A BIG Blog Update

Hi everyone!
Yes, it spite of the rumors floating around, this blog is in fact still alive... sort of. Josiah and I have just been busy with "other stuff" (more on that later). We have a lot to cover this week, so let's get started.

Enjoy.

Springtime

Cute girl + cute kid = cute picture (clever, huh?)

Wonder

'sup?

Why would anyone want to hold goats when they could have a boxing match?

Hmm... that looks interesting.

A man-to-man discussion on boxing just might fit the bill.

Aaron critically eyes his uncle's recent yard sale purchase. You never know what you might find at a yard sale. :-)

"Just try and take me on!"

Let's show mommy!

Satisfaction - a baby's first ice cream cone

Desperation

Uh Oh...

A few weeks ago, my Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) died, or in geek terminology, became "bricked". Not willing to let my investment go down the drain, I decided to see if I could fix it. Don't try this at home.

In case you always wondered what a PDA looks like inside, wonder no more.

Ah ha! I found the problem. PDAs have a ON/OFF switch which allows you to disable all input devices on the PDA. This switch had malfunction causing the screen and all the buttons on the PDA to become inoperable. And of course, if the buttons and screen don't work, nothing works.

My solution? IF IT DOESN'T WORK, REMOVE IT. As you can see by those loose bits of metal and plastic on laying on the table, that's one switch which will never trouble me again. :-)

After reassembling the whole thing (there were no screws left over), I pressed the POWER button... and... it worked!

Library Book Sale

Maybe you've heard of the Lancaster Library Book Sale, or maybe you haven't. For those who have, nothing more needs to be said. For those who haven't, let me explain really briefly: It involves a lot of books.

The Language & Reference section. I love it.

Gary, appreciator of fine books, made himself right at home in the nonfiction section.

After spending a few hours browsing books, Josiah and I finally decided we should go home. On the way to my car, I snapped the above picture.

In fact, we lingered so long at the book sale that by the time we got home, the family had long ago finished supper. They left our food warming on the stove for us, but amidst all the excitement of a busy evening, it, well... sort of dried out.

Ben, hungry and desperate, vainly tried to salvage his supper. But alas, it was like trying to get blood out of a turnip. In other words, there was no hope for those poor peas.

Movie Night at the Eashes

Friends

Remember everyone, the camera tells no lies. ;-)

"Have one."

"Thank you, I think I will. ... ... Oh wait a minute, I learned my lesson last time. How much is the sales tax?"

"Ben, why are you taking a picture of the floor?"
Good question. What do you think? Art or Not?

Loaded with popcorn and stacked in like sardines, the eager audience at the Eash Family Theater quiets down as the movie starts. So what's on the schedule tonight? Mr. Smith Goes to Washington!

Jackson Family Visit

Recently, our family had the Jackson family over for Sunday dinner.

After talking for a while, we decided to play Four On A Couch.

Karen - calm, cool, and collective.

Yes, those two are on opposite teams. Why? Because the teams are girls against boys, of course. A decision the boys would soon regret and the girls would soon rejoice in. ;-)

Crack Four On A Couch players.

As the girls score victory after victory...

Ben desperately tries to figure out a way to turn around the boys rapid descent into defeat.

~~~

Final Score:

Girls - 6 games out of 7

Boys - 1 game out of 7
The guys like to think of it not as a major lost, but rather as an opportunity for character training.

The three and only Jackson girls. :-)

IFRC Family Night

On Friday, our church had its first ever "family night". It was a smashing success. :-)

Chris displays his Master of Ceremonies talent as he directs the evening's events.

"Brethren, we have met to worship..."

A dramatic reading of The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow...

...was followed by a performance of Amazing Grace.

Conrad performs a hilarious rendition of "The Tortoise and the Hare".

Mark Raine, a one time Rubik's Cube champion, prepares to give a demonstration. Chris mixes the cube up and ...

... away he goes!

The clock is ticking... ticking...

One minute and fifty seconds later - solved!

The Crayon Song - sung by HannahGrace, Nathanial, and "Grandpa".

Johnny and the Teacher - a skit by Mark and Micah

Below is an authentic clip from this unique performance. :-)

Sarah, the quilt maker, displays the four quilts she made this year.

The evening was closed with a scripture recitation by Benjamin and Samuel.