Brace Face

Brace face, tinsel teeth, metal mouth, railroad tracks, jaws, zipper lips, magnet mouth, cheese grater, fence face, and tin grin are just a few of Jacob's new names.

Braces don't do this to your face, but what does? Any guesses?

Don't Blink

I just got back from a weekend of camping; I am sunburned, sore, exhausted, and my hair still has a faint smell of campfire. I spent 2 hours packing, 1 hour driving to camp, 1.5 hours setting up, 1 hour tearing down, 1 hour driving home, and 3 hours unpacking. That is nine and a half hours for a “quick” weekend getaway, hmmmm, but you know what? For the memories swirling through my mind right now and the special time I had with my family, I would do it all again ten times over.

The smile on my son’s face, as he burst into the camper this morning, while holding a slimy dripping catfish just a couple feet from my face exclaiming “I caught one”, makes it worth it.

The look on Sophia's face as she sat playing Uno with the late seventies couple we just met at camp, makes it worth it. The same old man, Larry, who does professional bead work for Indian tribes all over the country, taught Sophia how to bead, something he learned to do over fifty years ago...that makes it worth
it.

Vivian “took off” on her bike this weekend and officially has taken a spot as one of the “big kids.” While riding down a hill showing off her new skills to dad, the bike was gaining more speed that she knew what to do with. The utter expression of terror on her face and a quick cry for help was satisfied as she was caught safely by mom and dad just before crashing. Being there to catch her made it worth it.
Sitting at the campfire last night singing to the strum of the guitar, praising, and laughing together with young kids, preteens, teens, young adults, young families, older families, and older, wiser and slightly gray headed church family under a brilliant star specked sky made it worth it.

I enjoyed my many conversations with our camp neighbor, professional retiree’s who travel the country 365 day a year in their RV/rolling home. Our conversations were frequently interrupted by “hey dad, watch this” “can you help me for a minute” “dad, dad, dad, DDDDDAAAAADDDD.” My neighbor looked at me with a smile and a glistening sparkle in his eye and said, “Don’t blink cuz it will be gone in a moment and you will be left in a big empty house that was once loud and full of bodies and life, wondering where in the heck the time went.” It reminded me of a pastor who shared his experiences to a group of dads a coupe of weeks ago.. he said as a pastor he made many trips to the hospital to be with guys who were in their last moments. He said the seen was usually the same, as family members come around to sit with, cry with, pray with, and hold the one who is about to breathe their last breath. He said he never recalled a man, in his final moments of life, mustering just enough energy to speak his final words who then asked for his.....golf clubs to hold, key to the bass boat, or the many framed diplomas and service awards. They want what maters most, the people they love,family.

On the drive home tonight I asked Jacob what his most favorite thing about the weekend was, he said, “When we sat out fishing last night after everyone else went to bed”.....that makes it worth it.

So, I encourage you dads, push aside some time to go wipe some noses, knees or bottoms. Take a trip to the ballpark, lake, or hiking trail and enjoy your family... and whatever you do, don’t blink.

Ed

Amelia - 4 months

My beautiful baby. She's growing up and doing big girl things...like rolling over. I seriously have never put her on her belly until today. Honestly she has barely left my arms. I am enjoying every second of this precious little life. What a blessing she is.

I love those eyes!

I love those cheeks!

I love those lips!

Lentil Soup - healthy, thrifty and delicious

I found this recipe on the back of Stonyfield's plain whole milk yogurt container and made it for dinner tonight. I love it when I find a recipe that is one dish, easy to make, inexpensive, and healthy. This soup met all my requirements and my kids scraped their bowls clean. I know it's spring and you may not be in the mood for soup but this one will be a staple in my home regardless of the season.

Lentil Soup

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp chili pepper
2 cups lentils
2 quarts chicken stock
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt

Pour olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, sea salt and pepper. Saute until onions are clear, about 3-5 minutes. Add celery, carrot, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili pepper. Stir and cook until vegetables are soft. Add lentils. Stir until lentils are coated with oil. Add enough stock to cover lentils. Cover pot and let simmer 30-45 minutes, until lentils are soft and creamy. Add more stock if lentils are too thick. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and 1/2 cup of yogurt. Reheat slowly before serving. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt.

(I used more oil, celery, carrot, stock and yogurt.)

Thanks Stonyfield!

Bunny Ears

Happy Resurrection Day (Easter) from the Carel family. Now you and I both know that Easter is not really about bunnies and chocolate eggs, but when Gretchen saw the pattern for these hats she could not pass them up. She worked really hard making them in time for the girls to sport at church and Grandma’s for lunch. What I loved most about today was the innocence in which our kids worshiped, played, egg hunted and enjoyed the richness of a day with family without a bunch of tricked out hype. Just kicking around being kids and grateful to God for the gift of redemption that is expressed in the Passion Story.

Today I am thankful for:
God’s amazing gift of grace
The budding of spring time
Green grass
Fresh air
Our church
The innocence of my kids
My wife
My new baby
My dad’s brisket
Crocheted bunny hats

Sharkarosa

Sharkarosa Ranch is a hands on wildlife preserve where you can get up close and personal with many of the animals and learn things you never knew to be true. Home to a capuchin monkey, red ruffed lemurs, black and white ruffed lemurs, red fronted lemurs, ring-tailed lemurs, black lemur, brown lemur, pot bellied pig, llama, blue bobcats, capybara, grants zebras, grevy zebras, dromedary camels, american buffalo, royal tibetan yak, miniature zebu, whitetail deer, fallow deer, axis deer, barasingha deer, guanacos, nubian ibex, emu, mini horses, mini donkeys, zedonk, quarter horse, draft horses, 2-toed sloths, kinkajou, african crested porcupines, scarlet macaw, blue & gold macaw, eastern grey kangaroos, albino eastern grey kangaroos, western grey kangaroos, red kangaroo, bennett’s wallabies, swamp wallabies, binturongs. Ok, we didn’t learn about all of these animals. I didn’t even know some of these animals existed. But we did get to see them and learned about many of them.



Have you ever seen a zedonk? You know, half zebra, half donkey. We have. Check out this little guy’s striped legs.



This deer was injured by a car and is one of the many animals rescued at the ranch

We were able to touch and pet this precious 8 month old albino kangaroo.

Sharkarosa recently rescued two baby black bears. They were so cute.

Some of the presenters for Wild Home School Day this year were Mr. Zoo, Snake Farm, Critterman, Dr. Randy & his amazing skulls, and 911 Wildlife. The Critterman did presentations on a scorpion, snake, python, barn owl, porcupine, alligator, and possum.



Can you guess how much this barn owl weighs? Guess again, he is a whopping 1/2 pound.

Amelia did a great job looking cute for all the passers by. Grandma had a rough job too.


All my kids. Believe it or not I think this is the very first picture I have of them all together.

This camel really liked Jake. Look at it whispering sweet nothings in his ear.

A Hero

We ran into this husband and father at Sharkarosa Ranch with his wife and kids. What a shirt! What a man! I think Ed needs one of these shirts. Any other secure men out there need one too? Keep posted, I may put in an order closer to Father’s Day.