Happy Birthday Laura!

Laura, as you may know is my big sister, and it is her birthday. I have been assigned the duty of posting her birthday post, so I am just going to list some things that I and many others like about her.

Laura is sweet and out going.
She is kind and giving.
She always has a smile.
She is always cooking something.
She is always trying to help someone.
She can always has time to answer a question.
She is fun to hang with, If you know what to say.

Laura is also my writing teacher. She helps me correct my writing and she makes it writing so much easier  because I nether have the gift nor the patience for it.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!

Chewylouie

Teacher

While We Were waiting in Astro Mutt (out van) one day.
(Pardon Luke, and the blurry picture.)

                                 
At the beginning of the school year I started teaching Luke and Caleb grammar. It's been fun mostly. I'm not teaching because I'm the most qualified, but more because I need to learn. Mama sits in on the class to answer questions I can't and stuff like that. We diagram sentences and learn about pronouns and "Its" and "It's" and singular, singular possessive, plural, and plural possessive, and all that good stuff.

We've also been learning poetry. I suggested it. Yeah, mean old me. Luke learned two short-ish poems (I may post them later) and Caleb learned Too Many Daves By Dr Seuss. It was funny when we read it the first couple of times but it kinda got a little old after a few days of reading and saying it several times. So here it is I hope you get a few laughs. We did. :-)

Too Many Daves

By Dr Seuss

Did I ever tell you that Mrs. McCave

Had twenty-three sons and she named them all Dave?

Well, she did.   And that wasn't a smart thing to do.

You see, when she wants one and calls out, "Yoo-Hoo!

Come into the house, Dave!" she doesn't get one.

All twenty-three Daves of hers come on the run!

This makes things quite difficult at the McCaves'

As you can imagine, with so many Daves.

And often she wishes that, when they were born,

She had named one of them Bodkin Van Horn

And one of them Hoos-Foos.   And one of them Snimm.

And one of them Hot-Shot.   And one Sunny Jim.

And one of them Shadrack.   And one of them Blinkey.

And one of them Stuffy.   And one of them Stinkey.

Another one Putt-Putt.   Another one Moon Face.

Another one Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face.

And one of them Ziggy.   And one Soggy Muff.

One Buffalo Bill.   And one Biffalo Buff.

And one of them Sneepy.   And one Weepy Weed.

And one Paris Garters.   And one Harris Tweed.

And one of them Sir Michael Carmichael Zutt

And one of them Oliver Boliver Butt

And one of them Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate ...

But she didn't do it.   And now it's too late.

Anna

Happy Birthday Caleb!

I remember when he was born.

We spent the night at the house of some close friends. We went to their grandparents for supper that night and I think we ate hot dogs. We got a call on the telephone telling us we had a baby brother. I could be mistaken and I think I've been told this is wrong, but I have the memory stuck in my head that while Laura, Luke, and I were talking on the phone with Daddy and Mama at the hospital there was a digital clock sitting on the same table as the phone and it said 8:00 in big red letters. But like I said that memory could be quite inaccurate.

I remember that night when we went to bed. Luke and I shared a fold out couch and Laura got to sleep in a sleeping bag. (How cool is that! :-) The next morning we got up and dressed in our 'going to the hospital clothes'. Mama had picked them out, and of course, they were all cute. Laura had a little blue and purple jumper with frogs on it. Mine was a red and white checkered jumper with sunflower buttons of a similar pattern. Luke was either wearing overalls or denim shorts with a t-shirt that had lions and hippos and elephants on it.

We ate breakfast (I think it was cereal) and then we had just enough time to watch a movie. Peter Pan.
As the credits were rolling Daddy was at the door to take us to see our new little brother Caleb, at the hospital.

Though I don't remember being just 'giddy', I know we were very excited.

Lots of the hospital happenings were taped and we watched them the past couple years. Laura gave a speech to the camera saying something like, "Caleb's two big sisters and brother are glad he's here" and all. Very oldest sibling like and formal. When Luke was asked what he thought of the new baby the 2 year old little fella' only said, "He's silly." Then we all got a turn to hold Caleb. I remember when he was put into my arms I thought, and maybe said out loud. "He's heavy."

The rest is family history. We brought him home, and he grew. We have a sort of saying at our house it goes "Laura said 'yes,', Anna said 'no,' Luke said 'two,' and Caleb said nothing." That's because when someone, like Daddy for instance, would ask a question like "Laura," or "Anna, do you want to hang by your toes until your nose bleeds?" Laura would enthusiastically shout "Yes!" and I would say "No!". Daddy would always like to ask Luke math questions that the answer was two. Like "Luke what's the square root of four?" Luke was always sure to answer "Two!" But when we would ask Caleb questions he wouldn't say anything.

He eventually learned to talk though. He hasn't stopped since either. Caleb has be known to talk lots. He used to have trouble keeping his mouth shut for and extended amount of time. He's gotten a little better lately though.

It has been a wonderful experience to watch Caleb grow up so far. I am looking forward to seeing him learn and grow more and more.

Happy Birthday Cabe!!!
We love you!

A.L.L.  :-)

Because I Though It Was Pretty Cool... How 'Bout You?

Music
By Stephen Vincent Benet 


My friend went to the piano; spun the stool 
A little higher; left his pipe to cool; 
Picked up a fat green volume from the chest; 
And propped it open. 
Whitely without rest, 
His fingers swept the keys that flashed like swords, 
. . . And to the brute drums of barbarian hordes, 
Roaring and thunderous and weapon-bare, 
An army stormed the bastions of the air! 
Dreadful with banners, fire to slay and parch, 
Marching together as the lightnings march, 
And swift as storm-clouds. Brazen helms and cars 
Clanged to a fierce resurgence of old wars 
Above the screaming horns. In state they passed, 
Trampling and splendid on and sought the vast -- 
Rending the darkness like a leaping knife, 
The flame, the noble pageant of our life! 
The burning seal that stamps man's high indenture 
To vain attempt and most forlorn adventure; 
Romance, and purple seas, and toppling towns, 
And the wind's valiance crying o'er the downs; 
That nerves the silly hand, the feeble brain, 
From the loose net of words to deeds again 
And to all courage! Perilous and sharp 
The last chord shook me as wind shakes a harp! 
. . . And my friend swung round on his stool, and from gods we were men, 
"How pretty!" we said; and went on with our talk again. 

-A

It Has Begun!!!

Dear reader,

   Football season has started and us four kids are, to be quite un-descriptive, very happy. 

   Thursday night was the first game. It was an away game, but since the college was streaming it online we went up to McDonald's and got their dollar sundaes (the big spenders that we are) and sat in the van and watched a quarter and a half of the game using McDonald's complimentary WiFi. It was quite fun. Though the van got hot after a while and the ice cream disappeared pretty quick. (We could have just listened to it on the radio, but the ice cream just sounded to good to pass up.)  

   A few months ago I wrote this poem for school. I took out the stadium name and the name of the community it's in for security reasons. 

   Let me know what ya think!

Anna

[Name Of Our Local Community College] Stadium

[The Community's Name], Mississippi  

Thursday, October Fourteenth

 Seven O’ Clock P.M. 

[to my Bulldogs]

Suited boys walk past a fence,

A well matched battle to commence.

Hordes stand by to cheer their chosen phalanx 

Others sit in silence, watching certain ones in the mix.

I for one love these events,

To watch the action, then consequence.

To see the the effect of negligence

And view the the aftermath of good defence.

One side says “Oh good we won, 

We don’t want It till the game’s half done.”

(That’s mine’s preference

And I find they exceed at this complicated science.)

Everyone cheers as the game now starts,

They whoop, holler, whistle, and shout out their hearts,

For this is the game they all love to see,

That one--him--him--her--them all! And that includes me! 

Anna           

 4-4-11          

Past, Present, Future.

Well, it's August.

Yesterday was the first day of August.

(Us four kids did the chickens, made up a chicken schedule [to know who's in charge of feeding them what day] cooked supper [buffalo chicken pizza {not our chicken} ], did Spanish, played poker =D [though we didn't gamble] and learned how to play Whist [another fun, though a little complicated, card game], felt bad for our poor dog, Joe who's scared of lightning and thunder, and had a generally good time while Mama did research for the coming school year.)

Today is the second day of August.

(we've done chickens, listened to music, started the proses of saving tomato seeds for planting next year, started two puzzles, talked and thought about hunting, politics, and voting, [Laura, Caleb, and Mama, are headed to the polls now, {as of 2:56 PM}], laughed, conspired, dealt with bad attitudes, discussed future hopes for Ad Libbia Productions, and who knows what else is to come. It's only 3:01.)

Tomorrow is the third day of August.

(Lord willing, we hope to go to the air port and see some dear church family off on a new adventure of theirs, [You could pray for them if you think about it. These newly weds along with working, going to college, and just being a new family themselves, hope to be a witness to their parents & siblings {in law}, over there in England.] we hope to go to church, and do who knows what else. Chickens are extremely likely though.)

There's still a lot more of August left.

(Pears, football season starts [YES!!!] heat, chickens, starting school, home school meetings are also likely, sweat, smiles, chickens, laughs, sorrows, joys, Life...)

Then its September.

(County fair, chickens, Spanish, cooler weather....... =)

Ah Life. *happy sigh*

What's so great about America anyhow? E Pluribus Unum and Soli Deo Gloria

I am a horrible American: absolutely horrid. When people go on and on about how wonderful the United States is (or are), how special and important it is, I think in my head, America can't stand next to my favorite country.

America has been around for 235 years and there have been citizens of my favorite nation around for almost 6,ooo years. That is 2,500 times longer.

The United States has "E pluribus Unum"- out of many one - on its currency, and yet lots Americans hate each other, fight each other, won't look each other in the face, that doesn't sound much like "one" to me. The people of my nation have difficulties for tiny little times, but they all have one Spirit so it doesn't last very long. That Spirit cannot be compared to any vague American spirit, either.

America is supposed to be a place of equality for everyone from everywhere, but how often in America has that actually happened? *crickets chirruping* Exactly! In my nation it doesn't matter where you came from, who you are, what you've done, all the citizens know they were once tired, poor, homeless, loveless, so now they can treat each other as equals, because they are fellow recipients of the most amazing welfare ever.

Our government never makes mistakes, never breaks a single law of its own, deals justice for everyone. And your American government has this reasonable law that exists (if you go back far enough) because our government exists. Only they don't pay much attention to it. Our government will last forever, yours will crumble, you know.

You know the nation I am speaking of, the holy nation.

America is nice, but what is "nice" next to the Most High God and those He has redeemed. What is a few hundred years next to eternity?

I do not deny that God has been very gracious to the United States, blessing her with quite a few wise lawmakers, freedom for many good things, and several inhabitants that are strangers and pilgrims, and have thus made her great. But the United States is really no different than the poorest nation with the greediest government, no better than the meanest international bully; America's purpose is to glorify God and help sanctify His children for a season, and this is the purpose of every nation.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

Psalm 33:12

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9

Happy Independence Day Everyone!

As you celebrate America's birthday remember how she got here and what she is for.

Laura

Happy Birthday Luke!!!

(Luke is the big one on the left.: )

Today, a very special young man turns 13. His name is Luke. My beloved little brother that I put in dresses and earrings is now well on his way to being a man.

A list about Luke:

He’s the drama queen of the family since both the girls turned out rather sober and giggly.

He toughens Caleb out, keeps Anna lively, and makes Laura feel like a lady.

He’s Mama’s hero, when it comes to vegetable picking, farm animal difficulties and technical problems when Daddy’s gone.

He’s Daddy’s extra hands and feet; and padawan learner.

He keeps us laughing with his impersonations and stray comments.

He’s one of Ad Libbia Productions best actors and their wilderness expert.

He’s a hard worker and sweats a lot.

He loves playing any cool good guy.

He is Caleb’s number one role model.

He extends metaphors beyond recognition.

He has a ridiculously large mouth. (We have a video of him sticking in a whole peeled orange!)

He loves potato salad.

He is a rapid mathmetician.

He is a realistic cartoonist.

He is an awesome little brother and big brother!

WE LOVE LUKE LOTS!

Happy Birthday, Doll Face!!!!!

Love,

Laura : )

My Sixteenth Birthday Trip (Part 1)

For my 16th birthday we went to an estuarium on Dauphin Island off Mobile. It was small, but neat and we had a good time.

A baby alligator.

A Puffer fish.

He was swimming around so fast it was hard for Laura to catch him in a picture.

A Crab. (Obviously.)

I'm not sure that that it's called a blue Crab,

or a Blue Clawed Crab,

or something else. It might be...

I just can't remember.

A Ray.

The big fish is one of those sucker fish that stick to sharks and get the leftovers.

I'm not sure what the little one is. The one in the middle is a ray.

Caleb in the divers mask...

And Luke.

Inside there was also a man who had a bunch of dead creatures that had been preserved in alcohol. They were pale-ish looking, moist, and kind of flabby, but not to bad. The man standing there told us about all of them and said we could touch them too (I didn't touch many).

There was also a place where you could hold horse-shoe crabs. Luke and me and maybe Laura all held one and Laura fed one a little shrimp.

Outside there was a board walk. Daddy really liked being out there in the wind and waves and salt. Us kids and Mama really enjoyed it too. We could see the shallow water oil rigs out on the water.

(You can see the oil rigs there on the horizon, just of the corner of the gazebo.)

An outside view of the estuarium.

A Pilot boat we saw going out to do it duties.

A Sea Gull

And another.

Here ends this post.

Join us next time for part two!

"All About Fort Gaines"

Or

"My Sixteenth Birthday Trip (Part 2)"

=D

Anna

Essence Of Sundry

Hey Everyone!

Some people might be thinking we forgot we ever had a blog. Not so. I (at least) have remembered. I know we haven't posted in over a month, (I think) and I could say life is busy, but honestly I hate to!

It's so Cliche.

I guess I could blame us not posting on our blog in forever on aliens, but that would not be true. I could blame it on the weather (which is very dry and fairly warm, by the way) but I believe the weather is hardly, a fraction of why we haven't been posting. (Please for give my grammar=)

I could blame it on Love and Matrimony. Which is part, I guess, but not the whole reason.

I could blame it on sleepless nights, or film festivals, or chickens and their coops, or caffeine, or sun burn, or geometry, or graduation, or May itself...

Obviously, I could blame it on a lot of things other than myself. But I won't.

Sorry y'all. We're BAD bloggers.

I'll have to see if I can get Luke to post some thing since he has the least school work to do. I'll also try harder to finish uploading the pictures from my birthday trip too.

In closing I'll leave you with this poem... About aliens... And dedicated to trekkies...Because I know some. =D

Just Visiting

[to Trekkies]

They came from somewhere near Venus

And I find it kind of humorous

That they try to talk with us.

I think the cloaking shields must have worked.

(Hey Look! That one there just smirked!)

I guess they didn’t know that here we lurked.

Ha! and look they try to say hello!

Look over there at that there fellow!

My, these folks sure aren’t mellow!

And don’t they look funny, too!

Their heads are small there feet are, too!

I’ll bet they have a low IQ.

Anna

6-7-10

Do you get it? Please let me know. Just a hint: It's kind of backwards.

{Please note: I don't believe in Aliens, I was only supposed to write a poem that went with a picture in my poetry book for school.}

Anna :-)

The Doll Family

Last friday we interviewed the Familys. First we talked to the grandmother. Her maiden name was Marget Cattlehoop. She was age 20 when she met and married Jeb Family in 1938. Marget lived on a farm before she met Jeb.

Jeb went to war in 1940. He told us a story how he was a paratrooper how he got stuck in a tree and how he got out. He also told us he was on a sea food diet. What ever food he sees he eats!

John was the third child of mr. and mrs. family. His oldest brother was born in 1948. he is the pastor of a church, and he likes kids. The kids say he teaches them songs. And that there grammpa Jed is a good bass. They also say there dad brings them on trips and shows them how to ride horses. then Mr. John told a story of how there gate got broken.

Mary went to collage and got a degree in nursing. While she was there she fell in love with John and got married at age 31 in 1994. Now she has 4 children that she and her husband are very proud of.

There 2 boys and 2 girls. The kids are glad that they are home schooled. The kids names are, Jessie age 9, Timmy age 7, Sara age 5, Baby Binky or Boughraguard, age 1.

The boys and I interveiwed Laura's Loveing Family (we call them Barbie, though they're really not) dolls years ago, for school. I remember Mama being kind of relunctant to let us do that for school, and now that I read it again I guess I can see why. :-)

I know I haven't corrected a thing.

But it was good for a few laughs when I read it this morning. =D

Anna

Anna And Her Little Bro Mans Play With Photo Booth

We've took these pictures several months ago.

Every once in a while I'll see them and they just crack me up.

I debated about sharing this one. I know I look pretty wired.

And Luke-- just gross. (Though he is faking.) But Caleb just makes me laugh. =D

Happy Spring Y'all!!

Anna

A Place To Belong

This is an essay I wrote a while back for school. It is simple and short but I love the ideas expressed in it. They do battle against discontment and an aimless wondering about God's will for your life.

Everyone on earth wants a place to belong, a place they enjoy, a place where they fit in, where they are needed, wanted and loved.

I have thought much about fitting in and being in the place where I belong

and I am quite sure I belong exactly where I am. God has placed me right here

and that is the most perfect place for me. He knows where I will grow best and

where my talents will be best used. I and every other Christian can trust that if

we are obeying God and living according to His will we are exactly where we

belong even if we are uncomfortable and feel out of place. This makes decisions

like should I work here or should I work there or do we belong in this church or

that church a lot simpler. If you are obeying God, where you are is where you

belong.

Of course there is a sense in which no Christian really belongs in “the

world.” We, having been redeemed by God through His Son Jesus Christ, do not

belong at all. We are other wordly, strangers and pilgrims to the children of

wrath and to this world. We once were children of wrath ourselves and belonged

in this world but now our citizenship is in heaven. We fit in better with the people

of God who are strangers to us in this world than we do with friends who are

lost. This is what the Spirit of God does. Our real country is the Kingdom of God

and we should not feel comfortable living as the world does and loving as the

world does. We should want to live in obedience to God, not in disobedience like

the world, and we should live like the citizens of God’s kingdom that we are

where He placed us in this world.

Laura

Happy Birthday Anna!

Today is Anna's birthday. I have been Democratically selected to make this blog post. I like using big words like "Democratically" to make myself feel older. Why I said all of the above is because Anna (like Daddy) is a people watcher. If you have know her for a long time (like all my life) she will point it out to you, and most of the time, she's right. It gets really annoying knowing and not knowing she is "Reading you like book" because sometimes it's like she is literally "Reading you like a book". I love her though and I don't know what I would do without her. She listens to my jokes, laughs if they're good, and gives me the "look" when its bad. Now, decode the following message:

My First Deer

January 20 2011. That is a very spiecel day to me. That was the day I shot my first deer. It was a small doe but I was still very happy with it. It was about 4:50 pm, I looked down the plot and saw a dark blob moving towards me. Then it turned brod-side and I saw it was a doe. I reached for my gun (a Remington 30-06 bolt-action rifle 770 model) and looked through the scope and saw two does. My heart was beating so fast I was worried they could hear it. Then I remembered that Daddy had told me if I saw a doe, wait and see if a Buck comes out (it was rut). I waited for about 20 to 30 minutes. It was starting to get dark and I knew if I was going to get the best shot I should shoot now. I Got lined up, and shot. BANG!!! The deer dropped! I went crazy. I was ready to yell with joy. Then I got control of myself. I got my gun and climd down. I walked down to were the deer fell. I was about five feet away and the deer flopped its head, got up, and trotted off limping. I called the house to tell them (the rest of the house) that I shot a deer, and that I needed help to find it. Daddy and Caleb came to help me find it. We followed the blood for five to ten minutes. Then we lost the blood trail but we kept hearing something up the trail. We walked up the trail and we stopped hearing the noise. I prayed. I looked to my left and I saw a large spot of blood on a tree. we followed that trail for four or five minutes. Then we heard a noise. I turned and looked. I heard the noise again. I looked and just as I heard the noise a third time I saw something move. I looked closer and saw a deer. Daddy went and got the truck. Then we walked slowly towards the deer. when we got there the deer was dead.

THE END

Here's some Pictures

Busyness as Usual

It's been a while. We are some pretty terrible bloggers. But at least we've got good excuses.

My first excuse is school. I'm really enjoying it, though it takes me a while. Geometry though difficult still has it's rewards. I believe I've gotten a second wave on history. (Second wave meaning: When it's about four in the afternoon and you've still got a ways to go on the all day shopping trip, and you suddenly have a new burst of energy and all the silly jokes that weren't funny half an hour ago are. Third or fourth wave being: Right before bed time after that long day, when you burst out laughing at the most slightly humorous thing some one says or does.) I'm loving poetry more and more, and Laura and I have only to finish some experiments in biology and we're done! (Chemistry next:-/ not to sure how that's going to be.) And Piano gets better & better. :-)

Speeking of piano Caleb asked me if I would teach him last week. (I was so surprised!) So we had our first lesson Thursday. He has not practised very much but I only gave him one song. He keeps saying he wants to do the one on the next page, which I guess is a good sign. The next lesson is this afternoon. I really hope he will excel in his learning.

The main reason he asked I think is so he could get a little closer to having an instrument to call his own. Laura has her violin, I have my piano (and flute) and Luke got his heart set on Banjo, though he's learning guitar first. Caleb wanted to play the drums for the longest time when he was little. But the other day he was quite seriously considering the tuba, (or trumpet). He's a very indecisive young man. Though I think that will straighten out in a few years. He is just trying to figure out what's, Caleb. The other day he was trying to figure out what to do for an up coming science fair. He was so indecisive! He would change what he wanted to do almost every five minutes it seemed. He's finally decided though, he's going to make a parabola to get our wireless Internet signal all the way back to the farthest corner of Mama and Daddy's bedroom. He's excited about it too. Now I just have to make up my mind about what I'm going to do for the science fair... =)

And speaking of science the birds have been have a hay day around here lately (in spite of our three kitties ;-). There are dozens of robins, at least six blue jays, several pairs of cardinals,

wrens, blue birds, gold finches, and occasionally HUGE flocks of unidentified birds (Sunday night I was out side and I heard something that sounded like a car coming up the drive way, it was actually birds flying over head it was so cool!) They really like it when it rains.

And speaking of weather, I do believe spring is in the air! I am so excited. I just can't wait to plant the garden, and go bare foot all day with out being cold. We've spent a lot of today out in the woods and playing around in an old "hang out" a.k.a. the fallen ceder tree.

Well I guess I should go for now. It's been a really exciting winter, when I think about it. Very busy before Christmas and New Years, sick during (though we all made it to the table for chili on Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner the next day:-), and trying to get as much school done as possible afterwards. And lots of adventures, laughs, trials, and love all mixed in.

Anna

Please note, I wrote this post all week long. I just thought some things

might not make very much sense with out that knowledge. :-)