there and back again...

Colonial Delights

2011-12-22T19:36:00.000-06:00

During the month of December, we took advantage of our unique situation and explored some colonial sites. First on the list was George Washington's beautiful home, Mt. Vernon, which we toured with our dear cousins and Abi.

Unintentionally, the date of our trip was December 14, the 212th anniversary of Mr. Washington's death. Upon the realization of this, our few hours there became far more reverent and real. One could feel see the final moments of that great man and feel the grief of family members at every step.

A truly majestic memory it was.

A few short days after our Mt. Vernon excursion hailed the beginning of Dad's Christmas holiday from Pastor's College. We took that opportunity to get away with him to Colonial Williamsburg.

Of course it doesn't help when we just put him and the other troublemaker in the stocks. (That was a perfectly timed, cheesy line, wasn't it? ;-) )

It was a much needed quiet and restful few days. We stayed at an excellently furnished (not to mention excellently priced) rental for three days. We walked around Williamsburg during the day, came home to a hot meal at night, and slept at least ten hours each night. It was wonderful! :)

Visiting around the Christmas season meant that we could take in the famed holiday decor, and Williamsburg truly is decked out! Whimsical wreaths grace each historic building, while inside rooms are similarly adorned. But the best Christmas finery can only be seen once the sun has donned his nightcap and dusk sends out his scouts across the sky. Then every home, tavern, and shop window comes alive with dim candlelight, casting romantic shadows across cobblestone roads and whisking passers-by off to former times.

Holidays with the Hoffmans

2011-12-12T20:50:00.000-06:00

After much planning and preparation, the ladies of the house headed down the road to a nursing home for an afternoon of Christmas carols, cookies, chatting.

We played and sang, and the residents loved it. Bring joy is so fulfilling.

A few days later, we joined the Hoffmans for a Ravens game.

Quite fun, though most of us still prefer college ball. :)

And here is a little video for your viewing enjoyment.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2011-12-05T21:38:00.000-06:00

This year we enjoyed a few new Christmas traditions.

Joining our cousins and aunt and uncle, we were able to participate in Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery.

It was such an awe-inspiring opportunity.

A few weeks later, we were had some fun making gingerbread houses with some other PC families.

Fun-ness. :)

Home Again... Part 3

2011-12-03T19:53:00.001-06:00

Our final full day at home was a Sunday, so we headed off to church. We loved being home again with our dear family! And then we had an afternoon at the beach -- the perfect way to round out our visit!

Home Again... Part 2

2011-12-02T17:41:00.003-06:00

The evening of our surprise arrival, a joint birthday party was planned for Bee and Rebekah. So we headed over to the house and continued to ...

... talk a lot ...

... eat a lot...

... pose a lot ...

... celebrate life a lot ...

... play silly, embarrassing games a lot ...

... and catch up with old friends a lot ...

'Cause we love these people ... a lot.

Randomosities...

2011-12-01T20:57:00.000-06:00

The only picture we have of Thanksgiving -- obviously, this was a before picture. :)

We enjoyed having three other Pastor's College families over. It was certainly an afternoon of much thanksgiving, feasting, laughter, and joy.

Occasionally they let the students out of their classroom and homework assignments... They go a little crazy!

We're not in Niceville anymore, Toto. We sported this attractive look for one (chilly) day after our car was broken into. Thank God, however, that only a bit of cash was stolen. Now we have a lovely new window and a bit more city street smarts!

Katie took us on a trip down memory lane with a few zeppolis. A dear friend worked at "The Pizza Place" (not it's real name, but what we know it as) in Brandon, FL and often treated his daughters and us to this delicious treat -- pizza dough absolutely covered in powdered sugar.

Delicious.

Home Again... Part 1

2011-12-01T16:53:00.000-06:00

After our whirlwind of a time in Tallahassee, we five ladies loaded up again to drive back home ... our Florida home ... unbeknownst to all of the children!

And just look at this reaction: tears all around! :)

Of course the far more sensible younger ones didn't cry. They were too busy being thrilled to bits at seeing each other!

And, of course, proceeding to knock each other over.

Emmy Xiang and Mama showed up at Vanessa's soccer game, while the Jane Ellen, Katie, and Gracie crashed a filming session that Bee was heading up on some friends property.

We did help out, and during the little breaks they took, we talked and talked and talked as if there was no tomorrow and we had never parted.

It felt so good to just fall back into our regular patterns!

After the filming, we all headed back into town where Emmy Xiang, Olivia, and Vanessa were having a jolly old time!

Up next... a joint birthday party!

A Quick Bit of Family Time

2011-11-17T21:08:00.002-06:00

The Elf had a college trip to take in Georgia, so all the ladies of the family piled into the truck and headed South -- and what a lovely direction to travel that is. We all kept remarking how wonderful it was. What can we say? There's something so wonderfully unique about the South, and we're ever so proud of it.

After the trip, we were able to spend just a few days in Florida, a whirlwind of a time with Mammy and Pop and then a bit eastward back at home! Our only regret was that there was simply no time to squeeze in a time to get to BeBe and Poppy's before Thanksgiving! :(

Speaking of Thanksgiving, though, we had a miniature one while in Tallahassee with Grandma, Mammy and Pop, Aunt Rufus and Uncle Buddy, and Mr. Paul and Mrs. Sheila. (When Mr. Paul walked in the front door, Emmy asked Mammy who he was. "You're mom's godfather," she replied. "He's GOD?!?!" Emmy answered, a bit on the astonished side. ;D)

The next night, Pop favored Mom's rather un-subtle hints at how long it'd been since she'd had a fish fry, and we got to visit with his side of the family. It was all delicious, but after Thanksgiving one night, Olive Garden for lunch, and a fish fry the next, they almost had to roll us home!

Friendship...

2011-11-12T21:00:00.001-06:00

is a very sweet thing!

We've been so well taken care of by our church family back home, receiving care packages from each caregroup regularly.

And, we had quite the surprise when one arrived from the Atlanta church! These gifts have been such blessings.

Of course, nothing beats having friends send themselves! Our pastors and their wives came up to Maryland for the SGM Pastor's Conference and were able to stay with us. It was so nice to see some familiar faces...

And so hard to say goodbye to them! Until next time!

Bonfire!

2011-11-09T20:53:00.000-06:00

Corn Maze

2011-11-07T15:03:00.018-06:00

We had something of a miniature family reunion while Mammy and Pop were up here, for Aunt Rufus and Uncle Buddy were visiting Aunt Lee and the family in Virginia. We met up on day for a fun outing to a farm that had a corn maze and other autumnal activities.

Of course, we had to take pictures before even leaving the house! (One cousin is, sadly, lacking; Paul didn't feel up to all the estrogen that day. And who can blame him?)

Our first activity upon arriving was a "hay ride" ... of sorts. ;-)

It ended at their pumpkin patch which proved to be another picture-perfect set.

Then came the corn maze! We, unintentionally, split into teams and had a fantastic time wandering about through the pathways. Of course Team Males chose the easy and more amusing way out -- watching all of us womenfolk wander around like chickens with our heads cut off from the look-out.

Our favorite aspect of this corn maze was the treasure hunt quality it had. Before entering, each person was garnered with a piece of paper with a list of places that had to be found. Each station had an activity or puzzle to figure out. If the wanderer found each station, he received a prize at the end. Not an easy feat, I assure you.

After the corn maze, everybody enjoyed the other games at the farm.

And we all had fun feeding corn to the goats! :)

Such a great day!

Mammy and Pop's Visit

2011-11-06T20:06:00.000-06:00

Mammy and Pop, self-avowed leaf-peepers, came for a visit in October, and as opposed to the unfortunate case with BeBe and Poppy, we were able to grab some pictures!

We took a few outings to some local trails to enjoy the brilliant colors, mysteriously undocumented in these pictures...

Trust us, though. The leaves have been absolutely stunning in all their autumnal radiance (especially for Floridians).

Last year Mammy and Pop stayed in and toured the Amish country -- and promptly fell in love with it! So they took us over to Pennsylvania to experience it for ourselves.

Far from disappointed were we! It was a beautiful picture of rural America and, in a sense, a peek into the past!

But if you were to ask Emmy, the highlight of the trip was when our buggy ride host handed the reins over to her! Be very afraid...

Snow!

2011-11-03T19:53:00.000-05:00

So we knew that the weather here in Maryland would be very different than our typical Florida year, and for the most part, we are excited to experience new seasons and such. However, we weren't necessarily expecting snow in October...

And while it didn't stick for long due to rain and sun, we enjoyed watching it gently fall and the confectioner's sugar-like dusting that covered everything! Speaking of confectioner's sugar, we had a ton of fun making (and eating, of course) some celebratory donuts!

Harvest Party

2011-11-01T12:06:00.000-05:00

Covenant Life's youth group hosts a harvest party for children in the area each year, and we had the privilege of attending with this adorable little clown. :)

Also in the party were Pocahontas, Belle, and a colonial milkmaid, plus a few non-costumed people.

We met up with a few of our other friends -- Snow White, Cinderella, and a couple of ninjas.

After a few other staged photographs, the girls were ready to play some games (and earn some candy, too).

Quite a few rooms in the church were set up with a different stations with different games. After the children played, they could collect some prize candy.

Daddy was able to come upstairs and join us after some long study hours!

Though she protested, Emmy Xiang participated in this donut game and shared her reward (the donut) with us!

A fun evening, for sure!

Mama's Birthday

2011-10-31T12:01:00.000-05:00

Mama had a "big" birthday this year... And we celebrated twice. The first little party was a joint one with another PC wife whose birthday is the day before. It was great fun to cook out and enjoy fellowship with all of our new friends.

The second one was a little more intimate with our dear Hoffmans and Manasi, a neighbor whose birthday is also on the 31st. We enjoyed a little tea and carrot cake (Mama's favorite!).

Colonial Market Day

2011-10-28T08:56:00.000-05:00

Whilst searching for some places for our weekly outings, Mama came across the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, a living history site reenacting the earlier colonial era. Each season the Farms hosts a special event for visitors, and this October was their Colonial Market Day. However though the Market Day was penciled into the schedule, a curious virus was not.

Saturday morning came, and we deliberated. Finally it was decided that those healthy enough would attend. So Jane Ellen, Gracie, Emmy Xiang, and Mom drove southwards to the beautiful Virginia and the Market Day.

We began our visit with a self-guided tour of the farm. First we came to the tobacco shed. Autumn is an interesting season to visit a colonial farm, for in place of all the areas marked "tobacco" or "wheat" or "rye" were fenced off fields of grass and wildflowers. All the crops were hanging in the tobacco shed or in the house to be used for the coming winter.

And then we came to the house. We loved walking around and through it. Actually, it quite reminded us of our playhouses back home when we used to "prepare" for winter, harvesting crops, gathering firewood, and drying meat (or in our case, pieces of bark...).

Of course, no farm would be complete without a few animals. Amongst many others were some pigs...

... and some sheep.

After the farm tour, we came to the market area. Here we found numerous vendors had set up shop and were making and/or selling their wares. This potter was most impressive. As he carefully and diligently formed a beautiful pitcher out of a mound of clay, we marveled at how our heavenly Potter forms and shapes each one of us so delicately, so intricately, so uniquely. Mama aptly hoped that this man had an apprentice, for what an incredible craft he knows!

Many ladies had shops brimming with clothes and jewels, soaps and perfumes, dishes and toys. But our favorite lady-shopkeeper was this one. She would, in less than ten minutes, cut silhouettes from black paper freehand. Nothing but the paper, some scissors, and a lot of talent!

A definite highlight of the market was the food that roast over a lovely fire. Filling the air with tempting aromas, the chickens on the king of all spits and the sausages in the largest of cast iron pans roasted to delicious perfection. We splurged and got a few bites -- they were heavenly!

Though Katie was unable to enjoy the atmosphere with us, she was there in spirit, for Mama succeeded in taking a "Katie picture," nice and artsy. :)

We had such a lovely time and are now eagerly anticipating the spring event at the fair. Hopefully no ailment but spring fever will plague us next time!

Festivities and Friends

2011-10-23T13:26:00.003-05:00

We've enjoyed celebrating two birthdays recently with our new dear friends from the Pastors College. These families are in our fellowship group and we are loving getting to know them better. May the Lord continue to bless and grow these relationships!

Homeschool Happenings

2011-10-23T13:16:00.002-05:00

The girls recently enjoyed a science experiment in which they made models of cells with jello (cytoplasm) and various candies (which represented different organelles). I think their favorite part was eating it afterwards. :)

This little praying mantis showed up on the back deck a few days a go, so we snapped a few pictures and Emmy Xiang has enjoyed drawing him for nature study this week.

She loves doing her school. That's for sure.

Sunday morning in Washington, DC

2011-10-09T17:05:00.008-05:00

We enjoyed a lovely outing this morning with our host family, the Hoffmans, to see the monuments and war memorials in Washington, DC. It was a picturesque fall day, perfect for piddling around DC on our bikes, and we were out and back in time for church, although we went a little more casual (and wind-blown) than usual! Whew :)

Our first stop was Iwo Jima. We arrived as the sun was rising and it made for a lovely silhouette of the memorial, the Capitol and the Washington Monument.

Lincoln Memorial

JoJo, Mama and Dad

The White House

World War II Memorial

MaryLynn, Susuanna and Katie

We thought of our Aunt Lee who was running the Army 10-miler while we were in DC this morning. Even though we didn't see you in the crowds, we were cheering you on, Aunt Lee!

MaryLynn, Mama (or "Aunt Tammy" as MaryLynn has taken to calling her ;) and "Aunt Ellen"

Mama and Emmy Xiang

The Parental Unit :)

Gracie and Jane Ellen were unable to make it for various reasons, so we look forward to repeating the fun soon with them, too. It was a morning worth remembering!

Sarah's Visit

2011-10-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

We got 134 books at The Book Thing, a free bookstore in Baltimore. Be jealous, bibliophiles. It was awesome. :)

We celebrated a first birthday with a quiet Sunday afternoon party.

We came, we saw, we thrifted. And scored! Apparently Maryland is the place to buy pottery and long jeans.

We canned applesauce and apple butter.

We cooked delicious, "gourmet" meals. (Don't tell anyone about the hot dogs, Sarah...)

We watched Cranford at night and sipped chai lattes that give Starbucks a run for their money.

And now we miss Sarah dreadfully! Thanks for the awesome visit -- come back soon!

Of Day Care and DayCare

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Saturday was a very eventful day, indeed. That morning from 9:00 to 1:00, all the PC students and their wives attended a class on biblical fellowship. Meanwhile, Jane Ellen, Katie, and Gracie, along with Gabby, Christene, MaryLynn, Susanna, and Mrs. H, undertook the care of four infants, five boys aged three to six, and six girls aged three to nine. The children and attendants alike had great fun playing and eating and (for the babies) sleeping.

That afternoon, Mama, Jane Ellen, and Gracie rushed to tidy up and then drive over to Baltimore to pick up a dear friend from Niceville, Sarah. Just as they headed out the door, they noticed a package on the doorstep from the Days.

And what a sweet package it was, filled with sweet notes and goodies from our darling church back home.

Just in time for fall, they sent a delicious candle, a cheery pumpkin, and a scarecrow basket that now houses all the letters they wrote to us.

It was a lovely surprise, and a perfect start to a wonderful weekend. We like DayCare! Thank y'all so much! It meant a lot. :) We miss you!

Apple Picking!

2011-10-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

Last Friday a few of the PC families took a field trip to Butler's Orchard to pick some apples and enjoy the fall atmosphere!

Though rain had been the norm for weeks before, Friday arrived cool and sunshine-y. It was a perfect day for picking!

Eventually the girls decided that climbing the trees would be more fun.

Meanwhile, some of us scoured the low (read: very low) branches for treasure.

In the end, we left with quite a lot of pretty expensive apples -- but I guess the extra we paid was all for the distinctly non-Floridian experience!

By the way, meet the extra girls in the gang, our dear host family's daughters at home. This is Susanna (also known as Suzie), and this is an accurate portrayal of her personality. Hysterical. We love her! :)

An this is MaryLynn, Suzie's older sister, Gracie's schoolfellow. They do all the boring stuff together, in an effort to make it more appealing. Who knows if it's working. For the record, we love her, too! :)

Our First Visitors

2011-10-07T10:58:00.000-05:00

As the first few signs of autumn began to course their way through the sweet maples in our yard, BeBe and Poppy chugged their way up here on the auto train. Unfortunately, Gracie decided that the week of their visit would be the perfect time to have an curiously prolonged fever... Like, a nine day long fever. Nonetheless, we all had a lovely far-too-short weekend of card games, silly jokes, and long chats! We had so much fun and miss y'all already!

And, to allay any fears, Gracie's fever did go away after a good dose of antibiotics. :)

Official

2011-10-07T10:48:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how much one little slip of paper can finalize things. :-)

Hobbit Day

2011-09-22T15:04:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately, it was a little wet this morning, so we had our wee celebration inside. Nonetheless, we had breakfast and little gifts in honor of the momentous occasion (Bilbo and Frodo's birthday, for the Tolkien-illiterate). :)

From the bookshelf

2011-09-13T07:34:00.001-05:00

Even though the one piece of furniture we brought to Maryland was a bookshelf (and more books than it would hold), we still left behind in Niceville several full bookshelves. Choosing what to bring (and what to leave) was hard. But, now that we're settled a bit, and our school year's in full swing (even Jim's), we're reading -- a lot.

Books are found scattered about the house, their pages perused, enjoyed and often shared aloud. A perfunctory list of our current reads follows:

The Golden Children's Bible
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Pyle and King Arthur and His Knights by Warren
Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick and her daughter (thanks for the recommendation, Jen!)
A Child's History of the World
Watership Down
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Fierce Wars and Faithful Loves (The Faerie Queen)
Microbe Hunters
Selections from the old Greeks: Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides
Birth of Britain by Winston Churchill
CLP Nature Reader (book 1) - a favorite of Emmy Xiang's
What Ever Happened to Penny Candy?
A Child's History of England by Dickens
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
various books in the Redwall series (we can't peel them from Gracie's hands often enough)

And, of course, we're reading THE book, God's Word

And most of us occasionally will be found devouring a bit of dear Jane's novels (Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, and every now and then Emma finds herself off the shelf).

Sigh. What could make one feel more at home than a comfortable place to curl up with a steaming cup of tea and a good book!

Home is where the books are!

A Little Exploring...

2011-09-12T11:25:00.017-05:00

Friday rolled around, and we decided that our weekly field trip would be more exploration than education. On the agenda: scout out the Smithsonian Museum of American History and wander around the National Gallery of Art.

The rain has been torrential over the past week, so we dropped Daddy off at school and then drove to the Metro station. 45 minutes later, we took the escalator up and found ourselves looking upon the Mall. Pretty cool, huh?

Upon arriving at the American History museum, we were greeted by President Washington himself. However, we all agreed that there is something a teensy bit awkward about George Washington in a toga... Just sayin'.

Being a school for girls, we oo-ed and ah-ed our way through the First Ladies exhibit. But, as Katie said, dimmed lighting in museums may add a cool effect, but it's not conducive to photography. Sorry for all of you hoping to drool over inauguration ball gowns.

Of course, no first lady wore these, but we thought Mrs. Becky would enjoy a picture of "the real thing." (We miss you!)

The last exhibit we enjoyed was a collection of musical instruments. Without a doubt, this guitar was one of the most stunning pieces there.

Next stop was the National Gallery of Art, one of our family's favorite attractions in D.C. Absolutely breathtaking, overwhelming, and magnificent!

We spent most of our time, wandering about (with expressions of complete stupor, I'm sure) the 16th and 17th century Dutch and Finnish collections, with a little bit of time in the Renaissance art. But, of course, a picture is worth a thousand words...

Throughout the museum, modern artists stood at their easels imitating the great master's works.

This specific one puzzled us all, as the artist chose to add his or her own flair!

The sun came out as we, reluctantly, left the Gallery of Art. We had a quick picnic of cucumber sandwiches, grapes, and peanuts, before heading back to the Metro station.

A lovely first little jaunt into D.C. Here's to many more lovely field trips!

Seminole Saturday Afternoon

2011-09-07T20:14:00.001-05:00

God's timing is good. Spending much of this year in YOT (Yankee Occupied Territory) -- even if those Yankees are really nice peeps, just like our sweet Yankee neighbors back home -- God was pleased to keep my cousin in nearby Virginia. It is nice to have good, Southern family time (i.e. college football).

A short drive south (okay, it was an hour) brought us to my cousin's house. We came bearing guacamole, salsa and black bean soup. Lee, my dear, sweet cousin, made a batch of "Football Dip," meatballs and at least two pitchers of the ambrosia of the south, sweet tea.

The guys chatted, the younger girls played, and the rest of us whipped up the food. Then we watched us some football!

It was loud when we scored. Lee broke out the cd player, and we'd sing the FSU Fight Song, chanting "F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E, Florida State, Florida State, Florida State! Woo!" We missed hearing Gene, Gene Sports Machine call the game, but even without, it was just like being home.

Nice to win a game. (For once.) Nice to be with family.

Real nice.

Hiking at Great Seneca

2011-09-02T13:03:00.009-05:00

On one of our first days here, we saw a sign for "Great Seneca Stream Valley Park," and decided to check it out on Wednesday morning. It was so beautiful and the hiking trails were so much fun. This will be a great place for us to frequent through the varying seasons, and we look forward to watching the plants change with the seasons! Definitely, this is a new favorite spot!

It was so lush and green-- absolutely wonderful!

The trees were tall, and provided shade to keep us comfortable on our hike.

Oh, that stinkin' cute Munchkin-Face!

Aren't those the strangest (and prettiest) flowers? They were everywhere-- so lovely.

Our trail followed this stream.

Amazing trees! Can't wait to see what this looks like in the fall :)

The camera gets a workout... (the second photo in this post was being taken in the above photo)

Field Guides and Nature Journals!

And happy hikers!

First Day of School

2011-08-30T07:47:00.000-05:00

He'll eat lunch at school today, so we didn't pack a sandwich. Coffee is provided, but he seemed well rested. He ate a good breakfast, brushed his teeth, packed his bag, and then hopped on his bicycle to ride off to school.

I think he's excited, don't you?

The Lord Continues to Provide

2011-08-27T16:52:00.000-05:00

Oh, Tooth Fairy...

2011-08-25T18:18:00.001-05:00

Can you find your way to Maryland?

A Little Update

2011-08-23T15:36:00.007-05:00

A fortnight has passed since we made this new home our home, and we are finally beginning to get into a groove.

Before the routine of school becomes the norm, as a family we ventured into the city to visit the National Zoo. Of course, for us small-town folk, the ride on the Metro was excitement itself.

Soon we were deposited at Cleveland Park, walked the half mile to the zoo entrance and enjoyed the variation in both animals and cultures (just in this short time here, we've seen the "melting pot" we used to sing about with Schoolhouse Rock). The zoo outing was fun, if not impressive, and Sunday brought a second chance to worship in the church that we will call ours for this season.

God has blessed new friendships, too. We continue to grow closer to our host family, the Hoffmans, and enjoy meals, swimming, movies and "shoes"often. We've met several PC families at an impromtu cook-out. And, we've spent many lovely hours this week fellowshiping with two different families who are here for the Pastor's College this year. I believe God has much in store for us as we relate with new friends.

And so, though our world has indeed been shaken by change -- new career, new home, new town, new church, new friends -- we serve a God who is faithful to provide stability, to bless us abundantly and to give us rest in His perfect plan for us.

News Flash:

2011-08-23T13:29:00.000-05:00

For a little insight into a new experience for the Brown family, check out this link: Quake Hits Near Washington DC.

Interesting that I (Jane Ellen) just went to a seminar last weekend titled "Worshiping God When Your World Is Shaking." I didn't think it was that prophetic! ;-)

What Emmy does these days...

2011-08-18T20:48:00.005-05:00

She colors pictures and writes letters to her friends back home.

She plays Virtual Families.

She plays Chess... against herself.

She rarely takes her sunglasses off.

She knits. And she swims.

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!

2011-08-17T12:40:00.005-05:00

Since we've been in Maryland, the Lord has greatly blessed us with an abundance of food brought right to our home... for free. We've enjoyed multiple loads of fresh produce and yummy artisan breads. He provides!

Today's gifts included green and red bell peppers, two seedless watermelons, artichokes (we can't wait for some of mom's famous Spinach Artichoke Dip... yum!) and lots of squash and zucchini.

The freezer is well-stocked with breads of all kinds...

... and an abundance of chicken! Back in December, the chicken truck broke down in front of Mrs. Hoffman's mother's home, so Mrs. Hoffman loaded up their twelve passenger van with chicken. They gave much of it away and froze some for their own use. A few days ago, she discovered more that was hidden in the depths of her mother's freezer. God saved it away for us to enjoy now!

We have been given so many bananas also! Thus, we have enjoyed some fresh, others baked into banana bread and many frozen for smoothies!

How kind of God to pour out these blessings on us. It certainly helps the grocery bill!

As Wickham so poignantly said...

2011-08-16T14:23:00.002-05:00

"But, the carriage awaits. Duty and honour call me to the north. And so, come, my dear. Let us say not farewell, but as the French have it, Au Revoir!"

Well, our "carriage" was a yellow box truck, "duty" is code for a new season of life, and "the north" is still below the Mason-Dixon line (a very important detail...).

The last few weeks of July found us saying our goodbyes (for now). We enjoyed meals with friends, parties together, and lots of prayers for our new adventure. Joined by friends and family, we packed and prepared to move out and make way for our wonderful new friends, the Clarks.

When Saturday morning came, many tears fell as we drove away, but soon the scenery outside cheered our hearts. Traffic and a downpour in Atlanta couldn't dampen our spirits as we sang, chatted on the walky-talkies, and snapped photos. A brief stay in Greenville and then more driving brought us to the DC area and to family. We spent the night with my dearest cousin and got ready for the last short leg to our destination: Maryland, home for the next 10 months.

We were greeted by two families, our host family, the Hoffmans, and another sweet family, who helped unload all our belongings and fed us lunch. Another family left a gift basket of tea treats, chocolate, and books. (Do they know us, or what?) We unpacked over the next couple of days, met our Maryland Berrys (who brought brownies) and a fellow Pastor's College family.

The girls and I found a lovely, scenic drive that landed us at a shopping center, and we spotted new places and parks to frequent. Sunday, we attended our (temporary) new church, and ate out (a luxury we won't splurge on often!).

A week later, we're still settling into a routine, still trying to find homes for our things, still snapping a photos, and hopefully starting school.

We miss home an awful lot but are already seeing God use our "extended vacation" in excellent ways. Who could ask for anything more?

Wickam suggest Au revoir, but, in the spirit of the Mr. J, we'd rather opt for "See you later." So, a tout a l'heure!

July Happenings

2011-07-05T14:40:00.002-05:00

One of the eagerly anticipated events of summer 2011 was the American History Ball planned by a few families in the community.

Families were invited to come on July 1st dressed in period attire from United States history through the 1950s.

We danced the night away with original dances -- from the Minuet to the Twist and everything in between!

Maybe this will become an annual event? ;)

To celebrate Independence Day, we joined our dearest friends for a cook out and hang out, then headed down to the Bayou, to watch fireworks burst over the waters. One of the dads in our group works on military airplanes, so when some of these neat emergency rafts were deemed expired, he willingly grabbed them.

Memories that will never be forgotten.

A Wedding

2011-06-11T22:04:00.002-05:00

Our dear friend, Hannah, was married this past weekend to the love of her life, Eric. After much excitement and preparation, we arrived at the church more than ready to see the first of "the kids" be happily bound in matrimony!

Emmy Xiang and her best friends, Olivia and Vanessa, were asked to be flower girls -- and beautiful flower girls they made!

Unfortunately, this is the only picture we took of the bride and groom the whole afternoon! But, you've got to admit that they look quite happy. And aren't those little people just precious! :)

Stevo and Jay amuse themselves at the piano while waiting for the (endless) pictures to ... well, end. We call this the Algy and Jack picture!

*sigh* We love weddings -- and each other! Bosom friends, for life!

MJ

2011-05-27T08:50:00.004-05:00

The inseparable six -- MJ is second from the right, between Katie and Bee

Please be in prayer for our dearest MJ. She is undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor, possibly cancerous. We love her and her family so much, and we love our God! He is sovereign over all, and we rest in his promises. He holds us all in His loving, merciful hands. Praises be to Him -- even in this storm.

Bowling!

2011-05-26T21:52:00.003-05:00

Ruth's birthday wishes were simple: Popeye's chicken, bowling, and us. We were very happy to supply ourselves for the evening!

We love this family so much! They're just awesome.

Our bowling skills on the other hand are ... not so awesome. Katie might have a titanium hip, but it sure didn't kick in its super powers that evening. Eventually, she resorted to desperate measures.

Meet Joel, one of Emmy Xiang's devoted young men. She seems to have him wrapped around her little fingers, but as Katie so aptly quoted, It's "mutual, I'm sure."

I think we're probably all a little in love. :)

Dancing Under Heaven

2011-05-20T21:39:00.003-05:00

Bee, the filmmaker, wrote and directed another movie recently, and, of course, we enjoyed a fun premier! Do you think they were excited?

Looks like it!

This specific event, we even had fancy cakes featuring the crests of the good guys and the bad guys in the film.

And, obviously, no major event in our little circle would be complete without dancing! A fun evening to celebrate (yet another) production! :)

Everyday-ness

2011-05-15T21:24:00.000-05:00

We dabble in modern art. (Meet Bruce, by the way.)

We plant delicious herbs.

We hide during scary parts. Though a little scary, Tangled is officially Emmy's favorite.

We drink tea. Lots of it. In pretty cups.

We smile for impromptu photo shoots.

We get goofy, too.

Are we weird or what? (This is Phil.)

The End of a Season

2011-05-12T22:14:00.000-05:00

After falling in love with Cross Country and Track at the local Christian school, the Bug and the Bee stepped out and began their running at the large public school in town.

That is, until the Bug decided to develop a cyst in her femur. That didn't stop her from showing her team spirit, though.

And she remained a faithful attendee of practices and meets, building relationships with her crazy friends!

They enjoyed some really fun events like a scavenger hunt ...

and the homecoming dance.

Since her surgery forced her to step out of running for a while, Katie was able to work on the track and field team as a manager. She absolutely thrived in that role, putting all her administration and coaching skills to work. And, to be honest, there's no way that team would have accomplished all they did without her!

And all that hard work payed of, 'cause she got lettered at the banquet -- a high honor for a non-runner! Way to go!

Gracie's 13th!

2011-05-11T22:40:00.004-05:00

Our biological baby is growing up! Just look at that gorgeous young lady. And see that beautiful necklace she's wearing?

That was Mama and Daddy's gift to her: her first Sorrelli necklace, her first "real" jewelry! It's dainty and pastel -- perfect for the Pooch!

Katie and I found this beautiful note board at a thrift store, so we had fun collecting pictures, colored papers, and quotes to decorate it. Now it hangs in Gracie's room... but back to her party.

About a week after her birth date, Gracie invited a few of her young lady friends over for a DIY tea party. They prepared their own dainties, ate as Gracie opened gifts, and then repaired to the out of doors for dress up (of course).

A lovely table, don't you think?

Is there anything more beautiful than a mix-matched bouquet freshly picked from the gardens?

Ruth and Emmy look more and more like sisters the older they get... Two peas in a pod, those China-girls!

Gracie's party, though a thoroughly joyful occasion, was mingled with a little bit of sadness. Her dear friends Hannah and Elizabeth said goodbye, as they prepared to move a state away. We'll miss them so much, but can't wait to see them again! We love you, girls!

Aren't they a swell bunch?

Another Change!

2011-05-02T22:23:00.000-05:00

The night of Pooch's birthday, Emmy Xiang experienced another big change. Not only is she now a seven year old, but she's lost her first tooth due to natural aging!

Last smile with (almost) all of her baby teeth.

After a few personal attempts, Emmy conceded that Daddy might do a better job.

So after lots of wiggling and twisting, out it popped!

She's not vain... just a excited!

I like this smile even more than before! :)

Happy Birthday to...

2011-04-25T22:09:00.003-05:00

Emmy Xiang Brown

or...

"Crazy Girl," "Xiang Xiang Gongzhou," "Pooh," "Jazz Baby," "Munchkin-Face," "Emma John," "Sweet Pea," "Joe-Joe Baby," "Cutie-Patootie," "Mei Mei"

So, she has a few nicknames. :)

Emmy Xiang turned seven this year and enjoyed a quiet party the morning of her birthday. She received some lovely items like Beatrix Potter movies...

and a kite!

But what is in this long package from Mama and Daddy?

What does this label say?

I think she likes it!

It's a "bow and arrows," as she says. This has been her dearest desire for months now, and at last, she received it.

Look out, folks. She's armed and dangerous! :)

Four Easters Together...

2011-04-24T23:24:00.002-05:00

Easter 2008

Easter 2009

Easter 2010

Easter 2011

What does 2012 have to hold?

Passover and Easter

2011-04-24T21:46:00.000-05:00

One of the most beautiful times of year has come and gone again. Passover was lovely again this year. We enjoyed the company of dear friends and the edification of sweet fellowship.

Holy Week fell in line with Confederate Jasmine season, so a few vines intermingled with the grapes and palm branches this year. A little bit of Southern hospitality never hurt, did it? ;-)

I so love the sweet symbolism supplied in the Passover seder. It's such a perfect preparation for Easter Sunday!

Our candles did an excellent job of burning through the night, creating a neat bit of photography while they were at it!

Saturday night, we dyed some eggs with lovely spring colors. Is there anything more beautiful than an Easter Sunday meal with colorful deviled eggs? This year our dear neighbors joined us for dinner!

We also whipped up a batch of Resurrection Cookies -- a favorite tradition. We so loved watching Emmy Xiang continue to learn more about our Savior and His glorious Sacrifice. We pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to draw her to Himself! Save her, Lord, we pray!

Our traditional family picture is always interesting without someone to take it for us!

Daddy and his daughters! :)

Up next, a fun comparison post!

Hey Aunt Sis...

2011-04-15T13:24:00.003-05:00

Just so that you know how much of a hit Pooh was, I thought I'd post a group of pictures that were by no means staged. This is how Emmy Xiang spends her days -- snuggling with Pooh, chatting with Pooh, reading with Pooh, sleeping on Pooh, smooching on Pooh!

Yep... He was a hit.

End-of-the-Year Bash

2011-04-06T21:11:00.001-05:00

The premier of the OTSN flash occurred at our traditional end-of-the-year celebration.

This year we did a quick journey across the globe, visiting different continents in different rooms of our home.

Each family pitched in their various international belongings, and boy! do our families have a lot of neat items.

This was my (the Elf) personal favorite continent to hang out at! :)

All the students dressed in international garb and prepared delicious snacks from various nations!

A lovely morning to finish of a smashing school year. Thanks to Mama, Mum, Mrs. W, Mrs. D, and Mrs. J for all their hard work in teaching everyone the whole year through! Y'all are the best!

2010-2011 Co-op

2011-04-05T20:35:00.005-05:00

This year's co-op looked a bit different than past co-ops. Our family was joined by three others to study grammar and writing with Mama, while learning their geography and current events with Mum. Don't these students look thrilled to bits with their new writing assignments?

The college-prep students look promising, but to be honest, it's probably just a facade for the camera -- they're good actors! ;-)

Geography students puzzle over layers of the earth's crust... The the melding of current events and geography happened accidentally with the birth of new nations in Africa and natural disasters in New Zealand and Japan. Much prayer occurred on those Fridays!

As an end of the year project, the students had to research current events happening all over the globe, write reports on them, and then convert those reports into news story format. To make things even more complicated (but way sweeter, as we all agree), they then filmed a 40 minute news program called OTSN -- On The Spot News.

Community with fellow believers is so sweet and makes homeschooling so much richer! We love you all!

Katie's 15th

2011-03-18T13:31:00.000-05:00

All Katie wanted to do for a birthday party was take a few friends to the beach after church. Yes, folks. We live five minutes away from this:

Jealous? ;-)

The beach was especially beautiful on this Sunday afternoon -- cool breezes, crystal clear water, and pure, white sand. Admittedly, the water was a bit cold, but that didn't stop a few of us from enjoying the to and fro lull of the beautiful waves.

Bee, the movie-maker, took the opportunity to film the waves for an end of the year co-op news report (more on that later).

Three of the five non-water people. They, of course, received absolutely no harassment for going back on their word to get in. *ahem*

Look at all those purtty girls! :) Notice how the majority of us (who are ghostly white) effortlessly position ourselves to take advantage of the golden setting sun to make us "tan."

It was a beautiful time to enjoy being with our bosom childhood friends. We love you all, and thank you for sharing Katie's birthday with us!

Fifteen.

2011-03-16T15:38:00.002-05:00

WATCH OUT!

Natural Bridge

2011-03-10T09:13:00.000-06:00

Only a handful of days after Olustee, our family and the beloved Hs decided that we just hadn't gotten our fill of reenactment delights, so we zipped over to Tallahassee to enjoy the quaint, simple, and breathtakingly beautiful Natural Bridge.

The main hub-bub with the suttlers and camps is close to the entrance of the park; however, just trot a few yards around a bend in the road, and you'll come to this serene North Florida beauty.

Plenty of strong, healthy oak trees about for little ones to scramble up.

And this little bridge hosted a game of Pooh Sticks last year, but this year the current was slow (read: non-existent). That didn't stop a few of us dropping twigs, hoping it would emerge on the other side.

Naturally with the gorgeous backdrop the Lord provided for us, the cameras remained out and flashing.

I'm afraid they were often met with somewhat less-than-enthusiastic models.

The boy(s) especially did not attend merely for pictures and walks. Their long awaited moment finally came: the battle. We were able to view and participate in the first reenactment of Natural Bridge fought on the original battle site.

We ladies watched in anxious anticipation. Only one of our boys was wounded (not pictured below), but he seemed to smile mischievously the whole time, so our worries were eased considerably.

There's nothing like cannon boom and smoke!

And, finally, my favorite picture from the event, Emmy Xiang and I admire the beautiful memorial but even more the bravery of the men in whose memory it was erected.

Olustee 2011

2011-03-02T15:01:00.005-06:00

Dad's birthday weekend found our family (plus Bee, affectionately known as Katie's appendage) and some dear friends stepping back a decade and a half to the Battle of Olustee, FL. Unfortunately, we didn't take many groups shots, but various visitors and newspapers took care of that for us! *wink*

One of the major highlights of the weekend (for the girls, at least) was the ball. After counting the votes, we found that Uncle Buddy and Mr. Harrison were by far the best and most amiable partners of the evening!

And we cannot remember the excuse for the reenactment and all its joys: the battle itself. Few times do I feel more awe than when I watch such an excellent representation of history, such a clear picture of the cost of freedom.

*sigh* What a lovely weekend!

The Last Picture

2011-01-24T18:30:00.003-06:00

After his surgery, our sweet puppy had a seizure that was just too much for his worn-out body. Our evening was darkened by his missing presence. Now, even months later, we still expect to see him when we walk into the house, look for the water he dripped on the floor, and listen for his heavy breathing as he sprawled on the floor.

We love you, dear Hank. Love, love, love you!

Surgery? Again?

2011-01-24T10:50:00.001-06:00

For the third time in a year our someone is getting surgery. "Who this time?" you're asking yourself. Let me give you a few hints. Big, black, furry. Yup, our dear, darling Puppy is having surgery. Most of you know that Hank has a big fatty tumor on his chest. He went to the vet on Friday and he said that there is no way that it is a fatty tumor. All they know is that it is NOT a fatty tumor. He said that the tumor is growing too fast to be one. If it does not go it will kill Hank. Today at noon he is having it removed. He was not allowed to eat after 6 PM and will not be able to drink after 11 AM. Please pray that it will go smoothly and he will do better.

This is What Happens...

2011-01-14T10:24:00.000-06:00

when you let a few of us loose at a library book sale: 100+ books for $75. That's what I'm talkin' bout.

Of course, it's exhausting work -- even for Hank. Actually they're worn out from a Cross Country meet early that morning, but who's to know? :)

Vacation: Chapter 2

2011-01-01T13:46:00.005-06:00

A Day in the Life of the Vacationers

Wake up in the morning and have some hot chocolate/tea/coffee...

...while listening to the sound of sizzling bacon...

...and enjoying this view from the kitchen window.

By 10:00 or so in the morning, all three families would gather up to throw a few snowballs...

...perhaps make a snowman or two (or three)...

...then go over the day's plans for hiking.

Before long, we had hit the trails, and if feeling adventurous, we sometimes even would go exploring, "making our own trails."

If anyone ever became thirsty, there were two remedies: 1) fill up your water bottle at the nearest stream/river/waterfall (no kidding-- this is by far the best tasting water on the earth!), or 2) do as the below photo depicts

Both are great options.

Laurel Falls

Dad at Laurel Falls

Katie and Katrina playing with huge icicles from the waterfalls along the hiking trails

Popsicle, anyone?

We all had a blast climbing all over lots of huge rock formations like the one above. There aren't rocks anything like this in FL, so we all tok much delight in exploring them on our hikes!

Each evening we'd choose a different family's cabin in which to have supper. Following the meal and clean up, we'd father around the cozy fire to sing songs which praised God for the birth of our Savior, then we'd pull out the pillows and blankets for a movie and popcorn.

Lastly, we'd all say good night... and then wake up the next morning, eager to do it all over again!

Vacation: Chapter One

2011-01-01T13:15:00.006-06:00

The morning after Christmas found our family on the road with our dear friends heading to our vacation destination, Desoto State Park, in Ft. Payne, Alabama. Originally, only one family had planned to join us, but on Christmas day the Js packed their bags in a flurry, and decided to come along. It was a lovely last-minute surprise!

We've been anticipating this vacation for a couple of months now, so when the time finally came, we couldn't wait to enjoy a week of almost nothing but hiking-- all day, every day! And that's a basic summary of what we did!

We Floridians were thrilled to be greeted by "lots" of snow upon arriving at our cozy little cabins. It melted a tiny bit each day, but we were able to enjoy it almost the entire duration of our stay.

Jane Ellen and Mom

All the girls

On Sunday night we had a great time playing around in the falling snow. Some of us had a big snowball fight...

...while others just tried to stay warm.

Stay tuned for Chapter 2: A Day in the Life of the Vacationers

Christmas Morn

2010-12-25T18:17:00.001-06:00

Christmas Eve Open House

2010-12-24T18:08:00.001-06:00

It's that lovely time of year again -- Christmas! With much anticipation, our open house time rolled around again. We just love the opportunity to celebrate with friends!

Ah, yes! The infamous puzzle was set out and completed this year. Though she did contribute quite a bit, Olivia did not complete this puzzle all by herself! :)

Aw... Aren't they precious? ;-)

That evening we gathered 'round the fire for a family picture...

That's better.

Christmas Parade

2010-12-10T18:03:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

She's a cutie!

2010-11-28T16:18:00.001-06:00

...Unfortunately, she knows it! :)

Katie's Ordeal

2010-11-09T10:36:00.000-06:00

There she is, all prepped and ready to go for surgery. After two weeks with four legs (two of them being decidedly pink and "blinged" out), she headed down to Shand's hospital in Gainesville for surgery to remove the huge cyst in her femur.

A plate and three screws later, surgery was completed! But recovery was rocky. The pain medications knocked her out and made her sick all at the same time. And her incision point and hip remained sore for weeks afterwards. But, she's a trooper, and only two weeks after surgery, she shed her flamingo legs for forever. Her version of that story is, "Black Friday shopping, crutches free!"

*eye roll from the Elf*

A Day at the Beach

2010-09-30T11:23:00.004-05:00

For Emmy's school she read Harold and the Purple Crayon. In the book a boy goes on a trip with his purple crayon. He makes a ferocious dragon to guard an apple tree. It s-s-scared him so much he made a sea with his trembling purple crayon! He lands on a sandy beach and has a picnic with nine different kinds of pie. We went on our own picnic to the sandy beach with two different kinds of pie.

We enjoyed some family time at the same time!

The sunset was just beautiful!

It was a time for our family to be together. We haven't had that for a long time!

Soccer 2010

2010-09-27T10:28:00.002-05:00

Emmy Xiang and Gracie enjoyed playing soccer with the local city league. This year. Both of them aren't necessarily "sporty" girls: Emmy Xiang spends more time smiling for the camera and rolling on the ground than anything else, and Gracie is just a purebred cheerleader and social butterfly. Nonetheless, we had a ton of fun watching them persevere out there! Great job, girlies!

We Love Cousins

2010-07-02T10:17:00.002-05:00

After a trip down south to visit family, we spontaneously invited our dearest cousins, Linda and Ashley, to come back home with us for a week. We had so much fun spending time with them.

One of the highlights of our all-too-short week was a scavenger hunt with Bee and Rudy through a local shopping center. Here, Bee, Pooch, and Ashley pose with a stylish looking man in Bass Pro.

The moms picked out prizes for all of us at the end -- false teeth, sweet pens, and plastic jewelry. So much fun.

We love you girls and can't wait to see you next year!

So Glad...

2010-06-15T15:00:00.005-05:00

That my sisters love each other! I entered their room this morning to find them "nuggle-bunnying" (being snuggle bunnies) as Emmy Xiang calls it. So sweet!

A Celebration of Her 12 Years...

2010-05-23T07:53:00.003-05:00

Gracie turned 12 on May 1st, so we celebrated with a small gathering with some of her closest friends for lemonade, dainty tea sandwhiches, fruits and vegetables, and cupcakes. The girls ate outside, soaking up the lovely spring air in their victorian atire.

Happy Birthday, Gracie! May God bless your next year!

Two Wheels

2010-05-14T10:59:00.002-05:00

We've shed the training wheels, now on to bigger and better things! :)

Strawberries!

2010-04-27T10:10:00.002-05:00

One of our favorite spring and summer time traditions is heading up to the U-Pick farms and gathering our own produce. This week's pick: strawberries!

It's so much fun as sisters to hunt for the biggest, ripest berries and to watch your flats fill up all too quickly!

Of course, friends never hurt anything either! Neither does the strawberry yogurt our local farm serves. Oh my word. It's just heavenly!

And hours later, all the strawberries are washed and frozen for smoothies and such. Definitely worth it!

Now She is Six.

2010-04-26T17:18:00.012-05:00

As one of my favorite children's literature author saids, "But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever. So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever." With much anticipation, Emmy Xiang has looked forward to her sixth birthday. Sunday, it finally came!

Saturday night, just before bed, we told Emmy Xiang that after church, in honor of her birthday, we were going to China Eat. However, she quickly informed us that she did not want to go to China Eat... What? Are you sick? Do you need the doctor?

No, she didn't want China Eat; she wanted friends! So, around 9:00PM Saturday night, Daddy called Olivia, Vanessa, and Kinsey to see if they were available for an impromptu birthday picnic at the park.

That was settled. Sunday morning came. We woke up Emmy Xiang singing "Happy Birthday" and shouting, "You're six now!" We were mistaken, however. "No, I not," she said. "I don't got no cake!" She doesn't even like cake! Apparently, she's catching on to these American customs...

Uh huh. Luckily, we had a box cake on hand that we whipped up before church. Needless to say, after church we rushed through Publix, drove to the park, and celebrated the birthday the right way: with a par-tay!

It was super fun! A beautiful spring day + a yummy cake + and a playground = a perfect six year old birthday celebration! And, what can I say. Throw in four amazingly cute stars you've got icing on the cake!

Thanks for coming, ya'll!

Presenting...

2010-04-24T16:18:00.005-05:00

... Emmy Xiang's new favorite song:
Song of the South by Alabama

(I think she just likes it because she can say "shut my mouth," something she usually can't, when she sings it)

Holy Week

2010-04-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

One of our family's favorite holidays is Easter, the day dedicated by Christians to celebrate Christ's resurrection and our hope of salvation because of it. Slowly our family has established traditions to commemorate all that Christ accomplished in that momentous week called Holy Week.

Readers might remember the debut our Easter banner made two years ago. This year we pulled it out again, and it served as a constant reminder of the grace we've received. Along with the Easter banner, we followed our beloved friends' lead and gathered symbolic items to grace our mantle.

Additionally, on Saturday night of this year, we hosted our very first Passover meal within our home! For our first meal (with fourteen guests!), it flowed wonderfully and proved to be a beneficial event!

Mama spent countless hours preparing a personalized Haggadah (the Passover "script"), gathering all the various supplies, and planning the extensive menu. All her work payed off, for it was such a joyful and thought-provoking experience filled with food, song, and fellowship.

And Sunday morning, Resurrection Sunday, we enjoyed the marvelous blessing of rejoicing with our church family for the blessing of salvation. What a great, merciful, mighty God we serve!

Here's to traditions, new and old. Here's to fellowship with family and friends. And here's to the gospel, that beloved story. May we remember to celebrate it everyday with our every word and deed!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Suprise Party!

2010-04-04T17:06:00.001-05:00

For Katie's thirteenth birthday party, the family collaborated to hold a surprise party.

Everything was planned: Bee, Katrina, Mariah and Chloe were all planning on coming over Friday afternoon.

We were watching Anne of Green Gables Friday night and shopping for room decorations Saturday morning.

Then, Katie decided to plan a party for herself: a slumber party for the very next weekend! Suffice it to say, she was a little confused when all the girls showed up a week early! :)

We had a lovely night, enjoying a cool walk and the lovely wit of Anne Shirley. Of course, Katie had to photograph the whole time!

The next morning, we headed out to locate some fun accessories to decorate our newly made over room.

What a fun birthday to share with such great friends!

Where did the time go?

2010-03-29T21:56:00.004-05:00

Once again, I've allowed the busy-ness of life to take root. I've managed to surrender to the tyranny of the urgent, while neglecting the important: I've not publically acknowledged our dear daughter's birthday...

So, better late than never:

Happy Birthday, dear Katie Lou. For the record.

Practically perfect in every way...Love your favorite mom, who unfortunately is not so nearly santified as she'd like to be.

Homemade Bubbles!

2010-03-12T11:47:00.008-06:00

Joe was wanting bubbles and we couldn't find hers! Sooooo, Mamma, being the genius she is, searched the web to find how to make bubbles. So, here is the recipe for them, with pictures.
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons dish washing liquid
Mix and enjoy!

Of course there is one problem. HOW TO BLOW THEM! Easy! Take two pipe clearners and twist. Dip and enjoy!

Whew!

2010-03-11T12:55:00.000-06:00

Emmy Xiang finished reading her first complete book:

Go, JOE, Go!

Now let's read some more....

31 Days to a Better Grocery Budget

2010-03-08T18:20:00.002-06:00

I'm taking note....

When it all goes South

2010-02-18T12:57:00.006-06:00

Last weekend our family, along with our dear friends, the Heddens, traveled to Lake City to enjoy the reenactment of the Battle of Olustee (Ocean Pond). On the way (and the way home) we watched Gods and Generals and Gettysburg, just for fun!

For weeks, we'd been sewing and sewing and sewing so that the girls and I would have suitable dresses (as well as all of the underpinnings necessary for such clothes!). When we studied the 1800's five years ago, I'd made period-correct dresses for the girls. Thankfully, Gracie still fit in the one Jane Ellen that had worn back then, but the other girls all needed new dresses. My dear Aunt Zo-ed (who has been a Civil War reeenactor in years past) provided the Brown ladies with quite a few accessories (including beautiful bonnets and hats) and underpinnings, not to mention dresses or skirts that were cut down and refashioned.

Armed with historical patterns and guides from Elizabeth Stewart Clark, I made five dresses from scratch, refashioned two from Aunt Zoed, and made another from the excess material of a skirt from Aunt Zoed. I whipped up an over-petticoat, added cording to Gracie's corded petticoat (from 5 years ago) and made a corded petticoat for Emmy Xiang. Katie and Gracie each finished corded corsets; Katie made Emmy Xiang a pair of split drawers and I made her a pair of closed drawers, a petticoat and a chemise-shirt (complete with hooks to connect it and her petticoats so they wouldn't peek out, due to Emmy Xiang's "Joe" - her well-rounded front!).

I enjoyed drafting belts for Katie and me, a "way-cool" cape for Katie, a delicate chemisette for Jane Ellen and undersleeves for two of us. Jane Ellen was the handsewing expert, gauging skirts, hemming, finishing bodices and helping with hooks and eyes for closures. And so between the four of us, we completed two ensembles for each girl and one for me. I was quite pleased with the results.

We even had Jim duded up, courtesy of Uncle Buddy (who is a Civil War reenactor, and our "guide" for the weekend - you'll see him in many a photo below), in a Confederate uniform. Many thanks to my Aunt Zoed and Uncle Buddy who inspired us to play dress-up!

What fun was had by all! The weather, though beautifully sunny, was quite cold, but we wore (not-so-period-correct) long johns under our 1860's clothes and kept warm with shaws. Over the course of the weekned, we attended the Olustee Festival parade, a lady's tea, and an outdoor period church service; danced the cold evening away with Uncle Buddy at a Southern ball; watched while Buddy, Joel and Jim fought in a skirmish on Saturday as well as the actual battle on Sunday (in which Jim and Joel were "powder monkies," running "cannon balls" from the ammunition stock to the cannons with the Federal cannon crew). We also enjoyed shopping at the sutlers' tents and wandering around the authentic camps. Needless to say, when we finally walked to the truck to head home, we were all exhausted! Still, we can't wait to do it again!

Enjoy a few photos of our weekend.

Goodbye, Buzz...

2010-02-16T17:07:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was a sad day for the Brown family. We said goodbye to our dear little Buzz. He was such a cute little guy. We'll really miss him....really.

What happened, you ask? We don't know exactly. What we do know is that Jim was driving the Buzz down the highway when he heard a pop (and promptly lost "power"). He glanced in the rear-view mirror just in time to see a few flames come from the hood (because VW motors are in the back). Wisely, he pulled onto the shoulder, grabbed the few belongings in the car and left our dear Buzz to his fate.

How sad he was when he called to share what he beheld. Sigh. Poor Buzz.

Still, we know that it is God who gives all good things....and it is God who takes them away. We will continue to trust in God's goodness and say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."

You know we've been busy...

2010-01-27T22:06:00.005-06:00

when Mary and Joseph still reside in the arbor

and colorful bulbs still adorn the roof.

It might be almost February,

but what's wrong with a constant reminder of the Light of the World?

Photo Credit: Bug the Photographer

Sisters...

2010-01-16T17:24:00.014-06:00

Sisters,

There were never such devoted sisters.

Never had to have a chaperone. "No, sir!"
I'm there to keep my eye on her!

Caring, sharing

Every little thing that we are wearing.

When a certain gentleman arrived from Rome,
She wore the dress, and I stayed home.

All kinds of weather we stick together.

The same in the rain or sun.
Two diff'rent faces, but in tight places

We think and act as one.

Those who've seen us
Know that not a thing could come between us.
Many men have tried to split us up but no one can.

Lord, help the mister
Who comes between me and my sister.

And Lord, help the sister
Who comes between me and my man.

2009 Goes Out With a Bang...

2009-12-31T13:43:00.005-06:00

...and a splash, and a moan, and a crash, and a pow, and a bunch of other onomatopoeic words! Needless to say, our December has been filled with numerous domestic catastrophes.

A few weeks into December (while Daddy was on a business trip) our garage door broke and wouldn't close (and it even had a bonus - a dead rat caught inside! EEWWW! YUCK!). Thankfully, Richard and Mr. Lowery were able almost close the door and dispose of the rat. After Daddy got home, he had to remove the screen door because it had broken as well. Two doors down. The Saturday before Christmas Mammy came over to help us prepare for our Open House. While she was here the following disasters took place: the washing machine hose detached (causing a flash flood inside our home), our blender exploded with chai lattes inside (meaning chai latte ALL OVER the kitchen), Mama and Daddy's toilet broke (that means six girls and a man sharing one toilet) and two of the drains in our household refused to drain. Add onto this list dog sitting for the Berrys, last minute Christmas preparations, our Open House and Christmas itself, our pre-Christmas December was quite eventful.

Luckily, the washing machine hose was a quick fix as was the toilet. The chai latte eruption only required a soapy sponge, water and lots of elbow grease. Daddy and Pop were able to fix the drains and make the garage door close completely (though it was still out of commission). Daddy called some folks about the garage door and ordered a new screen door. Everything should be ok, right?

Wrong. Katie and I began painting our room (which meant half of it being moved to various rooms in the house) and Daddy continued to work on Fraulein when Mama and Emmy Xiang came down with a 24 hour stomach bug. Katie and I continued to work on our room, I planned a Lord of the Rings New Year marathon while Daddy plugged away at Fraulein. Then one of those "that only happens in the movies" events happened. While putting Christmas decoations away in the attic, Daddy's leg fell through the ceiling in the garage. Yes, he's fine, just a little bruised. Then Katie, Gracie and I came down with the same bug Mama had...at the same time. So, we called people and canceled the movie marathon, and Mama tried to clean the house from the holidays with stuff from our room everywhere and without her normal troops. Later the disinfecting began. Whew!

But today, it is a new day, a new month....a new year. We are all healthy, the house problems are fixed (except for the ceiling) and most of the girls' stuff is in the bedroom. On top of that, Christmas decorations are put away, the house is (mostly) clean, Gracie and Emmy Xiang's room is organized. Laundry is almost caught up.

Being good southerners, we've eaten our black-eyed peas (we were sure to get in all 365 this year!) and enjoyed quite a bit of family time, and rest.

Sigh. God certainly has a sense of humor, but we're glad He's good, and sovereign, and His plans are better than ours. May we remember His great love for us and respond joyfully to whatever He ordains for us.

A Blessed New Year to you!

"Snowy" Day

2009-12-29T15:54:00.004-06:00

Good friends of ours invited us to share in a family tradition they hold called Snow Day. As stated in previous posts, not much snow flutters our way, so we improvise. Enter white, sandy beaches. With coats and sunglasses (this is Florida) in tow, we made our way to see some snow!

Friends built snowmen and hills to sled on. We took advantage of the fellowship, hula hoops and oreos. And, of course, what would a trip to the beach be without family pictures?

Festivities and Traditions

2009-12-28T21:51:00.005-06:00

If you've known us for more than a year, you've probably been invited to our annual Christmas Eve Open House. (And if you haven't, excuse our oversight. Come on over next year!) Each year we invite friends and family to celebrate Christmas with us by enjoying fellowship, food and the famed Christmas puzzle. Though we missed a out of town friends and the puzzle remained unsolved until Saturday, our Open House was the smashing fun it always is. Unfortunately, the camera was shut away for most of the day, so we have only one to share. So, behold the monster of a puzzle:

Of course, after the Eve of Christmas comes Christmas itself. Florida might not be the place to go if you're asking for icicles, snow or a "White Christmas;" however, we know that Christmas isn't about the weather, decorations or presents under a tree. No, Christmas is the time to celebrate the Greatest Gift, Jesus Christ. But, we are so blessed to be able to celebrate and remember Jesus' birth with ornaments and gift exchanging. Our Christmas this year was a blessed one, filled with family, friends and tradition.

Click on the collage to see the pictures larger. (However, we give you fair warning: one of our numerous Christmas traditions is waking up and going as is. No hair brush, no make up, no showers.)

Christmas Preparations

2009-12-28T21:34:00.003-06:00

Busy hands stitch gifts...

Taking momentary breaks for hot fires...

And crazy pictures!

A Christmas Recital

2009-12-28T21:28:00.003-06:00

This semester, we have enjoyed the opportunity of trading off lessons with our dear friends. On Wednesdays the Elf teaches Jay piano while Rudy teaches Pooch and Princess ballet. A couple of weeks ago, the students had their first opportunity to perform in a family recital. The Elf and Rudy also performed while Ladybug and Bee (not wanting to be left out) read a Christmas poem penned by Bee. Enjoy the pictures!

Two years ago today...

2009-12-10T09:44:00.007-06:00

...was Emmy Xiang's "birth" (into our family) day - otherwise known as "Gotcha Day." It was the day we gotcha, Peanut!

Everytime I look at the photos from that day I am overwhelmed with emotion - mostly gratefulness to God for allowing us the privilege of adopting a daughter. What an amazing reminder for me of the incredible pleasure He must have in growing His family - the Church (those for whom Christ died). May we honor and glorify Him for He is truly worthy!

Want to remember with us the moments when we first welcomed Emmy Xiang into our arms? Join us tonight as we eat Papa John's pizza (like we did that night 2 years ago in China) and watch our movies from Gotcha Day and our time in China. Unfortunately, Jim's in NJ for a business trip, but he's planning to get Papa John's there. And, you can join in at your house, too! Just place an order (you can do it online!) at papajohns.com, though you can't order a "Big Papa" like we did that night in China, and pull up these posts from that day. Then, with pizza in hand, enjoy the slide show, read the post and comments, and relish in God's grace with us:

I'm so glad we've "got" her.

The "We've Got Her!" post. Sigh.

The "Gotcha Day Details" post.

God is so good.

Cricket, cricket, part 3

2009-11-10T10:46:00.007-06:00

Jane Ellen's been busy, too. Between her college classes, recreational league soccer, high school soccer and regular old school/home stuff, we've had no time for photos. (Not yet, anyway).
There have been family "events": like the Crossway Community Church Family Fun Day, complete with Chicken Pilau (pronounced Chicken Per-low, for those of you not from 'round here in North Florida), the acquisition of a new "Buzz" (as Emmy Xiang calls our new '75 Super Beetle that is too cute), and lots of sewing (mom) for a Southern Ball (all of us). The girls do a much better job than me of keeping up. But, here are a few pics to enjoy:

As a result of all this craziness, Emmy Xiang has taken to bouncing off the walls....though last Friday she didn't bounce very well. Instead, as mom aways warns, she "busted her head" on the hearth. So now we lovingly call her "Glue-Head."

I think we're caught up now.

Cricket, cricket, part 2

2009-11-10T10:45:00.003-06:00

Katie enjoyed a full season of Cross County, but at the middle school level (running 2 miles instead of what she was used to, namely running the 5K). Surprisingly, she had a blast getting to know some really fun girls, and she's planning to run track season, too. She did an excellent job, finishing 14th in the county, and ran her PR in the last race (13:32). Who knew that she'd enjoy it so much?

Cricket, cricket....

2009-11-10T09:51:00.012-06:00

....as Jim would say when it's been exceptionally quiet.

There have been many blog posts in my head. Alas, the hard part has been finding the time to actually sit down and write them out, maybe adding a picture for interest.

So here is a wrap up of the last little while (especially for the family who misses seeing the kids):

Gracie enjoyed a fun season playing volleyball. It was a great time of dedication to a team, to working out (new for her), learning new skills and making new friends. Enjoy a few shots of her in the uniform:

Friday Funny

2009-11-06T08:55:00.002-06:00

On Learning Latin: Katie's Perspective

2009-10-13T11:42:00.005-05:00

This post is for the purpose of making sure that readers are not left with the idea that we live in a perfect homeschool world. There are some things that are not so pleasant to my children. Though others in the family may not share her - shall we say strong - opinion on the subject at hand, she has been heard. Loud and clear. By all in the family. Now YOU know, too.

The night I came home from a meeting and checked my email, I laughed heartily when this appeared. I still laugh when I read it:

Thoughts on Latin
By: Katie Brown
Date: September 23rd, 2009

Katie does not want to do Latin. She would drop it in a heartbeat if she were allowed to, but Noooooo!- not while her Mama draws breath. Oh well. Katie really wishes she never had to do Latin EVER again. She wishes foreign language didn't exist, but those sinners just had to build the tower of Babel. My goodness, really? You guys couldn't come up with anything better to do?!?! I mean, really?? Now we, generations and millenniums later, are suffering for YOUR sins... now WE have to bore ourselves with studying Latin.

Oh, Latin- "you rattlesnake, you reptile"... oh how I so strongly dislike you! You are the worst thing that ever happened to me. Oh, most horrible Latin, how you ruin each day and burden an otherwise happy soul and make it so bitter! I will never forget you (well, I'll forget the language, just not the pain you put me through to forget it in the end!).

Love you, Mom!
Katie

Hope you enjoyed the laugh, too!

Inflation: According to the Elf (hmmm....)

2009-10-06T20:56:00.006-05:00

Inflation Explained to the Economically Challenged: Or What kind of strange things happen inside the mind of Jane Ellen when she has to compose an exam for her Economics course

Two girls stared awestuck at their computer screen. Slowly, Beatrix scrolled the mouse while she and her sister continued to drool over the vintage pictures Grandma Mary had sent them. Picture after picture flaunted darling dresses, vintage kitchens and antique cars, all in their prime. Towards the end of the slideshow, the picture appeared. A sudden gasp escaped from both the girls' lips. An inattentive passerby would only have seen a group of teens from the 195-s ordering at a drive through. What startled Beatrix and Rosalie was the menu. Hotdogs for fifteen cents? A soft drink for five? Were they dreaming? Indeed they were not. To their 21st century minds, such low prices were definitely worth gaping over. However, what they didn't realize was that the price rise over a course of 50 years was more than a coincidence. In fact, a logical explanation can be offered for it.

Prices rise as a result of either inflation or runaway inflation. Diamonds are valuable; this fact is well known (especially by the male variety of human beings who, seeking to please their lady-loves, take out a loan to purchase the glittering pebbles). Because few flawless diamonds exist, the meager amount that are around have been highly priced and prized. If diamonds were as common as, say dirt, would all the lady-loves feel special upon receiving one? I think not. This idea -- that an item's value is proportionate to it's quantity -- is an important one when it comes to economics. Inflation is purely and increase, or a rise, in the amount of money. Following the logic explained above, when more money is circulating amongst the population, the money is less valuable. A runaway inflation, like a toddler on a caffeine high, is simply out of control. Prices rise over a matter of hours when runaway inflation occurs! Obviously inflation is a very serious matter, buy how does it effect a rise in prices?

When money isn't valuable, desirable items are going to cost a lot more. To illustrate my point, imagine the infamous muffin man's plight. Once up on a time in A Land Far, Far Away, the Drury Lane dweller sold decorative tins brimming with delectable muffins for two dollars a piece. But then Old King Cole, not wanting to be outdone by his brother, Good King Wenceslas, decided to rebuild his gingerbread palace. Rashly, he began to purchase all the various building materials (you know the sort -- gingerbread, frosting, gumdrops) and hired plenty of construction workers (mainly elves -- they really are the most efficient creatures in A Land Far, Far Away). Unfortunately, before Old King Cole finished his melt-in-your-mouth mansion, the Royal Treasure Chest ran out of money. Impatient for the castle's completion, the monarch demanded money. Quickly, all the king's men started manufacturing extra pennies, dimes and dollars.

All that money started dancing around A Land Far, Far Away and, living up to the law of inflation, decreased in value. The mill workers, chicken farmers and orchard owners had to start raising the prices for their flour, eggs and blueberries. Therefore, the muffin man had to pay more for the ingredients he needed to create his munchy morsels. Just getting by with two dollars for a tin, the muffin man didn't see how he was going to survive on it in it's inferior state and keep all the king's horses from knocking him off a wall, the consequence for indebtedness. (You didn't know that's what really happened to Humpty Dumpty, did you?) So, as much as he hated to, that good old muffin man raised the prices on his tins of muffins. Meanwhile, Jack had to require more money for his brobdingnagian beanstalks, Prince Frog for his rescue diving services, the Three Little Bears for their slow-cooked porridge and Truly A. Princess for her royal pea replicas. After a little while, everything in A Land Far, Far Away cost much more than it did before the palace renovation began.

Yes, I know the original fairytales are better, but my version fulfills my purposes beautifully by illustrating an important fact -- when inflation (more money in circulation) occurs, prices rise. Some people confuse the steps and believe that after prices rise, the government inflates to give people more money to buy things. Indeed, the opposite is true. If my cheesy allegory didn't make things click, you're welcome to memorize this: when the amount of money increases, the value of money decreases and prices increase. I'd suggest just remembering the story.

How's that for an explanation? I have no idea if it is right. What I mean is, I have no idea if it is sufficient as an answer to the essay question: "So what ever did happen to penny candy?".

But it made me laugh. And it sounds good. Enjoy.

This is what happens....

2009-09-20T22:33:00.002-05:00

...when Joe is unattended.

Wonder when she took this photo?!?

Dear Lord, Thank you for food...and Emmy Xiang

2009-09-11T08:15:00.004-05:00

Since she learned to pray before meals (shortly after she came to live with us, and really began talking), Emmy Xiang's prayer has been the same:

De-ah Lord, Thank you for food. Nourish it to my body. Jesus' name. Amen

We would knowingly smile at each other and say, "Sure are glad SHE'S being nourished!" But, really, how could we not?!? It's no secret she probably wasn't properly nourished before she came to us (though she was extremely well fed!). We would offer up our own silent prayers that this gift of food would nourish our bodies, too.

Recently, though, we've encouraged her to pray for "everybody's" food. So her prayer changed (a bit):

De-ah Lord, Thank you for food - for EVERYBODY. Nourish it to my body. Jesus' name. Amen.

I giggled to myself this morning when I realized that my girl is growing up. She's learning so much, and is beginning to distinguish differences. This was her prayer at breakfast with Gracie:

De-ah Lord, Thank you for food - for two people. Nourish it to my body. Jesus' name. Amen.

It is FINALLY finished!

2009-09-08T13:16:00.007-05:00

IT....is done. It's been almost done for about 6 months now, though it was started over two years ago (yikes). I just haven't pulled out the sewing machine to get the last few stitches on. So, finally on Sunday, after a lovely, productive, wallpaper-stripping, garage-cleaning, movie watching Saturday, I gave myself permission (ahem....an ultimatum is more like it) to drag out the machine and sew on the binding. Then, I sat and handstitched it closed.

Drum roll, please. Friends and family, may I present OUR gift to Emmy Xiang. (Remember, we all contributed. I'll get to the scrapbook thing next year. Just kidding):

I'm so grateful that my little daughter doesn't have to sweetly ask (again and again), "Mommy, when you gonna sew my blanket?"

Emmy Xiang is absolutely thrilled with it. She spreads it out and sprawls on top of it....and sleeps with it and hugs it. Thank you, Lord, for reminding me again WHY I love to sew!

If you're new to us and want to know what this "blanket" REALLY is all about, check out these old posts....they tell the story (wow, it really was over 2 years ago! I guess waiting for a gift to be completed is just part of being one of dearest my family members. Is it like that for you, too? Do you take advantage of the ones you love? Forgive me, Lord.):

http://downtownwiththebrowns.blogspot.com/2007/06/100-good-wishes-quilt_01.html
http://downtownwiththebrowns.blogspot.com/2007/11/last-call-for-real-for-quilt-squares.html
http://downtownwiththebrowns.blogspot.com/2008/05/burning-up-sewing-machine.html