About that mountain..
(pictures via Matt… I think)
They conquered Mt. Silliman (11,188 ft elevation) in the Sequoias. It involved back country camping and trailblazing… which apparently makes this sort of a trip even better.
Casey has been scheming ever since – ready to go on another adventure.
terrific two-year-old
favorites:
- taquitos (sometimes it’s the first thing he asks for when he wakes up)
- puppies
- DUCKS
- tractors
- trash trucks
- jumping off of things
- obtaining bruises, scrapes, and goose eggs at every opportunity
not so much favorites:
- baths, showers, water in general
- being left with a sitter (random new separation anxiety)
- getting his hair cut
- watching television
- vegetables
we’re so glad he’s our kid.
saponification
we made four batches (about 100 lbs of soap).
and we still have 2 more to go.
plus an experimental (all coconut oil) batch that casey’s uncle has requested.
so. fun.
Now we wait for it to cure (3-6 weeks, depending on temperature/humidity/etc.). We’re assuming it’ll cure faster here in dry Southern California… but we’ll see!
When it’s cured, my etsy will be restocked!
casey climbed a mountain.
in the sierras.
with some guys.
they had to camp overnight in the snow.
and i hear they cut their dinner with a machete.
but that’s not what this is about.
it’s about how kids recreate stuff from life in their play. i love it.
mexico city (part one)
Here are a few pictures from our {amazing} vision trip back in October. More about the trip in another post… and better pictures {that I stole from Naomi} later, too.
It’s a little strange to post about it, since we’re in such a limbo state… but you should get to see the place that occupies an important {albeit, smoggy} place in our hearts.
And speaking of limbo, the next steps with Penelope should be happening at the end of this month, or early February at the latest. We’ve been jumping through lots of {paperwork} hoops… and learning to be patient, since the office that has to process our stuff takes a 3 week holiday break! She’ll be evaluated by an interdisciplinary team, and then we’ll all work together to come up with an agreeable game plan. This waiting/praying/learning/hoping/waiting season feels really slow, but it also feels really honest. And I like that. I’m glad we aren’t trying to wrestle through concerns over Penelope while carrying on with everything as planned… that’d just be too much for me.
And I know how God can use a season of waiting. I know I’ll grow and learn, despite all my best efforts to speed it up and know what’s next.
Casey and I sometimes just have to laugh. And joke about painting Proverbs 16:9 in block letters on our living room wall or something. It seems to be a bit of a theme for our family. But we’re always a little surprised when things feel derailed… forgetting that there is a thoughtful, wise, and loving author behind it all.
I know he tells the sea where to stop. And that he’s counted every single {crazy curly} hair on that little girl’s head.
So I don’t wait or wonder without a deep-seated foundation of hope.
And while we’re not currently in support-raising mode, we made a little video just before the break. It has some big picture views of the city… and I don’t think we ever got the chance to share it. You can watch it here or by clicking the “support team” tab at the top of this page.
new year’s
with friends.
at the beach.
we wrote our names on rubber duckies, and watched as a surfer carried them out.
then we watched them come right back.
there’s a metaphor in there somewhere, you know.
On skyping with my Grandma
So yesterday I skyped with my Grandma. And Aunt Mary.
Because they are just as hip and fun as they look.
And I remembered.
That I still hadn’t sent my Grandma a disc of pictures from the wedding.
Um. It was months ago.
So while I won’t be winning any titles for Most Responsible Granddaughter…
I did enjoy going through the pictures tonight and (gasp) actually burning a disc for her.
And now, to assuage my guilt, I’m posting some of those family pictures she’s been waiting for (high-resolution copies are in the mail!).
And for the rest of you, since you were so patient through this post–
Here’s what Arthur looks like if he’s allowed to stay up an hour or two past his bedtime, eat cupcakes, and dance under flashing lights:
Yes- he is that blur. Busting some crazy moves.
