I just created a second blog: picturesbyruth.blogspot.com.

Like most women, I like to go shopping. It's fun to get out of the house and look around at things I might be able to purchase someday. And I enjoy the everyday shopping for groceries, etc. I think I just like to spend money! When I have it, of course. :) Hey, this deserves a post of its own, but you all should check out daveramsey.com and listen to his radio show on how to have your money work for you and get out of debt--if you need to get out of debt. But I'll talk more about that later.

BACK TO SHOPPING: Shopping is even more fun when I find great deals! Since my sisters live far away from me, I can't show them what cute things I bought for the girls or that $11 dress that was originally $100.

The next best thing is to email pictures! I thought I might as well make a blog for the pictures, because I do blogging so much anyway. And I thought I would be nice and not bore all of you with pictures of my latest bargains. But if you're interested in what pictures I send to my sisters take a peek! (Well, take a peek on maybe, Wednesday. The earliest I'll get anything up is Monday, late afternoon. (I'll have the link on my sidebar.))

Pictures By Ruth

Year In Review

Check out photo highlights from 2007 on our sidebar!

Money Doesn't Grow on Trees

This morning Clark was talking to me about getting more toys. I think he's figuring out that he doesn't have very many toys, and his friends have a lot more than he does. He asked me if he could get more toys from the store and I said no. One reason I gave him was that we are poor and don't have a lot of money.

Lately if we run out of something like cereal, Clark will say: "Oh, we have to go to the store and buy more?" And I tell him yes.

Since he realized we don't have the money to buy extra toys, his solution to his toy dilema, was: "We have to buy a money store?"

If it were only that easy Clark!

Some cute pictures of the kids the past week...

Shanna Jan 24


Shanna & Haley Jan 24


Shanna & Haley again


Shanna


Shanna & Haley


Shanna, Haley & Clark for FHE Jan 21


Cal Jan 21


Cal, Shanna & Haley




Haley again Jan 24


Haley once more--she loves smiling for mommy


Shanna playing around Jan 24


Cal & Clark Jan 21


Cal, Ruth, Clark, Shanna Jan 21


Haley got caught! Jan 21

Haley, Clark, Cal Jan 21

Two weeks down, many to go.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!! At SCO we celebrate this day by serving our patient population; at the VA hospital we celebrate by TAKING THE DAY OFF!!!! Beautiful isn’t it?

It has gotten really cold here over the last couple of days. They say it’s supposed to be close to zero tonight. We’ll see. Pretty crazy that our first week here it was in the 60’s and the kids were playing outside.

Ok, I started with a somewhat comical intro followed by a comment on the weather. I guess I should now talk about our family and what we’ve been up to. Ruth covered much of it with the last pictures she just posted.

We have been enjoying our first washer and dryer! We’ll see how much of that enjoyment wears off as we do more and more laundry and get some utility bills. Can’t complain though as we hardly paid anything for them. The only complaint so far is that our first few loads of laundry have smelled like somebody else’s clothes (not a bad smell, just not ours).

Yesterday we went to the library and watched an interesting production of Little Red Riding Hood. It was put on by 5 college-age actors and 1 sound person. It was impressively choreographed to entertain both the kids and the “theater junky”.

After the play Ruth went on the computers there at the library and uploaded the latest pictures onto the blog. I watched the boys while they played with the trains and Legos, and looked at books.

Last night we played a new game I got Ruth for her birthday – That’s Life. It’s a short, fun little game. I won so I really like it. Ruth tends to beat me at any other game we play. After that we watched a couple of episodes from the old Twilight Zone that we checked out from the library. They’re not as weird as we would have thought; they’re about the same as most of the Alfred Hitchcock weekly shows we’ve seen. About the time we went to bed Cal just started coughing and spitting up mucus. Then he started to cry and cough more. I don’t know what that was all about, but we were worried and grateful when he finally stopped and went back to sleep.

To be on the safe side we didn’t have Cal go to nursery today at church. He has coughed a few times today, but not like last night. We’ll see how he goes to bed tonight. Ruth made some really yummy Tuna Pinwheels for dinner tonight and I’m stuffed! Cal really liked them, but Clark wasn’t too keen on the idea of eating fish-stuffed pinwheels.

We’re not exactly sure what we’re going to do tomorrow for my day off. It’ll probably be too cold to do anything outside. There is a really good “Hands On” museum here, but we don’t know how much it costs. If it’s reasonable (like 50 cents or less) and they’re open, we’ll go. If not we’ll either have a Barney movie fest or a brownie eating contest – I’m not talking quantity of brownies, but quantity of boxes…

…we’ll put up some photos of whatever we do.

Oh, and Clark told Ruth tonight: “Don’t sleep too much.”

The Picture Palace!

After a long boring two weeks for all of you--I don't know how you survived without pictures of our cute family!--here is a major treat. Sorry, Mom R--somehow our camera settings got changed to the lowest quality, so many of the pictures are quite pixelly. (sp?)

Clark and Cal, first snow fall of the season, Jan 17


Cal having fun for a little while in the snow


Clark Jan 17, he was really excited to make snowballs


Haley & Shanna the morning of the 17th


An attempt to catch a cute picture with the boys holding the girls and dad in the middle. But the camera was in the bedroom and I wasn't quick enough! Jan 17


Shanna & Haley last Sunday, Jan 13


Shanna and Haley again Jan 13


We can't get enough of them!!!


Okay, just one more


The handsome big brother with his beautiful sisters Haley & Shanna


Here they are again on Sunday the 13th


We need another one of Haley--all things must be equal, right?!


Cal's favorite place, Daddy's lap


The cutie girls again on that Sunday--we sure took a lot of pictures that day, didn't we?


Haley & Shanna on the 13th


Haley & Shanna on the 13th


Haley, Clark and Shanna


Haley, Shanna, Clark & Cal


Haley & Cal, Clark & Shanna


Haley on the 12th


Shanna on the 12th


Some train fun before bedtime, Cal, Clark, Lee Jan 13


Cal not wanting to take part of the picture fest Jan 13


Clark happy to pose after we offered the bribe of treats; Cal wouldn't think of being conned by a bribe! (You can tell because he isn't in the picture!)

Here is our famous van!

Aren't they beautiful?! (The washer and dryer.)