Children's Museum

We recently tagged along with Joel to Atlanta. He had a conference he was attending, and I have been wanting to take the kiddos to the Children's Museum.

It was great to be together as a family without the duties of housework and cooking. The hotel had an indoor pool and the Disney channel. What more could kids ask for?

The highlight of the trip was our day at the Imagine It Children's Museum in downtown Atlanta. Their hours were 10 am to 4 pm, and we were there the entire time!

One section of the museum was a temporary exhibit of medieval times where kids could dress up and do the tasks of a blacksmith, jester, chef, gardener, tailor, carpenter, or even a prince or princess.

(our son as the medieval blacksmith)

Other fun features included water fun,

wall painting,

sand sculpting,

and giant tinkertoys.


One of their favorites was a kid-sized crane they could use to move balls through a giant ball machine.


My favorite part of the day was visiting with Kelley. Kelley is a friend of mine from college days. She brought two of her children with her and spent the day with us. It was good to see her again after so many years.

And here's the whole gang:

(aren't they cuties?)

Let Me Tell You About Rachel....

Now those of you who know me IRL, probably think I'm going to tell you something about my sister (which come to think of it, would probably make a good post). But actually, I'm going to tell you about my friend, Rachel and a really great book she recently wrote.

Rachel Masters (or Rachel Gustafson, as I knew her) is a friend of mine from my college days. She was the editor of our University Yearbook, and I served as Assistant Editor under her. In the photo below,we are pictured at Homecoming 1992. She went on to marry her college sweetheart, Darren (standing behind her in the photo) and they now have 5 children.

Not long ago, Rachel contacted me and told me about the cookbook she has written. I was excited when she said she was sending me a copy of it! I proceeded to put it to use and have been enjoying it for about 3 months. This isn't your ordinary cookbook that leaves you feeling guilty for not spending hours laboring in your kitchen to place a gourmet meal in front of your family. Nor does it leave you wondering where in the world you are going to find the long list of unusual ingredients needed for each recipe. No, this is a Mom's cookbook, written by a real mom for real moms everywhere.

Rachel's ideas for the cookbook started several years ago. She was tired of trying to think of what to cook for supper every night and came up with the idea of a rotating meal plan. After writing down MANY meal ideas, it made sense to go one step further and make grocery lists to accompany them. That worked for a while, but the frustration continued when she couldn't find the recipes that went with the evening's meal plan. That led her to believe that it would be worth the time and trouble to compile the meal plans, grocery lists AND recipes together in one book. So, over the course of two years, among homeschool lessons, children's naptimes, helping her husband build their log cabin, and other continuous interruptions, Rachel compiled and revised a 250-page book. -excerpt from Rachel's website

Yes, you heard right! This cookbook gives you 13 weeks of meal plans. Each week not only includes a menu for 5 meals, but also provides a grocery list, all the recipes necessary AND a timetable for when to do each cooking task during the day. I have found this cookbook to be so helpful! Rachel has done all the legwork and taken the frustration out of putting a meal on the table. Of course, my family's tastes and preferences vary some from Rachel's so as I am preparing for a trip to the grocery store, I may pencil in a different side dish or a variation that we prefer and adjust the grocery list accordingly. Preparing for the gorcery store is easy. I make a copy of the grocery list, mark off the items I already have, slip the list into my purse and I'm off!

I have shown this cookbook to several friends and family members and all have been excited about this find! It would be a great gift or even stocking stuffer for those moms on your Christmas list. You must go check out her website, order a few and tell her I sent you!

Michael W. Smith and David Meece

I was cleaning my kitchen tonight after my kiddos were asleep. The radio was on to fill the silence, motivate me, and keep me company (my hubby wasn't home). The old song, "Place in this World" by Michael W. Smith came on. That's one of those songs that brings back floods of memories and nostalgia. It took me back to 1991 when I was in college. The song was the theme of the Jr/Sr Banquet at JBU. I wasn't a Jr. or a Sr., but I was invited by my boyfriend, Bob, to attend the banquet. Every time I hear the song, I think of that night. It was fun. The banquet was not actually in the same town as our college, so there was somewhat of a drive. Bob had a David Meece tape playing in his car (a red mustang, by the way; I drooled over the car as much as I did him:D). So David Meece makes me think of Bob, too.

Speaking of David Meece: he did a concert on the campus of JBU that year. The word around campus was that they had to replace the stage floor in the Cathedral because Meece's stomping on the piano pedal with his boots messed it up. Don't know if that's true, but its a good story.

Bob and I were pretty serious for a while. He graduated that year and we tried to have a long distance relationship. We eventually went our separate ways, and I have no idea what he's doing now. I met the person God had for me several years later, and I am very grateful for my hubby, Joel. The curious part of me still wonders what Bob ended up doing. My best guess is he's farming in the Treasure State.

Saying Good-bye to a Sentimental Rag

I threw this t-shirt away this weekend. I put it on to help my husband work in the yard. I mean, isn't that what you are supposed to do: find your oldest, grungiest t-shirt to work in the yard so you can get all kinds of dirt and grime on it without guilt? My hubby took one look at me and said, "you need to throw that shirt away." I realize I should have gotten rid of it a LONNNG time ago, but as I've posted before, I am one of those crazy people who can't throw away anything that has any kind of sentimentality attached to it. I graduated from John Brown University in 1993. This t-shirt was purchased for me at my Senior Banquet by my date. I have literally worn it to pieces. I am forced to throw it away, because it has holes in it. What a sad day!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Memories

We had guests in our home this past week (more about that later). So, part of my preparation was to bake cookies. I made chocolate chip! I LOVE chocolate chip cookies, but am not usually successful in making them. They never turn out the way I like them. I like them a little gooey and chewey, not hard and crispy. But when I try to make them they turn out too "cake-y". I don't think that's a real word, but the texture of them is like cake with a few chips in them. I don't like them that way. Well, my pastor's wife can cook a mean chocolate chip cookie. I finally broke down and begged her for the recipe. It turns out the secret is vanilla pudding and 1 T. of applesauce...who knew?

Anyway, I was baking cookies and took a trip down memory lane. It was the early 1990's. Her name was Kathy. We lived in a dorm, so we didn't have easy access to a kitchen, but every once in a while, we'd find a place to bake. I remember one time we made cookies in the Honor's Building kitchen to send to my then boyfriend, Bob. He had already graduated and moved back home which was very far away. Another time I remember was in DeAnn's apartment. We had just returned to JBU but classes hadn't started yet. We stayed at DeAnn's apartment that night and had a slumber party which included baking cookies. I know there were probably other times, but my memory is fading. Kathy liked her cookies (and waffles and everything else) underdone. So when we baked cookies, they had to be taken out of the oven before they were completely cooked. And she was right. The cookies were always soft and gooey -- just right.

Kathy is still a dear friend! She lives in Alaska and we've only seen each other once since the "good ol' days." But she is always close in my heart. I miss her lots, especially when I watch "Anne of Green Gables" and bake chocolate chip cookies. I love you girl!

Kathy and me in 2003.
(top picture: Kathy and me in 1992)

And then there is Shawn. I also found his blog while searching for people from the past. Shawn and I were friends in college and I saw him a couple of times during the time I lived in TX. I lost track of him for many years and was excited to find his blog link on another friend's blog (Still Reforming - I know him from JBU, too). From there I linked to Nan (Shawn's wife), whom I've never met in person but am enjoying getting to know in the blog world. Her posts and comments always bring a nod of the head and a grin. You go girl!

This is Matt at Still Reforming (also pictured are Joy and me 1990).

And while I'm at it, I'll mention Jennifer R (who needs to post more often :)), Heather and Jennifer H. who are starting blogs too. I'm glad they decided to follow me into the blogosphere!

Good Ol' Days!

That's me. I'm the girl with the hat, the dark sweatshirt, the long curly (permed) blonde hair ALL covered with mud. What's that you say? You can't figure out how 4 young, civilized college students could get so muddy?! You mean you've never played phantom baseball on a muddy field in the rain late at night? Well then, you missed out.

Ok, I admit it! I love to reminisce! I praise God for how he has not only met my needs my entire life, he has given me some fun times and great friendships! Several things have happened these past few weeks to send me on another trip down memory lane. I'm one of those really strange people who saves everything of sentimental value. I have boxes of letters that were sent to me (back when we still used snail mail). Every so often, when I'm on one of those organizing kicks where I go through everything we own and either throw it away or find a home for it, I get those boxes out and think, "maybe I should get rid of these." So I pick up a couple to see what I have, and reading them just brings back such great memories. I usually end up laughing and crying all at once. Some of them turned out be prophetic, others ironic. But all of them remind me of special times. They remind me what it felt like to be in high school and college. They prompt me to praise God for the friends he has given me. And, you guessed it, I can't get rid of a single one. I mean, famous people publish books of all their correspondence. Why can't I?

I also keep scrapbooks of pictures and every little scrap that holds any kind of significance. You know, when I was climbing water towers, going to banquets, exploring caves, playing practical jokes, I thought I would never forget the good times. But as I read letters and look at scrapbooks, I am more and more grateful that I have them. They keep me from forgetting (the fact that I'm starting to forget makes me feel old).

Anyway, I had a long talk with my brother the other day about our college days (we attended the same college at the same time - he's 2 years younger than me) which sent me to my scrapbooks. Its so fun to jog my memory of all the fun things we did in those days. We laughed and played and cried and loved and more. Those days seem so long ago, yet just a moment ago! So please humor me while I post some of the photos from the "good ol' days." I won't post them all at once. Periodically, I'll post pictures from my childhood (including high school), college days, single-on-my-own days and early married days. Some of you who read my blog were there. I hope you enjoy looking at these and remembering! The rest of you may just laugh!

And while I'm reminiscing about the "good ol' days", I'll be making more great memories.

"'Good ol' days' start with 'good new days' like today."

P.S. This photo was taken circa 1991. The people with me are DeAnn, Paul, and Don.