Ten on Tuesday

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Ain't she beautiful?

Can't wait to show you where this fabric is going!

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A glimpse into one of our parenting challenges:

{To clarify: No, our kiddo cannot write full sentences yet. His daycare teacher(s) prepared the words and had him trace over them. Although I'm not even sure he did all the tracing by himself. I have tried to encourage his coloring/drawing countless times; ten seconds later he is off to another activity. The kiddo has the attention span of a gnat.}

This week Kendry came home with a bruise above his eye; one of his friends finally decided to hit back. 

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Can you say sinkhole?

This little monstrosity occurred a few weeks ago.

It is such a strange phenomenon I can't help but chuckle.

Its like our yard has a dimple!

Justin is not amused.

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A future Michael Phelps.

{5}

Finding Nemo in 3D?

Yes, please!

The hubs and I saw that movie on our 2nd date.

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I am probably the very last wife/mama to discover Oxiclean but oh. my. gosh.

That stuff works miracles!

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The proofs are in from our family photo shoot!

LOVE   LOVE   LOVE

Vintage Buttercup Photography

Thank you, Amber!

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I had fun finishing off this bench for the back porch this weekend.

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I really do have a patio update coming.

Honest.

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This Week's Blessing:
Family night at the Aquatic Center hosted by our church.
Its always fun catching up with members of our church body, and Kendry had a great time in the water.

Book Review: Mark of the Lion Trilogy (Books I and II)

After taking several weeks off I am linking up again with my girl Stephanie over at How Sweet This Is for a book review.

Mark of the Lion Trilogy

by Francine Rivers

Description from Francine Rivers' website:

A Voice in the Wind transports readers back to Jerusalem during the first Jewish-Roman War, some seventy years after the death of Christ. Following the prides and passions of a group of Jews, Romans and Barbarians living at the time of the siege, the narrative is centered on an ill-fated romance between a steadfast slave girl, Hadassah, and Marcus, the brother of her owner and a handsome aristocrat. After surviving the massacre of her family and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, Hadassah is captured and sold to a well-to-do merchant’s family. Brought to Rome, she is pressed into service as a personal slave to hedonistic Julia Valerian.  Hadassah struggles to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and to treat her masters in a manner in keeping with His teachings, but she is forced to keep her religious identity a secret in order to survive.  Confused and alone, she has only her faith to cling to as she tries to subtly bring God into the lives of her captors.  Reckless, impulsive, and villainous, Julia tries to undermine Hadassah at every turn.  But Julia’s brother, Marcus, is a different sort altogether.  Is it possible for a love between Hadassah and Marcus to flourish considering not only their differing stations in life, but also the gap between Hadassah’s unrelenting faith and Marcus’ lack of belief in anything?  Simultaneously, Atretes, a captured soldier from Germania, is forced to become a gladiator. This is the time of Rome's decline and the decadence of a civilization on the verge of self-destruction serves as a powerful backdrop to the Barbarian’s struggle for survival in the arena.

My Review:

I cannot say enough about this trilogy! I first read through the series about five years ago and was immediately impressed with author Francine Rivers - enough that I have now read all but three or four of her novels. I have wanted to read this series again for some time and am so glad I did. The ladies in my book club are reading it with me (for their first time) and are thoroughly enjoying it as well.

Francine Rivers' impeccable descriptions of Jerusalem, Rome and Ephesus will have you wanting to visit these destinations in person - regardless of the fact that the Roman Empire is long gone. As she paints the portrait of Roman culture you will find yourself comparing many of Rome's immoral compromises to our own faltering value system of today. (If that doesn't trigger an in-depth conversation at your book club, I don't know what will.)

Rivers has amazing character development, not just in this series but in her other novels as well. The character of Hadassah will challenge any reader to take a closer look at their heart and their faith. Do I have the heart of a servant? Is my faith strong enough to uphold me when I'm surrounded by temptation?

Regardless of whether you're a believer or not, this series will leave an impression on you.

My only complaint: they haven't made a movie of this yet!  This story has it all - love, faith, gladiators, history, betrayal, politics and adventure.

Note: Although there are three books in this series and the individual stories are connected throughout, Books 1 and 2 center around Hadassah and the Valerian family, while Book 3 is about Atretes the gladiator.



Have you read anything good lately?
If so, please share!
I am always looking for books to add to my reading list.



Linking up here:

Ten on Tuesday

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Boy have I missed my Ten on Tuesday entries!

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For those of you in Eastern Washington and Nothern Idaho, the Christmas in July Food Drive is taking place tomorrow. Find your nearest drop site by clicking HERE, and then tune in to Positive Life Radio in the afternoon if you have a hankering for some Christmas music.

You know I'll be listening.



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2012 Status Check

Books read: 15 of 30

Miles run: 129


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I can't decide which events I am most excited to watch in the Olympics - the sprints, gymnastics or swimming. I know Kendry is going to love watching as well.

Which event is your favorite?

{5}

Kendry has started a two week swim lesson course.

We are blessed to have friends who have opened up their swimming pool to us this summer; not to mention that my girlfriend found a swim teacher who does at-home swim lessons. Score!

Kendry's confidence in the water has really taken off these last few weeks, so I am eager for him to learn even more from a swim instructor.

{6}

After Kendry's first swim lesson last night I got in the pool with him to play. I asked him to show me his 'underwater arms', as the swim instructor calls them.

KENDRY: "I can't. I've got a bad fin."

Seriously?!

You know your child has watched Finding Nemo too many times when...







{7}
Happy Birthday to Me!!




I feel so fancy adding the term "K-cups" to my regular vocabulary.

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Silly old me (32 isn't old!) forgot to purchase some new running shoes before doing the Warrior Dash last weekend. Who wants to run in shoes after they have looked like this?



Or maybe I'm just looking for an excuse not to exercise this week...

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Ichiro to the Yankees?!

What were you thinking, Mariners?!

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This Week's Blessing:

Turning 32 years wise while on a fun weekend trip with my two favorite boys.

Another year to be thankful for all God has given.

The Couple That Warrior Dash Together, Stay Together

Let’s just say that our date night for July was incredibly messy.

Oh, and it included us clocking 700 miles on our car in 48 hours time.

It was totally worth it.

On Saturday, Justin and I tackled the Warrior Dash together in North Bend, Washington. You may recall that Justin did this race by himself last year, and don’t you know that it killed me to sit by the sidelines instead of competing?  By mid-fall of 2011 we were both registered to compete in the race…in the same heat.

Justin wasn’t a fan of my idea to dress in costumes. Its probably just as well because I’m not sure we could have beat this one:

This 3.5 mile race is not just muddy but has several obstacles as well.

It. was. awesome!

Here is the last stretch which includes a cargo net, two lines of fire and a serious mud pit lined with barb wire.

While we don’t have our official times yet, we crossed the finish line together.

Justin would like it noted that he had a good lead on me in the beginning, until he ran through a mud pit and lost his shoe.

And speaking of his shoe, can you see what is laced on his shoelace here?

Yep. That’s his wedding ring.

Let's just say he is very lucky that shoe wasn't permanently lost in the mud.

Grown-ups don’t get to play in the mud very often, so we enjoyed it while we could. Justin smashed my face with his muddy hand.

And I left my mark on his shirt:

He got away before I could write “Jody was here.”

Mud, mud, mud.

After the race we enjoyed some food, drink and music.

Direct quote from Justin as he watched the band:

“How cool would it be to be in a cover band when you're older?  I mean, what an awesome way to retire! We should buy a guitar now and start learning to play.”

Forget about RVing and golfing when we’re old and gray.

Nope, we’re gonna look like this in 30 years.

The couple that rocks together, stays together.

Maybe that will be the name of our band.

To Germany With Love

 

On Saturday, July 7th, we said goodbye to Justin's Nana.

 

Nana was born in Germany in 1935 and later married Justin's Grandpa Rodger in 1959, while he was stationed in Germany. They moved to the United States in 1960. Nana taught herself to speak, read and write English by watching television and reading magazines; yet she always kept a hint of her beautiful German accent.

Words cannot describe Nana. She adored her grandkids and her great-grandkids, and we adored her. I loved listening to her stories of Germany and hearing her sing songs to Kendry in her native tongue.

It breaks my heart that Nana will miss Kendry growing up, but at the same time we are rejoicing that she is now healed and has gone home to our Heavenly Father.

We miss you, Nana.

God Bless America!

"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

~John 8:36~

Its been a little while since my last handprint craft with Kendry, but we regrouped just in time to do this one for July:

Thank you, Lord, for the freedom you give through Your salvation.

Thank you for the freedoms we have in America.

Thank you for those who have fought to protect our freedom.

Please guide and give wisdom to our country's leaders.

Amen.

Happy Independence Day from the Gimlin Family!

Ten on Tuesday

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Have a fun and safe 4th of July!

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We were busy mixing up some concrete this week:

I will have a patio update for you soon.

The progress is coming along nicely.

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As evidenced by the photo above, Kendry needs a new wading pool.

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Disclaimer: We really do bathe our kiddo regularly.

Honestly.

But there is only so much you can do when he insists on attaching giant stickers to his shins.

Thankfully this mishap took place after our family photo shoot on Saturday, otherwise Kendry would have had an up close and personal experience with Goo Gone.

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How much leg hair can a kid have at a mere three years of age?!

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We've enjoyed watching the Olympic swimming trials this past week.

After finding out that Michael Phelps is 6'4" Justin and I have concluded that swimming might not be such a bad sport for Kendry to pursue, if the basketball and baseball options don't pan out.

Except that swimming would require regular shaving of all that crazy leg hair.

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This week's Kendry-ism:
"We don't say 'butt' or 'stupid' or 'God'."

He repeats this reminder about five times a day so, in essence, he is getting to say the very words we've told him not to.

Funny how that works.

Oh, and I'm open to suggestions on how to emphasize to a three year old the difference between talking about God and taking His name in vain.

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We're giving quinoa another try in our menu this week.

Thai Fried Quinoa

Our last attempt was a bland disaster.

{9}

I let Kendry watch his first Yo Gabba Gabba episode this week.

Never again.

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This Week's Blessing:

My first weekend at home in a month.

Naturally, the kiddo got sick.

Stupid Murphy's Law!

"We don't say stupid, Mom..."

Howdy, Texas!

Even though our June calendar was already pretty full, when the opportunity presented itself for me to attend my brother's Air Force retirement ceremony in Texas, I took it.

First, a little about my big brother John. He is twelve years older than me, which means that I was only six years old when John graduated high school and headed off to the Air Force Academy in Colorado. Fortunately, when I headed off to college myself I was able to live near and/or visit John and his family once in awhile. I love that John and I are still close despite our age difference.

(Pardon my seriously windblown look.)

I flew out to Texas early Saturday morning and met up with these beauties in Houston, before we caught the short hop to Del Rio.

My grandmother (aka GG), my mother (aka Momma B) and me.

We spent time with my nephews and niece, the oldest of which (barely 14) already towers over me.

I caught up with my sis-in-law.



We attended the formal change of command Monday morning,

followed by John's retirement ceremony in the afternoon.



Up next for my brother and his family?

They have returned to good old Alaska to start their next chapter.

Yep, I'm a little jealous.

It was such a fun weekend!

I was, however, more than ready to return to my boys.

My future pilot:

(t-shirt courtesy of GG)

Congratulations, John! I love you and am so proud of you!