The Bronkar Family

What We Are Up To

2008-12-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

Today is Saturday and we are making this soup for lunch (and dinner). I am halving her recipe, though. And maybe the chard only for the adults.

Go-To Cookies

2008-12-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

I know it's not good to use cake mixes because they are loaded with sugar and contain hydrogenated oil. But sometimes, like when Pavilions puts them on sale for 59 cents each, I cannot resist. And I have to make my favorite quick-cookie recipe.

You need a cake mix, a stick of butter, 2 eggs, vanilla and chips.

I like Betty Crocker dark chocolate cake mix. I take a stick of butter out of the freezer, melt it in a big microwave-safe bowl, and then let it cool (maybe 10 minutes).

So preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take your bowl with the melted butter and crack two eggs into it. Pour in a little vanilla extract and scramble everything with a fork. Add your cake mix and mix it until combined, then add any type of chips you like (I used a combo of white and semi-sweet here - also yummy with butterscotch or toffee). Spray 2 cookie sheets and drop 20 cookies on each. Bake for 10-12 minutes. They should still be a bit soft when they come out, kind of like brownies.

I will take these to our homeschool co-op Christmas party tomorrow.

Fun Time Had By All

2008-12-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon we filed all schoolwork completed for the week and then decorated for Christmas. The lighted church is one of my favorite trimmings; I had a small amount of red thread left after a scarf and it was just enough for the church to rest upon. And though I don't much care for this hanging light the rest of the year, I feel differently when the snow angels make their home in it.

That evening we went to South Lake Avenue in Pasadena, which is one of my favorite spots. My mother used to work at the Bullock's (now a Macy's) that anchors the block, and lots of families frequent the shops and eateries in the evening (and there is not the frenetic-pace feeling you get in Old Town or in other venues).
For Christmas, The district is sponsoring local musicians to play by the Corner Bakery and Coffee Bean on three Friday nights, and last night was the first. We ate treats to the sounds of jazz, choral, and clarinets and came home to our Christmas tree, lighted church and snow angels. December has gotten off to a good start.

2008-12-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

I had a neighbor who moved away maybe five years ago, and I still pray for her. She and her husband were an extremely successful couple with a young son and infant daughter. She was doing her obstetrics/gynecology residency and he was doing his in gastroenterology. We both had small children and would sometimes visit after one of her long shifts at USC County hospital. She dealt with very difficult cases at USC, at times involving drug-addicted, poor, battered women.

One day when I naively asked her if she performed abortions, she said with a sad, tired smile, "Well, this week was great. I killed two babies." She described a patient who had had 5 or 6 babies, and they did an abortion and a hysterectomy on her simultaneously. She described the procedure and the moving uterus vividly. It was hard to remain calm. I do not remember the other patient she described. As I probed, she expressed genuine discomfort with the whole procedure and seemed fully willing to acknowledge that abortion involved a moving, living baby. But it was all part of the profession and her religious beliefs did not prohibit her.

This interesting article by Chuck Colson brought her to mind.

2008-12-03T20:02:00.000-08:00

In one of his books (I cannot remember now which one) Dallas Willard suggests that as you read the Bible, to the greatest degree that you are able, you put yourself into the shoes of the people in the stories. The Bible is powerful, but it is also far removed from us in time. This makes it come alive in the here and now and helps us apply it.

In that same vein, a leader of our homeschool group suggested the Chronicles of the Kings series by Lynn Austin. She and her teenage sons read them as they studied the kings of the Old Testament and she ended up using them for a book club. If you ever thought that Chronicles and Kings were the boring parts of the Old Testament, you will take another look after reading these books. Extremely powerful. Three more notes: 1) Pasadena Central Library carries them and I could not find them in the LA County system. 2) I do not think I would let my kids read until at least junior high. I was upset when we studied the Aztecs and Mayans - they've got nothing on the ancient Assyrians. 3) I have only read the first two so far.

From the author's website:

Chronicles of the Kings series
Following the lives and legacies of King Hezekiah and his son Manasseh, this series takes readers through the history, drama and promises of the Old Testament. Embracing God's law, following God's will, and growing in faith is easier said than done for the father and son. Three-time Christy Award winner Lynn Austin brings the Bible to life in her gripping historical novels.

1. Gods and Kings
2. Song of Redemption
3. The Strength of His Hand
4. Faith of My Fathers
5. Among the Gods

Thanksgiving Mantel

2008-12-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

My kids make comments that communicate the following: Other homeschool moms do cool crafts; we never do creative projects; when can we use the glue and glitter you buy every year....

Well, I got the hint. My friend Suzie is wonderful with paper crafting and I got this garland idea from her. Very simple, and the kids helped with it. We actually got out the glue.:)

You need scrapbooking paper (regular thickness works better than cardstock) cut into 2 inch squares. (This is the most labor-intensive part of the project for a simple crafter. A big paper cutter probably used by serious scrappers was borrowed from my dad. He uses it for photos.) Lay out a piece of cotton string and glue the squares on point with the string in between (like a string sandwich). That is all there is to it.

I already bought a Christmas paper pack from JoAnne and am looking forward to a garland with reds and greens. And I think I will make it longer than this, maybe to go over the door.

45th

2008-11-30T19:57:00.001-08:00

Today was my parents' 45th anniversary and we all went to Northwoods Inn for lunch to celebrate. I feel so very thankful for their continued involvement and support in my life and for their decades of faithfulness to one another.

The marriage of Jerry and Pat Jambazian, imperfect as all marriages must be, has taught me that you make it work. You stay - you don't leave - and you make it work.

5 Minute Prep, 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-29T20:36:00.001-08:00

I should have posted this last week. Oh well.:) Do people eat pumpkin pie for Christmas?

Quick, easy, makes the house smell good, and all the ingredients but the eggs are in your pantry. My favorite type of recipe.:)

Preheat oven to 425. Unwrap your Keebler graham-cracker pie crust - the big 9 oz. one. Whisk 2 eggs in a mixing bowl with a fork, then add 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 small can pumpkin and a few shakes of cinnamon or pie spice. Mix well and pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and cook 40 more minutes.

Praying the Bible

2008-11-25T17:03:00.000-08:00

I find that the Bible most comes alive when I personalize it and pray it. Sadly, I can read a passage repeatedly without "hearing" it. But when I pray it in the first person, I find it shocking and convicting - there is more of a chance of it renewing my mind and transforming me, which is what it is supposed to do.

For example, put some of Romans 5 in your mouth.
Therefore, since I have been justified by faith, I have peace with God through Jesus Christ...and I rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, I rejoice in my sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put me to shame because God's love has been poured into my heart through the Holy Spirit who has been given to me.

Or try on 1 Peter 2:
For to this I have been called, since Christ also suffered for me, leaving me an example, so that I might follow in his steps...He himself bore my sins on his body on the tree, that I might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds I have been healed.

There is a downside in this, because the writer is often addressing a group and not an individual. Discernment is needed. But I would rather err on the side of over-application than under-application. I am in desperate need of God's Word to change my thinking and change my life.

A favorite Piper quote from a July 7, 2008 blog post: "When you...read your Bible take hold of it like a miser taking hold of gold and silver. Take hold of it like a pearl of great price and a treasure in a field. Take hold of it like a drowning man seizes a float."

Finding the Joy of Exceptions

2008-11-21T17:52:00.002-08:00

I read WORLD magazine, which is like Time or Newsweek from a Christian perspective. I first learned of it when doing some writing for Ravi Zacharias Ministries and they offered to order it for me (to get ideas for short articles). The writing stint was short-lived and almost 10 years ago, but I have ordered WORLD ever since. It is an excellent magazine. Here are some excerpts and paraphrases from an article on writing by Marvin Olasky (architect of compassionate conservatism).

By economizing much of the time, a man is able to spend money at the right time. By not eating sugary junk every day we are free to eat an elegant piece of cheesecake on a special night out. Write with strong nouns and verbs so that when you want to throw in an adjective like "daiphonous" it will stand out. Mark Twain said it well: "When you catch adjectives, kill most of them - then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together; they give strength when they are wide apart."

3 thoughts for teaching writing:
1) quality rather than quantity - one telling bit of specific detail is better than 12 nothings
2) write about what you know, not just what you feel like pondering... "Don't write about Man, write about a man." E.B. White
3) content and style are inseparable

LA Zoo

2008-11-21T17:47:00.000-08:00

A fun day Thursday at the zoo with the younger kids in our homeschool group. I think Sophie and her friend Riley were the oldest there, which was fun for them.

Two Yummy Side Dishes

2008-11-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

I should have taken pictures of these foods - we ate for dinner and now they are all gone. Sorry.:)

There is a good Armenian dish called fasulya made with green beans, garlic, onions, and stewed tomatoes. I simplified it a bit, and it tastes especially good with a rice-type side dish (e.g. couscous, bulgur, pilaf). The easiest way to do it is get a 1 lb. bag of frozen green beans and leave it on the counter until it is totally defrosted (this cuts your cooking time considerably - made it once for a church dinner with frozen green beans and it took forever. I was like, why did I not defrost these?). I sometimes use the 24 oz. bag from Trader Joe's - the french cut ones - and that works too. Any cut is fine. So you coarsely chop half an onion and cook it in some olive oil until it is translucent. Add your defrosted beans and a can of diced tomatoes (the whole can, even the juice). Cover your pot and cook until everything is warm, maybe 10 minutes. Add lots of garlic salt and pepper to taste. Yum. Especially good with some crumbled feta cheese on top.

My friend Trace makes my recipe (she even served it when she had me for dinner). She is a GREAT cook (and probably uses real garlic) and I was flattered.

We have been on a bulgur (aka cracked wheat) kick the last few months. The kids like it as well as pilaf and it is better for you. I buy it at the Armenian market and get the coarse one, #2. It basically looks like really chunky couscous if you have never seen it. So easy! Same measurements as rice - 2 waters to 1 rice. So spray your pan, put a scant cup of bulgur in there with a can of chicken broth and one or two tablespoons of butter. Bring to a full boil, then cover and turn to low. Cook 10-15 minutes. It helps if you have a clear lid so you can see when the liquid is absorbed. Yum! My friend Leah says her mom used to make bulgur for breakfast, like oatmeal. I would like to try my method with water instead of broth, and cinnamon, sugar, and raisins. Once again, yum.

Pasadena

2008-11-15T19:50:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the crooked picture with the background of my office in the kitchen. The 9 yr old took it.:)

I wanted to show off the apron I bought today. I bought it because my mom loves chickens and it reminds me of her. Dropped off the husband and kids at Pasadena Central Library and ran some errands in Pasadena, one of which was buying a friend's birthday present at Macy's. The Martha Stewart housewares there are adorable and I could not resist this apron (and I had a coupon). They had Hot Wings after and I walked through the Old Town masses and into a few shops.

Last night my parents watched the kids and we had our favorite Armenian food at Sahara. If you are in Pasadena, it is on the south side of Colorado between Sierra Madre and Altadena boulevards. Delicious and reasonable. Not much ambience, but quick service and on your way to other fun things in the city.

I am picturing myself preparing Thanksgiving dinner in this apron. Do all women picture themselves doing certain tasks in certain clothes?
I do. It is vain and silly.:)

Pleasant View Schoolhouse

2008-11-13T21:17:00.000-08:00

I have found much homemaking inspiration on this blog. On her tabs on the right, click on "Cleaning" for cleaning schedule ideas. I have learned, as she says, that cleaning is the task that pays you back. The key is to put down everything you want done each week, then split those tasks into five days.

Mine looks like this:
Monday - bedrooms
Tuesday - bathroom
Wednesday - kitchen appliances and cupboards, wash towels
Thursday - kitchen counters, sink and floor, wash sheets
Friday - living room, vacuum bedrooms again

Each day takes about 20 minutes, and I have a small house. By Friday afternoon, the house is clean, and I will not think about it again until Monday. If company is coming, all I need to do is wipe down the bathroom with cleaning wipes.

Daily chores are, well, daily: laundry, dishes. Putting in a load of wash every morning at breakfast time ensures there is no pile-up.

When I first found the blog mentioned above, a year or two ago, I spent a while reading through much of it. I was so concerned about being the perfect homeschooler, and I had the idea that "good" homeschoolers go year round. She discussed how her kids tripled up on math during May because they could not wait for summer. I started to rethink a few things, and let me just say that my kids relish every day of summer. They forget a lot of what they learned during the year, and that is as it should be.:)

2008-11-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

I was eavesdropping on a conversation at JoAnne Fabrics and heard one woman explaining to another how she manages her large family of six children. She described their wide age range and then said that life would be perfect if it were not for two things. (This is the point where I became interested.) "Homework and dinner," she said.

I have half the amount of kids that she does and I don't have to deal with homework. But I do have dinner, as most women do. I was reading in a book about the Slow Food movement about how the food industry tries to tell us we do not have enough time to cook. Pre-packaged, ready-made, or even eating out becomes much more attractive, indeed necessary to us, if we believe we do not have time to prepare food. There is a profit to be made and the motivation is obvious.

I like simple cooking, which, it seems to me, is different than fast cooking. I do not cook simply (in simple fashion) for lack of time. I choose it because I do not enjoy cooking enough to spend large amounts of time investing in it, and the things that taste best to me usually have only a few ingredients and not a whole lot of prep. Simple cooking sometimes requires large amounts of time, but it is usually referred to as "unattended" in official recipe jargon. And I do not think I have ever used a recipe for anything but baked goods in the last 15 years. Yes, I cook that simple.

My girls with two of their friends, practicing some fun, simple cooking.:)

In the next few weeks, I will post a few quick staples.

Long Time Coming

2008-11-11T22:00:00.001-08:00

It has been over one year since I last posted and I have enjoyed reading blogs of a few friends so very much that I decided to get back on the wagon.

I have had mixed feelings about blogs ever since I began following them, because I fear the time I spend on them creating "community" would be better spent in flesh-and-blood community, and also, for me personally, that it would be another way to try and say, "Look at me!" (My mother still does not see the draw - she thinks it is a big "show-off" forum.)

I have "come around" from my doubts because there are things discussed on blogs that one just does not bring up in normal, everyday conversation - important things that tell you about where people are. For example, my friend Suzanne posted a few random thoughts the other day about reading a book on God's holiness; how it was changing some of her thinking and habits in specific ways. She would never have shared this with me in the five minutes I get to spend talking with her each week at church.

In addition, I have learned much from others' blogs. For example, my weekday cleaning routine has freed up my weekends from drudgery, and I got the entire system from the blog of a homemaker I admire. I was always frustrated because my house was always dirty, and time off meant time to catch up on cleaning. What a refreshing change!

I also love simple, simple recipes from friends and this is a great way to share. So here is to a new season.

God of Mercy and Grace, or The Bargain of a Lifetime

2008-11-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

Exodus 34:6 "The LORD, a God merciful and gracious..."

God's mercy - His NOT giving us what we deserve
God's grace - His GIVING us what we do not deserve

Today my 7 year-old son J.R. read the story of The Little Red Hen for a grammar exercise and I asked him to summarize it in 2-3 sentences. You probably remember it - the story of the hen who asks the dog, cat, and duck for help in planting the wheat, milling it, mixing it, preparing bread. They repeatedly refuse, but when the bread comes out of the oven, they are more than willing to partake. The hen refuses because they did not do the work it required, and she shares the bread with her little chicks.

J.R.'s exact words to me: "Mom, this is the opposite of Christianity. God shares with us whether or not we do the work."

Praise you, LORD God, that you are merciful and gracious, and that you share with me the righteousness of your Son and give me of Him to eat freely and fully, though I have done nothing deserving. I deserve the cup of your wrath, and instead I drink freely from the cup of salvation.

This all brought to mind a vignette. The storyteller's analogy necessarily falls short because I suppose we really come empty-handed (not even having the baloney sandwich). But it still resonates with me. I shortened it some.

Baloney Sandwich
Bob Benson

Do you remember when they had old-fashioned Sunday School picnics? I do. As I recall, it was back in the "olden days," as my kids say, back before they had air-conditioning.

They said, "We'll all meet at Sycamore Lodge in Shelby Park at 4:30 on Saturday. You bring your supper and we'll furnish the iced tea."

But if you were like me, you came home at the last minute. When you got ready to pack your picnic, all you could find in your
refrigerator was one dried up piece of baloney and just enough mustard in the bottom of the jar so that you got it all over your knuckles trying to get to it. And just two slices of stale bread to go with it. So you made your baloney sandwich and wrapped it in an old brown bag and went to the picnic.

When it came time to eat, you sat at the end of the table and spread out your sandwich. But the folks who sat next to you
brought a feast. The lady was a good cook and she worked hard all day to get ready for the picnic. And she had fried chicken, and baked beans, and potato salad, and homemade rolls, and sliced tomatoes, and pickles, and olives, and celery. And two big homemade chocolate pies to top it off. That's what they spread out there next to you while you sat with your baloney sandwich.

But they said to you, "Why don't we just put it all together?"

"No, I couldn't do that. I couldn't even think of it, " you murmured in embarrassment, with one eye on the chicken.

"Oh, come on, there's plenty of chicken and plenty of pie and plenty of everything. And we just love baloney sandwiches. Let's just put it all together."

And so you did and there you sat, eating like a king when you came as a pauper.

One day, it dawned on me that God had been saying that sort of thing to me. "Why don't you take what you have and what you are, and I will take what I have and what I am, and we'll share it together." I began to see that when I put what I had and was and am and hope to be with what He is, I stumbled upon the bargain of a lifetime.

I get to thinking sometimes, thinking of me sharing with God. When I think of how little I bring, and how much He brings and invites me to share, I know that I should be shouting to the housetops, but I am so filled with awe and wonder that I can hardly speak. I know I don't have enough love or faith or grace or mercy or wisdom, but He does. He has all of those things in abundance and He says, "Let's just put it all together."

Consecration, denial, sacrifice, commitment, crosses were all kind of hard words to me, until I saw them in the light of sharing. It isn't just a case of me kicking in what I have because God is the biggest kid in the neighborhood and He wants it all for Himself. He is saying, "Everything that I possess is available to you. Everything I am and can be to a person, I will be to you."

When I think about it like that , it really amuses me to see somebody running along through life hanging on to their dumb bag
with the stale baloney sandwich in it saying, "God's not going to get my sandwich! no, siree, this is mine!" Did you ever see
somebody like that - so needy- just about half starved to death yet hanging on for dear life. It's not that God needs your sandwich. The fact is, you need His chicken.

Bob Benson, See You At the House

Current Picture

2008-11-11T20:40:00.000-08:00

We had Thanksgiving with Ryan's side of the family last weekend. The kids are ages 5, 7, 9.

It is finally feeling like fall!

Pies Cooling in the Windowsill

2008-11-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

Miss Sophie has had two momentous events lately. The first is turning nine years old, and the second is having a picture on display at Arcadia Library for the month of November. Notice the two pies cooling on the windowsill...she read that in a book somewhere and now incorporates it into most stories she writes (as well as pictures, as you see). She is a romantic at heart and it is fun to observe.

Opal Converse

2007-10-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

In the last few years, Miss Opal has lost her singing voice - a stroke left the muscles around her mouth limp. Opal was one of the first examples I had of a woman in musical leadership at church, and she influenced my musical development greatly.
She is in a nursing home now, still praising God for each day He gives her. Opal is so happy to see Sophie play, and says she remembers me at that age, making my first performances.

Fun at the Fire Station

2007-10-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Arcadia Fire Dept. gave our homeschool group a tour. The kids (and moms) asked every conceivable question and the men were very obliging. Ava was confused because she does not get the concept of what it means for something to be on fire, as she has never actually seen anything on fire. I tried, unsuccessfully, to explain. They say those homeschooled kids are too sheltered. Hmm....

Halloween? Just for Fun?

2007-10-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

Everyday is a
good day for
dress-up
around here.

Grammie Vicki's Birthday

2007-10-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Food,
fun,
family,
at the
hospitable
Harder
household.

Ryan and I, his sister Amy with her husband Tom, and his brother Jason with his wife Amy.

Saturday Afternoon

2007-09-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

Our nephew Lucas had a soccer game today in Yorba Linda, so we got to spend an afternoon in the beautiful OC with beautiful family.

Lots of Really Big Cows

2007-09-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the L.A. County Fair with our home education group, Park Academy.
I don't know if the kids had more fun at the exhibits or just running around with their friends. J.R. got to milk a goat and every animal on the premises was touched, petted, or handled.

Big Bear

2007-09-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

A friend graciously offered her place for the weekend - the kids said they definitely liked it better than our house. It was certainly bigger. We hiked, biked, swam, and had a nice time away.

Ryan's Birthday

2007-09-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

We celebrated on the patio with some of his favorites - baby back ribs, rosemary LaBrea bread (Costco) and German chocolate cake.

J.R. learning to eat ribs from the master.

J.R.'s First Piano Lesson

2007-09-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled that Sophie's piano teacher finally agreed to take him. She is very patient and calls him "Jerry dear" - at least she does now. He just started.:)

Far-Away Friendship

2007-09-07T22:17:00.001-07:00

C.S. Lewis considered friendship of the utmost importance and said he would make the sacrifices necessary to live - literally, geographically - near his friends. We all know that in real life this is often an impossibility, but that doesn't mean that we can't mourn the reality of missing out on the day-in-day-out, in the flesh, comings and goings of our dearest friends.

Hayong is one such friend to me. We have often reflected on how unusual our friendship is in that we met in the fifth grade, went through highschool together, and even attended college together (and shared an apartment our last two years). It is commonplace for one to have friends from various times of life, but we began at elementary school and were still a part of each other's daily lives well into our 20s. Now she has made a life on the east coast with a wonderful husband, and on this visit I was blessed to meet her thirdborn, Hallis, for the very first time.

There is always some hesitation when we must supply background information to each other, as our lives no longer overlap, and always tears when we part. I truly count Hayong among my best blessings in life.

A Really, Really Nice Homeschool Day

2007-09-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

A Baby Shower for Ashwin and Charis

2007-09-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

The Ramjis are expecting their first, a baby girl, any day now. Our class got together at our place to celebrate. They are dear friends and we are thrilled for them.

2007-09-04T21:29:00.000-07:00

Lots of fun, fellowship, and getting Ashwin used to the idea of being a father...

2007-09-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

Charlene, Valeria and I served yummy desserts....so nice to eat for two, isn't it Charis?

2007-09-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

Adrian and Christine brought their son Julian, just 10 days old. The shirt is a class favorite - Ryan has one, too (Ashwin wanted to know why Adrian's shirt showed his pecs but Ryan's didn't).

Labor Day Pool Party

2007-09-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

Our Sunday School Class had such a fun time at our annual splash. Once again, our friend Mark who is a professional photographer made a fun slide show. Click here to view, and make sure to wait a few moments while it loads.

I Could Be the Sample-Maker at Trader Joe's...

2007-08-27T19:29:00.001-07:00

A yummy and easy multicultural pizza that both kids and adults like, which is essential around here...
I always get the Garlic Naan (Indian flat bread) in the frozen section at Trader Joe's, and the kids love it. I ran into my friend LeAnne there and she suggested the plain one. It is called Tandoori Naan, right next to the garlic one in the freezer at TJ's. Anyway, when we ate it, it occurred to me that this naan would make an excellent pizza crust. And it did. There are 4 breads in the package, and you can make 4 different types of pizza. Just preheat the oven as the package directs, and put your toppings directly onto the frozen bread. We used ragu with mozzarella, mushrooms and canadian bacon for one, barbecue sauce with red onions, cilantro and chicken for another, and alfredo pesto sauce with shrimp for another. Very delicious. Just use a pizza pan and cook for 5-10 minutes, depending on how brown you want the cheese and how crunchy you want the crust. Yum!

First Day of School

2007-08-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Today was Ryan's first day back. He was sitting there at 6AM, making last minute calculus preparations, and looking so handsome. I had to take a picture (he rolled his eyes, of course). He will be 34 years old soon, which means I will have known him 23 years. Hard to believe. I will never get tired of that smile.

Polite Little Ladies

2007-08-27T19:19:00.001-07:00

The Maciel and Bronkar girls enjoying a summer barbecue dinner at our place (but it was too hot to eat outside - maybe that doesn't count as a barbecue then). J.R. was grubbin' at the adult table (too much girliness at the kid table) and baby Joshua was rotating arms.

Oinkster

2007-08-27T19:15:00.001-07:00

Our friend with all the hook-ups, Gary Gee, turned us on to a fun diner called Oinkster in Eagle Rock. Pulled-pork, rotisserie chicken, Oinksterade and Fosselman's ice cream. Something the whole family can enjoy. Grandpa is always up for a new restaurant (forever on the look-out for a new "favorite") and Grandma comes along for the ride.

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God (Psalm 19:1)

2007-07-30T22:01:00.001-07:00

We just returned from enjoying the beauty of God's creation in Yosemite National Park. We camped for a week with two other families. We hiked, we biked, we ate a lot of s'mores, and had a wonderful time.

2007-07-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

2007-07-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

Yosemite Slide Show

2007-07-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

Our artistic photographer friend, Mark Christensen, made a wonderful slide show of our time in Yosemite.

An Anniversary Celebration

2007-07-30T15:57:00.001-07:00

Ryan and Linda at a wedding reception, which was a nine-course Chinese meal. Very fancy.

Miss Ava

2007-07-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

Sweet Miss Ava got her "hairs" cut by Mama today.

Fourth of July

2007-07-18T21:58:00.000-07:00

A very fun Fourth of July Party at the Christensen home for our Sunday School class. Mark and Valeria are always gracious, hospitable hosts.

Tea Party

2007-07-18T21:56:00.001-07:00

Lunch leftovers usually make for a good tea party.

II

2007-07-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

J.R. wanted a piece of the tea party action. He usually gets roped into the girl stuff.

June Wedding

2007-07-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

Ryan and Linda at a very warm wedding in Riverside at the end of June.

Grandpa Jambazian

2007-07-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

J.R. getting some love from Grandpa.

Birthday Party

2007-07-18T21:39:00.001-07:00

For his sixth birthday at the end of June, J.R. had a few of his best buds for a slumber party.