put them back where they should be.



Here is a little baby boy who died when he was only a year old. The back of the gravestone was very sweet.

On our way home we went through Astoria. Here is the opening of the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The Astoria Bridge over to Washington is so long. It takes a good several minutes to get across!


We had such a wonderful time on this little vacation! My sweet hubby planned the whole thing in one day and I am so glad he did. I am so thankful I have a husband who will do these kinds of things and love spending time with his family! :)

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything
in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for He founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters."
Psalm 24:1