Hello Everyone,

I doubt I need to point out that posts have been shorter and less thought-out recently.

Photography is something I have little time for right now, but I'm hoping that, with summer here, photo quantity, and maybe even quality, will increase.

Caption quantity and quality -- now that's another "something" that takes a lot of time. Maybe I'll just start posting without comment. Sounds restful...

Okay, no more threats. God Bless you all.

Charity and Faith at the Piano

"In Dreams" - Duet by Charity and Faith from Carmen Martin on Vimeo.

Dad and Mom Take a Bus Trip

Morning in PA, our aunts and uncles swarm the bus.

Evening in NC, they abandon it.

While our parents were watching gulls and...

...feeding gulls and...

...strolling beautiful beaches...

...WE WEREN'T.

Neither were we sitting on the table.

We did not have a can of Cheetos each for lunch.

In short, we abandoned neither manners nor moderation.

And even though we did wash a few vehicles, we did not...

...wash them all.

But let's check back to see how the wayfarers are enjoying their vacation (and the lemons).

Mom with her father Phares, her brother Phares, and her son Phares.

For devotions while they were gone, Conrad taught a two-part series on God's providence.


An adventure it was for all of us, yes; but, when the sun set on it, we were glad to be back together.

More Things We've Been Doing

Breakfast at Panera Bread with the dear Ornelas girls.

More modeling for Kristen.

For a short time, this beautiful purse was within our grasp (literally), but then... We had to send it back home with Kristen. :-)

Kate Middleton? No way!

(This was just girlish dress-up. When the photo was taken, the girls didn't even know a royal wedding was imminent.)

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God Bless.

Carmen

Hello, everyone.

Welcome as always. I hope your Saturday has been as busy and blessed as mine.

The Mers (Mercy and Mervin) Have Their Birthday

Come on - wake up - cheer up! It's your birthday.

A doll (classic feminine plaything) for the girl.

And for the boy, a tractor (classic masculine plaything).

I can only conclude that a man looks in the direction his tractor points.

Conrad's tractor.

Made by Kristen; loved by Mercy.

When Mervin opened his markers...

...Conrad immediately made a motion to form a white-wall-protection society.

This guy refused to second the motion.

Mervin JAMES

(Get it?)

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Mercy dared to dream of a rainbow cake, and she really did get it.

We've Been Doing Things

For example, playing at our recital.

Candace doing some elegant finger work.

We've been celebrating spring.

As well as celebrating Mom and Dad.

(Mom and Dad were happier than they look. They were also more tired than they look.)

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The Lord Bless and Keep You.

Carmen

Hello Everyone,

This week's post is short and sweet. Short because -- well, it just is. Sweet because it contains candy-making coverage.

The Sweet Part

It's time for a story, the story of a taffy-pull.

Part of the story is a mystery, the mystery of the missing cream.

Now what could have happened to those last two cups?

What? She dumped the whole carton in!

We stop Maria's rampage just in time: the whole jar of corn syrup was headed toward the kettle next.

Hmm... I think we could call that a guilty grin.

Mom passes on the art.

This candy-making process has not been approved by the USDA.

Hence we may lick our fingers.

Hey! It takes boiling water to sterilize a scissors.

Nathan looks as if he could be a formidable inspector.

He was easily conciliated however.

Mistaken for spaghetti.

The Short Part

One of those days when I thank God for indoor plumbing.

A Long While Ago...

...back when people were still thinking about winter decorating...

...we spent a day with Monique hacking thorny branches off...

I say we call them "trees."

But they didn't stay trees -- no sirree!

Hey, Monique, thanks for having us.

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God bless your spring.

Carmen