LNFMWPS

Late-night-fashion-model-wannabe-photo-shoots.

I love these for multiple reasons.

The first being: you get to put together an outfit that you have no idea where (or if) you would ever wear it.

The second being: you are able to act like certifiable crazies (you must realize that I have not posted ALL of the pictures we took .... :P)  

And the third reason being:  I get to laugh and have fun with my little sister :)

 This picture resulted from me saying,  "Make a silly face!"



We are completely sane, not a silly bone in our bodies, no-nonsense individuals.

(psh XP)



And the cute one of the family :)

~RM





....I Really Don't Know What to Title This....

Ah, the joys of walking through a big city pedestrian zone. 

What I want to know is:  How did this guy figure out he could do this? 

~RM

Dear Followers

Time for some interaction!!

I have been thinking about doing some new things on my blog and I would like your input on whether you would enjoy them or not.  So, that means that you're gonna have to comment and tell me what you think.
Some of my blogger friends have recently begun doing contests and give-aways and such.  I have been inspired.  Now, I don't know what I would give away or what kind of contests I would host, but I am sure the creative juices will start flowing soon and an idea will pop into my head :)
I am also working on a series for my blog....more on that later....(can't you just feel the suspense?!).
Short stories.  I LOVE to write short stories, sketches, and even poems.  I would have posted some before now but I have been a little nervous about the response they would receive.
And then there are of course the recipes, crafts, books, and movies that I would love to share and discuss with you all!
This is where you come in.  Comment and let me know what you think about these ideas and if you would enjoy seeing them in the future!

~RM

Hello, I am from Spare Oom.

In front of our hotel there is a large wood. 

With a path running right through it.

Being the adventurous children that we are, my siblings and I decided to bundle up and see just where the path led.

I found a lamp-post in the wood.  And then I thought I saw Mr. Tumnus.  But it turned out to be just my brother in a scarf with an umbrella.

~RM

A List

Of things that are different here than in America.

• A rather large difference being the whole language issue. 
• There being two buttons to press while flushing a toilet. The 'On' button and the 'Off' button.
• Almost all the cars are five passenger.
• The fire trucks are teeny.
• All the menus in the restaurants are unreadable.  For us un-German speaking Americans anyway.
• Everyone has an accent here ...... Except for us Americans.  Pooh.
• One of the differences that I have a big problem with is: the soda here is messed up.  And I'm not exaggerating when I say that it tastes like medicine.  I would be the one standing at a soda machine filling my cup, tasting it, deciding it didn't taste right, dumping it out, and then walking over to the other soda machine to try again.  I do this almost every time we go out to eat.  I've gotten lots of knowing nods from other Americans who are suffering through the same tribulation.
• Carbonated water.  Another thing I have a problem with.  Our first experience with carbonated water was at the airport.  We bought three big bottles of what we thought was water to quench our thirst and then almost choked after tasting the awful stuff that was plain carbonation.  Harsh wake-up call.
• No ice.  Restaurants do not put ice in your drink.  So picture that lovely medicine-tasting Coke at room temperature.  You have now pictured my detestable torture.
• No closets.  Except the water closet which is what the Europeans call the bathroom.  So instead we have wardrobes.  And trust me, the minute we get ours in our new house there is going to be much opening and closing of doors until we find Narnia.
• Streets that almost taper off entirely.
• 110 and 220 electricity.
• Walking into a small, privately owned furniture store and having the German owner exclaim in his lovely accent, "Oooh!  Beeg a family, yah? Hahahaha."
• Walking through a store, having your way blocked by two women speaking in German, saying "Excusez-moi" and getting a reply in English.  Then you wonder..."Do I really look that American?"

That's all for now, but I'm sure I will be posting a sequel to this list sooner than later.

~RM

Germany: check. Jet-lag: check. Snow: check. Frostbite: double-check.

After a full twenty-four hours of traveling, we have arrived in Hohenfels and are settled into the 'Sunrise Inn'. 

 Germany is amazingly beautiful.  Covered in snow and experiencing it's harshest. winter. yet.  Problem?  To say the least.  Snow is piled high on roofs, icicles hang from balconies and every one of our noses turn red after being outside for 5 minutes.  But the snow does make for a stunning photograph ...

Now I am off to make myself some hot cocoa.  Auf Wiedersehen for now.

~RM

Getting Through Security May be a Bit of a Problem....

Is it legal to pack your friends?

~RM

How to Fit 11 Persons into a One-Horse-Open-Carriage 101

This weekend was family-get-together weekend.  Which means:

Early Christmas.

Photo shoots.

Carriage rides.

Plaza lights.

And general craziness fun. 

~RM

Merry Christmas!!

~RM

November

"November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.


With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.


The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring."


- Elizabeth Coatsworth

~RM

~RM

Bendy Straw vs. Spoon...Life is SO Complicated...

Case for Bendy Straw --

Pros: They are awesome and they bend

Cons:  They require very strong jaw muscles in order to end up with any shake in your mouth...

Case for Spoon --

Pros:  Holds a whole mouthful of shake and is easy to use

Cons:  Cool factor of about -2 and does not bend...

-- Before and after pictures of our Skyscraper at Winsteads.

~RM

Excerpt of the Week

    It was a stupid plan and I berated myself for suggesting it.  However -- this you must understand -- When the Unseen Hand leads you in its grasp, you follow.  Or turn back and live in eternal regret.  Of course, there is no certainty in following either.  That is what makes faith.  Follow or turn back -- there is no middle ground. 
    That night I chose to follow.  It was my decision; I chose freely.  And I bear responsibility for the consequences.  That is the price of freedom.
    Oh, but I felt alive that tempest-tossed night with the rumble of waves and thunder in my ears, the sting of salt in my eyes, and the smell of moss and wet rock in my nostrils.  And that warm, trusting girl by my side.  I was alive, and I gloried in the living.

-from 'Merlin' by Stephen R. Lawhead

~RM

Spring Cleaning....in November....

....All I have to say is: it shouldn't be legal.....

Tomorrow we leave this wonderful house that has been home for the past two years and move into the not-so-wonderful TLF that will be our living space for the next two weeks.  Tomorrow morning the home 'inspector' (insert dramatic dun-dun-DUN music here) comes to, well, inspect.  Our house has to be ship-shape before then.  The walls must be free of all dirt, crayon marks, food smudges (not that there's many of those) and pretty much blemishes of any kind.  I told my mom that a lot of them are not removable.  She told me to use some soap and elbow grease.  The blemishes have been removed and I am out of elbow grease.  Saturday was spent cleaning and painting our garage walls and then power scrubbing our fence, white fences and red dirt shouldn't be legal either.  The refrigerator has been thoroughly sanitized, the microwave was just washed, and this morning the oven cleaned itself.  Most of the walls have been sufficiently disinfected, but there are still many more things to be done.  The bathroom being at the top of the list.  I do detest cleaning bathrooms.....

So I decided to type up this blog post and let you all know how things are going!

Nooo, I'm not avoiding anything....

~RM

One of the Many Things That is Wrong with Me

I decided to change the background of my blog since I was getting kinda tired of the old one.  No big deal right?  It wouldn't be if I would just find a background and be done with it ... Instead, I choose one, apply it, and then come back the next day and change it again because it was 'too bright and distracting' or 'too dull and colorless' or 'I don't know, I just don't like it.'  I find it very hard to make up my mind on certain things (now, whether I want a piece of chocolate right now or not is not one of those things).  So, this post's purpose was to apologize for driving you all insane with my blog being a different color each time you visit.  Bear with me.  Hopefully my mind will make it's self up in the near future ...

~RM

Q-T-M-M-L-S-H-I-A-B-A-R

Which means "Quote That Made Me Laugh So Hard I Almost Broke A Rib".
And here it is: (excerpt from Leepike Ridge another must read by Nathan Wilson)

"A lot of academics would never admit that either group (Asians and Phoenicians) had been to this continent," Reg said, "Luckily, those ancient folks weren't able to read the academic journals or they might not have come, and there would have been no native cultures or civilizations in this part of the world."
"I don't get it," Tom said.
"You'll have plenty of time to. Just remember a few things and you'll be set. Columbus was the first to come from the east. Vikings don't count, and neither do all the people who were standing on the beaches and waving when he got here."

For All You 100 Cupboards Lovers

A letter from Anastasia to Richard:

Richard,
First, I saw you sneaking out of my room. Don’t ever go into my room again, or Uncle Caleb’s dogs will snack on you in the night.
Second, I know you put this journal on my pillow. Stop being such a creep. The fact that you even touched my pillow means that I’ll have to burn it immediately. Did you think any of this would impress me? Sneaking around writing about yourself? Could you be weirder?
Third, I don’t believe any of it.
Fourth, if you want to impress me, change. Don’t be you anymore. Don’t be the Richard Hutchins who calls himself Richard Hutchins. I’ve seen you wear pink sweatpants, and I won’t ever forget it. But if you want me to try, start playing baseball. Be normal. Don’t notice if you get hurt. Never, ever, ever whine to me or anyone else about anything again. That would be a start.
Fifth, I don’t care that you’ve been stabbed and (if you’re not lying) hit with a broom and scratched on the ankle and bruised on the face and pinched by crabs. I just read your stupid journal and that was worse than anything you’ve ever gone through.
Sixth, you’re a chump and a sneak and a weasel and an annoying Math tutor. If you died, I probably would be a little sad for you. But I’m sure I wouldn’t notice for a very long time.
Don’t talk to me tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Anastasia
P.S. If you still feel like pretending to be brave, I picked out another cupboard for you from this journal:
#23. Collected 1900. Tin-plated drawer. Single pull. First report: Ireland. Local innkeeper with a sealed room. Cursed, he said, with vipers. Seven guests killed in a week. Locked up since. Wouldn’t let me into the room. After dark, broke in and located the drawer easily (noticeable hissing when opened). Pried it loose and bagged it quickly. Left before morning.
That one should be fun for you. And if I never see you again, at least I’ll know how you died.

Now for any of you who have never read 100 Cupboards before that probably made no sense at all. BUT!!! I have a SOLUTION!! You must go get the book: 100 Cupboards by Nathan Wilson and read it. It's very, very (did I mention very?) good! So go read it! :)

-Micaiah

Kitchen Catastrophes

Yes, I CAN actually be a klutz, just ask my mother. I was very excited about this new recipe for potato wedges that I got from Pioneer Woman. I followed the directions thoroughly, cutting the potatoes, putting the potatoes on a cookie sheet, coating the potatoes with butter, pouring more butter over the potatoes (and yes, the Pioneer Woman is all for extra butter), and then placing the wedges in the already preheated oven. Obviously the cookie sheet was where I went wrong. The cookie sheet that I used had no lip around the edge. And butter/oil mixtures tend to be some what flammable-
Now don't freak out or anything, our kitchen is still in one piece thanks to SUPER MOM.
I placed the sheet with butter coated potato wedges into the oven and just a few moments later I noticed medium sized flames spurting up inside our oven. After staring dumbly for a few more moments I very calmly (pshaw!) yelled for my mother, who came slowly down the stairs asking why I had to yell so loudly when my younger brother was napping. All I could say (or yell) was, "Come here!! Come here!!" My mom had no idea why she was 'coming here' until she saw for herself. Without a word except to tell me to calm down (I AM rather excitable) she quickly opened the oven door and pulled the wedges out. SUPER MOM SAVES THE DAY AGAIN!! Not that this happens very often or anything. I am happy to say that we saved the wedges and they had a very nice smoked taste :) Here is the link to the recipe:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/roasted-potato-wedges/

Just be sure to use a cookie sheet that has a lip.