Jello Shooters Served to Minors {and other tidbits}

Logos Bible Software for Catholics continues a generous e-book give-a-way each week during the Easter season.  This local company employs a few of my favorite Catholics, and many faithful Protestant friends, and is rocking the world with holiness in e-form.  I have downloaded each of the first 3 free books, the most recent, Explanation of the Apocalypse by Venerable Bede.  (Don't be concerned when Logos checkout requires your credit card information to proceed; the give-a-way is totally FREE, it's just a mandatory step in the process.)  There are i-apps available for reading on i-devices, or you can download free Logos software for reading on your windows system.   Now if I can somehow figure out how to transfer the free books to my Kindle...

Zac and Tim up on the roof of the carport, Zachary's nearly complete Eagle Project.

Even as son #1 prepares for his first year at the University of Notre Dame, son #2 receives outside counsel to convince us to let him attend public high school.  When he stated the primary reason for our refusal to consider public high school, "My mom and dad are worried about the immoral environment," the reply, "That's just propaganda," was offered in rebuttal.  Talk about an opportunity to grow in humility:  Your home school just doesn't seem to be measuring up, does it?  Maybe your kids would be better off in the local public high school? (This caring soul has yet to approach us directly to offer this suggestion; I pray that I/we can be charitable in hearing the concerns/suggestions.)  We are convinced that even if our children's academic experience in home school should fall short, their love of learning and passion for their areas of interest will lead them to deeper knowledge in higher education.  The fact is, we are putting the primary focus on the formation of their eternal souls; we trust that all other pieces will fall into place as they should. 

Have you read Raising Pure Teens yet? 

Tucker in character

Ezra's little brother Apollo's surgery was successful, and he's home from the hospital with a new g-tube for feeding.  Apollo and his family are in our daily prayers; please pray for his ongoing medical issues and for his family.  We had the outrageously awesome opportunity to hang out with Apollo's siblings while he was in hospital, and sang happy birthday to his eight year old brother, Hezekiah.  Avi and Tucker delighted us with their costume play, and lively spirits. 

Peter and Brendan with their jello shooters on Cinco de Mayo 2012.

I'm a monkey's aunt, according to our delightful nephew, Jacob, who was in town for the day yesterday.  Peter and I had the pleasure of joining him and his brother, Brendan, and my brother Peter John for a Cinco de Mayo dinner in downtown Burlington.  Somehow the children were served jello shooters, which they had barely tasted before declaring them un-edible.  Peter John confirmed that they were alcohol-laden, and we wondered if the memo from the bar to the wait-staff somehow got lost in translation.  No harm, no foul; just lots of laughs and a few funny photos of middle school aged boys pretending to be drunk.  We love our time with cousins...

"Mom, do NOT take my picture!"

 
Inheriting Tim's extremely wide feet, Joseph recently endured over an hour of torture to find a pair of hiking boots at the last minute before this weekend's journey into the wild.  The poor child nearly died of embarrassment at having over 8 rejected pairs of hiking boots piled up behind him on the bench at REI.  At long last, however, a pair was found to be endurable, and we proceeded to the check out.  The cost of the boots exceeded our wildest expectations, but since they are the same size Tim wears, we consider them to be future hand-me-ups when Joseph is ready for the next size in a few (weeks?) months.

Caleb, Isaac, Christian, Zachary, Judah and Joseph at departure for a 2-night 15+mile trek in the foothills of the North Cascades.

Texting from the wildnerness while on a 2-night backpacking trek with Scouts, Zachary requested the lyrics to "Light My Fire" by the Doors.  I imagine there was some fire-side skit being hatched, or perhaps his dream of lighting a funeral pyre on a Scout outing on the shores of Baker Lake were finally realized?  In any event, I texted him the lyrics in a reply, which may or may not have arrived in time to be employed in the night's entertainment. (Yes, this is against troop policy to use electronic devices on a camp-out, shame on us!)  Zac, Tim and Joseph will arrive home tonight in time to attend 5th Sunday of Easter Mass with Archbishop Sartain on the WWU campus with the NCCM.  Yours truly shall serve as liturgical photographer...I can't wait!

Now go check out Conversion Diary!