Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I just wanted to let you know that our 2010 Christmas letter is ready for reading. I know, too modern for some. But, really this is way more economical and much less time consuming. So, send me yours electronically too! I care about you, not how you send it. :) Have a blessed Christmas full of peace and joy and hope.
Jill
Showing posts with label 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010. Show all posts
Monday, December 13, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Australia 1- the trip, the room, the place
I just got to go on an amazing trip! Dave had a conference in AUSTRALIA, so I tagged along to see the sites around Brisbane.
We flew Air New Zealand. We rode on at double decker airplane. I don't remember ever riding on one of those before. Really neat. Of course we were in regular class. The food was good, the service great, the flight good. At the end of each flight they passed around a basket of "sweets" -candy-. So nice.
They give you the whole can of drink with out you having to ask for it. The soda is made with cane sugar and not corn syrup. Why is it that it is made with sugar everywhere else in the world but here. Maybe as we discover the ills of corn syrup we will begin to use better things to sweeten our life. Ginger Ale is Ginger Beer and it has a real ginger bite to it.
We were en route for 33 hours and in flight for 19 on the way home. The en route was shorter going but the flight time the same. There was a 7 hour layover in San Fransisco on the way home. Yes, we did some sightseeing. We went through 9 time zones. Jet Lag? YOU BET! I am just getting back to normal. Sort of. We arrived home at 1 am Monday. We started our journey home (on the train to the airport) on Colorado time Sat 4 pm. Australia time we got on the train 8:30 am Sunday and were slotted to arrive home at 11:30 pm Sunday Colorado time. We repeated Sunday. I did not log the trip there as carefully, but I do know that we skipped Sat. We left on Friday evening and arrived on Sunday noon. It was great flight service.
In the US we flew United. The trip to LA was awful. Small tiny seats I was between Dave and on the other side a nice business guy who was likely the largest person on the plane. Tall as Dave and twice in girth. That was long and uncomfortable. Air New Zealand was a dream compared. Even though we were seated across the aisle there and one behind the other on the way home. There was enough space to sleep, if you could. Great service.
Coming home we had a delayed flight out of Brisbane and also out of Auckland. On time to Denver though! And we had so long in SF it did not matter.
I posted on the adoption blog about things you should take for comfort on these LONG flights. I can't seem to remember them all every time so I wrote them down. I would have loved to have a few of those wisp toothbrushes.
Money exchange is just abut 98 US cents to $1 Australian Dollars. The cost of things is MUCH more than here. A typical meal you would pay about $10 per person or maybe up to $15 in the USA would be about $25 to $30 there. Just casual dining.
Room rates were really high, there was a BIG time Cricket game.
The week we were there was also the last week of school before summer break which is called Christmas Holiday by all and it is the break between school years. They will go back to school some time in Feb. and be in the next grade. Families travel during this time. Many families holiday outside of Australia because it is more affordable to do so.
Brisbane is the cleanest city I have ever seen. You know the street sweepers that run too rarely here. Well, they run them every day and there are sidewalk sweeper machines that run every day as well. There is no trash anywhere and no gum spots and tons of rubbish bins so you can use them handily. The transport system is so efficient too. There are trains, buses and ferries and you get a card that you put money on and swipe when you get on and off and it charges the correct fare. Really cool. There are also tons of footpaths and you can even rent a bike in the city for the day with a bike card like the transport card. Really cool. It also does not smell like a big city. They must use different fuel. I know the bus and train are natural gas. There is no heavy exhaust smell like in Denver. I was not at all allergic to the city air. There are a lot of cars too. Hmmmmm. Can we do that here? It would be nice. They drive on the left. Here we have signs that say "stay right except to pass". Their signs say "keep left unless overcoming".
Our hotel. Well, it was a bit of a shock when we first got there. No decorations of any kind, very small, no table, double bed, hard as a rock. But, it was plenty expensive for us. As it turns out it is a fancy YMCA house and business men and women stay there often. They do conferences and club meetings, etc. It was fine and convenient to everything.
We rented a car at first but did not need it as the transport there is so good. So, we returned it. It was quite the experience for Dave to drive on the other side of the road. They also drive fast there. Well, it felt that way in the car and on the bus.
Here are some photos of the hotel, etc. See all on this topic on snapfish here.
We flew Air New Zealand. We rode on at double decker airplane. I don't remember ever riding on one of those before. Really neat. Of course we were in regular class. The food was good, the service great, the flight good. At the end of each flight they passed around a basket of "sweets" -candy-. So nice.
They give you the whole can of drink with out you having to ask for it. The soda is made with cane sugar and not corn syrup. Why is it that it is made with sugar everywhere else in the world but here. Maybe as we discover the ills of corn syrup we will begin to use better things to sweeten our life. Ginger Ale is Ginger Beer and it has a real ginger bite to it.
We were en route for 33 hours and in flight for 19 on the way home. The en route was shorter going but the flight time the same. There was a 7 hour layover in San Fransisco on the way home. Yes, we did some sightseeing. We went through 9 time zones. Jet Lag? YOU BET! I am just getting back to normal. Sort of. We arrived home at 1 am Monday. We started our journey home (on the train to the airport) on Colorado time Sat 4 pm. Australia time we got on the train 8:30 am Sunday and were slotted to arrive home at 11:30 pm Sunday Colorado time. We repeated Sunday. I did not log the trip there as carefully, but I do know that we skipped Sat. We left on Friday evening and arrived on Sunday noon. It was great flight service.
In the US we flew United. The trip to LA was awful. Small tiny seats I was between Dave and on the other side a nice business guy who was likely the largest person on the plane. Tall as Dave and twice in girth. That was long and uncomfortable. Air New Zealand was a dream compared. Even though we were seated across the aisle there and one behind the other on the way home. There was enough space to sleep, if you could. Great service.
Coming home we had a delayed flight out of Brisbane and also out of Auckland. On time to Denver though! And we had so long in SF it did not matter.
I posted on the adoption blog about things you should take for comfort on these LONG flights. I can't seem to remember them all every time so I wrote them down. I would have loved to have a few of those wisp toothbrushes.
Money exchange is just abut 98 US cents to $1 Australian Dollars. The cost of things is MUCH more than here. A typical meal you would pay about $10 per person or maybe up to $15 in the USA would be about $25 to $30 there. Just casual dining.
Room rates were really high, there was a BIG time Cricket game.
The week we were there was also the last week of school before summer break which is called Christmas Holiday by all and it is the break between school years. They will go back to school some time in Feb. and be in the next grade. Families travel during this time. Many families holiday outside of Australia because it is more affordable to do so.
Brisbane is the cleanest city I have ever seen. You know the street sweepers that run too rarely here. Well, they run them every day and there are sidewalk sweeper machines that run every day as well. There is no trash anywhere and no gum spots and tons of rubbish bins so you can use them handily. The transport system is so efficient too. There are trains, buses and ferries and you get a card that you put money on and swipe when you get on and off and it charges the correct fare. Really cool. There are also tons of footpaths and you can even rent a bike in the city for the day with a bike card like the transport card. Really cool. It also does not smell like a big city. They must use different fuel. I know the bus and train are natural gas. There is no heavy exhaust smell like in Denver. I was not at all allergic to the city air. There are a lot of cars too. Hmmmmm. Can we do that here? It would be nice. They drive on the left. Here we have signs that say "stay right except to pass". Their signs say "keep left unless overcoming".
Our hotel. Well, it was a bit of a shock when we first got there. No decorations of any kind, very small, no table, double bed, hard as a rock. But, it was plenty expensive for us. As it turns out it is a fancy YMCA house and business men and women stay there often. They do conferences and club meetings, etc. It was fine and convenient to everything.
We rented a car at first but did not need it as the transport there is so good. So, we returned it. It was quite the experience for Dave to drive on the other side of the road. They also drive fast there. Well, it felt that way in the car and on the bus.
Here are some photos of the hotel, etc. See all on this topic on snapfish here.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Grandparents and Veteran's Day
Olivia did a school project for Veteran's Day this year. Here is her tribute to her great grandparents.
MY GRANDPA, JERRY HARDCASTLE
My great-grandpa served in World War 2. He drove the 1st jeep leading the tanks in the war to storm the gates of Dachau Concentration Camp to free the Jews. He was in the 11th armored division. My grandpa signed up to serve because he believed all people had dignity and rights. Even outside of his military duty he worked hard to help people. My grandpa died in April 2006. I am happy that he had a chance to do things he was destined to do, my grandpa saved many lives. I am proud of my grandpa and how he risked his life for others. THANK YOU GRANDPA!
MY GRANDMA, MARIETTA HARDCASTLE
My great-grandma worked for the Federal government during World War 2. She worked one year at Camp Carson, which is now called Fort Carson, and at bases in Denver and California. My grandma typed and sent orders for trains to where they need to go; she also drew portraits of her bosses for the company news paper. My grandma enjoyed the women she worked for and with. When my grandpa was assigned to the base in Kansas my grandma had to get there by herself, so she learned to drive at age 21. My grandma had a small official part in the war the effort, and a big part supporting her husband who fought in the war. Without women like her the war would not have been successful.
Monday, November 8, 2010
feathered friends
Well, those feathered girls out in the yard...... they are growing up into the finest looking flock you ever saw. But, no eggs yet. Come on girls! I guess they are only at the beginning of when they could lay. I close them up sometimes. They are Dave's project and hobby. And when I do if I wear Dave's coat they are nice and friendly. Come right up to me saying "Hi ya big Dave, got treats for us? Water?" One of them even let me pet her soft feathers. If I go out in my coat they run away. They know their "shepherd". Sort of like us Christians. The frequency and amount of time we put into knowing the Father is in direct relationship to us being able to follow him in life. I am partial to the "pretty" Amerucaunas. Dave loves them all, even the plain black Astralorps. Sure am glad God is not like me, playing favorites on such silly notions as what fancy feathers I have. He loves me from the inside out and loves my outside too, after all he made me this way on purpose.
Here are some pictures of the feathered girls.
Here are some pictures of the feathered girls.
The other day there was a huge bird outside. It was early, I did not have my glasses on yet. A friend of one of the girls was being dropped off. I saw the flutter, I saw it hop along the front of the house near the chicken coop. It was the size of a chicken, variegated feathers, fluffy neck, hopping, flapping. I thought one of the chickens had gotten out. I called for Olivia, expert Chicken Catcher, to go get it. She dutifully went out and snuck up on it. Within about 8 feet of it, she thought, this is no chicken and just as suddenly it flew away, a great huge hawk. Well, we felt pretty silly, but really, hopping along and flapping from that distance it really looked like one of our variegated chickens. Same neck feathers, head, size, behavior.Since then we have seen the beautiful creature swooping over the chickens, sitting on the end of the house by them, trying to land on their house. Being that the coop is half covered, there is not enough room for a big bird like that to get in and out, but hey, she can dream, just don't try it! Please.
Here is a photo of Her Royal Beautifulness.
Doesn't look anything like a mere fluffy chicken, as pretty as they are. Silly me.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Playhouse
Some projects go fast and others..... well, take their time. Time. We built our house and moved in in 9 months. We built the playhouse in 3 years. Well, deadlines and banks do tend to make you hurry up a bit. :) So, the playhouse is done today! Moved in. Here are the pictures. The girls picked the inside color a bright lime-ish green and did the paintings too. The color reminds me of my elementary classrooms. Everyone's hand print is represented even Jigs got in on the action.My dad donated the lumber from various projects and the paneling too. Dave did a great job building it and even did the concrete pad himself with help from a good friend. I found the hutch at a garage sale and it matches the shelf and rug we had at our first home. Funny how things like that work. They have all been donated to the playhouse or hang out house now. The material I found for the curtains matches the colors in the art and walls perfectly. And I used 97cent coat hooks to hang them with. Now, let the fun begin.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Cleaning carpets
Well, there is nothing quite like cleaning your carpets. Sure it is really nice when you finally get there, but really, people do this every year??????? It is EPIC! Dilemmas galore. First I had to decide if this is a good time? No. Never is a good time to do this, so let's just do it. Next dilemma, what company? No soap. Steam or oxy???? I don't know, look it up on line. Go with steam. Find steam company that seems reputable and affordable. Good, that is done. Next dilemma, You mean I have to move all my treasures/junk? That is epic, crazy, loony, this is why this is the first time in 6 years we have done this......and I swear it will be the last while I am moving furniture, boxes and dressers. I spent a week cleaning out each room so that it would be devoid of all movable items, and small furniture. And let me tell you, I DO NOT HAVE a week to do this. My available space in the house for this was completely full. I mean totally and completely full. It looked like we were moving. So, the carpet cleaner came. He cleaned it all. He did a great job. He took our rugs to clean too and brought them back and they are so nice. He re stretched a carpet. He did a great job. It took him most of the day. While it was drying we were trapped in the kitchen crowded in with all the furniture from the living room. So we escaped and went grocery shopping. The next day I put some things back. But, the window washer was coming (yes, I know--- why the next day? Well, there is no good time, so just do it!). I rearranged room settings. It was fun. The windows were cleaned in and out and the tracks and screens and it is fabulous. Now, all that cleaning has gotten me into cleaning. I must confess, I hate cleaning. I like a neat house, organized, and clean enough. But in the 6 years we have lived here I have not once cleaned behind the piano or other such places. Yuck. It is done now. The next dilemma in getting your carpet cleaned is putting the things back. Maybe, I don't want all that stuff put back, but what do I do with it? Do I want it or not? My sister in law recently had hers done too. She was brave and got rid of a bunch of stuff. I just can't decide. So, my house still looks like we are moving. I just don't want to put it back, but don't know what to do with it. Well, honestly, I haven't had the time to decide. The carpet and windows look great, the new room configurations are fun and all the "extra" is sitting in the middle of rooms and walk ways waiting............... for me to decide what to do with it.
Honestly this is sort of like that If You Give a Mouse a Cookie book. It started with re-doing my daughters room She is about to be 13 and she gets a room makeover for her new bigger girl status. Young lady in fact. Well, her carpet needed cleaned and so we did the whole house. If the carpets are going to be cleaned the windows need it too. If you are going to clean all that you might as well get rid of all your junk. :) That scattered line of thought really makes things hard. Nothing left to me is really done at all. P is waiting for her room to be finished still and I have piles of stuff all over waiting to be put away or gotten rid of. Maybe in another life I will get it all done. For now, it waits, a little at a time. Hopefully by the 13th birthday it will be done.
Honestly this is sort of like that If You Give a Mouse a Cookie book. It started with re-doing my daughters room She is about to be 13 and she gets a room makeover for her new bigger girl status. Young lady in fact. Well, her carpet needed cleaned and so we did the whole house. If the carpets are going to be cleaned the windows need it too. If you are going to clean all that you might as well get rid of all your junk. :) That scattered line of thought really makes things hard. Nothing left to me is really done at all. P is waiting for her room to be finished still and I have piles of stuff all over waiting to be put away or gotten rid of. Maybe in another life I will get it all done. For now, it waits, a little at a time. Hopefully by the 13th birthday it will be done.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
zoom zoom zoom
My life on zoom......that is to say very fast pace..... not close up.
That is how it has felt for the past several months. What sped up? I can't really tell you. But I have heard the theory that the earth is gradually spinning faster and faster and time is actually getting shorter and shorter. Ok, not that we would ever actually notice this, but hey, can I just go with that for now? It makes me feel better.
What is so fast you might ask. Well, I have been accustomed to weekends and many days to garden and play all summer long. This year between the four kids we had activities every week of the summer. And I DID trim it down. The girls got two activities each and the boys got one. It ended up a total of 8 weeks of stuff. Then vacation and a 20 year reunion...... and well, it was time for school again. I got one week in the garden and that was it. It is full of weeds. I don't even know what came up. That is depressing. I am a gardener to my bones and well, it looks awful out there. I don't even want to go get it ready for winter. Oh, of course, here it is nearly October and I still have not done it. THIS Saturday is going to be my first free Sat. since MAY and I am going to pull weeds. Unless something comes up with the kids. The good side is I missed the sage bloom and I am asthmatically allergic to that! No, my kids are not in a bunch of stuff. In fact the boys just play at home and the girls each have one instrument. I do Bible Study. That is it. We don't even fill our time with TV. Maybe my normal is just such a slow pace that this feels fast to me. But, it is mine so if it feels fast, it must be.
This is my day: Bible and Prayer time. get me ready. get the boys ready. breakfast. drive to school. drive home. school Nate (Fri. Kedus too, or errands). (or Bible Study). Kindergarten pick up (Fri mid day elem too).drive home. lunch. read. homework. rest for the boys. 45-90 min to get anything done. girls home. (Mon.and Fri. strings for Olivia and Wed. piano for Phoebe) decompress kids. dinner. ( Wed. Phoebe youth). (Tues mens Bible study). boys bed. homework. bed. decompress for parents. bed. do it again.
I think I am pretty normal. But I confess I do miss the garden and reading good books.
I am behind on my reading stack, pulling weeds, garden reclamation, watering trees, cleaning house and groceries, this blog and others, facebook neglected to the chagrin of many friends and family members, and of course the scrapbooks, I quit those when we bought the land in 2002 to build, and just never started up again. But, I am up on my kids, my husband and my Bible Study! For every thing there is a season. And this is the season of zoom. Maybe the next one will be garden.
That is how it has felt for the past several months. What sped up? I can't really tell you. But I have heard the theory that the earth is gradually spinning faster and faster and time is actually getting shorter and shorter. Ok, not that we would ever actually notice this, but hey, can I just go with that for now? It makes me feel better.
What is so fast you might ask. Well, I have been accustomed to weekends and many days to garden and play all summer long. This year between the four kids we had activities every week of the summer. And I DID trim it down. The girls got two activities each and the boys got one. It ended up a total of 8 weeks of stuff. Then vacation and a 20 year reunion...... and well, it was time for school again. I got one week in the garden and that was it. It is full of weeds. I don't even know what came up. That is depressing. I am a gardener to my bones and well, it looks awful out there. I don't even want to go get it ready for winter. Oh, of course, here it is nearly October and I still have not done it. THIS Saturday is going to be my first free Sat. since MAY and I am going to pull weeds. Unless something comes up with the kids. The good side is I missed the sage bloom and I am asthmatically allergic to that! No, my kids are not in a bunch of stuff. In fact the boys just play at home and the girls each have one instrument. I do Bible Study. That is it. We don't even fill our time with TV. Maybe my normal is just such a slow pace that this feels fast to me. But, it is mine so if it feels fast, it must be.
This is my day: Bible and Prayer time. get me ready. get the boys ready. breakfast. drive to school. drive home. school Nate (Fri. Kedus too, or errands). (or Bible Study). Kindergarten pick up (Fri mid day elem too).drive home. lunch. read. homework. rest for the boys. 45-90 min to get anything done. girls home. (Mon.and Fri. strings for Olivia and Wed. piano for Phoebe) decompress kids. dinner. ( Wed. Phoebe youth). (Tues mens Bible study). boys bed. homework. bed. decompress for parents. bed. do it again.
I think I am pretty normal. But I confess I do miss the garden and reading good books.
I am behind on my reading stack, pulling weeds, garden reclamation, watering trees, cleaning house and groceries, this blog and others, facebook neglected to the chagrin of many friends and family members, and of course the scrapbooks, I quit those when we bought the land in 2002 to build, and just never started up again. But, I am up on my kids, my husband and my Bible Study! For every thing there is a season. And this is the season of zoom. Maybe the next one will be garden.
Monday, August 2, 2010
20th HS reunion
Well, this summer marked the 20th year we have been out of High School. Better known as your 20th High School Reunion. I did not go to mine. Too big. I only went there 2 years. And I keep in touch with those who I want to keep in touch with...... albeit very poorly. I need to do much better at that! I did get together with a few of my former elementry school chums from Evangelical Christian Academy. That was fun. I hope to do that more often. There is something special about that class.
We did go to Dave's HS reunion though. It was a fun time and it coresponded with the Crowley County Days festivities. So, that was a fun time and we also got to stay with friends there and the kids had a blast as did us grown ups. That is a must do more often! We got to play with dogs, kitties, see more chickens and goats and shop at the farm market and eat good sweet melon from the best melon growing area on earth! Rocky Ford. We drove out to Cheraw where Dave's mom grew up and through Sugar City where my Gramps spent some of his childhood. We told the kids stories we had heard. It was good time! Here are a few photos from the trip.
We did go to Dave's HS reunion though. It was a fun time and it coresponded with the Crowley County Days festivities. So, that was a fun time and we also got to stay with friends there and the kids had a blast as did us grown ups. That is a must do more often! We got to play with dogs, kitties, see more chickens and goats and shop at the farm market and eat good sweet melon from the best melon growing area on earth! Rocky Ford. We drove out to Cheraw where Dave's mom grew up and through Sugar City where my Gramps spent some of his childhood. We told the kids stories we had heard. It was good time! Here are a few photos from the trip.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Chickens
Chickens have arrived! We ordered 10 and got 12. I guess in case they don't make it...... there is one who seems quite lethargic. Hoping. They had quite the day. At two days old they got loaded in a box, shipped overnight and unpacked. They got some water, then I picked them up and put them in the back of the car with a bit of food in their box. Drove to pick up kids and gave them water, drove to show them to Dave and then finally home. That was likely nearly 24 hours after they got loaded in the box in the first place. Poor little things. Well, they are happy in their big box with bedding, food and water and a light. But, they are sooooo tired, they just keep falling asleep standing up and then fall over. Then they get up and run around and eat and drink and preen and then fall asleep. They are sooooo cute all those little chicks. Name them? NO. Every one is smitten with them, but they are work animals, they will lay eggs and when they quit they will be named fryer and nugget, etc. I wonder if they will peep cheep peep cheep all night long? I hope they get some sleep!
The lethargic one, cute red headed gal.
Awwww, so cute.
Fluffy yellow chick. We think this is an Americana, she will be bluish.
An Australorpe gets a drink
She is soooo tired she just went to sleep. Then she got up and ran around and then went back to sleep. Such a cute baby.
The lethargic one, cute red headed gal.
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