The city of brotherly love

This statue of Benjmin Franklin at his printing press is right across the street from both the masonic temple and city hall. I like it because it is a representation of a young Ben Franklin.

Philly has the prettiest city hall building I have ever seen. The architecture is so ornate! There is a statue of William Penn on top of it, but I didn't dare go any further in the street to get the photo. A smushed Jennifer wouldn't go over well back home.


The University of Performing Arts was gorgeous.

Masonic Temple

The tour of the Masonic Temple was one of my favorite parts of this trip. As I walked through the city, I felt connected to the past because I appreciate the sacrifice, wisdom, and strength it took to accomplish the things that happened there. As I walked through the temple, though, it was a different connection. I have a lot of family history in Pennsylvania that I hope to someday be able to go back and explore. Most of my family from that area was masonic. I went to the clerk in the temple and asked if she could see if my great grandfather belonged to a lodge that met there in the temple, and she was able to find his record for me. The temple is exquisite in its rich detail.



This is just one of the staircases that leads to different floors.

Each meeting room has a different theme. This was the Egyptian room, and you would think you had walked into a pyramid. The walls have heiroglyphs from Egyptian temples all over them, and these were all from temples that were discovered before the 1800s. There were too many flourescent lights for me to get a picture that even came close to capturing the stunning beauty in these rooms. I really recommend taking this online tour to see some of it better.



There were several statues similar to this one throughout the temple. These were carved from pine, and then painted. To hear it described, it doesn't sound nearly as lovely as the finished pieces are. They look like stone!


This was a photo of the Rennaisance room. I loved this room because that is another era of history that I really enjoy.

Masonic Temple part 2

The museum in the temple has a fantastic display of many memorable and historical masonic items. This isn't a good picture because of the angle I had to take it at, but this was George Washington's apron. (I was very surprised to find it there. I think I just always assumed he had been buried in it.) He was the only man to ever serve as President of the United States concurrently with his station as the Grand Master of his lodge.



Every room we went into drew my eyes to the ceiling. I love symbols, and I enjoy learning about them as much as I enjoy history. This ceiling grabbed my attention because of the architecture of the room and the symbols on the ceiling.


The knockers into each of the meeting rooms were different, but they were all beautiful.


Our guide told us that they are not positive who this portrait depicts, but the general consensus is that it is probably Saul and David. All of the art in the temple was incredible. There were paintings, sculptures, stained glass windows, and more. Every turn literally took my breath away.

These pieces of art for each state were housed between two levels of stairs.

Horse-drawn carriage tour

Gayle and I went on a horse-drawn carriage tour of historic Philly. I have never done this before, but since this was how they got around during those days, I was happy to experience it! These are all some sights we saw on the tour.


This was the first fire station in Philly. The horses and all of their paraphernelia were kept here. We saw the building where the first fire insurance company still sells fire insurance to this day.

William Penn was actually very concerned about fire because it could destroy entire cities. Therefore, he built the two main streets to be breakers so if part of the city did catch on fire, no more than one-fourth of it would burn down. A colonial house could not be built of wood or other easily burnable materials in the Philly area, which is why the majority of homes were brick. Also, the kitchens had to be in the cellars under the brick floors so if they caught on fire the cellar doors could be closed until the fire was extinguished. Unfortunately, fire was the second leading cause of death for colonial women, (childbirth being the first) since they were often trapped in the burning kitchens.


It was against the law to gossip in the colony as well. Therefore, women would go to these bench areas (called whispering walls) where one would sit on one end, and the other would sit at the opposite end. If you put your face into the wall and whispered, the sound would carry to the other side. This way the women could gossip, but since they were "talking to a wall" they weren't tehnically breaking the law.


This is Donavon. He was the horse pulling our cariage very reluctantly. The poor thing acted so old and tired!


I don't know what this elevator originally did or when it was built, but I liked the way it looked.


The plot of land this house little house stand on and the plot next to it were purchased together by a lady who wanted to restore the big house and build a garden on the second plot. However, the city would not let her only plant a garden, and told her if she didnt build a house on the plot they would reverse the sale and take both plots back. Rather than fight them on the point, the lady built what is legally a house surrounded by a beautiful garden... it has a foundation, a locking door, windows, and a roof. The city took her to court, and she won her case in about five minutes when she explained to the judge that they never told her how big the house had to be.

This is the actual chair that George Washington presided in as President of the Constitutional Convention. The sun carving on it is famous. After the Constitution was finalized for the time being, Franklin said, "I have often - in the course of the Session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issues - looked at that [sun] behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun." Did you know that Washington and Franklin both only expected the Constitution to hold the country together for approximately twenty years?


This is George Washington's statue in front of Independance Hall. There are also markers on the ground where Abe Lincoln and JFK stood to give speeches.


The first floor of Independance Hall was a courtroom before and after the Revolutionary war. The metal gate is where the defendant would stand during trial, which is why we still say "he will stand trial for his crime." The courtroom in the Congress Hall had a much nicer wooden area for the defendant to stand.

Congressional awe

These were photos that were taken in the Congress building, which is right next to Independence Hall. In the early days of the republic, after the Constitution was hammered out and put into effect, this building served as a courthouse, the Senate, and the local government headquarters. This is the chair that the first Speaker of the House used. It was in front of this dias where John Adams was inaugurated into office. This peaceful, voluntary passing of control from one living leader of a country to the next was the first ever in history.



Keyholes, locks, and other colonial hardware is going to be a recurring theme as I get my photos from this trip up. I was fascinated by them, and took several photos throughout Philly and Valley Forge when I found locks that caught my eye. This was the keyhole into the House of Representatives.



Both of these clocks are on the Independence Hall building.

This was the silver quill and ink set that was used by the signers of the Declaration of Independence. One of the first copies of the Declaration of Independence that I mentioned earlier is kept in the building on the Independence Mall, and the original is stored in the National Archives. If I get to go back to Chantilly next year, I want to go to the archives and see it in person.



These are very good replicas of the chairs and desks used by the first House of Representatives. The Senate met in the upstairs chamber of this building since they didn't need as much room. Thus the terms upper and lower houses of Congress were established.

Betsy Ross

We stopped and went on the self-guided tour of Betsy Ross' house. There are no photos allowed inside the house, so I only have this one of the outside to share. However, there is a ton of info on the site I linked on her name, and there are photos of the house as well. Her family did a wonderful job of preserving her belongings and continuing in her tradition. The museum shows some of the flags that were sewn by her daughters and grand-daughters.

Let Freedom Ring

There were lots of displays with artifacts that were found during archaelogical digs in the colonial Philadelphia area. My favorite was the one of these toothbrushes, though. Can you imagine what they felt like to brush your teeth with!


We went through the security clearance and spent a good amount of time in the Liberty Bell center. There was a poem there that I am going to find and link to in this blog. It was wonderful. It was incredible to read all the display boards in the Liberty Bell center to see where it has been, and what it has meant to people from all over the world!


This is actually my favorite picture of the several that I took of the bell.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

This was the tunnel that Ben Franklin walked through to get to his house.


I went into this Post Office at the Franklin Court and it is still a working PO. I bought some postcards and mailed them to the kids so they would have the cancellation stamp from this office. Franklin's printing office was closed while we were there, so I didn't get to see it, but I did get to see where the foundation of his house still exists. This lady in the photo was fun to walk behind. I thought she was adorable in her western outfit with the red hat, boots, and gloves. I don't know how she wore that heavy outfit in the sweltering humidit, though!



Benjamin and Deborah Franklin are both buried in the Christ Church cemetary. Visitors leave pennies on the grave. It is a simple grave... their names are etched on the marble slab, but there aren't any elaborate markers or epitaphs included.


The Christ Church cemetary is also the final resting spot for five signers of the Declaration of Independance, as well as John Dunlap, who printed the first copies of the D of I after it was signed. Of the 200 copies that are believed to be printed in the first print, only 25 are known to still exist. There are still four tribal chiefs buried there as well. They came with four other chiefs to meet with the city leaders, and died of yellow fever. Four of them were removed and taken back to have an proper burial by their own people, and the other four are now said to haunt the cemetary. The church was attended by several notable persons of history, including Washington, Franklin, and Betsy Ross. Today you can sit in their pews, but during their time you would have been kicked out for doing so!

Benjamin Franklin was a truly remarkable man. I have immensely enjoyed learning about him through the years. This is one of my favorite biographies about his life if you are looking to enrich your knowledge on this particular fore-father!

Who's Your Daddy?

I have had a good time finding different little tests to play with this week. Tonight I was cruising blogthings again, and found this test. My daddy is Ozzy Osbourne... LOL... who's yours?

Your Daddy Is Ozzy Osbourne

What You Call Him: Papi Why You Love Him: He's your sugar daddy

Who's Your Daddy?

I had a good time seeing the Independance Mall on Wed. I have over 200 photos so far, and will have more tomorrow after I see George Washington's headquarters. The show is going well for the most part. I will post more on that when I get home.

Off to Philly

I am logging off soon, and finishing up getting ready to leave for PA tomorrow. If you are going to be at the CK convention in Valley Forge this weekend, feel free to stop by and say hi! I am teaching all the Deluxe Designs classes.

If all goes well, I will have lots of photos and links to share with you. I just cannot wait!

My friend Sarah is running a marathon to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Please check out her site if you would like to help her meet her goals!

Sarah

If you want to help the LLS through magazine subscriptions, you can do that here.
Good luck, Sarah... you know I am cheering you on!

The next post is pretty long... longer than I realized when I was pasting the text in. Scroll down to see the Mud Mermaid or Beth's First Year posts if you haven't been by in the last couple of days, since they got a little buried under that post.

I hope to hear whether I was chosen for the ScrapVillage team by the time I get home. I will post updates from the road if I can!

One Smart Cookie

I spent some time today taking a couple of IQ tests. I thought the results were interesting. I really laughed at the part that says "friends will ask you to navigate"... guess who the navigator is on the convention trips? I was really perturbed with myself on the first IQ test because I missed four questions, and I knew the correct answers to two of them. So I went and found the other test to redeem myself... LOL. (I do like having the extra four points added to the IQ on the last test) The middle test was one of those tests that determines what field you would work best in. The third test was about my subconscience reactions. All in all, I found most of the results to be a fairly accurate description of myself, although I never thought of myself as being mathematical before. Once I thought about it, though, I am. I just don't LIKE to do math, which is different than not being ABLE to do math. I do love strategy and pattern games as much as I love word or spelling games. Unfortunately, being organized in the home is an area I haven't quite achieved yet. The thing is, though, that I know where I want it all to be, and I just have to wait until Jack can finish all this re-construction bruhaha to get it organized that way! In summary, the results say that I am good at public speaking, I can do math in my head, I can apply logical solutions to problems, I am creative, and I generlly think that being nice is a good thing. I decided to post the results here so I can use them later in a page I have floating around in my head right now.

Anyway... if you are bored and want to see the results, here they are. By the way, I added the "How weird are you?" test to my sidebar if you want to take it. It says I am 50% weird... how does one end up 50% weird????

Test 1 IQ
You scored 129 on Tickle's IQ test. This means that based on your answers, your IQ score is between 119 and 129. Most people's IQs are between 70 and 130.
In fact, 95% of all people have IQs within that range. 68% of people score between 80 and 120. The following chart to your right, shows these percentages and where your IQ score is on that scale.

You have a strong ability to process visual-spatial and mathematical information. These skills combined with your strengths in logic are what make you a Visual Mathematician.

You're able to understand patterns visually and in numbers. That means your mind can create a mental picture for any problem. In addition to that skill, you possess an intelligence that allows you to apply math to that picture, too. That helps you manipulate multiple parts of the picture (or problem) to come up with a solution. You have many skills that are critical to success and problem-solving. Your talents help you understand the "big picture," which is partly why people may turn to you for direction — especially in the workplace. You flourish in environments where tasks are clearly defined, and you are a whiz at improving processes and making things more efficient. Your ability to detect patterns and your skills in math and logic, make it natural for you to come up with ideas and theories that simplify processes for everyone.

Outside of work, Visual Mathematicians tend to do well at strategic activities like chess. It must be that ability to recognize patterns — both as they are and how they develop. Regardless of how you put your mind to use, you've got a great set of talents. You will be able to envision a clear path and calculate the risks, and more importantly, the rewards, of anything you take on.

You scored in the 90th percentile on the mathematical intelligence scale.This means that you scored higher than 80% - 90% of people who took the test and that 10% - 20% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

Your mathematical intelligence score represents your combined ability to reason and calculate. You scored relatively high, which means you're probably the one your friends look to when splitting the lunch bill or calculating your waitresses' tip. You may or may not be known as a math whiz, but number crunching might come a little easier to you than it does others.

You scored in the 100th percentile on the visual-spatial intelligence scale.
This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

The visual-spatial component of intelligence measures your ability to extract a visual pattern and from that envision what should come next in a sequence. Your score was relatively high, which could mean that you're the one navigating the map when you're on an outing with friends. You have, in some capacity, an ability to think in pictures. Maybe this strength comes out in subtle ways, like how you play chess or form metaphors.

You scored in the 80th percentile on the linguistic intelligence scale.
This means that you scored higher than 70% - 80% of people who took the test and that 20% - 30% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

Linguistic abilities include reading, writing and communicating with words. Tickle's test measures knowledge of vocabulary, ease in completing word analogies and the ability to think critically about a statement based on its semantic structure. Your score was relatively high, which could mean you know your way around a bookstore and maybe like to bandy about the occasional 25-cent word to impress friends.

You scored in the 90th percentile on the logical intelligence scale.
This means that you scored higher than 80% - 90% of people who took the test and that 10% - 20% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.

Tickle's logical intelligence questions assess your ability to think things through. The questions determine the extent to which you use reasoning and logic to determine the best solution to a problem. Your logic score was relatively high, which could mean that when the car breaks down, your friends look to you to help figure out not only what's wrong, but how to fix it and how you're going to get to the next gas station.
______________________
Test 2 Job Skills
your primary career talent is Verbal Ability

You know how to pick the right words for almost every occasion. You understand the power and aesthetic appeal behind language. Your verbal knowledge can make you versatile in expressing yourself. And you are much more skilled than most people at picking up subtle meanings behind what people say.
You have a way with words. Although most of us take for granted that we can use our native language, you seem to know how to pick the right words for almost any occasion. This ability to comprehend information and be articulate in your speaking or writing is no small feat. Moreover, you appear to understand the power and aesthetic appeal behind language. This knowledge can make you versatile in expressing yourself with either flowery or direct communication as the situation demands. You're the kind of person that friends would want to make that special wedding toast or farewell speech. And if you're terrified of public speaking, they'd at least want you to write it.

Reading between the lines to pick up on the subtle meanings behind what people say and write can also be part of your repertoire. With your gift for decoding language's complexities, you can be both a great meeting facilitator and a conflict negotiator. In addition to these strengths, you may have the knack for mixing old-fashioned terms with the latest lingo in ways that keep people interested in not only what you say but also how you say it. This kind of creativity and ability to focus language into top-notch communication can make you a valuable asset in a variety of business settings.

Your secondary career talent is Spatial Ability.

The ability to visualize objects in three-dimensional space can give you an unusual view of the world. You appear to understand how figures can be manipulated and take on new forms. Because of this talent, you can probably imagine new designs easily, including anything from floor plans to page layouts — and even 3D product prototypes. People like you are usually aces when it comes to putting together assemble-it-yourself furniture or other household items — whether the items arrive with instructions or not.

Your rare talent can make you less likely than most people to be content with the same old thing. As a result, in your work life you might enjoy focusing on visual innovation and proposing new ideas. Your ability to conceptualize objects in their completed form can make you a natural designer or engineer. Your spatial skills can also help you understand the finer points of how things work. Typically, new computer programs or specialized office equipment are no sweat to you. In a world where technology changes so rapidly, you may also find yourself rewarded for your ability to adapt.

Verbal aptitude refers not only to your range of vocabulary but also your ability to comprehend the relationship between different words. This particular test also examined your ability to correctly identify the meanings of popular proverbs or sayings. Our researchers utilized this technique to gauge your skill forming inferences and understanding the precise meanings of metaphorical statements.

You scored a 10 out of 10 on our measure of verbal ability. People who score well on this talent tend to be good at work that requires interpreting or communicating ideas.
Spatial ability refers to your level of ease in understanding the relationship between objects and physical space. Tickle's experts tested not only your ability to recognize how shapes can be manipulated but also how they would look if their appearance were altered in some way. Having an understanding of object rotation in a three-dimensional space is another aspect critical to this skill.

You scored a 10 out of 10 on our measure of spatial ability. People who score high in this talent tend to do best in professions that emphasize these unique spatial skills.
Abstract reasoning refers to your ability to think complexly and see relationships between ideas that are not easily apparent. This kind of reasoning requires making inferences from both logical and creative sources of information.

You scored an 8 out of 10 on our measure of abstract reasoning. People who score high on this talent tend to do well in careers that capitalize on this kind of analytical and creative thinking style.
Numerical ability refers to your skill performing both basic and advanced mathematical calculations correctly. In addition, Tickle's test assessed your recognition of numerical patterns and ability to understand numbers in specific situational contexts.

You scored a 4 out of 10 on our measure of numerical ability. People who score high on this talent tend to do well in work that emphasizes calculating numbers.
Mechanical ability refers to your aptitude for understanding the workings of machines and tools. A certain degree of precision and practical thinking is needed for this type of skill.

You scored a 4 out of 10 on our measure of mechanical ability. People who score high on this talent do well in professions that draw on this skill.

You scored a 10 out of 10 on Tickle's organizational abilities scale.

Let's face it: organization comes more easily to some people than it does for others. Although everyone may eventually be able to perform organizational tasks well, few people can accomplish these skills consistently, quickly, and accurately.

Given your high score, it appears that you've got the right stuff when it comes to being methodical. In fact, you're probably on top of things big and small. While other people might spend their time shuffling through piles of disordered personal papers or searching to find their house keys (again), you've got these details wrapped up. People like you have developed careful systems that allow you to manage appointments, keep track of your belongings and projects, and bring ease to your daily tasks. In the work world, this skill can make you a model for efficiency — and chances are, it already does.

_______________________________
Test 3 Subconscience reactions
your subconscious mind is driven most by Kindness

This means you have a deep desire to be kind and fair to others. You may even be preoccupied with finding kindness in the world around you, far more than you realize on a conscious level.

It is possible that the underlying reason you seek kindness in the world around you, is that you fear cruelty, the opposite of kindness. That could drive you to unconsciously project kindness wherever possible into your world. Regardless of its origin, your steadfast adherence to being kind to others is felt by people you are close to.

You are probably more susceptible than others to being overwhelmed by emotions — both yours and others'. It is possible that your unusually empathic nature is a result of your natural sensitivity to others' pain, and your desire to help them avoid it. For this reason, things might affect you more than they affect your friends and family. To protect yourself from too much emotional intensity, you might want to keep an eye out so you can recognize it when it starts. That will allow you to slow things down until you feel grounded again.

Overall, your strong orientation towards kindness gives you an optimistic nature, which translates into you seeing the best in the people around you. Because you're not one to be overly judgmental, others may seek out your company when they need a friend to talk to. People close to you likely know that you care deeply about the inner lives of others and can listen to what they have to say without imposing your views on them.
_________________________
Test 4 IQ

Your IQ score is 133. This means that you are smarter than 98.0% of all other Super IQ test takers.

Your test results indicate that the way you process information makes you a Creative Theorist.

You are a highly intelligent, complex person. You process all kinds of information easily, using the power of both your creative and analytic abilities. In any situation, you know how to extract the most valuable details and use them to understand the larger picture. Most people do not have your talent of being able to spot both numerical and visual patterns.

Your highly imaginative mind allows you to be innovative, and conjure up notions of what could be. In some circles this is called "thinking outside the box" and is considered an extremely valuable asset. However, not everyone is prepared for such an active imagination and you may find you have to spend time convincing people of your great ideas. It might behoove you to find others like you, who are able to understand how your mind works.
As you can see, your top scores are in the areas of Reasoning, Spatial, and Logical. This is a very unusual combination — only 6 in 1,000 people have it. Want more proof? Then pay attention to the percentages of people who scored higher and lower than you on each of the 8 intellectual strengths.

Abstract Reasoning Ability
Your score is 99 out of 100. With abstract reasoning you can think on multiple levels and see relationships between ideas that are not easily apparent. When you're using your abstract reasoning skills, you draw on both external logical and creative sources of information to come up with your solution

Spatial Ability
You scored 99 out of 100. You use spatial ability to judge the relationship between objects and physical space, like a parked car and the width of the road. It is also what helps you visualize a room when you are decorating or rearranging furniture.

Logical Ability
Your scored 99 out of 100. Logical ability is what you use when determining whether or not something makes sense. You rely on logic when analyzing an argument, step-by-step. This ability also contributes to your aptitude for recognizing underlying patterns.

Numerical Ability
You scored 99 out of 100. You use numerical ability when you spot a numerical pattern or solve a numerical equation.

Verbal Ability
Your verbal ability score is 96 out of 100. Verbal ability means having an expansive range of vocabulary, being able to use it, and feeling a desire to add to it. It is also what allows you to comprehend the relationships and subtle difference between words.

Mechanical Ability
You scored 93 out of 100. Mechanical ability is what helps you understand how machines and tools work. Someone with a good amount of mechanical ability probably has an innate understanding of physics. High mechanical skill is also associated with a high degree of precision and practical thinking.

Organizational Ability
Your organizational ability score is 88 out of 100. Organizational ability is what allows you to organize and arrange information effectively, be precise, and proofread carefully.

Visual Ability
Your score is 82 out of 100. Visual ability allows you to accurately visualize all aspects of an object for the purposes of recreating it, the way painters do. It's also what you use to imagine a scene from a novel or a story someone tells you — the ability to accurately reproduce reality in the mind's eye.

My Mud Mermaid

Have you ever seen a mud mermaid before? Me neither... apparently they are rather elusive creatures. I met one in the backyard yesterday. I mistook him as my son, Todd, but when I said "Hi Todd" I was quickly corrected. "I not Todd... I a mud mermaid." When I asked the little mud mermaid how he got in the backyard, he told me "I swam through the dirt." There you have it... don't plant grass in your backyard, and you might get your own little mud mermaid to visit you!

Beth's first year

I made this little album (4x6) today featuring Beth's first year. I know pink and brown isn't the most original color combo, but I think it is one of the prettiest... The colors scanned off-color... the pink is a much prettier shade, and it isn't purply at all. I used my own handwriting to add some of the different milestones or personality traits that she developed during each month. I haven't used my own handwriting in forever! I remember why now, too... LOL

Whew!

This has been a long weekend already!

I forgot to take the kids to the Pioneer Day parade at the church today. I felt bad about that.

I spent yesterday prepping the kits for the wedding album class I taught today. Everytime I use shrink plastic in a class, I wonder what sort of crazy bug bit me to make me think it was a good idea. As I was shrinking down the 128 pieces I had diecut for the kits, I managed to give myself a nasty burn. I was pressing the last couple of hearts down flat, and as I pressed on the opposite end of the tray it popped up and grabbed the underside of my upperarm right above my elbow. I am now sporting a 3.5 inch second degree burn on the part of my arm that rubs against my side all day. At that point I turned off the oven, iced and bandaged my arm, and went to bed. I finished the kits this morning before I headed out to teach the class.

The upside is that the class is done, and I know what I will be teaching in September! I also finished up my brainiac project today, so that was a big check off on my to-do list! That leaves me two days to finish up these last couple of little projects and maybe even finish my masters. I also got my scraproom cleaned today, which always helps the creative juices flow a little better.

I am leaving on Tuesday for the Valley Forge show in PA. I am so excited I can't hardly stand it. Gayle and I are flying in a day early so we can spend all day Wednesday at Independance Hall and the other historical sites. I already reserved my tickets, printed all the driving directions, and have my itinerary planned. I can't wait to take those photos and share them!

I think I figured out why Chatterbox only showed three of the kids in my section of the book. I think whoever scanned it didn't realize it was an accordian album with pages on the back, and he or she just stopped when they got to the end of the front side. That still doesn't explain how I ended up with somebody else's "S" on one of my pages, but it does make me feel like maybe they weren't deliberately trying to leave half of the kids out of an album about why they are all my favorites! LOL I am going to scan the other pages in and print them out really well, and then staple them into the book so my three little ones feel included...

Rambling

How did I end up married to a man who loves jazz? It is one form of music I really do not enjoy. He has infected Todd with a love of it, too. Todd has figured out that Jack's alarm clock is set to a jazz station, so he keeps popping in here and turning it on.

The kids have moved from playing house to playing preacher. Faith is in the boys' room right now marrying Beth to Kyle.

I finished one more page for my Master's entry. I might actually get this all done and shipped off in time!I envy those of you who have already won these contests and don't ever have to decide again if you are going to enter or not! It kills me to not be able to post the pages I have done here!

I have several other projects to work on, but I don't feel like it. It is hot, and all I want to do is lounge in front of the fan.

I have been reading blogs this morning. I have even been posting on them. That is harder for me than it sounds. I am an outgoing person, I like to meet new people and get to know others, but putting myself "out there" as far as posting on boards or blogs goes is a little too much "self-promotion" for me. I know that most people don't see it that way... I don't even feel that way about people who post on my blog, so why do I give myself such a hard time about it when I do it? I also decided to bite the bullet and go ahead and email the people from CHA who asked me to email them. I have never emailed the companies who have told me to do that, for the same reasons I don't really post on blogs of people I don't know well. It is time to get over that, isn't it?

I am taking Kyle to the Harley store tomorrow, and hopefully I will have the little mini album of it done before I leave on Tuesday. I can't wait to see his reaction when he sees where I am taking him!

Just a couple of photos from this morning...


Kyle and Beth turned the box into a house. Talk about tight living quarters!

Kyle found this cute little outfit I picked up for Beth yesterday and dressed her in it all by himself. He was so proud of himself and asked me to take a picture of her. She smiled for me even! What is really funny, though, is that she is peeling glue off of her face. She was helping the older kids make a craft project with elmer's glue, and then Kyle dressed her with the glue drying on her skin. After I took the photo I realized what she was doing and helped her get it all off.

The Guys

Jack's best friend, Al, came to town over the weekend while I was in Chicago, and they had a good time catching up and hanging out. The sun was already too low by the time I was able to take their picture together, so this is the best of the set. I might play with some filters and clean it up a bit in Photoshop, and then it should be good for a layout!