UNCLE! UNCLE, ALREADY!!!

This has been one of the most incredible winters we've had in a LONG time! So far in this 2007-08 winter season, we've had a total of 102.2 inches of the fluffy, cold white stuff! YIKES... yes, it is reminiscent of childhood days, but UNCLE ALREADY! :) The news this morning gave snowfall totals of some record years.... during the winter of 1995-96 we had 113.2 inches of snow and in the winter of 1873-74 we had the most snow on record, 122 inches!!

Rumor has it we are expecting another 5-10 inches of snow tonight!! AND then another storm is predicted for next Tuesday..... phew, don't put away the shovels just yet! It is beautiful though isn't it!! GOTTA LOVE NH WINTERS.... they aren't for the faint of heart that's for sure!

THESE PICTURES WERE ADDED 3-1-08.

I thought you'd enjoy seeing the storm this morning! Approx. 6 inches had fallen by 7AM and more still falling! Toby isn't too sure he is liking this stuff anymore! Although as we shovel and toss the snow, he is ALWAYS ready to play catch and ends up with a mouth full! LOL :)See that black 'stove pipe' sticking up from the middle of the snow... it is about 5' tall! I figured that would give you an idea of what we have in the front yard!! Our beloved little pot belly woodstove is BURIED!!

This is the front porch . The snow from the metal roof has landed on the bushes out front and blocked the view!! LOL The cats aren't too impressed.... the open window is how they get in and out! Pete was shoveling off a garage roof this morning and took this picture! The snow on top of this roof is almost as tall as his shovel!! YIKES!!

It's That Time Again...

We are at one of our favorite times of year again! Can you believe a whole year has flown by?! If you are driving on the back roads of NH and VT you'll soon be seeing the famous and wonderful sights of hanging sap buckets and hosing! Pete and Austin have been working on welding the arch, making whatever needed adjustments and repairs they deem necessary. Soon we'll be hanging the buckets..... and once again you'll get to journey with us through the maple syrup making processes! I'll keep you posted.... and if you stop in you may be put to work! :) Not to worry... we have too much fun to really call it 'work'!

Learning To Chase Lions!

I've been reading a book highly recommended to the whole congregation by one of our pastors! The title of the book is "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" (How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars) by Mark Batterson. All I can say is READ IT! :) It will be well worth your time!

Pete and I are sharing the book.... I don't always share well (books that is!) but so far so good! I actually gave it to him at the laundry mat today so that he could have a turn reading! LOL

Here is an awesome quote to whet your appetite!

"I think there are basically two types of people in the world: complainers and worshippers. And there isn't much circumstantial difference between the two. Complainers will always find something to complain about. Worshippers will always find something to praise God about. They simply have different default settings. Here's a thought: The circumstances you complain about become chains that imprision you and worship is the way out. Worship reframes our problems and refocuses our lives. It helps us get through the bad days by reminding us of how good God is!" pg. 69-70

It is a quick & easy read.... but one that you won't want to read too quickly! It is definately a book to read with a pencil and a notebook near by! :)

The last thought I want to leave you with comes from page 28!

"How you think about God will determine who you become. You aren't just the byproduct of 'nature' and 'nurture'. You are a byproduct of your God-picture. And that internal picture of God determines how you see everything else. A low view of God and a high view of God are the difference between scaredy-cats and lion-chasers. Scaredy cats are filled with fear because their God is so small. Lion chasers know that their best thought about God on their best day falls infinitely short of how great God really is."

Get a copy!! You will be glad you did!

A few more pictures to share with you.......

Here's Pete during one of the clinics. When a child is the patient, he/she is held on the lap of one of the volunteers. This helps to elevate the youngster but also it is a good way to help keep him immobile and stops him from wiggling too much! (Pete is covering his eyes so that he doesn't see the needle of novicane.) The extra hand near the dentist's head is another volunteer holding a flashlight so the dentist can see! If you look behind Pete... you can see Roger holding another patient's head while the other dentist is working!

I thought this was a cool picture! It's something we see 'in the movies' but when I saw this picture I wanted to share it with you. Pete said as soon as he snapped the shot, the man looked up at him and smiled! (They were traveling by in a van.)

This was taken from the hotel. It shows part of the town that they stayed in... and just beyond this you can see the mountains. There doesn't appear to be poverty here, but there is. The villages surrounding this town are very poor.

The team got together last night for a potluck dinner! Yes, Travis & I were invited too! It was fun to meet the others they traveled and lived with during the 2 weeks that they were gone. Senses of humor... oh, that doesn't even begin to describe this group!! Lots of laughter & teasing.... but everyone has a real love for the people of Honduras!

7 Random and/or Weird Facts...

Here are the rules:
• Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog. We all want to know them!!
• Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
• Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Ok, here they are... 7 random or weird facts:

#1) In the second grade (with Mrs. Bowie as my teacher) I was voted BY MY PEERS to have the WORST penmanship in the class! (The student with the best penmanship was going to address the envelope for class letters to be mailed to a fellow student who had recently moved away!)


#2) In the third grade (taught by the same teacher) I was somehow voted BY MY PEERS to have the BEST penmanship in the class! (Of course everyone's names were covered during voting!)

#3) I RARELY if ever use measuring spoons when I cook..... I use the palm of my hand to measure quantity ... (salt, baking soda, spices etc.)

#4) During my high school years I had two fancy hamsters..... one gray & white one named Agatha and the second one chestnut brown & white was named Benjamin!

#5) When eating something with mixed colors.... (m&m's or smarties for example) I separate the colors and eat them from least to most. I Know it's 'weird' AND, if you by chance sneak one away when I'm not looking.... I can tell you what color you took! :)

#6) I almost always have a book or two that I'm reading AND I'm very antsy when I'm out of books to read... (Like now!! I need to head to the library!)

#7) In the 4th grade, I was chosen and given the opportunity to learn to play the bassoon because of the size of my hands!

Since I don't know 7 people who have blogs, I'm tagging the 3 friends I do know that have one!
Kristy at http://www.splendafan.blogspot.com/
Karen at http://www.kpboberrin.blogspot.com/
Anne at http://www.paperinkpressions.blogspot.com/

AND, if you aren't one of these three and you are reading this and have a blog... consider yourself tagged by me too!! Leave a comment and let me know....