Real Patriots in my heritage!

My recently-retired, darling Aunt Toby is taking on a new hobby: Ancestry research.

Apparently, my sixth great grandfather on my Grandpa McClain's side, John Drury Ledbetter, served in the 6th Virginia Regiment in the Revolutionary War.

This makes me (and all the women in my family) eligible to be a member of Daughters of the America Revolution.
Not sure that I will pursue that.  I am still researching it.  

Also, this fun find today:

"193 years before the Kori's birth, Colonel Arthur Forbis from Philladelphia, husband of 5th great grandmother Elizabeth Wiley (on the McClain side), was gravely wound during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Guilford_Court_HouseHe died on March 15, 1781 [my birthday]
Elizabeth found him on the battleground. Upon his death, she applied for state aid was awarded 25 barrels of corn.She then married Arthur's brother Major John Forbis also a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
So that makes three patriots so far on Dad's side of the family."

Anyway, fun for me.  I feel like a revolutionary princess. :)  Very proud to have had family that served in securing the independence of this great nation.

out of the mouths of babes...

soundbites from a recent game of Risk with Daddy.

B: "I'm going to be a dictator!"

Si: (Referring to his dad...) "I'll wipe the snot out of 'im, Brandon!"

Si's first loose tooth

"How I got that tooth out is I just smacked myself in the mouth." 

~Silas

our D.C. excursion, part 4: the Big Apple

(For the beginning of our trip, click here.)

Monday (Sept. 19th) we rose early and scooted up to New York City, hopped on the ferry to cross the Hudson (the same ferries that rescued Sully's passengers), and --like the tourists we are-- boarded the double-decker red sightseeing bus to tour the Big Apple.  What fun and fascinating information.

On our way across the Hudson

From the 2nd floor of the bus,
you get a good view of stuff like this.

Eeeeeeewwwwwwww.
That's gum with coins stuck to it on a lightpost.
Sorry, should've warned you to bring your barfbag.
Hey! Be thankful I didn't post the closeup.

Tobi and Rich

Flat iron building 

Nathan Hale.
"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

Mayor Bloomberg's welcome to all conservatives.
What?  Don't you think so, too?

Waiting for N.Y. pizza in Little Italy

May I back up a moment?

As I write, it seems that I allude that our trip was smooth sailing.  Though it was VERY fun, it was filled with bumps, wrong turns, and much laughter.  My sister was the navigator...   ummmmm.....let's just say that if anyone would like to pitch in to purchase a GPS for her, I'm taking donations.  For the sanity of her husband and anyone who travels with her, this is very necessary. :)  (Just playin' with ya, Tob...but not really.  ha!)  We all had SO much fun on the drive to, from, and through DC, New York, and Pennsylvania.  There was much laughter, conversation, and delight.

After we left the Memorial (will cover that in my next post), we attempted to make our way back to the tour bus for their nighttime tour but misunderstood the boarding location and ended up missing out on the excursion.  My sister -who had orchestrated the day- was heartbroken over disappointing us all.  Though we were a teeny bit bummed out, we also understand the absolute sovereignty of the God of the universe who cares even about fun trips to NYC, so we lifted her spirits, jumped on the subway and finished our evening in the bright lights and bustling busy-ness of Times Square.

Armed with my pumpkin spice latte and my sweet hubby, we were happy campers indeed.  One of Tob's fave restaurants, Junior's, was nearby, so we popped in there for a little (I mean HUGE) cheesecake dessert and then waddled rolled back to the ferry and our hotel.

It was c-c-c-c-c-c-oollld-d-d-d-d-d-d on the way back.
(btw...do you like my new NYC sweatshirt?)

I know these aren't your typical NY shots, 

Yoos got a problem with that?!

(Please say the above line with a New York accent.)

Our main destination:  THE 9/11 MEMORIAL at Ground Zero.  That's next.

Dolphin Tale

This movie tells Hollywood to rally behind films that "get it right" and tell great stories without all the junk, twaddle, and moral compromise!  It has all the good stuff we want more of and is truly entertaining and inspiring from ages 5-95!!!

It's a story that affirms who we are as homeschoolers and what we stand for.  It's time Hollywood hears us.

This movie even has two homeschool kids who play the main roles!  (The casting agents went to a local support group in California and found them.)

It is a family movie that will inspire, instruct, and bring you to tears because of the great story line. 

The bottom line is that the Homeschool Movie Club wants to show Hollywood that those of us with Christian and strong family values are a big enough market to support other great movies with traditional, conservative family values.  

Click here for Homeschool Movie Club's website.
Click here for Homeschool Movie Club's blog.
Here's what Sally Clarkson has to say.
Please share this with your friends.

The curse of the double oven

I heat up my oven to 400 and in a few minutes it is warmed enough for me to place my dinner inside.  So, I open the top door of the oven and let dinner bake for 30, then 40, then 50+ minutes, but notice the temperature does not increase to the proper number.  Maybe my thermometer is broken?
I turn the oven off.  Then, I realize that I have warmed the bottom oven and put the food in the top.

Start over.

I put the food in the bottom oven and turn it back on.  I wait 30, then 40, then 50+ minutes and the temperature does not increase to the proper number.  I am convinced at this point that my thermometer is broken.
Then, I realize that when I turned the oven back on, I turned on the top oven, but (of course) now my food is in the bottom oven.

At this very moment, my food is in the top oven and I'm pretty sure that's the one that's heated up.  Maybe I'll eat sometime tonight.

We've had this oven for at least 5 years.

And the thermometer works just fine.

Solve all your problems with Spenditol

"Be not one of those who gives pledges, who put up security for debts.  If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?" ~Proverbs 22:26-27

Make sure you sign the petition at www.spenditol.com.

bahahahaha...

Jame found these.  Enjoy.

Dance Your Shoes Off!

He's ALIVE!

dos eggies

Back in the day, I worked as a hostess/fountain girl/waitress at Ruby’s Diner  in Corona Del Mar.  Ok, so I was a worthless waitress.  Talk about not being able to multi-task...yeah, that’s me.  Anyhoo...  I was working at the fountain one day.  (Everybody loves the fountain girl!  I mean, really, you have to be in a good mood when someone is handing you ice cream, right?!)  A waitress asked me if I would grab her “dos eggies” out of the pantry room.  “Sure!” I said.  I thought it was strange that eggs would be kept in a pantry and not in some sort of refrigerated apparatus, but there I was searching high and low for 2 eggs.  ...to no avail.  I knew it was taking me an eternity, so I finally came back and told the waitress, “I’m so sorry but I can’t find a single egg back there.”  She had a puzzled expression and said, “I asked for Dos Equis...the beer?”  

“Ohh....I thought you wanted dos egg-ies.”  Needless to say, we had a good laugh and my hubby often reminds me of that story.

I’ve never been a drinker, so hopefully my naivete is understandable. ;)
Yes.  This is a true story.

Viva Las Vegas

The family spent last week in Vegas.
Here's the photo gallery.

On our way...

weird shoe tree in Amboy, CA

Joshua Tree Forest

_______________

Death Valley

View of the badlands from Zabriskie Point

My super-cute hubby!

Poser.

Chuckwalla checkin' us out.

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Vegas

pre-Circus Circus meal

 As we left Circus Circus, Brandon excitedly says, "Wow! I never knew I could have so much fun in one day!"  He scored prizes and tickets and made out like a bandit.

The reason for our visit, our sweet friend, Jon!

BFF's

In the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

our sweet Brandon

Si's staring contest with a fish.

_______________

Hoover Dam & Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

So, it would seem that

what happens in Vegas gets posted to the blog.