Week At A Glance. . .

This was one of those weeks that just flew by. Makes me glad I take so many pictures. In a nutshell, this is what my week looked like:


On Monday we flew our speakers in the Civic Center for several upcoming shows- most of which I'll miss since I'll be on the quiz trip. . .



Rob's dad came by on Monday night to check out the new toys. . .

Tuesday: Gloria and I had a mother/daughter day and went to the salon to have our hair "done". . .

. . . and then out to lunch. . .

Zach finally beat me at the game we've been playing for what seems like forever. . .

On Wednesday, Zach and Rob took all this oak that Rob picked up at the auction and. . .

. . . put it through the moulder. . .

. . . so that we can eventually use it when we replace all the doors and casing throughout our house!!!

Not too long ago, this would have been me!! I'm so glad Zach's able to take over for me in these kinds of situations.

Wednesday night we had a very unproductive quizzing practice. . .

The couple that bought Zach's cake at the dessert auction donated it back to the church for Wednesday night dinner/dessert and it was actually pretty tasty. . .

Thursday morning we took Emma to the vet. She has had chronic ear infections for several years and scar tissue is beginning to form. She's now on lots of good meds so hopefully that will clear it up. . .

Thursday took us back out to the farm where cute little Cookie was waiting for me. . .

It was freezing cold -again. We even had a few snowflakes every once in awhile. . . But it was still fun. Mostly.

Friday will find us on the road again to the final quiz meet of the season. Zach is miserably sick as I type this and has even had to consider that fact that he may not be able to go on the trip if he feels like this in the morning. I told him we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. . .

Dessert Auction

The dessert auction on Sunday went really well! As usual, we had a huge amount of support with people bringing desserts to contribute as well as bidding on everything on display. . .

We raised just over $700 for the quiz team!! How cool is that??? Many, many thanks to everyone who contributed and a special thanks to Allison (and family!!) and Kristin for organizing the whole thing!!!

I'm writing this on Thursday evening. We leave first thing in the morning for Hayden Lake and all three of my quizzers are under the weather. Steph has nearly lost her voice, Zach has a fever of 103.4 and aches everywhere and Andrew's skin is causing him major irritation. We could sure use some prayers and good thoughts sent our way. . .

Just Dessert. . .

I've always considered myself a little challenged when it comes to cooking and baking. It's really Rob's fault but that's a story for another day. . . Anyway, each of the kids on my quiz team were asked to contribute something to the dessert auction fundraiser that will raise money so that the team can travel to the final quiz meet. I considered just buying a dessert for Zach to contribute but that seemed pretty lame. I racked my brain and googled fun desserts but just couldn't find anything that would be fun, easy and inexpensive. I finally just asked Zach's opinion and he wanted to decorate a cake. Good idea! So we baked two 9x13 sheet cakes and put them together on a large surface. Zach drew out his plan and got to work. Here's how it turned out, bit by bit:

It's a Jesus cake!!!:

Believe me, I didn't contribute one bit of the creativity that went into this cake. I would have just turned it into something easy like the tablets with the 10 commandments. It took him almost 5 hours but he stuck with it and enjoyed the process. I know who'll be in charge of birthday cakes around here from now on!!

Helm's Deep

It was just like the battle at Helm's Deep. Except it wasn't raining. And there were no Orcs.



"So great were their numbers that they thought nothing of their immense losses and the Men of Rohan were sorely tried. . . " (The Tolkien Companion, p. 49)


The Isengarders also carried devilish devices, and shortly before dawn they used a 'blasting-fire' to breach the Deeping Wall and to carry it by assault. The defenders were swept away- or back into the Deep itself- and the Deeping Tower also fell to the enemy. . .


. . . Most of the Rohirrim and their allies had meanwhile retreated to the Hornburg, and there they now awaited the dawn, for it was believed that all Orcs feared the Sun and fought less well under its light. . .



. . . In any case, not even the Hornburg could long be held against the strength still arrayed outside its tall gates. . .

. . . Therefore, preferring to risk all in a final sortie, King Theoden chose to await the first rays of the Sun and then ride forth in a great charge. '. . . I will not end here, taken like an old badger in a trap,' were his words. . .

. . . So with the dawn came the King, mounted upon his horse Snowmane, surrounded by the Riders of his Guard, with his spear in rest and his shield blazing in the morning light. On his order, simultaneously, the great Horn of Helm rang out from the Tower, echoing and re-echoing in the chasm behind the Wall. . .

. . . The Isengarders were overthrown by this sudden sortie, and the Riders charged down the ramp and clove through them to reach the Dike. Behind them came the defenders of the caves in the Deep, driving their enemies before them like chaff. And so the invaders found their siege broken and their assault brought to nothing. . . " (The Tolkien Companion, p. 50)



Yep, Zach and I have been playing the same game every day for over a week. It may never end. . . Help . . .

New Toys!!

The day finally came when Rob could pick up our new toys. . .
This is Rob's Honda TRX400:


And this is my Honda TRX250!!:

We have access to other 4-wheelers at the cabin for the kids to ride but Zach will eventually have a 4-wheeler, too. For now we'll just have to share ours!

The guy we bought these two ATVs from also had a 90 that we thought about getting for Gloria but she really shouldn't be driving one until she's at least 12 so we decided to hold off for now. . .

She'll just have to ride like this for a couple of years. . .

Now if the weather would cooperate we can take them out on the trails and see what they can really do. . .