Much Done

Today was a day that had tons of visible accomplishment. That's good, we need days like this. We moved lots and lots of stuff over, the kids had fun at my folks, I got a lot done for Sunset's Directory, and I got ready for teaching tomorrow. (By the way, 5th and 6th graders are awesome to teach the Bible to. They are ready to really get into it at a deeper level than Noah built the ark.) Anyway, now I'm beat but it's that good tired. I miss Avery and Alec though, it's too quiet and there's no broken glass to clean up or anything when they aren't here.

First Night on Maple

Tonight is the first night that we are all sleeping as a family at the Maple house. We still have a lot to do but we are getting there. It's been tough balancing photography, kids, holidays, birthdays, marriage, tiling, wiring, plumbing, cleaning, moving.....and God but somehow I've managed to watch tons of tv. Just kidding.
Tomorrow I've got a business meeting but I think Avery is getting sick again. We brought the cats over today so they would be used to the new place by the time we leave for Ohio for a week. That'll freak em out. I hope to take Avery back to the Dayton Art Museum like we did last year. That was a really special father/daughter outing for me. She's so cool about art, just like her mom.

Koolaid Wormhole

Avery's Gym Party

Avery's Cake

By the way, the last picture in the last post (the shot of Dan) was taken by Alec.

Avery's Birthday

Avery's Birthday was yesterday. She is already six and she was so excited....it was really cool. We are having a party for her on Saturday but we took her to Incredible Pizza and opened presents with my folks. My folks got her a REAL Bible with a leather cover and her name embossed and everything and she was totally thrilled. She said it was the best present ever.
Erin and I had gotten her a V-Smile which is like a Nintendo but you subconscously learn numbers and math and problem solving and stuff. It's that thing on that commercial where the kid says "can I go to bed Mom?" and she says, "as soon as you've finished playing your game" because it's supposed to make you so smart.
But Avery was way more interested in the new Bible and I held back from saying, "put your Bible down and try the video game!" because somehow that didn't seem like the message I should be sending her.
At Incredible Pizza she and Erin rode in one go-cart and raced me in another and I would have won too but they totally cheated and cut me off and drove in a reckless manner. I really think women shouldn't be allowed to.....well, I don't know how many people read this so I'll just stop there.

Filament

Brian

Brookline Website Work Party

Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for my new studio. And that Adam came by just in time to take a group photo with me in it.

Paul

This is Paul 15 years from now.

Commissioned Project

Sorry Adam, nobody appreciates that kind of freaky art. Don't cut off your ear.

M.C. Escher

Good Friends Make It Fun

Brief intermission

We are gutting our new house right now and I've got to do a ton of urgent stuff so....I'll have tons of photos to put up later. Bye the way, if you want to comment and it won't let you, just email me your comment and I'll quote you.

Fast?

So it sounded like we weren’t going to get the house on Maple at the last minute. Because they were so close to foreclosure they had couldn’t get the loan payoff amount figured with the attorney fees added in, in time for tomorrow’s close (Friday). Then after I had pretty much resigned the situation as just not being a part of The Big Guy’s plan, it came through. I’m happy and anxious and excited but I was all of those things before too so I’m kind of just a little tired now on top of it all. Thanks for your prayers good people.
Angie (my sister) was here today and she and her hubby will be up next week for some Wild Turkey. Not the drink, actually it’s probably not going to even be wild. But anyway, I was so dazed with my world of confusion and what-not to really visit much so next week I hope we can catch up more.
Today I did retakes at the daycare and the little ones were really cute. Got some great feedback on the Old Testament thoughts. I think Kyle and Jane are both right but it’s just so weird to think about what those guys way back then had to do to be holy. I remember one time Brian Hudkins asking us to pray and to fast if we are called to. I was like, “Fast? What’s that? You mean BREAK-fast, right? You want some waffles?” And then I was all interested in studying about modern-day spiritual fasting. (Not that I could pull it off for more than a few minutes but hey, I can dream).
So then, what about fasting? When do we do it? Why do we do it? When do we teach people about it?
While you ponder that:
“I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas.”

Jell-O

Photo#1. Erin Amundson and Alec Amundson
Photo #2. Jell-O
Photo #3. Avery Amundson
Things keep getting better and worse and better and worse with the house situation. I won’t get into it too much but it’s currently a little hairy as to whether the sellers will have their stuff together enough for us to save them from foreclosure. In the meantime I’ve got happy parents from a daycare shoot that I did and Avery is writing sentences out of the blue which is way ahead of her kindergarten class. She figured out how to write “the sun is hot; the stove is hot; etc”. She’s amazing! Alec is in one of his sweeter but more destructive phases which are kind of fun to watch. But it’s also hard to discipline him when he’s being so sweet.
Church was great tonight and I think it was the perspective I needed. Paul Johnson gave a great talk that helped me and Erin both remember that we’re stressing out over something that really isn’t that important in the grand scheme. You won’t hear people saying somebody had a great house at their funeral.
It sounds like we’re going to be able to see Angie while she’s in town tomorrow. That’ll be good, she always makes me smile. J
Erin made some Jell-O tonight.
Kyle Brice had some interesting comments I’m contemplating, you should read them-he posted them the other day here.
And finally: If you're a Thanksgiving dinner, but you don't like the stuffing or the cranberry sauce or anything else, just pretend like you're eating it, but instead, put it all in your lap and form it into a big mushy ball. Then, later, when you're out back having cigars with the boys, let out a big fake cough and throw the ball to the ground. Then say, "Boy, these are good cigars!"

Branson High