Time for Another List

Our family is leaving in less than a week to spend the rest of the summer in lovely Lake Tahoe. Brilliant! Even if there is no a/c or pool, and even if I'd rather be there when there is 6 feet of snow! I'm excited to soak up a little bit of home, even if it's mostly cleaning and organizing. The kids are excited to see some of their friends, and the boys can't wait to do some mountain biking. We will not return to SoCal until Monday, September 7 because we are putting on a Christian Music Festival, Joshua Fest, over Labor Day weekend.

School starts Tuesday, September 8. The flexibility to procrastinate that was mine this last year is now gone since Timothy will be attending a brick & mortar school in the fall. So not only do I need to figure out what to take to Tahoe for the time we're there, but I need to think about what to take to help prepare for JoshuaFest, and what to take to help prepare for school starting in the fall.

Drat, it's time to start another list. (Good thing I like lists--too bad it's so much easier to write a list than to do the things on it.)

Favorite Quotes from War and Peace

I thought about putting this post over on my boring book blog (Vita et Veritas) but then I thought Nah! These are way too much fun!

I just read War and Peace, and was delighted with it. There were a couple of parts where his philosophical thoughts and description of military process had me skimming the page instead of reading, but not enough to get me down. I actually loved the way he combined the story and the philosophy; his writing spoke to me. This makes the 3rd Tolstoy piece I've read, and though I've liked them all (the other 2 were Anna Karenina and parts of The Kruetzer Sonata) this is my favorite. In fact, I think this makes the list of all-time favorites (yes folks, right up there with Jane Austen). And without further ado, here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"All we can know is that we know nothing. And that's the height of human wisdom."

At such moments Princess Mary would think how intellectual work dries men up.

"Your mother's milk has hardly dried on your lips and you want to go into the army!"

"Ah, my friend, it has of late become hard for me to live. I see that I have begun to understand too much. And it doesn't do for man to taste of the tree of knowledge of good and evil..."

Toward the end of the evening, however, as the wife's face grew more flushed and animated, the husband's became more and more melancholy and solemn, as though there were but a given amount of animation between them and as the wife's share increased the husband's diminished.

His words and actions flowed from him as evenly, inevitably, and spontaneously as fracgrance exhales from a flower.

For us with the standard of good and evil given us by Christ, no human actions are incommensurable.

But despite the fact that the doctors treated him, bled him, and gave him medicines to drink, he recovered.

Sometimes it seemed to him that other people were all as pleased as he was himself and merely tried to hide that pleasure by pretending to be busy with other interests.

...and by loving people without cause he discovered indubitable causes for loving them.

Shredding Water

My little water baby...a lover of water since before she was born...has announced that she knows how to "Shred Water". And you know, she's right! She tears it up. Good job Audrey!



-- Post From My iPhone

Silpat or Stoneware?

I love my Pampered Chef stoneware--especially for baking cookies. I've been curious about Silpats, though, (nonstick silicone baking mats) because I seem to see them used everywhere. I've finally gotten the chance to use one, Since my mom and dad got me one for my birthday. I made three different batches of cookies today! The Silpat really is amazing for nonstick purposes, although I must say that there really is nothing like stoneware for even cooking and no burnt bottoms. It was kind of fun using one of each--I just may continue to do that!












-- Post From My iPhone

Our Last Port

We docked at Ketchikan today, known as the salmon capital of the world. We watched a funny lumberjack show, and had a wonderful seafood meal prepared by an Alaskan chef. Tommorrow will be spent at sea, heading toward Vancouver B.C.








-- Post From My iPhone

A Relaxing Day

We had planned on hiking the Chilcoot Trail today, but changed our minds upon discovering that it required hiking boots for 2 miles of steep and narrow terrain. We hadn't come prepared for that! The town of Skagway is a quaint gold rush town in the Yukon Territory with it's own quilt shop--what more could I ask for? Tonight we get to eat at our ship's steakhouse, which sounds great, although I admit I'd love to be going to church with my kiddos instead! Here's some pics:








-- Post From My iPhone

Juneau & Glaciers & Dog Sledding--oh my!

Today we are docked at the lovely capital city of Juneau. Not only did we explore the town a bit, but we also had the incredible opportunity to ride in a helicopter over some amazing landscape, land on a glacier, and try our hands at a bit of dogsledding. It was really amazing--may very well end up being the highlight of our trip.









Oh, and this flower made me think of my girls: (love and miss you all!)


-- Post From My iPhone