No, contrary to popular belief, we are NOT dead!

Alex on vacation in Arizona

Kristen on vacation in Arizona

Some pretty scenery in Arizona

In mid May we went to Arizona for a work conference of mine (Kristen). Alex decided to come too and we made a little mini vacation of it. So, other than that and living pathetically busy lives, we have just been enjoying the blessings that God is giving us!

Today in my Garden

Today I finished getting my above ground garden bed prepared and the planting will begin.

You may remember last year's gardening experience where I tried to enhance our existing soil and how it did not end up in the anticipated bumper crop. After nearly a year of research and anticipation I picked up a great book called "Cinder Block Gardens" and built my own above ground bed.

I planted garlic earlier this morning in the holes of my cinder blocks on one end of the garden. Many of my crops this year will be basically me experimenting with how to make them thrive. After this vegetable garden is established I plan on putting a smaller bed on the other side of the garden in the shade for a lettuce garden, perhaps some spinach too.

Later this afternoon I will be planting tomato plants, green pepper plants and carrot seeds. I have one spot left in my garden bed and I am contemplating what crop to plant in it.

With all of the hopes I have for our back yard it will probably turn into a little farm before next growing season, but hey, it is a bit of investment, but will provide great nearly free returns for orgainic produce.

Don't Buy the Hype

The world is abuzz...."Did they really find the body of Jesus and his wife and child?" some are asking. It seems like every few years someone new comes out and claims to have definitive proof that Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead. And every time the claim and "rock solid" evidence is debunked, systematically.

Don't buy the hype guys....there will always be people desperate to disprove the resurrection....Remember Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, 18 "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith...If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."

What better way to justify their modern, "progressive" lifestyle than to try to debunk Christianity? After all, if there is nothing beyond this life, no higher accountability, then they can feel free to do as they please with no long term repercussions. How convenient. And you wonder why they try so hard?

Here are a few well documented and reasoned articles explaining why this is all one big publicity stunt:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3369346,00.html

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/02/26/D8NHI2MO2.html

And what is more, don't let the claims of "DNA" evidence con you into feeling this is any more legitimate than a Lost Vegas wedding...the only thing that they can prove with their DNA evidence is that the remains in the box labeled "Jesus, son of Joseph" come from a person who was not related to the remains of the person in the box labeled "Mary." How is that for stretching the facts?

Take heart my friends for the Word says that:

2 Timothy 4:3 (New International Version)

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."

Our trip to the Medieval Faire

Here we are at the Medieval Faire. We went with Kristen's parents and had an awesome time.

See Alex modeling the latest in war craft? The guy who made it is peeking over my shoulder.








Here we are posing together as lord and lady. Hopefully we will get some better costumes before next year. Kristen is planning on making some better ones.

Held Hostage in our own home!!!

Did the headline catch your attention??? LOL, good. Tonight my parents held me and Alex hostage in our own home.

Here is the story. Mom and Dad called us right before they were about to go into a movie and said that they would like to drop over after they got out of the movie, that they had something for us. Well, after their movie got out my mom called and said to unlock our front door and go into our bedroom and wait until they got there....That was sortof weird, I thought but we complied and waited until they told us we could come out.

Finally they told us to come out and here is the result:


While they were out the spotted an Orlando Bloom standup cut out and decided to buy it. So while we were held hostage in the bedroom, my dad was actually setting up the cutout :-) Isn't it funny.

We decided that instead of people saying that Alex looks like Orlando that we should try to prove that ACTUALLY Orlando looks like ALEX. Photographic proof below:

Some pictures from this weekend!

My brother came down for the weekend, here are some family shots!

With the parental units.

Us....being weirdos!

Us, being normal!

The book EVERY WIFE should read!

I don't post nearly often enough, but I wanted to make a brief blog about one of the most wonderful books I have ever read. It has actually impacted me so much that I make it a habit to recommend it to any of my girl friends who are married. What is the name of this book, and what makes it so special?

The book is "Created to Be His Helpmeet" by Debi Pearl. It is available at www.nogreaterjoy.org. It is a book about how to be the best wife to your husband, in good times and bad. It is the most practical and helpful book I have ever read, and it is SO right on the money. Want to know more, I will be happy to answer any questions. Otherwise, PLEASE get a copy of the book and read, your marriage will thank you (EVEN if it is really good, believe it or not, it CAN get even better!) :-)