Shopping For a Christmas Tree

 Last Friday we went and picked out a Christmas tree from the Houston Garden center. It is our first REAL tree in seven years, beyond the memories of my four youngest siblings. So it was quite an experience for them. Andrew and Kathlena zigzagged from tree to tree "Look at this one...what about this one...or this one...Emily, look this one's white!" Calvin missed out on the excitement because he fell asleep in the car. When he awoke there was a tree on our car's roof!

 I had one of those "only in Houston" moments while Dad and J.Michael were strapping the tree to the roof. Where else other than Houston can you buy Christmas trees and palm trees in the same stop???

Kathlenaisms: Space Hoarding

Back on our old blog I used to post "J.Michael-isms": funny things that J.Michael said when he was younger. I thought I'd revive the old tradition by posting some "Kathlenaisms".

 Today's "Kathlenaism" occurred a couple weeks ago. Daddy was reading a book to Andrew, Kathlena and Calvin on the couch. Andrew was to his left, Kathlena to his right and Calvin to the right of Kathlena. Halfway through the story Calvin became disgruntled with this seating arrangement and decided to clamber over Kathlena to get a better view of the pictures. Mom and I were sitting on the other end of the couch when Kathlena called out:

"Mommy! Calvin's hoarding my space."

Our Little Drummer Boy

Our Little Drummer Boy from Gina Shiflet on Vimeo.

The Reading Tree

At our house reading is one of our favorite activities.  Especially this time of year with the beautiful weather outside. Crawling up into the tallow tree at the edge of the yard the cascading limbs camouflage the silent bookworm who is engrossed in another world through his book.  Andrew is becoming a fluent reader and enjoys combining two of his loves-books and nature.  This living fort is known affectionately as the reading tree in our yard and is sought after with book in hand when chores and other duties have been completed.  Occasionally, upon ascending the tree with visions of time lost in a favorite book one finds the tree to already be inhabited and must wait with patience for another to finish.

-mom

Can you see J.Michael in the tree?

Did you call me?

Look at My New Big Boy Bed!

I'm a big boy now!

Bella at 3 Months

Bella at 2 Months

Wild Fires

We have lived in Houston now for 6+ years and in our first year we experienced Hurricane Rita.  Having moved from central Texas this was a new weather experience for our family.  So, we have become accustomed to the June-Oct hurricane preparations.  This year with the drought we are facing something new...Wild Fires.  Living in a forest with a record drought year has made the perfect conditions for wild fires in our area. 

Please pray for our friends over at Grafted the Movie who had to evacuate their home Monday because the wildfires were approaching their home.  They have not been able to return and are still awaiting news of when they may return.  We pray that the wildfires do not reach their home and for those firefighters who are working day and night to put out this raging fire. 

While we are about 20miles from the fires we have begun to see smoke on our trips to the store as the wind has changed direction.  It produces a very strange looking cloud that doesn't look like smoke from a distance.  

A Historical Memorial

This was recently passed on to me through a some friends who have also adopted from Arkhangelsk.  We were told while we were in Russia that this city and region is very friendly to Americans because of their help during World War II and we found this to be true.  Although, this story is about the British Navy convoys to Ark specifically.  The Americans were part of the Allied forces and viewed in much the same way as the British-united against Nazi Germany.
 I thought I would pass along this link not just because of our kids who were born in Arkhangelsk but, also because this part of living history is dying out.  If we do not capture these stories now we will forever lose them and forget the great heroism of the past that gives us the freedoms we enjoy today.

WWII Arctic Convoy 

Difficult, Strong and Powerful

Difficult, Strong and Powerful from Gina Shiflet on Vimeo.