a story for Jacob

The story below didn't post the way I wanted it to, it's backwards. You have to scroll all the way thru to the beginning and go back up. Sorry about that. This stuff if frustrating to get it right the first time. No instructions so you get what you get. But the pictures came out pretty good and i wanted to share a day in the life...hope you enjoy.

I can see you, can you see me?

and jump

and climb

I like to run,

Roll on the ground,

and make new friends

I like to play in the sand,

Some times I help her.

She helps me a lot!

Mom is always on the move.

When we go to the park we have fun!

This is my mom

This is my dad

This is my family

Jacob

My name is Jacob

Fireproof

Peter & I just watched the movie Fireproof. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you do. It is a very powerful movie with an important message. It will make you smile & it will make you cry. I'm still a little emotional after watching it. If you have seen I would be interested in knowing what you thought. Here is the link to the movie sight if you are interested.

http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/

There is also a link to www.fireproofmymarriage.com on there.

Chicken Recipe

I found a chicken recipe that Doug likes. It is easy to make. Here it is.

Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pinch pepper
1 pinch salt
1 pinch paprika
1 (10oz) can mushroom soup
1 (1oz) package dry onion soup mix
1 cup sour cream (I used plain yogurt cause I didn't have sour cream.)

1 Tablespoon lemon juice (I used lime juice cause I did not have lemon juice.)

1 Tablespoon dill weed

1. Season chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.
2. Brown chicken in oil over medium heat.
3. Place chicken in a 9x13 greased pan.
4. Combine soups, sour cream, lemon juice and dill weed.
5. Pour over chicken.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour/ or until chicken is tender and sauce is brown.
7. Enjoy.

This chicken dish can be served with potatoes or rice.

phelps n things

Emporia High had a special guest Monday named Fred Phelps. Apparently Emporia is an evil, mean little town and our "brats" need to be told the "truth". He & his group of followers had a protest outside the school monday afternoon while the kids were getting out of school. In a letter he sent the school, he also stated that the Tyson layoff was God punishing Emporia for it's evil. My personal opinion is that this man needs to be institionalized permanantly. There is no end to his madness.

On a brighter note, Jacob is almost speaking in complete sentences. He quoting movies. High School Musical is a favorite, with "walk, walk, walk around the world & spin her" being the most quoted line from the 3rd movie. It is really cute.

Tomorrow is the last day for our managing pharmacist. He is moving to Topeka. The Medicine Shoppe is going to go through some changes yet again, but I am looking forward to them. John will be misssed but there are improvement to be made.

Katie, you have to get caught up on LOST. It's so crazy.

Monday, Monday

Hello, Fiddler Kin. I've missed you! I just got caught up on all the posts, and I responded to a few of the more recent ones (Honor, your question about gender and politics was a good one--got me a little fired up ... good job, discussion-starter!). Here are a few more responses:

Mom, Dad and I got your money belt at a running store, and, if I remember correctly, it's stretchy enough to hold a cell phone. Trent and I went running around Kennesaw Mountain Park yesterday, and I was kind of wishing for a running belt, instead of my bouncing fanny pack. Ha ha!

Margaret, I thought the same thing that throwing your purse or wallet might piss off your attacker. Perhaps if you acted scared enough and sort of tossed it to the side and ran away, you'd be okay. The main thing I learned in my self-defense class is that you don't want to get taken. Once you've been kidnapped, you are much more likely to be hurt or killed. Even if the person has a gun, start running away, if you can. A moving target is hard to hit, and even if they do hit you, they probably won't hit a vital organ. Go, go, go!!!

Also, Margaret, I love that you're taking meditation training and workshops. I think that's a perfect complement to your massage practice, and I like your philosophy about being on the cutting edge. You go, girl!

Beth, I watch Lost. I usually watch it online, since it isn't on until 10 p.m. here, and that's my bedtime. I still need to catch up on the last two episodes, but I'm loving it. I'd never be able to summarize the plot, but I like the story all the same.

I hope everyone is well. Trent and I have been taking lots of walks and hikes, since he has a bum shoulder. This past weekend, we trekked about 10 miles total around our neighborhood and at Kennesaw Mt. Park. We're walking and running fools. We've had some good talks on our walks though, and we made a pact to enjoy our time here in GA. We've been so focused on getting out of here (and that doesn't appear to be happening this year, anyway), that we haven't really been savoring our blessings. So, it's time to start savoring. Mmmm, goooood.

Valentines Day

There are many legends about Valentine's Day. One legend says that a third century Roman priest named Valentine defied an order given by Claudius the second. Claudius thought single men made better soldiers so he forbade the sacrement of marriage. Valentine continued to marry couples in secret. He was put to death for his defiance. Lots of other stories are told. One thing is clear. Valentine's Day began as a tribute to the best we have within us. Later, the idea of sending romantic valentine cards came into being. So today is really a celebration of what we do for others the whole year long, and how we live out our mission here on earth.

My first remembrance of Valentine's Day is art class in the first grade. We were given several sheets of construction paper and told to make a beautiful valentine. I could not hold the paper and cut out a free hand heart. I tried over and over. I finally ended up with a small square of blue paper for my valentine card. Other students had made beautiful red hearts with lace around them. We had to go to the third grade and show off our creations. I was dreading it, but when my name was called I proudly held up my valentine. Much to my amazement, someone liked my card. That made me feel so happy. This incident took place at Monticello Grade School.

We always had such nice parties at Monticello School. We got good things to eat. We played fun games. The parties were relaxing, not stressful at all. That's because we had wise teachers. On Valentine's Day we all got lots of valentine cards. I remember each class had a big box decorated in red and white paper. It had a slot so we could drop our cards into the box. The teacher, or the room mother, delivered our cards to us at the valentine party.

I am thankful for these childhood memories. Life was far less complicated back then. I am also thankful that I have my Fiddler Kin in my life. In many ways,they represent the best life has to offer. Happy Valentine's Day.

Questions

Hello Fiddler Kin. I have some questions I would like to ask. Would we be experiencing a world depression if women had the same political and business authority that men do? Would we be at war if women were the final authority? Are women more moral than men? Just wondering what everybody thinks.

My Favorite President

My favorite President is Abraham Lincoln. He was not a perfect man, but he remained resolute during a difficult time in our country's history.
Could he get elected today? I do not know. He had a high squeaky voice. He was prone to depression. His wife, Mary, had a bad temper. They were both candidates for Prozac. Now a physician has written a book with the premise that Lincoln had a genetic defect he inherited from his mother. This defect of chromosone 10 results in MEN2B, a rare form of cancer that affects hormone producing glands, such as the thyroid or adrenal glands. The writer, John B. Soto, contends that Lincoln would not have lived much longer than the date he was assassinated. Of course, not everyone accepts Soto's diagnosis. But today all kinds of rumors would probably abound about such an unusual man. He was self taught and he spoke his mind. Let the chips fall where they may. He could sway a jury as a trial lawyer. He could move an audience to tears with his oratory. He could use humor to persuade. But his personal problems in the modern world would get a lot of media attention.

An example of Lincoln's humor is this criticism of his inlaws; the Todd family. Lincoln said that God only needed one d, but the Todd family demanded two. The Todd family thought Lincoln was an unworthy match for Mary because he was so poor. Yes, today's media would find plenty about Lincoln to discuss. But the fact remains Lincoln was a brilliant man who led our nation during a defining moment in time. No wonder President Obama is attracted to him.

I wonder which Presidents my Fiddler Kin admire. I wonder if they will share their thoughts.

The wonders of technology

Hello family, it's been awhile but I decided to write something. I don't usually have anything to write about, my life is fairly uneventful. First of all, I would like to start off thanking Auntie Ellen & Uncle Marshall for welcoming us into their home. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with you guys, in fact it was the best part of the whole weekend. I know Jacob really had fun with you & Aunt Sharon & Uncle Thomas. While we were there we received a web cam from Ellen. Ellen, we used it last night & it worked fine. Peter's dad & step mom, Pete & Irene, figured out how to use theirs after we told them we had one. They really enjoyed seeing Jacob & I think it was fun for him as well. Now, mom, you have to get dad to get his going so we can set up a time to "visit".

I have been enjoying "The Biggest Loser" this season. There is so much drama. For those of you who don't watch there was a woman named Joelle on there is a lazy whiner. Last night she finally went home & I am so glad I won't have to listen to her.
Another show we enjoy is LOST & this season is getting really interesting. Does anyone else watch?

Jacob is amusing as always. He talks more & more everyday & it's always entertaining. Last night he kept saying " I went to Walmart today". He didn't go to walmart but he's loves it there so maybe it's apart of his imaginative play. Everyday is a joy with him

Well, that's all for now from this little corner of the world. Hope all is well with everyone.

Fun Times with the Special Guest...Jacob!!

Such fun to have a little charmer in the house. Jacob is really a lovely person...a delight to be around. Easily engaged, he enjoyed coloring, listening to stories, playing with Hot Wheels, and sitting on a lap for Dora the Explorer on the Disney Channel. He enjoyed visits from Aunt Sharon, his kick ball buddy, and Uncle Thomas. All in all, it was a special weekend and we look forward to entertaining Jacob again....with Play Dough and Mr. Potato Head stickers. Auntie Ellen