Adventures with John and Nadine

Each Chaplain is endorsed by a denomination to represent that denomination in the chaplaincy.  And each denomination has a person who oversees this process called an endorser. For most of Michael's career John has been his endorser.  He and his wife, Nadine, are just starting a four month trip to visit all the chaplains....and we get them this weekend.  We visited last night.

Today, we took them sightseeing - though it seems there is a lot of eating involved in sightseeing.  We stopped by the German POW cell block on base.

We went to the little town of Grass Valley and walked the streets. True to the norm the only store we entered was a candy store.

After a couple of false starts we found our way to Big A's - yummy freshly made root beer and giant burgers - even the veggie ones.

 

Our next stop was the Empire State Mine - where Stacia was happy to be our guide. She loves maps.

 

Wisteria tangled in Ponderosa Pine - very pretty

 

Arielle had just said she was waiting for Mr. Darcy

 

The reflecting pool

Bourne Family Cottage

 

Our final stop was the SR 71

 

Somewhere along the way we all decided it would be much more relaxing to eat here at our house tomorrow than to fight the crowds at a restaurant. This necessitated a trip to Walmart. We decided we needed a bit of an Easter Egg Hunt.

Fantastic Family Memory

Yes, Michael did get us all up at 4:20 a.m. to watch the lunar eclipse.  All but Arielle - she woke up at 3 a.m. and we found her waiting on the patio.  I tried to take photos and my camera wouldn't do a thing.....so I settled for some night portrait shots of the crowd.  Doesn't it look like we are making fantastic family memories?

 

It would seem all are not appreciative of the bright flash for nigh portrait whilst they try to focus their fancy schmancy cameras. ::snort::

He did get some good photos. We all enjoyed looking through the telescope. AND we ended the night sitting in the hot tub and watching the moon when someone suggested it would be more comfortable.

When the moon was done showing off, we slept a bit and then headed for fam camp to begin the next adventure in the day.

Encouraging Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is a foreign concept to Yuuki.....but we try....

 

"I don't think so"

 

We finally put her green treat in the bristles. . .

 

At least she's learning to be comfortable with the brush but we're not getting far on actually brushing her teeth! Do you brush your dog's teeth?

Revenge of the Sink

Doesn't it always happen? If there is going to be an appliance or automotive breakdown it will happen when it's least convenient....or when your husband deploys and then it comes in threes. 


We invited a family over last Friday night and sure enough - just as I was preparing salad and such.....I noted a pool of water in front of the sink.

A few days earlier I'd seen a small puddle and Stacia said she'd splashed water whilst doing dishes.

Earlier in the day Arielle noticed a small puddle and thought  the same.

By the time I checked......inches of water under the sink. The veneer blistered. Metal things stored under the sink - rusted. This had been a problem for a bit of time.  Our company arrived to this scene....though they are more family than company by this time and took it in stride.

In a truly amazing show of speedy service, a representative of our landlord (one with a spectacular tattoo of a samurai which can dance) showed up during dinner to take a look. They wanted to shut off the water - but I balked. I promised to be careful and dry whatever escaped my pan ASAP but I needed water for dinner....they showed up bright and early on Saturday to fix it - while Stacia and I were still out to breakfast.

Morals of the story:

• Small puddles bear investigating early
• Assumptions without investigation can be costly
• Semper Gumby - Flex, hold your plans lightly and enjoy the new plan
• People are more important than details

That'll preach.

Proud of These Men

They were wonderful! When I'm not so tired, I'll write and post more photos.

And there it is - the last "event" Michael will run in the Air Force. I think.

Baking Fools





 Baking bread isn't hard; I've needed to do it for weeks. When I get out of the routine it SEEMS daunting....but I knew I needed to make some small loaves and a big one for the Living Last Supper. Looking over the schedule - it SEEMED - Monday would be the only day to bake....so I did.  I knew the kids wouldn't be happy if none of it stayed home....

I felt like a big bully telling the men they couldn't EAT the bread at rehearsal on Monday. I put it in the freezer so I could pull it out for tonight's play.  However, I realized it WOULD be good to have some food at the dress rehearsal on Wednesday.....so I baked 8 more of the 3/4 lb loaves. 

It WAS April Fool's Day. After some consideration I put lots of jalapenos in two of them. Unfortunately, the bread got mixed up and I lost track of which loaves were special. I had a couple of guys who I wanted to give them to.....ah well. Kevin and Alex ended up with one loaf. He noticed something yellow when he tore into the loaf and asked, "What's the yellow?"

Nolan didn't want to give away the prank and replied, "Mom baked the bread on Monday."  Poor Kevin must have thought it was mold. The other guys never bit into the loaf. Joke on me.

I realized this a.m.  I had no bread for us again.....and Stacia is determined we need to provide Desiree and family with bread - I need to encourage her giving spirit.  She agreed to help bake.... we baked for the third time this week. 

While we were grinding flour the top blew off the grinder....Stacia was very impressed with the cloud of flour. I've not seen anything like it since Jamin (now 23) threw a 5 lb bag of flour down the stairs in Hardin, MT.  THEN the lid blew off the Bosch while it was kneading. LOL 

Four 1.5 lb and one 2.5 lb loaves in one oven - I was happy

I was feeling accomplished. Bread - check. Dessert for the O bunch and our guests - check. 

 

I blinked. You  never know what will happen with young men in the house. ALEX....yep....Alex. Well, I figure they must be o.k. if he ate more than one. ::snort::

 

I decided it would be wise to label baking from now on....and I let them each have a brownie too - they were my applesauce specialty - no black beans. LOL

I think I've broken through the, "it's so time-consuming" barrier and proven I CAN bake bread if I want to. We baked 25 loaves this week. I think I now have one loaf in the freezer.

We'll make another dessert for our guests. LOL

Arielle has a Plan

Arielle has wrestled through her post-graduation plans....she is logical and reasons well. About a

Via Google Images

month ago she told me she just wasn't sure what she was going to do - but she was moving to Oregon in any scenario. ::grin::

She's considered beauty school - which would allow her to have a job she would enjoy as she pursued her dream of being a missionary in Japan.

She's considered New Hope Christian College - and thus our college preview day last month.

She's thought of working and living a year in Oregon to establish residency - but in the end - she doesn't want to "waste" an extra year in Oregon. The idea of spending five years in one town is overwhelming to this one whose very life has been defined by Michael's military career - I was pregnant with her when we went Active Duty and Michael will retire as she graduates high school and turns 18.

She's considered taking general classes at Lane Community College.

The University of Oregon has a Japanese Immersion program (all classes are in Japanese) and she would  earn an Asian Studies degree. She seriously considered this as it would provide a solid foundation to live and minister in Japan.

Stacia informed us and Arielle confirmed ::snort::, she is submitting an application to New Hope Christian College. She'll earn a degree in Cross Cultural Studies, which she believes will prepare her with a foundation in theology for ministry in Japan. She plans to continue her Japanese lessons to continue to increase fluency.  We aren't quite sure how all the pieces of this will come together. She's correctly informed us that international moves disrupted the course all of our other high school youth have taken - working and saving for college in the years prior to entering college. God had it all planned; we'll figure it out a step at a time. LOL  I'm quite sure our international move and four years in Japan were meant to be in the larger picture.

It's been a joy to watch Arielle process her options, wait for confirmation from God, and consider her lifetime goals. She knows to hold the plan lightly.  It's ironic we are also in the process of  waiting for clear direction.....She beat us to it. ::snort::