A picture's worth a thousand words

So, this post will be worth about 30,000 words. :)

Mr. P and I parted ways last week and headed to opposite parts of the country. He enjoyed peace and solitude in fields of South Dakota with some law school buddies, while I enjoyed the not so peace and solitude of my family in the DC area!

Mr. P got his first wild pheasant!

Wednesday lunch was a coloring extravaganza!

 Moses settled in

Marta got woken

 Cookies were made

And then the kids came home to see 'Baby Moses'

 
Lots of hair got did on this trip. Lots.

Books were read

Pianos played

Boy cousins were so happy together

Baths were needed!

Monkey travels! He was on it with Sam's computer and general monkeying around

Thursday morning it was off to DC to do some sightseeing

Hello Mr. Lincoln!

 We visited the WW2 Memorial

And the MLK and WW1 too

 The sun came out on the steps of the Lincoln

Slide time!! Until the police dog came and said to stop.

Fire scare-the-pants-off-you safety night at George Mason, they simulated a dorm room fire!

 Big kids wrapped up Thursday with a trip to Freddy's while the littles stayed home

Friday started with a little morning shopping! Who wants a kitty?!

Lunchtime with Grammy

 Mini Me and Me.

Friday afternoon there was a lot of monkeying around

Susie helper was busy getting dinner on the table

 Boys in white T's. Mos loved relaxing with Uncle Nate :)

 1972 called....

Selfie time!

Masks played a considerable role in this visit, in case there wasnt enough comedy.

 Nieces and their Aunties

Saturday was an early flight home with this Tigeroo #nothavingit

Best quote of the week: 

In response to why there are high-end watches pinned on a bulletin board: 'Well, I was doing a report on mammals, but when I was looking for pictures, all I could find were gems, and watches, and jewelry!'

:)

M is for Madge the Magnificent

I promise not to turn this into a Madge blog, but she's been about the only game in town lately! Although I did make 4 quarts of chicken stock and Peter got a dozen ducks the other weekend. Lives of the rich and famous, I know.

So, as you can see, back to Madge.

I love these two photos because they show how little she is, although she is gaining weight!

She loves people and visitors, so come on over!

And she loves ice cream the best!

Peter has a theory that cats think humans are just big cats. Based on Madge's attitude of where you are I am, what you eat, I eat, etc. I think he might be right :)

Madge on Kelsey

1.46 pounds of fluffy bliss came bounding into our house Tuesday!

Madge

We picked her up from a barn in Hudsonville. Mom's a small tiger, dad's a delinquent dairy farm tom whom we think must be orange because Madge has quite a bit of orange and had all orange siblings.

She tiny!

Her first visitors - dad tried valiantly not to like her, but Madge has proven to be winning!

 A little milk before the Schmidt's stopped over

 She learned how to hop from the ottoman to the couch when Jo came over. Then, a nap.

Ooo I love to play with dad! :)

For those of you concerned, Regina seems so-so on Madge. She didnt mind chowing down on Madge's kitten food in the middle of the night!

The trio of scaredy-cats

Rose dubbed us as this scared trio as we ran through the woods late Saturday evening with Communist guards hot on our tails! Yes, you read me right, Communist guards. :)

I spent last weekend in Northern Michigan, my favorite place in all the world! Friday Melissa, Ethan and I had a blast from the past and hung out in the Traverse City Mall most of the day, shopping and chatting and showing Ethan what was cool in TC in the 90's. It was great spending time with her and just in the nick of time too. As I write, she and Ethan are safely back in Baku, reunited as a family!

He was supposed to be sleeping, but he was smiling instead :)

In the evening, I headed to Lake Ann Camp, for Exiled 2014. This year was their Romanian theme, which consists of a Communist takeover Friday night, Bible raids, secret chapel meetings, persecution, and a liberation mission Saturday night!

Checking in with some familiar faces

 Maintenance at midnight provided us with comic relief they dont teach in school!

Victory! And the trio of scaredy-cats

 Marv and Linds were there too! Fun!

Maybe someday I'll get out of Jr. High. Until then I'm enjoying learning and growing in faith alongside some pretty sweet kids!

#ArtPrize 2014

Love the Art Prize. Love the food trucks. Love the friends. 

Basically, Monday night was a lovely night.

Mmm! Nom nom nom! Dinner from a truck!

Wooden Rain - See the drops? the drops, pool, and splashes were all carved wood, and turns out was made by someone my Kari knows! Cool!

The Time is Now - The giant letters were covered with about 1200 clocks, clever!

Our favorite was a collection of snap shots taken by soldiers involved in the current war. Peter said he enjoyed looking at the photos, maybe not all the questions I was barraging him with...I tried to reign it in and let him enjoy it, tried. :)