San Jose Mission Field Trip

There are a lot of old-time missions in San Antonio. The Alamo is one of them, and we've been there plenty of times. A friend invited us along to the San Jose Mission. Its differentiation is that it has a grist mill. Our kids were fascinated most by the three wells. Phoebe found a coin that she thought looked really old. We took it home and steeped it in Pepsi. It's a 2000 penny. 

Gorgeous day, friendships, good times.

Decorating Bedrooms a Little Bit

But first, the silly boys:

Old bedroom was fine, but Harrison was not in a big bed yet. This is when it was Jonathan's bed.

Dad took the boys to Target and they picked out Star Wars bedding (for Jon) and Star Wars Angry Birds (for Harrison). First night in his big bed, Harrison asks, "Mom, how do I sleep in this bed?"

Phoebe joined Elizabeth in her bedroom. We let Liz have her own room for a year to ease the pain of moving. But it's time for the girls to be in a room together and the boys to have their own room together. So to ease the pain of having someone move into her "very own room," we let Elizabeth decorate it the way she wanted.

Life List Revisited

Five years ago I  made a life list of goals I thought I might want to accomplish at some point. Goals are nice, right? Having something to work toward. (Is it "towards" or "toward"? I've been wondering that lately.)

It's kind of funny to look over a list made five years ago. Some of the things I'd forgotten I'd written, but still would like to do: like #3 and and #7. Some I really don't care about anymore: like #11 and maybe #12. Some I've actually done! Like #2. That's about the only one I've really done, as a matter of fact. Hmmm. And at the time I thought it was the most far-fetched.

1. Invent 12 new recipes. 
2. Write a book.
3. Travel with my kids to the Northeast, Ireland, England for learning purposes.
4. Travel with my kids on a missions trip.
5. Travel with my husband for enjoyment (so probably not with kids).
6. Learn how to swim well (comes from living near so much water and driving over bridges).
7. Take a pottery class where I learn how to use the pottery wheel.
8. Sit in an outside hot tub with snow all around (Amy, is this really as fun as it sounds?).
9. Decorate my home better.
10. Be totally debt-free (including our home!).
11. Be on Food Network :-).
12. Work in/ own/ or manage a coffee shop ~ it just seems like it would be a fun place to work and I love the smell!
13. Plant a garden with at least 6 different fruits/veggies.
14. Volunteer or work in library.
15. Be involved with mission work somehow (besides just giving money).

2008

2013

"Sinker" and Such

Elizabeth named her boat "Sinker" and it has been sunk. This was the third try at getting the boat to work. It floats and holds a person, but wants to tip over. So she scrapped that model and has an idea for a new model. I'll keep you posted on the experiment.

A kind lady from church invites several families to come over about once a month to do nature study. She lives right in town, but has a little pond, a fountain, dogs, cats, fish tanks, chickens, worms for making compost, lots of plants, and trees and such. We have a wonderful time at her home and learn so much. 

And Phoebe and her crazy Duck Dynasty-inspired beard.