July 15, 2010 10:33 p.m.

I have to write about something that makes me very proud.  It is about Chips.  Chips (and Sweet Girl) have both been having a great time at Music Camp and at VBS, both offered through our church.  Chips has been receiving some pretty neat compliments, and I want to share them here.

1. The Chief Musician of our church saw me twice last week (during Music Camp) and commented about Chips.  He had been teaching him in a small tone chimes group.  He said that he really enjoyed Chips, that he has a great smile and that his attitude is positive and very refreshing.  That pleased me.

2. This week, the lady who taught Chips' class at VBS (who happens to be the pastor's wife) told me that she really enjoyed having Chips in her class because he is such a willing participant.   That comment made me feel good, too.

3. Yesterday, another mom came up to me and told me that on the way home from VBS the day before, her 11 year old son told her that he really liked Chips a lot, because "he is really nice, he really loves Jesus, and he always tries to do the right thing".  The mother followed up by saying she was thankful that Chips was in her son's life, that as a peer, he was a good Christian witness to her son.  All I can say about that compliment is WOW!  What better words could I possibly hear?

We are still pretty new to this church, but people are starting to appreciate our son as they get to know him.  Chips isn't doing anything unusual at these events.  He is just being himself.  Very cheerful and happy, very engaging, and enjoying everything he does, big and small.  He also loves to engage adults in conversation at every opportunity.  It is so wonderful to see him growing in Christ in this way!

July 9, 2010 10:19 p.m.

I cannot believe how long it has been since I have blogged.  So many things have been going on, and we are so out of our normal routine, as well.  I suppose this is one of those posts that call for photos and captions.


Let's see.  What's this again?  Oh, Chips is always coming up with his own experiments in electricity.  This one was an LED connected to two button cells and two magnets.  Voila!  The LED glows, but unfortunately my camera flash was too bright to show it.


World's longest lasting Christmas Wreath.  I thought that July 2nd was long enough this year, what about you?  I have to say it still looked good, though.  The children helped themselves to the decorations, but the rest ended up in our fire pit.


After six years, we finally put our Black Forest cuckoo clock back on the wall.  This clock was a wedding gift to us from my husband's uncle.  Self-Reliant Man cleaned up the insides and added some lubricant.  Now we enjoy the chiming very much.  It is quite a novelty to the children, since they don't remember it when it was up in our previous house.

 We witnessed the transformation of four monarchs this month.  My husband's boss's boss went on vacation and couldn't tend to them, so he gave them to us.  All four of them matured healthy and whole, and have since flown away somewhere, to the great satisfaction of our family.


I can sleep soundly at night, now, knowing that if all h*** breaks loose, and the End-Of-The-World-As-We-Know-It takes place, at least our family will be set for toilet paper for awhile.  Who knows?  We could probably barter a roll for a tank of gasoline.

 A month ago, we went to visit my MIL.  Here, Chips is sharing his musical gift with a small audience at her nursing home.  It was very calming...


... and it's a good thing I felt calm, because I met up with a space alien that evening at the campground pool!


Our dear friend from church finished up our mother-daughter apron set.  We are using them often together.  Aren't they great?


Self-Reliant Man wanted another Stetson for Father's Day, and he got one.  How 'bout that?  He was a very pleased man.  So was Chips a pleased son.

Highlight of the Month Award goes to Self-Reliant Man's prize for twenty productive years with the company.  He selected from a catalog of gifts that included consumer electronics, an air compressor, jewelry, home decorating items, a propane fire pit, and THIS.  He chose (without my influence at all) this Premium Belgian Waffle Maker.  Wow - what fun!  So friends, for the next several months if you come to visit me, you're getting waffles.  Don't believe it? Then just try me.  Self-Reliant Man now happily makes all kinds of huge, perfect waffles......


.... and Chips chips in his cooking expertise.

 The results are a crunchy and fluffy culinary delight!


Finally, we just completed a week of Music Camp at our church.  There were sixty campers ranging in age from 5 to 13.  They all experienced chorus and Orff classes together.  They also got to select one of the following instruments to learn during the week: classical guitar, harp, or tone chimes.  Our kids did tone chimes, and they loved them, perhaps more than anything else.
But Orff class was a close second.  That looked like a lot of fun.  I would have loved to participate, except I had other duties to tend to during the camp.


Sweet Girl played a metallophone.


Chips played the bass xylophone.  It was a very memorable week for them!