tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82803068582548115072024-02-21T18:50:59.727-08:00Rhonda's RamblingsA glimpse into my life and thoughts; the goodness of Jesus Christ; His many blessings; and pics of my kids!Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-78114302742152121642010-07-26T14:25:00.000-07:002010-07-26T14:25:08.226-07:00Create a Sunny Day Rule and other activities - FamilyEducation.com<a href="http://fun.familyeducation.com/outdoor-games/television/29765.html?WT.mc_id=FE_Your-Child_0-6_2010-07-26_email&Gen=">Create a Sunny Day Rule and other activities - FamilyEducation.com</a>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-54157877085851991502010-07-20T13:32:00.000-07:002010-07-20T13:36:12.043-07:00Do You Appreciate What's Around You?Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007:<br /><br />He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.<br />After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.<br />4 minutes later:The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.<br />6 minutes:A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.<br />10 minutes:A 3 year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time.<br />This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.<br /><br />45 minutes:The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while.<br /><br />About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32.<br /><br />1 hour:He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.<br /><br />No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. (It might hurt his ego that he only made $32 for 45 minutes)<br /><br />This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ....How many other things are we missing?<br /><br />We live in an awesome world. Make it an awesome day.<br /><br />It's true - check out the full story at snopes (the number 1 place to go when you get a forwarded email and you wonder if it is true). <a href="http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/bell.asp">http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/bell.asp</a>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-2126410986718334352010-07-15T13:17:00.000-07:002010-07-15T13:18:40.668-07:00Winner!Anonymous said...<br />I like Mr White Guy he looks like he is smiling with a bit of mischief in his eye. Plus the contrast between the dark background and his cool white color just makes him really really fun to look at. It needs a caption at the bottom right (I like a good laugh)<br />July 13, 2010 9:07 AMRhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-89078761998432901732010-07-09T09:54:00.001-07:002010-07-09T10:22:28.974-07:00Please Help Me! Pick your favorite photo<div align="center">I want to enter my friend Taberah's <a href="http://taberahspiersphotography.com/index.php?p=1_20_Contests">photo contest</a>, but can't decide on which one entry to submit. Faithful readers, please leave a comment telling me your favorite pic. I will have a random drawing on Thursday, July 15th at 4 pm PST, from all of the comments, and one reader will win a surprise gift from me. Thanks! :)<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WICGZT-V22ZM4lpiBgGfomSG7jR0Sj1RKdXkRnYhKMGKEhPE5i0pHEYs-lS-iiSRVe-5oR_rbCc_WllwOyHGCuSSPPAfJEyOEeiDHBuYdjNf7Wgz6szPFvwjGcNaepsj2DHU1SubnR4e/s1600/P3300375.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491955069579746258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WICGZT-V22ZM4lpiBgGfomSG7jR0Sj1RKdXkRnYhKMGKEhPE5i0pHEYs-lS-iiSRVe-5oR_rbCc_WllwOyHGCuSSPPAfJEyOEeiDHBuYdjNf7Wgz6szPFvwjGcNaepsj2DHU1SubnR4e/s400/P3300375.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Number 1 - Disneyland Castle at Night<br /><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXzf7oD7hZGhw9wLF_pb43USSizvd8dh2cXCqmSJmWYZohcG3NAeFO3RNrPyGe5wkiRnjLbNR4w2ZI1ZZiPRsEiEL8DX3xaFl5AeQNn2pFpYIZS0XPW136KiNNXmiSCMuqdq5kpDwHShH/s1600/P4040509.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491952734824980674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXzf7oD7hZGhw9wLF_pb43USSizvd8dh2cXCqmSJmWYZohcG3NAeFO3RNrPyGe5wkiRnjLbNR4w2ZI1ZZiPRsEiEL8DX3xaFl5AeQNn2pFpYIZS0XPW136KiNNXmiSCMuqdq5kpDwHShH/s400/P4040509.JPG" border="0" /></a> Number 2 - Easter Pals<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pcpA3EnOhcVeYNKWk-ROj_xW23ztEr8-yIoWckp_dv8kxMTfJiizVJUdooBORalzM0zwp9R3sngs4PduOdQeQ7h25WA3JahqtPnADBkUY7oRc2NFlwG4w4pPX_3U_EXRN5Q7MGxIOzGO/s1600/P5241289.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491952726221894018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pcpA3EnOhcVeYNKWk-ROj_xW23ztEr8-yIoWckp_dv8kxMTfJiizVJUdooBORalzM0zwp9R3sngs4PduOdQeQ7h25WA3JahqtPnADBkUY7oRc2NFlwG4w4pPX_3U_EXRN5Q7MGxIOzGO/s400/P5241289.JPG" border="0" /></a> Number 3 - Fountain<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U4rJCndiXKAhtk5jKbgA5VZH5KJjNPrqrI6G5F5k7LAv9dG5BW9MkREAXP4IFuhzBlU6C48Bll855IWwSZ9LRh3XV42JwEVOB9vFq31EdqwIiag_kk1EbxsqLj4bSjWMY2YH7vRLEx6g/s1600/P6270497.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491952754310679538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U4rJCndiXKAhtk5jKbgA5VZH5KJjNPrqrI6G5F5k7LAv9dG5BW9MkREAXP4IFuhzBlU6C48Bll855IWwSZ9LRh3XV42JwEVOB9vFq31EdqwIiag_kk1EbxsqLj4bSjWMY2YH7vRLEx6g/s400/P6270497.JPG" border="0" /></a> Number 4 - Australian Bearded Dragon<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fe6Mu8prqxHaAPP0cLe4JiNq0Bj_zTLZ_msq8waaDwQeZXLmFSSTW8F_hbppLi7BM8Oi9UIpAAKooqWh0fKKi4f_3R1SEc29s1IWgzE2EgFSLi58eBGCcTByY6_EBmIoLho8VvPaQwzk/s1600/P5241284.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491952718024857426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fe6Mu8prqxHaAPP0cLe4JiNq0Bj_zTLZ_msq8waaDwQeZXLmFSSTW8F_hbppLi7BM8Oi9UIpAAKooqWh0fKKi4f_3R1SEc29s1IWgzE2EgFSLi58eBGCcTByY6_EBmIoLho8VvPaQwzk/s400/P5241284.JPG" border="0" /></a> Number 5 - Venetian Court Fountain<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AULJ7qofYfhIBvAAZpTQIhg1dZn6oJROQ_PVruYUUa8R36ftVY7EOdb5xcml2Zx2ji1Cq5ek6CYroTj87O9FPu-cTaBBIJyc8waUUmO7uWEBXqFSyXI0Hy4D1c1uePhFzbNNUCLFGAuk/s1600/P4230746.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491952742842224626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AULJ7qofYfhIBvAAZpTQIhg1dZn6oJROQ_PVruYUUa8R36ftVY7EOdb5xcml2Zx2ji1Cq5ek6CYroTj87O9FPu-cTaBBIJyc8waUUmO7uWEBXqFSyXI0Hy4D1c1uePhFzbNNUCLFGAuk/s400/P4230746.JPG" border="0" /></a> Number 6- Scabiosa (Pincushion) Flowers<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCdv7uBVsgGoOlmXc3tOhPMg80v9BV2-675lUEx00O23dWWRAh-ajUxClDexYZ8HQTjwB4ISr3s7J6wjtl2t7B88DGEuIfBHfwx6WtbBIgTUWuX24RFxRVhFtROPwj_43nVIFQIiOJO4O/s1600/P6270498.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491955059001995314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCdv7uBVsgGoOlmXc3tOhPMg80v9BV2-675lUEx00O23dWWRAh-ajUxClDexYZ8HQTjwB4ISr3s7J6wjtl2t7B88DGEuIfBHfwx6WtbBIgTUWuX24RFxRVhFtROPwj_43nVIFQIiOJO4O/s400/P6270498.JPG" border="0" /></a>Number 7 - Mr. White Guy </div></div><br /></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-34905381221373888932010-07-08T09:29:00.000-07:002010-07-08T09:32:22.026-07:00AndyRasta dies and goes to Heaven.<br /><br />He is at the Pearly Gates and is met by St. Peter himself. But the gates are closed as Ras approaches the gatekeeper..St. Peter said, 'Well, You seem to be in the wrong place as I don't seem to have you on my list, but as there is such a crowd behind you and it would cause such a disruption, I will give you an entrance examination - if you pass it, I will let you in. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven.'<br /><br />Fair enough sais the dread - I sure hope that the test ain't too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was .'<br /><br />St. Peter continued, 'Yes, I know, but the test is only three questions. Here they are:<br />First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?<br />That one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow.'<br />The Saint's eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer.<br />Second: How many seconds are there in a year? asked St. Peter.<br />How many seconds in a year? Now that one is harder,' replied ras, 'but I think about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve.'<br />Astounded, St. Peter said, 'Twelve? how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?'<br />Well it got to be twelve he replied: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd....<br />'Hold it,' interrupts St. Peter. 'I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind....but I will have to give you credit for that one, too.<br />Third: What is God's first name?'<br />well'Sure,' he replied with a big grin . . 'it's Andy..'<br />'Andy?' exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter. 'Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?'<br /><br />'Shucks, that was the easiest one of all,' Whenever I went to church I would hear them sing "ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN."<br /><br />St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates, and said: 'Run, man, run!!!'<br /><br />Wherefore we pray Lord, Give me a sense of humor, Give me the ability to understand a clean joke, To get some humor out of life, And to pass it on to other folks !Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-29647591774535342022010-06-01T20:32:00.000-07:002010-06-01T20:32:01.778-07:00An Honor To Serve, A Tribute<object style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/nd5rLkcRHKg/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nd5rLkcRHKg&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nd5rLkcRHKg&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="425" height="344" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-81443695458427239282010-05-24T17:27:00.000-07:002010-05-24T17:27:19.792-07:00Ray Boltz - Fallen Not Forgotten<object style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/aDBaAmgz410/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDBaAmgz410&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDBaAmgz410&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="425" height="344" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-8316722054767586442010-05-22T13:42:00.000-07:002010-05-22T13:56:38.075-07:00When Do I Shift Gears?May is bike month! If you're a newbie to cycling, you may not know what that means... basically, the month of May is set aside to encourage people to bicycle to work, run errands, and for recreation. Not only is it good exercise, but it also helps save the environment! :) Anyway, although I've had my bicycle for over 10 years, I really don't know "how" to ride. While I was searching online for when to shift gears/speeds on my bike, I found this <a href="http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/gears.html/">article</a> which was really helpful for me. Maybe it will help answer your question about "why does a bicycle need 21 speeds anyway?"Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-4391860129835942232010-04-29T19:12:00.000-07:002010-04-29T19:12:52.960-07:00My God Is Real<object style="background-image:url(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/b0Lrwz_hUAA/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/b0Lrwz_hUAA&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/b0Lrwz_hUAA&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="425" height="344" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-34791135810395143032010-04-29T18:56:00.000-07:002010-04-29T18:56:41.241-07:00Terry Warren sings "I Remember Calvary" from his new album "Amazing Love"<object style="background-image:url(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/fWusopXp794/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fWusopXp794&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fWusopXp794&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="425" height="344" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-68882307559408594462010-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:002010-02-08T10:59:48.179-08:00Free President's Day Homeschooling Curriculum<a href="http://www.currclick.com/">CurrClick</a> is one of my favorite sites for inexpensive home-schooling literature. They have a nice set available for FREE this week.<br /><br /><a title="http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=" it="1&SRC=" href="http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=27568&it=1&SRC=Newsletter" target="_blank">Presidents' Day Holiday Helper</a>From Living Books Curriculum<br />Presidents' Day Holiday Helper is a short collections of high-quality literature, artwork and quotations which are easy to use during busy holidays; each one is designed to provide your children with uplifting and inspiring ideas and images. Read aloud and enjoy the stories. Encourage the practice of copywork and enjoy the study of great art of both Lincoln and Washington.<br />Picture Study:Portrait of George WashingtonGeorge Washington Crossing the DelawareAbraham Lincoln Reading to His Son TadAbe ReadingAbe the Rail Splitter<br />Copywork:Famous Quotes of George WashingtonFamous Quotes of Abraham Lincoln<br />Stories:The Cherry TreeAbe Lincoln Gets His ChanceRhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-20207806368346002352010-01-29T15:27:00.000-08:002010-01-29T15:28:46.941-08:00Beware of Terrorist Groups in ChurchI received this as a forwarded email message from a dear friend, but liked it so much, I wanted to share it with all of you. ...<br /><br />Have a blessed weekend, and make sure you're in the right "group" in your church. :)<br /><br />Latest news reports are that five terrorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as: Bin Sleepin, Bin Arguin, Bin Fightin, Bin Complainin, and Bin Missin.<br /><br />Their leader, Lucifer Bin Workin, trained these groups to destroy the Body of Christ. The plan is to come into the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy.<br /><br />However, there have been reports of a sixth group. A tiny cell known by the name Bin Prayin is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin team does not blend in with whoever and whatever comes along.<br /><br />Bin Prayin does whatever is needed to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin cell group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin, Bin Waitin, Bin Fastin, and Bin Longin for their Master, Jesus Christ to return.<br /><br />NO CHURCH IS EXEMPT!<br /><br />(However, you can spot them if you bin lookin and bin goin.)Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-57061156421034398082009-12-14T10:30:00.001-08:002009-12-14T10:32:05.143-08:00The Christmas OrangeI just found this story (along with a plan for a family night activity) <a href="http://www.sugardoodle.net/Christmas/The%20Christmas%20Orange%20fhe%20outline.shtml">here</a>.<br /><br /><strong><em>The Christmas Orange<br /></em></strong><br />I'd like to tell you a story my grandmother told me when I was six or seven years old. We had gone to her home for Thanksgiving dinner and the drive was rather a long one. I had filled the time with making a list of all the things that I wanted for Christmas that year.<br /><br />Later that evening after I was ready for bed, I showed the list to my grandmother. After she read it, she said, "My goodness, that really is a long list!" Then she picked me up and set me on her lap in the big rocking chair and told me this story:<br /><br />"Once there was a little girl who came to live in an orphanage in Denmark" (Now my grandmother was from Denmark, so this story might even be true.) "As Christmas time grew near, all of the other children began telling the little girl about the beautiful Christmas tree that would appear in the huge downstairs hall on Christmas morning. After their usual, very plain breakfast, each child would be given their one and only Christmas gift; small, single orange."<br />At this point I looked up at my grandmother in disbelief, but she assured me that was all each child would receive for Christmas.<br /><br />"Now the headmaster of the orphanage was very stern and he thought Christmas to be a bother. So on Christmas Eve, when he caught the little girl creeping down the stairs to catch a peek at the much-heard-of Christmas tree, he sharply declared that the little girl would not receive her Christmas orange because she had been so curious as to disobey the rules. The little girl ran back to her room broken-hearted and crying at her terrible fate."<br /><br />"The next morning as the other children were going down to breakfast, the little girl stayed in her bed. She couldn't stand the thought of seeing the others receive their gift when there would be none for her."<br /><br />"Later, as the children came back upstairs, the little girl was surprised to be handed a napkin. As she carefully opened it, there to her disbelief was an orange all peeled and sectioned."<br /><br />"How could this be?" she asked.<br /><br />"It was then that she found how each child had taken one section from their orange and given it to her so that she, too, would have a Christmas orange."<br /><br />How I loved this story! I would ask my grandmother to tell it to me over and over as I grew up. Every Christmas, as I pull a big, juicy orange from my stocking, I think of this story. What an example of the true meaning of Christmas those orphan children displayed that Christmas morning. How I wish the world, as a whole would display that same kind of Christ-like concern for others, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year.Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-27887562029795549942009-11-23T09:49:00.001-08:002009-11-23T09:51:49.153-08:00My Husband Is an Overbearing Jerk … and I’m a Pouty Little SnotThis is a really good article that I just read from Family Life. Check it out. :)<br /><br />P.S. My husband isn't an overbearing jerk, but he does have his faults, just as I have mine. I am thankful for my husband - like the song says that was sung at our wedding... I tip my hat to the keeper of the stars; He sure knew what He was doing when He joined these two hearts. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.familylife.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=3842489&ct=7671507">The Family Room archives - FamilyLife.com</a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com/">ShareThis</a>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-30463340376186124492009-11-05T20:22:00.000-08:002009-11-05T20:31:00.276-08:00K-Love's "Making a World of Difference Campaign" OR "Thank You, Pastor!"This week, our local radio station, <a href="http://www.klove.com/">KLOVE</a>, is having a contest in which they ask you to share your story about the first person who truly let you know "Jesus Loves You." Below is the story I submitted.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330000;">Although many Sunday school teachers were instrumental in teaching me "Jesus Loves Me," I would have to give honor today to my current Pastor, Kenneth Sullivan. Pastor Sullivan truly lives his life in a Christ-like manner. He is merciful and compassionate, and strives to teach his church to be the same. He is always preaching the power of the cross and forgiveness, stating that although most everything in this life will fail us, the power of the cross can never fail. Since being under his leadership, I have noticed that I am more compassionate and merciful. If someone treats me badly, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. I am so thankful for the mercies of Christ which are new everyday, and which Pastor Sullivan, teaches to us often. He truly leads by example, and I am so thankful that God brought him to our church three years ago when our former pastor retired. I give honor to all of the church leaders in my life, but feel that Pastor Sullivan has been the most instrumental in teaching me how to be Christ-like and let His light and love shine through me. Thank you, Pastor Sullivan, and your wonderful family, for being examples of Christ, and for your servant-like leadership style. </span></em>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-30119253266136969002009-09-11T11:37:00.000-07:002009-09-11T11:42:27.393-07:00Remembering<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lusvtAWOPqc&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lusvtAWOPqc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-71583825247198000412009-09-09T13:35:00.000-07:002009-09-09T13:40:27.441-07:00Guest Post - Walk into the ExtraordinaryI "borrowed" this article from a weekly e-newsletter that I receive from SISTERS.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriDFXr7lXPYwWGQ1_F9uNbWs9rQ4Xnni3JtovLbbKMXRkp2VA7n12PxNY2Idtwq_ATdfrxiBpdhHUp7I8vn-iH5BmLripmQjfroB9rAL11kheUpScGWjN3NN8UEfirsOrO-SyOxBnzscJ/s1600-h/SISTERS+newsletter+logo.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379570127931673394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 71px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriDFXr7lXPYwWGQ1_F9uNbWs9rQ4Xnni3JtovLbbKMXRkp2VA7n12PxNY2Idtwq_ATdfrxiBpdhHUp7I8vn-iH5BmLripmQjfroB9rAL11kheUpScGWjN3NN8UEfirsOrO-SyOxBnzscJ/s400/SISTERS+newsletter+logo.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div></div><div></div><div>I found it uplifting and encouraging, and wanted to share it with you.</div><br /><div><br /><strong><em>Walk into the Extraordinary</em></strong></div><br /><div><em>By Bonnie Peacock </em></div><div></div><br /><div>It was a day just like any other. As Gideon threshed wheat near the winepress, the unexpected happened. An angel appeared before him, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour" (Judges 6:12).<br /></div><br /><div>Gideon knew immediately that this was one lost and confused angel. Why, he was the youngest of a poor, obscure family. What could he do? He was powerless. How could God possibly use him?<br /></div><br /><div>Born into a nation that had walked away from God, attempting to hide wheat from the Midianites was a way of life for Gideon. Tired of living under the heavy hand of their enemy, the children of Israel began to call upon God to save them. Now an angel had come with a message of deliverance, but he had picked the wrong person. Of the entire nation, he had selected a young man with little prospects for the future.<br /></div><br /><div>It is easy to relate to Gideon. He had the audacity to ask the outrageous questions that we are reluctant to put into words. "If You are with me, God, why am I in such a mess? You delivered us out of Egypt only to allow us to fall prey to the Midianites. You want to use me to deliver my entire nation? If this is really You, You have to show me a sign!"<br /></div><br /><div>The angel did the miraculous before Gideon's eyes, yet he still fleeced God. Not once, but twice. At last he was convinced that he was hearing from the Lord.<br /></div><br /><div>With thirty-two thousand men at his disposal, everything seemed promising. But then God began the process of selecting and rejecting until Gideon was left with just three hundred men. God took this small group, armed with only trumpets, pitchers, and lamps (torches) and caused the Midianites to utterly destroy themselves.<br /></div><br /><div>What an amazing, wonderful story! From our perspective, we can smugly wonder why Gideon ever questioned God at all. Surely if an angel appeared to us, we would immediately, without </div><div>hesitation, obey.<br /></div><br /><div>But we all ask questions. God beckons us down a path that we have never walked before, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour!" We quake, question, and flea in fear. How can God use us? What if He lets us down? The task is too great! He expects too much of us. Doesn't He know who we are? Isn't He aware of our lack of experience and abilities?<br />God is looking for those who are willing to obey. Perfection is not a requirement. Self-sufficiency and tremendous confidence are not either. "Peace be unto thee; fear not!" (Judges 6:23) God's reassurance is needed when we stand at the crossroads of the familiar and a new assignment </div><div>from the Lord.<br /></div><br /><div>Just like Gideon, we are weak, defenseless, and without adequate resources to accomplish what God requires of us. But, "our sufficiency is of God" (II Corinthians 3:5). "The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon" (Judges 6:34) and he was able to face and accomplish the task that God had placed before him. Without God's assistance, it is impossible to boldly accept the challenges that lie ahead. But it is not up to us! When we face the enemy, task, or ministry that God has called us to do, we too will hear His assurance. "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21).<br /></div><br /><div>In the Spirit today, can't you hear a voice gently speaking? </div><div><strong><em>"The Lord is with thee, thou mighty [wo]man of valour!" </em></strong></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-24909222260034976862009-08-01T16:55:00.000-07:002009-09-02T18:30:00.643-07:00Becca & Jeff's Wedding<div align="center">What do you get when you cross an overworked, stressed, too much to do, mom with a broken foot for the better part of the summer, and trying to cram in a lot of activities during the last three weeks before school starts, with a person who doesn't have their own computer? You get someone who hasn't blogged in 6 weeks or so! ME! :)<br /><br />We had a fabulous time driving down to the Pismo Beach area for my sister-in-law Becca's wedding. The event took place July 26th - and it was absolutely perfect. <a href="http://www.thegardensatpeacockfarms.com/">The Gardens at Peacock Farms</a> are so beautiful, and the owner, Jessica, did an amazing job with the flowers and coordinating the wedding. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the event.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85CFR4EpZQWXaeHBZHPqtXFSGE9XCjCTxz-cBai_ticLD5MUcGpNc4ayMNpH51gyX59zcZ7_oP1npl7QEMql9iudE2twVbq5UHC24UnuMH5W8Dov9fociA1RXZMSZ1rPfWeDePXAQdfO0/s1600-h/DSCN1585.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377041279038905618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85CFR4EpZQWXaeHBZHPqtXFSGE9XCjCTxz-cBai_ticLD5MUcGpNc4ayMNpH51gyX59zcZ7_oP1npl7QEMql9iudE2twVbq5UHC24UnuMH5W8Dov9fociA1RXZMSZ1rPfWeDePXAQdfO0/s320/DSCN1585.JPG" /></em></a><em> This was the first time I'd seen "unity sand" instead of a unity candle... very neat idea, and as one friend pointed out, a much better visual for the couple sticking together - unlike a candle flame that can burn out or be blown out.</em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPzY-HBSopBUS45bkxPksjshOWna6hNzfAjS7JXSwJ44ZRO6IlQ6mPNHG_MKQMgknJEcz1VSon7Y8ixJmrKWUI2cMjb3-AkpxrY7DMsMn-9FIe6KNkKOxmVdqFiZQ1N8LodD4oTYzpZA6/s1600-h/DSCN1544.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377041262167384066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPzY-HBSopBUS45bkxPksjshOWna6hNzfAjS7JXSwJ44ZRO6IlQ6mPNHG_MKQMgknJEcz1VSon7Y8ixJmrKWUI2cMjb3-AkpxrY7DMsMn-9FIe6KNkKOxmVdqFiZQ1N8LodD4oTYzpZA6/s320/DSCN1544.JPG" /></em></a><em> Super cute boys - this is my nephew, Jude, and Jeff's nephew, Vinny</em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtXO2A3l-0v5MF0VQ7JzXXIWFwvaUaeZp1pW1HP4bNM08LiAXtbLzO_jDyO_HeabVK6w-HP7SlFjmMbei-YH-O6S7wP4vOSwpGvBOoUVCqjJRemHWtVCpkVm7XbvH-oFRG73hVwxgXyzV/s1600-h/DSCN1575.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377041254268715122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtXO2A3l-0v5MF0VQ7JzXXIWFwvaUaeZp1pW1HP4bNM08LiAXtbLzO_jDyO_HeabVK6w-HP7SlFjmMbei-YH-O6S7wP4vOSwpGvBOoUVCqjJRemHWtVCpkVm7XbvH-oFRG73hVwxgXyzV/s320/DSCN1575.JPG" /></a><em> My niece, Hannah, reading from The Love Chapter, 1 Corinthians 13<br /></em><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-nqvri8ih0y4dkJ8op2JrdyEUg1eKSjwyAuJCD2Fqqf8jYs5AbuyTQ8ksHMOavNe_-9RlgjXVQ-gfkJFHTHRrLEt6rNLTDzNvRerqcF6Y8L5u2fpPpEdxC9XyrTlsp6Qkc7k8OXfPkTO/s1600-h/DSCN1551.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377041245639083378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-nqvri8ih0y4dkJ8op2JrdyEUg1eKSjwyAuJCD2Fqqf8jYs5AbuyTQ8ksHMOavNe_-9RlgjXVQ-gfkJFHTHRrLEt6rNLTDzNvRerqcF6Y8L5u2fpPpEdxC9XyrTlsp6Qkc7k8OXfPkTO/s320/DSCN1551.JPG" /></em></a><em>I thought this was neat - both Mom & Dad walked Becca down the aisle</em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyvuUm_Clu7o-_1Cqd6UoRd_m2FA_aPeQOxnUI-CvZAU3aQ1MtxmxlBH7YtUVr2ulWUrDBVkqUNwTb1puH-oCJio9Y6WP5CobXmYsZP_xcQdojHN40Aa0b0llRL9VQ1NLSL7DG_drytJp/s1600-h/DSCN1496.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377041236573814578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyvuUm_Clu7o-_1Cqd6UoRd_m2FA_aPeQOxnUI-CvZAU3aQ1MtxmxlBH7YtUVr2ulWUrDBVkqUNwTb1puH-oCJio9Y6WP5CobXmYsZP_xcQdojHN40Aa0b0llRL9VQ1NLSL7DG_drytJp/s320/DSCN1496.JPG" /></em></a><em>My husband and girls, along with Grandpa Parker</em><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczU4qiNg7Ehi_q4oWuPb88QNHWOvpI9AYjp4ZVB3TaEVvVs11E2_sn9VtucgpRj9rynAO5w3EAqcUAapPUnC4ekQ_iYXOWVRvQcFTm7YQb8fYIDdC72t5ECfwEBwZ-5IVi0uPNx5kwfY4/s1600-h/DSCN1513.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377038932378188386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczU4qiNg7Ehi_q4oWuPb88QNHWOvpI9AYjp4ZVB3TaEVvVs11E2_sn9VtucgpRj9rynAO5w3EAqcUAapPUnC4ekQ_iYXOWVRvQcFTm7YQb8fYIDdC72t5ECfwEBwZ-5IVi0uPNx5kwfY4/s320/DSCN1513.JPG" /></a>So beautiful - and scrumptious too! All I know is that the baker was a lady from Paso Robles, CA. The chocolate cake had fudgy filing, and was delicioso! The bottom layer had white chocolate with raspberry, I think.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqcXMQxBez7Mm5nUhO49hwxjQ6SrAeDL2tN07K5auMl42VAf1qlmjH7dLNg7PM5lREOpaTcoK_6NueuT4_NzW4Dqmr3DyiROPlR82SvxuArh2mb_rA6-1jCibR6Ou1As9knF0__HLD3h9/s1600-h/DSCN1500.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377038923028124002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqcXMQxBez7Mm5nUhO49hwxjQ6SrAeDL2tN07K5auMl42VAf1qlmjH7dLNg7PM5lREOpaTcoK_6NueuT4_NzW4Dqmr3DyiROPlR82SvxuArh2mb_rA6-1jCibR6Ou1As9knF0__HLD3h9/s320/DSCN1500.JPG" /></em></a><em>My mom, sister-in-law Megan, and her daughter, Hannah</em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvx_LVQVRoK3RaJgO_FziJgwve7Ly5sS8eO22EMUmj4ZCZsBIOunQFqr-yb9b6-3tOmVrhbcHGtbPsOFkVg9fIc_TPMlplgo-qLnIO4TQL-C3aaYtyy58gZvJBYbc7q8A4gUF-Vh-1xBn/s1600-h/DSCN1491.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377038915114778242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvx_LVQVRoK3RaJgO_FziJgwve7Ly5sS8eO22EMUmj4ZCZsBIOunQFqr-yb9b6-3tOmVrhbcHGtbPsOFkVg9fIc_TPMlplgo-qLnIO4TQL-C3aaYtyy58gZvJBYbc7q8A4gUF-Vh-1xBn/s320/DSCN1491.JPG" /></em></a><em>The girls with Daddy and Uncle Ben</em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65ttxiUWS-8v3jKsIiaGl9JZMG9pAtM7VMGbbJmQJi8QtXhMWSvNKTDz1wXHrO6_c76LhHBARc1ycPson3jR_DpcUFXpa3rxlOhK6ykG-TKqV7cmbzOdpc-uovdDud35uHl-jiK4J9HPa/s1600-h/DSCN1488.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377038900165724370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65ttxiUWS-8v3jKsIiaGl9JZMG9pAtM7VMGbbJmQJi8QtXhMWSvNKTDz1wXHrO6_c76LhHBARc1ycPson3jR_DpcUFXpa3rxlOhK6ykG-TKqV7cmbzOdpc-uovdDud35uHl-jiK4J9HPa/s320/DSCN1488.JPG" /></em></a><em>The fountain is just one of the many places available for portraits at The Gardens</em><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01iYwFomOX9jKJXGe12vZoUHorEFioeWoUJA6AhKorTKZ1hfNBbPglGMLIT4Q3vFRK39o4wov77tAmZWgpEtfBpiuudQO06w45-ZOUgSc13ROXrUMNoVBChqJXXHw_GG1tkHkOqjyzGOf/s1600-h/DSCN1485.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377038894684814386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01iYwFomOX9jKJXGe12vZoUHorEFioeWoUJA6AhKorTKZ1hfNBbPglGMLIT4Q3vFRK39o4wov77tAmZWgpEtfBpiuudQO06w45-ZOUgSc13ROXrUMNoVBChqJXXHw_GG1tkHkOqjyzGOf/s320/DSCN1485.JPG" /></em></a><em>Handsome Jude</em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdITdbevE-yqvDM3SwXkG2A2f8TP519y_NDklH0DVs0sLBYKrZLcxzaWi2cazOCObNPyb5XM31FwLxxsJtDBfwmsn28WO66zeEpkUrYiuXSjoJb6FBs7eI7FpEtIVtr7TFJg3Nub98LnOF/s1600-h/DSCN1553.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365152701108053682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdITdbevE-yqvDM3SwXkG2A2f8TP519y_NDklH0DVs0sLBYKrZLcxzaWi2cazOCObNPyb5XM31FwLxxsJtDBfwmsn28WO66zeEpkUrYiuXSjoJb6FBs7eI7FpEtIVtr7TFJg3Nub98LnOF/s400/DSCN1553.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WnN2c-KuXLKx9yKKj-TxHPKmYsfBv4Af3ZJvBarJiAp8VYQFi7hdEWDdwyPMET69vJMbTeyWxVDFRBMsWuyRcqP-bczfKwRff1OxwzmRhFjLJ66zOab5RXmdggTbZQqBpHujgjfqUstC/s1600-h/DSCN1636.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365152689879495762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WnN2c-KuXLKx9yKKj-TxHPKmYsfBv4Af3ZJvBarJiAp8VYQFi7hdEWDdwyPMET69vJMbTeyWxVDFRBMsWuyRcqP-bczfKwRff1OxwzmRhFjLJ66zOab5RXmdggTbZQqBpHujgjfqUstC/s400/DSCN1636.JPG" /></a><em>This is a pic of my most amazing in-laws. Mom & Dad Parker are simply THE BEST! Too bad they live thousands of miles away! I know the Lord will bless them, though, as they are serving as missionaries to the island of Malta. (Along with several other countries which were added to their job in the last year or so).<br /></em><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VF7VAhrJebLpDtHN5hIMyckfTQOPWQDaSCRxMTO_JhhrzNsS3NxlQMoCyegQZD-4RLLusZAd4H787JIEkNxJqMJbANv9-QtDFGBBUR6OSUuDah-LPE_7HZMIrX9e5-UWqm7-cX_0u7TL/s1600-h/DSCN1756.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365152687173716322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VF7VAhrJebLpDtHN5hIMyckfTQOPWQDaSCRxMTO_JhhrzNsS3NxlQMoCyegQZD-4RLLusZAd4H787JIEkNxJqMJbANv9-QtDFGBBUR6OSUuDah-LPE_7HZMIrX9e5-UWqm7-cX_0u7TL/s400/DSCN1756.JPG" /></a><em>This picture is for my friend, Sonia. This is Aida, Jeff & Becca, and Aida's daughter, Cat. They are long-time friends of Sonia (a mutual friend), and Aida helped me book our hotel room for the stay - which was a miracle, since all of the hotels in the entire area were booked completely due to the Pismo Beach car show that weekend.<br /></em><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfZLDkTIQ_a8j2pF_XlBSxdlj80xRtvbdb5QIKVUaQtmUs9n5dg-iQRMSqpSqpqlNBuf8rekI4LHAMzkK3jXQHMryqxYK8VVCl7hPa-lPn4NBkoyFEAZIPeIbqeGPrD3GUG06_MQgIg81/s1600-h/DSCN1796.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365152684301697362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfZLDkTIQ_a8j2pF_XlBSxdlj80xRtvbdb5QIKVUaQtmUs9n5dg-iQRMSqpSqpqlNBuf8rekI4LHAMzkK3jXQHMryqxYK8VVCl7hPa-lPn4NBkoyFEAZIPeIbqeGPrD3GUG06_MQgIg81/s400/DSCN1796.JPG" /></a><em>This is my absolute favorite shot of the wedding - I stole the idea from their phenomenal photographer, Sam Hassas. You can check out his amazing portrait artistry <a href="http://hassas-photography.smugmug.com/">here</a>.<br /></em><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnHMbXZKVPO3nJjLqtdLcYtboa8PaoIGzcKrfgthHrhMG_QS5oECROI4-57z2SHyGc2ERiBl56Ir8NmdkltvxXJeidyq9kUS0M5AJPNiXpjY3V7tdZEvve091FylNyK5BICSjRe9ivmGy/s1600-h/DSCN1523.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365152678561054194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnHMbXZKVPO3nJjLqtdLcYtboa8PaoIGzcKrfgthHrhMG_QS5oECROI4-57z2SHyGc2ERiBl56Ir8NmdkltvxXJeidyq9kUS0M5AJPNiXpjY3V7tdZEvve091FylNyK5BICSjRe9ivmGy/s400/DSCN1523.JPG" /></em></a><em>The flowers were so gorgeous! And these arrangements in the urn were actually free. They were left over from a wedding the evening before, and Jessica, the flower-artist, and host of the Gardens, removed the purple flowers and put pink ones in their place for Becca's wedding.</em></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-18208295018018359132009-07-23T09:40:00.000-07:002009-07-23T09:47:04.720-07:00Cell Phone KarmaA coworker sent this to me - and yes, I chuckled! :) What about you? Do you find people who must always have their phones on annoying? How would some people today have survived if they lived 40 years ago? <br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzp0r99Xcdg1cOgqhEKpA6rI4OOeZSaDvfvWLM7emr8GV9jpZKUZKSQSXhhhiVuRQXZgSD5NOwHe6PGY_kZFw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-60424667416846439672009-07-08T18:25:00.000-07:002009-07-14T08:19:05.168-07:00Old Sacramento & PhotographyAgain - it's been a long time since I've blogged - I'm issuing another "sorry" to my readers. :) Also, I owe a big apology to my dear friend, Staci (yes, my baby's namesake). In the 100<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> time I tried to post my last blog post, I neglected to mention how wonderful Staci was in visiting me, helping me assemble a jigsaw puzzle, and bringing me much-needed reading materials for when I was first down with the broken foot. Staci you are a terrific true friend - and I'm sorry I skipped over you on my last post. <br /><br /><strong><em>Here's today's new post:</em></strong><br /><br />After seeing the amazing pictures that were taken for my sister-in-law <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Rebecca</span> and her fiance Jeff at <a href="http://hassas-photography.smugmug.com/" target="_blank"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hassas</span> Photography</a> I was inspired to try my hand at getting "new" shots of my girls instead of the 'same-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ol</span>, same-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ol</span>'.<br /><br />We headed to Old Sacramento to see the traveling Disney's A Christmas Carol train (that was the reason for the girls, but my reason was to <em>take pictures</em>. ) When we got to Old Sac, the girls weren't all that interested in the Disney thing ... Shauna's main concern was whether or not she'd get to go to a museum. She wanted to go to the Railroad Museum (which train buffs have told me is one of the best in the nation) or the Schoolhouse Museum. Since we'd been to the train museum before, and the schoolhouse museum was free, we chose the schoolhouse.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q9C-xQ9HQFkkhyphenhyphenxPNIPq4Orx1h76js4Zm7199KF5jlgD5WxwQ1_O6LOWafRVE-L6en3wfpKhPPJtSdQbouLhbDbfK27N54vYeGwDX8CPCBUyJ9tsNXAETVOMwWVL8UVfd5H1XPdWQlfK/s1600-h/DSCN0385.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356271480619042498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q9C-xQ9HQFkkhyphenhyphenxPNIPq4Orx1h76js4Zm7199KF5jlgD5WxwQ1_O6LOWafRVE-L6en3wfpKhPPJtSdQbouLhbDbfK27N54vYeGwDX8CPCBUyJ9tsNXAETVOMwWVL8UVfd5H1XPdWQlfK/s200/DSCN0385.JPG" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;"> The girls were both enthralled with the "teacher." She is a teacher by occupation, but Staci <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">didn't</span> grasp the time concept, and asked if she really taught "way back then"</span></em><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXs5ILO5aJRG5_Z_PSQ82H09Cps-hWJLIaCay1lgfnBT28AL-dPeIXUmnyQ1cg35ZbKvB_qcJ9Jyr1FKlIy6nfxCChEHxNRrngIUqEecs93baJNgD4rsjxa-NJ-ykbD8E6_mdCuBkVuOZY/s1600-h/DSCN0391.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356271476147131730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXs5ILO5aJRG5_Z_PSQ82H09Cps-hWJLIaCay1lgfnBT28AL-dPeIXUmnyQ1cg35ZbKvB_qcJ9Jyr1FKlIy6nfxCChEHxNRrngIUqEecs93baJNgD4rsjxa-NJ-ykbD8E6_mdCuBkVuOZY/s200/DSCN0391.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>I love this flag salute - and that it proclaims the truth - One God!</em></span></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSjlaMq5p53H46aWaULHdDJ9vv_a07mjg5T-UxpjyotCKk8mDz9Ie6wPWU166DEQdQ0RoBs0fY8EvAFgNWxx-4BDLSl3HR-XLzdbRThfMCq6vDr8HGCGmyeU4hYCBzWYy1SUIAX0qTOpi/s1600-h/DSCN0393.JPG"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356271467787539938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSjlaMq5p53H46aWaULHdDJ9vv_a07mjg5T-UxpjyotCKk8mDz9Ie6wPWU166DEQdQ0RoBs0fY8EvAFgNWxx-4BDLSl3HR-XLzdbRThfMCq6vDr8HGCGmyeU4hYCBzWYy1SUIAX0qTOpi/s200/DSCN0393.JPG" border="0" /></em></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em> Staci does "okay" on writing her name</em><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDIIe2jXTNbtdW3LlS-E1iuy5NGIzb-f5dbh3nrsa46GA26HnMBQobDkgrJNBrbaMTW-_KvPPec8T8RpQQBxbmupXUM5ju9ahQCCPc5SK8RmMIQ0S6OYrF62_1KMvTahAEJloutmvF7U1/s1600-h/DSCN0394.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356271462606487202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDIIe2jXTNbtdW3LlS-E1iuy5NGIzb-f5dbh3nrsa46GA26HnMBQobDkgrJNBrbaMTW-_KvPPec8T8RpQQBxbmupXUM5ju9ahQCCPc5SK8RmMIQ0S6OYrF62_1KMvTahAEJloutmvF7U1/s200/DSCN0394.JPG" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-size:85%;">Shauna can write her name in cursive very well. <br /></span></em><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFF48OUSb4BeaJFRnJyDuOjUlgAPBtYucBgSFqUGBHIbHGJy0RTCk7oay9GXDxSM3uvKbauIgiTfp6yet-_XgYNxNcMU1OjxeFCW21uOb2RopDLPrKFaDpC9nccfMG9Rt5pW7V46aceOCA/s1600-h/DSCN0400.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356271453322062658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFF48OUSb4BeaJFRnJyDuOjUlgAPBtYucBgSFqUGBHIbHGJy0RTCk7oay9GXDxSM3uvKbauIgiTfp6yet-_XgYNxNcMU1OjxeFCW21uOb2RopDLPrKFaDpC9nccfMG9Rt5pW7V46aceOCA/s200/DSCN0400.JPG" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;"> I'm proud of my first-grader - she is an excellent reader! "Class, turn to page 37" she told those in attendance at the museum.<br /></span></em></div><div>And, here are my "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Hassas</span>-type" photos of the girls:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV7m8sXWmp9olGFVFeOBPvWvqh8nc1AO9JvJjrVvBo9ZFCCqJbj8uqKImo-ufkeyjpFEDBkjFPvjwEZk8KcTnKhV3-EfaFY8rYBiLuxzF_FwyT-gOOFgbUNHFDPJFpxt5sbpp5J97Pj3o/s1600-h/DSCN0364.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356267617856755522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV7m8sXWmp9olGFVFeOBPvWvqh8nc1AO9JvJjrVvBo9ZFCCqJbj8uqKImo-ufkeyjpFEDBkjFPvjwEZk8KcTnKhV3-EfaFY8rYBiLuxzF_FwyT-gOOFgbUNHFDPJFpxt5sbpp5J97Pj3o/s320/DSCN0364.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDXW72GygjR0VFKktm1WO9QOJth-7d03ZHx4A7u5eIogyple484B0QxZJPdfncRG3uWCZAOJrTbif-rXLUoJ6omQ5__LsEMhVayiCqt1DsVuW6hLLKhauqIJek20rpxblGPsm7plYe4mk/s1600-h/DSCN0352.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356267604581065474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDXW72GygjR0VFKktm1WO9QOJth-7d03ZHx4A7u5eIogyple484B0QxZJPdfncRG3uWCZAOJrTbif-rXLUoJ6omQ5__LsEMhVayiCqt1DsVuW6hLLKhauqIJek20rpxblGPsm7plYe4mk/s320/DSCN0352.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58sVZW5l68Mfa8ogjEgmqYPy4NkAa4j4XA2oItOB4soSkONbbFU-n73uiqsk7dLRNs-z49V3XFYpuHSeX9tMq99zy5VIYFZtpHVKGgfRDMTfKECURZbG3qplEmQThhHrMGfBNbaPUM8JD/s1600-h/RSCN0425.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356267570454536738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58sVZW5l68Mfa8ogjEgmqYPy4NkAa4j4XA2oItOB4soSkONbbFU-n73uiqsk7dLRNs-z49V3XFYpuHSeX9tMq99zy5VIYFZtpHVKGgfRDMTfKECURZbG3qplEmQThhHrMGfBNbaPUM8JD/s320/RSCN0425.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZirPAarBTe3XYB6QyKCivA4M9WNDSshrd31vousBI55QC6drEyEwB44w40plpUkHoAqHl5j1TTENCd5jAgRl5b4QbPEXDXNgeLE4mk1BegOmg2arYKxnYQ2ZlkqXIuoU7ZwwyBcfoLxID/s1600-h/RSCN0423.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356267560089067634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZirPAarBTe3XYB6QyKCivA4M9WNDSshrd31vousBI55QC6drEyEwB44w40plpUkHoAqHl5j1TTENCd5jAgRl5b4QbPEXDXNgeLE4mk1BegOmg2arYKxnYQ2ZlkqXIuoU7ZwwyBcfoLxID/s320/RSCN0423.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IPCpnqsLv8oAlHatlfk2GCAoEVzLZ-wcSFbJtZJmzZ2V_BpDe9Q2muzHa6MgwycgZf71Y0g0U0HUG8KEnVBdJURYLSkTl0qZtOQVBgjh5M3vsRkY-Jf-YrtSHlhOJB7lnZWlZkJRG6m3/s1600-h/RSCN0422.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356267541337793410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IPCpnqsLv8oAlHatlfk2GCAoEVzLZ-wcSFbJtZJmzZ2V_BpDe9Q2muzHa6MgwycgZf71Y0g0U0HUG8KEnVBdJURYLSkTl0qZtOQVBgjh5M3vsRkY-Jf-YrtSHlhOJB7lnZWlZkJRG6m3/s320/RSCN0422.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-90902094729610490402009-07-03T20:20:00.000-07:002009-07-08T08:30:44.961-07:00Can You Feel The Love?To my faithful followers - I've missed blogging so much! I can't wait until I can get a new laptop and better <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">internet</span> service. Ours has been down for the last few days, and I tried about 10 times before that to get this post done. Hopefully it will work this time!<br /><br /><br />I have many pictures to show you from the last month or so - but for this post, I don't want another day to go by without saying THANK YOU to some super special people.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center">First, I want to thank my daughters for their love and support while I've been hobbling around with my broken foot. Shauna drew this delightful picture for me in church one night. I especially like the way she got my purple clothes that I've been wearing to match my purple cast and that the "after" picture shows me wearing a more colorful rainbow shirt. :) Staci pointed out that the cast is on the wrong foot - I hadn't even noticed that; but I think the picture is wonderful anyway. The girls have also been helping me with the laundry. Shauna can put the clothes in the washing machine and start it - Staci's not quite tall enough to reach in, so I have her help me remove them from the dryer. </div><div align="center">Also, my mom has been super wonderful - she's been my morning <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">chauffeur</span> - she wakes up VERY early so that she can get to my house at 6 am - we try to get the girls dropped off at daycare at 6:30, and then she takes me to the bus stop after that. It makes for a long day for her - by the time she gets back to my house after work, it's 6 pm. Then, she takes me to do other errands. If anyone has some great ideas for a thank you gift for her, suggestions are welcome. My husband has been picking me up after work; and my sister drove me to work the first week. I'm so thankful I have other people willing to drive me, but I am SO looking forward to driving myself again soon. (I used to take that for granted; no more after this).</div><div align="center">Also, my dearest, best in the whole world, in-laws, have been sending cards and emails, as well as my sister-in-laws. I do appreciate all of the love and support, and want to say</div><br /><div align="center">THANK YOU! </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUBUxKruzO-CNGuZzI4JrFbao4Il9QwMCrtqrIU0aAqUsSNgwiXbWpW6MSk1j09ckMDXrbXb99BYSHRbINBeSE3i3sNpClNf2Mt3MekdC6ZXGSjP-0LcimrDtd5W2euRMi3F-4kpzdHP2/s1600-h/DSCN0310.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354454366705858034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUBUxKruzO-CNGuZzI4JrFbao4Il9QwMCrtqrIU0aAqUsSNgwiXbWpW6MSk1j09ckMDXrbXb99BYSHRbINBeSE3i3sNpClNf2Mt3MekdC6ZXGSjP-0LcimrDtd5W2euRMi3F-4kpzdHP2/s320/DSCN0310.JPG" border="0" /></a>The second group of people I need to thank is my dear church friends. The first week of my broken foot, a family from church delivered dinner to our house - chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">alfredo</span>, salad, and french bread - delicious! Then, a few weeks later, we went to pick up the girls from daycare, and were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">delightfully</span> surprised with a full dinner. Sis. Connie, the school principal, who is also our church drummer, had made chicken noodle casserole (so yummy) and Sis. Sullivan, our pastor's wife, had made a home-made apple pie for dessert. There was also a fresh green salad, homemade dinner rolls, and strawberry lemonade.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDc4go8IjPQY11Dj6yWB1C4bkVRklFbXUr3o4abi0GAfJhe6MCjRGTtBWrWx71Yefskl37SwKeoqK7Y5t10kzEwxy423n_PCBoTIINaXPNLvkUQhzqHFpC0ehQD4kJoYxQQ57C9_QhM_n/s1600-h/DSCN0337.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354454362167470562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDc4go8IjPQY11Dj6yWB1C4bkVRklFbXUr3o4abi0GAfJhe6MCjRGTtBWrWx71Yefskl37SwKeoqK7Y5t10kzEwxy423n_PCBoTIINaXPNLvkUQhzqHFpC0ehQD4kJoYxQQ57C9_QhM_n/s320/DSCN0337.JPG" border="0" /></a><strong><em> I think this was THE BEST meal we've eaten since the accident<br /></em></strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfrOET_fwhKz1ev3-KTCW1JgJUc1wId9HlB3HOy_-IwIK7U7i0gz6hCayEGotCxq-ikkreCcQEjbhVuKuBpYo4Uhnn0R5Bq4sY7g6aVnjIZE1NYo9u2tg3E229-VxW7i8FbIU-ovdulev/s1600-h/DSCN0340.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354454356290051746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfrOET_fwhKz1ev3-KTCW1JgJUc1wId9HlB3HOy_-IwIK7U7i0gz6hCayEGotCxq-ikkreCcQEjbhVuKuBpYo4Uhnn0R5Bq4sY7g6aVnjIZE1NYo9u2tg3E229-VxW7i8FbIU-ovdulev/s320/DSCN0340.JPG" border="0" /></a><strong><em>You ladies are awesome!</em></strong><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cEPQI96uiSGJvj2EAtrNB2rzPrlhxNsS-YGyU99CEop1rZIyAInU7IEWNXR7a8sEnMpntJKPHFQL-djoR1512WVea61Tp2HiwJjaLH5Lff4KA9vywXvmWQvKeICA_2azDT4c5y8UgfeG/s1600-h/DSCN0342.JPG"><strong><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354454350453363922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cEPQI96uiSGJvj2EAtrNB2rzPrlhxNsS-YGyU99CEop1rZIyAInU7IEWNXR7a8sEnMpntJKPHFQL-djoR1512WVea61Tp2HiwJjaLH5Lff4KA9vywXvmWQvKeICA_2azDT4c5y8UgfeG/s320/DSCN0342.JPG" border="0" /></em></strong></a><strong><em>THANK YOU, thank you, THANK YOU</em></strong><br /><br /><div align="center">I also have a few other dear friends, Amy (another gracious driver), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">LaNell</span>, Pat, and Jennifer, who have been super supportive as well. And of course, I cannot forget to thank you, my dear blog readers and followers, who have left comments. Thank you all!</div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">P.S. As I was typing this, a dear friend from work, Victoria, told me she brought me some leftover steak and corn-on-the-cob from her barbecue because she knew I didn't have yummy food for the 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> of July. <em>Thank you, too!</em> </div></div><br /></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-92163355592212289832009-06-26T11:45:00.000-07:002009-06-26T11:58:02.236-07:00Give Them an Inch and They'll Take a MileA week or so ago My mom and the girls and I went to Round Table Pizza for their family night. They have the pizza and salad buffet, games, balloons, and face painting. I usually don't allow my girls to get their face painted, but thought - it's summer time, there's only a handful of kids at the daycare, the Round Table employee doing the face painting looked bored as she had no customers - so I figured this could be a small summer treat for the girls. I expected them to have a little flower or heart on a cheek, and that would be that. I let the girls know they could do it AFTER they ate their food. :) <br /><br />The next thing I know, I look over to where the face painting is happening and can't believe my eyes. Shauna looked like Jezebel! I was completely shocked and actually surprised that the worker did a full face painting without asking me first. However, the thing that really made me angry was the black eyeliner around the eye. She's 7 years old for goodness sake! And Shauna has sensitive skin - I don't see how this could be good for her face. After Shauna was done, I told Staci to just get something small; of course, she wanted to look like her sister, so I said "just the eyes, but not the black liner." You can see from the pictures that she didn't listen. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmbGBW4eKfnzEwOqJo3oNAoZ2oX0fgUr3Gtn27G03coDf-pvv_nLXbPW0zyVRLYtRC3AnBP8mY_I6htNePmZed4c0cK4HFjNWdxIQTrKVMxkFzWm_6LZLh6vXdnXxWCEr_bi5BjehBRUP/s1600-h/DSCN0332.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351709671934530242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmbGBW4eKfnzEwOqJo3oNAoZ2oX0fgUr3Gtn27G03coDf-pvv_nLXbPW0zyVRLYtRC3AnBP8mY_I6htNePmZed4c0cK4HFjNWdxIQTrKVMxkFzWm_6LZLh6vXdnXxWCEr_bi5BjehBRUP/s320/DSCN0332.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPa9iQ9cUetWGTVWm10ki68shQl_Xc7J45h5kfrukq92NCU4Z9XoGgXGO91Wuss1yWl3UjaZl50xNsfh3kRgj9Rvc62v2ij61oU0wycctWAJ9Ou5JozYG-SvTM1LAT2jk8RTTPqq4m9AZ6/s1600-h/DSCN0334.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351709662211389010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPa9iQ9cUetWGTVWm10ki68shQl_Xc7J45h5kfrukq92NCU4Z9XoGgXGO91Wuss1yWl3UjaZl50xNsfh3kRgj9Rvc62v2ij61oU0wycctWAJ9Ou5JozYG-SvTM1LAT2jk8RTTPqq4m9AZ6/s320/DSCN0334.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4ef9agBKY7AXyWlRhp9LRUwxpfEtWdxcPg5lGCs54bJuhSQkLwmalQCBXbQDVOQGayY_Ow6VO8K8bwd9bGjwOu2eXq43ODZ4u8Y5LJpVIgO1DNvSMLqsYyr4pCedbQ9kkZ5tN95KAs1-/s1600-h/DSCN0335.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351709653736651266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4ef9agBKY7AXyWlRhp9LRUwxpfEtWdxcPg5lGCs54bJuhSQkLwmalQCBXbQDVOQGayY_Ow6VO8K8bwd9bGjwOu2eXq43ODZ4u8Y5LJpVIgO1DNvSMLqsYyr4pCedbQ9kkZ5tN95KAs1-/s320/DSCN0335.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrSSQrdcwjhetgKxwIx7klWhas9PHfvO_Vwh9RM0eU7Ikc9kR4-hhUBucbSqV4JwzGSj15FeY4N9WpfDHT6_3txzsIIOJBPhyphenhyphendD4jp4E1w5wn1o4tHqXHDcBbMfjQSDRmNQzM9Vbm66r7/s1600-h/DSCN0336.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351709649154037522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrSSQrdcwjhetgKxwIx7klWhas9PHfvO_Vwh9RM0eU7Ikc9kR4-hhUBucbSqV4JwzGSj15FeY4N9WpfDHT6_3txzsIIOJBPhyphenhyphendD4jp4E1w5wn1o4tHqXHDcBbMfjQSDRmNQzM9Vbm66r7/s320/DSCN0336.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>As soon as this happened, I thought - what a good blog post that would be - it's true what they say - "Give them an inch, and they'll take a mile." It also reminded me of a church sign quote I've read before: "Never give the devil a ride, he always wants to drive."</div><div> </div><div><br />My pastor is always preaching about how we need to be careful what we do and allow into our lives - it may be something that seems insignificant and small, but it can have profound effects that we can't even begin to fathom. </div><div> </div><div><br />Have you ever allowed your kids to do something, and then regretted it? Well, I certainly did in this case. </div><div> </div><div><br />So, what did I do - I said "as soon as we get home, I'm taking your picture, and then we're washing it off - and DON'T go in the house and let Daddy see it." So, what do you think happened the second we pulled into the driveway - Staci jumps out of the car, runs into the house and says "Daddy, look at us!"</div><div> </div><div><br />Well, Daddy wasn't too happy either - and the faces were immediately washed off. The girls were sad that they couldn't wear their face painting to daycare, but oh well! </div><div> </div><div><br />I know this really wasn't that huge of a deal (at least I hope so), but it certainly gave me food for thought to be extremely specific the next time they want to do something. </div><div> </div><div><br />It's also a reminder of the importance of good communication. If I had specifically told them ahead of time = you can get a small heart or flower on your cheek, and that's it - then we could have avoided the entire drama! :)</div><div> </div><div><br />That's my thought for Friday. May you all have a blessed weekend!</div><div> </div><div><em><br />Rhonda</em></div></div></div></div></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-88580732199324320382009-06-24T06:09:00.001-07:002009-06-24T06:57:06.925-07:00My Baby's A Kindergarten Graduate!As some of you already know, I got behind on my blogging when I broke my foot the end of May. So, although it's been three weeks since June 2, I wanted to show off my little graduate. Staci is 5 1/2 years old - with her birthday being November 28, she is the youngest person in her class, making the December 2 enrollment cut-off by only 4 days. She is a super bright student who already loves reading and spelling. She likes to say "Is it time for l-u-n-c-h?" and things like that. There's no tricking this child from hearing what you don't want them to hear by spelling the words! :)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nR9wg-AJ0YbCOXxLLm281jTFgV-4KAB61x1QmnOgPgIC0yTbF5I4oJjeu1YEVjDR_bUna85dSm0Bmwzwizxqi57YXO8ockqZecpKYhryaAvu5Lmf_Mu-5B0zgFO1odZPCZeDLPK7wylK/s1600-h/DSCN0152.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350892083236925506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 249px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nR9wg-AJ0YbCOXxLLm281jTFgV-4KAB61x1QmnOgPgIC0yTbF5I4oJjeu1YEVjDR_bUna85dSm0Bmwzwizxqi57YXO8ockqZecpKYhryaAvu5Lmf_Mu-5B0zgFO1odZPCZeDLPK7wylK/s320/DSCN0152.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXv0ggJF0yol4j5rKG9QW9NJ6A6z0kl_BKUa0yToYgWMU8uB9OgnH2JsOGopd6RjeJaBuAXQx5XIOgbGnRTQil_UezmwPuTd2RFNzaoj15nYz1HUps8f9Tp5giupFsqgfVpa-EHeQF5bN/s1600-h/DSCN0150.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350892073112086626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 291px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXv0ggJF0yol4j5rKG9QW9NJ6A6z0kl_BKUa0yToYgWMU8uB9OgnH2JsOGopd6RjeJaBuAXQx5XIOgbGnRTQil_UezmwPuTd2RFNzaoj15nYz1HUps8f9Tp5giupFsqgfVpa-EHeQF5bN/s320/DSCN0150.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZhITjC33IEy0BkOJ1mQISesQjhhjvTpE6sFUHiHlQXnh4aWyh1sQmX1xEZZ_25vvALdkF1iHWsu5n5Jwq1cFUmYiQZKGFLQbQ57bJJP90ilOcnLHfUHEmS_hS0AvsplC8V4MYW11LokJ/s1600-h/DSCN0210.JPG"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350892069606026290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZhITjC33IEy0BkOJ1mQISesQjhhjvTpE6sFUHiHlQXnh4aWyh1sQmX1xEZZ_25vvALdkF1iHWsu5n5Jwq1cFUmYiQZKGFLQbQ57bJJP90ilOcnLHfUHEmS_hS0AvsplC8V4MYW11LokJ/s320/DSCN0210.JPG" border="0" /></em></a><em> Staci and the best kindergarten teacher ever, Mrs. Riddlesperger<br /></em><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZxcL4wBKiHPcsfPgJqZnfNbS7RPJWzNUUyMH_c1jpYjNzI80RYWI-TEWTW5htmADDyUgzYSCW3UDjE6aFy9qj36gA1QFdQKHHrtCGjuOtOGcXqnpdstZOFbz7hBiqhyphenhypheneIJYBgUJrrTr8/s1600-h/DSCN0128.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350892064088398738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZxcL4wBKiHPcsfPgJqZnfNbS7RPJWzNUUyMH_c1jpYjNzI80RYWI-TEWTW5htmADDyUgzYSCW3UDjE6aFy9qj36gA1QFdQKHHrtCGjuOtOGcXqnpdstZOFbz7hBiqhyphenhypheneIJYBgUJrrTr8/s320/DSCN0128.JPG" border="0" /></a> <em>Staci, the night of graduation<br /></em><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJPqw8SCfx7jur_xRHTn_Sjr525JTsvZ-0ga6LC0TcxYMYYrh4umHSwkdblMqGKQH9BB9TyFQvoXANDOQ-xjwtNWuk4_tuDeIXZTbX7wv0tHDWHThsPl0v8D3GH73e7VkLoPoB_IPDUr4/s1600-h/DSCN0124.JPG"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350890731483576370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJPqw8SCfx7jur_xRHTn_Sjr525JTsvZ-0ga6LC0TcxYMYYrh4umHSwkdblMqGKQH9BB9TyFQvoXANDOQ-xjwtNWuk4_tuDeIXZTbX7wv0tHDWHThsPl0v8D3GH73e7VkLoPoB_IPDUr4/s320/DSCN0124.JPG" border="0" /></em></a><em>Staci with our pastor's wife, Sister Sullivan<br /></em><br /><div> She is also one of the best readers in her class. Her teacher said that she's always had good readers (my oldest daughter was also a "reader" at her kindergarten graduation), but that Staci has the best expression of any kindergartner she's ever taught (and she's one of the oldest teachers at her school). Each year at Faith Christian Academy, the graduation is an involved performance where each class demonstrates something they've learned through the school year. They start with transitional kindergarten (the 4 year olds) who recite the books of the Bible and read some blends and simple words. The t-K's get their diplomas to graduate to Kindergarten; and then it moves on to the current Kindergarten class. The K class recites a Bible memory verse for each letter of the alphabet, and counts by 2s, 5s, and 10s to 100. Then, two readers are chosen to show how they learned to read in Kindergarten. Staci was the second reader. She only made one little mistake (left off one word at the end of a sentence). I was actually a teeny bit disappointed because Staci thought she would get to read a story that had exclamation points so she could show off her expression, but a different story was chosen for her to read at graduation. So, although she has great expression, you can't tell from this video clip. (side note - YES, I bought a new camera to replace my lost one - and it can record video; this is the first video I ever recorded in my life. HA HA!). After the Kindergartners get their diplomas, the rest of the grades do their performances, then the 8th-grade valedictorian gives their speech, and the 8th graders get their diplomas. All in all, it's about a two-hour long performance. The children always dress nice and do an excellent job. I'm very thankful that my girls have a positive, Christian learning environment!<br /><br />Here is the video clip of Staci reading (the very end is cut off - I'm sorry; I guess when the clips upload to YouTube, it cuts off a few seconds at the end). Click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiUgvsGVeeE">here</a> to view the video.</div></div></div></div></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-70146031177365531792009-06-23T14:32:00.001-07:002009-06-23T14:36:47.570-07:00More From "Squids Will Be Squids"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHS-ogICVimGNuICZtWn7TvCeqpOdRNX22I0R3fOlAKgFHju0zxnEqGkOh_c-H4OnQbIBZV2_ub7TuBKgIrelsJG57KrANjb-3GwaB1M5ZIpB0ESESvdbkyTVy6TKKmRsjlz6Fwgrii94Q/s1600-h/DSCN0501.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350639487969980034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHS-ogICVimGNuICZtWn7TvCeqpOdRNX22I0R3fOlAKgFHju0zxnEqGkOh_c-H4OnQbIBZV2_ub7TuBKgIrelsJG57KrANjb-3GwaB1M5ZIpB0ESESvdbkyTVy6TKKmRsjlz6Fwgrii94Q/s400/DSCN0501.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qiPWwfyN2z8fSrNVJ5J0PWMa7hRdDfmYJtV1JvamTkiijQjHWrPtkQ0vdBMY5Awt7u8uAzMLucmwIFcjK1VmNm3kNKYCXMxLjf-ypKmCBrWiojm4UDDLb1E5d-cEDkb1U6JMl4fppfRS/s1600-h/DSCN0502.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350639481036693970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qiPWwfyN2z8fSrNVJ5J0PWMa7hRdDfmYJtV1JvamTkiijQjHWrPtkQ0vdBMY5Awt7u8uAzMLucmwIFcjK1VmNm3kNKYCXMxLjf-ypKmCBrWiojm4UDDLb1E5d-cEDkb1U6JMl4fppfRS/s400/DSCN0502.JPG" border="0" /></a> Shauna's favorite story in the book is "Horseshoe Crab & Blowfish." </div><div align="center">The moral: It takes one to know one.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiy3eU2JIvMkzgC4RfEJDtduqLNcVUm9mgoGmC-QzSbxnNon0B25gUo_QQAtB-f51ifHp-o8lWLQNic3qgDnw6tJ9dpN5tAVPLwz5D1c8U5CjtkEr1317rQxr_oxnNat1Wac62sn1Unx9m/s1600-h/DSCN0503.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350639479550305874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiy3eU2JIvMkzgC4RfEJDtduqLNcVUm9mgoGmC-QzSbxnNon0B25gUo_QQAtB-f51ifHp-o8lWLQNic3qgDnw6tJ9dpN5tAVPLwz5D1c8U5CjtkEr1317rQxr_oxnNat1Wac62sn1Unx9m/s400/DSCN0503.JPG" border="0" /></a> Staci's favorite story in the book: "Straw & Matches." </div><div>The moral: Don't play with matches.</div></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8280306858254811507.post-79544976155354906042009-06-22T18:50:00.000-07:002009-06-22T20:06:57.796-07:00A Monday Musing ~ Mrs. Octopus and the Flip FlopsThis story was written by my 7-year-old, Shauna, on April 23, 2009 as part of a class assignment. We all thought it was funny, and wanted to share it with you.<br /><br /><em>Mrs. Octopus and the Flip Flops<br /></em><br />One day I saw an octopus in the shoe store.<br />The octopus was looking for a pair of shoes.<br />She couldn't decide which ones she wanted.<br />Suddenly her money started flying everywhere!<br />Mr. Snail the cashier started saying "I'm rich! I'm rich!" but Mrs. Octopus quickly put it back into her purse.<br />Finally she decided which shoes she wanted<br />the pink flip flops.<br /><br /><br />My husband asked me to type this up and email it to my mother-in-law, but since she reads my blog, I thought I'd go ahead and post it here for your reading pleasure. :) We're pretty sure that the inspiration for the octopus shopper and Mr. Snail as cashier came from the reading of "Squids will be squids." If you haven't read this book, and have school-age children, we recommend it. It has several short stories and they usually have a moral at the end of them.<br /><br />Here is an excerpt from one of the pages - this story is "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Grasshopper</span> Logic":<br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEAjWkLA_bMgQJYz0dYpBHswCqigUvhOnwPfESqh5Qd8BekAzSSZItH1GRAzd8oybrhColgNfCJrJy_LpeuqLs-SvboUYeh7xtMEyBtyUDBvGSI_AqDZqPwExt7WhLSaXWRLJmnBpaXxr/s1600-h/DSCN0506.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350350103858962306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEAjWkLA_bMgQJYz0dYpBHswCqigUvhOnwPfESqh5Qd8BekAzSSZItH1GRAzd8oybrhColgNfCJrJy_LpeuqLs-SvboUYeh7xtMEyBtyUDBvGSI_AqDZqPwExt7WhLSaXWRLJmnBpaXxr/s320/DSCN0506.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>And you can read a review on Amazon by clicking <a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R3JYVD5JXOFXKL">here</a></div></div></div></div>Rhonda Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302023142780723328noreply@blogger.com0