Happy Simon

You know how kids can hear lyrics differently than they're actually written? (Hark, Harold the Angel Sings?) We've got one of those going on right now...Sophie's latest is "I Happy Simon to Follow Jesus." Her derivative of the second verse is "I Happy Whitney still I will follow." (We have a friend named Whitney, so that's what happened to "though none go with me..." She's been singing it so enthusiastically the last couple of days, and I'm enjoying it so much, I have yet to correct her. I figure she'll get it right eventually, and for now, whoever Simon is, he's very happy!

MONSTER BURGER!

Yes indeed. Jason's. Monster burger.
For the uninitiated among you: at Jason's Burgers and More, yearly winner of Best Hamburger (they were second in 2001, a decidedly dark year in the history of reader polls, as everyone is aware), the Monster Burger is 1.5 pounds of meat plus cheese & LTPOMM. If you eat the whole thing they shoot a polariod and write in your name and the date and post it on the wall. Now, there are some big boys in HS,AR and the pictures cover the walls. In fact, after I sat through this two-hour ordeal waiting for Mike DiGwhatever to finish one, I have never been able to find his picture.
Well tonight we pilgrammed down to Jason's and Jackson, Harry and I ate the whole thing. Furthermore, rather than becoming another face on the wall that I can't find when I really need to to win an argument, we came home and took our own picture.

The observant may be wondering about the strings in the boys faces (therefore two pictures were needed). Those are attached to helium balloons they got last night at Mom's birthday bash over at John and Karen's. They might have let loose in their sleep last night, but I have no pictures to prove it, so I don't think so.

A good time was had by all and I'll do it again when Will gets his act together. Sophie, you'll have to show me something--Jackson and Harry ate almost half of the 1.5 pounds.

Other things have happened:

(above) Benjamin and Jackson taking advantage of a Class 4 climbing area.

King of the Mattress practice and other educational endeavors.

A candid behind the scenes view showing how all the above was coordinated.

There are no pics of Matt during this important time as he was off "writing a paper".

It would really be hard to pass this up. BB

Them are sum darn* good grandparents, y'all

We're here enjoying our last few days in Hot Springs. Sarah cleaned out what used to be a storage/gift wrapping closet in the guest room to make what Jackson has christened "my secret hideout." Tonight he finagled Bill into reading him a book in there, and Bill, seeing a teaching opportunity (in true Big Bill form), read him a Value Tale about Determination starring Helen Keller:
I came downstairs today after catching up on email to find the amazing Sarah Wright conducting an in-house campout, complete with real fire over which they made grilled cheese sandwiches (with a cast iron contraption) and roasted marshmellows. This was after spending the previous hour making animal shadows in the new "secret hideout":

Every day that its been warm enough, Sarah's been riding bikes with the boys on the tennis court, which inevitably turns into a game of bumper cars:

Yep, them are sum darn* good grandparents.

* Darn doesn't seem quite fitting, but this is, after all, a family blog.

Another Poem by Sophie

Poem About God

God is power, good, love, and strong.
If you know this:
He is good and powery.
You are a powery God.

("Powery" is a Sophie original...not sure where she got it, but I like it!)

Composed 12.20.2008

A January Day

We arrived in Hot Springs last night at 10:30 and have been sleeping the day away, as rain falls and freezes, making for a sea of white. I had to get out in it and practice with our new camera. Much clearer than our last. Thank you, Mama & Daddy!

Happy 4th Sweet Girl!

You are a joy to us all, Sophie. As our first little girl cousin, you have captured our hearts and delighted us!

From Jackson, "I hope you have a Merry Party and Sophie, I really love you. I love you and I love you. Bye Bye."