Chloe, My House, and Palouse Falls

Okay, most of these are definitely doubles, but just in case you missed my earlier posts I'll go ahead and leave them up. She sure is cute, anyway! I'm just as surprised as you are when these come up! I just go with the numbers on the picture. Whatever is the next number after the last one I showed you, I upload and then, I just go with it! I don't have time to sort through and figure out what's what and all that, so I just upload the next number and then type accordingly!

Again, my beautiful red barn...I mean, house! Okay, so it's not so beautiful. It's a broken down, old trailer house, but it is amazing what a little paint and some nails will do for the old place!

Again, my humble little Subaru next to Josh's amazing Santa Fe!

I gotta tell ya, some of these pictures are absolutely stunning! I like this one, though, because it does let me know that they're not too far from civilization! Phew! That's a relief. I'd hate to think that they had to squat! Although for some reason my men and one of my girls really don't seem to mind that much. They're sick people, I tell you! Sick! We came up with indoor plumbing for a reason!

I have no idea how to turn this one the right way!

More Boys Hiking and Girls Being Silly In Their Costumes!

Don't ask me how we got back to pictures of my boys' hiking trip, but they are beautiful!

Well, without the boys in them, anyway! He he! Okay, okay, I'll admit it. I love them!

Finally, my silly little Chloe again! You know, I think my kitchen was actually semi-clean for a brief moment here!


Now, there's a much clearer picture of the shirt she got for her Halloween costume! I had such a terrible time getting her to hold still!
This was Angela's costume! Yes, she can be girly occasionally! Actually, a lot more these days! She made a very beautiful ballerina! We were all being silly this day.

Silliness, House Painting, and More Boy Scouts

My superhero youngest daughter (we're not sure what kind of a superhero she is) being her silly self! You can't read her t-shirt, but it says "Blame Your Parents."

Okay, this was taken the same day. Obviously, we were all being very silly! This is what most people would like to do to me most days. I've frequently commented that my husband used to talk and my mom has suggested that maybe he gave up with me in the same house. Gee, thanks mom!

Again, my adorable youngest! Aren't you glad to know that we do acknowledge our girls while my husband works for the Boy Scouts!

This and the next several pictures are of our junky trailer house while we were putting up new trim and painting, basically patching it up good enough to keep the landlord off our case until we can get out of here! How do you like the barn red? I told my husband I always thought it would be neat to turn an old barn into a house and Josh said I'd have to settle for turning an old house into a barn!

That little silver subaru in the background is my baby! I absolutely love her! I know, I know. She's a humble little Subaru, but do not underestimate her! She's a tough little bugger! She's served me well in the last 2 years since I finally got my driver's license! The other cars my husband awesome and gorgeous Hyundai SantaFe. We love it. I took my driver's test in it and since then have hardly been allowed to drive it, with my amazing ability to back into things!

Hate this picture! I'm sure I will regret putting this on here. Don't you just love the state of our blinds! Ugh! Have I mentioned that I hate my house! I guess I should just be thankful that I have one.

More gorgeous wilderness in our area where my men have spent some time!

I know, I know. Obnoxious boys again!

More Boys In The Wilderness

More Pics and Christmas-Emmanuel: God With Us

More Scouts hiking! I know, I know! More boys, but hey, at least they're in some beautiful scenery! I can't wait to get you caught up on pictures, because I've taken some of me and my girls doing Christmas stuff. I just have to do them in the order that they're on my computer or I'll get really confused about what I've shown you and what I haven't. Sometimes I get confused anyway!

Today's the first day of my kids Winter Break. Okay, fine. I'll call it what we're not allowed to call it, Christmas Break!!!! Woohoo! They're not at school, so I can call it whatever I want!!! I can call it Darn, Why Aren't They In School: It's So Hard To Get Anything Done With Them Home Break if I want to!

I've had some rather random thoughts rolling around in my head with it being Christmas and all. I was going to do this as a separate post, but I think I'll just add it to this one even though it really doesn't fit with the pictures. You probably miss my randomness anyway! And I haven't been able to get these thoughts straight at all, so if this is totally unorganized and hard to follow, I'm sorry. I think I'm back to Mommy brain now with the kids home and Christmas and all.

Emmanuel: God With Us. Isn't that really what Christmas is all about? God came down as a man, to be with us! The creator of the Universe in all His Glory decided to give all that up to be with us! He died on a cross so that He could always be with us. That is huge and totally amazing! Me, in all my sin and such a slob and He wants to be with me! Really!!!! Wow! Now, do we treat Christmas that way? I don't think so. Someone asked me recently on facebook (or really a bunch of people) what we think Jesus would think if He came down here now and saw how we celebrate Him this time of year. Is what we do really honoring Him. I think I honor Him the best I know how, because I don't have any money to participate in a commercial Christmas, so what choice do I have? But if I had money I'd probably be buying all the best electronics for my kids that money could buy and I most definitely would be getting an ipod Touch from somebody!!! I've begged enough, that's for sure! So, don't get me wrong, I can be just as materialistic as anyone else! I told my friend that I think if Jesus was here on earth now, he'd be turning over tables, or more like shelves and wracks in the mall! We are just as guilty as a culture as the people selling animals for a profit, to be sacrificed, at the synagogues. We're all about the money and the stuff! I'm not saying all the individuals reading this are, but our culture is. So......

God With Us: Are we acting as though God is with us? Cause He is! Are we treating others as if God is with us? Are we sharing the Good News that God is with us, with our friends, family, and neighbors?

I'm going to be going down to Oregon to see my non-Christian family that thinks they're Christians cause they were raised in church and/or they're American, or they think they are because they're parents say they are. It's very hard to witness to people like that, and I definitely can't do it with words. I have to act like a Christian or they're never going to see the difference between my faith and theirs. They're never going to see the power if I act just like then, which is my tendency, especially when I'm around them. I want to "fit in." But I don't fit, because God is with me and He's not with them. I need to be willing to look like a fool to them, so that I can live for Christ! They're either going to do just that, see me as a fool, or they're going to want to be a fool, too! The latter is what I'm hoping and praying for, but either way, I have to obey God and not the culture of my family! Pray for me, because I've never been successful at this.

Scouting Activities

This is very close by in the amazing place where we live! How could anyone look at this and say there is no God! Wow! Atheists have way more faith than I could possibly muster up!

Okay, I show you pictures of other boys so that I can defend my son! This is proof that they all make very odd faces. Boys are truly creatures from an entirely different planet from our own!

Okay, so he's making a somewhat normal face here! By the way, this is probably more the sort of activity you normally think of Boy Scouts doing, huh?! They actually do a LOT of this! They do that other stuff I've told you about too, though. They learn all kinds of good stuff! If you're wondering where he got the cool shades, they're actually the same glasses he's wearing in the other pictures, but there was some sunlight when this one was taken. They're transition lenses! Yes, they really work! Cool, huh?! I'm hoping to get me a pair in January when I will finally be on my husband's vision insurance!

Okay, this would be my point! You know, the other planet and all!

Aaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnddddddd......again!