Hello Everyone,

This post was somewhat thrown together since I've been focusing on the international travel our family is gearing up for. (Don't read too much into that "international travel" part, or you'll be disappointed.) At any rate, I wish I were going be around to hear your reaction to today's post. I'm wondering if it'll be anything comparable to the reactions that old photo albums pull out of people. One thing you should know: the borders around some of the photos are a visual distinctive to help you keep the past separate from the present.

Adios. (Whoops, not quite appropriate since I'm not going to Spain.)

Au Revoir then. (Nope, not going to France either.)

The House That's Ours, But Really Isn't

Sometimes the past is just down the road.

We walk into our old house...

...and into the days when there were only seven of us.

(Back then we were all sunflowers.)

Candace, forget about what's behind the closet door. Remember those cold mornings when you used to sit in front of that closet door?

Yeah, that's one of the times I'm talking about.

Even though we didn't use the couches those cold, winter mornings, at least we did have them.

Remember when this closet...

...was full of clothes.

Thankfully nothing was left to remind us of this mess.

There was a time when peeking in Mom and Dad's closet was a definite no-no.

Enough about closets. The kitchen was important too.

Important for things like stargazing.

We did school in that room too.

Desks were sometimes scarce (not to mention toothpicks for the eyes).

Faith had a lot to say about how scared she used to be to come down into this room.

But then Faith always has had a lot to say.

Conrad opens the door...

...so that he can put the coal in.

Once the stage for hotdog roasts and theatricals.

Appearances are deceiving: we did not live in Bethlehem, PA.

I remember when those flowerbeds were full of flowers that...

...we were not supposed to pick.

Conrad reenacts the time Dad ran into the house. Our neighbor's wolf almost ran into the house with him.

(Nope, I don't have a photo of that. We stayed indoors until the game commission confiscated that thing. For the full story, just start a conversation with Dad and steer it in the direction of German Shepherds. Try it; you'll be surprised how one subject leads to another. :)

Oh, Conrad has always been a tree enthusiast.

Why some of the trees still bear the marks of his enthusiasm!

Candace attempts to open old wounds.

You know, Conrad, the gun you're holding now would probably do as much damage as...

...this one ever did.

The shed is still there.

Incredibly enough.

Our log cabin (built from trees like the one you just saw) is not still there.

And we are not still there. However, you are still here. So before you go, how 'bout some more photos from our past? Don't worry they won't be black and whites: we have a colorful past. :-)

In the Old Days...

We worked in the autumn.

We worked in the winter.

We worked for our ice-cream.

And we always thought we were playing.

When it came to cutting down elephant ears, my idea was that I do the cutting and...

...Conrad do the hauling.

It wasn't part of the plan, but I had to let him have a turn with the shears now and then.

The idea here was: he scrubs and...

...I hold the hose.

No matter how good my ideas, Conrad always came out on top.

Weight-lifting.

(That thing was, literally, light as air.)

Young age road rage.

When somebody disobeyed the traffic laws, they had to be "pulled over."

Daniel Boone and his dad's palm pilot.

Ah, yes, we were whiz kids we were.

We loved to go to the office with Dad and...

...sleep.

Candace sees through a grid stickily.

Noah and his unconventional ark.

I bucked at posting this picture, but, when Charity said, "Whoa! I like that photo," I gave the giddyap.

In those good, old days it was Xtra Easy to be cool.

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God Bless you all.

Carmen