Welcome back!

It's good that you all read introductions, because, if ever a post of mine needed an intro, it would be this one. But I don't want to give anything away, so just try to figure it out on your own, and if you have any questions ask me sometime. :-)

(A note on the status of this blog: As you may have noticed, this blog, which I updated on an almost weekly basis when I began, has become a bi-weekly blog for the most part. I'll try to keep it at that stage as long as possible, though I have a feeling that inevitably I may join the ranks of "neglected blogs" which are only updated once a month at the most. ;-)

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The Story Behind the Ad

Last-minute adjustments to Candace's hair before the photo-shoot.


Distracted by wondering what the traffic thinks of them.


By the time I thought of doing this, there was only one beef stick left.

"Aww! I got the short end."

By the way, I forgot to mention that cats love these sticks! :-)

I was thinking of the famous photo of Winston Churchill when I took this.

I should have had the actual photograph to compare to.

We had an incredibly fun time taking all these pictures...and MANY others! - you didn't even see half!

Detail from the previous photo.

Mirror Art

OH NO! I don't think we can handle two Candaces! - why, we won't be able to spend any money now!

(Wondering why? This post ought to explain it. :-)

A child's wonder at the mystery of a mirror.

Random Photos

Last time I let you peek through the kitchen window; here is the view from our schoolroom window.

The matching socks were a coincidence; their chins resting on their hands was not a coincidence.

Now, Dad, I don't want to be too hard on you, but... new toy before History class??? (Work then play, right? I'm fairly certain it was you who taught me that. ;-)

The family architect?

Blanche's Doghouse

Hello, Folks (no this isn't another advertisement), I'm here to give you a tour of the beautiful doghouse that Conrad built for Blanche.

Uh, Uh... I thought you weren't going to be home for several hours yet...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you had half as much fun with this post as I did....... :-)

God Bless!

~Carmen~

Hello Patrons,

You almost didn't get a post this week. Think about that for a little. Could you have survived without one? :-) Actually, I thought you were going to get a very short post, but then....the snow arrived! Although winter may, for the most part, be the drabbest part of the year, when it does snow, there is nothing to compare to the beauty of it! The cold temperatures are not quite as desirable, especially since I have a hard time escaping from them (I sleep in the coldest room of the house and do school in the second coldest part of the house). I take comfort in the fact that 1) sleeping in the cold is supposed to be healthy and 2) cold air supposedly sharpens the brain helping it too think more clearly. Perhaps the reason I am struggling to get this post together is that I am doing it in the warmest part of the house. You probably skip this intro anyway, so why waste more time on it. Candace just got done informing me that my openings usually sound pretty lame....so ON TO THE PICTURES!

Welcome to our home...


...in the most gorgeous season of the year!

After admiring through the window, the outdoor's beauty had a compelling effect upon me. I got a camera and my boots, and you are about to see the results.

Morning Glory

Why Dad likes summer.

Those poor, deprived public school children! Homeschoolers don't have to operate under an unbending schedule which doesn't allow time for such things as venturing out in the snow to take photos.

Pets' Reactions to the Snow

Warming up.

Feline Tag!

Canine Sprint!

(I laugh outright every time I see that picture.)

When I asked Dad what he thought of my cropping job, he reassured me greatly by saying, "Well, it would make a good bookmark..."

These snow-laden pine needles remind me of uniform epaulettes.

No, my feet aren't that big. I was borrowing Mom's size 10 boots.

I looked everywhere. I thought, "There have to be icicles somewhere." Finally, I found some on the front of the van. I suppose that was the only place that was warm enough to melt anything.

A Series Illustrating the Aquisition of our Porch

After many late nights of pouring over blueprints...

...the demolition begins.

It's free labor for Dad, and (as everybody knows) boys love tearing things apart - so everyone should be happy. :-)

"Master, what fine work you do!"

(That look of awe on her face - I can't get over it!)

Sacrifices always accompany the realization of a dream. Our favorite lilac bush had to make way for the new porch.

Blanche spies ball.

"Is anyone watching?"

Nope. He's oblivious.

Locked in.