It's always a special day when our two sweeties get to visit the 'beauty shop.' (ahem...groomer's)  They come home smelling and looking so lovely!  That's Gracie on the left and Scout on the right (who is letting us know what he thinks of the dapper little scarf they sent him home in).

...and speaking of doggie pictures, these two will be part of the million dogs in Times Square on June 19th!!  Check it out here... Picture Your Dog in Times Square

This week we're to reminisce on our Favorite Travels! 

"Often while traveling with a camera we arrive just as the sun slips over the horizon of a moment, too late to expose film, only time enough to expose our hearts."    -Minor White

 Hear the word travel, and images of vacation destinations, cruises, flights, and long drives in the car pop into most heads.  Although, being business owners we find it very difficult to get away for lengthy vacations, we do travel as a family.  We take long weekends, occasional days off and... oh my... we love our field trips!!  So, I've decided to share a couple of our favorites....

Sally Industries - This company makes robotic characters and figures for use in theme parks, museums, motion pictures, and retail stores worldwide.  We had such a wonderful tour - right down to looking over the shoulder of a graphic artist as she worked on a project - that we're talking about going back soon.  Sally does the animatronics for what are called 'dark rides'...specializing in the interactive type, so we got to play games with lazer guns, as well as get a behind the scenes view of how the rides are set up.  At one point, as we walked through a warehouse room where there were several artists at work on different projects, a gigantic wooden crate began to rattle and shake.  Before we knew it, a gigantic head began to emerge from the top...roaring and gnashing it's huge teeth!!

Another favorite field trip destination is actually very close by.  We visit there several times a year!!  We're blessed to live near a large state university where the Museum of Science and History is an ever-growing work of art.  From the typical bones and models of prehistoric animals....

(these mastadon bones were found not far from here in a riverbed)

... and a butterfly rainforest...

...to a realistic, interactive cave...

...complete with stalactites, stalagmites, dripping water, life-like animal models and a 'spelunker,' who happens to be lodged in a tight area to where all you see are his feet...poor thing!  There are always traveling exhibits to check out also.

So many places to go, so many things to see, yet we've found that it's not about where you go or how far, but what you experience and share while there, and what you have to bring back home with you in your memories and your heart.

"-- we wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment."
-Hilaire Belloc

I look forward to reading about the travels of all my other classmates in blogger school!  :-)

"Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm."

--Proverbs 4:26

 

Having failed to strap herself in, Laurie realized she was in for the ride of her life!

Several list members from 'Every Day Matters' group have set a goal of making a piece of artwork every day in May.  Here are my first two days...

May 1st:  A view of a portion of the wall beside my desk...

May 2nd:  With just a few moments to devote to the project, a 'quickie'...

Oh my poor sweet little bloggie....how I've neglected you so.  But I have a confession to make.  I've been spending time with another.  Yes, and alas, it isn't even another blog which has turned my head, but an old friend of another persuasion...

...my sketch journal.

However,  I have missed you and I promise to give you more of the attention you so richly deserve, my friend.  So forgive me my fickle nature, if you will, and try not to feel slighted by the occasional post including a scan from the sketch journal itself. 

Scarlett : I only know that I love you.   Rhett Butler : That's your misfortune.

The kids and I had a wonderful Spring Break last week!!  We headed South to Ft. Myers to check out a college opportunity for Tucker at Ft. Myers Masters Commission (FMMC).

We couldn't help taking a small detour on the way in order to drive across the beautiful Sunshine Skyway Bridge - one of the longest suspension bridges there is.  (Kellen and I are fascinated with bridges, so this was a real treat for us!!) 

It was awesome!

After dropping Tucker off at the dorms, it was off to the beach.  The beaches of SW Florida are soooo lovely...bright, white sand...the calm, blue water of the Gulf....ahhhh.

Come on - Play with me! 


1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player than tags 5 people and posts their names.  Next, the player goes to each of these tagged blogs and leaves a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged.

http://weblinkeducation.com

 

  You really must check this new site out. 

It's amazing!

.

This week's topic is "Homage."  

.

Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a princess who loved shoes.  She had such a fabulous collection of footwear, it was legendary throughout the entire kingdom.  There were sneakers, boots, sandals, slippers and clogs of all sorts, not to mention the pumps... high-heeled pumps of every color in the the rainbow and every variation of every color of the rainbow.  All was peaceful and perfect in the kingdom, until one fateful day. 

.

That was the dark day when, seemingly out of nowhere, the monster Arthur appeared.  And, while the princess was away, slithered into her closet and made off with her treasured shoe collection, ruthlessly leaving only the less-than-beautiful orthopedic oxfords.    

.

Drat you, Arthur Itis - you hateful stealer of fashionable footwear!

.

  So, in homage to the princess'  once glorious shoe collection I submit the following rendering of a couple of old favorites...  

.

Time for a Blogger Friend School Assignment!  Here is this week's:

.

There are lots of windows in our lives, i.e., window of our soul, closed windows and open windows that God has for our lives, there's what some people call their, "window of opportunity", and there's "eyes are the window to our soul".  The assignment is to take a picture, if you're able, find a graphic if you can, and write about your favorite window in your home or the one you look out of when you have those 'daydreaming' moments.  

.

I'd have to say that my favorite window in the house is one that we got second hand.  It's from the log house next door to us, where my parents used to live.  This was the big window in their den that faced out onto the lake.  They watched sunrises and moonrises through that window, bald eagles fishing, flocks of sandhill cranes flying over, and once a big buck (deer) swimming across the lake - his antlers glistening in the sun.  At night, little green frogs with suction cup toes would decorate each of the panes.

.

Naturally, the day I saw that window leaning against a tree where the remodelers had placed it before (I assume) taking it over to the dumpster, I jumped at the chance to ask for it.  And, generously, the new owners gave it to us! 

.

The big old window now lives in our rec. room, facing in a different direction.  These days we watch sunsets, horses grazing, and hawks hunting for field mice through it.  And, yes, those tiny, green, sticky-toed frogs still fancy those little window panes at night. 

.

.

    "May the LORD bless his land
       with the precious dew from heaven above..."

Deuteronomy 33:13

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl

I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to some of our more 'domestic' neighbors...

The kids named her Mrs. Truffles, but after a closer look, we thought that it ought to be "Mr." Truffles.  However........upon a little longer time of observation, we all decided that just plain "Truffles" would be fine.

.

We're not the only confused ones around here either.  It seems Truffles has an identity problem.  Wanting to be helpful, we tried to tell him he was of a 'pork-ish' nature, but he just assumed we meant he had a healthy appetite

...and went on grazing with his friend.

.

Forgive me, but I see no family resemblance at all...

We were thinking of an 'intervention' in an attempt to help Truffles get in touch with his 'inner pig,' but, hey, he's happy just the way he is.  After all, if that little donkey on the Budweiser commercial can make the Clydesdale harness team, then what's Truffles got to lose!

.

 Meanwhile, down at the cow pasture, oblivious to their somewhat uncreative names (like: 1,2,3,48,62....etc.) -

these little ones seem pretty happy to be where they are too.

And, surprisingly, we found them to be very good listeners.  So, naturally, we shared the whole 'Truffles Saga.'

.

Ohhhhh, #48.....is that a tear of compassion I see?

.

*Sniff*  Have a great weekend, ya'll.  I think I'll take a walk over the cow pasture now....

I need to talk....

.