The Rambling Place

MOVING!!!

2007-10-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

No, not me, just my writings. We are starting a new family blog, and we'll all be posting over there. Be sure to come visit!

We the Pedersens

Romania Day

2007-10-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

My family has an annual tradition of "visiting" another country for a day. This year it was Romania. The kids studied the country beforehand, and pretty much everybody helped put everything together. We had costumes:

Decorations:

Dancing:

and food:

What fun!

Marimba Ponies

2007-09-30T07:47:00.001-07:00

Unforgettable Business Trip

2007-09-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

I went on a business trip last weekend. I had been excited about it because it was for a conference being held at a nice resort. On the way, though, the trip turned into a sort of nightmare when I got stuck in a traffic jam and then my car broke down at a traffic light at 10:30 at night. To make a long story short, the next couple of hours involved several phone calls home, a passerby trying unsuccessfully to push the car, a tow truck, a stop at a hotel that was booked, a cab ride to another hotel, and finally, a collapse into bed. I was able to rent a car the next morning, even though it was Sunday, and go the rest of the way, and my heroic father came with a tow dolly to haul my busted car back to Houston for potentially major transmission repairs.

Whew! It was all very stressful, but I'm thankful that I wasn't in the middle of nowhere when I broke down. I was also very blessed that everyone I had to deal with was friendly and apparently trustworthy. God was watching out for me!

Once I finally made it to the conference, everything went better. I even got some time to walk around the grounds, which were beautiful. Here are a few pictures:

A concrete path with metal inlays.

The view from my window.

It's set up wrong!

One of the lights along the garden path.

Heartbreak

2007-09-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Mommies should never be away fighting a war.

Not Sure What I Think About This

2007-09-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

I was in Forever 21, a trendy clothing store, yesterday. It was mostly an entertainment time (you know, "who wears this stuff?!"), but I did find a skirt I liked. When I got home, I noticed John 3:16 on the bottom of the bag:

My first response was, "Huh?" It sure hadn't seemed like a religious store. Some of the merchandise was nice, most was on the line between cute and daring, and some of it was down-right scandalous. A bit of internet research clued me in that the verse on the bags is due to the Christian faith of the founders/owners of the chain. Okay, but something isn't quite jiving here. A clothing store that mostly caters to young women who are trying to show off their bodies can't Christianize itself just by putting a scripture reference on the bags...can it? It's a strange version of "in the world, but not of it" if you ask me.

Am I Still Writing a Blog?

2007-09-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Even I am not sure! Life has been a swirl of church activities, business trips, dancing, and having company over every weekend.

John, Anna, and I went to a small bluegrass festival recently and heard two great bands and one pretty good band. We heard the always-fantastic Chapmans, and this family band, Triple L. The guys had amazing four-part harmony. They're going to have to modify it soon, though. The youngest is in his voice-change time!

Day in Galveston

2007-08-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

We went down to Galveston yesterday for a tour of the Moody Mansion, a historic mansion that has been beautifully restored. This hibiscus blossom was in the front garden.

We couldn't take pictures inside, but here's the outside. It was very impressive. I love old mansions! They have so much more character than new ones.

The new gate guard.

A picnic lunch on the grounds.

We went to the beach also, but I was too busy frolicking in the waves to take any pictures. Speaking of the waves, I had the misfortune of losing my glasses when a wave washed over me. Wearing my glasses out in the ocean was one of the dumbest things I've done in quite a while, but at least I was planning on getting contacts anyway. I guess this is a good time! Besides that, we had a great time, and didn't get too sunburned.

This is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

2007-08-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a good reminder to be a coronary Christian, humbly lub-dubbing along.

What NOT To Do With Your Microwave

2007-07-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

The internet is great for letting you watch things you'd NEVER actually do, right?

Friends Come In All Sizes

2007-07-25T20:05:00.001-07:00

I received a blessing yesterday when I was with a group of people from church and got to talking to a young girl who just turned eleven. We talked about everything from her baby cousin who recently died, to her favorite I Love Lucy episode. After a while, her little brother came over and said, "You're talking to a 25-year-old?!?" She responded, somewhat indignantly, "I like her!" It was so sweet!

Slight Miscalculation

2007-07-23T11:52:00.001-07:00

Oops.

The Raleigh Ringers

2007-07-20T06:48:00.001-07:00

My sisters and I had the privilege of attending a concert given by this group last night. This video is from a different performance, but we did hear this song, among many others. It was absolutely amazing!

Chemistry Fun

2007-07-13T08:09:00.001-07:00

Here's a video showing experiments that explode, burn, change color, etc.

Vacation Part Four

2007-07-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

We spent a day just enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Ozarks.

We then went to Hot Springs, Arkansas where you can stick your finger in a pool of very hot water...

...and where you can see the historic bath house, where some of the old implements for hot water medical treatments look a lot like torture devices!

Our last stop before heading home was at a historic town with lots of reconstructed buildings. One of the most fascinating things, though, was this massive magnolia tree.

Oh, and the gorgeous chamber pot.

Vacation Part Three

2007-07-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

After leaving St. Louis, we went to see a cave, and got a nice guided tour.

We spent a day at the Ozark Folk Center, a place with lots of old-time crafts being demonstrated. We enjoyed it very much.

We got to ride a mule-driven merry-go-round, which was slow, but relaxing and quite a novelty.

Cigar-box fiddle.

Washtub bass.

Loom weaving.

Soap-making.

We finished our day with dinner out...

...and a fun concert, with various bands, dancers, and singers.

John, taking in a moment of country life.

Vacation Part Two

2007-07-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

We headed back to Texas through Missouri and Arkansas, and stopped in St. Louis to see the Arch.

John outside the very small tram door.

It was a very exciting ride!

Here we are at the top, looking out the observation windows.

We also went through the museum below the arch. Becca is good at mimicing statues and doing funny stuff for the camera!

We were blessed to stay at the home of our friends, the Servens. They made this fantastic bonfire, which was great fun. It also helped us get our minds off our troubles, since we were down in the dumps because our van had been robbed in St. Louis that afternoon. Someone broke a window and took some electronics, money, and other items that were inside. It was a troubling and very inconvenient occurance, but we're just thankful no one was hurt. We were able to get a new window the next day, so we were able to continue our trip. We left St. Louis a little sadder and a lot smarter.

Vacation Part One

2007-07-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

We returned on Sunday from a family vacation. It was a road trip that included both visiting friends and family and doing site-seeing. I missed the first part of the trip because I was working, so the first activity I was there for was a family reunion in Nebraska. Here's a picture Seth took of the cross on the hill at the church camp where we had the reunion.

Becca and Laura paddleboating.

The girls.

Us with our grandparents. We took a LOT of family pictures. Our smiles started to freeze!

Anna and Seth, who got so confident with their canoeing that they went exploring and the camp supervisor had to go looking for them because they were gone so long!

Regular Old Handshake? BORING

2007-06-14T06:43:00.001-07:00

Folklife Festival

2007-06-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

My brother and I were in one of the dance groups at the Texas Folklife Festival last weekend. I don't have any pictures of us, but here are some of the other shows we saw. There was so much to see and do there! We spent the whole weekend taking in as much as we could. It was great for the most part, but I found that it's a little hard to live on festival food for very long.

Here's a Filipino group dancing around moving bamboo poles.

I thought this washboard player had a great costume, and a beard that went with it!

Turkish dancers

Panamanian

So, How Was Your Memorial Day?

2007-06-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

I know this is ancient history for a blog, but you might be interested to know that I spent Memorial Day weekend housesitting for a lady who thought her cats would be lonely while she was on vacation.

I detest cats.

The Joys of Working From Home and Getting Paid By the Hour

2007-05-25T10:10:00.001-07:00

Need extra money this month? Work extra hours on your big, ongoing project.
Get tired? Take a break in the middle of the day. Go to a movie.
Lazy? Work in bed in PJs.
Sick? No working, no money.
Work slowly...feel guilty.
Work fast...boss happy, paycheck same
Get interrupted? Clock out, clock back in, how much of an hour is 10 minutes again?
Two different people need stuff from you ASAP? Work until 10:00 at night.
Commute too long? Move your laptop closer to the kitchen.
Work putting you to sleep? Take a nap. Be sure to mark the time first.

How's Your Job Going?

2007-05-23T09:29:00.001-07:00

No more complaining.

Table For One, Please

2007-05-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

My recent trip to San Antonio started me thinking a lot about what a loner I am. I thoroughly enjoyed going on a vacation by myself. I didn’t have to coordinate with anyone, I could move at my own pace (fast), and I didn’t care that I didn’t have anyone to share the experiences with. I can enjoy an activity as much by myself as with other people, oftentimes more. I also enjoyed the feeling of independence and the challenge of seeing how much I could do without needing help from anyone.

The problem is that I’m not at all sure this is healthy. It’s way too easy for me to get wrapped up in my own little world and be no good to anyone else. I heard myself say one time that friends are over-rated. Frankly, if I hadn’t grown up in a large family, I’m not sure I’d have any close friendships at all. I’m realizing though, that there is a balance needed. It’s not good to be dependent on others for happiness, but it’s also not good to never invest in relationships.

Relationships: That’s what it really comes down to.
What gets us back on track when we start to drift? relationships
What is behind our most treasured memories? relationships
What lets us know when our ideas are crazy? relationships
What encourages us when we’re down? relationships
What is our primary means of sharing the gospel with the lost? relationships

I guess I shouldn’t give up on friends after all.

Mini-Vacation

2007-05-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

I extended a business trip to San Antonio last weekend and did some sight-seeing. At The Buckhorn museum, I saw this portrait made by bullets and a VERY good marksman.

This is the world's longest gum-wrapper chain, on display at Ripley's Believe It or Not museum. They also have the Eiffel Tower made of match sticks, a recording of the worst laugh in the world, a painting on a feather, and all kinds of other weird stuff.

The Alamo, of course.

This is the top portion of an old water-powered mill that still works. It's at Mission San Jose'.

Here's the outside of Mission San Jose'. It's bigger and more impressive than the Alamo, but of course, much less famous.

Expedition to Ikea

2007-04-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, today was the first time I'd ever been to Ikea. I decided it's a fun store, but overwhelming. I felt very small there, a little like a mouse going through a maze! I walked and walked, and followed arrows, and went up an escalator, and wandered around, and read signs, and got lost, and had to go back through the maze to get a cart...

I consider it a successful trip though, since I found what I went for: a new desk chair.

Hmmm, Interesting

2007-04-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Matthew McConaughey, a famous movie actor often featured on magazine covers, is reading The Case for Christ.

I'm Back :-)

2007-04-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, let's see...

...the gazebo is finished, but you can't see a bit of the results of my hours and hours of painting because it was only a clear sealer.
...for better or for worse, my research paper was turned in last night. My study partner actually came through at the last minute, thankfully. He said he works well under pressure. I didn't tell him I think he gave me more gray hair.
...the house I was cleaning is now spotless (well, more or less) and on the market.
...I had to work the registration table at a one-day conference last week for work. It was good, except that it was on the other side of the city and I had to be there at 6:30 in the morning!
...I bought myself a new, fat, ultimate-support, side-sleeper pillow the other day. Next on my list is to get a box springs that's the same size as my mattress. Hmmm, I guess being so busy and wearing myself out made me more interested in having a comfy night's sleep.
...I got volunteered to lead the first part of a Greek dance at a performance this weekend. It's a little scary because the leader is supposed to do all kinds of extra, fancy stuff while leading the line. Thankfully, I only lead for a short time, then turn it over to John, who's much better at showing off than I am. ;-)
...the thin foam is already completely flat on the seat of the cheap office chair I got at Walmart. Should I buy another cheap chair, invest in a nice chair, or sit on a pillow?
...I found some buckwheat at a specialty foods store that I visited, and decided to boil some for breakfast one day. I cooked it up with some salt and molasses, and it was absolutely horrible. It smelled like Postum and tasted like something you'd feed to prisoners in Siberia.
...speaking of disasters, I decided to try cutting my own hair recently. The good news is that I lived to tell about it, and the better news is that my skilled-with-scissors mother was able to fix it. It's still a little different on one side than the other and quite short, but at least I won't look too dorky while my bad idea grows out.

No, I don't know how I get myself into all these things.

Busy

2007-03-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

Between working at my job, helping my brother build a gazebo, cleaning the house of a friend who just moved away, and writing a research paper for my missions class, I haven't had much time to think, let alone write something eloquent. Here are some great quotes from Robert Frost, though:

A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age.

By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.

Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.

The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work.

The Cup is Half Full

2007-03-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

Don't ever become a pessimist ... A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun - and neither can stop the march of events. - Robert A. Heinlein

The Luck O' the Irish

2007-03-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

I was at the rodeo on Saturday, which was St. Patrick's Day, as you know. As I was in the sea of people ascending the huge ramp up to the upper levels of the stadium, all of a sudden, somebody pinched me! I turned to see who in the world was pinching me, and I found a complete stranger! It was a guy who appeared to be in his late teens who immediately said, "Oh, I'm sorry, you do have green on!!" I was wearing a white t-shirt with a green rhinestone shamrock on the front, thank you very much.

I couldn't be too offended, because the guy's friends started giving him a really hard time with a chorus of "Way to go, loser!" They'd probably dared him to do it in the first place. I think he needs to find new friends.

And maybe next year, I should wear a shirt that has green on the back too.

By the way, what's the deal with teenaged guys lately?

The Tool Called Time

2007-03-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

I read an excellent article recently that was about the importance of using our time wisely and productively at every stage of life. It said we should "redeem the time, not just fill the time." I appreciated that challenge, and it has caused me to think more about how to really live for God and best use the time that I have. Time is a tool that can easily be mis-used or under-used if we're not careful.

What's the World Coming To??

2007-03-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

I've been listing stuff for sale on ebay today, and I happened to notice their list of top buyer searches:

1. wii
2. xbox 360
3. ps3
4. britney spears hair

Pictures for Beka

2007-03-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

And anyone else with an incurable case of curiosity!

Much thanks to my model, who prefers to remain anonymous.

Don't Jump to Conclusions

2007-03-08T08:37:00.000-08:00

So, what does it mean when a girl gets a set of nice glass dishes, a set of cooking pots, a slinky nightgown set, a cheese grater, a wall hanging, and a wedding dress all on the same day?

Well in this case, it means that my very generous and apparently unsentimental friend, who is moving out of state, gave me a whole car load of stuff to either keep or sell. She thought the things she had were too valuable to just give to Goodwill, but she didn't want to mess with trying to sell them. It wasn't all things of a...um...bridal variety, by the way. There were normal clothes, an old Barbie doll, and a balaliaka. What fun!

So did my sister and I try on the wedding dress? Of course!

Another Funny Story

2007-03-04T16:56:00.000-08:00

We went to a nursing home to visit today, and we met a blind, crippled, but hilarious old man. First, he told us about how he'd been in the navy during World War II. He was twenty-eight and newly married when he got shipped out. We commented that maybe his wife was sad about that. He said, "Maybe she was happy!"

Then, he started talking about his roommate, who was asleep and didn't even stir in spite of all the commotion we were making. Our new friend said, "He keeps his eyes closed even when he's awake! He never talks. I call him The Mummy."

What Do You Do With Nice Weather?

2007-03-02T14:08:00.000-08:00

If you need a way to get an unexpected amount of exercise, a good dose of amusement, and some fresh air, I suggest going on a two-mile walk with an eight-year-old, and trying to step on each other's shadow the whole time. It worked for me, anyway. :-)

Always Be Ready

2007-02-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

(Note: the italics are my thoughts.)

I had a very strange experience yesterday. I was at the mall, eating in the food court, when all of a sudden, a guy walked up to me and said, "May I join you?"

Axe murderer? Purse-snatcher? Super-agressive flirt? Oh well, he's not that big. I can take him out if I have too. "Ummm...Okay."

It turned out that he was indeed a super-aggressive flirt. He had dropped off his friends, parked the car, then been unable to find the friends...or so the story went. He said he was in high school, and I told him I was 25, but that didn't slow him down a bit.

Since when do high school guys flirt with 25-year-old women?

"Do you like video games?" Oh good grief.
"Are you on MySpace?" Don't even try it, buster.
"Do you have email?" I'm not THAT old...and...I give my email address to you over my dead body.

Ummmm, God? I didn't really pray for a witnessing opportunity today, and even if I had is THIS it?!?

Well, to make a long story longer, we ended up talking briefly about homeschooling, college, his idea of becoming a fireman, what the best store at the mall was, the language barrier he has with his parents (their English is lousy; his Vietnamese is lousy), and the value/torture of reading books. Guess who was on which side of that debate?

Somewhere along the way, the topic of movies came up. It just so happened that I had seen "Amazing Grace" (excellent by the way) just that afternoon!

Aha! I don't want to ask this guy a lot of personal questions or get into a very deep conversation, but THIS I can do.

So, I had the chance to tell this, uh, weirdo about John Newton and William Wilberforce. He'd never heard of either of those guys, so I told him where the title of the movie came from, which is the song. The story of how the song came to be written is basically the gospel.

So, a random high schooler at the mall got someone to talk to over dinner, and a history lesson, and the gospel.

And I got a great story.

Two Little Girls...

2007-02-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

...and one big water tower.

Happy Birthday, Seth!!

2007-02-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

So what's the most fun part of birthdays?

Apparently, it's lighting the candles...

...and taking pictures of the birthday boy.

Mardi Gras Dog Parade

2007-02-21T10:10:00.000-08:00

What do you think? Is this dog having fun?

When I Went Out Walking

2007-02-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

I found myself in need of getting out of the house today, not because anything is wrong, but because I was getting a little stir-crazy. So, I ran some errands and went to the park to go walking. There's a nice trail there, and it has a lot of little wooden bird houses along the way. On a whim, I decided to look inside one of them. Imagine my surprise when I found a SNAKE in there!! I swear I did not scream, but I must confess to jumping a bit. Thankfully, it didn't move, or I'm sure I would have jumped right out of my skin, or else gotten bitten right on the nose, or maybe both! So, that was my startle for the day.

I wonder, was it the aftermath of a sad story of a snake eating baby birds, or did somebody kill a snake and stick it in there as a joke on unsuspecting travelers such as myself?

Internet Withdrawal

2007-02-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

Due to a mistake by workmen from the phone company, we lost both internet and phone service at my house for the past couple of days. It was quite a shock to this girl, who does banking, shopping, communicating, reading the news, Bible study, research, and even my job all online! I tried to pretend I was on vacation, and the whole thing was probably good for me, but I think I may be proof that it's possible to be addicted to the internet. However, I'd prefer to think of it as just the way I'm used to doing things. I appreciate it more now, that's for sure!

The Results Are In!

2007-02-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

It's a little slow loading today due to high traffic volume, but check it out soon!

Heard at the Lunch Table Yesterday

2007-02-06T06:53:00.000-08:00

"Where was Frederic Chopin born?"

"Can you define the word 'a' without using the word in the definition?" (Go ahead, you try!)

"Someday I'm going to have a baby boy and name him Riboflavin!"

"I wonder who invented Vaseline?"

This is one reason why we keep the dictionary and the encyclopedia in the dining room!

Today I'm Thankful for the Sun!

2007-01-25T11:30:00.000-08:00

After a couple weeks of cold, drizzly, gray, dark, depressing, bone-chilling weather (not that I'm complaining, you see), I'm very glad to see the sun today.

BibleMap.Org

2007-01-24T09:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun website where you can look at satellite maps of different places in the Bible. Hint: the book of Acts has lots of places.

Wedding Music

2007-01-23T07:08:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to play the piano for a friend's wedding last Saturday. It went very well, and was a nice wedding. I found that there's much more to playing for a wedding than just learning the music, though. The hardest part was getting the timing right. There were different songs for different parts of the processional, so I had to figure out where to stop so that it sounded good but everybody wasn't sitting there waiting for the song to be over. I had to watch and see how fast everyone was walking in hopes of getting to a good stopping place at the right time. Whew! I guess it was okay, though, because I got postive feedback afterward. Yay!

Why Do We Do Spiritual Things?

2007-01-18T15:25:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about this today after reading the passage about fasting in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. Jesus was giving a rebuke to those who did things to their appearance to make it obvious that they were fasting. They were doing it for the praise of men instead of making it something just between them and God.

I think the spiritual things we do (praying, fasting, reading the Bible, going to church) are sometimes done for the wrong reasons. Maybe we're trying to impress other believers, make ourselves feel good, or appear righteous to the world. Honestly, when you lead a prayer in a Bible study, how similar is it to the prayers you say by yourself, in your head, with no one there but you and God? And isn't it satisfying to get the chance to tell someone how much you read the Bible every day?

These spiritual actions are supposed to be forms of worshipping God. They are important elements of our relationship with him, but must be done with the right attitude. If we start showing off, we demonstrate being wrapped up in ourselves.

The other side of this is that we should never hide our faith. It should be obvious to everyone that we are believers in Christ, but we should think of ourselves as reflections of HIM. We sin when we parade ourselves about as superior specimens of righteousness. The point is that GOD should get the glory.

Icicles

2007-01-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

We had an exciting novelty this morning: something outside actually froze! The temperature was right at freezing, and we'd had drizzly rain, so there were little tiny icicles all over the plants. You can sort of see a few in this picture taken from my bedroom window. They were very pretty and delicate-looking, not quite like the 3-foot icicles we sometimes had on our house on Wyoming. We used to break those off and use them for swords.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2007-01-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.

What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.

--Quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr, 1929 - 1968

Modesty Survey

2007-01-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

The Rebelution, a blog written by Alex and Bret Harris, just launched a "modesty survey." It features questions submitted by girls about a whole range of modesty topics. It is set up for guys to then answer those questions. It's a very interesting idea, and I look forward to seeing the results.

Serious Upstaging

2007-01-06T21:59:00.001-08:00

If this isn't proof that laughter is contagious, at least some kinds of laughter, then I don't know what is!

New Year, New Profile Photo...

2007-01-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

...and updated blog template with fun new post title layout!

Homemade Croissants

2007-01-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

I have it from a reliable source that my friend Beka wants my croissant recipe. I decided to post it here in case anyone else is having a cooking inspiration, too. There's no magical way around it, they are a lot of work! But, if you have extra time on your hands or want to impress somebody, they are fun, and SO tasty! Let me know how they turn out, if you try it, Beka. :-)

Wheat Croissants

2 T. butter, softened
¼ c. honey
3 c. lukewarm water
4 t. instant yeast
3 c. whole wheat flour
4 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 t. salt
3 sticks cold butter (1 ½ cups)

Combine the 2 T. softened butter with the honey in a large bowl. Stir in the water and yeast. The mixture doesn’t have to be evenly mixed. Add the flours and salt, and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, springy, and no longer sticky. Add additional all-purpose flour as needed. Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and leave to rise until doubled in size, about one hour.

Punch down the dough and place it on a floured surface. Roll it out to a large rectangle about a 1/2-inch thick. The rectangle should be about 12 inches wide, and however long it needs to be to achieve the right thickness. Slice the cold sticks of butter about an 1/8-inch thick. Lay the butter slices on the dough right next to each other to cover two-thirds of the dough. Fold the dough in thirds by bringing the unbuttered third over to the middle, then folding again so you have alternating layers of dough and butter. Roll the dough out again to the same sized rectangle, then fold in thirds again. Place on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for one hour.

Repeat the process of rolling, folding in thirds, and chilling three more times. After the final folding, chill the dough overnight. In the morning, cut the dough in half to make two squares. Place one square on a floured surface and roll it out into a large circle, about a 1/4-inch thick. With a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the circle into 12 wedges. Starting at the wide end of each piece, roll the dough up tightly, stretching it slightly as you go. Bend the points towards each other to form a crescent shape. Place the croissants on an un-greased cookie sheet about an inch apart. Make sure the end of the dough is facing down so the croissants don’t unroll as they rise. Repeat with the remaining square of dough. Cover the pans and let the croissants rise for about an hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes two dozen.

Happy New Year!!

2007-01-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

I rang in the new year with my folk dancing group. This picture is not a very accurate representation of the time since I actually spent almost all of the evening dancing, but it's hard to get good pictures while dancing!

Welcome to the 21st Century

2006-12-30T18:43:00.000-08:00

Just you case you ever wanted step-by-step instructions on how to photoshop a haunted house, here you go.

And if you're not sure if photoshop...and google for that matter...are really officially verbs now, look no further.

Who is That Guy With the Long White Beard and Pointy Hat?

2006-12-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hilarious things happen in homeschooling families, that's for sure.

May God Richly Bless You as You Celebrate the Birth of His Son!!

2006-12-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all...

... and to all a good night!

Red Carpet Theatre, Here We Come!

2006-12-21T12:51:00.000-08:00

Anna and I went to see The Nutcracker, performed by the Houston Ballet, and had a great time. We went with some friends, and we all enjoyed it. The sets were very impressive, and I think some of those dancers must be made of rubber! We sat near the front of the balcony, so we had a good view of the formations.

The music was great of course, and it was fun to hear it played by a live orchestra.

Half the fun of the evening was getting all dressed up and going out for a "girls' night out." We pretended we were elegant, and complimented each other on how nicely we clean up. We coined a new phrase for the evening, too: "From grunge to glamour."

Soggy Christmas

2006-12-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

Hmmm, maybe all this rain means we'll have a nice green spring.

Movie Review

2006-12-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

I went to see The Nativity Story the other day, and I thought it was excellent. There were a few things that were altered from the Biblical account, but it was still very good overall. My favorite part was the way they portrayed Joseph. They took the description of him as a righteous man, and really fleshed it out. It was very touching to see the way he cared for Mary. It was also great to see how it all happened to just ordinary, simple people.

So if you're in the mood for a good movie or need some help getting in the Christmas spirit since you live in Houston and it's 80 degrees outside, then I recommend The Nativity Story.

Office

2006-12-13T06:39:00.000-08:00

Laura made an office for herself this week. It was very creative of her, but I find it slightly disturbing that my 7-year-old sister is eating her lunch in a cubicle.

Here's to staying out of offices as much as possible.

I've Been Tagged for a Quiz!

2006-12-12T13:32:00.000-08:00

A - Available/Single? Who wants to know?
B - Best Friend? Jesus
C - Cake or Pie? Pie
D - Drink Of Choice? Iced Tea
E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? My computer
F - Favorite Color? Dark Blue
G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Worms
H - Hair Style? Long, but NOT loose
I - Indulgence? Chocolate
J - January Or February? January (my birthday!)
K - Kids & Their Names? None yet
L - Life Is Incomplete Without? God’s Word
M - Marriage Date? Sometime in the future, I hope.
N- Number Of Siblings? 5
O - Oranges Or Apples? Oranges
P - Phobias/Fears? Speaking to crowds
Q - Favorite Quote? I love lots of quotes, but this is one of my favorites: “When a train goes through a tunnel, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.” –Corrie ten Boom
R - Reason to Smile? I’m going to heaven when I die!
S - Season? Spring
T - Tag Three People? I’m going to assume that you are like me and only do the quizzes you like, whether you’ve been tagged or not.
U - Unknown Fact About Me? I have a Starbucks travel mug decorated with Lord of the Rings photos.
V - Vegetable you don't like? Broccoli
W - Worst Habit? Staying up too late at night.
X - X-rays You've Had? Do dental x-rays count?
Y - Your Favorite Food? Chocolate
Z - Zodiac Sign? Huh?

Carved Crayons

2006-12-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

I guess crayons aren't just for coloring books.

Bottled Music

2006-12-04T08:43:00.001-08:00

This is What Happens When You Combine Two Businesses

2006-12-01T06:57:00.001-08:00

I found this in Reader's Digest:

Karate classes and footwear sales: Chop Shooey
Turkey farm and auto-detailing service: Gobble Degook
Frozen treat and mascara booth: Custards Lash Stand
Optometry and psychiatry clinic: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Isn't This a Fun Watch?

2006-11-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

I wonder who I could buy it for? (if I had $150 to burn)

Dance Camp

2006-11-28T17:27:00.000-08:00

John and I spent last weekend at a fantastic folk dance camp. We went last year, and this time was even better. It was fun to see again all the people we had met last year. We had dance classes during the days, and learned Balkan dances and Vintage dancing, such as the cross-step waltz and galop quadrilles. I loved all the classes. Each evening was a dance party where we danced the night away. Each party had a theme, and here's a picture from Vintage night:

Lincoln in Pennies

2006-11-21T06:49:00.001-08:00

Holocaust Museum

2006-11-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

I went to the Houston Holocaust Museum recently, which was a very sobering experience. It's not the sort of thing you can say you enjoy, but it's interesting, and it's important to remember what happened, I think. The museum was a lot like a memorial. There weren't very many artifacts, and those that were there were the kind you'd have at a memorial. There were children's shoes found at Auschwitz, stones from a crematorium, and a boxcar outside just like the ones used to transport the Jews. The museum had a lot of signs to read that told the story, as well as lots of old photographs. There were a few videos that showed Nazi propaganda, the Warsaw ghetto, and stories of survivors.

It was all pretty overwhelming because it was so horrific. Two things really struck me. One was the amazing power of propaganda. It caused millions of people to believe it was right to systematically murder an entire innocent people group. It boggles the mind.

The other thing that struck me was how the Jews endured such terrible things when they’d done nothing wrong. It made me consider whether I’d be able to stand up for my faith in the face of torture and death if I had to. I have such an easy life, that the things I complain about are really nothing at all. The situation was different for the Jews because they were being attacked because of their very identity. There was nothing they could change or any faith they could recant to get off the hook, but it still made me consider the similarity to persecution against Christians.

Fun Shopping Trip

2006-11-17T07:48:00.000-08:00

The truth is, I like shopping...some of the time. I don't like it as a form of entertainment, but when I'm looking for something in particular and I actually find it, then it's fun. This trip was especially fun because I had a bunch of coupons and gift cards to redeem.

This "dancing tea light candle holder" was free at Bath and Body Works

when I bought a bottle of oily skin foaming facial wash. I hope it works.

Oh, and I stopped here:

for my free hot dog. (Hmmm, maybe my face wouldn't be breaking out if I didn't eat junk food. Oh, well, I don't do it very often.) Then I got Olay lotion ribbons body wash with aloe extract (???)

for $2 off at Walmart. There was a quick stop to get more cash,

and my most exciting purchase: a new optical mouse! No more old-fashioned, troublesome rollerball for me. ($10 off at OfficeMax)

I was quite pleased with this too: a lovely bread tray on sale at Macy's. Final price after using gift card: $0.81.

Yippee!!

Man Judges By the Outward Appearance

2006-11-14T19:34:00.000-08:00

John and I have had a lot of dance performances this fall, which has given me the opportunity to observe the power of a costume. I've danced in ethnic costumes quite a bit, and it's a lot of fun, but I had a costume this fall that was particularly, well, cute. I don't have a picture of it handy, but it looked almost exactly like this. I pretty much looked like a china doll in it. It's not that I'm really that cute, but it was just the outfit. Well, it was amazing to me to see how differently people treated me when I had that costume on. It was like I became a different person when I stepped out of the dressing room. Complete strangers would come up to me all the time and give me a hug or ask to take my picture, even before the dance show. I'm really not very outgoing and I'm easy to overlook in a crowd, but not with that conspicuous outfit on! I met so many people just because of my clothes. The incident that topped it all was when a woman came up to me with a camera and a little girl of about three. She said to me, "Would you mind if I took a picture of you with my daughter? She thinks you're a princess!"

And the moral is: Your clothes say a LOT, so dress wisely.

Isn't This How YOU Fix Ramen?

2006-11-13T06:24:00.001-08:00

Texas Day

2006-11-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

My family has the tradition of "visiting" another country for a day by decorating, wearing costumes, having food from that place, and studying it beforehand. This year, we didn't really "go" anywhere because we did historic Texas. It was a lot of fun. Here's our table, with the children's posters and the life-size longhorns behind it.

Laura decided she was going to be a cowboy, so that gave us four "couples." The cowboy boots even made her taller than Becca!

EVERYBODY GO VOTE!!!

2006-11-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

Starstruck

2006-11-05T19:20:00.000-08:00

I went to a Brad Paisley concert last night, and it was a time of great music, and also great people-watching. I enjoy concerts, but I'm certainly not the type that jumps around and screams. I usually try to ignore the people who are jumping around and screaming, but I observed something at this particular concert that I couldn't ignore. In fact, it has given me great cause for consideration.

It was during the song, "When I Get Where I'm Going." If you haven't heard it, it's a beautiful song about the joys of going to heaven. Anyway, lots of people started raising their hands and swaying to the music...exactly like the people at some church services. Even though the song was about heaven, I'm extremely doubtful that those people were praising God. They were the same people who were drinking beer and screaming their lungs out when Brad Paisley appeared on stage.

That led me to ponder several questions. Was I observing idol worship when the people raised their hands in an attitude of praise? Or, was it merely an emotional response to the touching nature of the song and the excitement of the moment? If the latter, then what is the case in so many church services? Are the people worshipping God, or is it just an emotional response to the music and the excitement of the moment?

I don't think I can answer these questions, but it's something each person should consider in their worship of God...and in their conduct at concerts.

The Classification of Squash

2006-10-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

Some people must get confused about which pumpkins are for pie and which are for jack-0-lanterns. I saw a bin of pumpkins at the grocery store that had this sign:

Face Pumpkins

Ok, you got it.

New Project

2006-10-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

Well, my businesses really aren't going very well, and while I like my new job, I'm being seriously under-utilized so far. The result of all this is that I am...well...uh...bored. It's just a temporary time of limbo, but I can only hang around the house catching up on reading for a short time before I go stir-crazy. So, my new project is remodeling one of our bathrooms. The only catch is that I don't know how to remodel a bathroom! However, I'm willing and cheap labor, and I learn quickly. John's job for today conveniently got postponed, so he was able to help me get started on it. Here's what we have so far:

Have faith!

Amazing, Huh?

2006-10-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

I think a "self-esteem fund" sounds fishy, but this is still a very interesting video.

And the Rains Came Down

2006-10-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

We didn't have any bad flooding in our neighborhood, thankfully, but our prayers are with those who were not so fortunate.

Hmmmm

2006-10-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

Well, it didn't rain, and it was a pleasant day for sitting outside and reading, but it was still a long, BORING day today. I hate to say it, but the truth is, I didn't sell a single thing. It was frustrating, but I'm okay with it. The day wasn't wasted because I did get to give away a lot of tracts. I had them in a basket on my table, with a sign that said, "please take one." The million-dollar-bill tracts were by far the hottest item I had! They were so popular I probably could have sold them.

Fall is Finally in the Air

2006-10-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

It's been hot here, with only an occasional and brief tease of cool weather, until this week. A front came through that brought some very impressive storms and wonderful cool weather. We actually got down to the low 60s! Yes, that's good for Houston in October. We opened the windows this morning, and my father decided he'd better wear a coat to work. Ahhhh, I love fall!

I am hoping it doesn't rain tomorrow, though. I rented a space at a flea market, and I'm going to try to sell gift baskets and some hand-cut silhouettes I made.

Pizza Crust Acrobats

2006-10-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

Who had any idea making pizza could be this fun?

Useful Live Cam

2006-10-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the theme of live cams, here's one that's actually useful. It shows up-to-the-minute live-action shots of...are you ready?...

...Houston traffic.

Victory at Last!

2006-10-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I gave up on my cheap, off-brand router, went down to Best Buy, and bought a Linksys router which was conveniently on sale.

I plugged it in, got it configured, and had everything up and running, including hotmail, in about half an hour. That's opposed to hours of troubleshooting and endless grief with the other router. Take it from me: don't buy cheap, off-brand computer equipment. I got very suspicious with the old router when I talked to their tech support and after several failed attempts at solving my problem, the technician said the router was not compatible with my modem, and I should go buy someone else's router! You know it's bad when the tech support sends you to the competition to buy their products instead!

So now I can watch the Africa cam all day long, and immediately see the emails that people send me about it! Just kidding...sort of. The Africa cam does seem to be causing a rather peculiar contagious addiction to go around among my family, friends, distant acquaintances, and even total strangers and their friends, family, and distant acquaintances. Oh dear.

Oh, look! A herd of water buffalo is there now!

Uh-Oh

2006-10-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

I may have created a monster. Now my whole family is popping up every few minutes to look at the computer and check on the African watering hole. Now only that, but my father called from work to say, "There's a deer at the watering hole! Go look!" Hmmm, maybe he's having a slow day.

And in other news, I finally got my wireless internet network to work! I was so excited, but then I went back to the depths of despair when I found that I can't access any MSN sites. It makes no sense to me, but MSN seems to have an issue with my router. What good is this wireless internet when I can't check my hotmail account? I don't want to have to change email addresses. That would be a huge pain, and I just got business cards printed!

I guess I'm going to have to call tech support.

If you don't have anything to do today...

2006-10-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

...check out this live webcam of a water hole in Africa. If you watch long enough, you'll probably see an exotic animal come for a drink!

My Hotel Room

2006-10-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures I took of my hotel room in Fort Worth. It was the only thing I could photograph without being conspicuous, so you'll just have to imagine the two-story fountain in the lobby.

I felt very small in this room. The ceiling was about ten feet high, and the curtains went floor-to-ceiling, as you can see. Plus, there was a giant entertainment center and a king-size bed. I liked this office spot, with the phone, the high-speed internet plug, and a fresh rose!
Does one person really need seven feather pillows?
I definitely like the digital thermostat. It was so much better than a big, loud, moldy window unit.
I think I could get used to this!

But don't worry, I still like camping.

The Whirlwind Trip

2006-09-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm back! It was a fast, short, full, and exhausting trip that I haven't had a chance to recover from, but I'm very glad I got to go. I was able to not only observe and learn how things are done, but also jump in and help. I spent most of my time working at the registration desk, and I did a lot of different things. The attendees were mostly hospital CFOs and vendors who were trying to sell stuff to the CFOs. Most of them were nice, but there were a few strange people like the lawyer who was walking around with a piece of junk mail he'd received that had the words, "I JUST WANT TO BE CREMATED." I guess he thought it was a good conversation starter. Oh, and then there was the, uh, person who'd had a sex change. Yikes.

The conference was held at a nice hotel in Fort Worth. Our conference was in the Grand Ballroom. I felt a little like a country girl who'd gone to a palace, but I tried not to look like someone who'd never stayed in such a nice hotel before. I did take pictures of my room, though! Maybe I'll post some tonight. Or maybe I'll just go to bed as soon as I get home since I've been experiencing fuzzy thinking due to my sleep-deprived brain.

I've decided I need two things if I'm going to continue in this business: a sharp-looking but very warm jacket for the frigid meeting rooms, and a laptop case with WHEELS. Maybe I'll go shopping for one next week when I'm finished with my current job (my last is Friday!) and I've had a chance to sleep for a day or two.

Business Trip

2006-09-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

I'm off on my first ever business trip this weekend, which should be an interesting adventure. It'll be a flight, a taxi ride, a two-night stay in a three-star hotel, the whole nine yards. It's for a new job I'm starting working for an administrative services firm. Part of what they do is organize conferences and be on site to handle registration and make sure everything runs smoothly. I'm going in order to tag along and learn the ropes. I'll let you know how it turns out, and if they put a chocolate on my pillow, I'll be sure to take a picture of it.

My Evil Side Comes Out

2006-09-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

I was looking through a catalog last night, and it became entertaining when I found this doormat:
Someday, I'm going to have a charming house with a big, inviting wooden porch, a bay window, a porch swing, and this doormat....

...or maybe not. We'll see.

????????

Divided House

2006-09-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

I saw a car on my way to work this morning with two bumper stickers. One said:

Texas Aggie Grandmother

and the other said:

I'm a Longhorn Grandma

I wonder if she's pleasing everybody or nobody.

Wireless Networking Blues

2006-09-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've decided to set up a wireless network at my house, and so far, the score is Computer: 1, Katie: 0. The supposedly simple network that I'm trying to set up is made more complex by the fact that our main desktop is old and doesn't have a wireless card or an ethernet connection. So, I pretty much ignored the router setup instructions and used my laptop to configure the router. Then, I unhooked my laptop and tried to access the wireless connection, which did not work (of course). Oh, the wireless network is floating around out there, just like all the others in the neighborhood, but it won't let me in.

I'm sure all you network experts out there are laughing your heads off, but go ahead. I'll figure this out if it kills me! I will not be undone by a computer! I'll have to make a trip to the computer store and get some parts, then maybe I'll be able to follow the instructions on the second round.

One thing's for sure: I know I worked on the problem too long before calling it a night because I had a dream about internet connection properties windows. Yikes; I don't even usually remember my dreams.

Focusing on the Lord in the Dizziness of Life

2006-09-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

I read an article yesterday that included this paragraph:

"Seeking approval from everyone in our orbit is akin to the nauseating dizziness a dancer experiences when she does not keep her eyes on one object as she twirls. Just as dancers are taught to spot, Christians are also taught by God's Word to spot. The Bible tells us that we are to keep our eyes on the Lord and seek His approval only."

Being a dancer, I know exactly what this author was talking about. The world can be whirling around you, but if you focus on a steady spot, you won't lose balance or feel sick. This analogy was a good reminder for me, because I tend to fear the people around me and lose my focus of living only for the Lord. I need to stop concentrating on myself and on the crazy world spinning around me, and trust that the Lord will guide me safely if I keep my focus fixed on him.

The Best T-shirt Ever!!

2006-09-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

I spotted someone at the pizza shop yesterday who was wearing a shirt with these words:

Who are you, and why are you reading my shirt?

Flying

2006-09-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

We've been learning a fun new dance for a performance later this month. It's so much fun because I get to fly! Here's a picture of some other people doing it:

It's really not as hard as it looks. In fact, when the guys start running, it's easier to fly than to not fly. I will admit though, I got the timing wrong the first time, didn't lift my feet soon enough, and started screaming! Since I wasn't hurt, (just scared), everybody was laughing. Yeah, I really am the comic relief everywhere I go!

Time to Go Shopping!

2006-09-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

My new Pampered Chef website is up. Yay!

Remembering

2006-09-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

Success!!

2006-09-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

I had my first Pampered Chef party yesterday, and it went very well in spite of the fact that my director couldn't come and I forgot a bunch of stuff that I was supposed to say! My guests seemed to enjoy it though, I had fun, and there were no catastrophes. There were only minor mistakes and mishaps that just made it all light-hearted and fun. I was laughing along with everybody when I did stuff like shred the cheese onto the floor! It started turning into a comedy act and I was thinking, "This really wasn't supposed to be this funny!" Oh well, I had fun anyway, and sold a bunch of stuff, so I suppose it was a success. Whew!!